Jammu Srinagar

USA ‘hindrance’ to Indo-Pak ties
JAMMU, May 12 -- Mr Maharaj Krishan Rasgotra, former Foreign Secretary of India, yesterday said relations between India and Pakistan could have been more cordial but unfortunately the two countries had become hostages to the designs and ambitions of the USA and China.

J & K regularises promotions
JAMMU, May 12 — The Jammu and Kashmir government has regularised the promotions of incharge lecturers in various disciplines (both male and female).

Gujjars from Georgia: seminar
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, May 12 — The first ever three-day national seminar on "Ethno-Cultural Heritage of Gujjars of Jammu and Kashmir" concluded here on Monday.

The seminar, which was organised by the Himalayan Research and Cultural Foundation, New Delhi in collaboration with Begum Akbar Jehan Foundation and Research Library of the Gujjar Dosh Charitable Trust, Jammu and Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, Bhopal. Detailed anthropological research papers were read by noted historians and experts with special reference to the Gujjars in various parts of the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Topics divided in five sessions including history and race movements of Gujjars, spatial setting and seasonal movements, ethnicity, language and culture, socio-economic development, problems and prospects and the contribution of Gujjars to the society.

Experts from across the country lauded contribution of Gujjars in various fields in the state. They recommended multi-dimensional emancipation of the community and were of the view that though the government was generous in planning all-round development of Gujjars more efforts were needed for raising socio-economic standards of Gujjars. They required more facilities for education.

Dr R.P. Khatana, an expert on Trans-human economic systems in Himalayas particularly on Gujjars of J&K, said that the Gujjars had come from Georgia in Central Asia which, till now, was a part of Soviet Union. He showed a map depicting the migration route of the Gujjars starting from Georgia up to Himalayas. "As migration is an international phenomenon, these Gujjars would have lived here and there later migrating to the areas of north-west India," said Prof Khatana adding that wherever the Gujjars went, they gave the place their own name. Georgia in Central Asia has places like Gurjarni, Gujari Pil, Gujreti etc, Iran has Jurja, Jurjar, Gurjur and Jusur (Jur) is an Arabic name for Gurj), Samarqand has Chapak Gujar, and Chusak Gujar, places like Gujar-i-Pam, Gujar-i-Dam, Gurjistan and Gujar-i-Hisar are found in Afghanistan whereas a stream by the name Gujari flows in Balauchistan. In Pakistan also Gujarat, Gujar Khan, Gujaranwala etc have been named after Gujjars only.

Similar views were also expressed by Prof Devender Kaushik, Chairman, Maulana Asad Institute of Asian Studies, Calcutta who also focused the origin of Gujjars in the area between Black Sea and Caspian sea in east Caucasus mountains in the north and Pontic ranges in the South. In this regard also, he stressed for an inter-disciplinary and indepth study at national and international level with the help of these countries. So to study the rich culture of these nomads, Prof R.R. Sharma, Vice-Chancellor of Jammu University also suggested that the scholars, anthropologists and historians of the countries like Georgia, Iran, Pakistan, India etc. should come forward and should study this connection through anthropological, archaeological and historical evidences.

Mr Mohammad Yusuf Taing, MLC and Cultural activists, in his address, disclosed that the state of Jammu and Kashmir was a key to conduct a constructive research on Gujjars. The very first dictionary of Gujri language was composed in the J&K state, he said adding that the ancient history of the state tells that Nagas dynasty in Kashmir resembled Gujjars in appearance and cultural heritage even the idols in Mathura and U.P. when deeply studied, suggest that the costumes, ornaments, head-gears and footwears resembled the costumes and ornaments used by Gujjars of the state, he said adding that Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah had championed the cause of the community in the state. The constitution of the Gujjar Board, construction of Gujjar, Hostels, starting of Gujri magazine Sheeraza and many more Gujjar developmental programmes were initiated by him only.

Four of a family shot in Kupwara
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, May 12 — Four members of a family, including two women and a minor, were killed and another injured by unidentified gunmen in Kupwara last night, while four others were killed and two injured in separate militancy related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir since yesterday.

Those killed have been identified as Mohammad Amin Shah, a Lecturer at the Government Degree College, Kupwara, his wife, Mrs Shariefa, their one-year-old daughter, Sanobar and Shah's sister-in-law, Mrs Zarifa, wife of Allauddin. Another woman, Mrs Syeda, widow of Khazir Mohammad of Drogmulla village near Kupwara, a guest of the family was injured in the shootout last night.

Mr Manmohan Singh, SP, Kupwara told TNS on telephone that militants intruded into the house of Mohammad Amin Shah in Dedkote village between 1.30 and 2 a m last night. They fired indiscriminately on the inmates killing four of them on the spot. One more woman was injured in the shootout in the Dedkote village, 4 km from Kupwara town. The injured woman has been admitted to the hospital.

The motive behind the killings was yet to be ascertained. Tension had gripped the area following the killings. The incident follows the killing of at least nine members of a family and another person in Krishipora Nagri village near Kupwara about two weeks back.

The police today recovered two bodies of Mangta Mir and his son, Ghulam Hassan Mir at Trombnar in Kupwara district. They were missing since April 1 last. The two are suspected to have been killed by militants. The two bodies were chopped in many pieces, by the militants.

Militants shot dead Abdul Rashid Thokur at his house in Kudhamam, Dooru in Anantnag district of south Kashmir. The police said militants intruded into his house last evening and shot him dead.

One militant of Hizbul Mujahideen, identified as Abdul Wahid Sheikh was killed in an encounter with the security forces at Thathri in Doda district last evening. Two women were injured in the cross-firing between the militants and the security forces, the police said here today.

According to a PTI report, eight top militants of the banned Harkat-ul-Ansar outfit were arrested from their hide-outs and a big cache of arms and ammunition was seized in Kashmir valley, a BSF spokesman said here today.

One of the top captured militants, identified as Muddasir Ahmed Mir, was the brain-behind the recent drive of the militant outfit to impose restriction on women to adhere to the Islamic code of conduct. Mir was also involved in attacks on cable network operators in downtown Srinagar.

On a tip-off, BSF jawans captured a militant from Ontabhavan area of Soura last night. His interrogation led to capture of seven more militants from their hide-outs in Buchpora locality of Soura and seizure of a large quantity of arms and ammunition.

Terming the arrest of top militants as a "prize catch" he said they were active in the area for the last several years and were wanted in connection with a number of incidents in Srinagar.

With the arrest of the eight top militants, the "back-bone" of Harkat has been broken in Srinagar, he said.

USA ‘hindrance’ to Indo-Pak ties
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, May 12 -- Mr Maharaj Krishan Rasgotra, former Foreign Secretary of India, yesterday said relations between India and Pakistan could have been more cordial but unfortunately the two countries had become hostages to the designs and ambitions of the USA and China.

Mr Rasgotra, who was delivering the Brigadier Rajinder Singh Memorial Lecture on "India-Pakistan relations" organised by the Department of History, University of Jammu, here, said Indo-Pakistan relations were hostage to the equations between the USA and China as both countries pursued the policy of strengthening Pakistan against India.

Mr Rasgotra opined that Partition and certain inherent inadequacies continued to weigh upon Pakistani minds. Pakistan, he said, was suffering from many complexes.

The former Foreign Secretary said if India and Pakistan try to come close, the USA and China will intervene to keep the two apart.

Mr Rasgotra lauded nuclear explosions by the two countries. "If a country has a nuclear capability, it is better to surface the reality than to hide it," he said adding that the Prime Minister's bus journey to Lahore will play a great role in bringing India and Pakistan closer.

J & K regularises promotions
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, May 12 — The Jammu and Kashmir government has regularised the promotions of incharge lecturers in various disciplines (both male and female). The regularisation of promotions of the remaining incharge officers in the Education Department and headmasters will be done soon.

Stating this, Minister for School Education, Mr M.S. Tariq said the orders for the regularisation of promotions of incharge lecturers in the disciplines of Geology, Geography, Punjabi, Kashmiri, Dogri and Psychology had been issued. This was in addition to the regularisation of promotions of 272 principals and 389 Zonal Education Officers, whose promotions were regularised by the government recently.

The minister said he had directed the officers in the Education Department to expedite the regularisation of promotion of the remaining incharge officers and headmasters.