Srinagar, October 28
Former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed here today hailed defence minister A. K. Antony’s announcement on security forces on internal security duty vacating all school buildings and hospitals in the state by November 30. The PDP patron said the move reflected the Centre’s objective approach and cooperation on his demand for troop cut and scrapping of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) since early this year.

Mufti Sayeed hoped this would be a prelude to measures on rationalising troop concentration for internal security duties in the state. He said vacation of civilian property would mark the beginning of public and institutional empowerment process, which the PDP had been projecting. "The popular sentiment on the continued presence of heavy troop deployment in civilian areas will have to be respected fully", the Mufti commented.

"The mechanism put in place by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh after March 2007 discussions, is an acknowledgment of the seriousness of this problem", the Mufti commented. He hoped sentiments of people would be configured in any decision on the issue. He said, "The shortest and the most workable route to eliminating human rights abuse is reconciling the presence of troops to actual security requirements", and any such move should not be hampered by fossilised mindsets and imaginary apprehensions.

Taking a dig at the coalition partners, the Congress, Mufti Sayeed said the defence minister’s announcement should provide the lead to those quarters, both within and outside the state, who have been speaking out of turn on this very sensitive issue.

Addressing party workers, the former Chief Minister said the PDP’s guiding principle was its agenda of ensuring political empowerment, economic emancipation and social uplift of the people of Ja of the state. "We will continue our struggle for shaping up a peaceful, dignified and prosperous future for our people, foundations of which were laid in 2002", he said.

Antony’s announcement came after his meeting with the Chief Minister here yesterday.

The meeting was told the security forces had been asked to vacate all school buildings and health infrastructure, under their use in the Kashmir valley, by November 30 this year. It was on the request of the Chief Minister that November 30, 2007, was fixed as timeline for the vacation of all school and hospital buildings, besides the Kokernag tourist resort and the Nigeen Club by the security forces. A committee comprising the defence secretary, the union home secretary and the chief secretary will coordinate the matter.

The meeting was informed that since the last meeting between the defence minister and the Chief Minister two months back, 72 government buildings had been vacated by security forces in Kashmir.

Udhampur, October 28
As incidents of ransacking of hospitals and attacks on doctors by mobs have been increasing in Doda and adjoining areas, doctors of this mountainous belt have demanded security in hospital premises.

For the past three days, doctors and paramedical staff of the Bhaderwah hospital were on strike after the hospital was ransacked and staffers were beaten up by a mob on Tuesday evening. That incident took place when a youth victim of an accident succumbed to his injuries in the hospital.

The medical staff resumed work only after the authorities decided to set up a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) post on the premises of the hospital. Doctors were also demanding the registration of a case against the “miscreants” responsible for ransacking the hospital and attacking the medical staff.

Block medical officer (BMO), Bhaderwah, Dr Ashraf said doctors usually had become target of mob fury after every incident. “Doctors were blamed for the death of people after any mishap,” he regretted and pointed out that the victim on Tuesday's accident died instantly as he was crushed by the speeding vehicle. “Every person present on the spot was aware the victim was no more but even then some youths resorted to beating up doctors and para-medical staff,” he recalled.

The Bhaderwah incident was not an isolated case. In this militancy-plagued hilly belt these types of incident have become a routine affair. After every mishap, doctors and para-medical staff have to face the wrath of an angry mob.

In past three months this was sixth such incident in Kishtwar and Bhaderwah hospital when doctors and other medical staff were attacked. “If this situation continued doctors will hesitate to treat any serious patient'', said the BMO.

Residents, however, have a different view. They alleged that the human spirit among doctors had been missing. Referring to Friday's incident at Kishtwar hospital where an infant died due to the inhuman behaviour of doctors, Abdul Rashid, a resident of Kishtwar, said inordinate delays and laidback attitude of doctors and other medical staff led to deaths of poor patients. “Most of the time doctors remained absent from their duties,” he alleged.

Srinagar, October 28
A total of 8,130 pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir are scheduled to perform the annual Haj this year. Their departure from here will start from November 11 and continue for a month. During first 15 days there will be only one flight, while two flights will operate after that, officials said.

A high-level Central team had a meeting with Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and discussed the custom and immigration clearance of Haj pilgrims here on Friday evening. The team comprised senior officers from various ministries, including joint secretary of the MHA Mitali Sen Gawai, joint director of the IB Nilmani Raju, commissioner, Customs, Dr Devendra Singh, additional commissioner of the Bureau of Civil Aviation D. S. Chauhan and director of the Airport Authority of India, Srinagar, Rakesh Kalra.

For the first time the pilgrims will be starting journey from the Haj House constructed by the Jammu and Kashmir government at Bemina on the outskirts of the city here. Being constructed at a cost of Rs 10 crore, the first phase of the complex has been completed within a record time of one year. The checking, emigration and customs formalities for the pilgrims will be completed at the Haj House this year, where the pilgrims will report at 5 am on the dates of their scheduled departure, said executive officer of the state Haj Committee Abdul Rashid Mir.

Arrangements for the accommodation of pilgrims from different parts of the state, including those from Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh divisions, were made at the Tourist Reception Centre (TRC) and Hotel Heemal in collaboration with the JKTDC. The first flight was scheduled at 10:30 am, while the second flight for the second 15 days was to be scheduled at 11:30 am and each flight would carry 215 pilgrims, officials here said.

The wearing of Ahram by pilgrims will be done at the airport. The Haj House is having all facilities required for intending Hajis under one roof, said minister for roads and buildings Gulchain Singh Charak.

Minister for Haj, Aquaf and Education Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, reviewed the arrangements for Haj 2007, at a meeting here the other day. The meeting was attended by the divisional commissioner of Kashmir Mehboob Iqbal, the deputy commissioner of Budgam, senior officers of Customs, the Indian Airlines, Security, Traffic, Health, J&K Bank, chief engineers of the PDD and the PHE and other allied departments.

Udhampur, October 28
Twenty persons, including 12 women, were injured when the police lathicharged and used teargas to disperse villagers opposing the construction of tourist huts by the Bhaderwah Development Authority at Sungli village, 3 km from Bhaderwah town. Villagers also stoned cops which led to tension in the area.

Reports here said officers of the Bhaderwah Development Authority, along with the sub-divisional magistrate, had gone to Sungli to start construction of huts for tourists. As the team reached the spot, people reached the spot and began shouting slogans against the authorities. They did not allow the team to start construction.

Residents were annoyed at delay tactics of the authorities in releasing compensation for the land acquired by the Authority. Senior officers accompanying the team tried to pacify the agitating villagers, but to no avail as villagers had made it clear not to allow construction till the cases of compensation were solved.

As the situation was going out of control, cops accompanying the team resorted to lathicharge to disperse the mob. Some teargas shells were also lobbed by the police. After the lathicharge, villagers also resorted to stoning the cops. As cops and villagers clashed more than 20 persons, including 12 cops, were injured in the ding-dong battle.

The Bhaderwah Development Authority has acquired more than 100 kanals from villagers for huts for the tourists. The land was acquired a year ago, but compensation cases have not been settled. Villagers under the banner of the Zamindar Committee Atkar have been struggling for the rights of land owners. A deputation of the committee had brought the matter to the notice of the higher authorities, but nothing had been done.