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Mufti proposes ‘regional federalism’
PM praised for roundtable conference
Terrorist activities on decline: minister
Train overshoots, hits wall
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Avalanche kills 4 BRO men in Kargil
2 Vaishnodevi pilgrims looted
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Mufti proposes ‘regional federalism’
Jammu, March 2 The Mufti, who was talking to media persons here yesterday, unfolded the “regional federalism” proposal within the self-rule agenda that the PDP had presented in the roundtable conference convened by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. He said that the PDP believed in the full empowerment of the people under the model of self-rule that responded to the aspirations of the people living in all three regions of the state. He said that the free and fair Assembly elections of 2002 were not sufficient to remove apprehensions among the people of various regions and some bold steps were required to be taken by the Centre. The Mufti said he was hopeful that through a sustained discussion on these issues, a consensus could be evolved in this regard both at the state and national levels. He clarified that self-rule should not be implemented only in this side of J&K, but Pakistan should also apply it to the areas of the state under its occupation. He appreciated Dr Manmohan Singh for taking the initiative to convene the historical roundtable conference for discussing the Kashmir issue. He described the conference as a culmination of the peace process started by the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee during the NDA regime. He complimented the Prime Minister for assuring that the idea of regional federalism put forth by the PDP would be further discussed. The Mufti said a crucial and decisive stage for solving the Kashmir problem had come as Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf had himself dropped the demand for plebiscite and independence of Kashmir. Both India and Pakistan had introduced several Kashmir-focused confidence-building measures for the first time. He said a senior PDP leader, Maulvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari, would represent the party in the two-day conference that has been organised by the America-based Pugwash at Islamabad on March 10 and 11 and present the self-rule proposal there. He said the separatists should not lose the opportunity of the century that would come for a dialogue when the roundtable conference is held at Srinagar shortly. They should participate in the conference and put forth their viewpoint. The separatists should not forget that the people were in a reconciliatory mood and the Prime Minister also wanted to take the bull by its horns. Mr Muzaffar Hussain Beig, Deputy Chief Minister, Mr Ansari and Mr Dillawar Mir, were also present in the media conference.
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PM praised for roundtable conference
Jammu, March 2 Mr Baig was replying to the debate on a resolution that was earlier moved by him in the Assembly to appreciate the initiative of the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, who convened the first ever round-table conference to discuss the Kashmir issue. The resolution was unanimously adopted by the House. He said unanimity between all of them to present a blueprint for solving the Kashmir issue was the need of the hour. Expressing hope that the Hurriyat Conference and other such groups would shun the inhibition of interacting at a joint platform like the round-table conference, he asked them that when they felt no hesitation in talking to the Prime Minister and other central leaders separately, why did they shy away from joint meetings. He said emotional integration between various regions and people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh was of paramount importance as no constitutional or administrative bonding was viable and lasting without mutual trust. Earlier, during the discussion on the resolution, differences within the PDP on the issue of self-rule came in the open when a senior party member, Mr Ghulam Hassan Mir, said we should not adopt the double policy of presenting specific proposals on one hand and on the other hand maintaining that the dialogue would be inconclusive without the participation of the separatists. Mr Mir showered praise on Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad by saying that with him in the chair the state could achieve what it had failed to get so far. Mr Azad enjoyed credibility not only in the state but in the rest of the country and nobody could challenge it. The PDP leader said the round-table conference was organised by the Prime Minister due to the efforts put in by Mr Azad. Mr M.Y. Tarigami (CPM) suggested that in future such meetings should be broad-based. Now when the prime minister had taken the initiative, we should make efforts to understand the point of view of each other. The Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution condemning the publication of caricatures of Prophet Mohammad by some newspapers in Europe. Mr Baig moved the resolution. Mr Baig described these acts as clear violation of universally accepted principles and gross contradiction of freedom of speech and expression. Cutting across party lines, the legislators supported the resolution and condemned the act of blasphemy against Prophet Mohammad. The Chief minister announced that within six months the government would formulate an education policy that would also take care of infrastructure in the institutions. Mr Azad, who was responding to supplementaries during the question hour, said demands for opening degree colleges and upgrading schools were being received by him but certain criteria had to be fixed for the purpose. |
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Terrorist activities on decline: minister
Jammu, March 2 He said as against 2,565 incidents during 2004, the number reduced to 1,990 last year. Against 1,063 persons killed in terrorist-related violence during 2004, the figure dropped to 800 during 2005, he said, adding that as many as 157 security personnel, 32 policemen, 556 civilians, 18 village defence committee members and 37 special police officers lost their lives last year. Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad in a written reply to Mr Balwant Singh Mankotia of the Panthers Party, stated that as many as 113 madrasas imparting religious education to children were functioning in Jammu and Kashmir. The minister informed the member that the community was managing the madrasas out of their own donations. While in replying to a calling attention notice of Mr Ali Mohammad Sagar of the NC, the Minister for Animal Husbandry, Mr Taj Mohiuddin, said the state was free from bird flu and the animal husbandry department was well prepared for any eventuality. The minister, however, warned that in view of the presence of large number of migratory birds and large imports of poultry products into the state, there was every apprehension of ingress of disease into the state. Meanwhile, the state government has taken several steps to prevent the disease by banning import of poultry products. The Army authorities have also been asked not to import any banned product. |
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Train overshoots, hits wall
Jammu, March 2 The train, travelling to Jaipur via Delhi, overshot allegedly due to misjudgement of the driver while shifting tracks, hit the wall at the last end of the track and got entangled into it, they said. However, no coaches of the train, which was moving at a speed of 30 km per hour, were derailed or damaged. There was minor damage to the wall, they said. “Had the train not got entangled into the damaged wall, it would have rushed onto the by-pass, which usually has heavy traffic rush,” they said, adding, then there could have been a major tragedy. The railway authorities have ordered a probe into the incident, they said.
— PTI |
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Avalanche kills 4 BRO men in Kargil
Kargil, March 2 Four officials, working on the Drass-Kargil road, came under an avalanche at Shimsha Kharboo. However, before the rescue teams could reach there, all the four had died, the sources said. In another similar incident near the Line of Control (LoC) at Lato, three porters working with the Army were buried under a snow avalanche. However, two of them were rescued and admitted to hospital in an injured condition, while search for the third was going on, the sources said. — UNI
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2 Vaishnodevi pilgrims looted
Jammu, March 2 The pilgrims — Ramgan Chowhan and Angad of Uttar Pradesh — were returning after having “darshan” at the holy cave shrine of Mata Vaishnodevi in a bus to Jammu from Katra when some persons befriended them and gave them poison-laced biscuits, the sources said.
— PTI |
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