Cleanliness not only bring prosperity in our lives but keeps us away from all kinds of diseases

Kashmir Despatch News

Sopore, Jun 16 : Civil Society Nowpora in north Kashmir’s Sopore town carried out cleanliness drive in the village on Sunday with the theme ”Stop Pollution” and ”Save Environment”.

In order to create awareness among general public regarding use of dustbins and not to litter the surroundings civil society NowporaKalan came up with an initiative and carried out cleanliness drive in and around the village in which scores of youths participated.

Talking with Kashmir Despatch head of civil society Nowpora while highlighted the importance of sanitation in promoting health and hygiene said that we came up with this initiative with the aim to make our village clean, neat and Green. They added that improved sanitation will accelerate progress towards the millennium development goals and save lives so our efforts will be on to make this village a ”Model Village”.

Meanwhile the other participants who were part of this drive which including senior citizens of the village, sarpanch also highlighted the problems of the village which they are facing. They said that all citizens must do their bit as cleanliness is indeed next to godliness.

Police says he was wanted in many cases, was evading arrest for long; ML condemns detention

Srinagar, June 16 : General Secretary of Muslim League Mohammad Rafiq Ganie was arrested by Special Operation Group (SOG) of police from Magam area of Tangmarg in north Kashmir.

Ganaie, stated to be close associate of Muslim League incarcerated Chairman Masarat Aalam Bhat, was arrested from his in-laws house last night.

A police officer confirming the arrest told that Ganie was wanted in several cases for unlawful activities act and as such was evading arrest for long.

“He had led funeral prayers of large number of militants in recent past. He was also instigating people through his speeches,” the officer said.

Family sources said that Ganie has been taken to CARGO Srinagar.

Meanwhile, Muslim League in a statement condemned the arrest of party’s General Secretary terming it his detention “unlawful and unjustified.”

Muslim League criticized the state police action and said that political space is being denied by creating a situation of uncertainty and political turbulence in Jammu Kashmir.

“By pushing people to wall India will achieve nothing, they should face the political leaders and workers on political turf,” the statement said.

The statement said that state authorities are denying political space to pro-resistance leadership and caging Kashmir youth and their leaders on ‘frivolous’ charges.

Lashing at state administration, the statement said that forces have let lose a “reign of terror” and turned the state into a big jail.

State sponsored tactics won’t deter us from pursuing our mission, nor will these oppressive and aggressive measures make us surrender, the statement said.

“International organizations for human rights must take cognizance of these illegal detentions and should play their role for the release of all detenues,” the statement added. (GNS)

The Islamic State in Jammu and Kashmir (ISJK) has a Pakistani connection, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has said in its chargesheet filed recently in a Jammu court. The agency, however, does not substantiate how it reached the conclusion about the Pakistani identity of the handler of the four ISJK “terrorists” arrested last year.

The NIA filed a chargesheet against four active cadre of the Islamic State in Jammu and Kashmir (ISJK) — Tahir Ahmad Khan, Haris Mushtaq Khan, Asif Suhail Nadaf and Asif Majid — on May 22.

Kashmiri protesters run for cover amid teargas as Indian paramilitary soldiers chase them during a protest against the killing of of Zakir Musa.
Al-Qaeda announces new chief for India-specific wing after death of Zakir Musa

The four were arrested by a Delhi Police team in Srinagar on November 25 last year. The action followed the arrest and interrogation of two men affiliated to the ISJK in the national capital on September 6.

The NIA said Tahir, Haris and Asif Nadaf were active terrorists of IS, “which shows the existence of IS in JK.” The chargesheet identifies Nadaf as a “chronic stone pelter”. Tahir also has criminal cases registered against him. They are accused of lobbing grenades in Srinagar on November 24 last year when they tried to attack a tourist reception centre.

Differing opinions

Various security agencies have so far offered differing perspectives on the presence of Islamic State in J&K. For instance, on June 22 last year, after four terrorists were killed in an encounter in South Kashmir’s Anantnag, Inspector General of Police (Kashmir) S.P. Pani, told The Hindu that those killed were part of a “terrorist gang” only inspired by the IS ideology.

“This terrorist gang is as good as that in Hyderabad or Kerala, they were inspired by the IS. It is not a terrorist group as the infrastructure and hierarchy, the kind of logistical support such groups provide to their members is not there,” Mr. Pani had said.

Now the 28-page chargesheet sets the debate at rest and provides the first official confirmation of the presence of the outfit in Kashmir Valley. According to the NIA the locals acted as over-ground workers and knowingly or unknowingly provided logistics to the ISJK cadres.

It says two of the accused, Tahir and Haris, were in touch with an online entity called Abu Huzefa, “an active cadre of IS based in Afghanistan.” The NIA said Huzefa was a Pakistani but offered few other details. “Online chats of Tahir show he was in touch with Daulat-e-Islamia (DeI) or IS and other militant groups,” NIA said in its chargesheet.

Another suspect Haris, who was active on social media groups also came in touch with Huzefa, the Pakistani entity. “He used to receive IS literature from Huzefa. Haris joined the group after the death [in 2016] of Burhan Wani,” the NIA. said.

Most ISJK members were previously associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen and Hizb-ul Mujahideen.

In 2014, pamphlets appeared in Pakistan’s Peshawar where IS introduced itself as DeI. The pamphlet made an appeal to locals to support its jihad for making Pakistan an Islamic state.

The NIA says “chats revealed his (Tahir) willingness to join IS and that he was a supporter of Zakir Musa, chief of al-Qaeda-affiliate Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind. He was in contact with an online entity @aslutawheed7 on Telegram. The entity asked him to contact Musa’s outfit and convince its cadres to join DeI.”

On May 24 this year, Musa was killed in an encounter at Dadsara in Pulwama.(The Hindu)

Srinagar, Jun 15 : Jammu & Kashmir Right to Information Movement (RTIM) has congratulated Jammu & Kashmir Bank’s Board of Directors especially the Chairman and J&K Government for finally taking a call to bring J&K Bank under the ambit of J&K RTI Act 2009

In a statement issued , Chairman Jammu & Kashmir RTI Movement Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat thanked and appreciated the role of Government especially Chief Secretary in ensuring transparency and accountability in JK Bank by playing a key role in declaring JK Bank a public authority which lead to implementation of RTI Act in the bank.

He also thanked interim Chairman of J&K Bank R K Chibber for deciding in the BoD meeting to implement RTI law in JK Bank in letter and spirit.

“Chief Secretary had already cleared all our doubts regarding JK Bank during the Governor’s press conference. Govt must provide all the support to new management of JK Bank headed by R K Chibber the interim Chairman. We Congratulate Government particularly  CS and JK bank management headed by R K Chibber for taking such a bold decision vis a vis implementing Right to Information Act in JK bank,” said Dr Raja Muzaffar. 

Srinagar, June 15, : Party president who was the chief guest on the occasion visited 51 stalls being erected by booksellers from across the country. Books on various subjects from all across the country have been put on display for the readers, the spokesman said.

Party president in his address said that there was a kind of communal mentality that is spreading malicious propaganda about the Urdu language. “Urdu has never belonged to a particular sect or faith. Urdu is a representative language of Ganga-Jammuni Tahzeeb of India; the language has been watered by both Hindus and Muslims. The existence of Urdu language owes a lot to Munshi Prem Chand and others. The scathing rise of communalism in the country is taking a toll on the language, today we see homogeneity being forced on our country that has always been known for its diversity. This I believe is one of the diminishing factors of Urdu from our day to day lives,” adding “However I take this opportunity to welcome the initiative of NCPUL for coming up with such fairs annually. Events like these provide a window of opportunity for those who have a penchant for Urdu literature. Such festivals and fairs will surely acquaint the new generation about the contemporary happening in the field of Urdu literature.”

Party president on the occasion underscored the need giving equal respect to local languages. “Learning to speak in one’s mother language is very essential for a child’s overall development. Being fluent in other languages helps a child in many ways. However, using local languages as a medium of teaching helps a lot in the cognitive development of a child. Kashmiri languages are known for its richness, particularly for its poetry, maxims and other literary aspects; the need of the hour is to get our new generation acquainted with it. Similarly, the speakers of other languages take equal pride in speaking their languages. It is thus imperative for a government to provide patronage to all the languages of the state,” he said, “the contemporary youth should strive towards getting an education. It is the education that holds the panacea for all the problems.”

Among others, Vice Chancellor University of Kashmir Tallat Ahmad, registrar Nisar Ahmad, Director NCPL Dr Sheikh Nida were also present on the occasion.

Srinagar, Jun 15 : Special sanitation drive and anti encroachment drive was conducted today by SMC at entire stretch of Bye Pass and Sanat Nagar Chowk.

Commissioner SMC Khurshid Ahmed Sanai who personally monitored the drive was accompanied by Chief Enforcement Officer, Chief Sanitation Officer and concerned Ward Officers.

During the drive street vendors and shopkeepers encroaching upon public space by displaying goods outside their shop were removed.

Also the identified spots along the entire stretch of Bypass and around Sanat Nagar Chowk have been well sanitized.