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  • ‘Crisis Derailed My Mission’

    Srinagar: Asking people to give her government a chance to restore peace, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti says ;She won’t let the heads of people go down’. Admitting that 2016 unrest has weakened her position in Delhi she says ‘otherwise I had planned to press Government of India for initiating dialogue and measures demanding resolution of issues’.

    Without naming any separatist leader, she says “They (members of All Party Delegation) reached at their (separatist) doors. The atmosphere was not conducive so nobody could talk. Otherwise, I had also extended invitations to all of them.”

    Chief Minister repeatedly says ‘stones, pellets, bombs, bofors would yield nothing. We witnessed 2008, 2010 and 2016 unrest. What we have achieved, nothing but only confusion and chaos. I think of a street vendor who came to me, seeking permission to sell goods at pavements. What he would be doing now a days. How he would be feeding his family”.

    Reiterating her commitment to address issues of concern Mehbooba Says “When I won the elections, I was determined to press Delhi to initiative dialogue and fulfill the economic and political aspirations of the people of J&K. 2016 unrest weakened my position in Delhi. When there are stones and bullets, to whom Delhi would talk to” Claiming that government has been working for the welfare of people, she says “despite unrest, you are witness that government supplied electricity, water and ration to the people. You (People) yourself closed schools and shops, how could I have helped you out”.

    “Give me conducive atmosphere and I promise for opening of all dialogue channels with everyone. Help me in restoring peace in the valley and I promise you that I will not let their heads go down. I promise to fulfill your all economic and political aspirations,” she tells people.

    “During the unrest, the well off people have sent their children to Delhi and those who could afford lesser have sent their wards to Jammu. It is only children of poor who have suffered in this unrest,” she laments. On the anniversary function of Mahatma Gandhi she said “the biggest tribute to Gandhiji would be “if we could stop the violence and initiate dialogue to resolve issues through negotiations.” 

    KNS / KASHMIR MAGAZINE / KASHMIR TODAY

  • India Rejects Pakistan’s Kashmir References In UN

    Srinagar: India on Saturday rejected Pakistan’s references on Kashmir at the UN, saying such remarks are a self-serving attempt by Islamabad to bring extraneous issues to the world body for its “territorial aggrandisement”.

    India, exercising the Right of Reply after Pakistan’s envoy to the UN, Maleeha Lodhi, raised the Kashmir issue at the UN, said yesterday Pakistan had made references to the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir in a self-serving attempt to bring extraneous issues before the Committee.

    Such efforts were a flagrant misuse of the body for Pakistan’s own territorial aggrandisement, India said, recalling that the Special Committee on Decolonisation was concerned only with Non-Self-Governing Territories. It asserted that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India.

    Pakistan responded by saying that the United Nations recognised that all people under alien subjugation had a right to self-determination.

    Exercising its Right of Reply, Pakistan said India continued to perpetrate misinformation on the Kashmir issue year after year.

    Raking up the Kashmir issue again at the UN, Pakistan had said the non-implementation of UN Security Council resolutions for a plebiscite in Kashmir is the “most persistent” failure of the UN.

    “The decolonisation agenda of the United Nations will remain incomplete without resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, among the oldest items on the UN’s agenda,” Lodhi had said on Friday at a debate of the Special Political and Decolonisation Committee in the General Assembly.

    She said for over six decades UN Security Council resolutions promising a plebiscite under UN auspices to allow the Kashmiri people to determine their destiny, have not been implemented.

    “This is the most persistent failure of the United Nations,” she said, adding generation after generation of Kashmiris has only seen broken promises and brutal oppression.

    She asserted that Jammu and Kashmir “never was and can never be” an integral part of India but is a disputed territory, the final status of which has yet to be determined in accordance with several resolutions of the UN Security Council.

    Lodhi said the UN has a moral responsibility towards people suffering under colonial domination and foreign occupation.

    “There is an urgent need to bring the work on this unfinished agenda to closure and eliminate the last remaining vestiges of colonialism. We hope that we will be able to achieve this shared goal sooner rather than later,” she said.

  • Killing of young Junaid in Kashmir ‘worst form of state terrorism’: Pakistan

    Srinagar: Pakistan on Sunday “strongly condemned” the killing of a 12-year-old boy in Srinagar while seeking the help of the international community to end the “culture of impunity” in Kashmir.
    While offering condolences to the family of Junaid Ahmad, a Foreign Office spokesperson said the “murder” of Junaid Ahmad was a “worst form of state terrorism”.

    Junaid was hit by pellets by pellets in his head and chest on Friday evening when clashes were going on between protesters and government forces in Eidgah area of Srinagar.
    His family members alleged that forces barged into their house and fired pellets on Junaid in their lawn.
    Urging the international community to intervene, the spokesman said that the “culture of impunity must end now” in Kashmir.

  • No chance of breakthrough in ties with India under Modi: Aziz

    Islamabad: Pakistan sees no hope of a breakthrough in relations with India under the Narendra Modi government, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz has said, accusing India of adopting a “hegemonistic attitude”.
    “Pakistan had been resisting the Indian hegemonistic attitude in the region and had been calling for the promotion of bilateral ties on equal basis,” Aziz said.

    “There is no hope for a breakthrough in relations with India under Modi for a breakthrough in relations with India under its current Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) quoted Aziz saying in TV interview.
    Aziz said the joint session of the parliament yesterday had unanimously adopted a resolution that encompassed all issues, including the condemnation of “Indian brutalities” in Kashmir, ceasefire violations, condemnation of Indian threat to revoke Indus Waters Treaty and Indian intervention in Balochistan.
    The adviser said the focal point of all these efforts was to show the world that entire Pakistan was united to condemn Indian brutalities in Kashmir and extend moral, diplomatic and political support to Kashmiri people.

    Aziz said during interactions at various platforms across the globe the majority viewed that the dialogue should resume between the two states.
    He said there was no harm in sealing the Pak-India border as planned by India, if the points of public movement and trade were maintained.

  • India never counts bullets while retaliating: Rajnath Singh

    Barmer (Rajasthan): Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday reviewed security on the international border in the desert state and said India never attacked anyone but doesn’t count the bullets when retaliating.
    On the second day of his visit to Rajasthan, Singh visited the Border Security Force’s Munabao Border Outpost (BOP) here.

    “India never attacks anyone and we do not intend to occupy others’ land. Our heritage is ‘Vasudev Kutumbakam’ or the whole world is one family. We never open fire first; but if attacked, in retaliation we never count the bullets after pulling the trigger,” the Union Minister said while addressing BSF personnel.
    Singh’s comments come in the wake of heightened tension between India and Pakistan following the Indian Army’s surgical strikes against terrorist launch pads across the Line of Control on September 29 and the September 18 Uri terror attack.
    Lauding the BSF, Singh assured that the Centre will do everything to improve infrastructure on the international borders and their service conditions.

    He said urgent repairs on damaged border fence at some places will be carried out, and periodically reviewed thereafter.
    The minister said installation of flood lights and a road parallel to the border fencing will also be completed to facilitate effective border patrols.
    Pointing out that some BOPs do not have telephone facility, he said connectivity will be ensured with the sanction of more mobile phone towers close to the border. In the meantime, more satellite phones will be provided at the BOPs, he assured.
    Singh said the Centre will soon address the shortage of bulletproof jackets and consider procuring such jackets that are lighter.
    He said the BSF’s proposal to construct safety walls and ring bunds on peripheries of BSF battalion headquarters and BOPs will be examined.
    The Union Minister said the issue of discomfort caused by camouflage uniform of BSF personnel will also be addressed.
    On Friday, Rajnath Singh had visited Murar and adjoining BOP in Jaisalmer district and interacted with the BSF troopers there. IANS

  • Fire guts Higher Secondary School in Bandipora

    Reports said that five rooms of Higher Secondary school Sumbal were gutted in the fire incident.

    Bandipora: A Government Higher Secondary school was gutted in a mysterious fire in Sumbal area of north Kashmir’s on Saturday evening.
    Reports said that five rooms of Higher Secondary school Sumbal were gutted in the fire incident.

    Locals said that fire emanated from the school building at around 8:45 pm.
    Police said that the fire was caused due to a short circiut.
    However, locals said that the school building was old and that there was no power supply.

    Police and fire and emergency services are on the spot to bring the fire under control.

  • Militants snatch two rifles from police post in Pulwama

    Reports said that militants attacked a minority police post in Tumlahal Lassipora area of the district today evening.

    Srinagar: Militants on Saturday evening snatched two rifles from a police station in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
    Reports said that militants attacked a minority police post in Tumlahal Lassipora area of the district today evening.

    “They owerpowered policemen and snatched two rifles from them,” said an official.

  • Muharram procession disallowed in Botta Kadal Srinagar

    Srinagar: Authorities on Saturday disallowed a Muharram procession in Lal Bazar area of Srinagar.

    Reports said that senior Hurriyat leader Moulana Abbas Ansari would lead the procession from Gulshan Bagh Botta Kadal to Gulshan-e-Zehra Alamgari Bazar every year.

    “This time, the authorities didn’t allow us to take out the procession, even as people had gathered here,” said a Botta Kadal resident.
    Later, reports said that a procession was taken out from Alamgari Bazar area with hundreds of youths taking part.

  • Day 92; Pellet hit Junaid succumbs at SKIMS

    Barring few stone-pelting incidents, situation remained normal: Police
    Srinagar: A 12 year old boy who sustained pellet injuries in chest and head on Fridayevening succumbed to his injuries at SK Institute of Medical Sciences on Saturdaymorning, even as the curfew remained in force in seven police station areas of the city.
    The slain youth identified as Junaid Ahmad Akhoon, son of Ghulam Ahmad Akhoon was lone son of his parents among four children.
    Family sources told KNS that he was hit by pellets in chest and head on last evening at at Saidapora in Safakadal area of Srinagar following which he was shifted to hospital where he was admitted in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) however succumbed to his injuries in the wee hours of this morning at SKIMS.
    Meanwhile, thousands of people amid pro-freedom and anti-India sloganeering carried his body towards Martyrs Graveyard at Eidgah Srinagar during which scores of shells were fired upon the funeral of little Junaid Akhoon.
    Witnesses said that thousands of people had reached his home when his dead body was brought from SKIMS Soura at around 6 AM. The funeral marched towards Eidgah for final rites.
    “But huge contingent of forces near Aali Masjid were already deployed,” reports said, adding that as soon as the people carrying body of slain youth reached near Aali Masjid, forces started shelling tear gas canisters to disallow mourners to bury the kid in Eidgah.
    Reports said that the dead body was lying on ground as mourners were pushed back.
    Meanwhile, after some time, the mourners took an alternative road via Wangun pora and reached the Eidgah to bid adieu to the slain Junaid.
    Reports said that he was lowered in his grave at around 9:30 AM amid wails, tears, sobs and pro-freedom sloganeering.
    Meanwhile, according to a top police official, curfew remained in force today in seven police station areas of the city as a precautionary measure for maintaining law and order.
    “Curfew has been imposed in seven police station areas of Srinagar city to thwart any possible protests against Junaid’s killing,” he said.
    However, reports quoting an official said that restrictions on assembly of people are in force in rest of the Kashmir Valley while forces have been deployed in strength to maintain law and order.
    Meanwhile, reports of clashes and protests were reported from different areas in Srinagar since the wee hours of this morning.
    According to local sources, in Soura, clashes erupted between youth and forces in tha area soon after Junaid succumbed at SKIMS.
    “Dozens of people sustained injuries since the clashes erupted in the area,” local sources said, adding that the roads and streets in the area are flooded with the people mostly youth protesting against the killing of Junaid.
    Reports of clashes were also reported from Saidpora and Aanchar areas during which forces used tear gas canisters to disperse the agitating youth who were pleting stones on them.
    Meanwhile, according to KNS correspondent, a ‘wanted’ youth was arrested in Hajin area of Bandipora district when he went to the hospital for treatment. “He had arrived hospital for his bullet injury, received during forces action against protestors on July 28. However, forces cordoned off the area and arrested him,” sources said, adding that he was a ‘wanted’ stone pelter.
    Meanwhile, reports of clashes and protests were reported from several other areas throughout the day.
    Meanwhile, a complete shutdown observed in the South Kashmir today.
    All the educational institutes, shops, business establishments and other establishments remained closed throughout the day.
    However, reports of minor clashes were received during the day in a few areas.
    Meanwhile, according to a statement issued by the Zonal Police Headquarters Kashmir, the situation remained by and large peaceful across Kashmir valley today although a few stray stone pelting incidents were reported.
    “As a precautionary measure curfew remained imposed in few police stations of Srinagar city. There was no curfew elsewhere in the valley,” it said.
    According to the statement, the markets were open across Kashmir and vendors continued to do their normal business in the streets, lanes and by lanes in Srinagar city and in other towns of the valley.
    The statement said that traffic movement continued to grow across the towns and the roads connecting different towns of the Kashmir valley. “There was enhanced business and increase in other daily activities was also observed,” it said.
    The statement said that in its sustained drive against the miscreants across the Kashmir valley 61 persons involved in different offences of creating public disorder and disruption of normal activities were arrested by police during past 24 hours.
    Notably, the valley on Saturday continue to observe complete shutdown on the 92nd day of uprising that started following the killing of Hizb commander Burhan Wani in a gunfight in Bumdoora village of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district on July 8 of this year.
    More than 85 people were killed while thousands of people were maimed and blinded during the past three months of uprising. (KNS)

  • UT Status row: Congress refuses to comment, NC to decide leader’s fate after his response

    Srinagar: Congress and National Conference are yet to take any action against its party leaders who supported the demand, urging Home Minister Rajnath Singh to grant union territory status to Ladakh.

    GA Mir, state congress Chief refused to make any direct comment on the party stand over the issue.
    “I will not speak what Congress has done or is going to do against its leader who signed the document, demanding union territory status for Ladakh. My question is what action PDP has taken against cabinet minister who was the signatory of that document,” he told KNS while refusing to make any direct comment.
    National Conference councilors Punchok Tashi and Tsering Angdus and Congress councilor Skalzang Wangyul were among others who supported the UT demand in meeting with the Union Minister. They were the signatory of memorandum of demand.
    On October 5, this year, ruling PDP expelled its district president Leh for violating the party whip to support the demand of Union Territory for Ladakh.
    National Conference, General Secretary, Ali Muhammad Sagar said that the party has put the member in question under suspension.
    “We have sought an explanation from him as how did he go against party whip. He is furnishing the explanation shortly,” Sagar told KNS.
    “The party will decide about his fate after going through his response. The stand of party has not changed and we continue to work for the integrity of the state,” he added. (KNS)