Global News Post: Jammu and Kashmir

INDIA: Truck Plunge Kills 16 Pilgrims in Kashmir

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">SRINAGAR (India) (NNN-AGENCIES) -- Sixteen Hindus returning from the site of an annual pilgrimage in the state of Jammu & Kashmir died when their truck plunged into a deep gorge, police said Friday. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The truck, carrying more than 30 pilgrims, skidded off the road and into the gorge late Thursday evening, some 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the Kashmiri winter capital Jammu, a police spokesman said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"The truck rolled over. Sixteen people were killed and another 16 were injured," the spokesman said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The victims had all taken part in an annual pilgrimage -- one of the oldest in the world -- to the Amarnath cave in the Kashmir Himalaya, which houses a natural stalagmite worshipped as a symbol of Shiva, the god of destruction. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Hundreds of thousands of Hindus visit the cave every summer, trekking to altitudes of 4,570 metres along narrow, winding paths that criss- cross steep valleys. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Two weeks ago 15 pilgrims died in Indian Kashmir when their bus skidded off the road into a different gorge. -- NNN-AGENCIES<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

INDIA: Truck Plunge Kills 16 Pilgrims in Kashmir

SRINAGAR (India) (NNN-AGENCIES) -- Sixteen Hindus returning from the site of an annual pilgrimage in the state of Jammu & Kashmir died ...

Mirwaiz Opposes Govt. Attempts to Lure Israelis to Kashmir

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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">SRINAGAR (NNN-IRNA): Chairman of the moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference and Kashmir’s head priest Mirwaiz Umer Farooq has sought an explanation from the state government about its recent attempts to invite Israeli tourists to Kashmir saying most of the visitors could be MOSAD agents in the garb of tourists. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">'Although we welcome guests and visitors, however, we cannot accept agents of the Israeli Intelligence agencies visiting Kashmir in the garb of tourists,' Mirwaiz said in his Friday sermon at the historic Grand Mosque of Srinagar. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">'How can the government invite Israelis, when they are expressly anti-Muslim and anti-Islam?,' he asked. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Seeking an explanation, the Mirwaiz said such steps of the government were dubious and doubtful. 'They should desist from such steps as they hurt the sentiments of Muslims”, adding the issue of Masjid e Aqsa pertains to Muslims around the world and not the Palestinians only. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mirwaiz stance came days after Kashmir Tourism Department decided to send a delegation to Tel Aviv, in a bid to woo Israeli tourists to Kashmir. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">'Israel has not issued a travel advisory for Kashmir and a number of tourists from Israel have been visiting the Kashmir Valley and Ladakh in the past. We are keen that maximum number of tourists from Israel should visit Kashmir. That is why we are visiting the country and on June 25, 2012 we will hold a road show in Tel Aviv,' Talat Pervez, Director, Tourism Kashmir, was quoted as saying. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Department is organising road shows in Tel Aviv and will screen films and documentaries about Kashmir. The next stop of the tourism department is Jordon and Dubai, the India Today report said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The trip was, however, abandoned at the last minute following publication of the news in Srinagar newspapers sparking a chain reaction from various organisations. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In spite of travel advisories, the Kashmir Valley is recording an increasing number of tourists this year. Since January this year 5.40 lakh tourists (540,000), including 17,000 foreigners, have visited Kashmir. -NNN-IRNA <o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Mirwaiz Opposes Govt. Attempts to Lure Israelis to Kashmir

SRINAGAR (NNN-IRNA): Chairman of the moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference and Kashmir’s head priest Mirwaiz Umer Farooq has sought ...

INDIA: Article 370 Inhibiting J-K's Progress - BJP

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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">JAMMU (NNN-PTI): Slamming the recommendations of Interlocutors on special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370, BJP has claimed that the provision had resulted in emergence of separatism and was inhibiting the state's progress.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"Article 370, which was supposed to be temporary article, has been further strengthened and J-K's relation with India further weakened by the report of Kashmir Interlocutors, who batted for preserving special status and reviewing all the central laws applicable to the state," senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley said, addressing a public meeting here.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"The interlocutors report can only make separatists happy but not any national person. The report is purely an attempt to weak the relationship of J-K with India," Jaitley said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Maintaining that peace is pre-requisite for the economic development and prosperity of the state, he said there would be no progress unless peace returns and special status (Article 370) is ended.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"Article 370 is a major hurdle in economic development and prosperity of Jammu and Kashmir. If top businessmen come here to invest, youth would get job, there would no unemployment, there would economic growth. It is not possible till there is Article 37O", he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Jaitley said that carving out special status for Jammu and Kashmir was a "historical blunder".<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"It was due to the wrong ideology of (Jawaharlal) Nehru that Article 370 was incorporated in J-K. It was said that it is temporary provision and will be done away with," he added.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

INDIA: Article 370 Inhibiting J-K's Progress - BJP

JAMMU (NNN-PTI): Slamming the recommendations of Interlocutors on special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370, BJP has claimed t...

India: Sufi Shrine Destroyed in Kashmir

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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Officials in Kashmir say a fire has destroyed a revered Muslim shrine.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Known as Dastageer Sahib, the shrine housed the tomb of Sufi mystic Syed Abdul Qadir in Jammu & Kashmir's main city, Srinagar.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Authorities say the more-than-200-year-old wooden shrine was quickly engulfed in flames.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Firefighters were pelted with stones when they arrived at the shrine. Protesters were angry at what they said was the firefighters' slow response.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The cause of the blaze was not immediately known.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The fire triggered several protests around the city, prompting police to fire tear gas.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Kashmir is claimed in full by both India and Pakistan. Since 1989, Muslim separatists have been fighting for Kashmir's independence from Hindu-majority India or for a merger with Muslim-majority Pakistan. At least 50,000 people have died in the violence.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The nuclear-armed neighbors have fought two wars over the Himalayan region since gaining independence from Britain in 1947. ---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

India: Sufi Shrine Destroyed in Kashmir

Officials in Kashmir say a fire has destroyed a revered Muslim shrine. Known as Dastageer Sahib, the shrine housed the tomb of Sufi myst...

India: 41 Infants Die in Hospital in Jammu & Kashmir

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 0%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 0%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 0%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 0%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">SRINAGAR (NNN-Bernama): In the last 15 days, 41 infant deaths have taken place at a paediatric hospital in Jammu & Kashmir, officials said Wednesday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 0%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 0%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The deaths were reported at the G B Pant hospital in Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu & Kashmir. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 0%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 0%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It is the only paediatric hospital in the city meant to cater the rush from 12 districts.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 0%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 0%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">According to a report, nine infant deaths were reported in the last 24 hours.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 0%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 0%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Official records showed 32 infants in the age group of 0-1 year (neonates) had died at the hospital up to May 14 but nine infant deaths on May 14 brought the toll to 41.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 0%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 0%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Patients blame the government for its apathy towards the increase in deaths. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 0%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 0%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">However, hospital authorities deny deaths in the hospital are taking place due to their negligence. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 0%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 0%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"Our hospital remains overburdened and critical patients are being referred, so people feel that deaths take place here,"said Dr Javaid Choudhary, medical superintendent of the hospital.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 0%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 0%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Doctors said they are unable to cope with the huge overload because of a shortage of medical equipment and trained staff. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 0%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 0%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The region's chief minister has ordered an inquiry into the infant deaths on Monday. -NNN-BERNAMA<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

India: 41 Infants Die in Hospital in Jammu & Kashmir

SRINAGAR (NNN-Bernama): In the last 15 days, 41 infant deaths have taken place at a paediatric hospital in Jammu & Kashmir, official...

INDIA: Rehabilitation Plan for Displaced Families in J-K

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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">SRINAGAR (NNN-PTI): The Jammu and Kashmir government has made a Rs 254-crore rehabilitation plan for 185 families displaced due to the construction of Kishenganga Hydel Electric Project in Bandipora district. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"A project plan of Rs 253.75 crore has been made for rehabilitation of 185 families affected due to construction of Kishenganga Hydel Electric Project," an official spokesman said after a review meeting chaired by District Development Commissioner, Bandipora, Manzoor Ahmad Lone. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He said under the project, power and water system, hospital, schools, roads, drainage and other facilities are being kept available in affected villages of Gurez and Kralpora. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The meeting was informed that an amount of Rs 90.50 crore has been released by the NHPC so far for this purpose, the spokesman said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The District Development Commissioner on the occasion stressed for close coordination and cooperation between the executing agencies and departments so that the development works are taken up as soon as possible. He said a monitoring committee will also be constituted in this regard. -NNN-PTI<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

INDIA: Rehabilitation Plan for Displaced Families in J-K

SRINAGAR (NNN-PTI): The Jammu and Kashmir government has made a Rs 254-crore rehabilitation plan for 185 families displaced due to the co...

Indian Central Govt. Should Take Steps to Address Kashmir Issue

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">SRINAGAR (NNN-PTI) -- Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said the Indian Central government should take necessary steps to address the internal and external dimensions of the Kashmir issue.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"We hope that the Centre will take all the steps needed to address the internal as well as external dimensions of Kashmir issue," Omar told reporters after the reopening of Civil Secretariat in this summer capital of the north Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">He also expressed hope that the ongoing dialogue between India and Pakistan will continue so that the outstanding issues between the two countries are resolved.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"We will also make efforts to continue the dialogue process for addressing the political issues within Jammu and Kashmir," the chief minister said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">On the revocation of the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from parts of Jammu and Kashmir, the Chief Minister said significant headway had been made on the issue but the final decision on it could not materialise.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"Unfortunately, we could not cross the final barrier. We had tried the silent option of going about it but had to go for public debate on the issue. There was some digging of heels from certain quarters, (which was) not unexpected," he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Omar said he was hopeful that in the coming months, there will be significant progress on revocation of the AFSPA.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"We are still on the correct path. In the months to come, we will see progress on revocation of the AFSPA from some areas where there is no need for the army to operate," he added. -- NNN-PTI<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Indian Central Govt. Should Take Steps to Address Kashmir Issue

SRINAGAR (NNN-PTI) -- Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said the Indian Central government should take necessary s...

Indian Army on High Alert in Areas on Loc

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">SRINAGAR (NNN-Xinhua) -- Indian army has been on high alert in snowbound areas on line-of-control (LoC) where avalanches triggered by heavy snowfall has damaged fencing, a top Indian army officer said Friday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The step has been taken in anticipation of infiltration from other side of LoC.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"We have increased vigil on LoC in the areas where fencing was damaged due to heavy snowfall and avalanches," said Lt. General Syed Atta Hasnain, General officer Commanding of Indian Army's 15 Corps in Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu & Kashmir.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In a press briefing at an Indian army base in Handwara around 75 km northwest of Srinagar city,Hasnain warned of possible attempts of infiltration from the other side during the coming months.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In a joint operation on Thursday Indian army and police killed five militants during a fierce gunfight in Handwara forest. An Indian army trooper was also wounded in the standoff.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The army said they seized five assault rifles and large quantity of ammunition from the gunfight site. Last week five militants were also killed in the area.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Indian army said avalanches triggered by heavy snowfall had extensively damaged the fencing along the line of control (LoC)in February.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"As snow starts to melt, we will fix the fencing again," Hasnain said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">LoC is the de facto border dividing Kashmir into Indian and Pakistani controlled parts. The Indian army fenced LoC in 2004 to stop infiltrators from sneaking into their part.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Kashmir has a rugged terrain. Landslides and avalanches are often triggered by heavy rains and snows.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">New Delhi and Islamabad in 2003 agreed to observe a ceasefire along the International Border and LoC in Kashmir. Though some violations have been reported on both sides, the ceasefire remains in effect.--NNN-XINHUA<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Indian Army on High Alert in Areas on Loc

SRINAGAR (NNN-Xinhua) -- Indian army has been on high alert in snowbound areas on line-of-control (LoC) where avalanches triggered by heavy...

India: Srinagar-Jammu Highway Through For Heavy Vehicles from Kashmir

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0QUpqN_c95bqHHwlttPG0WognLdtYgbEO4IrsP2fiETHoOyR0RpUaFuwaB81eWkpsLNRTPjeK0PCX7npvfgKl_hMlvmiq_ZIhrRBtKeRBy6d6haQ9BE8XbK4KkY_mcnFDVXVYbBnT_nE/s1600/l2012012238747.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0QUpqN_c95bqHHwlttPG0WognLdtYgbEO4IrsP2fiETHoOyR0RpUaFuwaB81eWkpsLNRTPjeK0PCX7npvfgKl_hMlvmiq_ZIhrRBtKeRBy6d6haQ9BE8XbK4KkY_mcnFDVXVYbBnT_nE/s640/l2012012238747.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Indian Air Force air lifted over 1100 stranded civilian in a rescue and relief<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;"> operation in snow-hit <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Jammu and Kashmir</st1:place></st1:state>. Photo © PIB<o:p></o:p></span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">SRINAGAR, India (NNN-UNI) -- The 300-km-long Srinagar-Jammu National Highway was partially opened for heavy vehicles from Srinagar to Jammu, after the stranded trucks, carrying essentials to Kashmir valley, were cleared till last night.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Official sources said here today that majority vehicles, particularly trucks loaded with essentials besides oil tankers, stranded at different places on the highway, were allowed to move towards Srinagar on January 19 afternoon.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">They said more than 500 trucks, which were stranded on the other side of the Jawahar tunnel, entered the Valley till yesterday night.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">However, still hundreds of trucks are still stranded on the highway on other side of the Banihal.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">They said keeping in view the road condition and threat of snow avalanches it was decided to allow only one-way traffic on the highway, the only road linking the Valley with the rest of the country.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Since vehicles stranded on the highway were allowed to move towards the Kashmir valley for the past two days, it was decided to allow traffic from here to <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Jammu</st1:place></st1:city> today.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">They said all trucks empty and loaded with fruits-- and oil and gas tankers, which were stranded at Qazigund, Anantnag and other places were allowed to move towards <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Jammu</st1:place></st1:city> from 0800 hrs this morning.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">The truckers were stranded for the past about one week.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">However, they were provided ration and kerosene oil by the district administration, Anantnag, free of cost. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Sources said the authorities also decided to allow State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) buses from here to <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Jammu</st1:place></st1:city> today.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">However, no light vehicle will be allowed from here, they said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Decision to allow traffic tomorrow will be taken only after receiving reports about the road condition.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">The highway, the only road linking the valley with the rest of the country, was again closed yesterday following slippery road condition due to minus temperature resulting in freezing of snow and water on the road.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">However, several hundred vehicles, particularly trucks, carrying essentials, stranded at several places on the other side of the Banihal and Jawhar tunnel arrived Valley.--NNN-UNI<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div>

India: Srinagar-Jammu Highway Through For Heavy Vehicles from Kashmir

Indian Air Force air lifted over 1100 stranded civilian in a rescue and relief operation in snow-hit Jammu and Kashmir . Photo © PIB S...

India: About 1000 Passengers Stranded In Jammu As NH Closes

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">JAMMU, India   (NNN-UNI) -- About 1000 passengers got stranded at General Bus Stand here after the partially reopened Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was blocked today due to fresh snowfall overnight. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"The <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">National   Highway</st1:address></st1:street>, which was operational for one-way traffic yesterday, was closed due to fresh snowfall in the night following which about 1000 Kashmiri passengers were struck at the General Bus Stand," a police spokesman here told UNI. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The life came to a standstill on the Highway and vehicles including trucks and passenger taxis were also halted en route <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Srinagar</st1:place></st1:city>, the spokesman added. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">He said a number of families and traders were stuck in the winter capital due to the blocked highway. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"Boarding and lodging besides food have been arranged for the stranded passengers," he said, adding that special teams have been constituted to keep check on hoteliers overcharging from the passengers. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">"No vehicle is being allowed to ply on the highway while people have been advised not to drive on the highway unless the road gets cleared of snow and slippery conditions to avoid any untoward incident," he added. --NNN-UNI</span></div>

India: About 1000 Passengers Stranded In Jammu As NH Closes

JAMMU, India (NNN-UNI) -- About 1000 passengers got stranded at General Bus Stand here after the partially reopened Jammu-Srinagar Natio...

India: Rs.19, 000 Crore Approved for Jammu and Kashmir Rail Line

India: Rs.19, 000 Crore Approved for Jammu and Kashmir Rail Line

NEW DELHI (NNN-IANS) -- Renewing its commitment to the strategic Jammu-Baramulla rail link in Jammu and Kashmir , the Cabinet Committee ...

India: Militants Strike for the Second Day in Kashmir, Five Injured

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:city w:st="on"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">SRINAGAR</span></i></st1:city><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> (NNN-PTI) -- A day after multiple terror strikes against security personnel in <st1:place w:st="on">Kashmir</st1:place>, suspected militants on Wednesday carried out another grenade attack in a busy market place in Anantnag apparently targeting a police vehicle, leaving five civilians injured.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Unidentified militants hurled a grenade at Goriwan market in Bijbehara town, on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway, around 1340 hrs, a police spokesman said.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">He said the grenade exploded outside a shop resulting in injuries to five civilians.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Official sources said a passing police vehicle was apparently the target of the attack but the grenade missed the vehicle.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The grenade attack comes a day after a series of similar attacks targeting security forces were carried out in <st1:city w:st="on">Srinagar</st1:city> and south <st1:place w:st="on">Kashmir</st1:place>’s Shopian district.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">No militant outfit has so far claimed responsibility for the latest attack, which sparked panic among people in the highway town.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Police assisted by paramilitary forces immediately cordoned off the spot but no one has been arrested so far, sources said. The injured were rushed to a hospital. -- NNN-PTI<o:p></o:p></span></i></div></div>

India: Militants Strike for the Second Day in Kashmir, Five Injured

SRINAGAR (NNN-PTI) -- A day after multiple terror strikes against security personnel in Kashmir , suspected militants on Wednesday carried...

India: Grenade Attack Wounds 5 in Kashmir

Jammu & Kashmir Police say suspected militants have hurled a grenade at a police vehicle, wounding five civilians when the grenade mis...

BJP demanded Omar’s resignation over custodial killings

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<h3 style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></h3><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.6pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">By<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.groundreport.com/vijaykumar"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></span><span style="text-decoration: none;">Vijay Kumar</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>  <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span id="article_date"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 12.6pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Jammu</st1:city></st1:place> (Scoop News) –The state general secretary of BJP Sat Sharma alongwith BJP polling booth Incharge of Jammu-Poonch parliament seat Advocate Vibodh Gupta today demanded the resignation of Omar Abdullah over the mysterious death of National Conference activist Mohammad Yusuf Shah. Organizing meeting of districts office bearers, Mandal Presidents and General Secretaries at RS Pura today Advocate Vibodh Gupta said the matter of custodial killing has proved the mass level corruption in the state Government. </div></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.6pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.6pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Addressing the workers Gupta said that NC-Congress coalition government has ransacked the terrorism affected state by looting the funds provided by the Union government. He said on one hand our state is facing the external threats of intrusion and terrorism and on other hand emerging as corrupt den of politicians especially of NC-Congress government.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.6pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16pt; margin-bottom: 2.4pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">He said this has caused unlimited loss to the state and the common man in particular.  He said the recent exposure of Corruption episode at CM’s residence has shaken the faith of Common man. Addressing the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on"><st1:place u1:st="on"><st1:placename u1:st="on">Workers</st1:placename>  <st1:placetype w:st="on">State</st1:placetype></st1:place><span class="apple-converted-space"></span></st1:placename></st1:place> general Secretary Sat Sharma demanded the CBI probe in custodial killing of NC Worker. He said the witnesses discloses murky deals of NC’s kitchen cabinet of the organization that rules the state today      Sharma said our leadership had taken a definite position on the issue of “cash for vote” He said the crucial information got silenced to death under suspicious circumstances.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.6pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16pt; margin-bottom: 2.4pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Stressing for one booth ten youth at all the polling booths BJP Officials constituted the district and the Mandal incharges for RS Pura with the consultation of district President Jasbir Singh Lucky.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.6pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Harbajan Singh Pumy appointed as district  polling booth incharge, Choudhary Daya Ram and Swarn Sing Chib as Incharge of  Sucheetgarh mandal , Devinder Kumar and Deepak Padha as incharge of Bishna mandal, Sat Pal Pappi and Hazuri as incharge of RS Pura mandal, Gurcharan Singh Pamma as Polling booth incharge of Miran Sahib Mandal. ---<a href="http://www.groundreport.com/World/BJP-demanded-Omar-s-resignation-over-custodial-kil/2941800"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Ground Report</span></a></div></span></div>

BJP demanded Omar’s resignation over custodial killings

By Vijay Kumar Jammu (Scoop News) –The state general secretary of BJP Sat Sharma alongwith BJP polling booth Incharge of Jam...

India: Omar Apologises for Disclosing Names of Rape Victims

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">SRINAGAR</span></st1:city><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> (NNN-PTI): Under opposition attack, <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Jammu and Kashmir</st1:place></st1:state> chief minister Omar Abdullah on Friday tendered an unconditional apology for revealing the names of rape victims in the last five years in the state Assembly. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"I tender an unconditional apology. There is a deep sense of shame over revealing the names of the victims," Omar told the Assembly.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The issue was raised by opposition leader Mehbooba Mufti, who accused the government of stigmatising the victims by revealing their identities in the Assembly. She said it was in contravention of section 228 (A) of the IPC and Supreme Court ruling on the matter.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">CPM MLA Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami also supported Mufti on the issue.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The chief minister assured the House that such incidents will not be repeated. He said the Supreme Court ruling should not have been violated.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"Under what circumstances these details have been revealed, I will look into it and will come back to the House," he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Jammu and Kashmir</st1:place></st1:state> government had on Wednesday made public the names of hundreds of rape victims in the state.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The list of names and residential details of the victims were made available by the Home Ministry, headed by the chief minister, in the Legislative Council.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The details were given in reply to a question by MLC Subash Chander Gupta.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The CPI(M) had Thursday criticised the state government for disclosing the identity of rape victims and termed the move as "secondary victimisation" of the women.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Tarigami had also asked the government to apologise to all the rape victims in the House.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"It is not only dissolute and unethical but it means the government has ruined their left over dignity and honour in society. Simply, the government has ruined their lives," he had said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Tarigami had said the government by disclosing the names of rape victims not only has degraded the honour and sanctity of the House but also acted in contempt of the Supreme Court which has categorically banned disclosure of their names even after their death.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Advocate general Ishaq Qadri had said that the Supreme Court in its several judgements had ordered that names of rape victims should not be mentioned.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"This is about the judiciary, I am not sure whether this applies to the executive also," the advocate general had said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The details showed <st1:city w:st="on">Jammu</st1:city> and <st1:city w:st="on">Srinagar</st1:city> account for the highest number of rape cases in the state.Jammu had registered 150 cases since 2006 and <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Srinagar</st1:place></st1:city> 120 during the same period.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">A total of 1,326 rapes cases had been registered in the state since 2006.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">However, only one person had been convicted during the last five years, the government reply had said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Bulk of the rape cases are sub-judice or are under investigation. -NNN-PTI<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div>

India: Omar Apologises for Disclosing Names of Rape Victims

SRINAGAR (NNN-PTI): Under opposition attack, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Friday tendered an unconditional apology f...

India: Uproar in J&K Assembly over Resolution for Clemency To Guru

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">SRINAGAR</span></city><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> (NNN-PTI): <place w:st="on"><state w:st="on">Jammu and Kashmir</state></place> assembly was adjourned for half-an-hour on Wednesday after Opposition BJP members demanded that the speaker drop the resolution seeking clemency for Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru from the list of the day's business.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">They demanded that the resolution seeking clemency for Guru, which was listed in the business for Wednesday, be dropped from the list.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">As the BJP and NPP MLAs disrupted the Question Hour proceedings, Congress MLAs including ministers also rose from their seats, demanding expulsion of the BJP MLAs who were allegedly involved in cross voting during the Legislative Council elections earlier this year.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">While Congress ministers continued to stand at their seats, MLAs from the party stormed the Well of the House.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">All pleas of speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone to restore order in the House failed and prompted him to adjourn proceedings for 30 minutes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Meanwhile, Independent MLA Shiekh Abdul Rashid said political parties in the state Assembly were sabotaging the resolution seeking clemency for Guru at the behest of the Central government.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"They are sabotaging my resolution on Afzal Guru. They are doing it at the behest of <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">New Delhi</place></city>... All of them are involved including PDP whose members remained silent," Rashid claimed.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The resolution seeking clemency for Guru, who is on death row for his role in the attack on the Parliament in December 2001, was submitted to the Speaker by Rashid on Sept. 2.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"It (the uproar in the House) was engineered on the directions of <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">New Delhi</place></city>. Let me warn the Government of India that by doing this, they digging their graves in <place w:st="on">Kashmir</place>," Rashid said.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The MLA said it was not a coincidence that the timing of the Assembly was reduced by two hours and five call attention motions and two resolutions were inserted in the business ahead of the discussion over the resolution.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"It was done to ensure that this resolution cannot be taken up for discussion," he alleged. -NNN-PTI</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div></div>

India: Uproar in J&K Assembly over Resolution for Clemency To Guru

SRINAGAR (NNN-PTI): Jammu and Kashmir assembly was adjourned for half-an-hour on Wednesday after Opposition BJP members demanded that th...

India: Jammu and Kashmir to ID Bodies from Unmarked Graves

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><state w:st="on"><place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Jammu and Kashmir</span></place></state><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">'s top official says authorities will conduct DNA tests to identify the more than 2,000 bodies buried in unmarked graves linked to a long-running separatist conflict.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The chief minister of <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on"><state w:st="on">Jammu and Kashmir</state></placename> <placetype w:st="on">State</placetype></place>, Omar Abdullah, said Tuesday relatives of missing people should provide samples to forensic experts for DNA profiling of the bodies. In remarks to the state assembly, he said the DNA tests will "take time" but authorities will not "hide the truth."</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><state w:st="on"><place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Jammu and Kashmir</span></place></state><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">'s State Human Rights Commission said last month it had uncovered 2,730 bodies buried in unmarked graves across the region during a three-year investigation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Indian authorities previously insisted the dead were foreign militants killed in a two-decade-long Muslim separatist insurgency. But the commission said 574 bodies were identified as those of locals who disappeared during the conflict.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">It called for the remaining 2,156 bodies to be identified.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Rights activists say at least 8,000 people have gone missing in Indian Kashmir since the uprising began in 1989. They say some of the missing was Kashmiri civilians killed by Indian security personnel in staged gun battles.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Rights group Amnesty International says <state w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Jammu and Kashmir</place></state> lawmakers should press the state government to devote sufficient resources to DNA testing of the unidentified bodies from the unmarked graves. It accused the state government of "often" ignoring recommendations of the State Human Rights Commission in the past.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Kashmir, the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent, is divided between <country-region w:st="on">India</country-region> and <place w:st="on"><country-region w:st="on">Pakistan</country-region></place> and claimed in full by both nations. ---VOA News</span></div></div>

India: Jammu and Kashmir to ID Bodies from Unmarked Graves

Jammu and Kashmir 's top official says authorities will conduct DNA tests to identify the more than 2,000 bodies buried in unmarked grav...

INDIA: CREATE SEPARATE ASSEMBLY FOR JAMMU – MLAS

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">SRINAGAR-</span></city><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">(NNN-PTI): Two MLAs from <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Jammu</city></place> on Tuesday sought establishment of a separate Legislative Assembly for the region, alleging that the state Assembly was being held hostage by rivalry between the ruling NC and Opposition PDP. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">National Panthers Party MLA Balwant Singh Mankotia and Independent MLA Ashwini Kumar Sharma made the demand after the Question Hour was lost to debate between PDP and the treasury bench on maintainability of the adjournment motion moved by the Opposition for discussion on unmarked graves. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"A special session may be called after this session where National Conference and PDP can slug it out," Mankotia told Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone, while demanding separate Assembly for <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Jammu</place></city> region since important issues relating to their constituencies were not taken up. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">He was supported by Sharma who said, "If this drama continues, then create a separate Assembly for <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Jammu</city></place>." -NNN-PTI</span></div></div>

INDIA: CREATE SEPARATE ASSEMBLY FOR JAMMU – MLAS

SRINAGAR- (NNN-PTI): Two MLAs from Jammu on Tuesday sought establishment of a separate Legislative Assembly for the region, alleging that t...

Jammu & Kashmir Declares Amnesty for More Than 1,000

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vale-Kashmir-John-Isaac/dp/0393065251?ie=UTF8&tag=glob036-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="The Vale of Kashmir" height="306" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0393065251&tag=glob036-20" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=glob036-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0393065251" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />Authorities in Jammu & Kashmir have declared an amnesty for more than 1,000 youths alleged to have attacked security forces during pro-independence protests last year in which more than 100 civilians died.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Jammu & Kashmir's chief minister, Omar Abdullah, said the government is dropping the cases to give the suspects “an opportunity to be responsible persons and lead a normal life.”</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Jammu-Kashmir-1949-64-Correspondence-Jawaharlal/dp/0670999377?ie=UTF8&tag=glob036-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Jammu and Kashmir 1949-64: Select Correspondence Between Jawaharlal Nehru and Karan Singh" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0670999377&tag=glob036-20" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Abdullah said the government will prosecute<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=glob036-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0670999377" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> protesters accused of setting fire to government offices and vehicles.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan, but claimed in its entirety by both.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The dispute has triggered two of the three wars fought by the neighbors since independence from colonial rule in 1947. (VOA News)</span></div></div>

Jammu & Kashmir Declares Amnesty for More Than 1,000

Authorities in Jammu & Kashmir have declared an amnesty for more than 1,000 youths alleged to have attacked security forces during pro-...

India: Probe All Kashmir Killings since 1989 - Chief Minister Omar

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Everyone-Lives-Fear-Patterns-ebook/dp/B002RL9GI2?ie=UTF8&tag=glob036-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt=""Everyone Lives in Fear": Patterns of Impunity in Jammu and Kashmir" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B002RL9GI2&tag=glob036-20" /></a><span style="font-family: 'Lucida Calligraphy'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=glob036-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002RL9GI2" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />SRINAGAR <span> </span>(NNN-IANS) -- A day after the Jammu and Kashmir rights panel revealed the presence of over 2,000 unmarked graves in the state, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Monday sought the constitution of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to probe all the killings in the state in the last 21 years.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Talking to some reporters here, Abdullah said: 'The Truth and Reconciliation Commission should be assigned the task to probe all the killings in the state. Whether the killings were carried out by militants or security forces, it needs to be probed.'<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">He said he had also demanded setting up of the commission when his National Conference was in opposition.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">'And I repeat the same today. There is no way out but to set up the commission,' Abdullah said, to queries about the State Human Rights Commission's report regarding unmarked graves in the Valley.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The state rights panel said here Sunday that there were 2,156 unmarked graves in 38 places of the Valley in which persons, whose identity has not so far been established, had been buried.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Unmarked graves are generally those in which the foreign guerrillas killed in gunfights with the security forces are buried with Islamic rites by the locals, to whom such bodies are handed over by the local police.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">But, there are fears that some locals missing for quite some time after their mysterious disappearance could be buried in some of these graves.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The police official, who heads the investigating wing of the rights panel, has in his report noted that the identities of the persons buried in such graves needed to be established.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Abdullah said the government too wanted answers to such questions.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">'But it is too early to comment on it. We have a unified command meeting tomorrow (Tuesday) where we will discuss it,' he said. -- NNN-IANS<o:p></o:p></span></div></div></div>

India: Probe All Kashmir Killings since 1989 - Chief Minister Omar

SRINAGAR (NNN-IANS) -- A day after the Jammu and Kashmir rights panel revealed the presence of over 2,000 unmarked graves in the state, ...