Kashmir.Watch

Blog

  • PDP issues show cause notice Naqasbandi

    Srinagar: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) today issued show cause notice to party leader, Sayeed Irfan Naqasbandi for indulged into indiscipline

    In a statement issued to KNS, today, a party spokesman said that youth leader Sayeed Irfan Naqasbandi has taken internal matter of the party to the public and created indiscipline. The spokesman said that Naqasbandi, a youth leader of Kangan, had some issue with another party leader but instead of taking up this matter at the appropriate platform of the party, Naqasbandi has taken this internal matter to the media. “Naqasbandi has taken  internal matter to the media with malafide intension”, spokesman said and added that a show cause notice has been served to Naqasbandi and has given a week’s time to reply.

  • To foil its protest strike programs, police raid JKLF head quarters

    Malik will lead Lal Chowk Chalo protest on 23rd June: JKLF

    Srinagar: “To stop “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 ill designs of RSS and BJP against Kashmiris  , police and forces have raided many places including JKLF headquarters Maqbool Manzil , almost all the district offices and residences of many leaders and activists throughout Kashmir,” this was stated by a spokesman of JKLF in a statement issued to KNS on Saturday.

    He said the residence of JKLF Chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik was raided last day and he has gone into hiding to lead the major procession towards Lal Chowk on Monday 23rd. last night police raided the residence of JKLF zonal chief organizer Bashir Ahmad Kashmir.

    “Police raided JKLFhead office many a times and harassed people living around the office. STF arrested a JKLF activist Mohammad Rajab at Nowdal Tral, tortured him severely and later released him in a critical condition. Police and forces have been destroying and  JKLF posters and other material in villages and towns.”

    The JKLF spokesman while condemning these arrests, raids, torture and harassment said that police and forces have created a war like situation and to stop a peaceful peoples protest police and forces are hell bent upon using every tactic.

    He said that these harsh measures cannot deter Malik and other from leading peaceful and democratic protest strike and March towards Lal Chowk. He said on 23rd June 2014 Kashmiris will show 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.”

    The JKLF spokesman said that chairman Malik will lead a peaceful procession on the day (Insha Allah). Meanwhile, JKLF has paid rich tributes to a innocent martyr Ajaz Ahmad Bazaz alias Yasir of Mandir Bagh Srinagar who was martyred by SOG in custody. JKLF while paying rich tributes to this great martyr pledged to take the sacred mission of these martyrs to its desired end. 

  • Feudal psyche still dominating a section in NC leadership: AMM Spokesman

    ‘Times have changed so has the political dynamics of the state’

    ‘Let the people decide who is an entity and a non entity’

    Srinagar: Taking a strong exception to the statement issued by national Conference against Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, state secretary CPI (M), the Awami Mutahida Mahaz (AMM) has said that feudal psyche is still dominating a section of leadership in National Conference.

    In a statement issued to KNS, Mushtaq Ahmad, the AMM spokesman has said: “We feels extremely sorry and can understand the amount of pain and agony being experienced by National Conference following a humiliating drubbing in the recently held Lok Sabha elections.  The utterances made by party’s spokesman who is a politically naive and a juvenile in state politics surely reflect that his name has been used for taking pot shots against  M Y Tarigami.”

    The AMM spokesman has added that the language used by the NC in its official handout reflects the ‘state of discourteousness and the level of intolerance for its opposition parties.’ “It seems that feudal psyche is still dominating a section within NC leadership who consider that they have the proprietary and exclusive rights over the people of the state. These leaders are yet to comprehend that times have changed and so has the political dynamics of the state.”

    The AMM spokesman has said: “Let NC spokesman understand that records of the Parliament and state legislative assembly bears testimony to the fact that the leadership of Awami Mutahida Mahaz   (AMM) have represented people in the best possible manner at a time when majority in NC leadership were not born in the political arena of Jammu and Kashmir. Let me also educate  Mattu who might not have been born at that time and when majority of leaders in his party were in hibernation, when  Tarigami and his party CPI (M) played a pivotal role in encouraging the political leadership to rejoin the state’s fragile political process in early 1990s.”

    The AMM spokesman added that the NC leadership should also recall that if  Tarigami won in 1996 with its support, then what led to his overwhelming performance in four assembly segments just after a few years in 1999 when he was contesting against NC and other candidates in South Kashmir parliament constituency.

    “ Tarigami’s political life is an open book and people are well versed with his struggle for the peoples’ rights for the last over four decades. The records of assembly bears witness to his performance and commitment to the people’s issues. The Assembly elections are not far and let the people decide who is an entity and a non-entity in political spheres of the state. Instead of mud-slinging on its opposition the NC is advised to go for deep and serious introspection.”

  • Geelani lauds OIC for its resolution on Kashmir

    ‘Integral part rhetoric has not changed disputed nature of Kashmir’

    Srinagar: While terming the reaction of India to the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) resolution on Jammu and Kashmir as unrealistic and rigid approach, which was adopted during the conference of Councils of Foreign Ministers of the Islamic Countries held in Jeddah, chairman Hurriyat Conference (G), Syed Ali Geelani said that the disputed nature of Kashmir is a big and huge reality and India can’t change it by turning her face away from the truth.

    According to a statement issued to KNS, he said that the ‘integral part rhetoric’ has neither changed the disputed nature of Kashmir in the past and nor will it make any difference in future.

    While expressing happiness and satisfaction over the passing of resolution on Jammu & Kashmir in the OIC conference which was held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Hurriyat (G) chairman said that the reaction of the spokesman of external affairs ministry of India over this resolution is totally unrealistic and ridicules and it is the traditional policy of rigidity and stubbornness of India regarding the Kashmir.

    “By terming the stand of OIC regarding Kashmir as misleading, the Indian spokesman Mr. Akbar-ud-Din has denied the big and open reality of Kashmir that it is a disputed territory, it is neither any part of India or Pakistan and its people are still to be given a chance to decide their future. Not only Muslim countries but all other world bodies accepts the disputed nature of Kashmir and the biggest international organization UNO has passed as much as 18 resolutions regarding this dispute favoring the right to self determination of Kashmiri people which are still to be implemented.”

    Geelani said that in the light of these facts, the OIC is not ill-informed but it is the Indian spokesman Akbar-ud-Din who is very much ill-informed and whose reaction is totally misleading. The pro-freedom leader said that the Kashmir dispute is not any myth or story but it has a strong history at its back and every history student is aware of it. If the partition of India and Pakistan is a reality then no one can deny the fact that the Indian occupation over the Muslim majority state of Kashmir is an open and clear violation of the principles of the partition which were formulated for the partition process.

    Geelani advised the Indian rulers that they should end this integral part rhetoric and accept the open and clear reality of Kashmir dispute which they have to face and which they can’t change. The pro-freedom leader said that India did lot of experiments during the 67 years in this regard. India used its entire military power to delete the “disputed” word from Kashmir and tried its best by giving lures and rewards to change the reality but it all proved futile and Kashmir dispute is still alive and a Stigma on the democratic claim of India. India has not only failed in satisfying the world community in this regard but it has miserably failed in changing the mindset of the people of Kashmir. The freedom sentiment of Kashmiris has strengthened and they are still firmly protesting the illegal military occupation of India.

    Geelani said that the realistic approach of Indian leadership will not only benefit Kashmir but it will be a favor to the millions of Indians because the Kashmir dispute is the main hurdle in the way of peace, development and prosperity and this south Asian region will come out of the political uncertainty and instability with its resolution.

  • Removal of advertisements unfortunate, unacceptable: Hurriyat (M)

    ‘NC Govt’s oppressive measures to scuttle AAC programmes reflects frustration’

    Srinagar: Terming of removing hoardings, banners, and advertisement regarding the 50th foundation day celebration of Awami Action Committee from across the Srinagar city as a case of political vandalism, the spokesman of Hurriyat Conference (M) Saturday stated it was highly unacceptable that National Conference led government resorted to such cheap tactics of disrespecting the party and its leadership by tearing apart the promotional content carrying their images.

    According to a statement issued to KNS, a Hurriyat (M) spokesman stated that National Conference government stopped the holding of public rally in connection with the golden Jubilee celebrations of AAC by resorting to oppressive tactics and put restrictions on the entire Hurriyat leadership, workers and activists by arresting and house arresting them, adding, now the removal of banners, hoardings and advertisements by police and other agencies reflect the frustration, narrow mindedness, and vindictive approach of the present government.

    The spokesman said the AAC has a vital place in politics and history, of Kashmir adding, the images of Muhajir-e-Millat Molvi Mohammad Yousuf Shah and Shaheed-e-Millat, Mirwaiz Mohammad Farooq are dear and sacred for all Kashmiris and for the followers of Mirwazain in particular. He stated that the way authorities have shown irreverence to the AAC leadership by tearing apart hoardings and banners carrying images which has hurt the feelings of the people which is bound to have serious consequences.

    The spokesman stated that by using oppressive tactics and military might nobody can suppress the genuine voices of Kashmir or exploit the prevalent sentiments of people for freedom. He further stated that AAC has always rejected the politics of dominance from its very inception, adding, it is committed to counter such politics in future as well.

    Meanwhile spokesman has prayed rich tributes to Shaheed Adil Ahmad Shah, Shaheed Tariq Ahmad Parray, and Shaheed Adil Ahmad Mir who were martyred in Tral stating that the sacrifices of the martyrs is a precious asset of the movement. The spokesman further said that APHC wants resolution of Kashmir issue in accordance with the aspirations of the people of Kashmir and is engaged in a peaceful struggle for the same.   He said that opting for an armed struggle by even the educated youth is a natural response to the military approach and suppression of the people which can have dangerous consequences. He said that is high time that the government of India realizes the gravity of Kashmir issue and start a meaningful dialogue process among all the stakeholder for the resolution of the same. 

  • Assemble elections 2014: Congress finalizes list, to announce names of candidates shortly

    Party high command giving final touches to list in consultation with Soz, Azad

    Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee has almost finalized the list of its probable candidates for Kashmir valley for the upcoming assembly elections in the state. The party high command is expected to take a final call on these party candidates with  few weeks, informed sources told KNS.

    Sources said that while Taj Mohiuddin will be contesting from Uri, the PCC has evolved consensus over Salman Anees Soz, son of Prof Saifuddin Soz who may be asked to contest from Baramulla constituency. Sources said that Haji Abdul Rashid Dar will be contesting from Sopore while as advocate Mohammad Abdullah will be fielded from Langate while as Shoab Lone will be the candidate from Sangrama constituency.

    The PCC has reportedly decided to field Nazir Ahmad Khan from Beerwah constituency while as Usman Majeed will be asked to try his luck from Bandipora constituency. The PCC has also given its nod to field Imtiyaz Parray from Sonawari constituency while Haji Farooq will be asked to contest from Lolab Kupwara, sources informed KNS.

    While the minister for tourism Ghulam Ahmad Mir will be contesting from Dooru, Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed minister for Haj will be asked to contest from Kokernag. Sources said that party may field Gulzar Ahmad from Shangus while as Mohammad Amin Bhat will be contesting the upcoming assembly elections from Devsar. The party may also filed Mohammad Anwar Bhat from Pampore while Bashir Ahmad Magrey will be asked to contest from Pulwama. Hilal Ahmad will be fielded from Anatnag constituency while as Inaytullah rather will be fielded from Home Shalibugh constituency. The party has almost decided to field Mushtaq Ahmad Khanday from Shopian.

    The party senior leaders including PCC president Prof Soz and former chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad are said to have discussed their influence in their respective constituencies in a recently held meeting between the two. Sources said that their names will be announced by the party high command in Delhi very soon within few weeks.

    Both the leaders Prof Soz and Ghulam Nabi Azad are in Delhi finalizing the list of candidates to be announced very soon, party sources revealed. “yes we have almost finalized the list of probable candidates and party leadership in New Delhi is giving a final shape to the list of list in consultation with Soz Saheb and Aazd saheb. The list will be first approved by the party leadership in Delhi and will be announced by the PCC president here   very soon,” Ghulam Nabi Monga, senior vice president PCC confirmed to KNS.

  • J&K Govt for recognition of Nepal as an approved route: Omar

    Return and Rehabilitation Policy: 

    ‘Majority of returnees opt for Nepal’

    ‘Returnees yet to integrate fully with the society’

    Srinagar: The state government is vigorously pursuing for recognition of Nepal as an approved route for the youth who want to shun violence and return to Valley from Pakistan Administered Kashmir (PAK) under rehabilitation policy.

    This has been disclosed by the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in his reply to a DO letter written to him by Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, the CPI (M) State Secretary and MLA Kulgam. According to this reply, a copy of which is in possession of KNS, Omar has said that his government has already taken up the matter with the union ministry of home affairs for exploring the possibility of recognizing Nepal as one of the routes for return of such people which is being pursued vigorously.

    Tarigami had shot a letter to Omar on May 9, 2014 with reference to death of Saira Bano daughter of Mohammad Sadiq Khan resident of Dalhozi Abbotabad PAK. Saira had immolated herself before she battled for life at SKIMS Soura. “I share deep pain and concern at the tragic death of Saira Bano who was married to Abdul Majeed Lone son of Ali Mohammad Lone resident of Bathipora Naidkhai (Bandipora),” Omar has said in his reply to Tarigami’s letter.

    According to the chief minister Lone had crossed over to PAK in July 1993 and returned to the state along with his wife and three children (all below 10 years of age) via Nepal in June 2012 to join his family at Bandipora Kashmir. “Reportedly after joining the family there had a property dispute within the family of Line. Under the distressed state of affairs Saira had been insisting for her return back to PAK but could not do so as she was not in possession of the requisite travel documents. The situation led to acrimony in the relations which prompted Saira to take extreme step of self immolation resulting in her death. The state police has already registered FIR in this behalf under number 84/2014 under section 309 RPC,” Omar has said in his reply.

    The chief minister has said: “Here I would like to invite your (Tarigami) attention towards the rehabilitation policy which was notified by the state government in consultation with the union ministry of home affairs in the year 2010. The main objective of the policy is to motivate the youth to return to the state who had crossed over to PAK and have now eschewed the path of violence and are willing to join the national mainstream.”

    Pertinently, the government has approved four routes , Wagah-Attari, Salamabd-Uri, Chakan-da-Bagh-Poonch and Indira Gandhi international Airport-New Delhi for the purposes of return of youth under the said policy.

    “However, it has been observed that majority of the returnees are opting to return via Nepal. The avoidance of the return through approved routes by returnees is presumably attributed to the certain difficulties faced by them including threat to their lives from inimical forces operating from across the border. Though Nepal is not an approved route for the purpose and the beneficiaries as such are not entitled to the benefits envisaged in the rehabilitation policy,” Omar has said in his reply. The chief minister has said that the state government is trying to facilitate the returnees by way of providing education to their children etc ‘but they have not been able to fully integrate themselves with the society as yet.’

  • Sopore attack: 6 brothers among 7 held

    Srinagar: Police on Saturday arrested seven persons including six brothers in connection with an attack on Congress activist’s house that left one dead and another seriously injured at Seeloo Sopore on Friday late evening.

    Official sources told GNS that seven persons have been arrested during intervening night of June 20/21 from Mundgi area of Sopore in connection with the attack.

    Sources identified the arrested persons as Lateef Ahmad Khan son of Ghulam Mouhidin Khan and six brothers Mehraj-ud-Din Khan alias Raja Khan, Firdous Ahmad, Imtiyaz Ahmad, Abid Ahmad, Ishfaq Ahmad and Ayoub Ahmad sons of Sardar Khan, all residents of Takikhan Mundgi Sopore.

    Around 9:00 pm on Friday Nazir Ahmad Naikoo son of Khazir Mohammad was killed and his cousin brother Shabir Ahmad Naikoo injured when the masked gunmen barged inside the house and fired indiscriminately.

    Meanwhile, confirming the arrests, Deputy Inspector General Of Police North Kashmir, Ghulam Hassan Bhat told GNS that a Pakistani and as well as a local militant were involved in the attack by the family of Mehraj-ud-Din Khan of Mundgi Sopore.

    DIG said that in February last year, a militant Mohammad Shafi of Zaloora was killed near the residence of Khazir Mohammad Naikoo and the attackers tried to pass-off the incident as the revenge which is actually not the case.

    “There was a dispute between the two families and the incident related to it only”, DIG added.

  • ISIL seeking “sex slaves” in Mosul under the pretext of a holy war

    Iraq: ISIL militants in Iraq have called on the residents of the country’s major northern city of Mosul to offer their women to the “Takfiri” militants for sex, agencies reported. In a statement released nearly a week ago, well-armed militants have also threatened Iraqis in the northern city, with consequences if they fail to comply with the order. The idea of offering sex to militants under the pretext of a holy war, referred to in Arabic as “Jihad-ul-Nikka,” first surfaced back in 2013. At the time, a Saudi-based Wahhabi cleric issued a fatwa (religious edict) calling on women to offer themselves to the armed militants fighting against the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad. ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) is an al-Qaeda splinter  group that is fighting the government of Syria and Iraq. On June 10, the ISIL militants took control of Mosul, the capital of Nineveh Province, which was followed by the fall of Tikrit, located 140 kilometers (87 miles) northwest of the capital Baghdad. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqi people have been forced out of their homes since the attacks. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has vowed that the country’s security forces would confront the foreign-sponsored terrorists, describing the seizure of Mosul as a “conspiracy.” Maliki has also said Saudi Arabia and Qatar are responsible for the security crisis and growing terrorism in his country, denouncing the Al Saud regime as a major supporter of global terrorists. Meanwhile Iraqi military authorities have announced that the nation’s armed forces are gearing up to enter the city of Mosul after reestablishing control over Baiji oil refinery in the strategic Salahuddin Province. Iraq’s Army Spokesman General Qassim Atta stated on Wednesday that preparations were underway to move in against ISIL militants in Mosul after Iraqi Special Forces regained full control over the nation’s largest petroleum refinery complex in Baiji, taking out at least 40 terrorists in the process. Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) attacked the refinery from several directions earlier by firing rockets and starting a fire at the key facility. According to the Iraqi general, one of ISIL leaders in Iraq was among those killed by government forces. General Atta further reiterated that Iraqi armed forces were also in full control of the cities of Tal Afar and Samarra, which also came under attack by foreign-backed ISIL militants. Earlier, Iraqi troops took full control of Saqlawiyah district in Anbar Province after heavy clashes with the Takfiri militants. Nearlyl 250 terrorists were reportedly killed in the clashes. On June 10, the ISIL militants took control of the Nineveh provincial capital Mosul, which was followed by the fall of Tikrit, located 140 kilometers (87 miles) northwest of the capital Baghdad. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqi people have been forced out of their homes since the attacks. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has vowed that the country’s security forces would confront the foreign-sponsored terrorists, describing the seizure of Mosul as a “conspiracy”. (Press Tv)

  • Police harassment forced my son to join militant ranks: Mother of slain militant

    ‘I lost two sons in three years’: Father of Adil Mir

    Tral, June 20: The mother of one among the three militants killed in Buchoo Tral encounter Friday alleged that her son Tariq Ahmed Parrey resident of Laribal Tral was forced by police to pick up the gun and join militant ranks.

    Shahzada Banoo mother of slain militant told CNS that her son Tariq Ahmed (23) was doing post graduation in Kashmiri subject but police frequently used to call him in police station on the pretext of one or the other. “My son was neither a stone-pelter nor he was having affiliation with any militant group. Police harassed him off and on and even seized his lap top, that he loved the most,” Shahzada said

    “His frequent visits to police station depressed him so much and he was left with no option but to join militancy. I tried to stop him but could not succeed. Last year he formally joined militant ranks and was active since then,” she said.

    The father of another slain militant Adil Ahmed Shah aka Haroon told CNS that he ever since his son joined militancy in April 2012, he met him thrice. “I had three meetings with my son. I don’t blame anyone. He was happy to be a militant,” Abdul Ahad Shah said.

    Expressing same views, Bashir Ahmed Mir the father of another slain militant Adil Mir resident of Dadsara Tral said that he was fond of militants and joined militant ranks at his will.

    “I lost my two sons in three years. My elder son Nayeem Ahmed Mir alias Gaznavi was a B.Tech student who lost his life in Dudhkalan encounter with Indian Army on March 3, 2010. His death instigated Adil to join militancy,” he said. (CNS)