Curfew imposed in parts of Srinagar to prevent Muharram procession

Srinagar, Dec 6 (KMW News) Curfew has been imposed in parts of Srinagar city, including historic Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of summer capital, this morning to prevent Muharram procession on the tenth day (Youm-e-Ashroo) of Muharram month of Islam.

Situation elsewhere in the valley was normal, where Muharram processions were taken out peacefully.

However, police said restrictions under section 144 CrPC were being strictly imposed in areas falling under police station of Kothibagh and Maisuma.

The situation on the ground was entirely different in these areas where security forces and police personnel were directing people to remain indoors because of curfew restrictions imposed since 0600 hrs this morning.

Even the mediapersons were directed to go back or face the music by the security force and police personnel deployed in the civil lines.

Hundreds of security force and police personnel had sealed the entire Civil Lines area since early this morning to prevent the 'Ashroo'procession, which has been banned by the authorities since 90s citing security reasons.

The otherwise busy Civil Lines wore a deserted look with only security forces and police personnel seen deployed to strictly impose the restrictions.

Both the busy Amira Kadal and Budshah bridges on the Jehlum river connecting uptown with the Civil Lines have been closed with barbed wire and nobody was being allowed to cross them.

"We have orders that nobody should be allowed to move towards Budshah Chowk", a police personnel said at Jehangir Chowk, asking people, including mediapersons to go back to their homes.

Mothers waits sons return from 14 years

Srinagar: Old age has turned her weak but with the hope that her son may return, she (Muglee) sits at the window, looking out at the door to get the glance of his son. When she hears voice similar to her son, she gets thrilled in excitement but it remains only for a short time.

She has still hope that her son would come one day, despite 14 years has  passed, since then, her son was picked up by the security forces and has become an epitome of the struggle of his family members.

Fourteen years ago, when Ashiq Hussain Malik of Peer Bagh Srinagar was picked up by the 20 Grenade Army from his residence, since then, he never returned home again and (Muglee) has been craving to see his son.

Narrating that fateful night, which used to be Ashiq's last night at home,  Mohammad Kamal Malik, elder brother of Ashiq Hussain, told Agence India Press that, "On 23rd,  24th intervening night of May 1997,  clocks were striking to 11pm, Army persons climbed over the gate and barged into our house and called him (Ashiq) out by his name."

“When he (Ashiq) came out, he was wearing undershirt and trouser. They (Army persons) told him to show them the house of Ghulam Qadir Bhat, a local resident of our locality. But they put him in an Army vehicle and took away," shares Kamal.

Kamal claims that they went to the local police station Humhama, Budgam to registered an FIR but the case was registered in an ordinary note book.

Ghulam Qader Bhat, a local resident was also picked by same army company that night, after five days he was released outside his house at 9pm.
" On hearing the news about Bhat's release, our all family members went outside to find him (Ashiq), but we could not find him anywhere in our locality,” says Kamaal in a dejected voice.

While sharing his woeful tale, Ghulam Qader Bhat, said, “When Army picked him (Ashiq)  from his house, I was already in the same vehicle, they took us together to 20 Grenade Army camp Zainakote HMT Srinagar. We were separated in the camp but at the time of serving meals, they opened our handcuffs. I looked at Ashiq Hussain who was badly tortured and his skin was burnt. On the fifth day, when I saw him last time he was wearing army clothes."

"I thought they will release him. I told him to convey my family that I am in 20 Grende army camp. Then, they took him in a vehicle, after half an hour they took me in another vehicle and released me outside my house," says Bhat.

 The family member of Ashiq claims that, they went to 20 Grande army camp to know the whereabouts of Ashiq, but ' they (Army persons) did not allow us to enter inside the camp. Even they refused that they have picked him with Bhat.'

The family members had also approached to Sayeed Ali Shah Geelani, the local MLA and Ali Mohammad Sagar, Home Minister at that time to know the whereabouts of Ashiq, but to no avail.

  "Then we filed a case in the J&K Human Rights Commission Srinagar and filed suit in the Srinagar Wing of High Court. They asked us for FIR copies, when we went to the local police station for an FIR copies, they refused that any FIR has been registered in the station,"  shares Kaleem, family's woeful tail, how much they endeavored to trace the Ashiq.

By adding he said, "The Human Rights Commission asked to present eye witnesses and Honorable High Court referred case to the Budgam Lower Court to listen eye witnesses. We presented eye witnesses including Bhat and then Lower Court Budgam sent report to the Srinagar High Court on behalf of eye witnesses."

On the orders of the Honorable High Court, Police has registered an FIR on February 03, bearing No 18/2005 under section 342,365 P/S Budgam.
"One day Badgam police said that he was jailed in army camp Solina near Silk factory Srinagar and on the next day, police refused that.  We went to Solina Army camp to inquire about Ashiq, but they refused regarding any information about Ashiq," says Kaleem , while agony vividly reflects from his face.

Thereafter, the whole army company was shifted and camp was lifted.  "We went to search him outside the state and even went almost too every jail of India but no one accepted my younger brother was ever arrested,” says Malik.

“Later Human Rights Commission offered us compensation and closed the case but we refused the offer because we cannot sell our brother for few pennies,” he asserts.

Since then, the family is yet to know the whereabouts of Ashiq and are waiting for justice with a silver-lining. While, everyday, she (Muglee) sits at the window, looking out at the door to get the glance of her son, with the hope that Ashiq would return home one day.

War questions Mirwaiz meeting with Er. Rashid

Srinagar: Questioning the mandate of the secret meeting recently held between Hurriyat (M) Chairman Mirwaiz Dr. Umar Farooq and Pro-India politician and member of assembly (Langate constituency) Er. Sheikh Rashid, Chairman People’s Political Party (PPP) Er. Hilal Ahmad War has asked that when Mirwaiz Umar Farooq maintained to stay away from the interlocutors appointed by the Government of India (GOI) in April 2011 and suspended former Chairman of APHC Moulana Abbas Ansari and even derecognized his party as a unit of Hurriyat (M) faction on the same grounds then, on what basis and grounds he held a secret meeting with Er. Rashid who also has accepted the constitution of India and is moreover a Pro-India politician. Er. War asked Mirwaiz that he ought to forward a justification and detailed explanation before the entire nation for this act and appealed the entire separatist leadership in general and Syed Ali Shah Geelani in particular to demand a detailed explanation from Mirwaiz.

In his press statement, Er.Hilal War revealed that a few days back Mirwaiz held an hour long closed door meeting with Er.Rashid. Expressing deep sorrow, agony and annoyance over this episode Er. War said that holding secret and back channel parleys with a pro-India politician was against the principles of separatist leadership and had even no room within the domain of Hurriyat Constitution. PPP Chairman further said that the regional Pro-India leaders and politicians were on their task of very craftily and cunningly vindicating the forceful and illegitimate occupation of Kashmir by India and were trying to the hilt and the edge to dilute the pious struggle of freedom in Kashmir, which was quite evident to everyone. He said Er.Rashid is a part and parcel of this vicious and evil conspiracy who masqueraded as pro-people just to dilute the impact of resistance leadership.

Taking note of sacking of Moulana Abbas Ansari and his Party from the membership of Hurriyat for meeting the GOI appointed Interlocutors by Mirwaiz, Mr. War said that Er. Rasheed adorned the constitution of India by contesting the elections and was doing his political tasks assigned to him by the GOI. War said, Why did not pro-freedom leadership including Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Shabeer Shah and others demand explanation from Mirwaiz and Company for the closed door secret meeting with Er. Rasheed which was organised and directed by Indian Intelligence Agencies. Questioning Mirwaiz, PPP Chief enquired as to why did he hold closed door parleys with Er.Rashid and what all discussions took place therein and said that Mirwaiz should clarify his stand; if a planning to field in proxy candidates in the elections was going on and had Er. Rahsid come to receive the blessings in that regard only. PPP Chairman further said that Hurriyat Chairman must aware the nation of all those issues and dialogues. Meanwhile Er.War asked Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Shabir Shah and other separatist leaders to enquire all these issues from Mirwaiz and endeavour to bring the reality on the forefront.

PPP Chairman further said that Er. Rahsid’s issuance of statements and slogans against the human rights violations of Kashmiris at the hands of armed forces merited no rationale as he himself stood up in the assembly elections conducted by the Election Commission of India further strengthening Indian Occupation of J&K and accepted the constitution of India by taking the oath to abide by the same and after doing all that he was doing a melodrama to gather sympathies of innocent Kashmiri masses and pretended to be a noble, pro-people and pro-Kashmir leader Mr. War said if at all Er. Rashid felt sorry for projecting Indian hegemony over the territory of J&K including its people, he should openly tender an unconditional apology before the people of J&K and relinquish all his monetary and other benefits. He said in case he (Er .Rashid) really wanted to do something for the Kashmir cause and become the well wisher and sympathiser of the people in real sense he should quit the assembly and start his work as a foot soldier in the pro-freedom camp.

Er. War said if Mirwaiz has any plans of fielding proxy candidates, he shouldn’t ditch the nation and should come out in the open rather than patronising stooges like Er. Rashid.

India hints tough measures against new nuclear trade rules

NEW DELHI: India’s top diplomat on Sunday hinted New Delhi could ban nuclear reactor purchases from countries refusing to sell sensitive nuclear technology to it after suppliers decided to tighten such trade against countries like India.

Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao also said the United States, Russia and France stood by their promises to supply such technology despite last month’s decision by the Nuclear Supplier Group (NSG) to restrict transfer of uranium enrichment and reprocessing technology which can be used to make atomic bombs.

The suppliers’ decision was seen as a blow to nuclear-armed India, which won a waiver from such trade restrictions in 2008, a move that ended its three-decade-long nuclear isolation.

“I think the latest NSG decision is not the end of the road. It is not set in stone. Let me say that,” Rao told a television channel in an interview, the transcript of which was made available in advance by the foreign ministry.

“There is a balance of interest, there is a balance of commitments, there is mutual reciprocity involved. There are leverages that we can exert from our side also,” she said.

When asked if the leverages meant India would blacklist unwilling countries and ban nuclear reactor purchases from them, she said: “We will defend our interests to the hilt.”

India plans to raise it nuclear power generation capacity to 7.3 GW by end-March from the current 4.7 GW, and hopes to have over 20 GW of such capacity by 2020.

The billions of dollars in contracts up for grabs make India an attractive market for firms like General Electric , Westinghouse Electric — the United States-based arm of Japan’s Toshiba Corp. , France’s Areva and Russia’s Rosatom.

“We have an expanding nuclear industry. This is a great attraction to the rest of the world,” Rao said.

Under NSG rules, to import nuclear goods, all nations except the five officially recognized atomic weapons states must usually place nuclear sites under safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN nuclear watchdog.

But when Washington sealed a nuclear supply accord with India in 2008, it won a unique exemption after contentious negotiations. India gained access to technology and fuel while it was allowed to continue its nuclear weapons program.

The US ambassador to India has said the waiver to New Delhi is safe and media reports have cited the French ambassador with similar comments.

India has said it is a responsible nuclear power and that it has an impeccable non-proliferation record that has earned it that exemption.

New thinking in Pakistan

Rao, who last month had unexpectedly successful talks with her Pakistani counterpart, said Islamabad’s view on militancy had “definitely been altered.”

She noted that Pakistan now spoke of the need to tackle non-state actors and safe havens and sanctuaries for militants.

“I think that is a concrete development,” she said, adding

The two nations have fought three wars, one of which divided into two the Himalayan region of Kashmir which both countries claim in full. New Delhi accuses Islamabad of aiding militants in Kashmir, a charge Pakistan denies.

Peace talks between the nuclear-armed rivals revived this year after they broke off in 2008 following a raid by Pakistan-based militants on Mumbai. But little concrete has emerged in solving the half-century old dispute between them.

“I am not trying to sound over optimistic about this,” Rao said. “I think we have to be realistic. We have to understand the difficulties in the terrain.” (By REUTERS)

PPP castigate Govt for issuing “flawed” passport Aijaz War

Srinagar:  Peoples Political Party (PPP) Monday accused authorities of political vendetta in issuing “flawed” passport to brother of party chairman.   

Addressing a press conference here, PPP chief, Hilal Ahmad War castigated the Government for denying his entire family right to life. 

“On the directions of Hon’able High Court, the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a passport to my brother, Ajaz Ahmad War (a journalist by profession)   on June 04 last from the regional passport Office here. The passport has been issued with a validity of just one year wherein it is enunciated on the passport that Ajaz Ahmad War can travel to all the countries except Pakistan,” Hilal Ahmad said while addressing a Press Conference here.

“This is in violation of Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir and Constitution of India also .This is also in violation to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,” War claimed. 

This “unconstitutional action of Government of India”, he said, vindicated party’s stand that “India is an occupying power.” 

He said that the travel document issued to Ajaz Ahmad War was a “legitimate weapon” to be used at the international fora as evidence that India has virtually accepted Kashmir as a ‘dispute’. “This travel document has strengthened our argument that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are de-facto citizens of India not de-jure.”

War also reiterated his party stand about demand of Right to Self-determination as solution to Kashmir issue.” This is neither negotiable nor can be compromised. Nobody whether a genuine head of a political party or leader of any group or conglomerate  is or can be authorized to enter in any sort of compromise on this principle on behalf of J & K people to act as political attorney of J&K people in any conference, bilateral or trilateral talks.”