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  • AAC inked Kashmir’s freedom struggle with blood: Mirwaiz

    Demands reopening of Chitti Singhpora, Pathribal cases
    Srinagar: Mirwaiz Umar Farooq today convened an important meeting of the workers and delegates of Awami Action Committee (AAC) from across the Valley at the Historic Mirwaiz Manzil in Srinagar.
    According to a statement issued to KNS, during the meeting, the participants besides taking stock of the current political scenario in Kashmir also discussed the arrangements for the AAC golden jubilee celebrations. The participants also chalked out a programme to observe the upcoming Hafta-e-Shohda.
    On the occasion, Mirwaiz announced that AAC would inaugurate its golden jubilee celebrations by holding a big public rally at Municipal Park in Srinagar on June 20, 2014, which marks the foundation day of the party.
    Mirwaiz said that AAC leaders and activists specially its founder chairman Shaheed Millat Mirwaiz Molvi Farooq  have inked the freedom struggle of Kashmir with blood and when time came to offer sacrifices, the AAC leadership and followers were always at the forefront.
    The Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman said that AAC would organize different programmes throughout the year to educate and inform the new generation about the role played by AAC for achieving the right to self determination for the people of Kashmir and to engage the youth in order to take the movement to its logical conclusion.
    Expressing serious concern over the sate of human rights in Kashmir Mirwaiz observed that the gruesome  incident of Chitti Singhpora occurred 14 years ago, but till date nobody involved in this heinous crime has been booked nor punished and the relatives of the victims are still waiting for justice.
    The Hurriyat Conference (M) Chairman remarked that the five innocent people who were labeled as culprits in the incident and ‘killed by Indian forces in a fake encounter in Pathribal clearly showed that how Indian state was shamelessly covering-up the incident depicting its double standard when it comes to dealing with Kashmir’. He reiterated his demand for an impartial probe and asked for reopening of this case.
    Castigating the university authorities of Meward Chiitorgarh, Rajasthan for not providing safety to Kashmiri students who were subjected to an assault, Mirwaiz said such incidents highlight the security concerns of Kashmiri students.  He asked the authorities of various Indian states to ensure safety of Kashmiri traders and the students.
    Felicitating the government and the people of Pakistan on its National day, Mirwaiz thanked Pakistan for extending political, moral and diplomatic support to   Kashmir cause without any interruption. Mirwaiz prayed for the stability and prosperity of Pakistan as well. (KNS)

  • If PDP wants to join Sangh Parivar, Congress cannot stop it: Taj

    PDP has no perfect political ideology: Sagar
    Srinagar: The senior Congress leader and minister for health and medical education Taj Mohi-u-Din on Saturday took exception to Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) admiration for  BJP led NDA saying that Congress cannot stop PDP from joining Sangh Parivar if the party has decided so.
    “If the PDP has decided to join Sangh Parivar patronized BJP led NDA, how can we stop them.  If they want to shun secularism and join communal and divisive forces how we can stop that,” Taj told KNS on phone.
    He said that if PDP has decided to leave secular credentials for the sake power, Congress has no locus to prevent them from joining the communal and fascist parties. “As is evident from the remarks they have made from the last few weeks, the PDP can go to any extent for power and it is no surprise for me,” Taj observed.  
    The minister for health and medical education maintained the he is concerned that such remarks have been made by a mainstream party that claims to believe in secularism. “And iIf they want to break the secular fabric of the Jammu and Kashmir, how can we help,” Taj added.  
    When asked that the same line has been adopted by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, chairman Hurriyat Conference (M), Taj said: “Everybody can make his opinion. I cannot comment on his statements. Since I do not believe in his political belief I cannot respond to Mirwaiz’s remarks on BJP-led NDA.”
    Echoing Taj’s opinion, Ali Mohmmad Sagar, National Conference senior leader and minister for rural development alleged that PDP changes political colors from time to time. “Sometimes they praise UPA and sometimes they admire Mr Vajpayee. They do not have any perfect political ideology. PDP can do anything for power.”
    On Mirwaiz’s remarks Sagar said that people are free to express their opinions. “But in what context the Hurriyat (M) chairman has praised BJP led NDA, I think Mirwaiz will be in a better position to elaborate.”(KNS)

  • Kashmir students in Meewar varsity provided security

    Srinagar: Kashmir students at Meewar University, who were allegedly thrashed and harassed by local students, have been provided security, they said on Saturday.
    “Since yesterday, we are under security cover. Today at around 11:00 am the authorities directed us to have lunch separately in order to prevent another scuffle,” a Kashmiri student told GNS over phone.
    He said we were inside our rooms for whole day and didn’t attend classes fearing ‘attacks from the local students.
    Hamid Bukhari – who facilitates admissions of Kashmiri students in the varsity under Prime Minister’s scholarship scheme through Director Research and Development Office J&K – has also arrived in Rajasthan to take stock of the situation.
    Speaking to GNS, Bukhari said: “It was a minor scuffle between two students and the issue was sorted out peacefully.”
    He added: “I met varsity and police officials and prominent citizens of the area who assured full security to the Kashmiri students.”
    “I met students and enquired about the incident. I visited the hostel rooms of almost all the Kashmiri students,” he said.
    But, a Kashmir B-Tech student from the varsity denied that the facilitator met them. “We heard about the facilitator’s visit. But he didn’t met us,” the student said.
    On Friday, at least twelve Kashmir students sustained injuries after trouble erupted over India and Pakistan cricket match before Friday congregational prayers at the varsity.
    The warden of the varsity told GNS said the investigations have been taken by the University authorities over Friday’s scuffle in which 12 Kashmir students were reportedly injured.  “Today officials of the university held a meeting and chief proctor KD Khilji was appointed as the investigative officer to enquire the incident,” he said.
    He said that the situation in the varsity is peaceful and added: “We all are living here as one family.” (GNS)

  • Minister’s residence attacked by youth

    Srinagar: Scores of unidentified youth Friday evening attacked the house of Minister for Higher Education Minister and National Conference leader Muhammad Akbar Lone with stones while police said that it was the handiwork of some miscreants who had arrived in Naidkahi from Sopore for the purpose of stone-pelting.

    Eyewitnesses told CNS that a group of youth pelted stones on the Ministers residence located at Manzpora Naidkahi, though Muhammad Akbar Lone was not present in the house. Reports said that unidentified youth resorted to heavy stone-pelting and tried to smash the windowpanes of the residence of the Higher Education Minister.

    Eyewitnesses said that the supporters of the Minister retaliated and the both groups clashed with each other for quite some time. The unidentified youth according to reports managed to flee from the spot.

    Sub-Divisional Police Officer Sumbal, Bashir Ahmed told CNS that some youth from Sopore town reportedly had arrived in Naidkahi and they pelted stones on police at main-chowk. “One youth while fleeing from the area tried to pelt the stones on the residence of the Minister who was thrashed by the people accordingly,” he said adding the police have arrested no youth. (CNS)

  • Virat, Raina help India win against Pakistan

    A strong batting performance and a steady show from the bowlers saw India maintain their unbeaten status in World Cups against Pakistan in their first match of the ICC World T20 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Friday.
    After the bowlers restricted Pakistan to 130/7, two massive partnerships – one between Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma, and the other between Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina – helped them win by seven wickets with an over and a half to spare.
    Openers Rohit Sharma (24) and Shikhar Dhawan (30) started slow and did not hit a boundary for the first three overs. Then Rohit cut loose, tonking Junaid Khan for a six and a four in the fourth over that cost 12 runs. 
    The next over, Dhawan gave Saeed Ajmal a warm welcome, hitting him for four boundaries in a row. The carnage continued, taking the partnership to 54.
    Veteran campaigner Umar Gul finally got the breakthrough. Dhawan misjudged a shorter delivery. couldn’t get under it properly and gave a simple catch to Saeed Ajmal at fine leg.
    Next, Saeed Ajmal proved why he is one of Pakistan’s most potent weapons by castling a dangerous looking Rohit Sharma in the tenth over. Rohit was looking to cut Ajmal but there was far more turn than he had anticipated.
    The next over, Bilawal Bhatti started his spell with a stunner of a delivery. A full and tight deliver that landed around middle stump and swerved towards the off left Yuvraj Singh beaten completely and his off stump on the ground. The soutghpaw’s bad form continued as he returned to the hut for one.
    With India on the edge of a collapse, Virat Kohli (36*) and Suresh Raina (35*) came to the crease. The two played absolutely fearless cricket. They danced down the pitch to haul the spinners to the boundary and mixed big shots with patient strokes for short runs.
    Pakistan Skipper Mohammed Hafeez tried everything but couldn’t separate the two, their stand remaining unbeaten at 66.
    In the earlier session, an impressive show put up by Indian bowlers topped with Amit Mishra’s 2/22 helped the Men in Blue restrict Pakistan to 130 for eight.

    Opener Kamran Akmal (8) started aggressively, hitting a four each off R Ashwin and Bhuvneshwar Kumar before he ran himself out in the second over. There was no communication what so ever between him and partner Ahmed Shehzad (22). 
      
    Shehzad was then joined by skipper Mohammad Hafeez (15). The two put up 35 runs for the second wicket. 

    Ravindra Jadeja broke the partnership in his first over of the match. Hafeez was done in by the extra bounce on the track and skied it. Bhuvneshwar Kumar took a sharp catch at deep cover. 

    Next over, Amit Mishra struck. Shehzad tried to give him the charge, but missed the line. Dhoni claimed an easy stumping. 

    With the team in a spot, Umar Akmal and Shoaib Malik steadied the boat. The fourth-wicket partnership of 50 runs between Akmal (33) and Malik (18) got the team to 100/4 in 16 overs. The two went for the big shots, but what hurt India the most were the short runs the two plundered. 

    There was a chance to break the partnership in the fifteenth over, Ashwin’s last. Malik had skied it towards mid-wicket, but Bhuvneshwar Kumar couldn’t reach there in time. 

    Amit Mishra finally came good for India in the sixteenth over. Malik tried to hit him for a six, but ended up holeing out to Suresh Raina at long-off. 

    In the eighteenth over, Shami prevented a late comeback by removing Akmal, whose edge went to the safe hands of Raina at long-off.  

    Hopes of fireworks from Shahid Afridi were also dashed as the flamboyant all-rounder fell to Bhuvneshwar Kumar for 8, with Raina lapping up his third catch of the day. 

    Some lusty hitting from Sohaib Maqsood got Pakistan to a respectable total.

  • Dip in temperature delays opening of Tulip Garden

    Srinagar: The opening of Asia’s largest tulip garden in Srinagar has been delayed due to recent snowfall and rains in Kashmir
    The 12-hectare tulip garden located on the banks of Dal Lake has become a must-see spot for Indian and foreign tourists who come to visit Kashmir Valley.
    Officials say the fall in temperature has delayed the blooming of the tulips at the garden and a decision on throwing open the garden will be taken on March 26.

    The garden where more than 20 million tulip bulbs have been planted this year was thrown open to public on March 26 last year.

  • NC-Cong Govt failed us: Sikh Coordination Committee

    Appeals Sikh community to hold its votes for upcoming Lok Sabha polls
    Srinagar: Accusing the state government of discrimination with the Sikh community, All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) has asked the members of Sikh community to hold their votes for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
    In a statement issued to KNS, APSCC Chairman, Jagmohan Singh Raina said that Sikh voters should not fall prey to the hoax promises given by the leaders of political parties especially National Conference and Congress. He said both NC and Congress have failed to fulfill the genuine demands of the community that are pending for long now.
     “One wonders on what agenda the leaders of the ruling alliance in the state would come before the Sikh voters and seek their votes. The present coalition dispensation has miserably failed to solve the genuine problems of the Sikh community. As such these people don’t have moral or ethical authority to seek votes from Sikhs living across the state,” said Raina.
    Raina said that the 23 years of turmoil has shattered the standing of Sikhs in the state more so those living in the Kashmir valley. He said members of various Sikh groups under the banner of APSCC met Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah and other senior functionaries in the state government for redressal of their grievances.
    “The problems being faced by the community are being deliberately kept un-attended under a plan thereby causing numerous problems to the people. The state government miserably failed in extending the National Minorities Act to the state. This is despite repeated reminders by National Commission for Minorities and also Sikh groups functioning under the banner of APSCC. The extension of Minorities Act was fully funded by centre and there was no burden on state exchequer,” said Raina.
    Raina said that Sikhs constitute an important component of the electorate in the majority of the Lok Sabha seats. He said members of the community would ensure that ‘exploitative’ elements are not allowed to enter the parliament and that their genuine problems once again take a backseat. “Under the mass contact programme we have already educated the Sikh voters in both rural and urban areas not to vote for people who have deceived them over the past many years. We have also told the members of community to be vigilant from various agents within the community since they are hell-bent on causing harm to the common good of the community,” said Raina.
    Raina said that Sikh suffered huge losses in agriculture and horticulture after being forced to migrate from the villages and settle in the city and other district headquarters. He asked the members of Sikh community to put their votes on hold and said that next course of action would be decided in due time.  Even after 14 years of the Chittisinghpora episode, in which around 50 people were killed in Chittisinghpora, Pathribal, Brakpora, including 36 Sikhs of Chittisinghpora, no inquiry has been constituted which we have been regularly demanding and it is very sad that nothing concrete has come out.

  • AAP to fight against extending Tosamaidan lease

    Srinagar: Aam Admi Party (AAP) has vowed to fight against granting of further extension of   lease to Artillery unit of Army for using the Tosamaidan pasture as a filed firing range.
    In a statement issued to KNS, AAP leader and Lok Sabha candidate for Srinagar parliamentary seat Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat said that Aam Aadmi Party would resist any move of the Government for granting further extension in the lease agreement post April 2014 as AAP believes that granting extension would directly effect the local population which has suffered tremendous losses from the last more than six decades. 
    “Tosamaidan is a huge pasture which is spread over hundreds of acres of land and the area has a great potential to be developed as a tourist destination.  Dozens of people have been killed and same number of people turned permanently disable due to bursting of un exploded shells which remain scattered in the area  and if further lease is extended , it clearly would indicate that Government is least bothered about the basic human rights of the citizens. We hope that high level committee constituted few months back under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary would look into the human aspect first and ensure that the field firing range is shifted from Tosamaidan to some uninhabited area of the state”  said Dr Muzaffar
    If lease agreement is extended AAP would hold state wide agitation over this issue, the statement added. “I have already filed a petition in the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) regarding Tosamaidan issue last year  and I hope that NHRC will deliver justice and direct the Defence Ministry not to extend the further lease agreement,” Dr Muzaffar has added.(KNS)

  • Amit Wanchoo selected as fellow at Harvard Kennedy program for 2014

    Srinagar: Winning laurels for his home state, Dr Amit Wanchoo has become the first person from Jammu and Kashmir to be selected as the fellow for Global Leadership and Public Policy for 21st century at Harvard Kennedy School program designed for Young Global Leaders of World Economic Forum.
    According to a statement, the selection criteria was based on making a positive network of visionary leaders who share a common understanding and commitment in addressing the most challenging global problems.
    “The admissions committee selected the participant groups which were balanced geographically as well as across the corporate, nonprofit, and public sectors. “
    The Global Leadership and Public Policy for the 21st Century program is designed by Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and the World economic Forum exclusively for Young Global Leaders.
    This program features senior faculty from across Harvard University with expertise in the corporate, public, and non-profit sectors and will include experienced faculty and speakers from other world-class academic institutions.
    The areas of focus include international development and poverty alleviation, environment, climate change, and energy, education, politics, global public health, International security and many more.
    Previously, Dr Wanchoo was selected as Young Global Leader by World Economic forum in 2009.
    In addition, he has been a Yale world fellow in 2007, SIP fellow in 2008, and star youth achiever in 2012. Dr. Wanchoo has also been a Commonwealth fellow, Paul Harris Fellow and has actively contributed in various progressive initiatives within and outside state.
    Being a medical doctor, Amit has a variety of experience and diversity in his working profile. From medicine to music to social service and combining healthcare, entertainment and social entrepreneurship has been a great achievement. He has worked in different capacities in various organizations and has the distinction of founding SPACE communications, the first event and sports management company of Jammu and Kashmir.
    Commenting on this achievement, Dr Wanchoo said, “This is a great honor for me and my state of Jammu and Kashmir. I owe this fellowship to the people of J&K state, who have helped me in shaping myself and being what I am today. My family, friends, well wishers and critics have contributed significantly in this journey.” (KNS):

  • Police detaining PDP workers in old city: Alam

    We arrested stone throwers: SSP
    Srinagar: Demanding the immediate release of the youth detained by the police in old city during the recent past, PDP leader Khurshid Alam Friday accused that NC is utilizing police to harass PDP workers.
    “Now police is raiding the houses of the youth who have joined PDP and the deliberate attempts are being made to inflict torture upon the PDP workers,” Alam said in telephonic statement to KNS.
    He stated further that NC has accepted its defeat ahead of the polls and whatever is being done on ground against PDP is a clear frustration of the party. He added that the youth detained by the police are being warned not to join PDP and that some 30 youth have been arrested by the police in the recent past.
    “PDP has gained its ground in Srinagar and in old city the youth identify with the system of the party. NC is creating hurdles and now police is also being involved in it,” accused Alam while adding that he himself went to several police stations for the release of the detained youth. I was assured that they will be released at the earliest, he added.
    Meanwhile, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Srinagar, Amit Kumar told KNS over phone that Police has arrested some 4-5 youth who were involved in the stone pelting. “During the recent strike call given by Syed Ali Geelani, some youth pelted stones towards the police in some areas of Srinagar- we have a video footage and we identified the involved ones.” (KNS)