The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

NC, PDP, CPM welcome bail to Liyaqat
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, May 17
Various political parties, including the ruling National Conference, have welcomed the bail granted by a Delhi court to Liyaqat Ali Shah, former militant of the Hizbul Mujahideen, who was arrested by the Delhi Police two months ago.

The National Conference said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s stand was vindicated after the court confirmed that there was no substantial link regarding his involvement in any terror activities. “The Chief Minister has been saying all along that Liyaqat had no intention to carry out any attack as he was returning along with his family members and not carrying any weapons,” National Conference provincial president Nasir Aslam Wani stated.

“Today’s development will repose faith of all the people who intend to take advantage of the government’s surrender and rehabilitation policy,” he said.

The PDP said it was now clear that the charges slapped against Liyaqat by Delhi Police were not true as pointed out at the time of his arrest.

A party spokesman said while the final verdict of the court was yet to come, the relief granted to Liyaqat had raised hopes of a fair trial for him. The spokesman said Liyaqat's case should lead to focusing on the plight of young Kashmiris languishing in different jails of the country.

The CPM state secretary Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami said the grant of bail nourished hope for Liyaqat’s fair trial. Tarigami said Liyaqat’s arrest had caused a setback to the state government’s policy of return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri youth who had crossed over to the other side of the LoC. “Liyaqat’s arrest reflects that there has been some sort of misunderstanding and lack of coordination between the state and Central governments over the return and rehabilitation policy of Kashmiri youth,” he said. Tarigami expressed serious concern over reports highlighting the distressing condition of Kashmiri prisoners lodged in jails outside the state.

Native village in celebratory mode
Amin Masoodi

Kupwara, May 17
Relatives of alleged Hizbul Mujahideen militant Liyaqat Ali Shah in remote Dardpora village of the Lolab valley in Kupwara district today celebrated his release from jail. Shah was arrested by the Delhi Police near Gorakhpur with his family on March 20 while crossing the Indo-Nepal border.

As soon as the news of his release reached his native village, Liyaqat’s relatives thronged his house this morning. They beat drums and danced on the streets to celebrate his release from jail after nearly two months. Women sang Kashmiri and Pahari songs in jubilation.

“Finally, he has been proven innocent. I am happy to know about his release. We are eagerly waiting for him at home after nearly 12 years. A mediaperson informed me this morning on the phone that Liyaqat had been released on bail,” said Aamina Begum, Liyaqat’s first wife.

Liyaqat’s brother, Inayat Shah, left for Delhi this morning to bring him home.

Villagers, including women and children, joined Liyaqat’s relatives in celebrations as his family members distributed sweets.

“I am longing to see him for the past 12 years. This is a great moment for all of us and we are looking forward to live a peaceful life under his patronage,” said Liyaqat’s son Syed Shabir. “Due to abject poverty, I was forced to abandon my education in Class IX and engage in manual labour to support my family,” said Shabir.

Liyaqat’s mother Bibi Alat Noor said, “I am thankful to the NIA (National Investigation Agency) for facilitating his release from jail. Right from the day of his arrest, I knew my son will be proven innocent after investigation. He has taken a re-birth today and I am really very happy about his home coming after so many years.”

I am glad, tweets Chief Minister

Srinagar, May 17
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has welcomed the grant of bail to alleged Hizbul Mujahideen militant Liyaqat Ali Shah by a Delhi court.

Liyaqat was released two months after his arrest by the Delhi Police.

“I am very glad that Liyaqat Shah has been granted bail. While this is a big step in the right direction, I hope the NIA (National Investigation Agency) inquiry is finished soon,” Omar Abdullah wrote on social networking website Twitter today. — TNS

Apple consignment from PoK okayed after nod by expert
Traders want LoC trade brought under MHA’s direct control
Ravi Krishnan Khajuria
Tribune News Service

Jammu, May 17
The Customs authorities late last night okayed the consignment of 21 truckloads of apples from Pak-occupied Kashmir (PoK) that they had withheld on the suspicion of it being “Chinese”. The approval came following a late night authentication of the consignment by an expert from the state horticulture department.

“The issue was resolved around midnight after an expert from the horticulture department certified the consignment as locally produced apples from the PoK,” said Baramulla Deputy Commissioner GA Khawaja.

Much to the discomfort of trans-LoC traders at Salamabad in Baramulla and Chakan da Bagh in Poonch, the Customs authorities had withheld the consignments on May 14.

Trade across the LoC was agreed on only locally manufactured or produced goods in J&K and PoK but hardly any item being traded today was produced locally. Khawaja admitted the trade was being carried out largely on items being brought from other states in India and Pakistan.

“It’s an open secret. Peshawari chappal is not a locally manufactured product of the PoK. Similarly, several items like fresh fruits, dry fruits and herbs being exported by our traders come from other parts of India,” he said.

Custodian of Chakan da Bagh trade centre M Bashir Lone said: “How can one expect the trade to flourish, which has come down from 21 items in 2008 to four items now.”

Pawan Anand and Hilal Khan, president and general secretary, respectively, of the J&K Chamber of Cross-LoC Trade and presidents of Chakan da Bagh and Salamabad Cross-LoC Traders’ Association welcomed the decision of the Customs authorities.

They said the LoC trade should be freed from the “locally manufactured goods” regulation and should be conducted on the basis of the requirements of J&K and the PoK.

“The trade has slumped to fresh fruits, dry fruits and herbs. We strongly feel that it should be done on consumption basis to meet each other’s requirements,” said Anand.

He also said the trans-LoC trade should be brought under the direct control of Ministry of Home Affairs for hassle-free trade.

Anand and Khan also urged the state government to appoint horticulture and agriculture officers at Salamabad and Chakan da Bagh trade centres for verifying merchandise from the PoK after its arrival to avoid hardship to traders.

trade talk

Trade across the LoC was agreed on only locally manufactured or produced goods in J&K and PoK but hardly any item being traded today is produced locally
Traders want that the trade should be freed from the “locally manufactured goods” regulation and should be conducted on the basis of the requirements of J&K and the PoK

40 cross-LoC traders suspended at Chakan da Bagh
Ravi Krishnan Khajuria
Tribune News Service

Jammu, May 17
The trade authorities at Chakan da Bagh Trade Centre in Poonch have suspended 40 traders, including tax defaulters and those who didn’t do any business with their PoK counterparts for the past over six months, amid allegations that the “consignment of Chinese apples” was the brainchild of some of the traders to scuttle the trade.

“Yes, we have suspended 40 traders at Chakan da Bagh. Some of them had defaulted on commercial tax and some had done no business in the past six months,” said custodian of Chakan da Bagh Trade Centre M Bashir Lone.

Lone, however, denied that the suspended traders had created problems for other traders.

“We feel that those who have been suspended should be debarred and restricted from entering the trade centre. If they want to do business, let them re-apply,” said Pawan Anand, president of the J&K Chamber of Cross-LoC Trade.

Another trader, who wished anonymity, said the idea of “Chinese” apples was the brainchild of the suspended traders, who didn’t want to see others doing trade smoothly.

“Everyone knows merchandise being traded by traders from both sides via Chakan da Bagh and Salamabad, but some suspended traders, in a bid to create problems, accused the Customs Department of making money by remaining ‘soft’. And, therefore, this time they withheld the consignments of apples, which have never before been seized since the trade started in 2008,” he said.

We have been importing same apples from PoK traders since 2008, he said.

Hilal Khan, general secretary of the J&K Chamber of Cross-LoC Trade, who operates from Salamabad, said no such mechanism of suspending defaulters and sleeping traders existed at Salamabad.

“We should also have a similar arrangement here at Salamabad to ensure smooth trade,” Khan said.

Smuggling bid foiled by BSF in RS Pura
Tribune News Service

Jammu, May 17
The BSF foiled a smuggling attempt from across the international border in the Abdulian area of RS Pura sector in Jammu district today.

“Last night around 2 am, we observed some suspicious movement in the Abdulian area along the border opposite the Nandpur forward post of Pakistan Rangers. We noticed two suspicious persons. One of them stopped at the Zero Line and the other kept crawling and entered our territory,” said BSG DIG JS Oberoi.

The second person who crawled in to our territory threw a packet, the BSF DIG said.

The officer said the border guards challenged the intruders and opened few rounds of small-arms fire but the duo fled to Pakistan.

During searches of the area with the help of sniffer dogs, we recovered the packet which had a mobile phone (Samsung) and two Pakistan SIM cards, said Oberoi.

The DIG said the cell phone and SIM cards might had been thrown to this side for some ‘contact’ to either push narcotics consignments or for some militancy related activity.

The BSF has lodged a complaint with Pakistan Rangers, said the officer.

Kot Bhalwal’s suspended official booked in impersonation case
Amir Karim Tantray

Jammu, May 17
Kot Bhalwal jail superintendent Rajni Sehgal, who is currently under suspension, and a former Amphala district jail superintendent have been booked in an impersonation case.

Sehgal came into spotlight when a Pakistani prisoner, Sanaullah Haq Ranjay, was attacked by fellow prisoner Vinod Kumar, a former Armyman, in retaliation of Sarabjit Singh’s killing, at Kot Bhalwal Jail here on May 3.

Sehgal and the then Amphala district jail superintendent Vinod Kumar, who retired a few days back, have been booked on the directions of court in the case which dates back to June 25, 2012, when an undertrial appeared in an examination of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) on the behalf of Sehgal at the Amphala district jail. Sehgal had passed the examination.

“Rajni Sehgal is already under suspension in Sanaullah’s case and so, even if the court has ordered registration of another case against her, further action from our side is not needed,” said K Rajendra, Director General of Prisons, J&K. He said, “It is now up to the investigation team as to how they will approach the case. If they feel Sehgal could influence the process or could distort facts, they can detain her at any point of time.”

A case under Sections 120-B, 115, 419, 420, 468 and 471 of the RPC and 511 and 2/5 of the Prevention of Unfair Means Examination Act of 1987 has been registered against her at the Pacca Danga police station. Kumar, the then Amphala jail superintendent, has also been booked for being part of the criminal conspiracy.

“We have booked her and the investigation has started. We will have to get all the records from IGNOU and have to question witnesses as well,” Rajeshwar Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police, Jammu, told The Tribune.

He said, “There is no chance of (Sehgal) influencing the investigation process. It is an open case and we have to get all the related documents from IGNOU and other places. The investigation may take some time but it will be fair.”

Jammu varsity to host Indian Science Congress 2014
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, May 17
The University of Jammu will host the Indian Science Congress 2014 in February. This was conveyed by Governor NN Vohra to the Forum of Vice-Chancellors at Raj Bhawan here today.

The Governor said the Indian Science Association had agreed to allow the University of Jammu to host the science congress and urged the Vice-Chancellors of all the state universities to support the event. He said the meeting would witness participation of scientists from across the country. At least five Nobel laureates are expected to take part in the congress.

This is the first time in 110 years that the Indian Science Congress will be held in the state.

During the discussions, the Governor re-iterated the importance of the varsities entering into effective mutually beneficial collaborations in the arenas of teaching, research, libraries, extension projects, sports, cultural activities, sharing infrastructure and exchange of students and faculty with the larger objective of improving the quality of higher education and securing speedy economic development of the state.

The issues which were discussed during the meeting included interalia and the need for equipping the students with the required knowledge and skills in consonance with the emerging job market requirements worldwide.

1 dead as tanker falls into stream
RK Kichlu

Batote, May 17
A Srinagar-bound petrol tanker rolled down into a stream killing one person. The driver was injured while his son is untraceable. The accident occurred on Friday on the Jammu-Srinagar highway when the tanker fell into the Bisleri nullah at Gangru in Ramsu.

The deceased has been identified as Mohammad Shaheen of Magarkot, Ramsu. His body was retrieved from the gushing Bisleri nullah about a kilometre from the place where the tanker fell in to the nullah. Shaheen’s body was fished out from the stream by a team of the police, Rashtriya Rifles, quick response team and the locals led by SHO, Ramsu, inspector Raghubir Singh Choudhary after several hours of search.

According to inspector Raghubir, the injured driver of the tanker, Shamasdin, a resident of Chamalwas, Banihal, who was lying on the banks of the nullah was later taken to Sub-district Hospital, Banihal, and released after giving first aid. Shamasdin’s son, Mubarak Ahmed, who was washed away by the gushing waters of the Bisleri nullah is still missing. The search teams were looking for him till the reports last came in.

Mountaineering foundation addresses villagers’ demand
Yangchan Dolma

Leh, May 17
The dispute between Stok residents and officials of the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF), Leh, over the revenue generated by it from the permit fee for mountaineering expedition at the Kanglacha peak has been settled for now.

In a joint meeting of stakeholders of the tourism sector convened by the Executive Councillor for Tourism of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh, Gyurmat Dorjey, a settlement was reached with the villagers, who had warned that they would disrupt the expedition.

The officer in charge of the IMF, Leh, Sonam Wangyal, said she would make a recommendation to the IMF president to provide 15 per cent of the total permit fees collected to the local panchayat for maintaining cleanliness of the peak.

The IMF is charging Rs 2,000 as the fee for the expedition from foreign tourists. The villagers had been demanding provision of 50% of the total revenue generated from the excursion as it is their only source of water. Due to the increase in the number of climbers, the pollution at the base camp and the peak has become a cause of concern for these villagers.

Councillor of Martselang constituency of the LAHDC, Leh, Phunchok Angchok who has been spearheading the demand, said, “People of Stok village have been writing letters to the IMF president and the officer in charge of its office in Leh since 2011 to provide 50 per cent of the total revenue generated from the Stok Kangri to carry a cleanliness drive on the peak but to no avail. Recently, the officer in charge of the office in Leh agreed to pass on the demand to the IMF president.”

Sonam Wangyal said, “The letter to the IMF president has been sent two days ago.”

Bollywood hasn’t represented Kashmir fairly: Imtiaz Ali
Says the Valley has much more to it than violence
Bismah Malik/TNS

Bollywood director Imtiaz Ali addresses students at the University of Kashmir on Friday. Tribune Photo: Amin War

Srinagar, May 17
Noted film director Imtiaz Ali today said Bollywood had not represented Kashmir fairly and that there was only a particular side of the Valley which was shown more in Hindi films.

“I have seen many films on Kashmir but I think, it hasn't been accurately described,” Imtiaz said while addressing a gathering of media students and scholars at Kashmir University today.

Imtiaz, who is currently in the Valley to shoot for his film ‘Highway’ starring Randeep Hooda and Alia Bhatt, said he shared the sentiments of many Kashmiris who thought there had not been a balanced depiction of Kashmir in Bollywood films.

“I think there is so much more to Kashmir than violence, which hasn’t been told by filmmakers,” he said.

Imtiaz said he was highly influenced by the culture and creative talent of Kashmiris and the Valley itself for its breathtaking beauty. He said it was the most preferred location for shooting films.

The director said his understanding of Kashmir and its people was reflected in his movies. “Whatever elements of Kashmir I show in my movies, they are part of my understanding of the Valley. In ‘Rockstar’, I showed a Kashmiri girl played by Nargis Fakhri. My next movie, Highway, is about a girl hitting the road with a boy. They are an unusual couple. It is basically a travel story where the couple travels through various roads of the country,” Imtiaz said.

He advised film-making enthusiasts of Media Education and Research Centre at Kashmir University to learn the craft of filmmaking by writing the stories which interest them.

He said they should not have apprehensions about bias against them for being from a particular minority community.

“I have not experienced any bias being a Muslim from either Bollywood or the Censor Board. There is nothing like that. The most important part of a film is its story. If the story is good enough, there is no reason why a film will not work,” Imtiaz said.

Jammu varsity to host Science Congress

Srinagar, May 17
The University of Jammu will host the Indian Science Congress 2014 in February. This was conveyed by Governor NN Vohra to the Forum of Vice-Chancellors at Raj Bhawan here today.