The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Fear-stricken sarpanches, panches resign in Valley Amin Masoodi Baramulla, September 24 At least 10 panches and three sarpanches of Baramulla district today announced their resignation following the killing of deputy sarpanch Mohammad Shafi Teli in Baramulla last night. Panic-stricken, some of them announced their resignation over the public address system while others approached local newspersons requesting them to prominently highlight their resignation in the media. Unknown gunmen had last evening shot dead Shafi Teli at Nowpora Jagir, 14 km from Baramulla town. Panches said the state government had failed to provide them security and their lives were in extreme danger. “The state government has totally failed to protect our lives. We are living in conditions of extreme insecurity. As a last resort to protect our lives, we announce our resignations from the allotted positions,” said sarpanches of Delina and Jahama. The elected representatives resigned before the Block Panchayat Officer, Baramulla. With these resignations, the number of panchayat members who have quit has touched 20 in north Kashmir. “We have no option left but to resign from our positions. Our families are also facing a threat to their lives. The government has not only failed to protect our lives but also backtracked from tall promises made at the time of panchayat elections,” said a sarpanch. “Huge funds are being spent on the security and protection of MLAs and ministers but the government is merely watching us get killed,” said a panch of Nowpora Jagir. Hardliner separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani had last week strongly condemned the killing of elected members.
	Panic grips panches in Jammu too Dinesh Manhotra Tribune News Service Jammu, September 24 As killings of panches and sarpanches is going on unabated in the Kashmir valley, fear psychosis has gripped elected panchayat members across the Jammu region, especially in the militancy-plagued areas. Some panchayat members of Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Poonch and Rajouri are seriously thinking of submitting their resignations like their counterparts in the Kashmir valley to save their lives from the wrath of militants. “How long will we risk our lives?” asked Shafiq Mir, convener of the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference. Mir regretted that killings of panchayat members was not being taken seriously by the government.
	J-K set to welcome President Ehsan Fazili/TNS Srinagar, September 24 President of India Pranab Mukherjee will arrive on a three-day visit to the state on Wednesday, during which he would attend the convocation ceremony in the University of Kashmir. After taking charge, this is the first visit of President Mukherjee to the state. He had earlier visited the Valley on July 15 during the Presidential campaign to seek support from the ruling National Conference. During his campaign visit, Mukherjee also met the Opposition PDP leadership, which extended its support to him in the elections. Tight security arrangements are being made in view of the visit. The President is scheduled to attend the 18th convocation of the University of Kashmir on Thursday. Pranab Mukherjee’s Kashmir visit is the second high profile visit to the state this month. Vice President M Hamid Ansari came on a four-day visit to the Valley on September 14, during which he inaugurated the three-day 8th J&K Science Congress at the University of Kashmir. The third high profile visit of the season would be that of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is scheduled to visit the state next month. Among other engagements, the Prime Minister is slated to attend a function of the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology in Srinagar.
	Omar to soon take a call on security for village heads Three panchyat members killed in Valley this year Majid Jahangir/TNS Srinagar, September 24 Mohammad Shafi Teli is the third elected panchyat member to have been killed this year. In the wake of these killings, J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has decided to soon discuss the issue of providing security to panchayat members. “The issue of providing security to panchayat members will be discussed in the next meeting of the Unified Headquarters to ensure their safety and smooth functioning,” an official spokesman quoting Omar Abdullah said. The latest killing has, however, spread panic among the panches and sarpanches who were elected last year. “In the past two weeks, two panchayat members have been shot dead by unidentified gunmen. The killings have created panic among the already worried panches and sarpanches,” said convener of the Jammu Kashmir Panchayat Conference (JKPC) Shafiq Mir. “Over 700 panches and sarpanches have already resigned and many are ready to say goodbye after these killings and threats,” he added. Over 33,000 panches and sarpanches were elected last year on a non-party basis. More than 80 per cent turnout was recorded in the poll. Soon after the elections, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and United Progressive Alliance chairperson and Congress president Sonia Gandhi had congratulated people for voting and showing faith in democracy. But the elected panches and sarpanches now feel let down by the government. “The police is yet to find out who killed the three panchayat members this year in the Valley. Threatening posters had also been pasted in various villages of south and north Kashmir. We want to know who is behind these threats and killings as no militant group has owned responsibility for these killings,” said Mir. The police has said it is looking into different angles, including local rivalry, in the latest killing of the deputy sarpanch Teli in Kreeri Baramulla. Teli was shot dead outside his home at Nowpora Kreeri around 8.45 pm on Sunday. This was the second killing of a panchayat member in the past two weeks. On September 10, sarpanch Ghulam Mohammad Yatoo was shot dead in Palhalan village of Baramulla district. In February, sarpanch Ghulam Mohammad Dar was killed by unidentified gunmen in Kulgam in south Kashmir. (With inputs from Amin Masoodi) 2011 panchayat poll The panchayat elections were held in 2011 after a gap of more than 20 years The elections were held on a non-party basis Around 80 per cent of the people turned out to vote There are 33,000 panches and sarpanches in the state Three panches and sarpanches have been killed this year by gunmen
	Employees to announce protest plan on Sept 29 M Aamir Khan/TNS Srinagar, September 24 With the deadline for the implementation of the government-Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) agreement nearing completion, government employees’ bodies are holding a joint convention on September 29 to announce its future protest programmes. “We are ready for the next fight as there has been no clear headway regarding the implementation of the agreement. All employees’ groups will participate in a convention on September 29 where we will announce the future programme,” JCC press secretary Nisar Ahmad told The Tribune. The JCC is an amalgam of various employees’ organisations. After a series of protests and strikes by employees earlier this year, the government had made an agreement with the JCC wherein the employees were assured that a decision on their demands would be announced by September 30. However, the employees are now threatening a fresh stir saying “history is being repeated again”. “History is being repeated... once again the government has broken its promise as we are being forced to resume the path of agitation,” Nisar said. Last year, too, the government had made a similar agreement with the JCC but the promises made to them were not fulfilled forcing the employees to resume protests. The JCC leaders have already ruled out future round of talks with the government and even threatened to go an indefinite strike from next month in case their demands were not fulfilled by then. The employees are demanding release of arrears as recommended by the Sixth Pay Commission, enhancement of retirement age from 58 to 60 years, removal of pay anomalies and regularisation of daily wagers and casual workers working in various government departments. The other JCC demands are inclusion of five years of contractual service of Rehbar-e-Taleem (ReT) teachers in the service book and regularisation of education volunteers after seven years of service. Demands of govt employees The demands of government employees include release of arrears as recommended by the Sixth Pay Commission, enhancement of retirement age from 58 to 60 years, removal of pay anomalies and regularisation of daily wagers and casual workers working in various government departments
	Lt Gen KT Parnaik calls on Governor Srinagar, September 24 Northern Army Commander Lt Gen KT Parnaik called on Governor NN Vohra at Raj Bhawan here this evening. During the hour-long meeting, Governor Vohra and Lieutenant General Parnaik discussed matters relating to security management, including increase in infiltration from across the LoC, an official spokesman said. — TNS Governor NN Vohra interacts with Northern Army Commander Lt Gen KT Parnaik at Raj Bhawan in Srinagar on Monday. A Tribune photograph
	Mufti out to strike a chord with people of Jammu region Dinesh Manhotra Tribune News Service Jammu, September 24 The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has redoubled its efforts to strengthen the party base in the Hindu-dominated districts like Jammu, Samba, Kathua and Udhampur. Although a large number of political workers from these regions have recently joined the PDP, the party leadership wants to connect itself with the masses. Former Chief Minister and PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has been trying to strike a chord with the people of the Jammu region because people of this region had elected Mufti as MLA when the National Conference (NC) had given a call for social boycott of Congress leaders in the Kashmir valley in the early 1980s. As a Congress candidate, Mufti had won Assembly elections from the R S Pura segment in 1984. Mufti has made it a point to remind the people, in every public meeting about that “historic” election. “I am not unknown to you. I am the same Mufti whom you had elected as your MLA from R S Pura,” he told a gathering of people from Ramgarh and Vijaypur of Samba district here today. “When the NC had given a call for social boycott of Congress leaders, people of the Jammu region had elected me as MLA. I am indebted to the people of Jammu,” he said, adding that people of the region had set an example of common harmony and brotherhood at that time. Mufti told people that it was only during his regime that justice was done with the region. “The credit goes to the PDP-Congress regime (in 2002) that for the first time after 1947, all regions were treated equally in developmental and other activities,” he declared. “The Jammu and Ladakh regions were involved in the decision-making process,” he said. Mufti ropes in political activist Veteran politician from Poonch Yashpal Sharma, who has been “politically silent” for the last four years, has started actively participating in the activities of the PDP. Keeping in view his influence in twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed “motivated” Sharma to participate in activities of the PDP. After a gap of more than four years, Sharma along with Mufti today addressed a gathering at Jammu. Sharma has a large following among PoK refugees in the Jammu region.
	BJP slams Pakistan over Gilgit issue Tribune News Service Jammu, September 24 Taking a serious note of the resolution passed in the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly (GBLA) in which provincial status for the region was demanded from the Pakistan government, chief spokesman of the state BJP Jatinder Singh said it was a conspiracy hatched by Pakistan to achieve the twin objectives of gaining constitutional powers in Gilgit-Baltistan and at the same time weakening India’s legitimate claim over the region. Addressing a press conference here today, Singh alleged that the resolution was adopted by the Gilgit Assembly at the behest of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) government and it was not only a violation of all democratic and diplomatic norms but also contrary to the spirit of Pakistan’s constitution itself which had accepted Gilgit-Baltistan not as a part of Pakistan but as a part of the Kashmir region. He said Gilgit-Baltistan was an integral part of the Kashmir region and thereby an integral part of India. What is significant, said Singh, was the fact that local leaders and people of Gilgit-Baltistan were also not in favour of the resolution, which they perceive as a ploy to perpetuate Pakistan rule in the region. Singh referred to the BJP state executive resolution of April 28, 2012, which proposed that “the Government of India must immediately intervene to check human rights violations in northern areas of Gilgit-Baltistan and the Union External Affairs Ministry must take up with Pakistan the unauthorised Chinese intrusions in the region”. He alleged that the Congress-led UPA government had failed to take any steps to uphold the territorial integrity of the region despite the 1994 unanimous resolution of Parliament. BJP state press secretary Balbir Ram was also present in the press conference.
	Police takes Dand to Chatroo to probe smuggling case Ravi Krishnan Khajuria/TNS Jammu, September 24 Even as a Munsiff court extended the police remand of the suspected key plotter of the Kandahar plane hijack, Mehraj-ud-Din Dand, by nine more days, the Jammu and Kashmir Police took their ‘prized catch’ to Chatroo in Kishtwar district today to probe his possible role in smuggling Rs 3 lakh hawala money to the area on August 15. “On August 15, we had recovered Rs 3 lakh hawala money in Chatroo and had made some arrests,” said Doda-Ramban-Kishtwar range DIG Garib Dass. The DIG said Dand had been taken to Chatroo by the investigating team to probe his possible role in the hawala money smuggling case. The police had arrested a father-son duo in connection with this case. The duo had been identified as Ghulam Qadir Genoo and his son Tanveer Ahmed Genoo and the money was being smuggled for Hizb Commander Jahangir Saroori. On Sunday, Kishtwar Judicial Magistrate Umesh Sharma extended the police remand of the accused by nine more days, said the DIG. “Since he is involved in multiple cases and we are consolidating cases against him, we sought the extension of his remand for a thorough interrogation,” added Dass. “The NIA and CBI teams had quizzed Dand and returned to Delhi but several other agencies wanted to grill him to seek clarity over his roles in various cases within the country and that is why the police pleaded for the extension of his remand,” said a police source. Sources said Dand had been the longest surviving militant in the state who had fled to Nepal and had been working with the ISI. Dand had been booked in another case under the Unlawful Activities Act in Chatroo, they said.
	9 killed, 11 injured in road accidents Azhar Qadri Tribune News Service Srinagar, September 24 Nine people were killed and eleven injured in four road accidents in Kashmir today. In a remote area of Kupwara district, eight people were killed and nine injured when a passenger cab rolled down into a gorge. The overcrowded cab skidded off the road and plunged into the gorge at the Cobra Nallah toll, a police spokesman said today. He said the cab was on its way to Jabdi village from Tangdar, when it met with the accident. Seven of the deceased have been identified as Mohammad Arif Malik, Mohammad Maqsood Shah, Nadir Shiekh, Rafaqat Ahmad, Abdul Rashid, Mohammad Altaf Shah and Ameer Din. In another accident, a pedestrian, identified as Gulzar Ahmad Hajam of Gasipora village, was killed in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district when he was hit by a car on the national highway which connects the two capital cities of the state. Two others, including a 75-year-old woman, were injured in separate road accidents in south Kashmir’s Anantnag and Kulgam districts, the police spokesman said. The number of fatal and non-fatal accident casualties is on the rise in the Valley. As per the data compiled by The Tribune, a total of 137 people have been injured in various road accidents in the last 17 days in Kashmir. In July this year, 31 people returning from the Amarnath cave-shrine died in two accidents when their buses skidded off the national highway and plunged into the gorge.
	Seminar on mathematics organised in Rajouri Ranjit Thakur Rajouri, September 24 A seminar titled “National Year of Mathematics 2012” was organised by the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET), Rajouri, in which a large number of teachers from various educational zones of the district participated. The Head of Department, CMDE, MSE wing, Tanveer Ahmed Mir, and lecturer Vinod Kumar conducted the programme. The aim of the seminar was to inculcate interest for mathematics among students. The reasons for disinterest among students for opting mathematics in higher classes were addressed and solutions were offered. Programme incharge Tanveer Ahmed Mir, in his inaugural address, said the number of students opting for mathematics at a higher level was decreasing and stressed the need to attract students towards the subject. He appealed to the participating teachers to teach the subject in a way so as to make the learning process interesting for students, especially for those at the primary level.
	J-K cricket body yet to get its act together Fails to frame concrete strategy to bounce back; crucial issues given a miss during recent meeting Vikas Sharma Tribune News Service Jammu, September 24 In the recent meeting of the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA), though its president, Dr Farooq Abdullah, stressed the need for a thorough probe into the infamous multi-crore cricket scam, not much attention was given to other crucial issues such as the selection of the state team for the forthcoming national-level tournaments, finalisation of a decisive strategy for smooth functioning of the association and analysis of the players’ performances, said sources. Infact, many senior officials of the association gave the meeting a miss, claimed the sources. Former general secretary of JKCA Ahsan Mirza, who had resigned from the post after his name figured in the scam, was among the absentees. Other office bearers who were conspicous by their absence are JKCA chairman Aslam Goni, vice-chairman (Jammu wing) Shambu Nath Sharma, joint secretary (Jammu wing) Hardev Singh and joint secretary (Kashmir wing) Ghulam Ahmad. “Not just officials, cricketers too had a lot of expectations from the meeting but unfortunately, no decision has been taken regarding the betterment of the game which has been suffering for a long time,” a source in the JKCA told The Tribune. “The multi-crore scam was like a last blow to the JKCA, who was already confronting a lot of issues which had adversely affected its functioning. The disastrous performance of the U-14 team in the ongoing North Zone Championship is a result of poor selection and lack of activities in the state,” the source said. “You cannot select players on the basis of their performance in previous tournaments but our selectors had no option but to adopt this procedure owing to lack of activities,” he claimed.