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  • AAP may be clean but for Kashmiris it is like Congress, BJP: Hurriyat (G)

    ‘Kejriwal, Modi tow faces of same coin’
    Srinagar: While clearing its stand on and about the statements of Aam Admi party (AAP) and on the opening of its office in Jammu and Kashmir, Hurriyat Conference (G) on Saturday said AAP can be a new or special and revolutionary party for the Indian and Indian people, but for Kashmiris this party is not anything different from Congress or BJP.
    “We consider both Arvind Kajriwal and Narinder Modi as the two sides of a same coin, because both of them favour the illegal and unjust occupation of India in Kashmir,” a statement issued to KNS by Hurriyat (G) reads.  The spokesman of Hurriyat (G) said that ‘like the roles of Farooq Abdullah and Mufti Sayeed are dangerous and harmful for the Kashmir cause, so in the same way every person who will vote or support AAP or any other pro-Indian party, will commit an act of treason.’
    Hurriyat (G) spokesman Ayaz Akbar said that the Kashmir is not the issue of good or bad governance, but with the internationally recognized as a political issue, it is also a human issue, where large-scale loss of human lives is continue and this issue has snatched the peace, comfort, tranquility and dignity of the common people.
    He also said that the state of Jammu and Kashmir is suffering from political uncertainty and instability. Hurriyat said that the AAP is welcomed in Delhi and other parts of India, because the people there are fed up with the corrupt and dishonest policies of other traditional political parties and they want change of the system, but with respect to Kashmir, this slogan of change is unjustified and a cunning act to deceive the common people of Kashmir.
    Hurriyat (G) said that although all the pro-Indian parties of Kashmir are extreme corrupt and dishonest, but the change of government is meaningless here and the issue of good or bad governance is considered as secondary.
    “To end the illegal forced occupation of India’ and ‘to solve the dispute’ according to the wishes and aspirations of the people are considered as primary issues in Kashmir,” Hurriyat (G) said adding that the issues of electricity, water and corruption are meaningless, where the life, property and dignity of common people is unsafe and where everyday innocent people are killed.
    “To expect anything favourable from Kajriwal or AAP, who justifies the illegal occupation of India in the state and who deny the just demand of Kashmiri people like other Indian rulers, is an unrealistic approach were Indian forces has been given license to kill anybody in the name of AFSPA and other black laws and where people are denied justice in the incidents like Pathribal, Gool, Machil, Markandal etc.”
    Hurriyat (G) spokesman said that the AAP will try to select the honest people from the state but for the Kashmir and common people, they are enemies like Farooq Abdullah, Mufti Sayed or Saif-ud-Din Soz.
    He also said that it is a proven fact that Kashmir is not Delhi in anyway, here whoever is brought to power is only the loyal employee of New Delhi. “He does not have his own power or position,” Akbar said while adding that the state of Jammu and Kashmir is directly ruled by the Home Ministry of India through its huge army and intelligence agencies and nothing can happen here without the consent of New Delhi.
    He said that it is the compulsion of Indian rulers to thrust the civil government in Kashmir, because by doing this they want to shift all the human rights violations and blames upon the local administration in front of world communities.  Hurriyat said that the people who are making hue and cry about the AAP and are expecting miracles thereof are actually deceiving the common and simple people of Kashmir.(KNS)

  • Jamaat reiterates its claim on ‘Geelani’s property’

    Only JeI can decide about the property: Wani
    Srinagar: Stating that the feud between Huriyat Conference (G) Chairman Syed Ai Geelani and Jamat-e-Islami (JeI) over the Hyderpora property is expected to get resolved in March’s 1st week, Ameer-i-Jamaat Mohammad Abdullah Wani Saturday reiterated his claim that the property belongs to Jamaat saying that Geelani is its lifelong custodian.
    JeI chief Mohammad Abdullah Wani told KNS over phone that the recent meet held between the senior JeI members and Huriyat (G) deliberated in detail over the issue and that further discussion over the matter is expected in the coming days. “Geelani Sahib has written a letter to JeI, asking that the issue must be resolved in the meet after his return from New Delhi.”
    Wani stated further that it is the official stand of the JeI that the Hyderpora property that presently is in the possession of Geelani belongs to JeI and that the Huriyat chief is its lifelong custodian. “After that it is the shoora of JeI that will decide about the future course for this property.”
    JeI chief maintained further that during the expected meet to be held between senior JeI members and Geelani in the near future , JeI will try to resolve the issue at the earliest. “The document that is in the court of law wherein Syed Ali Geelani has donated the Hyderpora property to a trust must stand null and void and that it is only Geelani sahib who is the guardian of the property that belongs to JeI.”
    Pertinently Jamat-e-Islami (JeI) in the past took strong exception to Geelani’s move of handing over ‘his’ property to a charitable trust, stating that the senior separatist was just the custodian of the property that legally belongs to Jamaat.
    The statement issued to KNS by Jamat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir had maintained the important meet of its Shoora under its Ammer Mohammad Abdullah Wani was called at the party headquarters wherein it was unanimously agreed by all shora members that the property of Jamat-e-Islami at Rahmat Abad Hyderpora will remain in custody of Syed Ali Gelaani till he is alive. “After that Jamat is authorized to take final decision over the property.” (KNS)

  • Agriculture minister’s cavalcade attacked

    Srinagar: The cavalcade of Jammu and Kashmir’s Agriculture Minister was stoned by youth in Srinagar city outskirts on Saturday, witnesses said.
    Witnesses told GNS that the cavalcade of Ghulam Hassan Mir, who is Agriculture Minister of the State, was on its way to Tangmarg when it was attacked by youths near Narbal with stones.
    “The cavalcade of the Mir comprised of nearly fifty vehicles. But once it reached Narbal, youth appeared and pelted stones on the vehicles of the cavalcade,” official sources told GNS. They, however, added that there was no loss of life or injuries.
    While addressing people at Tangmarg, Mir said the bold decision of the coalition government for creation of new Administrative Units across the state aims to provide governance to the people of J&K at their doorstep for which they had to traverse a long distances for getting their problems resolved in various utility services offices. “The new administrative units will give new impetus to development and ease the administrative problems of people living in far-flung areas and will change development landscape of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

    Asking the people particularly the youth to involve themselves in the development of the state, he said that “it is due to overwhelming support of the people, the government was able to take such initiatives during last five years to make J&K at par with other states of the country”. (GNS)

  • ‘NC root cause of the sufferings of common people’

    Aam Aadim Party pledges to take power projects back from NHPC

    Srinagar: Taking a pledge to ensure return of power projects to Jammu and Kashmir, the candidate chosen by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for Central Kashmir Doctor Raja Muzaffar Bhat Saturday said that the issue relating to taking back of power projects from NHPC has never taken seriously by any government in Jammu and Kashmir.

    According to CNS, soon after returning from New Delhi, RTI activist Raja Muzafar while addressing party workers near Municipal Park Srinagar said that the rotten system of governance manned by the ‘family rulers’ has demolished the cultural, educational, economical and social fabric of the State which has resulted in the worst style of living of senior citizens, youth and especially the students fraternity.
    “Unemployment, drug addiction, molestation of women has become the order of the day. All these issues together with the deteriorating condition of political prisoners, discontent amoung the employees, non-rehabilitation of orphans and above all the abuse of human values in our state are under the active consideration of AAP and the means to address and readdress are being explored,” he said.

    He said that it is a gigantic task to give a challenge to the family rule of Dr Farooq Abdullah. “It may be difficult but at the same time it is possible as well if people stand united with me. It is the same party which is the root cause of the sufferings of Aam Aadmi in Jammu and Kashmir. The natural water resources have been auctioned without any substantial benefit to the common people. Till date, common people are crying for electricity and all our power projects were surrendered to National Hydroelectric Power Corporation,” he said adding that the height of the matter is that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah recently admitted his failure in getting back the power projects and that too from the floor of the House. (CNS)

  • Police revealed identity of seven slain militants

    ‘Group was involved in the killing of Police Head Constable’
    Baramulla: Police Saturday claimed that group of 7 militants who had been killed in Dardpora forest in Lolab Valley have been identified with the help of people and they are all the residents of Pakistan.
    Deputy Inspector General of Police North Kashmir Range, J.P.Singh told CNS that they talked to a number of people of frontier district Kupwara who verified that these militants were present in the area from past six months. “People told us that they had seen this group of militants roaming in the area a number of times. We showed them the photographs of these slain militants and they confirmed to us the slain people were not locals but foreign militants,” Singh said.
    Earlier talking to reporters, DIG North Kashmir said this Lashkar Toiba group was involved in the killing of one of our Head constable Sanaullah. “Initial investigation has revealed that Head Constable Sanaullah whose headless body was found near Warnoo Handwara was the handiwork of this group of militants,” he said adding that all these slain militants have been identified with the help of the local people. DIG North Kashmir said that on February 24, a fierce gun battle took place between a group of heavily  armed militants and Army and SOG Kupwara in the Dardpora forest of Lalpora, Lolab. He said that 7 militants were eliminated and operation continued till February 25. “Besides huge cache of arms and ammunition and quantities of war like stores, matrix sheet, eatables, two mobile phones were also recovered from the site of the encounter,” he said.
    “The investigation of the case was carried out on scientific and technical methods. The scientific and technical investigation along with the account of eyewitnesses who were victims of the atrocities carried out by these militants during past five to six months revealed that this group was operating in the area of Hardoona forests of Vilgam Handwara and Lolab Dardpora forests for quite some time,” Singh said adding that the scientific investigation also revealed that the same group was responsible for the murder of one Head Constable of Jammu and Kashmir Police namely, Sanaullah who was killed by slitting his throat in the forests of Hardoona Vilgam Handwara.
    Deputy Inspector General North Kashmir said that dead bodies and photographs of killed militants were shown to the people of the area where these militants were active and they confirmed that these slain militants were of foreign origin and belonged to Lashkar Toiba and were in this area for a quite some time.
    “On the basis of evidences collected, the militants have been identified as Sufian, Rehman, Kashif, Qari, Dawood, Arqam all residents of Pakistan, however, one killed militant is yet to be identified,” he said.
    He said that all these militants were categorized and listed militants. “The unidentified militant is also of foreign origin and had been seen with the same group,” Singh told CNS.
    He said that during the post mortem, procedure of comprehensive investigation was followed. “Photography was conducted, DNA samples were collected and dead bodies were handed over to the local Auqaf Committee for burial. The Auqaf Committee conducted the burial only after proper verification and ascertaining that none of them was a local,” DIG said. (CNS)

  • Army, militants exchange gunfire in Lolab

    Srinagar: Army and Special Operation Group (SOG) of police on Saturday launched a massive operation to track down the group of militants after they exchanged fire with the forces at Darpora area of Lolab in north Kashmir’s frontier Kupwara district.
    Official sources told GNS that acting on a tip off, army’s 18 RR launched searches at the forest area, upper side of Carpenter Mohalla in Darpora, Lolab. As such the troops intensified the searches, the militants opened fire on the forces ensuing a brief encounter.
    “The militants are believed to be 3-4 in number, however, they managed to escape from the spot”, sources said.
    Meanwhile, additional reinforcement of army’s 28 RR and SOG rushed to the spot to assist the troops to track them, sources added.  (GNS)

  • Assam woman who kissed Rahul Gandhi burnt to death by husband

    Guwahati: A woman, who kissed Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi during his recent two-day Assam tour, was burnt to death allegedly by her husband, reports said on Saturday. 
    Reports said that a quarrel occurred between the couple over the kissing incident, following which the husband set his wife on fire.
    The lady’s husband is also said to have suffered 40 percent burn injuries and is currently hospitalised. 

    It is still unclear whether the unfortunate incident is linked to the kissing incident. The police are investigating the case and there has been no official confirmation on this.

    Rahul Gandhi, who is touring different parts of the country in order to revive his party’s fortunes, was welcomed with kisses on his cheek and on his head during his visit to Jorhat in Assam on Wednesday. 

    Rahul Gandhi was interacting with a huge gathering of women, when two women came closer to him, kissed on his cheek and forehead respectively, slightly embarrassing the young Congress leader. 

    Despite the unprecedented but pleasant gesture, the Gandhi scion, however, sportingly met all the women supporters who came forward to shake hands with him. 

    Rahul met over 600 self help groups and Congress members in Jorhat and interacted with them wholeheartedly. 

    While interacting with the women, the Congress vice president said that women of this country can become the prime minister, chief minister. He also said that northeastern women are more talented and brave than others.

  • Saudi preacher who raped and tortured his daughter released after paying blood money

    A ‘celebrity’ Saudi preacher accused of raping, torturing and killing his five-year-old daughter has reportedly been released from custody after agreeing to pay ‘blood money’
    Fayhan al-Ghamdi had been accused of killing his daughter Lama, who suffered multiple injuries including a crushed skull, broken back, broken ribs, a broken left arm and extensive bruising and burns. Social workers say she had also been repeatedly raped and burnt.
    Fayhan al-Ghamdi admitted using a cane and cables to inflict the injuries after doubting his five-year-old daughter’s virginity and taking her to a doctor, according to the campaign group Women to Drive.
    Rather than getting the death penalty or receiving a long prison sentence for the crime, Fayhan al-Ghamdi served only a few months in jail before a judge ruled the prosecution could only seek ‘blood money’.
    Albawaba News reported the judge as saying: “Blood money and the time the defendant had served in prison since Lama’s death suffices as punishment.”
    Fayhan al-Ghamdi, who regularly appears on television in Saudi Arabia, is said to have agreed to pay £31,000 to Lama’s mother.
    The money is considered compensation under Islamic law, although it is only half the amount that would have been paid had Lama been a boy.
    Despite Saudi Arabia’s famously strict legal system, Women to Drive say fathers cannot be executed for murdering their children in the country. Equally, husbands cannot be executed for murdering their wives.
    Formal objections to the ruling have been raised by three Saudi activists, and the twitter hashtag #AnaLama (which translates as I Am Lama) has been set up.
    Local reports say public anger over the settlement is growing across Saudi Arabia, with authorities planning to set up a 24-hour hotline to take calls about child abuse.

  • Sri Lanka beat India by 2 wickets in Asia Cup

    Brief scores:
    India: 264/9 in 50 overs (Shikhar Dhawan 94, Virat Kohli 48; Ajantha Mendis 4/60, Sachitra Senanayake 3/41)

    Sri Lanka: 265/8 in 49.2 overs (Kumar Sangakkara 103, Kusal Perera 64; Ravindra Jadeja 3/30).
    Sri Lanka defeated India by two wickets to record their second win in the Asia Cup in Fatullah on Friday.
    Sent into bat, India posted 264/9 in the stipulated 50 overs, and then saw Sri Lanka chase down the 265-run target with four balls to spare at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium.
    Earlier, Opener Shikhar Dhawan missed out on a century by six runs as spinner Ajantha Mendis returned to haunt India by restricting them to 264 for nine against Sri Lanka.
    Sent into bat, Dhawan (94) and captain Virat Kohli (48) led India’s recovery in a 97-run second-wicket partnership, before Mendis, more than three years after his mystery was decoded by the Indian batsmen, came back to trouble them with figures of 4/60 at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium.
    Mendis castled Kohli and Dhawan with his carrom ball while offspinner Sachitra Senanayake scalped 3/41 as India’s new-look middle order sorely missed Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
    Thanks to the duo’s exploits, India slipped after being comfortably placed at 175 for two in the 36th over.
    Ajinkya Rahane (22), Ambati Rayudu (18) and Dinesh Karthik (4) looked good but could not covert their starts, while Stuart Binny did not trouble the scorers after being out for a zero.
    Having come into the limelight with his career-best 6/13 against India in Karachi in 2008, Mendis got a reality check after the currently out-of-favour Vireder Sehwag unleashed his fury on him the next year.
    But that was then and on this day Mendis, who was included in place of medium pacer Suranga Kamal, did not let the Lankans down.
    The pitch behaved differently with the ball staying low right from the very first over. It was the perfect condition to test the openers who were in the middle of a prolonged lean patch.
    Sharma, particularly, struggled against the odd ball as Sri Lanka, who were playing with three specialist spinners, brought on offie Senanayake in the sixth over.
    Lanka seemed in perfect control, conceding only 37 runs in the first power play which also yielded Sharma’s wicket.
    After all his struggle, Sharma’a anxious stay finally came to an end when he got to out to a dubious decision.
    Umpire Nigel Llong ruled the batsman out despite being long way down the track.
    The breakthrough incidentally turned around India’s fortunes with last match centurion Kohli starting off with a boundary.
    At the other end, Dhawan looked to have got his fluency back and Kohli’s reassuring presence further calmed the left-hander’s nerves.

  • Centre sanctions 676 New Sub Health Centers: Taj

    ‘12 new sub health centers sanctioned for Mendhar constituency’
    Jammu: Minister for Health and Medical Education, Mr. Taj Mohi-ud-Din today informed the House that Centre has sanctioned 676 New Sub Health Centers in the State under NRHM adding that out of which 12 new sub health centers have been sanctioned in Mendhar Constituency. He said that the matter for providing the requisite staff and other logistic support for opening of these new health centers has been taken up with the Centre.
    Replying to a question by Sardar Rafiq Hussain Khan, the Minister said that owing to financial constraints, the Department has submitted a proposal to the Government for upgradation of one health institution in every constituency of the State. He said in Mendhar Constituency, the upgradation of sub health center Soyian to the level of Primary Health Center is included in the proposal.
    The Minister informed that out of sanctioned posts of 12 specialists and doctors six are working in SDH Mendhar besides out of 36 para-medical and other staff 35 are in position in the hospital. He said moreover, two MBBS doctors and seven para-medics have been engaged under NRHM to supplement the manpower of the hospital.
    The Minister also informed that the construction work of Emergency Block of SDH Mendhar has been taken up at an estimated cost of Rs. 4.06 crore against which Rs. 48.10 lakh have been utilized till date, adding that Rs. 35 lakh are earmarked for the purpose under State plan and NRHM during current financial year.