Jammu, January 14
The Jammu and Kashmir government today ordered a CBI probe into the murder of its former minister of state for education Ghulam Nabi Lone after about two and a half years of his assassination. 

This was announced by Deputy Chief Minister Muzzaffar Hussein Beg in the state legislative assembly here today.

The CBI inquiry was ordered after the Opposition stalled the proceedings of the state legislature today in support of the demand raised by Lone’s independent MLA son, Shoaib Lone, who alleged that his father had not been killed by militants but was the victim of a “political conspiracy”.

Lone was assassinated on October 18, 2005, at Srinagar at his house in the high security Tulsi Bagh area. An inquiry was conducted by the then commissioner secretary (finance) B.B Vyas, who concluded that there was security lapse and no “political conspiracy”.

However, Shoaib Lone and Ghulam Hassan Mir, PDP MLA from Tangmarg, had created sensation when they alleged that he (Lone) was not killed by the militants, but was a victim of a “political conspiracy”. They alleged that the conspiracy had been hatched at a time when the People's Democratic Party (PDP) was on the verge of a split and was supposed to hand over power to the Congress only a fortnight later.

Lone was claimed to be leader of the group that had decided to split PDP, apparently with an aim to join the Congress.

However, Vyas had concluded that there was no conspiracy involved in the murder as it was a primarily an attack on Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, a senior leader and MLA of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) whose office was adjacent to Lone's official residence.

One of Tarigami's security guards was killed in the attack. The report said the natural corollary did not suggest that there was a conspiracy to kill Lone except that the militants had planned to target Tarigami.

Shoaib Lone today reiterated his allegations, claiming that when he met PDP president Mehbooba Mufti after his father's assassination, she told him that his father had become a problem for the party and was leading a group of legislators, who were about to defect to "some other party".

Shoaib was also denied party ticket for the by-elections to the Sangrama constituency that was necessitated by the killing of his father. He contested as an independent candidate and defeated PDP candidate and nephew of Deputy Chief Minister Muzzafar Beg. He was supported by Ghulam Hassan Mir and the National Conference, which did not put up a candidate against him.

Poonch, January 14
It is said that marriages are made in heaven, but solemnised on earth. This saying has proved itself here as two girls from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) are all set to marry their paternal cousins on the Indian side.

Misbah Saiid and Zahida Parveen, daughters of Saiid Muhammad of Tata Pani in PoK, will marry their cousin brothers - Muhammad Arif and Mehmood Ahmed - of Potha in Surankote. Muhammad Arif and Mehmood Ahmed are the sons of Saiid’s brothers Kala Khan and Muhammad Ayub. Saiid got separated from his brothers during the Indo-Pak war of 1965. Later the hostility between the two countries prevented Saiid from returning to India and he secured Pakistani citizenship.

Now that the roads between the two countries have opened as part of confidence building measures (CBMs) between the two countries, Saiid along with his wife Riyaz Begum came back to his native village in Surankote on permit on December 3, 2007. His daughters Misbah and Zahida followed them on December 17.

Having all his relatives here, Saiid decided to marry off his daughters in this part of India. After getting his daughters’ consent, Saiid expressed his willingness to marry his daughters to his brother’s sons. Saiid's brothers accepted the proposal and all of them are now exploring various options for the marriage of their children.

“Yes, I wish to marry my daughters here. I am exploring the options available to us for their marriage and the return of my daughters to India”, said Saiid. “The boys along with their parents will cross over to Pakistan on visa and we will solemnise marriage. Then I will get visa for my daughters so that they can accompany them on their return to India”, he added. “My daughters can then apply for Indian citizenship”.

A senior officer in the district administration said the girls could acquire Indian citizenship after marriage since they would marry boys who were Indian citizens.

Srinagar, January 14
After days of hectic efforts, senior separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah formally joined the Hurriyat Conference and invited hardline leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani for talks to clarify on his six-point unity formula. 

He also appealed to other organisations to join hands for the Hurriyat unity and hailed the positive response of various like-minded political and militant organisations.

Shah announced his decision in the presence of Hurriyat Conference chairman, Mirwaiz Omar Farooq at the martyrs’ graveyard at Idgah here today. His "home coming" to the Hurriyat Conference follows that of the Peoples League leader, Sheikh Abdul Aziz here last week. The venue was significantly chosen for a tribute to the "martyrs" who are laid to rest at the Idgah grounds, which has come up during the past 18 years of militancy in Kashmir.

Shah said that the Hurriyat Conference leaders would launch the state-wide campaign making it an organisation at the grassroots level in all three regions of Kashmir, Ladakah and Jammu. He said its units would be formed at all the block, tehsil and district levels in all three regions and take the message to every household in the state. He hailed Pakistan’s "clear vision" on Kashmir and said that Pakistan continued to extend its "moral, political and diplomatic" support to the Kashmiris’ freedom struggle. Shah lauded the role of the OIC, Iran and the assassinated former Pakistan Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto for their stand on the Kashmir issue.

Referring to the five-point pre-conditions set by hardline Hurriyat leader, Syed Ali shah Geelani, Shabir Shah invited him for talks on the issues. He said all the separatist and militant organisations had one goal towards the resolution of Kashmir and all of them were one on this issue. "So the disputes are over. We welcome him (Geelani) and all others for talks to clarify on the issues" set by Geelani, Shah added. Geelani’s Hurriyat Conference in response to Shah’s six-point proposals had set five point pre-conditions for the unity of the Hurriyat Conference.

Shah and Geelani had been members of the Hurriyat Conference constituted in 1993. While Shah was ousted from the APHC in 1995 for violating norms and meeting the then visiting US Ambassador here, Geelani parted ways in 2002 following reports of the covert support to some of the election candidates in North Kashmir by a constituent of the Hurriyat Conference. Later, he constituted his Tehreek-e-Hurriuat, away from his parent organisations, Jamaat-e-Islami and is heading the conglomerate of his faction of the Hurriyat Conference. 

Jammu, January 14
Jammu and Kashmir Governor Lt.General (retd) S.K. Sinha today visited the Army cantonment to have a glimpse of the military strength of the country, being showcased in the ongoing ‘Know your army’ exhibition organised by Jammu-based Tiger division of the Army.

The Governor showed keen interest in the weaponry and special equipment, including tanks and artillery guns. He was given a briefing by officers and JCOs.

Lt.General (retd) Sinha enjoyed the exhibition and hoped that this would give an insight about the Army to the public. The exhibition has become a popular annual event as people in large number come to see the military power of the nation.

Earlier, the Governor was received by general officer-in-command, Tiger division, Maj. General Sanjeev Loomba besides various other senior army officers.

The Governor showed special interest in the free fall jump by paratroopers and other acrobat demonstration by the soldiers.

Jammu, January 14
Even though Independent MLA Shoaib Lone had revealed in writing to Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad about the name of the minister who had taken a bribe of Rs 40,000 from him, the Chief Minister has ruled out the possibility of an action against him (the minister).

Azad told the state Legislative Assembly today that an employee had already been arrested on the issue and the matter was being investigated. However, the Chief Minister, did not reveal the name to the House.

Making a statement on the issue, the Chief Minister said the matter was being investigated and nobody would be let off. However, he gave enough indications hinting that no action would be taken against the minister as it was only the lower staff and or some family members (of the minister) who were involved.

About the CBI inquiry ordered into the assassination of Ghulam Nabi Lone, Azad said, it was done only to satisfy the family members of the slain leader. He said, the inquiry had already been conducted and everything was clear that there was no political conspiracy involved in the killing.

Earlier in the day, the opposition stalled the proceedings of the House on the issue and demanded a discussion. The opposition members belonging to the National Conference, the Panthers Party, the BJP, the Jammu State Morcha and the CPM wanted the Chief Minister to make a statement on the issue.

The opposition has been maintaining that it was the Chief Minister’s duty to reveal the name of the minister concerned as otherwise the “needle of suspicion” was being pointed towards every member of his Cabinet.

Jammu, January 14
Corruption continues to take its toll on the people of Jammu and Kashmir as another skeleton tumbled out of the cupboard of the Forest Department.

A forest range officer had engineered a cloudburst to cost state ex-chequer a loss of over Rs 1.10 crore in 2002. A report was submitted to the government on March 14, 2005, establishing that the Gandhri range officer had engineered a cloudburst showing a loss of 560 trees in Batote forest division.

The probe was conducted by deputy director forest protection force (Doda), assistant conservator of forests (Udhampur) and assistant conservator of forests (Bhaderwah). The deputy director forest protection force, vide his letter number 618/J8/Doda dated March 14, 2005, had furnished a detailed enquiry report to the then chief conservator of forests (Jammu).

The range officer had shown a loss of 560 trees in compartment number 55-58 due to cloudburst on August 11, 2002. Eventually, a damage certificate was produced by the divisional manager, state forest corporation (SFC) (Ramban), to provide benefit of over Rs 1 crore to a contractor.

The report stated: “This act of range officer resulted in dispute between the Forest Department and SFC on payment of royalty.”

The committee, headed by the deputy director forest protection force (Doda), had also visited the spot. It stated that no cloudburst occurred in all the four compartments and the contractor axed 560 Deodar trees in connivance with the Batote forest officials and SFC. The timber was allegedly smuggled and the contractor managed withdrawal of payment for extraction of timber.

The committee fixed responsibility on the range officer, two foresters, four forest guards, some SFC officials and the contractor.

Srinagar, January 14
Complimenting agricultural scientists for green revolution over the years, Governor Lt General (retd) S K Sinha has called for advanced research for achieving optimum production of high yieldingcrops.

Inaugurating Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST) in Bandipora yesterday, the Governor exhorted scientists to ensure dissemination of their experiments at the ground level for the benefit of farming community. "Extension agencies have a duty to acquaint farmers with latest technology and methods of cultivation", he added.

He recalled the strides made in the field of agriculture and said continuous and sustained research besides hard toil of farmers steered India to a food surplus from a food deficit nation.

He added that the progress registered in agriculture and horticulture in J&K cannot be overlooked. He also appreciated the role of SUKAST and hoped this odyssey will go on unabated. General Sinha also expressed happiness over the involvement of women in economic activities and said their economic emancipation is imperative for the healthy growth of society. “Women,” he said, “constitute a most vital segment of our society and their empowerment and role in decision making is of immense importance for the healthy growth of our social order.”

The Governor stressed the need for multiple specialisations in various disciplines, saying that research holds key to development and prosperity. The knowledge base has to be translated into reality on ground so that research percolates down to grass root level. 
Prof Anwar Alam, vice-chancellor, SUKAST (K), dwelt on the initiatives and programmes taken up in recent years for giving boost to agriculture and allied sectors. 

Jammu, January 14
If special trains can be run for pilgrims to Vaishno Devi, then why not for those guarding the country’s borders? This is a question asked by soldiers who travel daily from Jammu and Kashmir to different parts of the country.

There are about seven lakh troops posted across the state. Most of them, over 90 per cent, come from different states across the country. It takes them between one to three days to reach their homes from Jammu. Most of them are unable to get an advance reservation and have to jostle through unreserved compartments, making their journey all the more tiresome.

During a number of visits to the railway station and, while travelling with the soldiers, it is learnt that soldiers travelled in miserable conditions. Soldiers rued that they had no platform to raise their voice.

Earlier, there used to be special military coaches in the trains. But most of the trains have dispensed with such exclusive coaches. It is not possible for soldiers to make advance reservations. “A very few of us are able to go for advance reservation, otherwise most of us have to travel without reservation,” Sudhir Pandey, a lance Naik from Gawalior said.

He said soldiers were never sure as to when they would be able to proceed on leave and never sure of reaching the station on time. “Because of the terrain, they don’t know when they would reach Jammu to catch a train for their onward journey,” he added.

Given the number of soldiers deployed in the state, ideally there should have been special military trains, at least between Jammu and Delhi for ferrying the soldiers. But ironically, the Railways has stopped attaching exclusive military coaches with the trains. As a result of this, soldiers have to travel with other passengers even in reserved compartments. At times it leads to bitterness and unwarranted situations where soldiers are blamed.

For soldiers travelling is an arduous task. Worn out after a long and strenuous journey and with luggage scattered around, soldiers can be seen sleeping in corridors, occupying toilets and gates. The people who guard the borders in most difficult and hostile terrains certainly deserve a better deal.

A group of soldiers said they belonged to a “disciplined force,” but could not even submit a demand, leave apart lodging a protest. They said a couple of special trains could ease their plight. “If the railways can do it for Vaishno Devi pilgrims, why not for us,” rued two soldiers.

Udhampur, January 14
The special police officers (SPOs) and members of the village defence committees (VDCs), who have been fighting militancy in the mountainous areas of Doda and Kishtwar districts, are at the verge of starvation - thanks to the indifferent attitude of the administration.

Besides fighting with militants, the SPOs and VDC members have to confront with the apathy of the authorities to get a meagre amount being paid to them as salary or honorarium.

For the past four months, the authorities have failed to release the salaries of VDC members and SPOs.

In Kishtwar district alone there are over 250 VDCs comprising five members and about 1,000 SPOs deployed in far-flung areas to frustrate the evil designs of militants. Most of the pickets of the security forces in the remotest and inaccessible areas are manned by SPOs and the authorities have admitted that militancy in this district had been contained due to this “civilian force.”

Since the eruption of militancy in this belt, the VDCs have been fighting with militants in far-flung and inaccessible areas. Despite their effective role in keeping a check on militancy in their respective areas, the authorities seem to be unconcerned towards mitigating the woes of these brave men. “What to say of rewarding them for their contribution, the government has even stopped giving them salaries”, rued Anil Parihar, a leader in Kishtwar, while narrating incidents when VDC members had foiled militant attempts.

Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Mumtaz Ahmed when contacted said the salaries of SPOs and VDCs were released from Doda which was earlier the district headquarter. “The SSP, Doda, knows why the salaries of VDCs and SPOs have not been released for the past so many months”, Ahmed told the Tribune.

Meanwhile, SSP, Doda, Manohar Singh, said due to the paucity of the funds, salaries had not been released. “Salaries are given to them from a special fund given by the Centre”, he said. He, however, added that their salaries would be released soon.

Jammu, January 14
After finding it difficult to give jobs to victims of militancy, the state government has submitted a proposal to the Centre for clearing a scheme under which kin of those killed by militants would be paid one-time cash incentive of Rs 3 lakh.

According to the state government, the proposal has been sent so as to receive financial assistance from the Centre for implementing the scheme, which could clear about 3,700 pending cases. The state government has given jobs under SRO 43 since 2003 to about 2,370 kin of the victims of militancy.

The government has also made it clear that there is no rehabilitation scheme for former militants. Only those militants who surrendered before the security forces were entitled to a monthly stipend of Rs 2,000 for three years. In addition to this, the surrendered militants were paid Rs 1.5 lakh in the form of FDR, deposited in their account, which was payable to them after three years. Some militants had been paid incentives for the weapons they had laid down before the security forces.

During the last several years, 401 cases of surrendered militants had been received by the government. Out of those, 116 had been cleared for cash incentives and 47 cases were deferred due to pending court judgement. As many as 187 cases had been rejected and 50 cases were under verification.

The state government has also submitted a proposal to the union home ministry for bringing widows and children of slain or deceased militants under the rehabilitation scheme for which it needed additional funds

Jammu, January 14
Eightynine Army men were among 220 security personnel who were given punishment for violation of human rights and custodial killing cases in Jammu and Kashmir in the last five years.

Out of the 220, 81 were security force personnel, 50 policemen and 89 Army personnel, official sources said here today. “Eighty-nine Army men were among 220 security force personnel and policemen who have been awarded punishment in human rights violation and custodial killing cases during thhe past five years,” they said.

Sources said the coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir had taken a number of steps to improve the working of the state police and coordination with the security forces so that there are no human rights violation.

Simultaneously, follow-up action was also being taken on the recommendations of the State Human Rights Commission. — PTI