Jammu, May 28
Since the trans-LoC trade via Chakkan-Da-Bagh between occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Jammu and Kashmir was suspended on March 8, traders on both sides of the border are demanding its resumption so that their dues could be cleared, which have mounted to nearly Rs 21 crore.

The traders claim that merchandise worth nearly Rs 21 crore was blocked for the past 12 weeks. Indian traders in Poonch have now moved the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, seeking a stay on the government order levying VAT on “duty-free trade between India and Pakistan started as part of confidence-building measures”. The decision of the state government to levy VAT had led to the suspension of the trade.

Pawan Anand, president of the Chamber of LoC Trade, J&K, and the Cross LoC Traders Association, Poonch, told The Tribune that 29 traders from Poonch had also delivered their merchandise to as many traders in the PoK and were now awaiting the clearance of their dues in the form of return merchandise from the traders of occupied Kashmir.

“In our next meeting between the traders from both sides near the zero line on June 13, the accounts will be tallied for the purpose,” Anand said. However, he lamented the adamant stand of the government, which so far had refused to revoke the order levying VAT on items being sold by the Indian traders in the PoK. “After numerous representations to Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather, the Commissioner, Sales Tax, has given some kind of hope to us saying VAT cannot be waived unless the government converts the trans-LoC trade into a free economic zone,” said Anand. “Meanwhile, we moved the High Court a few days ago, seeking a stay on the order on the ground that the trade, being a major confidence-building measure between the two countries, had been a duty-free trade,” he added. The association now awaits a positive response from the court to see the resumption of the cross-LoC trade.

Official sources said traders from occupied Kashmir, through Arshad Mirza, Trade Facilitation Officer of Pakistan, recently handed over a letter to his Indian counterpart, Subash Thakur, seeking trade for at least one time to clear their dues. However, Thakur has now asked Mirza to furnish a list of such traders with their particulars and merchandise exported by them to their Indian counterparts. The trade was considered to be one of the biggest confidence-building measures between the two countries. Nearly 300 from the PoK and 164 traders from Poonch, were associated with the trade.

Jammu, May 28
Even as the state Health Ministry has decided to rope in religious leaders of all faiths to check female foeticide, Hindu groups like the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Bajrang Dal and the Shiv Sena have offered to work jointly with radical groups, including all factions of the Hurriyat Conference.

“We have no hesitation in working jointly with the Hurriyat Conference or with other hardcore Islamic groups as far as the war against female foeticide is concerned,” state president of the VHP Dr Rama Kant Dubey told The Tribune.

“It is really a matter of shame for the people of the state that the region has witnessed a steep fall in the sex ratio during the past one decade despite the fact that people here claimed themselves to be more religious,” he said.

According to the Census 2011 report, as compared to the national average of 914, the child sex ratio in the state is 859. In 2001, the child sex ratio (0-6 years) was 941, but it came down to 859, which shows that female foeticide has been going on unabated in the region.

“The government alone cannot solve the problem,” Dubey said. He added that, “Female foeticide is not only a crime but also a sin. Therefore, it is the duty of every citizen to support the campaign to save the girl child”.

“We are opposed to anti-national and secessionist policies of the Hurriyat Conference and other groups, but as far as the war against female foeticide is concerned, we are ready to share the platform with any such group,” Dubey said.

Echoing similar views, state chief of the Bajrang Dal Nand Kishore Mishra said religious organisations should take the lead in the campaign. “In my opinion, the decline in the sex ratio is one of the biggest problems in the state. So, there is need to jointly take the fight to a logical conclusion,” he said. He added that the Bajrang Dal had already started a campaign in this regard.

Shiv Sena leader Ashok Gupta said all political, social and religious organisations of the state should unitedly launch a result-oriented campaign to stop the menace. “I don’t think any one has any objection to sharing a platform with their political rivals as far as this campaign in concerned,” he said. He hoped that all groups would release the importance of evolving a consensus on the issue.

However, a faction of the Hurriyat Conference and a few other groups have already launched a campaign against female foeticide in the Kashmir valley.

Jammu, May 28
The Third Judge of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court yesterday upheld the dismissal of the then Chief Judicial Magistrate, Leh, on August 29, 2000, after the matter was referred to him following differences on the point of law between Chief Justice Barin Ghosh and Justice Sunil Hali.

Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir of the High Court, while upholding the dismissal of the then CJM, Leh, observed that, “When trust and confidence is reposed in the system, what is expected of a judicial officer is to be exemplary, both inside and outside the court. The highest standard of integrity can be cherished by maintaining sophisticated behaviour and attitude. A small deviation will make it ugly. When such deviation is noticed to be dangerous, the removal of deviator becomes imperative to maintain the magnificence of the institution lest the faith imposed by the public in it gets eroded”.

The High Court observed that, “In the final analysis, the court has no reason to take a view different to that of the Chief Justice. There is no requirement of referring the matter back to the disciplinary authority. As a necessary corollary, the writ petition of the then CJM, Leh, is dismissed. The order of removal from service passed on August 29, 2000, is maintained”.

Lakhanpur, May 28
The problem of waiting for hours in queues while entering or exiting the state will be soon solved, as the construction work on the modern toll plaza at Lakhanpur is nearing completion.

Being the main entry point to Jammu and Kashmir for all commercial and private vehicles, the state government has been working overtime to complete the construction work.

A large number of vehicles enter or leave the state through this toll plaza. But so far there is only one counter each for light traffic vehicles, heavy commercial and passenger vehicles to pay the toll tax, which usually results in traffic chaos for hours.

The officials of the Excise Department are sure that after the modern toll plaza was ready, there would be no more traffic jams. “The construction work is nearly complete. It is in the final stage and will not take more than two-three months. Even the construction of a bridge over the Ravi is going on and as soon as it is complete, the modern plaza will be opened to traffic,” said BA Saraf, Deputy Excise Commissioner, Lakhanpur toll post.

“The state government is constructing a bypass, which will connect the toll plaza to the outskirts of the city. Besides, nine computerised weighing bridges are also being installed. Similarly, a parking lot is also being constructed for trucks,” added Saraf.

Another senior official of the Excise Department said the modern toll plaza was proposed to come up over 264 kanals. “If the department is seriously thinking of opening the modern toll plaza in a few months, our problem will be solved,” said Gurmeet Singh, a truck driver.

Jammu, May 28
A head constable of the police was placed under suspension for allegedly demanding bribe from a family of a lineman, who died due to electrocution yesterday.

Abdul Rashid was at present posted at the Panjtirthi police post. He was sent to the GMCH here yesterday for inquest proceedings before the post-mortem of the deceased lineman of the Power Development Department, Kewal Kumar.

According to reports, Kewal, a resident of Samba district, had received serious injuries due to electrocution while repairing a transmission wire a few days ago. Rashid reportedly demanded money from Kewal’s family. Subsequently, infuriated members of Kewal’s family and relatives, joined by some locals, staged a protest against the head constable on the hospital premises.

Meanwhile, SP (city) JS Johar visited the spot and pacified the protesters by suspending the accused head constable. He also ordered an inquiry into the incident. — TNS

As soon as he stepped on the device it exploded, injuring the youth. He was rushed to the Government Medical College and Hospital, where doctors described his condition to be stable. — TNS

Jammu, May 28
A company of the Rashtriya Rifles of the Romeo Force at Mandirgala organised a civil-military liaison meeting here today, providing a platform to the locals to voice their grievances and put forward their demands to the representatives of the civil administration.

The meeting was attended by the officials of various departments of the civil administration, newly-elected panchayat representatives, village elders and moulvis of the region. The aim of the meeting was to organise an interactive session between the locals and the civil administration and also to spread socio-economic awareness among the villagers. The villagers projected their demands and grievances to the officials, who gave them a patient hearing and promised to resolve the issues.

The meeting was chaired by the Officiating Commanding Officer of the Rashtriya Rifles Battalion. — TNS

Jammu, May 28
The Jammu Mukti Morcha (JSM) said today that the trifurcation of the state was the only solution to the Kashmir problem.Addressing a joint press conference here, JSM leaders Virender Gupta, HB Khajuria, Chandra Uday Sharma, Virender Magotra and Surjeet Singh Jamwal quoted the recent interview of Hurriyat Conference leader Abdul Gani Bhat, in which he had supported the demand for the trifurcation of the state for a lasting and sustainable solution to the problem. They said Bhat’s statement vindicated their stand, as they had also been advocating the trifurcation of the state as the only solution to the Kashmir problem.

“It is a good development that Kashmir leaders, particularly those who have been supporting Pakistan-sponsored militancy, have started realising that Jammu and Ladakh have distinct geographical, political and cultural aspirations,” the JSM leaders said. — TNS

Srinagar, May 28
Residents of Bawan Rajwar village in the Handwara area of Kupwara district today held a protest against the killing of a man and his son by militants late last night.

People in a large number came out on the road and protested against the killings and demanded immediate arrest of militants.

Militants entered the house of Ghulam Rasool Mir and fired indiscriminately late last night, resulting in on-the-spot death of Ghulam Mir and his son Manzoor Ahmed Mir (29).

While Ghulam Mir was a farmer, his son was a government schoolteacher. The area falls in the same belt where a fierce encounter had taken place between the security forces and the militants and two militants of the Lashkar-e-Toiba were killed two days ago.

Police sources said the reason behind the killing of the father and son duo was not immediately known. “We have launched a massive manhunt to track down militants, who killed the duo,” a police spokesman said.