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  • Army officer thrashed for filming power protests in Kupwara

    Srinagar: An Army officer was roughed up by angry protesters on Tuesday in the frontier Kupwara district after he tried to arrest a youth, who objected to the filming of the anti-Power Development Department (PDD) demonstration by the army.
    Reports reaching GNS said that hundreds of residents of Peer Mohalla, Anderhama, Drugmulla, Dawood colony, Muqam-e Shahwali, Gund and adjoining areas this morning assembled at Fakirpora and staged anti-PDD demonstrations. Chanting slogans, the protesters alleged that the department has failed to restore electricity supply in the areas after the heavy snowfall last week. Some protesters alleged that the transformer damaged around a month ago in Dawood Colony has not been repaired till date. The protesters blocked Kupwara-Srinagar highway demanding immediate restoration of the power supply.
    As the protests were going on, an army convoy passed through the area. An army major identified as D K Singh filmed the protests and asked the protesters to pave way for the convoy.
    “However, a youth confronted the officer and objected to the filming of the protest. He also refused to allow the army convoy to pass. Infuriated, the army officer grabbed the youth by collar and tried to whisk him away. However, the protesters hurled fire pots on the officer and thrashed him to the pulp,” Gulzar Ahmad, an eyewitness said.
    He said a police team led by SHO, Kupwara, Rigzin rescued the officer from the angry protesters. The police officer also asked the army to divert their convoy from a different route.
    “The claims of district administration brought the locals on roads. The administration had claimed that power supply across the district has been restored. The villagers, who were reeling under darkness, were offended by the irresponsible statement of officials and they staged protests today,” he said.
    Later, Station House Officer Rigzin pacified the protesters by assuring to take up the issue with the civil administration. However, the locals, eyewitnesses said, served three day ultimatum to the administration through the police to get the electricity problem addressed.
    “The locals have threatened to block highway for traffic in case the government fails to restore power supply in every village in the next three days. The locals have pledged not to allow army convoys, or VIP cavalcades during the protests in case the government fails to restore electricity,” eyewitnesses said. (GNS)

  • Vote for PDP will be vote for change: Baig

    “Farooq, Omar tarnishing image of Kashmiris”
    Srinagar: The senior Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former deputy Chief Minister, Muzzafar Hussain Baig has said the coming Lok Sabah elections would provide an opportunity to the people of Kashmir to send such representatives to the parliament, who would provide voice to the problems and concerns in the highest democratic forum of the country.
    According to a statement issued to KNS, addressing a one day convention of party workers from Handwara assembly constituency, Baig said a vote for PDP would be a vote for change as it is the only party that has ever been able to make a difference in the life of people. He said NC, which as a result of its conspiracies against the people of Kashmir, sell-outs  and U-turns is reduced to a rump, is now a mere group of power seekers and they have shown their worst face in the parliament as they never raised their voice in support of the people, who voted for them.
    Baig, who is PDP’s parliamentary candidate for Baramulla constituency, said the NC leader, Farooq Abdullah presented a one point formula to the Kashmir problem by recommending the bombing of Pakistan least realising it could never be done without the annihilation of Jammu & Kashmir and major parts of our own country.
    Of late, Farooq and his chief minister son have launched a tirade against the people of Kashmir who have offered sacrifices over generations at the call of NC. “While Omar tarnished the image of entire Kashmiris by calling them stone-pelters, drug addicts, enemy agents and terrorist  Farooq Abdullah, as the so-called ambassador of Kashmir, recently called all of us Maha Chors,” Baig said and added it is a different matter that people of the state know very well who the biggest thief is.
    He said PDP is fighting elections for the Lok Sabah with all seriousness, which can be gauged from the fact that NC was forced to concede half of the state to its alliance partner even though it is never tired of claiming to be the sole representatives of the entire J&K.
    He said at the end of its rule NC is now projecting alliance with the Congress as its only achievement, but PDP believes it is the people of the state who will decide about their future and will judge every party on the basis of their performance and credibility of the leadership. “NC after surrendering states authority, its resources and dignity has now surrendered even its own political space just to survive somehow or the other on the scenario of the state,” Baig said.
    Baig said PDP considers people’s court as supreme and aims to involve them in the governance system so that a new chapter is written in the history of the state, which is based on truth and honesty. He said the disillusionment among the people particularly of youth with the system, is all because of the ruling government’s callousness and insensitivity towards the people’s issues. He said PDP with the help of people during its brief stint in the government brought about a new change in the political discourse and paved a way forward for the political resolution of J&K issue.
    He said PDP has set new standards in the state politics whether it was in the govt or in opposition.  He said the party brought the state out of repression and darkness in 2002. It scraped POTA, disbanded taskforce, disciplined Ikhwanis, freed all political prisoners and facilitated a new chapter in the Indo-Pak relations that culminated in a ceasefire at a time when the two armies were in full battle gear. He said under the present regime the state has virtually returned to pre-2002 situation with the instruments of repression revived, youth victimized and new weapons like pellet guns and chilli grenades introduced.
    The senior PDP leaders, Nizamu Din Bhat, MLA; Naeem Akhtar, Chief spokesperson; Abdul Haq Khan, MLA, Ghulam Mohiudin Sofi, ex-minister and local leaders , Ghulam Nabi Panditpori, Fayaz Ahmad Mir, Irfan Panditpuri, Advocate Mohammad Amin Wani, Mohammad Shafi Dar, and others were also present on the occasion. (KNS)

  • Yasin Malik along with other JKLF leaders continue to remian in police custody

    JKLF strongly condemns atrocities in Hajin and other parts of Sonawari
    Srinagar: Chairman Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Mohammad Yasin Malik along with other JKLF leaders  advocate Bashir Ahmad Butt, Noor Mohammad Kalwal,Showkat  Ahmad Bakhshi, Sheikh Abdul Rashid, Bashir Ahmad Kashmiri  are still in police custody. They were arrested by police on 17th March 2014 during a protest rally held against oppression unleashed by police and forces at Naidkhai on 14th march 2014.
    JKLF spokesperson, while condemning this continued detention of Yasin Malik and other JKLF leaders said that on one hand forces and police have been given a free hand to kill, injured and beat people. These forces have unleashed a reign of terror across the whole valley especially in Sonawari belt. Today forces, police along with army raided houses of people, dragged even women folk out of their houses and beat them ruthlessly and injured many of them in Hajan area.
    Spokesman said that dozens have been injured in the area by pellet gun fire and shells and many of them after sustaining serious injuries have been admitted in hospitals. Police is arresting youth of the area without discrimination and people of the area have been badly terrorized by these actions.
    JKLF spokesman while condemning this brutal use of force by police and forces in thje area said that this shows that the state of Jammu Kashmir is actually governed by police. He condemned the attitude of rulers who instead of stopping and punishing killers of innocents have given them a free license to kill and terrorize people.

  • ‘PDD allows hooking in lieu of money’

    Let complainants approach us, will take action: CE PDD
    Srinagar: With the officials at Power Development Department (PDD) accusing people of ruthlessly wasting the electricity in valley, reports pouring in KNS office reveal that the officials of PDD allows consumers in Srinagar to hook against the monthly payment of Rs 100.
    The reports informed that the wooden polls are also being issued and erected in the lawns of the people falling in areas that are metered. The reports added that the complete arrangement for hooking is being done by the PDD officials against the monthly payment of some hundred bucks.
    Various delegations visiting KNS office stated that the PDD linemen and other officials allow residents of the metered areas in Srinagar to hook and that against the same the lineman collects Rs 100 to 150 every month.
    “We want to ask the PDD authorities why the polls are being issued to various people in their personal lawns when we have the concrete polls on the roadside. It is some people in PDD itself that allow people to go for power theft.”
    PDD Chief Engineer Bashir Ahmad Khan told KNS over phone that he will take action over the reports and that people must identify the black sheep within the department- involved in such heinous crimes, so that action could be taken against the involved.  CE PDD stated further that people should show civic sense and report to us if they have any complaints into the matter in question. “I assure you that no one will be spared at all” (KNS)

  • Separatists likely to devise poll boycott strategy

    Deliberations on to evolve consensus over a common strategy
    Srinagar: With the political mainstream in Jammu and Kashmir already in poll mode, the separatists have started in house deliberations to evolve a consensus over a common strategy to make their poll boycott call ‘a success’.
    Reports maintained that a section of senior pro-freedom leaders are in continuous contact with Mirwaiz led Huriyat and a common plan to go for a mass contact programme highlighting the ‘demerits’ of participation in polls is likely to be chalked out very soon.
    Talking to KNS, Chairman Huriyat Conference (M) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq stated that in principle the pro-freedom camp here is united vis-à-vis polls and that elections are rejected in letter and spirit at large by Kashmir’s separatist leadership. “The consensus is already there –we reject elections and urge people to stay away from the same.”
    However, Mirwaiz observed that till now he has not been approached by any pro-freedom group over the issue and Huriyat in near future will devise the strategy to launch poll boycott campaign in valley.
    As the Huriyat Conference led by senior separatist Syed Ali Geelani has already urged people to go for a complete poll boycott, Chairman Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front Mohammad Yasin Malik in his recently held rallies has stated that vote means ‘betrayal’ with the sacrifices rendered by the people during the ongoing resistance movement.
    Huriyat Conference (JK) senior leader Shabir Ahmad Shah told KNS that there must be the coordination between the various separatist groups over the issue of poll boycott and that his amalgam from the very first day has been asking people to stay away from the polling booths.
    Sources informed KNS that the senior resistance leader and MeA patron Mohammad Azam Inqilabi has been holding series of deliberations with various fro-freedom factions over the issue of poll boycott and has also urged various factions to stand united over election boycott strategy. In his recent statement, Inqilabi has also supported the boycott call of Hizb Supremo Syed Sallah-ud-din and has urged people to reject the election fray at large. (KNS)

  • Bandipora continues to be tense

    Curfew imposed in several areas, clashes hurt 12
    Srinagar: North Kashmir’s Bandipora continues to remain tense on fourth consecutive day with the clashes between protesters and forces injuring more than five people. Curfew was clamped in the area after the killing of 18-year-old Farhat Dar at district’s Naidkhai area four days ago.
    According to the KNS correspondent, amid restrictions and curfew imposed by the authorities on Tuesday
    at various areas in Bandipora district, people in large number took out protest marches at various places against the killing of Farhat Dar. Clashes between security forces and people erupted at various places including Hajin, Naidkhai and Sonawari. Youth hurled stones at deployment of forces that resulted in serious clashes.
    To control the furious mob, police had to fire several rounds of bullets in air and tear gas shells, eyewitnesses said. The reports further informed that more than five persons were hurt in Tuesday’s clashes. Curfew was imposed in various areas of Bandipora including Shah Gund, Naidkhai, Hajin, Sumbal wherein a heavy deployment of forces was made to thwart any protest demonstration.
    Reports informed that the people in large numbers at various places while breaking curfew raised pro-Islam and Azadi slogans. The protesters were also demanding the release of the detained youth who were arrested recently for protesting against Farhat’s killing.
    The locals of various areas including Hajin accused that CRPF barged into peoples’ homes and harassed the inhabitants. The eyewitness stated that at Mir Mohalla and Dangar Mohalla Hajin, people were told to leave their respective houses and assemble at the main market. The locals while talking to KNS correspondent accused that CRPF thrashed them and also the women and aged people were beaten up to pulp in the area.
    Later the clashes between forces and protesters erupted in the area with the hours long ding-dong battles. Forces later tried to disperse the protesters and fired tear gas shells and several bullets in air. The reports informed that the news that the inhabitants at Mir and Dangar Mohalla were thrashed by the forces reached Sadarkoot where people assembled in large numbers and protested against the incident. Stone pelting also erupted in the area leaving several injured.
    Meanwhile, Huriyat Conference JK senior leader Shabir Ahmad Shah while condemning the police action at Bandipora stated that the locals are being tortured every day in the district and that if the same continues unchecked- the government will be solely responsible for repercussions of the same.
    A police spokesman told KNS that situation by and large remained normal except for a few incidents of clashes at Hajin where  few people received minor injuries. “The curfew was relaxed in Bandipora for few hours while as five or six people who received minor injuries at Hajin were given first aid,” said the police spokesman. (KNS)

  • JKLF Protest Rally to Lal Chowk Foiled by Police Force

    JKLF Chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik Arrested in a Raid Early Morning 

    Srinagar: As an attempt to foil the JKLF Lal Chowk protest , police and forces arrested Chairman Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Mohammad Yasin Malik  today early morning from his residence. Police in large numbers raided the residence of Yasin sahib and arrested him. Yasin sahib was under house arrest from 14th march 2014.Police had also arrested JKLF zonal organizer Bashir Ahmad Kashmiri on 14th march and too remains in police custody. Police arrested dozens of JKLF leaders and activists when they were marching towards Lal Chowk today after noon. The arrested include JKLF leaders advocate Bashir Ahmad Butt, Noor Mohammad Kalwal,Showkat  Ahmad Bakhshi, Sheikh Abdul Rashid, professor Javed, Syed Nisar Jeelani, Javed Ahmad Butt, Ghulam Rasool Hazari, Ghulam Mohammad Dar, Mohammad Azeem Zargar, Shahid Makaya, etc. renowned human rights activist Mohammad Ashan untoo was also arrested by police on the occasion .
    Despite the arrest of Chairman in early morning today, JKLF leaders, activists and workers in large numbers organized a Grand protest rally. Led by senior leader advocate Bashir Ahmad Butt hundreds of JKLF leaders, activists and workers gathered at Maqbool Manzil this afternoon. People from every walk of life also participated in the protest. The participants raising slogans against the killing of innocent Farhat  Ahmad Dar of Shah Gund and reign of terror unleashed in Sonawari belt and other parts of Jammu Kashmir by police and other forces and in favor of Azadi, martyrs and resistance  marched towards Lal Chowk.
    To avoid police barricades that had been laid to stop JKLF protest march towards Lal Chowk, the procession instead of going straight towards Budshah Chowk took the route of Red Cross road. On reaching Budshah Chowk the procession was stopped by hundreds of police and CRPF personal. Police had placed many vehicles on the openings and hundreds of police men had laid siege on the road by putting barricades on it. The participant’s resisted this police force and many of them managed to reach near Ghanta Ghar and held protest sit in there .on the occasion police arrested JKLF leaders and activists and dispersed the protest rally by use of force. .
    Before the rally and arrests JKLF leader Advocate Bashir Ahmad Butt while condemning the reign of terror unleashed across the valley, brutal killing of innocent Farhat Ahmad Dar at Naidkhai Sonawari, arrest of hundreds of youth and other oppressive measures by Indian forces and police, said that Indian forces and police have time and again shown its brutal attitude by killing yet another Kashmiri student Farhat Ahmad Dar S/O Ghulam Rasool Dar of Shah Gund Pattan. This brutal act of Indian forces and police has exposed the ugly face of these forces who to satisfy their trigger happy and blood thirsty temperament continue to massacre of Kashmiri youth.
    Terming the killing of Farhat Ahmad Dar and injuring many others as a cold blooded murder, Bhat sahib said that Indian forces and police kill because they are assigned with the job of killings and the pro India politician and rulers start shedding crocodile tears to hoodwink the international community and also pacify the anger of the people over these massacres. He said that these shameless rulers instead of putting some barriers on their killing forces put Lac’s of people under curfew and arrest pro-resistance leaders. Bhat sahib strongly condemned the arrest of JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik who was taken into custody early morning today and zonal organizer Bashir Ahmad Kashmiri who has been in police custody since 14th match 2014.

  • WHY PATHRIBAL WAS A TEST CASE FOR INDIA

    By  » [Dr Sheikh Showket hussain]

    Under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), a member of the armed forces can’t be subjected to a legal action unless permission for the same is secured from the Central government. There exists similar provisions in various laws which exclude judicial intervention in some administrative actions.
    The laws, however, have been interpreted to confer immunity upon only those Acts which are done in accordance with a particular legislation and remain covered by it.

    A member of security agencies according to this interpretation remains protected as long as his action concerns the security of the state. If he on the other hand indulges in rape or extra-judicial killing of innocents irrespective of their none-involvement in any sort of security related activity.

    Such actions ought not to be protected — this was the plea taken by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) when it approached Supreme Court on Pathribal killings.

    The plea was simple, since the action of the security men was not anyhow related to security of the state they didn’t enjoy the protection of AFSPA should be tried by an ordinary criminal court.

    The Supreme Court of India didn’t accept plea of the CBI and gave the desecration to army to deal with the act of the deviant soldiers through court martial. Army while referring the case to court martial gave the impression that its adjudicating mechanism is prompt and sufficient to take care of abuses of human rights by the soldiers.

    The court-martial remains a procedure associated with army. Expecting justice from it remains an illusion as no institution or individual can be judge of his own cause, according to the basic principles of natural justice.

    What was expected, turned out to be true when army recently closed the court martial against its soldiers on the pretext of insufficiency of evidence.

    Decision of the army to close the court martial has invoked widespread condemnation across Kashmir and beyond.

    While in Kashmir those who condemned the decision included even members of leaders of pro-Indian parties as well. Internationally, human rights groups like Amnesty International also expressed dismay on the outcome of the so-called court martial.

    People genuinely ask if this can be the fate of a procedure to which CBI was a party, what can be the outcome of those complaints which are single-handedly followed by the victims of the Human Rights abuses.

    Another equally important issue that is raised pertains to the level of defiance depicted by army in winding up the proceedings of an authentic and genuine case of Human Rights abuses.

    CBI got involved in the case only after Pandiyan Commission established by the state government had acknowledged the abuses of the human rights and innocence of those killed.

    The case was not an ordinary incident. It was an incident that occurred during the visit of the U.S. president, Bill Clinton to India. The incident attracted a lot of media coverage across the globe and even Bill Clinton conceded that killings in vicinity of Islamabad town had occurred because of his visit.

    As a damage controlling exercise, it is now conveyed that the findings of the court martial can be challenged.

    But the fact remains that there is no provision of appeal against the finding and sentence of a court martial. The Air Force Act, Section 161, states that an individual who considers wronged by the order of a court martial may present a petition to the convening authority before the confirmation of the sentence. After confirmation, the petition may be submitted to the Chief of the Air Staff or the Central government.

    This remedy is illusory. There is no right to appeal against the order of the court martial. Article 136(2) of the Constitution stipulates that the Supreme Court Article 227 (4) for High Courts can’t give special leave to appeal against any judgment determination or sentence of a military court or tribunal.

    The Supreme Court, in the case of Union of India v. Himmat Singh Chahar 1994 (4) SCC 521, has made it clear that the High Court under Article 226 of the Constitution can exercise the power of judicial review over the court martial in a limited way only in cases where there has been infraction of any mandatory provisions of the Act which has caused gross miscarriage of justice; or there has been violation of principles of natural justice; or there has been a lack of jurisdiction.

    It is obvious, that the power of judicial review under Articles 32 and 226 in context of military personnel is limited.

    Widespread disillusion with the remedial mechanism exiting under Indian legal system has made people to raise voices for an international war crime tribunal. A demand that has been consistently made in the past and again reaffirmed by several Kashmiri leaders after winding up of the court martial proceedings in Pathribal case.

    (Dr Shiekh Showkat Hussain is a expert of law and teaches at the Central University, Kashmir.)

  • Curfew, restrictions exhibit ‘jungle law’: Khan

    Condemns Naidkhai killing
    Srinagar: “Had one murderer been brought to book till date the poor parents of Farhat Ahmad Dar would not have been wailing today over the cruel and inhuman killing of their beloved son,” this was stated by National Front Chairman and Hurriyat Conference Jammu Kashmir leader, Nayeem Ahmad Khan, during his house arrest.
    According to a statement issued to KNS, while rejecting any government probe into the killing of Farhat Ahmad Dar, Khan said that all such government announcements have been proved only to protect the culprits. Khan said that the killing of Farhat Ahmad Dar has caused such a serious shock and injury to his helpless parents, brother and sister that cannot be healed by the crocodile tears of the so called government. Khan said that if the people on the pay roles of New Delhi are sincere in their words they should prove it with some practical measures by arresting the accused personnel, filing case against them and set fast track court for strict and stringent action against them.
    However, Khan said that it is not possible for the so called government and it only issues statements to remain in the row of mourners so that people are deceived. Had the so called government been serious about the security of Kashmiri people, it should have not promoted the killers of almost 200 innocent Kashmiri youth. The same killers are now seen in very high profile meetings delivering long speeches as the guests of honour. It is because the men in uniform have found an easy way to get honoured by killing Kashmiris.
    Khan said that what else can prove the hooliganism of the so called government that it uses its military wing to crush even peaceful protesters by killing them and later imposes curfew like restrictions on the people only to exhibit the jungle law of  ‘might is right’. And by arresting and house arresting the political leaders every now and then by the hands of the government people practically conveys that they consider everybody else as their slaves. (KNS)

  • Soz, Azad addresses INC-NC joint meetings

    Srinagar: A largely attended public meetings organized by NC-INC  were held at Mendhar and Kalakote (Jammu), today. Both the meetings were presided over by President JK PCC Prof. Saifuddin Soz (MP).
    According to a statement issued to KNS, while addressing the meetings Ghulam Nabi Azad-Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare told to recall and appreciate the facts that India stood consistently for secularism, togetherness of all communities, peace and progress.
    He said that it was unfortunate that Pakistan has fomented the trouble of terrorism which had created lot of hardships in these areas. He said that it was highly enlightening, we have restored peace and new era of development in these far-flung areas. Azad stressed the facts that now is the time for people to realize that they should vote for India’s secularism and urge to serve the people irrespective of caste, colour and creed and urged the people to vote in favour of NC-INC candidate Madan Lal Sharma. .
    Speaking on the occasion Prof. Saifuddin Soz made a passionate appeal to the people to realize that every vote was precious and Kalakote & Mendhar together with Rajouri & Poonch and other areas should decide to vote for the coalition candidate Madan Lal Sharma, in a manner that he established a lead from this region that can not be beaten that will be decisive for his victory.
    Prof. Soz also appealed to the people to realize that the Congress party at the centre was fighting a battle against the forces of divisiveness, sectarianism and communalism. He gave a call to the entire region of Rajouri & Poonch to realize their responsibility in fighting these negative forces. He assured the people that he would seek employment of local people (from Rajouri & Poonch districts) in the upcoming projects like Railways and Multipurpose projects at Parnai.
    National Conference leaders Davinder Singh Rana-Provincial President; Ajay Sadotra-Minister for Planning and Deputy Chairman Legislative Council Javed Rana made an appeal to the people to vote in great numbers for the NC-INC joint candidate Madan Lal Sharma. Madan Lal Sharma appealed to the people to provide him yet another opportunity to serve them best.
    Those who attended these public meetings included S/Shri Ch. Bashir Ahmed Naaz-Vice Chairman Gujjar & Bakerwal Board; Kuldip Raj Verma-Vice Chairman OBC Board; Ms Shahnaz Ganie-MLC; Jahangir Mir-MLC and local leaders like Rahim Dad, Rashpal Singh, Ashok Sharma, Rattan Lal Gupta, Murtaza Khan, Ch. Zaffarullah, Abdul Majid Khan, Parveen Sarwar Khan, Sheraaz Azhari and Zulfikhar Mumtaz.  (KNS)