SRINAGAR: The entire valley was brought to a standstill a day ahead of parliamentary elections in occupied Kashmir by a 50-hour strike call and an undeclared curfew imposed by authorities. Violence erupted in a number of places, leaving over a score of persons injured, even as authorities placed the chairmen of both factions of the Hurriyat Conference and a number of other separatist leaders under house arrest while over sixty activists were taken into custody to foil their poll boycott campaign.

The 50-hour strike call by the Hurriyat (G) chairman, Syed Ali Geelani, to enforce a boycott of Thursday’s polls in south Kashmir, coupled with massive restrictions by authorities, paralyzed life in the valley as commercial activities remained suspended and transport services ground to a halt.

Schools, government offices, banks and private businesses throughout Kashmir stayed shut, and streets and markets wore a deserted look during the strike that came into force on Tuesday. Violence had broken out in the city soon after the strike began, and continued today as well in a number of places where groups of youth defied heavy police presence to come out and launch stone-pelting attacks.

Thousands of police and paramilitary troopers had been moved into various parts of the city in anticipation of trouble, and roadblocks and obstructions erected on main streets curbed movement between Srinagar areas extensively.

Contingents of the police took over Lal Chowk, the commercial hub of the city, early this morning directing commercial vehicles parked there to move off, and erected barricades on the Radio Kashmir crossing, blocking access to the central and lower Srinagar.

Police and paramilitary men deployed throughout the city created a curfew-like situation with frisking and questioning at frequent checkpoints and curbs on vehicular movement. Street battles broke out in the lower city, Rambagh, Chanpora, and Bandipur where stone-pelting youth clashed with the police amid slogans in favour of azadi and poll boycott.

Groups of masked slogan-shouting youth took to the streets in Kawdara, pelting stones on the police when the latter tried to disperse them, but disappeared after brief skirmishes. A large number of youth came out in Rambagh in support of freedom and boycott, and marched to the Rambagh bridge where they clashed with the police that blocked their way.

The police used lathi-charge to break up the stone-pelting demonstration, and the situation returned to normal. Reports from Bandipur said that violent youth pelted stones on vehicles passing through the main market this morning to enforce a shutdown, leading to total suspension of business activities and vehicular movement in the town. Meanwhile, the authorities placed heavy restrictions on the movements of separatist leaders in a bid to foil their poll boycott campaign.

Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, Agha Syed Hassan, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Nayeem Ahmad Khan, Javed Ahmad Mir and Farida Behenji were placed under house arrest, while Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Hubbi, Hakeem Muhammad Altaf, Hakeem Abdul Rasheed and others were taken into custody along with scores of activists.

Senior Hurriyat (M) leaders, Zaffar Akbar Bhat and Yasmeen Raja, were arrested near Pampore, and several raids were conducted on the house of Muhammad Salim Zargar of the Tehreek-e-Mazahamat, but to no avail, as he was not present at home. Reports also speak of a large-scale police drive to round up separatist leaders and activists all over Kashmir.

input fromAgencies

WASHINGTON:

The U.S. should persuade India to pull back its troops from Kashmir so that Pakistan could focus more effectively on the fight against violent extremism,

a key Republican senator said as lawmakers urged Washington against dictating terms to Islamabad.

Appearing on FOX News Senator Kit Bond, the top Republican on the Intelligence Committee and Democratic Senator Carl Levin, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, favoured U.S. economic and security assistance for the key South Asian country, considered by the Obama Administration as critical to its anti-terrorism success in Afghanistan.

Bond was asked what the United States could do to help Pakistan fight and offset the Taliban influence in some northwestern parts of the country. Bond said:

“I visited Pakistan and we looked in great deal into what’s going on. Number one, we need to convince India to move its troops off the (Line of Control) in Kashmir so we, the Pakistani military, under General (Ashfaq Parvez) Kayani, can move them back to fight the terrorists, But we need to get the Pakistani troop over there (on border with Afghanistan). We can provide them whatever guidance, logistics or intelligence they want”

Bond said President Barack Obama has announced the good framework for a policy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, but he has to make it clear that it’s going to be a full-fledged counter insurgency strategy, which leads to durable success.

Democratic Senator Levin agreed, saying “Well, I basically agree with that. Only the Pakistanis can save themselves. They’ve got to make a decision what kind of country they want. We can be of assistance to them. “We can support them. We can provide intelligence. We can provide other kinds of support, particularly economic support, providing it’s going to be effective.

“But it’s kind of like Iraq. We can be helpful, but we can’t dominate. We can’t dictate. Only the Pakistanis, like only the Iraqis, can resolve their own political issues and save their own country.”
input from agencies

SRINAGAR: Expressing concern over the deteriorating political situation in Pakistan, both the factions of Hurriyat Conference have stressed that the country’s leadership has to show unity to ward of the crises. Chairman of Hurriyat (G) Syed Ali Geelani said: “Stable Pakistan is vital for the Kashmiri people as the country is supporting the Kashmir cause politically, morally and diplomatically.”

Terming the present situation in Pakistan as unfortunate, Geelani said: “The situation did not improve after the new government was elected. It is unfortunate that the situation is deteriorating with each passing day.” Sating that Pakistan was an important nation in the Muslim world, Geelnai said, “Powerful Pakistan secures all Muslim nations. Therefore, the situation should improve as soon as possible.”

Meanwhile, chairman of Hurriyat (M), Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said Pakistan was party to the vexed Kashmir dispute, “and if the party becomes weak then it will be have direct impact on Kashmir cause.” “We want Pakistan to become politically as well as economically powerful nation,” Mirwaiz said. He appealed the leadership of Pakistan to shun the personal rivalries and start working for peace and stability.-SANA

BIRMINGHAM: The coalition government headed by Pakistan Peoples Party has disappointed people of Jammu and Kashmir by putting the Kashmir issue on the back burner. This was stated by President UK based Tehreek-e-Kashmir, Mohammad Ghalib in a statement issued here. He said poor performance of Parliament’s Special Committee on Kashmir could be gauged from the fact that it has failed to convene any session to formulate policy and to prepare recommendation to the new government on Kashmir issue.

The Kashmir Committee, he said was constituted to mobilize world opinion, think tanks and civil society organizations in favour of the legitimate struggle of the people of Jammu and Kashmir even failed to evolve consensus on the issue with in the country. Ghalib said Pakistan is one of the important parties to the Kashmir dispute and Kashmir remains a corner stone of country’s foreign policy. In this scenario formation of dysfunctional parliamentary committee on Kashmir is nothing but joke with the nation and people of Jammu and Kashmir, he added.

He urged the government to re-evaluate the performance of Kashmir Committee and launch a diplomatic campaign across the world for mobilizing world opinion in favour Kashmiri peoples’ right to self determination. He said Pakistani diplomatic mission abroad should be directed to apprise the host governments about the latest situation in Kashmir and gross violation of human rights by Indian forces in the held territory.-SANA

SRINAGAR: Terming Srinagar as another Gaza, the chairman of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (G), Syed Ali Geelani, has launched a blistering attack on the chief minister, Omar Abdullah, after the killing in Nauhatta, describing him as a ‘show-piece for Indian diplomacy, lower in rank than a CRPF commandant,” and totally devoid of moral courage in his reluctance to resign in the wake of the Bommai and Nauhatta incidents.

The Nauhatta killing also evoked strong condemnation from the chairman of the Hurriyat (M), Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, who described it as “barbarity and savagery of the Indian forces” and demanded repeal of special powers to the armed forces and withdrawal of troops. The chairman of both the factions of the Hurriyat Conference, also warned of launching a state-wide agitation if the killing of innocent people was not stopped forthwith.

Meanwhile, the High Court Bar Association (HCBA) boycotted courts today as a mark of protest at the killing in Nauthatta. Expressing deep grief and sorrow at the killing of a youth in Nauhatta yesterday and extending sympathies to the bereaved family, Geelani said that the forces were killing Muslims on the pattern of the Israelis, and that “Srinagar had been turned into Gaza where showering bullets in response to stones had become government policy.”

In a statement from New Delhi, Geelani said that Kashmir was practically under Martial Law despite the presence of a “so-called democratic government. An ordinary armed soldier can gun down any civilian he wants,” he said.

“India has surpassed Israel as a terrorist state, wanting to maintain its military occupation of Kashmir by naked aggression,” he said. “In a civilized, there is no scope of opening fire on unarmed protestors, and there is absolutely no justification in pumping bullets into stone-pelting crowds,’ he said.

“India is trying its level best to hide the serious situation in Kashmir from the world, and it uses diplomacy and the civilian government installed here as tools in creating an impression that Kashmiris are being ruled by people of their choice,” he said.

“Had Omar Abdullah possessed even an iota of self respect and moral courage, he would have resigned after the incidents in Bommai and Nauhatta, because on assuming power he had claimed that only the police would be used to maintain law and order, and the paramilitary forces would take a back seat,” he said.

“Omar Abdullah must have realized by now that he is not even equal to an army major or a CRPF commandant in status, but that his occupying the seat of power for decorative purposes is a diplomatic compulsion for New Delhi. Otherwise any NN Vohra would have done for macadamizing roads,” he said.

Geelani said that his alliance would launch a state-wide agitation if the mass murder of innocent civilians was not stopped. Meanwhile, strongly condemning the killing in Nauhatta, the chairman of the Hurriyat (M), Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, said such incidents would continue until the armed forces were divested of their special powers and withdrawal of troops undertaken.

Describing the fatal firing on protestors in Nauhatta barbarity by Indian troops, he said that the incident was clear proof for the international community about India’s aggressive designs towards Kashmiris. He said that the “intolerable savagery by the forces” would be countered by a mass movement against the aggression.-SANA

SRINAGAR: Amid growing tension in Indo-Pak relations following Mumbai and Lahore attacks, Kashmir is back on international agenda since various foreign groups have once again started to play their role in resolving the longstanding Kashmir issue.

The European Union (EU) delegation visited Kashmir a few days back and interacted here with cross sections of people including chairmen of both the factions of Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. The delegation suggested to the separatist leaders to restart the dialogue process with New Delhi.

The delegation during their visit said that they had come here with the intention to see the ground situation after the assembly elections so that they can form policies for the EU. The delegation left for Muzaffarabad to meet with the political leadership of Pakistan administered Kashmir. Their visit is significant in the sense that EU played a significant role for initiating a composite dialogue process between New Delhi and Islamabad to resolve the Kashmir issue peacefully.

Again when the composite dialogue process got derailed after Mumbai blasts, the EU has intensified its efforts to suggest to New Delhi to restart the dialogue process with the separatist leaders despite Indian leadership claims that high voter turnout in the assembly elections proved that people ignored the poll
boycott call of the separatists.

Another important conference sponsored by Pugwash is being held at Islamabad to push for restart of peace process between the two countries. The mainstream leaders of the state, including Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti also attended the conference. After the assembly elections, this
is the first meeting in which both separatists and mainstream leaders are sharing the same platform.

In her speech during the conference, Mehbooba said that assembly elections had set stage for the solution of Kashmir solution. She also said that post election scenario has created an enabling environment for peaceful and amicable settlement of Kashmir issue.

The assembly election reflects the aspirations and views of all the communities, regions of the State. This institution is morally, politically and legally empowered to represent all stake-holders within the state in a dialogue process that aims at finding a permanent and lasting resolution to the problem, she observed. The former president of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf is also arriving in New Delhi today to attend a programme.

During the programme, he is expected to meet with the chief minister Omar Abdullah and other political leaders including some separatists of the state. They are among other things also to discuss the political developments in the state. Musharaff is expected to brief Indian leaders about his four point formula regarding the solution of the Kashmir issue. The four point formula has already being appreciated by various separatist leaders besides those at New Delhi.

The conference has provided yet another chance to chief minister to explain the autonomy resolution of his party and to convince Indian leadership about it’s important. The then NDA government had rejected the autonomy resolution despite it was passed in the state legislature. NC believes that restoration of internal
autonomy or pre 1953 position is the best possible solution to the Kashmir issue.

These important deployments about the solution of the Kashmir issue had almost got sidelined because of Mumbai and Lahore attacks. This is quit contrary to the past whenever there was a forward moment about the Kashmir it used to generate a debate and interest among people and political circles here.

It is expected that both Mehbooba and Omar will take up the issue of these conference in the coming parliamentary elections to convince people that their parties are serious about resolution of Kashmir issue.-SANA

SRINAGAR: A senior Republican Congressman has favored holding of plebiscite in Kashmir arguing that it would resolve the ‘terrorist problem’ of the region. Expressing deep concern over the situation in Kashmir, Congressman Dan Burton, who is the Ranking Member of House Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia, said, “Kashmir has been the cause of two wars between the two countries”.

Burton was speaking at a Congressional hearing convened by Ackerman on “Building a Strategic Partnership: US-India Relations in the Wake of Mumbai.” An outspoken critic of India’s human rights record for past several years now, Burton, said, “Solving the Kashmir problem will not likely make the terrorist groups operating on and from Kashmir lay down their arms but it will, I believe, eliminate their ability to use the human rights situation in Kashmir”.

He further said, “I personally believe that the people of Kashmir should be given the plebiscite that they were promised by the United Nations decades ago. Regardless of the shape of the ultimate resolution, this situation someday be addressed and the sooner the better”.-SANA

RAIWIND: Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) Chief Mian Nawaz Sharif said on Tuesday that restoration of judiciary is the solution of the crisis. Talking to Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) AJK Amir Abdul Rashid Turabi and JI Punjab Amir Liaquat Bloch, he said that the struggle of the lawyers was for a supreme cause including freedom of judiciary.

He said that PML-N had determined to participate in the sit-in as PPP had compelled his party to participate in the sit-in because they had deviated from the agreement. Nawaz Sharif accepted the invitation of Turabi to visit AJK to negotiate with other political leaders to form a comprehensive policy for freedom of Kashmir.

He said that Kashmir was the integral part of Pakistan and no compromise would be made on the right of self-determination. AJK is the base camp of Kashmir freedom movement and former President Musharraf marred the Kashmir policy by ceasing this base camp, he said. PML-N Chief highly praised the spirit and untiring struggle of Syed Ali Gilani for freedom of Kashmir.-SANA

SRINAGAR: The British Parliamentarians would approach US president Barrack Obama to appoint a special envoy on Kashmir to find an amicable and just solution of the Kashmir dispute. Reports said that on the 25th anniversary of Muhammad Maqbool Bhat, a seminar “India, Pakistan and Kashmir, a way forward” was organized in the House of Commons by Lord Nazir Ahmad in which large number of parliamentarians, intellectuals and policy makers participated.

Speaking on the occasion, senior British parliamentarian, Lord Eric Obari said that he was hopeful that a day would come when Kashmirs would get the right to self-determination. “President Obama should seriously try to find a just solution of the K-issue,” he said. Lord Nazir Ahmad in his speech paid rich tributes to Maqbool Bhat and assured the Kashmiri nation that he would continue his support till Kashmiris get right to self-determination.

He announced that four British Parliament members including himself, Lord Obari, Marsha Singh and Kewlan Hopkin would write a letter to President Obama and urge him to appoint a special envoy on Kashmir. “International community has to play a role in the just settlement of the K-issue,” he said.-SANA

JEDDAH: Speakers at a symposium in Saudi Arabia have called for a plebiscite in Kashmir as per relevant UN resolutions to resolve the longstanding issue once and for all. The symposium was organized by the Pakistani Repatriation Council.

Dr. Mohammad Faisal, head of chancery at the Pakistani Consulate, said 60 years is not a long period in a nation’s history. “The Kashmir issue is still alive and we need to adhere to our faith, not to lose patience and be consistent in our support to the Kashmiri cause and we believe in Allah that this issue will be resolved soon,” he said.

Naseem-e-Sahar, noted poet and journalist, who was the chief guest, also pleaded for a plebiscite in Kashmir and said that this is the only way to resolve the lingering issue.

Sameera Aziz, Pakistani-born Saudi writer and journalist, in her message as an honorary guest, said issues like Palestine, Kashmir and stranded Pakistanis in Bangladesh required the attention of the whole world. “Continued injustices will result in harsh reactions which could destabilize humanity,” she said.

Pakistan and India, she said, should work together to look for a peaceful solution of the Kashmir issue in accordance with the wishes of people.

Syed Riaz Hussain Bukhari, President Pakistan Peoples Community, said there was an urgent need to develop strategic planning to solve the issue of Kashmir and to give it due priority.

Mohammad Jamil Rathore, General Secretary Pakistan Journalists Forum, said the Kashmir issue may not be resolved just by extending an olive branch to India, rather pressure needs to be applied in order to bring it to the negotiation table.

Rauf Tahir, renowned journalist and editor Urdu Magazine, said that according to the two-nation theory, Kashmir was a Muslim region which was in part legitimately annexed to Pakistan. Tariq Mahmood presented his write-up on the topic and expressed the need to secure the support of Muslim countries to resolve the issue.

Ehsanul Haque, PRC coordinator, said peace will not be possible in Asia without resolving the issue of Kashmir. He urged India and Pakistan to take measures to solve the Kashmir issue. He also stressed the need for an early resolution of the issue of stranded Pakistanis in Bangladesh.-SANA