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Srinagar, Jan 29: The people of Moorie Kotiyan, a village located 15 kilometers away from Kalaroos, in north Kashmir’s frontier Kupwara district are living without electricity.

The people told GNS that their village is still deprived of the electricity in this modern age. Besides, the road leading to the village from Kalaroos is in shambles and has never been macadamized by any political regime.

The residents said that in this modern age, the village has been provided only one latest technology i.e. an Airtel tower.

“Only one Airtel tower has been set up some distance away to the village that too some months back,” they said, adding that the tower also developed some snag two months ago.

“We are very poor and have no influence to reach out to the political leaders or MLAs. This is one of the reasons that the village has been deprived since decades by all the regimes,” they said.

The locals said the political leaders during election campaigns seek votes and later turn deaf ears to their problems.

“We have come to know that the present Governor Satya Pal Malik has done many pro-people initiatives. We appeal him to help us get basic facilities of life,” the residents said. (GNS)

“Only a democratically elected government can resolve development needs of state”

Beerwah, Jan 29: Jammu and Kashmir National conference vice President Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said that the forthcoming elections are crucial for safeguarding the special status of state besides deciding the scope of development for next half a decade.
Omar Abdullah who was addressing worker’s convention at Ratsun Beeerwah said, “People of the state this time should make clear to those sitting on power corridors in New Delhi how passionately the people of State feel about their identity.”
Omar said that only a democratic government can satiate the developmental needs of the state, and that governor not being a people’s representative cannot decide on crucial issues that the state is facing.
“The mammoth task of putting state back on the track of development which includes giving due representation to Pir Panchal and Chenab regions, infrastructure augmentation in health and education sector, diversification of agriculture can only be executed by a democratically elected government with the active participation of people,” he said.
“People have seen it all how the non participation of NC in the ULB and Panchayat Elections has opened flood gates for such forces as are naïve towards the suffering of people,” he said.
Omar maintained that people of the state want elections as soon as possible. “People don’t want to wait any more for elections. A governor, owing to its non representative character cannot do what a democratically elected government can do,” he said.
Omar said that he will continue to work for Beerwah constituency and its people. “I am indebted to the people of people for accepting me. Being in opposition I tried my level best to work for the development of the constituency, but I know there is a lot that needs to be done in terms of infrastructure building and ensuring all other amenities to people,” he said adding what good was achieved in terms of development in Beerwah is just a specimen and a speck of what will be done once NC comes to power.
The vice President said that he had got RS 50 Crore earmarked for the up gradation of infrastructure vis-à-vis power-supply in Beerwah but the project was put in cold storage afterwards. “I am aware of the needs of Beerwah and that a lot more is to be done in terms of employment generation. However a lot is to be done in bringing Beerwah on the map of tourism, and augmentation of basic infrastructure,” he said.
“When in government we will leave no stone unturned to address the developmental demands of the people of Beerwah,” he said.
Omar said the idea of coalition governments didn’t auger well for our state. “The example of PDP-BJP government is a case in point. The need of the hour is to pull the state out of chaos and it can only be done by a strong mandated government. NC with its legacy of service and sacrifice bears the panacea of state’s peculiar issues,” he said.

Shah Faesal said the idea behind crowdfunding is to seek involvement of youngsters with the politics he is seeking to create.

Srinagar: Shah Faesal, the IAS topper who quit the civil services earlier this month and now intends to launch a political group to fight elections, says his appeal for crowdfunding in Jammu and Kashmir has received an overwhelming response. He, however, adds he will not accept any foreign funding and will make all donations public.
The 2010 Indian Administrative Services topper says the response shows the sentiment of people as hundreds have already deposited donations in his account. The donations start from Rs 2 to Rs 50,000.

“Somebody donated their earrings and deposited money in my account. That kind of a sentiment is fascinating,” he said.

Shah Faesal, 35, says he never expected such a response as “donating earrings for electoral politics in Kashmir is something I have not heard in recent times.”

Speaking to NDTV, Shah Faesal said the idea behind crowdfunding is to seek involvement of youngsters with the politics he is seeking to create. The celebrated former IAS officer said that crowdfunding and series of meetings with the youth across regions has also given him an idea that his politics is not just about contesting parliament elections.

“Initially the thought was I will be just fighting parliament elections but it’s generating into a sort of public movement. The response to crowdfunding is phenomenal,” he said.

He said such a support is coming in a place where electoral politics is seen as pariah. “Youngsters tremendously support me. Although there is section of youth who still don’t buy my argument, there is a lot of pushback from that section.”

Shah Faesal resigned from the IAS on January 9 saying Muslims had been reduced to second-class citizens. He also declared his readiness to contest the national election due by May but asserted he would not join any political party “as of now”.

Reported NDTV

Srinagar, January 29: Hurriyat Conference (G) Chairman, Syed Ali Geelani on Tuesday said that ‘oppression’ has touched new heights of alarming line in Jammu and Kashmir and the ‘oppressor’ has turned this beautiful place into a battle field and there seems to be no end to it.

“In these circumstances, we have only two options, either to migrate or fight this oppression. Since migration is not possible for us we will have to rise to the occasion and fight against the oppression,” Geelani said, in a telephonic address to the mourners of slain Saqib Ahmad.

He said that “New Delhi instead of accepting ground realities is hell-bent to suppress us with its military might, and reiterated his pledge to take the movement to its logical end and will never allow any body to barter the precious blood of martyrs.”

“We need to be aware of this and we are duty bound to safe guard their sacrifices and should desist from such activities which prove detrimental for our movement,” he said.

Hailing the sacrifices rendered by youth, Geelani said that “their blood is precious than Haram-e-Paak and the people who bargain these sacrifices for their personnel gains are those consciousness people who betray their milli interests and will definitely get punished for such deeds in hereafter.”

He said that since past 71 years, the nation has rendered unparalleled sacrifices, thousands were caged and brutally tortured, properties worth billions razed to ground and looted, and sexual assault and rape used as war weapon. “But India has not been able to suppress our emotions with this brutality,” he added.

Stressing upon people in general and youth in particular, Geelani said that “we need to strengthen our faith, avoid miss deeds and nourish the Islamic culture in our homes and society without indulging in sectarian hatred and social evils.”

He said that election ‘drama’ and the multi-faced political supporters pose as saviors to fetch them votes in the name of roads, electricity and water, but in reality they are the people who strengthen the unholy bond of slavery so nation as a whole should desist from any support to them. “Our movement has become so precious that no perk and privilege can compel us for any compromise,” he said.

Meanwhile, expressing his grave concern over the ‘deteriorating health condition’ of Hurriyat leader Hakeem Abdul Rashid lodged in Kotbalwal jail, Hurriyat (G) General Secretary Haji Gh. Nabi Sumji said that “our prisoners face the wrath of communal frenzy at the hands of fascist jail authorities.”

He said that “Hakeem Abdul Rashid is suffering from many ailments and his health has worsened in the Kotbalwal Jail and even he is not being treated and criminal negligence by the authorities has taken a heavy toll on his health.”

Hurriyat (G) General Secretary condemned the ‘plight of prisoners at the hands of jail authorities’ languishing in and outside state which include Masrat Aalam Bhat, Gh. Ahmad Gulzar, Muzafar Ahmad Dar, Dr. Shafi Sharyati, Dr. Mohammad Qasim, Gh. Qadir Bhat, Nazir Ahmad Sheikh, Tariq Ahmad Dar, Manzoor Ahmad, Ab. Gani Bhat, Mohammad Yousuf Falahi, Mohammad Yousuf Mir, Sarjan Barkati, Farooq Tawheedi, Sheikh Mohammad Ramzan, Asadullah Parray, Umar Aadil Dar, Bashir Ahmad Qureshi, Hakeem Showkat, Siraj-ud-din, Ab Rashir Magloo and others.

Sumji appealed to the United Nations Human Rights Commission and other human rights organizations to at least show their concern for these ‘illegal detention’ of the Kashmiri political prisoners who are forced to live under constant mental, physical and psychological stress thousands miles away from their homeland.

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SRINAGAR, JAN 29 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Jammu and Kashmir this Sunday and inaugurate several projects. He will also address a public rally and panchayat members.

The visit is being considered crucial for PM Modi as the state will be heading to assembly elections this year, amid questions whether J&K will go to polls with Lok Sabha.

During the visit, PM Modi will lay the foundation stone for various development projects. He will also inaugurate projects worth Rs. 35,000 crore and Rs. 9,000 crore in Jammu and Kashmir.

BJP general sectary and J&K in charge, Ram Madhav told media earlier this month that “PM will lay the foundation stone for AIIMS, IIM, IIT, Jammu-Akhnoor road, Shahpur-Kandi road, Sunderbani college and IIMC in Jammu”.

As per the report a team from the Prime Minister’s office and special protection group will land in the state today, to check all the arrangements made for his visit.

This visit is important from other aspects as well as PM will also visit Ladakh region amid growing chorus over giving it divisional status, a demand echoed by BJP leaders.

After the demand for divisional status to Ladakh, PDP President and former chief minister of the state, Mehbooba Mufti had also raised demand for giving divisional status to Pir Panjal and Chenab Valley regions.

BJP has a large voter base in Jammu division and it helped them to form a coalition government in the state during 2014 elections. Prime Minister had last visited the State on 19 May 2018 to lay the foundation of Zojilla Tunnel project. (PTK)

Srinagar, Jan 29: With surge in number of swine flu cases and 15 deaths so far this season in Kashmir valley due to the virus, Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Tuesday urged health authorities in Kashmir to set up separate outpatient clinics for swine flu patients.
“Separate flu clinics in hospitals will prevent the spread of swine flu and will save lives,” said DAK President and flu expert Dr Nisar ul Hassan in a communiqué.
He said these clinics will end intermingling of flu patients with those suffering from other ailments.
“Segregation of flu patients in hospitals will protect other patients from contracting the disease,” he added.
Dr Nisar said hospitals have influx of patients with chronic lung disease, heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes and cancer in whom swine flu can prove fatal.
He said though SKIMS and SMHS hospitals have isolation wards, they are not created as per the guidelines.
Dr Nisar said Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines say that an isolation ward should have separate cubicles with special exhausts to create “negative pressure” while the distance between two beds should be minimum three feet. The negative pressure will prevent contaminated air from escaping the room. These isolation rooms should be fitted with high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters that would catch and remove the virus from air.
“For screening and treatment of swine flu patients, staff has to be dedicated. That means doctors and paramedical staff treating swine flu patients should not attend to other patients in the hospital,” he said.
“While flu spreads every year timing, severity and length of flu is unpredictable and can vary from season to season
In 2015 when we thought worst was over, there was sudden spike of cases in February.
CDC in its weekly report has said that flu activity is increasing and swine flu is the dominant circulating strain.
We are expecting a lot more flu coming down the road and we must not lower our guard”, cautioned Dr Nisar.

Srinagar: Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Tuesday briefed Hurriyat Conference (M) chairperson Mirwaiz Umar Farooq over phone about the efforts of the government of Pakistan to highlight the “gross human rights violations” being perpetrated by the Indian forces in Jammu and Kashmir.

A statement issued by the Pakistan Foreign office said: “The Foreign Minister briefed him on the efforts of the government of Pakistan to highlight the gross human rights violations being perpetrated by the Indian occupation forces in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir. In this context, he mentioned the June 2018, report issued by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the APPKG report of the UK Parliament. He also emphasized that India should permit the visit of the Commission of Inquiry, as envisaged in both reports.”

The Foreign Office spokesperson in the statement said that Qureshi informed Mirwaiz of the upcoming events, being organized in London at the House of Commons and the exhibition being held in London on 4-5 February 2019 respectively. “These, again, are efforts to highlight the centrality of Jammu and Kashmir dispute and the grave human rights violations against the Kashmiri people, by India, which are being widely condemned and need to be immediately stopped,” the statement said.

The statement said that Mirwaiz Umar Farooq greatly appreciated the efforts of the Government of Pakistan and emphasized that the “Indian atrocities” shall never be able to suppress the will of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, who will continue to raise their voice against “severe Indian repression” and in the face of Indian “black laws”. “He also said that he would have wanted to be present for the London events, but his passport and those of his contemporaries, had been confiscated by the government of India, to prevent them from travelling abroad.”

Islamabad: Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected the review petition filed against the acquittal of a Christian woman who was on death row for eight years on charges of blasphemy.

The apex court’s decision in October to overturn the conviction of Aasia Bibi sparked nationwide protests and death threats from hardline groups.

A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, dismissed the review petition filed by Qari Muhammad Salaam, Dawn reported.

During the hearing, Salaam’s lawyer said that the matter of Aasia’s acquittal is a matter concerning the Muslim clergy and religious scholars should also be called to present their point of view.

“How is this a matter of religion?” the chief justice asked. “Has the verdict not been given on merit?”

“The verdict was given on the basis of testimonies; does Islam say that one should be punished even if they are found not guilty?” he asked.

“Prove to us what [you believe] is wrong with the verdict,” said Chief Justice Khosa said.

He further said that if testimonies of those involved in the case were not judged correctly, the court will review them and if the matter needs to be referred to a larger bench, the decision will be taken.

“An FIR lodged five days after an incident is suspect,” said Justice Khosa while referring to report lodged in the case and which formed the basis for Aasia’s prosecution.

He said that testimonies also differed in their account regarding the size and the place of the crowd which had gathered following the blasphemy accusation, the Express Tribune reported.

The lawyer countered that late registration of an FIR does not necessarily mean ill intention.
“Should we then hand an accused on the basis of such testimonies,” questioned the chief justice.

He dismissed the review petition filed against the acquittal of Aasia Bibi, saying the petitioner was not able to point out any mistake in the apex court verdict acquitting the 47-year-old woman.

Security was tightened in Islamabad where the court is located.

Paramilitary Rangers were deployed in addition to the regular police to deal with any unsavoury situation.

Bibi’s lawyer, who fled to the Netherlands after receiving death threats for defending her, returned home last week to represent her in the case.

Bibi, a 47-year-old mother of four, who is now in protective custody, was convicted in 2010 after being accused of insulting Islam in a row with her neighbours. She always maintained her innocence, but spent most of the past eight years in solitary confinement.

She challenged the verdict in October 2014 in the Lahore High Court which upheld the death sentence.

The apex court’s decision to acquit her had sparked three-day-long mass protests led by the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).

Qari filed the review petition in the case on November 1, 2018 at the Lahore registry of the apex court, urging the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision.

In the petition, it has been argued that the Supreme Court’s acquittal of Bibi did not meet the standards of jurisprudence as well as Islamic provisions and the “normal principle of justice with reference to application in blasphemy laws”.

We have closed the crowd-funding phase 1. Thousands of people have made small contributions and I am extremely thankful for the support.
Details of the funds received and utilisation will be shared shortly.