Srinagar, May 26
Days after fake dervish (saint) Gulzar Peer was arrested allegedly for raping minor girls, the cyberspace, especially the social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook, is flooded with hate messages and protests against the dervish.

When Gulzar appeared before a court in Budgam district of central Kashmir in police custody, his videos of the court complex were leaked on the Facebook and other sites.

Prior to that, a video of one of Gulzar’s victims which revealed his misdoings also went viral on the cyberspace.

The videos invited outrageous comments from netizens. Some even called for the severest punishment to the fake spiritualist.

Gulzar’s misrepresentation of “Islam” and manipulation of Holy Scriptures to lure minor girls into his trap came to the fore on the Internet with a girl victim describing how the fake mystic would often quote Arabic sayings to justify his criminal acts.

Various netizens, social groups and human rights activists urged the police and the judiciary to award the toughest punishment to Gulzar.

“I think, the blame for this shameful incident lies with the people and the authorities. Our little girls could easily be misled by such criminals and their families and even the police cannot protect them. In this age, it is disgusting how we could believe myths of this criminal who posed as a saint,” Shuhaib Masudi, a government employee commented on the victim’s video.

There were also praises showered on the man who slapped the fake mystic while the latter appeared before the court inside the courts complex of Budgam and the slap video was posted online.

“Kudos to the man who slapped the criminal. His criminal acts have been proved by the medical examination of the girl victims. What is the police waiting for? The justice should be delivered to the victims fast,” Shazia, a government teacher wrote on Twitter.

State Women’s Commission chairperson Shameema Firdous has also written to the police for swift punishment to Gulzar.

Kupwara, May 26
Shortage of timber at forest depots in north Kashmir for the past two months has delayed construction works. The non-availability of timber has also affected the pace of construction work of some government buildings, including schools and panchayat ghars.

Consumers said despite having proper sanction for timber from the department, they were forced to make repeated visits to the offices but to no avail.

“The Forest Division, Kehmil, sanctioned 160 cubic feet timber in March, but till date, it has not been provided to me. I made several visits to the office concerned but to no avail,” said Mohd Amin, a resident of Guzriyal.

“The construction work of my house has been affected due to non-availability of timber at the depot,” he added.

The situation is no different in other forest divisions of Handwara and Langate. Consumers said construction of their residential houses had been delayed due to shortage of timber.

“For the past two months, we are being told that the timber would be made available at depots but nothing has happened,” a group of consumers said. “The shortage of timber has forced people to resort to smuggling,” another consumer alleged.

Hundreds of consumers having sanction from the department continue to make rounds of depots only to return empty-handed. They said if the department did not make the timber available at depots, they might not be able to complete the construction of their houses before the onset of the winter season in November.

Mushtaq Ahmad, a resident of Panch Dolipora village near Trehgam, said, “The forest depot in Trehgam is without timber, leaving consumers high and dry.”

Construction works of many government buildings, including health centres and schools, in north Kashmir have be affected due to shortage of timber.

Residents of Charkote, Dardpora, Lalpora, Warnow and Devar in Lolab valley of Kupwara district said there was no timber available at depots in Hayhama, Lolab and Zangli. The villages fall under Kamraj Forest Division. They said shortage of timber had affected the construction works in their villages.

Conservator of Forests, North Circle, Mian Javid said, “The Forest Minister in the recent past convened a meeting in this regard. Timber would be made available in June.”

Srinagar, May 26
Baramulla district Congress president has lodged a police complaint against state Medical Education Minister Taj Mohi ud Din for allegedly issuing death threats to him over phone.

In his compliant, Mir Mushtaq Nowsheri alleged that Taj Mohi ud Din had threatened to kill him over the phone.

A police official said, “Under provisions of the law, no cognisable offence can be made against the accused on the basis of 
the complaint filed by Nowsheri."

"The issue was about re-induction of block president Syed Mohammad into the party, who was illegally ousted by Taj Mohiuddin some time ago. I supported the re-induction of Mohammad in the party at a meeting chaired by Public Health Engineering Minister Sham Lal Sharma," Nowsheri said.

He alleged that as soon as the Minister came to know about it, he made several threatening calls.

"The Minister threatened to bury me alive and bulldoze my house. As a precautionary measure, I lodged a complaint with the Boniyar police station, but so far I have not received a copy of the FIR," Nowsheri added.

Mohi ud Din has rubbished the allegations saying Nowsheri was trying to "climb up the ladder" using his name.

"He is a non-entity and wants to come into limelight. Police complaints have to be backed up by evidence. He should come forward with the evidence, if he has any," the Minister said.

Srinagar, May 26
Minister for Medical Education, Youth Services and Sports Taj Mohi ud Din says the government has embarked upon a plan to expand sports infrastructure in the state and for this, the Central Government has also granted a package to the state government.

Addressing a public meeting after attending the concluding ceremony of a football tournament in Bandipora district, the Minister for Medical Education, Youth Services and Sports said strengthening of sports infrastructure in the state had been the top priority of the state government and efforts were on to cover more and more rural areas for the benefit the youth.

The Minister announced that a sports academy would be set up at Bandipora to train and coach budding players.

He said the academy would also provide them with opportunities to compete at state and national levels.

The Minister said the state government had prepared a comprehensive plan to strengthen sports infrastructure in the state under which all the stadiums would be provided with sports kits and equipment.

“We intend to raise and further strengthen sports infrastructure at the district-level to facilitate more and more sports interactions,” The Minister said.

“Every block would be provided with an indoor stadium and every panchayat would have a playfield. Wherever land is available, football and hockey grounds would be raised,” the Sports Minister added.

Srinagar, May 26
As a part of the ongoing Post Office Fest-2013, the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) and the Department of Posts, Jammu and Kashmir Circle, today organised the “Walk for Srinagar” to create awareness about keeping the city green and clean.

The walk was flagged off by Minister for Urban Development and Local Bodies Nawang Rigzin Jora and MLA Amira Kadal Nasir Aslam Wani in the presence of Chief Postmaster General, J&K circle, John Samuel and SMC Commissioner Dr G N Qasba.

People from different walks of life took part in the walk which was fagged off at the Lake View Golf Course and culminated at Sher-e-Kashmir Park near the General Post Office (GPO), Srinagar, after passing through Boulevard Road in the city.

The Minister for Urban Development and Local Bodies said the walk was organised to acquainted the common people, particularly the student community, about the importance of sanitation, cleanliness and greenery in life.

He said sanitation, cleanliness and greenery were also significant from the tourism point of view also.

MLA Amira Kadal Nasir Aslam Wani said such events were necessary for spreading awareness among the common masses about the benefits and importance of cleanliness and greenery for the betterment of environment of the city.

The MLA called for organising more such programmes in the future.

A special cover on Mughal Garden Chashma Shahi was also released on the occasion. The five-day long Post Office Fest with a theme ‘Clean Srinagar Green Srinagar’ will conclude tomorrow.

Srinagar, May 26
Moderate Hurriyat Conference headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has expressed hope that India and Pakistan will initiate a "meaningful and time-bound" dialogue process for the resolution of Kashmir dispute.

Hailing the Norwegian Parliament’s recently conducted debate on Kashmir issue, Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz said the initiative had once again brought into focus the perils of this long-standing dispute.

The Norwegian Parliament had conducted the debate on Kashmir for the second time on May 23, 2013. Earlier, the debate was held in 2010 and again in September, 2012, about the existence of “unmarked” and “mass” graves in Kashmir.

“Mirwaiz has hailed the Norwegian Parliament’s recently conducted debate on Kashmir dispute, which has once again brought into focus the perils of this issue,” Hurriyat spokesman quoted Mirwaiz in a statement.

“Mirwaiz described Norwegian Parliament’s effort as timely and most welcome step as it had recognised the necessity of the resolution of Kashmir,” the statement said.

The statement further added that Mirwaiz had expressed hope that in the light of “International concern” over Kashmir issue and in the “best interest” of the people of the sub-continent, the governments of India and Pakistan would initiate a “meaningful” and “time-bound” dialogue process for the resolution of Kashmir dispute without any further delay.

Sopore, May 26
Langate MLA Engineer Rashid on Sunday accused the Government of India for “using all measures” to curb the ongoing resistance movement seeking resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.

He was addressing a public meet at Zaloora, Sopore. He said the Government of India stood badly exposed by calling Sarabjit Singh India’s national hero and killing Kashmiris by labelling them as terrorists.

“The facts reveal that majority of the militants killed in various operations in the last three years had taken to armed struggle due to the atrocities committed by security agencies. Such people had a good reputation in the public and were highly qualified,” he said.

Rashid said the use of force by security agencies and slapping of the Public Safety Act (PSA) on Kashmiri youth would never help in improving the situation but add to the problems and give more strength to the Kashmiris to fight for the resolution of the Kashmir issue.

“PDP and NC should not talk about autonomy and self-rule because these drawing room-made formulas neither address the sacrifices of the people nor do they find takers in New Delhi and Islamabad,” he said.

He urged the new government in Pakistan not to adopt traditional tracks while talking to India over Kashmir dispute but take Kashmiri leadership, especially Unite Jihad Council (UJC), into confidence before initiating a dialogue.

Srinagar, May 26
The J&K Bank today conducted a medical camp in the border town of Uri in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district. Over 500 patients visited the camp, organised under ‘health for all’ mission, as a part of the bank’s platinum jubilee initiative.

The bank unveiled its plan to conduct such camps under corporate social responsibility (CSR) across the state. Today’s camp at Uri was the fourth in a series of such camps, held in association with SKIMS, Soura.

The camp was inaugurated jointly by RK Singh, Brigade Commander, 12th infantry brigade and the bank’s president Abdul Rauf Bhat, in Sub-district hospital, Uri. Bank president Mohammad Syed Wani, MS Kaboo, zonal head, Kashmir (north), senior doctors from SKIMS, bank officials and senior citizens of the area were present at the inaugural function.

Despite heavy downpour, patients from Uri and its adjoining border villages thronged the camp for getting free counselling and consultations from SKIMS specialist doctors. The senior consultants from SKIMS included Dr Parvez Koul, general medicine, Dr Bashir Ahmad Laway, endocrinologist, Dr GN Yatoo, gastroenterologist, Dr Hilal and Dr Sultan, cardiologists, Dr Bashir Ahmad, gynaecologist, Dr Waseem and Dr Ayaz, ophthalmologists and Dr Yunis and Dr Ikhlas, paediatricians.

Transworld Diagnostic Center, Barbarshah and Abbot Labs conducted free clinical tests and provided free medicines to the patients.

People of the area urged the bank management to conduct such camps in future as well. “We are highly thankful to the J&K Bank for conducting the camp in this remote area. We hope the bank would continue with these gestures in future and bring super specialist doctors here for the benefit of general public,” said a senior citizen of the area.

Abdul Rauf said “On behalf of the chairman and CEO, Mushtaq Ahmed, we are grateful to director, SKIMS, Dr Showkat Zargar, Dean faculty Dr Khurshid Iqbal and their team of senior consultants and other staff, local administration, Transworld Diagnostic centre, Abbot Labs and every individual who, despite the inclement weather conditions, contributed in making the exercise possible”.