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Kashmir : Budget session cut short

	February 04, 2008

The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly was adjourned sine die on Jan. 30 and the Budget session cut short by ten days following protests by the opposition against alleged corruption in the forest department. As soon as the House met on Jan. 30, the opposition National Conference members demanded the sacking of Forest Minister Qazi Mohd. Afzal and his predecessor Tariq Hamid Karra who now holds the Finance portfolio.



An inquiry headed by present Chief Secretary B.R. Kundal had pointed irregularities in the Forest Department when Karra and Afzal held the forest portfolio.



Amidst protests from Opposition members, the grants of more than a dozen ministries were passed by voice vote in less than half an hour after which Speaker Tara Chand declared the House adjourned sine die.



The National Conference has accused Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad of shielding corrupt Ministers. The functioning of the Assembly was affected during the preceding few days because of continuing opposition protests on the forest scam





Militant groups not to attack voters



Militant groups say that they will not attack voters during the Assembly elections later this year.



“If somebody comes out to vote willingly, we won’t stop him,” said Syed Salahuddin, the chairman of the United Jihad Council (UJC), an organisation that has over a dozen militant groups as members and is based in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.



This is the first time in 18 years of militancy that such an assurance has been given. Although voters have rarely been tar¬geted even in the past, coffins would be left in public places in the nineties to warn people against going out to vote. Many died in strikes on rallies and polling stations.



“The militant organizations associated with the UJC will fully take part in the anti-poll campaign but guns will not be used to force people to boycott the election,” Salahuddin said in a statement.



Thirteen rebel groups, including the Hizb-ul Mujahideen, make up the UJC. Five others, including the Lashkar-e-Toiba and the Jaish-e-Mohammad, enjoy observer status.



The statement comes three months after the UJC announced a ban on landmines and grenades in public places.



Police, however, expect a “surge” in attacks on politicians ahead of the elections to the Assembly due in autumn. Kashmir police chief S.M. Sahai said there were intelligence reports that the Hizb could try to subvert the polls. Politicians have been asked to take “extra precautions”, a senior police officer said.





Incident free Republic Day



The Republic Day was celebrated peacefully at all district headquarters amidst tight security and a strike call given by separatist organisations. Functions were also organised at Leh and Kargil district headquarters in Ladakh amid cold wave condi¬tions, apart from Jammu, the winter capital of the State.



Normal life was paralysed in the Valley because of a strike call by separatist organisations including both factions of the Hurriyat Conference.



The main function in the state was held at Jammu where Governor S.K. Sinha unfurled the National Flag and took the salute. Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad was present on the occasion.



Meanwhile, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehboo¬ba Mufti has taken exception to the Governor’s Republic Day message in which he ruled out the reduction of troops from the state. He said the Governor’s remark was completely uncalled for.





Tribal people welcome award for Gujjar leader



Tribal people of Jammu and Kashmir have welcomed the confer¬ring of Padma Bhushan award on veteran Gujjar leader Mian Bashir Ahmed. Thousands of Gujjars and Bakarwals gathered at Mian Bashir’s residence near Jammu to greet him. Eighty-four year old Bashir Ahmed has followers not only in India and Pakistan, but also in the Arab countries and Europe.



Mian Bashir Ahmed said the award was not only for his tribe, but for Gujjars living in eleven states. He said that he would continue to work for social justice, human rights, peace and prosperity of the state.





Pakistan wants to inspect Baglihar



Pakistan says that it wants its officials to be allowed to inspect the Baglihar dam before it got operational. Reacting to reports that India planned to do so in May 2008, Foreign Office spokesman Mohammed Sadiq said Pakistan’s Indus Waters Treaty Commissioner had asked for an inspection of the dam before it was operationalised. He also referred to the 2007 report by the World Bank-appointed neutral expert who recommended changes to the dam structure.



“We have seen the news coverage that India is planning to operationalise the dam. The neutral experts agreed upon by both sides have issued a report and given a decision about the Bagli¬har dam and its specifications. We expect that the specifications will be followed in letter and spirit before the dam is opera¬tionalised,” he said.