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Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Kashmir Horticulture and Hazel Nut Plants

Medicinal plants: http://jkmpic.blogspot.com
By: Sheikh ASHRAF
Srinagar, April 19: The diverse Agro-climatic conditions of Kashmir valey offer great potential for growing a variety of fruits, flowers and medicinal plants like Apple, Cherry, Kiwi, Hazel Nut, Plum, Olive, Strawbery, Pecan-nut, Walnut, Almond, Howthorn, Pear, Lukat, Saffron, Platanus orientalis, Oak-Quercus robur,  Malus communis, Prunus armeniaca, Prunus serotina, Cedrus deodar,  Ginkgo biloba, Wild Cherry, Sweet Chestnut Cypress  cashmiriana, Aesculus Hippocastanum, Sorbus cashmeriana, Cataegus oxyacantha Linn, Saussurea costus, Viola odorata Linn, Atropa belladona Linn, Urtica dioica Linn, Salix alba Linn, Geranium wallichianum, Amaranthus caudatus Linn, Allium victoralis Linn, Althaea officinalis Linn, Colchicum lutem, Crocus yellow, Iris ensata, Mallow-Malva Sylvestris.

The Hazelnut orchard of around 13000 trees are planted 
in Jammu and Kashmir Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre's R&D Centre near Sonamarg in North Kashmir . Initial planting began in 1998 and the trees are now well established and producing quality nuts for the worldwide marketplace. More than 30,000 plants are ready for sale purpose.
For more details: http://jkmpic.blogspot.com
e-mail: jkmpic@gmail.com
Ph: 01933-223705
Mob: 09858986794

Monday, April 18, 2011

Kashmiri Pandits, Hindus in Kashmir, Pakistan, India, UAE, KAS

Return to your homeland: Geelani tells migrant Pandits
Quotes Mahabarata, Says Kashmir struggle Based On Principles

Vesu (Kulgam), Apr 17: The Hurriyat Conference (G) Chairman Syed Ali Geelani Sunday reiterated that the Kashmiri migrant Pandits were an inseparable part of his body and made a passionate appeal to them to return to their homeland and live in harmony with the Muslim brothers and sisters, reports KHALID GUL in Greater Kashmir.

 Addressing a gathering of Kashmiri Pandits at Migrant Pandit’s colony in this south Kashmir district, Geelani assured them of complete protection if they return “You are a part of our body. I assure you that you will be fully protected. We will make sure that no harm is done to your lives and property,” Geelani told the Pandits.

He rejected the idea of setting up “safety zones” for them. “This gives a sense of divide between the Muslims and the Hindus,” Geelani said. “When I was released after two years from jail in 1992, I made it clear that the Pandit brothers are a part of our great heritage and we have to live in coexistence under all circumstances. I reject the idea of creating safe zones for the Pandit community. This gives a sense of divide between the two communities.”

Geelani told the gathering that “you must appeal to the government to allow you to return to your original places in villages, towns and cities. We have centuries old traditions of sharing each others’ joys and sorrows. Those traditions are dear to us and have to be reestablished. We have to strengthen our bonds.”

Geelani alleged that it is the state government that, for its own interest, wants to divide the Kashmiri nation on the basis of religion. “The divide and rule is its well thought out policy. I don’t want you to put up in the separate colonies in the name of safe zones where your privacy is at stake. With the help of God and on behalf of the 90 percent Muslim majority in Kashmir, I assure you that your temples, lives, property and honor would be protected by us as you return to your original homes,” he told the members of the Pandit community. “You are not the migrants but the real citizens of this land. None of you will face any harm from your Muslim brothers. I assure you that.”

Referring to Holy Quran, Geelani said: “Allah does not discriminate between human beings on the basis of religion, caste, color, creed, wealth or poverty, rural or urban origin. Every individual is a human being first and the caste is only for his identification. To be a good human being one must have a good character,” Geelani said.

Asserting that the freedom struggle of Kashmir was based on principles, Geelani said: “Our fight with India is not because it is a Hindu majority country. It is the battle of principles. We are fighting for our rights and the promises that were made to us must be kept.”

He said peace cannot be achieved at gunpoint, but had to be established through justice alone.
 “On one hand government talks of peace and at the same time books minors under the Public Safety Act and detains them in Jammu jails,” he said

He said the people of Kashmir are not being provided a space to even peacefully raise their voice against “the state oppression.” “Since 2010 I have been confined to my house by the police and it has been only last Friday that I was allowed to offer Friday prayers in a local Masjid,” Geelani said.

He said history was testimony to the fact that truth has always prevailed in its battle with might. He urged the Pandit community to feel the pain of their Muslim brethren.

“Our peaceful protests are showered with bullets. The forces do not even spare 10-year-old.  We are not carrying weapons in our hands but are peacefully demanding our rights like India did when it was under the British occupation,” Geelani said. “The troops have occupied more than 28 lakh kanals of land including that of forests in Kashmir which is not only the property of Kashmiri Muslims but Pandits too. Our natural resources are being exploited. The government and the forces are looting the green gold.  The power that we generate is being sold outside while we are being denied even our own share.”

Geelani said that even the temples are now in the custody of non-state subjects instead of the Kashmiri Pandits.
Earlier, National Youth president of Lok Jan Shakti Party (LJP) and the patron of the Kashmir Pandit Amity Council, Sanjay Saraf accorded a warm welcome to the veteran leader.

“Geelani sahib is the only leader who always advocates return of Kashmiri Pandits. The Pandits who are here have not returned on the assurances of state government but only because of the assurance of Geelani sahib and majority community,” Saraf said.

PTI ADDS
Taking out a leaf from the Mahabharata, Geelani narrated the famous conversation between Arjuna and Lord Krishna when Pandavas were taking on the Kaurvas.

 “When Arjuna faltered in the fight against Kaurvas, Maharaj Krishna told him that it was a battle based on principles. You have to fight even own brothers for principles,” Geelani said while asserting that his struggle was based on principles.

When Geelani left the camp, the villagers gathered around him shouting pro-freedom slogans and forced him to lead the Zuhar prayers in the local Jamia. After the prayers Geelani addressed the people outside the mosque too.

Later, Syed Ali Shah Geelani visited another migrant camp at Mattan in Islamabad (Anantnag) district where he too was accorded a warm welcome. He interacted with many Pandit youth and assured them full protection.

Geelani also visited the houses of some of the youth of Islamabad (Anantnag) town who were killed in the last year’s summer unrest. He visited the houses of Sujat-ul-Islam, Ishtiyaq Ahmad Khanday, Irshad Ahmad Latoo, Irshad Parray, Noor-ul-Amin Dagga, Bilal Najar and Rajoo Nath. The youth who had gathered outside shouted pro-freedom and pro-Geelani slogans. He was also accompanied by the party spokesperson, Ayaz Akbar

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Sout-ul- Haq Chief among 3 arrested ‘Rival group hatched plan with militant aid’

Details: http://jkmpic.blogspot.com
Srinagar, April 17: Police Saturday claimed to have solved the murder case of Jamiat Ahlehadith president Moulana Showkat Ahmad Shah by arresting three persons including the chief of religio-political organization Sout-ul-Haq. Police also claimed that Jamiat’s rival group had hatched the conspiracy to eliminate Maulana with militant support, reports Asem Mohiuddin in Rissing Kashmir.

Addressing media persons here, IGP Kashmir S M Sahai said after killing of Jamiat president in IED blast on April 8, police had set the investigation into motion.“During the probe, the criminal conspiracy behind the killing was unearthed,” he said.

“Some of the members of Jamiat Ahlehadith had shown displeasure over the working of Moulana. They alongwith members of religio-political organization Sout-ul-Haq attempted to dislodge him from the post through electoral process in 2010. However, they could not achieve their goal through electoral process and took an extreme step to assassinate Maulana and hatched the conspiracy to eliminate him,” he claimed.

Sahai said detained Muslim League chairman, Dr Qasim Faktoo who is serving life time imprisonment, hatched the conspiracy with Abdul Gani Dar alias Abdullah Gazalli, president of Sout-ul-Haq after later visited him in jail and discussed the broad contours of conspiracy. 

He claimed that the actual execution of the plan was left to one Javaid Ahmad Munshi alias Bill Papa of Chanapora, Srinagar who sought help from Lashkar Commander Abdullah Uni. “He received some material from Abdullah Uni from Sopore and arranged some of it locally. Various parts of execution were done by various other members. However, the actual triggering of the IED was entrusted to one Nisar Ahmad Khan alias Ishaq of Chanapora,” he said.

“The IED was prepared by Javid Ahmad and he handed over it to Nissar, who planted it near mosque gate and exploded it with remote control when Moulana was entering the mosque on April 8,” IGP claimed.

He said, “The conspirators were also in touch with Jameel-ur-Rehman, general secretary of Muzaffarabad based United Jihad Council. The conspirators saw Moulana’s efforts to establish  Transworld University” in Kashmir as his  compromise with the government. His proximity with certain separatist leaders was also not liked by them”.

“Moulana’s engagement in defusing the sectarian clashes and not allowing his organization to work on the separatist front had also not gone well with these people. Due to his (Moulana’s) efforts to keep Jamiat-e-Ahlehadith away from separatist politics, some members in the organization were not happy with his functioning,” he said.

“Police have arrested Abdullah Gazalli, Bill Papa and Nisar, who are prime accused in executing the murder. Further arrests are expected in connection of the killing as the investigations are on,” IGP added.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Moulana Showkat's murder case solved: J&K Police

Srinagar: April 16: The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Saturday claimed that the murder case of Jamait-e Ahli Hadith president, Moualana Showkat has been cracked by arresting three militants of  Tehreek-ul- Mujahideen.

Inspector General Police, Kashmir, SM Sahai told a news conference that police have arrested Javed Ahmad, Nisar Ahmad Khan and Abdul Gani Dar on charges of Maulana's murder.

The IGP said that it was Nisar Ahmad who triggered the low intensity Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in uptown Maisuma which killed Maulana Showkat.

Friday, April 15, 2011

India is interested in Kazakhstan's uranium

Srinagar, April 15 : India's attempts to make some headway in the Great Game in Central Asia may be the reason behind Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Kazakhstan, says Rediff.com's Nikhil Lakshman, who is travelling with the PM to the Kazakh capital of Sanya

After spending three days interacting with the Brazilian, Chinese, Russian and South African Presidents in Sanya, southern China, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh flew across the expanse of East Asia to Astana, Kazakhstan's flashy new capital.

One colleague on Air India One, the prime minister's special flight, asked this reporter why the 78-year-old prime minister was making this tiring journey (a 7 hour, 20 minute flight) after all those hectic interactions in China when no relationship-transforming agreements currently appear on the anvil in Kazakhstan.

Three reasons: Geography. Natural Resources. Strategic relevance.

And, oh, did we mention China?

When Dr Singh meets President Nursultan Nazarbayev at the Ak Orda, the presidential palace, on Saturday morning, he will be the first world leader to meet the Kazakh leader after his April 3 election victory (eat your heart out Indian politicians, Nazarbayev won 95.5 per cent of the vote).

It will also be the first visit by an Indian prime minister since June 4, 2002 when then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee visited Kazakhstan's then capital Almaty for the first CICA summit. The Conference on Interaction and Confidence Measures in Asia is Nazarbayev's personal multilateral diplomatic initiative to ensure that Central Asia, where Kazakhstan is the biggest nation, stays calm.

No Indian leader can stay away from Central Asia for so long especially when China appears, in the opinion of some observers, to be the 'only great power pursuing a coordinated strategy in Central Asia,' expanding trade and exploiting the region's natural resources.

China has an impressive footprint in Kazakhstan, already. In February, during Nazarbayev's visit to Beijing (he visits the Chinese capital every year), Kazakhstan agreed to supply uranium pellets to Chinese nuclear plants, a deal worth billions of dollars.

Kazakhstan has the second largest uranium deposits in the world, more than 15 per cent. This year, Kazakhstan will produce 19,600 tonnes of uranium; it has enough reserves to last more than a hundred years.

India too is interested in Kazakhstan's uranium and Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Dr Sukumar Banerjee is already in Astana to discuss an agreement on possible supplies. The DAE and Kazakh's nuclear establishment are also likely to work on a feasibility report to provide Indian small reactor technology to the Kazakhs.

Interestingly, the four groups the DAE set up in the wake of the Fukushima disaster last month to examine the state of readiness at India's nuclear reactors to deal with a catastrophe like the one that befell the nuclear plant in Japan will submit their reports soon.

The DAE committees, sources said, are likely to review among other things, the review criteria for sites to locate future nuclear reactors as well as operating measures at plants like the nuclear facilities in Tamil Nadu. Eventually, the government plans to make these DAE reports public, the sources added.

Two hundred thousands of people held a forceful demonstration in Srinagar

Srinagar, April 15 (Writer-South Asia): In disputed state of  Kashmir,  2 hundred thousands of people held a forceful demonstration in Srinagar, today, to condemn the murder of leading Kashmiri religious scholar, Maulana Showkat Ahmad Shah, who was martyred in a blast in Srinagar, last Friday, reports Kashmir Media Watch.

Those who participated in the protest included the APHC Chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Sheikh Muhammad Hasan, Agha Syed Hassan Almoosvi, Maulana Abbas Ansari, Nayeem Ahmad Khan, Ghulam Rasool Malik, Javed Ahmad Mir, Hakim Abdur Rasheed and Maulana Ghulam Rasool Noori.

The speakers said on the occasion that the perpetrators of the killing of innocent people would be exposed at all costs.

Senior APHC leader, Shabbir Ahmad Shah addressing a public gathering at Pinglish in Tral urged India to withdraw its troops from the occupied territory and pave way for tripartite talks to resolve the Kashmir dispute.

The Director of Kashmir Institute of Strategic Studies, Khalid Jehangir, talking to the visiting Kashmir Study Group of Bharatiya Janata Party in Srinagar, said that the resolution of Kashmir dispute was vital to peace and stability in South Asia.

The Chief Minister of  Kashmir,  Mr. Omar Abdullah talking to newsmen in Jammu said that Panchayat election was not a referendum on Kashmir dispute. He maintained that talks were the only means to find a way out of the imbroglio on Kashmir.

Meanwhile, the Amnesty International in a statement issued in London demanded of the Indian authorities to release teenage Kashmiri boy, Murtaza Manzoor detained under draconian law, Public Safety Act.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

BJP leaders visit Maulana Showkat's residence

http://jkmpic.blogspot.com
Srinagar, April 14: A team of senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders currently visiting Jammu and Kashmir paid obeisance at of Hazratbal Shrine here Thursday morning. The leaders also visited the family of Maulana Showkat Ahmad Shah, who was assasinated last week.

Mr. Rajnath Singh, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Shahnawaz Hussain, accompanied by some other parliament members of the BJP, visited the Hazratbal shrine, which houses the Holy Relic of Prophet Muhammad(SAW) .

Later, the team went to the house of the Maulana Showkat Ahmad Shah, at Lal Bazar on city outskirts. The BJP leaders expressed condolences to the bereaved family and met the son and the brother of the slain Ahlehadees president.

The BJP leaders also paid respects at the Chati Padshahi Gurdwara (Sikh temple) in the old city's Rainawari area.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Ram Navmi celebrations at Barbarshah Mandir He Ram ke wajood pe Hindostan ko naaz/Ahl-e-nazar samajhtey hein usko Imam-e-Hind! : He Ram ke wajood pe Hindostan ko naaz/Ahl-e-nazar samajhtey hein usko Imam-e-Hind! Dr. Alama Iqbal, the poet of the East, has written a wonderful and ...

Srinagar, Apr 13: Ram Navmi was Tuesday celebrated with fervor and enthusiasm at Shri Ram Ji Mandir at Barbar Shah in the City while later the devotees carried out a procession which culminated at Lal Chowk.

The Hindu Welfare Society of Kashmir organized the nine daylong celebrations at the Mandir.
 “The welfare society also organized a special Puja Havan (Maha Yagiya) as mark of the birthday of Lord Shri Ram Ji. This nocturnal Puja started at 8:00 PM and continued till afternoon at 2:00 PM,” said Publicity Secretary and Spokesman of  Hindu Welfare Society Kashmir, Chuni Lal adding that the Puja was started by Kashinath of Achan Pulwama, Pandit AK Bhat and others.

Hundreds and thousands of devotees thronged the Mandir, where they recited Hindu Bhajans and prayed for peace and prosperity.
 
Later, the devotees carried out a procession. Dancing and chanting sermons, the devotees marched towards Lal Chowk, where the procession culminated.

Giving details about the celebrations Chuni Lal said: “Ram Navami is a celebration of nine days, which starts from 1st Navratra.”
 He said during the festival the devotees don’t eat any non vegetarian stuff.
 “During these days we never every eat non – vegetarian stuff like eggs, meat, fish etc,” he added.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Indian CRPF troopers in IHK get new Israeli assault rifles

Srinagar, April 12 : In Jammu and Kashmir, the personnel of Indian Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) are finally laced with Israeli assault rifles 'X95' and 'Tavor' to suppress Kashmiris’ just liberation struggle, reports Kashmir Media Service.

A local daily in a report said that one of these sophisticated rifles 'X95' had already been received by the CRPF while 'Tavor' was yet to be procured.

A top CRPF officer, wishing anonymity, told media men that both the weapons were costly and were first used in some areas in India by the CRPF personnel. "Since both the rifles are difficult to operate so the CRPF men will be made to undergo a special training to use them," the report said.

Confirming that the CRPF men in the valley will be laced with the two sophisticated weapons, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of CRPF, Prabhakar Tripathi said that they had already procured 'X95' and the 'Tavor' would be procured soon.

BJP will talk to separatists: Rajnath Singh


http://jkmpic.blogspot.c
Jammu, April 12: Senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh Monday said his party had no reservations about talking to different shades of opinion in Jammu and Kashmir including Kashmiri separatists, reports Rissing Kashmir.

"We welcome all shades of opinion in Kashmir including the separatists for talks. But it will be within the ambit of the constitution," said Rajnath, who is in Jammu along with the BJP's J&K parliamentarian study group.

He said the group was not going to knock at the separatists' doors but would hear them if they came forward to talk.

The former BJP president, who is also the group's chairman, said the BJP did not have a vision document on Jammu Kashmir so far and the party leadership felt the need for having one to project it in the country and the Parliament. “We believe that genuine aspirations of the people of State should be taken into consideration if peace and prosperity has to prevail and we are here for that,” he said.

Rajnath said the group would hold discussions and take feedback from civil society members, bureaucrats, political and social organisations. "We will study the genesis of the people's problem and highlight them in the Parliament. The BJP has not formally invited any certain section of the society but those who want to meet us are welcome,” he said.

He said the group would conclude its Jammu visit on Wednesday and then leave for a two-day Srinagar tour. "The team will interact with people in the Ladakh region during its next visit,” he added.

Monday, April 11, 2011

Saffron -Crocus sativuscultivation

Announcement

Saffron Corms and genotypes : Study has ben shown that superior genotypes since last 13 years confirmed  superiority of 5 genotypes viz SMD-45, SMD-3, SMD-52, SMD-81. Elite genotypes recorded saffron yield ranging from 4.0-7.7 kg/ha with corresponding crocin content ranging from 13-89-17.10 percent.

We have been selling corms since last 21 years now and once again will be making corms available from June to September every year.  Those corms will flower in the period from the end of October.

Once again this year we are offering corms for sale in packages designed for home gardeners as well as for those contemplating purchasing corms in bulk.
  • 20 Corms (larger than 5 Gram)
  • Cashmeriana origon
  • Planting Guide
  • Superiority of 5 genotypes viz SMD-45, SMD-3, SMD-52, SMD-81.SMD-68
  • Available in 5 Calibars  2,5,6,8,10
  • Please indicate the numbers of corms and we supply according to the date the order has been received
  • A deposit of 100% in advance is required with the order.
  • Booking order : 12 months
For further information If you are interested in purchasing Corms from the Chenab Industries Kashmir-CIK nursery, or to request more information email uscikashmir@gmail.com
Write to: Chenab Industries Kashmir-CIK, POB: 667 GPO Srinagar SGR JK 190001
Contact us at : Chenab industries Kashmir-CIK, Ist street, Shaheed-e-Azemat Road, Nambalbal, Pampore PPR JK 192121
Ph: 01933-223705
Mob: 09858986794
home: http://chenabindustries.blogspot.com

Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) Kashmir

Srinagar, April 28 : In disputed state of  Kashmir, the activists of Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) held a monthly sit-in at Municipal Park in Srinagar demanding the whereabouts of their dear ones disappeared in custody.

A spokesman of the APDP talking to media men demanded an international, independent investigation into all fake encounters and human rights violations by Indian troops in the Jammu and Kashmir.

He pointed out that history of Indian army in Jammu and Kashmir stood testimony to the fact that it had never cooperated with the police, judiciary or civil administration in investigations of human rights violations perpetrated by the troops.

The APDP was founded in 1994, when large number of parents used to visit the High court to file or to pursue the Habeas Corpus petitions. The relatives used to take the individual efforts in a disorganised manner.

Finally the Patron, a practicing lawyer and a Human Rights activist with the help of chairperson, herself the victim of Enforced disappearances put them on collective forum for collective efforts. The APDP technically is not a human right group but the association of the sufferers wronged by the functioning of the state, who are campaigning for knowing the whereabouts of their missing relatives. Any person victim of the disappearances could be the member of the association.

The association has no political affiliations or political positions. It is an independent group seeking justice from the state

“In last 20 years army has forced the police to file its version in the FIRs and Macchil fake encounter is one of the recent expose of human rights abuses by the army as well as of how the police are forced to register false FIRs. Despite the media expose army continues to refuse cooperating with the police and civil administration in the investigations,” he deplored.-KMS

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Ilyas Kashmiri

US announces $5 Mn reward for info on Ilyas Kashmiri
Johan Simith
Washington Apr 7: The US has announced a bounty of USD 5 million on the head of Pakistan-based dreaded global terrorist Mohammad Ilyas Kashmiri, a key suspect in the Mumbai terror attacks who is now called the "new bin Laden". He is also behind the killing of top APHC leader Sheikh Abdul Aziz. The State department said Kashmiri is the commander of the terrorist organisation Harakat-ul-Jihad al-Islami (HuJI), which is linked to al-Qaeda, and has launched several attacks in India and Pakistan.

HuJI is believed to be behind the March 2006 suicide bombing at the US consulate in Karachi that killed four people, including US diplomat David Foy, and injured 48 others. Kashmiri, according to Pakistani media reports, has been named as al-Qaeda chief for Afghanistan and Pakistan in place of Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, who was killed in a drone strike in May last year. He is presently believed to be holed up with commanders of al-Qaeda Lashkar al-Zil.

In January 2010, a US federal grand jury indicted Kashmiri for terrorism-related offences in connection with a plot to attack the Jyllands-Posten newspaper in Denmark, over cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed.

Last August, the US branded Kashmiri as a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist" and HuJI was labelled as a "Foreign Terrorist Organisation."

Born in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in 1964, Kashmiri is six feet tall and weighs about 90 kilogram, the State Department said in a statement.

He has black hair and brown eyes and has been seen with a thick beard dyed white, black or red at various times. He has lost sight in one eye, often wears aviator-style sunglasses and is missing an index finger too.

Kashmiri is also known by several aliases such as Muhammad Ilyas Kashmiri, Elias al-Kashmiri, Ilyas, Naib Amir, and Commando Commander.

"We encourage anyone with information on Mohammad Ilyas Kashmiri's location to contact the nearest US embassy or consulate, any US military commander, or the Rewards for Justice office via the website ( www.rewardsforjustice.net), e-mail (RFJ@state.Gov) or mail (Rewards for Justice, Washington, DC 20520-0303, USA). All information will be kept strictly confidential," the State Department statement said.

Friday, April 8, 2011

Azad Jammu and Kashmir TV

AJK TV Station was established at Muzaffarabad, the capital of Azad Jammu and Kashmir in February 2004. It has one production studio facilities, continuity studio and master control room for transmission via satellite on networking of various terrestrial transmitters. It caters for productions of local culture and language. The four rebroadcast stations at Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Bagh and Rawalakot are in operation while future planning includes rebroadcast stations at Palandari, Bimber, Neelabut and Mirpur.

AJK-TV started it's transmission on thursday, 5th of February 2004 by telecasting the joint sitting of AJK Assembly and AJK Council live from Muzaffarabad. The inauguration ceremony of AJK-TV was held at Muzaffarabad. PTV and Radio telecasted and broadcasted special programmes respectively throughout the day presenting Kashmiri songs, dramas, talk shows and coverage of events relating to Kashmir Solidarity Day.

The new AJK TV station,  has been developed at a cost of Rs100 million.Out of the Rs100 million, a sum of Rs63 million has been locally contributed while Rs37 million is the foreign component.

Approved by Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, the TV station will provide information, education and entertainment on the VHS band, which at present is not being covered by the signals of any PTV transmitter.

The project will be completed in 2006; however, if adequate funds are not provided, the completion period could be extended, resulting in escalation in the cost.

On September 13, 2002, a meeting held in Mirpur had discussed the possibility of setting up of a TV station keeping in view the strong desire of the Kashmiri people and also the need for bringing the people of the area into the mainstream.

AJK TV
Mailing Address: Muzaffarabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (Pakistan)
Email     webmaster@ptv.com.pk, ajktv@ptv.com.pk
Home Page     http://www.ptv.com.pk

Beijing, Islamabad reject reports : Chinese Troops In PaK?

Beijing/Islamabad, Apr 7: China and Pakistan Thursday dismissed as “baseless” reports about the presence of Chinese troops along the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan-administered Azad Jammu and Kashmir (APaK).

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei told a media briefing in Beijing that “the reports are baseless and ridiculous.” In Islamabad, Foreign Office spokesperson Tehmina Janjua told a weekly news briefing that there was no basis for the reports.

“This is the most absurd piece of information I have heard. It is totally baseless,” she said. Janjua was responding to a question about India’s External Affairs Ministry seeking a report from the Defense Ministry about the presence of Chinese soldiers along the LoC.

The media reports had quoted Northern Command chief Lt Gen K T Parnaik as saying that Chinese troops were present along the LoC and posed a military challenge to India. He had also expressed concern over the presence of Chinese military in the region as “too close for comfort”.

Parnaik had said: “Chinese presence in Gilgit-Baltistan and the Northern Areas is increasing steadily.
There are many people who are concerned about the fact that if there was to be hostility between us and Pakistan, what would be the complicity of Chinese.”

“Not only they are in the neighborhood but the fact that they are actually present and stationed along the LoC,” Parnaik said addressing a seminar in Jammu last week.

In New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs has sought a report from Defense Ministry on the issue.
This is not the first time China has dismissed such reports.

Last year, China officially clarified to India that some of its personnel were present in Azad Jammy and Kashmir  to render flood relief assistance amid reports in the American media about the presence of large number of Chinese troops in Gilgit-Baltistan areas.

India has also time and again conveyed its concerns over the presence of Chinese personnel working in different projects in AJK as it was a disputed territory.

The issue reportedly figured during the last December visit of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao to New Delhi. Fresh Indian concerns over the issue and the reported observations of the top Indian General comes ahead of the scheduled bi-lateral meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chinese President Hu Jintao on the sidelines of the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) summit at the Chinese resort of Sanya on April 13-14.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Chinese troops on Jammu and Kashmir : Gen Parnaik

Srinagar , Apr 6 : China’s presence in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK)is “increasing steadily” and its troops are “actually present” along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, a top Army Commander said, adding the Chinese footprints are “too close for comfort” for India.

“Chinese presence in Gilgit-Baltistan and the Northern Areas is increasing steadily. There are many people who are concerned about the fact that if there was to be hostility between us and Pakistan, what would be the complicity of Chinese. Not only they are in the neighbourhood but the fact that they are actually present and stationed along the LoC,” Northern Army Commander Lt Gen K T Parnaik said here recently while addressing a seminar.

He said China’s links with Pakistan through Azad Jammu and Kashmir “lends strength” to the “nexus” between the two countries which is a cause of “great security concern” for India.

“As part of (China’s) ‘strings of pearls’ policy, Chinese footprints are too close for comfort,” Parnaik added.

The Army Commander said such a ‘nexus’ between the Chinese and Pakistani military “jeopardises our regional strategic interests in the long run and facilitates speedy and enhanced deployment of Pakistan armed forces to complement China’s military operations and thus outranks India.”

He said China has been found to be involved in the construction of numerous roads and several hydro-power projects inside Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Beijing is laying a web of roads that run across areas as distant from each other as Skardu in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Kunming in China near Myanmar border.

China has already constructed roads connecting all its highways to logistic centres and major defence installations that dot the border with India and the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in south-eastern Jammu and Kashmir.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Indian Muslims preach RSS values in Lucknow

Lucknow : Donning skull caps and armed with RSS literature, small groups of Muslims here are on a campaign to preach the values of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh among members of their community.
Under the banner of the Akhil Bharatiya Maha Sufi Sant Sewa Samiti (ABMSSSS), around 75 Muslims are on a door-to-door campaign to project “the spirit and values of RSS”, reports Islamic Voice, Bangalore.

“You can call our exercise a campaign to link Muslims with the RSS, an organisation that has undertaken several rehabilitation programmes in the country,” says ABMSSSS president Mohammad Wahid Chisti.

Chisti, an editor of an Urdu daily, said that like him, Muslims from different professional backgrounds were involved in the drive that started with RSS assistance. “Though most of those associated with the campaign are Muslim clerics, small traders, students and social activists are also involved,” he said. “Initially, we present an overview of RSS to the Muslims and then provide them the booklets. In our interaction, we emphasize the experiences shared by prominent personalities including Mahatma Gandhi, B.R. Ambedkar and Zakir Hussain about the Sangh,” said Chisti.

RSS ‘pracharak’ Umesh Kumar said: “Involvement of Muslims has immensely helped us. Had we directly approached the Muslims, we would have faced difficulties.”

Mumbai ATS issues notice to 7 in Malegaon blast case

Mumbai : Maharashtra ATS has issued notices to seven more youths in connections with the 2008 Malegaon blast case to appear before ATS in Maharashtra. ATS issued notices under section 160 of the Cr. Pc, which empowers the police to require attendance of witnesses during investigations, reports The MG.

The notice was issued to Sadashiv Gudagagol, Namdev, Namdev Chikkurde, Girish Joshi, Vithal Gondhali, Vishwananth Kambar, Prakash Metri and Shivshankar Khanapure, Namdev and Girish. All of them after appearing before ATS Mumbai have returned home. The Gokak taluk in Belgaum is tense over the notice by the ATS.

Monday, April 4, 2011

Indian Army plans Kashmir Premier League : Hasnain

Srinagar, April 4: Army is going to organize Kashmir Premier League this summer on the pattern of IPL, the popular Twenty20 cricket competition. This was stated by General Officer Commanding of Army's Srinagar-based 15 Corps, Lt Gen S A Hasnain while interacting with local people here on Sunday, reports Rissing Kashmir.

Stating that one or two teams would be selected from each district, the GOC said, “The main aim of the tournament would be to exploit the talent and the best cricketers will be provided training at top coaching academies of the country and the expenses would be provided by army.”

During the ‘Awami Mulaqat’ organized by army, Hasnain received volley of questions from the local residents.
Handwara traders’ association president, Ijaz Ahmad demanded opening of Rajwar road in Kupwara, saying that army’s love and affection needs to proven on ground.

“Sir, we have suffered a lot. Our houses were burnt and thousands were killed. Even if a single person committed a mistake the whole population of the area was punished,” Ahmad said.

“The ghastly tag of last twenty years attached with the army needs to be removed as fear prevails among people wherever they visit,” he added.

The residents raised many other issues related to their security and day-to-day problems with the GOC. Besides assuring people of taking action in all genuine concerns, Hasnain ordered opening of Rajouri road on spot to ease the sufferings of common people. On the occasion, the GOC also announced that 15 corps will adopt the orphanage home of the township.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

A Kashmiri Teenager Moves UN Diplomats and Activists in Geneva

The tears of Aneesa Nabi, whose parents were killed by Indian soldiers, even shook the Indians, as activists rushed to console her; several embassies sent observers to witness her testimony, including US government’s permanent mission to Geneva.

GENEVA, Switzerland—Her parents would have never thought their little girl would go this far, but a Kashmiri teenager smuggled by an NGO across the ceasefire line in Kashmir landed in Geneva today to a grand start, shocking world diplomats and activists with the story of her father and mother long after their death.

Aneesa Nabi, 17, drew the attention of diplomats and human rights activists and NGOs that have descended on Geneva this month for the 16th session of Human Rights Council, which is UN’s highest rights body designed along the lines of the UN Security Council in New York, minus the powers.

Representatives of a Kashmiri NGO based in Pakistan, the Kashmir Institute of International Affairs, KIIA, were seen lobbying world diplomats and NGO representatives in the main hall of the Palais de Nations, or Palace of the Nations, which is the focal point of UN operations in Geneva.

“She really moved all of us,” said Altaf Hussain Wani, director programs at KIIA. “We’ve been with her for the past week but today she left us in tears.”

“You could see the interest in her,” said Shagufta Ashraf, a KIIA activist, as she distributed flyers and pamphlets in the main lobby of the Palais. “The diplomats and NGO types got really interested in this story.” African human rights activist Micheline Djouma arranged for Aneesa’s appearance at a seminar today on the sidelines of the Human Rights Council meetings. The council was busy dealing with issues as diverse as Iran’s human rights record and a proposal to outlaw denigration of religions. But this didn’t stop rights activists and some diplomats from attending Aneesa’s appearance.

What boosted Aneesa’s case was the fact that Kashmiri groups spread worldwide occupied a square in front of Palais de Nations, known as Broken Chair, where an exhibition of museum of Indian Army genocide against Kashmiri people was set up inside a tent, surrounded by banners and hoards depicting the situation in Indian-occupied Kashmir. Before Aneesa started her speech, an Africa-based rights activist Mrs. Colette Samoya, president of Bangwe organization, delivered a speech in French, where she mentioned Kashmir five times as she gave examples of violations against women and children in conflict zones. Building anticipation, Samoya kept reminding the audience, saying “We have a girl from Kashmir here to tell her story.”

Aneesa began her speech in a normal way, but her voice began choking when she mentioned her father, who was arrested by Indian Army on 24 July 1996 when she was four. By the time she mentioned her mother, she was in tears, sobbing involuntarily as she recalled how the Indian occupation authorities warned her not to join NGOs lobbying for disappeared persons. In 2003, the Indians barged into her house and opened fire on Aneesa’s mother from automatic guns as she fell to the ground. Amazingly, she was carrying a toddler, Aneesa’s younger brother, in her arms and never let him ago despite receiving fatal injuries. The boy’s leg was shattered by bullets but he survived.

“She had been repressing her emotions,” recalled Ahmed Quraishi, a representative of OIC’s World Muslim Congress and a Kashmir activist. “In the past, she would only smile when asked if she remembered her parents or missed them. She would ignore it. But today, all the repressed memories, all the repressed pain, came out naturally. She really believed this was her last chance to do something to help free her father if he is still alive.”

Video Link: http://786insidekashmir.blogspot.com/2011/03/kashmiri-teenager-moves-un-diplomats.html

HIGHLIGHTS
When Aneesa began talking, the entire hall went silent, which is rare in United Nations Human Rights Council side events.
She couldn’t control herself when she mentioned her father, and was unable to continue after mentioning her mothers
A known Indian lobbyist linked to the Indian government, who is a Kashmiri Hindu, couldn’t control himself and hurriedly left the hall in tears

On the stage, an Indian academic, Dr. Krishna Ahoojapatel, tried to express grief, and an African panelist stood up from her chair, walked up to Aneesa and hugged her like a mother would hug a daughter. Someone else brought her a glass of water.
The moderator repeatedly interrupted a sobbing Aneesa to ask her if she wanted to take a break or continue telling her story. Aneesa tried to continue but couldn’t. She failed to read out the last portion of an appeal to the international community and to the United Nations to help force the Indian government and military to reveal the fate of her father.

A senior UN official, whose name is withheld, was so moved by Aneesa’s tragedy that he conveyed to her that he will do everything possible to hold the Indian government and military accountable for any harm done to her father and for serious human rights violations in Kashmir.

‘I saw them execute my mother, I was seven’

Tale of a Kashmiri girl from Srinagar who lost her parents, escaped  The Indian Army and found her way to Geneva to tell her story.
Meet Aneesa Nabi Khan, a bright 17-year-old studying at a school in the part of Kashmir liberated from India.  Her mild demeanor, big eyes and a warm smile set her apart from other students in her school. But very few of them know her real story. Someday soon she will graduate and do something to impact the lives of her people. Her parents will never know how their little girl, the eldest of three kids, has grown up to be a precocious young lady.

Today she is in Geneva to tell her story to politicians, activists and the media from all over the world. She came here to speak. She wants the world to know her story because she made it to this place. Others like her can’t. And she wants to represent them.
She has a story. It is a compelling tale of fear, courage, tragedy, and a people’s quest for freedom from the tyranny of one of the biggest armies in the world.

Where Does Aneesa Come From?
She comes from Kashmir, a paradise nestled in the grand Himalayas to the north of Pakistan, bordering China and India. One of the world’s most scenic lands is also home to the world’s biggest concentration of armed soldiers—more than half a million regular army from the world’s largest democracy: India.  Aneesa’s people want freedom from occupation. India does not want to grant it or heed United Nations resolutions calling for a settlement.

But for 63 years, Kashmiris did not take foreign occupation lying down. Aneesa’s father was one of them. That’s how her tragedy begins.

Where Is Aneesa’s Father?

Ghulam Nabi Khan was in his mid-thirties in 1996 when he was last seen by Dilshad, his wife, and daughter and her toddler brother

Raees.
Ghulam left his house in the morning. He was what his people call a freedom fighter, oppose to the forced Indian occupation of his homeland. The Indian military saw him as a ‘militant’.

The Indians laid a trap for him. One of his friends was recruited by Indian intelligence. Ghulam was lured into a meeting at his friend’s house. They swooped on him as soon as he entered the house.

By evening the news reached his wife. So many Kashmiri men have ‘disappeared’ in similar circumstances. Dilshad’s brother took her to the local police station, manned by Indian police. They refused to register a case of forced ‘disappearance’. Days and months passed without any record of what happened to Ghulam. Fearing a similar fate, Dilshad took her children to her village to live with her parents.  Somehow they managed to contact the mission of the International Committee of the Red Cross in the Indian capital. Red Cross is the only international organization that is allowed limited access to a few jails in Indian-occupied Kashmir. Most of the jails and detention centers remain closed to the world. When a Red Cross delegation visits Kashmir, the Indian government and army only allows Indian citizens working for Red Cross to enter the occupied territory. The Red Cross searched for Aneesa’s father but to no avail. This is because Indian military is authorized by law to arrest and detain Kashmiris for long periods without charges or trial.
Indian army is desperate to eliminate Kashmiri men and women who actively participate in the independence movement. Once any Kashmiri, man or woman, is dubbed a ‘militant’ by the Indians, he or she is never seen again.

How Was Dilshad, Aneesa’s Mother, Executed?

After her husband’s ‘disappearance’, Dilshad moved with her three children to the village, where her own parents and her in-laws lived. She joined a group formed by Kashmiris called the Association of the Parents of Disappeared Persons [APDP]. The group is one of the largest civil society organizations formed by Kashmiris to peacefully resist Indian occupation. It organizes peaceful protests in Srinagar against excesses by Indian occupation forces and keeps the cause of the ‘disappeared’ persons alive. The exact number of the missing is not known.

Dilshad became an active member of the APDP, frequently seen in television news footage from Srinagar organizing peaceful protests in front of Indian and international media. These protests caught the attention of some foreign diplomats based in New Delhi, local and international media, and rights organizations. They turned into an embarrassment for the Indian military.  Indian occupation officials were remanded by the Indian government in New Delhi for failing to stop the activities of Kashmiri women like Dilshad.
One day in 2003, Indian soldiers entered the house of Aneesa’s mother. Some of them were in uniform and others were in plainclothes. The Indian soldiers asked everyone in the house to line up in the center of the front room. Dilshad, her brother, an unmarried younger sister, and her parents and some visiting relatives did what the soldiers told them to do. There was some shouting. Aneesa was nine. She too stood in the line. The soldiers were asking Dilshad about her activities with APDP when tempers flared and one of the Indian soldiers began firing indiscriminately. He took it out on Dilshad, which gave everyone else enough time to run toward the rooms behind them to hide. Nine-year-old Aneesa slipped under a bed. She could see an Indian soldier emptying his weapon into her mother.

The soldiers ran out of the house soon after.
Aneesa rushed to her mother. She remembers vividly how her mother was breathing her last. She says her mother wanted to say something but couldn’t. Blood started coming out of her mouth and she died in her nine-year-old daughter’s arms.  Amazingly, Dilshad was still carrying Aaqib, who then was a toddler. Bullets hit his left thigh and tore the flesh apart. He was unconscious and his uncle rushed him to hospital. He survived the injury.

Aneesa’s Journey To Pakistan?
With her mother killed and father kidnapped by the Indians, the male members of Aneesa’s family worried about her safety and her future. By 2008, five years after her mother was killed, Aneesa’s two younger brothers had adapted to a life without parents. Raees was 13 and was looked after by his maternal grandmother. But Aaqib was even younger. So her mother’s unmarried sister took his custody. That left Aneesa. She was the only one among them to have a passport, an Indian passport.  Apparently, her mother was planning to get her out of India anyway, most probably to travel to Dubai and then take a flight from there to Pakistan, where most of Kashmiris have taken refuge, escaping the harsh Indian occupation of their homes and fields. India is more than happy to issue Indian passports to Kashmiris because it sees that as Kashmiris accepting Indian citizenship. But over the years, most Kashmiris have preferred to reach Pakistan without passports—trekking the tough route through the mountains to Pakistan.

How Is Her New Life Like In Pakistan?
Aneesa is living with her mother’s cousin and her husband and three children. They all come from the same extended family so she feels at home and her family is very close to each other. She was in class 7 in Indian-occupied Kashmir. In Pakistan she was admitted to class 8. But she was weak in two subjects: Urdu, the Pakistani official language, and Islamic studies. The schools in occupied Kashmir have no choice but to follow the Indian educational system where the two subjects are not taught. But Urdu and Islamic studies were not alien to Aneesa and she quickly mastered them.  She stays in touch with her brothers back in Indian-occupied Kashmir through telephone. She doesn’t remember her father at all. She was two when the Indians kidnapped him. She was nine when they killed her mother. She hardly experienced their love. She says her family now gives her love and affection and the sense of security that her tormentors denied her.

Still Looking For My Father
Aneesa and her new family continue to stay in touch with the International Committee of the Red Cross in the hope that someday they might find him in one of the Indian jails. Her relatives back in Indian-occupied Kashmir keep their ears to the ground, collecting any information or rumors about anyone sighting Aneesa’s father in Indian detention centers. They pass on the information to her so she could forward it to Red Cross.

Why Is She In Geneva This Year?
Her answer is simple: “I hope it helps me find my father.” She wants the international community not to abandon people like her. She wants the powerful democracies to heed her call. And she intends to make her voice heard. She couldn’t do anything for her mother. She couldn’t save her mother. But in case her father is alive, she wants the satisfaction of knowing she did all she could to save his life. Her activism brought her message to the world, and now Aneesa wants to take the world to occupied Kashmir. Her mother and father would have been proud of the work done by their daughter today. 

US-NATO-JEWIS WAR: 'US Drones Kill 938 Pakistanis in 2010'

By: Sheikh GULZAAR
Srinagar, March 20 : The US has stepped up its drone attacks in Pakistan's tribal areas bordering Afghanistan, a new report by a Pakistani Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) says.

The Islamabad-based NGO, Conflict Monitoring Center, revealed the details of the deaths by US drone attacks in its annual report.

The report gives detailed accounts on how the CIA killed innocent people merely on the suspicion of being militants.

In 2010, the CIA carried out an unprecedented 132 drone attacks in tribal areas, claiming the lives of 938 people, it said.

The Conflict Monitoring Center points out that none of the media organizations throughout last year reported on body counts from independent sources.

Many analysts believe the geo-strategic game plan of the US has turned out to be counterproductive.

The year 2010 was one of the deadliest years for civilians living in the tribal regions, as the number of drone strikes exceeded the combined number of such attacks carried out from 2004 to 2009.

The report states that 2,052 people lost their lives in drone strikes during the 5-year period between 2004 and 2009. The rising civilian causalities have left behind many tragic stories in the tribal areas.

The reaction of Pakistani people against the frequent use of drone strikes is finally gathering momentum. In the worst of several US air strikes in Afghanistan and Pakistan in recent days, up to 51 civilians were killed last Thursday in Afghanistan’s north-eastern Kunar province. General David Petraeus, the commander of the US forces in Afghanistan, expressed the colonial-style hostility of the occupation force’s senior command toward the Afghan population, reportedly accusing local residents of burning their children to fake evidence of civilian casualties.

In a five-hour operation on the night of February 17, US Apache helicopters strafed a group of alleged Afghan insurgents with gunfire, rockets and Hellfire missiles. Surveillance drones guided the helicopter assault in the mountainous district of Ghaziabad, near the Pakistan border, and according to the Washington Post, bombs were dropped by at least one of the unmanned Predator aircraft. The attack was one of a number of recent US operations in the district, ordered as part of President Barack Obama’s broader escalation of the Af-Pak war.

Rear Admiral Gregory Smith, senior military spokesman in Kabul, stated that three dozen people were killed in the incident. He maintained they were all “suspected insurgents who had gathered to attack US and Afghan troops”. However, the remarks of one unnamed military official, cited by theWashington Post on Monday, made clear that American authorities had no knowledge of the identities of those killed. The official admitted that those targeted had been wearing civilian clothes.

Kunar Governor Said Fazlullah Wahidi contradicted Smith’s claims. He said: “According to our information 64 people were killed: 13 armed opposition, 22 women, 26 boys and 3 old men.” The governor sent a three-man “fact-finding team” to the area on Saturday, which returned with seven injured people suffering burns and shrapnel wounds, including a young man and woman and five boys and girls.

Dr. Asadullah Fazli, chief doctor at the provincial hospital in Asadabad, the capital of Kunar, told the New York Times that the hospital had treated at least nine wounded from the area, including three women, four children and two men. One two-year-old girl had to have her leg amputated because of shrapnel injuries. The Times noted: “There were several other military operations in the area over the last few days, so it was not clear which one caused those injuries.”

In an attempt to defuse outrage among the Afghan population over the latest atrocity carried out by the occupation forces, President Hamid Karzai issued what has become a pro forma denunciation of American military operations. He stated that “about 50 civilians have been martyred” and pledged to send investigators to the scene of the killings.

Karzai met with his national security council and General Petraeus at the presidential palace in Kabul on Sunday. According to an account of the meeting published in the Washington Post, “Petraeus, the top US commander in Afghanistan, dismissed allegations by Karzai’s office and the provincial governor that civilians were killed and said residents had invented stories, or even injured their children, to pin the blame on US forces and force an end to the operation.”

One unnamed participant in the meeting said: “He claimed that in the midst of the [operation] some pro-Taliban parents in contact with a government official decided to create a civilian casualty claim to pressure international forces to cease the [operation]. They burned hands and legs of some of their children and sent them to the hospital.”

The discussion demonstrates the contempt with which the American military command regards Karzai, the figurehead first installed as Washington’s stooge shortly after the 2001 invasion.

The Washington Post reported that Karzai and his colleagues found Petraeus’s baseless allegations “deeply offensive” and “shocking”. One official declared: “Killing 60 people, and then blaming the killing on those same people, rather than apologising for any deaths? This is inhuman. This is a really terrible situation.”

Petraeus declined to respond to the published account of his meeting with the Afghan president. The day after his provocative remarks on the Kunar killings, more Afghan civilians were killed in a US air strike. In Qilgha village in Nangarhar province, immediately south of Kunar, a missile destroyed a family’s home, killing the parents and four children aged between three and eight who had been sleeping inside. The father, named Patang, was a member of the Afghan national army.

A provincial official told the AFP news agency that American forces had targeted three insurgents planting mines on nearby road, but had hit the home by mistake. NATO spokesmen confirmed there had been civilian casualties, but said no further details would be released, pending an investigation.

One village resident told Pajhwok Afghan News that foreign forces intercepted a vehicle taking the wounded father to hospital, halting it for two hours. “The troops beat us and tied our hands,” the man, Psarlay, said. “Meanwhile, Patang died because of excessive bleeding.”

Another resident, 26-year-old Ezatullah, told the Wall Street Journal: “The house was completely destroyed by the strike. Only two children [aged] four and six survived.” He added that “thousands of people attended the funeral of the slain family Monday and are planning a protest against coalition forces Tuesday”.

A report issued February 1 by the Afghanistan Rights Monitor (ARM) tallied at least 2,421 civilian deaths and 3,270 injuries inflicted last year by US-NATO forces, Taliban and resistance groups, and Afghan government police, soldiers, and militia. The violence in 2010 was the worst since the invasion a decade ago. The real casualty rate for civilians is likely to be significantly higher than the ARM tally, with US-NATO forces routinely covering up their crimes and labelling victims as “insurgents” or “terrorists”.

 The Obama-Petraeus counter-insurgency strategy effectively centres on the use of overwhelming force against the population, aimed at crushing continued resistance to the occupation of the resource-rich and strategically vital country. At the same time, the Obama administration has illegally extended the war into Pakistan, with US ground forces active in the border region near Afghanistan, backed by a steady bombardment of CIA drone missile attacks.

On Sunday and Monday, two drone attacks killed a reported 12 people. In the first incident, seven alleged militants were killed —including, according to Pakistani intelligence agents cited by various media outlets, an Iraqi Al Qaeda operative—after multiple missiles struck a house in the tribal agency of South Waziristan. Five more alleged militants were killed the next day in North Waziristan.

These operations mark the resumption of US drone attacks after a four-week pause—the longest period in which Pakistan had not been hit by American missiles since December 2009. The temporary cessation was widely believed to have been connected with Washington’s efforts to secure the release of CIA agent Raymond Davis, arrested on January 27 in Lahore on murder charges. Obama’s bombings have generated enormous anger among ordinary Pakistanis, and destabilised the government in Islamabad. The US government is nevertheless proceeding, underscoring the ruthlessness of its Af-Pak war.

An article in the Washington Post on Monday pointed to the indiscriminate character of the missile strikes. It explained that at least 581 alleged militants had been killed by drones in Pakistan last year, but just two of the victims had been previously listed on the US list of “most wanted” terrorists.

 “Despite a major escalation in the number of unmanned Predator strikes being carried out under the Obama administration, data from government and independent sources indicate that the number of high-ranking militants being killed as a result has either slipped or barely increased,” the Washington Postexplained. “Even more generous counts—which indicate that the CIA killed as many as 13 ‘high-value targets’—suggest that the drone program is hitting senior operatives only a fraction of the time.”

The article noted that drones were no longer restricted to striking known targets. Anyone in Pakistan witnessed doing something deemed suspicious, such as travelling to or from alleged terrorist-controlled buildings, could be killed by CIA assassins, operating the drones from Langley, Virginia.

RSS has forged nexus with Mossad

Sage seed: http://jkmpic.blogspot.com
New Delhi-Digvijay Singh’s 4th January 2011 Press Conference finally proved that the Congress General Secretary indeed spoke to Hemant Karkare on 26/11-and that Karkare faced the threat to his life and limb-as well as to the security of his family-not from Pakistani terrorists or Indian Mujahideen activists but the motley group of Hindutva terrorists led by the RSS, reports The Milli Gazette.

This is hard fact. Here the question is not who conducted the 26/11 attack-the question is also not who killed Karkare-all these issues are related to a larger question-why was Hemant Karkare-the officer who exposed the true face of Hindutva Terrorism-killed on 26th November 2008, during an attack carried allegedly by Pakistani terrorists?

Third grade, communal officers manning the higher echelons of the Mumbai Police would have us believe that it was a freak accident-that Karkare happened to stand in the line of fire on that fateful date. Maybe-but when one realizes the enormity of what Karkare had unearthed-that most terror attacks in India have an RSS connection-one is forced to go beyond the `Maybees’ of the world.

No one can question that Karkare’s investigations could have led to the exoneration of the Batla House accused and other Muslim boys picked up from Azamgarh and other areas. It is possible that Karkare might have unearthed the RSS hand in all terror acts which took place between 26th July 2008 and 26th November 2008. So Karkare might have well sounded the death knell of RSS in India.

The RSS opposed the Indian Freedom Movement-its ideology and foot soldiers of related organizations were responsible for Mahatama Gandhi’s murder, and thousands of terror attacks (“riots”) against Muslims and OBC-Dalit Hindus in Bihar, Delhi and other parts of India. The RSS conducted an armed uprising against the Indian State right after 15th August 1947-an uprising targeted against the ideals of Nehruvian parliamentary democracy, the Ambedkarite liberal constitution and the general Left-of-Centre orientation of the Indian nation.

Jawahar Lal Nehru crushed the RSS uprising with an iron hand, often wielding a lathi personally against rampaging RSS mobs in Delhi.

Indira Gandhi came across several instances of RSS-sponsored terrorism-and acted firmly, applying the bulldozer to several illegal RSS structures all over India, including the one at the Benaras Hindu University (BHU). 

When Digvijay Singh exhorted Congressmen and women to wield the lathi against the RSS during the Burari AICC session, he was acting like a true Nehruvian. Only the RSS stood to gain from Karkare’s untimely death/murder. Let anyone who has guts or the balls to challenge this position come forward.

Rajdeep Sardesai interviewed Digvijay Singh on 4th January 2011 night in the CNN-IBN studio. Rajdeep openly took the RSS side, even accusing Digvijay Singh of ‘helping Pakistan’-do we need more proof of the fact that Rajdeep Sardesai and 90% of upper caste journalists are RSS agents?

In the CNN-IBN interview, Rajdeep openly said that Aziz Burney, the editor of Urdu Rashtriya Sahara, the most popular Urdu daily of India, should be ostracized for having written a book entitled “26/11: RSS Ka Shadyantra?”

So now an English journalist called Rajdeep Sardesai will ask for Aziz Burney to be ostracized? Why-because Burney dared question the official line? Now Rajdeep will decide what Aziz Burney and the Urdu media has to say?

The attack on Aziz Burney by Rajdeep is an attack on Urdu journalism. But there is a subtext to Rajdeep’s outrage. A few days after Karkare was murdered, I confronted Rajdeep at St. Xavier’s College during a peace meet. While interviewing Digvijay Singh, Rajdeep had said that ‘Karkare was his friend as well!’

When I confronted Rajdeep right after 26/11, he told me that he fully believed that Karkare was killed by the usual suspects: Kasab and others. When I reminded him of his duty as a journalist-that he should talk to people on the ground and look for alternative narratives on 26/11-Rajdeep told me that “I fully believe in Rakesh Maria’s version of 26/11. Rakesh Maria is an efficient officer.”

This Rakesh Maria heads the Mumbai ATS now-he was a sworn enemy of Karkare-he is a suspected Mossad agent and an officer who personally supervised the brutal 4th degree torture of Muslims in Mumbai.

Rajdeep has to decide whether he is Maria’s friend or Karkare’s-God’s terrible retribution awaits Rajdeep and his fellow travellers. Funny, that a recent article in Indian Express, written by some Pradeep Kaushal, mentions how Burney took my name in the book release function graced by Shri Digvijay Singh:

“The book is a collection of Burney’s writings in Rashtriya Sahara (Urdu), besides contributions from some ideological fellow-travellers, one of whom is Amareesh Mishra. “I have incorporated them because they reinforce what I feel,” Burney says. He says they are important because they have been authored by someone who is “Amaresh” and “Mishra” - in an obvious reference to the writer’s religious and caste identity”.

Pradeep Kaushal quotes me extensively: “Basically the RSS has lost control of the organisation it had created. In the form of (Narendra) Modi, this organisation has forged a nexus with Mossad, which is in league with the ISI, engaged in destruction… Do remember the remote control of many jihadi groups active in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Central Asia is in the hands of Mossad or CIA. Recently a group in Yemen was found to have been established by Mossad. Therefore, it is possible the terrorists who attacked Mumbai may have used Pakistan as their base, but they may have been drawn from different countries... At least one of them, it has been learnt, belonged to Mauritius. It is emerging now that a Saudi (being described as Maulana Bedi) may have gathered these Jihadis there and sent them here. It is essential to find out who provided money to him.”

This is what I wrote right after 26/11. Yes-I am a Brahmin-yes I am Hindu-a true Sanatani Hindu. And yes, I am supporting Digvijay Singh in his fight against the RSS. As an Indian, Sanatani Hindu and a Brahmin, I firmly believe that RSS is a bigger threat to India than all Pakistani terrorist organizations put together. RSS is in league with Mossad and Israel. Mossad is seeking India’s destruction. We have the support of millions of Sanatani Hindus who will crush the demon called RSS.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Kashmir produced 17 l MT fruit in ‘09-10: Economic Survey Kashmir State GDP shows 76 pc increase in 7 years



http://chenabindustries.blogspot.com
Srinagar, Mar 11: The Economic Survey tabled today in both Houses of legislature shows that the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) has continuously grown.

“As per new series (2004-2005), it has grown from Rs 27004.63 crore to Rs. 47709.31 crore during the period from 2004-2005 to 2010-2011 at current prices, registering an increase of 76.67 per cent,” the survey reports.  At constant (2004-2005) prices, the GSDP has risen from Rs. 27004.63 crore to Rs.37886.92 crore during the same period registering an increase of 40.30 per cent.

The working force in Kashmir constitutes 37.01% of total population against the corresponding rate of 39.10% in the country. The State of Kashmir is neck to neck in respect of work force with Indian rate. Contribution of Primary Sector (Agriculture & allied activities) to the State economy at constant (2004-2005) prices as per advance estimated for 2009-10 has been 22.63%. The relative share of this sector to GDP at Indian level for the year 2009-10 has been 16.99%. Contribution of Secondary sector to State GDP as per advance estimates for 2009-2010 was 29.55% against 25.84% at the Indian level for the same year. Contribution of Tertiary Sector to State GDP as per advance estimates for 2009-2010 was 47.82% against 57.17% at the Indian level for the year 2009-2010.

The Per capita GSDP at constant (2004-2005) prices as per preliminary estimates for the year 2010-2011 was Rs.32496 registering an increase of 5.21% over per capita GSDP of Rs. 30886 for 2009-2010. The relative per capita income figures for India stood at Rs. 38060 for 2009-2010 and Rs. 36005 for 2008-2009. Fruit production of the State increased from 16.91 lakh metric tones in 2008-2009 to 17.13 lakh metric tones in 2009-2010, recording an increase of 1.30%. For the current year, the State expects fruit production of 22.22 lakh metric tones to register notable increase of  29.71% over previous year’s production figures. Out of total fruit production for 2009-2010, 15.35 lakh tones constituting 90% was fresh fruit and the remaining 10% dry fruit. In the fruit  production figures share of apple accounted for 86.17% and walnut with 9.64% share, is the next major fruit.

As per provisional estimates of 18th livestock census 2007, total livestock population in the State has increased from 98.99 lakh in 2003 to 104.73 lakhs in 2007, registering an increase of 5.8%. The number of livestock per 1000 of human population as per livestock census 2007 was 882 animals while as at all India level the number was only 457, as per livestock census 2003.

The contribution of Manufacturing sector (both registered & un-registered) in GSDP of the state of  Kashmir is increasing day by day and has increased from 3.8% in 1999-00 to 7.17% in 2007-2008. Taking individually, the manufacturing sector. Registered contributes 2.65% and un-registered contributes 4.42% to GSDP of the State of Kashmir..

Census 2001 has revealed that 55% households live permanent houses. 32.15% in semi-permanent houses and 12.85% were living in temporary houses, and the relative position in India was 51.80%, 30.04% and 18.16% respectively. Categorizing the households living in owned, rented and other categories, works out to be 93%, 5% and 2% for the state of Kashmir and 87%, 11% and 2% respectively for India. (Writer-South Asia)


Sunday, March 6, 2011

"Kashmir should be an independent state, not Indian, not Pakistani.

New York, Mar 6: Libyan scrambling premiere Muammar Gaddafi told Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last week that his actions against his people in Libya were akin to India's actions against Kashmiris.

On the eve of the UN Security Council debate and vote against Libya on February 26, Gaddafi, in a missive to Manmohan, asked for India's support for his actions as civil war broke out in Libya, a Delhi-based newspaper reported.

The request for support came even as African and European countries, including Libya's UN envoy who defected to the rebels, made an impassioned plea in the Security Council to refer Gaddafi to the International Criminal Court. India voted for the UNSC resolution, which was passed unanimously.

Gaddafi's mercurial character, though, was on full display on Libya's national day, which he celebrated earlier this week. In a five-hour address in Tripoli, he mentioned India at least five times, including saying that he would give future commercial contracts to Indian and Chinese companies and that he was very pleased with India's vote in the UN Security Council.

Gaddafi has rarely been a person India has been comfortable with. In September 2009, Gaddafi, in a 100-minute speech at the UN General Assembly, railed against India and Kashmir as well. "Kashmir should be an independent state, not Indian, not Pakistani. We should end this conflict. It should be a Ba'athist state between India and Pakistan," he said. (Writer-South Asia)

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Sorbus Cashmiriana (Rowan Kashmir)

World'd most beautifull & Expensive Ornamental Tree
Sorbus Cashmiriana (Pride of Kashmir) 


(A remarkable and striking little ornamental/medicinal tree  that won the RHS Award of Merit in 2002.)

God has gifted Kashmir  with enormous varieties of medicinal plants. Out of these only 20% have so far been evaluated for their therapeutic potentials. Therefore, there is a need of coordinated and well-organized efforts in the area of chemistry of indigenous medicinal plants.

Sorbus cashmiriana is a small growing tree perfect for gardens. This stunning trees is small growing with plenty of interest all year round, making it a perfect candidate for Gardens!

Sorbus cashmiriana has soft pink flowers that are borne in Spring, followed by the classic fearn like leaflets displayed by Rowans.

The highlight of the year is in the autumn when the large white fruits are displayed, up to 12mm across, hanging in clusters from the tree.  The fruits are shiny and white, resembling marbles and remain on the tree long after the leaves have disappeared, often well into December.

Plant/seed available at: 
Chenab Industries
Mailing address: PO Box 667 Srinagar SGR J&K- 190001
Ph: 01933-223705
Call us: 09858986794
e.mail: iirc@rediffmail.com, jkmpic@yahoo.in,cikashmir@gmail.com
web: http://chenabindustries.blogspot.com

Friday, February 25, 2011

Kashmir is fighting for Right to Self Determination

Egypt and Kashmir

To draw a comparison between the two would be a fallacy
Burhan Majid

After Tunisia, Egypt is the buzzword. Indeed Egyptian people deserve applause. They have shown the world that how dedication and collective endeavour can bring a revolution. Even as the Egypt’s future remains to be precarious, a thirty year old dictatorship had fallen, reports Burhan Majid.

Though this major political development has its impact on the world politics, unfortunately, a section of people has surfaced, both within and outside, which drew parallels between Egypt and Kashmir, a Himalayan valley. Infact their argument is that Kashmiris should learn from the Egyptians.

To me it is a flawed argument, sufficient enough to add insult to the injury. The courage shown by Egyptian is worth inspiring, however, in no possible way can we draw a similarity between the recent protests in Egypt which toppled a regime and the struggle Kashmir is involved. If we do so, we delude our people.

At the first instance, Kashmir is fighting for Right to Self Determination; the Egyptian people want the change of regime that has been governing them for past thirty years. There is a world of difference between the two. In Egypt protests are related to governance and economy. In Kashmir the case is entirely different. Kashmir is a geopolitical issue. The world saw a sea of people at Tahrir Square (Egypt) for consecutive eighteen days. Can we think of same gathering for the same duration at Red Square (Lal Chowk) in Kashmir where at times people are not allowed to assemble for a peaceful demonstration? Where, last year alone, 112 youth fell to bullets while protesting against the atrocities committed by Indian forces and local police; where children as young as eight are killed mercilessly.

Another significant difference is that the protests in Egypt were given a widespread coverage by international media. Major media houses of the world ran the news about Egypt minute after minute. Live updates, videos photographs, debates, analysis and opinions were broadcasted. On the other hand, Kashmir is seldom talked or debated in the international media circles.

Though Indian media reported the events in Kashmir however the intention was only to malign the cause of Kashmiris and to label the genuine protestors as terrorists, paid agents and what have you. It was after so many killings that Kashmir was discussed and debated in Indian media circles.

The protests in Egypt were gaining momentum, the coverage by the media across the length and breadth of the world also intensified.  The BBC, CNN, New York Times, Guardian and many other international media outlet continuously reported about the situation unfolding in Egypt. Who voiced the voice of Kashmiris at the time of unrest?

Leave alone the question of international media as the agitation gained ground in Kashmir, the local electronic media was gagged and it continue to be till date.

Moreover, according to the media reports, Egyptian Army exercised maximum restraint while dealing with the protestors. Look at the way police and security agencies used power to crush the people and protestors.
Egyptians acknowledged that social networking websites played an important role in accomplishing the goal of ousting Hosni Mubarak. Though social media wasn’t the cause of revolution in Egypt, it hastened its pace and transferred the voice from one to millions.

In Kashmir, the youth tried to use the facebook in the similar fashion; tried to highlight the atrocities committed upon hapless people; but, they were arrested and few were charged under criminal offences.  SMS were banned. The service is yet to be restored for prepaid customers after ‘normalcy’ returned. The bottom-line is that the two are different and to draw comparison is fallacious.
Author is a researcher in Laws at University of Kashmir, and can be reached at burhan.mjd@gmail.com