News Kashmir Magazine

 

(News Kashmir Exclusive Interview by Rameez Makhdoomi)

 

 

 

Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan (born 1953) was elected the 22nd president of Pakistan Administered  Kashmir  on 25 August 2011.Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan was born in 1953 in a village “Ali Sojal” (Rawalakot), and brother of renowned figure in political and social scenario of Kashmir Sardar Haji Muhammad Zaman Khan (Late). He graduated from Karachi University and started his political career with an ethnic political party Punjabi Pakhtoon Itehad in Karachi. He joined a Kashmiri political party Tehreek Amel and was elected as Senior Vice President of this party later on. By Safeer Ahmed rind

 

President Pakistan Administered Kashmir President Sardar Yaqoob has also been a seasoned politician. In an exclusive interview with the News Kashmir, Sardar Yaqoob talks to Rameez Makhdoomi.

 

 

Rameez Makhdoomi: How  do you see Kashmir issue shaping up in 2016?

 

Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan : With the grace of Almighty Allah each and every corner of world that matters in global polity is awakened about the Kashmir dispute. Information counts in this world and we have been able to convey the desired information and  message with reference to Kashmir dispute to the world community.

Rameez Makhdoomi: Palestine is now recognized nation state by many and Kashmir issue has not seen much diplomatic breakthrough. What are your views?

Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan :Palestine and Kashmir issue are not much different. We both the nations are same  when it comes to the disputed status nature although it is true that many countries have accepted  Palestine as country. We hope we will also achieve in near future more diplomatic breakthroughs with reference to Kashmir dispute.

Rameez Makhdoomi: The feel is that Gilgit- Baltistan has problem with administration of Pakistan Administered Kashmir. Your take?

Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan :We definitely recognize the issues of Gilgit- Baltistan and we need to sit with the people and representatives of Gilgit Baltistan to solve their issues. People of Gilgit Baltistan are very patriotic and sensitive. The temporary setup created via Karachi agreement also needs to be taken into consideration. We need considerate and focused view on issues faced by people of Gilgit Baltistan.

Rameez Makhdoomi: How do you look at the moves by Pakistan Government to make Giligit Baltistan as its fifth province?

Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan :We believe that the leadership of Kashmir will be taken into consideration by the leadership of Pakistan before final decision is taken on this issue. I belong to Pakistan People’s Party and martyr Bhutto had kept Kashmir dispute and Kashmir cause as core of Pakistan policy and it is very close to our heart.

Rameez Makhdoomi: So you are trying to indicate you are not in favour of GB becoming fifth province of Pakistan?

Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan :Yes inshallah we are hopeful that it will not be done.

Rameez Makhdoomi: Some Critics say Indian Administered Part of Kashmir has progressed much than Pakistan Administered Kashmir .How true you think are these claims are?

Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan :It is an Indian propaganda machinery at work that gives impression that Azad Kashmir has not progressed much. We need to bear in mind that parts of Kashmir held by India especially Srinagar and Jammu have 2000 year old history of development. While we are very new and had to start from the scratch. Still our education, road connectivity ,Power availability is far better than Indian held Kashmir.

Rameez Makhdoomi: But don’t you feel you still have poor network of universities on your side of Kashmir?

Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan : We have come up with a number of universities after earthquake and also a network of medical and engineering colleges. After earthquake we were completely devastated but Pakistan Government and world community backed us fully to be back on tracks with a bang.

Yes I agree there is always scope for improvement with reference to improving health and education sector.

Rameez Makhdoomi: Why has agriculture in your part not progressed much?

Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan :Agriculture stagnation has been key area of concern for us. We have in Azad Kashmir millions of people who are working abroad especially in entire middle east and United kingdom and they send solid foreign remittances and on account of this fact too people here are not much focused towards agriculture .

Rameez Makhdoomi: Pakistan Administered Kashmir  does not have much online and other forms of media outlets. What is the reason?

Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan :There is definitely a need at government level to increase the information flow and dynamics of e- governance and also media is slowly and steadily coming up to disseminate information to entire world about happenings there.

 

Rameez Makhdoomi: You have yourself indicated India has a strong media as opposed to Pakistan .Why is it so?

Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan :One cannot rub off the fact that India has a centuries old history and we are a country since few decades plus when our arm in form of Bangladesh was cut in 1971 it was a great blow but still Pakistan has progressed leaps and bounds and we people of Azad Kashmir are grateful to Pakistan for providing us opportunities to shine on global radar.

 

Rameez Makhdoomi: Many critics believe that Allama Iqbal and Mohammad Ali Jinnah hoped to have Pakistan which is secure and prosperous for women and minorities but you have failed on these two counts. Your take?

 

Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan :On women front I agree we need to take many steps to improve the overall condition of our women. But minorities of Pakistan be it Hindus, Christians or Sikhs are proud Pakistanis and it is a baseless propaganda that minorities are unsafe in Pakistan. Look at the condition of minorities in India as opposed to that we are far far better.

News Kashmir Exclusive
Political uncertainty and Kashmir valley or at larger spectrum State of Jammu and Kashmir have unfortunately enough assumed the status of being synonymous to one another. Frequent
Governor rules, Unsure alliances, awkward combinations have become the fate of commoners of the state as a result the overall spectrum especially with reference to development has suffered a lot . The stateof Jammu and Kashmir  is currently under Governor’s rule following the death of the Mehbooba’s father and then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on January 7.

 

 

 

“If they cannot make the government, then they should make it clear so that we can take the next stand, whatever it is.

 

Why keep people waiting in a situation where terrorism is all over,” NC patron and former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah told reporters recently .

 

“As far as I am concerned the point here is that the two (PDP and BJP) have the mandate. BJP here (in Jammu) and PDP there (in Kashmir). I would request them, for God’s sake get on with their job,” he added.

 

While targeting the two parties over the uncertainty, Abdullah said, “People want a government, so that their difficulties could be removed. That is very important.” His comments came as the suspense continued for the 13th day over government formation with PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti keeping her plans secret.

 

While talking to News Kashmir Magazine Amir Suhail , a research scholar states – ” Political uncertainty over the decades has loomed large over the state of Jammu and Kashmir since last many decades and has had adverse impacts on the polity and governance paradigms of Jammu and Kashmir .Political parties have played with sentiments of masses of state and have never been able to provide any serious governance as evident from frequent political stalemate in the state. Kashmir with already a burning dispute added by this governance chaos the realities get blurred.”

Opposition National Conference has already raised lambasting tone while criticised PDP and BJP for maintaining uncertainty over government formation in Jammu and Kashmir and asked the coalition partners to come clear on the issue without keeping the people waiting.

 

 

On the otherhand, President of state unit of BJP Sat Sharma said the government will be in place very soon.

 

PDP has said Mehbooba is in the process of reviewing the implementation of the ‘Agenda of Alliance’ during the 10-month-rule of PDP-BJP government headed by her father and a decision would be taken in due course.

 

PDP has said it was “highly unlikely” that it would form the next government with BJP till “we receive concrete assurances on key issues flagged by our party leader Naeem Akhtar last week.

 

Commoners too are upset with this uncertainty.

Shabir Ahmad, a commoner states – “ The common  men of Jammu and Kashmir have always craved for effective governance but what we have achieved so far is quiet appalling as all political parties have not concentrated on the governance front and a stable government since many years especially due to era of coalitions has just been restored to a mere dream.”

Uncertainty and era of unsure alliances and frequent governor rules have certainly on ground zero added to frustration of masses.

News Kashmir special

With the death of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on 7 th January 2016 marks an end of political era for the Jammu and Kashmir state. He left a noted impression on the political spectrum of the state via his political skills and knowledge. Pertinently  on 24th December, the 79 year-old leader was airlifted to AIIMS in the national capital from Srinagar after he complained of exhaustion.

 

 

Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was born in Baba Mohallah at Bijbehara in January 12, 1936. Having graduated from S.P. College in Srinagar, he went on to obtain a degree in law, and a post-graduate degree in Arab History from Aligarh Muslim University. He started a law practice in Anantnag / Islamabad.

 

Pertinently  since childhood days   Mufti Sayeed was interested in the world of politics as he in 1950s, had joined the Democratic National Conference (DNC) led by G.M.Sadiq. He was appointed district convener of the new organisation, the first formal post he held.

 

Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was elected to the Assembly from Bijbehara in 1962, and retained the seat in 1967.

 

As a result, he was appointed a Deputy Minister by G.M. Sadiq. In 1972, he became a Cabinet Minster and also Congress party’s leader in the Legislative Council.

 

In 1975 he was made the leader of the Congress Legislature Party and president of Pradesh Congress. In 1986, he was appointed as the Union Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation by Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. He quit as tourism minister in 1987, left the Congress and co-founded Jan Morcha with V.P. Singh. In1989, he won the Lok Sabha election from Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh as a Janata Dal candidate and became the Union Home Minister in Prime Minister V.P. Singh’s cabinet. He achieved the distinction of being the First Muslim Home Minister of the country . However, saw his image dented to an extent when the  government headed by V P Singh accepted the demand by a militant group that five of their men be set free in exchange for release of kidnapped Rubaiya, one of his three daughters.

 

After national stint Mufti Sayeed focused on local politics once again. In 1998, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed won the Anantnag / Islamabad Lok Sabha seat, but soon resigned from both his position and the Congress party to launch his own party Peoples Democratic Party in the state. He was unanimously elected the first president of the party.

 

PDP participated in 2002 assembly election and went on to form a coalition government with Indian National Congress.

 

In 2002, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir for a term of three year and in 2015 surprising all he formed alliance with BJP.

Political Highlight

During his more than 5 decade long political career, Politically, the highlight of Mufti Sayeed’s career is that he stood firm against the Abdullah family’s and the NC Party exclusive dominance over the Jammu and Kashmir’s politics. He had opposed the Rajiv-Farooq accord through which the Congress forced an NC-Congress alliance in 1986 – with catastrophic consequences, including the ham-handed rigging of the 1987 elections. Without a hint of ambiguity he would  have obtained a senior ministerial position for himself in the state if he had fallen in line. But he took the much tougher decision at that juncture of the history and it was to leave the party with which he had been associated since his youth.

 

Noted Obituaries

As the news of death reached the online world as well as the real world got filled with tributes and even rivals cutting across political divide paid tribute.

“Mufti Sahab’s demise leaves a huge void in the nation & in J&K, where his exemplary leadership had a major impact on people’s lives. RIP. What stood out about Mufti Sahab was his statesmanship. In his long political journey he won many admirers across the political spectrum. Mufti Sahab provided a healing touch to J&K through his leadership. He will be missed by all of us. Condolences to his family & supporters.”

Narendra Modi (Prime Minister)

 

Heartfelt condolences on the passing away of J&K CM Mufti Mohammad Sayeed

Pranab Mukherjee (President)

 

Deeply pained to learn of J&K CM’s demise.He was known for his love for common people, specially the underprivileged.

Rajnath Singh (Home Minister)

 

Deeply saddened by the demise of Mufti Sahab, he was a rare politician. My condolences to his family & supporters in this hour of grief.

Amit Shah (BJP President)

Chairman All Parties Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Dr Molvi Muhammad Umar Farooq has also condoled the demise of Mufti Muhammad Sayeed.

“Condolences on the demise of Mufti Mohammad Syed, express my sympathy with the bereaved family,” Mirwaiz said in a tweet.

On the otherhand, Hurriyat (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani condoled the demise of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed.

In a statement issued  the octogenarian leader expressed sympathy with the family of Sayeed, who passed away early morning today at AIIMS in New Delhi.

“Death is an ultimate truth. Whether one is a king or a commoner, everyone has to die,” Geelani was quoted as saying in the statement. “Every death is a lesson for a wise human being and a reminder that his name should be remembered for good even after his death.”

Former chief minister Omar Abdullah expressed his shock and sympathy at the demise.“Just heard the terrible terrible news of Mufti Sahib’s passing away. I’m shocked & deeply saddened. May he rest in peace,” tweeted Abdullah.

“My heartfelt sympathies to Mrs Syed, Mehbooba & the entire family in this most difficult of times. My & my family’s prayers are with them,” he added.

 

 

 

Conclusion

Under the  visionary leadership of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed  PDP has now emerged as a dominant force in Jammu & Kashmir politics and is considered a strong political force and contributions of Mufti Sayeed in this regard stand out.

Be it political, negotiating, diplomatic, building grassroots, bold decisions and above all maturity Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had all of them and logically the political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir will miss him . From an simple  lawyer to becoming the only Muslim Home Minister New Delhi has seen so far was an achievement in itself . Mufti Mohammad Sayeed carved a unique position for himself in national and Jammu and Kashmir politics. This demise definitely marks an End of an Era.

 

News Kashmir Exclusive

Health sector, which is one of the main indicators of the development of any concerned nation, society or region has always presented bleak picture in Kashmir. Ventilators are key component of any concerned health sector. A medical ventilator (or simply ventilator in context) is a machine designed to mechanically move breathable air into and out of the lungs, to provide the mechanism of breathing for a patient who is physically unable to breathe, or breathing insufficiently.

 

While modern ventilators are computerized machines, patients can be ventilated with a bag valve mask,

 

a simple hand-operated bag-valve mask. Ventilators are chiefly used in intensive care medicine, home care, and emergency medicine (as standalone units) and in anesthesia (as a component of an anesthesia

machine).

 

When one takes a look at availability of ventilators in the Kashmir hospitals it provides dismal picture. Even the prime public hospitals in Kashmir are failing to have the desired number of ventilators. The lone pediatric hospital of Valley, GB Pant, too faces the shortage of ventilators. There are only 18 functional ventilators. Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) hospital, Srinagar has only 12 functional ventilators

Dr Nasir –ul- Hassan , Doctors Association Kashmir President , while talking to News Kashmir stated -” Ventilators are key to every health sector in the world. Ventilators have a key role in saving human lives everywhere but be it tertiary or peripheral hospitals ventilators are in very short supply in Kashmir .SKIMS with just more than two dozen ventilators and SMHS has just a dozen odd ventilators and rural hospitals are having no concept of ventilators at all. Our patients are dying for the want of ventilators as basically all critical patients need ventilator support .We are building big hospitals which I prefer to call recreational centres as they are not able to save patients and are just feeding employees. Ventilator related paradigms need a big overhaul if we want to achieve desired excellence in the health sector.”

A look at emergency of the most of the rural hospitals is enough to prove the sick nature of hospitals. Ironically, the crucial department like emergency is marred by widespread chaos and huge flow of patients. Virtually, the all important ventilators are nonexistent in our rural hospitals . Worryingly enough, there is no concept of ventilators in rural healthcare of Kashmir.

On the condition of anonymity, a senior Doctor at Bandipora District Hospital stated – ” Lack of ventilators is direly marring the health sector of Kashmir and it is the patients who are at the receiving end of all this .We have just one ventilator at Bandipora Hospital and this shabby condition especially with reference to poor availability of ventilators in our health sector is a big drawback in our health sector .”

There should be five ventilators for 100 beds and no hospitals in our part of the world are matching this set criteria. Experts and masses are urging on the government to improve the healthcare facilities in Kashmir and in this regard increasing the number of ventilators and providing every hospital with ventilator is the need of hour.