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Farooq sees thaw in
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Youngest Vice-Chancellor at
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Top Harkat man killed in
Kashmir Widow awaits healing
touch Jawan guns down two colleagues World page:
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Farooq sees thaw in Indo-Pak
relations Jammu, November 12 Dr Abdullah was addressing a public meeting of the National Conference (NC) organised here today to launch a frontal attack on the coalition government of Mufti Sayeed for its “misrule” during the past one year. The president of the NC, Mr Omar Abdullah, also addressed the rally. Unlike the participants of the rally which was held here last week to celebrate the completion of the first year of the Mufti government, the crowd in the public meeting of the NC today was very responsive and outnumbered that in the government’s rally. The NC rally was apparently a reply to the government’s public meeting. It was held on a street outside the Subzi Mandi and the party activists showered flowers on Dr Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah. This is for the first time that the NC activists have come out here after their government was voted out of power last year. When Dr Abdullah and Omar Abdullah said they were in a position to topple the Mufti government any time, the audience cheered loudly. Dr Abdullah said the remarks of the Pakistan Information Minister, Mr Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, at Delhi yesterday gave an indication that the relations between India and Pakistan could improve. He hoped that both sides would take some bold initiatives during Mr Vajpayee’s visit to Islamabad to participate in SAARC meeting. He said the separatists’ point of view would become clear once the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr L.K.Advani, initiated a dialogue with them. In his speech which was a mixture of Dogri and Punjabi, Dr Abdullah said steps for the honourable return of Kashmiri Pandits had been taken by his government long ago, but the elections came before anything could be done in this direction. He criticised the manner in which the Mufti was trying to bring the pandits back to the valley and keep them in virtual captivity in two clusters at Khir Bhawani and Mattan. The atmosphere in the valley was not yet congenial for the pandits to live there with dignity, he said. Dr Abdullah said the Mufti was afraid of facing the Opposition on the floor of the Assembly as a result of which the winter session had been curtailed to only four days. Mr Omar Abdullah said when the Mufti was himself not safe in his house in Srinagar how did he expect that foreign tourists would rush there on his invitation. He alleged that the Mufti and his daughter, Ms Mehbooba Mufti, who had before the Assembly elections been accusing Dr Abdullah of frittering away the resources of the state by misusing the aircraft of the government, were themselves doing the same. He pointed out that a sum of Rs 2.50 crore had been spent on the renovation and furnishing of the official residence of the Mufti at Srinagar. Mr Omar Abdullah said instead of implementing his promise of introducing a zero deficit budget to help the poor people, the Mufti government had enhanced the minimum monthly rent of power to Rs 450 from the earlier Rs 150. No relief was being provided to the migrants of the border areas whose properties and agriculture lands had been destroyed due to shelling by Pakistan. Mr Talib Hussain, MP, Mr Abdul Rahim Rather, MLA and Mr Ajay Sadhotra, provincial president of the NC, were among others present on the occasion. |
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Youngest Vice-Chancellor at
41 Mr Mattoo told The Tribune that although age and experience led to wisdom and maturity in approach, being young did not mean that one could not take mature decisions. He argued that a Vice-Chancellor needed to be energetic and dynamic as he had to lead a team of highly intellectual people who had achieved academic excellence in their respective fields, be those humanities, sciences, art or literature. He is of the opinion that higher education needs to be given more attention and students and scholars should be encouraged to undertake research and higher studies. In India most of the brilliant brains go for medical or engineering. Those left out opt for the civil services and few go for higher studies. "This will continue to happen until we put premium on higher studies like in the West", he observed. Prof Mattoo, a doctorate in international relations, was selected in the IPS in 1988. However, he left the IPS to join research in Oxford University, where he did his M. Phil and PhD. He returned to India to join the editorial team of a leading national daily. Later, he joined Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), the focal point of academic activism in the country. Considered to be an expert on South Asian affairs, particularly Kashmir, Prof Mattoo's is regularly published in national and international journals and newspapers. Speaking about Jammu University, he said he had tried to make a difference within a short span of time. He will complete one year in office on November 17. He disclosed that the academic atmosphere had witnessed a see change. President APJ Abdul Kalam, recently presided over a convocation of Jammu University, the first time any President had done so Prof Mattoo claimed that he had succeeded to some extent to raise the standard of education of the university with valuable cooperation from colleagues and students. |
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Top Harkat man killed in Kashmir Srinagar, November 12 An official spokesman said security forces killed a foreign mercenary Abu Yasir, alias Abu Hanif, a resident of Multan, Pakistan, in an encounter at Gadipora in South Kashmir district of Pulwama last night. A Harkat-ul-Mujahideen spokesman told local mediapersons that Abu Yasir was the district commander of the outfit. The encounter ensued after a search party was attacked by the militants hiding in the area. One pistol, two magazines, nine rounds and one grenade was seized from the slain militant. Security forces also gunned down a militant of the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JEM) Fareed Chowhan at Ahlan Gadole Kokernag last night. One AK rifle, three magazines and 576 rounds were recovered from the site of encounter. A militant was killed by the security forces at Chak-I-Masloob Gudapora Shopian late last night during a search operation. The sources said militants shot dead CPI(M) worker Mohammad Afzal Bhat at Kanipora Kulgam in South Kashmir district of Anantnag last night. A militant was killed and an Army Major was injured in an IED blast at Lolab in Kupwara last evening. Security forces arrested two militants each at Natnusa Kupwara, Bandipora and Keller Pulwama and recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition, including four pistols, two UBGL, 15 UBGL shells, six anti personnel mines, two electric detonators, one revolver, eight grenades, one wireless set and about 600 rounds in overnight operations. — PTI/UNI |
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Widow awaits healing
touch Machipora (Handwara), November 12 All that Khaati has amid a cluster of tin-roofed houses is, a one-room dwelling. It has an entry through a narrow verandha with a sitting space for not more than six persons. Two large frames mounted on the wall have the photographs of Sheikh Abdul Rahman. At the other end of the verandha stand two steel wardrobes, which have accommodated all that Khatee has. These include a brief-case with a number of photographs of her husband, mostly addressing public meetings, and a file cover of his social organisation, the All J&K Pasmanda Tabkajat (backward Classes) of which he was the state chairman. Its banner hangs over the dwelling surrounded by high walnut, willow and popular trees. Like many other rustic women around, Khaati remains busy in sweeping autumn leaves. Clad in a worn out pheran she mumbles little words that convey a grim tale. She has to fend for herself and three sons. The youngest of them, 20-year old Sonaullah is unable to get over the trauma of as he watched the killing of his father. Her two elder sons, Abdul Rashid and Bashir Ahmad are Class IV employees in the State government. They don't live with Khaati as they are frequently transferred. "Compared to those who were killed by militants during elections or elsewhere, they have not been given any relief", said Rahman's brother, Ghulam Mohammad Sheikh, whose two sons were also killed in the militant attack. He claimed that no officer had visited their place after the incident. An ex gratia of Rs 1 lakh, given to the kin of militancy victims, has neither been paid to Khaati nor to Ghulam Mohammad. Sheikh Abdul Rahman was with the Congress in the late sixties. He was also an associate of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed during the latter's early years in politics. He had unsuccessfully contested several elections during past three decades. |
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Jawan guns down two colleagues Jammu, November 12 Lance Naik Ajeet Kumar of Rashtriya Rifles fired from his service weapon at Company Havaldar Major Chawan Parkash and Naik Diger Singh after an altercation with them at the remote Patnazi security post in Kishtwar, the spokesman said. While Singh died on the spot, Parkash succumbed to his injuries on way to hospital. A written report about the incident was lodged by an RR official in the Kishtwar police station yesterday, the spokesman said, adding that the accused continues to be in the RR custody. —
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Video
LUDHIANA: Prof Amitabh Mattoo (41), Vice-Chancellor of Jammu University happens to be the youngest Vice-Chancellor in the country right now. He is probably one of the few Vice-Chancellors who have made it to the top at such a young age. Prof Mattoo, who was selected in the Indian Police Service (IPS) in 1988, gave up the IPS for research in international relations.