My struggle was for peaceful solution of Kashmir dispute: Dr Fai

WASHINGTON: Executive Director of Washington-based Kashmiri American Council, Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai has said that his struggle was not against any country but for a peaceful solution of Kashmir dispute.

This statement present before the court in Washington, he said that he had arranged meetings between Indian and Pakistani officials for peaceful solution of Kashmir, adding that we had organized a number of conferences on Kashmir issue which were attended by Indian and Pakistani officials and diplomats of Pakistan and India.

He said that we did not closed the doors for Indian officials, while the Indian diplomats given him a message for meeting a day before his arrest.

He said that he wants that the Kashmir dispute should be solved and the people of Kashmir should live freely and the struggle in this response would be continue.

During the proceeding, he admitted the two charges leveled against him in the case and signed a pre-agreement from accepting for making conspiracies and not paying income tax properly.

It would be expected that Dr Fai would face imprisonment for 11 years but in case of pre-agreement the imprisonment would be one and half year, while Dr Fai agreed to pay 0.15million dollars in his account to US government.

It is worth mentioning here that the verdict of the case would be announced on 9th March, 2012, while the counsels would decide if both sentences would be faced at the same time or separately.

Restrain excessive Pepper Gas on humans: SHRC

Srinagar:  State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) on Wednesday asked police to restrain use of excessive ‘Pepper Gas’ on humans while observing that that if the experts view was considered, its use was without any rebuttal a serious Human Rights Violation.   

SHRC recommendation to police came on a petition filed by International Forum for Justice headed by Ahsan Untoo. 

“….A group of dozens of boys involved in stone pelting could be dealt in a manner which could not endanger health of old, infant and pregnant woman. For a sin of dozens of youngsters, thousands of peace loving people could not be punished and their rights enshrined in the constitution be violated in any circumstances or in any manner. Life is precious and right of life is a fundamental right,” SHRC member said, according to judgment circulated to media men by the petitioner.     

“In case doctor’s opinion and expert opinion is taken into consideration without any rebuttal, it is definitely serious human rights violation. Authorities are impressed to restrain to use excessive Pepper Gas on Human beings.”  

The IFJ in the petition says that on 25th of last month, police used pepper gun gas in huge quantity due to which residents of Nowhatta, Safa Kadal, Nawa Kadal, Rajouri Kadal and adjoining areas were subjected to torture as the infants and elderly persons got unconscious due to inhaling of the Pepper Gas.

“It is further averred that as per experts excessive use of Pepper Gas is dangerous for human life,” the SHRC member said while reading the petition.

As per senior doctors, Pepper gas can cause weakness in eye sight particularly among infants and minors, the petitioner said. “It can cause severe chest pain, infection, which in turn can lead to Tuberculosis and Asthma. The gas is very harmful and risky for pregnant woman.”  

In its petition, Untoo has mentioned the opinion of Deborah Bluam, who writes about the science. 

“She cites 2004 shady health hazards of Pepper spray which found that a douse of some of the chemicals in pepper spray can produce respiratory cardiac and neurological problems and even death.”   

Ignoring Geelani's warning,38 students leave for Bharat Darshan tour

Srinagar: Ignoring breakaway Hurriyat Conference (G) Chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelni's warning, 38 Kashmiri students, including 18 girls today left for Bharat Darshan Tour organised by Border Security Force (BSF).

Mr Geelani has warned management and teaching staff of educational institutions in the Kashmir valley not to send their students, particularly girls, on Army's Wattan-Ki-Saiar.

The group from different remote and far flung areas in the valley, left by air on educational-cum-motivational Bharat Darshan Tour.

A BSF spokesman said the students would be visiting Ahmedabad, Gandhi Nagar, Jodhpur, Ajmer, Jaipur, Delhi and Agra.

He said," the main aim of the tour is to acquaint them with varied cultural ethos of our country. It will also afford these students a chance to broaden their horizon and make them aware of the opportunities awaiting them in the country." He said the tour would also help in motivating the students to develop an adventurous spirit and aim higher in life. 

Arundhati, Bose likely to address HR seminar in Srinagar

Srinagar:  Noted social activist and author Arundhati Roy, Indian filmmaker and human rights activist, Tapan Bose are among several intellectuals expected to speak in a Human Rights seminar here on Saturday, organizers—Kashmir High Court Bar Association, said. 

A spokesman of the lawyers’ body told said that the organization was holding a daylong seminar on Saturday at Sadder Court complex Srinagar on Human Rights situation in Jammu and Kashmir on the eve of world human rights day.

“Prominent intellectuals, academicians, human rights activists members of civil society and lawyers have been invited to participate,” the spokesman said.  

The spokesman said the Bar Association is expecting participation of prominent human rights activists, leading journalists, lawyers and intellectuals including Miss Arundati Roy, Tapan Bose, Vaid Basin, Parvaiz Imroze, Senior Advocate, Z. A. Shah, Ex-Bar President N A Ronga, Advocate Z A Qureshi, Advocate Teesta Setalvad, Dr Hamida Nayeem, Professor Noor Mohammad Baba, Dr Javeed Iqbal, Z G Mohammad, Dr Sheikh Showkat and Miss Qurat-ul-Ain in the seminar. 

In this connection, an extra ordinary meeting of the Bar Association, presided over by the Vice President Bashir Ahmad Dar was held and an 11-member organising committee was constituted.   

The speakers are expected to express their views on one of six topics mentioned topics including, “Denial of right of self determination to the people of J&K, a basic violation of United Nations Human Rights Charter.”

Other topics according to spokesman include De-militarisation and withdrawal of AFSPA and Disturbed Areas Act from Jammu and Kashmir a way forward for protection of human rights, Role of lawyers, and members of civil society in promotion and protection of human rights in J&K, Attacks on Media and Human Rights Defenders, cause and effects, Juvenile arrests and teen age killings by the forces, a cause of concern and legal remedies and Extra judicial killings and random detentions under PSA, social and legal concerns.  

Geelani calls for protests on Friday against liquor shop reopening

Srinagar:  Chairman Hurriyat Conference(G) Syed Ali Shah Geelani Wednesday  appealed Islamic scholars and clerics to mobilize public opinion for a complete ban on liquor sale  in Kashmir.

Geelani also appealed people to stage peaceful protests this Friday against National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah's "advocacy for opening of liquor shops in Kashmir."

" Let us send a message to the rulers that we won't allow them to make liqour sale commonplace in Kashmir," he said.

Geelani said there was a need for  mass awareness campaign against the menace of liquor." I appeal Ulema  to apprise people about the ill-effects of liquor from an Islamic and moral viewpoint  and organise public opinion in favour of a complete ban on its sale in Kashmir," Geelani said in a  statement issued here.

" More than economics, a nation's development and prosperity  depends  on  ethics . History bears witness to the destruction of nations which fell into an abyss of moral bankruptcy," he said.

Geelani said despite remaining under foreign occupation and oppression for centuries, Kashmiris "have been able to maintain a high standard of moral values."

" Which is why , having failed to suppress our resistance movement through use of force,   India is now trying to use cultural aggression for the purpose through its pawns in Kashmir," he said.

Geelani said that the National Conference had been at the "forefront of giving practical shape to this strategy."

"  The imprudence with which Farooq Abdullah has called for opening liqour shops in Kashmir is a challenge to the honour of Kashmiris , and if we remain silent at this decisive moment, we will be entitled to the wrath of Allah," he said, adding that "it is our religious and moral duty  to stand up against the sale and consumption of liquor in Kashmir."