The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	UK may lift travel advisory to Kashmir by year-end Sumit Hakhoo Jammu, August 8 Following the footsteps of Germans, Great Britain may lift the travel advisory for its citizens visiting Jammu and Kashmir by the end of this year. The British High Commission, which sent several teams to Kashmir last year, has given a positive response to the requests of the state authorities in this matter. The state has been pursuing the case with both western and commonwealth countries for the last five years. Sources in the tourism department said the recent spurt in militant activity is giving some anxious moments to the officials pursuing the matter but they are also buoyed by an increasing number of foreign tourists visiting the state, particularly Ladakh. “The British High Commission’s report, which is submitted from time to time to the Home office in England, will be crucial this time. So far, we have received positive response during the meetings this year,” said a senior officer of the department. Last year, Germany became the first European country to lift the two-decade-old travel restrictions for its citizens visiting Kashmir, which has been engulfed by separatist insurgency since 1989. The travel advisories were issued by several western countries, including the United States, after six foreign tourists were abducted by Al Faran, a mysterious terrorist outfit, near Pahalgam in July 1995. Later, a Norwegian named Hans Ostro was beheaded and an American named John Chides managed to escape the terrorists’ clutches. As if this was not enough, four other tourists- American Donald Fred Hutchings, British Paul Wells and Keith Mangan and German Dirk Hasert- went missing. The tourism department has been organising a number of programmes in many western capitals to showcase the changing face of Kashmir but the efforts were overshadowed by various incidents of violence during peak season since 2008. Tourism minister Nawang Rigzin Jora said this time, the government was quite hopeful. “We have a lot of expectations from the UK as its decision, being the head of the Commonwealth countries, is important. If they lift the travel restrictions, other countries will follow suit,” Jora said. The minister said as far as the United States was concerned, it made its own independent assessment of the situation in South Asia. “Meetings with the British have been positive and I have pursued the case with several diplomats in New Delhi,” Jora added. Lawyer and social activist Nadeem Qadri said, “The advisories project the state as a conflict-prone region and because of these, it is difficult to promote group tourism here. No insurance company will cover for people visiting the state.” In 2002, 7,806 foreigners visited the state, which increased to 24,330 in 2003; 41,000 in 2004; 44,345 in 2005; 46, 087 in 2006; 53,087 in 2007; 55,000 in 2008; 51, 255 in 2009 and 48,115 in 2010. Till July this year, more than 50,000 foreigners have visited the state.
	Custodial death of NC worker Panel rejects plea to summon Yousuf’s driver, 4 doctors Ishfaq Tantry/TNS Srinagar, August 8 The one-man Bedi Commission probing the custodial death of ruling National Conference worker Syed Mohammad Yousuf today declined to summon six witnesses, including four doctors and Yousuf’s driver. Syed Yousuf, a National Conference worker, died on September 30, 2011, in police custody, after he was handed over to the crime branch of the police by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on September 29. The Chief Minister had summoned Yousuf to his official residence at Gupkar after party workers alleged that he took money from them and promised a legislator’s job to one and ministerial berth to another. Following the directions of the Commission on July 24 to furnish a list of witnesses to be summoned, advocate Mushtaq A Dar, the counsel representing dead NC worker’s family, had submitted a list of 11 witnesses to the Commission for examination. As the Commission resumed its hearing today, Justice Bedi (retd) declined to summon the six witnesses, including the four doctors. It also declined to summon Khurshid Ahmad Wani, Yousuf’s driver, who had dropped Yousuf at the Chief Minister’s residence before his death. The Commission held that the doctors named in the list need not to be summoned, as “they were not part of the team of doctors which carried out the postmortem.” Pressing for summoning the witnesses, the counsel for Yousuf’s family in his arguments submitted that expert opinion of these doctors was material in case the postmortem report, pathology report and forensic report was submitted to them. However, the Commission turned down his submissions. The doctors whom the Commission declined to summon for examination included Dr TD Dogra, Head, Department of Medicine and Toxicology, AIIMS, New Delhi; Dr Rajiv Girotti, CFSL, Chandigarh; Dr Sanjeev, FSL, Chandigarh and Dr Manzoor-ul-Haq, member of the postmortem board that carried out the autopsy. The witnesses whom the Commission has agreed to be summoned on the next hearing included Talib Hussain and Wajahat, Yousuf’s son and daughter. On November 18, 2011, the government had appointed Supreme Court judge Justice HS Bedi (retd) as the head of a one-man Commission to probe Yousuf’s death in police custody. A magisterial probe has given a clean chit to Omar Abdullah in the case.
	Iftar party triggers verbal bout between Geelani, police M Aamir Khan Tribune News Service Srinagar, August 8 An iftar (fast-breaking) party hosted by the hardline Hurriyat faction has triggered a series of allegations and counter-allegations between the police and the chairman of the separatist amalgam, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, over the latter’s “house arrest”. The Hurriyat had hosted an iftar party on Monday where a cross-section of people was invited. However, Geelani was missing from the party. Soon after, the conglomerate’s spokesman issued a statement claiming that the veteran separatist leader had been placed under a house arrest. After the news did rounds in the local media on Tuesday, the police rebutted Geelani’s claim. “Allegations that have appeared in certain local newspapers that we placed Syed Ali Shah Geelani under house arrest on Monday evening to prevent him from attending the iftar party at a local hotel is baseless. He has not been under house arrest and is free to go anywhere,” the police said. In response, Geelani called a press conference today to present a “proof” of the police statement being “baseless”. “Their statement is baseless. A police van was placed outside my (Hyderpora) residence on Monday evening. Whenever it is placed there, it means that I am under house arrest,” he said. Geelani also claimed that the police had searched the vehicle of another Hurriyat leader, MA Sehrai, to see if he was inside to ensure that he is not able to move out. The police admitted that Geelani’s movements were restricted on occasions when there was a possibility of him hampering public tranquility or “endangering public life and property”. In the meanwhile, Geelani went on to say he had been prevented from offering Friday prayers since April 6 and was also not allowed to visit his grandson’s wedding on June 20.
	SC summons J-K Addl Secy for filing ‘wrong affidavit’ Slams state for suppressing rights of jailed Pak national R Sedhuraman Legal Correspondent New Delhi, August 8 Reprimanding Jammu and Kashmir for stifling the fundamental rights of a jailed Pakistani national by not releasing him even after he had served out his sentence, the Supreme Court today summoned Additional Secretary MS Dilshad for filing a “wrong and misleading affidavit” on the issue. “The person who files an affidavit must do so with a sense of responsibility. It really shocks us…. Don’t play with the court. Certain things are indefensible. You are throwing Articles 21 (life and personal liberty), 22 (protection against arrest and detention) and 39A (equal justice and free legal aid) to the winds,” a Bench comprising Justices RM Lodha and Anil R Dave told the state counsel Sunil Fernandez. The Bench made the remark after being informed through an affidavit that a Pakistani national, Sikandar Azam, arrested in July 2008 and sentenced to three years for illegal activities would be released only in 2013 as he was convicted in June 2010. On being asked by the Bench as to why Azam’s two-year detention during the trial period was not set off against the three-year sentence, Fernandez said the convict did not plead for it. The state was in the process of appointing a counsel for him through the free Legal Aid Service to enable him to seek and avail himself of the set-off. Pointing out that Azam had already overstayed in the jail by more than a year, the Bench said the state government had “thrown the code of criminal procedure (CrPC) into the dustbin and the rule of law to the winds. By giving him legal aid, you are not showing him mercy. The state has the audacity to say that he will remain in jail till 2013.” “You give the name of the person who filed this affidavit, we will prosecute him. We don’t want any one to play with this court by filing such a wrong and misleading affidavit. And your explanation shocks us more,” the Bench told the state counsel. “The state is the guardian of all citizens, whether he is your citizen or not. If you do not understand life and liberty, may God help the state,” the Bench lamented. The Bench passed an order for the immediate release of Azam and lodging him in the Seva Sadan in Delhi until he was sent back to Pakistan within two months. It also directed Additional Secretary (Home) Dilshad to be present in the court at the time of next hearing in the second half of October to explain as to why contempt of court proceedings should not be initiated against her for filing the wrong affidavit. During the hearing today, the Supreme Court was informed that in all there were 269 Pakistani prisoners, of whom six had been repatriated and one was in the process of being sent back. A total of 146 of them were undertrial prisoners, while 75 were serving their sentence. The nationalities of 29 of them were being ascertained. The 269 prisoners did not include any fishermen. Additional Solicitor General PP Malhotra, appearing for the Centre, said that in respect of three of those who had completed their jail term, the Central government had sought a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the J&K Government for their repatriation. “Why do you need an NOC from the state? The bureaucratic procedure must be avoided,” the Bench remarked. However, the ASG said being terrorists they might be involved in some other cases and as such the NOC was necessary. The Bench was hearing two PILs, one by J&K Panthers Party President Bhim Singh, seeking the immediate release and repatriation of all Pakistani and Indian nationals who have served out their sentence. State ticked off z The state government has thrown the code of criminal procedure (CrPC) into the dustbin and the rule of law to the winds. By giving him legal aid, you are not showing him mercy. The state has the audacity to say that he will remain in jail till 2013 z The state is the guardian of all citizens, whether he is your citizen or not. If you do not understand life and liberty, may God help the state — The SC Bench
	Govt appeasing separatists to remain in power: BJP Jammu, August 8 The BJP today accused the ruling NC-Congress coalition of playing a “dangerous game” of appeasing separatists and militants and buying peace from ‘communal’ elements to continue in power. The party took a strong exception to a “highly irresponsible” and “provocative speech” by hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani that was played on a public addressal system during the funeral of Hizb commander and Delhi High Court blast accused Amir Ali Kamal in Kishtwar yesterday. “While the separatist leader’s unauthenticated allegations of genocide against a particular community amount to an act of sedition and a deliberate attempt to spread communal hatred, it also raises a question mark on the working and intentions of the NC-Congress coalition government,” state chief spokesperson of the BJP Jitendra Singh said in a statement here. Singh alleged that the coalition government in the state had repeatedly betrayed a tendency to “selectively intimidate” the minority community leaders while allowing a long rope to separatist leaders at the risk of disturbing peace and jeopardising the security in the sensitive state. He warned that such a misguided approach was bound to be “self-limiting and invariably ended up consuming the ruler himself.” Questioning the credentials of separatist leaders who talk about “genocide” against a particular community, Singh asked, “Where was Geelani and his followers when the Kashmiri Pandit community in the Valley became a victim of mass genocide-cum-exodus?” — TNS
	12 days on, GSI team traces end point of Pak tunnel Tunnel end goes 40m further into Indian territory; 2 water bottles found Ravi Krishnan Khajuria Tribune News Service Jammu, August 8 Exactly 12 days since Pakistan’s secret trans-border tunnel was detected at Chalyari along the international border in the Samba sector on July 28, a high-level team of the Geological Survey of India (GSI) today found its end point, some 40 metres further inside the Indian territory in Chachwal village. “Around 2.30 pm the team found tunnel’s end point some 40 metres further inside the Indian territory in Chachwal. Since, the tunnel was being dug, it had not opened up on the surface on our side,” said an official source. At least 40 metres from where the agricultural fields had caved in on July 27 evening because of the rains, the GSI team today found its end point, added the source. He also informed that yesterday the GSI team had also found two water bottles, one full and the other half empty from the tunnel, which had been probably used by the Pakistanis who had been assigned the task of digging it. The water bottles, for obvious reasons, did not have any labels on it, said the source. However, a senior BSF officer said the GSI team had not finished its task as yet. “They are continuing with their job and they have sought some equipment from their headquarters that could penetrate deep,” he said, adding that the investigation was on. The GSI team from Lucknow had arrived at Chalyari yesterday. The GSI team headed by Chief Engineer Narinder Singh comprises experts like Narinder Singh, Alok Kumar, S P Choubey and Om Prakash. With 40 metres further inside the Indian territory, the total length of the tunnel now comes to some 390 meters from the Zero Line. The tunnel at a depth of 25 feet was being dug to either push militants or smuggle narcotics into the restive state. The BSF had already discovered a two-inch pipe clamped inside the tunnel with copper wires to supply oxygen to the workers and imprints of wheelcarts to remove soil on the other side of the international border near Shakkergarh tehsil in Pakistan.
	Amarnath yatra review meeting Stakeholders must work together to facilitate pilgrims: Governor Tribune News Service Srinagar, August 8 A post-Amarnath yatra review meeting chaired by Governor NN Vohra, who is also the Chairman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), was held at Raj Bhawan here today. The Governor thanked Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and lauded the “excellent synergy and the high level of coordination” among the Army, security forces, police, SASB and the government departments and agencies involved with the management of the yatra that concluded on August 2. The meeting was convened to get feedback and suggestions from camp directors and major stakeholders regarding the changes required in the existing systems and procedures. Based on the feedback, the SASB in collaboration with the state government would make improvements in the management of the next year’s Amarnath yatra. Vohra said camp-wise and route-wise action plans be prepared on a “time-limit basis”, particularly covering medical care, water and power supply, sanitation, environment protection, accommodation and other required facilities. He said the Shrine Board and all the departments and agencies concerned need to work collectively to find required solutions and bring in systemic improvements to facilitate pilgrims. Emphasising the need for protection of environment and ecology of the yatra area, the Governor said all the utilities and arrangements must be sensitive to the bio-diversity During the meeting, Minister for Forests Mian Altaf Ahmad complimented the Governor and the Shrine Board for the smooth conduct of the yatra despite adverse weather conditions and other constraints. Minister for Health Sham Lal Sharma, and Minister of State for Home and Tourism Nasir Aslam Wani spoke on the occasion.
	NIA team reaches Kishtwar to probe Delhi HC blast Ravi Krishnan Khajuria Tribune News Service Jammu, August 8 Following the killing of prime accused in the Delhi High Court blast case Amir Ali Kamal, a self-styled area commander of militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen, on August 6, another team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) today reached Kishtwar town, some 240 km from here. “Yesterday two officials of the NIA had reached Kishtwar and today another team has also arrived. The five officials are being headed by Superintendent of Police Ajeet Singh who straightaway got down to the task of ascertaining the identity of the slain militant to know if he was the same man wanted in connection with the Delhi High Court blast,” said the DIG, Doda-Ramban-Kishtwar range, Garib Dass. The High Court blast on September 7 last year had left 15 persons dead and over 80 injured. “We are providing them all possible assistance,” said the DIG. Once the NIA team establishes the identity to its satisfaction, it will also quiz Sajad Ahmed Mir, aka Rizwan, a close aide of Amir Ali Kamal, who was captured alive on the day of the encounter in the Dachhan area, disclosed the officer. Besides Amir Ali Kamal, security forces had also gunned down Mohammed Shafi Hajam, another Hizb militant on August 6. Though Rizwan was not involved in the Delhi High Court blast, the NIA team wants to quiz him to know more about Amir Ali Kamal, said the DIG. Incidentally, after the NIA had traced the roots of the blast to a cyber café in Kishtwar town, it had declared a reward of Rs 10 lakh for information leading to the arrest of Amir Ali Kamal, Junaid Akram and Shakir Hussain, alias Chota Hafiz. The DIG disclosed that to pressurise New Delhi to repeal the death sentence of Parliament attack mastermind Afzal Guru, the ISI had planned the Delhi High Court blast in Bangladesh.
	Fisheries dept directed to determine ‘real’ reasons for fish fatality Dinesh Manhotra Tribune News Service Srinagar, August 8 Taking suo motu notice of mysterious deaths of fish in the Nageen lake of the Kashmir valley, the Departmental Related Committee (DRC) of the Legislative Council today directed the fisheries department to submit a report giving reasons for the same as early as possible. A meeting of the DRC of the upper house was held today under the chairmanship of Ravinder Kumar Sharma, a Congress member, to review the functioning of various departments. The committee took serious note of the deaths of fish in the lake and emphasised on the need to take some immediate measures in this regard. Although the department concerned had cited soaring temperatures as the main cause for the fish mortality, the DRC did not buy the argument. Committee members were of the opinion that there might be some other reason for this. The committee has given directions to the fisheries department to ascertain the real cause of the fish fatality and to fix responsibility for this development. DRC chairman Ravinder Kumar Sharma said, “The fisheries department has been directed to prepare the report and submit it before the next meeting of the committee.” The meeting, he added, would be held within a week so that a quick appropriate action can be taken in this regard. A large number of fish have died in the Nageen lake. The department had earlier said an unusually high temperature and then a sudden dip depleted the oxygen levels in the lake and that the pollution in the water body could be another reason. The DRC also reviewed the functioning of departments of forest, environment, fisheries, tourism, power, science and technology, hospitality and protocol.
	Form panel to ascertain cause of fish deaths in Nigeen Lake: HC to govt Ishfaq Tantry/TNS Srinagar, August 8 The case of fish deaths at Srinagar’s Nigeen Lake has reached courts after an application was submitted before the J&K High Court asking it to look into the mystery behind the large-scale deaths. The High Court has now directed the government to form an expert committee to determine the cause of the deaths. On August 5, thousands of dead fish were found floating on the waters of the city’s Nigeen Lake. Though the authorities have not come up with any specific explanation about such deaths, there have been speculation with different groups presenting diverse opinions on the reason for the death. Acting on a Public Interest Litigation application, a Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Mahesh Mittal Kumar asked the state government to form an expert committee to look into the matter. It added that the committee should submit its report by or before August 23. The amicus curiae, Zaffar Shah, in his submissions had termed death of thousands of fish as a mater of concern. Since the day dead fish started floating on the lake surface, teams from Kashmir University, NGOs and government departments have been visiting the site to look for reasons behind the deaths.
	Militants target Baramulla police station; 6 injured M Aamir Tribune News Service Srinagar, August 8 Six persons, including three policemen, were injured after some unidentified militants lobbed a hand grenade at the Pattan police station in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district today. The attack on the police station, which falls on the Srinagar-Baramulla highway, took place at 8.05 pm. The militants fled the spot, taking advantage of the darkness. The police cordoned off the area and launched a search operation. No militant outfit has claimed responsibility for the attack so far. The attack took place around half an hour after the iftar (fast-breaking) time. This is the fifth such incident in the fasting month of Ramadhan. Four serial grenade attacks were made on July 31 and August 1. While a police constable was injured during the attack at a Sopore market, no one was injured in the Sopore police station attack, both of which took place on July 31. The next day, grenades were lobbed at a CRPF camp at Chanapora and at a sarpanch’s house in Kupwara district. No casualties were reported during the incidents.
	State bags best adventure tourism destination award Tribune News Service Srinagar, August 8 Today’s Traveller Magazine, a leading travel magazine, has conferred the best adventure tourism destination award in the country on Jammu and Kashmir. The award was received by Minister for Tourism Nawang Rigzin Jora and Minister of State for Tourism Nasir Aslam Wani from Union Minister for Tourism Subodh Kant Sahay. Speaking on the occasion, Jora thanked the magazine for honouring the state with the award. “Over the last three years, Jammu and Kashmir has made major strides in adventure tourism and created a lot of infrastructure to attract tourists to the state,” the Tourism Minister said, adding that several incentives have been provided in the new State Tourism Policy. In his address, Wani said the state had a huge potential in river rafting, mountaineering, trekking, paragliding and heli-skiing. “Our state will position itself as a global high-end adventure tourism destination in the coming years,” he said.
	Army jawan commits suicide in Samba Tribune News Service Jammu, August 8 An Army jawan allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself with his service rifle in the Maheshpura area of Samba district today. Samba SSP Israr Khan said Arun V Pillai, a resident of Trivandrum, used his INSAS rifle to end his life. “He had fired one shot beneath his chin, which pierced through his head. He died instantly,” said the SSP. He said Pillai had received a phone call today morning after which he went to the guard room and shot himself dead. Following the incident, other soldiers in the unit expressed their resentment, but soon realised that their colleague had committed suicide, said the SSP. The slain jawan was posted at 16 Cavalry Regiment in Samba. The Samba police has started inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the CrPC. Jammu-based defence spokesperson Col RK Palta said the Army had ordered a court of inquiry into the incident.
	J-K takes up direct Haj flights issue with Centre Srinagar, August 8 The state government has taken up the issue of direct Haj flights from Srinagar to Jeddah with the Union Government. Minister for Haj and Auqaf Aijaz Ahmed Khan said this while chairing a high-level meeting in Srinagar. The Haj and Auqaf Minister said the matter of direct Haj flights for the convenience of pilgrims of the state had already been taken. He said the cancellation of Haj seats had also been taken up with the authorities concerned so that more people could get a chance to perform Haj.