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New Delhi: Castigating both State and Central Governments for sealing Kashmir’s Grand Mosque for 17 consecutive weeks, president All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen Asaduddin Owaisi Friday said that such measures from the state government will not help restoration of normalcy in Kashmir Valley. “There is civil unrest in Kashmir. By sealing mosques, not opening up educational institutions and discouraging government employees State Government will not be able to put an end to civil unrest,” Owaisi told news agency CNS.

     He said that it is the duty of the state government to open up all the state and private owned establishments in Valley. “How can you expect peace to return in Valley when you are locking down the Jamia Masjid on every Friday,” he said.

    Owaisi said that he doesn’t know what happened to the recommendations made by the members of the All Party Delegation that visited Kashmir recently. “Government of India is silent and not telling us what happened to the recommendations made by the members of the APD vis-à-vis Kashmir. Even I had put forward my 10 points and don’t know what the Government of India has been doing,” he said and added that he will raise this issue in upcoming Parliament session. (CNS)

Srinagar: Life remained adversely affected for the 119th consecutive day in the Valley due to separatist called protest shutdown. The Resistance leadership had appealed people to hold pro-freedom marches in Kupwara, Baramulla, Bandipora, Budgam, Ganderbal, Srinagar, Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam and Islamabad and march towards respective District Headquarters.

    Though now curfew was imposed in any part of the Valley, but curbs and restrictions were in place in restive areas including old Srinagar city. Heavy contingent of government forces personnel had been deployed across Kashmir to quell protest marches.

    In Srinagar city, congregational prayers were not offered at the historic central mosque Srinagar for the 17th week today. All roads leading to Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta Srinagar were closed with barbed wire while Kashmir’s top cleric and Hurriyat (M) chairman was not allowed to move out of his Nigeen residence where he remains under house arrest. A large number of forces personnel remained deployed outside the mosque and adjoining areas to stop any pedestrian movement. Congregational Friday prayers haven’t been offered at the mosque since the July 8killing of militant commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with forces. Hurriyat (M) spokesman Advocate Shahid-ul-Islam condemned the government move, saying that it was a direct interference into the religious affairs of Muslims.

     Eyewitnesses told news agency CNS that pro-freedom protests were carried out shortly after Friday congregational prayers in Kunus Bandipora, Nihalpora, Kalsiri Pattan, Kralpora Chanapora, Tral, Prichoo, Tahab Pulwama. Incidents of clashes were reported from Mominabad Batamaloo, Ali Jan Road Eidgah, Anchar Soura, Palhalan, Tahab Pulwama, Habak, Sopore, Baramulla, Khudwani Kulgam and Shopian.

   Intense clashes erupted in Srinagar’s Soura area after Friday prayers.Local sources said that hundreds of people came out on road raising pro-freedom and anti-India slogans soon after congregational Friday prayers. “A freedom rally was taken out from Jinab Sahab Aanchar which marched towards main market Soura,” eye witness’s said.However, reports said that hundreds of men in uniform were deployed in the area to thwart the rally.

   “People did not relent and continued their march following which forces lobbed scores of tear gas and PAVA shells,” reports added. “Youth resorted to stone pelting and clashes ensued,” reports added.

   Clashes also erupted in Palhalan area of Pattan town while at Nihalpora and Kalsiri area witnessed pro-freedom rallies.

    “After Friday prayers ended, people amid pro-freedom sloganeering marched towards the highway, however, forces blocked the road near Government Higher Secondary School firing countless stun grenades and tear gas shells,” a resident said.

    Meanwhile, after Friday prayers people at Tappar and Hamray areas of Pattan town staged a protest against police alleging that they implicated few youth from these areas in fabricated cases of school burning incidents.

    Clashes erupted in Chewkalan area of Pulwama district when people pelted stones on government forces who had arrived in the village to conduct search operation. Government Forces according to witnesses resorted to aerial firing to disperse the protesting people.

   A police official said that barring few stray incidents of stone-pelting the situation across Valley remained peaceful. (CNS)

Srinagar: Director General of Police (DGP), K. Rajendra Kumar has said that dedication and accountability with highest consideration of public service would help in providing effective policing to the people of the state, emphasizing that public cooperation would lead to new successes for the force.

Rajendra was addressing a meeting with police, Para-military and civil officers held at District Police Lines Anantnag today.

The meeting was convened to discuss security and law & order situation in South Kashmir districts.

Issues relating to the maintenance of law & order were discussed threadbare with the officers and various decisions were taken to ensure security of the people and government properties.       

Rajendra stressed for coordination and dedication among the forces for better deliverance at different levels. He said that accountability and public cooperation is imperative to get desired results of policing at different fronts.

DGP disclosed that the efficient initiative taken by the force with other sister agencies have ensured security of the people, besides maintenance of law & order despite various attempts by the miscreants, who disrupt the peaceful scenario of the state.   He said that our efforts would continue to gain public confidence and foil the sinister designs of anti-national elements.

The meeting also discussed security of educational institutions and security arrangements for smooth conduct of examinations announced by the government. It was decided that every step with other stakeholders would be taken to provide security for smooth conduct of examination in the valley.

Rajendra said miscreants are targeting educational institutions to continue their designs. JKP with other forces will foil their nefarious designs and bring the culprits to justice. He said that effective measures have been taken to curb the weapon snatchers and punish the culprits. He asked the officers to gear up their men and machinery and provide every assistance to the concerned departments for smooth conduct of examinations and ensuring security of government properties.

Special DGP, Coordination/Law & Order, Dr. S.P.Vaid also addressed the meeting and discussed law and order and security situation in the Range.

Among others, the meeting was attended by IG, CRPF, DIG, SKR, Nitish Kumar, Deputy Commissioner Anantnag, Sayeed Abid Rasheed, all SSPs/SPs and SDPOs of South Kashmir districts. 

For consecutive 17 Fridays, Jamia Masjid continues to shut for prayers

Srinagar: The historic Jamia Masjid located at volatile Nowhatta area of old city continues to remain under the siege of forces and shut for the prayers for the 17th consecutive Friday today.

No prayers were offered at the central mosque of the Valley, while the clergy of the mosque, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq continues to remain under house arrest at his Nigeen residence. The Mirwaiz was recently released from sub-jail Cheshmashahi. 

Kashmir valley is in the grip of unrest since July 8, after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, along with two other colleagues in a village in south Kashmir. Wani’s killing, a poster boy of the present age militancy, has triggered spontaneous protests across the state leaving as many as 93 people dead and over 15000 injured.

The separatist leaders Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik, have been jointly spearheading the protest program that is a days to come will complete its fifth month without any break in the shutdown and protests.

The separatists have put forward five points which the government of India has so far refused to agree, leading to a political crisis that sees no immediate breakthrough between New Delhi and Kashmiri’s pro-freedom leadership.

It was on July 8, this year, when the last Friday Congregation prayers were held at Jamia Masjid. Four and a half months have passed but the grand mosque continues to remain locked down. The continuous lockdown of the mosque reflects the government’s interference in the religious matters.

“The Pulpit of Jamia Masjid from the past 600 years has been spreading the message of Islam and teachings of Prophet Muhammad PBUH,” said a local Muhammad Ismail (70).

“I have been offering Friday prayers in this Jamia Masjid since my childhood. I have never seen the masjid being locked for such a long period,” said Ghulam Rasool, (70) of Khanyar.

It is being said that Jamia Masjid has been locked up for the longest period after Maharaja Rule. According to historians, Jamia Masjid was locked for long 20 years during the Sikh rule, from 1819 to 1845. During Dogra rule, the Masjid was again locked. Jamia Masjid was constructed by Sultan Sikandar, father of Zainul Aabideen popularly known as Budshah.

However, both pre and post 1947, when India and Pakistan achieved independence, the Jamia Masjid in Srinagar had and continues to remain the center stage of the freedom struggle of Kashmir. (PTK)

Srinagar: Disallowing Friday prayers from last four months at Jamia Masjid, blanket ban on all peaceful political activities, arresting thousands of youth, resistance activists and students continuing wave of destruction and loot by Indian forces and police throughout Kashmir valley , nocturnal raids, beating and humiliating common people and recent attack on inmates in Baramullah Jail are ugly stains on so-called Indian democracy and glaring example of duplicitous politics of pro-India politicians and parties in Jammu Kashmir. This was stated by the chairman Jammu Kashmir liberation front (JKLF) Muhammad Yasin Malik in a press statement issued today. Terming the complete ban on Friday prayers at historical Jamia masjid Srinagar from last four months as a direct interference in religious affairs of Kashmiri Muslims amounting to persecution of Muslims, Yasin Malik said that shameless politicians especially from the ruling regime are on daily basis delivering sermons of democracy, ethics, education and peace on TV shows and press briefings but show no guts to compete with their political rivals politically. He said that from last four months a complete ban has been imposed on Friday prayers in Jamia masjid Srinagar and many other big Masajid. No one is being allowed to raise Allah’s name at these religious places from last many months now which amounts to religious persecution, asserted Yasin Malik. He said that the level of frustration so-called rulers are sufferings from can be gauged from the fact that they using their forces, police, and army are brazenly continuing destruction and loot in Kashmir valley and spree of arrests, use of black law PSA on small kids, pellet terrorism and now attacks on inmates in jails is also going on unabated. He said that among about ten thousand people arrested by police and forces during last three months, thousands are students but the height of hard-heartedness of these so-called rulers and even some of their civil authorities who want to prove themselves more loyal than the king is such that they brazenly denying of any student being in jail or captivity of police. Yasin Malik said that these puppets acting according to the orders of their masters in Delhi and Nagpur who are now continuously interfering in state affairs like exams of students etc. should find some guts to accept realities and should refrain from interfering in religious affairs of Kashmiri Muslims. While strongly condemning the attack on Baramullah Jail inmates in which many prisoners including Fiasal Aslam of Maisuma Srinagar who is in incarceration under PSA from last many months, JKLF chairman said that from last many days this jail is under cordon and many injured inmates including Faisal Aslam are even not being provided with any medical relief threatening even their lives. He said that the callousness of ruling regime, their police and authorities is really surprising and these inhuman anti Kashmiri acts are actually ugly stain on Indian democracy and glaring example of duplicitous politics of pro-India politicians and parties in Jammu Kashmir. He said that shameless politicians especially from the ruling regime are on daily basis delivering sermons of democracy, ethics, education and peace in TV shows and press briefings but they have no guts or ethics to compete with their political rivals ethically and politically and have turned Kashmir into a police state. He said that these double faced politicians should know that they according to the law of retribution will have to answer for their criminal acts against people and they should also keep in mind that the tyranny, oppression and suppression are bound to loose and it is the oppressed who always have last triumph.   

Srinagar: First ever spinal surgery was performed yesterday by the Orthopaedic Unit of District Hospital Anantnag. A 22 year old boy who had a history of fall from tree was admitted in the hospital, few days ago. X Ray/CT of the patient had shown L2 compression fracture. The team of doctors chalked out a treatment plan and procedure L1_L3 posterior instrumented stabilization was done. The patient is doing well post operatively. The operative team included Dr Younis Kamal, Dr Gulzar Kuchey (Orthopaedic Surgeons), Dr Firdous Posh (Anesthetist), Mr Farooq Ahmad, Mr Lateef Ahmad (Theatre Staff) under the logistic support of Hospital Administrator Dr Majid Mirab.

The Orthopaedic Unit of District Hospital Anantnag has been routinely performing various complex orthopaedic surgeries and have the credit to initiate various advanced orthopaedic surgeries in the past which include Hemi Arthoplasty, Minimaly Invasive Percutaneous Osteosynthesis (MIPO Technique),Fracture Trochnter of right side femur with DHS instrumentation. Orthopaedic Cases like Adult Cubitus Varus, CTEV (Congenital Talepies Equino Varus) Deformity etc. have also been operated upon. All these procedures are tertiary level which the doctors of the department have been rendering to the patients in District Hospital. During the current circumstances the orthopaedic unit along with surgical unit of District Hospital Anantnag performed 80 major trauma surgeries.

Director Health Services, Kashmir Dr Saleem ur Rehman has congratulated the operative team and hospital administration for this achievement and has stressed upon to continue the work with dedication so that needy patients are treated at their doorsteps for tertiary health care.

Srinagar: Congregational prayers were not offered at the historic central mosque in downtown Srinagar for the 17th week today.

All roads leading to Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta Srinagar were closed with barbed wire while Kashmir’s top cleric and Hurriyat (M) chairman was not allowed to move out of his Nigeen residence where he remains under house arrest.

A large number of forces personnel remained deployed outside the mosque and adjoining areas to stop any pedestrian movement.

Congregational Friday prayers haven’t been offered at the mosque since the July 8 killing of militant commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with forces.

Hurriyat (M) spokesman Advocate Shahid-ul-Islam condemned the government move, saying that it was a direct interference into the religious affairs of Muslims.

Srinagar: A school was partially damaged in fire in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district on Thursday evening.