Srinagar: Asia’s largest Tulip Garden, overlooking the Dal Lake in Srinagar, will be thrown open to people on Thursday, marking the beginning of the new tourism season in Kashmir.
PM Narendra Modi has appealed to people to visit the garden and experience the warm hospitality. It has 15 lakh flowers of over 64 varieties, he tweeted. PTI
By PTI
NEW DELHI: As Pakistan prime minister, Nawaz Sharif made unilateral concessions to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi and even weakened Islamabad’s principled position on Jammu and Kashmir, thinking that he would extract something in return but that did not happen, a former Pakistani diplomat said on Tuesday.
Pakistan’s former high commissioner to India Abdul Basit, in an online interview to Karan Thapar of The Wire, severely criticised Sharif on his policy towards India and said Islamabad’s reading of Prime Minister Modi was “off the mark”.
Following an invitation, Sharif had attended Modi inauguration as prime minister in 2014, signalling his intent to improve ties with India.
On his part, Modi had made a surprise stopover at Lahore in December 2015.
However, a series of terror attacks on India by Pakistan-based terror groups in 2016 brought the ties under severe strain.
Basit, referring to a meeting between Sharif had with Modi when he visited India in 2014, said the Pakistani leader kept silent on Kashmir and did not utter a single word on it when the Indian prime minister raised the issue of terrorism and Mumbai terror attack trial.
“He (Sharif) thought that by making such concessions he would eventually be able to get concessions from prime minister Modi. But that was not the case in my view. Because the way Islamabad was reading PM Modi in my assessment was off the mark,” Basit said.
He said Sharif wanted to maintain good relations with Modi but did so unilaterally without anything in return.
Asked on what ground, he accused Sharif of ‘pandering to India unilaterally and unconditionally’ in his new book, Basit said: “I watched our leader very very closely and worked with him very closely on Pakistan-India relations. I make these assumptions based on what I have seen.”
Basit was Pakistan’s envoy to India from 2014-2017, the first three years of the Modi government.
When asked whether Pakistan’s concessions to India meant its interests were compromised as Modi did not offer anything in return, the former high commissioner said, “That is correct and (it) weakened our principled position on Jammu and Kashmir in particular.”
The former envoy also said that the joint statement of December 2015 and the Ufa joint statement were poorly negotiated by Pakistan and they made concessions to India.
Basit said Sharif had an emotional attachment to India and Indians which, at times went beyond his stature as the prime minister.
He said Sharif would meet almost any Indian who wanted to see him and added he was “out to oblige everyone”.
Basit also criticised Sharif’s foreign affairs advisors, Sartaj Aziz and Tariq Fatemi saying they were too keen on extending concessions to India rather than standing up for Pakistan’s interests.
To a question on his criticism of the high-ranking officials, the former envoy said “The way we handled our interaction with India subsequently and it was not because of the prime minister himself.
I think the entire team, I do not know whether that kind of instructions they had from the prime minister.
“But since he (Sharif) was at the helm, I would say that he was kind of convinced that he would eventually extract some concessions from India which he failed to do unfortunately.”
Basit also indicated how he was repeatedly ignored on important India-Pakistan matters.
Bandipora. : From working in COVID-19 hospitals to heading the surveillance team, Zareena a medico, despite all odds hasn’t called it a day. Since the pandemic began last year, Zareena worked restlessly. She hasn’t left any patient unattended. Locals, who know her, are all praise for the efforts this female has put together in helping people fight against the contagion.
Originally hailing from HMT area of Srinagar district, like many Zareena also couldn’t imagine going home for months together, but live in isolation while also spending religious occasions like EID’s in hospitals serving COVID-19 patients.
Zareena Bano (ANM) while sharing her experiences said they were doing this as it was their duty. Acknowledging that the health care system was not up to the mark in even the developed nations to cope with the virus, she said, “it was the responsibility of all citizens world over to play their part to combat this deadly virus,” she said. “We are doing our part and we urge the residents to do theirs as well by following SOP’s,”.
While appreciating the role of volunteers when manpower seemed scarce and people gripped with fear, she said, “Volunteers who worked or are working in service of common people needed morale boost and much more appreciation.”
Moreover, Zareena said a wide range of officials including medicos and other administrative offices who are tirelessly working despite risks also need a pat on the shoulder for contributing positively to society and helping in containing the pandemic.
Pertinent to mention, Zareena has worked in level two COVID-19 hospital Pazalpora for one month, when even she did not visit home for three months spending Eid in Bandipora.
Today she is working with the Vaccination team.
She is the first female employee of the department who heads the surveillance team in Bandipora.
The moderate Hurriyat Conference faction led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Tuesday said it was ready to extend full support to all initiatives between India and Pakistan that aim at bringing peace in the subcontinent.
In a statement issued here, the Hurriyat faction said the agreement between India and Pakistan to adhere to a ceasefire agreement on the Line of Control (LoC) and the subsequent statements and actions by them indicate a positive shift in the relations between the two neighbours.
“The Hurriyat always was and is ready to extend full support to all initiatives between the two countries that aim at bringing peace and prosperity to all the people of the subcontinent and seek a fair and peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute,” it said.
The amalgam said it “greatly welcomes” the shift towards good neighbourly relations between the two countries.
“This is being observed with anticipation by the people of J-K who are deeply affected by the state of the relations between the two neighbours,” it said.
India and Pakistan had announced on February 25 that they have agreed to strictly observe all agreements on ceasefire along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir and other sectors. PTI
New Delhi- India desires cordial relations with Pakistan but an atmosphere of trust, devoid of terror and hostility, is “imperative” for it, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a letter to his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan.
Modi wrote the letter to Khan to extend greetings to the people of that country on the occasion of Pakistan Day.
“As a neighbouring country, India desires cordial relations with the people of Pakistan. For this, an environment of trust, devoid of terror and hostility, is imperative,” he said.
Government sources said it is a routine letter sent every year.
Modi also conveyed his best wishes to Khan and the people of Pakistan in dealing with the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.
There have been indications of positive movement in ties between India and Pakistan.
Last month, the Indian and Pakistani armies recommitted themselves to the 2003 ceasefire on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir.
On Monday, a delegation of Pakistani officials arrived in India for a meeting of the permanent Indus commission. It is the first such dialogue in over two-and-a-half years.
Last week, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said India desires good neighbourly ties with Pakistan and is committed to addressing issues, if any, bilaterally but added that any meaningful dialogue can only be held in a conducive atmosphere.
He said the onus is on Islamabad to create such an atmosphere.
The relations between the two countries nosedived after India withdrew special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the state into two union territories in 2019.
Pakistan Day is celebrated to mark the Lahore Resolution on March 23 1940 when the All-India Muslim League demanded a separate nation for the Muslims of India.
It is learnt that a separate message was sent by President Ram Nath Kovind to his Pakistani counterpart Arif Alvi.
The recent increases in Covid-19 cases and deaths represent “truly worrying trends,” said World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who warned rich nations against hoarding vaccines.
“Cases are increasing in most regions,” Tedros said at a virtual event hosted by the World Trade Organization. “We continue to see the impact of variants, opening up societies and inequitable vaccine rollout.”
The rapid development of vaccines has given some hope, but rich countries are not sharing them equitably with poorer and developing nations, Tedros said. As transmission continues, more variants are likely to emerge, including those that could evade vaccines.
“The global access to vaccines are at risk because of the demands that high- and upper middle-income countries are putting on the global supply,” he said. “This is not just a moral outrage, it is also economically and epidemiologically self defeating.”
These trends could put the world back at “square one,” Tedros said. “As long as the virus continues to circulate anywhere, people will continue to die, trade and travel will continue to be disrupted and the economic recovery will be further delayed.”
Srinagar, Mar 23: Jammu and Kashmir’s Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Tuesday said that even though ISIS has cast its net in Syria and Iraq through its radicalization propaganda but in J&K UT there were no takers for the ISISI ideology. He, however, said that there was a need to counter the social media radicalization propaganda sponsored from across the LoC.
Addressing the “Confluence of Religious Leaders in Kashmir” Conference at SKICC here, the LG said that ISIS ideology is being promoted to radicalize youth in Syria and Iraq. “In J&K UT there are no takers for ISIS ideology. That sort of radicalization is comparatively very, very less in J&K UT. But our concern is that social media sponsored radicalization from across the LoC,” LG Sinha said as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).
He said that efforts made from across LoC to lure youth towards violence needs to be understood.
“A human being is clear by his heart, but at times, atmosphere around him, lures him towards wrong. How to prevent this radicalization should be our priority. We need to promote Sufism and teachings of our Gurus. We don’t need any foreign model to deal with this menace,” Sinha said, adding that religious scholars are the torch bearers and hold the key to tackle the challenges like radicalization.
The LG said that at times it has been seen that even educated youth tread wrong path. “If that happens, parents and religious scholars need to play their part. At the same time, mainstream media shouldn’t blow things out of proportion by focusing on a single case,” he said, adding that the role models for the youth should be Maqbool Sherwani and Brigadier Rajinder.
He said that radicalization should not be associated with a specific religion. “There is a need for Islamic Scholars to formulate a policy and a process by which a helpless person, who is exposed to a violent ideology, is prevented from getting radicalized,” said the Lt Governor.
The Lt Governor appreciated the efforts being made to discuss the role of religious leaders and women in creating violence-free society, Counter-Radicalization and modernization of Madrassa education.
“J&K has remained home to diverse religious and cultural influences which deeply enriched its pluralistic ethos. No development and progress is possible without sustained peace, communal harmony and brotherhood,” said the Lt Governor. “The Lt Governor emphasized the need for restoration of the pristine glory of J&K as an abode of peace, amity, communal harmony and brotherhood and urged the people to come forward in achieving this goal.”
He said that “Violence has no place in any civilized society and peaceful co-existence is the best means to resolve problems.”—(KNO)
Srinagar March 16: Food Safety Department Tuesday sealed a butcher’s shop for selling dressed chess in violation of rules at Elahibagh Buchpora.
An official told news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS) that it was brought into the notice of Assistant Commissioner Food Safety (intelligence cum legal cell) Hilal Ahmad Mir that some unscrupulous elements were taking advantage of shortage of mutton supply, import dressed meat clandestinely to valley in contravention of rules and regulations of food safety and standards act.
“Taking serious note of same, a butcher shop at Elahibagh Buchpora has been sealed and drive to curb this illegal practice shall continue in coming days,” the official said.
Commissioner Food Safety and Drugs Administration has warned these persons to desist from importing such food articles without following rules and regulations otherwise stern action shall be initiated against them which shall include seizure of whole imported stock. (KINS)
Srinagar: MP and president National Conference Dr Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday said that no body can forget the contribution of Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru to Nation.
He said that despite that he that he jailed for father but we can’t forget his contribution for the nation.
He strived hard to eradicate poverty from the nation and take it new heights of development.
It is he who showed us the way who to generate our own avenues as we were begging before British for even needle.
He kept nation one never played the politics of division on basis of religion and other things and it is our duty to make nation one and strong again. (PTK)