- تھنہ منڈی راجوری میں کھدائی کے دوران بغیر دھڑ انسانی سر ملنے سے سنسنی پھیل گئی ہے۔ پولیس نے جائے وقوعہ کا جائیزہ لینے کے بعد سرکو نزدیکی قبرستان میں دفن کرنے کی اجازت دیدی۔ تفصیلات کے مطابق گورئمنٹ گرلز ہائیر سکینڈری اسکول تھنہ منڈی میں مشتاق احمد شاہ نامی مقامی ٹھیکہ دار عمارت کے بائیں طرف کھدائی کروارہا تھا۔ اسی دوران وہاں سے ایک انسانی کھوپڑی برآمد ہونے پر مزدوروں میں سراسمیگی پھیل گئی۔ انسانی کھوپڑی اگر چہ پرانی لگتی تھی لیکن کئی ایسے نشانات بھی پائے گئے۔ جن سے محسوس ہوتا تھا کہ کھوپڑی کو کچھ عرصہ پہلے ہی یہاں دفن کیا گیا۔ تاہم کھدائی کی دوران باقی دھڑ برآمد نہیں ہوا۔ ایس ایچ او تھنہ منڈی نے کہا کہ پولیس نے جائے وقوعہ کا جائیزہ لینے کے بعد کھوپڑی کو نزدیکی قبرستان میں دفن کروالیا اور پولیس یہ کھوج لگا رہی ہے کہ کھوپڑی جہاں سے بر آمد ہوئی ہے وہ کہیں قبرستان کا حصہ تو نہیں ہے۔ ادھر مقامی لوگ انسانی کھوپڑی بر آمد ہونے پر طرح طرح کی قیاس آرائیاں کر رہے ہیں۔
Sunday, February 28, 2010
راجوری:کھدائی کے دوران انسانی سر برآمد
وادی ٔ کشمیر شرح نا خواندگی میں اضافہ:سروے
Monday, March 1st, 2010
وادی کشمیر میں ہر گذرتے سال کے ساتھ خواند گی کی شرح گھٹتی جا رہی ہے۔ ناخواندگی کی بڑھتی شرح کیلئے ذمہ دار کون، سرکار، علحیدگی پسند یا غربت ؟ عوامی حلقوں کا سوال۔ واضح رہے شرح خواندگی کے حوالے سے پورے ملک میں وادی کشمیر کا شمار پہلے 10 خطوں میں آٹھویں نمبر پر کیا جاتا تھا۔ تاہم حالیہ سروے کے مطابق وادی کشمیر کا شمار پہلے 25 خطوںمیں کہیں بھی نظر نہیں آرہا ہے۔ اس حوالے سے دستیاب تفصیلات کے مطابق وادی کشمیر میں ہر تین افراد میں سے ایک فرد ناخواندہ ہے اور پورے کشمیر میں مجموعی طور پر ناخواندہ افراد کی تعداد 32 لاکھ سے زیادہ ہے اُدھر جموں و کشمیر میں اب بھی 5412 سکول کرایہ کی عمارتوں میں قائم ہیں گوکہ ریاست میں تعلیم کو عام بنانے اور ان پڑھ لوگوں کی تعداد میں کمی لانے کی کوششوں میں سرکاری اعداد وشمار کافی اطمینان بخش ہیں، لیکن حقیقت میں یہاں ناخواندگی کی شرح 34 اعشاریہ 33 فیصد ہے۔ بارہمولہ ضلع ناخواندگی کی شرح میں سر فہرست ہے ۔اطلاعات کے مطابق ڈائیریکٹوریٹ اینڈ اسٹیٹکس(DES) نے حال ہی میں کشمیر میں اس حوالے سے سروے رپورٹ تیار کی ہے، رپورٹ کے مطابق سروے کے دائیرے میں ریاست جموں وکشمیر میں 7 سال سے اُوپر کے تقریباً 94 لاکھ افراد کو لایا گیا۔ ان میں 62 لاکھ افراد کو ناخواندہ پایا گیا۔ جبکہ تعلیم یافتہ افراد کی تعداد 32 لاکھ 22 ہزار پائی گئی۔ عام شہریوں کا خیال یہ ہے کہ جموں و کشمیر میں تعلیمی نظام انتہائی ابتر ہے اور اس بدانتظامی کا اثر یہاں کے لاکھوں نوجوانوں کے مُستقبل کو تاریک بنا رہا ہے۔ سرکاری تعلیمی اداروں میں طوائف الملوکی کااندازہ اس بات سے لگایا جارہا ہے کہ سن2007 میں 23 سرکاری سکولوں میں دسویں کلاس کا نتیجہ صفر فیصدی رہا۔ جبکہ سن 2008 میں 49 سرکاری سکولوں میں دسویں جماعت کا کوئی بھی اُمیدوار کامیابی حاصل نہیں کرسکا۔ اس کے علاوہ سن 2009 میں بھی 34 سکولوں کی کارکردگی انتہائی مایوس کُن رہی اور ان سکولوں کا کوئی بھی اُمیدوار دسویںجماعت کے امتحان میں کامیاب قرار نہیں دیا گیا ۔ اس صورتحال کا ایک تشویشناک پہلو یہ بھی ہے کہ ان سکولوں میں شرمناک کارکردگی کا مظاہرہ کرنے والی سکول انتظامیہ اور درسی عملہ سے کوئی باز پرُس نہیں کی گئی بلکہ اُنھیں معمول کے مطابق ترقیوں سے نوازا گیا حالانکہ وزیر تعلیم پیر محمد سعید نے کئی بار یہ اعلان کیا کہ اساتذہ کو اُن کی کارکردگی کی بنیاد پر بھی ترقیوں سے نوازا جائے گا لیکن وزیر تعلیم مصلحتوں میں اُلجھ کر اس اعلان پر عملدرامد نہ کرسکے۔ اس طرح اساتذہ کی ایک بڑی تعداد مجرمانہ فرض ناشناس کی مرتکب ہورہی
ہے۔ سکولوں کی ناقص کارکردگی کے سلسلے میں محکمہ تعلیم کو بھی بری الذمہ قرار نہیں دیا جاسکتا، کیونکہ امتحانات کے نتائیج کا اعلان کرنے والے بورڈوں کی غیر اطمینان بخش کارکردگی بھی طلباء کے مسُتقبل کو تاریکیوں میں دھکیل رہی ہے ایک طرف جہاں مختلف کلاسوں کے امتحانات وقت پر نہیںلئے جاتے وہاں نتائیج میں بھی مہینوں کی تاخیر ہوجاتی ہے۔ ریاست جموں وکشمیر میں سروسکھشا ابھیان کے تحت ہزاروں کی تعدادمیں سکول اور کالج کھولے گئے لیکن ان میں 25 فیصد اداروں کے پاس اپنی کوئی عمارت ہے ہی نہیں، اس طرح اب ایسے سکولوں کی تعداد 5412 ہے جو کہ کرایہ کی عمارتوں میں قائیم ہیں۔ ریاست خصوصاً وادی کشمیر میں تعلیمی نظام کی بدحالی کا براہ راست منفی اثر یہاں کے تعلیمی رحجان پر پڑ رہا ہے جس سے ناخواندگی میں مسلسل اضافہ ہوتا جارہا ہے۔عوامی حلقے پریشان ہیں کہ ریاست بالخصوص وادی کشمیر میں تعلیمی پسماندگی کیلئے سرکار ذمہ دار ہے، یا علحیدگی پسند رہنما ۔مجموعی طور شرح تعلیم سے متعلق اعداد وشمار چونکا دینے والے ہیں اور ہر ذی ہوش کا فکرمند ہونا لازمی ہے۔
وادی کشمیر میں ہر گذرتے سال کے ساتھ خواند گی کی شرح گھٹتی جا رہی ہے۔ ناخواندگی کی بڑھتی شرح کیلئے ذمہ دار کون، سرکار، علحیدگی پسند یا غربت ؟ عوامی حلقوں کا سوال۔ واضح رہے شرح خواندگی کے حوالے سے پورے ملک میں وادی کشمیر کا شمار پہلے 10 خطوں میں آٹھویں نمبر پر کیا جاتا تھا۔ تاہم حالیہ سروے کے مطابق وادی کشمیر کا شمار پہلے 25 خطوںمیں کہیں بھی نظر نہیں آرہا ہے۔ اس حوالے سے دستیاب تفصیلات کے مطابق وادی کشمیر میں ہر تین افراد میں سے ایک فرد ناخواندہ ہے اور پورے کشمیر میں مجموعی طور پر ناخواندہ افراد کی تعداد 32 لاکھ سے زیادہ ہے اُدھر جموں و کشمیر میں اب بھی 5412 سکول کرایہ کی عمارتوں میں قائم ہیں گوکہ ریاست میں تعلیم کو عام بنانے اور ان پڑھ لوگوں کی تعداد میں کمی لانے کی کوششوں میں سرکاری اعداد وشمار کافی اطمینان بخش ہیں، لیکن حقیقت میں یہاں ناخواندگی کی شرح 34 اعشاریہ 33 فیصد ہے۔ بارہمولہ ضلع ناخواندگی کی شرح میں سر فہرست ہے ۔اطلاعات کے مطابق ڈائیریکٹوریٹ اینڈ اسٹیٹکس(DES) نے حال ہی میں کشمیر میں اس حوالے سے سروے رپورٹ تیار کی ہے، رپورٹ کے مطابق سروے کے دائیرے میں ریاست جموں وکشمیر میں 7 سال سے اُوپر کے تقریباً 94 لاکھ افراد کو لایا گیا۔ ان میں 62 لاکھ افراد کو ناخواندہ پایا گیا۔ جبکہ تعلیم یافتہ افراد کی تعداد 32 لاکھ 22 ہزار پائی گئی۔ عام شہریوں کا خیال یہ ہے کہ جموں و کشمیر میں تعلیمی نظام انتہائی ابتر ہے اور اس بدانتظامی کا اثر یہاں کے لاکھوں نوجوانوں کے مُستقبل کو تاریک بنا رہا ہے۔ سرکاری تعلیمی اداروں میں طوائف الملوکی کااندازہ اس بات سے لگایا جارہا ہے کہ سن2007 میں 23 سرکاری سکولوں میں دسویں کلاس کا نتیجہ صفر فیصدی رہا۔ جبکہ سن 2008 میں 49 سرکاری سکولوں میں دسویں جماعت کا کوئی بھی اُمیدوار کامیابی حاصل نہیں کرسکا۔ اس کے علاوہ سن 2009 میں بھی 34 سکولوں کی کارکردگی انتہائی مایوس کُن رہی اور ان سکولوں کا کوئی بھی اُمیدوار دسویںجماعت کے امتحان میں کامیاب قرار نہیں دیا گیا ۔ اس صورتحال کا ایک تشویشناک پہلو یہ بھی ہے کہ ان سکولوں میں شرمناک کارکردگی کا مظاہرہ کرنے والی سکول انتظامیہ اور درسی عملہ سے کوئی باز پرُس نہیں کی گئی بلکہ اُنھیں معمول کے مطابق ترقیوں سے نوازا گیا حالانکہ وزیر تعلیم پیر محمد سعید نے کئی بار یہ اعلان کیا کہ اساتذہ کو اُن کی کارکردگی کی بنیاد پر بھی ترقیوں سے نوازا جائے گا لیکن وزیر تعلیم مصلحتوں میں اُلجھ کر اس اعلان پر عملدرامد نہ کرسکے۔ اس طرح اساتذہ کی ایک بڑی تعداد مجرمانہ فرض ناشناس کی مرتکب ہورہی
ہے۔ سکولوں کی ناقص کارکردگی کے سلسلے میں محکمہ تعلیم کو بھی بری الذمہ قرار نہیں دیا جاسکتا، کیونکہ امتحانات کے نتائیج کا اعلان کرنے والے بورڈوں کی غیر اطمینان بخش کارکردگی بھی طلباء کے مسُتقبل کو تاریکیوں میں دھکیل رہی ہے ایک طرف جہاں مختلف کلاسوں کے امتحانات وقت پر نہیںلئے جاتے وہاں نتائیج میں بھی مہینوں کی تاخیر ہوجاتی ہے۔ ریاست جموں وکشمیر میں سروسکھشا ابھیان کے تحت ہزاروں کی تعدادمیں سکول اور کالج کھولے گئے لیکن ان میں 25 فیصد اداروں کے پاس اپنی کوئی عمارت ہے ہی نہیں، اس طرح اب ایسے سکولوں کی تعداد 5412 ہے جو کہ کرایہ کی عمارتوں میں قائیم ہیں۔ ریاست خصوصاً وادی کشمیر میں تعلیمی نظام کی بدحالی کا براہ راست منفی اثر یہاں کے تعلیمی رحجان پر پڑ رہا ہے جس سے ناخواندگی میں مسلسل اضافہ ہوتا جارہا ہے۔عوامی حلقے پریشان ہیں کہ ریاست بالخصوص وادی کشمیر میں تعلیمی پسماندگی کیلئے سرکار ذمہ دار ہے، یا علحیدگی پسند رہنما ۔مجموعی طور شرح تعلیم سے متعلق اعداد وشمار چونکا دینے والے ہیں اور ہر ذی ہوش کا فکرمند ہونا لازمی ہے۔
Friday, February 26, 2010
ریاست میں 5لاکھ رجسٹرڈ بے روزگار
سرینگر//ریاست کے 5 لاکھ 67385 پڑھے لکھے بے روز گار نوجوانوں نے دسمبر 2009 کے اختتام تک مختلف ضلع ہیڈ کوارٹروں کے مختلف ایمپلائمنٹ ایکسچینجوں پر اپنی رجسٹریشن مکمل کر لی ہے جبکہ اسی عرصے کے دوران 27069 ٹیکنوکریٹس نے بھی ایمپلائمنٹ ایکسچینجوں پر اپنے ناموں کا اندراج کیا ہے۔ تفصیلات کے مطابق ان باتوں کی جانکاری لیبر اینڈ ایمپلائمنٹ کے وزیر نے ریاستی اسمبلی میں پی ڈی پی کے ممبر اسمبلی شانگس پیرزادہ منصور حسین کے سوال کے جواب میں تحریری طور پر ایوان میں دی ۔ وزیر کی طرف سے تحریری جواب میں کہا گیا ہے کہ گزشتہ سال کے اختتام تک مختلف ضلع ہیڈ کوارٹروں کے ایمپلائمنٹ ایکسچینجوں میں 5 لاکھ 67385 پڑھے لکھے بے روز گار نوجوانوں نے اپنی رجسٹریشن مکمل کر لی ہے جبکہ اسی عرصے کے دوران 27069 ٹیکنوکریٹوں نے بھی اپنی رجسٹریشن کرائی ہے۔ تحریر ی جواب میں وزیر نے کہا کہ اسوقت ریاست میں بے روز گار ٹیکنوکریٹس کی تعداد 27069 ، ایگریکلچر گریجویٹس کی تعداد 569، ایگریکلچر پوسٹ گریجویٹس کی تعداد 306 اور دیگر بے روز گاروں کی تعداد 26194 ہے۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ حکومت کی طرف سے حال ہی میں ریاست کے پڑھے لکھے بے روز گاروں کےلئے ایک روز گار پالیسی شیر کشمیر ایمپلائمنٹ ویلفیئر پروگرام کے نام سے متعارف کی گئی ہے جس میں حکومت بے روز گارنوجوانوں کو بے روزگاری وظیفہ اور ماہانہ کام فراہم کرے گی۔ وزیر نے کہا ہے کہ یہ پروگرام ان بے روز گار نوجوانوں کےلئے ہے جنہوں نے 10 ویں جماعت پاس یا اس سے زیادہ تعلیم حاصل کی ہے اور اس ایمپلائمنٹ اسکیم پر رواں سال کے اپریل مہینے سے کام شروع کیا جائےگا۔
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
14033 killed in last 8 years: JKCCS
India responded transition to non-violence with brute force
Srinagar: Claiming that more than 14,000 people have lost their lives in Jammu and Kashmir from January 2002 to December 2009, the Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Societies (JKCCS), Tuesday said that transition to non-violence by Kashmir was disregarded and met with brute force by New Delhi. A report titled “Peace and Processes of Violence: An Observation on Situation in Jammu and Kashmir from 2002 to 2009” giving details about killings, disappearances, suicides, fratricides, etc. in Jammu & Kashmir was released here on Tuesday by JKCCS. “From January 2002 to December 2009 around 14,033 people lost their lives which depict Jammu and Kashmir more as a war zone. These people include militants, troopers, civilians, political activists and others,” the report said. As per report 3404 civilians, 7504 militants (claimed by government), 2451 troopers and 674 others were killed in Kashmir from 2002 to 2009. “According to media reports there were 225 custodial killings and 360 persons were subjected to enforced disappearances from 2002 to 2009,” the report claims. The report also says that government ordered 140 probes on different cases of human rights abuses from 2002 to 2009. “Out of which only 16 enquiries have been concluded. In just one case an army personnel who was accused of rape has been punished for misbehavior and sent to 1 year rigorous imprisonment,” it said.“From 2004 to 2009, 157 troopers committed suicide while as 55 personnel were killed in fratricidal incidents”, quoting newspapers the report said adding that “From the available data for the year 2008 and 2009, mysterious killings by unidentified gunmen have resulted in the killings of 47 persons in 2008 and 26 people in 2009.” The report also makes mention of the children killed in the period. Since January 2002 to December 2009, the conflict has consumed the lives of 258 children (under the age of 18). In the first two months of 2010, 3 boys, Inayat Khan of Dalgate, Wamiq Farooq of Rainawari and Zahid Farooq of Brein Nishat have become prey to the indiscriminate use of violence. The report which deplores the want of any impact of peace process, between India and Pakistan, on the ground situation in Jammu and Kashmir says that Kashmir residents looked continuously besieged within the uncertainties of long-drawn conflict. “The situation on ground presents an image that runs contrary to impressions of normalcy created by the superficial discourses of peace,” it said. “The initiation of the peace process should have with time factored in the ground itself with the cessation of hostilities from all sides coupled with respectful and meaningful engagement with the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” it said. The report says that instead of being people-centric, the peace process has remained state-centric. “The process itself was privileged over the peace which clearly reveals its outlook as State-centric rather than people-centric in its intent and approach,” it stated. “Unfortunately, 6588 people were killed from January 2004 to November 2008 (till the attacks in Mumbai), the period during which both the states trumpeted peace process”, the report reads.The report which presents the data collected JKCCS from 2002 to 2009 is based on the daily reportage in newspapers published from Jammu and Kashmir. The report apprehends that there might be killings which were not reported. “All these newspapers are primarily fed by the reports of daily killing by the Jammu and Kashmir Police department,” the report mentions, adding that “there might be killings which are not shared with journalists in official records and may have remained unreported.” The report hints that a false impression of normalcy was created by media hype to cover the unabated conflict. Just a cursory glance at the graph of killings demonstrates a real quantitative decline that registers the fact that an attempt at creating an enabling atmosphere was made that could have carried forward the media-hyped processes of peace.The 27 page report also censures India for not responding appropriately to Kashmir’s transition from violence to non-violence. “Transition to non-violence, as the data of civilian killings (and bullet injuries) of last two years suggests, has been disregarded by the Indian state and met with brutal response, which is also reflective of the state’s approach towards conflict transformation.”
Srinagar: Claiming that more than 14,000 people have lost their lives in Jammu and Kashmir from January 2002 to December 2009, the Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Societies (JKCCS), Tuesday said that transition to non-violence by Kashmir was disregarded and met with brute force by New Delhi. A report titled “Peace and Processes of Violence: An Observation on Situation in Jammu and Kashmir from 2002 to 2009” giving details about killings, disappearances, suicides, fratricides, etc. in Jammu & Kashmir was released here on Tuesday by JKCCS. “From January 2002 to December 2009 around 14,033 people lost their lives which depict Jammu and Kashmir more as a war zone. These people include militants, troopers, civilians, political activists and others,” the report said. As per report 3404 civilians, 7504 militants (claimed by government), 2451 troopers and 674 others were killed in Kashmir from 2002 to 2009. “According to media reports there were 225 custodial killings and 360 persons were subjected to enforced disappearances from 2002 to 2009,” the report claims. The report also says that government ordered 140 probes on different cases of human rights abuses from 2002 to 2009. “Out of which only 16 enquiries have been concluded. In just one case an army personnel who was accused of rape has been punished for misbehavior and sent to 1 year rigorous imprisonment,” it said.“From 2004 to 2009, 157 troopers committed suicide while as 55 personnel were killed in fratricidal incidents”, quoting newspapers the report said adding that “From the available data for the year 2008 and 2009, mysterious killings by unidentified gunmen have resulted in the killings of 47 persons in 2008 and 26 people in 2009.” The report also makes mention of the children killed in the period. Since January 2002 to December 2009, the conflict has consumed the lives of 258 children (under the age of 18). In the first two months of 2010, 3 boys, Inayat Khan of Dalgate, Wamiq Farooq of Rainawari and Zahid Farooq of Brein Nishat have become prey to the indiscriminate use of violence. The report which deplores the want of any impact of peace process, between India and Pakistan, on the ground situation in Jammu and Kashmir says that Kashmir residents looked continuously besieged within the uncertainties of long-drawn conflict. “The situation on ground presents an image that runs contrary to impressions of normalcy created by the superficial discourses of peace,” it said. “The initiation of the peace process should have with time factored in the ground itself with the cessation of hostilities from all sides coupled with respectful and meaningful engagement with the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” it said. The report says that instead of being people-centric, the peace process has remained state-centric. “The process itself was privileged over the peace which clearly reveals its outlook as State-centric rather than people-centric in its intent and approach,” it stated. “Unfortunately, 6588 people were killed from January 2004 to November 2008 (till the attacks in Mumbai), the period during which both the states trumpeted peace process”, the report reads.The report which presents the data collected JKCCS from 2002 to 2009 is based on the daily reportage in newspapers published from Jammu and Kashmir. The report apprehends that there might be killings which were not reported. “All these newspapers are primarily fed by the reports of daily killing by the Jammu and Kashmir Police department,” the report mentions, adding that “there might be killings which are not shared with journalists in official records and may have remained unreported.” The report hints that a false impression of normalcy was created by media hype to cover the unabated conflict. Just a cursory glance at the graph of killings demonstrates a real quantitative decline that registers the fact that an attempt at creating an enabling atmosphere was made that could have carried forward the media-hyped processes of peace.The 27 page report also censures India for not responding appropriately to Kashmir’s transition from violence to non-violence. “Transition to non-violence, as the data of civilian killings (and bullet injuries) of last two years suggests, has been disregarded by the Indian state and met with brutal response, which is also reflective of the state’s approach towards conflict transformation.”
728 detained under PSA in last 2 years: Govt
Jammu, Feb, 23: The government on Tuesday informed Legislative Assembly that 728 persons were detained under Public Safety Act in past two years, and 16 persons were detained under the act more than once during the period.Replying to a written query of MLA Langate, Er Rashid, the government said that number of persons including foreigners who were arrested in the state and lodged in jails within and outside the state is 2329. “As on February 1, out of 2329 inmates, 179 including 55 foreigners are detained under PSA, 337 convicts, 1805 under trails , four juveniles, four civil prisoners and 61 foreigners were lodged in jails outside J&K.”It was further revealed that 16 persons were booked under PSA more than once in past one year while 313 persons booked under PSA were released during this time.
Jammu, Feb, 23: The government on Tuesday informed Legislative Assembly that 728 persons were detained under Public Safety Act in past two years, and 16 persons were detained under the act more than once during the period.Replying to a written query of MLA Langate, Er Rashid, the government said that number of persons including foreigners who were arrested in the state and lodged in jails within and outside the state is 2329. “As on February 1, out of 2329 inmates, 179 including 55 foreigners are detained under PSA, 337 convicts, 1805 under trails , four juveniles, four civil prisoners and 61 foreigners were lodged in jails outside J&K.”It was further revealed that 16 persons were booked under PSA more than once in past one year while 313 persons booked under PSA were released during this time.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Make your own world
Lebul Nisa
Childhood the immediate words that come to our mind after thinking about it, are innocence, free and of course peaceful.These are the days which we live to the fullest doing what we really like. Memories of childhood are something that we cherish throughout our life. Have we ever thought what makes it so special?Though a child, life is not as free as we perceive it to be. Its the child alone that has to bear the hefty school bag, it's the child's tender heart alone that has to go through the fear of examination, it's the child alone that has to pass that examination and for that matter it is the child alone that has to spend good number of hours away from home, and also shoulders the responsibilities like an adult but still childhood is the best.
It is so simply because during childhood we are ourselves and express only what we are. And here lies the innocence of childhood. Being a child we never hesitate in asking the stupid question that crosses our mind. We never mind playing on roadside or with mud.But alas! as the childhood passes away, so do the innocent days of our life. They never return. Once we leave school, our struggle for existence begins. And the instant lesson that is taught to us, “You will only be accepted if you make a position in the society and if you succeed in getting the BEST in life."But no one is able to define that "best". Failing to comprehend, to realize, and to visualize this “best” we get suppressed.A human is no less than a wonder. God bestowed each soul with a unique combination of a heart and mind. This uniqueness makes every person special and different.When we go in search of the ‘best’ (that we are being told) we often return back with ‘something’ which is incompatible with our inner self although compatible with society. We fail to realize that our inner self is compatible not with everything but with only few things.We strive, work hard. What for? Answer is to support ourselves. So we should opt for that ‘support system’ which has got the consent from our inner self. It should be decided after assessing our aptitude and caliber? YES it should be.But, while opting for a career we prioritize it, it is decided by the word like scope, status, financial securities and other such considerations.Under such circumstances a writer becomes a doctor. An artist becomes an engineer. A human being eventual becomes a machine which is driven by compulsions and not by choice.What we become isn’t decided by our inner self but by the society and by social forces. This kind of situation gives rise to a conflict, a conflict which is hard to resolve. The person alone has to bear the brunt of this conflict which often results in restlessness.We believe in outside world but never have courage to locate what is within us.But I believe jobs don't make life happy and cheerful, we need something more than social status, and money. If money purchases happiness then all the rich people in the world would have been content and cheerful. But that isn’t the case to be. To be happy one needs inner satisfaction and that satisfaction come only when we follow our inner voice and self rather than outer world.If we have to become happy in life we must start believing in ourselves and begin the search for it. That is the BEST that we have.Frame the goal of your life and start working for it and give the best shot. No power will stop you from shining. And it is here that you will give yourself the immense satisfaction and real happiness.We live once. No power can turn us away from our cherished goal. While pursuing this goal we shouldn’t feel tired or exhausted. It is for this goal for which we can travel miles and miles? We should possess the courage to listen to our inner self as it takes guts to go against the crowd. We often underestimate our inner power, that’s why we easily get swayed away. What is the fun of making a skyscraper when we fail in making a home; what is the fun of becoming a heartthrob, when we fail to listen to our own heart? lebulnisa@gmail.com
It is so simply because during childhood we are ourselves and express only what we are. And here lies the innocence of childhood. Being a child we never hesitate in asking the stupid question that crosses our mind. We never mind playing on roadside or with mud.But alas! as the childhood passes away, so do the innocent days of our life. They never return. Once we leave school, our struggle for existence begins. And the instant lesson that is taught to us, “You will only be accepted if you make a position in the society and if you succeed in getting the BEST in life."But no one is able to define that "best". Failing to comprehend, to realize, and to visualize this “best” we get suppressed.A human is no less than a wonder. God bestowed each soul with a unique combination of a heart and mind. This uniqueness makes every person special and different.When we go in search of the ‘best’ (that we are being told) we often return back with ‘something’ which is incompatible with our inner self although compatible with society. We fail to realize that our inner self is compatible not with everything but with only few things.We strive, work hard. What for? Answer is to support ourselves. So we should opt for that ‘support system’ which has got the consent from our inner self. It should be decided after assessing our aptitude and caliber? YES it should be.But, while opting for a career we prioritize it, it is decided by the word like scope, status, financial securities and other such considerations.Under such circumstances a writer becomes a doctor. An artist becomes an engineer. A human being eventual becomes a machine which is driven by compulsions and not by choice.What we become isn’t decided by our inner self but by the society and by social forces. This kind of situation gives rise to a conflict, a conflict which is hard to resolve. The person alone has to bear the brunt of this conflict which often results in restlessness.We believe in outside world but never have courage to locate what is within us.But I believe jobs don't make life happy and cheerful, we need something more than social status, and money. If money purchases happiness then all the rich people in the world would have been content and cheerful. But that isn’t the case to be. To be happy one needs inner satisfaction and that satisfaction come only when we follow our inner voice and self rather than outer world.If we have to become happy in life we must start believing in ourselves and begin the search for it. That is the BEST that we have.Frame the goal of your life and start working for it and give the best shot. No power will stop you from shining. And it is here that you will give yourself the immense satisfaction and real happiness.We live once. No power can turn us away from our cherished goal. While pursuing this goal we shouldn’t feel tired or exhausted. It is for this goal for which we can travel miles and miles? We should possess the courage to listen to our inner self as it takes guts to go against the crowd. We often underestimate our inner power, that’s why we easily get swayed away. What is the fun of making a skyscraper when we fail in making a home; what is the fun of becoming a heartthrob, when we fail to listen to our own heart? lebulnisa@gmail.com
Farooq Abdullah dances non-stop for 45 mins
Itanagar, Feb 21: Union minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah turned an 'entertainer' when he sang and danced non-stop for over 45 minutes and made others join him at a party in the lawns of the newly constructed official bungalow of the Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu.The 73-year-old tall and handsome former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir won the hearts of the select gathering when he picked up the microphone from a local singer and started singing the popular numbers of old melodious Hindi films one after another on Saturday night. He started with with "Ram kare ayisa ho jaye (Milan) and finished with Diwana Hua Badal (Kashmir Ki Kali) imitating the style of Shammi Kapur.Arunachal Pradesh Governor Gen (retd) J J Singh with wife Anupama, the deputy commissioner Padmini Singla some young MLAs joined Abdullah, singing and dancing without a break, to give him encouragements."See, how engrossed Farooq saab in his song and dance," Khandu with a smile of a proud host, told this reporter. The CM had organised the party on the occasion of the 24th statehood day.Earlier addressing a rally Abdullah had said he would love to stay in this beautiful state for a few days more but because of the parliament session he had to leave for New Delhi next morning.
دُنیا کا بلند ترین ریلوے پل
جموں//اُدھم پور قاضی گنڈ ریلوے لائن پر ضلع ریاسی میں تعمیر ہونے والے دنیا کے بلند ترین پل پر کام پھر شروع ہو گیا ہے جو جغرافیائی اور تکنیکی پیچیدگیوں کی وجہ سے پچھلے ایک برس سے مفلوج ہو کر رہ گیا تھا۔یہ پل کوری کے مقام پر دریائے چناب پر تعمیر کیا جا رہا ہے جسکی دریا کی تہہ سے اونچائی 359 میٹر (1180فٹ) ہے جو کہ فرانس میں تعمیر موجود ریلوے کے ’ملاﺅ‘ پل سے17میٹر زیادہ اونچا ہے ۔ادھم پور قاضی گنڈ ریلوے لائن پرتعمیر ہونے والے تقریباً سوا کلو میٹر لمبے پل پرگذشتہ برس چند تکنیکی اور جغرافیائی پیچیدگیوں کے بعد کام روک دیا گیا تھا۔ کونکن ریلوے جو کہ سلال اور لاﺅل سٹیشنوں کے درمیان تعمیر کا کام جاری رکھے ہوئے ہے ،نے کشمیر عظمیٰ کو بتایا کہ پرانے سروے میں معمولی تبدیلیوں کے بعد کام جاری رکھنے کا فیصلہ کیا گیا ہے تاہم لاگت کے تخمینے میں اضافے کی امید کی جاتی ہے ۔ اگر چہ زمینی سطح پر تعمیری سرگرمیوں کے شروع ہونے میں مزید چھ ماہ کا وقفہ لگنے کا اندازہ ہے تاہم مشینری اور دوسرے انتظامات کا کام شروع کر دیا گیا ہے
Monday, February 15, 2010
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Moments of fear that usually pervade across the Srinagar city owing to the unprecedented dog population. Srinagar Municipal Corporation has failed to deal with the menace with its sterilization plan also falling flat in the face of objections raised by animal rights activists. On average 4000 bites are reported every year at the Anti Rabies Clinic of SMHS Hospital. The number is increasing by the day.
Friday, February 12, 2010
ARTICLES
As cheap as life
FIRDOUS SYED
Inayat, Wamiq, Zahid and many others - boys in their early teens continue to die. Forces accuse boys for stonepeting and vandalism, none of the boys killed rather murdered in cold-blood were part of any protesting crowd. Possibly, boys became victim of state repression, or wanton target of forces gone berserk. Buckling under intense public pressure and boys furry, government was forced to produce one accused as killer of Zahid. And Omar Abdullah patting himself happily sought to close the chapter, “In this particular case, by swiftly identifying the accused… we have replied many questions raised against the government”. He even thanked Union Home Minister P Chidambaram for the help in identifying the killer of Zahid. However the case is not really closed yet, all the killers have not been fully exposed and many more questions remain unanswered. Even a layman can make out, it is a white wash; entire government machinery has embarked on a mission to save the real culprits. Constable Lakhvinder Singh, presented as accused by Border Security Force (BSF) seems to be a scapegoat to protect the chain of command?Before facts firmly came to the fore that BSF personnel are involved in the ghastly crime, every effort was being made by concerned authorities to shift the blame. BSF issued a strong denial on February 6; “involvement of Border Security Force” in the killing of Zahid Farooq is “fabricated and totally baseless”. Usage of the term ‘fabricated’ was a vain attempt to cast aspersions on the Valley press for deliberately vilifying BSF’s image. It advised rather commanded the local press, “You are requested not to publish such type of fabricated news items in your paper that not only tarnishes the image of the BSF”. National press as unusual in order to serve the so-called ‘national interests also joined the campaign. Leading national daily, Hindustan Times (Delhi, February 07) prominently carried a story, ‘Mobs bigger challenge than terrorists’. Spreading canards HT reported, “It needs to be investigated but prima facie, the bullet wounds on the boy’s chest appear to have been caused due to a small weapon rather than the Insas rifle (that forces use)”. Absolving the forces completely of any wrongdoing, the report lay blame on “stone-pelting mobs and rumour-mongering” for spreading the rumors of “central security forces” responsible for the killing of Zahid.Lies have no legs to stand, as result of BSF owning the killing by one of its trooper; high velocity media campaign has crumbled to dust. Truth has prevailed albeit partially. Any body even having a little knowledge about the functioning of the forces in the valley can easily make out, BSF has presented a cock and bull story. It is not possible for a single person to venture out armed, out of his camp in volatile conditions and kill a teenager. What was the motive or provocation for the killing? And if Lakhvinder Singh was part of a convoy seated in a Gypsy with five or six others, how come he alone is responsible for the crime? Even if he only fired the bullet others were collaborators of the crime. All the traveling together in the convoy needs to be investigated for the criminal offences under section RPC 34, and 109 if not under section 302? Keeping quiet and hiding the crime before law equal’s to abetting the crime. When Lakhvinder fired upon the boy why others with him not tried to stop him and why they fled away taking along the accused in the same gypsy from the crime scene without reporting the crime to the police? Police has to identify all the persons present at the time of crime, they all stand accused for hiding the crime with ill intentions of protecting the accused. They have to be tried under section 202 of Ranbir Penal Code (RPC), which clearly states; “Whoever, knowing or having reason to believe that an offence has been committed, intentionally omits to give any information respecting that offence which he is legally bound to give, shall be punished…”Moreover it was not a criminal or a gangster who killed the body on his own. Lakhvinder being member of a Para military was traveling in a convoy; surely his senior officers would have been accompanying him. Did he fire without an order from his seniors is difficult to digest? Zahid’s father has made a sensational discloser; “The officer snatched the rifle of one of his troopers and asked Zahid and his friends to runaway from the spot. Without any provocation, the officer aimed at them and then fired upon Zahid. Soon after, the officer, along with his troopers, fled from the spot. It is clear that the officer had fired with the intention to kill”. If government is really serious to punish the wrong doers this statement should become the important part of the investigation. Furthermore if government wants to shield itself from the accusations of protecting the culprits and not trying to suppress the facts, let all the persons of the convoy or gypsy be paraded before the eyewitnesses, it is a standard procedure of criminal investigation.Hardly any body in Kashmir would believe that indiscriminate killing of the boys carried in frequent intervals is not part of a state design, mainly for two reasons. a) Despite repeated assurances of ‘zero tolerance’ towards human rights violations, from Prime Minister to down below; forces continue to murder and maim the innocents, unabashedly without any fear of any reprisal. b) If killing of innocent Kashmiri youth is not part of any state policy, why no body till date has been punished appropriately, corresponding to the gravity of the crime.Many commissions of inquiry ordered by government have proved beyond reasonable doubt, the charges of excessive use of force, and mellitus intent. Yet culprits move Scot-free, which deepens the suspicion of the common masses. For more than two decades now, gross human rights violations perpetrated by forces stationed here has become a regular affair. After each and every human right violation committed, government ordered an inquiry commission. Gow Kadal, Alamgrahi Bazar, Sopore, Bijbehera, Nadimarg, Chattisingpora are few of the worst incidents wherein probe was ordered. Years have passed by; people are justified to ask question why the inquiry reports are eating the dust? Why killers [already] identified have not been brought to justice? When it comes the issue of justice for people of Kashmir, why government hide behind the so-called special powers? Why killers enjoy absolute impunity here? Is this possible in a democratic dispensation? Most of the people in Kashmir believe it is a ‘Jungle Raj’ law of the victor, which prevails here.NC-Congress government is more than a year old. Understandably it cannot be held responsible for every mistake committed in the past. Likewise, it cannot escape the responsibility for what has happened during his term. In case of Bomai, Varmul, Shopian and on numerous occasions in Srinagar and other parts of Jammu and Kashmir, government ordered judicial as well as administrative inquiries. All these inquiries have met the same fate; these have been consigned to the dustbin. No palpable action has been taken against the perpetrators of the heinous crimes. Without getting carried away by the emotions, let us dispassionately pose a straight question to the government of the besieged state. Judging by the experience of past thirteen months, why should anybody anymore believe inquiry commissions ordered by him? Why should not people in Kashmir take the assurance of Zero Tolerance with a pinch of salt. What is happening on the ground is painfully different from what government is claiming to have done. There is no respite for the people; this government like so many others in the past has failed to provide any sense of security to the people reeling under scare.
Inayat, Wamiq, Zahid and many others - boys in their early teens continue to die. Forces accuse boys for stonepeting and vandalism, none of the boys killed rather murdered in cold-blood were part of any protesting crowd. Possibly, boys became victim of state repression, or wanton target of forces gone berserk. Buckling under intense public pressure and boys furry, government was forced to produce one accused as killer of Zahid. And Omar Abdullah patting himself happily sought to close the chapter, “In this particular case, by swiftly identifying the accused… we have replied many questions raised against the government”. He even thanked Union Home Minister P Chidambaram for the help in identifying the killer of Zahid. However the case is not really closed yet, all the killers have not been fully exposed and many more questions remain unanswered. Even a layman can make out, it is a white wash; entire government machinery has embarked on a mission to save the real culprits. Constable Lakhvinder Singh, presented as accused by Border Security Force (BSF) seems to be a scapegoat to protect the chain of command?Before facts firmly came to the fore that BSF personnel are involved in the ghastly crime, every effort was being made by concerned authorities to shift the blame. BSF issued a strong denial on February 6; “involvement of Border Security Force” in the killing of Zahid Farooq is “fabricated and totally baseless”. Usage of the term ‘fabricated’ was a vain attempt to cast aspersions on the Valley press for deliberately vilifying BSF’s image. It advised rather commanded the local press, “You are requested not to publish such type of fabricated news items in your paper that not only tarnishes the image of the BSF”. National press as unusual in order to serve the so-called ‘national interests also joined the campaign. Leading national daily, Hindustan Times (Delhi, February 07) prominently carried a story, ‘Mobs bigger challenge than terrorists’. Spreading canards HT reported, “It needs to be investigated but prima facie, the bullet wounds on the boy’s chest appear to have been caused due to a small weapon rather than the Insas rifle (that forces use)”. Absolving the forces completely of any wrongdoing, the report lay blame on “stone-pelting mobs and rumour-mongering” for spreading the rumors of “central security forces” responsible for the killing of Zahid.Lies have no legs to stand, as result of BSF owning the killing by one of its trooper; high velocity media campaign has crumbled to dust. Truth has prevailed albeit partially. Any body even having a little knowledge about the functioning of the forces in the valley can easily make out, BSF has presented a cock and bull story. It is not possible for a single person to venture out armed, out of his camp in volatile conditions and kill a teenager. What was the motive or provocation for the killing? And if Lakhvinder Singh was part of a convoy seated in a Gypsy with five or six others, how come he alone is responsible for the crime? Even if he only fired the bullet others were collaborators of the crime. All the traveling together in the convoy needs to be investigated for the criminal offences under section RPC 34, and 109 if not under section 302? Keeping quiet and hiding the crime before law equal’s to abetting the crime. When Lakhvinder fired upon the boy why others with him not tried to stop him and why they fled away taking along the accused in the same gypsy from the crime scene without reporting the crime to the police? Police has to identify all the persons present at the time of crime, they all stand accused for hiding the crime with ill intentions of protecting the accused. They have to be tried under section 202 of Ranbir Penal Code (RPC), which clearly states; “Whoever, knowing or having reason to believe that an offence has been committed, intentionally omits to give any information respecting that offence which he is legally bound to give, shall be punished…”Moreover it was not a criminal or a gangster who killed the body on his own. Lakhvinder being member of a Para military was traveling in a convoy; surely his senior officers would have been accompanying him. Did he fire without an order from his seniors is difficult to digest? Zahid’s father has made a sensational discloser; “The officer snatched the rifle of one of his troopers and asked Zahid and his friends to runaway from the spot. Without any provocation, the officer aimed at them and then fired upon Zahid. Soon after, the officer, along with his troopers, fled from the spot. It is clear that the officer had fired with the intention to kill”. If government is really serious to punish the wrong doers this statement should become the important part of the investigation. Furthermore if government wants to shield itself from the accusations of protecting the culprits and not trying to suppress the facts, let all the persons of the convoy or gypsy be paraded before the eyewitnesses, it is a standard procedure of criminal investigation.Hardly any body in Kashmir would believe that indiscriminate killing of the boys carried in frequent intervals is not part of a state design, mainly for two reasons. a) Despite repeated assurances of ‘zero tolerance’ towards human rights violations, from Prime Minister to down below; forces continue to murder and maim the innocents, unabashedly without any fear of any reprisal. b) If killing of innocent Kashmiri youth is not part of any state policy, why no body till date has been punished appropriately, corresponding to the gravity of the crime.Many commissions of inquiry ordered by government have proved beyond reasonable doubt, the charges of excessive use of force, and mellitus intent. Yet culprits move Scot-free, which deepens the suspicion of the common masses. For more than two decades now, gross human rights violations perpetrated by forces stationed here has become a regular affair. After each and every human right violation committed, government ordered an inquiry commission. Gow Kadal, Alamgrahi Bazar, Sopore, Bijbehera, Nadimarg, Chattisingpora are few of the worst incidents wherein probe was ordered. Years have passed by; people are justified to ask question why the inquiry reports are eating the dust? Why killers [already] identified have not been brought to justice? When it comes the issue of justice for people of Kashmir, why government hide behind the so-called special powers? Why killers enjoy absolute impunity here? Is this possible in a democratic dispensation? Most of the people in Kashmir believe it is a ‘Jungle Raj’ law of the victor, which prevails here.NC-Congress government is more than a year old. Understandably it cannot be held responsible for every mistake committed in the past. Likewise, it cannot escape the responsibility for what has happened during his term. In case of Bomai, Varmul, Shopian and on numerous occasions in Srinagar and other parts of Jammu and Kashmir, government ordered judicial as well as administrative inquiries. All these inquiries have met the same fate; these have been consigned to the dustbin. No palpable action has been taken against the perpetrators of the heinous crimes. Without getting carried away by the emotions, let us dispassionately pose a straight question to the government of the besieged state. Judging by the experience of past thirteen months, why should anybody anymore believe inquiry commissions ordered by him? Why should not people in Kashmir take the assurance of Zero Tolerance with a pinch of salt. What is happening on the ground is painfully different from what government is claiming to have done. There is no respite for the people; this government like so many others in the past has failed to provide any sense of security to the people reeling under scare.
ENGLISH NEWS
'Kashmiris prisoners suffering in Tihar'
Srinagar, Feb 13: The High Court Bar Association today released a report about the condition of Kashmiri detainees lodged in Tihar Jail and accused the government of keeping the detainees in inhumane conditions. The Bar said the detainees lodged in Tihar Jail were facing severe problems. Bar said they were facing acute shortage of money, adding the detainees were spending their own money. The Bar said there were 58 Kashmiri detainees lodged in Tihar and it asked people from all walks of life to provide them some monetary assistance. The Bar report has given detailed account of the detainees lodged in the jail. Bar said that a detainee Shabir Ahmad Lone was picked up on December 24, 2006, from Gool Market Mandi, Himachal Pradesh. The detainee was dealing in Kashmir shawls. He alleged that the Delhi Police special cell personnel arrested him and took him to Lodhi Colony New Delhi. The Bar said Shabir was ruthlessly interrogated in the cell. Bar said on July 27, 2007 he was taken to some place in Azadpur and then a drama of arrest was shown. The Bar said, “The doctors in the jail tell them they are involved in blasts. In the jail criminals attack them with blades.” The Bar has also reported about the arrest Ali Muhammad Sheikh and Samiullah Sheikh. The Bar said they were arrested on November 27, 2006, from Nizamudin Railway Station and later on January 1, 2007 taken to Tihar Jail. The Bar said the jail authorities denied them permission to meet Afzal Guru. The jail authorities said that to meet Guru one needs permission from the Home Ministry. Mirza Nisar, a detainee, who has spent some 16 years in the jail informed the Bar team that he hoped the sacrifices given by Kashmiris would not go in waste. Some detainees including Muhammad Afzal Kumar, an engineer, are being forced to work as carpenter in the court. Muhammad Topiwalla of Mamar Kangan is in the jail for past 15 years. He told the Bar team that his family was going through worst crises.
Srinagar, Feb 13: The High Court Bar Association today released a report about the condition of Kashmiri detainees lodged in Tihar Jail and accused the government of keeping the detainees in inhumane conditions. The Bar said the detainees lodged in Tihar Jail were facing severe problems. Bar said they were facing acute shortage of money, adding the detainees were spending their own money. The Bar said there were 58 Kashmiri detainees lodged in Tihar and it asked people from all walks of life to provide them some monetary assistance. The Bar report has given detailed account of the detainees lodged in the jail. Bar said that a detainee Shabir Ahmad Lone was picked up on December 24, 2006, from Gool Market Mandi, Himachal Pradesh. The detainee was dealing in Kashmir shawls. He alleged that the Delhi Police special cell personnel arrested him and took him to Lodhi Colony New Delhi. The Bar said Shabir was ruthlessly interrogated in the cell. Bar said on July 27, 2007 he was taken to some place in Azadpur and then a drama of arrest was shown. The Bar said, “The doctors in the jail tell them they are involved in blasts. In the jail criminals attack them with blades.” The Bar has also reported about the arrest Ali Muhammad Sheikh and Samiullah Sheikh. The Bar said they were arrested on November 27, 2006, from Nizamudin Railway Station and later on January 1, 2007 taken to Tihar Jail. The Bar said the jail authorities denied them permission to meet Afzal Guru. The jail authorities said that to meet Guru one needs permission from the Home Ministry. Mirza Nisar, a detainee, who has spent some 16 years in the jail informed the Bar team that he hoped the sacrifices given by Kashmiris would not go in waste. Some detainees including Muhammad Afzal Kumar, an engineer, are being forced to work as carpenter in the court. Muhammad Topiwalla of Mamar Kangan is in the jail for past 15 years. He told the Bar team that his family was going through worst crises.
Salahuddin rejects amnesty
Islamabad, Feb 12: Chairman of the United Jihad Council, Syed Salahuddin, on Friday rejected India’s offer to grant amnesty to Kashmiri militants, who want to return from Pakistan administered Kashmir (PaK) and join the mainstream. He demanded that India should apologize for the “offences” it had committed against the people of Jammu and Kashmir rather than talking about amnesty. “Indian leaders must be mindful of the fact that Kashmiris are neither out-laws nor have they committed any crime. They are fighting for their just and legitimate right that has been guaranteed to them by the world community and the leadership of India and Pakistan,” Salahuddin told Greater Kashmir. “Kashmiris were forced to abandon their homes by Indian troops. There is no question of amnesty or general pardon. History stands testimony to the fact that Indian forces have committed rights violations; put to death thousands of innocent civilians and destroyed properties worth crores in past 20-years,” said, Salahuddin, who is also the supreme commander of Hizbul-Mujahideen. The Convener of APHC-M Pak chapter, Mehmood Ahmed Saghar said, “First of all we are not Indian nationals, we are Kashmiris and the people of Jammu and Kashmir have never accepted India’s dominance”. “We have waged a struggle that will continue at all levels unless the ultimate goal is attained”, Saghar said. “It is not the matter of seeking or granting pardon at all, Kashmir is a globally recognized political issue. It cannot be settled just by resorting to senseless offerings or undertakings. India should accept the ground reality and resolve this dispute amicably according to the wishes and aspirations of Kashmiris.”Troops torture man with brother in PaK
Bandipora, Feb 12: At a time when the Centre has given green signal for the return of Kashmir youth from Pak administered Kashmir, troops tortured a man having his brother now settled across the line of control. Nazir Ahmed Chopan of Balhama Arin Bandipora, whose brother Muhammad Yosuf left for PaK 18 years ago, was tortured by troopers on Friday asking him to provide whereabouts of his brother. Nazir told Greater Kashmir that yesterday evening troopers of Khurryapora camp seized his identity card and asked him to come to their camp this morning. “As I entered the camp today, troopers started kicking and beating me and asked me to show my brothers’ whereabouts. They tortured me for more than an hour. I told them that my brother has not returned, but they did not listen and continuously thrashed me,” he said with tears in his eyes. Nazir said that his brother Yosuf, like thousands of other youths left to join the armed struggle and went across LoC for arms training 18 years back, but he later settled in PaK. “He married their and has one child,” he adds. But back home it has been a miserable life for the family all these years. According to Nazir, due to continuous raids in past two decades by troopers searching for his militant brother, they fled their home to escape from their wrath. “My two brothers have died and I am bringing up five orphaned children of my brothers along with my three children. Our lives have been ruined by troopers. We spent maximum time in forests due to fear of troopers. What is my sin if my brother is in PaK, even my old parents were not spared,” he said. Commanding Officer 14 Rashtriya Rifles said that he would help Nazir in getting back his I-card. “We have no deployment there. The SHO also informed me about it. I would look into the matter,” he said. SP Bandipora, Shiekh Junaid Mehmood, told GK that he had no information about the incident. “The complainant should approach me,” he said.
Bandipora, Feb 12: At a time when the Centre has given green signal for the return of Kashmir youth from Pak administered Kashmir, troops tortured a man having his brother now settled across the line of control. Nazir Ahmed Chopan of Balhama Arin Bandipora, whose brother Muhammad Yosuf left for PaK 18 years ago, was tortured by troopers on Friday asking him to provide whereabouts of his brother. Nazir told Greater Kashmir that yesterday evening troopers of Khurryapora camp seized his identity card and asked him to come to their camp this morning. “As I entered the camp today, troopers started kicking and beating me and asked me to show my brothers’ whereabouts. They tortured me for more than an hour. I told them that my brother has not returned, but they did not listen and continuously thrashed me,” he said with tears in his eyes. Nazir said that his brother Yosuf, like thousands of other youths left to join the armed struggle and went across LoC for arms training 18 years back, but he later settled in PaK. “He married their and has one child,” he adds. But back home it has been a miserable life for the family all these years. According to Nazir, due to continuous raids in past two decades by troopers searching for his militant brother, they fled their home to escape from their wrath. “My two brothers have died and I am bringing up five orphaned children of my brothers along with my three children. Our lives have been ruined by troopers. We spent maximum time in forests due to fear of troopers. What is my sin if my brother is in PaK, even my old parents were not spared,” he said. Commanding Officer 14 Rashtriya Rifles said that he would help Nazir in getting back his I-card. “We have no deployment there. The SHO also informed me about it. I would look into the matter,” he said. SP Bandipora, Shiekh Junaid Mehmood, told GK that he had no information about the incident. “The complainant should approach me,” he said.
URDU NEWS
دریاسے نایاب مورتی برآمد
سرینگر// بارہمولہ میں آج ماہی گےروں نے مچھلیاں پکڑنے کے دوران درےائے جہلم سے سنگ مرمرکی قدیم اور نایاب مورتی بر آمد کی جس کے بعد تحصیلدار بارہمولہ نے مورتی کو اپنی تحویل میں لے لیا ۔ذرائع کے مطابق کچھ ماہی گےر آج صبح معمول کے مطابق خواجہ باغ اور بارہمولہ کے درمیان محکمہ بجلی کے دفتر کے متصل درےائے جہلم میں مچھلیاں پکڑنے میں مصروف تھے ۔اس موقعہ پر ماہی گےروں نے مچھلیوں کیلئے اپنا جال پھینکا اورکچھ دےر بعد جب جال کو کھینچنے کی کوشش کی گئی توماہی گےروں نے زبردست کائوشوں کے با وجود شدید کھینچائو محسوس کیا ۔اسی دوران بے حد جدوجہد کے بعدوہ جال کو کھینچ کرسمیٹنے میں کامیاب ہوئے تاہم ماہی گےر یہ دیکھ کر ششدر رہ گئے کہ جال میں سفےد سنگ مرمر سے بنی ایک خوبصورت مورتی موجود ہے ۔چنانچہ اس واقعہ کے سلسلے میں فوری طور پر تحصیل انتظامیہ کو آگاہ کیا گےا اور تحصیلدار بارہمولہ سید محمد یوسف از خود ماہی گےروں کے پاس گئے اور مورتی کو اپنی تحویل میں لے لیا ۔ذرائع کے مطابق یہ مورتی ہندوئوں کے اُس اوتار کی ہے جسے ’’شیرا والی ماں‘‘کے نام سے جانا جاتا ہے جبکہ کشمیری پنڈت اسے ’’شارکا‘‘کے نام سے پکارتے ہیں ۔مورتی میں شیر کی شکل اور اس پر سوار 8بازوئوں والی ’’شیرا والی ماں‘‘کو منفرد اور خوبصورت انداز میں تراشا گےا ہے ۔تحصیلدار بارہمولہ سید محمد یوسف نے بتاےا کہ 2فٹانچ اونچی اور ایک فٹ0انچ چوڑھی یہ مورتی شکل سے ہی نایاب نظر آتی ہے اور ابتدائی اندازے کے مطابق یہ مورتی قدیم زمانے کی ہے ۔تاہم انہوں نے کہا کہ مورتی کے 8بازوئوں میں سے ایک ہاتھ ٹوٹا ہوا ہے ۔انہوں نے مزید بتاےا کہ مورتی کے بارے میں مزید معلومات حاصل کرنے کیلئے انہوں نے مین چوک بارہمولہ کے مندر میں مقیم مقامی پنڈتوں سے رابطہ قائم کرنے کی کوشش کی تھی تاہم وہ شیو راتری کے تہوار کے سلسلے میں جموں گئے ہوئے ہیں ۔تحصیلدار بارہمولہ کے مطابق انہوں نے مورتی کو سیل بند کر کے پولیس اسٹےشن بارہمولہ کی تحویل میں دے دےا ہے۔معلوم ہوا ہے کہ اس سلسلے میں محکمہ آثار قدیمہ کو بھی آگاہ کیا گےا ہے جو مورتی کی مزید چھان بےن اور تشخیص کیلئے مورتی کو اپنے تحویل میں لے گا۔
سرینگر// بارہمولہ میں آج ماہی گےروں نے مچھلیاں پکڑنے کے دوران درےائے جہلم سے سنگ مرمرکی قدیم اور نایاب مورتی بر آمد کی جس کے بعد تحصیلدار بارہمولہ نے مورتی کو اپنی تحویل میں لے لیا ۔ذرائع کے مطابق کچھ ماہی گےر آج صبح معمول کے مطابق خواجہ باغ اور بارہمولہ کے درمیان محکمہ بجلی کے دفتر کے متصل درےائے جہلم میں مچھلیاں پکڑنے میں مصروف تھے ۔اس موقعہ پر ماہی گےروں نے مچھلیوں کیلئے اپنا جال پھینکا اورکچھ دےر بعد جب جال کو کھینچنے کی کوشش کی گئی توماہی گےروں نے زبردست کائوشوں کے با وجود شدید کھینچائو محسوس کیا ۔اسی دوران بے حد جدوجہد کے بعدوہ جال کو کھینچ کرسمیٹنے میں کامیاب ہوئے تاہم ماہی گےر یہ دیکھ کر ششدر رہ گئے کہ جال میں سفےد سنگ مرمر سے بنی ایک خوبصورت مورتی موجود ہے ۔چنانچہ اس واقعہ کے سلسلے میں فوری طور پر تحصیل انتظامیہ کو آگاہ کیا گےا اور تحصیلدار بارہمولہ سید محمد یوسف از خود ماہی گےروں کے پاس گئے اور مورتی کو اپنی تحویل میں لے لیا ۔ذرائع کے مطابق یہ مورتی ہندوئوں کے اُس اوتار کی ہے جسے ’’شیرا والی ماں‘‘کے نام سے جانا جاتا ہے جبکہ کشمیری پنڈت اسے ’’شارکا‘‘کے نام سے پکارتے ہیں ۔مورتی میں شیر کی شکل اور اس پر سوار 8بازوئوں والی ’’شیرا والی ماں‘‘کو منفرد اور خوبصورت انداز میں تراشا گےا ہے ۔تحصیلدار بارہمولہ سید محمد یوسف نے بتاےا کہ 2فٹانچ اونچی اور ایک فٹ0انچ چوڑھی یہ مورتی شکل سے ہی نایاب نظر آتی ہے اور ابتدائی اندازے کے مطابق یہ مورتی قدیم زمانے کی ہے ۔تاہم انہوں نے کہا کہ مورتی کے 8بازوئوں میں سے ایک ہاتھ ٹوٹا ہوا ہے ۔انہوں نے مزید بتاےا کہ مورتی کے بارے میں مزید معلومات حاصل کرنے کیلئے انہوں نے مین چوک بارہمولہ کے مندر میں مقیم مقامی پنڈتوں سے رابطہ قائم کرنے کی کوشش کی تھی تاہم وہ شیو راتری کے تہوار کے سلسلے میں جموں گئے ہوئے ہیں ۔تحصیلدار بارہمولہ کے مطابق انہوں نے مورتی کو سیل بند کر کے پولیس اسٹےشن بارہمولہ کی تحویل میں دے دےا ہے۔معلوم ہوا ہے کہ اس سلسلے میں محکمہ آثار قدیمہ کو بھی آگاہ کیا گےا ہے جو مورتی کی مزید چھان بےن اور تشخیص کیلئے مورتی کو اپنے تحویل میں لے گا۔
مقررہ وقت کے اندر سکیم مرتب ہوگی
سرینگر//وزیر اعلیٰ عمر عبداللہ نے کہا کہ مرکزی سرکار کی جانب سے پاکستانی کشمیر میں موجود جنگجوﺅں کومعافی دیناریاستی سرکارکی پالیسی پرمہر ثبت کرنے کے مترادف ہے۔کیونکہ ریاستی سرکارکا یہ موقف ہے کہ جوواپس آکر پرامن زندگی گذارنا چاہتے ہیں اُنہیں موقعہ دیا جائے۔ وزیر اعلیٰ نے کشمیر عظمیٰ کو بتایا کہ مرکز کی طرف سے سرحد پار سے جنگجوﺅں کی محفوظ راہداری سے یہ بات واضح ہوگئی ہے کہ مرکز امن عمل کوآگے لے جانا چاہتی ہے۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ ایسے اقدام سے ریاستی سرکار ان نوجوانوں کیلئے ایک سکیم مرتب کرے گی ۔تاکہ اس بات کو یقینی بنایا جائے کہ وہ ایک مقررہ وقت کے اندر واپس آسکیں۔انہوں نے مرکزی وزیر داخلہ پی چدمبرم کے اس بیان کو خوش آئند قرار دیا جس میں انہوں نے کہا ہے کہ کوئی بھی بھارتی جوسرحد پار کرکے پاکستانی کشمیر میں ہے ،واپسی کا ارادہ رکھتا ہو اسکا خیرمقدم کیا جائے گا ۔عمر عبداللہ نے کہا کہ وہ 2006ءسے ہی اس بات پر زور دے رہے تھے کہ پاکستانی کشمیر میں موجود کشمیری نوجوانوں کو محفوظ راہداری فراہم کی جائے ۔انہوں نے کہا ”جب وہ پہلی مرتبہ پاکستان گیااور وہاںسابق صدر پرویز مشرف سے ملاتو اس وقت کئی کشمیری نوجوان میرے پاس آئے اور اس بات کی خواہش کی ظاہر کی کہ وہ واپس آنا چاہتے ہیں اور جب میں واپس آیا تو میں اس معاملے کو مختلف فورموں میں اُٹھایا۔وزیر علیٰ نے کہا کہ نیشنل کانفرنس نے اسمبلی میں پرائیویٹ ممبر بل جوسی پی آئی ایم کے محمدیوسف تاریگامی کی طرف سے لایاگیا تھا،کی حمایت کی تاکہ سرحدپار نوجوانوں کی واپسی ممکن ہو۔تاہم پی ڈی پی نے بل کی مخالفت کی جسکی وجہ سے بل پاس نہ ہوسکا ۔اُن کا کہنا تھاکہ اگر پی ڈی پی نے مخالفت نہ کی ہوتی تو یہ عمل کب کا شروع ہو چکا ہوتا ۔عمر عبداللہ نے کہا کہ وزیر اعلیٰ کی کرسی سنبھالنے کے ساتھ ہی انہوں نے اس معاملے کووزیر اعظم منموہن سنگھ ، وزیر داخلہ پی چدمبرم اور وزیر دفاع اے کے انٹونی کی نوٹس میں لایااور مجھے بہت سارے لوگوں کو اس تجویز پر قائل کرنا پڑاکہ اگرایسا کوئی اقدام اُٹھایاگیا تو یہ سب سے بڑا اعتماد سازی کا اقدام ہوگا۔اُن کا کہنا تھا کہ بہت سارے کنبے اپنے عزیز و اقارب کی واپسی کا انتظار کر رہے ہیں اور اس وقت تک اُن کے پاس ایسی کوئی امید نہیں ہے لیکن اس اقدام سے یقینا اُن کی امیدیں بر آنے کا امکان پیدا ہوگیا ہے۔
سرحدپار مقیم کشمیری نوجوانوں کی واپسی
مسئلہ انسانیت کاکریڈٹ گیم کھیلنے کا نہیں
سرینگر//سرحدر پار مقیم کشمیری نوجوانوں کی عام معافی اور ان کی بازآباد کاری کے سلسلے میں تمام سیاسی جماعتوں سے تعاون طلب کرتے ہوئے حکومت نے کہا کہ اس پر ”کریڈٹ گیم“ کھیلنے کی بجائے تمام سیاسی جماعتوں کو اس کے حق میں آگے آنا چاہئے۔جمعہ کو ایک پریس کانفرنس سے خطاب کرتے ہوئے سیاحت اور شہری ترقی کے وزیر ناصر اسلم وانی نے کہاکہ وزیر اعلیٰ عمر عبداللہ کی طرف سے سر حد پار گئے نوجوانوں اور کئی خاندانوں کی کشمیر واپسی اور ان کی با ز آباد کاری پر ایک بحث چھڑ گئی ہے اور ہم اس سلسلے میں حکومت کا نقطہ نظر واضح کرنا چاہتے ہیں انہوں نے کہا ”حکومت کی پالیسی ہے کہ جوناگزیر حالات یا کسی بھی وجہ سے وادی چھوڑ کر چلے گئے ،اُن لوگوں کو واپس لاکران کی با ز آباد کاری کو یقینی بنایا جا ئے اور اسی پالیسی کے ایک حصہ کے تحت ہم 1990سے سر حدپار گئے نوجوانوں اورمتعدد کنبوں کو واپس لا کر ان کی باز آباد کاری کر نا چاہتے ہیں“ ۔پر یس کانفرنس میں صحت کے وزیر مملکت جاوید احمد ڈار بھی موجود تھے۔ ناصر اسلم وانی نے مزید بتا یا ”عمر عبداللہ نے 2005ءمیں نیشنل کانفرنس صدر کی حےثےت سے اپنے دورہ پاکستان کے دوران یہ مسئلہ پاکستانی حکومت کے ساتھ اٹھاےا تھا “۔ انہوں نے کہا”یہ مسئلہ ان گھرانوں کا ہے جو ٹوٹ کر تقسیم ہو گئے ہیں ،جنکے لخت جگر سالہاسال سے سرحد کے دوسری طرف رہ رہے ہیں ،یہ مسئلہ ان نوجوانوں کے مستقبل کا ہے جو کئی وجوہات کی بنا ءپر سرحد پار چلے گئے “۔شہری ترقی کے وزیر نے کہا ” 1990ءمیں نا مساعد حالات کے باعث دوردراز سرحدی علاقوں کے لوگ ہجرت کرنے پر مجبور ہو گئے اور اس صورتحال سے کیرن کا علاقہ سب سے زےادہ متاثر ہوا جہاں دو تہائی آبادی کنٹرول لائن کے اُس پار چلی گئی اور ہم انسانی بنیادوں پر انہیں واپس لاکر ان کی با ز آباد کاری چاہتے ہیں “۔ ناصر اسلم نے کہا کہ حکومت نے جو پالیسی مرتب کی ہے وہ صرف1990ءکے بعد سرحدپار جانے والے لوگوں کی واپسی تک محدود ہے اور 1947ءکے مہاجرین کی واپسی ایک بہت بڑا مسئلہ ہے اور جب موجودہ منصوبے کو عملی جامہ پہنانے کا عمل شروع ہو گا تو اس بارے میں ایک الگ حکمت عملی مرتب کی جائے گی۔انہوں نے کہا کہ یہ کوئی سرنڈر نہیں بلکہ با زآبادکاری پالیسی ہے اور ہم ان لوگو ں کی بازآبادکاری چاہتے ہیں جو واپس آکر پرامن زندگی گزارنا چاہتے ہیں ۔ناصر نے کہا”کچھ سیاسی جماعتیں اس مسئلہ پر سیاست کر نا چاہتی ہیں مگر ہمیں کر یڈٹ گیم کھیلنے کی بجائے سرکار کو تعاون دینا چاہئے “۔پی ڈی پی کی طرف اشارہ کر تے ہوئے ناصر اسلم نے کہا کہ جب اعتماد سازی کے ایک قدم کے طور پر حکومت ہند و پاک نے سرینگرمظفرآباد شاہراہ بس سروس شروع کر نےکا فیصلہ کیا تو اس جماعت نے اس کا سہرا اپنے سر باندھنے کی کوشش کی مگر آج ہمیں کریڈیٹ لینے کی بجائے اس مسئلہ کو انسانیت کی عینک سے دیکھنا چاہئے۔انہوں نے پی ڈی پی پر الزام عائد کیا کہ اس سلسلے میں جب اسمبلی میں ایک قرار دادلائی گئی لیکن اُس جماعت کے ارکان نے اس کی مخالفت کی اور آج سہرا اپنے سر باندھنے کی کوشش کر رہے ہیں۔ایک سوال کے جواب میں انہوں نے کہا کہ سرحدپار مقیم کشمیریوںکی تعداد کے بارے میں ابھی تک اعداد و شمار جمع نہیں کئے گئے ہیں تاہم ناصر نے کہا کہ اس منصوبہ کو عملی جامہ پہنانے میں پاکستان کا سب سے اہم رول ہے اور اس سلسلے میں نئی دلی کو اسلام آباد کے ساتھ معنی خیز بار چیت کرنی چاہئے۔
چودا سال سے محروس نوجوان کی جان کو خطرہ
سرینگر// ایسوسی ایشن آف فیملیز آف کشمیری پرزنرس نے مسلسل گرفتاریوں پر اپنی تشویش کا اظہار کیا ہے۔ایک بیان میں تنظیم کی چیئرپرسن انجم زمرد حبیب نے کہا ہے کہ قیدیوں کے حقوق کی پامالیاں اور بلاجواز گرفتاریاں ہر گز برداشت نہیں کی جائے گی ۔انہوںنے کہا کہ نظربندوںکے افراد خانہ کو یہ بھی معلوم نہیں کہ ان کے عزیز کس جیل خانہ میں اور کس حال میں ہیں۔ زمرود حبیب نے کہاکہ 14برسوں سے تہاڑ جیل میں نظربند جاوید احمدخان کی بگڑتی صبح پر ان کے افراد خانہ بے حد پریشانہیںاور مسلسل اسیری کی وجہ سے وہ ذہنی بیماری میں مبتلا ہوگیا ہے۔ والدین کا کہنا ہے کہ ملاقات کے دوران انہیں یہ دیکھ کر حیرت ہوئی کی 27سالہ جوان 50سال کا ضعیف لگ رہا تھا۔ زمرود حبیب نے سٹیٹ ہیومن رائٹس چیئرمین سے اس بارے میں مداخلت کی اپیل کی ہے۔
سرینگر//وزیر اعلیٰ عمر عبداللہ نے کہا کہ مرکزی سرکار کی جانب سے پاکستانی کشمیر میں موجود جنگجوﺅں کومعافی دیناریاستی سرکارکی پالیسی پرمہر ثبت کرنے کے مترادف ہے۔کیونکہ ریاستی سرکارکا یہ موقف ہے کہ جوواپس آکر پرامن زندگی گذارنا چاہتے ہیں اُنہیں موقعہ دیا جائے۔ وزیر اعلیٰ نے کشمیر عظمیٰ کو بتایا کہ مرکز کی طرف سے سرحد پار سے جنگجوﺅں کی محفوظ راہداری سے یہ بات واضح ہوگئی ہے کہ مرکز امن عمل کوآگے لے جانا چاہتی ہے۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ ایسے اقدام سے ریاستی سرکار ان نوجوانوں کیلئے ایک سکیم مرتب کرے گی ۔تاکہ اس بات کو یقینی بنایا جائے کہ وہ ایک مقررہ وقت کے اندر واپس آسکیں۔انہوں نے مرکزی وزیر داخلہ پی چدمبرم کے اس بیان کو خوش آئند قرار دیا جس میں انہوں نے کہا ہے کہ کوئی بھی بھارتی جوسرحد پار کرکے پاکستانی کشمیر میں ہے ،واپسی کا ارادہ رکھتا ہو اسکا خیرمقدم کیا جائے گا ۔عمر عبداللہ نے کہا کہ وہ 2006ءسے ہی اس بات پر زور دے رہے تھے کہ پاکستانی کشمیر میں موجود کشمیری نوجوانوں کو محفوظ راہداری فراہم کی جائے ۔انہوں نے کہا ”جب وہ پہلی مرتبہ پاکستان گیااور وہاںسابق صدر پرویز مشرف سے ملاتو اس وقت کئی کشمیری نوجوان میرے پاس آئے اور اس بات کی خواہش کی ظاہر کی کہ وہ واپس آنا چاہتے ہیں اور جب میں واپس آیا تو میں اس معاملے کو مختلف فورموں میں اُٹھایا۔وزیر علیٰ نے کہا کہ نیشنل کانفرنس نے اسمبلی میں پرائیویٹ ممبر بل جوسی پی آئی ایم کے محمدیوسف تاریگامی کی طرف سے لایاگیا تھا،کی حمایت کی تاکہ سرحدپار نوجوانوں کی واپسی ممکن ہو۔تاہم پی ڈی پی نے بل کی مخالفت کی جسکی وجہ سے بل پاس نہ ہوسکا ۔اُن کا کہنا تھاکہ اگر پی ڈی پی نے مخالفت نہ کی ہوتی تو یہ عمل کب کا شروع ہو چکا ہوتا ۔عمر عبداللہ نے کہا کہ وزیر اعلیٰ کی کرسی سنبھالنے کے ساتھ ہی انہوں نے اس معاملے کووزیر اعظم منموہن سنگھ ، وزیر داخلہ پی چدمبرم اور وزیر دفاع اے کے انٹونی کی نوٹس میں لایااور مجھے بہت سارے لوگوں کو اس تجویز پر قائل کرنا پڑاکہ اگرایسا کوئی اقدام اُٹھایاگیا تو یہ سب سے بڑا اعتماد سازی کا اقدام ہوگا۔اُن کا کہنا تھا کہ بہت سارے کنبے اپنے عزیز و اقارب کی واپسی کا انتظار کر رہے ہیں اور اس وقت تک اُن کے پاس ایسی کوئی امید نہیں ہے لیکن اس اقدام سے یقینا اُن کی امیدیں بر آنے کا امکان پیدا ہوگیا ہے۔
سرحدپار مقیم کشمیری نوجوانوں کی واپسی
مسئلہ انسانیت کاکریڈٹ گیم کھیلنے کا نہیں
سرینگر//سرحدر پار مقیم کشمیری نوجوانوں کی عام معافی اور ان کی بازآباد کاری کے سلسلے میں تمام سیاسی جماعتوں سے تعاون طلب کرتے ہوئے حکومت نے کہا کہ اس پر ”کریڈٹ گیم“ کھیلنے کی بجائے تمام سیاسی جماعتوں کو اس کے حق میں آگے آنا چاہئے۔جمعہ کو ایک پریس کانفرنس سے خطاب کرتے ہوئے سیاحت اور شہری ترقی کے وزیر ناصر اسلم وانی نے کہاکہ وزیر اعلیٰ عمر عبداللہ کی طرف سے سر حد پار گئے نوجوانوں اور کئی خاندانوں کی کشمیر واپسی اور ان کی با ز آباد کاری پر ایک بحث چھڑ گئی ہے اور ہم اس سلسلے میں حکومت کا نقطہ نظر واضح کرنا چاہتے ہیں انہوں نے کہا ”حکومت کی پالیسی ہے کہ جوناگزیر حالات یا کسی بھی وجہ سے وادی چھوڑ کر چلے گئے ،اُن لوگوں کو واپس لاکران کی با ز آباد کاری کو یقینی بنایا جا ئے اور اسی پالیسی کے ایک حصہ کے تحت ہم 1990سے سر حدپار گئے نوجوانوں اورمتعدد کنبوں کو واپس لا کر ان کی باز آباد کاری کر نا چاہتے ہیں“ ۔پر یس کانفرنس میں صحت کے وزیر مملکت جاوید احمد ڈار بھی موجود تھے۔ ناصر اسلم وانی نے مزید بتا یا ”عمر عبداللہ نے 2005ءمیں نیشنل کانفرنس صدر کی حےثےت سے اپنے دورہ پاکستان کے دوران یہ مسئلہ پاکستانی حکومت کے ساتھ اٹھاےا تھا “۔ انہوں نے کہا”یہ مسئلہ ان گھرانوں کا ہے جو ٹوٹ کر تقسیم ہو گئے ہیں ،جنکے لخت جگر سالہاسال سے سرحد کے دوسری طرف رہ رہے ہیں ،یہ مسئلہ ان نوجوانوں کے مستقبل کا ہے جو کئی وجوہات کی بنا ءپر سرحد پار چلے گئے “۔شہری ترقی کے وزیر نے کہا ” 1990ءمیں نا مساعد حالات کے باعث دوردراز سرحدی علاقوں کے لوگ ہجرت کرنے پر مجبور ہو گئے اور اس صورتحال سے کیرن کا علاقہ سب سے زےادہ متاثر ہوا جہاں دو تہائی آبادی کنٹرول لائن کے اُس پار چلی گئی اور ہم انسانی بنیادوں پر انہیں واپس لاکر ان کی با ز آباد کاری چاہتے ہیں “۔ ناصر اسلم نے کہا کہ حکومت نے جو پالیسی مرتب کی ہے وہ صرف1990ءکے بعد سرحدپار جانے والے لوگوں کی واپسی تک محدود ہے اور 1947ءکے مہاجرین کی واپسی ایک بہت بڑا مسئلہ ہے اور جب موجودہ منصوبے کو عملی جامہ پہنانے کا عمل شروع ہو گا تو اس بارے میں ایک الگ حکمت عملی مرتب کی جائے گی۔انہوں نے کہا کہ یہ کوئی سرنڈر نہیں بلکہ با زآبادکاری پالیسی ہے اور ہم ان لوگو ں کی بازآبادکاری چاہتے ہیں جو واپس آکر پرامن زندگی گزارنا چاہتے ہیں ۔ناصر نے کہا”کچھ سیاسی جماعتیں اس مسئلہ پر سیاست کر نا چاہتی ہیں مگر ہمیں کر یڈٹ گیم کھیلنے کی بجائے سرکار کو تعاون دینا چاہئے “۔پی ڈی پی کی طرف اشارہ کر تے ہوئے ناصر اسلم نے کہا کہ جب اعتماد سازی کے ایک قدم کے طور پر حکومت ہند و پاک نے سرینگرمظفرآباد شاہراہ بس سروس شروع کر نےکا فیصلہ کیا تو اس جماعت نے اس کا سہرا اپنے سر باندھنے کی کوشش کی مگر آج ہمیں کریڈیٹ لینے کی بجائے اس مسئلہ کو انسانیت کی عینک سے دیکھنا چاہئے۔انہوں نے پی ڈی پی پر الزام عائد کیا کہ اس سلسلے میں جب اسمبلی میں ایک قرار دادلائی گئی لیکن اُس جماعت کے ارکان نے اس کی مخالفت کی اور آج سہرا اپنے سر باندھنے کی کوشش کر رہے ہیں۔ایک سوال کے جواب میں انہوں نے کہا کہ سرحدپار مقیم کشمیریوںکی تعداد کے بارے میں ابھی تک اعداد و شمار جمع نہیں کئے گئے ہیں تاہم ناصر نے کہا کہ اس منصوبہ کو عملی جامہ پہنانے میں پاکستان کا سب سے اہم رول ہے اور اس سلسلے میں نئی دلی کو اسلام آباد کے ساتھ معنی خیز بار چیت کرنی چاہئے۔
چودا سال سے محروس نوجوان کی جان کو خطرہ
سرینگر// ایسوسی ایشن آف فیملیز آف کشمیری پرزنرس نے مسلسل گرفتاریوں پر اپنی تشویش کا اظہار کیا ہے۔ایک بیان میں تنظیم کی چیئرپرسن انجم زمرد حبیب نے کہا ہے کہ قیدیوں کے حقوق کی پامالیاں اور بلاجواز گرفتاریاں ہر گز برداشت نہیں کی جائے گی ۔انہوںنے کہا کہ نظربندوںکے افراد خانہ کو یہ بھی معلوم نہیں کہ ان کے عزیز کس جیل خانہ میں اور کس حال میں ہیں۔ زمرود حبیب نے کہاکہ 14برسوں سے تہاڑ جیل میں نظربند جاوید احمدخان کی بگڑتی صبح پر ان کے افراد خانہ بے حد پریشانہیںاور مسلسل اسیری کی وجہ سے وہ ذہنی بیماری میں مبتلا ہوگیا ہے۔ والدین کا کہنا ہے کہ ملاقات کے دوران انہیں یہ دیکھ کر حیرت ہوئی کی 27سالہ جوان 50سال کا ضعیف لگ رہا تھا۔ زمرود حبیب نے سٹیٹ ہیومن رائٹس چیئرمین سے اس بارے میں مداخلت کی اپیل کی ہے۔
Kashmiri youth in PaK can return: PC
* Amnesty Idea Accepted, To Be Formulated Into Scheme* PaK Is Indian Territory * Leader Of Opposition In JK Will Be Consulted
New Delhi, Feb 11: In a big confidence building measure for Jammu and Kashmir, the central government has accepted the state’s proposal of amnesty to Kashmiri militants in Pakistan administered Kashmir (PaK) who want to return home without weapons and want to join the mainstream, “The idea that any Indian who had crossed over to PaK and wishes to return is certainly welcome,” Home Minister P Chidambaram told reporters here. “The idea is accepted. This idea must now be translated into a scheme,” the Home Minister said, adding it was one of the recommendations of one of the Working Groups appointed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for recommending measures to address problems of Jammu and Kashmir. Replying to questions at a briefing after meetings of the Cabinet and Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, Chidambaram said the return could be facilitated through a scheme which will entail identification, screening, travel, debriefing, rehabilitation and reintegration. Noting that “PaK is actually an Indian territory”, he said the government “should facilitate the return” of those who had gone across the Line of Control for “some reasons”. Significantly, his statement counters the view of his Cabinet colleague and former JK Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad who has questioned the idea of allowing the return as he apprehended that they could come here to “create trouble”. Thousands of Kashmiri youths had crossed over to PaK from 1989 to join militant ranks. While many of them returned, a large number has not returned. Around 800 of them are understood to have conveyed their desire, through various channels, to return home. “We will consult all sections of opinion in Jammu and Kashmir,” Chidambaram said noting that there were two parties, National Conference and Congress, in the ruling coalition in the state. The Leader of Opposition in Jammu and Kashmir would also be consulted on this issue, he said, adding “Then we will formulate a scheme. It will take time.” Pertinently, Omar Abdullah earlier this week during the conference on internal security held in New Delhi had said, “To encourage more militants to return to the state and manage their transition to civilian life, a new surrender and rehabilitation policy of militants is under active consideration of my government”. The issue of return of Kashmiri youth from PaK shot to prominence in 2006 when a delegation of leaders from Jammu and Kashmir, including Omar Abdullah and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, went to Pakistan. Several Kashmiris stuck in PaK met them and asked them to facilitate their return, saying they were “homesick”. The issue later had its echo in the state Assembly but the Government had stated that there was no proposal to facilitate the return of these youth.
Big relief for militants’ families: Omar
*Move To Strengthen Occupation: Hurriyat (G)
Big relief for militants’ families: Omar
*Move To Strengthen Occupation: Hurriyat (G)
*Welcome Change: PDP
Srinagar, Feb 11: Centre’s decision to offer amnesty to Kashmiri youth in Pakistan administered Kashmir who want to return home without weapons has evoked a mixed response from various pro-freedom and mainstream parties in Kashmir.Talking to Greater Kashmir over phone from New Delhi, the Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (G), Syed Ali Shah Geelani, said, “New Delhi’s move has no significance. This is an attempt to strengthen its occupation in Jammu and Kashmir.”Geelani said India’s Kashmir policy is remains unchanged and it continues to be rigid on its stand. “Kashmiris are not being allowed to stage peaceful protests forcing our youth to pick up guns. Under such conditions how can we welcome the move,” he said, adding it was for the militants to decide whether or not they want to give up militancy.No Hurriyat Conference (M) leader, including its chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, was available for comment.Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, has termed the move as a big gift for the families of militants who are living in PaK.“It was needed. That’s why we had been asking for it,” the CM said in his immediate reaction to the announcement in New Delhi. He said the central government had accepted the idea of granting amnesty to Kashmiri militants in PaK who want to return without weapons and join the mainstream.Opposition People’s Democratic Party has also hailed the move saying it was a “welcome change.”“It’s a welcome and pleasant change in the entire Kashmir issue and we hope for its speedy implementation. We hope the other recommendations of the Hamid Ansari working group like demilitarisation of civilian areas, repeal of AFSPA will also be considered by the centre,” PDP chief spokesman, Naeem Akhtar, said.State Congress President, Prof Saif-ud-din Soz, backed the chief minister on the issue. “Omar Abdullah’s statement regarding surrender by militants and their rehabilitation in the mainstream, which he made in the Chief Ministers conference last week, cannot be faulted,” Soz said.He said the suggestions and propositions were made by several experts in the past. “All such suggestions are already under consideration of the Government of India.” The idea to rehabilitate them on humanitarian basis was first floated in May 2006 when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held the second roundtable conference on Kashmir in Srinagar. Azad was then heading the Congress-Peoples Democratic Party coalition government in the state.Pertinently, another congress leader and former J&K chief minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad on Tuesday had said that the surrender of the militants on their return from Pakistan could pose a serious danger to security in the state.Bharatiya Janta party and Panthers Party have opposed the move. Senior BJP legislator, Ashok Khajuria, said the decision amounted to government’s surrender before the militants.“It’s surrender to the militants. This would open the flood gates for terrorists,” he said, adding “It is a reward to anti-national forces and a snub to nationalist forces.” Panthers Party even went on to demand dismissal of the chief minister while its Chairman, Prof Bhim Singh, termed it as a “misadventure of the CM.”
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Bar to forge united front against HR abuses
Srinagar, Feb 09: The Jammu Kashmir High Court Bar Association Tuesday called a meeting of separatist leadership on February 13 to chalk out strategy for response to the killings of civilians, human rights violations and assured legal help to the family members of victims.Bar is scheduled to convene a special meeting on February 13 and has invited the separatist parties to participate.“We’ll deliberate on the prevailing situation and continued human rights violations in the State. The recent killings will be the immediate context to the meeting,” Qayoom told Rising Kashmir.At least seven civilians were killed allegedly by troopers and police from January this year.Stating that people would never surrender the aspirations and sentiment, Qayoom said: “People could never be silenced with force.”Qayoom urged New Delhi to take steps for the peaceful settlement of Kashmir dispute. “The resolution must be according to the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.”Meanwhile, a delegation of Bar Association led by the President Mian Qayoom visited the residence of Wamiq Farooq, 13, of Rainawari who was killed by police on January 31 and Zahid Farooq, 16, of Nishat who was killed in an unprovoked fire on February 5 allegedly by BSF men.Expressing solidarity with the family members of Wamiq, Qayoom said: “Killing of the innocent children is an act of the oppressing troopers and administration to harass young generation and suppress their resistance sentiment.”Qayoom assured the family members of Wamiq complete legal help to plead the case. “We’ll provide every possible help to the family members of the innocents killed recently.”
A legend we must not forget
Altaf khanA few days back I was at my friend’s computer centre. Proof reading a book on Shaheed Maqbool Bhat (R.A.). A young boy in his twenties from Batamaloo was also correcting his work on other computer. While his work was being done he was keenly watching us finalizing the title page of the book with a photograph of Maqbool Bhat. With some hesitation he asked me. Brother who is this man? I looked at him…surprised… Baya you don’t know this man…I asked…No sir, he replied. ‘He is Shaheed Maqbool Butt, the only Kashmiri so far hanged by the Indians for asking Azadi’ I replied. The boy was ashamed, I quickly turned to him and said sorry, this is not your fault. This is our fault; we have not been able to bring Maqbool Bhat to you. Before this experience some days back I was talking to a young scribe of Kashmir. He writes for leading English daily and mostly writes on politics. I see him knowledgeable, sincere and accommodative. We were discussing some current aspects of Kashmir issue and politics at a Srinager café. During discussions the movement of Indian liberation, creation of Pakistan, movements of Algeria, Palestine, Ikhwan Ul Muslimeen of Egypt came under discussion and my young friend seemingly knew every thick and thin about these movements. Suddenly I posed a question to him. Have you read any thing about Maqbool Bhat. His answer was shockingly, No….I only know that he was hanged in 1984 and a hartal on 11th February is what reminds us of him, he added. I was ashamed on myself. I took it as my fault. Yes…We have not been able to present Maqbool Bhat to these young fellows. This is the story of today’s Kashmir. Our youth have lost connection with our nearest history.
Only 26 years have passed since Maqbool Bhat was hanged in Tihar jail and of these years we have had an active freedom struggle for 22 years now. Isn’t it ironical that every year since 1988 ,we have observed 11th February as Maqbool Bhat day, but no writer in this part of Kashmir has bothered to look and research into the life and struggle of this man and present his findings to this nation. I must admit that some great articles have been written during these years but it is not possible for article to sum up Maqbools life and struggle. My respected brother Zahir ud Din wrote a book on unsung heroes of Kashmir. It was a sincere and great effort on his part. Maqbool Bhat was not included in this book; he was not an unsung hero now. Millions of Kashmiris admire him as a hero and lakhs sacrificed lives for his dream. But as a matter of fact Maqbool Bhat still remains unsung. We the people claiming to follow him know nothing about him. His intellect fiery speeches blunt and bold arguments, journalistic abilities, his politics, struggle and martyrdom. We are absolutely unaware of him. As a political activist and literally with no knowledge of researching or writing, I recently took up this challenge and tried to accumulate a book on Maqbool Bhat. During my study I was surprised to know that Maqbool Bhat in his short political life showed the statesmanship and maturity, that no Kashmiri political leader has ever shown till now.
With apparently all the ingredients needed for a successful life, after completion of education Maqbool Bhat could have settled for a normal life of comfort and luxury. He loved good living, but more than anything else, he loved dignity. He was a post graduate in Urdu and English literature, had studied law and was editing a daily news paper “Anjaam” in Peshawar in late sixties. For him, dignity could not have a personal meaning as long as his homeland remained denied of a collective dignity He would often tell his friends. 'Freedom cannot be limited and compartmentalized; I however, cannot be made to compromise on my basic belief of a complete freedom for my homeland'. It does not need much of rational analysis to look through the entire personality of the man who said these words. He was a freedom lover, a fighter, but he all the same continues to be the dignified Kashmiri for whom nothing could be pure unless dignified with the spirit of freedom and independence. Continued struggle for freedom was his objective. In a letter to his friend Ikram ullah jaswaal From Central Jail New Delhi, dated 2nd May, 1980 Maqbool wrote ‘Struggle is the best criteria to judge not only who is for and against the truth, but also to expose the hypocrites. Of course eagerness and wish-full (thinking) have a place in life and reasons for it but life can not revolve around this tendency (all the time). Those who love to and are committed to achieving (their goal) know that patience is a necessary quality for success. An English writer wrote somewhere “nothing succeeds like a success, but it is equally true that nothing fails like a failure”.
If the goal is to grab power and leadership the above saying may have a value of Machiavellian prescription, which involves superficial demands and compromises, but the goal of making history requires completely different approach. For history is made by the kind of people who direct their theories and practices towards a fresh approach. They challenge and rebel against the established official people and values. History is rife with examples where heroes have fought tyranny to the last breath.
One cannot, but wonder as to why do life stories of heroes read so similar. There cannot also be any misgiving about the tragic fact that their lives have also followed the same pattern World wide. If dignity could not be attained during a lifetime, the heroes of nations have refused to exist in an undignified atmosphere. They have immortalized themselves by achieving dignity in death. Maqbool Bhat lived a dignified life, by fighting for dignity while alive and dying for it. Maqbool Sahib fought for changing both history and geography of his land. He refused to accept the barriers erected in the name of partition or a communal divide. The glory of Maqbool Bhat lies in the fact that he was a loner. He had to convince an entire people that the cruelties of history and the mistakes of past leaders cannot enslave them for ever. He remained a patriot and never compromised on this. He had a singular distinction of harboring a dream without any external motivation or favor. He himself said in an Indian court ‘I have no problem in accepting the charges brought against me except one correction. I am not an enemy agent. I am the enemy of the Indian state aggression in Kashmir. Have a good look at me and recognize me full well, I am the enemy of your illegal rule in Kashmir’.
Maqbool Bhat was a pure Muslim, seeking guidance from Qur’an, Sunnah and the life of revolutionaries. Addressing a Pakistani court in 1972 Maqbool said ‘I have disliked self-praise but now when my role is being distorted, deliberately, I am forced to claim that at every stage of my life I have not only supported the people's struggle against exploitation and oppression but always actively participated in it. I have consciously chosen this role for myself because I see it as Sunnah of prophets (SAW) and a way of revolutionaries.’
As always happens, legends get recognition after they pass away. It partly happened in Maqbool Bhat case also, but as one of my friends rightly said “Kashmir will be free only when all of us come together and accept what Maqbool Bhat strived for. Yes Maqbool’s sacrifice has lighted the torch that has been guiding thousands of freedom fighters in Kashmir. It is a miracle of his sacrifice that in a land where hardly anybody would go to jail facing the charge of having harbored the freedom dream, lakhs of human beings laid down their lives for the attainment of Maqbool Bhat's dream. He did through death what millions cannot even think of doing during an entire life but still the fact remains “we are yet to explore his legacy, we are yet to know him, and we are yet to recognize the legend.
Many do not know where you are asleep.
There is no news, there is no grave
But for the millions inspired by you
You live in their hearts and minds.”
Stone Rage
RIYAZ AHMAD
What do stone-pelters stand for? Freedom struggle, a pent-up collective anger or a disguised form of recreational sport.For the first time in the past twenty years, a group of masked stone pelters last week held a press conference in the downtown city. They ridiculed Hurriyat for calling for only one day’s hartal on Tuesday over the death of the 13 year old Wamiq Farooq in police action and unilaterally resolved to extend it for several days. They matched their words with deeds. From Islamabad to Varmul, the entire Valley was taken over by the stone pelting mobs paralyzing the transport and throwing the entire life off-gear.This is what they had to say: “ No more Hurriyat leaders. We won’t listen to them. They are agents. It is our stone-pelting that has resurrected the movement. We will have our own hartal program and enforce it on our own”. The masked young men suddenly appeared from nowhere soon after the burial of Wamiq in Srinagar ’s Martyrs Graveyard.This was not an isolated incident. When on the following day Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq led a procession through the downtown city, the youth in the gathering were not all that devoted to him. In fact, when Mirwaiz said that Hurriyat will chart a protest program over the ongoing atrocities, many in the audience were not impressed. “ So, Mirwaiz has yet to formulate a program. There is no need now. We know how to carry on the struggle without them (separatist leaders),” a few young men in the crowd were telling among themselves.And they were not alone. Across Srinagar and in the far-off Varmul and the 55 kilometre highway between the two places, mobs of stone-pelters took over, throwing Kashmir into turmoil. In Varmul, people spilled on to the roads in scattered groups which soon billowed into a frenzied mass of people, yelling, screaming and throwing stones. The town was all smoke and clamour as the police swung into action and fired tear gas shells into air.The situation was same in Srinagar and the rest of the Valley. Along the highways, the groups of 10-20 stone pelting youth at the strategic intersections blocked traffic. Protesters even attacked an Army convoy at Rawalpur area of the city. And over the entire more than 100 people, including several securitymen, were injured.The unfolding reality registered itself on the Hurriyat itself. With stone-pelters throwing down gauntlet and the fear of marginalization gripping them fast, a defensive Hurriyat decided to lead a march to the United Nations office in the city on Monday. He also said that Hurriyat was with the protesters and the youth throwing stones. This, he said, was a natural reaction to the atrocities of the forces.But for all of us, before we could understand it Kashmir has taken yet another turbulent lurch. In the past three years, the place has been witness to some of the biggest agitations in its history. In 2008, it was Amarnath land row which put the entire Valley on the edge. Srinagar woke up to multitude of nightly revolts, with loudspeakers booming with Azadi slogans, followed by the raucous rumble of the seething masses through the streets. It was for the first time in years that the protests spread across the countryside and even swept the otherwise insulated border areas.However, just when we concluded that an overwhelmingly participated assembly election in the following winter had turned the revolt on its head, Shopian followed. The rape and murder of the two women in this prosperous South Kashmir town unleashed fresh fury through the summer of 2009. And now we have the fresh tumult at hand over the deaths of two teenagers in police and paramilitary action. Things yet again seem to have gotten out of hand.What baffles one is the predictable pattern of these protests. The hordes of youth heaving through Kashmir’s streets, shouting slogans and throwing stones. This is Valley’s raw, new generation, bred in the Valley’s violent conflict but until Amarnath agitation indifferent to it. It is angry, rebellious and willing to take up not only the stones but also guns. Compared to them, nineties’ generation was innocent. They took to guns in a rush, little knowing what was in store for them. But the new generation is consciously into it and seems to be ready for the consequences.For them, the security posts along the streets are a domesticated presence and so invoke no fear. Their fuming groups tear down bunkers, jeer at police and paramilitary personnel and do a defying whirling dance when passing by the security camps. The stone-pelting has become an everyday phenomenon. It seems organized on an ambitious scale and aspires to become an all-encompassing Valley-wide reality. There is a high degree of synchronization in the way assaults are launched at various places in the city and some major towns. What is more, the juggernaut at times gets rolling without any apparent cause. A death in the process has a metastasizing effect with protests soon swirling the entire Valley right from Islamabad to Varmul.This has raised some troubling questions: whether what we are witnessing is prompted by the ongoing operation of the political conflict in the state, or that the situation has become a bit more complex. Without overlooking the fact of tragic deaths of our boys - which at times seems a result of the pure, inbuilt hatred in the security machinery against the protesters rather than a law and order urgency - there is a dire need, social as well as intellectual, to understand the growing incidence of stone-pelting in the Valley. That is, if it is certainly the authentic catharsis of the Valley’s pent-up sense of grievance, or an alternative form of struggle which has replaced gun.But this reading of the situation is severely challenged by the wayward nature of the protests that take the form of stone-pelting. More often than not, it becomes difficult to assign a credible cause to these type of protests. Stone-pelting seems to go on regardless, in many areas of the downtown city or in some major towns like Varmul, creating an impression of a sport being pursued for the thrill of it. And if the protesters continue to create such an impression among a growing number of people, which they certainly do, then there is something very seriously amiss. For there cannot be a greater disservice to the cause, which they otherwise claim confers legitimacy on their practice.Genuine protests, we know, understand the reason of their existence, generally follow a comprehensible pattern of their own and are geared toward an end. And if they don’t meet this criteria, then what we are witnessing on the streets of Kashmir may be actually a form of anarchy without us being necessarily conscious of the same.
5 Kashmiris held on meeting detained youth at Kanpur
Srinagar, Feb 09: Five Kashmiris youth from Kreeri were arrested in Kanpur when they went to meet a Kashmiri held under detention in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. MLA Sangrama, Syed Basharat Bukhari Tuesday condemned the incident and urged Union Home Minister P Chidambaram to look into the matter and ensure that the Kashmiri youth are not harassed in different Indian states. The five youth from Tapper Kreeri who have been detained at Kanpur have been identified as Ghulam Hassan Parray son of Ghulam Qadir Manzoor Ahmad Parray son of Abdul Gani, Nazir Ahmad Parray son of Ghulam Rasool, Muhammad Akbar Dar son of Ali Muhammad and Bilal Ahmed Sheikh son of Sonaullah of Tapper Waripora.The five have been arrested at Kanpur and detained at Mool Gunj Police Station Kanpur.The five had gone to meet the prisoner Gulzar Ahmad Wani son of Ghulam Muhammad who is detained at District Jail Kanpur. Bukhari, the senior leader of opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and MLA Sangrama while condemning the incident said Union Home Minister must take note of the incident and intervene to ensure the release of the five innocent Kashmiri youth.He said that the Government of India should ensure that the Kashmiri youth working, studying or visiting different Indian states should not be harassed.Bukhari said many Kashmiris were being meted unfair treatment by the security agencies in different Indian states. “I urge the Union Home Minister, Mr P Chidambaram to ensure that the Kashmiris are not meted with such unfair treatment.”
KU students win national level debate
Srinagar, Feb 9: Two students of Kashmir University affiliated collages bagged first position at All-India Sir Syed Memorial Debate, 2010 in Aligarh, a varsity handout Tuesday said. “Naveed Tramboo of SSM College of Engineering and Uzma Falak of Degree College boys Baramullah , led by Shahid Ali Khan , Cultural Officer, University of Kashmir, participated in the All India Sir Syed Memorial Debate held at the Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, on February 7 and 8 wining the first prize,” it said. “Around 22 teams from the best universities of India, including the Jamia Hamdard and Indore University participated in the debate.”
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Child labour widespread in Kashmir: Study
Srinagar, Feb 4: More than 50 percent children in Kashmir are directly or indirectly involved in one or other form of child labour and there are more than 2.50 lakh child workers in the age group of 6-16 years working in various fields of handicrafts sector, a latest study reveals. “About 47 percent of the total number of children work outside their homes regularly for earning and supporting their families. A dominant number of these work in different fields of the handicrafts sector,” the research “Life Conditions of Child Labourers in Jammu and Kashmir” carried by Valley’s noted sociologist, Dr Bashir Ahmad Dabla, reveals. However, it says that child labours working in handicrafts sector have come under the focus of academicians, planners, experts and administrators. “Several programmes and schemes have been initiated by the governmental and non-governmental organizations for their overall welfare,” it said. But the researcher has expressed deep concern over the plight of children who are being used as domestic help. “A significant number of children in the age groups of 6-11 and 11-above, mainly from rural areas, work in the house of businessmen, bureaucrats, politicians, technicians, neo-rich groups and middle class families in the cities and towns. The service conditions of these children are pathetic,” the research reveals. “In comparison to child labours in other sectors, children in this sector have remained ignored on the part of planners and experts. The plight of these unfortunate children continues without any notice by the society,” it added. The research revealed that there were no standards of wages for these child labours at the official or unofficial level. “Their wages are determined solely by the heads of the households according to their wishes and preferences. Fundamental rights of these children are robbed by the individuals and groups which claim to be their protectors.” On protection of child rights, Prof Dabla says, “Though some programmes and schemes regarding the eradication of child labour in the state were initiated in the recent past by the government, its impact has not been felt by the suffering children and their families. No fundamental change has occurred in the concerned economic sectors and sections of the society.” Prof Dabla says that last 20-years of conflict has worsened the situation. “The continuous political instability in the state has extreme negative impact on child labours. The impact of state sponsored child-welfare schemes have not proved beneficial to the deserving section of the population. It was also observed that no major or minor non-governmental effort was initiated in this area. The governmental failure was equally matched by the public apathy towards child labours,” he added. On formulation and enforcement of laws related to child labour, the study said, “Though laws were formulated, empirical reality clearly reveals that there has been very less degree of impact on child labours. The government effort lacked the realist perspective and long tem/short term planning.” On eradication of child labour and protection of child rights, Prof Dabla said that there was a need to make a comprehensive, multidimensional and development oriented study of child labours. “Also is there is need to make an objective assessment of the wage structure, nature of economic exploitation and impact of governmental programmes related to child labour,” he suggested. He also advocated for long-term policy formulation and intervention. “There is need to present ideas and suggestions for long-term policy formulation keeping in view the crucial existing problems of child labour in Kashmir, especially in the context of 20-years of conflict,” he added. Prof Dabla also advised to identify and elaborate the role of NGOs in the complex problem of child labour.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Change in weather pattern threaten Kashmir’s future
This year records 70 per cent deficit in rain/snowfall
Srinagar: As the dry spell continues in Kashmir Valley, records of past decade indicate sharp changes in weather patterns while owing to the less rain/snowfall this winter, experts predict acute water shortage, decrease in agriculture yield and electricity supply and rise in air-borne viral transmission in the coming days.Commenting on the change in weather pattern, Director Metrological Department, Sonam Lotus told Kashmir Images: “There is a clear unpredictability of the western disturbances passing over Kashmir with unusual distribution of rainfall in space and time, shifting patterns of precipitation and sustained deficit of snowfall.”Lotus revealed that rainfall/snowfall in the state as a whole (this winter) is deficit by nearly 70 per cent, adding, temperatures were increasing both in Kashmir and Jammu.“The rise in temperatures is leading to scanty snowfall in the plains in Kashmir and very little snowfall in the mountains. Accordingly, the water level in rivers and streams in Kashmir is decreasing,” he said.He further added that the water level in almost all the streams and rivers in Kashmir has decreased more than two-thirds during the last three decades. “Hundreds of springs have either dried up or are on the verge of drying up with groundwater level also adversely affected. Besides water bodies, the impact of climate change is leading to the fast melting and receding of glaciers,” Lotus said.Warning about the impact of global warming, Lotus said that floods and droughts would become common; air-born diseases more rampant and the yield of crops will decrease.The 40-day spell of Chillai-Kalan in valley which in past used to be the toughest winter season, this year ended without experiencing much snowfall and rainfall.“The snowfall that was received in this Chillai Kalan was very light that melted in just half an hour due to which not much snow was accumulated. It will surely have negative impact on water level and irrigation,” Lotus said.While giving details of weather patters in every January of the past decade, Sonam Lotus said that in January 2000, temperature was above normal while as in January 2001 it was below normal.January 2002 and January 2003 too recorded below normal temperature while as January 2004 and January 2005 recorded temperatures above normal. Though January 2006 also recorded temperature above normal, it is the only year in past decade which recorded huge rainfall (134.3mm).January 2007 also recorded temperature below normal while as January 2008 recorded it above normal and again January 2009 recorded temperature below normal and so did the January of 2010.Commenting on the data (See Box), Sonam Lotus told Kashmir Images: “The data indicates that there has been an appreciable increase (+2,-3) deg C in mean temperature of last decade from the climatological mean temperature of 1951-1980 which was 4.7 degree C.
Jan 2000 Jan 2001 Jan 2002 Jan 2003 Jan 2004 Jan 2005 Jan 2006 Jan 2007 Jan 2008 Jan 2009 Jan 2010Max Min Rainfall Max Min Rainfall Max Min Rainfall Max Min Rainfall Max Min Rainfall Max Min Rainfall Max Min Rainfall Max Min Rainfall Max Min Rainfall Max Min Rainfall Max Min Rainfall
12.8 -06.3 69.7 15.7 -06.7 21.3 14.0 -05.6 35.5 15.10 -06.4 28.7 11.3 -02.2 79.2 11.5 -03.8 85.6 08.2 -06.6 134.3 14.1 –o6.1 8.1 10.1 -07.4 76.3 13.5 -03.2 36.5 15.8 -04.8 24.2
(Temperature in Celsius and rain in mm)
Jan 2000 Jan 2001 Jan 2002 Jan 2003 Jan 2004 Jan 2005 Jan 2006 Jan 2007 Jan 2008 Jan 2009 Jan 2010Max Min Rainfall Max Min Rainfall Max Min Rainfall Max Min Rainfall Max Min Rainfall Max Min Rainfall Max Min Rainfall Max Min Rainfall Max Min Rainfall Max Min Rainfall Max Min Rainfall
12.8 -06.3 69.7 15.7 -06.7 21.3 14.0 -05.6 35.5 15.10 -06.4 28.7 11.3 -02.2 79.2 11.5 -03.8 85.6 08.2 -06.6 134.3 14.1 –o6.1 8.1 10.1 -07.4 76.3 13.5 -03.2 36.5 15.8 -04.8 24.2
(Temperature in Celsius and rain in mm)
The ‘Boundaries’ and the ‘People’
The message that boundaries cannot divide the hearts is the most appropriate one
Rekha Chowdhary rekchowdhary@gmail.com
'Khushamdeed'(Welcome)! Mazhab Nahin Sikhata Aapas mein Bair Rakhna (Religion does not teach hostility between people)! Sarhaden Zamin Baant Sakti hain Par Dil Nahin (Borders can divide the land but not the hearts)! Dosti, Yeh Dil Mange More ! Love and Faith survive the Day! Aao Ham Dil Milayen (Let us bring the hearts closer)! Friendship keeps growing globally, everyone loves it! This is what the signboards say in Chakkan da Bagh, at the zero point in Poonch where on Monday people cross the Line of Control from Indian side of Kashmir to the Pakistan administered Kashmir and vice versa and on Tuesday and Wednesday trucks cross. The LoC, at this point becomes the LoF - 'Line of Friendship', the LoP - 'Line of Peace', and a new LoC - the 'Line of Commerce' - among the multiple new names given to this line during last few years. From Monday to Wednesday, at this point one can see the 'territoriality' of the Kashmir dispute getting dissolved and the people becoming visible. It is at this point that the hostilities between the two States seem to be totally unjustified, irrelevant and irrational. What seems to be rational is the message of love and friendship. Interestingly, this is the place where the ‘reality’ of humanity and human relations is officially asserted by the State and the ‘constructed’ divide is rejected. Whether that divide is created in the name of the religion or the nation – it is seen to be artificial. Most important of all, the ‘boundary’ is seen as artificial and unnatural. The message that boundaries cannot divide the hearts is the most appropriate message. If there is any doubt about that one can see the emotional scenes at the Zero point when people come from the Rawlakot side or when they leave. For one person who is coming or going, there are many more who are there to welcome or to see off. These are the divided families who are now part of two different nations. There is a story after story about the brothers and sisters having not met each other for as many as sixty years, about an aunt or uncle not seeing the young nephews and nieces, about a grandfather or grandmother not having got the opportunity to be close to their grandchildren.... These are the close relatives, the blood relations who have now become the citizens of two different nations - divided by boundary and distanced not merely by the miles between them but by mutual hostility of the two nations - India and Pakistan. Living just few miles apart, they would not be able to see each other, and if they did meet, they would have to take circuitous route facing all the difficulties and obstacles. Many died without meeting their close ones....Not only those who have their relatives but many more who have roots in their ancestral lands, want to cross the LoC. They see in the opening of the routes and the bus service between Uri and Muzafarabad and between Poonch and Rawlakot - a hope and for them the slogan - Sarhaden zameen baant sakti hain par dil nahin - is not a slogan but a reality! They are nostalgic about the places they have left behind and a mere mention of their ancestral place makes them emotional. Their emotions for these places persist even when they carry with them the memories of painful time of their displacement – not only the loss of the land but also the loss of their close ones; the bloodshed and the hatred that accompanied the partition of the State. For these people who have been living with the reality of the LoC for last six decades, the opening of the borders, since 2005, has been the most crucial development. They are the ones who can understand as to why the border needs to dissolved and why the boundaries need to crossed. For them, it is not difficult at tall to understand the concept of ‘irrelevance of borders’. The concept of ‘irrelevance of borders’ remains as the most innovative and the most practical response to the complex issues which underlie the protracted conflict in and over Jammu and Kashmir. It not only makes it possible for the people to meet across the LoC but also provides a way forward to the conflict resolution. It actually makes a paradigm shift to the understanding of conflict and conflict resolution process. The conflict has so far remained complex and intractable due to its location in ‘nationalistic’ paradigm which automatically creates non-negotiable and competitive claims. This paradigm also places premium on ‘territory’, ‘borders’, ‘boundary’ and ‘sovereignty’. ‘People’, in this paradigm are totally invisible and do not count at all. The concept of ‘irrelevance of borders’ without touching on these ‘sensitive’ issues like ‘territory’, ‘boundary’ and ‘sovereignty’ , shifts the conflict to a new paradigm in which people not only become visible but also take a central place in the conflict resolution process. Standing at the LoC and reading all these slogans officially posted by the State, actually makes one understand as to what is this model of conflict resolution. ‘Aao Ham Dil Milayen’! It is an appeal from the state to people – to come forward, to do what the state cannot do – to unite and do away with the hostilities. It is invoking ‘humanity’ as the most important value. It calls for friendship between people, communities and nations. ‘Dosti, Yeh Dil Mange More’!!
Kashmir’s wetlands shrinking fast
Srinagar, Feb 2: Kashmir’s four premier wetlands - attraction for migratory birds from across the globe - have witnessed 28 to 50 percent shrinkage over the years.The data provided by the Wetland Management wing of the wildlife department reveals maximum 50 percent shrinkage in Mirgund Wetland, which has reduced from four-kilometre area initially to mere two kilometres presently. It is seconded by the 38 percent area reduction in Shalbugh Wetland, 29 percent in Hokarsar Wetland and 28 percent in Haigam Wetland.The area under Hokarsar Wetland is down from 13.75 square kilometres to five square kilometres, Shalbugh is down from 16 sq kilometres to six to seven sq KMs, Haigam from 14 sq KMs to four to five sq KMs and Mirgund from four sq KMs to two sq KMs, Wetland wildlife Warden, Ghulam Muhammad Lone, told Greater Kashmir.Ironically, the department has no data about the other wetlands, which are being managed by it. These include Wullar, Narkara, and Satnam.“We are managing them for migratory birds but we have no data about the total area covered by them and the shrinkage in these,” Lone said, adding there was no data about Kranchu, Hetlam and Baednambal Wetlands as well.Pertinently, Lone revealed the central government has asked the state government to notify total area under wetlands in Kashmir. Lone said the wildlife department has received a letter from the Central Government for undertaking the project of notifying the wetland area, which might be taken up later this year.“Once we take up that project we will be able to know how much land is under wetlands in Kashmir,” Lone said.The warden, however, owes the shrinkage to silt, encroachment and the lack of funds for preservation. Lone said the Wetlands have witnessed excessive siltation from inflowing rivers, compounded by encroachments by the local residents.“In Hokarsar around 25 percent land area has been encroached upon and the rest of it has been consumed by the siltation, though there isn’t any fresh encroachment in the wetland now. The other three wetlands have also fallen prey to siltation,” he said, and expressed concern that if immediate steps were not taken the leftover wetlands might also be lost.Asked why the department didn’t work for the preservation of the siltation he said, “It is a massive project and we don’t have the funds for it. We are only provided a meagre amount for management of the wetlands but the project for prevention of siltation needs funding in crores.”The experts too blame the mismanagement of the government and lack of conservation measures for the shrinkage of the wetlands.“We have always been rich in wetlands but we are fast losing them to an unconcerned government and mismanagement. Anchar Lake is dying and the condition of the Nigeen Lake is such that we can’t even row a boat in it. It is because there aren’t experts managing these wetlands at the ground level and the result is shrinking wetlands,” noted Environmentalist, Dr Abdul Majeed Kak, told Greater Kashmir.
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