News Analysis India

Tag: Jammu and Kashmir

  • ‘J&K security grid tight, no need to fear foreign militants’  

    Express News Service
    SRINAGAR:  The prospects of a Taliban takeover of Afghanistan have spooked many as they fear that foreign militants may once again be pushed into Jammu and Kashmir, but security experts feel that there will not be a significant impact on the Kashmir situation.

    Former state police chief S P Vaid said it is possible that militants fighting in Afghanistan will be diverted to Kashmir but he asserted that things had changed in the last 20 years and that there was a much better and foolproof security grid which will not make infiltration very easy.

    “The ground situation has also changed. Border fencing and electronic surveillance equipment have been deployed along the line of control to foil any infiltration attempts from across the border,” he said. Asked about the large scale infiltration of foreign militants in the mid-1990s (see graphic), Vaid said due to the Kargil war lot of army troops had been withdrawn from the LoC, leaving gaps.

    “But now those gaps don’t exist and strong anti-infiltration measures have been put in place to foil infiltration attempts of,” said. Recently, Lt Gen D P Pandey, the commander of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps, said there had been zero infiltration of militants into Kashmir from across the LoC this year.

    Retired general and former 15 Corps commander, Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain, said when the Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan in 1989, there was lot of chaos and a lot of foreign militants, including Afghans, Tajiks, Sudanese and Saudis, were pushed into Kashmir.

    “This process started in 1991. The foreign militants who were left over from the Afghanistan war continued to infiltrate into J&K till 2001-02. But, the retired general said repeating 1991 in 2021 would not be possible.

    “Whatever manpower Taliban has it will be busy in Afghanistan. Pakistan has a lot of interests in Afghanistan and for some time Pakistan will not see towards Kashmir,” Lt. Gen Hasnain said. Another former J&K police chief Kuldip Khoda said there has never been a high presence of Afghan militants in J&K. “There was very little presence of Afghans, the foreign militants are mostly Pakistanis,” he said.

    According to him, Taliban does not show much interest in Kashmir. “Whatever instances there have been in the past, they have been negligible and these, too, have been at the behest of the Pakistan army and the ISI,” Khoda said.

  • Dismissal of 11 government employees on flimsy grounds criminal: Mehbooba Mufti

    By PTI
    SRINAGAR: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday said the dismissal of eleven government employees on “flimsy grounds” was criminal and the Centre continues “disempowering” the people of Jammu and Kashmir in the “garb of pseudo nationalism by trampling” the Constitution.

    The Jammu and Kashmir administration sacked 11 employees, including two sons of Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin, for allegedly working for various terror groups, officials had said on Saturday “GOI continues disempowering people of J&K in garb of pseudo nationalism by trampling the constitution that ought to be upheld.

    Abrupt dismissal of 11 gov(ernment) employees on flimsy grounds is criminal.

    All policy decisions vis a vis J&K are taken with sole objective of punishing Kashmiris,” Mehbooba wrote on Twitter.

     

  • Hizbul chief’s two sons among 11 employees sacked by Jammu and Kashmir government

    Express News Service
    SRINAGAR:  The Jammu and Kashmir administration has terminated the services of 11 government employees, including two sons of Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin, for allegedly being involved in anti-national activities.

    These employees have been dismissed under Article 311(2)(c) of the Constitution under which no inquiry is held and dismissed employees can only approach a high court for any relief. Of the 11 sacked employees, four are from Anantnag, three from Budgam, one each from Baramulla, Srinagar, Pulwama and Kupwara. Four of the 11 employees were working in Education Department, two in J&IK Police and one each in Agriculture, Skill Development, Power, SKIMS and Health Departments.

    The dismissals were recommended by Special Task Force formed by J&K government in April to scrutinise the cases of employees suspected of activities requiring action under the Article 311(2) . The proviso (C) of Article 311(2) confers powers for dismissal, removal and reduction in the rank of public servants to government without holding recourse to normal procedure if it is satisfied that his/ her retention in public service is prejudicial to the security of the State.

    The sons of Syed Salahudin — Syed Shakeel and Shahid Yousuf — were sacked for being involved in militant funding. Shakeel was working as a medical assistant in SKIMS while Shahid was working in Sheri Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology. 

    Sources said one of the sacked employees, an orderly of ITI Kupwara was found to be an over ground worker of Lashkar-e-Taiba while two teachers from Anantang were found participating in, supporting and propagating separatist ideology of Jamaat-Islami and Dukhtaran-e-Millat.

    The two policemen sacked were found involved in supporting militancy and providing inside information and logistic support to militants. An orderly of the health department was sacked for being an Over Ground Worker of Hizb. Two sacked employees of Education Department were Jamaat-e-Islami members and preaching separatism. An inspector of Power Department was involved in smuggling and transporting arms for Hizb.

  • PDP firm on its agenda of dialogue, reconciliation: Former Jammu and Kashmir CM Mehbooba Mufti

    By PTI
    JAMMU: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday asserted that democracy, being a battle of ideas, drives its strength from dissent and said the only way to bring lasting peace is through the process of dialogue and reconciliation.

    “The mechanisms of coercion and oppression are tested methods, failed to bring any change in the vexed Kashmir scenario,” the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said.

    Dialogue and reconciliation have proved effective to end alienation among the youth and bring considerable change, paving the way for economic upliftment of society, she said.

    Mehbooba was interacting with over a dozen delegations of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) office bearers from Rajouri and Poonch districts on the second day of her tour of the Union Territory’s Jammu region.

    Entering into an alliance with the BJP after the 2014 elections was the most difficult decision for the PDP but it was crucial for an organisation which wanted to resolve the Kashmir issue and facilitate peaceful ties between the two neighbouring countries (Pakistan and India), Mehbooba said.

    “The BJP had to leave the alliance and dissolve the assembly in order to achieve its objectives. We led the government on our terms without compromising on any issue pertaining to the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” she said.

    “It was the efforts of the then chief minister Mufti Muhammad Sayed that the border areas of Rajouri and Poonch witnessed peace for the first time after India and Pakistan agreed on ceasefire in 2003,” the PDP chief said.

    The opening of the Poonch-Rawlakote border not only allowed separated families on both sides to visit each other after decades but also created an opportunity for the people to engage in cross-LoC (Line of Control) trade, she said.

    Referring to the decisions of establishing the Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University, the Mughal Road, nursing colleges, Mehbooba said that Pir Panchal has always been the key focus of her party.

    “Cross-Line of Control (LoC) travel and trade was one of the most significant confidence building measures (CBMs) between India and Pakistan and every effort was made during my tenure to ensure that the people-to-people contact goes beyond the divided families,” Mehbooba said.

    The former chief minister alleged that it was unfortunate how the Union government “trampled” every democratic institution in furtherance of its own political agenda, reversing progress on each front in the troubled Jammu and Kashmir.

    “The damage has been done beyond repair. Whenever a government is formed in Jammu and Kashmir it will have to start from scratch and regaining trust of people in democracy will be the key challenge for any party coming to power,” Mehbooba said.

  • Three militants killed during encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag

    By PTI
    SRINAGAR: Three militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, police said.

    Security forces had launched a cordon and search operation in Kwarigam, Ranipora area of the South Kashmir district following inputs about the presence of militants there, a police official said.

    While the forces were conducting searches in the area the militants fired upon them.

    The forces retaliated leading to an exchange of fire in which three militants were killed, the official said.

    One of the slain militants has been identified as Arif Hazam belonging to the terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit, he said, adding Hazam was involved in the killing of Territorial Armyman Havaldar Manzoor Beigh in June 2019.

  • 11 Jammu and Kashmir govt employees dismissed from service for allegedly working for terror groups

    By PTI
    SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government has dismissed 11 of its employees, including two policemen, for allegedly working as over ground workers for terrorist organisations, officials said on Saturday.

    Out of the 11 employees, four are from Anantnag, three from Budgam and one each from Baramulla, Srinagar, Pulwama and Kupwara.

    They were dismissed under Article 311 of the Indian Constitution under which no inquiry is held.

    Of the 11 employees dismissed, four were working in the education department, two in the Jammu Kashmir Police and one each in the agriculture, skill development, power and health departments, and SKIMS, the officials said.

  • Two militants killed during encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag

    By PTI
    SRINAGAR: Two militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, police said.

    Security forces had launched a cordon and search operation in Kwarigam, Ranipora area of the South Kashmir district following inputs about the presence of militants there, a police official said.

    While the forces were conducting searches in the area the militants fired upon them.

    The forces retaliated leading to an exchange of fire in which two militants were killed, the official said.

    The identity and affiliation of the slain militants are being ascertained, he added.

  • Jammu and Kashmir delimitation process to be fair and transparent: Panel

    Express News Service
    SRINAGAR: With some political parties casting doubts over the fairness of the delimitation exercise to redraw Assembly constituencies in J&K, the Delimitation Commission, on the completion of its four-day visit to the Union territory, on Friday assured that the process would be completed in a very fair and transparent manner.

    “The delimitation is a complex exercise, not just mere arithmetic. It must reflect the political aspirations of society. Though population forms a base of delimitation, the attention must be given to the geographical area, topographical difficulties, communication challenges, and public convenience,” Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and member of Delimitation Commission Sushil Chandra said.

    It was the commission’s first visit to J&K after its formation in March last year to redraw the Assembly constituencies in the UT. The commission has been given one year’s extension to complete the delimitation exercise. Chandra said the panel during its visit to J&K met 290 groups and 800 people in Srinagar, Pahalgam, Kishtwar and Jammu. “There was an overwhelming response from the groups and people,” he said.

    The CEC said the exercise is being carried out under the 2011 Census and J&K officials have provided the details of patwar halqas, district areas, population figures, etc.

    In the 2011 Census, he said, J&K had only 12 districts and the number of districts has now climbed to 20. “Similarly, there were only 58 tehsils and it has risen to 270,” he said.  “In 12 districts, constituency boundaries are extended beyond limits of districts while 88 tehsils are distributed in more than one district,” he said.

    When asked that PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti has alleged that the delimitation was a “pre-planned exercise”, commission chairperson Justice (Retd) Ranjana Prakash Desai assured that the exercise will be completed in a very fair and transparent manner.

  • Jammu and Kashmir terror funding: Court orders framing of charges against four Hizb-ul-Mujahideen members

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Terror groups providing funds to jailed, slain terrorists’ kin work as motivational reassurance to its prospective cadres, said a Delhi court which on Friday ordered framing of charges against four alleged members of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) after “prima facie” finding that they received funds from Pakistan for carrying out terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir.

    Special Judge Parveen Singh noted that in the case, also involving HM commander Syed Salahuddin, the terror outfit had created a frontal organization in the name of JKART (Jammu Kashmir Affectees Relief Trust) and the purpose of the trust was to fund terrorist activities and mainly to provide funds for the terrorists and their families.

    The judge said every terrorist organization needs funds to continue its activities, “to provide salary/stipend/incentives to its cadres, for procurement of arms and ammunition and further, for taking care of incarcerated terrorists and the families of the terrorists who have been slain by the security forces.”

    “The last part, though does not directly seem to be a funding to the terrorist activities, but is in fact an integral part of terrorist activities.”

    “I say so because, it is human tendency to take care of one’s family and that tendency can become a de-motivating factor to some of the terrorists if they know, that after their capture or death, their family would be left in penury,” the judge said.

    He, however, said if a terrorist organization continues to provide for the families of its members who have been killed or captured, it is a huge motivational reassurance to its prospective cadres and cadres in strength to continue to operate for that organization.

    “Therefore, provision of funds to jailed cadres and their families and the families of slain terrorists is funding of terrorist activities,” he said while ordering framing of charges against Mohd Shafi Shah, Talib Lali, Muzzafar Ahmad Dar and Mushtaq Ahmad Lone for “prima facie” entering into a larger conspiracy (section 120-B of IPC) of waging war against India (Section 121-A of IPC).

    They were also charged for the offence of raising funds and distributing it for terrorist acts (section 17 and 40 of UAPA), being a member of proscribed terrorist organization (section 20 of UAPA) and other offences.

    The court said that “the fact that JKART is a frontal organization of HM is established prima facie by the testimonies of protected witnesses. The witnesses have further stated that overall control i.e.administrative and operational control (of JKART) is with Syed Salahuddin.

    “The objectives were to raise funds in the garb of relief for ‘affectees’ of terrorism in Jammu & Kashmir. Though, it is an irony that these ‘affectees’ were either terrorists or their family members.

    “The witnesses have further stated that these funds were raised by different individuals, organizations and countries including ISI of Pakistan,” the court observed.

    It noted that the funds that were raised were utilized for terrorist activities of HM.

    “The funds were also used for injured, arrested terrorists and for families of killed terrorists. These funds were also used for incurring expenditure on general establishment, procurement of arms and ammunition, ration, clothing, training camps etc.,” the court noted.

    It said that a larger conspiracy to wage war against government of India and to commit terrorist activities and funding of those terrorist activities was prima facie established by evidence.

    The court observed that HM was a proscribed terrorist organization which has been waging war against Indian State for a very-very long time.

    “Sheltered, armed, trained and funded in our neighbourhood, it has left a long trail of blood and deaths in the State of J&K,” the judge said.

    While ordering the framing of charges, the court noted that the accused Mohd Shafi Shah was then terrorist commander of HM and used to receive money from HM and JKART and used to distribute them to the terrorist cadres as their stipend, for funding of arms and shelter etc. and to the families of the terrorists who had been killed.

    He used to receive money from Pakistan and distribute monthly remunerations to active terrorists of North Kashmir, the court noted.

    The court said “there is sufficient evidence which raises grave suspicion against accused persons”.

    The court noted that “prima facie” accused Talib Lali had been raising, collecting and distributing funds for terrorist acts and terrorist organization HM.

    The court noted that there was a direct witness who has stated that this accused had recruited him for HM and then trained in the forests of Bazipora, J&K.

    Regarding accused Muzzafar Ahmad Dar, the court noted that he has been a high ranking operative of HM and is continuing its activities as its member is prima facie established by documents and oral evidence and thus, “there is evidence raising grave suspicion against this accused of being a part of the larger conspiracy of waging war against Government of India and conspiring to commit terrorist activities.”

    The court said there are testimonies of witnesses who have collected money directly from Lone and who were provided list of family members of terrorists to whom these amounts were to be distributed.

  • LeT militant arrested in Bandipora in Jammu and Kashmir

    By PTI
    SRINAGAR: Security forces on Friday arrested a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)militant from Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir, a police spokesperson said.

    On specific input regarding movement of terrorists in Hajin town, a joint check point was established by police, army and the CRPF in Gundjahangeer area of Hajin, the spokesperson said.

    During checking, one person behaving in a very suspicious manner was apprehended.

    “He has been identified as Muzammil Sheikh alias Abu Maviya, a resident of Chandergeer, Hajin. During his personal search, incriminating material, arms and ammunition including one Chinese pistol along with live rounds, were recovered from his possession,” the spokesperson said.

    The arrested person had joined the proscribed LeT recently and was tasked with carrying out subversive activities in and around Hajin town, he added.