Jammu ,Mar 29 : Lt Gen. Ranbir Singh, Northern Army Commander, met Governor Satya Pal Malik at Raj Bhavan here today and briefed him about the present security situation in the State.
Governor and the Army Commander discussed certain important issues relating to effective internal security management.
Srinagar, Mar 28 : Peoples Conference Chairman Sajad Gani Lone today while castigating Omar Abdullah’s statement to not allow NIA intimidate Kashmiris said that the agency was created by NC’s alliance partner when Dr. Abdullah was a member of the cabinet.
While responding to question on Omar Abdullah’s statement that he will not allow NIA to intimidate Kashmiris, Sajad said that “I am amazed how Omar Abdullah lies through his teeth. The NIA as an institution was created by the Congress when the NC & Congress was in alliance and Dr. Farooq Abdullah was the member of the Cabinet. I don’t remember even a single statement issued by Dr. Farooq Abdullah or Omar Abdullah, who was at that time the Chief Minister, voicing concern about the sweeping powers given to NIA.”
Sajad further said that “Omar Abdullah needs to tell us, is he powerful enough to stop intimidation or is he powerless. If he is indeed so powerful, then why did he not use those powers in the past? He could have used his powers to stop Afzal Guru’s hanging or at least get his body back to Kashmir. Why did Dr. Farooq Abdullah not use his powers to stop Maqbool Bhat’s hanging? If they are powerless then they are lying through their teeth and if they are powerful then they are not utilizing their powers and allowing executions and all sorts of atrocities on the Kashmiris.
Meanwhile more than 250 political workers from NC & PD joined Peoples Conference in presence of Chairman Sajad Gani Lone, General Secretary Imran Reza Ansari. Among those who joined the party include former PDP Youth Distt President Budgam Aftab Ahmed Mir, prominent NC leader from Budgam Choudhary Riyaz Badana, member of Gurduwara Prabhandak Committee Budgam Sardar Parvinder Singh, Altaf Ahmed Khan and Shah Ali Mohammed.
Jammu, March 29: Prof. Mehraj-ud-Din Mir, Vice Chancellor, Central University of Kashmir, called on Governor Satya Pal Malik, at the Raj Bhavan here today.
Prof. Mir informed Governor about the ongoing research and academic programmes in the University and the other challenges relating to the rapid growth of this institution.
Governor emphasised the crucial importance of Universities being the Centres of excellence in teaching and learning.
SRINAGAR, MARCH 29: Office of the Programme Officer ICDS Srinagar Friday organised an awareness camp as part of the Beti Bachao Beti Padao programme at the Social Welfare office at Miskeen Bagh here.
The camp which marked the end of the BBBP week aimed at creating awareness about the need to promote empowerment of girls and reinforce gender equality was held under the supervision of the Programme Officer ICDS Srinagar KK Sidha.
It included a special awareness session on the female personal hygiene wherein women were offered information on maintaining personal hygiene and its importance.
Speaking on the occasion, the Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar Dr. Shahid Iqbal Choudhary said the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao is an important initiative which emphasises the need and the importance of doing more for the empowerment of women.
He praised KK Sidha for his sustained efforts aimed at empowerment of women in need in the district and assured him of all possible support in all efforts aimed at empowerment of and equal opportunities for women.
The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao programme launched nationally in January 2015 is aimed at promoting gender equality and the significance of educating girls. It is targeted at improving the child sex ratio through multi sectoral interventions.
Srinagar, Mar 29 : The Irrigation and Flood Division Baramulla has come under scanner for failing to prove if it has purchased machinery against an amount of Rs 1.5 crore released in favour of the division ten years ago.
According to official sources and documents lying with news agency, the Irrigation Division Handwara in 2009 had released Rs 1.5 Cr in first phase and then in second phase Rs 15 lacs to Irrigation and Flood Division Baramulla for purchasing machinery.
“The machines included two tippers, two JCBs, one trailer truck and one pokland. For the purchase of these machines an amount of Rs 1.5 Crore and Rs 15 lacs were released in favour of Irrigation and Flood Division Baramulla respectively,” reveal the documents.
Now 10 years later, there is no clue about the money and whether the machines were purchased. Since 2009 to till date, around two dozen letters have been sent to Irrigation and Flood Division Baramulla, but there is no reply to any letter.
Even the letter from the office of Chief Engineer Flood Control 11280407 dated 3-3-2017, has been not answered by the officials at the Baramulla Irrigation division. Similarly, several other letters bearing numbers 0104 dated 3-4-2017, DP/2358-62 dated 30-10-2018, DP/11280407 dated 3-3-2017. All these letters asking the Irrigation & Flood Div Baramulla to explain its position about the money and purchase of vehicles, but so far there has been no such reply.
“Provide the machines that have been purchased against the money released into your account,” reads one letter sent to the Irrigation & Flood Div Baramulla from Irrigation Div Handwara.
Official sources told KNS that major part of the money has been swindled and other part of the money has been shown spent in maintenance, fuel and repairing off some machines.
When contacted Executive Engineer Baramulla Division, Mohd Ismail failed to provide any “convincing answer” and just beat about the bush.
Meanwhile, Civil Society north Kashmir has filed a RTI in this regard seeking all details regarding the issue since 2009. (KNS)
Srinagar: Scores of Pakistani wives of Kashmiri ex-militants on Friday held a protest demonstration in Srinagar demanding citizenship rights and travel documents from the state government.
They urged both India and Pakistan governments to intervene so that they can meet their families in Pakistan administered Kashmir.
The protesting wives had returned to Valley with their husbands after the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced rehabilitation programme for surrendered in 2010.
Zeba, one of the wife of ex-milltant said that she got married to Abdul Rashid Khan in 2003 in Pakistan . After the Chief minister of state Omar Abdullah announced the rehabilitation programme we returned to Kashmir in 2012.
“We are requesting the government to provide us proper travel documents so that we can visit our family members and relatives in Pakistan,” she added.
Via Kashmir Reader
Srinagar, March 29: An overnight blaze gutted a building of administrative block of Amar Singh College at Gogjibagh area here .
Reports reaching news agency said that the fire erupted at around 2:00 am from the building of Admission section of the Administrative Block.
In the mishap, the entire documents inside the building were destroyed completely, they said.
An official said that the fire was brought under control by the sleuths of Fire and Emergency Department.
Meanwhile, two class rooms of a primary school besides laboratory items and other equipments were damaged in a mysterious fire incident last night at Gori Mohalla, Walkul in Sogam, Lolab area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.
An official also confirmed the incident and said that the two class rooms of Upper Primary School Gori Mohalla Walkul were gutted along with the laboratory items and other equipments.
A police officer told news agency that in both the fire incidents, investigations have been initiated to ascertain the cause of fire. (GNS)
Srinagar, March 29 : An army soldier died on late Thursday after he slipped and rolled down into a deep gorge in upper reaches of Boniyar sector of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
A police official told GNS that the soldier namely Naik Parvez Ahmad of 5 Grenadiers was part of patrolling party late last evening when he slipped and rolled down down into a gorge at Turna area of Boniyar along Line of Control (LoC).
In the incident, Parvez, a resident of Rajasthan sustained serious injuries and was immediately shifted to nearby hospital in unconscious state.
However, doctors present there declared him brought dead on arrival. (GNS)
Srinagar
State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) Thursday issued a notice to civil and Police administration in connection shifting of a preacher and Jamiat-Al-Hadees Vice President Moulvi Mushtaq Veeri under Public Safety Act (PSA) in Jammu jail.
Veeri was arrested on February 23 from his residence after a crackdown on separatist leaders and Jamaat-e-Islami. He was lodged in Bijbehara police station and was later shifted to district jail in Mattan of Anantnag district. Later, on March 15, he was booked under Public Safety Act (PSA) and shifted to Jammu Jail.
Member of the Commission Dilshada Shaheen directed the Commissioner Secretary Home department and Director General of Police (DGP) to file their response in four weeks with regard to the case.
The directions came in the backdrop of a petition filed by Chairman of International Forum of Justice (IFJ) Ahsan Untoo.
The petitioner informed the Commission that some days back Mushtaq Ahmad Veeri was arrested by the concerned police station and was lodged at the local police station for a number of days which hurt the sentiments of people in general and lodged their strong protest against these raids.
“Veeri is a religious scholar and was not committed any kind of offence what so ever and by arresting a religious scholar is interference of religion and also violated the fundamental of the Indian constitution. The detention order violated the freedom of speech which is guaranteed under the constitution to every citizen,” reads the petition filed before SHRC.
The petitioner also said that it is an international as well as law of land that whenever any person is detained under any preventive detention, he/she shall be kept in a jail which is near to his/her house.
In a complaint, it was also stated that “Despite Supreme Court guidelines the respondents violated all the laws and shift the detenue from Srinagar to Jammu.”
“It is commonly observed by the conscious people that quite long time state is adopted a policy whenever any person raises question on the wrong policies of the state, state actors immediately arrested him and suppress the voice, so that no one will be allowed to raise any question against the state wrong policies, which is against the basic principles of the democracy,” reads a petition.
Srinagar
In an advisory issued by Srinagar police, the general public is requested not to go near the Suthoo Kalan encounter site as it is being sanitized and cleared by Bomb Disposal (BD) squad of J&K Police, the police spokesman said.
He said that entering in such an area can prove dangerous due to uncleared explosive materials. People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is properly checked/cleared by the SF’s/police of all the explosive materials.
Earlier two militants were killed and five army men were injured during a gunfight in Suthoo Kalan today early morning.