Srinagar, August 2
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has said the graph of rights violations has registered a decline.

Replying to a discussion on the rights situation in the state, he said in the Legislative Council today that it was not true that the government had not taken action on the recommendations of the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC).

He said out of 440 cases, 383 pertaining to ex-gratia and employment had been taken care of. For speedy implementation of the recommendations, the government had constituted a Cabinet sub-committee to monitor and settle cases.

Mr Azad informed the House that action had been taken against 209 security personnel, including policemen, who were found guilty of rights violations. These included 28 gazetted officers. Referring to the settlement of cases, the Chief Minister said the Financial Commissioner, Home, and the DGP had been directed to review cases at the district level and settle these speedily.

The Chief Minister said measures had been taken and directions given to law enforcing agencies and the security forces to maintain the highest degree of restrain while dealing with civilians. He reiterated the government’s stand on zero tolerance towards custodial or killings of innocents.

Referring to the steps taken for peace, he said five working groups had been constituted and a meeting of one of these groups had been held. The meeting of another group was due to take place in some days.

These measures were aimed at restoring the confidence of people, create atmosphere of peace and development and address the problems of all sections of society, he added.

Jammu, August 2
Chairman of the Muzaffarabad based United Jehad Council, Syed Salahuddin, has adopted a meaningful silence during the past one month. According to the watchers of the separatist camp, Mr Salahuddin has not been seen issuing any statement or suggestions on the ongoing activities of militants in Jammu and Kashmir.

These watchers attribute his silence to the division of opinion in Hizbul Mujahideen militant outfit. While one section in the rebel camp is for participation in the dialogue with the Government of India the other faction is for continued Jehad for the liberation of Kashmir. Informed sources said Mr Salahuddin’s relations with his political mentor, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, are no longer as cordial.

In addition, Mr Salahuddin is said to have felt dismayed over the way activists of one faction of Hizbul Mujahideen were working side by side with those belonging to Lashkar-i-Toiba. This became evident when an Army convoy near Awantipora was attacked recently by militants and activists of Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Toiba claimed joint responsibility for the attack. During the past 10 years there have been a series of armed conflict between the activists of Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Toiba.

At one stage Hizbul Mujahideen failed to receive moral and material support from agencies across the border. And when scores of Hizbul commanders and their associates were eliminated by the security agencies in operations in different parts of the state Hizbul Mujahideen felt the pinch. A section of Hizbul Mujahideen preferred to forge links with foreign mercenary based Lashkar-e-Toiba to facing weapons and ammunition shortage.

Another reason attributed to Syed Salahuddin’s reticence is his keenness to ensure that he was not handed over to India after New Delhi submitted a list of 20 terrorists, Salahuddin’s name included, to Islamabad with the request that they be extradited.

As such Syed Salahuddin is said to have preferred to remain in the background so that he does not earn the displeasure of Islamabad.

Jammu, August 2
In a pre-dawn operation, the Army today killed two militants of the Harkat-ul-Jehadi-Isalmi (Huji), including an area commander and lost a jawan in a fierce gunbattle in Doda district.

On specific information, troops launched an operation in the Mughal maidan forest belt of Doda early this morning and in the subsequent encounter, two radicals were killed, they said.

A jawan was also killed. The militants have been identified as Mohmmad Yousef, area commander of Huji, and Aijas Ahmed of Anantnag.

Two AK rifles, 12 grenades, seven magazines, one pistol, 298 rounds, a wireless set and some explosives were seized from them.

SRINAGAR: A naka party of the security forces arrested two militants and seized arms and ammunition at Bemina on the outskirts of the city last night.

A CRPF spokesman said a naka party noticed a group of people moving under suspicious circumstances at Gousia colony, Bemina. When challenged and asked to stop, they tried to escape.

However, they were overpowered and Umar Nazir Hazari and Muzaffar Amin Darzi were arrested. One pistol, a magazine, four rounds and a hand grenade were seized from them. — PTI, UNI

Jammu, August 2
It was nothing short of homecoming for 70-year-old Sheikh Khani Zaman, alias Sujan Singh, when he participated in the wedding of his sister’s son, Jagjit Singh, in Jammu on Sunday.The wedding was solemnised at a gurdwara at Gole Gujral near here.

It was a family reunion for Sujan Singh, who as a child got separated from his family at the time of Partition in 1947 in Muzaffarabad.

Sujan Singh had got converted to Islam after his neighbours were unable to trace his parents — who had reached Jammu. And he had been given the name of Sheikh Khani Zaman.

He travelled from Muzaffarabad via Uri along with his son Shoukat Zaman and his granddaughter to Jammu to attend the wedding of his sister’s son.

Shoukat Zaman did not mind when he wore a turban and with his beard he looked like a Sikh barati. He danced with the baratis while leaving for the bride’s place.

Sheikh Khani Zaman and his son told mediapersons in Jammu yesterday that they were excited and delighted to be able to participate in the wedding of their close relative.

Sheikh Zaman said, “I brought my son and granddaughter with me to Jammu so that they could meet my relatives. I want them to maintain the relationships even after I die.”

Shabir Kaur, mother Jagjit Singh, said,
“I am delighted to see my brother after 59 years and I am overjoyed that my brother and his son could participate in my son’s wedding. I wish the government could extend their visa so that I could spend more time with my 
brother.”

Srinagar, August 2
Business activities at the State Bank of India (SBI) and Jammu and Kashmir Bank branches in the Kashmir valley today remained paralysed due to Internet failure.

The internet failure also affected two national news agencies and other private TV channels taking the Sanchar-net service.

The functioning in the banks, which are connected through Internet with other branches, including outside the state, remained affected.

“We cannot help it as the system is down,’’ the bank officials said to customers, refusing to accept their cheques and other demand drafts. — UNI