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How could Waheed give away Rs 5 Crore to keep 2016 pot boiling when his own party was in power

Leaders leaving PDP are either lured or they have forgotten the conviction for which they stayed

SNS KASHMIR

Jehangeer Sofi

Srinagar, Mar 27 :

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief and the former chief minister of erstwhile J&K State Mehbooba Mufti Saturday Kashmir has been the worst suffer of Indo-Pakistan hostilities and that the region should benefit from the fresh peace overtures between the two nuclear powers.

She also said that senior leaders leaving the PDP was a bit worrisome, but she had a bigger cause in-front of her to pursue which is much bigger than those who quit PDP perhaps after “seeing the grass greener on the other side.”

In an exclusive interview with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), after chairing the party’s Parliamentary Committee Meeting (PAC) meeting at her Gupkar residence in Srinagar, the PDP chief said that at present, PDP has become the voice of pain as the party is pursuing a big cause. “So, I believe, they (GoI) can go to any extent to finish my party,” she said.

About the meeting she said that they discussed the fresh peace overtures between India and Pakistan and also the Pakistan army chief General Qamar Bajwa’s statement besides the Prime Minister Narendera Modi’s greeting letter to his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan.

“We hope the fresh peace pacts and the process of reconciliation between India and Pakistan doesn’t remain confined to just mere lip service. I am hopeful to see the closeness of India and Pakistan taking the shape of a process of big reconciliation, peace and harmony. Kashmir has suffered immensely due to the Indo-Pak hostiles, and it’s time for Kashmir to heave a sigh of relief and to reap the peace dividends,” she said. The PDP chief, however, said she sees no reason and justification in keeping her party’s senior leaders Sartaj Madani, Naeem Akther and the youth wing president Waheed Para under detention.

On why PAGD remained silent about ED summons to her, she said: “Firstly, I can’t comment on why parties in PAGD didn’t react to my ED summons, I mean, how can I. I believe PAGD has a larger cause than commenting on ED summons. I don’t these things to come in between us.”

About the recent media reports that PDP youth wing president Waheed Para had given Rs 5 crore to Hurriyat leader’s son to fan the fire in 2016 summer unrest, Mehbooba said that how could Waheed do it when his own party was in power. “How would have we wanted to keep the pot boiling, wouldn’t that destabilize PDP? Isn’t this ridiculous claim,” she asked.

She said that ED sleuths asked her where her secrets funds would go. “I think no CM in the country is supposed to divulge the details of his/her secret funds. Anyways, I clarified to ED that my secret funds would go in engaging the youth for doing surveys on Dal lake and Traffic management etc,” she said. “Another funny question was where from the money was managed to build mausoleum of my late father Mufti Muhammad Sayeed. I told them (ED) that my father was a Union Home Minister and Chief Minister of J&K.”

To a query about leader’s leaving the party, she said: “They are being lured. Perhaps they have forgotten the conviction for which the PDP stands for. Or I believe, they see greener pastures on the other side. It’s worrisome, but I have a bigger cause in front of me than the leaders.”

About the cause she wants to pursue, the PDP chief said: “Other parties are changing the narrative by demanding statehood and not article 370. PDP will resist. When you stop resisting, when I say you (that means State), that means you stop existing. They (GoI) have snatched everything from us—the special status, the state, sand, contracts, jobs, land and all resources.”—(KNO)

SNS KASHMIR

Jammu, Mar 27 :

The registration of pilgrims for Shri Amarnathji Yatra is going to commence on 1st April 2021, from both Baltal and Chandanwari routes through 446 designated Bank branches of Punjab National Bank (316), Jammu & Kashmir Bank (90) and YES Bank (40), all over the country. This year’s 56 days Yatra shall commence simultaneously on both the routes from 28th June, 2021 and culminate on Raksha Bandhan, the 22nd August, 2021.

Nitishwar Kumar, Chief Executive Officer, Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board has informed that the step-by-step procedure, application form and state-wise list of bank branches with complete addresses is available at Shrine Board’s website.

The CEO said that for ensuring against fraudulent health certificates, only such certificates which are issued by doctors / Medical Institutes authorized by the concerned State Government / UT Administrations shall be accepted at the Registered Bank Branches. For Yatra 2021, only those health certificates which have been issued after 15th March, 2021 shall be valid.

The steps which yatris need to follow in order to register for the Yatra, have been put on the Board’s website http://www.shriamarnathjishrine.com. It also contains relevant information on how to reach the Base Camps, fee for yatra registration, tariff for ponies, palanquin and porters.

The CEO further informed that persons under the age of 13 years or above the age of 75 years and ladies who are more than six weeks pregnant would not be registered for this year’s yatra.

The CEO also informed that the Yatra Permits would be different for each day of the week and route, with a different colour coding for each day to facilitate the police personnel deployed at the Access Control Gates at Baltal and Chandanwari to regulate the Yatra for the relevant date and route. In this context, he cautioned the intending pilgrims against undertaking this arduous yatra without securing a Yatra Permit and the required Compulsory Health Certificate.

Nitishwar Kumar stressed that, for ensuring effective security arrangements along the difficult tracks, only those yatris who are in possession of a Yatra Permit which is valid for a specified date and route, will be allowed to proceed beyond the Base Camps, and cross the entry gates at Domel and Chandanwari.

He appealed to all intending yatris to complete the necessary formalities for registration in advance and timely obtain a Yatra Permit, in their own interest, so that they do not face any inconvenience when they embark on their yatra.

Yatris who propose to travel by helicopter do not require advance registration as their helicopter tickets shall suffice for this purpose. However, they shall be required to produce the Compulsory Health Certificate (CHC) in the prescribed format issued by an authorized doctor, before they are allowed to travel by helicopter—(KNO)

SNS KASHMIR

Jammu, March 27:

Anti Corruption Bureau has claimed to have ‘trapped’ Sushma Parihar, JE (Electrical) of Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Limited, presently posted at Nai Basti Fish Market, Jammu on allegations of receiving bribe from a consumer.

A statement issued to SNS Kashmir reads that the Bureau received a complaint from the complainant regarding demand of bribe by Sushma Parihar, JE (Electrical) posted at Nai Basti Fish Market, Jammu. “It was alleged by the complainant that he had applied for a new electrical connection (Commercial, 3 Phase) for his premises situated at Rani Talab Digiana, Jammu.

After completing all the formalities, the file was marked by the AEE (Electrical) Gangyal on 23.03.2021 to JE (Electrical) Sushma Parihar whose office is opposite Nai basti Fish Market Jammu”, the statement maintains.

JE Sushma Parihar, as per the statement, called the complainant the next day to her office and told him categorically ‘she won’t sanction his connection until and unless he pay her Rs. 20,000/- as bribe’.

“Moreover, she also said that she would keep the Kilowatt connected load on the lower side by way of which he will have to pay fewer amounts in Govt. exchequer. That, despite repeated requests the JE was adamant on having the bribe amount because of which she has also kept the file with her and has granted him 3-4 days time to arrange the money. As the complainant don’t want to give the amount of Rs. 20,000/- as bribe to the JE Sushma Parihar, he approached the ACB to take immediate necessary action under law”, the statement maintains.

“On the receipt of this complaint a pre trap verification was conducted and as per complaint and report of verifying officer, prime facie, offence U/s 7 of Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018 was found made out against the accused person namely Ms. Sushma Parihar, Junior Engineer of Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Ltd, as such, case FIR No. 04/2021 was registered in Police Station ACB Central Jammu”, the statement reads. Thereafter, a trap team was constituted and independent witnesses including lady officer and magistrate were associated with the same.

The trap team laid a successful trap and caught the accused red handed while demanding and accepting the bribe from the complainant. The amount of bribe to the tune of Rs. 20,000/- was also recovered on the spot. Searches were also conducted in the house of the accused”, the statement maintains.

“Further investigation of the case is going on”, the statement read further.

Theater is a powerful and peaceful medium to put forward messages of change in society: senior theater Artist GD Bahar

Reyaz Rashid

Baramulla: On ‘World Theatre Day (WTD)’ 27 March, Mehboob Cultural Society Baramulla presented a rich theatrical presentation to celebrate the day in function  organized by Adbee Markaz Kamraz at its head at Kanispora Baramulla.

A large gathering of eminent personalities and theatre lovers attended the function and appreciated the efforts made by Mehboob Cultural Society Baramulla and Adbee Markaz Kamraz and its affiliated units to preserve the theatrical legacy in Kashmir.

A short play LIBAAS -unfolding a rich theatrical story in front of the viewer’s eyes enthralled the audiences. The play was performed by two young artists of the society Jafar Bin Basheer and Tanzeel Akhoon. The performance and the concept of the presentation were broadly appreciated by audience present at the auditorium.

“For many years we used to perform a theater play mostly at Tagore Hall Srinagar on the world theatre day but this time due to the ongoing pandemic we had to follow the SOPs so we decided that we will have a short theatrical presentation which is actually a part of our upcoming theater play” said G M Mahir Convener Mehboob Cultural Society Bramaulla.

Speaking on the occasion president AMK Amin Bhat appreciated the theatre groups for their participation and said that “theater is a very powerful media to instill and enhance the intellectual thinking of a society while being a medium of entertainment at the same time. Theatre has the potential to make us understand different perspectives and creative dimensions of the issues that we face at personal, regional or global levels. On this day we are here to understand the importance of the theatre and the change that it can bring in a society”.

Mehboob Cultural Society is prominent theatre group of Kashmir Valley know for its bold and creative theatrical performances, It has to its credit some internationally acclaimed theatre Plays, NAAD, TCHAL, IDENTITY CARD, WHITE PAPER and others.

An elderly theater artist Ghulam Din Bahar of north Kashmir’s Baramulla town urged upon young artists to choose theater- a powerful and peaceful’  means to put forward messages of common people across all corridors including ‘power’ .

Bahar, who played varied roles in many theater plays presented by Mehboob Cultural Society Baramulla and acted in two super hit Bollywood films ‘Haider’ and ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ fears serious challenges  for survival of Kashmiri theater ahead as he says young generation shows least interest in the cultural means to tell the truth which are more ‘powerful’ than gun or violence.

He recalls the theater play “Naad” (Calling), Tachall (the trap) which reflected the chaos and  confusion in real life of people of trouble torn Kashmir.

In theater young artists must come forward to take this art to the next generation otherwise it will die a slow death.On the occasion, the audience present hailed the artists and the stage actors. Notably a theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers, typically actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage.

Police registers case and investigation on   

Reyaz Rashid

Baramulla: Four unidentified pheran clad robbers bragged into a residential house of chemist at Frasthar Khawajbagh Baramulla and decamped Rs 35000 cash and gold orients worth one lakh rupees on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday.  

Muzzafar Ahmad Rather son of Habib-ullah Rather told SNS Kashmir four pheran clad with probably some weapons bragged my residential house and locked our entire family in single room besides snatched our phones.  

“They asked for food and money and pretended to be militants. We told them we have finished the meals then they locked us in single room and searched our entire house. They decamped with money Rs 35000 and gold ornaments,” said Rather who runs a medical agency.

“My entire family was shocked to learn about the theft. They were looters and entire night was horrific,” he added.

He said that they have reported the burglary incident to police station and hope investigation will unfold the truth.

Station House Officer Baramulla Gazzanfar Hussain told SNS Kashmir that police has registered an FIR No 36 of 2021 and investigation has been started.

“ Few people have been called for questioning and investigation is going on,” he added.  

Handwara, Mar 27: A 70-year-old man has died, hours after he was administered COVID vaccine jab in Handwara of north-Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Saturday.

A close relative of the deceased  that the septuagenarian— Ghulam Mohammad Ganie son of Habibullah Ganie of Haril Mawer— was inoculated this afternoon. However following some ‘complications’, he subsequently died at around 3 P.M.

Village-Head of the area while talking to said that the person was administered the vaccine at around 12:40 p.m., at Serial number 67, following which he normally went home and took his meals. The elderly man, as per the Village-Head, had taken his sheep to a nearby field for grazing, where he felt dizziness and went to fetch some water from a house. During the course of time, he felt unconscious and was removed to a nearby hospital. However the doctors there declared him as brought dead on arrival, he said.

Meanwhile when contacted Dr. Lateef who was part of the drive he said that the person was vaccinated this afternoon by a team of doctors and kept him under observation for AEFI (adverse event following immunization). The elderly person didn’t show any complications during the time, he said. “However we have learnt that he has died at 3 PM”, he said.“As mandated by the protocol we are supposed to keep a patient under observation for half an hour, and he didn’t showed any signs during that time”, he said adding that “There may be some underlying reasons causing his death.”

He said that in two days, 250 doses—(100 on March 26 and 150 on March 27) were administered and “none of the persons vaccinated showed any complication.”

On Tuesday, Minister of State, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ashwini Kumar Choubey told Rajya Sabha that as on March 16, a total of 89 deaths of vaccinated persons have been reported following COVID-19 vaccine vaccination. “None of the deaths so far have been causally attributed to COVID-19 vaccination as per the current evidence,” he said.

To a questions on authority responsible, the MoS said adverse event following immunization (AEFI) are monitored through a well-structured and robust AEFI surveillance system.

“Causality Assessment of all serious and severe AEFIs are done by the designated AEFI committee to determine if AEFI is related to vaccine or vaccination process or otherwise,” he said as per the reply, a copy of which lies with 

Adequate measures, he said, have been put in place to manage AEFIs like availability of anaphylaxis kits at each vaccination site, immediate referral to AEFI management center and observation of vaccine recipients for 30 minutes at session site for any adverse events so as to take timely corrective measure. “Also the AEFI management of such cases are provided free of cost treatment in Public Health Facilities,” he said.

DC Baramulla was chief guest and SSP Baramulla was guest of honour in the award ceremony

Inayat Qayoom

Baramulla: To acknowledge and appreciate the role of volunteers and people who worked tirelessly in containing Covid-19 pandemic, Human Aid Society- titled as Mother NGO and its implementing partners organized a felicitation program for Covid-19 warriors in Baramulla on Saturday.
On this occasion newly joined Deputy Commissioner Baramulla Bhupinder Kumar and SSP Baramulla Rayees Mohammad were warmly welcomed by Mother NGO and its implementing partners Jammu and Kashmir Yateem Foundation (JKYF), HELP Foundation and Human Welfare Voluntary Organization (HWVO).   

The felicitation program was organized to appreciate role of people from cross section of society who worked as volunteers with the leading NGOs of J&K during the pandemic in Baramulla besides some government officials and doctors were awarded certificates of appreciation for their contribution in containing Covid-19 pandemic.
Chief guest Deputy Commissioner Baramulla felicitated the awardees for their exemplary services delivered by them to combat the challenge of COVID-19 as these functionaries, commonly termed as COVID-19 warriors have worked with utmost zeal and dedication towards the elimination of the pandemic.

After felicitating these warriors, the DC extended his extreme appreciation to these functionaries and termed their services as valuable and beneficial for the society. He added that their contributions can’t be overlooked as they selflessly worked towards safeguarding the public health.
DC also urged upon various stakeholders to play their active part in order to comat the challenge so that the virus is completely eliminated. He emphasized to follow all the requisite SOPs and guidelines more especially using face  masks and maintaining social distancing adding that the threat of infection is still there and there is an urgent need to adopt preventive measures for averting exigencies. Moreover, he stressed upon the people to cooperate with the administration in carrying out the vaccination campaign smoothly and successfully.
In his address, SSP Rayees Mohammad Baramulla who was also guest of honour complimented the role of Human Aid Society and said that such organisations had played a vital role during the tough circumstances that were emerged out of the pandemic. He underlined the need to strengthen the social base of these NGOs so that their domain of work is widened.
Meanwhile, Chairman of Human Aid Society Bashir Ahmad Mir highlighted several aspects associated with his NGO and said that they have actively participated in all the activities that were initiated by district administration in this regard. 

Various speakers highlighted the role of NGOs and civil society in containing the Covid-19. Religious leader Syed Basharat Imam Jamia Masjid Dangiwacha highlighted religious responsibility of people in pandemic.
While welcoming the guests Chairman Human Aid Society Bashir Ahmad Mir said that soon after the pandemic struck in this part of world followed by complete lockdown which affected every sphere of life, Deputy Commissioner Baramulla, Dr. G. N Itoo sought immediate intervention of NGOs to help in containing spread the pandemic and reaching out people with relief.“As administration called us, NGOs from across Kashmir extended their full support and swung into action for massive relief and aid operation among needy, poor and affected people during the pandemic. In north Kashmir’s Baramulla district 11 NGOs were roped in but 7 seven worked actively,” said Mir.
 “We are highly grateful to our donors and those people who came forward with large scale donations. Volunteers of the organizations risked their lives to reach out needy and poor people and delivered the aid which shows the commitment of our social organizations and NGOs. We proved that nobody can die hungry but we need to move ahead with same spirit,” he added.

SNS KASHMIR

BADGAM, MARCH 27 :

The authorities on Saturday sealed three mutton shops for violating the government approved rates in Ranger area of Chadoora in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district.

An official told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that naib tehsildar Nagam today conducted a special drive against mutton sellers and sealed three shops for selling mutton on higher rates.

He said that they had received complaints from many areas about mutton sellers selling mutton at higher than what govt had earlier approved. “We carried out checking in many areas and found these mutton sellers violating the government fixed rates. The drive against such violators will continue,” he said.

He also appealed to the people to cooperate with the admin and register complaints against the violators—(KNO)

‘Staged peaceful protests in all districts of UT; It’s a question of 5 lakh people who are on verge of starvation’

SNS KASHMIR

SRINAGAR, MARCH 27 :

 Stating that Apni Party leaders along with the stakeholders of mining and sand extraction staged protests in all districts across the J&K Unit,  the Apni Party chief Syed Muhammad Altaf Buhkari petitioned the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to roll back the sand extraction contract order issued post August 5, 2019 in the interest of five lakh people associated with the mining business in the UT. He said that so far J&K administration is umoved and that the Apni Party will continue to stage protests till the order is revoked.

“Last time, we had given an ultimatum of a week to the government to roll back the controversial order that has hit the livelihood of 5 lakh people associated mining and sand extraction. But government remained unmoved,” Bukhari said adding a press conference in Srinagar as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO)

“Today, Apni Party leaders along with the stakeholders of mining and sand extraction staged protests in all districts of the UT. In some places that include Budgam and Baramulla, our protests were confined to a particular place. Our protests remained peaceful in all districts of the UT.”

He said that government seems to be least bothered about the “serious issues” but Apni Party is committed to fight for the rights of 5 lakh people who are on the verge of starvation. “We will continue to protest till the order is revoked,” Bukhari said, adding that the 5 lakh people who have borrowed loan from banks to buy boats, tippers, and crusher machines are all set to become defaults. “Does that suit the government,” Bukhari asked.

Asked if the government fails to revoke the controversial order, he said: “We have no option other than to intensify protests.”  To a query that other political parties are silent over the issue, Bukhari said he can’t speak on behalf of others. “They may be having other priorities. I don’t see politics in it. This is an issue of a common man and we will strive hard for it,” he said—(KNO)Show quoted text

Says leaders summoned by agencies facing it through questioning, Mehbooba not first leader quizzed  by agencies, Opposing Centre’s policies invites questioning by agencies, Ready to face this too

SNS KASHMIR

SRINAGAR , MARCH 27 :

 National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah Saturday said while welcoming the thaw between India and Pakistan stating that the two countries must move beyond secret talks and join the table for open talks to resolve all issues including Kashmir.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a party function at party office in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district, Omar said that the NC has always welcomed peace overtures between India and Pakistan. “We have always been stating that war is no solution and all issues can be resolved through dialogue. I don’t want to go into how these two countries are coming closer to each other.

What I want to say is that India and Pakistani leadership must move beyond secret talks and join the table for an open dialogue,” Omar said as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), adding that “dialogue is the only way to resolve issues including Kashmir. There are lot of issues between India and Pakistan.”

About the ED questioning of PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, Omar said that from Tamil Nadu to J&K, Mehbooba is not the only leader who was summoned. “Wherever leaders are being summoned, the leaders are facing it in the form of questioning etc. We have observed in the past eight years, opposing the Centre’s policies is being summoned by the agencies. We are ready to face this too,” he said—(KNO)