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  • Arrests of resistance leaders a political vendetta: Hurriyat (M)

    Srinagar: Condemning the wanton arrest of resistance leaders, workers, activists, and youth from across Jammu and Kashmir under the cover of the so called elections, Hurriyat Conference (M) stated that such unprovoked acts on part of the state depicts frustration and were based on political vendetta.

    According to a statement issued to KNS, the Hurriyat (M) spokesman stated that rejection of staged polls by the people have angered the pro-Indian administration, adding, now the same administration was unleashing oppression on people by arresting scores of people in Srinagar and in towns and villages of Kashmir. He said in Hajin, Kupwara, Pulwama and Bandipore and other places state went berserk by using force against the peaceful protesters and the members of media which was highly condemnable and an open example of state sponsored terrorism.

    Hurriyat spokesman has condemned the arrest of senior Hurriyat leader Hakim Abdul Rashid and ransacking of the house of another leader, Syed Bashir Andrabi at Pulwama. Expressing grief and regret over the death of polling officer Zia-ul-haq, the spokesman has sympathized with the bereaved family. He said government has forcibly deployed government employees on poll duty, adding, the employees should do their bit to stay away from such duties and express their resolve and commitment towards freedom struggle. (KNS)

     

     

  • Thousands attend militants’ funeral

    Srinagar: Thousands of people Saturday participated in the funeral prayers of two militants killed during a gunfight with government forces in an encounter in South Kashmir’s Shupian.

    The funeral procession was held in the Shupian district and later the bodies of the two militants were taken in a procession to their respective areas.

    Amid tears and sobs, the, two slain were laid to rest at Drubgam and Kellar ‘Martyr’s graveyard’.

    Hurriyat Conference (G) Chairman Syed Ali Geelani addressed protesters over phone from his Hyderpora residence. “The struggle would continue till last Indian solider leaves Kashmir,” he told the mourners.

    In his address, Geelani “urged the people to safeguard the sacrifices offered by the martyrs”.

    “We need to take care of these sacrifices and refrain from activities that are detrimental for the interest of ongoing movement,” he said, adding the youth of Kashmir would continue to resist the control of New Delhi.

    “People who cast their votes and support the pro-India elements are committing the act of treason. Whenever we cast votes for these elements actually we enslave ourselves and the next generations,” Geelani added.

    Meanwhile, a complete shutdown was observed in Drubgam, Kellar and other areas parts of the Shupian and Pulwom districts in South Kashmir to mourn the death of militants. All shops and business establishments

     

  • Three militants killed in Shopian gun fight: Army

    ‘Arms recovered from the encounter site’

    Srinagar: A joint operation of Army and SOG of the  Police was launched on  April  25  on a specific intelligences input, resulted in elimination of three militants, recovery of arms, war like stores and fatal casualties to two Army personnel including an officer, said Army spokesman.

    According to the statement issued to KNS, at 1400h, on 26 Apr 14, based on specific intelligence input regarding presence of three militants in Village Manlo of District Shopian, a joint operation was launched by an RR unit and SOG of J&K Police. As the troops were in the process of cordoning the suspected house, a heavy volume of fire was brought down by the hiding militants which was effectively retaliated. The intermittent exchange of fire continued through the day and continued till late evening and restarted on morning of 26 April 14. Keeping the built up area in mind and to avoid any collateral damage, operations were conducted in a very calibrated manner. By late morning of26 Apr 14, all the three militants were eliminated. Two AK 47 rifles, one Pistol and other war like stores were recovered. During the operations, fighting valiantly, one Army Officer and a soldier suffered  gunshot wounds and later succumbed to injuries and attained martyrdom.

    The operation assumes importance in the back drop of recent killing of a polling staff and injury to other five persons, in the same area by the militants. The sacrifices of the Army personnel will go a long way in sustaining peace in the Valley. (KNS)

     

     

  • Shah urges central Kashmir to g for total boycott

    Srinagar: Senior leader of Hurriyat Conference Jammu Kashmir (HCJK) Shabir Ahmad Shah while expressing satisfaction over the pro-freedom spirit of the people of Anantnag, Shopian, Pulwama, Kulgam and Tral said all eyes are on the people of Srinagar, Ganderbal and Budgam as to how much loyalty will they show with the blood of martyrs by rejecting the polls.

    According to a statement issued to KNS: “We have full hope that the people of central and north Kashmir will follow the suit of south Kashmir by completely boycotting the sham elections. The success of election boycott campaign is the success of the whole nation and the credit goes to those people who boycotted and also urge others to so the same,” Shah vowed.

    Shah said the government should not forget that the people of Srinagar have been keeping the flag of freedom high since last 66 years. “In 1988, they proved to be a rock against Indian occupational forces. They are above the fear and greed. It is impossible to lure them to vote for petty interest. They will never compromise with the pious freedom movement,” Shah, who is still under house arrest said.

    He also paid tributes to three persons martyred in Shopian and telephonically addressed the people present during the funeral procession of Shaheed Aashiq Ahmad and said the whole nation is indebted to these martyrs who, by sacrificing their precious blood, took Kashmir issue to international level. Lashing out at Indian puppets of valley, Shah said the NC, PDP, Congress are playing the dirty politics in the name of democracy here. “The arrest of Geelani Sahib, Yasin Malik Sahib, Nayeem Sahib, Mushtaq ul Islam Sahib, Sehrai Sahib and Muhammad Yasin Ataai Sahib is the open proof of the dictatorial approach of these pro-India parties,” Shah said, adding that the reason of putting pro-freedom leaders under

    arrest is that they want to befool the common Kashmiri by forcing him to participate in sham elections.

    Shah expressed hope that despite the continuous arrest of Hurriyat JK leaders, the anti-election campaign will continue at any cost. Shabir Ahmad Shah also expressed serious concern over the plight of detainees across the various jails of valley and said the hundreds among Freedom Party zonal president, Moulana Abdul Qayoom continue to languish in jails with no crime of theirs. “The worst part is that the killers of Shaheed Muhammad Maqbool Bhat and Shaheed Muhammad Afzal Guru viz. Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah are not shying away from asking for votes to people just for their petty chair.”

    Shah also condemned the authorities for not allowing a youth Ishfaq Ahmad Baba alias Nana of Hajin, who was seriously injured due to pellet gun and was scheduled to visit Chandigarh for treatment. “The so-called cheap and tyrannical police, in spite of hospitalizing him put the injured youth behind bars. It is the height of oppression,” Shah added. (KNS)

     

  • Omar lashes out at ‘PDP-BJP bonhomie’

    ‘Asks peoples to unearth their conspiracy against J&K’

    ‘Appeals for whole-hearted support to NC-Congress joint Candidates’

    Beerwa (Budgam): Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah who is also working President of National Conference Saturday said that current Lok Sabha Election is an important occasion particularly for the people of Jammu and Kashmir to put their wight behind the NC-Congress joint candidates to ensure defeat of the anti-Jammu and Kashmir forces. “You have to be united to stop the attempt of communal and deceptive forces to be at the helm of affairs in New Delhi”, he said while lashing out at the bonhomie between PDP and BJP.

    Addressing an Election rally in Beerwa Budgam this afternoon, Omar Abdullah said that people of the State have to make a choice between communal forces and those representing aspirations of all sections and all regions of the Country. “The current Lok Sabha Elections have put you to a historic test”, he told the people and said that they have to exercise their franchise whole heartedly in favour of NC-Congress candidates to give a befitting reply to deceptive forces represented by PDP in the State and BJP at the Center. He said that time has come when the people of the State have to rise to the occasion by exposing the elements who divide them on different counts for petty power politics.

    Omar Abdullah said that National Conference represents the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and has always carried forward its agenda for equitable and inclusive development of the State. “We are committed to march ahead on this agenda seeking prosperity, peace and political stability in the State”, he said and added that the track record of NC and its leadership is full of sacrifices for the larger interests of the State.

    Taking PDP to the task for extending covert and overt support to BJP and its Prime Ministerial candidate in the current Lok Sabha Elections Omar Abdullah said that power hungry PDP leadership is out to barter the interests of the State and its people for obtaining blessings of Narendra Modi and BJP which founded this party in the State to act as its extended arm and “B-team”. He said despite fully knowing the ideology and agenda of BJP against Jammu and Kashmir PDP is openly out to provide tactical support to BJP in Jammu and Kashmir.

    The Working President National Conference asked the people to beware of the double faced PDP leadership who in one or the other garb attempt at creating confusion in the minds of people by flaring up tension and dividing the society on regional and religious lines. Omar Abdullah said that since its inception in the State PDP is nurturing a propagandist approach and using deceptive politics to be in limelight and grab the power. He asked the people to read between the lines and punish the clandestine alliance between BJP and PDP against Jammu and Kashmir.

    Omar Abdullah said that the best way to scuttle this unholy bonhomie between BJP and PDP is that the people of the State should come out in large number in favour of National Conference-Congress candidates and help in bringing a Jammu and Kashmir friendly government in the Centre that would take equal care for growth and development of all sections and all regions of the Country. He said Rahul Gandhi represents this kind of an approach as he symbolizes communal harmony, commitment to all sections of the society and holistic development of India. He said that in Rahul Gandhi Jammu and Kashmir has found its sincere friend who has been always been there to help the State.

    The rally was also addressed by the President, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee, Prof. Saif-ud-Din Soz, Provincial President NC, Kashmir, Nasir Aslam Wani and various other senior leaders of National Conference and Congress. (GNS)

     

     

  • JKLF holds an election boycott candle March at Sher I Khaas

    Police and forces Attack the rally at Bahawdin sahib and Bohrikadal

    SHEHR I KHAAS: Senior leader of Jammu Kashmir liberation front (JKLF)  Showkat Ahmad Bakhshi along with Ghulam Rasool Hazari and others was today arrested when they were leading a candle march at Down town ( Shehr I Khaas) today evening. The candle march was organized in connection with the election boycott campaign and starting from Mukhdoom sahib shrine and its destination was Khankahi Mohalla Srinagar.  Despite a crackdown on JKLF leaders, workers and activists ,JKLF leaders and activists holding burning candles (MASHAAL) in their hands raised slogans in favor of freedom, martyrs, struggle and leaders and marched towards the destination. This procession was passing through Bahawdin sahib when police in large numbers cordoned it and tried to stop its march. Police arrested Showkat sahib and Ghulam Rasool Hazari but the participants of the rally provided stiff resistance and broke the cordon OF police and other forces. The participants of the procession with burning torches in their hands marched through Jamia Masjid, Nowhatta ,Malarat and Bohri Kadal where police again intercepted the procession and used force to disperse it . The passion and enthusiasm of the participants especially the youth was a treat to watch and the slogans in favor of election boycott filled the atmosphere on the occasion participants especially the youth provided stiff resistance and slogans of “boycott boycott election boycott” filled the atmosphere.

    Before the rally Showkat Ahmad Bakhshi  while talking to media person and participants of the rally termed Indian elections as a stage managed drama and army and police operation and said that India has been repeating this drama to hoodwink international opinion .Bakhshi sahib  while asking the people  to keep away from Indian elections said that we Kashmiris will have to keep in mind the ill effects and bad consequences of participating in Indian elections and that that boycotting these elections is our moral and political right as well as duty because these elections are meant to weaken our freedom struggle and voice. He said that participating in these elections cannot be termed but as betrayal as this is against the national interests of Kashmiris.

    Bakhshi sahib said that today pro India parties and their leaders fearing the strength of boycott have started a malicious campaign against the boycott call. They are propagating that this boycott is benefitting some and harming some pro India parties. We want to tell them all that elections held under the Indian constitution are in every case harmful for the nation of Kashmir and people who contest and take part in these are nothing but stooges of India and they are the handle of Indian axe that is and has been crushing and killing Kashmiris. He said, that for freedom lovers, it hardly matters who is a beneficiary and who is loser. For the people of Jammu Kashmir all these pro India parties and leaders are same and their job is to harm the interests of Kashmiris

    Bakhshi sahib said that if this election was democratic as put by India and its stooges how come Indian state and its Kashmiri puppets have started a crack down on political leadership and activists. Baskshi sahib said that so far police along with front chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik have arrested leaders and activists of JKLF  including advocate Bashir Ahmad Bhat, Bashir Ahmad Kashmiri, Mohammad Azeem Zargar, Arshid Ahmad Bhat ( Jan) Fayaz  Ahmad, Imtiyaz Ahmad etc. From last 2 days police besides raiding and searching for JKLF leaders, activists and workers throughout valley have arrested Bashir Ahmad Rather ( Boya )and Gayas ud Din from Ganderbal, Mohammad Aadil and Ishfaq Hussain from Maisuma, Mohammad Ahsan from Kokerbazar and Ghulam Jeelani from Kangan area. Police has launched a hunt for JKLF leaders and activists and besides this thousands of innocent youth have been put behind the bars so far.

    Showkat sahib said all these atrocities, arrests, oppressive measures and ban on peaceful political activities clearly show that this election is nothing but a military operation of worst kind and its only purpose is to hoodwink international opinion under the garb of democracy. Bakshi sahib said that a war like situation has been created by police and forces and this is dubbed as democracy. He questioned that if this is democracy then what is dictatorship?  Bakhshi sahib said that the main aim and objective of elections organized by India and held under Indian constitution is to prolong the slavery of Kashmiris, to legislate new tyrannical and oppressive laws against people of Jammu Kashmir and to subject Kashmiris to torture and repression .Therefore participation in these election In any name is enmity with Kashmir and Kashmiris and no Kashmiri can ever think of this betrayal. He appealed the people of Srinagar, Budgam, Ganderbal,Baramullah,Bandipora and Kupwara to show resilience like the people of south Kashmir and boycott this election fraud

     

  • ‘Shun rigidity and change your strategy’

    Like Sajad all separatist leaders will one day contest elections: Agha Abdul Hussain

    Srinagar: Former Hurriyat leader Agha Abdul Hussain Saturday advised Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and other separatist leaders to shun their rigid approach and contest polls for the betterment of the people. “I am contesting elections from North Kashmir but that does not mean I am anti Freedom Movement. We must understand that by contesting elections can’t take us away from our goal of freedom,” Hussain told Srinagar based news gathering agency CNS adding that Mirwaiz and other separatist leader would one day do, what Peoples Conference Chairman Sajad Lone did in 2009.

    “Why these separatist leaders are relying only on election boycott call. This is a wrong notion that those who vote are anti-Movement. I was a militant commander but I realized that armed struggle could only lead us towards death and destruction and it is not a source of revolution,” Hussain said.

    He said that those separatist leaders who force people to boycott elections are the friends of foes of Kashmiri people. “Hurriyat leaders are pursuing a sacred cause but their strategy is wrong. They fail to assess the ground situation. For some leaders election boycott has become a prestigious point and they don’t want that people should feel relaxed and come out from their miseries by casting their vote,” Agha Abdul Hussain told CNS.

    Former separatist leader and the brother of Agha Hassan, Hurriyat Conference (M) leader, who has filed nomination papers to contest Lok Sabha elections from Baramulla constituency further said that the leaders of Palestine gave legitimacy to their Freedom Movement by contesting elections. “The Hamas leader contest elections and still they are fighting against the aggression of Israeil. People have laid down their lives here for the ongoing movement and Hurriyat leaders must change their mindset,” he said. (CNS)

  • Mufti a staunch Indian, wicked politician: Geelani

    Srinagar: Chairman All Parties Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Geelani termed the PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed a staunch Indian and a wicked politician and rejected his unrealistic statement in which he have said that the solution of Kashmir issue lies within the Indian constitution and he have also praised any fake Kashmir vision and historic steps of Mr. Vajpayee.

    According to a statement issued to KNS, Geelani has said that the whole world knows that the forced occupation of Kashmir doesn’t have any moral or constitutional justification but Mufti Syeed and other pro-Indian politicians are advocating this forces occupation and are working in a planed way to strengthen this occupation. In Saturday’s press release, Geelani said that Mufti Sayeed had spent his whole life in serving the Indian policies under the banner of Congress and now on the directions of secret agencies, he have floated a new party PDP.

    “This party is very expert in deceiving people by hallow slogans and in 2002 they grabbed the power in the name of “Gooli Nahi Booli” (talks against the bullets) policy and then they severely harmed the freedom struggle. Mufti Sayeed had also said that “the Mujahedeen need not to hide in forests now and I will represent them in the assembly”, but after that top Mujahedeen commanders were martyred under a planned scheme. Geelani reminded Mufti Sayeed his statement in which he said that “Give me 40 seats, I will solve the Kashmir issue”.

    Geelani said that, how is the solution of Kashmir dispute possible under the Indian constitution where the Kashmiri Nation is struggling from last 66 years against forced occupation and sovereignty of India and about 6 lakh lives has been sacrificed, honour and dignity have lost and villages and towns were destroyed in this struggle. If Kashmiris had accepted the Indian constitution then there was no issue or no occupation. Geelani said that the Kashmir dispute is not the matter of good or bad governance which can be solved by changing government or the hands. This is an international level dispute which is the matter of the lives of 13 million people. He said that the Indian constitution is  acceptable to Mufti Sayeed, Umar Abdullah and Saif-ud-din Soz like few people, while as the majority of population is struggling against the Indian occupation and they will not accept any solution which will be within the Indian constitution.

    “So to talk solution of Kashmir within Indian constitution is an unrealistic and ridicules approach of Mufti Sayeed. This is an acceptable reality which Mufti Sayeed fully knows, but to appease the authorities in New Delhi he is taking this non-sense.” Geelani termed this statement of Mufti Sayeed as ridicules in which he praised the Kashmir vision of Mr. Vajpayee.

    He said that it is a fake object which is being mentioned again and again. Vajpayee was not having any kind of extraordinary vision about Kashmir and he was not following any different policy on Kashmir. It is their (India) set policy to held dialogues with Pakistan and when international pressure mounts on India, they through the card of dialogue. Sometimes with Pakistan and sometimes with Kashmiri leadership, only to kill time and deceive the world community. These types of dialogue have been held more than 150 times till now, but due to the arrogance and rigidness   of India, the Kashmir have not moved even an inch towards the solution. Geelani advised Mufti Sayeed that he should shun the politics of deceit now because the new generation of Kashmir has become politically enough mature and sensitive. They can’t be deceived with these flatters nor can they be fooled by these green flags and the symbol of Ink-pot and pen. (KNS)

     

  • Defeat Farooq, send NC on leave: Mehbooba

    Srinagar: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti has said the value of vote was first underlined in Jammu & Kashmir by the people of Ganderbal constituency in 2002 which had resulted in a revolutionary change all across the state and even beyond.

    According to a statement issued to KNS, while addressing number of meetings in a road show in Ganderbal segment of Srinagar parliamentary constituency Mehbooba said she could sense the revival of the same spirit today in the former heartland of the National Conference influence and hoped that Ganderbal would once again lead the state in liberating itself from the antics and exploitation of Dr Farooq Abdullah who prefers to describe Kashmiris as ‘maha chors’ before filing nomination papers. “With what face is Farooq sahib asking for votes after such defamation” said Mehbooba. Senior party leader Qazi Mohammad Afzal, Abdul Wahid Dar, Zone president Ghulam Rasool Shaheen and others were also accompanying the party president.

    She said Ganderbal had once, in 2002, established the power of vote in the state which resulted in the first real change in the governance though it lasted for a few years. Mehbooba said the marginalization of the NC between 2002 and 2005 had opened a new window of hope and opportunity not just for J&K but for the entire region as well. “That change established new standards in the state politics and the politicians for the first time felt accountable to the people and MLAs were compelled by the new situation to identify themselves with the people and solve their problems,” she said and added that it is because of the introduction of credible alternative to NC in the shape of the PDP that the people are now able to make a clear choice of their representatives now.

    The PDP chief said if the people of Ganderbal had not taken  bold and courageous decision in 2002 and voted against Omar Abdullah the state would never had realized that change in government could actually bring change in the lives of people. She said almost overnight the state terror promoted by the NC was demolished by the Mufti government by winding up the Task Force, disciplined security forces, disbanding Ikhwanis, scrapping POTA and restoring the dignity of common man. Political prisoners including top separatist leaders were released and the atmosphere of insecurity and random arrests was replaced with accountability of forces, said Mehbooba.

    Mehbooba said though the PDP made a government in coalition with Congress, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed introduced a new idiom in the state politics that could appeal even the NDA government at the Centre resulting in the famous Vajpayee initiatives in the Indo-Pak relations. A new chapter of openness and hope was started which culminated with the restoration of traditional routes and introducing travel and trade across the LoC. Normalcy returned to villages and cities, business revived, tourists returned to the valley besides such facilities like mobile telephony which Farooq Abdullah government had failed to get in spite of being part of the NDA.

    She said the process that was stalled by the change in government in 2008 has to be revived to carry forward the resolution efforts between India and Pakistan over Kashmir.

    “For this it is necessary that Dr Farooq Abdullah is defeated and the NC is once again sent on leave to let the people of J&K focus on fundamental issues,” said Mehbooba. “Together we would script a new destiny for the state which however cannot be done without active participation of Ganderbal,” she added.

    She said the ruling party knows it well that they don’t have anything substantial to show in the form of performance over the last five years and now they are raking-up misleading slogans, abusing opponents and making false promises to the people to make itself relevant, but that actually is not the case as people have made up their mind to change the political scenario in the state. (KNS)

     

  • 624 Medical Shops inspected, 123 licenses suspended

    Srinagar: During the weeklong special drive conducted by the department of Drug & Food Control Organization, Kashmir Division, 624 Medical Shops were inspected by various teams throughout Kashmir Division. Licence’s of 123 Medical Shops was suspended for violating various provisions of D&C Act 1940. Besides, 26 Medical Shops were put on the show cause notices. The Chemists were asked to maintain sale and purchase records of various drugs properly including day book and to store the drugs as per their requirement and to supply drugs only on production of prescription and to issue Cash Memo’s strictly. They were asked to retain photo copies of Schedule H1 & Psychotropic Drugs with them for inspection of enforcement staff.

    During the drive, two Medical Shops in Bemina and Batmaloo locality were found running without a valid drug sale licence. The drugs worth Rs. 95,913/- were seized from the said shops.

    Moreover, the department lifted 334 samples from Government, private establishments, wholesalers and retailers for analysis in order to ascertain their quality. The drive was launched to ensure that quality drugs are available to the ailing at right prices. The public is asked to lodge their complaint any Drug or Medical Shop on the department’s helpline no:-0194-2495191. (KNS)