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  • Bugti tribesmen will fight against India in Kashmir, says Shahzain Bugti

    Shahzain accused Indian forces of being involved in atrocities against the defenceless and voiceless Kashmiris, and added that the “sacrifices of the Kashmiris will not go unnoticed”

    Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) Balochistan president Nawabzada Shahzain Bugti on Sunday said Bugti tribesmen were fully prepared to fight against India in the hills of Kashmir valley.
    “Bugti tribesmen would fight against Indian troops ahead of Pakistan Army,” said the grandson of Nawab Akbar Bugti.
    Shahzain accused Indian forces of being involved in atrocities against the defenceless and voiceless Kashmiris, and added that the “sacrifices of the Kashmiris will not go unnoticed”.
    The JWP chief made the statement during a press conference at Bugti House.
    Answering a question related to his cousin, Brahamdagh Bugti, Shahzain said it was Brahamdagh’s personal decision to apply for asylum in India.

    Shahzain also lamented that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has not made efforts to rehabilitate Bugti tribesmen as promised.
    Bugti tribesmen have staged protest demonstrations in various areas of Balochistan against Indian aggression and interference in Balochistan. Courtesy; Dawn

     

  • Treat Muslims as your own, Modi tells BJP meet

    Addressing the BJP Council meeting here, he said his government”s mission of ”sabka sath, sabka vikas” is not a political slogan but a commitment to ensure welfare of the last man in the society.

    Contending that the definition of secularism has been distorted, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today invoked Jan Sangh ideologue Deendayal Upadhyay to say that Muslims should be treated as “your own” rather than seeing them as “items of vote market”.
    Addressing the BJP Council meeting here, he said his government’s mission of ‘sabka sath, sabka vikas’ is not a political slogan but a commitment to ensure welfare of the last man in the society.

    In his speech, Modi spoke at length about secularism, balanced and inclusive growth and need for electoral reforms while paying tributes to Upadhyay on his 100th birth anniversary. “These days, the definition has been distorted. Even nationalism is cursed these days,” he said.
    While talking about life and contribution of Upadhyay, Modi quoted him as saying, “don’t reward nor rebuke Muslims. Empower them. They are not items of vote market nor are they substance of hate. Treat them as your own.”
    At the conclusion of the two-day BJP conclave here aimed at making inroads in Kerala, the Prime Minister traced the party’s journey from the days of Jan Sangh and asserted that “we never compromised with our ideology”.

    He said if the BJP had compromised with the ideology, it could have attained power long back. (PTI)

  • At 10, Burhan Wani wanted to join Indian Army, says father

    HIGHLIGHTS

    • Father of Burhan Wani says his son’s dream was to join the Indian Army as a kid
    • Burhan would have loved to play cricket for India, not Pak, he said
    • I liked everything Nawaz Sharif said at the UN, he added

    Muzaffar Wani , the father of slain Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, whose encounter death triggered the continuing cycle of violence in Kashmir, tells that his son’s dream was to join the Indian Army when he was 10 and also play cricket like Parvez Rasool – one day hopefully for India. The government school principal also rules out Pakistan’s role in Uri, Pathankot and Pampore attacks and insists that as a teacher, he tells his students the importance of taking up “good careers” like Kashmir Administrative Service and the IAS.

    Almost two months since Burhan Wani’s death, protests in Kashmir haven’t receded. Who’s responsible?

    There’s no call by the Hurriyat Conference for any shutdown. We didn’t realise that these shutdowns would turn violent. We’ve lost so much in the last two months. We want some resolution. It depends on the people, how they want to look at the assurances from India or the J&K government. When my own two sons got killed, others too lost their family members.

    After your son’s death, do you think Kashmiri youth should pick up guns and fight against security forces?

     Of course not. The better way is dialogue between India and Pakistan. So that there’s peace in Pakistan and also in India. All Indians are our brothers and all Pakistanis are our brothers. We Kashmiris love every Pakistani and we love every Indian.

    Eighteen Indian soldiers lost their lives in Uri. Evidence points at Pakistan’s role. How do you look at it?

    How can it be Pakistan? Whoever entered Kashmir after becoming a militant is a Kashmiri. Even a Muslim from Hindustan can come. It could even be an attack by Kashmiri militants.
    But Pathankot probe showed there were phone calls by terrorists to their families’ handlers in Pakistan. Banned terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad released an audio mocking Indian agencies.

     It’s necessary to solve the Kashmir problem. Else, these attacks may happen. But we don’t know where these militants are coming from or infiltrating as the borders are sealed by the Indian forces. What is the Indian Army doing? How did the militants reach from the border to Pampore? If there is evidence (against Jaish) then investigations should be done.

    How did you learn about Burhan leaving the family? What was the family’s reaction?

    On October 5, 2010, Burhan left home. He told his mother he was going to meet some friends but didn’t return that evening. Then we came to know that he had joined the militants. For two months before this encounter, I tried my best to convince him. His year of birth was 1994. I told him that he was born during the peak of instability and that it was obvious that he felt the pain. When he was 10, he told an Indian Army officer that he wanted to join the Army. He said this when a raid was being conducted to search militants in our village. Burhan had a strong liking for camouflage outfits. One of his videos shows he loved cricket. He would have loved to play for India, not Pakistan.

    How difficult has been Burhan’s loss to bear?

    It was very difficult but we learnt to bear it. In the last five years, I met him two or three times for just around two or three minutes. The last time was two-and-half years ago. He was always on his own. I am in a government job for my family. He was working for entire J&K.

    How did your other children react to their brother’s militancy?

    A: Before Burhan my son Khalid, who is four years elder to him, was killed in April 2015 by the security forces when he’d gone for a picnic. He was tortured to death. Police believed he’d gone to meet Burhan. There was no blood on Khalid’s body. He was with this three friends, who were first arrested and later released.

    Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif invoked Burhan at his UN speech.

    When Bhagat Singh was fighting against the British, they called him a terrorist, but Indians maintained he was a freedom fighter. When the problem of Kashmir will be solved, India will realise Wani was a freedom fighter. I liked everything that Nawaz Sharif said. He said Burhan’s killing had brought a new light in this movement of freedom.

    But Burhan in his videos instigated youths to join the war against India?

    His aim was not to kill pro-Indians. He used to say those who are anti-Hizbul and police informers, will be killed. But although he was commander for two years he did not kill anybody. He was only issuing warnings. He wept when eight CRPF men had died.

    Your meeting with spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravishankar was much talked about. How did it happen?

    Nobody fixed that meeting. I had to visit a hospital. I thought why not stay at the ashram. I had seen Sri Sri on TV years ago. I had learnt that Dr Zakir Naik had met him. So why couldn’t I? We talked about Kashmir and he asked me about the solution. I told him that Indian leadership must talk to Pakistan. He asked me about how Burhan left us. He said it was Allah’s decree.

    How do you look at PM Narendra Modi’s invoking Vajpayee’s call of Insaniyat, Kashmiriyat, and Jamhooriyat?

    He is wazir-e-azam of Hindustan. More than 100 people have been killed in Kashmir in the last two months. He hasn’t shown any grief. He only expressed grief over the killing of soldiers.

    Do you fear that your third son may pick up a gun?

    I am certain Naveed will not do so. He has seen his brother Burhan and has desired to study. I would want my daughter Irm Jahan, who is in college, to become a teacher.

    Are you inclined to join Hurriyat Conference or any political outfit?

    I have six years of service left. I don’t think I want to join a political party.

     How has Burhan’s death affected your career?

    I am proud to have produced many Kashmir Administrative Service and Kashmir Police Service officers. I like to give good education to kids at school where I work as an administrator and tell them they must take up excellent careers. I don’t want other parents to allege that just because my son became a militant, I want their kids to become one. I want young kids to work hard, get educated and become good. (Times Of India)

     

  • I’m in a difficult situation, but will overcome it: CM Mehbooba Mufti

    Srinagar: Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today asked party leaders to work hard for the restoration of peace and reach out to the people, admitting that she was in a difficult situation. She said this while talking to the party leaders who met here for the first time since the unrest began in Kashmir following the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani on July 8. “I am in a difficult situation, but people who have great expectations from the PDP should trust me,” a senior party leader quoted the Chief Minister as having said during the meeting. “The party agenda and its mission is dear to me. Power is only meant to meet the end and the objective. I have lived with people, struggled along with them, so they are dear to me. They have expectations (from me) and should trust me. I am in a difficulty but we will certainly overcome it. And I promise to people that I will not let them down,” she was quoted by the leader. She asked the party legislators and leaders to work again for improving the ground situation for creating a congenial atmosphere in J&K to rebuild the peace and reconciliation process. “I wish that peace is restored at the earliest so that we are able to fulfil the agenda with fidelity,” she was quoted. “We are concerned about the situation. The loss of lives is a great loss. We all have sympathies with those who have suffered. But anything can happen if peace is not restored amid confrontation,” Mehbooba said. The meeting, attended by MPs, legislators and senior party leaders, was held at a time when the party is facing intense protests, especially in its bastion, south Kashmir. Many party leaders have faced attacks over the past two months. Mehbooba said she felt that everything was fine in south Kashmir as she got a convincing win during the elections. South Kashmir’s four districts have been the epicentre of the unrest as a majority of the civilian killings took place in these areas. “I got a convincing victory from south Kashmir. I felt that everything is fine, but it changed overnight. We have to improve the situation, which is important for the peace process. In 2002, Kashmir atmosphere was good. Only then we could do other things,” she told the party leaders who huddled together on how to play a role in normalising the situation that has crippled the region. “We have to again work to improve the situation.” Mehbooba, who is also the president of the Peoples Democratic Party, said there would have been visible progress on the Common Minimum Programme, but due to the disturbances it could not be achieved. The other party leaders who spoke said nothing against the alliance with the BJP. The party leadership did not discuss anything on party founder Tariq Karra’s resignation. However, an MLA without naming Karra said that some people come and go and it makes no difference. Party MP and senior leader Muzaffar Baig said soon after Mehbooba took over, there was sudden “upsurge which spread to rural areas” and “she has shown enough wisdom and patience to deal with such a kind of grave situation”.

    Tribune News Service

  • No Government in India Would Grant Independence To Jammu And Kashmir : an Interview with the PDP’s Muzaffar Baig

    By Moazum Mohammad

    A founding member of Jammu and Kashmir’s ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Muzaffar Hussain Baig is a former deputy chief minister of the state, and is currently a member of parliament. In the wake of the recent unrest in Kashmir, Baig reportedly said that the state government in Jammu and Kashmir should resign if it was unable to fulfil the promises it had made to the people in the region. On 9 September 2016, the Indian Express reported that Baig had stated that the government has so far, “failed to deliver” on its “agenda of alliance.” In other interviews, he suggested that the chief minister Mehbooba Mufti should resign if the situation in Kashmir remains unchanged six months.

    On 13 September, Moazum Mohammad, a journalist based in Srinagar, spoke to Baig over the phone. He asked Baig about the latter’s stance on the performance of Mehbooba Mufti’s government, his views on the PDP’s alliance with the BJP,  how the Kashmiri population perceives the administration, and the way forward for the PDP.

    Moazum Mohammad: Why do you feel the state government has faltered, and in which areas?
    Muzaffar Baig    : Before Mufti Mohammad Sayeed assumed power, it took us three-months to cobble together the PDP-BJP coalition. During those months, the impression to people was that we are not rushing to assume power, and we want to get the best possibilities for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. When the agenda of alliance was formed, there was mention of economic development, employment, social sector, and physical infrastructure. More than that, what attracted people was that there will be progress on resolving the 70-year-old Kashmir issue, which is a festering wound, not only for people of the state but also for India and Pakistan. On the internal front, progress could be explored by making attempts through reaching out to separatists and holding dialogue with them on practical, pragmatic and achievable goals.

    I don’t think any government in India would grant independence to Jammu and Kashmir or could go back to accession time—when India and Pakistan came into existence in 1947. No country can do that.

    I had hope that through a prolonged and reasoned conversation, there may be a strong section of separatists who might be agreeable to an honourable settlement with India on political and constitutional grounds.

    But till Mufti Mohammad Sayeed expired in January this year, there was no progress on political agenda or the economic agenda. The reason was governance. We had problems with governance. After the death of Mufti Sahib, Mehbooba Mufti was in mourning for two months. When she took over, she had to familiarise herself with the process of governance, as she was new to it. Just two months after she took over, the Burhan Wani incident occurred. The cumulative result of these triggered an alarm among people that we had taken them for ride and that we were interested only in a power-sharing arrangement [with the BJP]. Therefore, the alliance became a failure in the eyes of people. They did not get what we had promised to deliver. I think the idea of an alliance with the BJP was not bad. But we could not sell the idea to people.

    MM: You have alleged that the PDP is being “hurt and discredited” by the alliance agreement not being implemented. Where do you think the BJP has faltered?
    MB: It is a failure of both the parties. There is no conspiracy within the BJP that the PDP should be discredited. In fact, the prosperity of the coalition is in the interest of the BJP as they can sell it in rest of the country that the party is not communal. 

    MM: Do you think Prime Minister Narendra Modi lacked in his commitment towards fulfilling the political agenda of the alliance?
    MB: As far as I know, Mr Modi is really interested in the development of Jammu and Kashmir and in the implementation of agenda of alliance. He has certain problems. On the political agenda, you need to engage the [separatist coalition, the All Party] Hurriyat Conference and Pakistan. He made attempts with Pakistan by inviting [Pakistan’s] prime minister to [his] swearing-in ceremony, and went uninvited to the marriage ceremony of Nawaz Sharif’s granddaughter. He touched the feet of Pakistan’s prime minister’s mother. But unfortunately, [in January 2016] the Pathankot attack occurred. It weakened the position of Narendra Modi as far as the Indian nation is concerned.

    MM: Do you believe that, politically, the PDP will lose more than the BJP will because of the alliance’s failure to address the issues that plague Jammu and Kashmir today?
    MB: Neither you nor I have a crystal ball. But let us be practical. If this agenda fails, it will hurt both the PDP and BJP. It may hurt the BJP nationally in one election or the other. On the whole, the image that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to build “one nation, one agenda” will be damaged.

    MM: How do you see the prevailing situation in Kashmir?
    MB:     It is the darkest period in the long history of Kashmir. Kashmiris have suffered right from onslaught of Mughals.

    It is the Kashmir problem but this time it is more radical—in the sense that most of the young boys and girls profess they want to die for Islam. I am not blaming those boys because this is what they believe in. They believe in it because of the way Kashmir situation has been handled and the way some enemies of Indian state are interested.

    MM: The ongoing uprising is completely different from 2008 and 2010. Do you concede pro-India parties have lost ground in Kashmir today?
    MB: Unfortunately, it is true.

    MM: Some reports have suggested that you are in support of the government resigning as you believe that there was no point in just “the Chief Minister resigning and a new Chief Minister coming in.” But NDTV reported that you stated it would be honourable for Mehbooba Mufti to resign if there was no progress in six months. Could you clarify your position?
    MB: We can do business with central government as it is strong enough to deal with the Kashmir issue without being apologetic. The Congress could not deal with Kashmir issue because they did not have a majority.

    If the BJP will turn around and say we are not interested in dialogue process either with stakeholders in Kashmir or with Pakistan under Shimla agreement, then what will Mehbooba do? Either she has to comprise and just be a chief minister or she will have to resign. If the agenda of alliance is not being implemented, then she can resign. The other scenario is if the BJP tries to talk to stakeholders and Pakistan, and if they do not respond. Then Mehbooba should not resign because it is the fault of other side.

    MM: So you don’t mean she should resign right now?
    MB: Why should she resign right away? She has still four years and may be, something good may happen in those years. Her quitting will be seen as act of escaping, but if, after the situation stabilises, the agenda of the alliance is not implemented, then she will have to take a moral stand. Then, both the parties should goodbye each other. But if the BJP is interested and only Hurriyat and Pakistan are not interested, then it is not the BJP’s fault. If it is not the BJP’s fault, how can Mehbooba walk out and betray them?

    MM: You don’t think the fact that over 80 people have died during the recent unrest should move Mehbooba Mufti to resign? Thousands have been injured in the valley.
    MB: Why should the government resign because of Burhan Wani’s killing or because of the uprising? You don’t resign because of uprisings, because no government would last for couple of months in any sensitive state of India. Governments should resign if their purpose is not achieved.

    One innocent percent killed is one too many. So it is cynical to say, that 80 people have been killed today and 120 people were killed during Omar Abdullah’s government—the ideal situation should be that nobody should be killed. But if some innocent boys or young girls are injured or killed, an inquiry of truth and reconciliation should be set up once the situation settles down to find out who were the officers who used excessive force. The Supreme Court said only two months ago that if a person is killed due to excessive use of force even in an area where the AFSPA is enforced, it will be considered as an extra-judicial killing.

    The moral integrity of the state is no less important that its territorial integrity. If a country loses moral integrity, keeping the country together only through the use of force will result in what happened to the USSR. The army, being a nationalist and patriotic force, should be sensitised [to believe] that they will be serving nation by exercising restraint and patience. When an army jawan dies, he is also a child or a husband or a brother of a family. It is as painful as the death of a Kashmiri on a roadside.

    MM: You have said that the current situation has worked to the advantage of “political rivals” within the country and “enemies from outside.” Whom are you referring to and how do you think they have benefitted?
    MB    : I was not talking about the [rivals of the] country—I was talking in the context of Kashmir. But that will also equally apply to Pakistan [as it is considered a rival of India]. I sought a commission of inquiry in the killing of the young boy Burhan, because I had reason to believe that he could have been arrested.

    Many powerful militants such as Kuka Parray [the head of the Ikhwan-ul-Muslimeen, a counter-insurgent group made of renegade militants, intended to fight the state’s insurgents], Yasin Malik [the chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, which led an armed militancy in Kashmir until the 1990s], who is highly respected in Kashmir these days while there are murder cases against him—he was not killed. Similarly, Burhan could have been arrested. Because of his death, the enemies of India in Pakistan got an opportunity to “internationalise” the Kashmir issue. Today the issue is before the United Nation Human Rights Council and is likely to come before the general [assembly] as well. So who has benefitted more by the killing of Burhan?

    MM: The state’s intelligence chief had corroborated that the chief minister, who is also the home minister of the state, was aware of the operation.
    MB: Mehbooba told me she was not aware about Burhan’s presence. I will believe Mehbooba any day over any bureaucrat or a police officer.

    MM: Do you sense any mischief?
    MB: I have said that some officers of Jammu and Kashmir police have betrayed the chief minister.

    MM: You have said that the all-party delegation that visited Kashmir recently did not get a political advantage, only a moral one. What do you mean by that?
    MB: The moral advantage was about the non-BJP members who tried to contact the Hurriyat Conference. The opposition members did send out a message that the Indian people who are represented by them want to resolve this issue through a process of empathy and dialogue, and not use of force.

    MM: But for the past 70 years, talks have not yielded anything except for discrediting the leaders who held them.
    MB: Yes. Talks [with the central government] started after National-Conference founder Sheikh Abdullah’s release from jail in 1975. Those talks led to his reinstatement as chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir. People expected it will lead to greater autonomy [for the state] but that did not happen.

    So, for the common people, the 1975 accord was a fraud. This was followed by the rigging of the 1987 elections. Talks were held during the NDA [National Democratic Alliance]-government and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s term, but they could not fructify. Five working groups were set up, but nobody looked at their reports. After the 2010 uprising, interlocutors were appointed whose report was not looked into. Recently, I told the all-party meeting that people do not trust us.

    Whatever the BJP wants to do, be it talking to Pakistan or Hurriyat Conference, it should be taken to the logical conclusion.

    MM: Do you think India has moral right to rule in Kashmir?
    MB: India has a constitutional and political right to rule in Kashmir. Just as Pakistan has been given right to administer Pakistan-administered Kashmir by virtue of a resolution passed by the UNICP [United Nations Informal Consultative Process]. India has right to rule according to [the instrument of] accession [which was passed in 1947].

    MM: During the past two months, didn’t you see excessive force used against people in the valley?
    MB: I can’t say off hand because I am not a witness to all those incidents. But certainly 11,000 injured in two months and above 200 people became victims of pellet guns—it is almost like a mini-war.

    MM: The separatists are ready for a dialogue but they want India to acknowledge Kashmir as a dispute. The BJP has not responded to their offer so far.
    MB: Dialogue is not held with condition.

    MM: Where do you think Mehbooba has faltered in her role as the chief minister and why do you think she has not lived up to the expectations of the people?
    MB: She has not been given any time to show what she is worth.

    MM: Do you think the situation would have been handled differently had the uprising broken out during Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s term?
    MB    : I cannot speculate on that. Maybe the officers would not have betrayed him like they betrayed Mehbooba.

    MM: If Mehbooba were to resign, would you be willing to take on the role of the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir?
    MB: You are asking a question which is emotionally disturbing for me. I want my younger sister Mehbooba to succeed not only for her sake but also for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. I am not an ambitious man.

    MM: The PDP was considered as an alternative to the National Conference. But the last two months have eroded that difference. What is the road ahead?
    MB: Absolutely, the credibility of the PDP has gotten damaged because we are in power. It is too premature to say whether it is permanently damaged. Whether Mehbooba can regain credibility for the party during the next four years is a question. However, I must confess that PDP has not done anything for its cadre. We have not empowered them and have sometimes been unjust to them.

    MM: Have you contemplated resigning as a mark of protest?
    MB: Not a mark of protest. Protest against whom, my own government? I can’t pass judgment. I don’t know if I were in administration what I would have done. But many a time, not because of this uprising, I do contemplate resigning from politics.

    MM: What should the government of India do now?
    MB: A good policy always combines hard and soft options. Those who are terrorists—I don’t mean stone-throwers—we can deal with them through hard policy. But so far as common people are concerned, we should apply soft policy.

    MM: Could you elaborate on what you mean by “hard” and “soft” policy?
    MB: Wherever civil society is being terrorised, that is where you should have a hard policy to save people from terrorists. But [if] civil society is in danger, they should be protected. You should use measured force to protect them. Don’t suspect all Kashmiris are militants or all Muslims are militants. With them, you should have a soft policy—which constitutes empathy, dialogue and balance.

    Terrorism does not come from people with weapons. It is a climate created by people. Wherever civil society is being terrorised, you should have a hard policy—which means not shooting people, but arresting them and bringing them to court of law.

    MM: Does Mehbooba seek your advice in the current times?
    MB: I don’t go around with a basket of advice. They say one should offer an advice when somebody seeks it. No, I am not advising her right now. There has been no thorough, grounded discussion with her.

    This interview has been edited and condensed.

  • Banning Pakistani Actors doesnot Solve Terrorism Karan Johar breaks silence

    “Banning Pakistani talent will not stop terrorism. Don’t make us soft targets”  Karan Johar breaks silence on threats from MNS & Sena

    Speaking exclusively to NDTV on The Townhall, filmmaker Karan Johar said he “understood and shared the rage and anguish of people after the terror attack…” But “banning talent from Pakistan was not the solution to terrorism,” he added.

    Watch Video Here : goo.gl/7iMLDF

  • Proud of our Army, Kashmir people want peace: Modi

    Pointing at the present unrest in Kashmir, he said the people of Kashmir want normalcy and that farmers there were worried for their crops.

    Recalling last week’s Uri attack that left 18 soldiers dead, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said he is proud of the Army which does not speak but act.
    Pointing at the present unrest in Kashmir, he said the people of Kashmir want normalcy and that farmers there were worried for their crops.
    “Recently our 18 bravehearts laid down their lives in Uri. Such a cowardice attack was enough to stir the nation. I am sure that our soldiers would keep foiling such acts in the future,” Modi said in his monthly radio address ‘Mann ki Baat’ address.
    He added, “Army doesn’t speak but shows valour through its act”.
    Saying that the people in Kashmir want peace and normalcy to return, Modi said they began recognising anti-state players there.
    “Farmers who had grown fruits were also worried to get their crops to the market,” he said.
    Stating that administration has taken steps to maintain law and order, Modi also asked local authorities to stay cautious and restrain. “Our resources are their to give a peaceful life to the Kashmiri people,” he said.
    “Peace, unity and goodwill are the keys to our problems and path to progress,” the Prime Minister added. (IANS)

  • 8 women arrested in internet based sex racket in Jammu

    Jammu: Acting on a tip-off, a special team of Jammu police late evening raided several locations in the winter capital and arrested several persons including women, on the charges of ‘immoral trafficking’.

    Though, the exact number of locations raided and arrests made were not disclosed by the police till the last reports came in, the highly placed sources informed that more than 12 persons including 8 women were arrested from different locations while the raids were on.

    Sources said that acting on the tip-off; police party from police station Janipur raided a hotel in DPS lane under the jurisdiction of police station Peer Mittha and arrested 2 boys and 2 girls from different rooms in compromising state.

    “Later raid was also conducted at several other places including Bakshi Nagar and Janipur from where more girls and boys were recovered and arrested. All the accused were sent to police station Janipur while the team was continuously raiding other locations also” sources added.

    According to sources in the police specific email addresses, social media accounts and WhatsApp numbers were being employed to engage the prospective customers.

    According to the sources the sex workers used to call customers at 3-4 locations before finally meeting just to confirm if these customers were not cops.

    Sources further disclosed that in order to make operation a grand success, lady police was also called from women cell Jammu by the officials heading the team while several other lady police officers were also the part of the team.

  • Uri attack could be reaction to Kashmir atrocities: Nawaz Sharif

    Sharif said that India hastily blamed Pakistan without any investigation. He said India behaved in an “irresponsible way” when it blamed Pakistan “without any evidence.”

    Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has claimed that the Uri attack could be the result of a “reaction” of the people to the situation in Kashmir as he criticised India for blaming Pakistan “without any evidence”.

    “The Uri attack can be the reaction of the atrocities in Kashmir, as the close relatives and near and dear ones of those killed and blinded over the last two months were hurt and outraged,” Sharif told reporters in London where he had stopped on his way back from New York after attending the UN General Assembly session.

    Sharif said that India hastily blamed Pakistan without any investigation. He said India behaved in an “irresponsible way” when it blamed Pakistan “without any evidence.”

    “How could India accuse Pakistan only hours after the Uri incident without holding any inquiry or investigation,” Sharif was quoted as saying by Pakistani media reports.

    “The whole world knows about the Indian atrocities” in Kashmir where around “108 people have so far been killed, over 150 blinded and thousands injured,” he alleged.

    Stressing on alleged “brutalities being perpetrated against innocent Kashmiris”, the Pakistani Prime Minister said that before accusing Pakistan, India should have looked at its “atrocious role” in Kashmir.

    He called on India to also conduct a probe into the “killings” of Kashmiris.

    Sharif said the achievement of lasting peace in the region was impossible without the resolution of Jammu and Kashmir dispute.

    18 soldiers were killed when militants attacked a highly-guarded army camp in Uri in Kashmir on Sunday morning. The incident triggered a diplomatic dust-up with both India and Pakistan hitting out at each other including at the UN General Assembly. (PTI)

  • Swaraj arrives in New York, to address UN General Assembly tomorrow

    External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj arrived here to address the 71st session of the UN General Assembly, with all eyes and ears set on her speech tomorrow, which is expected to give a stinging response to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s “tirade” on Kashmir.

    Swaraj arrived on Saturday afternoon and will address the UN General Debate on Monday morning.

    “Leading India’s delegation to the 71st UNGA. EAM @SushmaSwaraj arrives in New York,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in a tweet.

    Swaraj is expected to give a stinging response to Sharif’s UNGA speech, in which he had focused elaborately on Kashmir.

    India’s strong Right of Reply to his speech called Pakistan home to the “Ivy League of Terrorism” and a “terrorist state” that commits “war crimes” by using terrorism as an instrument of state policy.

    Outlining India’s focus for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session, New Delhi’s envoy to the UN Syed Akbaruddin had said that terrorism is the “primary concern” for India as well as for nations across the world.

    He listed reform of the UN Security Council, sustainable development, climate change and peacekeeping as other priorities for India in the current UNGA session.

    Swarup told reporters here on September 23 that “the whole world and the entire nation” is waiting to hear from Swaraj who will deliver India’s “vision document” for the 71st UNGA.

    “We are all looking forward to that,” he had said.

    He, however did not elaborate on elements of Swaraj’s address but said “the whole world and the entire country is waiting to hear what the external affairs minister has to say but I think the broad themes that Akbaruddin has outlined are definitely going to be a part of our presentation at this most important forum in the international community”.

    Swarup said one can also expect “a continued focus from India on the theme of terrorism which is today undoubtedly the single biggest challenge to international peace and security”.

    Exercising the Right of Reply to Sharif’s “long tirade” about the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, First Secretary in the Permanent Mission of India to the UN Eenam Gambler had said, “the worst violation of human rights is terrorism”.

    “When practiced as an instrument of state policy it is a war crime. What my country and our other neighbours are facing today is Pakistan’s long-standing policy of sponsoring terrorism, the consequences of which have spread well beyond our region,” she said.

    She had said India sees in Pakistan as “a terrorist state” which channelises billions of dollars, much of it diverted from international aid, to training, financing and supporting terrorist groups as militant proxies against it neighbors. — PTI