22 January 2016

SRINAGAR | 22 January 2016 | 11 Rabi Al Thani 1437 AH Vol: 4 | Issue No: 19 | Pages: 08 | Rs 3/- 

FRIDAY 

4th 

PRECIOUS KASHMIR 

http//www.preciouskashmir.com | email: preciouskashmir@gmail.com 

Pathankot Attack >>>>>> 

Expect robust action from Pak: India 

Attack not linked with 

Indo-Pak dialogue: Salahuddin 

Agencies 

been more than 150 rounds of dialogue 

and Kashmir issue as a core issue 

New Delhi, Jan 21: Hizb-ul Mujahideen 

hasn’t come up for a discussion 

chief Syed Salahuddin has taken 

even once. This continued and aim- 

responsibility for the Pathankot less dialogue process is only aimed 

attack, calling it “a continuation at deceiving the international community 

of their activity, targeting Indian 

by India while it gains time 

New Delhi, Jan 21: Asserting that it 

was “closely” following the progress 

in the investigation in Pakistan on the 

Pathankot terrorist attack, India today 

said it expects “robust action” from 

Islamabad to bring the perpetrators 

to book. 

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson 

Vikas Swarup also dismissed 

as “baseless” the allegations that India 

was behind an attack at a university 

at Charsadda in Pakistan in which at 

least 20 people, mostly students, were 

massacred by heavily- armed suicide 

attackers yesterday. 

“The issue is also not been raised 

officially with us by Pakistan,” he said. 

Maintaining that both National 

Security Advisors and Foreign Secretaries 

of the two countries were 

in touch with each other, he said a 

meeting between S Jaishankar and his 

counterpart Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhary 

will take at a “mutually convenient 

date” but refused to put any time 

military installations”. He has also 

criticised Pakistan Prime Minister 

Nawaz Sharif’s “Kashmir policy”. 

These comments are part of an interview 

to an Urdu news portal, Wajood, 

based in Pakistan. 

The militant commander is also 

the head of the United Jihad Council 

(UJC), an amalgam of militant outfits 

operating in Kashmir, a spokesman 

for which had called a news 

agency in Srinagar to claim responsibility 

for the Pathankot attack. 

“Pakistan is a primary party to 

the Kashmir issue and its advocate,” 

Salahuddin told the interviewer in 

response to a question on Sharif’s 

policy. “While smoothing its relations 

with India, it (Pakistan) is 

accountable for considering the 

emotions and aspirations of the oppressed 

Kashmiris. You cannot be 

an advocate of the murdered and a 

friend of the murderer simultaneously.” 

to strengthen its military hold (over 

Kashmir). Whether anybody understands 

it or not, we Kashmiris 

understand the manner in which 

it is done very well.” To another 

question, he said, “India is neither 

ready to hold talks on the basic issue 

of Kashmir nor is it ready to accept 

occupied Kashmir as a party, so 

this dialogue process is… a waste of 

time.” 

He also dismissed the perception 

within Pakistan that claiming 

responsibility for the Pathankot attack 

harms the interests of Pakistan. 

“Azad Jammu and Kashmir is my 

homeland and base camp. Morally 

and as per the international law, we 

are right to carry out any activity for 

the independence of our occupied 

land. People who are scared of India 

can abandon advocating our cause,” 

he said. 

He warned that the militant 

movement is far from over. “…The 

frame. 

To a question about the anti-India sentiment among the 

On the visit of a Pakistan SIT in 

connection with the terror attack, 

he said the government has not got 

any information after the first official 

statement by Pakistan government 

on a possible visit by an investigation 

team here and was awaiting for a 

“firm proposal”. 

“In principle, we have welcomed 

the decision of Pakistan government 

to consider sending a SIT team… 

Rest is matter of details. What they 

can see? Where they can go? What 

will be terms of reference? Those 

need to be worked out by agencies 

on both sides provided Pakistan 

Pathankot attack being a conspiracy 

to stall Indo-Pak talks, Salahuddin 

said in the interview: “This perception 

is cent per cent wrong. Armed 

Mujahideen are engaged with the 

eight lakh Indian forces for the last 

26 years and each day, Mujahideen 

are targeting Indian military installations. 

Pathankot is a continuation 

of that activity. It has nothing to do 

with the dialogue process.” 

About the Pakistan government’s 

policy on dialogue with 

India, Salahudin said: “There have 

government firms up its decision to 

population and the passion for jihad 

among the youth of the state will 

keep providing strength to it.” 

He ruled out a peaceful solution 

to the Kashmir issue. “The traditional 

obstinacy… and military arrogance 

of India… and the double 

standards of world powers have 

destroyed the essence of peaceful 

means. The youth of the state are 

united in the understanding that 

there isn’t any solution to the issue 

but through a result-oriented 

armed struggle,” he said. 

send the team,” he said. (Agencies) 

Srinagar, Jan 21: On the heels of 

26th anniversary of Pandit migration 

from Kashmir Valley coinciding 

with the onset of political turbulence, 

many commentators took 

to TV and social media to vent their 

fury against perceived complicity 

of Muslim majority. TV channels 

aired special programs while Op- 

Ed pages were inundated by the 

columns expressing compassion 

for the mass migration victims 

while chastising those who “drove 

them out.” 

Chipping in to the debate, the 

erstwhile Chief Minister of J&K and 

patron of National Conference Farooq 

Abdullah said that onus was 

on Pandits to come back home. 

“They have to realize that nobody 

is going to come with a begging 

bowl and say come and stay with 

us. They have to make the move,” 

he said. 

Abdullah said that several Pandits 

who had made their homes in 

Delhi had come to see him when 

the J&K government asked them to 

return to the valley. 

“When the government made 

a move that the officers and doctors 

who are settled here should 

come back, they came to see me 

and said, look our children are now 

in schools here, our parents are ill 

and need medical care, we can’t 

leave them back. So for God’s sake 

“Kashmir was an abode of communal 

harmony when the minorities were attacked in 

1947 in other parts of India. Not a single Pandit 

was killed or displaced then” 

let us live here,” he said. 

“Don’t wait till the last guns 

stop firing. Come home!” he urged, 

adding “Who are you waiting 

for? Don’t wait. You think Farooq 

Abdullah will come, hold your 

hand and take you there.” 

The statement is expected 

to raise hackles among the Pandit 

community who have so far 

made firm stand that Muslims 

are invariably to be blamed. 

Infiltrator shot 

dead by BSF 

near Pathankot 

New Delhi, Jan 21: A suspected intruder 

was shot dead early Thursday 

morning by BSF along the Indo-Pak 

border in Pathankot where the force 

is on high alert following the January 

2 attack on air force base. 

There were a total of three infiltrators 

who were trying to cross the 

border out of which two succeeded in 

escaping. 

Officials said the Border Security 

Force team deployed along the International 

Border (IB) saw suspicious 

movement of at least three infiltrators 

near the Bamiyal area early morning. 

In order to thwart a bid to breach the 

border, the troops fired. 

“One intruder has been killed 

while two others fled back from 

the IB. The area where the incident 

took place is called Taash and is in 

Gurdaspur sector near Bamiyal in 

Pathankot,” they said. 

Incidentally, Bamiyal is the 

same area from where it is widely 

suspected that the militants from 

Pakistan who perpetrated the IAF 

base attack in Pathankot had sneaked 

into the country. Initial reports said 

the incident occurred last night but 

officers on ground informed that it 

has occurred around 6 AM, they said. 

The BSF has launched a search 

in the area to retrieve the body but 

heavy fog and low visibility is hampering 

the operation, the officials said. 

The latest action was by a trooper of 

the 132nd BSF battalion. 

Gurdaspur Deputy Inspector 

General (DIG) N K Mishra and Commandant 

of the 132nd battalion 

deployed in the area S S Dabas were 

recently transferred by the BSF and 

a Court of Inquiry ordered to look 

for any lapses that could have led to 

the Pathankot attack in which seven 

security personnel were killed. 

Pak has 130 nuclear warheads for deterring India: US report 

Washington, Jan 21: Pakistan's nuclear 

warheads which are estimated 

to be between 110-130 are aimed at 

deterring India from taking military 

action against it, a latest Congressional 

report has said. 

The report also expressed concern 

that Islamabad's "full spectrum 

deterrence" doctrine has increased 

risk of nuclear conflict between the 

two South Asian neighbours. 

"Pakistan's nuclear arsenal probably 

consists of approximately 110- 

130 nuclear warheads, although it 

could have more. Islamabad is producing 

fissile material, adding to related 

production facilities, deploying 

additional nuclear weapons, and new 

types of delivery vehicles," Congressional 

Research Service (CRS) said in 

its latest report. 

Mother butchered 

kids to ‘teach 

her husband a 

lesson’: Police 

Precious Kashmir News 

Srinagar, Jan 21: Police in Jammu and 

Kashmir on Thursday claimed that the 

two kids were butchered by their mother 

in Anantnag district of south Kashmir 

on January 13 so she could teach her 

husband "a lesson" for engaging into an 

extra-marital affair. 

An official said that the minor kids 

– brother and sister – were “killed mercilessly 

with a knife by their mother Ruqia 

Bano”. 

“After killing her children, she attempted 

to commit suicide with the same 

weapon of offence,” said an official. 

Giving details, he said that on January 

13, police station Kokernag received 

information regarding the murder of 

two infants – Imran Wagay, 4 and his 

sister Chandni, 2 - whose mother was 

also found in injured condition at Khretti 

Larnoo, Kokernag. 

“In pursuance to this information an 

FIR Number 05/16 under section 302, 307, 

452 PRC was registered in Police Station 

Kokernag and the investigation was taken 

up by a special investigating team (SIT) 

constituted by SSP Anantnag Abdul Jabbar,” 

said the official. 

See Mother on Pg 6 

In its 28-page report, the CRS 

noted that Pakistan's nuclear arsenal 

is widely regarded as designed 

to dissuade India from taking military 

action against it, but Islamabad's 

expansion of its nuclear arsenal, development 

of new types of nuclear 

weapons and adoption of a doctrine 

called "full spectrum deterrence" 

have led some observers to express 

concern about an increased risk of 

nuclear conflict between Pakistan 

and India, which also continues to 

expand its nuclear arsenal. 

CRS is the independent research 

wing of the US Congress, which prepares 

periodic reports by eminent 

experts on a wide range of issues so 

as to help lawmakers take informed 

decisions. 

Reports of CRS are not considered 

as an official view of the US Congress. 

"Pakistan has in recent years taken 

a number of steps to increase international 

confidence in the security 

of its nuclear arsenal," said the CRS 

report authored by Paul K Kerr and 

Mary Beth Nikitin. 

Moreover, Pakistani and US officials 

argue that, since the 2004 

See US Report on Pg 6 


Following the suit, his son 

Omar issued statement saying that 

he understands the fear of not seeing 

his home again as his family 

had left Kashmir in similar circumstances. 

“My family left under somewhat 

similar circumstances so I 

know the fear of not seeing home 

again, though mine was short 

lived,” he said 

Far away from din, two members 

from the community decided 

to float above the web of accusations. 

Omkar Razdan and Vijay 

Bazaz Razdan decided to put their 

best foot forward on Tuesday after 

they moved into their newly constructed 

house near Humhama 

area on the city outskirts, a Chennai-based 

newspaper reported 

Wednesday. 

“It was a conscious decision 

not to live in a separate settlement 

or colony, as it goes against the 

idea of Kashmiriyat,” media quoted 

Razdan saying. “Kashmir was 

an abode of communal harmony 

when the minorities were attacked 

in 1947 in other parts of India. Not 

a single Pandit was killed or displaced 

then.” 

Raging against the stereotype 

of distrustful Kashmiris, the Pandit 

duo has announced that they will 

stay amongst Muslim neighbourhood, 

refusing the incentive under 

Prime Minister’s rehab package. 

The dream to construct the 

house was realized after Ms. Razdan 

refused to sell her 10 marlas of 

land in the Valley, media reported. 

“One reason I stayed in the Muslim 

colony was my desire to relate 

with my youthful days,” Razdan 

was quoted having said. He is also 

planning to open up his house’s 

attic to a computer centre for the 

economically weaker sections. 

Journalism With A Human Heart 

Parts of Srinagar, South 

Kashmir observe shutdown 

Situation across valley remained normal: IGP 


26 Yrs Later: Pandits, Politics and Perceptions 

Srinagar, Jan 21: Amid some 

minor clashes, complete 

shutdown was Thursdayobserved 

in Srinagar and South 

Kashmir against Gow Kadal 

massacre and the killing of 

civilian in a Pulwama village 

respectively on Wednesday. 

Shops, government offices 

and business establishments 

in the commercial 

hub of Lal Chowk and other 

adjacent areas in the city 

remained closed while traffic 

remained off the roads, 

eye-witnesses said. The educational 

institutions too remained 

closed in response to 

the strike call. 

However, private vehicular 

movement moved normally. 

According to eyewitnesses, 

“In different areas of 

Old Srinagar city including 

Nowhatta, Kral Khud, Gow 

Kadal, Khanyar and Rajouri 

Kadal police and paramilitary 

CRPF men were deployed in 

large numbers to thwart any 

untoward incident in the respective 

areas. 

A protest rally was carried 

out by the Jammu and Kashmir 

Liberation Front Chief, 

Muhammad Yasin Malik from 

his residence to Gow Kadal 

in which hundreds of people 

including JKLF activists participated. 

International Forum for 

Justice and Human Rights led 

by Muhammad Ahsan Untoo 

also held a protest at Gow 

Kadal in which scores of persons 

including activists took 

part. 

Hurriyat Conference JK 

led by Shabir Ahmad Dar also 

held protest at Gow Kadal 

here on the 26 death anniversary 

of the victims who lost 

their lives in 1990 Gow Kadal 

massacre. 

Several Hurriyat leaders 

also stage protest at Gow 

Curtailed 48-day 

Amarnath Yatra to 

commence from July 2 

New Delhi, Jan 21: Governor 

N.N. Vohra, who is the 

Chairman of Shri Amarnathji 

Shrine Board, presided over 

the 30th Board Meeting held 

here today at New Delhi. 

Those present in the meeting 

included the Board Members, 

Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan, 

Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty, Vijay 

Dhar, Sunita Narain, Pt. Bhajan 

Sopori, D.C. Raina, and Dr. 

Chander Mouli Raina. H.H. Sri 

Sri Ravi Shankar participated 

in the discussions via teleconferencing 

P. K. Tripathi, 

Chief Executive Officer of the 

Board and Jitendra Kumar 

Singh, Additional Chief Executive 

Officer also attended 

the meeting. 

Regarding the duration 

and date of commencement 

of Yatra 2016, based on the 

approach set out by the Sri 

Sri Ravi Shankar Committee 

which had been set up to 

advise the Board regarding 

the duration and schedule 

of future Yatras, the Board, 

keeping in view the foremost 

concern of safety and security 

of the pilgrims, decided 

that a 48 day Yatra would 

commence on 2nd July 2016, 

an auspicious day (Massik 

Shivratri) as per Hindu Calendar 

and conclude on Shravan 

Purnima (Raksha Bandan) on 

18th August 2016 . 

The Board deliberated 

at length on the number of 

Yatris who would be allowed 

to register, date-wise and 

route-wise, for this year’s 

Yatra. Considering the present 

carrying capacity of the 

tracks, available infrastructure 

in the Yatra area and all 

other relevant considerations 

the Board decided that, excluding 

Yatris who would 

travel by heli-copters on either 

route to Panjtarni, 7500 

pilgrims would be allowed to 

register for Yatra- 2016 on per 

day per route basis. 

The Board noted the steps 

taken by CEO to rationalize 

the distribution of Yatra Permits 

Forms for Advance Registration 

of pilgrims through 

432 designated Bank branches 

of Punjab National Bank, 

Jammu and Kashmir Bank, 

See Yatra on Pg 6 

Kadal and were demanding 

for stopping violation of human 

rights in the state. 

Reports said, “Stone pelting 

erupted between forces 

and youth in Srinagar’s Habba 

Kadal and Maisuma area. 

Forces use tear smoke shells 

to disperse the youth.” 

South Kashmir also observed 

complete shutdown 

against the killing of civilian 

and the militant killed in Naina 

village of Pulwama. However, 

reports said that Pulwama 

town defied shutdown 

call saying that during the 

period of 16 day long strike in 

Pulwama, no Hurriyat leader 

supported them. 

“Why should we follow 

See Shutdown on Pg 6 

12th class 

results 

declared; girls 

outshine boys 


Srinagar, Jan 21: The results 

of 12th class examinations 

were declared on Thursday 

with the girls outshining boys 

by securing ten positions 

in top twelve in all the four 

streams. Only two boys have 

figured in the list. 

Here is the list of top 

three positions in all the 

streams: 

Science Stream: 

First position was 

secured by Bushra Amin 

Muslim Educational Institute 

Higher Secondary School 

Pampore with 489 marks out 

of 500. 

Meelad Mohammad 

Sheikh of Tyndale Biscoe 

secured the second position 

with 488 marks. 

Hafsa Masood Mallinson 

Girls HSS 487 3rd Position. 

Commerce 

Tehneez Bashir Green 

Valley Edu Institute Srinagar 

471 Ist position. 

Anfa Gulzar Candid Hr 

Sec school, Nowgam 469 2nd 

See Results on Pg 6 

Sting operation 

exposes SMC official 

asking for bribe 

Afaq Bhat 

Srinagar, Jan 21: An official 

of Srinagar Municipal Corporation 

(SMC) can be seen demanding 

bribe in lakhs to facilitate 

illegal construction in 

the City, reveals a video sting 

operation done by a local 

news website team Kashmir 

Scenario. The revelation that 

has come to fore, could further 

dent the already tainted 

image of the Civic Body. 

The team which took 

part in this sting operation to 

expose wrongdoings in SMC 

confirmed the name of official 

as Mohammad Sayeed 

Sheikh who is at a designation 

of Ward Officer (Ward 

number 5) of Gow Kadal and 

its adjoining areas. 

During the sting operation, 

the SMC ward officer is 

seen asking for a bribe to allow 

someone construct some 

illegal building. 

The sting operation took 

place when sources informed 

the Kashmir Scenario team 

about the demand of bribe by 

the corrupt Ward Officer, to 

facilitate illegal construction. 

“The Ward officer would 

threaten the people of not 

allowing the construction if 

demand for money was not 

met,” sources said 

“Not only work would be 

stopped but that the under 

construction building would 

be demolished”, the sources 

added. 

In the video itself it can 

be heard how the official in 

question said there was fixed 

rate for every illegal construction 

but that the rates would 

vary from floor to floor. 

Official sources within 

SMC told Precious Kashmir 

that the official is known for 

See Sting on Pg 6 

C 

M 

Y 

K 

C 

M 

Y 

K


Kathua incident a 

shame on healthcare 

professionals: Tarigami 


Srinagar, Jan 21: Expressing 

deep shock over the reports 

about a nomad woman who 

was barred entry inside the labour 

room and had to deliver 

her baby reportedly in hospital 

compound in Kathua, CPI (M) 

leader and MLA Kulgam Mohammad 

Yousuf Tarigami has 

demanded a through probe into 

the incident so that the culprits 

responsible for the agony 

caused to the hapless woman 

are brought to justice. 

In a statement issued here, 

Tarigami observed that is unfortunate 

that some doctors and 

para-medical staff supposed to 

behave as messiah for the patients 

have turned so ruthless 

that a craving woman is denied 

their much needed medical help 

during her labour. 

Demanding thorough investigation 

into the matter so that 


Srinagar, Jan 21: Divisional 

Commissioner Kashmir, 

Dr Asghar Hassan Samoon 

today reviewed the implementation 

of court directions 

with regard to the restoration 

and conservation of 

river Jhelum. 

Dr Samoon inquired 

about the removal of encroachments, 

axing of trees 

and demarcation of the river 

and asked police and civil 

administration to work in 

tandem to achieve the desired 

goal. 

Divisional Commissioner 

was informed that along 

the 17 km stretch, 210 structures 

need to be removed 

along the river. 

Deputy Commissioner 

Pulwama informed the 

meeting that more than 

one lakh trees have been removed 

along the river bank, 

while 213 structures have 

been identified for removal 

in the district. 

In Srinagar, 687 structures 

have been demolished 

whereas 129 structures are 

yet to be removed. 

Symposium 

held to 

celebrate NVD 

Reasi, Jan 21: National Voters 

Day was celebrated at 

Govt. Zorawar Singh Degree 

College (GZSDC), Reasi by 

organising a symposium on 

the topic “Importance and 

Role of Youth in Electoral 

Process” in order to create 

awareness amongst the 

student community 

Principal GZSDC Reasi, 

Dr. Hemla Aggarwal was 

the Chief Guest on the occasion. 

Dr. Hemla Aggarwal in 

her address said, that it is 

the responsibility of youths 

to elect right person for development 

of the state and 

nation About 8 students 

participated in the Symposium 

and expressed their 

views on the said topic. 

such incidents are not repeated 

in future, Tarigami said: “The 

missionary zeal of giving a real 

healing touch to the patients is 

Div Com for measures to 

restore glory of Jhelum 

Rajouri, Jan 21: An orientation 

programme on “district 

need assessment was organised 

today by Unicef, in collaboration 

with the district 

administration under chairmanship 

of District Development 

Commissioner, Rajouri, 

Shabir Ahmed Bhat. 

The motive of this programme 

was to channelise 

all possible resources into 

implementing the child protection 

laws , for creating a 

strong protective environment 

for the children so that 

they can be protected from 

violence, abuse, neglect and 

DC Kathua initiates enquiry on Hospital incident 

DC reviews progress of 

PMGSY roads, bridges 

Udhampur, Jan 21: Deputy 

Commissioner, Udhampur, 

Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, 

today reviewed the progress 

on construction of roads under 

Pradhan Mantri Gram 

Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) and 

various issues related to interdepartmental 

coordination. 

An amount of Rs 2.50 

Cr was also approved as land 

compensation in Basantgarh, 

Ramnagar and Chenani. 

Joint Director Planning, 

Rakesh Jamwal, Assistant 

Commissioner, Revenue, 

Rajeev Magotra, Superintendent 

Engineer PMGSY, D.K 

Khanna, SDM Chenani, SDM 

Dudu, SDM Basantgarh, 

SDM Ramnagar ,Executive 

Engineer PMGSY Udhampur 

division, Ravi Raina, XEN 

Ramnagar Division, M.R 

Sharma, XEN PMGSY, Reasi, 

Deputy Commissioner 

Bandipora, informed the 

meeting that 2,64,000 trees 

have been removed along 

river Jhelum in Bandipora 

district and 84 structures 

have been identified for 

demolition. 

Similarly in Baramulla, 

33 structures are to be demolished 

on the stretch of 

Jhelum flowing through the 

district. 

During the meeting 

Chief Engineer Irrigation 

and Flood Control (I&FC) 

said that the dredging of the 

river is going on and preventive 

measures are being 

taken to check further encroachment. 

Dr Samoon asked officers 

to ensure implementation 

of court directions in 

letter and spirit. He also directed 

them to demarcate 

river Jhelum wherever it has 

not been done so far. 

Jammu and Kashmir 

High Court had directed removal 

of all constructions 

from the banks of river 

Jhelum and its tributaries 

besides putting a blanket 

ban on any construction 

along the river flow. 

H.R Langeh, DFO Udhampur, 

Harmohinder Singh, DFO 

Ramnagar, Vivek Modi and 

various officers of Planning 

and Revenue Department attended 

the meeting. 

The DC expressed concern 

over various works delayed 

due to repeated re-tendering 

which has led to cost 

escalation for which Government 

will be approached 

to enhance the project cost. 

Nine cases pending before 

the Courts and 5 involving 

transfer of forest land were 

also discussed. Out of 171 

schemes started 91 have 

been completed and rest 

are under progress. Another 

167 schemes are being initiated 

after seeking approval 

of Government for DPR cost 

enhancement in view of repeated 

tendering having no 

Education an effective preventive 

strategy against child abuses: DC 

exploitation and to orient 

CDPO’s, ZEO’s, and NGO’s involved 

in care of the children 

to come to the aid of the children 

under the distress in 

recent years. 

During the programme, 

DCPU were entrusted with 

the responsibility of assessing 

the number of children in 

difficult circumstances and 

creating district specific database 

to monitor the trends 

and patterns of children in 

different circumstances so 

as to frame accordingly the 

district child protection plan. 

Meanwhile, he asked 

unfortunately vanishing in our 

healthcare professionals each 

passing day. There is dire need to 

revive that love and care which 

the field staff functionaries 

to fully cooperate in collecting 

the required data besides 

reminding them that it is 

also their social responsibility 

towards every child out 

there who need their help to 

wholeheartedly put every 

effort required at our level in 

preparing the database. 

The session concluded 

with discussion on the existing 

concern overs safety of 

children in different pockets 

of the district and the need 

for district action plan for 

enhancement of child protection 

in the district. 


Srinagar, Jan 21: Chairman 

Jammu Kashmir liberation 

front (JKLF) Mohammad Yasin 

Malik while addressing a 

gathering here at Gaw- Kadal 

Basant Bagh today said that 

India during its struggle for 

freedom against British witnessed 

only one Jalianwala 

Bagh massacre but Kashmiris 

have witnessed dozens 

of such massacres carried 

out by government forces 

from 1990. 

“21st January is the day 

that changed the course of 

our 5000 year old history. 

This is the day when Kashmiris 

started a peaceful revolution 

for freedom and bored 

bullets on their chests but refused 

to budge,” Malik said. 

The public rally was organized 

to commemorate 

the massacre of 21st January 

1990 in which more than 50 

people were martyred and 

hundreds injured when forces 

and police opened fire on 

peaceful procession. 

Before the rally thousands 

of enthusiastic youth, 

response. Collectors of Land 

Acquisition briefed about 

the status of land acquired 

for these projects. Assistant 

Commissioner Revenue has 

issued 71 final awards out of 

101 cases, SDM Basantgarh 

68 out of 71 and SDM Chenani 

22 out of 30. District Collector 

sanctioned Rs 1.50 Cr 

for Basantgarh, Rs 1.00 Cr for 

Ramnagar and Rs 50 lakhs for 

Chenani for immediate land 

compensation to be completed 

within one month. 

DFOs and ExEns were 

asked to jointly inspect the 

sites of damages caused to 

forest land and ensuring 

proper supervision of works 

being executed by contractors 

on Forest Land and State 

Land. SDMs were asked to 

monitor the progress and furnish 

weekly reports. 

News 

Friday 

2 

22.01.2016 

Kathua, Jan 21: Taking cognizance of the news item 

published in the newspapers regarding incident of 

delivery by a women namely Jameela Begum in the 

gallery of district hospital Kathua on 19thJanuary 

2016 alleging negligence and irresponsible attitude 

on part of official on duty, DC Kathua Ramesh Kumar 

initiated an immediate enquiry in the matter 

and appointed ADDC Kathua Dr Manmohan Singh 

as Enquiry Officer. 

DC Kathua disclosed that the preliminary 

enquiry report was submitted today and found 

that the women namely Jameela w/o Manzoor r/o 

Gurah Pandtian( Dhani Bakhta) felt pains at about 

5 am on 19th January 2016 and family contacted 

local ASHA worker Santosh Devi who accompanied 

her to nearby PHC Dhanni Bakhta along with 

mother in law Naseem. PHC Dhani Bakhta referred 

the case to District Hospital Kathua and provided 

ambulance to the patient Jammela who accompanied 

by the ASHA worker reached district hospital 

in the ambulance. As soon as ambulance reached 

the district hospital premises, Jameela delivered a 

baby girl while getting down from the ambulance. 

The Enquiry Officer after taking statement of 

the patient Jameela, her mother in law Naseem 

and ASHA worker Santosh Devi found that 

delivery of the baby girl was held while shifting 

the Jameela from ambulance to Labor room. 

The preliminary enquiry revealed that post natal 

treatment to the child and mother was given 

timely and also found that both child and mother 

are healthy and normal. 

DC Kathua informed today that preliminary enquiry 

revealed that the allegations labeled are not 

correct. Meanwhile, CMO Kathua charge sheeted 

Medical Superintendent of district hospital Kathua 

on the issue and further action shall be taken on the 

outcome of detailed enquiry. 

doctors of yore were famous for 

or otherwise the whole medical 

profession will turn into a crudely 

commercial venture.” 

Have witnessed dozens of ‘Jalianwala 

Bagh massacres’: Yasin Malik 

Doda, Jan 21: A meeting to discuss 

the village development plans for 

the Sansad Adarsh Grams Bharti 

and Hambal of District Doda was 

today held under the chairmanship 

of District Development commissioner 

Doda, Bhupinder Kumar in 

conference hall Doda. 

During the meeting Assistant 

Commissioner Development Doda 

Susheel Kumar explained in detail 

the vision of SAGY and informed 

the meeting that these Adarsh 

Grams are to be developed keeping 

in view the vision of Prime Minister 

to develop nation by developing 

the villages. 

While speaking on the occasion, 

DDC said that inspired by the 

principles of Mahatama Gandhi 

elders and women led by 

JKLF chairman marched 

towards the place of massacre 

from JKLF headquarters. 

On reaching Gaw Kadal 

Basant Bagh this rally took 

the shape of a Jalsa. Besides 

JKLF Chairman Muhammad 

Yasin Malik, the Jalsa was 

addressed by JKLF leaders 

advocate Bashir Ahmad Bhat 

Master Muhammad Afzal. 

In his address Yasin Malik 

said that 21st January 

is an important day of our 

5000 year old history. On 

this day thousands of unarmed 

people came out of 

their houses to demand freedom 

and protest against the 

crackdown of forces. 

Jammu, Jan 21: The students 

of Indian Institute of Mass 

Communication (IIMC) Jammu 

today visited Directorate 

of Information and Public 

Relations here and interacted 

with the Director General 

Information, Zaffar Ahmad 

Bhat and other officers of the 

Department. 

The Director General Information 

informed the IIMC 

students in detail about the 

functioning of various wings 

of the Information Department. 

He said the Department’s 

primary objective is 

to disseminate, through media, 

information about various 

developmental activities 

of the government and at 

the same time send regular 

feedback to the government 

about the issues of public 

concern being highlighted in 

Gaw Kadal massacre 

carried out to pave way for 

Pandits’ migration: Hilal war 


Srinagar, Jan 21: Hurriyat (M) leader 

and Jammu & Kashmir People’s Political 

Party (PPP) Chairman, Engineer 

Hilal Ahmad War, on Thursday 

said that the Gaw Kadal massacre 

was a well thought-out plan to pave 

way for migration of Pandits from 

the valley. 

Demanding punishment to the 

perpetrators of the massacre, War 

said that the Gaw Kadal massacre 

is perhaps the first of its kind in the 

history of Kashmir in which signals of 

massacre were given well in advance. 

“On January 20, 1990 Jagmohan’s 

first television address as 

governor of J & K State stunned everyone. 

It was clear cut provocative 

address and a direct threat in which 

Jagmohan said if anybody creates 

a law and order problem, meray 

haathon say aman ka patta khisak 

jaye ga (the cards of peace I’m carrying 

will slip away from my hands). 

And in less than 24-hours the threat 

was carried out in a brutal manner,” 

said War. 

He appealed the Pandit fraternity 

not to continue to be a part of 

the Jagmohan conspiracy, “willingly 

or unwillingly”. 

“I request and invite my Pandit 

brethren to come back and live 

“These peaceful people 

were confronted by bullets 

of forces and police. Same 

kind of massacres continued 

at Handwara, Sopore, Sailan 

Poonch, Zakura, bypass Batamaloo, 

Magarmal Bagh, Baderwah, 

Marmat Doda, and 

Bijebihara, Hazratbal, Gojwara, 

Mashali Mohalla, Khanyaar, 

Dalgate etc. the sole 

aim was to terrorize people 

of Kashmir through massacres 

and put an end on their 

march towards freedom but 

New Delhi failed in doing,” 

he said. 

Malik said that Kashmiris 

have always safeguarded 

communal harmony and 

religious tolerance in Kashmir. 

“More than ten thousand 

pundits are also living 

in Kashmir and have not left 

Kashmir. These people are 

living here without any fear 

and threat,” he said. 

He said that everyone 

in Kashmir wants Kashmiri 

pandit brethren to return to 

their homes. 

“All of us have time and 

again called for their return 

but some people among 

the media. 

During the interactive 

session, the Director General 

Information explained the 

current challenges faced by 

field of journalism and the 

road ahead. 

The Director General Information 

told the students 

that the Information Department 

has several sections 

performing dedicated tasks. 

them are hell bent upon defaming 

Kashmiris Muslims 

across the globe. Kashmiri 

pundit community needs 

to condemn these elements 

too,” he said. 

“According to government 

documents’ not more 

that 250 Pandits lost their 

lives from 1990 till date but 

whereas more than one Lakh 

Kashmiri Muslims have lost 

their lives so far. More than 

ten thousand of ours are still 

missing in forces custody 

and so on. Isn’t this genocide 

of Muslims? He said that despite 

all these massacres and 

genocide we have not left 

our motherland neither have 

we surrendered before the 

oppression and today when 

we salute our 21st January 

1990 martyrs we pledge to 

take forward their mission at 

any cost,” he said. 

While terming the attack 

on Bacha Khan University at 

Charsada Peshwar Pakistan 

as barbaric, Yasin Malik 

said that attacking educational 

institutions cannot 

be termed but as inhuman 

and uncivilized. 

He said while the Public 

Relations wing including 

Photo and Film sections are 

responsible for dissemination 

of official press releases, 

pictures and video footage 

to the media, the advertisement 

section distributes official 

advertisements to the 

newspapers. 

He said the Department 

has also Publicity wing, 

www.preciouskashmir.com 

PPI: 98.4 % 

target achieved 


Srinagar, Jan 21: More than 

98 percent children in the 

age group 1-5 have been 

administered oral Polio Immunization 

Vaccine during 

the immunization program 

held last week. 

The information was 

given by State Immunization 

Officer Kashmir, Dr 

Yangthan Dolma during a 

meeting with Divisional 

Commissioner Kashmir 

Dr Asghar Samoon on 

Thursday. 

The officer said that 

10,31,903 children were 

immunized during the 

three day campaign 

against targeted 10,48,825 

children. 

Dr. Dolma said despite 

rumors, 9,40,918 children 

were administered oral vaccines 

whereas about 90,985 

children were immunized 

during door to door campaign. 

Five-day 

capacity building 

workshop begins 


Srinagar, Jan 21: State 

Institute of Education, 

Kashmir is organizing a 

Five-day capacity building 

programme for KRPs 

to pursue its annual 

calendar of academic 

activities at its Bemina 

campus. 

The workshop is based 

on Mathematics and 

orientation programme 

for Social Science teachers 

at elementary level from 

January 20 to 25. SIE is also 

simultaneously organizing 

a Five-day Science workshop 

for Secondary Level 

Teachers. 

In these programmes 

108 Masters and Teachers 

are participating 

from different districts of 

Valley. 

The programmes were 

inaugurated by the Joint 

Director Trainings, Principal 

SIE, Suriya Akhtar. She said 

the trainees should acquire 

the skills and the knowledge 

from these training 

programmes and disseminate 

them for the benefit of 

the students. 

Also the orientation 

programme in Urdu 

which commenced on Jan 

15 Jan concluded on Jan 

20(Wednesday) in which 

48 Teachers and masters 

participated. 

IIMC students interact with 

Director General Information 

the scheme places equal stress on 

nurturing value of national pride, 

community spirit, self confidence 

and developing infrastructure 

and there is need to change the 

thought process of linking development 

with enhancing the 

infrastructure only. “Beyond infrastructure 

this scheme focuses 

on people participation, gender 

equality ,dignity of women, spirit 

of community service, cleanliness, 

peace and harmony, transparency 

and accountability so 

that these village should become 

a real model for others”, he added. 

Calling holistic development 

imperative for turning a village into 

model village, he said that this 

scheme, while focusing upon the 

shoulder to shoulder with Muslims 

and those Pandits who braved all 

odds but stayed put in 1990.” 

Ruling out the creation of a separate 

homeland, War said the whole 

idea has been engineered by the 

ideologues of RSS. “There are no takers 

for this homeland business of RSS 

and my Pandit friends should understand 

that. They shouldn’t become 

pawns in the hands of the Hindutva 

forces,” he said. 

War had issued a strike call in 

the civil lines areas of Srinagar city 

from Polo View to Hari Singh High 

Street today to commemorate the 

death anniversary of victims of Gaw 

Kadal massacre. 

At least fifty civilians were killed 

and 250 others injured when CRPF 

men fired at a procession near Gaw 

Kadal on this day in 1990. 

multiple areas such as Education, 

Public Health Engineering, Electricity, 

Sanitation, livelihoods etc 

will envisage integrated development 

of selected villages. 

He asked the entire participatory 

department to devise a 

plan while fixing the priorities 

to be achieved in a time bound 

manner. 

While reviewing the present 

status on various priority areas under 

the Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana 

(SAGY), DDC complemented the 

work done by all the stake holders 

in providing road connectivity to 

these two villages. Under Education 

sector, Chief Education Officer was 

asked to ensure that all the vacancies 

of teaching staff in the schools 

responsible for publications, 

Field Publicity wing, 

Research and Reference 

section, Cultural wing and 

Youth Information wing. 

The students raised various 

queries regarding how 

the Department ensures effective 

dissemination of information 

to the media and what 

pulls and pressures it faces in 

its day-to-day functioning. 

Village dev plan for Sansad Adarsh Grams reviewed 

of theses villages are filled before 

next academic session besides XEN 

PHE was asked to work out the plan 

for providing assured drinking water 

supply to these villages. 

XEN PDD was directed to survey 

both the villages for any excess 

load and then work out the possibilities 

and submit the plan for 

strengthening them with additional 

transformers. 

In another important component 

of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, 

DDC asked the District Panchayat 

Officer to target these villages for 

making them open defecation 

free besides asked for conducting 

awareness camps to educate the 

rural people about the ill effects of 

defecating in the open.

Precious Kashmir 

NEWS 

Srinagar,Friday 


3 

World Bank 

to loan 

$250mn 

for Jhelum, 

Tawi FRP 

New Delhi, Jan 21: The 

World Bank will help the 

Government fund the Jhelum 

and Tawi Flood Recovery 

Project (FRP) and will 

tender a loan worth USD 

250 million for it. 

“The (Central) Government 

and the World Bank 

today signed a USD 250 

million credit agreement 

under the Jhelum and Tawi 

Flood Recovery Project for 

reconstruction and recovery 

support in flood-affected 

areas in which public infrastructure 

and livelihoods 

were impacted severely,” 

World Bank said in a statement 

today. 

The Jhelum and Tawi 

Flood Recovery Project will 

focus on 20 flood-affected 

districts — Anantnag, 

Baramula, Budgam, Bandipora, 

Ganderbal, Kupwara, 

Kulgam, Pulwama, Shopian, 

Srinagar, Jammu, Samba, 

Kathua, Reasi, Doda, 

Kishtwar, Ramban, Poonch, 

Rajauri and Udhampur. 

(AGENCIES) 

School forcing 

students to 

participate 

in Jan 26 

celebrations 

Srinagar, Jan 21: A group 

of parents Thursday alleged 

that Physical Teachers of some 

Government Girls Higher Secondary 

Schools in Srinagar 

city have been forcing their 

daughters to participate in India’s 

January 26 Republic Day 

parade. 

They said that it doesn’t 

suit to a conscious person to 

allow his daughter for performing 

dance and singing in 

front of the unknown persons. 

‘It is also against our collective 

conscious,” the parents said. 

“I was shocked to learn 

from my daughter who had 

gone to a Higher Secondary 

School (name withheld) seeking 

admission for class 11th 

that Physical Teacher there 

forced her to arrive at Bakshi 

Stadium for January 26 rehearsals. 

How can a teacher 

force a student when she is 

not ready to participate in 

such parades,” father of a girl 

student said. 

They alleged that last 

year as well the Principal 

of a Girls Higher Secondary 

School had warned students 

that they will be shown 

‘failed’ in their practical 

subjects if they refuse to 

participate in August 15 celebrations 

at Bakshi Stadium. 

Damaged in 2014 

floods, Baramulla 

bridge yet to be restored 

Arshad Farooq 

Baramulla, Jan 21: In Boniyar 

area of district Baramulla, 

the vital bridge across 

famous Hapat Khai Nallah 

connecting Trikanjan, Banali 

and Maidadan villages 

was badly damaged in 2014 

floods, leaving hundreds 

of villages cut-off from the 

district headquarters. 

Since the bridge was 

washed away, the villagers 

have been suffering due to 

poor connectivity and most 

of them cross Hapat Khai 

Nallah on foot thus endangering 

their lives. 

The local MLA Mohammad 

Shafi visited the damaged 

bridged soon after 

the floods and promised to 

the locals that the bridge 

would be constructed on 

war footing basis but he 

reneges on his promise. 

Nine months later, the 

bridge project worth Rs 4 

crores was allotted to chief 

coordinator north Kashmir 

PDP Raja Ajaz’s Nephew on 

the basis of political influence, 

allege locals. 

Srinagar: The mercury in 

Kargil in Ladakh region 

plunged to the season's lowest 

at minus 16.4 degrees Celsius 

as the cold wave continued 

in Jammu and Kashmir 

owing to dry weather, while 

the Valley witnessed unusual 

bright sunshine. 

Srinagar registered a low 

of minus 4.3 degrees Celsius 

as compared to the previous 

night's minus 4.4 degrees 

Celsius, a spokesman of the 

Meteorological Department 

said. 

The maximum recorded 

here yesterday was 11.4 

degrees Celsius, five degrees 

above normal. The city also 

witnessed unusual bright 

sunshine for the third consecutive 

day today owing to 

clear skies. 

Kargil experienced the 

season's coldest night as the 

mercury there went down 

by over a degree to settle at 

a low of minus 16.4 degrees 

Celsius against minus 15 degrees 

Celsius the previous 

night. 

The spokesman said Kargil 

was also the coldest recorded 

place in the state. 

Rasheed saves 

BJP activists from 

a thrashing 


Srinagar, Jan 22: Legislator 

Engineer Rasheed Thursday 

saved some Bhartiya 

Janata Party activists from 

the wrath of the common 

people when these activists 

tried to confront Rasheed 

for delivering a speech 

against Indian Prime 

Minister Narendra Modi in 

South Kashmir’s Pulwama 

district. 

Eyewitnesses said that 

Rasheed along with his 

supporters staged a silent 

protest against the killing 

of a civilian Parvez Ahmed 

Guroo outside Deputy 

Commissioner’s Office 

in the district. Carrying 

anti-Modi banners the 

protesters castigated Indian 

Government for unleashing 

a reign of terror across 

Kashmir Valley. Witnesses 

added Rasheed delivered 

an anti-Modi, anti RSS and 

anti-BJP speech. 

“A man along with 

Meanwhile hundreds of 

students have to risk their 

lives to reach their schools 

and colleges. The hardship 

being faced by the students 

goes unnoticed and instead 

of making temporary 

arrangements to help the 

students cross the Nallah 

safely, the authorities have 

been continuously ignoring 

the issue. 

In the wake of emergency, 

the villagers have to 

The nearby Leh town also 

shivered at minus 16 degrees 

Celsius, he said, however, 

adding the mercury there 

rose slightly from the previous 

night's low of minus 16.4 

degrees Celsius. 

The famous ski-resort 

of Gulmarg in north Kashmir, 

the star attraction for 

tourists visiting the Valley 

during winter, recorded a 

drop of nearly two degrees 

in the minimum temperature 

which settled at minus 5.6 


The tourist resort of Pahalgam 

in south Kashmir, 

which serves as the base 

camp for annual Amarnath 

yatra, recorded a low of 

minus 7.3 degrees Celsius 

against yesterday's minus 7. 5 


The night temperature in 

Qazigund, the gateway town 

to Kashmir Valley went down 

nearly a degree from minus 

3.4 degrees Celsius the previous 

night to settle at a low 

of minus 4.2 degrees Celsius. 

The mercury in Kokernag 

also decreased nearly a degree 

to settle at a low of minus 

2.4 degrees Celsius, the 

ferry the patients on their 

shoulders in harsh winter 

cold to Primary Health 

Centre Boniyar putting 

lives of both patients’ and 

those accompanying him in 

jeopardy. 

While talking to Precious 

Kashmir, the locals 

alleged that the construction 

work was going on full 

swing for a month but the 

local contractor stopped 

the work for unknown 

Mercury dips in Kargil, 

Valley gets bright sunshine 

his few supporters who 

claimed to be the leader of 

the BJP Shabir Ahmed Khan 

arrived on the scene and 

accused Rasheed of being 

an agent of Pakistan. The 

BJP activists confronted 

Rasheed and directed him 

to windup anti BJP protest. 

However, the people 

surrounding Rasheed lost 

cool and they thrashed 

the BJP activist, prompting 

police to intervene,” said an 

eyewitness adding that it 

was Rasheed himself who 

saved the BJP leader from 

the clutches of agitated 

people. 

Confirming the incident, 

legislator Rasheed 

said that it was his obligation 

to save his rival 

from the wrath of the 

people. 

Meanwhile BJP media 

incharge for Kashmir condemned 

the assault on party 

worker and demanded 

a case should be registered 

against the legislator. (CNS) 

spokesman said. 

Kupwara town in north 

Kashmir recorded a low of 

minus 5 degrees Celsius, he 

said, adding the town had 

recorded the minimum of 

minus 5.3 degrees Celsius the 

previous night. 

Kashmir is in the midst 

of the 40-day-long harshest 

phase of winter, which began 

on December 21 and will 

continue till the end of this 

month. 

Known as Chilai-Kalan in 

local parlance, the chances of 

frequent snowfall are high. The 

40-day period is followed by a 

20-day long 'Chillai-Khurd' 

(small cold) and a 10-day long 

'Chillai Bachha' (baby cold). 

The Meteorological Department 

has predicted dry 

weather to continue with 

occasional bouts of rainfall 

in the upper reaches during 

this month. 

reasons. 

“We have moved from 

pillar to post to bring it to 

the notice of concerned 

authorities, but have little 

luck in getting the bridge 

restored,” locals said. 

Meanwhile when contacted, 

Executive Engineer 

Ajeet Singh said, “We 

have sent drawing to NIT 

Srinagar for approval and 

assure that the work will be 

initiated very soon.” 

Zulfkar opposes any 

extension of NIA Act to J&K 

‘Misuse of central laws always 

brought miseries to State people’ 


Jammu, Jan 21: Terming 

Ranbir Panel Code as best 

law to deal with all cases 

including terror related issues, 

Senior PDP Leader and 

former Minister Chowdhary 

Zulfkar Ali has said that there 

is no need of extending the 

role of National Investigation 

Agency (NIA) in the Jammu & 

Kashmir state and State Police 

is well capable to investigate 

terror issues. 

Pertinently, in his address 

at the 7th foundation day 

of the NIA, Governor of J&K 

State NN Vohra has said the 

Union Home Ministry should 

take urgent steps to ensure 

that NIA’s legal framework is 

suitably modified to enable 

effective investigations in terror 

cases favouring inclusion 

of Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) 

under the purview of NIA Act. 

Reacting on the statement, 

Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali 

said that J&K is a special category 

state under Article 370 

of Indian Constitution and no 

central law is applicable to 

the state till rectification from 

state legislatures. He said that 

NIA Act is central Act and the 

same cannot be extended to 

this state before state legislatures 

gave consent to it. 

Appreciating J&K Police 

for efficiently dealing terror 

issues, Zulfkar said that when 

J&K Police is doing excellent 

job by dealing terror cases 

under Ranbir Panel Code, 

there is no reason to underestimate 

our own police and 

law. He said that RPC was 

enacted in 1862 by the then 

Dogra Maharaja of the state 

and this law is working efficiently 

in this state for the 

last 154 years. It is pertinent 

to mention that under the 

NIA Act, the agency can take 

up investigation into any case 

registered under its scheduled 

offences without the 

consent of the state government 

concerned. But, since 

RPC is not part of the scheduled 

offences of the NIA, the 

agency cannot take up probe 

in any case registered under 

it on its own. 

Pointing towards Armed 

Forces Special Power Act, Zulfkar 

said that all central laws 

which were experimented 

in J&K State did not fulfil the 

purpose and instead these 

laws arrived to add miseries 

for the people of this trouble 

torn state. He said that PDP 

has taken a stand on gradual 

revocation of AFSPA from this 

state, the question of extending 

of new central laws to this 

do not arise in this situation. 

He said that there is nothing 

bad in NIA Act and if there 

are some good provisions in 

the Act to deal terror issues, 

let these provisions be incorporated 

in Ranbir Panel Code. 

He added that when Indian 

Constitution itself has 

granted special status to this 

state, all of us must respect 

our Constitution and do not 

disturb or try to dilute this 

special status. He added that 

J&K state is having past experience 

of extension of central 

laws but maximum of these 

laws were misused which 

brought miseries to the people 

of this state. (CNS) 

Geelani appeals for statewide 

shutdown on Jan 26 

'Boycott govt functions on this day' 


Srinagar, Jan 21: While 

terming the 26 January 

as black day for the Kashmiris, 

Chairman Hurriyat 

(G) Syed Ali Geelani 

appealed for complete 

statewide shutdown and 

boycott of the government 

functions on this day. 

He said that India is 

claiming to be a largest 

democratic country in the 

world and celebrates26 

January as its republic day 

but its democratic claims 

are being badly exposed in 

Jammu & Kashmir wherein 

this country is denying 

the democratic right of 

the people of this troubled 

state from last 68 years. 

In a statement, Hurriyat 

(G) Chairman said that 

the Kashmiris are nether 

the enemies of India nor 

its people and nor are they 

opposed to their republic 

Farooq Abdullah 

the mandate of the people. PDP that NC has handed over 

‘Only PDP, 

Both the parties have entered the state’s power projects 

into a compromise formula to the NHPC, he said that “If 

BJP can end 

during Mufti Sahab’s time we have handed over power 

ongoing 

to keep Jammu and Kashmir projects to NHPC, then why 

united. The same formula is don’t they (PDP) get it back. 

political 

still relevant and if they have Who stops them (PDP)?” 

to remember Mufti Sahab, The PDP says that with 

stalemate’ 

then they should go ahead to 60 MLAs the party handed 

form the government so that over power projects to the 


Jammu, Jan 21: National 

people get relief,” Abdullah 

said. 

The former chief minister 

NHPC. 

On the controversy over 

his “begging bowl” statement 

Conference Thursday said said that National Conference 

on return of Kashmiri Pandits 

that only Peoples Democratic 

Party and Bhartiya Janata Party 

can end the ongoing political 

stalemate in the state by 

continuing the “compromise 

formula” that late Mufti Mohammad 

Sayeed had entered 

into ten months back. 

In an exclusive interview 

with KNS, NC patron Dr Farooq 

Abdullah said if PDP and 

BJP do not want to form the 

next government, then fresh 

elections should be conducted 

in the state. 

“NC has no role to remove 

current political uncertainty 

in the state. Only PDP and 

BJP can end it as they have 

is ready to contest fresh 

elections if PDP and BJP don’t 

want to continue their alliance. 

The NC leader said that 

the two parties should sit 

together to resolve their differences. 

“If the two parties have 

any difference then should sit 

together to resolve them the 

way Mufti Sahab would do,” 

he said, adding, that no party 

has approached them (NC) to 

form the next government. 

“No party, either BJP or 

PDP approached us for government 

formation,” he said. 

Over the allegations by 

who migrated from the Valley 

in 90’s, Farooq said that 

despite efforts by the state’s 

leadership, both nationalists 

and Hurriyat, Kashmiri Pandits 

never wanted to return. 

“In1996, we made every 

effort and requested Kashmiri 

Pandits to return back to 

their homes in Kashmir. BJP 

leader L K Advani is witness 

to my efforts of wanting the 

Pandits to return. Both Nationalist 

and Hurriyat leaders 

requested them to return to 

their homes. Even Geelani 

Sahab requested them to return. 

But they did not want 

to return. I am surprised 

day celebrations within 

the limitations of Indian 

Territory but as far as the 

Kashmir is concerned, it is 

although an occupied territory 

held by India with 

the help of its military 

might so, they have no 

constitutional and moral 

justifications to celebrate 

these functions on the soil 

of Jammu & Kashmir because 

we see no sign of its 

democracy here visible on 

the ground. 

He said that the UN 

Charter supports the right 

to self determination of 

every nation of the world 

and this right has been 

accepted as the basic and 

birth right of every human 

being. 

This world body has 

recommended that the 

wishes and aspirations of 

the people of Jammu & 

Kashmir should be respected 

and India has promised 

NC ready for fresh elections: 

why they don’t want to come 

back,” he said. 

“And recently I told them 

that if you don’t want to 

come back then why do you 

blame Kashmiri Muslims for 

it. It is tragic that they blame 

Kashmiri Muslims for their 

migration. Nearly, one lakh 

Kashmiri Muslims have been 

killed. My leaders and ministers 

were killed, but still people 

did not leave their homes. 

Sikhs were killed, in Chattisingpora 

and elsewhere, 

but they still live in Kashmir. 

Many Hindus are living happily 

in villages,” he said. 

He said that those people 

who are pitting Kashmiri 

Muslims against Brahmins 

(Kashmiri Pandits) are creating 

hatred between the two 

communities. “And such a 

path is very dangerous,” he 

said. (KNS) 

at national as well as international 

levels that they 

will held a referendum in 

this state but those promises 

are yet to be fulfilled 

and the people of this state 

are being denied their 

democratic right. 

Syed Ali Geelani said 

that it is the only reason for 

our opposition to hold this 

function of 26 January in 

Jammu & Kashmir and we 

treat it as a big joke with 

the democracy. 

While appealing for 

complete boycott of the 26 

January function, Hurriyat 

(G) Chairman also appealed 

the school children, 

teachers and parents not to 

be any part of the 26 Januaryfunction 

and perform 

your national duty by staying 

away from this. 

He also expressed his 

concern over the reports 

that some school girls are 

being prepared for the 


Srinagar, Jan 21: All Parties 

Sikh Coordination Committee 

has impressed upon the 

political parties of the state 

to step up and take concrete 

measures for forming the 

next government as early 

as possible since people are 

suffering on this account. 

APSCC Chairman 

Jagmohan Singh Raina said 

that people voted with enthusiasm 

in 2014 assembly 

elections so that their daily 

problems are solved by people 

at helm. He said since 

there is no government in 

the state at present and 

people don’t know as whom 

to contact for in case of any 

need. 

“Onus lies on Peoples’ 

Democratic Party (PDP) and 

Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) 

for forming the government 

in the state since they were 

in power with Late Mufti 

Mohammad Sayeed being 

the chief minister of the 

singing and dancing programs 

for this day. 

Syed Ali Geelani said 

that it doesn’t suit to a 

conscience person to allow 

his daughter for performing 

dance and singing 

acts in front of the 

unknown persons. It is 

also against our collective 

conscience. (KNS) 

APSCC pitches 

for immediate 

govt formation 

state. The two parties without 

any further delay should 

come together and form 

the next government in the 

state,” said Raina. 

The APSCC said although 

both PDP and BJP talk of 

realizing dreams and aspirations 

of the former chief 

minister none among them 

has so far taken concrete 

action for government formation 

in Jammu & Kashmir. 

He said the chaos and confusion 

that is prevalent in the 

state can come to end only 

when a popular government 

is in place in the state. 

“PDP President 

Mehbooba Mufti should 

understand that she has to 

carry forward the legacy 

left behind by her father 

and former chief minister 

Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. 

She cannot wish away her 

responsibilities and as 

such should take a call at 

the earliest with regard to 

government formation in 

the state,” said Raina.

Precious Kashmir 

Between India 

and Pakistan 

Complexity is a hidden but unavoidable part woven 

into our decisions. Dearth of options tends to 

frustrate us whereas too many of them leave us 

confused. Same is applicable to international relations 

as well. Between a thin line of allies and enemies, 

nations work with a complex set of decisions 

that may not have been the right ones unanimously 

but they definitely were taken after ‘countless 

deliberations’ by some like-minded fellows. Here 

again, over-estimation of one’s abilities plays a 

vital role leaving no possibility to consider some 

cardinal variables. In others words, a conscious selective 

amnesia is brought upon themselves by the 

decision makers. The only truth in the statement 

“If I had known then, what I know now” is regret. 

Barring it, everything else is expected and known 

to most of the parties. 

For example, back in 1947 when Pakistan and India 

parted ways, they knew that it was not the 

end but the beginning of a long-term camaraderie 

(read blood-thirst). Both these countries were 

absolutely sure that they would try to outrun and 

out-shame (if one can use that word) each other. 

What followed was a deliberate and consequent 

set of efforts to deface the opponent plunging 

them into wars, unending bickering and a curious 

case of whodunit, where the ‘who’ always lived on 

the other side of the border. Now if today, any of 

the leaders of these countries claims that all the 

decisions taken in the past could have been avoided 

“if only they knew what they know now,” it will 

be an absolutely ridiculous argument. For they always 

knew what they know now. And as such, regret 

may be the only genuine aspect of this sob, or 

maybe even that would just be an ‘insincere tear’. 

So ‘leap of faith’ are a good set of words when used 

in daily lives but when it comes to international relations, 

they are just another form of saying, “Here 

is a proposal where we win no matter how much 

we lose!” 

Now for the sake of academicians, who need to 

justify their theories, let’s give some value to the 

initial argument. And to do that, we need to first 

of all program our minds to believe that we live 

in a utopia; you know a world where everyone is 

sincere, true and there are no dirty little secrets! 

And once we are there, the compound words like 

‘glaring insight’, ‘damning retrospective observation’, 

‘leaps of faith’, ‘prudent and perceptive’; they 

all stand true to their meaning. In such a world, a 

hawk calls itself a hawk and always remains so and 

similarly a dove looks like and behaves like a dove. 

Printer, Publisher, Owner : Afaq Ahmad Bhat 

Editor: Afaq Ahmad Bhat 

Legal Advisor: Hakim Sami Yaqoob (Advocate) 

Published From: Rajbagh Opposite Radio Colony Srinagar J&K 

Printed At: Alsafa Printing Press Hazuri Bagh Srinagar 

RNI No: JKENG/2013/55310 

Cell No: 9419081703 

Other Opinion 

Save our cities 

The warnings cannot be starker. The World Health Organisation, 

in its latest report, is pointing to a global 

“public health emergency” that will lead to incalculable 

deaths and disease from the world’s fastest 

growing phenomenon — urban pollution. WHO’s 

latest data of 2,000 cities show great deterioration has 

taken place since 2014. The factors behind such pollution 

have already been established — transport emissions, 

concrete dust from construction, power station 

emissions and wood burning in stoves. The latest revelation 

is that the toxic clouds of smog sitting over cities 

are clearly visible from the International Space Station. 

The UN figures point to some 3.3 million premature 

deaths every year from urban pollution. If China leads 

the world with 1.4 million such deaths, India is a deadly 

second with 645,000 deaths. At least 20 Indian cities 

figure in the top 100 polluted cities of the world. 

While pollution was known to cause asthma and pneumonia, 

the medical world now believes it also causes 

heart and blood circulation problems, even dementia. 

The warning is even more relevant to India because as 

a growing economy development cannot be stopped to 

clear the air, nor can an end be put to the great Indian 

urban push which will only worsen the toxic haze. 

So acute is the problem that even Arvind Kejriwal’s 

odd-even solution seems to offer some relief even if 

quantitatively it’s not as much as the studies suggest. 

Unless India abandons diesel, perpetrator of pollution by 

nitrous oxide, as the prime mover of the wheels of the urban 

economy, we will be struggling to make any impact on the 

miasma surrounding our cities. 

Email: preciouskashmir@gmail.com 

Website: www.preciouskashmir.com 

X 

Edit 

Srinagar,Friday 

22.01.2016 4 

China’s vision of the 

Middle East 

Geoffrey Aronson 

i Jinping’s first visit to the Middle East since 

becoming China’s president three years ago reflects 

three emerging, defining elements in the 

conduct of Beijing’s foreign policy in the region. 

The basic building block of Chinese policy 

remains the development and expansion of 

economic and trade links. There is clear and 

long-standing evidence of an expanding Chinese 

economic presence throughout the region 

- from the massive energy markets of Saudi 

Arabia and the infrastructure developments in 

Iran to the domination of trade with Lebanon, 

Xi’s visit is heavily weighted in this direction, 

highlighted by the effort to shape an international 

trade and development system in China’s 

image. The “One Belt, One Road” plan, unveiled 

in 2013, is the centrepiece of Beijing’s effort to 

place China at the centre of a new system of international 

trade. 

The expansion of economic ties has created an 

imperative for increased diplomatic engagement 

to protect and expand these relationships. 

Middle East in China’s image 

The duelling visits of Syrian government and 

opposition delegations to Beijing in December, 

when China offered to host discussions between 

the parties, is only the most recent evidence of 

this development which promises to raise China’s 

diplomatic profile across the board. 

The globalisation of China’s own definition of national 

security has both a strategic and a security 

dimension in the region. More than half of China’s 

peacekeeping complement is based in the Middle 

East - principally patrolling off the Somali coast 

as part of a UN-mandated anti-piracy campaign. 

China’s growing role in such multilateral efforts 

is increasingly being supplemented by sovereign 

expansion of China’s military capacity - the most 

prominent example being the creation of the first 

Chinese military base outside China’s borders - in 

tiny Djibouti, where the US and France also maintain 

military forces astride the critical maritime 

route from the Chinese mainland to its vital markets 

via Suez to the Mediterranean. 

The international footprint of jihadi terror - both 

as a political and a domestic security issue, is 

symbolised by the ongoing detention of a Chinese 

national by Islamists in Syria as well as by 

the presence of Uighur radicals fighting in Syria 

and Iraq under the ISIL flag. 

ISIL threats to Suez from Sinai are also viewed 

in Beijing as a threat to the safety of its trading 

routes and partners, forcing the subject on to the 

Chinese policy agenda as a critical element in 

discussions with Cairo and Riyadh, but also more 

broadly throughout the region - in Syria and 

Turkey.Traditional Chinese lanterns are installed 

in the Luxor Temple in preparation for a visit by 

Chinese President Xi Jinping, in Luxor, Egypt [AP] 

China enjoys a standing in the region that none of 

the stronger and more veteran powers contesting 

for regional influence has managed. China’s relations 

with the Arab world are “ideal”, in the view 

of Arab League secretary-general Nabil al-Araby. 

“China is the only major state in the world that always 

supports Arab rights and causes because they 

are rightful. China does not side with any party over 

another and it always seeks the common good.” 

China’s no enemies policy 

China’s emphasis on a classic conservative support 

for state sovereignty, noninterference in domestic 

affairs and a “no enemies” policy offer a stark contrast 

to the interventionist policies of the West in 

the past century. This policy reflects China’s own 

parochial interests as well as a formula that enables 

Beijing to enhance its economic and political 

power broadly, even in such polarised regions 

as the Middle East. 

“Regarding some of the region’s problems, China 

has always taken a balanced and just position,” 

explained Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang 

Ming when asked about tensions between Riyadh 

and Tehran.“If the Middle East is not stable, 

I’m afraid the world can’t be very peaceful. If a 

country or a region is not stable, it cannot realise 

development. China firmly supports regional 

countries individually exploring a development 

path that suits their national conditions.” 

The principles underlying this balancing act, 

which has produced dividends on both the economic 

and diplomatic front, appear in the first official 

policy paper on the Middle East released by 

Beijing days before Xi’s arrival in Riyadh. 

“China’s Arab Policy Paper” - the first of its kind 

for the region - offers a broad historical, strategic 

and economic rationale for aggressive Chinese 

engagement across a broad range of “shared interests”, 

based upon “a new type of international 

relations featuring win-win co-operation”. 

There are signs in Washington of a less charitable 

view of ‘China’s rise’... 

“[Arab countries and China] share a broad consensus 

on safeguarding state sovereignty and 

territorial integrity, defending national dignity, 

seeking political resolution to hotspot issues, 

and promoting peace and stability in the Middle 

East,” the report notes. 

“We share similar views on issues such as reform 

of the United Nations, climate change and Doha 

Round trade negotiations, and maintain sound 

co-ordination and co-operation. Cultural and 

educational exchanges are more frequent and 

people-to-people ties are getting closer with 

enhanced mutual understanding and friendship 

between the two peoples.” 

Such a benevolent view of the effect of China’s 

reappearance on the international stage understates 

the degree to which Beijing’s growing 

presence in the region signals a challenge to the 

system shaped and dominated by the United 

States over three quarters of a century. 

Until now, Washington has viewed China’s premier 

trading position and its large-scale infrastructure 

and development projects from Suez 

to Tehran with equanimity. 

Will Pakistan be able to counter 

expanding extremism? 

Aurangzeb Qureshi 

Pakistan continues to be a major target 

of terrorism, most recently demonstrated 

by the attack on Bacha Khan 

University, which killed 20 people. 

Only a week before, three attacks 

in close succession at a UN-backed polio 

clinic in Quetta, a local broadcaster and the 

Pakistani consulate in Jalalabad killed at least 

20 people and injured more than 30, which 

included civilians and security personnel. 

Slowly but surely, Pakistan’s terrorism 

crisis has morphed into an existential nightmare, 

one that is threatening to unravel any 

semblance of stability. As the country finds 

itself at the crossroads of prosperity and failure, 

its fight against terror is more important 

now than ever. 

Pakistan is one of the main victims of 

terrorism, a fact often ignored in the West. 

To put matters in perspective, Pakistan’s 

terrorism-related deaths from 2007 to 2014 

numbered 1,592 - a 940 percent increase from 

1998-2006, according to the 2015 Global Terrorism 

Index. 

The same study also ranks Pakistan fourth 

out of 124 in a list of countries most affected 

by terrorism with the tragic Peshawar army 

school attack in late 2014 serving as an ominous 

exclamation point. 

The Afghanistan connection 

Many of Pakistan’s problems stem from 

the political upheaval in Afghanistan. The US 

invasion after 9/11 turned the lawless border 

between the two countries into a breeding 

ground for terrorist activity. 

Nestled between three volatile borders, 

Pakistan is also situated in one of the most 

geopolitically sensitive areas of the world, 

with different players vying for competing 

interests. 

Ongoing US drone campaigns have radicalised 

segments of the local population and 

mobilised groups such as the Pakistani Taliban 

to carry out attacks against civilians and 

military targets. These attacks only exacerbate 

sectarian tensions between Pakistan’s Sunni 

and Shia communities and continue to bring 

into question the integrity of Pakistani statehood. 

With ISIL now in the mix, the situation 

can only degrade further. 

The military and ... the ISI must take fundamental 

efforts to cease the practice of using 

terrorism as a foreign policy asset and avoid 

domestic blowback. 

External factors aside, Pakistan must 

also take a genuine stance against terrorism 

within its own borders, root out internal terrorist 

sympathies and take a leadership role in 

ending the use of proxies. 

The military and particularly Pakistan’s 

intelligence agency, the ISI, must make fundamental 

efforts to cease the practice of using 

terrorism as a foreign policy asset and avoid domestic 

blowback.With a projected GDP growth 

of over 5 percent for the next three years, an 

improved currency and recent consolidation of 

its three stock exchanges into the new Pakistan 

Stock Exchange, the country might be showing 

signs of economic progress after years of 

volatility.The $46bn China Pakistan Economic 

Corridor project, linking the Gwadar port to the 

Chinese city of Kashgar, has the potential to turn 

Pakistan into a strategic trading hub. 

Also given Iran’s post-sanctions reintegration 

into the world economy, a rekindling of the 

Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline to address the energy 

shortage also becomes a real possibility. 

Peace with India 

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 

surprise visit last month also signals that peace 

with India, although difficult, might not be as 

elusive as some believe. Similarly, Afghanistan’s 

new President, Ashraf Ghani, has also shown 

signs that he is not willing to give up on improving 

ties with its eastern neighbour despite pressure 

from within his government. 

History has shown that Pakistan’s military 

remains the de facto power within the state. 

However, the head of Pakistan’s armed forces, 

General Raheel Sharif, has shown restraint by 

focusing on Operation Zarb-e-Azb in Northwest 

Pakistan and rooting out political mafias in 

Karachi rather than plotting coups. 

Nawaz Sharif’s civilian government continues 

to govern after what marked Pakistan’s first 

peaceful democratic transition in the country’s 

68-year history.Often viewing India as a territorial 

threat, even the ISI might also be on board 

with improving relations. 

In a 2008 research report for his masters 

degree at the US Army War College, the now 

Director-General of the ISI, Rizwan Akhtar, 

had argued that Pakistan should “aggressively 

pursue rapprochement with India”. 

Given that the recent Pathankot attack on 

an Indian army base is unlikely to deter ongoing 

dialogue, it seems that a substantial shift 

in the bilateral relationship based on cooperation 

and goodwill is under way. 

>>>>>>>>> Please send your articles and letters on preciouskashmir@gmail.com >>>>>>>>>


Sensex Nifty Gold 

Business/ International 

Friday 

5 



Silver Dollar J&K Bank Yes Bank SBI ICICI Bank HDFC Bank 

99.83 

32.50 

190.00 

294.00 

0.07 

1.90 

8.05 

1.95 

1.90 

4.70 

23962.21 

7276.80 

26,369.00 

34,395.00 

68.02 

68.60 

654.30 

175.60 

226.30 

1,023.00 

Sensex ends below 24000 on Asia meltdown 

Mumbai, Jan 21: In a yet another turbulent 

day, markets ended lower amid 

a sell-off in Asian stocks that had gained 

earlier but ended with deep incisions as 

weakness in crude oil prices renewed 

worries over global growth. 

The 30 share S&P BSE Sensex ended 

below 24,000 –first time since May 2014 to 

settle at 23,962, down by 100 points while 

Nifty50 ends at 7,276, down by 32 points. 

After a brief recovery, the rupee 

once again breached the 68-mark in late 

morning deals, depreciating by 10 paise 

to 68.05 on heavy bouts of demand for 

the American currency from banks and 

importers amid higher dollar overseas. 

The selloff in the local equities also 

weighed on the rupee. 

Crude oil in today’s trade succumbed 

to pressure and fell further on consistent 

worries over less demand in an oversupplied 

market. 

Meanwhile, the Foreign Institutional 

Investors (FIIs) continued to be the net 

sellers to the tune of Rs 1,325 crore on 

Wednesday as per provisional stock exchange 

data. 

GLOBAL MARKETS 

After getting a respite in the morning 

trades, Asian markets erased all of their 

gains to end lower as crude oil prices resumed 

the downfall. 

Japan’s Nikkei ended 2.5% lower 

while Hang Seng finished 1.9% lower. 

China’s Shanghai Composite cracked 

3.3% for the day. 

European markets are oscillating 

between negative and positive zone as 

all eyes would be on the European Central 

Bank, which will meet for the policy 

meeting over interest rates later in the 

session. 

SECTORS & STOCKS 

Sectorally, BSE Bankex index ends 

1.3% higher while BSE Auto index skid 

1.8% 

Banks traded firmly today with Axis 

Bank finishing as the top gainer, up by 

5.2% after it reported a 15% rise in net 

profit to Rs 2,175 crore in the October- 

December quarter on the back of higher 

net interest income and other income. Following 

the suit are some of the prominent 

names including SBI, ICICI Bank, HDFC 

Bank ending up between 0.5%-1.5%. 

Oil exploration majors RIL and ONGC 

‘India to remain attractive 

investment destination’ 

New Delhi, Jan 21: India is likely to remain 

an attractive destination for investors given 

its relative macro outperformance and the 

country is likely to clock a GDP growth rate of 

7.5 per cent this fiscal, a Citigroup report said. 

According to the global financial services 

major, the structural drivers of growth are 

likely to benefit from reforms but external 

headwinds remain strong. 

“Overall a period of consolidation would 

see GDP growth at 7.7 per cent in FY17, only 

marginally higher than 7.5 per cent growth in 

FY16,” Citigroup said in a research note. 

As per government estimates, the economy 

will grow by 7-7.5 per cent during financial 

year 2015-16. On prices, the report said, 

the output gap is not closing fast enough to 

reverse the disinflationary momentum and 

hence Reserve Bank could continue with an 

accommodative stance. The global brokerage 

firm expects CPI inflation to average 5.3 per 

cent in FY17 as against 4.9 per cent in FY16. 

According to the report, the FY16 fiscal 

deficit for the central government could slip 

to 4.1 per cent of GDP on lower nominal GDP 

growth. The implementation of the pay commission 

proposals would make fiscal compression 

“challenging”, Citigroup said adding 

“a fiscal deficit target of 3.7 per cent of GDP 

will be more pragmatic for FY17 than the 3.5 

per cent target as projected in the fiscal roadmap 

last year. 

Overall, 2016 could be a year of consolidating 

a cyclical recovery in a challenging 

global environment. Notwithstanding headwinds, 

India is likely to remain an attractive 

destination for investors given its relative 

macro outperformance, the report said. 

The risks to watch for in 2016 are, protracted 

global slowdown, wave of competitive 

devaluation, super El NiÃ±o, stalled reforms 

and debt overhang, it added. 

Meanwhile, Citigroup has cut its 2016 

global growth forecast to 2.7 per cent from 

2.8 per cent, with below-consensus forecasts 

in many major economies, implying another 

year of below-potential growth and continued 

disinflationary pressures. 

lost between 2%-3% as the crude oil prices 

again tumbled after a short respite. 

Among the peers, Cairn India and OIL 

also slipped between 1%-2% each. 

Drug maker Cipla and three other 

drug makers - Emcure, Hetero and Natco 

- will sell generic version of Bristol-Myer 

Squibb’s anti-hepatitis drug, Daclatasvir. 

The stock, however, owing to the pressure 

in local equities ended 2.3% down. 

Commodity-based stocks witnessed 

an uptick with Hindalco, Tata Steel, Hindalco 

up between 1-2%. 

Weakness in the Indian rupee has 

helped the export oriented IT stocks. 

Wipro and Infosys surged up to 1.5%. TCS 

Focusing on reviving private 

investments, says Arun Jaitley 

Davos, Jan 21: Confident of 

utilising the headroom available 

to the Indian economy, 

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley 

today said it needs some additional 

growth engines and 

the focus now is on reviving 

private investments. 

Inviting foreign players 

to invest in the infrastructure 

space, he exuded confidence 

that the stuck reform 

measures like GST would go 

through as the numbers in 

the Upper House will change 

favourably soon. 

No reform proposal has 

actually got stuck for long 

so far despite India being a 

‘noisy democracy’, he said. 

Jaitley was speaking at a 

breakfast session on ‘India — 

The next growth engine of the 

world’, organised by industry 

body CII and consultancy BCG 

here on the sidelines of the 

WEF Annual Meeting. 

however ended 0.7% down. 

The auto stocks suffered in today’s 

trade with M&M ending down 1% 

.Among individual names, Maruti Suzuki 

finished nearly 4% down while Tata Motors 

skid over 4%. 

Among other shares, Natco Pharma 

surged 3% to Rs 544 on the BSE after the 

company announced that it has signed 

a licensing agreement for Daclatasvir, 

which is used for treatment of chronic 

hepatitis C. 

Gati dipped nearly 13% also its 52- 

week low on the BSE, after the company 

reported 33% year-on-year (YoY) drop in 

its net profit at Rs 7.67 crore for the third 

quarter ended December 2015 (Q3FY16) 

dueto lower operational income. 

Meanwhile, The market capitalisation 

of the companies listed on the BSE 

shrank by Rs 10 lakh crore in 14 trading 

sessions so far in calendar 2016, as the 

benchmark indices lost close to 6.5%, 

while mid-cap has declined more than 

10% since January 1. 

On Wednesday alone, market capitalisation 

of BSE companies declined by 

nearly Rs 2 lakh crore to Rs 90.65 lakh 

“We have a very noisy 

democracy… But I am finding 

that there are more people 

who want to support the 

growth and the others are 

very minuscule minority… 

Any economy needs multiple 

engines of growth,” he 

said. 

“In the past we had 

fewer such engines and we 

need a few more. Public investment 

is one that we are 

doing. We are concentrating 

on infrastructure and for the 

first time in history we have 

been able to rationalise the 

subsidies,” the Finance Minister 

added. 

According to him, people 

are eventually going to pay 

for the goods and services 

they want to buy and for the 

weaker sections technology 

would be used to ensure 

that the benefits reach the 

right target group. 

Noting that a series of reform 

measures are pending, 

Jaitley said some of these 

become symbol of whether 

India would be able to cross 

this obstacle or not. 

“India is a noisy democracy 

but I am sure that we 

would be able to get all of 

them through. Some measures 

have got delayed but 

none of them have actually 

hit a complete road block,” 

he added. 

In days to come India 

will have to focus on reviving 

crore as the Sensex fell 417.8 points or 

1.71%. All the major sectoral indices 

closed in the red as foreign portfolio investors 

(FPIs) sold equities worth $195 

million during the session, Bloomberg 

data showed. 

According to Andrew Holland, CEO, 

Ambit Investment Advisory, weak China 

data continues to raise concerns about 

Hong Kong dollar forwards, which in 

turn, has raised concerns whether China’s 

economy will face a hard or a soft 

landing. “We haven’t moved away from 

China and oil. People are fearing slowdown 

in global growth, making investors 

more risk averse.” 

The current streak of market correction 

was triggered by weak poor December 

Caixin Purchasing Managers Index 

(PMI) data of China which was released 

on January 4. Shanghai Composite, the 

benchmark index of Chinese equities, 

slumped 16% since the beginning of the 

year. Major global indices have lost about 

5-10% so far in January and global markets 

have lost close to $5 trillion in terms 

of market capitalisation due to the broadbased 

selling, data showed. 

private investments, Jaitley 

said, adding, “we are asking 

people from all over the 

world to become partners in 

India’s infrastructure growth 

story”. 

“I have always said the 

current rate of 7-7.5 per cent 

is not our real potential and 

we have potential to add 

1-1.5 per cent. There is still 

head space that we have 

and I am sure we would be 

able to reach that,” he said. 

On GST, Jaitley said the good 

news is that all states are on 

board and all political parties, 

except one, are also on 

board. 

“The paradox is that the 

party which drafted GST is 

not on board. But then the 

numbers in Rajya Sabha are 

going to favourably change 

soon and I am hopeful 

that the GST would be 

through,” he added. 

‘Pay 12% interest 

on Income Tax 

refund delay’ 

New Delhi, Jan 21: Tax 

refunds made more than 

six months after the returns 

are filed will come with an 

annual interest of 12% and 

those with delay by over a 

year will be paid interest up 

to 18%, if the government accepts 

the recommendations 

of a high-level committee. 

Currently, the interest 

on refunds can’t exceed 6%, a 

“low rate” which, according 

to the committee, doesn’t 

fully offset the opportunity 

cost of money to the 

taxpayer, while serving as a 

“perverse incentive” for the 

taxman to delay refunds. 

The remarks of the 

RV Easwar Committee on 

simplification of the tax 

regime — which submitted 

its initial set of recommendations 

to the government 

recently — come at a time 

when the speed of tax 

refunds have improved in 

recent years thanks to the 

Bengaluru-based centralised 

processing centre (CPC) that 

allows e-returns. Even as 

the tax department takes 

credit for the pace at which 

refunds are now being made 

and the “interest savings” 

because of the CPC, the panel 

said the higher interest rates 

proposed would prompt 

the tax administration to 

“put its house in order to 

expeditiously settle payment 

mismatches, if any.” 

The CPC was set up in 

2009. In that year, the CAG 

had estimated the interest 

on refund at 14.66% per 

annum (thanks to the huge 

delays and backlog of refund 

claims). 

Delay in getting the tax 

refund has been one of the 

key grievances of taxpayers. 

Though, the government has 

taken some steps in the past, 

more needs to be done. Accordingly, 

the committee has 

recommended the refund process 

be made time bound and 

has also proposed to increase 

the interest rate on refunds to 

one percent per month. 

Israel confirms it plans to seize West Bank land 

Jerusalem, Jan 21: Israel confirmed 

on Thursday it was planning to appropriate 

a large tract of fertile land 

in the occupied West Bank, close to 

Jordan, a move likely to exacerbate 

tensions with Western allies and 

already drawing international condemnation. 

In an email sent to Reuters, CO- 

GAT, a unit of the Defence Ministry, 

said the political decision to seize 

the territory had been taken and 

“the lands are in the final stages of 

being declared state lands”. 

The appropriation, first reported 

by Israel`s Army Radio, covers 154 

hectares (380 acres) in the Jordan 

Valley close to Jericho, an area where 

Israel already has many settlement 

farms built on land Palestinians seek 

for a state. 

U.N. Secretary General Ban 

Ki-moon issued a statement on 

Wednesday denouncing the land 

seizure, which is the largest appropriation 

in the West Bank since August 

2014. 

“Settlement activities are a violation 

of international law and run 

counter to the public pronouncements 

of the Government of Israel 

supporting a two-state solution to 

the conflict,” Ban said in a statement. 

The land, already partly farmed 

by Jewish settlers in an area under 

Israeli civilian and military control, 

is situated near the northern tip of 

the Dead Sea. The Palestinians denounced 

the appropriation plan on 

Wednesday. 

The United States, whose ambassador 

angered Israel this week 

with criticism of its West Bank policy, 

said late on Wednesday it was 

strongly opposed to any move that 

accelerates settlement expansion. 

“We believe they’re fundamentally 

incompatible with a two-state 

solution and call into question, 

frankly, the Israeli government’s 

commitment to a two-state solution,” 

Deputy State Department 

spokesman Mark Toner said. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin 

Netanyahu was scheduled to 

make a speech at the World Economic 

Forum in Davos on Thursday. 

It was not immediately clear 

if he would address the issue or 

if foreign diplomats would raise 

their concerns with him. 

The Palestinians want to establish 

an independent state in the 

West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, 

areas Israel captured in the 1967 

Middle East War. 

There are now about 550,000 

Jewish settlers living in the West 

Bank and East Jerusalem, according 

to Israeli government and thinktank 

statistics. About 400,000 Palestinians 

live in East Jerusalem and 2.7 

million in West Bank. 

Israel is hoping that in any final 

agreement with the Palestinians it 

will be able to keep large settlement 

blocs close to Jerusalem and the Israeli 

border, as well as in the Jordan 

Valley, for security and agricultural 

purposes. The Palestinians are adamantly 

opposed. 

The last round of peace talks 

broke down in April 2014 and Israeli-Palestinian 

violence has surged in 

recent months. 

Since the start of October, Palestinian 

stabbings, car-rammings 

and shootings have killed 25 Israelis 

and a U.S. citizen. In the same 

period, at least 148 Palestinians 

have been killed, 94 of whom Israel 

has described as assailants. Most 

of the others died during violent 

demonstrations. 

Syria peace talks may be 

delayed: UN envoy 

Zurich, Jan 21: Internationally brokered talks 

between Syria’s government and opposition 

groups due to start on Jan. 25 may be delayed, 

but major powers must keep up the pressure 

to bring participants to the table, the United 

Nations envoy said. 

A Syrian opposition council backed by 

Saudi Arabia said it will not attend the negotiations 

in Geneva with the government if a 

third group takes part, a reference to a Russian 

bid to widen the opposition team. 

UN Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura 

spoke in an interview with broadcaster CNN, 

hours after US Secretary of State John Kerry 

and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov 

held talks in Zurich despite no sign of agreement 

on who should represent the opposition. 

“We have no intentions to postpone the 

talks from January to February. This is both 

the position of Russia and the United States, 

and we are confident that in the next days, 

in January, such talks must start,” Lavrov said. 

“...This will be just the start, because of 

course it will take a lot of time, a whole range 

of arduous tasks are to be resolved.” 

Various dates were being mooted, but the 

final decision was for the UN Secretary General 

on the advice of de Mistura, he said. 

De Mistura, asked if he was able to send 

the invitations to the talks, told CNN in the 

Swiss resort of Davos: “I can’t tell you today, 

I will tell you on the 24th, one day before.” 

It was important that it be “a serious talk 

about peace and not talks about talks”, he 

said. “I believe we can start the talks, perhaps 

not on the 25th, but we need to maintain the 

pressure, we need to maintain the momentum.” 

Kerry’s spokesman, John Kirby, said Kerry 

and Lavrov discussed “the importance of 

maintaining progress towards a diplomatic 

solution to the crisis in Syria.” 

“There’s been no change in our desire 

to see this meeting happen on the 25th,” he 

said. 

A delay of one or two days in the start of 

the talks not be the end of the world, a U.S. 

State Department spokesman said later on 

Wednesday in Washington. 

Kirby said Kerry also pressed Russia to 

use its influence with Syrian President Bashar 

al-Assad to ensure unimpeded humanitarian 

access, especially to Syrians in besieged areas 

such as Madaya where people are reported to 

have died from starvation. 

De Mistura said he believed Russia, which 

has been carrying out air strikes on rebels in 

Syria for months, “has a great vested interest 

in not getting involved for too long.” 

Putin ‘probably approved’ murder 

of Russian ex-spy: UK inquiry 

London, Jan 21: Russian President Vladimir 

Putin “probably approved” the radiation 

poisoning of former KGB agent Alexander 

Litvinenko in London, a British judge said 

Thursday at the conclusion of a public inquiry 

into his agonising death. 

“The FSB (Russian security agency) operation 

to kill Litvinenko was probably approved 

by Patrushev and by President Putin,” judge 

Robert Owen said in his 300-page report. 

Patrushev is a former director of the FSB, 

the successor organisation to the KGB, who 

has been a key security minister since 2008. 

Litvinenko was poisoned at a London 

hotel in 2006 by a cup of tea laced with polonium-210 

-- an extremely expensive radioactive 

isotope only available in closed nuclear facilities 

-- in a sequence of events which could 

have come from a Cold War thriller. 

The original police investigation led British 

prosecutors to demand the extradition 

from Russia on murder charges of Andrei Lugovoi, 

a former Kremlin bodyguard who had 

tea with Litvinenko at the Millennium Hotel in 

London`s upmarket Mayfair area. 

The latest inquiry has also focused on 

Lugovoi`s friend and associate Dmitry Kovtun, 

a former Soviet soldier and businessman 

who was also at the meeting in the hotel with 

Litvinenko. 

“When Lugovoi poisoned Litvinenko it is 

probable that he did so under the direction of 

the FSB,” Owen concluded. 

“I would add that I regard this as a strong 

probability. I have found that Kovtun also took 

part in the poisoning. 

“The open evidence that I have set out 

above establishes a strong circumstantial case 

that the Russian state was responsible for 

Litvinenko`s death,” he added. 

Amnesty accuses Turkey of ‘collective 

punishment’ in Kurdish southeast 

Istanbul, Jan 21: Turkey security forces 

are subjecting residents of Kurdishdominated 

southeastern Turkey to 

“collective punishment” with military 

operations backed by curfews, Amnesty 

International said on Thursday, accusing 

the army of “recklessly” using excessive 

force. 

Turkey has imposed successive 

curfews over the last months in towns 

in the southeast to back military operations 

aiming to crush militants of the 

Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). 

Curfews remain in place in Cizre in 

Sirnak province and the Sur district of 

Diyarbakir city, which were imposed on 

December 14 and December 2 respectively. 

A curfew in place since December 

14 in Silopi, also in Sirnak, was partially 

lifted on Tuesday. 

The army says hundreds of militants 

have been killed in an “anti-terror” operation 

but Kurdish groups have long 

raised alarm over the civilian toll. 

“The operations currently being 

conducted under round-the-clock curfews 

are putting the lives of tens of thousands 

of people at risk and are beginning 

to resemble collective punishment,” said 

John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International’s 

Europe and Central Asia Program Director. 

Amnesty International called on the 

Turkish government to end the indefinite 

curfews, saying residents had been 

left residents without access to emergency 

health care, food, water and electricity 

for extended periods. 

“Operations by police and the military 

in these areas have been characterized 

by abusive use of force, including 

firing heavy weaponry in residential 

neighborhoods,” the group said in a report. 

“There is little doubt that the Turkish 

authorities are putting lives at risk by 

using lethal force excessively and recklessly,” 

it added. 

The military operations are particularly 

aimed at the PKK’s youth branch 

the Patriotic Revolutionist Youth Movement 

(YDG-H) which the government 

says has dug trenches and erected barricades 

in urban areas. 

“Security measures, including those 

aimed at arresting suspected members 

of YDG-H, must adhere to Turkey’s obligations 

under international human 

rights law,” said Amnesty. 

It quoted data from the Human Rights 

Foundation of Turkey (TIHV) saying that 

162 people have been killed during the 

curfews since operations were launched 

in August 2015, including 29 women, 32 

children and 24 people over 60. 

Belgium detains 

2 suspects in Paris 

attacks probe 

Brussels, Jan 21: Belgium has 

arrested two men suspected of 

links to the Paris attacks on Nov 

13, in which 130 people were 

killed, the Belgian federal prosecutor’s 

office said in a statement 

on Thursday. The two men, 

identified as Belgian national 

Zakaria J., born in 1986 and 

Moroccan national Mustafa E., 

born in 1981, were arrested during 

two house searches in the 

Brussels district of Molenbeek, 

prosecutors said. “Both were arrested 

due to their possible ties 

with different suspects in this 

case,” the statement said. “The 

Investigating Judge will decide 

later today upon their possible 

further detention.”


HEALTH 

Brush your teeth twice a day and revitalise your heart 

What have brushing and cleaning 

your teeth to do with your 

heart? A lot, say health experts, 

suggesting that taking care of 

your teeth and gums will not 

only help keep oral hygiene or 

make you smile better but also 

save your heart from various 

heart diseases. 

Gum disease can be a reason 

for heart disease because 

bacteria from infected gums 

can dislodge, enter the bloodstream, 

attach to blood vessels 

and increase clot formation. 

“Swelling caused by gum 

disease may also trigger clot 

formation. Clots decrease blood 

flow to the heart, thereby 

causing an elevation in blood 

pressure and increasing the 

risk of a heart attack”, said Dr 

Subhash Chandra, chairman 

(cardiology) at BLK Super Speciality 

Hospital in the capital. 

Dr Chandra recently treated 

Neelam, an 18-year-old girl 

who was diagnosed with endocarditis 

(suffering from leaking 

heart valve). The infection in 

her heart valves was caused by 

mouth bacteria. 

Endocarditis is an infection 

of the heart’s valves or inner 

lining. It occurs when germs 

get into the bloodstream and 

settle inside the heart, often on 

a valve. 

The infection is usually 

caused by bacteria but in rare 

cases it is seen to be caused by 

fungi. 

Not brushing the teeth 

increases the bacterial count 

in the mouth which can travel 

to the damaged heart valves to 

cause infection. 

Many of the risk factors for 

gum disease are the same as 

those for heart disease, such as 

tobacco use, poor nutrition and 

diabetes. 

Overall, people who have 

chronic gum disease are at 

higher risk for a heart attack. 

The people with moderate or 

advanced gum (periodontal) 

disease are more likely to have 

heart disease than those with 

healthy gums. 

There are two groups - 

namely coronary heart disease 

and infection in heart valves - 

in which the effect of poor oral 

health can be studied. Poor oral 

healthcare increases the risk of 

coronary heart diseases. 

“Poor oral health increases 

the risk of infection 

in heart valves, especially in 

case of pre-existing damage 

in the heart valve. With such 

a condition, the infection due 

to poor oral health can reach 

to the already damaged heart 

valves, causing an infection 

there too.” explained Dr Tapan 

Ghosh, director (cardiology 

sciences) at Paras Hospitals, 

Gurgaon.Brushing your teeth 

twice a day is a mandate to 

maintain good oral healthcare. 

It is always advisable to go for a 

regular dental checkup in order 

to maintain a good oral health. 

“One of the biggest mouthheart 

connections is related 

to gum disease. The spread of 

infected bacteria by swollen 

and bleeding gums not only 

destroys the structure of teeth 

jawbones but can also cause 

heart attack,” the experts 

cautioned.Gum disease which 

is called “gingivitis” in its early 

stages and periodontal disease 

in the late stages is caused by 

plaque build-up along and 

below the gum line. 

“Apart from heart attack, 

poor oral health hygiene may 

result in various serious health 

consequences as respiratory 

infections, diabetes, poor nutrition, 

osteoporosis and stomach 

disease like gastro-intestinal 

infection, H Pylori, gastritis and 

stomach cancer,” added Dr Ramesh 

Garg, head (gastroenterology) 

at Saroj Super Speciality 

Hospital in Delhi. 

So next time when you ignore 

brushing your teeth, hear 

the voice of your heart! 


Srinagar | Friday 


36 

Too much 

sugar during 

adolescence 

leads to 

eating 

disorder 

Teenagers with allergies 

at greater depression risk 

Teenagers with food allergies 

are more likely to suffer 

from depression, anxiety or 

attention-deficit hyperactivity 

disorder (ADHD), a new 

study reveals. 

The mothers of teenagers 

with food allergies are 

more likely than the kids 

themselves to report they 

are suffering from emotional 

and behavioural problems 

such as depression, anxiety 

or attention-deficit hyperactivity 

disorder (ADHD), a 

condition in which a person 

has trouble paying attention 

to and focusing on tasks, the 

findings showed. 

“It’s also clear that these 

problems are not just a 

phase, teens with food allergies 

are more likely to have 

mental health problems 

Fry veggies 

in olive oil to 

get maximum 

heath benefits 

Frying in Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) 

improves the chemical compounds 

present in the vegetables, reveals a 

new study. 

Researchers from the University of 

Granada (UGR) in Spain have proven 

FROM FRONT PAGE..................... 

Shutdown........ 

into adulthood,” said Mark 

Ferro, assistant professor at 

the McMaster University in 

Ontario, Canada. 

In a study involving 

1,300 children, the researchers 

found that about a third 

the call given by Hurriyat leaders who failed to support us during 

the 16 day long strike in the area,” traders and residents said. 

Complete shutdown was observed in Pulwama, Anantnag, 

Kulgam and Shopian districts. All the schools, shops, banks and 

other business establishments remained closed, while thin attendance 

was observed in governmental offices. Most of the 

roads wore a deserted look. 

“In the wee hours of Thursday, pitching battles erupted 

between angry youth and forces in Kakpora area of Pulwama 

district,” eye-witnesses said. 

Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Syed Javaid 

Mujtaba Gillani told KNS that the situation across South Kashmir 

and Srinagar city remained peaceful. 

While replying to a query about the civilian killing in Pulwama 

on Wednesday, IGP said, “Investigation in the case is going 

on.” 

The shutdown call was given by Hurriyat (G) Chairman, Syed 

Ali Geelani against January 21, 1990 Gow Kadal massacre and the 

civilian killing in a Pulwama Village on Wednesday. (KNS) 

US Report....... 

revelations about a procurement network run by former Pakistani 

nuclear official A Q Khan, Islamabad has taken a number 

of steps to improve its nuclear security and to prevent further 

proliferation of nuclear-related technologies and materials, it 

said. 

A number of important initiatives, such as strengthened 

export control laws, improved personnel security, and international 

nuclear security cooperation programmes, have improved 

Pakistan's nuclear security, the CRS said. 

"However, instability in Pakistan has called the extent and 

durability of these reforms into question. Some observers fear 

radical takeover of the Pakistani government or diversion of 

material or technology by personnel within Pakistan's nuclear 

complex," the CRS said. 

Yatra........ 

and Yes Bank spread over 32 States and UTs as compared to 430 

Bank branches in 30 States/ UTs during 2015 Yatra and directed 

CEO to take all required steps to commence Advance Registration 

of Pilgrims w.e.f from 29th February 2016 for both the Baltal 

and Chandanwari routes. Reiterating that every Yatri must 

obtain a Compulsory Health Certificate (CHC) from the Doctors/ 

of teenagers with food allergies 

reported that they had 

emotional and behavioural 

problems. 

However, more than 46 

percent of their mothers reported 

the problems faced 

that frying in EVOO -- unrefined oil 

and the highest-quality olive oil -- is 

the cooking method that increases 

the phenolic -- chemical compounds 

-- fractions present in raw vegetables 

used especially in Mediterranean 

diet (potato, pumpkin, tomato and 

eggplant). 

“Oil as a means of heat transfer 

increases the amount of phenolic 

compounds in vegetables, opposite 

to other cooking methods such as 

boiling, where heat transfer is done 

through the water,” explained Cristina 

Samaniego Sanchez, a professor from 

UGR. 

Vegetables fried in EVOO improved 

their antioxidant capacities 

by these children. 

When the same teenagers 

were 21 years old, 44 

percent of those with food 

allergy reported emotional 

and behavioural problems, 

and they were twice as likely 

as their non-allergic peers 

to have symptoms of depression 

that had persisted 

from adolescence. 

“Unfortunately, we 

don’t know whether the 

teens with food allergy are 

less likely to report problems 

themselves, or whether 

the mothers are over-reporting 

problems, but we 

do know that health professionals 

should take in several 

people’s perspectives 

when they are assessing 

these kinds of mental health 

problems,” said Ferro. 

and also acts as an active deterrent 

for chronic degenerative pathologies 

such as cancer, diabetes or macular 

degeneration, the study showed. 

Using EVOO for frying vegetables 

increases their fat content and reduces 

their moisture, while this is not observed 

in other cooking methods, the 

findings revealed. 

Also, EVOO transfers phenols to 

the vegetables, enhancing the latter 

with oil-exclusive chemical compounds 

that are not naturally present 

in raw vegetables, the researchers said. 

Frying is the method that produces 

the greatest associated increases in 

the phenolic fraction, confirmed the 

researchers. 

Hospitals nominated by the States and UTs before applying to 

the nearest located designated Bank branch for getting a Yatra 

Permit, the Board advised the CEO to once again send out an appeal 

to all potential pilgrims to consult their doctors before embarking 

on the pilgrimage even after having obtained a Health 

Certificate some weeks earlier. 

The Board directed CEO to take timely steps for ensuring 

uninterrupted telecom connectivity in the Yatra area during 

Yatra 2016. Appreciating the services rendered by the Langar 

Organization during Yatra 2015, the Board expected continued 

cooperation from them during Yatra 2016. 

The Board directed that the CEO should repeatedly publicize 

through the electronic and print media that the intending 

Yatris must furnish the prescribed Compulsory Health Certificate 

before seeking Advance Registration for the Yatra. 

The CEO would intensively publicize the registration procedure; 

requirement of Compulsory Health Certificate to obtain 

registration; details of Doctors / Institutes authorized to issue 

Compulsory Health Certificates; the Dos and Don’ts to be followed 

by the Yatris during the course of Yatra; and the Health 

Advisories to prevent pilgrims from getting afflicted with serious 

illness during the Yatra. The awareness campaign would be 

launched through the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. 

The CEO shall place all information relating to the Yatra on 

the Boards website – www.shriamarnathjishrine.com. 

Results........ 

position. 

Furqan Showkat, Govt HSS Nanil 467 3rd position. 

Arts: 

Aiman Jan Habeeb, Jamia-tul-banat school Umar colony 

486 1st position. 

Suraya Nazir Jamia-tul-banat Schoo, Umar colony 480 2nd . 

Ummay Honey, Jamia-tul-banat school Umar colony 479 

3rd position. 

Home Science: 

Iflah Shabir Govty HSS kothi bagh 471 1st position. 

Nasheem Ashraf Govt HSS kothi bagh 469 2nd position. 

Bisma Nazir Govt HSS Kothi bagh 444 3rd position. 

Mother........ 

“She (mother) wanted to teach a lesson to her husband by killing 

the children as she suspected that her husband had an extra-marital 

affair with a woman in her neighborhood,” claimed 

the official. 

Further investigation is going on and the SIT is meticulously 

Anxiety can make 

you walk in 

opposite direction 

Did you notice why you suddenly start 

moving in the other direction when in 

stress? Blame your brain as people experiencing 

anxiety have more activity 

on the right side of the brain, causing 

them to walk in a leftward trajectory, 

researchers report. 

Dr Mario Weick from the University 

of Kent has for the first time linked 

the activation of the brain’s two hemispheres 

with lateral shifts in people’s 

walking trajectories. 

In research aimed at establishing 

why individuals display a tendency 

to allocate attention unequally across 

space, people were blindfolded and 

asked to walk in a straight line across a 

room towards a previously seen target. 

The researchers found evidence 

that blindfolded individuals who displayed 

inhibition or anxiety were 

prone to walk to the left, indicating 

greater activation in the right hemisphere 

of the brain. 

The research, published in the 

journal Cognition, indicates that the 

brain’s two hemispheres are associated 

with different motivational systems. 

These relate on the right side to 

inhibition and on the left to approach. 

“This is the first time researchers 

have established a clear link between 

looking for evidence and reasons behind the “heinous crime”. 

Sting........ 

his corrupt practices within the department. 

“This is not the official time to call me however I must tell 

you that I have not gone through the video, I will look at it and 

take appropriate action,” said SMC Commissioner, Showkat Ahmad 

Zargar. 

ADC Pulwama finalized 

the R-Day arrangements 

Pulwama, Jan 21: The Additional Deputy Commissioner finalised 

the Republic Day Arrangements today with the Officers of 

District Administration and Police Officers at District Administrative 

Complex Pulwama. 

It was told in the meeting that the main function will 

start with shahnaiwadan at District Police Lines Pulwama. 

The chief guest will hoist tricolour followed by Marchpast 

in which contingents of JKP, JKAP, CRPF, NCC, Fire & Emergency 

Services and students of various school will participate. 

The Additional Deputy Commissioner asked the officers 

of R&B, PHE, PDD, Information Department, Youth 

Services & Sports, Education, Health Services & Municipal 

Committee, for making necessary arrangements. It was 

decided that full-dress rehearsal will be held on 24th of 

January 2016. 

Meanwhile, Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Pahalgam, 

today chaired a meeting of concerned officers to finalize the arrangements 

for the Republic Day. 

The function at Pahalgam will start with the unfurling of tricolor 

by the Chief Guest, who will then inspect the march past 

and take the salute at the parade. 

The Contingents drawn from various wings of J&K Police, 

Forest Protection Force and Fire & Emergency besides school 

children will participate in the parade. 

The SDM took a detailed review of the arrangements made 

by various concerned departments and finalized them with 

some suggestions. 

The SDM emphasized on the officers of the health and 

municipal departments to deploy an ambulance with staff and 

medicines at the venue and ensure cleanliness and sanitation in 

and around the venue, respectively. 

The meeting was attended by various concerned administrative 

and police officers. 

inhibition and activation in the right 

side of the brain,” the study noted. 

The findings may have implications 

for the treatment of unilateral 

neglect, which is a condition caused by 

a lack of awareness of one side of space. 

In particular, individuals suffering 

from right-sided neglect may benefit 

from interventions to reduce anxiety. 

Over-consumption of sugar 

during adolescence may 

alter the brain’s reward circuits 

-- leading to substance 

abuse or eating disorders, 

warns a new study. 

The researchers found 

that this decrease in reward 

relates to reduced activity 

in one of the key hubs of 

the brain’s reward circuitry, 

called the nucleus accumbens. 

“In spite of the dramatic 

increase in the consumption 

of sweet palatable 

foods during adolescence in 

our modern societies, the 

long-term consequences 

of such exposure on brain 

reward processing remain 

poorly understood,” said 

senior author Martine 

Cador, director of The French 

National Centre for Scientific 

Research in the European 

Journal of Neuroscience. 

The nucleus accumbens 

plays a central role in the 

reward circuit. Its operation 

is based chiefly on two 

essential neurotransmitters: 

dopamine, which promotes 

desire, and serotonin, whose 

effects include satisfaction 

and insecurity. 

The new study in rats 

may provide significant 

insights into the long-term 

impacts of over-consumption 

of sugary foods during 

adolescence. 

The study shows that 

the enjoyment of such foods 

later in adulthood is reduced 

in those who over consumed 

early in life. 

Such long-lasting alterations 

could have important 

implications for reward-related 

disorders such as 

substance abuse or eating 

disorders. 

Assistant Labour 

Commissioner, CITU 

organize awareness camp 

Kathua, Jan 21: Assistant Labour Commissioner office, Kathua 

in coordination with state working committee, Central Indian 

Trade Union (CITU) held an awareness camp at Panchayat Ghar, 

Chak Nathal, Sanji Morh, Chadwal. 

The main aim of the camp was to generate awareness 

among building/construction workers regarding their registration 

as beneficiaries with the J&K Building and other Construction 

Workers’ Board, Jammu and to educate them in respect of 

various legal formalities they are required to fulfill to become 

eligible for registration. 

Assistant Labor Commissioner, Kathua, Ashok Kumar 

Choudhary, apprised a group of around 200 workers present 

in the camp, about various schemes framed by the Board for 

the welfare of registered construction/building workers and the 

ways and means to avail them. The officers at the camp exhorted 

the workers to take full advantage of the welfare measures. 

Showing concern over the fact of some unscrupulous elements 

take undue advantage of the welfare legislation, the Assistant 

Labor Commissioner, Kathua cautioned such people that doing 

so may land them in legal troubles in terms of law regulating 

the whole mechanism. 

Public hearing by 

PCB held at Mahore 

Reasi, Jan 21: State Pollution Control Board conducted the Public 

hearing on Sawalakote H.E.P of 1856 MW on river Chenab, in 

the premises of SDM office Mahore, to know the views of General 

Public of the area about the project. 

ADDC Reasi Bhawani Rakwal chaired the hearing and also 

gave his views on the project. 

More than 300 locals of the area including Sarpanches, 

Panches of panchayat Dhanour, Dhansal, Dhanae,Pugga, Khani 

kote etc witnessed the public hearing and raised their views 

and concerns about the project especially employment to the 

locals, road connectivity and other aspects of corporate social 

responsibility. 

Angrez Singh, Div Officer PCB Kathua and Narayan Thakur 

Inspector PCB conducted the proceedings of the public hearing.

SRINAGAR, FRIDAY 

7 


Khawaja’s 58-ball 103 powers Thunder into first final 

S 

P 

O 

R 

T 

S 

Boomer Collins: 

The baseball 

player whose 

goal is cricket 

HIGHLIGHTS 

• For Fountain and Collins, 

turning one unfulfilled 

sporting career into another 

is an ambition that 

has been embraced 

• Collins is trying to break 

into a system no American 

athlete has managed 

to break into 

• With a sturdy physique, 

Collins is about as American 

as they come 

Baseball, poets say, cannot 

be scripted. Two former 

baseball players, one 

American and the other 

English, are attempting to 

write a script that could 

prove path-breaking. 

For Julien Fountain, 

a former Great Britain 

Olympic baseball player 

and qualified cricket 

coach who has worked 

with the England, West 

Indies and Pakistan cricket 

teams in the past, and 

Boomer Collins, a former 

Toronto Bluejays minor 

league player, turning 

one unfulfilled sporting 

career into another that 

has widely been viewed 

with skepticism and, lets 

face it, a degree of amusement, 

is an ambition 

that has been furiously 

embraced. 

If the pair of Fountain 

and Collins achieve what 

they set out to do less 

than a year ago - to secure 

the latter a contract 

in one of cricket’s several 

Twenty20 leagues - it will 

be a breakthrough for 

both men and, ultimately, 

the north American 

market that has so far 

struggled to capture the 

attention of cricket’s 

franchise moneybags. Currently 

only the Caribbean 

Premier League offers six 

contracts to members of 

the ICC Americas squad, 

but these are all cricket 

players with roots to 

Commonwealth countries.Collins 

is about as 

American as they come, his 

name and sturdy physique 

as close to the archetypal 

image of a multi-sport 

high-school athlete with 

the promise of a career in 

the major leagues, and was 

only exposed to cricket 

a year ago when Fountain 

reached out to him 

on LinkedIn. Until then, 

cricket was nowhere near 

his radar. 

Born Thomas Collins 

III, the name Boomer stuck 

after a tornado crashed 

past the Dallas, Texas hospital 

where he was born in 

June 1989. When in 2013 

he signed with the Toronto 

Bluejays as an undrafted 

free agent after accumulating 

a .374 batting average 

from 60 junior games 

at Dallas Baptist. 

Sydney Thunder 2 for 

160 (Khawaja 104*) 

beat Adelaide Strikers 

7 for 159 (Ross 47, 

McKay 3-44) by eight 

wickets 

A year ago, a team from Sydney - who had 

sneaked into the last four - came to Adelaide 

to play the table-topping locals in a semi-final, 

and silenced a record crowd, with victory 

thanks to a magical innings from a stylish 

left-hander. This time, the name, colour and 

look of the Sydneysiders were different, but 

the outcome the same. 

Thanks to another glorious innings from Usman 

Khawaja, Sydney Thunder, for so long 

the competition’s whipping boys and laughing 

stock, have never lost a BBL semi-final. On 

Friday, Melbourne Stars - with bad weather 

forecast - will play Perth Scorchers to host the 

Thunder in the Final. For Strikers, the curse of 

the BBL’s top spot continues. Since BBL01, every 

table-topper has gone out in the semi-finals. 

Khawaja has reached rare heights this summer, 

but here, there was simply nowhere the Strikers 

could bowl to stop him. Within four overs, 

he had knocked off a third of the target, sharing 

53 with Shane Watson, who was allowed 

just three deliveries. Gary Putland was recalled 

by the Strikers but mauled by Khawaja, with a 

brutal flick to leg in his first over followed by a 

scythe through the covers in the next. 

Jon Holland was treated no better, with a slogsweep 

and two boundaries down the ground 

dispatched by Khawaja. The worst was reserved 

for Michael Neser, whose first over went 

for 19, including the easiest loose-limbed six 

HIGHLIGHTS 

• In the ongoing four-Test home series against 

England, the Proteas are now trailing 0-2 after 

three matches. 

• Even if South Africa beat England in the 

fourth Test, they would not improve from 

their current third position. 

• Against England, South Africa were expected 

to perform according to their status as No. 1 

side. 

After residing atop the ICC Test rankings for 

long, South Africa have made way for a young 

Indian side led by Virat Kohli to occupy the 

top spot. It was more due to the failures of 

the South African side in the last one year 

than India’s success which led to the change, a 

transition unlikely to last long. 

In the ongoing four-Test home series 

over midwicket. There was more, all in the same 

magical over: an idyllic cover drive, a perfectly 

placed cut and a wristy flick. 

So beautiful and brutal was this display of 

batsmanship - there was not a single stroke that 

could be labelled a slog - that when Khawaja did 

find a fielder, cheers rung out. After Watson fell 

to a better Ben Laughlin over, Khawaja knocked 

Travis Head for a couple of singles to bring 

up the Thunder’s fastest ever 50, from just 24 

balls. Khawaja was not yet done. Head’s next 

over was slog-swept and late cut for six, then 

Mahendra Singh Dhoni still 

the best man to lead India: 

Michael Hussey 

A beleaguered Mahendra Singh Dhoni 

on Thursday found backing from 

former Australia cricketer Michael 

Hussey, who says the Indian captain 

was the most suited to lead the team 

as he still has a lot of fire in his batting. 

Dhoni’s poor run of form continued 

when he scored a duck in the 

fourth ODI and India slipped to a 25- 

run defeat from a very strong position. 

They were 277/1, chasing a record 

349 at the Manuka Oval in Canberra 

but lost nine wickets for 46 runs in 12 

overs. 

Dhoni has been facing a lot of 

flak for not being able to perform the 

role of a finisher for a long time. The 

under-fire captain later took blame for 

the heart-breaking defeat yesterday. 

“I would back MS to do the job 

and he has been doing it for so long 

now. He is best suited to handle most 

situations out there. 

“People forget that it is not easy 

job to do. You cannot just come in 

against England, the Proteas are now trailing 

0-2 after three matches. After a 3-0 thrashing 

by India in their away series, a tour dominated 

by the uproar over the ‘spin-friendly’ 

pitches, South Africa were expected to perform 

according to their status as No. 1 side in 

the world. But they suffered two demoralising 

defeats against the touring English side. 

Kohli’s team, with 110 rating points, is the 

new No. 1 team in the world, for the first time 

since 2011, ahead of Australia (109 points). Even 

if South Africa beat England in the fourth Test, 

they would not improve from their current 

third position. 

As South Africa look to avoid another 3-0 

thrashing in successive series at Centurion 

starting Friday, TOI Sports tracks their winless 

last 12 months.South Africa since Jan 2015: M 9, 

W 0, L 5, D 4 

four. 

Adil Rashid’s introduction briefly caused Thunder 

some bother, as Hussey was given caught 

behind when he did not seem close to it. Soon 

enough, as Rashid lost his length, Khawaja 

went after him too, lacing a beautiful cut for 

four. Rashid returned and fought back well 

towards the end, but by then, the damage had 

been done. 

As rain fell, Khawaja - in the company of Henry 

Nicholls - had motions to go through. Not a 

single risk was taken until he pulled Laughlin 

Sania, Bopanna enter 

Australian Open Round 2 

Melbourne: Indian tennis stars 

enjoyed comfortable wins in the 

Australian Open on Thursday as 

Sania Mirza eased into the second 

round with partner Martina 

Hingis while Rohan Bopanna also 

registered a straight sets win in the 

men’s doubles first round here. 

Sania’s rampaging run with her 

Swiss partner continued as the 

duo stretched its winning streak 

to 31 after brushing aside Mariana 

Duque-Marino and Teliana Pereira 

6-2, 6-3 in the women’s doubles 

opening round. The duo hardly 

broke a sweat in its 70-minute win 

against the unseeded Colombian- 

Brazilian pair. 

ISania and Hingis, who are slated to 

face the twin sisters from Ukraine 

-- Nadiia Kichenok and Lyudmyla 

Kichenok -- in the next round, are 

and smash 60 off 30 balls every single 

time. You have got good bowlers, and 

they have gotten smarter, and they 

know what Dhoni’s strengths are, so 

things will not always happen the 

same way,” Hussey said. 

The Australian, known as Mr. 

Cricket, said the young Indian batsmen 

need to bat around him to learn 

how to finish close games. 

also sitting pretty at the top of the 

women’s doubles rankings. 

The Indo-Swiss pair has been 

on a roll after clinching its 11th 

straight WTA title at the Sydney 

International last week. 

Bopanna, who took court soon 

after, combined well with Romanian 

partner Florin Mergea 

to outplay the Australian duo 

of Omar Jasika and Nick Kyrgios 

7-5 6-3. The fourth seeds play 

Lukas Dlouhy and Jiri Vesely in 

the second round. 

Indian veteran Mahesh Bhupathi 

has already booked his 

second-round berth alongwith 

partner Gilles Muller, while 

Leander Paes bowed out after 

a first-round loss alongside 

French partner Jeremy Charady on 

Wednesday. 

South Africa started the last year with an 

eight-wicket victory over eighth-ranked West 

Indies in the third Test to win the home series 

2-0. But from there on it was a rough ride for 

the Proteas. With 2015 being a World Cup year, 

they got to play the longest format of the game 

again in July, but rain played spoilsport in their 

tour to Bangladesh with both the drawn Tests 

affected by it.New pace sensation Mustafizur 

Rahman made his sterling debut (4/37) in the 

first Test and helped Bangladesh take a moraleboosting 

first-innings lead as they posted their 

highest ever total against South Africa (326) in 

reply to the visitors’ 248. But rain washed out 

the final two days. The second Test too ended in 

a tame draw with rain washing out four days. 

The Bangladesh tour was remembered more for 

South Africa’s first ever ODI series lost to the 

hosts.After winning the limited-overs series in 

over the man at deep-square for another marvellous 

six to reach his second century of the 

tournament, and his fourth in seven innings in 

all cricket. 

Strikers’ 159 would likely not have been 

enough, even without a performance of such 

inspiration. The hosts were immediately 

behind the game, as fit-again Mahela Jayawardene 

was caught behind to Watson, and Tim 

Ludeman skied to a back-peddling Andre Russell, 

who made an extremely tricky catch look 

simple. Just as Head looked to be getting into 

his stride, consecutively cover-driving Nathan 

McAndrew for four, he was gone, slapping a 

half-volley straight to cover. When Brad Hodge 

missed a slog-sweep to a turner from Chris 

Green, Strikers were in strife at 4 for 66 at the 

halfway stage. 

A sweep-laden innings from Alex Ross, alongside 

some late humpty from Neser and Rashid, 

carried the Strikers to 159. Ross got after Fawad 

Ahmed, with a pull and two sweeps for four, 

then Watson, who he guided fine and pulled 

hard for another pair of boundaries. Watson 

dismissed Ross’s partner Jake Lehmann to halt 

the charge, but Neser threw the hands hard, 

proving particularly productive through the 

midwicket region. When he was yorked by 

Russell, and Ross fooled by a McKay slower 

ball, the onus was on Rashid to provide a final 

flourish. He delivered, cutting over backward 

point and driving over the covers for four, then 

finishing the innings with a tonk down the 

ground for six.Little did he know, though, that 

he was just setting the game up a little more 

perfectly for Khawaja. The Thunder had headed 

to Adelaide with no fear, as the only team 

to beat the Strikers in the regular season. 

They leave on Saturday - like their female 

counterparts - having made their first ever 

final. Make no mistake, the Thunder have arrived, 

even if it is five years too late. 

Sindhu, Srikanth reach 

quarterfinals of Malaysia Masters 

It was curtains for Indian 

women’s doubles pair of 

Jwala Gutta and Ashwini 

Ponappa as they lost their 

second round match. 

Top Indian shuttlers P.V. 

Sindhu and Kidambi 

Srikanth advanced to the 

quarterfinals of the $120,000 

Malaysia Masters Grand 

Prix Gold after notching up 

contrasting victories in the 

women’s and men’s singles 

competition in Penang on 

Thursday. 

Two-time bronze medallist 

at World Championship, 

Sindhu continued her unbeaten 

run as she edged out 

Japan’s Kaori Imabeppu 21-13 

13-21 21-14 in a hard-fought 

battle to take her overall 

record against the Japanese 

to 3-0, having beaten her at 

the World Championship and 

Japan Open in 2012 and 2013 

respectively. The third seeded 

Indian will next take on Indonesia’s 

Lindaweni Fanetri. 

Second seed Srikanth, who 

clinched the India Super 

Series and Swiss Open last 

year, thrashed 16th seed 

Boonsak Ponsana of Thailand 

21-17 21-10 in a men’s 

singles match to take a 2-1 

lead in their head-to-head 

encounter. The World No. 

9 from Guntur will lock 

horns with China’s Huang 

Yuxiang next.Ajay Jayaram, 

seeded 10th, also progressed 

to the last eight round but he 

had to fight it out to register 

a 11-21 21-8 22-20 win over 

Malaysia’s Zulfadli Zulkiffli. 

Jayram will now face the 

Helmet helps 

umpire ward off 

injury threat 

CANBERRA: For the first 

time in international 

cricket, an on-field umpire 

was seen wearing a 

helmet while officiating in 

a match and understandably 

so. 

It was in the month of 

November last year when 

Australian umpire John 

Ward was left concussed 

after taking a blow on 

his head while standing 

in a Ranji Trophy fixture 

between Punjab and Tamil 

Nadu at Dindigul. 

The 53-year-old was in India 

as part of the umpire’s 

exchange programme 

when he was felled by a 

powerful shot played by 

Barinder Singh Sran on the 

South Africa’s Test tumble: 12 months, no wins 

winner of another third 

round match between top 

seed Lee Chong Wei of 

Malaysia and Singapore’s 

Zi Liang Derek Wong. 

However, it was curtains 

for Indian women’s doubles 

pair of Jwala Gutta 

and Ashwini Ponappa 

as they lost their second 

round match 14-21 17-21 

against Japanese duo of 

Shizuka Matsuo and Mami 

Naito in just 37 minutes to 

crash out of the tournament. 

It was in the month of 

November last year when 

Australian umpire John Ward 

was left concussed after taking 

a blow on his head while 

standing in a Ranji Trophy 

fixture between Punjab and 

Tamil Nadu at Dindigul. 

opening day of the fourday 

tie. 

It was very scary and it 

took Ward some time 

to emerge from it. Once 

bitten twice shy, Ward is 

no more willing to take a 

chance and wore the helmet 

for the entire duration 

of the game. 

India, a confidant South Africa started the Test 

series in Mohali but were quickly outdone by a 

turning pitch and the Indian spinners. In a lowscoring 

match, which saw 40 wickets fall inside 

three days, India registered a 108-run victory 

to take a 1-0 lead. Chasing a 218-run target on 

a turning third-day pitch, South Africa were 

bundled out for just 109. 

The second Test in Bangalore was a wash 

out due to incessant rain and a wet outfield. 

Next was another disaster for the visiting team 

as they were beaten by a massive 124-run 

margin inside three days on what was termed 

an inappropriate ‘rank turner’ of pitch in Nagpur. 

South Africa had to bear the ignominy of 

posting their lowest total in 58 years, when 

they were bundled out for 79 by the Indian 

attack led by Ravichandran Ashwin (5/32) and 

Ravindra Jadeja (4/33).

22 January 2016

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