Hurriyat (M) executive meeting on July 9

Srinagar, July 08 (VOS): The Executive Council of the Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Umer Farooq will meet at the Mirwaiz’s Nigeen residence in the afternoon on July 9.

The meeting is significant in the backdrop of talks between the Hurriyat leadership and the Pakistani Foreign Secretary Jali Abbas on July 3 at New Delhi.

All the executive members have been asked to attend the meet in person in the backdrop of absence of some members in the recently held meetings of the conglomerate, Hurriyat sources told VOS. “The meet will deliberate on issues resulting out of misunderstandings and differences among the members apart from discussing the prevalent situation in the valley in the backdrop of the Dastgeer Sahib (RA) shrine incident”, added sources within the Hurriyat.

“We will also exchange our views regarding the recently held meetings with the Pakistan Foreign Secretary”, said a Hurriyat leader.

Meanwhile Hurriyat Conference Chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq confirmed that the meeting of the executive council is being held on Monday. “The General Council will also meet on July 10, Tuesday”, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq told VOS over telephone.

“The strike call on July 13, Martyrs day, and necessary arrangements with regard to the July 13 programme will also be finalized in the meeting”, Mirwaiz added.  (VOS)

CDR to organise 3 day conference on cross LoC trade

Srinagar, July 08 (VOS): The Centre for Dialogue and Reconciliation (CDR), New Delhi, is organising a three day cross-LoC trade conference titled “Cross LoC Trade, Regional Development: Opportunities and Challenges”. The conference starts from 10-12 July, 2012, at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre, Srinagar.

The delegation from PaK will arrive in Srinagar on 9th July 2012, a press statement of the CDR said.

“The Srinagar conference was conceived given the importance of the Cross LoC trade and its socio-economic impact. CDR has kept a constant focus on the cross LoC trade since its inception in 2008. The conference will explore the future possibilities, opportunities and challenges of the trade by bringing together the stakeholders from both sides of the LoC”, it added.

Sixty Participants representing various Trade & Business organizations of J&K & PaK are participating in the conference. These include representatives of Jammu & Kashmir Joint Chambers of Commerce (JKJCCI), Kashmir and Jammu Chambers of Commerce and Industries, Federation of Industries of Kashmir and Jammu, Cross-LoC Traders Associations from Salamabad and Poonch. The delegation from Pak includes representatives of JKJCCI, Chambers of Commerce of Muzaffarabad, Mirpur, Bhimber, Kotli and LoC Traders Associations of Rawalakot, Hajira and Muzaffarabad. Representatives of FICCI are also among the participants. Since the opening of LoC Trade, this is the first time that the Traders from both sides of LoC would be meeting together in Jammu-Kashmir State. The conference envisages a series of outcomes:

 The conference will assess the socio-economic impact of the Cross-LoC trade over the years with a view to bring about greater synergy between the traders and the concerned government departments.

Black laws reason for HR violations: Engineer 

Srinagar, July 08 (VOS): Accusing the Army and other agencies of security forces of damaging public properties in the garb of fighting the militancy MLA, Langate, Er. Rasheed has said that the said agencies should be made accountable. He said that unlimited powers which have been given to the armed forces and the black laws implemented in Jammu and Kashmir often become a reason of the human rights violations so all such laws need to be withdrawn immediately.
While a day long tour of Rajwarah Handwarah Er. Rasheed addressed public gatherings and heard the people there. Er.Rasheed visited Bhawan Watsar where three houses were raised to ground in a gunfight between Army and a militant a few days ago.MLA, Langate, visited the damaged houses and interacted with the victims. He condemned the army
action and said that Army could have saved all these houses if a little patience and care was shown. "Had Army shown some patience and dealt with care all these properties would have been saved but it has un necessarily shown military might and damaged public property rendering dozens of people homeless", Er. Said and added that not even a single, so called, public representative has visited the area to show sympathy with the victims. He said that nobody would be allowed to exploit the Tehreek and the sentiments of common masses. "Those claiming to be public representatives can no more exploit the people instead they have to be accountable for all that they are and have been doing on the name of movement" MLA langate  said. He distributed a cash relief of Rs 45,000/=among the victims on behalf of his Joint Effort Trust(JET).
Later on Er.Rasheed visited Nagra Nar village and addressed a public gathering there. "I visited Bhawan Watsar and was shocked to see the damages caused by Army while it was fighting just one militant, I think this damage could have been avoided but the Armed forces enjoy unlimited power under the black laws implemented in Kashmir" Er. Rasheed said and added that the state Govt. has been claiming to get the black laws abolished but has failed to take a decision. "The Govt. claims to be working on getting the black laws abolished but it seems that the Govt. has no powers at all, it seems that the people at the helm are just to play on the tunes of their masters outside state" he said.
Emphasizing on the need of early resolution of the Kashmir issue MLA, Langate said that" though the present situation in Kashmir gives an impression of peace being here but the recent incidents of Pampore, Pulwama and Kulgam give a clear message that the balloon of peace can anywhere and anytime be punctured till Kashmir remains un solved and disputed".

AMK condoles demise of Late Nishat Ansari’s wife

Srinagar, July 08 (VOS): Adbee Markaz Kamraz  (AMK) has condoled the demise of Ruqaya Begum, wife of legendary poet and writer of Kashmiri language Late Nishat Ansari. She breathed her last at her home in Delina Baramulla on July 7, after months of illness. She was 80.

Expressing heartfelt condolences with the bereaved family, AMK spokesperson said the Ansari family has contributed immensely in the promotion and preservation of Kashmiri language, with Late Nishat Ansari being at the vanguard of the movement for the  revival of the language.  AMK prayed for peace to the departed soul.

Meanwhile, Halqa Adab Sonawari, Daira Adab Delina, Maraz Adbee Sangam, Jo-e-Adab Kaij Nag Kashmir, Mehboob Cultural Society Baramulla and Akbar Jaipuri Memorial Commmittee  also prayed for the departed soul and expressed sympathies with the bereaved family. According to family, her Chaharum will be observed on Wednesday, July 11.