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  • Police recovers 230 bottles of Codeine Phosphate in Shopian

    Srinagar: Shopian Police on a tip off at Sofanaman crossing on Shopian Srinagar road established Naka, today. During the search the naka party intercepted seven motor cycle borne persons.

    According to a statement issued to KNS, upon their search police recovered 230 bottles of codeine phosphate Rexcof and Amcodine from their possession. Six persons Jahangir Ahmad Mir, Showket Ahmad Najar, Reyaz Ahmad Reshi, Abid Hussain, Mohammad Iqbal Wagay and Ashiq Hussain Malik were arrested, however, Shamim Ahmad Mir managed to flee from the spot.

    In this connection a case FIR number 103/2014 under section 8/21 NDPS Act was registered in Police Station Shopian and investigation taken up. During investigation it surfaced that Mohammad Iqbal Wagay son of Ghulam Qadir resident of Pinjoora, Shopian is the kingpin of the racket and is involved in number of other NDPS cases. These Codeine Phosphate bottles were meant for sale among the youth of the town. Police has started a manhunt for the other members of the drug peddling racket.

  • Panchayat members to meet pro freedom camp

    Termed Kashmir a dispute, held mainstream parties responsible for killings

    Demanded probe, threaten mass resignation

    Srinagar: Panchayat representatives Sunday stated that they will go for the mass resignation if they are perceived as an obstacle in the resolution of Kashmir issue.

    According to the KNS correspondent, the members of the Panchayat while holding the mainstream parties responsible for the killing of Panches and Sarpanches in the recent past, accused that if guilty are not brought to book, they will go for resignation en-masse.

    “We want a thorough investigation into the matter and want guilty to be punished. We are protesting so that the persons involved in the killing of our colleagues are punished at the earliest,” said Khurshid Malik general secretary, Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Association.

    “National Conference (NC) is saying that People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is behind the killings and PDP alleges that NC was doing it. We feel they all are killing us together,” said Khurshid, adding that by the criminal silence of the mainstream parties, it is being felt that we are being used.

    The Panchayat members further stated that Kashmir is a dispute and that they are the stakeholders like other people of Kashmir. “We have been elected as the representatives for the social services and 85 percent of people participated in those elections.”

    They stated further that if the guilty are not punished and a thorough probe is not ordered, they will boycott the forth coming elections. “We will not vote in the elections nor will we allow anyone to go near to the polling booth.” They added that they in the near future will hold a detailed meet with Kashmir’s pro-freedom camp so that we could get some help from them for holding the killers of the Panches and Sarpanches accountable.

    Khurshid said Panchayat members were ready to resign en masse, but had decided to hold deliberations with separatist leaders to clear their stand. “We are ready to go for en masse resignation, but before that we are going to meet separatist leaders. We have formed a six-member committee. We will go to them and clear our stand. We will tell them that we are not a hurdle to the Kashmir issue,” Malik said.

    Few days back, the All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference demanded the constitution of a judicial commission to probe the killings of Panchayat members in the state. In the latest case, a panchayat member was shot dead by militants in Kulgam district last Thursday. He said panchayat members were ready to resign en masse,but had decided to hold deliberations with separatist leaders to clear their stand. “We are ready to go for en masse resignation, but before that we are going to meet separatist leaders. We have formed a six-member committee. We will go to them and clear our stand. We will tell them that we are not a hurdle to the Kashmir issue,” Malik said.

    Few days back, the All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference demanded the constitution of a judicial commission to probe the killings of Panchayat members in the state. In the latest case, a panchayat member was shot dead by militants in Kulgam district last Thursday. 

  • Farooq Abdullah elected JKCA President again

    SRINAGAR: Amid ‘chaos and confusion’ incumbent J&K Cricket Association (JKCA) President, Dr Farooq Abdullah was again elected the president of the JKCA during the working committee meeting on Monday in which elections for top posts were held on Monday. Farooq Abdullah had claimed that he is not going to contest election this time.

    Reports said that elections of JKCA were held at Grand Lalit Hotel on Monday after three years. Insiders told CNS that there was chaos and confusion inside the election hall as some members protested that some office bearers and senior members of the Association have not been allowed to participate in the elections.

    Reports said that Vice chairman Jammu Shastri Cricket Club and another vice chairman from Sopore club were barred from taking part in the elections as their names appeared nowhere in the list that was pasted outside the election hall.

    “Why those members are not being allowed to participate in the election who at present are the part of the Association and participated in almost all the important meetings of the Association,” some members from different Clubs during election process raised the question amid noisy scenes.

    Reports said that Vice chairman Jammu Shastri Cricket Club, Shambu Nath Sharma and another vice chairman from Sopore Javid Ahmed Kitab after not finding their names in the list of members left the venue in a dejected state.

    “To pave way for the entry of the fake members, the real members were barred from taking part in the election process,” a member said on condition of anonymity.

    Reports said that the elections that were held for the first time after surfacing of the multi-crore cricket scam were marred by arguments and protests. Dr Farooq Abdullah was once again elected the president of the highest sports body of the state while Arvind Singh Mikkhi was elected Chairman. Some of the members who were chosen as the office bearers included M.L.Nehru (General Secretary), Idrees Gundhroo (Joint Secretary), Ghulam Muhammad Ronga (Vice Chairman) and Ghulam Muhammad Bhat was elected as Treasurer.

    Sources privy to the meeting informed that president JKCA, Dr Farooq Abdullah on this occasion said that the Association has received some bank cheques worth Rs 2 crore from one of the accused involved in Cricket scam Ehsan Mirza. “Mirza has informed the Association in case it is proved through investigation that he is involved in misappropriation of Cricket Association funds, he would pay every penny,” Farooq Abdullah informed the JKCA members.

    Pertinently, Dr Farooq Abdullah had announced that he would not be contesting elections, this time round. “It is enough, I have stood for long now, will not stand for the post of the President again. I have always been elected for the post unopposed and have tried to serve the Association to the best of my capabilities,” Dr Farooq had said while talking to media a couple of days ago.

    The last elections of the cricket body were held in 2011 in which Dr Farooq Abdullah, who has been heading the body for close to three decades, was re-elected as President, unopposed. Ahsan Mirza was elected general Secretary while Aslam Goni was elected as Chairman.

    However after unearthing of the multi-crore scam, Mirza, Goni and administrative officer Saleem Khan had to resign from their respective posts.

     

  • No ploy of NC worked this time: Muzaffar Hussain Beigh

    ‘Some people claiming to be part of Hurriyat helped NC in goading violence on polling days’

    Srinagar: People’s Democratic Party senior leader Muzaffar Hussain Beigh Monday said National Conference resorted to violence in North and South Kashmir on the polling days and for this purpose some people who claim to be the part of the Hurriyat Conference supported and helped this party.

    “National Conference utilized all its resources to have an edge over PDP, but they miserably failed in their designs as people even those who do not favour our party voted for PDP,” Beigh told CNS adding that those NC and Congress workers who voted for PDP indicates the anti-incumbency factor and the extent of hatred people have developed against the ruling National Conference.

    Former Deputy Chief Minister said that National Conference was sure of Farooq Abdullah’s victory on Srinagar seat and keeping this thing in mind this party did not enforce boycott in Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal. He said that the consequence were totally different and the people rejected Dr Farooq Abdullha and voted for PDP by heart.

    Muzaffar Hussain Beigh told CNS that for North and South Kashmir seat, National Conference used its agents and those who claim to be the leaders of Hurriyat Conference to goad violence. “National Conference spent heft amount to enforce boycott in North and South Kashmir. Boycott is another form of rigging and a tool on which National Conference has always relied upon,” he said adding that not a single ploy worked for National Conference this time and people rejected their candidates in all the three Constituencies of Kashmir Valley. (CNS)

  • Immorality, corruption, futile rituals plaguing society: Mirwaiz

    Srinagar: Calling people from all walks of life to contribute towards building a progressive society by eradicating social evils, Hurriyat Conference (M) Chairman and Ameer Mutahida Majlis Ulema Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Monday stated that immorality; corruption, extravagance, and futile rituals were currently plaguing the society. He stated that it was the duty of every conscious Kashmiri to play its role to bring social reforms and get rid of these social evils, thereby help in building a sound society based on moral and Islamic values. According to a statement issued to KNS, taking forward the social reforms campaign, Mirwaiz addressed a gathering of local imams and respected citizens of the locality at Mifta-hul-uloom, Marjan Pora Nawakadal, Mirwaiz stated that the young generation was the future of Kashmir, adding, it was the duty of the society in general and parents in particular to impart rich values and acquaint  the youth with the issues facing the society. He said the time has come that youth should be shown the right path which would ultimately lead to progress and prosperity of Kashmir. He said that people can’t remain mute spectators to social evils facing the society.

    Mirwaiz stated that social ills like immorality, drug and Liquor addiction have sadly shown a rising trend. He said social evils in Kashmir can only be encountered by protecting our Islamic identity. He appealed conscious Kashmiris, Ulemas, and respectable, intellectuals to preserve the Islamic values and inculcate those teachings among the people to preserve the true Islamic spirit. Hurriyat (M) Chairman stated that Kashmiris were engaged in freedom struggle, adding that we cannot turn a blind eye towards growing social and moral challenges facing the society. He said a healthy society is guarantee of bright future of Kashmiris.

    The speakers included Advocate Nazir Ahmad Ronga, Mufti Tanveer-ul-Islam, Mehrajudin Khan,MS Shamas, Mohammad Yaqob masoodi, Sofi Mushtaq and others spoke on the occasion, gave their valuable suggestions, and pledged their support for the social reform campaign started by Hurriyat Conference (M). At the conclusion of public gathering, a special team was constituted under the leadership of Mufti Tanveer-ul-Islam who would lead the social reform campaign in the area.

  • May 16 counting to be held in 4 stations under video surveillance

    Counting to begin in 39 halls at 8 A.M

    Adequate security arrangements made: IGP Kashmir  

    Srinagar: The state electoral office have almost completed preparations including plans for training sessions for the May 16 Lok Sabha election counting which will be carried out at four counting stations including Kargil.

    According to IGP Kashmir A.G Mir, adequate security arrangements have been made for the four stations which include Baramulla, Anantnag, Srinagar and Kargil. “We have made adequate security arrangements to facilitate smooth counting in all these counting stations,” he told KNS.  According to an officer in state electoral office a fair and an incident-free counting is the objective of Election Commission of India (ECI) and all the election officers have been directed to work towards it. “The counting in three Lok Sabah seats of Kashmir valley will be carried out in 39 halls and each counting station will have video surveillance to watch over,” the officer in state electoral office informed.

    The security measures for counting halls and strong-rooms (which hold the Electronic Voting Machines), training sessions for Returning Officers, Assistant Returning Officer and District Electoral Officers for all the four stations have been planned as per the ECI guidelines.  Election officers at the training session would be acquainted with the counting procedures, postal ballot counting and EVM operation, an official in state electoral office told KNS.

    The deputy commissioner Srinagar Farooq Ahmad Shah who is also the returning officer for Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency informed KNS that the counting of votes for central Kashmir parliamentary constituency will take place at 8 AM in SKICC. “We have created 8 halls with 64 tables for 15 assembly segments of the constituency. We have divided counting for these 15 segments into two sessions. In first session of the counting we will count votes of 8 segments and in second session the counting will be for the other 7 segments,” he told KNS.

    Similarly, in South Kashmir the counting will be carried at Government Degree College Boys Khanabal Anantnag at 8 AM. “We have created 16 halls for 16 assembly segments of the South Kashmir constituency,” Saugat Biswas, deputy commissioner and returning officer for Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency told KNS. He said adequate arrangements have been made for the counting procedure.

    In Baramulla the counting be held at Government Boys Degree College at 8 AM. “We have created 15 counting halls for 15 assembly segments of the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency and adequate arrangements have been made for the counting,” Farooq Ahmad Lone, deputy commissioner Baramulla who is also the returning officer for the North Kashmir parliamentary constituency told KNS.

  • Geelani wants Panchayat members to resign en-masse

    Srinagar: Chairman Huriyat Conference (G) Syed Ali Geelani Tuesday stated that the Panchayat members should go for an en-masse resignation so that a message could be given to the world that the ‘members of the Panchayat are in support of the freedom movement’.

    “We will welcome the step of mass resignation of the Panchayat members. We want them to resign so that people could come to know that they are with the ongoing freedom struggle of Kashmir,” Geelani told KNS on phone.

    The Huriyat (G) chairman added further that any person who supports the establishment here works against the ongoing movement and that New Delhi exploits them and gives an impression that the people of Kashmir are ‘contended with the Indian rule’. The senior separatist leader added that some kind of ‘materialistic’ benefits are being given to the Panchayat members here and in return they are assigned the job to maintain vigil over the pro-freedom elements in their respective areas. “Later the police chase those persons about whom the Panchayat members inform the police.”

    He however maintained that the killing of the Panchayat members cannot be justified at any level and the same must be condemned. “They are feeling harassed and it is our responsibility to make them feel secure.” Over the reports that the Panchayat members are meeting the pro-freedom camp here, Geelani stated that he will meet them happily and will try to make them understand the importance of Kashmir ‘dispute’. We ask people to boycott the vote as the reason behind this appeal is clear-the reason is that the process of voting and its percentage is exploited by the establishment, said Geelani.  

  • Election aftermath: NC-Congress falling apart

    SRINAGAR: Even a seat sharing between the two coalition partners, the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections in J&K have proved that the National Conference and Congress are fast moving apart.

    The leaders of both the parties are accusing each other of not working for the success of alliance candidates in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections even though the results are yet to come out.

    The fissures came to the fore when senior Congress leader and Minister for Medical Education Taj Mohiuddin claimed that some NC workers in Uri had not voted for the party candidate Sharief-ud-Din Shariq.

    “National Conference vote share (in Uri) has got divided into two. 50 percent of NC activists have voted in favour of (PDP candidate) Muzaffar Hussain Beigh,” Taj, who represents Uri in the state assembly, said.

    The Minister’s claim drew sharp response from senior NC leader from Uri, Mohammad Shafi, a Rajya Sabha member, who accused Taj of trying to ‘cover up his failure’.

    “He (Taj) is simply trying to cover up his failure. Instead of blaming the NC workers, he should have explained how 12 Panchayat representatives affiliated with Congress met Beigh pledging their support in elections,” Shafi alleged.

    Shafi also alleged that senior Congress workers in Uri worked in favour of Salam-ud-Din Bajad, candidate of People’s Conference in Baramulla constituency.

    Around 20 Congress Sarpanches joined the issue and accused Shafi of working against his party’s candidate.

    “His (Shafi’s) son was conspicuous by his absence from a public meeting addressed by none other than the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Many NC workers were reported to be working as polling agents of PDP,” the sarpanches said in a joint statement.

    The panchayat leaders admitted meeting with the PDP candidate over tea but claimed that they said a categorical ‘no’ to Beigh’s request for support in view of the directive from Congress high command to work for alliance candidate, Shariq.

    Several Congress leaders and associates have admitted that the party supporters did not vote en bloc for the National Conference candidates in the three Lok Sabha seats of the Valley.

    Congress leader and Tourism Minister Ghulam Ahmad Mir admitted that the party leaders could not motivate their cadres to vote for National Conference candidate in Islamabad Lok Sabha constituency which went to polls on April 24.

    “We failed to mobilize our grassroots workers to vote for NC as Dooru is stronghold of Congress and has never voted for the NC,” he said.

    Ghulam Hassan Mir, who is minister in the state government on Congress quota, said it was very difficult for him to transfer the vote of his supporters to NC.

    “It was difficult for me to transfer the votes in NC’s favour as during the past decade, my supporters have always stood against the National Conference. I worked really hard and made repeated pleas to the people to vote for the NC candidate but it is ultimately for them to decide,” Mir said.

     

  • J&K Cricket Association elections today

    Last minute consensus can’t be rule out, say insiders

    Srinagar: Elections for appointing new office bearers to the state’s top sports body, Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association are set to be held at Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) here on Monday.
    The elections, being held for the first time after surfacing of the multi-crore scam, would be keenly watched with factionalism having taken toll on the Association over past few years, putting cricketing affairs on the back seat.
    After the multi-crore scam, other minor and major scams cropped in JKCA, involving both former and current officials.
    With probe in all the scams yet to be completed, all eyes would be on the highly awaited JKCA working committee meeting on Monday, during which elections for top posts will be held.
    Interestingly, incumbent President Dr Farooq Abdullah has already announced that he would not be contesting elections, this time round. However, both the factions in the association have been saying that they would not allow Dr Farooq to quit “as JKCA needs him in these bad times the most”.
    However, there are differences over choice of candidates for other important posts of office bears including the General Secretary, Treasurer and Chairman.
    In the “out of power faction” former secretary, ML Nehru, has emerged as a unanimous choice for the all important General Secretary’s post. With the other faction yet clear in its stand on the post, the out of power faction looks like getting away with their choice.
    The last elections of the cricket body were held in 2011 in which Dr Farooq Abdullah, who has been heading the body for close to three decades, was re-elected as President, unopposed. Ahsan Mirza was elected general Secretary while Aslam Goni was elected as Chairman.
    However after unearthing of the multi-crore scam, Mirza, Goni and administrative officer Saleem Khan had to resign from their respective posts.
    “We are clear in our choice and we have got support from members in both the provinces. Despite being out of power, we are in majority. We will show that tomorrow as it will be our candidates who will be elected for the top posts,” said a senior member of the faction.
    “ML Nehru is our choice for General Secretary while for other posts there are lots of deliberations going on. We can’t disclose the names ahead of elections as a lot is at stake,” he said.
    Sources in JKCA say that unknown members could end up as big gainers in the elections. “This is the time for bargaining and secret pacts. Closed door meetings are being held which include late night deliberations. There is every likely chance for mutual consensus during the election drama,” he added.
    “Elections have always been fishy in JKCA with voters (members) being lured by various offers. It is time for members to press for their demands and get something out of nowhere. They know it is the only time when they can bargain as for rest of the time they are sidelined,” sources said.
    About the chance of mutual consent for candidature of various posts an insider said, “I have been with JKCA from last three decades and I am of the opinion that anything can happen here. You can’t guess when foes turn into friends overnight. So I am keeping my fingers crossed for a surprise tomorrow morning”.
    Meanwhile a senior member from the faction that is currently running JKCA affairs when asked about the candidature of Manzoor Wazir for the General Secretary post said: “We are keeping our options open as we have certain things to look for. Manzoor is the prime candidate from our group but there are others also who will suit the post”.
    About the issues that the faction will raise in the meeting he said, “Scam is our prime issue and we want money to be accounted back into JKCA coffers”.
    The other faction said that they have plenty of issues to highlight in the meeting including the certificate scam and dubious selection process.
    “We will raise scams as well but the prime issue should be cricket as dubious selections have been going on for last two years,” he said.
    Meanwhile, when contacted JKCA Treasurer and In-charge activities Manzoor Wazir said,” All the arrangements are ready. However the list of members is with JKCA President Dr Farooq Abdulllah which he has not disclosed yet”.

  • Stop arresting, detaining youth and curbing freedom of expression: VOV

    Srinagar: State Human rights defender group Voice of Victims (VOV) Sunday appealed amnesty international to use its influence in bringing an end in to the arresting, harassing and detaining youth in Kashmir.

    Executive director Voice of Victims (VOV), Abdul Qadeer in a press statement issued to KNS denounced the arrests and youth since the beginning of elections in the state. “A reign of terror has been lashed in every hook and corner of the area, youths have been arrested and put behind bars, leaders have been arrested and thus basic human rights are being violated by the forces with impunity.”

    He said that since people of the state boycotted elections now authorities seemed to have gone frustrated and thus have lost control over the armed forces that have virtually changed the state into a police.

    Qadeer also denounced arrests of youth for expressing their views on social networking sites and said that forces have no hesitation in announcing the arrests of these youths in media. “Freedom of expression is being curbed since from years in now but now it seems due to frustration authorities has crossed the limits,” reads the statement.

    He appealed international human rights watch particularly Amnesty international  to intervene and pressurize authorities for bringing an end to these grave human rights violations. VOV also expressed sympathy and solidarity with the family of Nawakadal youth while as the organization prayed for early recovery of injured.