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  • Omar promoting political corruption: Karra

    Srinagar: PDP leader MP Tariq Hameed Karra today said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s admission that the BJP legislators bargained and voted for his National Conference (NC) candidates in 2011 polls for six Legislative Council seats has only brought out the fact that how NC is having a simultaneous alliance with Congress and BJP. He said the revelation points to the disturbing fact that how political corruption is being promoted by this government at the highest levels.

    “PDP has right from the beginning maintained that while NC is having an overt coalition with the Congress in the state, it is enjoying a covert alliance with BJP simultaneously,” Karra said while addressing a series of public meetings in Chrar-e-Sharief assembly segment.

    Chief Minister had recently said in Jammu that BJP legislators after “bargaining” with the government voted for NC-Congress coalition candidates during the 2011 polls for six LC seats. NC-Congress alliance had won five out of the six seats with the help of BJP. Omar had also said that BJP legislators had earlier also voted for Dr Farooq Abdullah during the latter’s election for Rajya Sabha.

    “Doesn’t Omar’s admission of purchasing BJP votes make it a fit case of corruption against not only those who got the money, but also those who paid it for buying votes,” Karra said. It has been NC’s trait, right from the beginning, to misuse the state and its official organs for power, he added.

    Karra said if such a thing would have happened in any other state, the culprits, howsoever powerful, would have been since behind the bars, “but unfortunately the rule of law could never cross the Lakhanpur Toll Post to make the individuals and institutions accountable in J&K.”

    “This is one of the primary reasons why people in J&K have least faith in the institutions of governance and the democratic system,” Karra said and added that it is now very clear that what could have led to the mysterious death of NC activist Haji Yousuf at the Chief Minister’s official residence in intriguing circumstances as it also revolved around political corruption.

    Reiterating his demand for a thorough probe into the allegations of favoritism and nepotism in the recruitments in J&K Bank, Karra said the revelations by senior NC’s Dr Mehboob Beigh that hundreds of backdoor appointments were made in the Bank on the behest of the Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather can’t be brushed under the carpet.

    “Unemployment being the major concern of every stakeholder in the state, nobody can be allowed to play with the future of educated unemployed youth by resorting to nepotism in recruitments and these need to be probed so that people know what’s going on in this premiere financial institution,” he said.

  • Police Crackdown On JKLF throughout the Valley Continues

    Several senior leaders, hundreds others arrested so far. Nocturnal raids, searches, harassment continue.

    People of Kashmir  will not budge before this oppression , JKLF will continue its “quit Kashmir movement” and Lal Chowk Chalo, protest strike programs  will be held on 23rd June 2014

    Srinagar: A full-fledged crack down on JKLF leaders and activists has been launched by police and other forces throughout the entire valley and many JKLF leaders, activists along with hundreds of workers and well-wishers have been arrested so far. Among those arrested are 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),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 and many others. Also police and forces raided several places including chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik’s residence, JKLF head-quarters for arresting yasin Malik who has gone into hiding and will lead “Quit Kashmir” movement of JKLF that is going to restart from 23rd June 2014 when Kashmiris besides observing a total shut down will march peacefully towards Lal Chowk and demonstrate their resistance against the sinister design of RSS and BJP against Kashmiris. Besides this police has and is raiding and harassing the relatives, well-wishers, associates and freedom lovers across the valley and has actually created a war like situation through these oppressive, undemocratic activities. condemning this oppression and crack down in strong words JKLF chief spokesman Mohammad Rafiq Dar said that these undemocratic, oppressive behaviors, raids, crackdown and arrest clearly show the level of frustration Indian rulers, their Kashmiri puppets and forces are suffering from. He said that authorities are afraid of the resistance of people and popularity of JKLF and its leaders and have resorted to dictatorial measures against a peaceful and democratic political program. Spokesman said that Kashmiris across the globe are supporting “quit Kashmir” movement of JKLF and rallies, sit in and processions will be taken out in Azad Kashmir, Pakistan and other parts of the world as a show of solidarity with JKLF program. Spokesman said that harsh measures by Indian forces cannot deter JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik and other from leading peaceful and democratic protest strike and March towards Lal Chowk and kashmiris through a comprehensive total shut down and peaceful march towards lal chowk will will demonstrate their resistance against the anti Kashmiri nefarious designs of 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 moves and motives. He said that Kashmiris will re-start “quit Kashmir” movement and on Monday 23d June 2014 a total shut down will be observed in Kashmir and people will march towards Lal Chowk and stage a peaceful protest against these dangerous designs.

    Meanwhile JKLF has paid rich tributes to a innocent martyr Ajaz Ahmad Bazaz @ Yasir of Mandir Bagh Srinagar who was martyred by SOG in custody. JKLF delegation led by zonal organizer Bashir Ahmad Kashmiri visited the residence of the martyr and paid rich tributes to him and expressed solidarity with his family.

     

  • Take unemployment in JK as a national challenge: Mehbooba urges Modi

    Asks youth to gear up for upcoming assembly elections

    ‘J&K can be the best model for SAARC unity’

    Srinagar: Reiterating the party’s resolve of making Jammu & Kashmir an epicenter of South Asian co-operation Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti,Sunday called upon India and Pakistan to end their differences for the lasting peace in the region. She also said youth are the core of PDP’s agenda and the party will make all out efforts to ensure their dignified life and employability in its future scheme of things.

    Addressing a well-attended youth convention in Ganderbal, Mehbooba said resolution of J&K issue is a must to realize peace and development on the ground and the PDP, with the support of people, has a pivotal role to take the state out of the present quagmire. She said Kashmir has been a challenge for all the prime ministers of India since 1947, and there is need for serious efforts to address the prevailing alienation among the people of Kashmir. “I hope Prime Minister, Narendra Modi restarts stalled the process of dialogue and reconciliation that was initiated at the level of the then deputy prime minister L K Advani under the Vajpayee led government,” she said. Mehbooba said there was a need for a sustained dialogue between different shades of public opinion in J&K and New Delhi and between New Delhi and Islamabad for a dignified solution of Kashmir issue. She said that SAARC cooperation should begin from Jammu and Kashmir and the state should become a model of the economic integration among all these neighboring countries. Jammu and Kashmir can become a model for a free economic zone wherein all the neighboring countries invest and the state could reap the economic dividends, which would result in creating livelihood on a mass scale. “There is no better place than Kashmir to start the Handicrafts University proposed by the SAARC countries, which has historically been the hub of handicrafts and traditional arts in the entire world.” Mehbooba stressed.

    Jammu and Kashmir has been the gateway to the central Asian countries but unfortunately after the partition of the sub- continent Kashmir became hostage to the animosity between India and Pakistan. So while the NDA government has expressed its willingness to engage with all its neighboring countries including China what better way than to restoring the old silk route that connects the whole region.

    The PDP president said that though Kashmir issue needs a apolitical solution but bad governance, corruption and unemployment has further complicated the issue thus creating enormous instability and insecurity among the people.

    Mehbooba said that the present Parliament results are an indication that the people want a change and they are looking towards PDP as better alternative to address the governance deficit and also create reconciliatory atmosphere on the ground for peace process to move forward. Pointing to the central government she said that besides issue of Kashmir, unemployment is the most pressing task before it and it needs to be taken as a national challenge and addressed very seriously. Referring to the poll boycott she said that democracy is a battle of ideas and everyone has a right to propagate their ideology therefore it is the people who have to decide which side they want to be.

    “People need to support us to establish a new a system of hope in the state so that we could end this growth stagnation, corruption and unemployment among our youth and will create a congenial atmosphere for the resolution of Kashmir issue.” PDP’s agenda is a combination of political process along with good governance, therefore while complimenting the youth for their huge support in the recent parliament elections she further appealed to them to gear up for the upcoming assembly elections. She assured them that PDP will give priority to the youth and leave no stone unturned for creating avenues for their dignified livelihood.

    Speaking on the occasion senior party leader, Qazi Mohammad Afzal said it was only during the PDP’s brief tenure in the government Ganderbal could see a robust infrastructural development and said the National Conference has always exploited the area for its political interests. In his address the party’s youth wing president, Waheed-Ur-Rehman Parra said time has come for the youth to fully assert themselves to become an active part of the system of governance and the PDP provides a platform to all those people who want to become part of the party’s story to see the state out of present uncertainty, underdevelopment and economic backwardness.Shri Bashir Ahamad, Senior leader,PDP,Ghulam Rasool Shaheen,Z.P,Ganderbal,Abdul Wahid and other P.D.P leaders were present on this occasion.

     

  • Rising Kashmir & Markus Kraft Presents On Spot Painting and Photography Competition Cum Exhibition (Taseer-2014)

    We feel very honored to announce that for the first time ever, we Markus Kraft and Rising kashmir are going to organised a photography competition and On spot Painting based on a Theme @HERITAGE , inside the fort of Hari Parbat Srinagar.

    The basic objective of holding this event is to celebrate the importance for preserving our heritage and fill the gap between young generation with our heritage, Department of Music & Fine Arts university of Kashmir has a student base of around 500 from all most all the parts of Kashmir valley .It is fast emerging as a futuristic and trend setting cult in Kashmir. This huge passionate base of artists with diverse regional links offers tremendous marketing opportunity. With an objective to tap this market and bring on board students from other universities MARKUS KRAFT felt the need to create this Marketing promotional event for Artistic industry of Kashmir. The platform will help in bridging the gap between Fine arts academics and industry requirements and more important a sense will be developed which will stand for our Heritage. It was with this objective that MARKUS KRAFT requested RISING KASHMIR and Department of Music & Fine Arts university of Kashmir to bring ten of its budding entrepreneurs in Artistic Industry for providing firsthand experiences to students.

    For Registration in Photography Get Forms In The Office Of Rising Kashmir Flat No. 7, Press Enclave Residency Road Srinagar – 190001

  • Son held for raping mother in India

    The head of the family works as a casual labourer and is reported to be an alcoholic.

     Kerala: A 25-year-old man was on Sunday arrested in Kerala on charges of raping his mother, police said.

    ”This was happening for some time and there used to be ruckus in their home over this. The neighbours were unhappy over this and filed a complaint and we arrested the man,” a police official at the Pala police station near Kottayam said.

    The head of the family works as a casual labourer and is reported to be an alcoholic.

    The accused – who at times used to work in a hotel at Pala – has confessed to the crime, he said.  (IANS)

  • Day after Hizb militant’s death, his former teachers in KU go on picnic; unfortunate, says V-C

    By  » [ Moazum Mohammad | Kashmir Reader]

    Srinagar: A day after a former student of Kashmir University’s Institute of Kashmir Studies (IKS) was killed in a gunfight with the army, the Institute faculty on Saturday took out a break from their schedule and went for a daylong picnic to Gulmarg, with the varsity’s acting Vice-Chancellor calling it “unfortunate”.

    The slain Hizbul Mujahideen militant Tariq Parray, a resident of Laribal, Tral, in south Kashmir Pulwama district, who was killed on Thursday evening along with two other militants, had joined the IKS in 2013. He appeared in examination in 2013. However, he left the department after appearing in just one paper in the first semester.

    On Saturday, when Kashmir Reader approached the IKS to further inquire about Tariq, the Institute was bolted from outside. It was learnt that the Institute had organized a picnic to Gulmarg. Around 40 people led by IKS Director Gul Mohammad Wani and including Assistant Professors—Sajad Padder, Mehmood-ur-Rashid Vaid and a non-state subject—had gone for day-long vacation to the picturesque spot.

    Wani while talking to Kashmir Reader questioned the credibility of the slain student and the source of information. “So you are the one who had filed the story. I know the ba**+*d who provided you the details about that student…that donkey was a contractual lecturer in Political Science department. How did you report without talking to me,” said Wani.

    As reported by Kashmir Reader on Saturday, IKS is a brainchild of former J&K Governor Lt Gen SK Sinha. The institute was modeled to counter insurgency and to bring younger generation of Kashmir “closer to Kashmiriyat”, the term coined by Sinha to describe the communal harmony in the Valley as it existed at the time of Partition. Through the IKS, Sinha wanted to promote “Sufi-Islam” in the Valley to “eliminate insurgency”, which he believed had its roots in “Islamic fundamentalism”.

    Meanwhile, Kashmir University’s acting Vice-Chancellor Prof G M Shah said it was “unfortunate” that the IKS had organised picnic a day after one of its former students got killed.

    “Leave aside politics, on humanitarian grounds the Institute shouldn’t have gone to Gulmarg. It’s quite unfortunate. They should have deferred it for some days. It wasn’t compulsory for them to go to picnic,” Shah told Kashmir Reader, adding that the slain militant had left the Institute half-way.

    “We even condole the death of those pass-outs who studied in the varsity 25 years ago,” Shah added.

     

  • Tourism Police rebuts the news item

    We are always on job to ensure the safety and guidance of tourists: SP Tourism

    Srinagar: Apropos to a news item published in a section of print media regarding Tourist police, SP tourism in his statement rebutted the contents of the news item. SP Tourist police said that Tourist police is always on job to ensure safety, assistance and guidance to the tourists and to redress their grievances round the clock.

    SP Tourist police said that the news item titled “As holiday makers throng Kashmir, tourist police in hibernation” is fabricated and far from truth. The contents of the news item gives the impression that the correspondent had received the information from the Superintended of police tourism enforcement which is totally false and irrelevant to the facts. SP tourism said that the correspondent had never conducted any press conference or contacted me regarding the publishing of the information in the news paper.

    SP added that Tourist police is always on job to ensure the safety, assistance and guidance to the tourists and to redress their grievances round the clock. The tourist police has busted a racket of fake tour travel agencies and booked the culprits, besides we have refunded an amount of Rs 4,89,440/= to the bonafide tourists and an amount of RS 5,00,950/= has been realized as fine from various tourist trade violators during the current year.

  • Employees not slaves of Govt: DAK

    ‘They have fundamental right of expression’

    Srinagar: President Doctors Association of Kashmir (DAK) Dr Nisar ul Hassan said that government employees as citizens have fundamental right of speech and expression towards the illegalities which are being committed against the society. “They have inherent right to sensitize and aware the general masses about the insidious machinations of the powers that be,” Dr Hassan said in a statement issued to KNS.

    He said: “Government employee is not a slave of government and government cannot act like a master to doctor his/her emotions and sentiments. It is dictatorial and authoritative to punish an employee for his/her ideology with which he/she is brought up. It is undemocratic and illegal if his/her dissent is criminalized.”

    Dr Hassan observed: “Government employee has inalienable right to raise issues of public concern. He/she is bound by his/her conscience to rise against tyranny and tyrants. It is vindictive on part of government to subject an employee to unleashed reign of subjugation and terror if he/she as a conscious citizen raises his/her voice against legitimate grievances.” The DAK president remarked that the government employees cannot be timid and surrender to subjugation but have to be conscious of their responsibility. “Government employees represent pain of their fellow citizens and have an obligation to relieve them from miseries and sufferings.”

  • Shabir Shah arrested at Pantha Chowk on way to Tral

    Srinagar, June 21 (KNS): As the delegation of Hurriyat Conference Jammu Kashmir led by Shabir Ahmad Shah was on way to Tral to pay tributes to Shaheed Adil Ahmad Mir, Shaheed Adil Ahmad Shah and Shaheed Tariq Ahmad Parray, a large contingent of police intercepted them and arrested Shah along with Muhammad Yasin Ataai and others. However, Islamic Political Party chairman Muhammad Yusuf Naqash, Wajahat Qureshi of JKLF-R and Mahaz-e-Azadi president Muhammad Iqbal Mir succeeded in reaching Tral.

    According to a statement issued to KNS. while expressing resentment over the arrest of Shabir Ahmad Shah, the HCJK spokesperson said that Shah has been advocating for the peaceful solution of Kashmir issue while as the youth, by getting fed up with the oppressive rule of India, now prefer to give their blood rather than finding a political solution to the issue. He said the present militancy is the result of stubbornness of India with regards to finding of peaceful solution to the Kashmir issue.

    We believe that Kashmir issue rose to international level because of the invaluable sacrifices rendered by the people of Kashmir. “Today, HCJK leader Shabir Ahmad Shah was going to Daadsara, Rathsona and Lari Bal to pay tributes to the martyrs and to express solidarity with them but the so-called government, as routine, did not let him move forward. We strongly condemn the restrictions on the activities of pro-freedom leaders,” he said. Meanwhile, Islamic Political Party chairman Muhammad Yusuf Naqash, Wajahat Qureshi of JKLF-R, Mahaz-e-Azadi president Muhammad Iqbal Mir, Tariq Ahmad Sheikh, Molvi Buland Shah, Muhammad Yusuf Mir and Sajad Ahmad Lone visited Daadsara, Rathsona and Lari Bal to pay tributes to the martyrs and to express solidarity with them. On the occasion, they pledged to take the resistance movement to its logical conclusion and also expressed solidarity with the bereaved family on behalf of Shabir Ahmad Shah.

  • Mufti biggest enemy of democracy in J&K’s history: NC

    Khaliq-made Mufti” shouldn’t lecture on democracy: Sagar

    ‘Mufti is a specialist in sabotaging democracy’ 

    Srinagar: National Conference has reacted strongly to Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s baseless and hypocritical remarks against National Conference and has termed him the biggest saboteur of democracy in the history of Jammu and Kashmir.

    National Conference General Secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar said that Mufti Mohammad Sayeed while blowing the false trumpet of “historical facts” had sadly murdered history yesterday when he has surprisingly summoned the face to accuse National Conference of “never allowing democracy to flourish in J&K” while pleading before parties like Panthers Party and Bahujan Samajwadi Party for an alliance in Jammu region.

    According to a statement issued to KNS, Sagar said “Mufti has always been on the side of history that was against democracy and democratic institutions in J&K – be it 1957, 1962, 1967 , 1972 or 1999″. Be it Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad, G. M. Sadiq, Mir Qasim, G. M. Shah or Governor Jagmohan – Mufti Sayeed was always on the side of the brazen subversion of democracy in the State and was always a part of a lobby to erode Article 370. Hence, ‘Khaliq-made Mufti” should not lecture on democracy,” Sagar said.

    The NC General Secretary said that it was none other than Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and his fellow conspirators who in 1972 undemocratically and arbitrarily declared all members of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah’s Plebiscite Front as ineligible by law to contest any election or to even campaign for any candidate – and hence yet again thwarted democracy in J&K. “With what face does the same Mufti Sayeed lecture about democracy and democratic institutions in the State?,” Sagar asked.

    Sagar said that Mufti Sayeed was always hell-bent to undermine and trivialize democracy in J&K in every single political party and dispensation he switched his loyalties to. “Be it Mufti Sayeed of DNC, Mufti Sayeed of Bakshi’s “Peace Brigade”, Mufti Sayeed of Congress or Mufti Sayeed of Janata Party, or today the Mufti Sayeed of PDP – he has always been a screw-driver used by anti-J&K forces to weaken the democratic voice and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir”, the NC General Secretary said.

    The NC General Secretary said that it was Mufti Sayeed again in 1984 who sabotaged the democratically elected government of Dr. Farooq Abdullah and helped Delhi in installing G. M. Shah as a puppet Chief Minister to suit its interests. “Mufti Sayeed’s biggest assault on democracy and democratic institutions in J&K was when he imposed President’s Rule in J&K as the then Home Minister and yet again over-threw another democratically elected government in the State. It was Mufti Mohammad Sayeed who violated the sanctity of democracy in J&K by going against the elected government’s opposition to the installation of Jagmohan as the Governor of the State”, the NC General Secretary said.

    Sagar while terming Mufti’s role as the Home Minsiter of India in repressing the people of Kashmir as a dark blot on the face of democracy in the country, said that Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s re-invention in the mask of PDP in 1999 was at the behest of covert forces and agencies who have always harbored a plan to weaken National Conference and hence remove the sole hurdle in their plan of abrogating Article 370.