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

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.

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.