Sunday, February 20, 2011

Farooq asks separatists to meet interlocutors

Srinagar: Farooq Abdullah, president of ruling National conference, Saturday expressed hope that the separatists would meet the three-member interlocutors appointed by the New Delhi for resolution of the Kashmir issue.
“We hope and pray that the separatists would meet the interlocutors and put their point of view before them so that they will present a detailed document for the resolution of Kashmir issue and put the same before parliament and people of India,” Farooq Abdullah told reporters after the party’s Central Working Committee in Jammu.
Farooq Abdullah, minister for new and renewable energy in Manohan Singh administration, also reiterated the National Conference was firm for its Autonomy demand.
He also ruled out division of the state as solution and all the three regions—Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh— were a single unit and “will remain so.”
He also set to rest all speculations about the change of guard in the state, underlining that the issue of chief ministership was settled once and for all at the start of the coalition between National Conference and the Congress.
Regarding the 31-mmber party meet, Farooq Abdullah said that it had discussion on ensuing panchayat elections, unemployment and the development in the state.
“The discussion during the meeting revolved round that how the party would go about the Panchayat polls, strengthening the coalition besides important issues like development and unemployment.”
He said that party has also convened a meeting of the party members to discuss ensuing Budget session of the legislative assembly on February 25.
The NC president said that government will press the government of India to approve financial plan of the state in-toto so that the development works don’t suffer in the state. Farooq also prayed that the Kashmir Valley would see a peaceful summer, said Press Bureau of India correspondent present on the occasion.

'Police ask Geelani not to leave New Delhi'

Srinagar: Authorities have asked the chairman of Hurriyat Conference (G), Syed Ali Shah Geelani, not to leave New Delhi, the spokesman of the conglomerate, Ayaz Akbar told Greater Kashmir on Sunday.
He said Geelani was scheduled to arrive in Srinagar on February 21 (Monday). “Delhi Police have handed over a written order to Geelnai Sahib saying that he cannot leave New Delhi,” Akbar added.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Baramulla girl tops class 12th exams

A girl hailing from Baramulla in North Kashmir has topped the class 12th regular examinations the results of which were declared by the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education early this morning.
Afshan Inayat, a student of Saint Joseph School, Baramulla, scored 97.6 per cent marks in the medical stream. She scored a total of 728 marks.
The second position was also bagged by a girl student Anjuman Geelani of the same school. Geelani scored a total of 726 also in the medical stream.
Arslan Reyaz studying student of Tyndale-Biscoe and Mallinson School, Lal Chowk bagged the third position. Arslan scored a total of 720 marks.

Fresh snowfall in Kashmir valley.

Srinagar: The high altitude areas of Kashmir Valley, including the famous hill resorts of Gulmarg and Pahalgam, experienced a fresh spell of snowfall, while the plains including Srinagar were lashed by rains today, coinciding with the start of the the last 10-day phase of winter known in local parlance as "Chillai Bacha".

"It is snowing heavily in the upper reaches including the famous ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir and Pahalgam in the south and so far two inches to over one feet of fresh snow had accumulated on the ground," official sources said.
They said Gulmarg, the major attraction for tourists visiting the Valley during winter, which had recorded nearly five feet of snow early this week, had received three inches of fresh snow till 1100 hrs, while its peripheral areas including Kangdoori, Aferwath and Khilanmarg experienced over one feet of snow.

The fresh snowfall had brought cheers on the faces of tourists who had arrived at the hill resort to enjoy skiing, the sources said adding that tourists were seen dancing and hurling snowballs on each other despite sub-zero temperature.

Gulmarg was the coldest place in the valley with a low of minus 7.8 degrees Celsius as compared to minus 10.2 degrees the previous night, a spokesman for the MET office said.

Pahalgam, which serves as the base camp for the annual Amarnath yatra, recorded four inches of snow this morning, the sources said adding the holy cave shrine of Amarnath and adjoining areas experienced over one feet of fresh snow.

The hill resort recorded a minimum of 0.6 degrees, the spokesman said.

He said Srinagar, which along with other plains, was lashed by light rains in the wee hours, recorded a low of 1.0 degrees celsius.

Kupwara town in Ladakh recorded 1.8 degrees, while the night temperature in Qazigund town of Anantnag district hovered around zero degrees.

Anantnag, Kulgam and Shopian district towns of south Kashmir also experienced light snowfall after brief rains, the sources said.

"Chillai Bacha", the final 10-day long phase of winter in Kashmir, commenced today and is considered less severe than the 40-day long harshest "Chillai Kalan" and 20-day long "Chillai Khurd".

Friday, February 18, 2011

GoI monitoring "misuse" of social networking websites in Kashmir


Srinagar: The government has no plans to ban social networking websites in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast, however, "it is closely monitoring the misuse anti-national elements and "will put a proper safeguard in place".
"We are aware some people are misusing these networks...we will put proper safeguards in place, take corrective action. But we are not for taking any hasty decision," said defence minister AK Antony on Thursday.
Antony's statement attains significance in the backdrop of some pro-freedom  groups already using Facebook and other sites Kashmir and also the way they were used to mobilize people against the Hosni Mubarak regime in Egypt.
Pertinently the  Army, has come out in the open to express concerned about social networking sites in the Kashmir Valley. "Facebook and other social networking sites are being used as a tool of propaganda against the Army and other security agencies by elements hell-bent on disturbing peace,"  15 Corps commander Lt-Gen S A Hasnain had told meadia recently.
Antony, on his part, said though there was "remarkable improvement" in the ground situation in J&K but "inimical forces across the border are trying 24x7" to push as many militants as possible into the state. "We have to be very vigilant," he said.

Shabir Shah arrested at Hazratbal

Srinagar: Senior Hurriyat Conference (M) leader and Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) chairman, Shabir Ahmad Shah was arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir police while he was coming out of the Hazratbal Shrine after participating in the Friday congregation.
Sources said, two people were also injured while police were arresting Shah as there was a commotion near the main gate of the Shrine.
However in a statement issued here, the police said, "Two persons suffered minor injuries at Hazratbal today when after the conclusion of Friday prayers, an iron gate they were passing through broke down. The injured were identified as Ghulam Ahmad Kambay resident of Wanihama, Alasteng and Ali Mohammad Sheikh resident of Saloora, Ganderbal."
Both the injured have been shifted to Bone and joint hospital, here.
According to a DFP insider, Shah was arrested by police outside the Hazratbal when he along with aides tried to address people, who had gathered at the Shrine on occasion of following Friday.

Indo-Pak armies exchange fire

Indian and Pakistani troops posted along line-of-control (LoC) Kashmir fired on each others positions, sources said on Friday.
The ceasefire violation took place Thursday evening along the LoC in Krishna Ghati area of the Poonch sector, around 255 km northwest of Jammu city
"Pakistani troops from a forward post fired several rockets and resorted to heavy machine gun firing on our posts in the Krishnaghati area. The firing started Thursday evening at 7:30 pm, and continued for several minutes. Our troops also fired in retaliation," said a senior army official.
However, he said there was no loss to life reported in the firing.

Clashes breakout in Baramulla.....

Clashes between youth and protesters broke out in this north Kashmir town on Friday, witnesses said.
They said scores of youth assembled at main Chowk Baramulla this afternoon and tried staging a pro-freedom demonstration. However, policemen swung into action and resorted to teargas shelling to disperse the protesters, who retaliated with stones, triggering clashes that were continuing when this report was filed.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Islamabad avalanche: Bad weather hits rescue operations

Fresh snowfall in Chattergul area of south Kashmir’s Islamabad district on Thursday forced the rescue team  to suspend the operation to recover the body of the third person who was buried under a snow avalanche last week.

Official sources told this correspondent that fresh snowfall forced the rescue team of Army’s 19 RR and police to suspend the operation on the tenth day to recover the body of Javed Ahmed Koka, son of Abdul Gani Koka, who was buried alive along with two other people, when a snow avalanche struck Thimran forest area on Tuesday last week. The operation, they said will be resumed with the improvement in the weather conditions.

“The rescue operation was suspended today due to bad weather. If weather conditions improve, the operation will be resumed tomorrow,” Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Islamabad, Ramesh Kumar Jalla said.

The rescue team, he said recovered the bodies of Ghulam Qadir Wani and Abdul Ahad Wani, sons of Abdul Salam Wani of Chattergul on Friday last week.

Pertinently, the trio had gone to Thimran forest area on Tuesday last week  to collect the firewood when an avalanche struck the area.

Soon after the incident, the locals and police launched a rescue operation in the area to retrieve the bodies. Later, Army joined the operations

Geelani rebuffs Singh, says all is not well in Kashmir

Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani Thursday termed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s statement that situation in Jammu and Kashmir is under control as a ‘white lie’, saying 'graveyard silence' enforced by government forces doesn’t mean Kashmiris have reconciled themselves to Indian rule.
“ Indian forces might have succeeded in enforcing the silence of a graveyard after killing 150 people and arresting, maiming thousands last year, but that doesn’t mean that everything is alright and the Kashmiri people have come to terms with the Indian occupation,” Geelani said, according to  a statement issued  by the amalgam.
Geelani also rebuffed Singh’s contention that an Egypt-style uprising was impossible in Kashmir because “India is a functioning democracy.”
“The statement is surprising because such uprisings have taken place for the last three consecutive years, as millions of Kashmiris came onto the streets and showed that they were not in favour of India. It’s another matter that India through its ten-lakh- strong military managed to temporarily muzzle the voice of Kashmiris,” Geelani said.
However, Geelani said India shouldn’t “be happy about the temporary lull in Kashmir because it’s only military force and oppression which has silenced Kashmiris temporarily.”
“The day India allows real democracy in Kashmir the whole world would see how Kashmiris would bring a revolution which would eclipse the Egyptian and other revolutions.”
Meanwhile, according to the statement, a delegation of the amalgam, comprising Zamrooda Habeeb, Altaf Shah, Ghulam Mohammad Khan Sopori and Imtiyaz Ahmad, visited Maloora area, where three siblings were killed recently in a shell explosion.
The delegation while expressing condolences with the bereaved family reiterated its demand to UNICEF and Human Rights Watch to take notice of the incident and bring to book the culprits.

Traffic to ply from Srinagar to Jammu tomorrow

The Senior Superintendent of Police Traffic—Rural, G M Wadoo, on Thursday said the Srinagar-Jammu highway would remain open for one-way traffic on Friday.
“If weather remains fair, vehicles will be allowed to ply from Srinagar to Jammu on Friday” the SSP said.

Shakeel Bakshi arrested

Srinagar: Police on Thursday arrested the chairman of Islamic Students’ League Shakeel Ahmad Bakshi from the party office at Ziyarat Chowk, Batamaloo, here, a spokesman of the League said in a statement.
He said Bakshi was taken to an unknown destination

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Don’t treat J-K youth as stone-pelters simply: Omar

Jammu; J-K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has termed as “unfortunate” the perception about Kashmiri youths as “gun wielding boys or stone pelters” and voiced confidence that complaints of discrimination will melt away once the state reaches the pinnacle of development.
“Whenever the youth of the Valley is referred at any stage, it is unfortunate that they are being identified as gun wielding boys or stone pelters,” Omar said while interacting with J&K scouts and guides at his residence last evening.
He said that “no doubt a section or a class exists which expresses its anger in abnormal manner but let the world identify a majority of our youth as icons of discipline and morality”.
He said instead of playing the blame-game, efforts to should be made to identify the reasons for the “anger”.
The Chief Minister said his government will ensure that schools and colleges do not suffer due to the frequent strike calls.
“I realise you people had to face more problems on account of education but now it shall be our determined efforts that not a single child or student loses even a second during the coming academic session,” the Chief Minister said.
“It is wish and desire of all to usher our state in arena of progress, self-sufficiency, prosperity and restoration of self confidence,” he said, adding whenever, there are impediments, “anger is a natural phenomena but proper guidance and discipline makes a person positive in presenting his case”.
Omar said all complaints about discrimination on account of development or economic disparities will melt away once the state reaches the pinnacle of development “which should be our collective goal”.
The government will ensure that everyone can earn their livelihood without any fear whether they are associated with agriculture, tourism, trade, industry and business, he said, adding that for achieving this goal everyone has to play a positive role.
Referring to Shah Faesal, the first Civil Services topper from Kashmir, the chief minister said his father was killed by militants and he faced economic hardships but still be could overcome all odds to achieve his goal.
He said our youths “should be obsessed with the idea to seeing the state progressing rather than remaining silent spectator to destruction and devastation”.
The Chief Minister said that the government will ensure that “now onwards the working of schools and educational institutions is not affected due to unnecessary closure calls”.
The Chief Minister said that Scouting is the pivotal and most effective instrument for strengthening human relationship and bridging the gap among people of various regions.
The Chief Minister said it can play special role in Jammu and Kashmir as people are “either being divided in the name of rural-city conflict or hostility is being created between regions and races”.
The Chief Commissioner of J&K Scouts and Guides, Farooq Renzu Shah, said that J&K Scouts is the oldest organisation of the state. (real kashmir)

Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi (SAW) celebrated with religious fervour

Srinagar, Feb 16: Thousands of devotees braved the chill on Wednesday to offer prayers at Hazratbal Shrine here to celebrate the birthday of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
Men, women and children converged at the shrine on the banks of the Dal Lake to have a glimpse of the Holy Relic after each namaz.
Thousands of people offered the congregational Zuhar prayers at Hazratbal to catch the glimpse of holy Relic. The Relic is displayed after every prayer on Milad-un-Nabi (SAW).  People including children and women held night-long prayers and recited Dorud-i-Sharief.
The Government had made elaborate arrangements to ensure the smooth flow of traffic. More than 1000 private and SRTC vehicles ferried devotees from different parts of the Valley to the shrine throughout the day.
Besides Hazratbal, congregational prayers were also offered at Asarisharif Kalashpora and Jenab Sahib Soura in the city.
Summer capital Srinagar has been presenting a festive look since the beginning of Rabi-ul-Awal as markets have been illuminated in Dargah and other parts of the city.
Meanwhile, Police dispersed the Milad procession taken out by the activists of Democratic Political Movement.
Scores of DPM activists led by Firdous Shah took out a procession from Aabi Guzar locality this morning. Raising pro-Islam slogans, the activists tried to march through the City Centre. However a contingent of police intercepted them and took four of them into custody.
In north Kashmir’s Baramulla town, thousands of people participated in Milad procession taken out by the Janbaz Academy and Jamiat-Ahl-Sunnath.
The procession started from the Shrine of Janbaz Wali (RA) Khanpora and culminated at Astan Aalia of old town.
Raising pro-Islam slogans and reciting Doorud-i-Sharief the processionists marched through the town.
This was first time in past 20 years that such massive number of people participated in the procession.
Milad processions were also taken out in south Kashmir.
Thousands of people participated in the procession taken out in Islamabad town. Reports of Milad processions are also pouring in from other districts.
The congregational prayers were also held at Pinjoora Shopian, Khiram Sirhama, Islamabad (Anantnag), Seer Hamdan and Kaba Marg Qaimoh, where religious scholars threw light on the life and teachings of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).