News Kashmir Magazine

News Kashmir Exclusive

Latest controversial step of establishing Sanik colony is generating much heated debate and anguish in Kashmir.  According to reports, 173 kanals (21 acres) of land have been identified for the “Sainik Colony (soldiers colony), where serving and retired army personnel will be allotted plots. About 6,000 serving and retired soldiers have so far applied for plots at the colony, proposed on state land behind the Friends Enclave near the main gate of Srinagar Airport.

Both Mainstream as well as separatist are expressing angst against reported move of the J&K Government to establish Sainik colony for ex-service men from Army and other force personnel in central Kashmir’s Budgam district.

Senior Hurriyat (M) leader Javaid Ahmad Mir, while taking to News Kashmir stated –“it is a ploy to destroy the unique demography and culture of Kashmir. The reason and logic of Kashmir will not allow establishment of Sanik Colony as it is a simply a fascist measure. In one or other way the oppressive state wants to further subjugate the masses of Kashmir by establishing such Sanik Colony. If god forbidden such steps would be taken by the support of current ruling dispensation the people of Kashmir will resist with tooth and nail. Since Kashmir is a disputed territory, any such steps will be against the International laws therefore world forums including United Nations are appealed to intervene in the matter.”

 

Ruling party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) recently  stated that not a single non-local soldier working or retired from Indian Army would be allowed to settle in ‘Sanik Colony’ reportedly coming up at Humhama in the outskirts of Srinagar city. “If ever a colony will come up, only those soldiers and ex-servicemen will settle there who will be the permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir. It will be totally against the spirit of special status of Jammu and Kashmir if any non-local soldier will be allowed to settle their permanently,” the PDP spokesperson Dr Mehboob Beigh told CNS.

 

Civil society is also aghast  over the move .Mohammad Yasin Malik, a prominent Human rights activist while speaking to News Kashmir on the proposed setting of Sanik Colony stated – ” The moves like Sanik Colony seem nothing but steps aimed at colonization of Kashmir .We will with full tooth and nail oppose this move as this is an act of aggression against our nativity and our sensibilities .All efforts are being made to increase the suffocation and pain  of Kashmir but let us affirm that we the people  of Kashmir will never allow such step of aggression to take pragmatic shape.

 

 

Meanwhie, Hurriyat (G) Chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani while terming the attitude of the Mufti government on this sensitive issue as ambiguous and suspicious stated  that the Indian defense minister Manohar Parrikar had said that he had sent directions to the state government in Srinagar on July 16 for taking appropriate action in the allotment of the state land to the former Indian army personals but Mufti Sayeed government is still to say anything about that order and nor has he refuted or supported it.

 

Geelani stated-“Mufti should clear the stand of the state government on this sensitive issue before the general public that are they going to accept this unconstitutional order of the Indian defense minister or will they this time protect the state constitution. Permanent settlement of former Indian army personals on this land is an attempt to harm the special status and disputed nature of Jammu & Kashmir and the people of the state will not allow any such plan to succeed.”

Political temperatures are definitely running high over the setting of Sanik Colony in Kashmir.

 

 

Farzana Mumtaz

 

Gurdaspur, Udhampur attacks imply battlefield shift. The recent attacks in Gurdaspur and Udhampur hint at a new turn in Kashmir militancy as the enemy of troops is changing the battlefield. Farzana Mumtaz reports. The twin attacks carried by militants in Udhmapur district of Jammu and Kashmir state and Gurdaspur area of the neighbouring Punjab state point at the new turn militancy is taking.

As the militant numbers in Kashmir are dipping, militant groups seem to have realized the importance of shifting the battlefield from the Valley to the Hindu-dominated districts of the State and the Indian mainland. They are now trying to wage a war not on the streets they know and not among the people they consider their own but in the “enemy territory”.

Mohammad Naved, a militant who was captured in Udhampur on Wednesday after he and another militant attacked a convoy of the paramilitary Border Security Force, said the four-member Lashkar-e-Taiba module of which they were a part had managed to escape after a police team intercepted it in Pulwama district of south Kashmir on July 23.

Naved told interrogators that he had been in India since May 27 and had “enough local support”. He said had been in constant touch with Abu Dujana, the number two in the LeT hierarchy.

From a LeT hideout at Khrew in south Kashmir, where they spent 40 days, the militants had left for Pulwama on a small truck on July 23 and were intercepted. Naved told interrogators that most of the LeT leadership had visited the hideout in Khrew during the holy month of Ramadhan.

According to the interrogation report, Naved started his journey from his launching pad at Halan in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan administered Kashmir on May 27, along with Noman, who was killed on Wednesday, and Okasha and Mohammad Bhai.

The report revealed that Naved had reached the Line of Control in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on June 2 and had cut the fence to enter this side of Kashmir.

The report revealed that the group then switched on a GPS device to find their way and walked 18 km to reach near the Baba Rishi shrine in Tangmarg locality on June 7, where they met a local guide.

It stated two days later, they were received by another local guide. After being in Kashmir, Naved’s surfacing in Udhampur points out a clear change in strategy of the militant groups operating in Jammu Kashmir.

Reaching Udhampur from Tangmarg while carrying arms and ammunition is an almost impossible task but for militants to take such a journey seems evidence enough that the new directive for the militant groups is to wage a war against the “enemy in the enemy territory”.

 

Udhampur is one of the three districts with a substantial Hindu population and it seems that the high command of the militant groups have given them a directive to “fight the battle” in the areas where the casualties, even if caused to the civilians, are of the non-Muslims so that the “armed movement” in Kashmir does not lose support among the Muslim population of Kashmir and Muslims of Chenab Valley, Pir Panjal range and Kargil.

Naved was captured alive and become the only second militant to be captured alive since the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

 

He was captured shortly after he and his companion killed two BSF men and wounded nearly a dozen troopers by ambushing a convoy on the Jammu-Srinagar highway in Udhampur.

 

Pertinently, police officers said Naved was from Bahawalpur in Pakistan.

 

“I am from Pakistan and my partner was killed in the firing but I escaped. Had I been killed, it would have been Allah’s doing. There is fun in doing this … I came to kill Hindus,” the suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba operative, Naved who was wearing a dark blue shirt and brown trousers said.

 

Naved, 16, said has two brothers and a sister and one of his two brothers is a lecturer while the other runs a hosiery business.

Naved became the second Pakistani militant to be captured alive during an operation after Ajmal Kasab, the 26/11 attacker who was subsequently convicted and hanged to death for the carnage in Mumbai that left 166 people dead.

An officer said the two Pakistani militants hiding in a maize field along the highway hurled grenades and fired at the convoy when it reached Samroli near Udhampur, about 85 km from Jammu, on way to Srinagar.

He said as the BSF personnel fired back, Naved fled toward a village in the hills and took three civilians hostage in a school.

One of the hostages, Rakesh Kumar, said they misled the armed militant when he asked them to take him to a safe place.

 

Another hostage, Vikramjit Singh, said the militant was hungry.

“So we stopped. There we got together, forced him to the ground and unarmed him. He pleaded ‘mujhe mat pakdo, mujhe mat pakdo (Don’t catch me, don’t catch me)’ when we pinned him down and took away his AK-47.”

As he was brought down from the mountainous village bound by ropes, Naved looked hassled but smiled when he answered questions from journalists.

“My partner and I came to India through the jungles about 12 days ago … We ran out ration in three days. I was very hungry,” he said, before troops hooded his face and took him away.

The ambush was worrying for troops as it followed the July 27 attack in Punjab’s Gurdaspur that left seven people dead.

The attack was a first on the Jammu-Udhampur stretch of the highway in over a decade.Earlier, militants stormed a police station in Punjab’s Gurdaspur district killing seven people and wounding 10 others.

 

The militant attack came weeks after prime ministers Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif met in Russia and agreed that top security officers from the two countries would meet to discuss counter-terrorism strategy.

 

The 11-hour siege in Punjab ended after troops and police surrounded the building in Dinanagar town and killed three militants.

The area’s Superintendent of Police, Baljit Singh, was among those killed, apart from three policemen and three civilians.

 

“All ordnance factory marks and numbers on the AK-47s had been erased and so were the marks on the grenade canisters,” a top security official said. “There is nothing to trace the weapons to China or Pakistan. The attack appears to have been planned in great detail so that Pakistan can claim total deniability as no communication was exchanged.”

Two GPS devices found on the bodies were sent to a forensic laboratory to trace the infiltration route, but no identity documents, food, SIM cards or medicines were recovered.

 

“All we have is three bodies who were on a suicide mission,” the official said. “Our assessment is that they infiltrated across the international border in Punjab and could belong to the LeT as the modus operandi is similar to the (2013) Hiranagar attack in Jammu.” With the Udhampur attack, the militants shifted the battlefield to Hindu heartland of Jammu region and with Gurdaspur attacks, the militant groups had already made it clear to New Delhi that “enemy is at the gates”.

 

 

News Kashmir Excusive

Quality Healthcare facility is need of every human. Health care is one aspect that is direly craving for attention in Jammu and Kashmir State. With the sanctioning of All India Institute Of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)  by the Government of India in Kashmir one had hoped that worries of masses with reference to healthcare in the state would be somewhat eased but as it has turned developments  even in this regard  have taken an ugly shape. Dirty politics and politics loaded with electoral and communal gains is being displayed .State unit of BJP and other right wing Hindutva Parties  with other Jammu based parties  have generated lot of needless hue and cry over the issue of their demand of  the setting of AIIMS in Jammu region.

Valleyites have stated that on account of turmoil Jammu region has over the past few decades got lion’s share out of the developmental packages.

Syed Tajamul Imran, a writer states – “Even if Jammu desires or needs an AIMS; it is very much needed by the people of mountainous Pirpanjal and Chenab divisions of Jammu region,  but demanding such mega facility  for Jammu City or adjacent areas seems only a display of vested and selfish politics. When the need in our part of the world is to brainstorm collectively for betterment of basic facilities like quality healthcare, unfortunately fanatic tendencies seem to occupy the center stage.”

Sane voices are also state that a  place wherein even construction of mega super facility hospital generates controversy, agitation and communal polarization speaks volumes about the maturity of politicians of that part and AIMS controversy bears testimony to the fact that Jammu and Kashmir politicians are more guided by selfish interests rather than collective humane dynamism .

 

On the otherhand the commoners in Kashmir are also questioning the move of demanding AIIMS in Jammu. Manzoor Ahmad, a  student states – “If the agitators demanding would have been so sincere they should have been asking for AIIMS in health facility starved Chenab or Pirpanjal region but their intentions are to look for setting AIIMS in already health facility rich Jammu. Even the protest and agitation carried out for setting AIIMS in Jammu was by no means what we call civillised as it involved lot of coercive tactics. Demand for AIIMS in Jammu city or areas near it seems also visionless as if we look on the issue from geographical paradigms  Jammu is just 650 kms far from the AIIMS Dehli  but the other parts of the state are more the 1000 Kms far from the Dehli AIMS.”

 

Why the demand looks all the more political and selfish in nature is answered by the fact that If we  focus on results of last  elections the BJP got 25 seats from Jammu and PDP from Kashmir got 28 seats but the political analysts believe that it is actually the win of Jammu  that propelled BJP and others to seek AIIMS for Jammu also as the  Government was formed for the benefits and choice of Jammu more than that of Kashmir.

After much ado about nothing, On the assurance of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Government of India in which the state government has been advised to identify pieces of land measuring approximately 200 acres of each in both Jammu and Srinagar keeping in view to expediting the process of establishment of AIIMS in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, the members of AIIMS Coordination Committee (ACC) have temporarily suspended their Jammu bandh call .

Amid all this the optimism of setting up maiden institutes of prestigious AIIMS has been tremendously overshadowed by the selfish, communal and regional politics played over this critical issue.

News Kashmir Exclusive

With the threat of another floods looming large in Kashmir valley this season the biggest question, that is talk of town is that how Valley of Kashmir has been literally converted into a flood zone with even normal rains that too in month of March which is a no-flood month.  .

Pertinently, the answer does not seem simple as the overall environmental scenario is quiet awful as Valley of Kashmir has  lost several precious environmental resources. Over the past few decades, Kashmir  lost a majority of wetlands and lakes. The phenomenon of deforestation has increased. Illegal encroachments have worsened the matters.

Painfully Enough,  by display of the selfish attitude by masses and successive inefficient governments , Kashmir has  lent a great blow to its  natural resources and as a result today according to experts the calamities like floods are thus becoming a normality.

According to many environmental watchers, Wetlands destruction is one of the main reason behind recurring Kashmir floods as wetlands form an vital part of our ecosystem. Wetlands perform multiple function as they  can decrease flooding , remove pollutants from water , recharge groundwater, protect shorelines, provide habitat for wildlife , and perform other various important functions.

 

Beautiful Valley of Kashmir is bestowed with large number of impressive wetlands like HAIGAM RAKH, MIRGUND WETLAND, SHALBUGWETLAND:

The Wetland International(NetherLands)  an International organization and authority on wetlands describe in their report the worth of wetlands of Kashmir as under,” The Kashmir Valley with an average elevation of 1600 amsl is dotted with wetlands, which play an enormous role in maintaining the hydrological regimes of the entire valley. There are varied assessments on the extent of wetlands within the valley owing to difference in interpretation of definition of wetlands. The present assessments ranging from 236.5 sq km (Space Application Center, 1998) – 256 sq km ( NationalWetland Inventory, Salim Ali Center for Ornithology, 2001) , are significantly underestimated considering the comprehensive definition of wetlands on hydrological basis. But destruction of these wetlands has lead to environmental havoc.

Commenting on this abject reality, Junaid Khan, an activist states – “ The recent flood disaster in kashmir is undeniably a result of extreme rainfall. But this is not entire story. The loss of forests, wide spread illegal construction on agriculture land and earth/filling of water bodies has decreased water retention and increased flash floods and landslides (Due to deforestation ) across the state. As a result, heavy rainfall may turn into disastrous flooding with in hours. Destruction o wetlands has worsened the matters for us. The illegal encroachments and construction in Dal and other lakes causes water level to ris and lakes cant bear the continuous spell of rain and same water overflows causing  fear and destruction. More than 30% of wetlands in kashmir valley have been encroached upon or severally damaged. The construction there is mainly due to commercial activities. Take example of of biggest lake “wular” It has once spread across 20000 hectares, it now remains restricted to 2400 hectares.

 

According to expert opinion , Dal Lake, Anchar Lake, Manasbal and Wular Lake are some of the larger wetlands of the basin. Extensive marshes have been also formed in lower areas through catchment drainages, particularly between Srinagar and Sopore Rakh Asham, Naugam, Malgam, are some of the major marshes of the valley, but unfortunately  a big portion of which has been drained and reclaimed for agriculture and settlement”.

 

Hilal Alvi, An environmental watcher states – “ Wetlands have immense importance as they function as natural sponges that trap and slowly release surface water, rain, snowmelt, groundwater and flood waters. Trees, root mats, and other wetland vegetation also slow the speed of flood waters and distribute them more slowly over the floodplain. This combined water storage an braking action lowers flood heights and reduces erosion. We  need to remember that  Wetlands within and downstream of urban areas are particularly valuable, counteracting the greatly increased rate and volume of surface- water runoff from pavement and buildings. The holding capacity of wetlands helps control floods and prevents water logging of crops. Preserving and restoring wetlands

But currently the Wetlands in Kashmir are facing multi-dimensional threats “Taken as a whole, it is estimated that the aggregate value of services generated by wetlands throughout the world is $4.9 trillion per year (Costanza et al. 1997). Wetlands are integral part of environment. Wetlands are an important part of Kashmir environment but they have been continuously   facing many  problems including siltation, eutrophication and unabated encroachments of agricultural land. Natural and artificial fertilizers extensively used on adjacent agricultural lands enter the wetland resulting greatly in increased  rate of eutrophication and threatening wetlands. Steps should be taken to save our valuable wetlands from looming disasters than only we can safeguard overselves from calamities like floods .”

Illegal Encroachments over the past few decades have become a norm in Kashmir and have lent death blow to the fragile environmental zones and aggravated the situation further. While on one hand these illegal encroachments have choked rivers and flood channels on the otherhand, rational voices are also worried that Large scale encroachment of Wullar, Hokera & Narkara Wetlands for residential colonies is also posing a danger to migratory birds.

Overwhelming opinion on ground is that Wetland Destruction, Illegal Encroachments are undoubtedly triggering Kashmir floods.

News Kashmir Exclusive

The Valley of Kashmir’s already fragile education system has been hit hard by the political turmoil, natural disasters, lack of quality infrastructure in past few decades and students have been hit hard by all this.

 

What has been the prominent defining challenge amidst all this turbulence is the debate revolving whether the November- December session is best or the March- April session with reference to the timing of examinations of Kashmiri students. Viewpoints, narratives, arguments have all been differing with some favouring maintaining the November Session while others favouring March session.

Pertinently, a Cabinet decision in 2014 by the then state government had made it clear that examinations shall be held in March  and stated “ It is a binding on all education institutions operating in the state and those violating the orders will be dealt as per law.”

The said cabinet order had made it amply clear that academic session will start from March and exams will also be held in the same month. The November session has been deferred to March and it will continue to remain so in future, the said order had maintained.

 

What decision will the new government take on academic calendar will it be November session or March session remains to be seen but a debate on subject is on between social circles .

While reflecting on this debate whether November session or March Session is suited, Sheikh Sameer, An Academician states – “J&K state has distinct geographical features. People have adjusted their lifestyle according to unique climatic conditions. The summer and winter activities in every sphere of life follow the somewhat different calendar of J&K people. The March session had been in practice earlier but unfortunately as it is generally believed it was changed to appease bureaucrats. It is because of bureaucratic intervention and hegemony that such system evolved for worse. November session has many disadvantages, problems that are endemic. On the other hand the advantages of March session are many. The academic session at present starts in March and ends in September (with regard to teaching-learning). As such there are only seven months of teaching-learning period. While as shifting of annual exams permanently to March session will increase the teaching-learning period. Academic year will start from April and end in November stretching the duration from seven to eight months thereby increasing the period by one month. Students can better prepare for examinations in the two months, that is from December to January. The examinations may start in mid February when severe cold is accorded ‘farewell’ and the climate starts becoming suitably warm. In winter vacation students often waste a lot of time in unnecessary home work instead of exam preparations. In this technology age students should not be allowed to wait too long for preparation and declaration of results. By March if both exams and results are over, academic session would begin as early as April. With the prospective change of the examination session from November to March many problems will get settled on their own (structurally). Let all stake holders have firm approach to make this a permanent change. Let exams be always held in March and the final class pass outs join professional and academic courses afresh without wasting any time.”

 

Ubaid Zaragar, a student states – “In  March this year the weather was not stable which created havoc for board authorities to conduct exam on due dates. The questions were continuously arising will this (March session) continue or not. Although I think the exams should be conducted in March which will be helpful for both the 10^th and 12^th class students. As we all know in winters, people in Kashmir usually stay inside and most of them waste their time, either in playing cricket or in snow fighting. March session, to several students, has come as a great solution for deriving out maximum benefits from an idle phase. It will surely give them a chance to develop the habits of self-studying, reading novels, history which, otherwise, is not possible. March session will benefit students from rural areas as well. Normally, autumn is a season for harvesting in Kashmir. Most of the students living in rural areas remain busy with the crop harvest. Ironically, most of the examinations are held during the same period of the year. If the examinations are postponed until March, these hardworking students from villages will get ample time to prepare and thus will prosper both economically as well as academically.

Ubaid Zargar adds – “Another reason where I support is when we pass graduation level exams in January, we need to pause our self while waiting in getting admission inside Kashmir or outside. Then after a long they too follow the March session procedure which in fact devastates our several months. The irony in it is these months get wasted which in fact as per calculations waste the whole year.

 

The conduct of exams in winter is a very difficult job for authorities as well as students because of the weather conditions prevailing here. The government should make it compulsory, as its kick start was not so good. They should stick to the decision to conduct exams in March every year as it is advantageous.”

 

On the otherhand, there are many opposing voices too who state November session should e maintained.

Arshid Ahmad, a parent stated – “ Examination session or the academic session should e not changed to March as this will make our students, teachers lethargic. We all know we have a long winter in Kashmir and in this day and age preparing for exams is not such big deal. Making March Session a permanent feature will come with a great hazard that on overall terms winter vacations will not be utilized and these long months of vacation will not prove productive and can make our students lose touch and elegance. So we should not change to March Session as it can lead to total wastage of long intervals of Winter Vacation in Kashmir.”

Without doubt an interesting debate is on whether to have March Session or November session for our academics and policy makers should take all pros and cons into consideration before taking final call.

News Kashmir Exclusive

 

In a landmark development, Section  66A of the Information Technology Act is unconstitutional in its entirety, the Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday stroking   down a “draconian” provision that had led to the arrests of many people for posting content deemed to be “allegedly objectionable” on the Internet.

“It is clear that Section 66A arbitrarily, excessively and disproportionately invades the right of free speech and upsets the balance between such right and the reasonable restrictions that may be imposed on such right,” said a Bench of Justices J. Chelameswar and Rohinton F. Nariman. The definition of offences under the provision was “open-ended and undefined”, it said.

While on otherside, the Bench also turned down a plea to strike down sections 69A and 79 of the Act, which deal with the procedure and safeguards for blocking certain websites and exemption from liability of intermediaries in certain cases, respectively. In the said judgment, the court said the liberty of thought and expression was a cardinal value of paramount significance under the Constitution.

 

 

It is worth mentioning here that in number  of the cases slapped against persons for posting offensive views on social network sites, the police had invariably invoked Sections 153 and 505 of the IPC along with Section 66A of I-T Act, which is a bailable offence.

Valleyites especially netizens are happy over abolishing of Section 66 A as they feel it grants them more freedom and more liberty to express their dissent.

Faizaan Bhat, an enthusiastic Netizen stated – “We have seen what happened in previous agitations  in Kashmir how many youth were arrested just by posting against Government. Supreme court  of India  took a great decision of scrapping it as this section was against right to freedom of speech n democrac, but we need to be civilized and sane on online mediums and write  rationally and  logically. This landmark decision also proves that India can never be turned into another China and freedom o speech here has lot of value ”

As a matter of fact, The petitioners in this historical case included Shreya Singhal, Common Cause, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Dilip Kumar Tulsidas, the Peoples Union for Civil Liberties, Mouthshut.Com, Tasleema Nasrin, Manoj Oswal, the Internet and Mobile Association of India and Anoop M.K

 

While talking exclusively to News Kashmir Magazine, Yasir Altaf Zargar, a Security Analyst stated – “This draconian act invaded internet freedom. It arbitrarily, excessively and disproportionately invades the right of free speech. This act was misused by bureaucrats and politicians to suppress their enemies in a legal way. In the past few years, the provision has been invoked to make several arrests. On behalf of the victims, several petitions were moved in the Supreme Court, and these were heard at length by the court.

As we all know India is diverse nation, though freedom of free speech is in its main fundamental principles. Every person has his own right to express his views verbally or non- verbally. A person has right of free speech, and can comment his views regarding any person on internet or by using any electronic mean. Although there are many acts which can led block of those websites which post abusive content or any offensive comment. Arresting people on giving their personal views or comments will increase heartedness among masses towards government and may lead to civil war against government.”

 

 

 

Many experts state that we should not still be over joyous as it is the invoking of additional IPC sections which had allowed the police to arrest the persons for offensive posts.

Pertinently, Section 153 and 153A provides for registration of a case against a person who gives a statement either in writing or orally that incites communal riots or provokes communal tension and enmity between communities. IT is punishable with imprisonment from 6 months to one year with fine. Section 505 punishes persons who spread rumor through their statement to cause public disorder with an imprisonment up to 3 years.

Pertinently, Section 66A was not part of the original I-T Act enacted during NDA government in 2000. The UPA government had amended the Act in 2009 and brought Section 66A into force October 27, 2009. At that time Veerappa Moily was the law minister and A Raja was the minister for information technology. Kapil Sibal succeeded Raja as I-T minister.

On the other hand , Sunil Abraham, the executive director of the Center for Internet & Society, which is based in Bangalore, called the decision “amazing.”
“It is in continuation of a great tradition in India: that of apex courts consistently, over the years, protecting the citizens of India from violations of human rights,” he said.

India is considered by some to be one of the world’s most freewheeling democracies, and the decision to strike down 66 A has been welcomed by one and all.

Veteran Indian journalist, author and peace activist, Kuldip Nayar, in an interview to New Kashmir Editor,Farzana Mumtaz, talks how India had changed since its independence, the rise of Hindutva in the country, the Peoples Democratic Party and the Bharatiya Janta Party coalition government in Jammu Kashmir and how chief ministers have been installed in the State at the behest of New Delhi. Excerpts

 

You are one of the victims of the partition.

Yes, my family had to migrate from Sialkot at the time of partition. I came to the present day India through Lahore by road. On leaving home, we thought it was a communal thing which would stay for sometime but didn’t have an idea that the migration will change everyone’s lives in the subcontinent. When I came to this side of the border, I was penniless.

 

How did you end up becoming a journalist?

Before partition, I had done completed my Law degree. I knew Urdu and Persian languages. I came to know that a newspaper was looking for a Hindu who knew Urdu and I landed in a newspaper Anjaam and ended up becoming a journalist instead of a lawyer.

 

Do you miss Sialkot?

Everybody misses home. When I migrated, I tried my best to at least visit my ancestral home at least once. I applied for travel documents but was refused time and again. This was until Zulfikar Ali Bhutto came to power in Pakistan. When I interviewed him in Pakistan, I requested him for the travel documents. Pakistani Army’s cantonment in Sialkot did not allow any outsiders to visit the place. My documents got cleared the very next day and I visited Sialkot after 25 years.

 

You interviewed Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan. The news of Pakistan being a nuclear power leaked through you?

Entire world had its eyes focused on Pakistani nuclear bomb in 1980s. My friend from Pakistan, Mushahid Hussain, was with me. He had arranged that interview for me. When we sat with A Q Khan, I tried my best to know it from the horse’s mouth but all my efforts failed. Then, I provoked him saying that one of the scientists had told him that Pakistan neither had the material nor men to make a bomb. He reacted punching his hand hard on the table saying it thrice ‘We have it… we have it… we have it…’ I replied saying you have not tested it yet. He retorted saying it did not need an over ground test and tests could be done in laboratories too. The interview created ripples all around the world.

 

With all the backing of the Hindu rightwing parties, can Narendra Modi become the Prime Minister who can resolve Kashmir issue?

It is an appropriate time for India to get Kashmir issue resolved. If New Delhi cannot resolve this issue now, then we will have to long. Every Hindu party is with BJP and it is the right time to get Kashmir issue resolved. On the contrary, Congress cannot do anything on Kashmir. They do not have the blessings of these Hindu parties. For any Kashmir resolution, the endorsement of these Hindutva parties is a must. For resolving Kashmir issue, Modi is in a far better position than any Indian Prime Minister has ever been.

 

How was the Kashmir policy of the first Prime Minister of free India?

Jawaharlal Nehru was a Kashmiri and felt for Kashmir. Had Pakistan not sent their irregulars to Kashmir, Kashmir’s fate would have been entirely different. The raid provided an opportunity for India to get into Kashmir. Had raiders not invaded Kashmir, it would have become part of Pakistan. Kashmir was a natural part of Pakistan. Even Sardar Patel said to Jinnah that you take Kashmir and let Hyderabad secede.

 

How good was the relationship of the Prime Minister of Jammu Kashmir, Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah with the Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru?

Sheikh was against the Maharaja and led a movement against Maharaja. Nehru supported everyone who had been against their rulers in the princely states. Sheikh was secular and a democrat and had a grip on his people.

 

For most of the time since the independence of India, it has been ruled by the Congress. How have they handled Kashmir?

After the partition, Congress under Nehru’s leadership was keen to get Kashmir issue resolved. But with the coming up of Jan Sangh, a force with all Hindutva backing, it became difficult for Congress to do anything or move forward on Kashmir.

 

And how did Nehru’s daughter deal with Kashmir?

Indira’s Kashmir policy was shaped through Sheikh Abdullah, who helped her when she was in wilderness. Later, she took him for granted.

 

How do you see the incumbent government in Jammu Kashmir? Will it last?

I think this government will complete its full term. Both the parties want to be in power. The only problem in this coalition is that there is a permanent divide between Kashmir and Jammu. The 2014 polls proved that there is a divide between Kashmiri Muslims and Jammu Hindus. This is very dangerous for the secular fabric of India.

 

Is Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed to be blamed for entering into this unholy alliance?

It’s a power game. When he entered into an alliance, he said he didn’t want to alienate Jammu by going for an alliance with any other party that would not have representation from Jammu.

 

Why has India failed to integrate Kashmiris in the mainstream? Why has it failed to win the hearts and minds of Kashmiris?

Modi will try to do everything to win Kashmiri to his side. He can go to any extent to win Kashmiris because he has to show and sell to Indian public that he has achieved something in Kashmir. If not integrate at least he can say to Indian public that he has pacified Kashmiris.

 

Have the successive governments in Jammu Kashmir choked the alternative political space?

The political space was always choked in Kashmir. Apart from 1977 elections, New Delhi used to handpick the chief minister for this State.

 

Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front Chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik says that he gave up armed movement at your insistence after you promised him that New Delhi would resolve f Kashmir issue if they adopted peaceful means. Is that correct?

In 1993, the IB men told me that Yasin Malik had expressed his desire of meeting me when he was being treated at a hospital in Delhi after his arrest. I agreed to the proposition and went to meet Malik at the hospital. There he told me why we didn’t take note of the Amnesty International’s report on human rights violations. I responded saying, ‘If you can trust white men, why not us?’ To this Malik responded saying he had all the trust in me.

 

After you convinced him to lay down arms, 600 JKLF men who had given up arms were killed by Army and paramilitary forces. Isn’t the blood of those 600 men on your hands?

I don’t have their blood on my hands. New Delhi and Indian security forces do. I regret New Delhi did not abide by the ceasefire and am sorry to Yasin Malik for that.

 

Many solutions have been floated for resolving Kashmir. What in your view can be the best possible solution?

I think both parts of Kashmir should merge and have a common mechanism for everything from politics to economy. Pakistan should take care of defense and foreign affairs of its part of Kashmir and India of this part. Both parts of Kashmir should come have a common mechanism for government for everything else. There should be better people-to-people contact.

News Kashmir Exclusive

 

Drinking Water problems are aggravating in Kashmir with every passing day. Bearing the  fact in mind that only ~1% of the world’s fresh water is accessible for direct human uses  in entire world the sane voices  thus calls for judicious  use of water in Kashmir and throughout world .This is the water found in lakes, rivers, reservoirs and those underground sources that are shallow enough to be tapped at an affordable cost.

Once rich in drinking and fresh water sources Kashmir is  now facing multiple problems on this front. Rural areas, areas of Srinagar City and far-flung areas in Kashmir since past few months especially after floods last year are facing acute shortage of drinking water. According to officials there are 1800  Water Supply Schemes WSSs in the Kashmir valley for providing drinking water to consumers. However, during the September last year devastating flood, 1,300 schemes were affected, majority of them badly and after few months  due to rain  250 schemes were affected due to mud and landslides.

Pertinently, areas like Batmaloo,Iddgah, Rawalpora have been facing worse problems with reference to drinking water.  In central Kashmir, even as construction of number  of  water supply schemes were inaugurated  in the Chadoora division years ago, the delay in their completion and subsequent commissioning has worsened the scarcity of drinking water in the area compelling people to head to filthy streams and water bodies.

Failure of water supply schemes, devastation  of fresh water sources like lakes, rivers , streams are said to be some off the main reason behind water woes of Kashmir. Summers are here and the urban centres in Kashmir  are already complaining about water shortage not to mention many villages which lack safe drinking water.

 

To mitigate the drinking water problems faced by people  experts call on tapping  Groundwater as it  is a very imperative source of water for the people worldwide.Hence the  expert voices  urge upon the concerned stakeholders to tap groundwater resources to save kashmir from water crisis. According to the statistics, listed on the website of the Central ground water board, J&K has 2.70 BCM(Billion Cubic Meters). And the net Annual Ground Water Availability is 2.43 BCM. So  many state that need of the hour is Government and other stake holders to tap this vital groundwater potential. The largest use for groundwater is to irrigate crops . It is important for all of us to learn to protect our groundwater because of its importance as a source of water for drinking and irrigation.

 

 

 

 

Manzoor Ahmad , a student said, “ Recently we earned via Public Health Engineering (PHE) officials that two we known Water Supply Schemes (WSS)—Rangil and Alisteang—in the central Kashmir’s Ganderbal got affected due to breach and mudslides triggered by heavy downpour and this badly affected the drinking water supply. We need to have effective mechanism to safeguard our drinking water schemes and solve drinking water   problems .Water is life. At a time when the whole world is witnessing water crisis its adverse impacts are now visible in this part of the world as well .We  thus need to tap  Groundwater as it  is used for drinking  by more than 50 percent of the people in the globe, including almost everyone who lives in rural areas. Only this amount is regularly renewed by rain and snowfall, and is therefore available on a sustainable basis. We need to save our fresh water sources like lakes, streams, ponds from destruction.”

General consensus on ground is that a swift, visionary road map can only minimize  the water woes of Kashmir and save the scenario from getting worse .

 

News Kashmir Exclusive

Eid-al-Fitr (Eid al-Fitr, Eid ul-Fitr, Id-Ul-Fitr, Eid) which is the first day of the Islamic month of Shawwal. This festival  marks the end of Ramadan, which is a month of fasting and prayer. Many Muslims attend collective prayers, listen to a khutba (sermon) and give zakat al-fitr (charity ) during Eid al-Fitr. Throughout Muslim world this festival is marked by great celebrations.

As we are marking the festival of Eid-al-Fitr the buzz word is that remembering orphans should be the primary concern for all of us especially in Kashmir wherein past two decades turmoil and violence has created large number  of orphans.

A few years back, according to a  survey conducted by the sociology department of Kashmir University along with Jammu and Kashmir Yateem Foundation Kashmir  an approximate number of 2.14 lakh orphans and 32,000 widows are there in Kashmir due to the two decades of turmoil which aptly shows the gravity of the problem.

Voices of Conscience are calling on masses to remember the orphans on the eve of Eid -al- Fitr .

 

Ajaz Ahmad War, a Journalist states – “ Eid is a time of happiness in which everybody has a reason to smile, celebrate  and sharing the joy with family, relatives and friends. However, orphaned children feel the pain of not having parents whenever any religious festivity such as Eid is around. We need to remember our orphans on Eid by helping them. It is important to mention Child labour in Jammu and Kashmir has augmented rapidly in recent years as the number of orphans has increased on account of conflict and violence. In spite of anti-child labour laws two lacs 40 thousand children are working as labourers in Jammu & Kashmir. Many children have been orphaned in the conflict which resulted in the tremendous  increase of Child labour in the valley. Let us all pledge to remember orphan children of our state on the auspicious occasions of the Eid by helping them in every manner .”

 

Pertinently, unofficial estimates, there’re about 300,000 child labourers in the state with 70% of the teenagers belonging to the Valley and most of them orphaned in the conflict.

Masses and expert voices also state that in view of the disappointing role played by Ngos the onus is on more common people of Kashmir to render a helping hand to orphans as number Ngos rose up in the name of rendering helping hand to thousands of orphan Children of the Kashmir but the work performed by them is unimpressive.

On the otherhand, not paying Zakat or donations by many affluent people in our part of the world has aggravated the problems of orphans. In this regard, Eminent Islamic scholar, Prof Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi recently urged Muslims of Kashmir to pay their Zakat to fulfill the needs of sustenance, education, healthcare and rehabilitation of orphans and widows.

Rafiabadi was speaking at a seminar titled ‘Plight of Orphans and Widows- Our Responsibilities’ organized as part of mass awareness campaign by J&K Yateem Foundation at degree college Shopian.

The scholar called for taking concrete measures to rehabilitate thousands of orphans, widows and destitute through well structured rehabilitation mechanism. He said through education the orphan children could be empowered while creating livelihood and employment opportunities for them to become self sufficient.

 

Syed Tajamul Imran, a student states –  “Despite scores of NGOs coming up in past twenty years in name of helping orphans in Kashmir  but on ground  zero orphans are suffering. Many of them are almost left on their own, becoming bread earners of a family at a very minor age and thus they suffer . While the response of the civil society in Jammu and Kashmir is dismal it is thus our prime responsibility as humans with humane heart to remember our orphans on eve of Eid and render them helping hand . Providing orphans and vulnerable children with a primary and secondary education, nutrition and medical care should be priority . On larger level,  With more than 140 million orphans around the world, the need is great .”

On Eid, Spare a thought for Orphans of Kashmir is the dominant thought in the festive environment of Kashmir.

BY Junaid Nazir  

Let us know…..As we all are aware of everyday motor accidents happens across the valley ,Some vehicles falls in gorge and some vehicles turtle upside down .Why this happens ? Is there lack of driving ethics, lack of driving etiquettes or is there something wrong happening  on grass root level. We cannot stop traffic collisions to happen but we can prevent to some extent.

Its grave concern and we should ponder on it because we lose those lives that are precious for someone. In my opinion you may or may not agree, this  is turmoil.

These rapid incidents happens due to lack of various Technical failure

Driving Test: we have since decades same procedure for driving test, to pass through the vehicle from Iron poles to & fro. The drawback of this procedure is that testing authority never observes how much “Reaction and perception time” applicant had. The driving on road needs: Anticipation, judgment and road positioning according to other road users. Driving at inter sections needs: Negotiation with zone of vision, check Mirror signal and maneuver (MSM), Position speed and look (PSL). These aspects never judged by Driving test inspector. The current driving testing system in our state never gives best driver to society whether commercial or private.

Fitness certificates of Transport vehicle: According to motor vehicle act section 56 to certify the vehicle through Board Of inspection from Motor vehicle department to conforming the roadworthiness of vehicle after given interval of time by authorities. This is most important part for inspection and testing of in use commercial vehicles .This inspection is based on rather visual and road tested. The equation of vehicles and the testing officer is in reality unbelievable and unfair.

Road design and elevations: We don’t have specific traffic roads as per standard , motor roads should be elevated to large extent that vehicle at permitted speed can negotiate the curves and turns of the road. The road should have traffic signs spotted at proper place like where apprehension of accidents is high. Various mishaps happened on road, is just due to the condition of road. But as accidents are not scientifically analysed, the role of road is always ignored .Road may not be direct cause. But indirectly it compels the driver to behave abruptly considering the situation on road. Pot holes, cuts on shoulders, uneven pavement, and uneven surface compels driver to act differently and its result in accident. In our state roads are divided in to national highway, major district roads, village roads, street and other kinds of roads. Each of these type has to  be properly defined . The minimum width of each category has to be specified. Last but not the least, Punishment for non functioning of the duty has to be specifically mentioned. Which will definitely make the roads good for smooth Transport .

Driver: The steering man is totally responsible to control the vehicle at driving time. If he lacks judgment time he can’t prevent accident .If he lacks perception time and reaction time the accident is possible .If he tailgates or can’t maintain cushion space he is not best driver. The most responsible factor for accident is supposed to be a vehicle driver. As accident is dealt under law. It is treated as crime .Before allowing person to drive a vehicle his social, economical, educational, mental ,psychological conditions of has to be checked and considered. In addition to this impact of vehicle and time, fast music on drivers and societies attitude towards driver also cannot be ignored

Motor cycle and scooter Riders: The number of motor-cycle and scooters on the streets in towns and cities is increasing enormously in the past years. The rider of motor cycle or scooter is very much vulnerable to accidents because he is totally unprotected. A study in Delhi (source internet) has estimated that the chances of fatality is fourteen times as great for motor cycle and scooter riders as for car drivers. Another cause for concern is that the two-wheeler accident victims generally succumb to head injuries. This points to be the usefulness of crash helmets for these riders.

Now what is lacking from administrative side to cause accidents

           Motor Vehicles Department: As per section 213 of motor vehicles Act every state government has       to establish a motor vehicles department. And the Qualification of the officer has been well defined under the notification and rules of the said act. These provisions have been introduced to achieve proper road safety, because the job itself is a technical job and needs expertise and professional attitude. The reality is far away from the dream expectations. The motor vehicles department is one of the most neglected department in every state government .The attitude of state government is to generate more and more revenue through motor vehicles department. Thus department has become a revenue generating machine. But unfortunately it is at the cost of road safety and social safety.

Many times unqualified and unskilled officers from non-technical departments are deputed to motor vehicles department .In addition to this proper manpower and proper infrastructure are never provided by state government. It has become a honeymoon heaven for all the state civil services officers in many states. In addition number of activities is shouldered by other department which has no skill and proper time and knowledge to perform the duties. It has thus  made chaos on roads

Motor vehicles Act: It is basic tool for road safety. But this most active law of land is neglected by government as well as by society.  The reason behind this negligence is motor vehicle act is central act and is implemented by state government. Thus no government is serious about this law or in short this is nobody’s baby. Further this law is called minor act .Violation of the provisions are non cognizable at number of times. It has hampered the social status of law.

There are so many deficiencies in our state related to transport. We can’t pinpoint at all .so request to everyone kindly follow the rules and regulation to safe guard our generation

 

Junaid Nazir  is a Road Safety Expert