Srinagar, December 28
Nearly 25 persons, including four security jawans, were injured when the police lobbed teargas shells and resorted to baton charge repeatedly to disperse violent demonstrators in the down town, protesting the assassination of former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

Hundreds of people, mostly youths, took to streets at Nowhatta in the down town, protesting the killing immediately after Friday prayers were over in the historic Jamia Masjid, where Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq addressed the congregation condemning the assassination of Bhutto.

Raising “pro-Pakistan and freedom” slogans, the demonstrators blocked main road and pelted stones on the police and security personnel deployed there.

However, when they tried to move towards the main chowk, the police resorted to baton charge, which had no affect. Later, the police lobbed teargas shells to disperse the demonstrators, who were regrouping and pelting stones on the police.

A UNI correspondent, who was on the spot, saw a teargas shell exploding near the main gate of the historic mosque when people were coming out after prayers.

Mirwaiz Omar and other separatist leaders, including Javid Ahmad Mir, Nayeem Ahmad Khan and Bashir Ahmad Tota left for Mirwaiz manzil from the other gate.

The police lobbed teargas shells on agitators, who were pelting stones, sources said, adding that 25 people, including a CRPF and a police jawan, were injured.

However, situation in other areas of the valley, including civil lines and uptown, remained peaceful. — UNI

Jammu, December 28
There has been widespread condemnation against the killing of former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in the state.

The Governor, the Chief Minister, two former Chief Ministers and leaders of different political parties have condemned the assassination and hoped that Pakistan would emerge stronger after the shock.

Governor Lt Gen S.K. Sinha has described the situation in Pakistan in the wake of Bhutto’s assassination as shocking but hoped that the people of Pakistan would come out of this sordid phase soon. On the sidelines of a presentation by this year’s Republic Day contingent from the state at Raj Bhavan this morning, the Governor said in an informal chat with mediapersons that: “Our sympathies are with the people of Pakistan.”

Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad also expressed profound shock on her assassination, describing the incident as a serious setback to the return of democracy in the neighbouring country. He said the killing of Benazir was not assassination of an individual but of democracy that would impact the politics of the sub-continent.

Former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah described Benazir as a brave lady who had accepted the challenge of leading Pakistan into democracy knowing well how risky it could be.

Jammu, December 28
Kashmiris have always reacted overwhelmingly to any development in Pakistan, particularly the execution, death or assassination of a leader there. However, they seem to be in a dilemma over how to react to the assassination of former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. It is for the first time that people’s reaction in the valley about Benazir Bhutto’s death has been so subdued.

Earlier, when Benazir's father, Zulfikar Ali Butto, was executed in 1977, thousands of Kashmiris had protested against it and had condemned the military ruler, General Zia-Ul Haq.

This had provoked Haq to remark that all Kashmiri Muslims were Brahmins, while referring to their pedigree that they were converts, and worshippers of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. Sheikh had also appealed against Bhutto's execution.

Ironically, when Zia died in an air crash in 1987, thousands of Kashmiri Muslims came out to mourn his death, blaming Russia, India and America for his death. They vented out their ire on minorities like the Shias and the Hindus whom they apprehended of celebrating Zia's death.

With Jamat-i-Islami leader Sayeed Ali Shah Geelani, leading the hardline faction of the All Party Hurriyat Conference, had given a call for a Kashmir bandh, not many people are convinced about his newfound sympathies for Benazir. The bandh evoked a partial response only.

It is being widely believed that Geelani’s call for a Kashmir bandh was not to sympathise Benazir’s killing, but it was to preempt any possible backlash against the Jamat activists across the valley. Any backlash would not only risk the lives of his supporters but would also send a wrong signal.

Geelani’s fears seemed to be based on his past experiences when Benazir’s father Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was executed on April 4, 1977, by General Zia-ul Haq. The Jamat-i-Islami was accused of having supported Zia. Those were the hey days of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah's rule in Kashmir. The Kashmiri Muslims were enraged over Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s execution that they had ransacked and burnt houses of the Jamat-i-Islami activists.

The situation is no different even today for the Jamat-i-Islami. The Jamat's anti-American stance is too clear. It hates everything about American and everyone who is a supporter of America. So aversion for Benazir was quite natural. If it could dump Pervez Musharraf, whom it had idolised earlier, for his pro-American stance, Benazir would stand nowhere.

It is believed that had the Jamat-i-Islami known that the Al-Qaeda would take up the responsibility for Benazir’s assassination, it might not even have called for a bandh. Although nothing has been established so far about Jamat's links with the Al-Qaeda, it has so many things in common, and most important being the “pan-Islamism” and “anti-Americanism.”

Separatist leaders like Mirwaiz Umer Farooq have expressed grief and anguish over her death, while at the same time are cautious and guarded in their reaction. Protest demonstrations were also taken out. But it was difficult to comprehend as to what the protests stood for. The protesters condemned her killing but construed that they did not support everything Benazir stood for, particularly her pro-American and anti-extremist stance.

Benazir's latest moderate and pro-American turn notwithstanding, Kashmiris does recall her speech in 1990 when she addressed a rally in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) where she had challenged the then Indian Prime Minister, V.P. Singh, and dared him to organise a similar rally on the Indian side of Kashmir to check his and India's popularity there.

Brilliant orator as she was, her line about the “sacrifices” of Kashmiris for “freedom struggle” is still quoted with nostalgia. She said in the same lecture, “ek khoon ka katra girega, ek naya mujahid paida hoga…” (every drop of blood will lead to the birth of another holy warrior.)

She would not have even thought in her wild imagination that it would be the same mujahid who would kill and blow her off.

Udhampur, December 28
With investigations being carried out regarding discrepancies in the procurement of eggs by the Army in Jammu and Kashmir, a team of the CBI from Mumbai assisted by local officers conducted searches in the Field Ordinance Depot (FOD) and the Northern Command Vehicle Depot at Udhampur this morning and last night.

The searches were conducted on the directions of the Mumbai High Court, following reports that inferior quality of non-skid chains and other instruments were supplied to the Army by a private company of Mumbai.

The CBI team from Mumbai was led by one additional superintendent of police and assisted by two senior officers from Jammu. The team had procured a search warrant from the Mumbai High Court to conduct searches in these areas.

SSP, CBI, O.P. Gour expressed his ignorance about recoveries being made by the team. He, however, told The Tribune that a CBI team had conducted searches in some Army areas.

“The team came from Mumbai and returned after the searches,” Gour said.

Although officers of the CBI were tight-lipped over the searches, sources said a large quantity of chains were seized by the team.

The sources said a private company in Mumbai had supplied inferior quality non-skid chains and other materials to the Army. These materials were used in snowbound areas, especially to clear the road and cut the ice during snowfall.

“In the 12-hour-long search, the CBI sealed a large quantity of chains at the ordinance and the vehicle depots. A team of experts will visit the site soon to further investigate the case,” the sources said, adding “the team will examine the sealed chains and other instruments”.

“It is premature to arrive at any conclusion. Only the team will decide whether the non-skid chain and other instruments are of inferior quality or not,” sources in the CBI said.

The Army authorities, on the other hand, have refuted that the CBI team had searched the North Command. They, while clarifying the details, said the CBI team visited 1 Field Ordnance Depot and Northern Command Vehicle Depot as part of an investigation regarding the procurement of stores through normal ordinance channels.

Srinagar, December 28
Expressing resentment over inadequate staff in Handwara hospital, particularly non-operationalisation of the state-of-the-art paediatric ward, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court has issued a show-cause notice to the authorities.

A single Bench, comprising Mr Justice Mohammad Maqbool Mir, has issued the notice to the health department on a petition filed by local residents alleging that the paediatric ward, constructed by the Navy in memory of 20 schoolchildren drowned in the Wullar Lake on May 30 last year, remained non-functional.

Admitting the petition, the Justice issued the notice to the director health, the commissioner secretary, health, and the hospital superintendent. They were directed to file objections within four weeks.

A defence ministry spokesman has also expressed concern over the non-operationalisation of the ward.

The spokesman recently said it was a cause of concern that even after six months of the inauguration of the ward, the health department had been unable to provide the requisite staff for making it operational.

Jammu, December 28
With the detection of one HIV positive case in three days, the state of Jammu and Kashmir stands at number one position as far as AIDS awareness is concerned. As compared to the national awareness average of 61 per cent, Jammu and Kashmir leads with 88 per cent.

Commenting on the figures, M.A. Wani, director of state AIDS Prevention and Control Society lamented, “People make hue and cry when they see figures of HIV positive cases in the state, but they fail to understand that it is because of the awareness that so many people come forward for these tests.”

In the last three years, 511 new HIV positive cases have been detected in the state, which is a clear indication of people coming out to undergo these tests.

“HIV detection test is voluntary in nature as people themselves have to come forward for the test. But the detection of new cases proves that people now come out for their voluntary check ups.” the director said.

According to the figures available with the state AIDS Prevention and Control Society, 99 cases were detected in 2005, year 2006 saw a huge rise with the detection of 282 cases. In 2007, 130 HIV positive cases have been detected.

“Detection of HIV positive cases is a successful parameter of AIDS control, to control AIDS, every third month we take 400 blood samples of pregnant women from various hospitals, the same is done on random basis. We also take blood samples from sex and VD section of various hospitals which are at high risk groups and perform the test on them to detect any such case,” the director said.

Adding he said, “After testing the samples we compile the report and send it to National Institute of Communicable Disease New Delhi where a national level prevalence report of the disease is compiled. For the last three years we have seen a remarkable decline in the prevalence of these cases in our state, in 2005 the rate was 8.2 per cent, in 2006 it declined to 0.95 per cent and at present the prevalence rate of the disease in our state has declined to 0.06 per cent.”

He said the state AIDS Prevention and Control Society has formulated a three-step programme ranging from awareness about the disease to the distribution of free medicines.

“We first spread awareness, then comes care and support of the patients and then we provide them free medicines, so that the patient don’t feel let down and helpless. We also provide free testing that earlier used to cost around Rs 1,000,” Wani said.

The society feels that it is a big success for them that the disease that has taken the shape of an epidemic is coming out and being detected.

With around one crore of population in Jammu and Kashmir from which 65 per cent people are of reproductive age thus it is a success of the society that the hidden epidemic is coming to the surface and people come out to get tested for the disease,” Wani said.

Sunderbani (Rajouri), December 28
The state government's December 14 announcement of 18 new colleges at “selective places” has been drawing much criticism from the residents and political parties in Sunderbani.

Planning an agitation against the government, the town residents accused the local Congress MLA, who is also minister in the Congress-led coalition government, of being biased against the people. Even though, this town falls in his constituency, the minister silently convinced the government for allotting college at his native place in Nowshehra, alleged the people.

And causing more embarrassment to the Congress, its local leaders are planning to join the agitation against the state government for succumbing to the pressure from the local Congress MLA and minister of state for industries and commerce Romesh Sharma for setting up college at Nowshehra.

The Congress party, the locals said, would have to face severe criticism from all the political parties here, if the state government set up college in Nowshehra, the home town of the minister.

Besides, according to sources, local leaders of various political parties including Beopar Mandal under the aegis of Joint Action Committee are planning an agitation for getting a college for this township.

Confirming that the JAC is planning an agitation for getting college here, member, Joint Action Committee (JAC) and vice-president, Sunderbani Muncipal Committee, Joginder Gupta said this has been long pending demand of the people of this border township and they would not shy away for giving our lives for getting the same.

“We are demanding college for the last thirty years. Now that state government has announced the creation of 18 new colleges, we deserve the same.” “Kalakote tehsil is 32 kilometres from here whereas from Nowshehra (MLA Sahab's home town) Kakote is 40 kms, even Bhamla (the last town from Akhnoor) is just eight kms from here,” he said.

“There are places like Devak and Chauki Chowra which are located near here. So this justifies the fact that setting up of college here will benefit the people of neighbouring places and even far off places.”

Senior Congress leader on the condition of anonymity said local MLA should desist from playing with the people of Sunderbani and instead should help in setting up of college here.

“In spite of making efforts to get college at his native place, local MLA should respect the feelings of this township and help them in getting college,” he said. “If he fails to do so, we will have no other option but to launch agitation.”

Justifying his efforts to get college at his native place of Nowshehra, MLA Romesh Sharma said college would be set up at Nowshehra.

“There are places like Peer Badeswar and Laam in my constituency which are far off. Its my duty to help the people of these places to get higher education to their children,” Sharma said.

“Even people of Sunderbani and Kalakote will benefit if the college is set up here since both the areas are very near.” Responding to the allegations of JAC of him being “biased” against people of Sunderbani, Sharma said, “For me people of Nowhshehra and Sunderbani, both are important. Let me assure people of Sunderbani that they will also get a college very soon. The government is taking up setting of more colleges with the Centre.”

Udhampur, December 28
Although its effort to woo Gujjars has yet not received any encouraging response, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is making all efforts to rope in “upper castes” to strengthen its base in areas where there are a good number of Dalit voters.

As part of its campaign to enroll the maximum number of upper castes leaders in its fold, the BSP is organising a “Sarv Samaj” rally on December 30 at Udhampur. Senior leaders of the party, including general secretary in charge of Jammu and Kashmir, Narinder Kashyap, and J.S. Chouhan would participate in the rally.

“We are trying to implement the UP experiment in Jammu and Kashmir and the rally at Udhampur is part of our “social engineering” programme,” state president of the BSP, Yashpal Bhagat, told the Tribune.

The BSP leader claimed that the party had received an overwhelming response, as far as participation of “upper castes” was concerned.

“Our Sarv Samaj rallies have received good response all over Jammu region,” he said and disclosed that some prominent leaders of other political groups were in touch with the BSP leadership.

The BSP which had emerged as a force in Jammu and Kashmir in the 1996 Assembly elections failed to consolidate its vote bank in the 2002 elections. In 1996 elections, the party had emerged victorious from the Bhaderwah seat and secured a good numbers of votes in Chenani, Ramnagar, Ramban and Reasi seats, he added.

After the visit of party supermo Mayawati, the state leadership has identified some seats in Jammu region where the BSP would concentrate more. Ramban, Chenani, Bhaderwah, Reasi and Ramnagar are the five Assembly constituencies which have been selected by the party to maximum concentration.

Apart from roping in upper castes, the BSP has been desperately trying to woo Gujjars to make a strong “Scheduled Caste-Scheduled Tribe” combine in Udhampur, Reasi, Ramban and Doda districts.

Jammu, December 28
The modalities for next year’s budget were finalised today in a high-level officers’ meeting chaired by finance minister Tariq Hamid Karra. Commissioner, Excise, Abdul Hamid; commissioner, Sales Tax, Bashir Ahmad; director, Budget, R.K. Mangotra; director, Accounts and Treasuries, M.Y. Khanday, besides other officers attended the meeting.

It was decided in the meeting that on January 5 and 6, 2008, new proposals would be discussed and on January 11, 2008, one-to-one meeting would be held with Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad regarding the proposals.

The final draft of the budget speech would be prepared on January 13, 2008, while the annual fiscal plan is scheduled to be presented in the legislative Assembly on January 16, 2008.

The achievements of the last year in all sectors, too, would be reflected in the budget speech. This will follow the political aspect and prospective roadmap envisioned for the development of state.

The meeting was informed that the budget speech would be made precisely depicting all aspects in an articulate manner so that the same were understood by the public representatives.