Geelani sets 5 conditions for dialogue on Kashmir
Threatens to step-up stir if detainees not released before Eid
Srinagar August 31:
Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani Tuesday set five “minimum necessary conditions” before New Delhi to pave way for resolution of “Kashmir dispute
“If India and the International community are serious in resolving the Kashmir dispute, its beginning is to be the end of oppression which in itself will create conditions for resolution,” Syed Ali Shah Geelani said while addressing a Press Conference at his residence here.
“In this regard, we demand India and urge the International community to persuade New Delhi, for creating conditions necessary for peace and resolution. The minimum necessary conditions that must be met without any delay are…First— India must agree Jammu Kashmir as an international dispute.”
The other conditions set by Geelani include: “India must announce and begin the process of complete demilitarization to be monitored by some credible agency.”
“India must repeal black laws such as AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers Act), PSA (Public Safety Act) which gives freehand to troops to kill innocent people and destruct their property.”
The fourth of the condition calls upon New Delhi to “immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners including Children arrested this summer. and Withdraw cases against youth pending in courts for past 20 years.”
Geelani also demanded start of a process to punish the perpetrators of violence, what he called ‘state violence’
’. “It has to begin with the conviction of troops responsible for recent 65 killings and has to be followed by convicting all those responsible for war crimes in Jammu Kashmir.”
Geelani said that if implemented on ground in both letter and spirit, these measures would facilitate in the creation of conductive atmosphere enabling Jammu Kashmir leadership to meet, consult and consolidate public opinion for the peaceful resolution of Kashmir dispute .
Earlier, the Geelani accused New Delhi of dual standards. “Amid continued policy of oppression on ground, Indian leadership has spoken of its willingness to engage in a dialogue with Jammu Kashmir leadership. However, as usual with New Delhi, the leadership comes with such a soft talk whenever the streets of Jammu Kashmir are filled with innocent killings. They talk of political engagement when their soldiers have literally gone berserk in Jammu Kashmir killing, arresting, torturing, injuring, humiliating and destroying us,” he said.
Geelani said that 120,137 persons were killed, 10,000 people were disappeared, thousands of women raped or molested during the last two decades. “besides, there is incarcerations, torture, extra-judicial murder, humiliations of people and the destruction of property worth billions of dollars .
He said that people of Jammu Kashmir have for the last two and half months resorted to sustained peaceful mass protests despite “unabated killings and violence from the forces”. “This non-violent uprising has again been confronted with killings of 65 civilians, arrests of more than 2000 civilians, injuries to more than 3000 civilians, torture of hundreds of youths, destruction of private houses and vehicles. The victims of state terrorism include 8 year old sameer Ahmad Rah to 65 year old father and to 17 year old Afroza Teli,” he added.
To review the current campaign of mass protests, Geelani urged the Indian leadership to end oppression and met the five demands while asserting that “liberty, honour, future of people cannot wait endlessly for these measures to be implemented ”
He also threatened to intensify the agitation incase all prisoners were not released before Idd-ul-Fitr.
“If India fails to fulfill these minimum necessary conditions required for peace and resolution immediately, the program of ongoing mass protests would be intensified,” he added.
Hearing in Qayoom’s writ to continue Wednesday
HC reproves Govt for overlooking its directions
Srinagar August 31: :
The hearing in the writ petitions filed by the Kashmir High Court Bar Association, Mian Abdul Qayoom would continue tomorrow (Wednesday) while as the High Court reproved the Home Commissioner and the government for overlooking its directions.
“The arguments in the case were party completed by Mr Zaffar Ahmad Shah today as record pertaining to the detention of Qayoom Sahib was not fully available with advocate general,” Vice-president of the lawyer’s body, advocate Aijaz Baidar told newspoint. He said that the advocate general is expected to contend the arguments by the Bar tomorrow.
Earlier, the court of Justice Muzzafar Hussein Attar reproved the government for overlooking the court directions on keeping available all the record about the detainee before the court, Baidar said.
The court also took strong notice of Home Commissioner noncompliance to the court directions wherein it had directed the officer to file an affidavit by or before August 31 to inform about the representation over the arrest of advocate Mian Qayoom on “mala fide considerations”.
Counsel for petitioner, Advocate Manzoor Ahmad Dar, had filed a representation with the Home Commissioner, stating therein that advocate Mian Qayoom was booked under PSA on malafide consideration for raising human rights violations, providing legal aid to the detainees and also on statement against present SSP Srinagar. The Home Commissioner is learnt to have sought two days for filing the response.
It was on July 07 last when state administration booked under PSA Advocate Qayoom and shifted him to sub-jail Hiranagar in Jammu.
Meanwhile, the government rejected shifting of advocate Qayoom to SKIMS for treatment on the plea filed by him. Advocate Qayoom had contended that he was under the supervision of medicos in the valley’s lone tertiary hospital for various ailments particular renal and diabetes. “The government strongly opposed to the shifting of Mian Qayoom to SKIMS while expressed readiness to shift him to Chandigarh or New Delhi,” Baidar said, adding, “T
Regarding advocate G N Shaheen, the high court would also hear the arguments tomorrow.
Advocate Ghulam Nabi Shaheen has been lodged in Rajouri Jail and High Court has already ordered to consider his shifting to Srinagar.................
BSF trooper killed under tree in Kupwara
Srinagar August 31:
A Border Security Force (BSF) trooper on Tuesday was killed and two Army men were injured when the picket they were manning was crushed by a huge Deodar tree in Keran sector of North Kashmir’s Kupwara district.
Reports and officials told newspoint that a joint team of Army’s 19 Rajput and BSF, 152 Battalion last night had laid an ambush in Teen Behak area of Keran sector along the line of control in the frontier district. As the night progressed, a huge deodar tree fell upon the picket of the joint team leading to the death of a BSF trooper Sudhakar Reddy, while two Army men suffered injuries. The injured Army men were rushed to Drugmulla and later Army’s Badami Bagh hospital in Srinagar. The condition of one of the injured Army man identified as Girdhari Lal is stated to be critical.
Srinagar based, BSF spokesman confirmed the death of one trooper in the incident.
“A BSF jawan was killed in the accident,” PRO, BSF said.
JCO killed in Bandipora gunfight
Srinagar, August 31: A Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) was killed and three soldiers injured in an overnight encounter with militants in Bandipora district of North Kashmir.
Official sources said that four soldiers including a JCO of 6 Para of army were wounded in the gunfire with a group of heavily armed militants at Athwatoo area in the district. All the injured Army men were rushed to Army’s Badami Bagh hospital for treatment. However, the JCO identified as Subedar Mahinder Singh succumbed to his injuries. The search operation was on when the last reports came in.
The encounter ensued last evening, when troops intercepted a group of three to four militants in area. On being challenge, the militants opened heavy fire on the Army, resulting into an encounter.
“Army has communicated to us the death of one of their men and injuries to other three,” Superintendent of Police (SP), Bandipore Sheikh Junaid said.
The attack comes a day after nine infiltrators were killed along the Line of Control in Uri sector in neighbouring Baramulla district.
The district has think forest cover, enabling militants to carry out ambush and then flee through the woods.
On May 05 this year, Major Yogendra Rajbar and Rifleman Uttam Singh of elite 7 Garhwal were killed at Chattibandi village in the district..................... (with inputs from PBI ) pix Zulfiqar khan
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