Srinagar, May 21
APHC chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has asked the Central government to take concrete steps for the resolution of the Kashmir issue within two months. He threatened to launch a mass agitation from July 13.

In case no concrete steps were taken for initiating a dialogue process with Pakistan and the separatist leadership in Kashmir, the APHC would launch a “peaceful agitation” beginning with a march from the martyrs’ graveyard to Lal Chowk here on July 13, the Mirwaiz said while addressing a largely-attended rally at Eidgah here today.

The election rejection rally was organised by the APHC to commemorate the founder leader of the Awami Action Committee (AAC), Mirwaiz Mohammad Farooq, who was killed on this day in 1990. The AAC, now headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, is a constituent of the separatist conglomeration of APHC. The AAC also paid tributes to former APHC leader Abdul Ghani Lone, who was also killed on this day in 2002 at Eidgah.

Addressing the rally at the conclusion of week-long events, the Mirwaiz said the Congress leading the new UPA government at the Centre was having good numbers and should have the “political will to resolve the Kashmir issue”. That would ensure peace in the sub-continent, he said. He added that the APHC would give the new government two months to take the peace process forward with Pakistan and the separatist leadership of Kashmir.

He said the Kashmir issue needed a political solution. The Mirwaiz demanded the withdrawal of troops, revocation of laws giving special powers to security forces and the release of all detained before the elections.

“We will be holding programmes like this all across the valley in the near future,” the Mirwaiz said. He added that despite the government allowing to hold today’s rally at Eidgah, several leaders and people from various parts of the valley were prevented. Many vehicles were damaged by the police and the security forces.

He reiterated the demand for the grant of self-determination for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Those who attended the rally included senior executive members, Fazal-ul-Haq Qureshi, Agha Syed Hassan and provincial president of the Hurriyat Conference Nayeem Ahmad Khan. Former chairmen, Abdul Ghani Bhat and Moulvi Abbas Ansari were not present on the occasion.

Senior executive member, Bilal Lone, son of the assassinated APHC leader, Abdul Ghani Lone, whose seventh death anniversary was also being observed, could not make it to the rally here today.

Udhamapur, May 21
Although Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has not announced the date for the much-awaited Cabinet expansion, a struggle among MLAs of the NC and the Congress of the erstwhile Doda district has intensified for ministerial berths after the outcome of the Bhaderwah Assembly byelection.

Former minister Mohammad Sharief Niaz, who won the Bhaderwah Assembly byelection, has also joined the race for a ministerial berth. Two former ministers and sitting MLAs Abdul Majid Wani of Doda and Ghulam Mohammad Saroori of Inderwal have already staked claims for ministerial berths. NC MLA from Kishtwar Sajjad Ahmed Kitchloo is also a strong contender.

In the present Omar ministry, there is no representation from the erstwhile Doda district, so all sitting MLAs of both Congress and NC have been staking claims for a berth in the ministry. Banihal and Ramban MLAs are first-timers, so there is a remote chance of their getting a ministerial berth, but the second-timers namely Sajjad Ahmed Kitchloo, Abdul Majid Wani, Mohammad Sharief Niaz and Ghulam Mohammad Saroori are strong contenders. As only two of them are likely to get a place in the ministry, the struggle has intensified among them. All sitting MLAs have been in touch with their “political mentors”.

Kitchloo, being the only NC MLA from the erstwhile Doda district, is likely to get accommodated, but the Congress leadership has to face a tough time to select the ministerial candidate from among its three sitting MLAs. Being a Cabinet minister in the Mufti Sayeed government, Mohammad Sharief Niaz has also staked claim. Similarly, Abdul Majid Wani and Ghulam Mohammad Saroori were also former ministers.

Congress sources said the Cabinet expansion would likely to take place after the formation of the Union government. Not only the erstwhile Doda district in unrepresented in the state government, there is no representation from Udhampur, Ramban and Reasi districts in the government. The Congress has two MLA from Ramban and one each from Udhampur and Reasi districts.

Jammu, May 21
To commemorate the 18th death anniversary of late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, a meeting of Congress workers under the chairmanship of Zaffarullah Azad, general secretary of the PCC, was held at Mendhar, Poonch, today.

Azad said during his term as Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi visualised the eradication of rural poverty, unemployment, disease and ignorance by enacting the Panchayti Raj Bill in Parliament. Not only this, he also lowered the voting age from 21 to 18 years, and this way infused a new strength in the Indian polity.

The Pradesh Youth Congress also organised a function at the PCC headquarters at Shahidi Chowk to remember Rajiv Gandhi today.

While paying tributes, Pawan Raina, senior vice-president of the Youth Congress, said Rajiv Gandhi had a vision of a progressive and powerful India.

The National students Union of India (NSUI) also organised a ‘chabeel’ to pay homage to Rajiv Gandhi, keeping in view the heat wave.

Srinagar, May 21
Stressing upon the need to make public servants accountable, Bashir Ahmad Malla, DIG (Armed), Jammu and Kashmir Police, yesterday said the State Accountability Commission (SAC) could become powerful as convincing evidence was enough to take action against a person accused of any misappropriation.

“The society and the powerful SAC is important for qualitative change,” Malla said during a workshop on ‘Right to information and role of NGOs and civil society’ here. The programme was held under the aegis of the Jammu and Kashmir Right to Information Movement.

He said the Right to Information (RTI) Act empowered a commoner to know about the functioning of a department so as to ensure that his interests were taken care of.

“Every work has a set procedure and by virtue of the RTI, a common man has access to the proposed plan of action and the results thereafter,” he said.

Expressing apprehensions, Raja Muzaffar, convener, Jammu and Kashmir Right to Information Movement, said the RTI could be misused by certain elements.

“Time has come when non-government organisations should be brought under the purview of accountability,” Muzaffar said. He expressed his disappointment that rules for the amended Jammu and Kashmir RTI Act were yet to be framed.

New Delhi, May 21
The Centre has extended the package of special concessions and facilities to employees of the Central Government and public sector undertakings working in Kashmir till the year end.

In a circular issued this week, the Defence Ministry says the allowances admissible to civilian employees till June last year have been extended after a review by the Department of Jammu and Kashmir Affairs of the Ministry of Home Affairs in consultation with the Department of Personnel and Training and the Ministry of Finance.

Among the slew of proposals, the employees posted in the Valley will continue to be entitled for additional HRA and mess facilities. An effort would be made to accommodate employees who have migrated from the Valley in Delhi and its vicinity.

The services of employees, who were forced to migrate due to the disturbed conditions in the region, were earlier regularised.

Srinagar, May 21
A record number of 39,362 candidates will appear in the preliminary test of the J&K Combined Competitive Services Examination to be held on May 23-24 across 78 examination centres in the two capital cities of the state.

According to officials, the number was the highest-ever witnessed and reflected the growing aspirations and educational standards of the young. Several students from the valley have made it to the All-India Services.

The Jammu and Kashmir State Public Service Commission has made elaborate arrangements for smooth conduct of preliminary examinations and have also appointed observers for each of the 34 examination centres at Srinagar and 44 at Jammu. At a few centres, CCTVs have also been installed.

The public service commission has disallowed mobile phones to the examination centres and if anyone brings mobile phones inside the examination hall, it will be treated as an attempt to resort to unfair means and their candidature would be cancelled.

Several senior officers have been frequenting workshops to boost morale of the aspirants and offer them guidance.

Local media has also highlighted such workshops as it has often bemoaned the poor success of Kashmiri students in such exams. “When I took the exams, there was hardly anybody to go to for guidance. The scene is complete changed and I myself have gone to such workshops to encourage students,” M Sajjad, a senior civil officer, said.

Udhampur, May 21
Five pilgrims of Mata Vaishno Devi were looted by a youth at the bhawan of the cave shrine this morning. The victims were members of two families and the youth who looted their cash, gold ornaments and mobile phones reportedly gave them some eatables coated with intoxicants.

The victims have been identified as Ishwar Parsad, Urmila Devi and Urvind, all residents of Uttar Pradesh, and Bharat Bhagwat and his wife Pinki from Surat in Gujarat.

Though senior police officers have maintained a silence over the incident, reports said five pilgrims were found lying unconscious at the bhawan by fellow devotees this morning. As their condition deteriorated, they were shifted to the bhawan hospital. After attaining consciousness, the pilgrims told the police that they were looted by a youth, who accompanied them from the Jammu railway station.

According to reports, a youth became friendly with the two families when they were travelling by train. He told the families that he was also going to Mata Vaishno Devi. He accompanied them from the Jammu railway station. He offered them some eatables. As soon as the pilgrim families took the eatables, they fell unconscious. The youth decamped with their gold ornaments, cash and mobile phones.

Srinagar, May 21
Srinagar was largely shut on the death anniversaries of Mirwaiz Moulvi Farooq, father of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and Abdul Gani Lone, but did not witnesses any serious incident of violence.

The main markets in Lal Chowk and downtown were closed, but many shops in other areas were open.

Some Hurriyat leaders, including Zafar Akbar Bhat, were detained by the police and many vehicles carrying separatist supporters for the rally were forcibly stopped by the security forces, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq alleged.

The police, though, denied the allegation and said the security forces were out to ensure law and order. “They have been observing the death anniversaries for many years and we had already said we had no problems with the rally as long it was peaceful. It is an usual allegation levelled by separatists,” a police official said.

The Mirwaiz said many of his supporters, including women, were beaten up and their vehicles smashed when they were on their way to Eidgah from different parts of the valley to attend the rally.

Traffic movement was restricted and the security forces were deployed, especially in downtown, since morning. Hurriyat workers carried out vehicular processions to exhort people to join the rally.

There was a definite downturn in the aggressive slogans and posturing of the Hurriyat supporters, who avoided any confrontation with security personnel.

Jammu, May 21
The body of a student of a private BEd college, who was feared drowned after he slipped and fell into the Ranbir canal at Doomi in the Kanachak area yesterday, was fished out from the canal at Batara, near here, this morning.

Acting upon a complaint, the police had launched a search and the Irrigation Department had to close the canal, which led to the recovery of the body from the Batara area, said official sources.

Subsequently, an autopsy was conducted on the body at the Government Medical College here before it was handed over to the family members of the deceased.

Surender, 22, a native of Rajasthan, was taking bath on the banks of the canal at Doomi yesterday along with his two friends when he suddenly slipped and was washed away by strong currents.

Jammu, May 21
The National Secular Forum (NSF) today held a protest in support of their demand for the closure of all illegal study centres, except those of the IGNOU, running within the Jammu province. The demonstration was held at the Fountain Plaza at University of Jammu. While raising slogans against the Education Department, the protesters burnt effigy of director (colleges) ND Wani.

Vikas Sharma, one of the protester, said the university had already issued notices to two study centres that were run by University of Puducherry and Maulana Azad National Urdu University and ordered their immediate closure.

He said the same should be done by the officer of Higher Education Department and they should immediately close all illegal study centres that were running in the province.