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Congress out to woo West Pak refugees
Kashmir’s economy ‘lost Rs 4,500 cr’
in the aftermath of Afzal’s execution
March the deadliest month in recent years for security forces
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J-K takes lead in setting up toll-free rural helpline
We feel cheated in the name of rehabilitation, says Liyaqat’s wife
Omar-led govt
stifling voice of people: Mufti
on the frontline
Now, J-K residents can get passport through tatkal
Panchayat members begin fast over empowerment
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Congress out to woo West Pak refugees
Jammu, March 24 West Pakistani refugees have been demanding the basic fundamental and constitutional rights, including (state) citizenship, since 1947. The Congress had recently organised a number of meetings in areas dominated by the refugees in the Jammu region to give an impression that the party leadership was “very serious” about solving their problems. “We are unwanted Indians in Jammu and Kashmir,” said Labha Ram Gandhi, chairman of the West Pakistani Refugees Action Committee (WPRAC). “As we have the right to cast vote only in the Lok Sabha elections, the Congress leadership is trying to woo our community,” he said while asserting that this time, however, they would not allow political parties to befool them. “Except promises, nothing concrete has been done for us since 1947. Instead of taking any effective steps to grant citizenship to refugees, political parties are just trying to befool us,” Gandhi said, adding that this time they would give a befitting reply to those opposing their demands. West Pakistani refugees have for long demanded state citizenship but there hasn’t been any consensus among political parties on the issue. The ruling National Conference has strongly opposed citizenship to these refugees and the stand of main opposition party PDP has not been clear. The Congress, BJP and Panthers Party are openly supporting citizenship for refugees. Gandhi said that at this juncture the Congress was in a position to settle the issue. “The Congress is heading government at Centre and the party is a partner in the state government. So, it is high time Congress leaders took a tough stand,” he said. Since these refugees have the right to cast vote in the Lok Sabha elections, neither the Congress nor the BJP can afford to ignore them. In the Jammu-Poonch Lok Sabha segment, these refugees have more than 1.5 lakh voters. Two months back, two Congress ministers had addressed a rally of West Pakistani refugees in which they had promised that the citizenship right would be granted to them but nothing has been done so far till date. In view of the coming Lok Sabha elections, the Congress has been especially targeting West Pakistani refugees and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) to strengthen its base. As far as the OBCs are concerned, J&K Pradesh Congress Committee chief Saifuddin Soz has promised that their reservation would be enhanced. Unlike other parts of the country, OBCs in Jammu and Kashmir are getting only 2 per cent reservation and they have been demanding 27 per cent reservation as per recommendation of Mandal Commission report. State citizenship demanded
‘We are unwanted Indians’ We are unwanted Indians in Jammu and Kashmir. As we have the right to cast vote only in the Lok Sabha elections, the Congress leadership is trying to woo us — Labha Ram Gandhi, chairman of the West Pakistani Refugees Action Committee
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Kashmir’s economy ‘lost Rs 4,500 cr’
in the aftermath of Afzal’s execution
Srinagar, March 24 “Just when 2013 was expected to be another year of calm and people were expecting comparatively more business, hopes of people were shattered because of the execution of Afzal. According to our estimation, there has been a loss of more than Rs 4,500 crore and we continue to suffer losses,” chief spokesman of the Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA), an amalgam of various traders and hoteliers body, Siraj Ahmad told the media here today. As the Valley has been facing frequent shutdowns and curfew since the execution of Afzal on February 9 last month, the KEA said the situation may have a bearing on the economy, including the tourism sector, in the future as well. “This loss can get amplified in the tourism sector due to its fragile and sensitive nature and is likely to affect the season ahead,” Siraj said. KEA chairman Mohammad Yasin Khan said they were also concerned over the non-utilisation of funds due to the fragile situation. “The development works have also been tremendously affected due to the fact that the period of February and March is the peak time after the winter months, when most of the funds are utilised owing to the ending of the financial year on March 31. This (fragile situation) could result in diversion of unutilised funds to other regions of the state,” he said. Khan flayed the state government for being “incapable” of taking decisions on its own while urging it to take a cue from the DMK as it had withdrawn support to the UPA government. “The leaders are only doing drama in the state Assembly…. We feel that the time has come for regional parties to end its marriage of convenience with the Congress. We also strongly urge legislators belonging to regional parties of the state to resign forthwith from the seat of Assembly to respect their own conscience and commitments,” he added. Meanwhile, Siraj questioned the Centre over the headway made during the last two years over the resolution of Kashmir. Asserting that a resolution would ensure peace and not result in losses to the Valley’s economy, he said: “Parliamentary and other delegations, including interlocutors, only come to talk to us when there is a crisis… the last two years were calm but New Delhi took no steps towards resolving the Kashmir issue.” |
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March the deadliest month in recent years for security forces
Srinagar, March 24 Though, senior security officers maintain that the situation is not alarming, the rise in deadly attacks has broken the lull which had given an impression that militants in the region had lost the capacity to carry out surprise assaults on police and paramilitary personnel. Eight security personnel have been killed and nine more have been injured in four militant attacks this month so far. The region was also hit by protests, shutdowns and curfew in the aftermath of Parliament attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guru’s hanging on February 9 in New Delhi’s Tihar Jail. The first attack was carried out on March 2 in which two policemen were shot dead during daytime in a market in north Kashmir’s Handwara town. On March 13, five CRPF personnel were killed and six others injured when two fidayeen militants launched an attack on them on the outskirts of Srinagar. A BSF constable was killed and two others injured when militants carried out an early morning ambush on their vehicle near Nowgam on the city outskirts on March 21. In the latest attack, fourth in the series, a policeman was injured and a civilian killed when militants fired on policemen at a market in north Kashmir’s Sopore town today afternoon. There had been a decrease in militant attacks in recent years. According to a website, which tracks the security scenario in South Asia and maintains a database of violent incidents, March is the deadliest month since August 2010. According to satp.com, nine security personnel were killed in August 2010. Since then, every month the number has been lower than the toll already reached this March. The last single biggest attack was carried out by fidayeen militants in July 2008, in which a roadside bomb targeted an Army vehicle on the city outskirts, killing 10 soldiers. A retired Army commander, while talking to The Tribune, said the rise in militant attacks was “alarming” and a passing event. “It is a normal thing that they (militants) have to show their presence. That way it is normal. But the pattern in which the six security personnel were killed is definitely alarming,” said Lt Gen BS Jaswal (retd), who was the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Army’s Northern Command from October 2009 to December 2010. The former Army commander said the return of the fidayeen attack was a “bit of a worry”. DGP Ashok Prasad has denied the situation was alarming. “While a threat is posed by militancy-related activities, the situation is not at all alarming,” the DGP told mediapersons last week, hours after the militants ambush killed the BSF constable in the city here. General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Srinagar-based 15 Corps Lt Gen Om Prakash says it is premature to jump to conclusions from these renewed attacks. “By four attacks in one month, we cannot conclude whether militancy has increased or decreased. These things keep on happening from time to time. We have to be ready for such events,” the GOC told mediapersons on the side lines of a sports event on Friday. |
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J-K takes lead in setting up toll-free rural helpline
Srinagar, March 24 “The grievance redress cell was set up in the state two weeks ago and we have started receiving complaints. The cell will receive complaints regarding implementation of schemes of the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department,” Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Ali Mohammad Sagar told The Tribune. Sagar said people could even register their complaint against any official on the toll-free number. In the past two weeks, the government said over 100 people had registered their complaints through the toll-free number. The cell, officials said, was being looked after by a senior officer and the status of any complaint was being directly monitored by the minister on a day to day basis. “For the time being, the cell will be functional during the office hours only and the complainant will be provided the status of his or her complaints also,” said Commissioner Secretary, Rural Development, Farooq Ahmad Peer. “The aim is to bring more transparency in the works that are being done by the department,” said Peer. “We are the first state in the country to start the toll-free rural helpline,” he said, adding that the person who registers a complaint will be given a number for future reference. “The grievances will be forwarded to officials concerned for redress within a reasonable time frame,” he said. The Rural Development Development is involved in the implementation of various Centrally sponsored schemes and schemes carved out by the state government for the uplift of the people of rural areas. The important schemes such as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Sampooran Grameen Rozgar Yojana, Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana, Indira Awaas Yojana, Integrated Watershed Development Programme and other Centrally sponsored schemes are being looked after by the Rural Development Department. |
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We feel cheated in the name of rehabilitation, says Liyaqat’s wife
Srinagar, March 24 “Once we crossed the Nepal border, a security forces vehicle was waiting for us. We boarded it and reached Gorakhpur where my husband (Liyaqat) was asked to alight and accompany the sleuths,” said Aktar Nisa, Shah’s second wife, after reaching her husband’s home in Kupwara, north Kashmir. She said they had breakfast at a security camp near Gorakhpur with security personnel, who were cordial with them. Shah’s first wife, Amina Banoo, had submitted an application in the Kupwara police station in 2011 under the rehabilitation policy for ex-militants for the return of her husband from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Aktar Nisa said the Delhi Police had enacted a drama to mislead the nation that Shah was planning to carry out terror strikes in the country. “Who will want to come back (under the rehabilitation policy) if this is what the police will do upon their (former militants) return?” she asked. Nisa said she rued the decision to come back to Kashmir with her husband as the police was spreading lies and falsehood against Shah. “We have been cheated in the name of rehabilitation. I hope there is some way that I can go back (to Pakistan),” she said.
— PTI |
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Omar-led govt
stifling voice of people: Mufti
He regretted that instead of addressing the grievances of the people, the state government with the help of draconian methods such as curfew was denying the people their constitutional and fundamental rights. He said this action of the government was causing incalculable damage to people’s faith in democracy and democratic institutions. Addressing a one-day convention of party workers in the Bishnah area, Mufti said the system of governance had completely collapsed in the state and those at the helm of affairs were not ready to accept the ground realities. “The present government has become a regime of curfew and restrictions,” he said and regretted that the process of peace and reconciliation, which was started by the previous PDP-Congress regime and yielded encouraging results during that period, has received a setback after the formation of the present government.” Mufti reminded the gathering that the NDA government, led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and the present UPA regime headed by Dr Manmohan Singh had invested a lot in peace and their sincere efforts had yielded encouraging results. “Each section of society had reaped the dividends of peace during the PDP-Congress regime,” Mufti said. He said, “The situation is back to square one.” He mentioned that the credibility of the highest democratic institution of the Assembly had been discredited by the present regime by not allowing any serious debate in the House. The PDP patron, however, asserted that his party would continue to work for strengthening the democratic institutions in the state. “The PDP has emerged as a strong, genuine and credible voice of the people of Jammu and Kashmir through its convictions and visionary policies,” he said, adding, “The pro-people visionary agenda of the party is formulated by incorporating the wishes and aspirations of all sections of society and we never compromised with our agenda to attain power.” |
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on the frontline
If any evidence was needed, the bloody scenes in the Valley — soldiers’ coffins going home and natives dying at the hands of unidentified gunmen, a euphemism for militants — offered it in plenty. The legislative Assembly, according to main opposition People’s Democratic Party leader Mehbooba Mufti, had “lost its sanctity and credibility” because the political unilateralism of the ruling National Conference was rolling on and the space for discussion and debate was shrinking. A man so insightful, who has seen many ups and downs in the dangerously poised political hills in Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah clearly made a point that there was less sanctity attached to words and actions outside the House. He was so angry, or it appeared so, over the House sans PDP that he addressed the media without actually speaking to them: “Talk to those who talk to you outside of the House”, primarily meaning that he would not violate the rule of the game. It’s a different matter though that his tweets make news hours before he makes a statement in the House. The latest example is of his giving his reaction on Twitter before he actually made a statement in the House on 18-year-old Suhail Shah getting killed by terrorists inside the mosque in Sopore. At a time when Kashmir is going through one of those convulsions, what this Valley requires is a break from the past and needs to move forward. What is needed is direction, but that is missing somewhere. The Chief Minister spoke to Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde over the issue of Syed Liyaqat Shah, seeking a probe by the National Investigation Agency and thus exhibiting his political compulsions. But this kind of emotive politics affects the governance and also the security scenario. He could have left this job for someone else in the government to do. The leaders have reduced themselves to individuals, having lost their path which they had promised the youth and people at large in the Valley and two other regions, Jammu and Ladakh. The point here is that by taking up issues like the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), knowing very well that the Centre would not even touch it before 2015 — for it has to watch the situation that would emerge in Kashmir once the special forces leave Afghanistan — their real objective is to sully Delhi in the eyes of Kashmiris. If any survey is conducted in the Valley on whether the people there want the Taliban to come, the foregone conclusion is that not even one would say “yes”. The competitive politics that both the National Conference and People’s Democratic Party are playing in a bid to expand their constituency in the Valley can prove counterproductive. The delusion that peace would follow not precede certain touchy issues is a matter of perception. There is the Syed Ali Shah Geelani theory that unless the whole well is cleaned up, the anti-pollutants would never bring out clean waters. Hence, he wants a resolution of the Kashmir crisis first and believes that peace would follow that. There are others, especially the people on the other side of the fence who believe that peace be given a chance and that would create a condition for the resolution of all issues. The question is on which boat are they sailing — Geelani’s or do they have their own? |
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Now, J-K residents can get passport through tatkal
Srinagar, March 24 The decision to issue instant passports to a certain category of people was taken by the Union Government after consultation with the state government as there has been a ‘perceptible improvement’ in the security situation on the ground. “The tatkal service can be availed by some categories of citizens, including the state or public sector employees, those who apply afresh, children below the age of 10 years, those above 65 years and all reissue cases,” said Regional Passport Officer Firdous Iqbal. “The applicants have to fill up a form online and submit two important documents, Annexure F, wherein 10 listed officers have to provide the Specimen Verification Certificate and, Annexure I, wherein an affidavit from a court has to be submitted to the passport office, which is to be executed on a non-judicial stamp paper and attested by a notary public. Other documents also need to be submitted along with the application,” the Regional Passport Officer said. The passport issued through tatkal would be valid for a year and there would be no verification by the CID before issuing the passport. To ensure that no wrong person is able to get the passport, the government said anyone who issues incorrect verification certificate would be prosecuted under the Passport Act. The issuing of passports through tatkal has also become possible with the complete computerisation of the Regional Passport Office (RPO), Srinagar, and processing system of passport services. The tatkal service was introduced in the country to help people get passport within days after paying extra fee. However, due to security issues, the
facility was not extended to J&K and some north-eastern states. |
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Panchayat members begin fast over empowerment
Jammu, March 24 Three members of the AJKPC, general secretary Anil Sharma, spokesperson Ghulam Hassan Panzoo and Raj Kumar of the Trilokpur panchayat in the Marh block, sat on a hunger strike outside Exhibition Ground here this morning. “We are left with no option but to take this extreme step because the Central and the state governments have failed to ensure the security of the panchayat members in the state. The situation has gone from bad to worse following the fidayeen attack on CRPF personnel, besides Army and BSF personnel are also being targeted in the Kashmir valley. A sense of insecurity has emerged among the panchayat members who have lost a number of their colleagues,” the AJKPC general secretary, Anil Sharma, told reporters here. He said the panchayat institutions had completely failed in the state for which both the coalition partners, National Conference and Congress, were responsible. “It is shameful for both governments that elected panchayat members are forced to sit on a hunger strike for democracy in the country which claims to be the world’s largest democracy. It is astonishing that the government spends crores of rupees on the security of separatist leaders, but it provides no security to panchayat leaders,” Sharma said. The AJKPC spokesperson, Ghulam Hassan Panzoo, demanded the implementation of the 73rd Amendment in the state, which he said was the only way to empower the panchayats. |
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Army repatriates two Pakistani boys
Poonch, March 24 The two boys, Rehmatullah (15) and Inayatullah (12), residents of Kotli in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, during their stay with the Army said they had left their country and deliberately crossed over to the Indian side in search of employment. The Army acted on humanitarian considerations and a message was passed to the Pakistan army over the hotline yesterday, conveying the intent to hand over the boys to Pakistan. A Battalion Commander-level flag meeting was held at Chakan da Bagh in the afternoon today, wherein the two boys were handed over to Pakistani army officers. The Army also gave boxes of sweets and clothes to the two boys as a goodwill gesture. |
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Jammu, March 24
What is important in Kashmir today? Is it peace or the revival of the old contentious issues which will yield nothing but political mess?