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Jammu: Senior National Conference leaders on Sunday demanded setting up of a medical college in Poonch-Rajouri belt of the Jammu region, saying this is imperative for expanding the reach of higher and professional education in remote parts of the State.
In a statement issued to KNS, while hailing the decision of the Union Government with regard to sanctioning of four additional medical colleges at Kathua, Doda, Anantnag and Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir, they demanded a medical college in Rajouri-Poonch belt also. They said that the step will go long way in empowering the people of remote and far off areas. They said that enterprising youth of these areas have excelled in academic arena but lack of higher institutes of learning has retreaded their growth. “Therefore, there is urgent need for setting up of a medical college to cater to the needs of vast border belt of Poonch and Rajouri”, they maintained.
The signatories to the joint statement include Deputy Chairman Legislative Council Javed Rana, Vice President and former Minister Peer Mushtaq Ahmad Bukhari, legislators, Th Rachpal Singh, R S Sharma, Aijaz Jan, Th Rachpal Singh, R S Sharma, Dr Shehnaz Ganai, ex MP Mirza Abdul Rashid, Ch Talib Hussain, ex-minister Nissar Khan ex legislators Mohammed Aslam Khan,  Ikhlaq Khan, Rahim Dad, District Presidents Qazi Mohd Sayeed Beig,  Bashir Ahmed Wani, Vipan Pal Sharma, Ch Liaqat Ali,  Shafayat Khan , Peer Inayat Ullah Bukhari and others.
The leaders appreciated the endeavours of Chief Minister Mr Omar Abdullah in bringing the remote areas under focus and drawing the attention of the Centre towards extending various services to these areas. “This is necessary to bring these less advantageous areas  at par with urban centres and making available opportunities to youth to prosper and progress in different fields”, they said while reiterating their long pending demand of extending railway line to Poonch and Rajouri belt.

Governor, Mainstream, Pro-freedom camp expresses shock

Srinagar: A dreadful road accident Sunday took place on Jammu- Srinagar highway in which six people were killed
and more than 17 were reportedly injured when a passenger vehicle lost control.
According to the reports received by KNS, a passenger vehicle- 407 bearing number JK14A-9162 was going from Banihal railway station to Ramban, lost control near bettri stream. Six people were killed on spot while as more than 17 persons have been injured in the accident. The injured were immediately rushed to the nearby hospital where there condition continues to remain critical. The identity of the killed persons was not established till the last reports came in.
Governor NN Vohra, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, the concerned MLA, minister of state Vikar Rasool Wani, opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti, deputy chief minister Tara Chand, senior cabinet ministers Ali Mohammad Sagar, Peerzada Mohamad Syed and others have felt shock and grief over the tragic accident.
Pro-freedom parties including Huriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani, Huriyat (M) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Mohammad Yasin Malik have also expressed shock over the accident. (KNS)

Srinagar: Stating that the creation of new administrative units in the state has left people aghast and ‘unhappy’, state Congress spokesman Salman Soz Sunday said that he was opposed from the very beginning to the creation of these units because the same is not in the long-term interests of the State and its people.
Acording to the reports received by KNS, Salman in one of his facebook status uploaded on Sunday stated that he spent two days in several  villages of  North Kashmir’s Baramulla talking to people. “It seems the whole issue of new administrative units has left a lot of people unhappy. As people know, I was opposed from the very beginning to the creation of these units because I felt this was not in the long-term interests of the State and its people. But, I think this decision has divided people as well.”
Asserting that he wants to ask the government and opposition leaders who are supporters of these units, why does Baramulla have only one Tehsil while Sangrama will have two and Rafiabad three? What is the logic for this? What about the large Narwaw belt or the heavily populated Delina/Singhpora/Kandi area?
“I find the whole exercise strange and it has made people unhappy. At least in Baramulla, there is much unhappiness about these new units and our leadership, both ruling parties and opposition parties, must explain these decisions to affected people transparently.” (KNS)

Party asks Govt to shifted injured youth outside state

Jammu: To express their anger over unabated using of pellet and pepper guns on innocent people of Kashmir, members of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) today created uproar in the Legislative Assembly and later staged a walkout.
According to a statement issued to KNS, PDP members were demanding ban on the use of such non-lethal weapons and shifting of injured youth to outside the State for advance treatment. As the House assembled this morning, members of PDP were on their feet. They drew attention of the government toward conditions of those youth who received severe injuries in brutal use of pellet guns in Shopian area.
Raising the issue, PDP Legislature Party leader Mehbooba Mufti said that state government was using pellet guns and pepper guns against civilian protestors, an act she said left many youth deprived of their vision. Mehbooba said the use of these weapons at protests had caused loss and impairment of vision in the Kashmir Valley and people had to pay heavily for medical treatment.
“These poor families have to take their children, who have become victims of pellet guns and pepper guns used by the security forces, to Amritsar and other places outside the state for treatment,” she said. These children belong to poor families who cannot afford costly treatment.
She demanded an immediate stop to the use of such weapons against civilian protestors. She also demanded financial assistance from the state government to the victims. PDP members were demanding answer from government but on no avail. No express their anger over causal approach being adopted by the government against in this inhuman act, PDP members staged a walkout.
Later terming using of pellet guns as inhuman and cruel, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) today demanded total ban on use of such “non lethal” weapons in Kashmir, which have injured hundreds of youth. Spokesman of PDP said that Tariq, Ghulam Mohiuddin, Mohammad Ashraf, Umer Nabi have lost their sight due to pellet guns.
He said that hundreds of youth have been injured by the use of this weapons which have been projected as non lethal. He said that score of youth have lost their sights but they are not approach hospitals due to the fear of arrest. PDP spokesman demanded that four youth injured in pellet guns should be immediately shifted outside the state for advance medical treatment and their treatment expenditure must be bear by the government.
The spokesman accused the state government of resorting to inhumane tactics in which many youth  were targeted by pepper guns  and pellets guns which have been projected as non lethal weapons. The party has called an immediate end to the savage treatment of peaceful protests that has so far caused heavy civilian causality. PDP regretted that in the name of using non lethal weapon, Omar Abdullah government has turned Jammu and Kashmir into a laboratory to test use of such weapons. (KNS)

Srinagar: Few days after an uproar in the legislative assembly seeking a stern punishment against molestation accused former minster Shabir Khan, the Sunday’s session of both the Houses witnessed a complete silence over the issue.
According to the KNS correspondent, the law makers were busy in discussing the details about the recently introduced budget by the state finance minister Abdul Rahim Rather.
Earlier on the very first day of the present budget session, the assembly reverberated with the slogans against Khan and demands were raised by the legislators that the immediate arrest of Khan must take place.
Opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) while raising its voice over against the discrimination in allotment of new administrative units in the state also raised question mark over the inability of government to nail Khan.
The KNS correspondent informed that the assembly Sunday started with the legislators discussing the problems pertaining to their respective areas and no question about the issue of Shabir Khan was raised on the floor of the house.
Khan, a senior Congress leader and a former minister was recently accused of molestation of a female medico at his office. Police registered FIR against Khan on February 6 and massive hunt for his arrest was launched by the state police. Court granted interim bail to Khan and he recently presented himself before the investigation officer of police. Police on February 15 allowed Khan to attend the assembly session- however directing him not to leave the state. (KNS)

Srinagar: Senior separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani has accused the police and Army of staging a ‘fake encounter’, saying that the militant that police claims was killed in an encounter in Sopore was actually arrested and then ‘murdered’ in custody.

“According to the local people, Mohammad Shafi Sheikh of Zaloora was arrested by SOG [Special Operations Group] and 22-RR [Army’s Rashtriya Rifles] and then he was murdered in custody and cunningly staged a fake encounter to hide this murder”, Geelani said in a statement.

Police claimed to have killed a top commander of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit in Sopore Sunday morning. The slain militant was identified as Shafi Sheikh, a resident of Zaloora, Sopore.

“While declaring the arrest of four members of Naikoo family as unjustified, Geelani Sahab said that they have been accused of providing shelter to the slain Mujahid, while the locals said that Mohammad Shafi Sheikh was arrested somewhere else and martyred in a fake encounter”, a statement by Hurriyat read.

Gulmarag: Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Sunday highlighted the vast potential of Jammu and Kashmir for sports, adventure and pilgrim tourism adding that this specialty is yet another sphere of attraction for tourists besides mesmerizing, enchanting and amazing natural resorts and wide-ranging fauna, flora and bio-diversity the State is blessed with.
Inaugurating National Ski and Snowboarding Championship here this morning, the Chief Minister said that organizing sports events particularly winter games give considerable fillip to showcase the State as the ideal destination of different sports.
Omar Abdullah said that winter sports in Gulmarag and other places need to be given further boost to provide opportunities to the participants particularly youth of the State to nurture their talent and develop as world class players. He said normally youth studying in different educational institutions find occasions and platform to participate and show their sports talent in different games. However, he said, the youth not obtaining education are mostly deprived of such occasions. “We should also enhance opportunities and avenues for them”, he said and added that Gulmarag Winter Games will be an effective steps in this direction.
The Chief Minister said that there is need to promote winter sports particularly skiing in Gulmarag by upgrading ski slopes at Kongdoori and Mary Shoulder. “This would help in holding the National and International Ski events in Gulmarag”, he said and spelt out the possibilities of making Gulmarag an International winter sports resort.
Omar Abdullah said that tourism has an important role in the State’s economy and generation of wide-ranging economic activities for the people. “Our efforts should be to develop and showcase the State for round the year destination for the tourists from all across the world”, he said and added that the Tourism Department and all other stakeholders in this industry need to work jointly to rope in high-end tourists alongwith others in great numbers.
The Chief Minister said that the highest dividend of peace is the arrivals of tourists in great numbers particularly in the Valley. He said peace conditions will always boost the tourism activities and help rope in large number of tourists.
Minister for Tourism, Ghulam Ahmad Mir was also present on the occasion.
The event has been organized by the Winter Games Association of Jammu and Kashmir. The event is aimed at promoting winter-sports and tourism in the State. (KNS)