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  • SMC to act against illegal advertisings, defacement of public property

    Srinagar: The Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) will act against all those companies that are indulging in defacement and illegal pasting of advertisements on public and private properties. According to a statement issued to KNS, the SMC has already moved the court to act against the Cemtac Cements, Aircel and Dishnet Wireless Limited that were found indulging in setting up kiosks, small hoardings and wall wraps on private properties without permission of any competent authority.

    Municipal magistrate Khursheed-ul-Islam, while taking cognizance, has said prima facie the accused have committed offences under Section 115, 116 and 302 (vi) of the J-K Municipal Corporation Act. “A summon is issued to the accused for their presence before the court on 01, 07. 2014,” directed the magistrate. The SMC in a round of the city limits has observed that big private companies like Airtel, Aircel, Idea and Khyber Cements have painted private and government buildings in an illegal attempt to advertise their respective brands.

    It was found that these companies had painted thousands of shop shutters with company logo without prior permission. These advertisements have violated Section 115, 116 and 302 of the J&K Municipal Corporation Act 2003. These companies’ wall paintings on shop fronts are also violation of provisions of J&K Defacement of Public Property Act 1985.

    The SMC warns companies against setting up advertisements in violation of advertisement policy sanctioned by the government under which all advertisements are to be carried out with proper permission of the authorities and the SMC, which is assigned to designate hoarding sites in Srinagar city against proper fee. The rampant pasting on one hand has defaced public property and on the other inflicted losses on the SMC to the tune of Rs 4 crore. Several companies did not spare sacred spaces like graveyards and misused the space against the sensibilities of people.

    “The SMC has decided to clampdown on such companies indulging in inconvenience to people, defacement of walls and illegal pasting of advertisements. It is incumbent on the companies to show self ethics and stop the practice,” said SMC commissioner Dr G N Qasba.

    In case of violations, the SMC is bound to penalize such companies and take stern action, including imprisonment as per the provisions, he added.

  • LeT commander killed in Sopore: Police

    Srinagar: A Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant commander Mehmood Bhai was killed in an encounter with police and security forces that started last evening in Baba Raza, Krankshawan area of Sopore, police said.

    According to a police statement issued to KNS, acting on a specific information about the presence of militants in Krankshawan, Baba Raza Sopore Police, 52 RR, 22 RR and CRPF launched a cordon and search operation, last evening. The hiding militants opened fire on the search party triggering an encounter. The encounter ended today when a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorist commander operating with code name Mehmood Bhai resident of Pakistan was killed.

    One AK series rifle and other arms and ammunition was recovered from the possession of slain terrorist who was wanted in many terrorist crimes. He had escaped on several occasions from Security force cordons including from one fierce gun battle in Ahmad Nagar Srinagar last year.

  • Congress holds crucial meet for upcoming assembly elections

    Soni to meet party cadres in groups, to give feedback to Sonia  on Tuesday

    Srinagar: The Congress today held a crucial meetings of its Senior Functionaries  in the state including Ministers, Legislators, , Vice Presidents, General Secretaries, District Presidents and frontal organizations that started here at SKICC Srinagar to devise strategy for  the forthcoming Assembly election in the State.

    Prof Saiffudin Soz, PCC president told KNS that the meeting discussed a long list of issues pertaining to the party and its activities on ground in the state. “There was a consensus that integrity of Jammu and Kashmir can be best promoted by the Congress that has its presence in all the three regions of the state,” Soz told KNS.

    He said that party leaders also put forth their feed back before Ms Ambika Soni the AICC general secretary and in charge Jammu and Kashmir affairs and she has decided to hold meetings with the party cadres in groups and at an individual level also. Ms Soni was chief Guest while Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha. Ghulam Nabi Azad also attended the meeting, which was presided over by Prof. Saifuddin Soz President JK PCC.

    At the start of the meeting,  a two minute silence was observed to pay tributes to the Veteran Congress Leader and Former PCC President Ch. Mohammad Aslam,  who expired few days back.

    AICC General Secretary Ambika Soni in her brief address referred to the challenges before the party in the State and at the National level and the  circumstances which  led to the defeat of the Party in the recent Lok Sabha Elections. She gave a message of Congress President Smt. Sonia Gandhi to the Party cadres, about the role and responsibility of the Congress Party in the Country especially in this sensitive State to maintain the Secular fabric , unity and integrity of the Nation. She cautioned the Party men about the danger posed by the communal and divisive forces and asked them to gear up for the forth-coming Assembly election to unitedly defeat the designs  of such forces. She asked them to share their view about the political situation in the State to devise an effective strategy for strengthening the Congress Party. The leaders from all three regions and Districts would hold an interaction with Soni and give their feed back  till tomorrow,  when she would fly back to report to  the Party High Command.

    Earlier JK PCC Chief  Prof. Saifuddin Soz welcomed the AICC General Secretary Ambika Soni to the meeting and explained the participants about the importance of this interaction. He asked Party leaders  to give  their valuable suggestions  to further strengthen the Party in three regions to achieve success in the coming elections.

    . Ghulam Nabi Azad Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha also briefly addressed the  meeting and felt the need to gear up the cadres at the grass root level and  mentioned the reasons for  the defeat. He felt  the need to close the ranks to expose the wrong policies of some other parties  and educate the masses about false-hood of the BJP.

    The meeting interacted various issues of three regions of the State and later the leaders were having meeting separately  also with Soni which process would continue till late night and  tomorrow also before her return.

  • Geelani calls for Kashmir Bandh on Tuesday

    We  are looking into circumstances that led to death of youth: IGP Kashmir

    Mirwaiz condemns Sopore firing incident

    Shah condemns incident, urges right organizations to take cognizance

    Srinagar: A youth was killed and four others were injured on Monday when security forces allegedly opened fire to disperse a protest rally following an encounter in Sopore town of Baramulla district.

    A senior police officer told KNS that group of youth had started pelting stones at security forces, who returning from Krankishivan Colony of Sopore after accomplishing an counter insurgency operation in which a top Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant outfit was killed.

    Security forces had later allegedly opened fire to disperse the protesting youth, resulting in injuries to five of them, the sources said.

    They said one of the injured, Arshad Ahmad Shah son of Abdul Aziz Shah resident of Naseem Bagh succumbed to injuries while being taken to a hospital. Rest of the four who sustained injuries in the firing have been identified as Naseer Ahmad beigh son of Ghulam Mohiuddin a resident of Jamia Kadeem, Shahid Ahmad son of Kasim Ahangar a resident of Naseem Bagh, Ilyas Shalla son of Attaullah Shalla resident of Shalpora and Abid Gojri resident of Sopore. The situation in the area is tense as more people have taken to streets in protest against the killing.

    According to a police statement issued to KNS, a spokesman said that after the completion of an operation in Baba Raza Krankshvan Sopore in which one Pakistani militant got killed; Operation parties while withdrawing from the area were pelted with stones by some miscreants. “The mob swelled and attempted to set at fire one security armoured vehicle. Security forces used non-lethal weapons but the situation could not be controlled. Resultantly few shots were fired in which 4 people got injured.

    One of the injured Arshad Ahmad Shah son of Abdul Aziz Shah resident of  Seer Jagir Sopore succumbed to his injuries unfortunately. Other injured people have been hospitalized and are stated to be out of danger. The incident is being enquired into and a Case has been registered in this regard, the police statement reads.

    DIG North Kashmir Range Ghulam Hassan Bhat, said that he was monitoring the situation along with the deputy commissioner Baramulla. “This is an unfortunate incident but we are in touch with the people and want their cooperation to know the truth,” the DIG North Kashmir told  KNS on phone.

    When contacted IGP Kashmir A G Mir said: “This was a regrettable death. The incident took place despite security forces exercising maximum restraint.  All other injured are stable. Nevertheless we are looking into circumstances which led to the death of the youth.”

    Meanwhile, Syed Ali Geelani chairman Hurriyat Conference (G) has strongly condemned the firing incident terming the same as ‘state terrorism’. Geelani while talking to KNS on phone extended one day complete strike call for Kashmir valley. He also expressed deep shock and grief over the killing of Irshad Shah.

    Mirwaiz Umar Farooq chairman Hurriyat Conference (M) also condemned the Sopore firing incident saying that it seems that the security forces have been emboldened by the recent statements made by political leadership and the top army commanders in the state. “It is unfortunate that rather than showing restrain, the  police, army and para military forces have gone for a killing spree of people. World human rights organization must take cognizance of these incidents and use their good offices to stop the rights abuse in Kashmir,” Mirwaiz told KNS on phone.

    Shabir Ahmad Shah, Hurriyat Conference Jammu and Kashmir (HCJK) senior leader also condemned the Sopore firing incident. Shah while talking to KNS said that the human rights abuses have crossed the limits in Kashmir and the security forces  have been ‘let loose to torment, kill, loot and do any sort of rights abuse in Kashmir’. Shah urged international human rights observes to take serious cognizance of the human rights violations taking place in Kashmir.

  • Govt vigorously pursuing enhancement in SPOs honorarium: Kithcloo

    ‘Hike in ration money in active consideration, Pay anomaly to be sorted out soon’

    Srinagar: Minister of state for home affairs Sajad Ahmad Kithcloo on Tuesday said that government is vigorously pursuing its proposal of enhancement in honorarium of Special Police Officials (SPOs) put before the union he ministry.

    Talking to KNS, Kitchloo said that the state government has already submitted its recommendations for the increase in honorarium of SPOs  and the chief minister Omar Abdullah has already taken up the issues with government of India besides other important issues pertaining to the police force.

    Kithcloo said that in his recent meeting with union home minister Rajnath Singh, the chief minister vehemently argued in favour of hike in honorarium of SPOs. “The government is on it. I hope the proposal will get through very soon,” the minister of state for home affairs told KNS. Kitchloo said Government’s proposal for enhancement of the honorarium of SPOs from the existing Rs.3000 to Rs. 5000 per month has been submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs, GOI, for concurrence and the same is awaited.

    Kitchloo said that the state government has already formulated a comprehensive policy in the years 2009 for absorption/conversion of SPOs as constables/followers. The policy provides for conversion/absorption of SPOs (with minimum 3 years of engagement) upto 15% of the available vacancies as constables/followers son the basis of their (i) excellence in counter insurgency operations; (ii) excellence in sports and should have won 1st, 2nd and 3rd positions in individual or team events at the state or national level and (iii) possession of ITI diploma in different trades or AICTE recognized diploma in computers subject to their qualifying in trade test. Besides, SPOs who have crossed the age limit of 28 years but are within 37 years of age and have completed 3 years continuous engagement are eligible to apply for appointment/regularization to the post of constables/followers to the extent of 15% or the available vacancies.

    Proving further details, Kitchloo said the since 2009 till date over 2116 SPOs have been converted as constables/followers under the above policy. Regarding the status of implementation of SRO 43 in respect of the NOKs of the SPOs killed in harness along-with the details of the pending cases up-to date the government stated that In terms of SRO 302 of 2009, Kithcloo said the Director General of Police (DGP), is authorized to appoint an eligible ward of a SPO killed in the militancy related action in the Police Department under SRO-43/1994 provided he/she fulfills the other prescribed formalities.

    He said that enhancement of Ration Money for police personnel is in active consideration of the state government and a memo in this regard will be presented before the state cabinet very soon. Kitchloo said that the issue of pay anomaly in police force has been already forwarded to the finance department for financial concurrence. He said he has already discussed the issue of pay anomaly within different ranks of J&K Police with the finance minister and the government was actively considering the case and would soon take a call on the issue.  Kitchloo assured police force that the matter would be sorted out without any further delay and said that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had assured Police that the discrepancies in the pay anomaly would be sorted out very soon.

  • Post-encounter protest: Youth killed in Sopore firing, four injured

    Srinagar: A youth was killed and four others were injured when forces opened fire on pro-freedom demonstrators in north Kashmir’s Sopore area of Baramulla district, official sources and witnesses said.

    They told GNS that soon after encounter between forces and militants concluded at Krankshivan colony, people assembled near the gunbattle spot, and staged pro-freedom and anti-India protests.

    “During the protests, the forces opened fire on angry protesters leaving a youth dead while four others injured,” official sources said.

    The Block Medical Officer (BMO) Sopore confirmed injuries to four persons.

    A police official said that the forces resorted to firing after demonstrators pelted stones on them.

    The slain has been identified as Arshid Shah alias Arfat (30), son of Abdul Aziz Shah, resident of Seer road Naseem Bagh.

    The killing of youth sparked more protests in the area with more and more people joining protesters, witnesses said.

     

  • Dealing  J&K is a biggest challenge before new NDA Govt: Mufti

    “J&K needed a holistic approach to come out of its immense problem”

    Poonch: Reiterating resolve of his party to act as a facilitator to restore lasting peace in this sub-continent, patron of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today said that biggest challenge before the new government at New Delhi is to deal with the sensitive issue of Jammu and Kashmir. He hoped new government headed by Mr Narendra Modi would follow the holistic path shown by former Prime Minister Mr Atal Behari Vajapyee while dealing with problems of Jammu and Kashmir.

    Addressing an impressive public meeting at Poonch today, Mufti said that peace is the only option to move ahead on development path and resolve all sensitive issues. He argued that Jammu and Kashmir needed a holistic approach to help it come out of its immense problems.

    While emphasizing on the adopting human approach to restoring lasting peace in this region, Mufti regretted that residents of Jammu and Kashmir are facing hardship due to mis-governance of the present regime headed by National Conference.

    “Governance deficit is not only increased in the last nearly six years but what is a cause of a greater worry is the erosion of credibility of our democratic institutions”, he observed.

    He said that governance deficit and trust deficit are the main causes of ever increasing alienation of the people so there is a need to restore peoples’ faith in governance and democracy.

    “PDP is committed to bridge the gap between different regions and also between people of Jammu and Kashmir and rest of the country”, he said, adding “During our tenure we had proved how to treat all regions and sub-regions equally and party would further facilitate the process of bridging the gap to ensure justice and equality to all regions and sub-regions”,

     

    Reiterating resolve of his party to give voice to the masses of Jammu and Kashmir, Mufti said that his party has successfully challenged hegemony of National Conference and emerged as credible voice of the people. He said that it was result of the conviction and commitment of the party leadership that PDP, in short span of time, has credibility of the people of all the three regions of the State. He especially mentioned towards results of recently held Lok Sabha polls in which National Conference was completely washed out in whole State.

    “Our aim is not to attain the power by deceiving the people”, he said and reiterated that one and only agenda of PDP is to establish lasting peace and to restore dignity and honour of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

    “I remained as Home Minister of the country as well as Chief Minister of the State so power is not my priority”, he said and added that his dream was to solve Kashmir problem to establish peace and tranquillity in this region and to strengthen regional and sub-regional integration. He sought support of the people to further pursue the pro-peace agenda of the PDP.

    Reiterating his commitment to make Poonch as “Gateway to Kashmir”, Mufti said that opening of Mugal road and LoC for crossing and trade is going to change destiny of the people of Poonch.

    Terming opening of points on LoC as most significant CBM since 1947, Mufti that opening of Uri-Muzafferabad and Poonch-Rawlakote roads has liberated people of Jammu and Kashmir from seize which they had been facing after partition of the country.

    While reminding the people about steps taken by the PDP regime to complete work on Mughal road, he told the people that Poonch would be soon emerged as “Gateway of Kashmir” and this belt would be a biggest business centre of this sub-continent. He reminded that during the regime of PDP led regime various steps were taken for the development of this land locked border districts of Poonch and Rajouri.

    In the function Mufti reiterated his commitment to establish a Medical College at Poonch. He further said that PDP would work for connecting twin mountainous districts of Poonch and Rajouri with rail network.

    “I am aware of the problems being faced by the people of Poonch”, he said and recalled that he along with Mian Bashir and late Choudhary Mohammad Aslam had travelled most parts of Poonch district.

    Yash Pal Sharma, MLC, Basharat Bukhari, MLA, Hamid Manhas, district president, Shah Mohammad Tantray, PDP candidate for Poonch-Haveli assembly segment,  Prem Sudan, Iqbal Qazmi, Shamim Dar, Haji Taj Khan, Javed Choudhary, H S Qureshi, ex-MLC, Shahzad Khan, Amar Singh, Navesh Sharma, Qazi  Lateef, Taj Hussain,  Bashir Ahmed Khaki,Capt Sohan Singh, Advocate Choudhary Javed, Haji Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Malik, Maroof Khan, Raghubir Singh (retd Principal), Khawaz Mumtaz Ahmed and others spoke on the occasion.

     

  • Quit Kashmir Movement Started

    JKLF CHAIRMAN MOHAMMAD YASIN MALIK ALONG WITH HUNDREDS ARRESTED. PROTEST RALLEIS IN MANY AZAD KASHMIR CITIES.

    Today’s most peaceful and democratic and comprehensive start of quit Kashmir movement and various marches towards lal chowk and a complete shutdown has once again demonstrated that kashmiris will never budge before the oppressive measures by tyrants and will always resist the anti Kashmiri nefarious designs of all those who are anti Kashmir including RSS and BJP: Yasin Malik 

    Condemns the brutal killing of a youth at sopore.

    Srinagar: Chairman JKLF Mohammad Yasin Malik, advocate Basher Ahmad Butt, Noor Mohammad kalwal, Showkat Ahmad Bakshi ,Mushtaq Ajmal along with hundreds were arrested by police at various places when they were leading marches towards Lal Chowk on the occasion of restart of quit Kashmir movement announced by JKLF . Despite crackdown, curfew, barricades, arrests, nocturnal raids and all kinds of oppression by police and forces, JKLF leaders and cadres all throughout the valley took out protest marches and treid to march towards Lal Chowk today. Police at all the places halted their march and arrested hundreds of JKLF leaders and workers including Chairman Jenab Mohammad Yasin Malik. JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik who had gone into hiding today surfaced at Maisuma and led a mammoth protest march towards Lal Chowk, hundreds including women ,youth and elders despite concentration wire barricades ,police and forces deployment in heavy numbers courage to gather around Yasin sahib and marched along with him . police had laid a close siege around the area tried to stop this march but participants resisted the police action for about an hour .police using excessive force arrested Yasin sahib along with Basher Ahmad Kashmiri, Irfan Ahmad khan, sheikh Mohammad Afzal, Owaise khan, Owaise Mushtaq, Feroz Ahmad Dar, Ghulam Mohiuddin, and Asfhfaq Hussain and whisked them away in police vehicles. Soon after this attempt JKLF leaders and workers led by senior leader and zonal president Noor Mohammad kalwal gathered in downtown Srinagar and marched towards lal chowk this procession was stopped by police near Bahaw ud din sahib and after heavy resistance Noor Mohammad kalwal, Basher Ahmad Rather Boya, Mushtaq Ahmad Wani,Fayaz Ahmad Mir, Nazir Ahmad Rather,Habibullah Dar,Basharat Ahmad Imtiyaz Ahmad Ganai and Mohammad Shafi Lone etc were arrested by the police. After this procession JKLF workers and leaders along with common people including many women gathered at Ziayarat Batamaloo sahib and started a march towards Lal Chowk .led by senior JKLF leader advocate basher Ahmad Butt this march was stopped by police near Reka Chowk. Advocate Basher A Butt, Showkat A Bakhshi, Mushtaq Ajmal, Mohammad Sideeq Shah,Syed Nisar Jeelani, Rafiq Ahmad War, Molvi Rashid, Nazir A Hajam,Mushtaq Ahmad ,Abdul Majeed, Sanaullah, Mohammad Haneef Dar,Imtiyaz Ahmad ,and Mohammad Hussein were arrested on the occasion by police. Similar kinds of processions were taken out by JKLF leaders from Pulwama, Islamabad, Sopore, and other places. These marches were stopped by the police and Javed Ahmad Butt, Tariq Ahmad , Fayaz A Khan, Mohammad Altaf Raina ( Pulwama), Javed Ahmad Malik, Ghulam Qadir Haider, Nazir Ahmad Khan,Mohammad Ishaaq Zalangam, etc( Islamabad) have been arrested by the Police. Siraj ud din Mir ,Abdul Rashid Magloo, and  Farooq A hmad Dar led a Jaloos from sopore that was intercepted by police at new colony. In connection with today’s restart of  “quit Kashmir movement” many rallies and sit in were organized by JKLF in Azad Kashmir also. These rallies were held in Mir Por, Kotli, Muzaffar Abad, Dheerkot ,Bagh, Palendri etc. JKLF leaders Abdul Hamid Butt, Hafiz Anwar Samawi, Khawaja Saif ud Din, Doctor Tawqeer Geelani,Raja Haq Nawaz, Advocate Sabir Ansari, Sajid Sideequi,Aftab Ahmad, Tawseef Jaral,Qari Iqbal,Basharat Noori, Gafoor Ahmad,Shabir Ahmad Lone,Suhail katariya.Jehangeer Mirza Javed Butt, Qari Naseer and Abdul Rehman etc participated in these rallies and sit in. terming these rallies and comprehensive protets from both sides of Kashmir as historic and eye opener  JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik before his arrest while talking to media person said that today we are restarting quit Kashmir movement with a new passion and zeal. This day is historical and so is today’s protest and Kashmiris across the cities and villages of valley and Azad Kashmir have given a befitting reply to those forces which are inimical towards kashmiris and who want to snatch from us our national pride, our Muslim identity and weaken our freedom and resistance movement. Yasin sahib said that today’s most peaceful and democratic and comprehensive start of quit Kashmir movement and various marches towards lal chowk and a complete shutdown has once again demonstrated that kashmiris will never budge before the oppressive measures by tyrants and will always resist the anti Kashmiri nefarious designs of all those who are anti Kashmir including RSS and BJP. He said that the enemies of Jammu Kashmir are conspiring to destroy and snatch the “Muslim” identity from Jammu Kashmir and RSS and BJP are planning to declare Lakhs of outsiders (Non-Kashmiri) “refugees” (Sharnarthees) as the citizens of Jammu Kashmir to change the demography of Jammu Kashmir. Kashmiris cannot remain silent over this and will fight all these conspiracies and resist all these anti Kashmiri moves and motives. Yasin Malik thanked the people of Kashmir for their support and show of resistance and said that today’s united protest has once again proved the love of people of Jammu Kashmir with their freedom movement. It is worth to mention that from last many days a crackdown against JKLF has been going in which many JKLF leaders have been arrested. these include Master Sheikh Mohammad Afzal( vice chairman JKLF),Engineer Ghulam Rasool Dar Eidi ( general secretary) ,Mohammad Yasin Butt ( zonal senior vice president),sheikh Abdul Rashid (zonal general secretary), sheikh Khalid ,senior leaders and activists including Ghulam Mohammad Dar, Mohammad Ishaaq Ganai (Distt president Islamabad), Mohammad Ramzan Sofi, Mushtaq Ahmad Boitengoo, Mohammad Shafi Lone ,Mohammad Ayub Naikoo, Mohammad Rajab,Ghulam Mohammad Malik, Abdul Rashid Mir etc.

    Meanwhile Yasin Malik has strongly condemned the indiscriminate firing on a protest march in Sopore in which a young man has been martyred and many have been injured. Yasin Malik while condemning this cowardly act by the Indian forces said that these trigger happy forces only know to kill innocents and today they have once again brutally killed another budding Kashmiri. Yasin sahib while paying tributes to the martyred youth prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.

     

  • KAC Supports Yasin Malik’s Call as a Symbol of Unity

    Washington, D.C: In conjunction with all diaspora Kashmiris around the world, the Kashmiri American Council (KAC), extends its full support to the call given by Mohammad Yasin Malik, Chairman, Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front to celebrate June 23rd, as a symbol of their unity to resist India’s illegal and inhuman occupation.  We, at the KAC are enthusiastically responding to that bold and lofty directive.

    According to a statement issued to KNS, KAC strongly condemned the ‘move by RSS and BJP to observe June 23, 2014 (which happens to be death anniversary of Mr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, the founder of Jan Sangh) as a day for integration of Jammu and Kashmir with India’. It must be noted that since the current government came to power they are planning to execute their sinister design to accommodate “refugees” as the “state subjects” so that demographics can be changed and Muslim majority status compromised. This is flagrant violation of international law and United Nation Security Council resolutions that can have serious repercussions in highly unstable region of South Asia.

    “Jammu and Kashmir has lot of forestland, settling of refugees would alter the population dynamics in the region, which has been already compromised by the presence of hundreds of thousands of Indian armed forces in the area. Overpopulation in the forestland will spell ecological disaster in the State.  The maintenance of low population density is strictly followed in states like Arunachal Pradesh, which has large swathes of forestland but is violated with impunity in Jammu and Kashmir. Government India is not only responsible for killing fields in Kashmir but is also culpable of offences related to ecological disaster. It is high time that international agencies clamoring for environmental protection take a serious note of the situation.’

    KAC has said it believes that there should not be any condition from any party except the commitment to peaceful negotiations. Mr. Arun Jaitly, the Defense Minister of India’s statement was unfortunate when he said that Kashmir issue has to be resolved within the Indian constitution. KAC suggests that Mr. Jaitly needs to listen to his mentor, Atal Behari Vajpayee, former Prime Minister of India  who wanted the Kashmir issue to be resolved within the ambit of humanity ‘Insaniyat Kay Dairay Mai’ and not within the parameters of the Indian constitution’.

    “KAC’s stand is that ‘Autonomy’ and ‘Article 370’ are non-issues for the people of Kashmir. Here one relies on a provision of the Indian Constitution. All Constitutions of the world are subject to amendments and Indian Constitution is no exception.  If not now, in the foreseeable future, this provision can be deleted in the Constitution and the move will not even need a debate in the Indian Parliament. Moreover, it has been emphasized at various times that article is a temporary provision which will lose its relevance when promise to hold plebiscite is fulfilled: which till now India has reneged upon.”

    The statement said that secondly, Kashmiris have had the experience of a limited autonomy, which was first practiced under a personal understanding between Nehru and Abdullah and later provided for by Section 370 of the Indian Constitution.  It was eroded and eventually whittled away by the forces of circumstances.

    “KAC believes that Kashmir is a political problem and needs a political solution. The talks must be tripartite because the dispute primarily involves three parties – India, Pakistan and the people of Kashmir. But the primary party is the people of the State of Jammu & Kashmir. The talks must also be accompanied with practical measures to restore an atmosphere of nonviolence. India cannot talk peace with Pakistan while India is at war with Kashmiris.”

  • Foundation of Mini Stadium laid

    Rana decries divisive politics, says NC stands for inclusiveness

    Nagrota: Saying that National Conference has never been driven by myopic or partisan politics, Provincial President Devender Singh Rana on Sunday asserted its foundations are based on inclusiveness with opportunities of progress for all, irrespective or regional, racial or religious affiliations.

    “We have all along rejected politics based on region, religion or caste, as it is not only alien to our glorious ethos but the cherished principles of Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah”, Mr Rana, who is also Member Legislative Council, said while laying foundation stone of mini stadium at Dhok Waziran in Nagrota Assembly Constituency.

    According to a statement issued to KNS, he decried the politics of division and hatred and said those perpetrating and promoting it were, in fact, doing irreparable harm to the interests of the state and the nation. “Treading this path may be full of thorns but for the overall good of the state and its people, National Conference has all along made this as its political philosophy and offered sacrifices to harness it at all the levels”, he added.

    Mr Rana took divisive and opportunistic politicians head on, saying they were playing with fire by instigating people on communal and regional lines as part of vote bank strategy. In this process, they have lost their direction and sense of proportion as to what was right and wrong for the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh”, he said while urging the people to maintain this precious legacy at all costs. “These elements will come in different guises before you and try to emotional exploitation as part of their sinister plan to create wedge and polarisation between communities”, he said while cautioning that such a catastrophe will push the state to morass. He asked the people to maintain unity and foil the attempts of vested interests.

    Referring to dubious machinations of political actors in the State, Mr Rana said personal ambitious and greed have rendered them as burden to the parties they belong instead of assets that could be channelized for the overall good of the state. He made a mention of the exposure made by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah recently in Jammu, by unveiling the real faces of tainted BJP legislators who were pushing for largesse to their kin rather than highlighting the problems of their electors and supporters. “Such tendencies have brought ill repute to political class as such and cast suspicions in the public mind”, he said while exhorting the people to be judges of the performers of their chosen representatives.

    “In order to insulin themselves from further exposure, some of the named legislators unsuccessfully attempted to incite passions by indulging in falsehood, which, however, failed to hoodwink public opinion”, Mr Rana said while saluting the political sagacity of the people.

    He highlighted the achievements of Omar Abdullah government and spelled out in detail measures taken for upgrading infrastructure, improving utility services, undertaking development and implementing various schemes aimed at ameliorating the lot of people in all the three regions and their sub regions across the state. He also dwelt on the developmental profile of Nagrota Constituency while assuring the people that it will gain further momentum in the years to come. Those present on the occasion included Sarpanch Dhokwaziran Raman Wazir, Sarpanch Nadore Joginder Lal, Sarpanch Jandyal Upper Ravinder Singh Peter, Sarpanch Jandyal Lower Balbir Singh, Som Nath Khajuria, Kamal Singh and others.