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New Delhi: On the eve of her meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, Norway’s Prime Minister Erna Solberg has said her country was willing to mediate between India and Pakistan on Kashmir, provided both sides wanted the same.
The Kashmir problem cannot be solved only from a military standpoint and a popular support is also important, Solberg said during her interview with NDTV.

Last November, the former Prime Minister of Norway, Kjell Magne Bondevik, made headlines when he visited Jammu and Kashmir and met separatist leaders. He was on a private visit at the invitation of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and then went on to meet leaders in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
When asked on Bondevik’s view that there can be no military solution to Kashmir, Solberg said: “I don’t think there is a military solution to any situation like this. I think you have to have a popular support. You have to have good trust between the partners in any region where still there is a conflict but we don’t have a special meaning about whether it is a military solution in Kashmir or not. What we have learnt is that you have to bring in popular support and by getting women and youth into a peace process and that’s when you build a solid peace in an area where there has been a conflict.”
Solberg said the former PM’s visit to Kashmir was strictly a private one, which did not involve either government.
“He was invited and he wanted to see if there were some possibilities of helping out but there was no official mission and he was not on a mission from the Norwegian government”, she said.
Norway has a long history of conflict resolution and Bondevik had played a key role in the resolution of the conflict with Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka a few years ago.
Asked if Norway saw any role for mediation between India and Pakistan, Solberg said, “If there is an interest from the partners, we will try to use the mechanisms that we know. We have been working quite a lot in different countries but we always have this one basic thinking. The partners need to want to sit down by the table and discuss. Then of course if there is a need for a mediator, a need for a facilitator to fix, even though these are two very big countries that should manage to sort out things between themselves”.
She also said India and Pakistan should be talking more to each other and should decrease military expenditure “because we need more money for other areas to boost development – on health, education, but I think that means you have to try to decrease tension between countries. After such a long time. It’s a long time since 1947.”
Meanwhile, Solberg Monday said there was a “great scope” to develop bilateral partnerships with India in areas such as business, trade and investments.
“As India continues to be the fastest growing economy in the G20, we see a great scope for the Norwegian-Indian partnerships in business, trade and investments”, Solberg said at the Indian-Norwegian Solutions for Sustainable Growth-seminar here.
“It is against this backdrop that Norway has just launched a new strategy for our engagement with India. This reflects the importance we place on our bilateral relations.”
According to Solberg, the aim of the new strategy is to strengthen Norway’s bilateral relations and economic ties with India.
She further said that open and free trade were crucial for economic growth.
“A stable global framework for trade and investment is vital for both our countries, especially in times like today when we are seeing increased protectionism in certain markets,” Solberg said.

We are doing what we can to ensure that the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement between EFTA and India will be finalised soon. This agreement will contribute to increased trade and a better environment for our businesses”. Courtesy NDTV/IANS

2 H1N1 patients serious at SMHS

Srinagar, Jan 07: Three more patients including a woman died of swine flu at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura, taking the death toll to seven this season.
Doctors at SKIMS told that two patients including an elderly woman died of H1N1 flu three days back while another 55-year-old male patient lost the battle to swine flu on Sunday.
With three more deaths, the death toll due to swine flu this season has risen to seven.
The viral infection returned to Kashmir in early October last year and number of patients testing positive for the viral respiratory infection is increasing.
Medical Superintendent, SKIMS, Dr Farooq Jan said at least 36 H1N1 patients were admitted at the institute.
“Many of them were discharged after treatment at the isolation ward,” he said.
Jan said seven patients died of the H1NI1 virus this season. “Most of them had comorbidities like cancer and also H3N2 (subtype of viruses causing influenza)”.
He said in last three months about 120 swine flu positive patients have visited the outpatients department at SKIMS.
This seasons’ first death by swine flu was reported at SKIMS in the first week of October when a 60-year-old man of Shopian died.
The medical superintendent said the situation was better than 2017. “We are better prepared and vaccinated employees especially at high-risk departments like ICU and emergency.”
“Vaccines are available for people at the drug counters. Isolation wards are ready and we are well equipped to handle emergencies,” he said.
A swine flu expert at the institute said influenza was seasonal flu and it would come every year.
Advising people not to panic, he said, “People must consult doctors and don’t take the anti-influenza drug on their own”.
Jan said in previous season (2017-2018) eighteen patients had died due to the flu but this season the deaths have declined.
A doctor at SMHS Hospital said that they have received three positive cases of H1N1 in the past week.
“Of the three cases two patients are critical,” he said.

Srinagar, Jan 6: Hailing the efforts of Pakistan to help resolve the long pending Kashmir issue, Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani said that on visit to Turkey, Pakistan Primer Imran Khan in a joint press briefing with Turkish president, expressed serious concern about the issues concerning the Muslim Ummah.

In a statement issued, Geelani said that Muslim leadership has to come forward to extend a helping hand to the Muslims who are killed, crushed, subjugated and maimed in every corner of the globe.

From Kabul to Karachi, Dhaka to Syria, Kashmir to Palestine everywhere blood of innocent Muslims is spilled for one or other reasons, he said.

The pro-freedom leader said that anti-Muslim forces are collectively targeting a particularly faith and the main reason for it is the sold out souls of the collaborators and henchmen who very brazenly encourage the blood of their own people just for their vested interests.

He said that well off families, lush green fields and sky high residences are raised to ground by the heavy bombing within seconds and helpless innocent kids, elderly and women are massacred with no fault of them.

“Our unfortunate land is also chaired by Indian imperialistic occupation for the last 7 decades and our people are struggling hard to break the shackles of this forced slavery, but our oppressor has responded with an iron fist to quell our just struggle leading to unabated cycle of death and destruction,” he said.

Hurriyat (G) chairman said, “We as a nation are desperate to get the world know our sufferings and Pak-Turk joint narrative to resolve this issue has come as a soothing breeze for us.”

“Our land has become a testing lab for the latest and most lethal weaponry manufactured in the Indian factories, creating havoc in this peace-loving population,” he said.

He said it is surprising that UN’s silence encourages the perpetrators to violate and dishonour their own resolutions.

“Our well-wishers and sympathizers need to more ahead of just statements and our continuous sufferings demand some practical and concrete steps, if we are to be rescued,” Geelani said.

Srinagar: Girls dominated top positions in all four streams as 52 percent out of 69969 students passed 12th class examinations, the results of which were declared by the J&K Board of School Education on Saturday.

In the science stream, Wafeeqah daughter of Qazi Gulzar Ahmad of govt. Girls hr.sec school, Amira Kadal scored the first position with 98.6% by getting 493 marks, according to GNS.

Yusra Shabir daughter of Shabir Ahmad Raina of Govt.Hr.Sec.School, Kanir Chadoora and Yusra Shabir daughter of Shabir Ahmad Raina shared second position with 491 marks (98.2%) while Iqra Khan daughter of Dr Faheemullah Khan (Govt.Girls Hr.Sec.School, Kothibagh) and Sana Sangeen daughter of Manzoor Ahmad Sangeen (Govt.Girls Hr.Sec.School, Soura, Sgr) got the third position with 490 marks (90%).

Displaying extraordinary performance in Arts stream, the students of government-run educational institutions have walked away with the first 5 positions scoring between 98.6% and 98% marks.

Hadia Noor of Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Kothibagh has topped the merit list in Arts with 493 out of 500 marks, Tanzeela Hassan of Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Kothibagh has scored 492/500, TowseefShafi of Government Higher Secondary School, Srigufwara, Anantnag has scored 491/500, ZairaShafi of Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Kothibagh has scored 491/500 and Irtiza Jan of Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Amira Kadal has scored 490/500.

In the Commerce stream, students of government-run schools have bagged the 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 7th rank scoring between 97.6% and 96.2% marks.

Zakia Bint Zia daughter of Peer Zia Ud Din Baba of Green Valley Hss Ellahi Bagh, Srinagar scored the first position by scoring 489 marks (97.8%)

Bisma Jan of Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Zadibal has scored 488/500, Alia Ali of Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Anantnag has scored 486/500, Sheikh Faizan Farooq of SP Higher Secondary School, MA Road, Srinagar has scored 482/500 and Abeena Zahoor of Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Nawakadal has scored 481/500.

In Home Science, Fariah Farooq Shah daughter of Mohammad Farooq Shah of Govt. Girls Hr.Sec.School, Kothibagh topped with 456 marks (91.2%) while Ishrat Jan daughter of Abdul Qayoom of Govt. Girls Hr.Sec.School, Pulwama scored 451 marks to get the second position while Bisma Jan daughter of Manzoor Ahmad Wani bagged the third position by scoring 446 marks (89.2%).

Meanwhile, Advisor to Governor, Khurshid Ahmad Ganai, Secretary School Education, A K Sahu and Director School Education Kashmir, Dr G N Itoo while felicitating the students of government schools for their extraordinary performance have hailed the teachers for their earnest efforts in impressively improving the standards of education in the government institutions. (GNS)

Protected persons must seek security clearance from director SSG

Srinagar: As political parties gear up for the election rallies to woo voters through their respective poll planks, police have asked the politicians protected by the special security guards (SSG) to first get the “proper security clearance” before holding rallies.

For south Kashmir districts, the politicians have been asked to first seek proper clearance from the director SSG first and also from the concerned district police chiefs before selecting a place for the rallies.

“There is no specific advisory, but yes, politicians who are protected by the SSG guards must first seek security clearance from director SSG and then take a call on holding rallies.

At times, politicians take risk by holding rallies without getting security clearance, which can post a great risk to their lives,” Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) law and order, security, Munir Khan told KNO.

Of late, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief have been visiting the families of relatives of slain militants “in a bid to garner support” given the mass rebellion in her party that saw at least eight of her former ministers deserting the party at a crucial time.

Today, she also addressed at rally on the occasion of her father’s third death anniversary at Dara Shikoh park in Bijbehara area of Anantnag.

National Conference too has started its mass contact program and according to sources, Congress too will start rallies and public contact program given the fact that elections can be announced in J&K anytime in the current year.(KNO)

Srinagar: United Jihad Council (UJC) has termed the killing of a Sikh youth in south Kashmir’s Tral on Friday as handiwork of Indian agencies.

UJC general secretary and Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen chief Sheikh Jameel-ur-Rehman in a statement issued to GNS said the “Indian conspiracies” against the Kashmir freedom movement will, as always, fail.

He said India has in past used the unknown gunmen to create divisions and infighting in the Kashmiri society but failed in crushing the movement as the people are mature enough to understand New Delhi’s designs.

Jameel-ur-Rehman also said that the “men in uniform” responsible for the Chhatisinghpora Massacre are still roaming free even after 19 years. “They were even rewarded and promoted,” he said.

UJC general secretary said the sacrifices of Sikh brethren are unforgettable.

“The truth will come out only if the international rights bodies will investigate the massacres in Kashmir,” Sheikh Jameel-ur-Rehman said. (GNS)

Srinagar, Jan 07: PDP senior leader and former minister, Naeem Akhter on Monday said that the former minister Late Atal Bihari Vajpayee became the statesman due to the efforts of former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Late Mufti Muhammad Sayeed.
Talking to Kashmir News Service (KNS), Naeem said that Late Mufti has created a history as in the past the members were being taken from Sher-e-Kashmir’s party but now; his party is taking the members from PDP.
Naeem on the sidelines of the function on the third anniversary of Late Mufti in Bijbehara said, the death of Late Mufti has created a void in the Valley and nobody can fill that. “During his tenure, Late Mufti in 2002-2005 made a breakthrough on Kashmir issue by compelling the central government under the leaderships of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Dr Manmohan Singh to take steps over the resolution of Kashmir issue,” he said.
He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a bigger mandate as compared to Vajpayee and he was invited by the Late Mufti too to Kashmir where he (Modi) promised everything but he failed to tread the path of Vajpayee viz-a-viz Kashmir.
“Vajpayee became the statesman due to the efforts of Late Mufti,” he said, adding that Vajpayee came to know that he has to walk along with Kashmir so that things will work.
About the leaders resigning from the party, he said that the real asset of the party is its leadership and workers. “Such kind of situation was witnessed by NC too in the past but the party is still there. Those who left from NC then they are nowhere but NC is still existing. These things happen in the political parties,” he said, adding that Late Mufti made the situation different in the party as parties like Sher-e-Kashmir’s or those forming new parties are taking the members from PDP.
He said that it is the failure of these parties who resort to poaching now. “It is the time when they should think about their own home,” he added.
However, he added that Dr Farooq Abdullah on the other hand failed to take steps in this regard even when they took over the reins of the State during BJP rule in centre.
About being targeted by the party leaders, Naeem said “though I am not a tall leader but people know each and everything. There might be complaints against me but those who target me should also think about themselves.”
“In case I have any difference with the party then I will stay at home and won’t go against the party,” he said. (KNS)

Srinagar: Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti used two important words ‘disturbance’ and ‘garbage’ while addressing her workers on the death anniversary of her father Mufti Muhammad Sayeed at Bijbehar town of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district.

Party insiders said that Mehbooba used ‘garbage’ for deserters while ‘disturbance’ for those leaders who still create ruckus inside the party.

So for Basharat Bukhari, Imran Raza Ansari, Abid Hussain Ansari, Abas Wani, Javaid Mustafa Mir, Haseeb Drabu, Pir Muhammad Hussain, Saifuddin Bhat, Yasir Reshi, Mehboob Iqbal, Raja Ajaz Ali, Asghar Ali, Bashir Runiyal and others have deserted the party.

If inside sources are to be believed there are still couple of leaders that create disturbances in the party. A top PDP leader on condition of anonymity told news agency CNS that when Mehbooba used the word ‘Uthal Phutal’ (Topsy Turvy) she was referring to party leader Syed Altaf Bukhari who is reportedly trying to create a new front. “Bukhari along with a number of PDP legislators including Muhammad Ashraf Mir, Javaid Mustafa Mir, Imran Raza Ansari, Abid Ansari, Abdul Majeed Padar, Abbas Wani, Javaid Hussain Beigh had gone to Nagpur when Mehbooba Mufti was reluctant to assume the charge of Chief Ministership in Jammu and Kashmir. Mehbooba can’t forget this and she fully knows how she was forced to compromise with RSS backed BJP,” the PDP leader who accompanied Mehbooba Mufti in Bijbehara today said.

He added that it is a blessing in disguise for the party that opportunists are leaving it. “What can you expect from a member who is not loyal to party chief. Mehbooba is right that party has become garbage free now,” he said. (CNS)