Bhaderwah, May 26
Terming education as vital means for changing society, President Pratibha Patil today exuded confidence that opening of more and more institutions of higher education in the far-flung areas would carve out a new path of peace and tranquility in Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing a function after inaugurating the Bhaderwah campus of Jammu University here this afternoon, the President stressed on the need of providing equal opportunities of quality education to the marginalised and neglected lot of society so as to improve their socio-economic conditions.

"While formulating policies and programmes for expanding education sector, we have to make it sure that adequate infrastructure for quality education should be developed in far-flung and remotest areas", she said and stressed on the need of paying special attentions towards deprived and backward areas.

She, however, appreciated efforts of the authorities of Jammu University to open extension campuses at Bhaderwah, Udhampur, Kathua and Poonch. "Opening of campuses in these areas would provide opportunities of quality education to the deprived sections of society", the President said and added that these new campuses inhabitants of border areas would get quality education at their doorstep.

Emphasising on women’s empowerment, the President said women comprised half of the population in country and their uplift was must for the overall development of the nation. "Without providing equal opportunities to the women in education and other sectors, development of the country is impossible", she stated.

Fascinated by the scenic beauty of Bhaderwah which is also known as mini Kashmir, the President recalled contribution of inhabitants of this area in the literary and educational field.

The President hoped that efforts of Jammu and Kashmir to provide quality education to the people would help in improving situation in this region. She mentioned proposals of setting Islamic univeristy and Shardha Peeth university in the state by some trusts and foundations. "I am confident that these projects would further help in spreading education in remotest regions of this state", she said.

Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad also addressed the audience.

Srinagar, May 26
President Pratibha Patil here today joined Governor S.K. Sinha in exuding confidence that the spirit of 'Kashmiriyat', a cohesive historical-cultural identity of the people of the state, flourishes beyond its precincts. She reiterated her call for a united fight for peace and prosperity in the state where the people faced enormous difficulties due to violence over the years.

Inaugurating the Institute of Kashmir Studies at the convocation complex of the University of Kashmir, Hazratbal, today morning, the President stressed the need for a collective endeavour for building a future of hope and optimism for the state. This required a joint work of the government, civil society and all communities and sections of the people, she added.

Pratibha Patil said the people of the state demonstrated over the past few years their “determination to move ahead on the constructive path of peace and progress.” She added that the state and the central governments accorded top priority to the development of the state.

Patil said ‘Kashmiriyat’ represented an ethos of liberal values, religious and social harmony, mutual co-existence and brotherhood. “It reflects the contributions made by thinkers and men of letters like Charak, Bhartrihari, Bilhana and Kalhana and saints and sages called rishis and sufis, in whose name Kashmir is still known as ‘Reshiwar’ or abode of rishis”, Pratibha Patil said.

Stating that ‘Kashmiriyat’ was a living legacy, she said it withstood the test of time and stressed the need to continue nurture it to be preserved for future generations.

In his address Governor Sinha, as also chancellor of the university of Kashmir, hoped that the Institute of Kashmir Studies would promote the spirit of ‘Kashmiriyat’ and strive for disseminating this message not only in South Asia but the world over. He said the aim of this institute was to study ‘Kashmiriyat’ in all its aspects of culture, literature, history and philosophy.

Established two years ago on his initiative Sinha said Rs 1 crore was obtained from the Centre for the purpose. “It held national and international seminars and apart from scholars from different parts of our country, we have had participants from Pakistan and Central Asian Republics, with whom we share old historical and cultural ties”, he said.

The Governor added that during the course of interaction it was discovered that the University of Lahore already had a Department of Kashmiriyat, before Centre for Kashmir Studies was established here.

Jammu, May 26
The winds of change are sweeping the strife-torn state which is inching closer to normalcy and May 25 was a witness to a couple of events which substantiate the same - Pakistani rock band Junoon’s performance in Srinagar and the commencement of Santosh Trophy, an inter-state football championship, in the state after a hiatus of three decades.

Invited by the Indian chapter of the South-Asian Foundation, Junoon performed at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Conference Centre on the shores of the Dal Lake yesterday to strengthen regional cooperation and peace using the medium of culture.

Gulzar Ahmad Gani, a Srinagar-based singer, said: “It surely is a good initiative to promote peace in the region. Though I was not invited to the concert, I came to know that it received great response from our new generation.” However, his friend Muneer Ahmed Mir, who is also a singer, felt that if the purpose of the concert was to bridge the gap between the two neighbouring countries, the organisers should have held the event in open air rather than restricting it to the crème-de-la-crème.

Prof Kulwant Kaur from the Jammu University opined that organising sports or musical events in the valley sent a message that the ground situation had improved in the state, at least to some extent.

Poet Yash Pal Yash said though such efforts were fine, total peace could not be restored in the state till both the governments were “serious” to resolve the vexed Kashmir issue.

Earlier, Srinagar hosted the 35th edition of the Santosh Trophy in 1978 when Goa won the tournament, defeating West Bengal 2-0.

Santosh Trophy is the first major sporting event organised in the valley in the past two decades. The tournament was supposed to be held last year but some states refused to send their teams citing security reasons and the event was put off. About 620 players, including referees, technical delegates, coaches and physiotherapists, are part of the contingent as 31 states and Union Territories are competing in the tournament.

Jammu, May 26
Fearing that its failure in resolving the unemployment problem could prove vulnerable to it in the ensuing Assembly election, the Congress-led coalition government has initiated a number of measures for improving its performance on this front.

The state government has referred over 22,000 non-gazetted posts to the Subordinate Services Recruitment Board (SSRB) and about 5,000 posts of gazetted cadre to the Public Service Commission in recent months.

Based on his bad experience in the past Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has announced setting up of fast track recruitment boards in each district, which could lighten the task of the SSRB in filling over 22,000 posts before the election schedule was announced. The elections are due in October.

Number of political leaders, including those belonging to the Congress and the Panthers Party, have said despite the Chief Minister’s announcement a couple of months ago, the fast track recruitment boards had not been constituted so far.

Panthers Party leader Harsh Dev Singh said the government had issued advertisements inviting applications for class IV posts in 2006. However, the interviews were not held in 2006 or 2007, he added.

Srinagar, May 26
The Institute of Kashmir Studies (IKS) has decided to compile a booklet of songs of an illiterate Kashmiri labourer “Aasi” who sang morale boosting songs in 1947 to prevent panic in the city, Governor Lt-Gen S.K. Sinha (retd) said here today.

Sinha said he learnt from UN Goodwill Ambassador, Madanjeet Singh about Aasi who composed songs and sang them in the streets of Srinagar.

Addressing a meeting at the IKS institute, he said Aasi's songs boosted the morale of the people of Jammu and went a long way to prevent panic during the incursion of tribals from Pakistan. However, Sinha said he was not lucky enough to meet or hear Aasi at that time.

“I learnt about him much later from Singh,” he said, adding, the IKS would compile a booklet of his songs so that could be available to the present and future generations of Kashmiris. On the occasion, the picture of Aasi taken by Singh was displayed, while Sinha recalled the horrendous devastation and destruction of Baramulla by raiders.

Sinha said during those days he witnessed the Kashmiriyat in action in Srinagar when he found volunteers of the National Conference (NC) maintaining order in the city. There was no communal tension and no communal violence. The city reverberated to the slogan of “Hamlawar Khabardar, Ham Kashmiri Hindu Muslim Sikh Tayaar,” he said, recalling the words of Mahatama Gandhi that he saw a ray of hope in Kashmir.

Sinha also referred to the presence of Singh in Srinagar in October 1947 when he was also here as a young Major and said, “We saw different perspectives of Kashmiriyat in action at that time in Srinagar.”

“We had not met in those days. More than half a century later we met for the first time here in Srinagar, Singh as a UN Goodwill Ambassador and I as the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said. — UNI

Srinagar, May 26
Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has called upon researchers and scholars to unearth the rich cultural treasure of Kashmir and can build upon it in terms of knowledge and scholarship. Azad, addressing a function organised to launch the Institute of Kashmir Studies (IKS) at the University of Kashmir, here today, hoped that the institute would serve as a beacon for scholars and interested people to learn about Kashmir, its history, culture and the intellectual treasure of its people.

The Chief Minister said Kashmir was an interesting subject with variety and richness that intrigued seekers of knowledge from far and wide. Azad added that setting up of the IKS was a right step in this direction. He said he was hopeful that the institute would serve as a guiding light for students of Kashmir studies to know about the valley’s history, culture and intellectual wealth of its people.

Earlier in his welcome speech vice-chancellor of Kashmir University Riyaz Punjabi said Kashmir had the tradition of great scholarship and learning and prominent Kashmiri scholars and philosophers made great contributions to Indian philosophy and culture.

Srinagar, May 26
Arguments of the Kashmir Bar Association questioning the competence of the full bench constituted by the Chief Justice to hear arguments in the sex scam began today, and the full bench of Justices Niasar Ahmad Kakru, JP Singh and Virender Singh will continue with the hearing tomorrow.

The bar has challenged the competence of the full bench by the Chief Justice after the division bench of Justices Bashir Ahmad Kirmani and Hakim Imtiyaz Hussain differed in their judgement on August 8 last year.

"We want that the full bench to first decide the point of differences between the two judges in the division bench and they should limit their judgement to these points only. Or the matter could be sent back to the Chief Justice who could then ask the division bench to bring their points of dissention on record so that the full bench could adjudicate over them," bar president Nazir Ahmad Ronga told The Tribune after arguments.

The division bench had pulled up the CBI for letting off some accused against whom there was evidence on record. Justice Kirmani, who was harsher in his criticism of the investigating agency, had directed it to investigate those whom it had not prosecuted so far and produce challan against them.

He had said there was evidence about a number of persons against whom the CBI had not produced the challan. He said the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Srinagar, should take cognizance of it after the challan is produced before it.

Justice Hussain had differed with him on some points, but their judgement did not make it clear as to what were their points of dissention. The Chief Justice subsequently constituted a full bench to hear the matter.

The single bench of Justice Kirmani had taken suo moto notice in May, 2005 of news reports alleging involvement of high profile persons in exploitation of girls. As the matter hotted up, the state government had transferred the probe to the CBI, but the bar alleged that it had given reprieve to some key persons in its investigation.

Rajouri, May 26
Even as the Chief Minister has strived hard to make his anti-corruption drive a success, majority of officers in the district administration here continue to misuse their official status in one way or the other. In the absence of any check from the government, the senior-level government officials of the district administration are finding it quite easy to misuse their official vehicles.

Sources in the district administration here disclosed that majority of the officers continue to misuse their official vehicles.

"The officers are misusing their official vehicles within their area of responsibility for purposes like ferrying their wards to schools, shopping purposes and even for picnic purpose. Some of the senior officers are sending their official vehicles outside the district for dropping their guests to Jammu", said a highly placed source in the district administration.

"By indulging in such a practise, they are not only misusing their official status but are also eating away the valuable government money," he added.

The information available with The Tribune reveals that in a very recent case a senior officer in the district administration here sent his official vehicle to Jammu for dropping his guests to the railway station.

"As per the government directives we can use our official vehicles for official purpose only, and normally from 10 am to 4 pm. In case we have to undertake an official tour to outside the district, we can tour in our official vehicles. But if a officer is using his official vehicle for other purposes like ferrying their wards to schools, shopping purpose and even for going to picnic, it is quite shocking", he said. "If your findings are true, it is most shocking thing. I reckon that action should be taken against that officer". Despite repeated efforts, the deputy commissioner here couldn’t be contacted for his comments.

Srinagar, May 26
Governor Lt-Gen S.K. Sinha (retd) today said “music transcends boundaries and can be used to launch a Jehad (holy war) for peace, transcending boundaries and bitterness of the past.”

He said this while addressing a function at the Kashmir University on the occasion of the inauguration of the Institute of Kashmir Studies by President Pratibha Patil.

Sinha appreciated the Pakistani band “Junoon” which enthralled over 10,000 persons from various educational institutions at the SKICC lawns here on Sunday evening.

“We feel very encouraged to find that music transcends boundaries and can be used to launch a jehad for peace and erase bitterness of the past,” Sinha said in his address.

Union minister for panchayati raj and chairman, South-Asia Foundation (SAF), Indian Chapter, Mani Shankar Aiyer had inaugurated the event of the modern Sufi-rock concert featuring the famous Pakistani band, Junoon of Salman Ahmad and Jeet Singh’s avant-garde band, The Singhs, at the SKICC lawns.

The event was organised as part of the inauguration of the Institute of Kashmir Studies. It was also attended by eminent personalities from South-Asian countries, including former president of Sri Lanka, Chandrika Kumaratunga Bandaranike, minister for women affairs, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Dr H.B. Ghazanfar, former chief minister Farooq Abdullah, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, Madanjeet Singh, dignitaries from SAARC countries and delegates from South-Asian Foundation (SAF).

However, hardline separatist APHC chairman, Syed Ali Shah Geelani has expressed concern over the holding of such events in the valley. He claimed that such events were being organized on “Indian agenda” and part of its “peace process”. 

Basohli (Kathua), May 26
Situated on the banks of the Ravi river, 80 km away from Kathua and nested among low-lying hills, stands Basohli town whose withering magnificence stands a mute testimony to the glory it was in its heyday.

Basohli, which had left a mark on the cultural horizon of the country, now stands witness to its dying art and culture. Basohli was once known for its world famous Basohli paintings, but with the passage of time, the art is slowing withering away and the new generation does not seem to be much interested in it.

The art is dying a “slow death” and the reason is being attributed to the “laid-back” attitude of the state government towards its “protection and projection.”

The art does not seem to interest the younger generation who are not willing to take it up as a career option.

Immortalised by its artistic eminence and the connoisseur patrons, Basohli paintings were a metaphor for a vigorous, bold and imaginative artistic style, which was rich and unconventional.

“Basohli is a style of painting characterised with its geometrical patterns and the use of bold colours infuses vitality in the painting. The use of primary colours and peculiar facial formula prevailed in the 17th and early 18th centuries in the foothills of the western Himalayas in Jammu and Punjab,” Pyare Lal (79), a Basohli artist, said.

Adding he said, “According to historians, these paintings originated in Basohli from where the style spread to the hill states of Kullu, Mankot, Nurpur, Mandi, Bilaspur, Suket, Chamba, Nalagarh, Kangra and Gular.”

The first mention of the Basohli painting was recorded in the annual report of the Archaeological Survey if India (ASI) and published in 1921. However, the art is now dying a slow death.

The archaeological section of the Central Museum, Lahore, in its report stated, “A series of old paintings of the Basohli school were purchased. The Basohli school is possibly a pre-Moghul origin and the Tibeti pictures are nothing but late productions of this school.”

Zafar Iqbal Manhas, secretary, J&K academy of Art, Culture and Language, said, “The need of the hour is to spread awareness among people. We must preserve the art in all its forms.”

Jammu, May 26
Three Indian prisoners, who were released after nearly two decades by Pakistan, were held as hostage by the Jammu and Kashmir police for over 20 hours to complete trivial formalities, which could have been done within five minutes.

Mangal Singh (35) of Channi Diwani in Akhnoor, Shahbuddin (63) of Ari village in Mendhar (Poonch) and Parvez Ahmed Masoodi (53) of Aripanthan Budgam were among 99 Indian prisoners, including fishermen, who were released by Pakistan via Wagah Border on May 24.

Ecstatic over the news, relatives of the released prisoners dashed off to Attari border but came across their kin flesh and blood at Lakhanpur, the gateway to the state.

However, nightmare for the released prisoners started soon after they entered the state with a couple of Punjab police constables and two revenue officials.

The Amritsar district magistrate vide a faxed message to the Jammu district magistrate intimated the latter about the release of three prisoners of Jammu and Kashmir and requested him to make arrangements for restoring them to their respective families.

After walking to freedom their ordeal started at around 6 pm yesterday when they were first taken to Pir Mitha police station, said one of the relatives of released prisoners. Subsequently, they were taken to the city police station where they spent entire night without food, he said.

It may be mentioned here that Shahbuddin, Parvez Ahmed Masoodi and Mangal Singh spent 17 years, 16 years and 13 years, respectively, in Kot Lakhpat Jail at Lahore braving third degree tortures in dungeons.

Shahbuddin and Parvez Ahmed Masoodi were convicted under 59 Pakistani Army Act while Mangal Singh was a case of inadvertent crossing.

Though the released prisoners and their relatives were happy over the reunion after a long time, they expressed regrets over laid-back attitude of the district administration.

Talking to The Tribune, their relatives said after undergoing imprisonment in Pakistan prison, they failed to understand the inordinate delay being caused by the district administration.

We were already disturbed but still we wanted to meet our families but I fail to understand the delay being caused by the district administration and the police, said one of the prisoners.

When asked about their motive to visit Pakistan, they said, “It’s an open secret but still we would not say anything as our utterances might put life of other Indian prisoners at stake.”

At the deputy commissioner’s office, assistant commissioner (general) completed the formalities at around 12 noon.

Jammu, May 26
Auto rickshaw and minibus drivers transporting school-going children have been risking the lives of these children by violating all norms as they resort to overloading.

“You just stand outside any school in Jammu and see how these minibus and auto rickshaw drivers violate all norms and resort to overloading, thus, risking the lives of these innocent children,” said Priyanka Koul, a resident of Gandhi Nagar, Jammu.

The parents have many times complained to the school administration to keep a “check” on the overloading by these minibuses and auto rickshaw drivers, but their request had fallen to deaf ears.

“We met the school administration and requested them to check the overloading of these small vehicles. They assured us of proper action and for few days everything went fine, but then everything returned to square one,” said Upinder Kumar of Punjtirthi, Jammu.

The parents in Jammu are worried as they fear any eventually could lead to a disaster, so majority of them are planning not to send their children on these vehicles.

“I would prefer to drop my son myself rather then sending him by an auto rickshaw. These people only want to make money without caring for the safety of our children,” said Munish Kumar, a government employee.

However, the school administration blames parents for encouraging these auto rickshaw and minibus drivers for resorting to overloading.

“We have our own fleet of school buses, but some parents in order to save money hire private transporters. These private operators are the people responsible for overloading as they want to make maximum amount of money,” said a private schoolteacher.

Rajouri, May 26
The police is trying to ascertain the alleged role played by the parents of a woman in her murder.

Police sources said Zaheeda Begum was allegedly killed by her husband, Muhammad Pazeer, for not bearing him a male child. Besides, her parents allegedly concealed the information about her murder from the police.

Zaheeda, a mother of three daughters, was killed by Muhammad of Kablan village. Sources said Zaheeda and Muhammad had several differences between them over the former’s inability to deliver a male child. Muhammad’s craving for a male child was so extreme that he developed illicit relations with Zaheeda’s sister and was on the verge of marrying her. The move was objected by Zaheeda and differences cropped up between them.

Sources further said the couple had an altercation on April 21 and Muhammad attempted to strangulate Zaheeda. He smashed a marble rod into her head and inflicted multiple injuries on her body. Before Zaheeda fell unconscious, she managed to raise an alarm, following which Muhammad took her to the district hospital. Later, Zaheeda died at the hospital.

The next day, while Zaheeda was being taken to be buried, an elderly woman Risam Begum witnessed injury marks on her body. She informed Zaheeda’s uncle Muhammad Jabeer about the injury marks, who along with other relatives sought to register an FIR with the Thanamandi police, but the latter allegedly refused to do so.

It was only after a minister’s intervention that the police registered a case and arrested Muhammad who confessed to have committed the crime.

Police sources further said the police also approached the District Magistrate seeking permission for exhuming Zaheeda’s body who gave the requisite permission. Her body was exhumed on May 16 and a postmortem was conducted later.

The police arrested Muhammad for killing his wife and registered a case under Section 302. It also recovered the marble rod by which Zaheeda was done to death. A senior police official said Zaheeda’s parents were reportedly aware of the differences between their daughter and son-in-law and were ready to marry off their other daughter to him.

“They were reportedly aware of their daughter being murdered by their son-in-law and allegedly concealed the facts,” he added.

Rajesh Kumar, SSP, Rajouri, said, “We are probing the involvement of people who helped Muhammad in the crime”.

Rajouri, May 26
A married woman and her sister-in-law reportedly went missing from the Draba area in Surankote tehsil of Poonch district.

Police sources said Parveen Akhter (23), wife of Jodha Beig and her sister-in-law (husband's sister) Shamim Bano, went missing from their residence on May 24.

Sources said about a week ago, the duo had gone missing but returned after four days. “They had reportedly gone to see some Pir (spiritual guru),” they added.

However, locals claimed that the duo might have eloped with two persons from outside the state who were working for the installation of mobile towers near their residence.

Meanwhile, the police has lodged a missing report and sent teams to various areas, including the residence of a Pir in the Kalakote area of Rajouri district, to trace the duo.

Jammu, May 26
A militant of the Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) was killed and another was injured in an encounter with the police in Bari Marmat area of Doda district today.

Following a tip-off about the presence of militants, a police team launched a search operation in the area. In the ensuing encounter, Kafayat Ullah was killed, while his aide, Abdul Qayoom, managed to escape despite sustaining injuries. Kafayat was involved in a number of militancy-related activities in Doda district. The police recovered an AK rifle and three magazines from the slain militant’s possession. A search operation has been launched to apprehend his injured aide.