Jammu, August 18
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said here today that in the present scenario, there was no question of revoking the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from the restive state.

He, however, added that if the situation warranted, certain areas, from where militancy had been wiped out, could be removed from the purview of the Act.

“We have also engaged New Delhi to make possible amendments to the AFSPA so as to make it humane,” said Omar while replying to questions from mediapersons after inspecting the preservation work of the Mubarak Mandi heritage complex.

“We were exploring the possibility of removing the AFSPA from the areas where peace had returned and where militancy was now a thing of the past,” the Chief Minister said.

Omar said his government had been exploring the possibility of diluting the Act and removing it from peaceful areas. On the National Conference’s autonomy document, he scotched the speculations of modifying the document.

The document had been duly passed with the requisite majority by the state legislature and the question did not arise of modifying it, he added.

But Omar said autonomy was just a starting point in the right perspective to find a middle path acceptable to all stake-holders in the state. The aspirations of people of all three regions vis-à-vis the autonomy would be supreme, he added.

On the turmoil in the Kashmir valley, Omar hoped that violence would come to an end soon. The security forces in the Valley had been asked to exercise the utmost restraint while dealing with the protesters and to restore normalcy a cohesive effort was needed, he said, and lashed out at elements fomenting trouble.

Omar derided Dukhtaran-e-Millat leader Asiya Andrabi for her double standards. “She was seeking an Indian passport for her son to pursue studies abroad while provoking children in the Valley to take to the streets. Was it not an act of hypocrisy?”, asked Omar.

He also lamented that the separatists, who had sent their children abroad for studies, were playing with the future of Kashmiri youths in the Valley.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister inspected various developmental projects here.

He visited Government Medical College to review the progress of attendants’ sarai being constructed there at a cost of Rs 3.29 crore. He also inspected the construction work of the Rs 120 crore superspeciality hospital in the adjoining area of medical college, which is expected to be complete by December this year.

Omar also inspected the work on the fourth bridge that is being constructed on the Tawi at an estimated cost of Rs 3.80 crore.He also took stock of preservation work of the Mubarak Mandi Heritage complex.

“We want benefits of these works to reach to people in a time-bound schedule,” he said, and directed officials to maintain high standards of construction. 

Srinagar, August 18
There was a shutdown here today while the authorities reimposed the curfew in major towns of the Kashmir valley to prevent a march to Shalteng in Srinagar and to Sopore and Anantnag where some people were killed in police firing recently.

The curfew was clamped in Srinagar, Anantnag, Sopore, Baramulla and parts of Kupwara to prevent the march and avoid clashes between protesters and the police. Restrictions were also in force in Bandipore, Budgam and Ganderbal district headquarters. Demonstrations were held in Srinagar, Pulwama and Shopian.

All shops and business establishments were closed and traffic was off the road. Some of the schools which had opened yesterday were also closed today.The University of Kashmir has rescheduled all examinations which were to be held till August 23, a university spokeman said.

The police said there was tension in Tarigam in Kulgam district where some miscreants tried to force the closure of shops. This led to a scuffle between the miscreants and the shopkeepers. The police opened fire,resulting in injuries to one person.

Clashes also took place at Nihama in Pulwama district where three miscreants tried to force the closure of shops.Two persons were injured in clashes with the police at Hangalgund in the Kokernag area of Anantnag district last evening.

Jammu, August 18
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah during his one-day visit to the winter capital reviewed security and law and order situation at a high-level meeting here today. The meeting was attended by senior officers from the Army, BSF, CRPF, J&K Police, CID, IB, SB and the divisional administration. The Chief Minister took a brief about various aspects of the security scenario and the law and order situation in the region.

The GOC, 16 Corps, Lt-Gen Rameshwar Roy, the GOC, 26 Infantry Division, Major-Gen JPS Waraich, the IG, BSF, S Chatto, the IG, CRPF, AS Sidhu, the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Dr Pawan Kotwal, the IG, Jammu, Ashok Gupta, the Deputy Director, IB, Anurag Kumar, representative of the SB, Tilak Debsher, the DIG, Jammu, Farooq Khan, the DIG, CID, Jammu, and various SSPs were present at the meeting.

Jammu, August 18
Minister for Health, Horticulture and Floriculture Sham Lal Sharma, who is also chairman of the District Development Board, Doda, yesterday convened a meeting of officers at Bhaderwah to review the progress of various ongoing development works in the district.

MLA, Bhaderwah, Mohammed Sharief Niaz , MLC Naresh Kumar Gupta , District Development Commissioner, Doda, Farooq Ahmed Khan , SDM, Bhaderwah, Yasha Mudgal , Deputy Director, Health, I.A Shapoo, besides various district and sectoral officers attended the meeting.

The minister exhorted the officers to fully utilise the funds in a judicious manner while ensuring the quality of work.He said 50 per cent of the approved outlay of the District Plan had been released and expressed satisfaction over the work done and the expenditure so far. The minister directed the officers to work in coordination and adopt a professional approach for effective implementation of various schemes like MGNREGA, NRHM, PMGSY and PMRP to ensure benefits to the targeted population and completion of various projects within the stipulated time.

He said under the MGNREGA, various departments could jointly work for implementation and execution of various works. He reiterated the commitment of the government to provide all basic amenities without any discrimination. He underlined the need to create awareness among people regarding various schemes meant for benefit and welfare of those living in the far-flung and rural areas of the district.

Apprising the meeting regarding the augmentation and upgradation of the Bhaderwah Water Supply Scheme, the Superintending Engineer, PHE, Doda, revealed that an amount of Rs 480.56 lakh had been received out of Rs 1177.98 lakh and an expenditure of Rs 471.47 lakh had been incurred till date.

Regarding the Shiva Canal, it was decided at the meeting that the opinion of experts would be taken for the revival of the work on the abandoned canal. Niaz called for early completion of black-topping of the Thathri- Kilhotran road , the Gandoh- Jai road , the Gowari- Bathri road and the Bhatyas-Mannu road.

Later, the minister, along with the officers, inspected the under- construction New Subdistrict Hospital building at Bhaderwah being constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 22 crore and new bus stand in Bhaderwah. 

Jammu, August 18
The campaign against the proposal for autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir is intensifying as various organisations have launched a number of programmes to educate the masses.

While the BJP today organised an awareness programme at Reasi on this issue, the ABVP - the student wing of the RSS - held demonstrations at different places across the Jammu region to oppose any proposal to grant autonomy to the state. The Panun Kashmir and other social organisations also staged a demonstration in front of the Raj Bhawan.

The leader of BJP Legislators Party Chaman Lal Gupta addressed the district-level public awareness programme at Reasi in which he cautioned the people against the nefarious designs of Congress-NC regime in the state.

Gupta said the unholy reunion of the NC and the Congress has again brought a most different situation in the state, especially in the Valley of Kashmir, where the protagonists of Nizam-e-Mustaffa were dominating the whole situation and the existence of the government had been badly paralysed.

“The religious places are being misused for chanting anti-national slogans and issuing of calenders and ‘farmaans’ of the fanatic leaders of the Hurriyat Conference and other separatists,” he added, observing that the nationalist elements had been taken hostage by the anti-national forces.

Activists of the ABVP held demonstrations at Jammu, Reasi, RS Pura, Samba, Kathua, Kishtwar, Udhampur and Ramban areas of the Jammu region. ABVP leaders warned the Centre against succumbing before the pressure of separatists and anti-national elements active in the Valley. They further asserted that the ABVP would oppose any move to grant autonomy to the state.

Meanwhile, a large number of Kashmiri Pandit migrants under the banner of the Panun Kashmir gathered outside the Governor’s house here and staged a demonstration over, what they alleged, the Central government’s apathy towards them.

Addressing the rally, convener of the organisation Dr Agnishekhar deplored the Centre for recognising and nurturing the aspirations of only one section of the society.

Jammu State Morcha president Virender Gupta emphasised in his address that the reorganisation of the state was the only solution to fulfil the aspirations of all sections of the state, which have been discriminated since 1947.

Justice (retd) Pavitra Singh, chairman of the JPF, appealed to all sections of Jammu and Kashmiri Pandits to unite in this hour of crisis to defeat the evil designs of anti-national forces.

President of the Duggar Pradesh Party Udhay Chand, national spokesman of Kashmira Vahini Dr Khema Kaul and others also addressed the demonstration. 

Jammu, August 18
As the functioning of the government has been badly affected due to the turmoil in the Kashmir valley, the Panthers Party today demanded that the Civil Secretariat should function both at Jammu and Srinagar simultaneously so that the issues and concerns of various regions were addressed.

Addressing a joint press conference here, the three Panthers Party MLAs, namely Harshdev Singh, Balwant Singh Mankotia and Yashpaul Kundal, today put forth this demand to ensure the smooth functioning of the government in the state. The Civil Secretariat functions six months in the Kashmir valley and the remaining six months in Jammu.

Harsh Dev regretted that the extremely tense and explosive scenario in the Valley had adversely affected the normal transaction of government business with the Civil Secretariat having become defunct and darbar move offices having become redundant.

He said the Civil Secretariat wore a deserted look with a negligible activity being undertaken except the transfer orders being issued by ministers selectively for vested interests.

“No other file was being disposed of, no plan funds being released and no approvals for public utility works were being accorded,” he remarked.

Harsh Dev argued in favour of making the Jammu Civil Secretariat functional without further loss of time. He said this should be immediately announced and adequate number of bureaucrats, officers and other staff deputed for the purpose till the Union government took a final decision on the fate of the present dispensation.

He appealed to the Central government to shed its inhibitions and to act in the larger interests of the people of the state. He said the Union government needed to awake to the suffering of the common man caused due to a weak state government. Development had been held a hostage to political debauchery and misrule, Harsh Dev asserted and demanded the imposition of Governor’s Rule as an interim measure.

He also castigated the government for causing undue harassment to Jammu-based employees working in the Valley whose attendance was regulated and inspected not only in the move offices but also in their lodgings assigned to them. 

Jammu, August 18
Infuriated over the alleged detention of three brothers, who were picked up by the Poonch police following an encounter between Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militants and the security forces on August 6 at Sangiot, a mob, including their family members, blocked the Poonch-Mendhar highway for nearly one hour this morning.

Reports said a mob of around 60 persons, including the family members of the three brothers, blocked the strategic highway at Sangiot near Bhatti Dhar around 9.45 am.

Traffic movement on the road connecting Bhimber Gali with Jeran Wali Gali in Mendhar tehsil remained disrupted for nearly one hour, said the reports, adding that nearly 30 private vehicles, including buses and light motor vehicles, remained trapped in the jam.

The traffic disruption forced an Army convoy to adopt an alternative route of Dera Ki Gali to Thannamandi to reach its destination, they added.

It may be recalled here that on August 6 three top LeT militants of were trapped while an SOG guide, Rukhsar Ahmed Mirza, was killed in a fierce gunfight at Sangiot.

Family sources said five to six days back the Poonch police picked up three brothers identified as Mohammed Jameel, Mohammed Hafiz and Mohammed Rashid, all residents of Mohalla Chitti Bhati in Sangiot, for their suspected role in providing shelter and food to the ultras.

They said since then the three brothers had been in police custody.

Sensing the gravity of the situation, SHO, Gursai police station, Maroof Badana and other officers rushed to the spot and pacified the mob.

The reports said Maroof told the protesting mob that neither the suspects were arrested nor an FIR was registered against them.

Though the police had released them, the police officer asked that as and when required they would be requisitioned to the police station.

Poonch district, SSP, Manmohan Singh said, “At no point of time they were formally arrested but the police station concerned had been requisitioning them daily to question them pertaining to the case.”

“This irked their family members and their supporters, who blocked the road this morning. But we have made them clear that whenever required the suspects would report to the police station,” he added.

On the day of the encounter in Sangiot, LeT district commander Abu Akasha along with his two accomplices had taken shelter in a house at Sangiot.

In fact, the gunfire had come from a cattle shed at the house, said official sources.

Jammu, August 18
Irked over the rise in the number of vehicle theft cases, residents of the Rajbagh area in Kathua district blocked the Jammu-Pathankot National Highway for nearly half an hour around 11 am today.

The local residents said in the past four-five days two trucks had been stolen in the town and the police had failed to recover these. The protesters blocked the highway in the morning and shouted anti-police slogans. However, no untoward incident took place.

The protesters said though the police had recovered the vehicles, it neither arrested any accused nor initiated any legal action against them.

Only after the senior police officers assured the protesters that the accused would be arrested soon that the blockade was lifted.

Rajeshwar Singh, SHO, Rajbagh police station, said, “It was a peaceful blockade for 10 minutes only. The vehicular movement was restored immediately.” 

Jammu, August 18
Minister for Medical and Technical Education Rajinder Singh Chib said yesterday that the coalition government headed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was committed to providing all basic amenities to the people of the state.

He was addressing a gathering after inaugurating a public relation office at RS Pura which has been established to listen to the grievances and demands of the people of the border tehsil. On the occasion, he also dedicated an ambulance to the Suchetgarh constituency.

Chib said the purpose of the opening of the office was to listen to the grievances and demands of the people of RS Pura and adjoining areas for an early redress, as it was the long-pending demand of the people.

Jammu, August 18
Professor Dalip Singh Jamwal of the Department of Mathematics, University of Jammu, has been elected president of the Jammu University Teachers’ Association (JUTA) for the second consecutive year.

Professor Jamwal defeated his rival, Professor Baljit Singh, by 67 votes. During the poll that was held yesterday, out of 260 members of the JUTA, 235 members cast their votes.

During the election, Professor Jamwal got 149 votes whereas Professor Baljit could only secure 82 .

Other members of the newly constituted executive committee include Dr Prakash Chand as vice- president, Dr Vinay Chouhan as secretary and Dr Ravinder Singh and Dr Yash Pal Singh as joint secretaries.

Jammu, August 18
The tense situation in the Kashmir valley, inclement weather and advance depletion of the Ice Lingam are proving the major reasons behind the decreasing number of Amarnath pilgrims these days.

The yatra has already entered its final stage and a week is left for its culmination, but the number of yatris has been decreasing rapidly. In today’s fresh batch, only 163 pilgrims left for the Nunwan and Baltal base camps in the Kashmir valley from the Yatri Niwas, Jammu.

An official of the state tourism department said:“In the initial days of the yatra, a large number of pilgrims from across the country were coming, but with the volatile situation prevailing in the Valley the number of pilgrims coming to the holy cave shrine has seen a decline.”

He further said continuous strikes and shutdowns in different parts of the Valley had played a role in the decline in the number of yatris this year.

He added, “This year a large number of yatris were expected as compared to the previous year, but the present situation is proving adverse for the yatra.”

On being asked about the total number of yatris who had darshan of the Ice Lingam till today, the official failed to furnish the details.

When the yatra had started, on an average nearly 3,000 pilgrims were going to the holy cave shrine from Jammu, but the current official figures are suggesting that the number of pilgrims is on a decline.

Only 875 pilgrims had left for the cave shrine from Jammu on August 16; as many as 390 pilgrims on August 17; and 163 pilgrims, including 84 men, 7 women and 72 sadhus, left for the holy cave shrine today.

Harbans Lal, a pilgrim from Ferozepur in Punjab, said, “The size of the holy Ice Lingam has decreased, as it is melting. As a result, many have postponed their yatra to next year.”

However, the authorities are expecting an increase in the number of pilgrims with the Chhari Mubarak yatra.