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Baramula, Kupwara civic poll today
3 militants killed in encounter
NC not happy with coalition govt: PDP
Upgraded airport to promote tourism: Mufti
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Pak troupe stages play
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Baramula, Kupwara civic poll today
Srinagar, January 28 The responses to PDP’s call for elections has been overwhelming — not a single local body ward is going uncontested, several wards are set to witness fierce battles, 65 women have filed nominations for Srinagar Municipal Corporation elections, to honour their 33 per cent representation in the process. On the surface, all is well, except the fact that fear is still palpable all around. But people’s faith in the revival of democracy is another welcome reality. As Mohammad Aslam, a college student, says, “It takes a lot of daring to hold such elections despite threat perception. People are silent but aware of the positive ramifications of the polls. The issue of development, health and education is more vital to them than political claims about the resolution of the Kashmir issue.” In fact, the significance of local bodies is more for urban areas than rural. Sources admit that outstanding welfare issues remain unresolved. The urban areas, being centres of economic, civic, administrative activity, need a sustained approach for solution of problems like sanitation, regulation of building activity, removal of encroachments and prevention of food adulteration. On a campaign in Batmaloo today, the CM faced queries about the poor status of roads, lack of approach to towns adjoining Srinagar, dearth of teachers/doctors, and shortage of power. For his part, the CM promised a bright future, provided people support elections in Baramula and Kupwara tomorrow and in Srinagar on February 1. The interesting part of these elections is the stiff fight, which National Conference is ready to pose. Interestingly, where the PDP has fielded candidates from 64 out of 68 wards in Srinagar, NC has fielded candidates from all 68. It has even designated its candidate for the post of Mayor. The prospective NC Mayor is Irfan Ahmad Shah, Srinagar District President, NC. He recently lost from the NC stronghold Batmaloo during the Assembly byelections. Another interesting point is the proclaimed “friendship contests between PDP and Congress”. There are several wards from where both parties have fielded candidates. Mehbooba Mufti has said: “This is not a battle between political parties. It is a fight for basic amenities.” Back to the field, things are all rosy as they seem. The separatists have been holding anti election rallies, labelling them as just another ploy of the ruling party to deflect people’s attention from key issues like the resolution of the Kashmir issue. The most vocal critics are Yaseen Malik of the JKLF and Shabir Shah of Democratic Freedom Party, which is no longer a part of the
Hurriyat Conference. Even today, as the CM went about holding pro election rallies, Yaseen Malik’s force was out on the road raising anti election slogans. Strangely, the Jamaat-e-Islami has not opposed elections. It has just shown reluctance to participate in poll process. As for the efficacy and utility of elections, people are willing to test the same. There are 67, 1830 voters in the Valley, and half of them are women. |
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3 militants killed in encounter
Srinagar, January 28 The Hizbul militant, Mohammad Abbas Wani, was killed in a gunbattle with the security forces at Kawani Dogerpora in Pulwama district of South Kashmir, the spokesman said. He said another militant, yet to be identified, was killed in a firefight with the forces at Dhanveth-Kokernag in Anantnag district. One AK rifle, its three magazines, 60 cartridges and two hand grenades were recovered from the slain militant. The spokesman said the security forces shot dead a militant identified as Shabir Ahmed of the Bemina locality of Srinagar in an encounter at Hamray-Pattan in Baramula district. An AK rifle, its two magazines, two hand grenades, a wireless set, five kg of RDX and 24 cartridges were recovered from the slain militant, the spokesman added. The residents of Hamray-pattan, 30 km from here, staged a dharna alleging that Shabir was killed in a fake encounter. Meanwhile, the J and K Salvation Front, a separatist political organisation, in a statement said Shabir was an activist of the party and had been arrested by the security forces a week ago and killed in a fake encounter at Pattan today. Also, a woman was killed and her son was among two persons injured, in a cross-firing between militants and the security forces in the Daramsal area of Rajouri district, official sources said here today. A group of militants fired at the house of a village defence committee member of the district last night, they said, adding the security personnel retaliated and in the exchange of fire Kanta Devi was killed and two persons, including her son Raj Kumar, were injured. The exchange of firing continued till early hours today, they said.
— PTI |
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NC not happy with coalition govt: PDP
Srinagar, January 28 “We have been making it clear that once the term is over, Mufti Sayeed will step down”, Ms Mehbooba Mufti, President of the PDP, told The Tribune. She said that the National Conference was not ready to wait even till the time was over by November 2 this year. “They do not want to see Mufti as Chief Minister even for that period”, Ms Mufti added. According to the arrangement between the Congress and the PDP, each partner would be having Chief Minister for three years. Mufti’s term as Chief Minister completes on November 2. That would be followed by the Congress chief minister for the next three years. Mufti Sayeed has already made it clear that he would step down on the completion of his term. Ms Mehbooba Mufti was reacting to statement of Mr Omar Abdullah wherein he had claimed that there was an arrangement in the offing with the Congress to take over the reigns of the government in Jammu and Kashmir. The NC has 27 seats, while the Congress with 20 seats and the PDP with 15 seats in the Assembly have formed the coalition government along with some other smaller parties. |
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Upgraded airport to promote tourism: Mufti
Srinagar, January 28 A decision to upgrade the status of Srinagar airport was taken by the Union Cabinet yesterday. This would prove a landmark in the development of tourism and in turn pave the way for overall development of the state and prosperity of the people, the chief Minister said. He said that the arrival of international flights to Srinagar from various places of the world would uplift the graph of tourist flow in the state. Mufti Sayeed said that the new status of the airport would lead to the international connectivity to the valley and provide good choice to the international tourists to visit the state directly on competitive costs. This would not only boost the overall economy but would also give impetus to the development of handicrafts and uplift of artisans. This, he said was a long pending demand of Jammu and Kashmir, an official spokesman said. |
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Pak troupe stages play
Jammu, January 28 The director of the play, Madeeha Gohar, told newsmen here after the team's arrival in Jammu yesterday that staging of "Bullah" by Ajoka, a theatre group from Pakistan, symbolised "our urge for peace." He said peace was needed by this state and the exchange of cultural troupes could prove a base for the establishment of durable links between the people of the two countries. He said the theatre group had also produced several plays with main theme revolving round peace. |
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