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New PCC chief favours alliance with PDP
Security lapse loomed large over Soz’s rally
Ex-NC minister joins PDP
Sonia, Patil to visit snow-hit areas today
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Bus stand turns encroachment gallery
Pak Poll
Omar Abdullah embarks upon electoral odyssey
Degree College Row
Highway mishap: Russian, security men among 6 killed
Azad inspects Siraj Bagh
Miserable plight of Indian security agents in Pak
Ex-Pak army man writing book
Officers, jawans decorated
Snowfall caused loss of life, damaged properties
3 JeM ultras killed
Fire in bunker
CRPF man held
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New PCC chief favours alliance with PDP
Jammu, February 21
Thanking Congress president Sonia Gandhi for appointing him the state president, Soz said he would try to come to best of her expectations.
Addressing workers and leaders at the state party headquarters here today, Soz said he had come with a mission to strengthen the party and the hands of Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. Members of the Parliament from Jammu and Udhampur, Madal Lal Sharma and Lal Singh were also present, besides some party legislators. The outgoing president, Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed was also present. Soz said he had come at a crucial time and he wanted to ensure that the party rank and file worked together to strengthen the secular and democratic institutions in the state. He said he would work in close coordination with the Chief Minister as he had come to strengthen his hands. The function was organised amid tight security at the Shaheedi Chowk party office here. The newly appointed president of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee, Saif-ud-din Soz today made it almost clear that he favoured an alliance with the People's Democratic Party for the forthcoming Assembly elections. However, he said, it was the discretion of a party to think what was in its interest. Throwing enough hints about his agenda of alliance with the PDP he even endorsed, albeit in a subtle manner, the party’s demand for troops’ withdrawal from Jammu and Kashmir. Rather in an endorsement of the PDP stand for troops withdrawal, Soz said he always felt that the local police was better placed to perform the job of handling the problem (of militancy) than the Army as they had more command over the area. This is quite contrary to the stand of his party and Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, who have been maintaining that the situation in the state was not conducive for the withdrawal of the troops. Speaking at the meet the press programme hosted by the Press Club of Jammu here this evening, Soz said, the coalition would last till its last day of the present term. To another question he said, he did favour to further this coalition for the next elections. Spelling out his agenda, he said, his top priority was to come up to the expectations of his party president Sonia Gandhi who had reposed faith in him. Soz was considered to be a staunch votary of greater autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir as spelt out by the National Conference. He had also written a book, “Why Autonomy to Kashmir.” However, that was during the time when he was in the National Conference. When asked, whether he held the same views while heading the state Congress, Soz said autonomy was a middle path conceived at a time when extreme views were expressed about Kashmir. Moreover, he pointed out, it was sought within the existing constitutional arrangement of the state with the union under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. To a question about Hurriyat, he favoured long lasting dialogue that would lead to a logical conclusion. On this issue he thanked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for conceding to his initiative of involving the Hurriyat leadership with a dialogue. |
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Security lapse loomed large over Soz’s rally
Jammu, February 21 Soz was addressing a rally in Shaheedi Chowk here today where entire top brass of the state Congress including MP Chowdhary Lal Singh was also present. A senior police officer requesting anonymity said, “This was a major blunder on our part and yes, the concerned security officers could have asked these gun dealers to close there shop till the rally was over.” Militants, who are at a look out to target the political leadership of the state, could have used this opportunity, and due to the police negligence many innocent lives would have been lost. Earlier on May 21, 2006, a militant dressed up in police uniform had attacked a Congress rally in Sher-e-Kashmir park in Srinagar, where the Chief Minister was about to arrive. Two fidayeens dressed up in police uniform had sneaked into the rally ground and started firing on the top politicians there, however the politicians escaped unhurt but six people attending the rally had lost their lives. Though today top police officers were present on the venue, no one bothered about the threat that was looming large just a few yards away, where the PCC chief along with other top state Congress leaders were standing. “You cannot take the risk of allowing any civilian with such a huge amount of live ammunition stay so much close to top political leadership of the country and the state; this is just a clear negligence on part of the police and people concerned about the security of the politicians,” said a Congress worker. It is pertinent to mention that the official residence of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and various state Cabinet ministers is only a little distance away from the venue and CM takes the similar route to move in and out of his residence. |
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Ex-NC minister joins PDP
Jammu, February 21 Geelani, a member of the NC Working Committee and the party's district president for Budgam, has represented the area four times in the legislative assembly. Meanwhile, Dr Shafi Ahmad Wani, who was the chief medical officer, Ganderbal, resigned from the government service and joined the PDP today. |
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Sonia, Patil to visit snow-hit areas today
Srinagar, February 21 Gandhi, who last visited Kashmir during September 2007, would be accompanied by Union home minister Shivraj Patil for reviewing the overall security situation prevailing in the state, source here said. A greater significance is also attached to the visit of the UPA chairperson ahead of the next Assembly elections. The Congress party has already appointed Union water resources minister, Saif-ud-din Soz as the PCC president. Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and PCC chief Soz would be receiving the visiting Congress president in the state. Apart from reviewing the situation in the snow affected areas and measures taken thereof, the Union home minister would also have a meeting with senior state level
officers to review the security scenario in Jammu and Kashmir. At least 15 persons have been reported dead as a result of the recent heavy snowfall while 50 persons were injured, 600 structures partially damaged and 60 got fully damaged in Kashmir valley. As many lives were lost in parts of Jammu region, mainly Doda and Kishtwar districts where Bhaderwah constituency of Chief
minister Ghulam Nabi Azad is located. Gandhi would be visiting the affected areas of Jammu region, soon after her arrival in the morning. She would also be visiting the valley to have an aerial view of snow affected south Kashmir areas including Qazigund, Verinag and Kapran, and review the situation arising out of the recent snowfall causing many deaths and damage to property. She would be briefed about the measures taken for the snow-affected people of Gulab Bagh in Qazigund area of Anantnag district and the nearby areas,
where at least six persons were killed in the snow avalanches. One person died and 35 others were rescued in Gulab Bagh near Qazigund on February 8 last. She is also expected to meet the affected people of the area at district headquarters in Anantnag, sources here said. Gandhi paid a brief visit here on September 10 last to address women’s meet at the
SKICC. Earlier, Gandhi visited Kashmir and spent her birthday on December 9 2005 with the victims of devastating earthquake in Uri area of north Kashmir. She had also visited the valley in view of the heavy snowfall early in 2005 that caused loss of many lives and huge damage to property in south Kashmir. |
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Bus stand turns encroachment gallery
Jammu, February 21 More importantly, these hawkers and fruit sellers enjoy support of political parties, which do not allow the authority concerned to uproot these encroachments. An official of the Jammu Development Authority, which looks after the bus stand, on condition of anonymity said, “These hawkers, who have encroached upon the land inside the bus terminal are supported by political parties. Once we took the help of the police to remove them, the next day the political activists of a party came to protest here and forcefully restored the encroachments that we had removed.” “Since then the local police is not cooperating with us, if they give us few men we could easily remove the encroachments that have been made inside the bus stand,” he added. Situated just near the town hall, which houses the office of Jammu Municipal Corporation, the stand needs dire attention. The pathetic situation has also left the passengers fretting. “You enter the bus terminal and you would be greeted with stinking and leaking toilets, water seeping out of drains and encroachments by hawkers and fruit sellers,” said Ashok Kumar, a local resident. “What impression are we giving to the visiting tourists, who come to enjoy the scenic beauty of the state,” he asked. “One cannot stand for just a minute here, as one cannot tolerate the foul smell inside the buys terminal,” said Anju, a pilgrim from New Delhi. Such is the condition of encroachment in the bus terminal that hawkers and fruit sellers have even occupied the space outside the toilets of the bus terminal. |
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Pak Poll
Jammu, February 21 While everybody hopes that the new regime would carry forward the peace process, but given the past experiences, political parties, including the PPP and the PML have never hesitated in raking up the Kashmir issue and have been vocal against India to
serve their domestic political needs. Besides they have never stopped providing material support to militants in Kashmir. During their regime, there was not even a formal commitment about the closing of terrorist training camps on Pakistani soil. |
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Omar Abdullah embarks upon electoral odyssey
Jammu, February 21 This long road march will reach all the “nooks and corners” of the state including the remotest regions of Ladakh, Poonch, Rajouri and the Kashmir valley. The National Conference has been expecting good electoral gains from the Jammu region. While in 1996 the party had won a good number of seats, its performance during 2002 in the Jammu region remained dismal. This time the party is banking upon the anti-incumbency factor. That is why the party seems to be laying added focus on Jammu region. Unlike in Kashmir, the party does not have firm roots in the Jammu region, except for the Muslim dominated areas of Poonch, Rajouri and Doda. The very fact that the NC president started off his yatra from the Jammu region and that too from the extreme end that borders Punjab, indicates that the NC does not want to leave anything to the chance. The NC president apparently seems to be keen on visiting all the 87 Assembly segments across the state. Omar, although being relatively young, he is in his late thirties, has not had enough exposure in the state politics, although he is the party president for more than six years now. He had mostly remained at the Centre having served in different ministries including the External Affairs and the Industries during the National Democratic Alliance regime as a minister of state. The NC had contested 2002 elections under his young leadership and the rout was attributed to his lack of experience. In fact his father and former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah had not contested Assembly elections that time. Omar had contested from his father’s constituency Ganderbal, which he lost to Qazi Afzal of the People’s Democratic Party. Having learnt his lessons well during six years in opposition, this time Omar does not seem to leave anything to chance. |
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Degree College Row
Udhampur, February 21 In this regard, the Congress workers held a meeting under the chairmanship of R S Pathania, youth Congress leader, to devise strategy to launch the agitation. Participants in the meeting expressed their anguish over delay tactics adopted by the coalition regime in accepting their genuine demand. Pathania said he has strongly brought this matter to the notice of Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad during their meeting and he had promised to look into our grievances. He said that the Chief Minister was convinced with demand of the people of Majalata. Students of Majalta tehsil have to either go to Udhampur or Samba for higher studies. People had argued that the opening of a degree college in the tehsil would also benefit students of Jammu, Samba, Ramnagar and Billawar. There are nine higher secondary schools namely Gujroo Nagrota, Ramkote, Khoon, Thial, Majalata, Sarunsar, Manwal, Barnadadha and Kathadh . |
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Highway mishap: Russian, security men among 6 killed
Udhampur, February 21 The dead included one Russian woman, Galina and four security forces personnel who were travelling to Jammu for their onward journey after coming on leave. The dead included Central Industrial Security Force sub- inspector JS Shalla, assistant sub-inspector SN Yadav, Central Reserve Police Force head constable Mohan Singh, constable Adesh Kumar and Anil Manwati. The injured were rushed to the District Hospital, Udhampur, from where three serious among them were referred to Government Medical College, Jammu. Their condition is stated to be critical but stable. The injured includes driver Satbir Singh, Amarjit Singh, his wife Sandeep Kaur and Sunil Bhat. The official sources told The Tribune that Sumo bearing registration number JK-14A: 4393 was being driven from Srinagar. It was reportedly overcrowded. Driver of the vehicle Satbir Singh reportedly lost control of the vehicle and fell off the road into a nullah. While five persons died on the spot, the sixth died on the way to hospital. The driver of the vehicle was also injured and has been admitted to the hospital. The Deputy Inspector General of Police, Udhampur range, Aloke Puri told The Tribune that rescue teams were rushed to the spot immediately. However, the local residents had already stepped in to provide relief to the victims. The vehicle had fallen into a deep nullah running adjacent to the national highway. According to the preliminary reports the Russian woman had been holidaying in Kashmir for sometime. She belonged to Makva region in Russia. Her further details are being verified and a report has been sent to the Russian Embassy also. Due to the prolonged closure of the national highway because of heavy snowfall people stranded in Srinagar and Jammu board any vehicle they get hold of. Besides, Sumo timings are quite flexible. While buses run during a specific period of time only, Sumos run round the clock depending upon the availability of the passengers. In the process they overcrowd the vehicles, as is the norm throughout India. While the highway mostly remains treacherous, at some places it has been damaged to a large extent due to the heavy snowfall thus leading to grater risk of accidents. This is for the first time that such heavy snowfall has taken place in the Chenani area which has caused lot of damage to the highway. |
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Azad inspects Siraj Bagh
Srinagar, February 21 He issued instructions to director, floriculture, Dr Sarwar Naqash, for further improvement of this prestigious tulip garden. As many as 12 lakh Tulip bulbs would be ready by first week of April in the garden which is being developed over 100 kanals of land. The total area of Siraj Bagh is 600 kanals and it is planned to be developed as an all-season garden. The chief minister directed the authorities for levelling various sections of the Tulip garden and maintaining the ornamental trees. He asked for completing the work within one month before the garden is thrown open for visitors. He also suggested for preparing sitting place in the centre of the garden for the entertainment of the visitors, which would add another attraction for them. |
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Miserable plight of Indian security agents in Pak
Jammu, February 21
Claiming Shaheen Parvez Ahmed Masoodi to be a secret agent of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), his brother Feroze Ahmed Masoodi said, “His (Parvez’s) prolonged sentence of 16 years of rigorous imprisonment in Kot Lakhpat Rai Jail at Lahore would end on February 26 but the Union Home Ministry has been giving a cold shoulder to our pleas.” “Barely a few days are left for his sentence to end and now an official at the Union Home Ministry has asked us to forward a letter to the Pakistan High Commission so as to facilitate consular access to him,” he regretted. “What they had been doing to our previous letters and reminders,” he added.
“Ten days back I had posted two letters to the Prime Minister’s Office and the Union Home Ministry. Dejected over poor response I contacted an official of the Home Ministry yesterday, who asked me to write a letter to the Pak High Commission before snapping the phone,” he said. “For how long we have to suffer for a man for whom country’s interest were supreme,” he quipped.
Parvez Ahmed Masoodi is one among nine Indian agents from Jammu and Kashmir and neighbouring Punjab, who continue to brave third degree torture in the Pak prison. The Indo-Pak bonhomie apparently has brought no respite to these Indians, some of whom have become mental wrecks. However, a Gujarat-based human rights activist MK Paul had rekindled hopes among families of these secret agents when he lodged a written complaint before the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) against Union Ministries of Defence and Home Affairs seeking their repatriation and sufficient compensation.
Paul had described detention of these nine agents and miserable plight of their families as violation of right to life, right to liberty and right to live with dignity. Apart from Shaheen Parvez Ahmed Masoodi, eight other Indians convicted under section 59 of the Pakistan Army Act (PAA) on charges of espionage have been identified as Shahbuddin of Poonch district, Ram Prakash of Bishnah, Kuldeep Singh of Kathua district (all J&K), Kuldip Kumar Yadav of Gujarat and Surjeet Singh, Ashok Kumar, Sarabjeet Singh and Kashmir Singh, all from Punjab. Kashmir Singh was sentenced to death for spying and has become a mental wreck after languishing in the same prison for 35 years.
A father of three, he was arrested in 1973 and was discovered recently by Pakistan’s caretaker Federal Minister for Human Rights Syed Ansar Ahmed Burney. |
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Ex-Pak army man writing book
Jammu, February 21 Khan had deserted the Army soon after the Kargil conflict was over an joined militancy, though he had been elevated to the rank of captain.Official sources said Khan had crossed into the Kashmir valley from across the LOC along with a group of militants in 2001. Since then he had been operating in Kupwara-Baramulla-Bandipore belt. Sources said security agencies had, a year ago, picked up Khan from a hideout in Bandipore where he did not offer any resistance. Khan had told interrogators that he had felt disillusioned while serving in the Pakistani Army even though he claimed he was related to one Lt-Gen Mohd Aziz, who used to be a trusted man of Gen Parvez Musharraf. When contacted police officials refused to comment on the whereabouts of Shahzad Khan. They, however, confirmed reports received by them indicated that Khan was engaged in writing a book on his experiences in the Army and as a commander of a militant outfit. As a militant commander he had befriended a number of civilians in Baramulla-Bandipore belt. It is not known whether Khan is writing his book in the joint interrogation centre or he has been let off by the interrogators to allow him safe passage. But reports revealed that till date Khan had not crossed back to Pakistan. Sources said the security agencies were waiting for Khan to complete his book so that a number of inside reports within the militant camps
and in the Pakistani Army were brought to light. |
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Officers, jawans decorated
Srinagar, February 21 The awards comprising the director general’s disc and certificate was awarded by the DG, CRPF, to those personnel who had done excellent work in the field of administration, operation, intelligence and training. This award was initiated in 1987 by the DG, CRPF, to encourage CRPF personnel for their excellence in work. IGP, CRPF, S.K. Jain felicitated the CRPF officers and jawans with the decoration of discs and certificates at a function at the RTC-IV CRPF at Humhuma. The function was organised by the 119 Battalion of the CRPF. The ceremony started with the commentary of Shyalu S.Maharana, Dy.Comdt. DIG CRPF, N. Bhardwaj, all Commandants, all ranks and files of the CRPF in the valley also witnessed the presentation ceremony. Jain congratulated all awardees and gave his best wishes and directed all commandants to forward the names of hard working personnel for the award on the basis of their performance. He urged the CRPF personnel to contribute for the functioning of the force. “Everybody should exert for his best in his field of duty. We should be responsible for our force as well as for the society too”, he said. “We belong to a public service organisation and we should try to fulfill the expectation of the general people of the society. We should change ourselves with the changing scenario and should be sensitive about the important aspects of human rights and gender sensitisation”, he said. The IG also urged upon the CRPF personnel to work and win the confidence of the people. |
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Snowfall caused loss of life, damaged properties
Srinagar, February 21 This was disclosed at a meeting here today under the chairmanship of chief secretary, B.R. Kundal to review the post-snowfall scenario in the valley. The meeting was attended by the commissioner-secretary, finance, B.B. Vyas, divisional commissioner, Kashmir, Mehboob Iqbal, IGP and all deputy commissioners in Kashmir. It was also disclosed that the traffic plied normally on trunk routes despite heavy snowfall, while road connectivity at the tehsil and block headquarters was restored within two to three days. Taking an exhaustive review of the post-snowfall scenario, physical and financial achievements under various sectors, the chief secretary announced the release of Rs 1 crore for the replacement of worn out and damaged electric polls. He also sanctioned Rs 80 lakh to meet the expenditure on snow clearance. It was also informed that about 65 to 70 per cent financial and physical achievements had been registered under the district plan in the valley districts so far. He said it was expected to swell to about 95 per cent by the end of the current fiscal year. |
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3 JeM ultras killed
Srinagar, February 21 Acting on a specific tip-off, the police and the 2 Para regiment of the Army launched a joint operation in the forest area of Batnar, Kooligam in Kupwara district of north Kashmir. The militants opened fire on the search party which ensued into an encounter. Three militants were killed and their identity was being ascertained, the police said. They added that one of them was believed to be Commander Pasha of the Jaish-e-Mohammad. Two AK rifles were recovered from the site of the encounter, a defence spokesman added. Meanwhile, security forces are maintaining a strict vigil in Mangwalpora village in Handwara area of Kupwara district since Saturday last. Three top militants of the Al-Bader outfit from Pakistan are believed to be hiding in the area, defence spokesman, Lt-Col A.K. Mathur told The Tribune today. He added that all three militants were top leaders of the Al-Bader and efforts were on to nab them as their arrest would be a big blow to its leadership. He said acting on specific information, the security forces laid a cordon and search operation was launched in the village on Saturday last. |
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Jammu, February 21
Jammu, February 21
