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Border point opening kindles hope in
94-yr-old woman
Mufti-Hassan Mir chasm widens
Rift widens between factions of
Major, teacher killed in J&K
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Notices issued to bank managers
HC issues notices to SKIMS Director
SPO set afire by husband
Kalam’s visit to Uri cancelled
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Border point opening kindles hope in
94-yr-old woman
Jammu, November 10 The bespectacled Laj Kour is all bones.Wrinkles on her face have multiplied after she came to know that her son, Gurbux Singh, was alive and was working in Karachi. She has been hunting for her son, who had been left behind when Laj kour, her husband, Sadhu Singh and three kids, had fled from their ancestral village of Hargiyal in the Bagh area of the Pakistan- administered Kashmir across Poonch district in Jammu. Since 1988 Laj Kour had been seeking assistance from everyone in finding the “lost child” without knowing that Gurbux Singh, who was eight years at the time of the partition, had been saved by a muslim neighbour, Dilawar Khan who had given him Muslim name of Nek Mohammad after conversion. After the Partition, Laj Kour and her family members lived in Poonch. She told mediapersons in Jammu, where she is under treatment in Government Medical college, on Thursday “ I am ill because I carry a wound in my mind. I have nursed the wound for the past 58 years because I have not been able to have my son, Gurbux in my lap all these years.” She said that a teacher, Taj Mir, of Poonch who was married to a woman belonging to the Pakistan- administered Kashmir “helped me in tracing out my lost child”. She explained that whenever Taj Mir would visit his in laws, he would seek help from people there for Laj Kour who wanted to meet her son who had not accompanied his parents in 1947. Between 1988 and 1990 Taj Mir was able to contact the “lost son” of Laj Kour and in 1990 Nek Mohammad alias Gurbux Singh sent a telegram to Taj Mir that he would be in Delhi and wished to meet his parents. But the telegram reached Taj Mir in Poonch after 15 days. And when Sadhu Singh and Laj Kour reached the guest house where Nek Mohammaed had stayed the “lost child” had by then left for Pakistan. It was in October 1991 that the reunion between the lost son and his parents took place in Delhi.Nek Mohd, Laj Kour recalls,”stayed for three weeks and he would sleep with me all those days”. “We took him to the gurdwara and he took us to the Jama Masjid in Delhi. He used to have his food in a hotel run by a Muslim and would see to it that we had our meals in Hindu-owned restaurant,”Laj Kour said. “Those days people from Azad kashmir would not get visa for visiting the Indian administered Jammu and Kashmir hence we had to travel to Delhi to meet our lost son,”she said. Nek Mohd is a mechanic working in Karachi.Since 1991, there has been no other meeting between him and his parents. Laj Kour,whose husband died years ago,said “even I do not have a telephonic conversation with my child. We exchange letters sporadically and individuals here and across the border keep us informed about Nek Mohd’s welfare”. She said “So long as I am alive, I shall wait for my son. I wish him to be present when the time comes for performing my last rites”. “I wish the two governments permit Gurbux (Nek Mohammad) to meet me frequently. It is a wish from a woman on her death bed”. Tears trickle down her bony cheeks when she recalls the day when Gurbux was left behind. She said, “I sent him to fetch some green chilly from my brother. My brother had asked Gurbux to get the green chilly from the fields. At that very moment communal riots broke, forcing my brother and his family members to flee for safety. And Gurbux hid himself in the fields when he saw scenes of massacre”. “Later it was Dilawar Khan, our neighbour, who saved the life of Gurbux Singh. Dilawar had two wives and one of them was childless.Gurbux as Nek Mohammad was given to her in adoption,”she said. “Yes, I know my son is now a devout muslim, offering prayers five times a day. It does not matter whether he is a Sikh or a muslim. He is my son. He is the creation of God who does not distinguish between a Hindu and a muslim, “she said adding “may the same God fulfill my wish of reuniting me with my son”. |
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Mufti-Hassan Mir chasm widens
Jammu, November 10 Inside reports said the differences between Mr Mir, a founder member of the PDP, and the Mufti were visible on April 11 when elections to six seats in the Legislative Council (Upper House) was held. The PDP and the NC won two seats each and one seat went to the Congress. Mr Hassan Mir had expressed his anger over not being consulted while finalising the names of the PDP candidates for the poll. The differences further sharpened when Mr Mir was not nominated by the PDP leadership for the post of Deputy Chief Minister. The PDP nominated Mr Muzaffar Hussain Beig instead for the post. Sources close to Mr Hassan Mir said since the Mir was much senior to Mr Beig, he had a better claim than Mr Beig to the post. The sources said the Mufti had expected Mr Mir, who has a lobby at the Centre, to support his continuation as Chief Minister. Mr Hassan Mir remained silent probably thinking if the power transfer agreement was implemented and a Congress leader took over as Chief Minister, he had a better chance than anyone else in the PDP to be nominated to the post of Deputy Chief Minister. When the PDP cast its dice in favour of Mr Muzaffar Hussain Beig, Mr Mir blamed the Mufti because he knew that the former Chief Minister was the tallest leader in the organisation and his word “is the law”. Latest reports said the Mufti, who once treated Mr Mir as his trusted lieutenant, is not on talking terms with him. Mr Ghulam Hassan Mir recently issued a statement that a high-level inquiry be held into the killing of former Minister of State for Education Ghulam Nabi Lone, as it was the result of laxity in security. When Mr Mir was minister, he had not demanded any probe. This demand, too, is seen as part of the chasm that has widened between Mr Mir and the Mufti. |
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Rift widens between factions of Panthers Party
Jammu, November 10 The two factions are standing at daggers point against each other as the committee headed by Mr Mushtaq Ahmed Khan, vice-chairman of the party, has recommended immediate dissolution of all party units, including the state level body. On the other hand, Mr Bhim Singh, on the recommendation of the working committee, has already dissolved all party units in the state. He had announced a conditional support from outside to the Azad government. No legislature of the party has been inducted in the ministry this time. The committee appointed by Mr Harsh Dev in its report has claimed that despite brilliant performance, the party has not been able to widen its base mainly because of the arbitrary and irrational decisions and irresponsible statements issued by certain party leaders. The committee said support to the newly formed government should be unconditional so that it has sufficient time to address and honour various issues mentioned in the common minimum programme (CMP). The committee authorised Mr Harsh Dev Singh to take appropriate action, which would be acceptable to all partymen. It has been pointed out in the report that the committee made repeated requests to Mr Bhim Singh to respect and honour the sentiments of the people and party workers with regard to the role of the Panthers Party in the changed scenario, but did not get a favourable response. |
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Srinagar, November 10 The encounter began at around 5 p.m. when troops of 14 Rashtriya Rifles cordoned Arin village following information about the presence of some militants, the spokesman said. He said militants, who had taken shelter in two houses, opened fire on the search party and in the ensuing gunbattle the Major was killed. The encounter was still going on and reinforcements have been rushed to the area to neutralise the militants, the spokesman said. In other incidents, militants shot dead a schoolteacher and critically injured an SPO in Jammu and Kashmir, the police said. Abid Hussain Bhat (32), a teacher in a private school, was shot dead by militants near his house at Nadihal in the Bandipore area of Baramulla district today, the spokesman said. In another incident, he said militants also shot at and injured SPO Mashooq Ali at Ramgarh in the Gool area of Doda district last night. Ali, who was critically injured in the attack, was shifted to a Jammu hospital for specialised treatment. The police busted a militant hideout at Basantgarh in Udhampur district today and recovered an AK rifle, one magazine, 65 rounds, 35 pika rounds and 3 kg of explosives. In a joint operation at Sarola in the Kandi area of Rajouri district today, security forces and police recovered four grenades, five under barrel grenade launcher rounds, 30 AK rounds and one AK magazine from a hideout. The police also recovered a wireless set from the house of Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din at Tanta in the Gandoh area of Doda district last night. The house was being used by militants as a hideout, he said. — PTI
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Notices issued to bank managers
Srinagar, November 10 The notices were issued to the General Manager of the Bank, Mr Farooq Ahmad Khan, Mr G M Lone, branch manager, Pampore, Mr A R Bhat, branch manager, Pulwama and Mr A H Tantray, branch manager, Anantnag, by the commission yesterday, asking them to appear before it on November 15, official sources said today. The General Manager and three Branch Managers were placed under suspension in 2002 following detection of alleged embazzlement in the bank, amounting to over Rs 1 crore. Investigation into the case has been entrusted with the Vigilance. However, Agriculture and Cooperative Minister Abdul Aziz Zargar reinstated the General Manager, who subsequently reinstated the suspended branch managers. Three officials, who were prematurly retired from the bank by the General Manager, approached the Accountability Commission challenging the authority of the minister to reinstate the GM of the bank accused of embazzlement. The Commission then issued notices to the managers and also asked the Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag, to appear before it on November 15.
— PTI |
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HC issues notices to SKIMS Director
Srinagar, November 10 The court issued notices to the Director and 11 health officials yesterday following a petition filed by Mr Mohammad Ashraf Bhat, challenging the appointment of Mr Jalal and seeking its quashing. In his petition Mr Bhat claimed that
appointment of Mr Jalal was a sheer violation of all the norms. He also stated that on December 6, 2004, the post of Director was advertised. On June 24, 2005, a selection committee was constituted with the Commissioner, Secretary, Health, Mr Sonali Kumar and the Secretary, Health, Mr L L Bhat, as members. The petitioner challenged that the members had no expertise to select an appropriate person for the post. He also informed the court that Mr Jalal had fudged his date of birth and a case in this regard was being investigated by the Vigilance.
— PTI |
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Jammu, November 10 The SPO Sunita Devi is in a critical state. The sources said Bhagwan Dass and his sister, Rita Devi barged into the house of Sunita Devi’s sister in Gadyal village in the district last night and doused her with kerosene before setting her afire, they said. On hearing the cries of Sunita Devi and her sister, their neighbours came to their rescue and took the victim to a hospital. The condition of Sunita was stated to be critical, they said. The villagers brought the matter to the notice of the Rajbagh police and held protests demanding arrest of the accused. The two was arrested from a relative’s house today. Sunita had estranged relations with her husband for the past several years and both had approached the court. A court recently gave judgement in favour of Bhagwan Dass but Sunita Devi managed to get a stay from the higher court that angered her husband, they said. — PTI
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Kalam’s visit to Uri cancelled
Srinagar, November 10 The revised schedule of his visit has not yet been announced.
— UNI |
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