J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Geelani plans APHC’s alternative
Jammu, July 5
After having been isolated in the APHC and his parent organisation, the Jamait-e-Islami, Syed Ali Shah Geelani has planned to float an organisation to replace the 26-party conglomerate. For the past three years, Mr Geelani did not have easy going in the APHC. At one stage only one member of the Executive Committee Sheikh Abdul Aziz, had been supporting him.

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Insurance scheme for J-K
employees, scribes
Srinagar, July 5
The Jammu and Kashmir Government today announced a medical insurance scheme for its employees and also extended it to all working journalists in the state. State Finance Minister Muzaffar Hussain Beig said apart from the Government employees, working journalists representing newspapers and news agencies would be benefited under this scheme.

2 jawans, boy drown
Srinagar, July 5
Two army personnel were drowned in a canal in Kupwara district in north Kashmir last evening, the police said today. Sepoys Saman Sabha and Ram Bahadur of 1/6 GR were drowned in Drangli nullah in Chowkibal area after slipping into the canal while washing clothes, the police said adding both the bodies were pulled out.

Land scam: ex-cop’s house raided
Jammu, July 5
The Jammu and Kashmir Vigilance Bureau today raided the premises of a retired police officer, brother of a revenue official, and arrested him after the recovery of a number of arms and ammunition during searches at his house yesterday.

Geelani plans APHC’s alternative
Our Correspondent

Jammu, July 5
After having been isolated in the APHC and his parent organisation, the Jamait-e-Islami, Syed Ali Shah Geelani has planned to float an organisation to replace the 26-party conglomerate.

For the past three years, Mr Geelani did not have easy going in the APHC. At one stage only one member of the Executive Committee Sheikh Abdul Aziz, had been supporting him. When late Abdul Gani Lone had returned from Pakistan Syed Ali Shah Geelani had objected to series of statements the founder president of the peoples’ conference had made in Pakistan and occupied Kashmir.

Mr Geelani had raised the matter in the Executive Committee of the APHC in 2001, soon after Mr Lone’s landing in Srinagar, and demanded expulsion of Mr Lone for deviating from the basic stand of the APHC. That time majority of the members supported Mr Lone.

Since then he had been on the look out for an opportunity to hit at the Peoples’ conference and during the past six months he had been demanding the expulsion of the Peoples’ Conference as its leaders had fielded candidates by proxy in the last year’s poll.

Finding that APHC leadership had ignored his demand and had insisted that the matter be discussed in the Executive Committee meeting he started the plan of floating a new organisation. He is not yet sure of his success in making the new body an effective organisation and hence has deferred the plan for a month.

As senior leader of the Jamait-e-Islami he has never secured full support from the Amir of the organisation, Mr G.M. Bhat, a known moderate which was in contrast with the hawkish approach of Mr Geelani.

He did not see eye to eye with the stand of APHC leadership. Three years ago APHC chairman had suggested to the Centre that a five-member team of the conglomerate be allowed to visit Pakistan where besides discussing the issues would urge militants to declare ceasefire. To this Mr Geelani objected saying that the purpose of the visit of the Hurriyat team to Pakistan was to encourage leaders of rebel outfits on the pattern of armed struggle launched in Jammu and Kashmir. However, till date the Government of India did not grant permission to the Hurriyat team to visit Pakistan.

When asked to comment on the stand taken by Mr Geelani, who has accused the APHC leadership of failure to plead the Kashmir case properly, the APHC Chairman, Prof. Abdul Gani Bhat said “I have no comment to offer. “I am watching the situation and let us see how things shape,” he said.

Prof. Bhat told this correspondent, in reply to a question “for the time being I have no plan to meet Mr Geelani.” In reply to another question he said “I am not frightened and laughed away the new postures adopted by Mr Geelani.” He, at the sometime, was hopeful that the Jamait-e-Islami would remain in the conglomerate saying “anyone pulling out of the umbrella will be treated as a traitor.”

Insurance scheme for J-K employees, scribes

Srinagar, July 5
The Jammu and Kashmir Government today announced a medical insurance scheme for its employees and also extended it to all working journalists in the state.

State Finance Minister Muzaffar Hussain Beig said apart from the Government employees, working journalists representing newspapers and news agencies would be benefited under this scheme.

Each employee, his or her spouse and two dependents up to the age of 58 years will have a composite insurance cover of Rs 3 lakh on payment of a premium of Rs 1400 per annum.

The scheme will provide for complete hospitalisation expenses in designated hospitals within and outside the state.

The claim on this account shall be settled by a third party administrator and no payment was required to be made by the employee. To ensure that the employees join the scheme, the State Government will provide a subsidy of 50 per cent on premium payment for the first year for the non-gazetted and 25 per cent for others.

Mr Beig said reimbursement claims of medical expenses in excess of Rs 3 lakh incurred on treatment for critical diseases would continue to be dealt with under the existing rules. He said the scheme would cover employees of public sector undertakings and autonomous bodies as well, provided they paid the premium. — UNI

2 jawans, boy drown

Srinagar, July 5
Two army personnel were drowned in a canal in Kupwara district in north Kashmir last evening, the police said today.

Sepoys Saman Sabha and Ram Bahadur of 1/6 GR were drowned in Drangli nullah in Chowkibal area after slipping into the canal while washing clothes, the police said adding both the bodies were pulled out.

In another incident, a boy, identified as Shabir Ahmad Mir died while swimming at Dardpora nullah in Lalpora area last evening, the police added. — PTI

Land scam: ex-cop’s house raided

Jammu, July 5
The Jammu and Kashmir Vigilance Bureau today raided the premises of a retired police officer, brother of a revenue official, and arrested him after the recovery of a number of arms and ammunition during searches at his house yesterday and another official in connection with the multi-crore land scam in Kathua district, top vigilance official said.

The police officer and other members of his family had gone underground after searches at his brother’s house, a patwari, in the district yesterday.

Besides arms and ammunition, documents relating to the scam and some powder was seized from his brother’s house which was tested and found to be narcotics, the official said. — PTI