Srinagar, February 6
Normal life was affected throughout the valley today in protest against the publication of caricatures of Prophet Mohammad in some western countries that had been originally carried by a Danish newspaper. The general strike call was given here by the High Court Bar Association and supported by several other employees unions and organisations against the blasphemous publications “hurting the sentiments” of Muslims across the globe.

All shops and business establishments remained closed and traffic was off the roads. There was thin attendance in government offices, while most of the employees who had managed to report on duty in the morning, returned within a few hours. No cases could be taken up in the courts as the lawyers did not attend in response to the bandh call.

The capital city wore a deserted look as there was no transport on the roads and shops were closed. Only official and private vehicles were running on the city routes while skeletal transport plied on the inter-district routes.

Several organisations, including the Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC) had extended their support to the bandh call. The Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association expressed concern over the role of Denmark and other European countries for a “deliberate and organized campaign” in this direction which hurt the sentiments of the Muslims in the world. A spokesman of the Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC) said the publication of these caricatures was a deliberate act in the name of freedom of expression.

The general strike was also supported by the Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation.

Former Chief Minister and National Conference patron, Dr Farooq Abdullah, has also expressed concern over the publication of such caricatures in Denmark and other European countries. He said such acts were deliberate and only hurt the religious sentiments of the community in the world. He urged the President and Prime Minister to take up the matter with the Danish government.

Jammu, February 6
With his coalition partner of the PDP and the opposition National Conference (NC) locking horns over the issue of “self-rule” and other controversies, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad has smoothly steered the state during the first 100 days of his Chief Ministership.

Mr Azad has so far faced no challenge worth the name from any political party and was concentrating on streamlining the “uncouth” administration that he has inherited. He completes 100 days in office this week.

After shifting to the state from the Centre on November 2 last year, Mr Azad took several steps in an effort to set the things right in Jammu and Kashmir.

He has tried to discipline Legislators by getting unanimously passed the Anti-Defection Law that also restricts the size of the ministry at 20 per cent. The other law providing for seizure of moveable and unmovable property of corrupt officials has been appreciated. Initially, this law created fear among officials but the opposition parties have now started raising fingers that only small fries are being targeted by the Vigilance, while the sharks are still sitting on plum posts.

However, the other parties, including the PDP, the NC and the BJP, have failed to throw any challenge to Mr Azad as they are fighting among themselves. Mr Azad says he is himself playing the role of the opposition by voicing concern for the problems of the people.

To the much disliking of the babudom, Mr Azad, in a bid to introduce work culture, has increased the functioning of the Secretariat by two hours. However, the other offices are still functioning from 10 am to 4 pm. and officers continue to enjoy the liberty of coming late to the office.

What observers feel is that the real challenge for Mr Azad will come during the budget session of the Legislature when the first budget of his coalition government will be presented.

Expansion of his ministry is yet another challenge before him as he has not only to give representation to the Left out districts but also to his coalition partners.

He continues to get pinpricked on the issue of resettlement of the victims of earthquake. Allegations of corruption and nepotism against the authorities have started coming in on the issue of providing cash and material relief to the victims.

The tilt of the PDP towards the “self-rule” proposal of the Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf for the state has given an opportunity to the opposition parties to criticise the Azad-led coalition.

Jammu, February 6
An Army jawan and a minor boy were killed and two others injured in separate accidental firing incidents in Jammu division, official sources said here yesterday.

Mehpal Singh of 63 Rashtriya Rifles died when bullets accidentally went off from his service rifle and hit him in Dool area of Kishtwar tehsil in Doda district last evening, they said. In a separate incident, the 14 year-old son of a Village Defence Committee member died when he accidentally pressed the trigger of his father’s official weapon and the bullet pierced his throat in Chasana village of Udhampur district.

The deceased has been identified as Mohammed Ashraf, son of VDC member Mohammad Iqbal, they said.

In two separate accidental firing incidents, two civilians Suresh and Shafi were injured at Dasia (Ramgarh) and Bathindi (Hiranagar) areas of Jammu and Kathua district early today. — PTI

Jammu, February 6
Faced with acute power shortage and mounting deficit in the sector, the Jammu and Kashmir Government has decided to put up its demand before the Centre for transfer of the (650 mw) Salal and the (125 mw) Uri hydroelectric projects of the NHPC to the state.

Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad will take up the matter with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during the conference of Chief Ministers, Finance Ministers and Power Ministers in Delhi on February 13. The state government will also ask the Centre to set aside at least one thermal power project exclusively for Jammu and Kashmir.

This was stated here today by Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig in a pre-budget meeting with industrialists and traders.

He said the major hurdle impending the state’s economic growth was the power shortage and the government had decided to initiate quick and concrete measures to tackle the problem.

He said the power purchase bill of the state was increasing every day putting tremendous stress on the state’s financial resources.

The power purchase bill for the current financial year would touch Rs 1,800 crore against the recovery of Rs 400 crore leaving a deficit of Rs 1,400 crore.

Mr Baig said the transfer of Salal project was already under discussion with the Centre and the state government had offered to make payment of the balance cost of the project to facilitate its smooth transfer.

Srinagar, February 6
Two persons were killed while the security forces arrested two militants of the Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) and another surrendered in Kashmir valley overnight, an official spokesman said today.

He said militants kidnapped and later killed Tahir Ahmad at Gursai in Poonch district today. In another incident, militants shot dead a shopkeeper at Baramulla in north Kashmir last night.

However, a spokesman of the Al-Khandak militant outfit alleged he had been working for the security forces. He said two LeT militants, Nazir Ahmad Khan and Mohammad Yaseen Baba, were arrested by the security forces at Ganderbal. Two hand grenades were also seized from them.

A militant surrendered to the police at Wusan in Ganderbal.

JAMMU: The security forces seized explosives near the Ranjit Sagar Dam in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir during a massive search operation, the police said.

The police was assisted by the Army and the CRPF in search operation. Around 32 rounds of AK rifle, one grenade and some explosives were found on the bank of Satwain reservoir, close to the dam, they said. The search operation was reportedly continuing in the area.

On February 4, a search party had noticed some metallic object in mud on the bank of the reservoir. On careful examination and digging, two rocket launcher grenades, two RDX-fitted anti-tank grenades, eight other grenades, 50 rounds of universal machine gun, 150 rounds of AK-47 and two batteries were seized from the spot, the police said.

The ammunition and explosives seized today and earlier were reportedly dumped by anti-national elements to target the dam, they said. — PTI, UNI