‘Resolutions’ as good as implemented: Prof Bhat

“My party has 3 roadmaps for resolution of Kashmir issue”

“Hurriyat vibrant and intact despite differences”

“Flexibility, broadmindedness key to resolution of dispute”

Shopian, July 7 (VOS): Accepting United Nations (UN) Resolutions as the legal base for Kashmir issue, Muslim Conference Chairman and senior Hurriyat leader Prof Abdul Gani Bhat said resolutions are useful only when applied or acted upon rather than for their content and existence.

“Despite passage of 6 decades, the resolutions have not been implemented”, he said adding he did not violate the Hurriyat Constitution. “Apart from UN resolutions, Hurriyat Constitution envisages three options including complete freedom and tripartite talks as a means for finding a lasting solution to the vexed Kashmir issues “, he added.

The Muslim Conference leader said his party has prepared three different roadmaps for solution of Kashmir issue, which will be presented before people in coming times as and when needed. “I am sure these roadmaps will be needed in the near future”, he said adding he will provide the documents to Hurriyat Conference whenever it needs. Once Hurriyat gets these three formulas, it will become the Hurriyat Conference property, he said. While talking to VOS, Prof Bhat said, these roadmaps may or may not be accepted by the Hurriyat conference.

Bhat said he may seem lonely with his beliefs and assertions; however, he has enough ammunition in store to prove the veracity of his beliefs and actions. “I don’t shoot in darkness. Let those people who are happy because of my loneliness stay happier, however only time will tell who will take matters forward in the right direction”, the Professor said. Bhat said his loneliness was a result of his realization of realities and sticking to them.

Admitting presence of certain differences among the Hurriyat Conference leaders, Prof Abdul Gani Bhat said such differences should not be perceived as conflict or rivalry among Hurriyat leaders. “Differences have been there right since the Hurriyat Conference was founded, however, despite differences the forum is vibrant and intact”, he said adding Hurriyat has been representing Kashmiris sentiments and aspirations throughout the world as their true representative. Bhat said India and Pakistan have reached at point where they cannot avoid the resolution of the Kashmir issue for long, however all the sides including Kashmiris will need to exhibit flexibility and broad mindedness to reach a solution, he said.

“Flexibility and broad mindedness coupled with sensitiveness towards the limitations of other parties is a prerequisite for finding a lasting solution to the Kashmir issue”, he said. “Leadership from India, Pakistan and Kashmir should not expect any miracles. Everyone will have to be ready to move ahead of their conventional stands and try to find common ground”, he added.

Bhat cautioned if the three parties don’t show flexibility, the future generations will keep suffering asserting understanding of the sensitivities of other parties can only ensure result oriented talks. “If flexibility is not there, the dialogue process can only get stalled”, he said. (VOS)

Governance in Paralysis: Mufti                                

Alleges Govt of surrendering 268 crores in Mughal Road project

Shopian, July 7 (VOS): Expressing concern at the failure of the government to carry forward the ambitious connectivity plan ushered in by previous coalition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today said all sectors of development had come to a standstill in the state. “It is worse than a paralysis” he told a public meeting in Shopian today that the governance in J&K suffers from. “The prestigious Mughal road too has been a victim of governance paralysis resulting in delay in its completion” he added. On this occasion Senior Leaders Muzaffar Hussain Baig, Tariq Hameed Karra, Ab Razaq Zawoora MLA, Mohd Shafi Bandey District president, Bashir Ahmed Malik, Gh Mohiudin Wani, Gh Hassan Bhat, Bashir Ahmed Sofi and Mohd Abdullah Wani were also present and spoke to the gathering.

Mufti said it was scandalous that an amount of Rs 268 crores had reportedly been surrendered in previous years out of the funds allocated for this new artery of growth, development and social integration. “Even the Comptroller and Auditor General  (CAG) has pointed it out in a report and the government of India reportedly withheld further funding for the state’s inability to spend” he said. Instead of completing this highway on time and securing funds for construction of a tunnel to make it an all weather facility the government has virtually subverted this project which has the potential of rewriting the destiny of areas connected by it and the people living there.

Mufti said connecting people of all regions was a crucial part of PDP vision for the state. Inclusion of Kishtwar-Synthon-Anantnag road, construction of the tunnel across Zojilla and extension of North South corridor up to Srinagar was part of the same vision that was unfolded after 2002 with a positive and generous response by government of India. However the inability to push these projects on priority has resulted in all of them running years behind schedule. “The Prime Minister’s special package announced in 2004 for a period of five years is not implemented fully in spite of several extensions” he added. Mufti said these road projects had remained trapped in the security jargon for decades resulting in severe impediments to growth and development of the state, but PDP was able to start them with government of India help and multilateral funding from institutions like the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Referring to the overall slowdown of development process Mufti said in contrast to previous coalition and other states the present government had failed to seek benefits for the state under the centrally sponsored schemes. “It is a sad reflection on the functioning of the state government that reportedly a mere Rs 350 crores have been spent under the Sarva Shikhsha Abhiyan (SSA) last year out of a grant of Rs 1500 crores” he said terming it as a criminal waste of opportunity to upgrade basic education system.

Similarly, no action has been taken under another central scheme RAMSA that aims at providing infrastructure for high schools Mufti regretted. “This scheme has the potential of transforming the entire education system but it has been reported that not a single school has been taken up under it even though the state could construct around 200 high schools under it, complete with laboratories and libraries in just one year” he said. He said he had received reports that about Rs 160 crores were available under this scheme but not a single penny has so far been spent.

Muftis said while governance had almost collapsed the rulers were unable to come out of their arrogance and contempt for positive advice. Those, including the opposition are childishly targeted for raising issues of public importance, youth witch hunted and a war forced on government employees. He said the same administration had produced entirely different results under him but the lack of political direction, loss of moral authority of the rulers and rampant corruption in high places had created a virtual anarchy in the state. “Hospitals are without even basic amenities, thousands of positions in health sector alone are vacant and patients unable to receive even basic care” he said. Similarly the government stores in the engineering departments are reportedly empty and works programs are still to be drawn up. While power supply has been the worst victim of this government’s inefficient management there are demonstrations even for drinking and irrigation water almost every day. “How can this government achieve anything substantial with such callousness and expect people to believe its announcements?” he wondered.   

Speaking on the occasion Muzaffar Hussain Baig said the government had failed to give the same priority treatment to horticulture that the previous government had ensured. The development of fruit markets had stopped and even the construction of a Controlled Atmosphere Store (CAS) at Shopian had been shelved. He said horticulture constituted one of the fundamentals of state’s economy that had a vast potential to grow further but the present dispensation had failed to implement the Rs 400 crore technology mission sanctioned many years back. The PDP led government had liberated the industry from heavy taxation and introduced marketing and processing strategies that ensured higher returns for apple and other fruits but the NC led coalition has reversed all those policies which could further increase unemployment.

Senior party leader Tariq Hameed Karra on this occasion said that credibility of the present regime headed by National Conference (NC) has reached at its lowest ebb because this dispensation has lost faith of the common masses due to misdeeds and rampant corruption. “There is total chaos and anarchy because the present regime has failed to bring transparency and accountability in the government.

Karra said that development works under the state and central sectors are victims of government lethargy, corruption and favoritism. Whatever works are taken up are driven by contractors close to government and some ministers. There is no development strategy for the government as was pointed out even by the Planning Commission of India. Annual Plan is still to be finalized. Plan funds are utilized to please their favorites. Malpractices in schemes like NAREGA have reached a level where the disbursements were stopped sometime back by GOI. ERA schemes have become a source of trouble rather than relief.

1 trooper killed, 1 injured in Pampore attack

LeT claims responsibility

Srinagar, July 7 (VOS): One army trooper was killed and another injured in an attack carried out by militants in Pampore today afternoon.

A patrolling party on 50 Rastriya Rifles came under attack, when militants indiscriminately fired upon the troopers near an ATM booth at Kadlabal Chowk in Pampore. One army personnel Deepak Singh received bullet injuries in head and died on the spot while another trooper Triloki Nath sustained bullet injuries in his jaw.

The injured trooper was shifted to Sub District Hospital Pampore, where doctors after treatment referred him to Army hospital Srinagar, where his condition is stated to be critical.

According to police sources, militants fled from the spot along with a rifle snatched from the deceased trooper.

Meanwhile tension gripped entire Pampore town following the firing incident, while police and CRPF cordoned off the area and intensified vigil to nab the attackers.

Pertinently, two police men were earlier killed in two separate incidents of firing at Pulwama and Kulgam on July 3.

Meanwhile, Lashker-e-Toiba has claimed responsibility for all the three incidents that took place over last 4 days in south Kashmir including the Pampore attack.

Spokesperson of LeT Dr Abdullah Gaznavi in a telephonic statement to VOS quoted Chief operations commander Mehmood Shah of having claimed the responsibility for the attack. “Apart from killing the troopers, we have also snatched a rifle”, he said.

The spokesperson also claimed responsibility for attacks carried out at Pulwama and Kulgam on July 3, where two policemen were killed and a rifle was also snatched from the deceased cop at Yaripora in Kulgam. (VOS)