Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Baseer Ahmad Khan Friday dismissed the rumours being circulated on social media regarding closure of schools in Kashmir due to prevailing uncertain situation.
Khan said that “There is no such order to clouse any school. I appeal to people not to pay heed to such rumours. If they (people) want any clarification, they should contact their concerned deputy commissioners or me.”
Srinagar: Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Friday said that the situation developing on ground over the past week with deployment of thousands of additional forces and government orders circulating has alarmed people and they have become apprehensive of something happening.
Addressing Friday congregation at historic Jama Masjid in Srinagar he said, “Speculations are rife including removal of Article 35A to change the demography of the state and its Muslim majority character. For the past three years there has been a great push towards it since when various PILs were filed in the Indian Supreme Court to challenge it.”
“As in the past people and leadership have to be ready to resist every attempt to undo it. The provision was negotiated by the regional electoral parties and is an article of faith, which should not be breached,” he said.
Mirwaiz said such measures will not change the reality that Kashmir issue is an issue and has to be resolved. “The whole word is asking India and Pakistan to resolve it and there are also offers to mediate. If the leadership of India and Pakistan are really concerned for their people, they will show statesmanship and agree to talk. Ultimately It is only India Pakistan and the Kashmiris that can reach a lasting resolution,” the Hurriyat (M) chairman said.
“We have always strongly advocated dialogue among stakeholders, a fact borne out by our sincere push for it and participation in dialogue 2004 onwards. We only believe in and have always advocated peaceful means of struggle for the resolution of the lingering internationally acknowledged Kashmir conflict in which lakhs of human lives have so far been lost and continue to be lost,” he added.
The Mirwaiz said current hostilities at the LoC are also resulting in loss of previous lives on both sides and there is always a fear of escalation among the nuclear armed neighbours. He asked people to seek recourse in almighty Allah and his blessings and do Zikr o Azkar as much as possible.
Srinagar : The Jammu and Kashmir government on Friday rebutted the reports about the closure of schools in the valley.
Secretary School Education, Sarita Chauhan said that no such order has been issued by the government.
She said that the decision in this regard will be directly taken by the divisional administration.
Earlier, rumours were doing rounds on the social networking sites in the valley about the closure of schools for ten days.
Srinagar, Aug 2, : Amid fear psychosis over the Article 35A, former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Friday said that India has finally failed to win over the love of Jammu and Kashmir which rejected divisions on religious grounds and chose secular India.
While taking on her Twitter handle Ms. Mufti said, “The gloves are finally off & India has chosen territory over people.”
In another tweet she wrote that her father, late Mufti Sayeed, who had served chief minister of J-K twice, had said that whatever Kashmir’s will get, it will be from their own country India, “But today the same country seems to be preparing to rob them of whatever little is left to protect their unique identity,” she wrote.
Ishtyaq Ahmad
Srinagar, Aug 2 : The top security officials Friday said that the annual Amarnath pilgrimage was under serious threat of possible strikes by militants even as a US made M-24 sniper rifle and a Pakistan made land mine was recovered enroute cave shrine of Amarnath during extensive searches.
According to news agency addressing a joint press conference at the Badamibagh Cantonment here, the GoC 15 corps Lt General KJS Dhillon, DGP Dilbagh Singh, IGP Kashmir S P Pani and ADG CRPF Zulfikar Hassan said that the US made sniper was recovered along with a Pakistani land mine during the extensive searches conducted by the security forces enroute cave shrine. The GoC, however, said that he won’t disclose the exact location where from the sniper and the land mine was recovered as it was a security matter as searches in the area were still on.
“There are concrete inputs and confirm leads that militants are planning a big strike on the Amarnath Yatra in Kashmir. We have taken elaborate measures to thwart all attacks. Last three days were hectic for us and we conducted heavy searches along the both routes leading to the cave shrine. During searches we recovered US made sniper rifle, huge cache of arms and ammunition and a land mine that as a Pakistani manufacturing company number on it,” General Dhilon said, adding that “This has provide that Pakistan is sponsoring militancy in Kashmir and that we will not tolerate it in any case.”
He said that of late after massive successes by the forces achieved on the anti-militancy front, especially in eliminating the top leadership of Jaish-e-Muhammad, Lashkar-e-Toiba and other outfits including Hizb and Ansaar Gazwatul Hind, militants changed their strategy and are using IEDs to target forces.
“There have been a series of attempts after Lethpora attack that includes Banihal, Arihal, Pulwama, another one at Arihal again and the latest one at Shopian,” he said. “Militants are using modern techniques to blow up the IED so are the security forces using latest techniques to thwart IED attacks.”
About the infiltration, the GoC said that of late, there has been rise in the infiltration attempts from across as launch pads are full with the militants, who are ready to sneak in. “Infiltration bids are taking place from almost everywhere in Jammu and Kashmir even from the Pathankote area as well. We are thwarting all bids in a very professional manner,” he said. The GoC also said that after March this year, July 30 saw the worst even ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Tanghdar and Gurez sectors that was retaliated by the troops after which there is a calm. “If Pakistan resorts to ceasefire violation again, there will be a very hard response from our side,” he said.
Replying to a query why additional forces were being brought into Kashmir, the DGP termed the development as a routine affair stating that the existing additional forces were in Kashmir since Municipal polls and were feeling exhausted. “The number of additional forces is not that much as being exaggerated. It’s too small just to relive those who are here since long,” he said and downplayed the forces arrival in Kashmir.
Replying to a query IGP Kashmir said that at least ten bids to target security forces with the IEDs was made by the militants in the recent past. “Five modules were bused and several persons have been arrested for their involvement in IED attacks. Top leadership of Jaish that was involved in planted IEDs that include Usman, Kamran, Muna Lahori and Fayaz Panzoo have been killed. But the IED threat still persists and is being dealt with effectively,” he said. (KNS)
New Delhi, Aug 2 Citing intelligence inputs of terror threats to the ongoing Amarnath Yatra, the Jammu and Kashmir government on Friday issued an advisory asking the pilgrims to “curtail” their stay in the valley immediately and return as soon as possible.
The advisory was issued by the Home Department of Jammu and Kashmir, hours after the top security establishment said there were specific inputs that the yatra would be targeted by Pakistan-backed terrorists.
“Keeping in view the latest intelligence inputs of terror threats, with specific targeting of the Amarnath yatra, and given the prevailing security situation in the Kashmir Valley, in the interest of safety and security of the tourists and Amarnath yatris, it is advised that they may curtail their stay in the valley immediately and take necessary measures to return as soon as possible,” the advisory said.
The annual yatra, which began on July 1, is to end on August 15.
The authorities have already rushed thousands of additional paramilitary forces to Kashmir in the wake of intelligence inputs that the yatra could be targeted by the terrorists.
Earlier in the day, the Army said there were intelligence inputs that Pakistan-backed terrorists were planning a major strike, targeting the pilgrimage.
–IANS
Srinagar: Following Government’s advisory for Amarnath Yatris to curtail their valley visit, former bureaucrat turned politician Shah Faesal targeted administration asking will there be any ‘advisory for locals’ or ‘our lives do not matter’.
Faesal took to twitter and raised the query as to why their is no advisory for the locals living in the state.
“JK Govt has asked Tourists and Amarnath Yatris to leave Kashmir immediately in view of a security threat. Is the Government considering any such advisory for locals also? Should Kashmiris also migrate to other places or is it that our lives do not matter?,” he questioned.
Not only Faesal but former Chief Minister J&K Omar Abdullah also vented his anger on twitter the ‘unprecedented order’ will do no good in dampening the sense of fear prevailing in the valley.
Omar wrote: “Although this unprecedented order would seem to suggest a genuine fear of a massive terror strike directed at Amarnath ji yatris or/and tourists this will do nothing to dampen the sense of fear & foreboding that prevails in the valley at the moment.’
DGP Dilbagh Singh in a joint presser with Army’s Chinar Corps Commander Lt Gen KJS Dhillon had said that they have received inputs that militants are likely to step up the violence graph in the state.
During the presser Dhillon also claimed that they have recovered an Americal sniper rifle along the Amarnath yatra route.
Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], Aug 2: The Indian Army on Friday said that Pakistan terrorists are plotting to carry out an attack on the ongoing Amarnath Yatra and that the security forces even recovered a Pakistan Ordnance factory anti-personnel mine from a terror cache.
“A Pakistan Army landmine has also been recovered from one of the caches of militants. This clearly indicates that Pakistan Army is involved in terrorism in Kashmir, this will not be tolerated,” Lt General KJS Dhillon, Commander of the Chinar Corps, told reporters here.
Dhillon was addressing a joint press conference along with DGP Dilbag Singh and IG CRPF Zulfiqar Hasan.
Dhillon added that Pakistan Army is desperate to disrupt peace in the Valley and assured the people of the state and the country that such acts will not be tolerated.
“The Pakistan Army is desperate to disrupt the peace in Jammu and Kashmir. This will not be allowed. This is a promise to the people of J&K and the country,” Dhillon told reporters.
Noting that IED threats and activities have been on the rise over the last one year, Dhillon said: “We are examining the type of IEDs and capturing the IED expert militants. Pakistan is trying to disrupt peace in Kashmir.”
Dhillon stressed that security forces have been able to eliminate most of the top militants and the “job is still in progress”. He underlined that the main target for the security forces is terror leadership, such as from Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba.
The Chinar Corps Commander said that the situation in the Line of Control (LoC) is under control and the area is very much peaceful. “Infiltration bids from Pakistan side are being successfully thwarted,” he said. (ANI)
The Central government has put the Army and Indian Air Force (IAF) on high alert in Jammu and Kashmir even as additional 28,000 troop were being rushed to Kashmir valley.
Reports said the the troops deployed on the Line of Controll have been asked to be alert to foil any infiltration attempt by miliatnts from across the LoC.
Reacting on the alert, forrmer chief minister Omar Abdullah said, “What “ongoing situation” in Kashmir would require the army ANI the Air Force to be put on alert? This isn’t about 35A or delimitation. This sort of alert, if actually issued, would be about something very different.”
However, New Delhi based agency ANI reported that the IAF flying operations in the state were part of “normal activity”.
“Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft are also operating from airbases inside the state,” the agency reported.
Earlier, over 280 companies of paramilitary forces are being deployed in the Kashmir valley, PTI reported on Thursday evening.
Srinagar, Aug 2 : Amid fresh troop deployment, the governor administration on Friday asked Amarnath Yatris to “curtail” their stay in Kashmir Valley immediately and take necessary measures to return as soon as possible.
“Keeping in view the latest intelligence inputs of terror threats, with specific targeting of the Amarnath Yatra, and given the prevailing security situation in the Kashmir Valley, in the interest of safety and security of the tourists and Amarnath Yatris, it is advised that they may curtail their stay in the valley immediately and take necessary measures to return as soon as possible,” reads an advisory issued by the state’s home department. (GNS)