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Srinagar, Jan 17: Former Chief Minister and President Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday reiterated that dialogue and reconciliation between India and Pakistan have become inevitable for the resolution of Kashmir issue and that the decades old conflict cannot be resolved by the announcement of the economic packages.
While addressing the party functionaries and activists from Rajpora assembly segment, Mehbooba said that the resilience of the PDP workers is worth to hail as they in spite of the harsh weather attended the meeting in large numbers and gave a clear message that the party is going to emerge victorious and more stronger in the coming time.
Hailing the impeccable courage and determination with which the PDP workers have been strengthening the party on the ground, Mehbooba said that the real asset for the PDP since its foundation in 1999 has been its ground level workers.
PDP President stated further that after the 2014 polls accorded fragmented mandate to state’s political landscape, PDP founder Mufti Mohammad Sayeed decided to stitch the common ground with BJP will the sole motive to reincarnate the Vajpayee era in the state and to stop the vicious cycle of unabated killings and violence. “Even when I told my father that the decision to join hands with the BJP has more risks than rewards and would decline party’s popularity in the state, he said he was ready to sacrifice everything including his own self if that resolves the decades old conflict,”
Mehbooba said, adding that her father was confident that dialogue and reconciliation would be initiated and same measures taken during Vajpayee’s time shall be witnessed once again.
“However, when on November 7, 2015 Prime Minister Modi addressed a rally in Srinagar, he announced 80 thousand crore package but exhibited reluctance in pitching for a thaw between India and Pakistan for peace in the state. This disheartened everyone including the people who had come from far flung areas to listen to the Prime Minister,” Mehbooba said.
Recalling the horrific and inhuman act of brutality that was perpetrated on 7 year old innocent girl in Rasana exactly a year ago, she recounted her struggle to give justice to the victims of Rasana case, Mehbooba stated that she went to New Delhi and made it amplly clear before the helmsmen that the PDP cannot remain the part of government until the two ministers who have openly supported the rapists aren’t sacked and until the investigation isn’t allowed to take place in a transparent manner. “I remained in the forefront as the Chief Minister to thwart any attempts aimed at the intimidation of Gujjars and Bakerwals in the state and took every measure to ensure these communities that no one is going to do any harm to them,” she said, adding that securing the secular character of the state has been the top most priority of the PDP since inception and that the party every time foiled the attempts of the fringe groups to create any communal wedge between the different religious communities living in the state with harmony and brotherhood for centuries.

“NC leaders, workers suffered rather we have always been the victims of it”

Srinagar, Jan 17: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference on Thursday rejected the canards of Nayeem Akhtar as uncouth and reflective of his political bankruptcy and said that Kuka Parray worked as per the script drafted by late Mufti Syed as home minister of India.
In a statement issued, North Zone President and former Minister Mohammad Akbar lone said that accusations against NC are coming from a person to which PDP owes its disintegration.
Mohammad Akbar Lone while rejecting the jibes of a self styled leader as travesty of facts said, “Nayeem Akhtar belongs to a gang which has been drawing its sustenance from RSS and other forces as are hostile to the special position of the state,” he said, adding that as an assistant of Mufti Muhammad Syed during his tenure as central minister, Akhtar remained equally involved in destabilizing the state.
“He continued to work for Mufti Syed by resorting to writing ghost articles under a pen name ‘Satar Wagay’. As a sequacious writer he continued to target only National conference on a daily basis in spite of being a working bureaucrat then. Politicians like Nayeem Akhtar typify opportunism and political bankruptcy as it was him and his party which joined hands with RSS just to satiate their lust for power,” he said adding that it was difficult to understand as to which side of political divide he belongs to.
North Zone President said, “Nayeem Akhtar’s recent assertions on Kuka Parray are unsubstantiated due to the fact that NC workers were the one who suffered most during the hay days of the renegade era in Kashmir.”
“People are not that gullible, they know that it was late Mufti Syed who presided over 18 massacres as home minister, was the brain behind Ikhwan and was instrumental in extending the dreaded AFSPA to the state. Renegades like Kuka Parray owe their being to the policies of Mufti Syed that he pursued during his stint as home minister of India,” he said.
The north zone president said that Nayeem Akhtar has been a point man of BJP-RSS right from early seventies and owing to his services he was given ministerial berths in two consecutive Muftis led governments.
“Otherwise how can a political low weight with no political base get higher ministerial berths?” he said adding “National conference had to suffer immensely at the hands of Kukka Parray, and that the local party functionaries of Sumbal Sonawari belt had to migrate to escape from the wrath of the renegades,” he said.
“National conference has a base in people in Sumbal–Sonawari, and I have been representing the seat for many consecutive terms. We as a party don’t support violence rather we have always been the victims,” he added.

Srinagar: Star Pakistan cricketer Shahid Afridi on Thursday met Kashmiri students in Bangladesh and interacted with them.

Afridi said that it was heartening to see Kashmiri students in Bangladesh who are studying medicine.

“Heartening meeting with some Kashmiri students who are in Bangladesh on scholarship, studying Medicine. Keep up the hard work and making your people proud!,” he tweeted.

Afridi in the past has been in controversies over Kashmiri over his support to the Kashmir cause. He has been vocal about letting the people of Kashmir decide their future.

Says more than 250 militants killed, 54 arrested, 4 surrendered last year

Srinagar, Jan 17: A top army commander on Thursday described 2018 as “remarkable year” for government forces, saying that more than 250 militants were killed, 54 others were arrested and four others surrendered in Kashmir Valley.

“The year 2018 has been a remarkable year for armed forces on the security front. As per the record of last ten years, army along with other forces have neutralized many militants. Many militants have surrendered under pressure and many others were arrested alive,” said Lt Gen Ranbir Singh, GoC-in-C Northern Command told reporters after inaugurating Kalai Bridge constructed by Border Roads Organization.

“More than 250 militants were killed, 54 others arrested and four others have surrendered,” he said, adding, “This speaks about the strength of our security establishment,” the officer said.

He said that the army was giving “befitting reply” to Pakistan army along the Line of Control whenever there were instances of any ceasefire violation or snipping.

“As per wireless and other intercepts, Pakistan army and militants suffered a huge loss in our retaliatory action.”

According to GNS, the Kalai Bridge spans over Suran River and connects Kalai area to Chandak area in Poonch district. During the inaugural function, the Army Commander addressed the gathering of Army, GREF and local residents and said that the Kalai bridge is an important milestone towards enhancing the road communication in the area. “The bridge is an important strategic asset as it enhances the movement of military equipment and troops in a faster time frame,” he said. The Indian Army and BRO have been working towards infrastructure development in the remote and far-flung areas and improving the road connectivity, he said.

“The bridge will reduce traffic congestion in the city and ease out inconvenience caused to the people specially those moving towards Budha Amarnath Shrine in Mandi as it reduces the travelling time considerably.”

The Army Commander appreciated the contribution of the District Administration for their support and cooperation during the construction of the bridge. (GNS)

Srinagar, Jan 17: A local militant of Lashkar-eToiba (LeT) outfit was arrested by Special Operation Group (SOG) of police from Kulgam district of south Kashmir on Thursday early morning.

Reports reaching GNS said that the SOG during a raid at Chahlan village arrested one person namely Mubarak Ahmad Dar son of Abdul Rahim Dar.

Mubarak, a resident of Redwani Balla is said to be missing since October, last year.

A police officer told GNS that acting on a tip-off, a raid was conducted at Chahlan village of Kulgam by the sleuths of SOG and during searches, the suspected person was apprehended.

The officer said that the Mubarak Ahmad Dar was an active militant (category-C) since October last year and was affiliated with Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit.

“A case under relevant sections of law has been registered and further investigations initiated,” the officer added. (GNS)

‘Election only way out to get out of present mess and confusion’

Srinagar, Jan 17: Dismissing reports that Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was not ready to go to polls as a misplaced presumption, the party on Thursday said that it had geared for peoples’ verdict even before the dissolution of assembly last year.

In a statement issued here, senior PDP leader Nizam-ud-din Bhat while referring to the remarks of Governor Satya Pal Malik, has expressed ignorance and astonishment that such presumption should come from such high office.

Bhat said that PDP has always put the electorate above everything as a vital democratic component and has never shied away from taking very active part in the electoral fray. “It is the agenda of the party alone which gave people relief from the anarchic rule of the past regimes in the state. In both sittings of our government under Mufti Sahib and Mehbooba Ji, we as the party strengthened the democratic institutions and rebuilt peoples trust in justice and fairplay,” Bhat said.

The PDP leader added that people of Jammu and Kashmir have acknowledged the role of PDP and this is the party’s firm belief that there is no substitute to popular government. “People want to get out of the confusion and mess and election is the only way out,” Bhat asserted.

Dear Honorable Governor Sahib

Subject:- Application from Umar Rafiq Ganie S/O Rafiq Ahmad Ganie R/O Rathsuna Tral District Pulwama for enquiring about the Consultancy namely ADEEB INTERNATIONAL & UNIQUE who have Cheated me by saying that my appointment has been made as COFFEE BOY At SAUDI ARABIA but it proved baseless as after taking an amount of Rs 150,000/- from me no such appointment was made and I remained at least 14 months there but no any such appointment was shown To me.

Esteemed sir,

With most humble reverence I submit the following few lines for your kind consideration:-
That I had applied to the above said consultancy for the post of COFFEE BOY at Saudi Arabia and they had collected Rs 1,50,000/- from me for the above said posting.
That when I went to Riyadh Saudi Arabia for joining the said post I was wondered that it was not the coffee shop but it was a Biscuit factory and they told me that there is no any vacancy for the such post and they will sent me at any other post available in this regard. It was first instance of cheating me. That I contacted the Adeeb International Consultanbcy at least for 14 months who hesitated to provide me my desired job. The recording of his hesitation is recorded in my phone and can be seen at any time.That I filed an case at the Embassy of Riyadh Saudi Arabia for considering my case They contacted the office of the said Company at Saudi Arabia telling me that they will provide me the job of Coffee boy and leave the job and close the file against them at Saudi Embassy. I withdraw the case against them at Saudi Embassy. Later on the Company send me to Jiddah for submitting joining report as coffee boy. When I approached there, no any coffee boy was required them they had vacant post of Dish washer available there. They teased me much by wondering me at different places. Later on I contacted the Office of the said Company at Riyadh. I told them either give me the job or hand over me my passport and ID proof so that I will return back to my country. But they did not do so. I was quite idle in the room as jobless. After it I fell ill and I went to check up by the doctor when I came out I was arrested by the police as I was without the passport and other journey documents. I was in the jail for many days and the respective company was responsible for this cruelty with me.The Police Authorities of Saudi issued emergency passport vide no:- X0756531 to New Delhi and I
came to New Delhi on 02.12.2018. When I went to my home I after 02 or 03 days I went to the office of the said company namely UNIQUE and urged them that why I was teased by your end. There was a Lady who is the employee of the UNIQUE CO. she told
me that I do not know anything about it and she will talk with Mr. Manzoor Ahmad Wani (ADEEB INTERNATIONAL Saida Kadal Srinagar) she called him and told himthat Umar Rafiq Has come to the office, he threatened to me on phone that he will kill me. I went from their office after some time she called me that Mr Manzoor is coming to office and told me to come to the office. When I came to the office Mr Manzoor Ahmad wani attacked on me. He beat me seriously. I went to the press colony for giving details about this incidence. After it they published this news in their newspaper and all the details regarding this were shown on videos. After 03 days Manzoor Wani and his agent came to the CNS press office for grant of apology for the bad treatment with me. for this instance, and all the members of CNS are clear witnesses for this instance.After submitting his apology he gave me 03 cheques bearing no’S:179534 for Rs30,000/- and Ch No;- 179535 for Rs 30,000/- and ch no:- 179533 for 30,000/- a cheque for Rs30,000/- was encased on spot Another ch was post dated on 13.01.2019 which was not encased due to non availability of amount and was bounced. This cheque was got memoed by me. The last cheque given by them has been given the date of the month of February 2019. That after submitting me the cheques 03 no’s he filed a defamation case against me at District court Srinagar. The said procedure was done by him after apologies and giving me three cheques which does not reconcile with each other. The madam told me that he has full Audio recording of the bad treatment of him against me at his office.That I had given the whole recording of the said case in the news paper but no any action was taken by the Govt in this regard. I am also surprising that how the court has issued notice against me from this fraud company who has cheated me at that time when I was in need of employment. I am further surprised that how the notice has
been issued by the Honb’le court which has been filed by a cheating and fraudulent company. The authorities of Overseas recruitment Bureau has already cautioned the concerned not to contact the above said fraudulent co for recruitment in the overeas companies who is not registered as per the law.

Keeping the above facts in view it is requested to your good self to please issue orders for the enquiry about the matter and the above said company may please be taken into the grip of law. As this company is going to collect the sums from unemployed and ruin their career badly. The court may also be advised that how they have issued notice against me on the request of the fraudulent company.

That will be your most kindness. Thanking you
Dated:- 16.01.2018
Yours faithfully,
Umar Rafiq Ganie
Contact No: 7051427308

‘The resignation has been more like a statement. Like an alarm bell that “Look, something is wrong”.’

‘I am saying that “Look, I rang the bell, but I am also going to provide solutions”.’

Shah Faesal

Shah Faesal, the first Kashmiri to top the civil services, resigned after serving the Union government for nine years, to enter politics last week.

Faesal, who trained as a doctor, returned to India after a fellowship at Harvard University’s Kennedy School last month.

In a telephone interview from Srinagar with Rediff.com, Dr Faesal speaks about the urgent need to fill the political vacuum in Jammu and Kashmir, how the problem of stone pelters can be dealt with — and why even though he worries for his life sometimes, he is not cynical, sceptical or pessimistic about Kashmir.

You haven’t said whether you will join any particular party or form a new party — I am sure political overtures have been made to you. What are your immediate plans?

Honestly speaking, it would have been very easy for me to join any existing political party. It was somehow in my mind to do that because it would be very easy for me to win an election, but the outpouring that the people of Kashmir, especially the youth, have shown has completely surprised me.

I have been meeting youngsters in the past few days and at least there is one consensus that I should not be joining any existing political party.

This entire energy which has been released, my difficulty is how to direct it.

People are saying we should start a new party, some are saying we should go independent, I think we need to go more into the field, listen to more people before I can reach a conclusion.

You have said there needs to be a reworking of the relationship between the Government of India and Jammu and Kashmir to ensure the aspirations of the people. What are the most important things that need to be done?

1. One constituency which I am trying to appeal to is those who don’t have faith in electoral politics. That is an untapped space.

Being in a conflict zone, that is a space which actually has the mistrust of the people. They believe electoral politics does not provide any solutions.

I am telling them we are here for good governance and if you give us the opportunity, we will be getting better people into the system.

2. Make them understand that we will ensure that New Delhi at least understands that there is a problem in Kashmir.

There has been a massive denial about Kashmir. They call it a development issue, job issue, electricity issue. Delhi needs to understand that it is a political issue.

Politicians cannot keep holding on to something that is not sustainable while people are getting killed.

Electoral politics is at the verge of decimation if killings continue in such a way and there is no political initiative from the government.

We are telling the basic truth about Kashmir. The idea will be to ensure some sort of peace process, dialogue between Delhi and the Hurriyat Conference by telling Delhi that the Hurriyat does have a representative character.

Politicians in J&K are irrelevant until the regime in Delhi agrees to go along. How do you think that barrier can be overcome?

Politicians in Kashmir are irrelevant because they do not have an electoral base. We want to ensure that the legislator who gets elected has electoral legitimacy. He can at least go out into the constituency, speak to the people and be honest with Delhi.

These days an MLA can’t even walk out of his home.

This will bring legitimacy to the electoral process and also give them courage to speak to Delhi.

You said MLAs fear going out of their homes. While making this decision, at any point, did you fear for your life?

I am operating in a space that does not belong to anybody. It neither belongs to the State or the non State. It is a very dangerous space.

There are a lot of people who are operating and you don’t know whose territory you actually may be encroaching upon unconsciously.

It is a risky space. I do feel at times worried about myself.

What was the trigger that made you resign from the civil services? How long has it been coming?

Two, three years.

There was a new cycle of violence and no credible political system.

For someone like me who has been part of the law and order machinery, it has been very difficult to tell the central government that Kashmir is not a law and order situation, but we need to address it politically.

It was important for me to make this statement at this stage that the central government should remember its responsibilities towards the people of Kashmir.

Were the seeds for resignation sown during your tenure in the IAS and flowered while you were in Harvard till last month?

Harvard enabled me to look at the situation in a more detached way.

As I was part of the government, I had a very statist view. Once in Harvard I realised that there could be other perspectives also which were missing, more so the people’s perspective.

As somebody who was looking after law and order in Kashmir, usually we could never understand the people’s perspective — like why are people picking up the gun?

We were not addressing the ‘why’ of it.

At Harvard, I could figure out that perspective. I could meet people there who have given up great things in their lives to pursue public service — poverty, human rights, left corporate jobs to teach.

The courage also came somehow from my Harvard stint.

You mentioned the ‘why’ behind young people picking up the gun. At the funeral of a terrorist Zeenat-ul-Islams, slogans were reportedly raised against your move to enter politics. How are you going to engage with young people who lionise such terrorists?

You have to understand where those slogans come from. Youngsters perceive electoral politics as a betrayal of the sacrifices of the people.

Once elections are conducted, Delhi shows those elections as the affirmation of the status quo in the people of Kashmir.

So now people are saying anybody who wants an election is a traitor. It plays to the rhetoric which is against the people.

The difficulty is how to possibly convince and communicate with Kashmiri youngsters today that electoral politics could be used constructively as a means of dispute resolution by not allowing New Delhi to play it wrongly.

How do you think the problem of stone pelters can be solved? They attack security forces and hamper anti-terrorist operations.

In the last 10 years we have been using the military, security forces to tackle stone pelting. But have we been successful?

Fundamentally, you have to understand the motivation which turns a youngster into a stone pelter. When you say this guy has been given Rs 500 to become a stone pelter or being religiously indoctrinated to become one, you are basically missing the point.

You are applying the wrong medicine because your diagnosis is wrong.

You have to look at the motivation behind stone pelting and militancy. Why would somebody put his life in peril and pick up a stone or a gun?

All the measures against these will be cosmetic and fail unless you understand the motivation.

We cannot speak of Kashmir without the Pandits. They have been in exile for 30 years. What are your thoughts about their return home?

I have a young child, my worry is he might never hear what a Kashmiri Pandit is. He may never get to study with a Pandit child.

I see a sense of urgency. I feel they have to come back.

What is our civilisation, our culture without the Pandits? Nothing.

I have been very vocal about the return of Kashmiri Pandits all these years. The government should really ensure that they come back soon.

How can that be brought about?

By creating conditions in Kashmir where their return can be facilitated.

When you are not ready for dialogue, not ready to even discuss de-escalation in Kashmir — nothing else is going to move. Even the Pandits cannot come back. It is all related.

When the violence level comes down and there is a political initiative, discussions on their homecoming can be undertaken.

Why do you think politics is a better way of serving people than the civil services? You were serving the people even by being part of the system.

I never said there was a problem in the civil services. I said there was a political problem in Kashmir which is very immediate and urgent.

It is related to the dignity of the people because there is such a political vacuum in the state at the moment that it was important for me to try and occupy space which has been abandoned and on which youngsters have no faith.

Solutions to political problems would be expected to come from that political space. I realised it was important for me to first attempt the more urgent issues of dignity than development.

Development later, dignity first.

How do you think your resignation will make a difference to the situation on the ground?

The resignation has been more like a statement. Like an alarm bell that ‘Look, something is wrong.’

I don’t believe in cynicism or scepticism or pessimism.

I am saying that ‘Look, I rang the bell, but I am also going to provide solutions.’

I am trying to meet young people to tell them that there will be right people to give you good governance, representing your aspirations and telling the truth about the problem in Kashmir.

The Interview First Appeared On Rediff.com

Jammu: Batting for early assembly elections, Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik has said all political parties, except Mehbooba Mufti-led Peoples Democratic Party, want early polls.
The governor, however, hastened to add that it is the Election Commission of India, which has the mandate to hold the polls and decide the schedule.

“The government has sought opinion from everybody – all political parties and security agencies. We have talked to all. The government cannot decide it, it is for the Election Commission to decide (the poll schedule),” Mr Malik told PTI here in an interview.

The governor made the remarks in reply to a query if the Lok Sabha and state assembly polls be held together in view of the security scenario in the state.

“There is a difference of opinion among political parties (on timing of the state assembly polls). Some want it to be delayed by two months, others by four, while yet others want it to be held as soon as possible,” he said.

Mr Malik said while the state BJP wanted the state assembly polls to be held along with the Lok Sabha elections, the National Conference wanted it to be held as soon as possible.

“The PDP, however, wants it (assembly polls) to be delayed,” he added.

The governor, however, maintained that the ECI would ultimately be deciding the poll schedule, factoring in the requirement and availability of the forces and other conditions.

The governor, however, personally batted for an early election.

“I want the polls to be held as soon possible, so that I come out of this,” he added.

Like the BJP, J&K Pradesh Congress Committee President Gulam Ahmed Mir too favoured the state assembly polls and the Lok Sabha elections together in the state.

“We want both the polls together and soon. The Congress is ready for the polls. We do not want any delay in the assembly polls at all,” Mir said.

NC vice president and former J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah last Tuesday said that the assembly polls should be held “as soon as possible” so that an elected government could be put in place at the earliest to run the affairs of the state.

While favouring an early poll in the state, Governor Malik wished the elections to be violence-free, just like the recent municipal and panchayat polls.

“I pray the assembly and Parliament polls are held without any casualty and with the largest possible participation of voters,” he said. (PTI)

New Delhi: BJP’s national chief Amit Shah is down with swine flu and is being treated at AIIMS in the national capital. Hope to get well soon, the BJP chief tweeted. On Tuesday, Amit Shah had offered prayers at the Jagannath Temple in Ahmedabad.
“I have been diagnosed with swine flu for which the treatment is underway. With God’s grace and your love and wishes, I hope to recover soon,” he said.

According to sources at AIIMS, the BJP leader was admitted following complaints of chest congestion and breathing issues around 9 pm. The doctors are monitoring his condition under the supervision of AIIMS director Randeep Guleria, sources said.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh was among the first ones to react and tweeted Amit Shah that he will pray for his speedy recovery.

Spoke to @AmitShah ji who is undergoing treatment for Swine Flu at AIIMS and inquired about his health. I pray for his speedy recovery.

Swine flu is a respiratory disease caused by a strain of the H1N1 influenza. The symptoms are similar to those of a seasonal flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches and chills.

The BJP has planned to launch its election campaign in West Bengal with a series of rallies by Amit Shah. His first rally is expected to be held in Malda on January 20, a day after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s mega show. But it remains to be seen if the BJP chief will be up and about by then.

Reports suggest that union minister Arun Jaitley is also unwell. The 66-year-old finance minister is in the US for a “regular medical check-up” following a kidney transplant last year, news agency Reuters reported.

Finance Ministry sources said the minister “is expected to be back by the weekend”.