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Clashes toll mounts to 3 on third day of curfew
No relaxation in curfew for now
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Media restrictions may continue till Friday
Srinagar, February 11 The Kashmir valley remained cut off from all major sources of communication, newspapers, TV news channels and the Internet, for the third consecutive day today. The newspapers did not hit the stands since Sunday while people were barred access to TV news channels and the Internet since Saturday.
Afzal’s kin to move SC for seeking body
It was a tough call, says post official
Plebiscite Front best option to settle K-issue: Kamaal
PDP president condemns youths’ killings
EC issues notification for elections to 8 MLC seats
Progress of programmes under NHRM reviewed
Malik-Hafiz meeting evokes sharp reactions
Omar a security risk, says NPP
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Clashes toll mounts to 3 on third day of curfew
Srinagar, February 11 There has been no relaxation in the restrictions and the police and the CRPF have been keeping a strict vigil on the movement of people. The government offices and banks remained closed today. A youth, Ubaid Ahmad Rather, who was among two persons critically injured in the Wattergam area of Baramulla district yesterday, succumbed to his injuries in the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) here this morning. The condition of another youth, Sajad Zahoor, who was also admitted to SKIMS, continued to be critical. They were among five injured in the police firing in Wattergam on Sunday. Three others were shifted to the District Hospital at Baramulla. One of them was later discharged. The police said the body of one Zameer Ahmad Dar, who had drowned with one Tariq Ahmad Bhat in the Jhelum near Sumbal of Bandipore district, was fished out from the river today. The boat ferrying them and five others had capsized yesterday. The other persons travelling in the boat were rescued. While local residents alleged that the incident had occured when the group of “protesters” were being chased away by security personnel, the police denied any role in the incident. Meanwhile, Kashmir Divisional Commissioner Asgar Hassan Samoon today announced Rs 1 lakh each in favour of the next of kin to the persons who died due to drowning. An amount of Rs 1 lakh was also sanctioned in favour of the kin to the person who died in Watergam village of Rafiabad in Baramulla district. The Deputy Commissioners and SSPs concerned have been directed to lodge FIRs and conduct magisterial enquiry into the death cases immediately. The Divisional Commissioner visited SKIMS hospital and met six patients who got injured at different places in the Valley during recent clashes. He provided Red Cross relief of Rs 10,000 to the injured. Meanwhile, in separate incidents of stone throwing today, two policemen
were injured. 15 BSF, 10 CRPF units rushed to Valley
Jammu, February 11 While the 15 companies of the BSF have been rushed to Kashmir from Jammu, the 10 CRPF companies, including one company of women personnel, have been sent from New Delhi in a special train. |
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No relaxation in curfew for now
Srinagar, February 11 Additional Commissioner, district administration, Rukhsana Ganai said no relaxation in curfew was possible as of now. “We don’t have any orders of relaxing the curfew in any part of Srinagar. However, we will ensure that the movement of people in emergency cases is possible,” he said. Residents of Safa Kadal and Eidgah localities, places where Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has a stronghold, alleged that security forces had shut down the power supply to their areas on Saturday night by switching off the ‘mohalla’ transformers. People from Nawa Bazar, Zaina Kadal, Chota Bazar, Rainawari and Fateh Kadal complained that not even a single shop was allowed to be opened for past three days, which had led to scarcity of essential supplies. “There is no milk for toddlers, no vegetables, no rice to cook at home. We aren’t even allowed to step out. Last night, I dared to step outside to find some milk for my one-year-old daughter, but security personnel sent me back. It is so frustrating,” Ghulam Muhammad, a resident of Chota Bazar, Habba Kadal, said. Due to unavailability of milk, a majority of people are having ‘kahwa’ (black tea). “There should at least be a few hours of relaxation in curfew so that people are able to go out and buy essential commodities. How are our families going to survive this way?” questions Waheed Beigh, a resident of Hawal, Srinagar. Although the district administration on Sunday said the movement of medical staff and ambulances would be allowed in the Valley, reports of patients not being allowed to reach hospitals by security personnel and the police have been pouring in. “My mother is a hypertension patient and was complaining of chest pain. I wanted to take her to the SMHS Hospital in Karan Nagar, which is hardly 2 km from my home, but I wasn’t allowed to. I contacted some doctors over phone and somehow managed to get medicines for her,” Abdul Rashid, a resident of Zaina Kadal, said. Official sources said there was no likelihood of relaxation in the curfew, especially in sensitive areas such as old Srinagar city. “Any relaxation in curfew in these areas will prove detrimental. In the 2008 Amarnath protests and the 2010 summer unrest, it was downtown Srinagar which was the epicentre of all protests. Therefore, the authorities are not going to take any chance by relaxing the restrictions,” an administrative official wishing anonymity said. Kashmir Divisional Commissioner Asgar Samoon later in the day directed the Consumer Affairs and Price Distribution (CAPD) director, Kashmir, as well as the health authorities to ensure the availability of milk, vegetables and medicines and to keep three Red Cross ambulances ready for emergency situations. Meanwhile, people in other districts of north, south and central Kashmir, including Pulwama, Shopian, Anantnag, Kulgam, Ganderbal, Baramulla, Sopore and Bandipora, reeled under shortage of essential commodities. |
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Media restrictions may continue till Friday
Srinagar, February 11 Local journalists, however, continued to perform their duty, with only the online versions of the newspapers being updated. Work in most of the local newspaper offices at Press Enclave in Srinagar was halted due to electricity and Internet shutdown for hours together. Greater Kashmir, the widely circulated daily newspaper of the Valley, posted on its website that the media gag was likely to continue till Friday, with no newspaper being allowed to publish. All attempts of the local editors, journalists and publishers at bringing out their print editions were thwarted by the police. The police seized copies of newspapers from hawkers on Sunday morning. Subscribers of the BSNL Broadband had access to the Internet till Sunday. The mobile internet has already been banned in the Valley since Saturday. The website of Kashmir Reader, another local newspaper, could not be updated due to Internet breakdown. Sources said the state government had issued the directive of the media gag on communication channels to put down any flare in violence as the situation was precarious. During the unrest in the Valley in 2008 and 2010, the local newspapers were stopped from being published by the state government. People in the Valley have resented the media gag, terming it a failure of democracy and curb on the freedom of press. “Can you imagine people being barred from watching TV, reading newspapers and accessing the Internet in the 21th century. There is an uneasy calm in every household. The government should find an alternate way and not restrict the voices of people,” a local journalist wishing not to be named said. Meanwhile, some netizens have been accessing the social networking websites through proxy websites on their cellphones. “Apparently one can dial *325# to browse Facebook in Kashmir and avoid login failure. Pass on the message,” read an update of a Facebook user. Additional Commissioner, district administration, Srinagar, Rukhsana Ganai refused to comment over the media clampdown. |
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2 days after Afzal’s execution, family gets letter from Tihar
Jageer (Sopore), February 11 The letter appears to have been posted from New Delhi by the Tihar Jail authorities on February 8, just a day before the actual hanging took place. “The speed post letter was delivered to us today by the branch post officer (BPO). It had a marking of February 11 printed on the envelope,” said Yaseen Guru, a cousin of Afzal. He said the letter dated February 6, 2013, had signatures that were apparently of the Superintendent of Jail Number 3 of Tihar, where Afzal was kept for the last 12 years. “The BPO came with the letter and the envelope had no stamp of the local post office,” said Yaseen while showing both the letter and the envelope. “We then asked the post official concerned to get it stamped with a proper receipt. He went back after a while, this time showing us the markings of the seal from Post Office Sopore on the envelope and the receipt date of February 11,” said Afzal’s elder brother Ajaz Guru while describing the sequence of events. Yaseen said the letter had not served the “purpose” for which it was originally meant. “It is a joke. The letter to us seems incredible and unbelievable,” Yaseen said, adding that the letter had no official stamp of the Jail Superintendent who signed it. Following criticism over the secret hanging of the Parliament attack convict and not informing his family, the Central Government had said that “the family of Afzal has been informed about his hanging by the Tihar authorities through speed post and the J&K Government was taken into confidence before the execution”. "They (Tihar jail authorities) intimated the family through speed post, registered post and the DG (Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police) has been told to check with the family whether they got it or not,” Union Home Secretary R K Singh had told reporters in New Delhi on February 9, just hours after the execution of Afzal. Afzal’s family in Jageer village of Sopore, however, maintains that they were not informed by the authorities about his hanging. |
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Afzal’s kin to move SC for seeking body
Jageer (Sopore), February 11 “Afzal is not like Ajmal Kasab, who had nobody to claim his mortal remains. We as a family will fight and will leave no stone unturned to get back Afzal’s body from Tihar Jail for burial in Kashmir,” said Afzal’s elder brother Ajaz Guru. He revealed that the family was already in touch with two New Delhi-based Supreme Court lawyers and had authorised them to prepare the petition for seeking the body and other belongings of Afzal. “It is only a matter of time before we file the application before the Supreme Court. Our lawyers informed us today that they are already in the process of preparing the application,” said Afzal’s cousin Yaseen Guru. The family has already approached the state government through the District Magistrate, Baramulla, for initiating the process of getting back Afzal’s body from Tihar. |
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It was a tough call, says post official
Jageer (Sopore), February 11 “I was told that the speed post letter was from the Tihar Jail authorities and was meant to inform Afzal’s family about his execution. It was the toughest assignment to do but someone had to do it,” said Mohiuddin, who hails from Doabgah village. At around 8 am on Monday, Mohiuddin was picked up by a team of five officers of the Postal Department from his house and they headed to Afzal’s village Jageer, which has been sealed since Saturday morning. “Our team stationed itself at a nearby Army camp and I was asked to deliver the letter to the family. I was trembling and was perturbed as I knew Afzal’s family would be hostile after seeing the letter. However, I gathered courage and reached the spot,”
he said. “I went straight inside the room where the family was receiving condolences. A member from the family recognised me and around 8.30 am, I handed over the letter to them,” said Mohiuddin. “The family raised an objection that there was no stamp of the Sopore post office on the envelope. They asked me to get it done before accepting it. I left the house and met the officers who were waiting at the Army camp. We all rushed to the Sopore post office and did the needful,” he said. He said he then returned to Afzal’s house, where tempers were running high. “This time, I was very nervous but the family received the letter and its receipt was duly acknowledged by Afzal’s wife Tabassum,” said Mohiuddin. “I left, but it was the toughest thing to handover the letter,” he said. Chief Postmaster General, J&K circle, John Samuels said the speed post containing the letter regarding Afzal’s execution was received by them on February 9, the day when he was hanged. “The speed post was booked on February 8 and it was received on Saturday afternoon at the General Post Office, Srinagar. The letter was delivered by a special team this morning,” he said. |
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Plebiscite Front best option to settle K-issue: Kamaal
Jammu, February 11 The Plebiscite Front was formed in 1955 after the arrest of then Prime Minister and Omar’s grandfather Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah (founder of National Conference in 1938) in August 1953. It was disbanded in 1975 after the Sheikh-Indira accord that set the stage for Sheikh Abdullah's return to power as Chief Minister. Plebiscite offers the choice to the people of the two parts of this Himalayan state to choose between India and Pakistan as their country. “This is the best option available with us if Delhi continues to push us to the wall,” declared National Conference’s additional general secretary Sheikh Mustafa Kamaal while talking to The Tribune. He was speaking against the backdrop of the execution of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru on Saturday. Kamaal was as agitated over the way the execution of Afzal Guru took place as was the visible anger of his nephew Omar on the TV screens yesterday. Regarding plebiscite — something that the party’s general secretary Sheikh Nazir had talked about some weeks ago — Kamaal said: “This is the commitment of the two countries - India and Pakistan - and the United Nations to the people of the state.” “There already is an undercurrent on the issue within the party and a large section of the people in the state.” Kamaal, echoing the Chief Minister about the “selective execution” and failure of the Centre to make arrangements for the family of Afzal Guru to see him one last time, said that “as far as we are concerned the solution of Kashmir will come neither through India nor Pakistan but by the historical background of the issue, and that is plebiscite.” The National Conference leader, who was twice a minister in his brother Farooq Abdullah’s government from 1987 to 1990 and 1996 to 2002, did not forget to lash out at the Congress. “The Congress policy has been to embrace and stab in the back”. “If anything goes wrong, the people of Jammu and Kashmir will suffer, but Congress too would lose. It is on shaky legs in the country. It will suffer more than the people of Kashmir.” |
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JKLF holds protests on death anniversary of its founder
Srinagar, February 11 Eyewitnesses said demonstrations remained confined to the interior of the areas due to the imposition of curfew in the Valley. After the eruption of militancy, most parts of the Valley observe a shutdown on Bhat’s death anniversary. Bhat was hanged on February 11, 1984, at Tihar Jail on charges of murder. The JKLF spokesman said protesters were demanding the return of Bhat’s mortal remains and the body of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, who was executed recently. He said functions were also held outside the country to mark Bhat’s death anniversary. “Functions in connection with Maqbool Day were also held in the USA, the UK, UAE, Europe, Holland, Canada, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan,” the JKLF spokesman said. He said JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik addressed a rally in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir today. |
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PDP president condemns youths’ killings
Mehbooba said Ubair Ahmed Rather of Wattergam and Tariq Ahmed and Zameer Ahmed of Batwena, Ganderbal, who were allegedly killed by security personnel, were the victims of an insecure government that knows no means of dealing with people other than using brute force. She said it was futile to expect any fair play from this government as it owed an explanation for its crimes ever since it came into power, 2010 being only the worse. “All those cases are awaiting closure in spite of announcements of probes and promises of punishing the perpetrators. Killing of young men has become a USP of this government,” she said. Mehbooba claimed that the young men in Ganderbal preferred to jump to their death rather than face a trigger-happy force. “It is tragic that such incidents are taking place repeatedly and nobody is taking note of them,” she said. |
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EC issues notification for elections to 8 MLC seats
Jammu, February 11 According to the notification issued by Legislative Assembly secretary Mohammad Ramzan, who is the returning officer for the biennial election, the election is to be held for four seats from Kashmir and four seats from Jammu province, including one seat from Doda district on March 7. It stated that each candidate applying for a seat should belong to the respective province while for the reserved seat of Doda, the candidate should be a resident of the district. The notification stated that the last date for filling the nomination papers would be February 18 from 11 am to 3 pm, while nomination papers would be taken up for scrutiny at 11 am on February 19. “Notice of withdrawal of candidature may be delivered by a candidate, his authorised agent or election agent to either the returning officer or the assistant returning officer on February 21,” it stated. Official sources said as many as 89 MLAs, including two nominated members, were eligible to cast three separate votes (one each for Kashmir, Jammu and Doda district). “The MLAs will be given separate ballot papers for casting their votes to elect four MLCs for Kashmir divisions, three MLCs for Jammu division and one MLC for a seat reserved for Doda district,” a source said, adding that out of 24 MLCs elected by the MLAs, 12 seats each were reserved for Jammu and Kashmir divisions. “In Jammu division, one seat each is reserved for Doda and Poonch districts. Similarly, two seats are reserved in Kashmir division. The total strength of the Legislative Council is 36. Apart from 24 MLCs elected by the MLAs, the government has nominated eight for a period of six years. Four MLCs were elected by panchayat members (two each from Jammu and Kashmir divisions) last year while remaining two members were elected through the urban local bodies (ULBs), one each in Jammu and Kashmir divisions. Out of 24 members elected by the MLAs, one-third of them retire after every two years,” he said. The eight MLCs who are retiring on March 16, including Mohammad Yusuf Taing (National Conference), Nizam-ud-Din Khatana (Peoples Democratic Party), Mohammad Amin Bhat and Ali Mohammad Bhat (Congress), had been elected against four seats of Kashmir division, while Devender Singh Rana (NC), RS Chib (Congress) and Murtaza Khan (PDP) were elected from three seats of Jammu division. Naresh Gupta of the Congress had been elected from the Doda seat. The present strength of the Legislative Assembly is 87. Besides, two nominated women MLAs also have the right to vote for MLC elections, taking the total strength of the electoral college to 89. The NC has 28 MLAs and the Congress has 17 MLAs. As two nominated women MLAs also vote for the coalition, the coalition would have 47 votes in its kitty. There are 21 MLAs of the PDP, seven BJP rebels, four MLAs of the BJP and three of the Panthers Party. There is also one MLA each of the DNP, CPM and the JSM in the House, besides four Independent MLAs. |
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Progress of programmes under NHRM reviewed
Jammu, February 11 The district programme managers from all 10 districts of the Jammu region briefed the NHRM director about the works being carried under the national flagship schemes in their respective districts. Dr Sharma sought crucial information from the programme managers and directed them to collect necessary information from their subordinates in a time-bound manner. He asked them to collect detailed information for the forthcoming Assembly session. “Get the information on the basis of the constituency, district and block level and submit it after proper verification. Also, provide detailed reports of district monitoring committees on the standard format,” he said. He also directed the district accounts managers to visit all block headquarters to scrutinise the accounts maintained at the block level with focus on the expenditure on account of the Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakaram (JSSK) and Janani Surakhsha Yojana (JSY). “There will be zero tolerance on account of the non-maintenance of the proper accounts at any level, including the State Health Society,” he said. He directed the officials concerned to submit the physical and financial progress of the districts in connection with the implementation of the programmes by the fifth of every month. He also directed the district programme managers to extensively tour their districts and come prepared with their tour reports in the next meeting. |
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Malik-Hafiz meeting evokes sharp reactions
— Harsh Dev Singh, Panthers Party chairman
— Dr Jitendra Singh, BJP spokesperson
— MM Khajooria, former DGP
— Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami, CPM MLA
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Omar a security risk, says NPP
Jammu, February 11 At a meeting of its core group at the NPP headquarters here today, the party accused Omar of making “irresponsible, provocative and unbalanced” statements on highly sensitive issues. The party said it did not conform to the discipline of the office of a Chief Minister. Omar had expressed his angst over Afzal’s hanging. The party also demanded free and fair Assembly polls. — TNS
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Srinagar, February 11
JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik and Jamat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed have been photographed sharing a platform at a rally protesting Afzal Guru’s execution, in Islamabad, Pakistan. Their meeting has evoked a sharp reaction from various political parties and prominent people of the state. However, leaders of the National Conference, Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party refused to comment on the issue.
It indicates that they are well connected with each other and there can be no big evidence than this photograph. But, he (Yasin) is still being pampered and given high security rather than being convicted for his crimes against humanity. I wonder what the governments are doing. What more could be ironical than this man sitting next to the enemy of the country
It is a unique incident in the entire world that the state itself provides visa on their doorsteps and facilitates the overseas travel of known perpetrators of anti-India terror and secessionism. And, that they can travel across the border and hatch a conspiracy with the likes of Hafiz Saeed to wage a war against India 
The photograph shows that Yasin Malik and his outfit are reverting to old politics of aligning with fundamentalists and the ISI. It should be a cause for concern for the government and also a concern for the developing situation. It shows that they are joining hands to create more trouble for India 
It must not be attached so much importance. He (Yasin) is married to a Pakistani woman and he went there to observe death anniversary of Maqbool Bhat. I don’t see anything significant in it unless you know the facts. But, I do agree that Hafiz is the most wanted terrorist by the Union Government