The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Normalcy returns to Srinagar But clashes continue in north, south Kashmir; several injured Tribune News Service Srinagar, March 9 Markets, offices, banks and universities opened in the Kashmir valley for the first time this week after remaining closed for the past five days due to shutdowns and two days of curfew. All businesses in Srinagar city, including transport services, resumed their operations for the first time this week. All shops and markets across the city, including around the commercial hubs of Lal Chowk, Residency Road and Karan Nagar, witnessed a huge rush of shoppers and office-goers. Roads leading to the city centre were also jam-packed with vehicles. The Kashmir valley has witnessed a spiral of protests, shutdowns and curfews throughout this week since the mysterious death of a PhD student in Hyderabad followed by the killing of a 24-year-old postgraduate student in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, allegedly by the Army soldiers. The shutdowns began on Monday last when a separatist council called for it to protest the death of the PhD student. On Tuesday, when the postgraduate student was killed in Baramulla, the region was observing a spontaneous shutdown that also extended to Wednesday. On Thursday, curfew was imposed in parts of the Kashmir valley, which was extended to most parts of the Valley on Friday also. Kashmir has remained closed for 18 days in a series of curfews and shutdowns since the hanging of 2001 Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru on February 9. A police spokesman said 109 policemen and 73 CRPF personnel had been injured in clashes in Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian districts of south Kashmir in the past one month while 45 CRPF vehicles, 35 police vehicles and three government vehicles were damaged in the four districts. The spokesman said 36 police and CRPF men, including 11 officers, had been injured in the clashes with protesters in Srinagar city in the past one month since Afzal Guru’s hanging. Meanwhile, clashes between protesters and the police and paramilitary personnel continued in several parts of north Kashmir and at a few places in south Kashmir. Protests erupted at Baramulla town, Sopore, Pattan, Palhallan, Seelu, Aseer, Muslimpeer, Chankhan, Amargarh, Sangrama and at Ranji in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district in which, the police spokesman said, one police officer, five policemen and three CRPF personnel were injured. The spokesman said two dozen private vehicles were also damaged in the clashes and many civilians were injured, including a pregnant woman and a two-year-old child. An Army soldier was also injured when the protesters pelted stones at a vehicle near Bijbehara town in south Kashmir.
	Baramulla killing: Army assures transparent probe Tribune News Service Srinagar, March The Army today assured transparent and a time-bound probe into the killing of Baramulla youth, which has triggered a series of protests and shutdowns in Kashmir. “The investigation into the case is going on. In this matter, the government, ministers, representatives of the Army and the civil administration have jointly suggested that the inquiry has to be transparent and time-bound,” the General Officer Commanding of 15 Corps, Lt General Om Prakash, said while talking to reporters after a function at Old Air Field in Srinagar. “We will ensure that the inquiry is transparent.” The Army has already begun a Court of Inquiry (CoI) into the killing of 25-year-old youth Tahir Sofi in Baramulla on March 5, which had sparked tension across the Valley. On the present law and order situation in the Valley, Prakash said it was primarily the task of the police and the CRPF to handle it. “The police and the CRPF are looking into the law and order situation, and if they need us, we are there to assist them,” Prakash said. The Corps Commander said the Army was on an alert on the Line of Control to avert militants from infiltrating into the Valley. “As the snow has started melting, infiltration attempts will be made along the LoC. There is always a strategy to tackle the situation,” he added. On militancy front, Prakash said more militants were active in north Kashmir than in south. “We are aware of these threats and are always ready to tackle them,” he said. Earlier, a tree plantation drive was kick-started at the Old Air Field Military Station by the Indian Army.
	Omar briefs Governor on situation in Kashmir valley Tribune News Service Jammu, March 9 Chief Minister Omar Abdullah called on Governor NN Vohra this afternoon and briefed him about the overall scenario in Kashmir, following Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru’s hanging on February 9 and subsequent protests and clashes leading to the imposition of curfew in the Valley. The Chief Minister also briefed the Governor about the management of public order in the Valley, consequent to some recent incidents. The meeting comes against the backdrop of violence in Kashmir, which continued in Sopore and some parts of Srinagar today as well. Fresh violence started after the death of a Kashmiri youth, Mudasir Ahmad Malla, in Hyderabad. Malla was allegedly found hanging in his hostel room at English and Foreign Languages University. The spell of violence gained momentum after the death of a youth, Tahir Rasool Sofi, in Baramulla on March 5. He was killed allegedly in Army firing. The meeting, it is understood, also focused on the protest calendar of the Mutahida Majlis-e-Mushawarat (United Advisory Council), a conglomerate of separatist groups and other associations in the Valley. The Chief Minister informed the Governor in detail as to how he planned to deal with the situation. Sofi’s death had evoked condemnation from various sections of society. The Governor and the Chief Minister also discussed some important matters, including the release of the annual plan funds by the Centre. The Chief Minister had last met the Governor on February 19 here.
	Yasin Malik back from Pak Tribune News Service New Delhi, March 9 Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front chairman Yasin Malik returned to India from Pakistan this evening. As soon as Malik came out of the immigration check at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, some BJP and Sena activists raised slogans against him for sharing the stage with JUD chief Hafiz Sayeed on February 9, who has a role in the Mumbai terror attacks. Malik had courted controversy for staging a protest against Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru’s hanging. There was also apprehension that the Home Ministry may revoke his passport or put him under house arrest on his arrival from Pakistan where he had gone on a personal visit. Malik was safely lodged at a guest house in Delhi after the police drove him away from the airport. It’s not clear whether Malik will return to Srinagar soon. He said he would decide upon his return later. Meanwhile, government sources said there was no plan to revoke Malik’s passport.
	We are coming to Kashmir, warn Al-Qaida groups Azhar Qadri Tribune News Service Srinagar, March 9 Al-Qaida and its affiliate groups, which include Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Tehreek-e-Taliban Punjab, have recently made multiple direct threats warning that Kashmir is their next mission once curtains are drawn on the Afghan theatre of war. Ustad Ahmad Farooq is the head of Al-Qaida’s preaching in Pakistan, a very important portfolio in Islamist militant circles where religion is the main and, many a times, only motivation. This week, Farooq appeared in yet another video, with his face completely blurred as he read out an obituary for Engineer Ahsan Aziz, a Kashmiri militant from Mirpur district, who was killed in a US drone attack in 2012 in Pakistan’s tribal belt. The obituary takes off some veil over the new relationships that have been formed in the militant circles in the past one decade, when the US-led attack on Afghanistan changed many equations. Aziz, according to Farooq’s obituary, was a high-ranking Al-Qaida leader who had shifted his base to the tribal areas on Pakistan’s western border in 2005. How much this Kashmiri militant might have influenced the Al-Qaida leadership about Kashmir, the cause much closer to his heart and home, can only be guessed from the recent spurt of statements about Kashmir which are coming out directly from the top brass. Aziz has not been the only Kashmir connection with Al-Qaida. Ilyas Kashmiri and Badar Mansoor, two top Al-Qaida field commanders in Pakistan killed in US drone strikes, had both fought the Indian Army in Kashmir before shifting their bases to the tribal areas, according to a separate obituary read out by Farooq. Farman Shinawari, who has reportedly replaced Mansoor after his death in the US drone attack, is also said to have deep Kashmir connections. In the last week of February this year, a senior ideologue of Tehreek-e-Taliban Punjab, Maulana Ismatullah Mawiya, wrote a two-page letter warning that Kashmir will be the next battlefield for many of the militants after the US withdrawal of Afghanistan ends, which is scheduled for 2014. Mawiya’s warning is not something in isolation. Since the US withdrawal began from Afghanistan, Al-Qaida and its powerful affiliates, including myriad militant outfits operating out of Pakistan’s tribal areas, have increasingly and publicly announced their interest in Kashmir, which has witnessed considerable pause in militancy for the past one decade. Next battlefield Maulana Ismatullah Mawiya, a senior ideologue of Tehreek-e-Taliban Punjab, warned that Kashmir would be the next battlefield for many of the militants after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan ends, scheduled by next year.
	Cross-LoC trade via Uri remains unaffected amid curfew, protests 368 trucks laden with goods cross sides during the week Ishfaq Tantry Tribune News Service Srinagar, March 9 Even as the whole Kashmir valley is under curfew and commercial activities have been halted completely since Monday, the cross-LoC trade activity through the Kaman post in Uri in north Kashmir went on smoothly this week. As many as 368 trucks carrying goods crossed sides at the Line of Control in the Uri sector through the Kaman post this week. Normal life, including business and commercial activities across the Kashmir valley had come to a grinding halt since Monday last, due to shutdowns and curfew restrictions imposed by the government. However, these protests and the restrictions have failed to dampen the intra-Kashmir confidence-building measures (CBMs), particularly the cross-LoC trade through the Kaman post in the Uri sector. “Today we received 57 trucks from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) laden with fresh fruits, carpets and dry fruits, including dates, at the Salamabad Trade Facilitation Centre in Uri after crossing the LoC at the Kaman post. From our side, we dispatched 36 trucks carrying fruits, embroidery items and herbals to the PoK,” said Nazir Ahmad Baba, custodian of the LoC trade. The cross-LoC trade, one of the major confidence-building measures (CBMs) in Kashmir, takes place four days in a week from Tuesday to Friday. A total of 204 trucks laden with goods from the PoK were received at the Salamabad Trade Centre during this week, said Baba, adding that 162 trucks with goods from this side also crossed over to the PoK during the week. Baba added that the protests and restrictions had had no major impact on the trade activity as far as trade volume is concerned. “I will term the trade activity during this week as satisfactory with no significant drop in the trade volume. But we had to devise some strategies for ensuring safe and hassle-free trade during this period,” Baba said. He added that the trucks carrying goods from different places of Kashmir for trade through the LoC had to ply during the night to avoid protesters along the way and security forces imposing restrictions. This strategy helped the traders to transport their goods at the Salamabad Trade Centre safely, for which the whole staff and the people connected with this trade deserve appreciation, he said.
	People feel the pinch of curfew Bismah Malik Tribune News Service Srinagar, March 9 It is usually on “Arfa” (Eid eve) that people of the Valley are glued to their television and radio sets to hear the news about the sighting of the Eid moon. Now, the people remain glued to their TV sets and radios to hear the news about the lifting of the curfew restrictions for the next day. Every person in the Valley has a story to tell of the curfew days and the prevailing uncertainty. Abdul Haq (17), a resident of south Kashmir, has rented a small room in Baghat locality of uptown Srinagar, after he cleared his Class XII examinations. He said, “Since colleges remained closed due to shutdowns and curfews, we could not apply for admission to colleges. I wanted to go back to my native village and see if my family is all right.” Samina (23), a postgraduate student at the University of Kashmir, has been making rounds of the university to ensure that she doesn’t miss her examinations. “The exams are being delayed every now and then. And the students are suffering,” says Samina. A banker, Adnan, along with his colleagues has pooled in money for a cab so that they can reach their office at Lal Chowk. “It was a unique experience. These are the times when many families are going through financial crunch and banks come to their rescue. Our team catered to many customers, especially parents who had to send money to their children studying outside the state,” says Adnan. A known face in Srinagar’s commercial hub Lal Chowk, 65-year-old Ghulam Rasool, a cobbler, laments that curfews and shutdowns snatch his daily income of Rs 200. “I have to feed a family of five. I want my children to study. I will not be able to do so if I don’t have money. I have been sitting here and repairing shoes on this pavement for 50 years. Curfews and shutdowns haven’t served anyone,” says Ghulam Rasool. Atta Muhammad (40), a makeshift cloth seller, who hails from Srinagar’s Maisuma locality says, “I don’t believe in shutdowns and violent protests. We should raise our voice through alternative ways, which does not affect the livelihood of a daily-wager like me.” I have to feed a family of five. I want my children to study. I will not be able to do so if I don’t have money. I have been sitting here and repairing shoes on this pavement for 50 years. Curfews and shutdowns haven’t served anyone — Ghulam Rasool It was a unique experience. These are the times when many families are going through financial crunch and banks come to their rescue. Our team catered to many customers, especially parents who had to send money to their children studying outside the state — Adnan Since colleges remained closed due to shutdowns and curfews, we could not apply for admission to colleges — Abdul Haq I don’t believe in shutdowns and violent protests. We should raise our voice through alternative ways, which does not affect the livelihood of a daily-wager like me — Atta Muhammad The exams are being delayed every now and then. And the students are suffering — Samina
	Vohra discusses measures for promotion of Dogri Tribune News Service Jammu, March 9 Governor NN Vohra discussed measures for the promotion of the Dogri language and its literature with the Dogri Sanstha at Raj Bhawan here last evening. A deputation of the Dogri Sanstha, Jammu, led by its president, Prof Lalit Magotra, had called on the Governor last evening. The Governor discussed with the delegation the salient features of the project prepared by the Dogri Sanstha for the promotion and popularisation of the Dogri language and literature. These included assessing the possibility of bringing out a tabloid in Dogri, undertaking a survey of the dialects of the Jammu region, translating quality Dogri literature into English and Hindi and developing a Dogri website. After discussions on various proposals of the Sanstha, the delegation agreed with the Governor’s view that a phased approach needed to be adopted for achieving a worthwhile outcome. It was agreed that focus should be given to the development of a Dogri Website. The Governor emphasised the need for preparing a reliable project report to bring out the infrastructure, technical, manpower and financial requirements for developing the website. He added that this would need to be followed by identification and collection of relevant material to be uploaded on the website. The Governor assured the delegation that once the basic work was done, the required support for materialising the objective would be provided by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board. Other demands presented by the deputation related to the setting up of a Dogri Research Centre at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University for the promotion of Dogri language, linguistics and culture and bring out a multiple-language dictionary. The deputation comprised general secretary of the Dogri Sanstha Prof Veena Gupta, and members Prof Ved Kumari Ghai, Dr Jitendra Udhampuri and Prof Shashi Pathania.
	Guv, CM greet people on Mahashivratri Tribune News Service Jammu, March 9 Governor NN Vohra and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah have greeted the people on the auspicious occasion of Mahashivratri, which is celebrated by the Kashmiri Pandits as “Hairat”. The Governor observed that the festival symbolises the values of piety, devotion, brotherhood and harmony, which are the hallmarks of our glorious pluralistic ethos. The Governor prayed for peace, progress and prosperity in the state. The Chief Minister has also greeted the people on Mahashivratri wishing them happiness and well-being. Omar reminded about the rich ethos of celebrating Hairat in Kashmir by the Pandits and Muslims in a unique atmosphere of harmony and brotherhood. He expressed hope that the pluralistic heritage of the state and the bonds of love between various sections of society would get further strengthened. Omar said observing holy occasions and festivals in an atmosphere of togetherness added colour to the celebrations and enhanced the joy and happiness manifolds. He prayed for peace, prosperity and progress for the state and the country.
	Police action on lawyers in Jaipur, Chandigarh condemned Tribune News Service Jammu, March 9 The Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association today condemned the police action on lawyers in Jaipur and Chandigarh and demanded action against the guilty police officials. In a meeting of the association in the high court complex, the Bar members expressed anguish over the incident and said there was no reason for the police to resort to such inhuman acts when lawyers in Jaipur were peacefully marching towards the Assembly in support of their demands on Wednesday. Similarly, the police entered the Civil Court campus and assaulted lawyers injuring many of them, on Thursday. “In view of such unwarranted acts, immediate and appropriate action against the guilty police officials should be taken by the authorities concerned,” they demanded.
	Crime against women: 815 rape cases among 9,636 incidents registered in 3 years Arteev Sharma Tribune News Service Jammu, March 9 Amid raging debate on enactment of stringent laws for the safety of girls and women, the state government has said over 9,500 cases of crime against women, including 815 rape cases, were registered in the past three years. “As many as 9,636 cases of crime against women, which include rape cases, kidnapping of women and girls, molestation, eve-teasing, dowry death, abetment of suicide, cruelty by husband were registered in 2010, 2011 and 2012,” Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who holds the charge of the Home Department, told the Legislative Council in a written reply to a question asked by Congress MLC Ravinder Sharma here on Thursday. Omar said a total of 3,543 cases, including 299 rape and 1,059 kidnapping cases, were registered in 2012 across the state. He said in the same year, two gang-rape cases, 1,322 cases of molestation and outraging modesty, 347 cases of eve-teasing, eight cases of dowry deaths, 199 cases of abetment of suicide, 301 cases in cruelty by husband, three cases under the Dowry Restraint Prohibition Act and three in Suppression of Immoral Traffic Act were registered at various police stations across the state. “In 2011, the number of such cases was 3,330 comprising 273 rape and 1,041 kidnapping cases. 2,763 cases comprising 243 rape and 850 kidnapping incidents were reported in all 22 districts of the state in 2010,” the Chief Minister said. Official figures revealed that the number of rape cases constantly increased over these years. About the steps being taken to check crime and atrocities against women, Omar said stringent laws were in force and any culprit involved in any crime or atrocity against woman was being dealt in accordance with law. “The investigations in the cases are supervised by a senior officer. Effective patrolling and vigil is also being ensured at sensitive locations to prevent the occurrence of such crimes,” he said. Besides, various awareness programmes, legal camps with the help of opinion leaders at the police station-level are also organised to create public opinion about crime against women, the Chief Minister said.