The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	High Court orders premature retirement of 3 senior judges Shows zero tolerance to ‘inefficiency, corruption’ Ishfaq Tantry Tribune News Service Srinagar, June 7 Showing its zero tolerance towards “inefficiency, indiscipline and lack of integrity”, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court in a historic move has ordered forcible and premature retirement of three senior judges of the state. The decision to order premature retirement of three senior judicial officers of the rank of district and sessions judge was taken by a “full court” following its approval of the decisions taken by the Administrative Committee of the court on June 3. The three judges who are being prematurely retired include Shakti Kumar Gupta, currently serving as the Principal District and Sessions Judge, Kargil; Muzaffar Iqbal Qureshi, currently posted as Additional District Judge, TADA/ POTA, and the judge designate to hear complaints related to spurious and adulterated drugs in Srinagar; and Brij Mohan Gupta, who is currently serving as Principal District and Sessions Judge in Bhaderwah in Jammu province. A senior high court official told The Tribune that the decisions of the Administrative Committee were approved by a full court in its meeting on June 3 here in Srinagar. He said the “formal retirement orders” of the three judges were “under process” and would be issued soon. The full court meeting was chaired by Chief Justice of the J&K High Court Justice MM Kumar. The senior high court official described the decision by the full bench of the high court as “historic”, saying that so far in the judicial history of the state no senior judge had ever been retired prematurely. Earlier, Shakti Kumar Gupta was attached with the J-K High Court in 2011 following a complaint against him. Sources say the “slow disposal” of cases is one of the reasons “factored in” while deciding on the premature retirement of Srinagar TADA judge Muzaffar Iqbal Qureshi. “Under the rules, the high court is bound to assess the performance and the utility of judges once they cross the age of 50, 55 and 58 years respectively. Besides, this decision also shows the zero tolerance of the high court for indiscipline, lack of integrity, inefficiency and corruption,” the senior high court official said.
	News Analysis Nawaz faces big test on Kashmir issue Arun Joshi Tribune News Service The new regime in Pakistan has spelled out contours of its foreign policy and the “K” word finds prominence in it. The foreign policy statement is filled with a high-sounding phrase: “Pakistan will progressively pursue” ties with India in a bid to resolve all outstanding issues, including Jammu and Kashmir. It is a big test that Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has proposed for himself as a day after the announcement, Pakistani troops fired at Indian posts and killed a junior rung Army officer in the Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir. This ceasefire violation on Friday was preceded by numerous infiltration bids and ceasefire violations in the weeks before Nawaz Sharif took office of Prime Minister of Pakistan on Wednesday. It indicates that the Pakistan army and its Inter-Services Intelligence have a mindset of their own, which is at odds with the civilian leadership in the neighbouring country. Sharif has given a detailed account of what he intends to do in the field of foreign policy, and as expected the “K” word was there. He had left relations with India on the Kashmir issue after the mini war in Kargil in the summer of 1999 before his government was toppled by the then (now jailed) army chief Gen Pervez Musharraf. Here it would be pertinent to mention that Gen Ashfaq Kayani was chosen to the army chief’s post by none other than General Musharraf. Ironically, the then army chief who donned the title of President in the one-sided elections had brought India and Pakistan close to the resolution of the Kashmir issue. Now, Sharif will have to pick up the threads from there, willingly or unwillingly. The climate between India and Pakistan had changed dramatically to the extent that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh observed in April 2008 from the banks of the Chenab that flows from India to Pakistan: “We have had a friendly dialogue with Pakistan on all issues that affect the lives of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. We were making progress but internal developments in Pakistan over the last one year have prevented us from moving forward.” Singh had made these remarks against the backdrop of the trouble in Pakistan, caused by the confrontation between the judiciary and the executive in 2007 following the removal of Pakistan’s chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry . The spirit of the new atmosphere in 2013 has some black spots too —26/11, series of blasts in Delhi and Hyderabad and beheading of two Indian soldiers on the Line of Control (LoC) being some of them. Pakistan has other foreign policy challenges and one of them is how to improve ties with India, as that is the key to development in Pakistan. A huge sum is spent every year by Pakistan on its defence preparedness, so the friendly noises but with a specific mention of Jammu and Kashmir. Many things have changed since 1999. Jammu and Kashmir is a changed state, where the constituency of peace and progress is seeking to move forward and replace the culture of guns and grenades. It is looking for friendly relations between India and Pakistan. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, his arch-rivals in People’s Democratic Party Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and his daughter and party president Mehbooba Mufti favour better ties between Delhi and Islamabad and expressed the hope to have a permanent solution to the Kashmir crisis. But that love cannot be one-sided. India alone cannot be the generator and giver of generosity, and certainly not when there is Pakistan army-generated trouble at the LoC. Pakistan has to reciprocate and in this context what it needs to do is to curb terrorism on its soil and stop its export to India and honour the November 2003 ceasefire on the dividing line. It is a big test for Nawaz Sharif.
	Now, helpline for Amarnath yatris Tribune News Service Srinagar, June 7 The Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board has established a control room equipped with a helpline facility for pilgrims. The facility has been set up in the office of the Additional Chief Executive Officer of the shrine board. Chief Executive Officer of the shrine board Navin K Choudhary said the helpline would function from 9.30 am to 6 pm on weekdays from June 8 to 26. The helpline will function round the clock from June 27 onwards till the conclusion of the yatra. The CEO, according to an official spokesman, said any person who wants information or help regarding the pilgrimage, which commences on June 28, can call at 0194-2501679 or 09469722210 or email at sasbjk2001@ gmail.com. Choudhary said pilgrims can also get information from the shrine board’s website, www.shriamarnathjishrine.com
	Arms seized in Mahore Katra, June 7 Security forces busted a militant hideout and seized a huge cache of arms and explosives during a combing operation at Mahore on Friday. Acting on a tip off, the Army and the police conducted a joint operation in Chajuru forest area of Mahore. According to sources, this was the biggest recovery in the region and a major success for the security forces. “Our teams made this recovery in the dense jungle of Chajuru in Mahore forests. With this recovery, the last hideout of Hizbul Mujahideen and the hidden cache of weapons has been busted in the region,” claimed Mushim Ahmead, DSP, Mahore. — OC
	Intel agencies begin parallel probe into decorated cop’s case To ascertain if the sub-inspector was victim of inter-dept rivalry Ravi Krishnan Khajuria Tribune News Service Jammu, June 7 After apprising the Union Home Ministry about the arrest of counter-insurgency specialist Shiv Krishan Sharma, who allegedly engineered a botched grenade attack on the Thatri police station in Doda district, Intelligence agencies have launched parallel investigations to see if the arrested cop was being made a victim of inter-department rivalry. The agencies are also trying to get the video clip which purportedly shows Pakistani militants killing two Indian soldiers in the Balnoi sector on January 8. “Since he had become an eyesore for some officers in the police department, we have initiated investigations on our own to go to the bottom of the case,” an Intelligence source told The Tribune. “We will determine if the highly decorated police officer is being made a victim of inter-department rivalry as the possibility cannot be ruled out,” he said. Shiv Krishan was responsible for eliminating nearly 70 militants in the Doda region at a time when militancy was at its peak and selective killings had instilled a sense of insecurity among the minorities. “Before being absorbed as a constable in the police, he had been a guide for the Army, who led soldiers to the hideouts of militants for encounters. He had close proximity with the Army, much to the discomfort of some police officers,” said the source. “We are also trying to get the video clip which purportedly showed Pakistani terrorists killing Indian soldiers to ascertain its veracity. As of now, we are neither giving a clean chit to the police officer nor holding him guilty. We would simply go to the bottom of the case,” he said, adding, “In the hyper-sensitive state, where stakes were always high for obvious reasons, different lobbies remain at work to establish their motives.” Shiv Krishan was given a star for taking Pakistan-sponsored insurgents head on by the then deputy Prime Minister, LK Advani. Sources said one of the five arrested militants involved in the botched grenade attack, Abdul Rashid (27) of Tanta, who had “spilled the beans” to the police, had accused Shiv Krishan of not handing him over money for surrendering in 2007. However, the accusation was proved wrong as the money was never released by the government, they added.
	Social organisations come out in support of arrested cop Tribune News Service Jammu, June 7 Even as the state BJP unit has decided to legally and politically fight the case of counter-insurgency specialist police officer Shiv Krishan Sharma, who was arrested on the charges of having links with militants, various social organisations came forward to support the decorated Sub-Inspector (SI) today. A meeting of the Jammu Province People Forum (JPPF) was held today under the chairmanship of Pavittar Singh Bhardwaj to discuss the matter. Members of the forum demanded immediate release of the Sub-Inspector and his bodyguard. The JPPF is conglomeration of more than 30 social, religions and business organisations of the Jammu region. The JPPF observed that the Sub-Inspector and his bodyguard had been falsely implicated in a conspiracy based on the statements of “former militants” whose credentials were dubious. Bhardwaj said the police officer, credited with wiping out militancy in the Doda-Kishtwar areas, had been arrested on flimsy grounds. “Professional rivalry cannot be ruled out in the case. It seems that the police is working under pressure. A highly decorated innocent police officer is being sacrificed to give shelter to murderers of democracy. The intention is to ruin his career,” a JPPF member said. The members asked the police to conduct an independent enquiry, free from politics, before the public takes to the streets to break the politician-militant nexus. They said the courage exhibited by the arrested police officer in eliminating militancy in the Doda-Kishtwar areas was exceptional.
	Microsoft to discuss technology with youth Bismah Malik/TNS Srinagar, June 7 Come Sunday and technology will be the talk of the town in Srinagar. Microsoft, one of the biggest global IT companies, will organise a day-long technology talk “Dream Sparks” at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) here. The US software giant is holding its world-wide educational programme across 100 Indian cities, including Srinagar, to discuss technology and give career tips deliver technical presentations. “Nearly 700 college students and IT professionals have registered for the event .The speakers will be from Microsoft and Intel. A guest speaker will be from Oracle,” Junaid Masodi, event coordinator, said. Giving insight into the Dream Sparks’ initiative, Junaid said, “The event will focus on empowering students, who are passionate about technology. This will help them in getting an overview of the current trends in the software industry. Also, we want to broaden the technical horizon of the students pursuing or willing to pursue a career in computer science or information technology and inject them with real-world skills.” “The event also has a lot of fun and surprises in store for the participants. They will get a certificate and some free genuine softwares. There are also additional goodies for tech-savvy participants,” Junaid said.
	Harsh Dev slams govt for postponing development board meetings Tribune News Service Jammu, June 7 Chairperson of the Panthers Party Harsh Dev Singh yesterday lambasted the state government for repeatedly postponing meetings of various district development boards, resulting in inordinate delay in the finalisation the district-level plans. He said not only the finalisation of the district plans had been delayed, but the state plan, project plans, SC/ST development plans, bad-pocket area plans, besides other plans of different sectors, were also in limbo, thereby providing the most glaring instance of government apathy and indifference. In a statement issued here, Harsh Dev regretted that the government had failed to learn from the lapses it made last year, during which it had lost Rs. 2,100 crore of plan money. He deplored that the government’s failure to ensure timely execution of works during the previous year and non-utilisation of annual plan and other Central funds had cost the state dearly, with the Planning Commission withholding about 25 per cent of the development-related funds meant for the state. He said the coalition government was accountable and answerable to the people of the state for its failure to utilise the funds meant for public welfare and which were forfeited due to its culpable negligence. He said the government was repeating the same mistake it committed last year by delaying the board meetings. He said any further delay in the finalisation of the current year’s plans would again prove counterproductive, as the state had a very limited working season.
	RTI activists welcome ruling to bring political parties under Act Tribune News Service Jammu, June 7 Activists working for the promotion of the Right to Information (RTI) Act in the state have welcomed the recent judgment of the Central Information Commission (CIC) to bring political parties under the ambit of the Act. The activists have also congratulated the members of the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) - the NGO which had taken up the issue with the Central Information Commission. The activists have demanded similar order from the State Information Commission in Jammu and Kashmir. They have urged the state commission to direct political parties to designate Public Information Officers (PIOs) and follow all the provisions of the J&K RTI law. They have also asked the state government to reinstate the Jammu and Kashmir Right to Information Rules 2010 which were repealed by the General Administration Department (GAD) on August 30 last year. The Central Information Commission had recently asked all the mainstream political parties to designate Public Information Officers and the appellate authorities as per the provisions of the Right to Information Act 2005. The statement was endorsed by Balvinder Singh, convener, Sangarsh RTI Movement; Dr Shiekh Ghulam Rasool, chairman, JK RTI Movement and activists Raman Sharma, Deepak Sharma, Advocate Dewaker Sharma, Advocate Ashraf Wani Farooq Kuthu, Bilal Bhat, Tanvir Hussain Khan, Rahil and Munish Sharma.
	Army man ends life in Srinagar Tribune News Service Srinagar, June 7 An Army man allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in Srinagar today. The police said the Army man, identified as Santosh Kumar, was found hanging in the Army quarters in Srinagar. Santosh was a resident of Madhya Pradesh, the police said. Kumar was attached with the Army Supply Corps. The police said it was investigating the case.
	Eating Maggi may be un-Islamic: Social activists To move court against civic body’s ‘dubious’ report on Maggi contents Bismah Malik Tribune News Service Srinagar, June 7 Eating Maggi noodles, a popular snack, may be “un-Islamic”, if a Srinagar-based social organisation, Valley Citizen Council (VCC), is to be believed. VCC member Imdad Saqi said various food experts based in Delhi had corroborated that Maggi noodles could not be manufactured without “pig fat”, which is considered “haram” (prohibited) in Islam. Members of the Valley Citizen Council are in possession of several notifications issued by Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) in 2008 regarding a report by the civic body which says there is no ‘pig-fat’ in Maggi noodles. The report was said to be based on tests conducted on Maggi samples at Food Testing Laboratory. However, in response to a recent Right to Information (RTI) Act application filed by the VCC, the SMC stated that it never got any tests laboratory tests conducted on the noodles. Valley Citizen Council4 members plan to move court against the SMC for misleading people regarding the report. They said the civic body could not be trusted. “Srinagar Municipal Corporation declared to the public a few years ago that it had checked samples of Maggi noodles and found no pig fat in them. Now, it is denying its own public notifications (in an RTI reply). How can a common person trust the corporation? It is a matter concerning our faith and the civic body is fooling people,” Saqi said. He said Valley’s social activists are in no mood to talk to the authorities now and would instead file a case against them for producing false public notifications. SMC Health Officer Dr Rubeena Shaheen, however, maintained that they routinely picked up samples of magi noodles from markets for the purpose of getting them checked at Food Testing laboratory, Dalgate, Srinagar. She said till now, no such ingredient as “pig fat” has been determined in the noodles. “There have been some rumours in the past as well that such content may be present but the manufacturers of Maggi noodles have rejected such allegations. Moreover, the green dot present on the Maggi packet indicates that it is a vegetarian product,” Dr Rubeena informed. Valley-based grocery stores and retailers said the rumours of pig fat in Maggi noodles had led to a dip in their sale. “Since it is a matter of faith, a majority of people prefer not to buy the noodles, especially when official reports on food checking remain doubtful. The sale of the noodles has considerably dipped,” Ghulam Ahmad Beigh, the owner of a shop at Lal Chowk here said.
	Security forces exercising restraint in JK Compared to last 2 yrs, there has been rise in militancy this summer Ravi Krishnan Khajuria Tribune News Service Jammu, June 7 Ahead of the annual Amarnath pilgrimage, militants have stepped up their activities in Kashmir in a bid to vitiate the peaceful atmosphere but the security forces, including the Army and the CRPF, have been exercising the maximum restraint by not retaliating to their provocations. “Yes, it’s an open secret that militants step up their activities in summers to scuttle the Amarnath pilgrimage and incidents of targeting security forces also see an upward trend but we exercise the maximum restraint,” said a senior CRPF officer. He recalled that after the 2010 summer unrest in Kashmir in which over 110 youth had died in violent protests and nearly 2,000 CRPF personnel were disfigured by stone throwers, the state government had ordered the security forces not to carry firearms while dealing with crowds on the streets of Kashmir. “Even today the rule is followed as only one-third of every patrol party of the CRPF carries fire arms. Though the Constitution guarantees right to life to every individual, we are exercising the maximum restraint despite provocations,” he said. He further said that on March 13 this year when two terrorists in the guise of sportspersons had sprayed bullets on five CRPF personnel in Bemina, the latter were not carrying any firearms. A senior Army officer said, “Yes, the Army is very sensitive to such issues and it’s a thumb rule practice in the Army to avoid collateral damage. We are exercising the maximum restraint. In fact, we became more cautious, careful and sensitive since 2008 when the agitation over the Amarnath land row had engulfed the entire state.” He recalled that thereafter the 2009 summer remained normal but the 2010 summer saw a lot of violence after a police smoke shell killed a 17-year-old boy, Tufail Ahmed Mattoo, on June 11. “Summers of 2011 and 2012 remained quite normal and yes this summer there has been some spurt in militancy. Every summer, they (militants and their sympathisers) try to revive militancy. Since elections in Pakistan are over and the US-led NATO forces have started pulling out from Afghanistan, we do anticipate that the focus would shift back to Kashmir,” he said. The officer, however, said that 2013 would be a “build-up” year to 2014 when the Army anticipates militants and their mentors to shift their focus on Kashmir. recent terror strikes * March 13: Two militants hiding automatic rifles and grenades in a cricket kit opened fire on a CRPF camp in Bemina on the outskirts of Srinagar killing five CRPF personnel. * April 26: Militants killed four cops in a major strike in the Sopore area of Baramulla district in north Kashmir. * May 24: Three soldiers were killed and a militant gunned down in a gun battle in Buchu Tral in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district. * June 4: At least seven persons, including two policemen, were injured when militants hurled a grenade on an Army vehicle in south Kashmir’s Anantnag township * June 6: The 19-hour gun battle between militants and security forces in Pulwama district of south Kashmir ended with the killing of two militants.
	41 per cent colleges in state offer just arts stream Arteev Sharma/TNS Jammu, June 7 Nearly 41 per cent of the government degree colleges in the state offer just arts stream, leaving thousands of students in the lurch. Sources said there were 91 government degree colleges, including 45 in Jammu division and 46 in the Kashmir region, in the state. Eighteen of the 45 government degree colleges in Jammu don’t have science and commerce streams. One of these 18 colleges was established in 2005 (eight years ago) and nine were opened in 2008. In the Kashmir division, 19 of the 46 government degree colleges offer only arts stream. There is no science and commerce stream in 19 degree colleges of the Kashmir division. Of these 19 institutions, eight colleges were established in 2008. In 2011, the Omar Abdullah-led coalition government had announced 22 new degree colleges, including 11 model degree colleges, in the state. The model degree colleges were to be developed with an estimated cost of Rs 8 crore under the University Grant Commission’s (UGC) scheme for backward districts. Out of the 22 new degree colleges, 18 institutions established in both Kashmir and Jammu divisions offer only the arts stream. Three degree colleges in Marwah, Nobra and Zanskar are yet to be made functional despite the fact that the higher education department has already released Rs 24 lakh (Rs 8 lakh each) for these colleges, sources said. The sources said 18 of the 22 new degree colleges were functioning from temporary accommodation with two or three rooms either in private houses or higher secondary schools in their respective areas. “The department is yet to identify land for establishment of eight degree colleges,” a source said. “Most of the degree colleges offer just arts stream and students are forced to opt for subjects in this particular stream due to non-availability of commerce, medical and non-medical streams. Besides, these institutions don’t have teaching staff and infrastructure to start fresh courses,” said a senior official of the higher education department. Mohammad Akbar Lone, Minister for Higher Education, when contacted, tried to downplay the issue saying that the subjects were being introduced on the basis of the requirement. “Wherever the students have made requests with the department, we have taken the necessary steps. As far as the manpower and infrastructure are concerned, the government is in the process of providing the requisite staff strength and infrastructure to government degree colleges so that all streams are introduced at the earliest,” Lone said. choices available * 18 of the 45 government degree colleges in Jammu don’t have science and commerce streams * In the Kashmir division, 19 of the 46 government degree colleges offer only arts stream
	At 14,000 ft, Nyoma in Leh to have Krishi Vigyan Kendra Tribune News Service Jammu, June 7 The country will soon have its highest Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) to be set up at a height of 14,000 feet at Nyoma in Leh district. According to a statement, the Nyoma Krishi Vigyan Kendra is likely to bring about substantial change in the lives of people of nearby areas who are mostly nomads and rear pashmina goats. The region is extremely cold and dry and therefore, it is a challenge to promote stable agriculture practices here. The KVK will aim to improve fodder production, provide health care to roaming animals, introduce vegetable production under protected environment and impart training to women on animal care.
	Social organisations come out in support of arrested SI Jammu, June 7 Even as the state BJP unit has decided to legally and politically fight the case of counter-insurgency specialist police officer Shiv Krishan Sharma, who was arrested on the charges of having links with militants, various social organisations came forward to support the decorated Sub-Inspector (SI) today. A meeting of the Jammu Province People Forum (JPPF) was held today under the chairmanship of Pavittar Singh Bhardwaj to discuss the matter. Members of the forum demanded immediate release of the Sub-Inspector and his bodyguard. The JPPF is conglomeration of more than 30 social, religions and business organisations of the Jammu region. The JPPF observed that the Sub-Inspector and his bodyguard had been falsely implicated in a conspiracy based on the statements of “former militants” whose credentials were dubious. Bhardwaj said the police officer, credited with wiping out militancy in the Doda-Kishtwar areas, had been arrested on flimsy grounds. “Professional rivalry cannot be ruled out in the case. It seems that the police is working under pressure. — TNS