SACH NEWS PDP-BJP likely to contest RS polls together Seat sharing with some party is necessary: Nayeem Akhtar Srinagar, Jan 23 : With crucial Rajya Sabha polls approaching, it seems Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) have reached to some consensus over seat sharing agreement. Sources told that both the parties will field two candidates each for February 7 polls and support each other to ensure their victory. While PDP announced names of Nazir Ahmad Laway and Fayaz Ahmad Mir as its candidates for the two seats, the BJP is yet to announce its candidates. PDP Chief Spokesman Nayeem Akhtar told that seat sharing is a necessary scenario in the present situation. “We have 28 seats and are single largest party. But the minimum to secure one RS seat is 29 votes in the house of 87 members. No party in the present scenario can hope to get a seat on its own unless all contest separately and get support of some independents,” he said. “We will have to have a seat sharing arrangement with one of the parties to safeguard PDP interests and try to get in combination with that party and win all the four seats. It will involve give-n-take,” Akhtar told Asked whether they have reached to a consensus with the BJP he neither denied nor confirmed. “Why we have fielded two candidates only? Seat sharing with some party is necessary. Whichever party we go ahead we have to leave seats for them. We are in a situation where seat sharing and floor management is thrust on us,” he said without elaborating. A senior state BJP leader told that party high command has invited the top state leadership to New Delhi for holding deliberations over the issue of seat sharing and government formation. ________________ Kashmir shuts against blasphemous sketches Protests, stone pelting reported Apart from stray incidents day passed off peacefully: IGP Kashmir Srinagar, Jan 23 : The Kashmir valley Friday observed a complete shutdown to protest against the blasphemous sketches re-published recently in French Magazine, Charlie Hebdo. Protests and stone pelting incidents were reported against the blasphemous caricature soon after congregational Friday prayers in various localities of Srinagar and other districts. The shutdown call was given by all the separatist leaders including Syed Ali Geelani, Yasin Malik and Shabir Shah. people observed complete shutdown and all the shops and business establishment were closed in Srinagar City and other Districts. The traffic was also off the roads. The authorities had erected barricades in and around civil lines area to prevent people from coming on roads. Inspector General of Police Abdul Gani Mir told KNS that some incidents of stone pelting were reported but overall the day passed peacefully with no untoward incident. “Large contingent of police and paramilitary personnel were deployed on every nook and corner of the city and other districts to maintain law and order. Apart from some stone pelting incidents in some areas the day passed peacefully as no untoward incident was reported from anyplace,” he said. The routine functioning of banks, government departments was adversely affected because of non-availability of public transport in Srinagar and other places. However, in some district thin traffic, plied on roads as contingents of police and paramilitary central reserve police force (CRPF) were deployed in strength to maintain law and order, reports said. According to reports protests erupted in various localities of Srinagar and other districts against the blasphemous caricature published in a French satirical magazine soon after congregational Friday prayers. The protestors raised pro-Islam slogans while at some places protestors burned the effigy of cartoonist Charlie and threw stones. Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation (KTMF) led by chairman MS Bakal Began a protest march from Nai Sarak which dispersed off peacefully near historic Clock Tower here. Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front activists also held a protest march from Madina Chowk and later dispersed off peacefully at Lal Chowk. Similar reports were received from other districts while peaceful protests were also held at various localities of the capital city. The authorities had detained many separatist leaders early on Friday and put them either under house arrest or in police stations. These included JKLF chairman Yasin Malik, Hurriyat (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Hurriyat (G) leader Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai, Ayaz Akbar, Peer Saifullah, Hurriyat (JK) leaders Shabir Shah and Nayeem Khan. _______________ PDP announces candidates for RS polls Laway from Kulgam and Mir from Kupwara party candidates Jammu, Jan 23: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has decided to contest two seats in the upcoming elections to the Rajya Sabha from the state. Announcing this here today the party’s Chief Spokesperson Naeem Akhtar said Nazir Ahmad Laway and Fayaz Ahmad Mir will be fielded as the party candidates for the two seats. In a statement he said the decision was taken by the party president Mehbooba Mufti after consulting senior leaders of the party. “Laway and Mir are young and energetic workers of the party who have struggled hard to promote the party’s interests and agenda. They contested the recent elections to the state assembly but lost by very thin margin while Laway contesting from Kulgam lost by 334 votes and Fayaz Ahmad by 151 votes. These were the lowest margins for any PDP candidate to lose by in the South and North Kashmir,” he said. ________________ JKLF takes rally against blasphemous caricatures Muslims can never tolerate attack on honor of beloved Prophet (SAW): Bhat Srinagar, Jan 23 : Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) vice chairman advocate Bashir Ahmad Bhat Friday said that a Muslim can tolerate everything but can never tolerate any attack on the honor and dignity of beloved prophet Muhammad SAW. “Our prophet (SAW) is a glorious personality who throughout history has been praised not only by Muslims but non Muslims too. Attack on such personalities is actually worst kind of terrorism. Every Kashmiri will defend the special status of Jammu Kashmir even at the cost of their lives. Any attack on special status of Jammu Kashmir and its Muslim character is direct attack on our existence,” Bhat said while addressing hundreds of participants of a rally at Dukaan-I-Sangeen in down town today. In a statement a spokesman of the JKLF said, “The public rally was announced by Front chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik on January 21 and he was himself scheduled to lead this rally. But todayearly morning police and forces raided his residence and arrested him. He has been lodged at police station Kothibagh. Besides arresting, Yasin sahib, police also house arrested JKLF vice chairman Showkat Ahmad Bakhshi. Police also arrested JKLF activist Muhammad Maqbool Taploo and to sabotage JKLF rally clamped curfew in Lal Chowk and adjacent areas.” “Police also raided the residence of JKLF zonal general secretary Sheikh Abdul Rashid. Despite all these restrictions JKLF continued its rally and hundreds of activists and leaders including zonal president Noor Mohammad Kalwal and people from all walks of life led by JKLF vice chairman advocate Bashir Ahmad Bhat started a procession from Dukaan I Sangeen. The peaceful rally that was moving towards JKLF office at Bohri Kadal was stopped by police near Gada Kocha. Police fired dozens of tear smoke shells and resorted to cane charge and dispersed the rally forcefully,” he said. “Similar kind of rallies where organized in various parts of valley today. Rallies were taken out at kupwara led by JKLF vice chairman master Mohammad Afzal and district president Rafiq Ahmad War, at Ganderbal led by JKLF district president Bashir Ahmad Rather ( Boya), at Islamabad led by JKLF district president Mohammad Ishaaq Ganai, at Nasrullahpora Budgam led by JKLF district president Gulzar Ahmad Pahalwan, at Pulwama led by JKLF district president Javed Ahmad Bhat, at Kulgam led by JKLF district president Abdul Sattar , at seer Sopore led by JKLF district president Abdul Rashid Magloo, at Naidkhai led by JKLF leader professor Javed and at Behrampora led by JKLF leader Mohammad Azeem Zargar,” he added. Before the rally at downtown Srinagar, amid slogans in favor of prophet Muhammad (SAW), Azadi and martyrs and against conspiracies against special status of Jammu Kashmir, JKLF vice chairman Bhat while addressing addressed the participants of the rally said that Muslims can tolerate everything but not the attack on their prophet (SAW). While condemning the recent sketches published in France and other parts of Europe, Bhat said, “Today the world is fast moving towards decline as sacred people are being targeted by bunch of fools in the name of freedom of expression. This is in fact ugliest form of terrorism that is promoting hatred among the people. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is the holiest man of the universe and this fact has been accepted not only by Muslims but acknowledged even by worst enemies of Prophet Muhammad SAW,” he said. “World should come forward and stop this nonsense of desecrating holly people because this nonsense is actually making our world much worst place to live on. He said that disgraceful acts by some rogue and unfortunate people can in no means put any blot on the Honor and dignity of our beloved prophet (Sallal Laho Alaihi Wasalam),” he added. While speaking on the proposals of granting permanent citizenship of Jammu Kashmir to refugees from West Pakistan, Bhat said, “Kashmiris will defend the special status of Jammu Kashmir even at the cost of their lives. As humans we also share the pain of refugees from West Pakistan but if Indian state, its parliament and political parties are concerned about these humans why don’t they settle them permanently in states of India like Punjab, Haryana, and U.P.” “Refugees from West Pakistan are in every respect the citizens of India and granting them permanent citizenship of Jammu Kashmir, right to vote is a conspiracy to destroy the existing social fabric of Jammu Kashmir, change the demography of the state and destroy its majority Muslim status. People of Jammu Kashmir will never remain silent spectators over these conspiracies and we will defend the special status of Jammu Kashmir, its Muslim character, its ecology and environment even at the cost of their lives,” he added. While calling for a complete shutdown and strike on January 26, Bhat said, “India celebrates its republic day on 26th January every year. India calls itself the biggest democracy of the world but this is the nation that has by using its military might snatched the freedom of Kashmiris and is continuously denying us this right. Because of this we Kashmiris are compelled to observe this day as a black day and this year too people of Jammu Kashmir through their complete shutdown and strike will observe the day as a black day.” He also strongly condemned the arrest of Malik and others and also “imposition of curfew” in Lal Chowk. _______________ Aim to publish blasphemous cartoons to hurt religious sentiments of Muslims: Mirwaiz Srinagar, Jan 23 : Expressing regret and concern over the continuous publication of blasphemous cartoons of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) by a French magazine, Hurriyat Conference (M) Chairman and head of Mutehda Majlis-e-Ulema, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Friday said the aim of such acts were to hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims worldwide. In a statement he said such sacrilegious publications under the garb of freedom of expression were spreading religious hatred across the globe thus disturbing the world peace. Mirwaiz insisted on Muslim world that instead of responding violently to the incident, the Muslims should adopt the teachings of prophet Muhammad (SAW) regarding humanity and welfare and set an example before the world. Meanwhile, expressing his grief and regret over the demise of Khadim-ul-Harmain and King of Saudi Arabia, Shah Abdullah, Mirwaiz extended his solidarity and sympathy with the royal family and Saudi people on behalf of Kashmiris. He said he met the deceased King during many OIC conferences and discussed politics and other issues relating to Muslim world apart from holding threadbare discussions on religious issues. The Hurriyat (M) chairman said that former King had great interest in Kashmir and wanted that the issue should be solved according to the emotions and aspirations of Kashmiris, adding, the Muslim world has lost a great leader. On the instruction of Hurriyat (M) Chairman, in absentia funeral prayers were held for deceased Shah Abdullah at historic Jamia Masjid during which large number of people participated and prayed for the deceased soul. The participants also paid rich tributes to the deceased Saudi king, a Hurriyat (M) spokesman said in a statement. Meanwhile, senior Hurriyat (M) leader GN Zaki while addressing a protest gathering at Jamia Masjid, denounced the French magazine for publishing the blasphemous cartoons of beloved prophet Muhammad (SAW). Terming the sacrilegious publications as “media terrorism,” Zaki said conspiracies were being hatched against Islam. He said Muslims should get united to defeat the conspiracies being hatched to malign the Islam. Later, Zaki led a protest demo outside the Jamia Masjid during which he said that Muslims would never allow defamation of our beloved prophet (SAW). He said Muslims would protect the religion of Islam at all costs. Meanwhile, Hurriyat spokesman has denounced the arrest of senior Hurriyat leader Hakim Abdul Rashid and later lodging him at Lal bazaar police station. _________________ Bukhari censures telecom companies for poor services in Kashmir Shots a communiqué to Union Ministry of C&IT Srinagar, Jan 23 : Asking telecommunication operators particularly the Government run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) to wake-up and improve their services in Kashmir, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senior leader and MLA Elect Amirakadal Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari has said the poor mobile and landline services is giving a tough time to the millions of subscribers in the Valley. In this connection Bukhari has shot a communiqué to the Union Minister of Communications & Information Technology New Delhi bringing into his notice the plight of subscribers who are directly and indirectly affected by the poor services offered by the telecommunication companies operating in Kashmir. While referring to the decrepit landline telephonic services, broadband internet outage, poor GPRS, 2G and 3G services, Bukhari has said that the tall claims made by telecommunication companies particularly the BSNL about restoration of its services in short span of time after floods has proved to be a hoax. “The role of telecom companies has been worst during the floods and these companies are still operating on a snail’s pace. Four months have passed since the flood devastated Kashmir in September last year, the subscribers particularly those having BSNL landline and cellular connections find it difficult to make a call, surf internet or avail a smooth broadband internet facility in their homes and offices. Same is the case with private telecom companies who earn thousands of Crores in terms of revenue but hardly bother to streamline their cellular services in Kashmir,” Bukhari opined. The MLA Elect said that the poor and dismal telecommunication services have also affected the business community in Kashmir particularly the tour and travel companies who are not able to make regular contacts with their outside State agencies because of poor internet and mobile telephonic services. “Similarly the families of students studying outside J&K complain of poor mobile and internet connectivity when they try to talk or chat with their wards. This dismal situation needs to be changed without any delay.” “People across Kashmir particularly in Srinagar are facing tough times in absence of a smooth mobile and internet service. The services offered by the telecom companies at present are so poor that subscribers are now fed up by making constant efforts to make a call or receive the one properly,” the MLA Elect observed. Even at most of the times, people witness only one way of mobile traffic or come across frequent cross connections while making a call. “In various localities of the flood-affected Amirakadal constituency, the BSNL is yet to restore its landline network. This has created a lot of problems for the people especially the traders’ community as the non functional landline connections have rendered broadband internet and fax services defunct,” Bukhari remarked. Stressing on telecom authorities to streamline the mobile and internet connectivity, Bukhari said that temporary initiatives like intra-circle roaming arrangements between various mobile service operators in Kashmir should be continued for facilitating smooth mobile services to the subscribers particularly in far flung areas of the Valley. “Proper arrangements should be made till the requisite infrastructure is put in place by the telecom companies particularly the BSNL to remove the technical hitches,” Bukhari averred. _______________ JK Bank opens over 8 lakh PMJDY accounts Accountholders asked to collect Rupay Debit Card from branches Srinagar Jan 23 : J&K Bank has opened more than 8 lakh new accounts under the Prime Minister’s Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) in all districts of the state till date. Committed to cover maximum of unbanked population in the state, J&K Bank carried out house hold surveys meticulously in entire state and identified the chunk of the population to embark on PMJDY with an aim to integrate the poor and unbanked with financial system. Those who haven’t been covered under the survey have been told by the bank to contact their nearest J&K Bank branch and open the account under PMJDY. Notably, the accountholders are provided Rupay debit card with an inbuilt life and accidental insurance. Those accountholders who have not received the Rupay Debit card so far have been advised to to contact their branches and collect these cards immediately.
Posted on: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 16:06:24 +0000
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