Kashmir.Watch

Category: Union Territory

  • AAP reacts to Dr Farooq’s ‘Maha-choor’ remark

    ‘He disgraced Aam Admi of Kashmir’
    Srinagar: AAM AADMI PARTY Lok Sabha candidate for Srinagar parliamentary seat Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat has  strongly condemned  the irresponsible statement made by Dr Farooq Abdullah wherein he called kashmiris as worst thieves as according to Farooq Kashmiris resort to power theft .
    The statement issued to KNS informed that  the party spokesman said that by calling Kashmiris thieves Farooq Abdullah has once again disgraced AAM AADMI of Kashmir. People of this state are very much law abiding people but the wrong policies of the National Conference lead Government has  time and again added to woes of Kashmiri people. It is National Conference which sold out the natural resources of the state like water  to NHPC and in return got peanuts . Had the NHPC projects been returned to the state the power situation would not have been what we are witnessing today .
    We have information obtained under Right to Information Act (RTI) wherein scores of  Government  departments have not paid electricity bills worth crores of rupees from the last many years and in view of all this Farooq and Omar must clarify whether Government itself is a thief or an ordinary bruised Kashmiri ?
    Farooq Abdullah being President of J&K Cricket Association is involved in a scam involving crores of rupees. Farooq Abdullah has occupied large chunk of Nazool land at Gupkar and he is paying peanuts as annul rent . Only landless and poor people were supposed to get
    such Government land under 5 point programme and that has been stopped . How can Government take meagre few hundred rupees from Farooq Abdullah as annual rent when we have two or three families living in one or two congested rooms in old city of Srinagar such as Nowhatta , Gojwara , Habba Kadal etc. We demand that  Farooq Adullah and his family must be charged rent for his Gupkar residence as per the present market value of the land . (KNS)

  • If there are any thieves in J&K, it is NC leadership: Mehbooba

    ‘Haji Yousuf’s death residence exposes the muck of corruption in the Abdullah family at Omar ’
    Jammu: Demanding an apology from National Conference patron, Dr Farooq Abdullah for his ‘all Kashmiris are thieves’ remarks, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Monday raised the issue in the Legislative Assembly and said his comments had insulted the people of the state.
    The statement issued to KNS said that while displaying copies of prominent newspapers including Greater Kashmir and Kashmir Times, the party legislators came into the well of the house and demanded an apology from Dr Abdullah for his anti-Kashmir remark in New Delhi. Unsatisfied with the government response, the legislators latter staged a walkout from the house.
    Speaking to media persons outside the assembly, the party president, Mehbooba Mufti said this is not the first that the NC leadership has defamed the people, who have been voting them to power, but they have always been on the forefront in doing their character assassination both in and outside the state. She said, “They call people, who raise voice against them, as anti-nationals and they have demonised our youth as drug addicts, LeT agents and criminals.” She said to remain in the power the NC has been exploiting people on hallow promises from last more than 60 years now. “Be it in 1975 or 1996, the NC has always betrayed people and compromised their interests, self-respect for the sake of power,” Mehbooba said adding they have been treating people as their slaves and it is their deliberate strategy to defame the image of Kashmiris to remain relevant in certain quarters in New Delhi.
    She said instead of decreasing the existing power deficit in the state, the NC leadership has sold the most feasible power projects to NHPC only for the chair. She said ‘Meter Todo; Heater Lago’ (break meters, use heaters) slogan, by NC during 2008, was an assault on the system, which PDP had reformed during its brief stint in the government. She said they took off this promise and instead gave consumers a shock by raising the electricity tariff five fold in the last five years. “Instead of their promised honey & milk, what they gave the people of Kashmir pellet guns, chilli grenades, PSAs, arrests, disabilities and police cases,” said Mehbooba and added the NC promoted darkness with load shedding touching new lowest level of power supply. They handed over the administration to middle man, agents and bringing development process to a halt. She said while the ministers and ruling party politicians became richer, the state became poorer and people, from whom NC took votes on the promise of good governance, where subjected to unending curfews, tear gassing, lathi charge, if they ever raised their voices against the government atrocities.
    Mehbooba said there is serious corruption charges pending against Dr Farooq himself, and if there are any thieves in the state it is the NC leadership, who have been thriving at the cost of people of Jammu & Kashmir. She said there are proved corruption charges against them and they can’t generalize this accusation with every citizen of the state. “Dr Farooq is involved in siphoning off millions of rupees meant for the promotion of cricket in the state and even now police have proved his involvement in the case,” she said adding the mysterious death of Haji Yousuf at the chief minister, Omar Abdullah’s residence expose the muck of corruption in the Abdullah family.
    Referring to the BOPEE Scam, the PDP president said the corrupt Mushatq Peer would not had been doing the frauds without the patronage of his political bosses, who have been giving him extension after extension, besides serious corruption charges pending against him. She said Omar Abdullah was unable to take any action against his battery of ministers who have been found involved in serious malpractices be it Drug Scam, PHE Scam, Land grab scam, recruitment frauds etc. , as he fears reprisal from them given his involvement in host of other serious frauds.
    She said besides having huge potential in new and renewable energy in J&K, if the state has not been able to perform well in tapping the potential, it is all because of the inefficiency of Dr Farooq, as he has not been able to perform well. She said it is shameful on part of the part of the NC patriarch to defame the entire population without looking at his performance, as J&K features nowhere in the programme with zero MW capacity project installed anywhere in the state. She said the abysmal performance of Dr Farooq should not come any shocker to the people of the state, as the wounds inflicted by him as the chief minister of J&K, for many occasions in the past, are still fresh and people can’t forget his cruelty. She said if it is in a public view that Dr Abdullah has made such a disgusting comment, what will would be the NC top leadership actually feeling about the people, whom they claim representing and what would they be speaking in private with the people, who see Kashmiris through a stereotype.
    Raising the issue in the Legislative Council, the party Chief Spokesperson, Naeem Akhtar said castigated Dr Farooq for his insensitive and disgusting remark. “It is very insulting on part of Mr Abdullah to defame the entire population,” he said adding we are proud to be Kashmiris, but we are not thieves. (KNS)

  • Nawai-I-Subh biggest defaulter of electricity dues: Mirwaiz

    Mirwaiz slams Dr Farooq over ‘Maha- Choor’ remarks
    Srinagar: Terming the remarks of National Conference Patron Farooq Abdullah, that Kashmiris are biggest thieves while referring to electricity theft in Kashmir, as insulting and disgracing for the entire kashmiri Nation. Huriyat Conference (M) spokesman Monday said that those who have plundered the resources of the state for the sake of power and personal luxury and pleasure are now calling kashmiris as thieves.
    The statement issued to KNS stated that the spokesman said that before doing so Farooq Abdullah should have looked into his own doings where he would come to know to about the damage he and his party has done to the people of Kashmir politically, economically and socially. During their rule Farooq Abdullah and his party handed over the most precious resource like water resources of Kashmir to Indian companies in a most dishonest manner so as to make material gains and keep his political bosses in New Delhi in good humor
    The spokesman said that before leveling charges on the common people of Kashmir Faorooq Abdullah should know that as per the reports published in media government departments’ main stream Political party offices including Nawai-I-Subh the head office of National Conference, high government functionaries and departments are the biggest defaulters of payment of electricity bills.  Leveling baseless allegations against the Kashmiri people is just a ploy motivated with the motive to cover up the large scale corruption of preset rulers and to divert the attention from the mis-governance and atrocities committed by these people on the kashmiri population.
    Spokesman said Farooq Abdullah’s party was not only responsible for plundering kashmiri resources, but was also responsible for the current sufferings of Kashmiris. He said that those people who have imposed draconian black laws in Kashmir and under the garb of these laws were busy in perpetuating their illegitimate rule over kashmiris have no moral authority to level allegations and accusations against the people
    Meanwhile APHC Chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq visited Batamaloo to condole the death of Syed Abdul Majid Shah who happens to be paternal uncle of hurriyat’s media advisor, Advocate Shahid-ul-Islam. Expressing solidarity and sympathy with the bereaved family and Islam, Mirwaiz offered special prayers for the deceased.
    Apart from Mirwaiz, number hurriyat leaders including Musadiq Adil, Advocate Abdul Majid Banday, GN Zaki, Engineer Hilal Ahmad War, Javaid Ahmad Mir, Syed Saleem Geelani, Zaffar Akbar Bhat, Syed Bashir Andrabi, Yasmeen Raja, Abdul Rashid Untoo, Hakim Abdul Rashid, Abdul Manan Bukhari, Farooq Ahmad tawheedi, GN Najar, Mushtaq Sofi, Pir Ghulam Nabi, Gh. Hassan Majrooh, Yaqoob masoodi, Abdul Qayoom and Moulana MS Shamas visited Batamaloo to express sympathy with Islam and the bereaved family.
    On the occasion, MS shamas addressed the funeral gathering and threw light on the philosophy of life and death. He also recalled the contributions on deceased in social and political sphere. (KNS)

  • Kashmiri students ‘thrashed’ in Meerut University

    ‘We were forced to leave campus by authorities’
    Chairman Youth for Peace and Development Rasik Bhat Has Condemned the Attack On Kashmiri students in Meerut University
    Srinagar: The Kashmiri students at the Swami Vivekananda Subharti University in Meerut city of Uttar Pradesh have been asked to vacate the varsity by the authorities after a group of local students allegedly thrashed them over celebrating Pakistan’s win over India in the Asia Cup match on Sunday.
    The students told GNS over phone from Meerut that all the Kashmiri students were watching the Indo-Pak Asia cup match with the students of other parts of India in the campus on Sunday evening. However, trouble started when India lost the match and Kashmiri students celebrated the victory of Pakistan team.
    “When Indian team was in stronger position, the Hindu students were cheering. And when Pakistan team was in strong position, we used to cheer,” a 3rd year B Tech student wishing anonymity told GNS. He said “Finally when India lost, we cheered and this anguished and enraged our fellow Hindu students.”
    The angry Hindu students, he said, started to thrash Kashmiri students. He said had their senior not intervened, the enraged students would have lynched them to death.
    “They ruthlessly thrashed our ten boys. Our seniors saved us from their wrath,” he said, adding “When we went to the hostel to sleep, the students broke the window panes of our rooms. They terrorized us throughout the night,”
    He said this morning the Hindu students staged protests in the University campus demanding the ouster of the Kashmiri students. Besides abusing them, the student, he said, also accused Kashmiri students of breaking window panes. He said succumbing to the pressure of the Hindu students; the administration asked all the Kashmiri students to leave the varsity.
    “We were told to leave the University at the earliest. The administration also slapped a fine of Rs 5000 on us without any reason or rhyme. We’re being punished for supporting Pakistan cricket team,” he said.
    “Around 5:45 pm, we were forced out of the varsity by the authorities. They are in no mood to listen to us. They have succumbed to the pressure of the fanatic students,” he added.
    He said that at least 25 Kashmir students are enrolled in the University, who are undergoing different courses.
    Rabia Baaji, coordinator, Kashmir consultancy, which sends Kashmir students to outside institutes, told GNS that she was not aware of the alleged thrashing of the Kashmiri students or their ouster from the University.
    “However, today evening, I received a mail from the chairman, Atul Krishna, of the university about the incident. They have mentioned that this year varsity has decided not to entertain any Kashmiri student,” she said, adding “The Varsity chairman has also written the Kashmiri students should be sent to Pakistan for studies,”
    When contacted, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Meerut, Aukar Singh, told GNS that he will look into the matter. “You have brought the issue in my notice and there is no need to worry” he said. He denied that police has interfered in the issue so far.
    Meanwhile Chairman Youth for Peace and Development Rasik Bhat Has Condemned the Attack On Kashmiri students in Meerut University

  • Twin militant attacks leaves two policemen dead, one injured

    ‘Militant’ arrested after stabbing SOG man
    Pulwama: Amid inputs from a possible militant attack in South Kashmir’s Pulwama town, unidentified militants Monday killed two policemen outside Court Complex while in another attack a militant stabbed a Special Operation Group man in Pampore town injuring him critically.
    Police sources told Srinagar based news gathering agency CNS that police had inputs that militants may strike in an any part of the South Kashmir’s Pulwama town and to thwart the attempt of militants, security was beefed all around in the town. Police, SOG and CRPF personnel had laid barricades on Srinagar-Pulwama road near Gangoo area stopping scores of vehicles and checked the identity cards of the passengers.
    Eyewitnesses told CNS that at around 11:45 a.m, near Drangabal Pampore, a youth attacked an SOG man with a sharp knife and stabbed his neck. The incident occurred when Army personnel from 50 RR, CRPF and SOG personnel had been deployed in strength in Pampore town. Sources said that a man using phiran took out his sharp knife and attacked the SOG man Bhopindar Singh son of Sher Singh resident of Dhar Basoli Kathua and snatched his service rifle when the SOG man fell down in a pool of blood. The Government Forces immediately swung into action and chased him. Eyewitnesses said that the Government Forces chased and overpowered him. He was detained in police station Pampore while a police official said that the said assailant belongs to a militant outfit and he identified him as Ishfaq Ahmed Khan son of Ghulam Nabi resident of Hundura Tral. “He is being questioned and everything will be clear after his interrogation,” he said.
    Locals said that Government Forces resorted to intense aerial firing soon after the incident which created panic in the area. Traffic on Srinagar-Jammu Highway came to grinding halt for about an hour.
    Meanwhile, Medical Superintendent SKIMS, Dr Farooq Jan told CNS that the injured SOG man identified as Bhupinder Singh has deep stab wound on his neck and he is under observation. “He has suffered C1, C2 and T2 which in medical terminology is called cervical vertebra fracture in vital area. The injured policeman is so far stable but due to critical wound we can’t predict about his survival,” he said.
    Barely two hours after this attack, militants appeared outside Court Complex Pulwama and fired upon a police vehicle. Panic gripped in the town after continuous gunshots were heard, while people and shopkeepers ran for cover.
    Police sources told CNS that the unidentified militants fired indiscriminately upon police vehicle in which two policemen were critically injured. Policemen present in and around the area and rushed the injured policemen to District Hospital Pulwama. One of them breathed his last on way while the other died immediately after arriving in the hospital.
    The two deceased policemen have been identified as Mukhtiyar Ahmed Wani (484PL) resident of Syed Wari Qazigund and Farooq Ahmed Mir (70PL) resident of Vedpora Shopian. Locals and traders  alleged that some SOG personnel went berserk soon after the militant attack and beat people to pulp, an allegation denied by police.
    Sources said that in order to nab the militants, Army personnel from 55 RR, 183 Battalion CRPF, police and SOG personnel cordoned off adjoining areas of Court Complex. Reports said the Dangarpora and Washbough area were also sealed to nab the militants.
    Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police Abdul Gani Mir rushed to Pulwama soon after the incident and paid a rich tribute to the deceased policemen. Besides IGP, several police officer’s attendant the wreath laying ceremony of the killed policemen.
    A police handout issued to CNS said that some unknown militants fired upon a Police vehicle near court complex which resulted in the death of two policemen idenitified as Farooq Ahmad Mir son of Ghulam Hassan Mir resident of Vedpora Pulwama and Mukhtar Ahmad Wani son of Ghulam Hassan Wani resident of Syed Wari Qazigund. Immediately after incident senior officers including IGP Kashmir A.G. Mir visited Pulwama.
    A wreath laying ceremony was held at DPL Pulwama to pay homage to the departed SPOs. Farooq Ahmad Mir son of Ghulam Hassan Mir is survived by his aged mother and father, 02 brothers, sister, wife and a son while Mukhtar Ahmad Wani son of Ghulam Hassan Wani is survived by his widow mother, brother, wife and an infant daughter of two months. (CNS)

  • Hassan Mir’s Tangmarg rally ‘orchestrated’: NC

    Srinagar: Coming down heavily on the Democratic Party Nationalist (DPN) president and minister for agriculture Ghulam Hassan Mir, National Conference Sunday said that Mir schemed his recent rally at Tangmarg.
    “He is in valley for a sellout of the people of Kashmir. He is a darling to the Indian intelligence agencies and time will come when he has to stand before the people for the misdeeds he has committed so far,” said additional general secretary NC Mustafa Kamal.
    In a tele-statement to KNS, Kamal accused Mir of receiving the Technical Support Division’s (TSD) secret funding and that he has not denied the charges sofar. “I stand witness to everything he has done against the people of Kashmir in general and against the people of Tangmarg in particular.”
    Kamal added that Mir was responsible of attempting to kill NC Patron Dr Farooq Abdullah in 1984 and that the case is still pending in the sessions court Baramulla. “He is involved in most of the human rights violations in Kashmir and his close relations with the army were exposed at the time when it was revealed that he had received more than one crore to topple Omar led government in 2010.”
    Kamal further alleged that Mir’s recent rally that was held in Tangmarg on March 1 was ‘stage managed’ and the contents of his lecture are enough for the wise ones to understand his true intentions. “The people who participated in the rally were not the common masses but the employees of the different government departments. We have reports that the government employees were asked to participate in the rally.”
    Kamal while demanding probe into the background on the people who participated in Mir’s rally stated  that government must initiate an early inquiry into the matter so that truth could come to fore at the earliest. ”He talked against Kashmir issue and even accused that we are cheating people. I want to tell Mir that Kashmir issue is the reality and has been accepted by the world at large. Mir’s demand that people should stop talking about Kashmir issue is bizarre and illogical. He has been assigned to say so. ” (KNS)

  • Kishtwar Riots: 18 Weapons Still Not Recovered

    SRINAGAR: Rioters in Chenab Valley Kishtwar town are still holding 18 weapons as the looters are still at large, official sources said.
    During the August 2013 communal riots, a gun shop was looted by the rioters and it involved a total of 41 weapons. Three persons were killed and a lot of commercial property was destroyed. The government ordered a commission of inquiry that has already submitted an interim report. Police said they have recovered only 24 weapons so far.

  • Rasik Bhat to contest Assembly polls from Baramulla constituency

    SRINAGAR: Chairman, “Youth For Peace and Development” Rasik Bhat who has turned politician while speaking in a gathering at Baramulla said that this Constituency has been ignored by the present Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA). 

    Addressing the public gathering at Baramulla, Rasik Bhat said people of Baramulla have been deprived of government benefits. Rasik Bhat is going to contest Assembly polls from Baramulla constituency as an Independent candidate “There is nobody to care about the grievances of the people of Baramulla,” said Rasik Bhat , adding that Fruit, Agriculture remained a luxury for Baramulla residents even as it has been the center for generation of Employment to next Generation. Accusing the government of double standards and wrongly treatment with the people of Baramulla, Rasik Bhat said, “The present constituency representative is still unable to understand the problems of the area.” ‘Politics is played over the resources of Baramulla and the representatives have reaped the benefits from our resources because of the self centered politics, he said.

  • In do-or-die clash of Asia cup, Pakistan beat India

    Shahid Afridi hit a six in the last over to help Pakistan to a one-wicket win over India, sending them to the top of the Asia Cup table.
    Mirpur (Bangladesh): In a thrilling cricketing clash between here, Pakistan today defeated its rival India in very important match of Asia Cup by 1 wicket here.
    Earlier, Ravindra Jadeja (52) hit a timely unbeaten half-century as India recovered from a mid-innings collapse to post a modest 245 for eight in their marquee Asia Cup clash against Pakistan here today.
    Opener Rohit Sharma (56), who finally found his touch after a lean patch, and Ambati Rayudu (58) also did their bit but none of the batsman could make it big. However, India had at least something on board to fight for.
    Rayudu scored 58 from 62 balls, while Jadeja was unbeaten on 52 from 42 balls (4×4, 2×6)
    Experienced spinner Saeed Ajmal (3/40) bowled nicely in the death overs to remove three batsmen while debutant pacer Mohammad Talha (2/22) and off-spinner Mohammed Hafeez (2/38) took two wickets apiece.
    Jadeja made full use of his reprieve on 12 when Hafeez dropped a sitter to post his ninth century.
    It was Hafeez, who trapped Dhawan to give Pakistan their first breakthrough but India had the match in control with Sharma and Kohli in the middle.
    Sharma’s approach was different from what he looked after a poor outing in South Africa and New Zealand.
    He pulled Gul over square leg to break free and he showed no mercy against pacer Junaid Khan, punching the left arm pacer for consecutive six and four.
    Victim of Sharma’s assault, Khan conceded 25 runs from his three overs before being taken away.
    The duo mostly scored in boundaries and added a quick 38 runs from 36 balls before Gul gave Pakistan the biggest breakthrough in Kohli.
    It turned out to be a soft dismissal as the in-form Indian skipper was done in by an away going delivery when he edged it to the wicketkeeper, looking to work it away towards the third man.
    Sharma cruised to his 22nd half-century in just 44 balls with seven fours and two sixes but he could not make it big after getting out on a rash shot.

  • HCJK leaders detained again

    Srinagar: As per programme a high level delegation of Hurriyat Conference Jammu Kashmir led by Shabir Ahmad Shah was heading towards Lal Pora, Kupwara a large contingent of police force preventd them from moving forward and arrested them. The delegation apart from Shabir Ahmad Shah included Nayeem Ahmad Khan, Muhammad Yusuf Naqash, Muhammad Ahsan Untoo and dozens of Hurriyat activists.
    According to a statement issued to KNS, the arrest of leaders resulted in brawl between police and Hurriyat activists with people present there protesting againt the arrest of leaders who were dispersed off by forces. The Hurriyat spokesperson while condemning the arrest of leaders and use of force against Hurriyat activists said that to arrest Hurriyat leaders again and again is the outcome of government frustration. “If the so-called government would be having even a little faith in democracy, it will never restrict Hurriyat leaders from meeting people,” he said.
    Applauding the people of Lal Pora, Kupwara for their courage and freedom spirit, the spokesperson said that Kashmiri people will resist Indian illegal occupation till Kashmir issue is not resolved as per the wishes and aspirations of its people. The spokesperson also appealed UN General Secretary Ban Ki Moon to take notice of the human rights violations taking place in Jammu and Kashmir. (KNS