We need to maintain the positive business sentiment: Parvez Ahmed

Srinagar, May 29 : PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry Kashmir (PHDCCI) on Tuesday felicitated J&K Bank Chairman and CEO Parvez Ahmed for steering the Bank out of a tumultuous phase and spurring it to a profit of 464 crore rupees in the financial year 2018-19.

A delegation of the chamber led by Chairman Mushtaq Chaya presented souvenirs to the Chairman to mark the remarkable turnaround of the Bank from a loss of 1632 crores rupees in the financial year 2016-17 to eight consecutive quarters of profitability, thus strengthening further the top and bottom-line of the Bank besides redirecting the flow of credit to the productive sectors of the state economy.The Chairman PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry Kashmir alongwith his team commended the vision of the Chairman to project a profit of 2000 crore rupees by the year 2022.

The delegation that included Co-Chairmen Baldev Singh Raina and Zahoor Ahmad Tramboo extolled the Chairman and his team for mitigating the crisis and steering the Bank out of the red zone in the “quickest possible time” besides concurrently providing employment opportunities to the youth of the state.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chairman acknowledged the unflinching trust of the business community in the brand JK Bank and said,” I feel humbled by the magnanimity, love and affection shown by the members of the Business fraternity today and on earlier occasions.”He emphasized on the necessity to leverage ‘Brand J&K Bank’as an instrument for the overall socio-economic development of the state and beyond. Adding that the trust and faith showed by the people of the state needs to be reciprocated by bringing in a perpetual cycle of prosperity.

“While financing in the state of J&K and beyond, we need to ensure that our objective of ‘Serving to Empower’ is met. Employment generation is to be ensured besides promoting the business community by providing growth capital in a hassle free manner,” he said.      

Reiterating the trust reposed by the people of J&K state in the state’s premier financial institution, the delegation expressed a feeling of pride for being associated with the Bank which, they said, “is the only bank they bank upon” and a buttress to the trade and the business community. They requested the chairman to introduce schemes for the development of sports and medical infrastructure, promotion of education sector as well as poultry and sheep segments on the lines of the famed indigenous Apple Finance Scheme of the Bank.

Assuring unstinted support to the business fraternity, the Chairman enjoined the business community to inculcate a start-up culture and offer maximum support and handholding to the budding entrepreneurs at the inception phases. On behalf of JK Bank, he assured that the Bank will surely be part of the journey of the new entrepreneurs. He urged upon the business community for focussing on development and rejuvenation of the local tourism in view of the huge potential to create employment due to its multiplier effect on the economy. He asserted that positive thinking was the need of the hour and the businesses should diversify yet be cohesive and complement each other.

Other attendees present on the occasion included Chairman Tourism and Golf PHDCCI Vicky Shaw, Chairman FMCG and Taxes Jan Mohd Koul, Chairman Education and Food processing Showkat Choudhary, Chairman Sports Committee Tariq Rashid Ghaani, Co-Chairman Sports Committee Shahana Fatima, Co-Chairman Health and Energy Committee Kaiser Mir, Co-Chairman Young Business Leaders Forum Adnan Shah and Regional Manager J&K Iqbal Fayaz Jan.

Notably, the bank has also established a dedicated resource for the grievance redressal of the trade and business community as a Single Point of Contact (SPOC) in its Corporate Headquarters .

Srinagar, May 29 : The Srinagar administration is putting in place a multidimensional mechanism to tackle encroachments and facilitate easier and methodical retrieval and safeguarding of State and common lands in the district.

This was informed in a meeting of concerned Tehsildars held here Wednesday under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary.

The meeting was informed that the mechanism will include setting up of dedicated task force teams and equipping concerned Revenue officers with required apparatus to deal with the encroachments in an effective and responsive manner.

Concerned officers were instructed to formulate plans to retrieve encroached State land and prevent future encroachments within their respective jurisdictions in an organised and effective manner that leaves little room for such violations in the district.

The plans will guide measures required and how and when these need to be taken to tackle encroachments within the jurisdictions of respective Tehsils. Removal of encroachments from waterbodies of the district will form a special part of the said plans.

The DC while speaking on the occasion said the district administration is drawing up a methodical plan aimed at effective tackling of State land encroachments adding that retrieved land will be handed over to the Srinagar Development Authority for fencing and valuable use thereof.

He also said that strict instructions have been issued for removal of encroachments from all footpaths in the city adding that concerned Tehsildars have been authorised to undertake removals thereof.

The meeting also held discussions on how the district administration can be made more responsive to public grievances.

It was said that grievance redressal cells will be established at all Tehsil headquarters to ensure responsive and prompt redressal of public grievances.

Concerned Tehsildars were also instructed to highlight developmental concerns and requirements of areas falling within their respective jurisdictions in order that genuine requirements can be made available at appropriate times.

VC Srinagar Development Authority, Assistant Commissioner Revenue, Sub Divisional Magistrates East and West, Secretary Lakes & Waterways Development Authority among other concerned officers also attended the meeting.

Srinagar, May 29:  As a convention, Hurriyat Conference (M) has announced that Juma-tul-Vida (last Friday of Ramadan) will be observed as Youm-e-Qudus and Youm-e-Kashmir urging imams and khateebs to raise their voice for the peaceful settlement of the world’s two oldest and lingering disputes—Palestine and Kashmir on this day and press on the international community to play its role towards solution of these disputes.

A Hurriyat (M) spokesperson in a statement issued  said that on the occasion of Youm-e-Qudus and Youm-e-Kashmir, a resolution framed by the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) will be passed in all the masjids, shrines, and Imam Baras of Kashmir so that a fresh message is conveyed to the international community about the need to address the Kashmir  dispute in accordance to the will and aspirations of its people as well as call for an end to “atrocities” being inflicted on the peace-loving people of Kashmir.

The message for the international community in a bid to wake up their conscience on this occasion will also be for seeking the freedom of Baitul-Maqadas (Qibla-e-Awal) and to end the atrocities being committed on the people of Palestine, he said.

Meanwhile, the Hurriyat (M) spokesperson strongly denounced the use of brute force including live bullets and lethal pellets on the peaceful protestors at Muhammadpura, Kulgam where more than 70 youth sustained injuries. Many of them have been hit by pellets in eyes and many battling for life.

He termed the forces’ action against the protestors as ultimate repression, inhuman and highly undemocratic act that deserves all condemnation.

It was because of the unbridled powers given to the government forces that they resorted to indiscriminate use of pellets and live bullets on protestors knowing that they won’t be held accountable, he said.

Meanwhile, the Hurriyat (M) while recalling the gruesome double rape and murder of Asiya and Neolofar of Shopian that took place in May 2009, expressed dismay that even after a decade, the culprits involved in the act continue to remain scot-free as justice continues to be a causality, while as the families of victims were denied any compensation or relief by all the successive regimes. 

The spokesperson also paid glowing tributes to two militants killed in an encounter with government forces in Kokernag, Anantnag on Tuesday.

“There seems to be no end to bloodshed in Kashmir as youth continued to get killed even in this holy month of Ramazan,” he said.

Srinagar: May 29: Paying rich tributes to militants killed in Kulgam and Kukarnag encounters, Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani on Wednesday said that “everyday our youth are sacrificing their precious lives for the sacred cause of freedom from Indian clutches, making all of us duty bound to safeguard these sacrifices with utmost commitment and dedication”.

“India is suffering from arrogance of power and has tried its best to muzzle our voice but has utterly failed to do so, and its military might or brutality can never deter us from achieving our much cherished goal of right to self-determination,” Hurriyat (G) chairman said in a statement issued.

He said that situation in the valley is worsening with each passing day and that Indian authorities rely on their military might to suppress people’s aspirations and muzzle their legitimate demand for right to self-determination. 

Geelani regretted that “the stubborn attitude of India regarding this globally accepted political dispute and adoption of any military solution can bring in its wake widespread death and destruction in the whole subcontinent and make vulnerable peace and harmony of the whole region as well”.

He said that with the resolution of this issue a new era of peace, stability and development will prevail not only in Indo-Pak subcontinent but in whole South Asia.

Meanwhile, a Hurriyat (G) spokesperson has condemned the government forces for “letting loose a reign of terror” against people.

“Use of brute force has become a routine matter. Frequent search operations are conducted to display military might and suppress the common people to keep them under a permanent fear psychosis,” he said in the statement.

“On the basis of information received by the Hurriyat Office, hundreds of common masses hailing from Kulgam, Kokernag, Soibugh Budgam, Sopore, Pulwama and other areas have been critically injured, ruthlessly beaten and taken into custody on flimsy and baseless grounds,” the spokesperson said.

He cited the example of Shehnawaz, “who is not affiliated with any organization, has been incarcerated and lodged in Kathua jail. The said person is a civilian and father of 3 kids. Fayaz Ahmad of Soibugh Budgam is striving between life and death at Soura hospital”.

Similarly hundreds of youth including the teenaged students get showers of bullets and pellets without any provocation, Hurriyat (G) said.

Srinagar, May 29 :  Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President Dr. Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday asserted that the secular visage of the country was reeling under the threat from the surge of communalism in the country, saying that need of the hour calls for making collective efforts for the protection of religious freedom and rule of law in the country.

Addressing various delegations, individuals who had called on him to express their greetings on the massive win of the party he said, “The spur in the targeted attacks on the Muslims at various places across north India is just painful.  The rise of the communalism in India has to be countered by all the right-thinking secular parties of the country.  The fascist syndrome of communal strife if allowed to grow unchecked will eventually munch the very secular fabric of our society, which otherwise has been known for tolerance. The strife of communal hatred is one of the biggest challenges for our society. It is for the new government to decide if they want to let the mammoth of communalism grow unhindered. The idea of development is impossible if 25 Cr Muslims are not a part of that story of that development.”

He further added, “Government cannot think of taking the country forward without taking along the Muslims. Now we get to see Muslims men and women being attacked by unruly mobs across the country. The other day we saw how a Muslim boy was thrashed for wearing a skull cap, is this idea of India that was envisaged by the makers of our constitution. The biggest challenge ahead of the central government would be to stop such incidents from recurring again.”

Addressing a delegation of women workers and functionaries led by party’s Women wing president Shameema Firdous, party president on the occasion Dr. Farooq said, “The plight of girls remain an utmost concern.  However, education is the key to reducing discrimination against girls. Gender inequality is a multifaceted issue. The need of the hour is to do away with the gender assumptions by educating society. It was National Conference that started the idea of co-schooling in the state of Jammu and Kashmir besides giving gender neutral voting rights to the people. Under the dynamic leadership of Omar sahib the forthcoming state government will work on numerous issues affecting girl child including Nutrition, Security, Lawful rights, and education.”

Among others Muhammad Shafi Uri, Mian Altaf,  Janak Sigh Sodhi, Ex-MLC Syed Rafiq Shah and others called on party president and congratulated him on the massive win of the party from all the three seats of the party. Party treasurer Shammi Oberoi was also present.

Meanwhile a meet of party functionaries, block presidents and constituency in-charges was held at party headquarters Nawa- e- Subha, Srinagar on Tuesday evening. The party had also organized Iftaar on the occasion.  

While extolling party functionaries for their hard work, party president said, “The spectacular verdict in favor of the NC from all the parliament seats of the Kashmir division is suggestive of the fact that the people of Kashmir have made their mind to route such forces from the state as are inimical to the integrity and identity of state.

The support that people have reposed in us is suggestive of the fact that people are yearning to see a party in power that could work for the protection of the state’s special character and put the state back on the path of development and prosperity. The results that elections have thrown up are reflective of the fact that people are the better judges of the disposition of all political out fits. People remember the struggle and sacrifice our party has rendered from time to time in upholding the dignity of the people of state.”

Exuding confidence into the party workers and functionaries he said, “The impressive win that the party has been able to achieve is an outcome of the collective effort of our party men. I congratulate you all; however there is no need to be complicit. The momentum and the fervor have to maintain until the party wins the final battle ahead of us. The scope of the work ahead of us is very immense, on one hand we have to make amends to the wrongs committed by former BJP-PDP government and on the other we have to put up a strong front against the forces as are contriving hard to destroy our identity.  I am sure that with the active support of people the party will be able to achieve all the anticipated goals.”

Baramulla, May 29: Deputy Commissioner Baramulla Dr G.N.Itoo today convened a joint meeting of the concerned officers and representatives of various trade associations, during which the arrangements put in place for the smooth celebration of jamat-ul-vida, shab-i-Qadr and Eid-ul-Fitr, were finalized. The meeting discussed various issues with regard to providing all the essential services to the people during these holy days of Ramadan and Eid.

The meeting was attended by SSP Baramulla, President Municipal Council Baramulla, president Traders Federation and the officers of concerned departments including PHE, PDD, FCS&CA, Health, MVD, Revenue, Metrology etc.

Threadbare discussion was held on the sanitation, drinking water, power supply, market rates and other issues during the meeting.

The Deputy Commissioner on the occasion directed the concerned officers to give special attention towards the sanitation and ensure that all the Eidgahs and Jamia Masques are cleaned in and outside. He also issued directions for uninterrupted power and water supply particularly during the said days. The Deputy Commissioner stressed for intensifying market checking across the district to curb the menace of hoarding and black marketing.

The SSP during the meeting assured that fool proof security arrangements will be made in the district so that these holly days can be observed in a peaceful manner.

President Auqaf Islamia and president Traders Federation expressed their satisfaction over the power supply and said that the power supply remained satisfactory during Ramadan particularly at Sehri and Iftar time, for which they thanked the Deputy Commissioner. They also demanded that the water supply should also be improved in the district so that the people will not face difficulties.

Umer Rashid

Srinagar, May 29 : A civilian was shot dead by government forces during clashes amid cordon-and-search operation at Gugloora area of Pinjura in south Kashmir’s Shopian district.

Reports reaching said that a joint team of army’s 44 RR, SOG and CRPF laid a siege at Gugloora area of Pinjura. Soon after the cordon, the clashes ensued as youth pelted stones on the government forces. The joint team of police, CRPF and army used tear smoke shells, pellets and live ammunition to disperse the protesters, resulting in injuries to several youths.

Among the injured, three bullet wounded were taken to district hospital Shopian where one among them namely Sajad Ahmad Parray son of Ali Mohammad Parray of Buderhama was declared brought dead on arrival.

A police officer also confirmed the death of the youth and said that the investigations have been launched into it.

He said that the search operation is still underway in the area. (GNS)