J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Ex gratia for militancy victims hiked
SRINAGAR, Oct 11 — In view of financial resources, the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, today announced hike in ex gratia up to Rs 5 lakh without a government job to kin of militancy victims.

Healthy trends generate hope in valley
JAMMU, Oct 11 — Though there has been no marked decline in the level of violence in the Kashmir valley, healthy trends, which remained in chains owing to threats from the militants, have started generating hopes for an early end to the 11-year-long turmoil.

Hizb militants clash in PoK, 3 killed
NEW DELHI, Oct 11 — Differences among the ranks of the Hizbul Mujahideen came to the fore when three prominent activists of the outfit were killed in internecine clashes in Kotli in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) a few days back.

Ex gratia for militancy victims hiked
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Oct 11 — In view of financial resources, the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, today announced hike in ex gratia up to Rs 5 lakh without a government job to kin of militancy victims.

In reply to a supplementary in the State Legislative Assembly raised by Sheikh Abdul Rehman of the BSP, the Chief Minister said his government would be giving only a cash relief of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of the victims of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir henceforth.

Such families would not instead get job to one of its members as part of the rehabilitation measures, the Chief Minister said. “We do not have jobs and we have no such resources”, the Chief Minister said in reply to the questions amid protest by several members of the House cutting across party lines. The BJP, NC and CPM members opposed the move announced by the Chief Minister.

The amount would be provided to the victim’s families by the MLA concerned and the Deputy Commissioners, the Chief Minister clarified. This was resented to by his party MLA from Doda, Javed Najeeb Suharwardy and Dilawar Mir and others, including the CPM MLA, Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami, and BJP members. Mr Suharwardy apprehended that kith and kin would get a job against an amount of Rs 2 lakh out of the Rs 5 lakh ex gratia. To this, the Chief Minister reacting sharply said that those found involved in such cases would “face cases like Jayalalitha.”

Referring to such appointments made in Doda district of Jammu region, the Chief Minister stated that formalities in 264 cases had been completed for jobs under SRO 43. Eighty-five cases have recently been referred by the Deputy Commissioner to the General Administration Department for relaxation in qualification. These cases were being examined. As many as 155 class IV vacancies were in Doda district.

In a related question, the Minister of State for Home, Mr Mushtaq Ahmad Lone, said that 71 Army personnel belonging to Jammu and Kashmir State died in Kargil war last year. He said the government proposes to provide free education, employment to the next of kin of these heroes.

Intervening on the subject, the Chief Minister who holds the Home portfolio, said all the victims of the Kargil war will get compensation. He said that the Ministry of Defence had already sanctioned Rs 25 lakh for the welfare of such families, which included grant of petrol pumps and gas agencies in favour of the victims’ kith and kin.

Dr Abdullah announced to withdraw the selection process of teachers from the State Subordinate Services Recruitment Board, to ensure speedy appointments of teachers by village committees in defunct schools.

Intervening during question hour, Dr Abdullah said this would be made to ensure speedy appointment of teachers at the level of village committees to ensure smooth functioning of the educational institutions throughout the state. He said that a similar process would be adopted in the cities and towns. He was intervening during the reply given by Education Minister, Mohammad Shafi.

Amid an uproar Congress members staged a walkout from the State Legislative Assembly in the beginning of the proceedings of the House this morning. Led by Mr Tara Chand, five members, all belonging to Jammu region, demanded immediate relief and rehabilitation measures for the residents of the Chhamb sector, who had to migrate from the area due to shelling from across the border.

Healthy trends generate hope in valley
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Oct 11 — Though there has been no marked decline in the level of violence in the Kashmir valley, healthy trends, which remained in chains owing to threats from the militants, have started generating hopes for an early end to the 11-year-long turmoil.

During the past over nine years literary meets, poetic symposium, political rallies, drama festival and sports activities had become thing of the past. However, in recent months a series of political conferences, literary meets, state and national-level sports activities besides drama festivals were treated by the people as a change for the better.

Scores of prominent political leaders, intellectual, bureaucrats and even those supporting separatists, some of them from outside the state, took part in two conferences where detailed discussions were held on the Kashmir situation, on the demand for the restoration of greater autonomy to the state and regional autonomy.

A number of retired bureaucrats, including diplomats from Delhi and experts from Jawaharlal Nehru University, took part. Diverse opinions were expressed and those who supported separate statehood for Jammu and Ladakh regions were also tolerated along with those who held that Kashmir was an integral part of India.

These conference were followed by the All-India Police Football Tournament which attracted a large number of people. It was a different thing that during a tie between the BSF and the Karnataka teams the Kashmiri spectators cheered the latter, shouting, “Back up, Veerappan”.

The Lal Ded Foundation, a prominent literary society floated by a group of Kashmiri intellectuals, held two functions where non-Muslim intellectuals outnumbered the Muslim literary figures when the foundation announced awards for giants in the field of literature and journalism.

Organising a drama festival in Tagore Hall proved hostalgic for several art critics. Tagore Hall had been the main venue for such festivals. But for several years the security forces had established their camps within the premises of the hall.

For many years political leaders dared not hold any political rally or party convention. The credit for breaking the ice in this sector is being given to Mufti Mohd Sayeed who 15 months ago floated Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after he quit the Congress. He has been on the top of the list of political leaders who organised tehsil and district-level party conventions which removed fear out of the minds of people.

Even the separatists have felt amazed over the way people were attracted to the two conferences, one on the protection of forests and another on environmental problems, held in Anantnag district recently. Both the conferences were organised by the Forest Minister and one NC MLA, Mr Gul Rafiqi. In Anantnag and other towns a number of mushairas (poetic meets) were held where several writers released their books which they had written several years ago and dared not release them.

Anantnag is meanwhile, hosting a cricket tournament in which 24 teams from the valley are participating. And to cap all this the recently held water sports in Dal Lake had attracted large groups of people and competitors.

Writers and poets have again started feeling that the pen is mightier than the swords as they have begun voicing their feelings which are nothing but a lament on what happened to Kashmir during the past 10 years.

One senior police officer said that all care was being taken to ensure incident-free sports and literary activities. He said people “yearn for peace” but the roar of the guns and grenades “is heard everyday”.

After the Peoples’ Conference Chairman and senior Hurriyat Conference leader, Mr Abdul Ghani Lone, organised his party’s first convention in Srinagar on Sunday, others have started preparing to emulate him. The JKLF has started a programme of holding party conventions at the district level. The Awami Action Committee workers have started organising a large convention to welcome their “ Chairman, Maulvi Umar Farooq, who would be returning to Srinagar after his trip to Iran.

Informed sources said for organising sports activities and literary conferences, including poetic symposium and other cultural activities, the Additional Director-General of Police, Mr S.S. Ali, had played a key role. These literary activities, political and cultural conferences have allowed people to breathe the fresh air of freedom of speech and expression if not freedom from violence.

Hizb militants clash in PoK, 3 killed

NEW DELHI, Oct 11 (UNI) — Differences among the ranks of the Hizbul Mujahideen came to the fore when three prominent activists of the outfit were killed in internecine clashes in Kotli in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) a few days back.

An armed contingent of Jamaat-e-Islami cadres, led by PoK Amir (chief) Abdul Rashid Turabi, forcible occupied the headquarters as well as several camps of rival Hizbul Mujahideen Pir Panjal regiment in Kotli and Sahansa areas and appointed one Shamsher Khan as chief of the regiment, according to information from captured militants.

Head of the PPR Masood Sarfraz retaliated and surrounded the place where Turabi along with his followers was present. In exchange of fire, two militants and one Jamaat functionary were killed. Six others were injured. Masood Sarfraz has dissociated himself from Jamaat. Kotli was tense after the clashes and people remained confined to indoors.

Later, Masood told a press conference that Jamaat chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed had hobnobbed with the Americans during his recent tour to the USA. The CIA had given Qazi some funds through the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) to establish American influence in Kashmir.

Hizbul Mujahideen group, led by Abdul Majid Dar, had offered ceasefire in July and held talks with the representatives of the central government. But the outfit’s insistence on tripartite talks involving Pakistan led to the breakdown of the ceasefire.