Geelani darts letter to tourists 'to tell Kashmir's real story'

While launching an “awareness campaign” by distributing pamphlets, chairman Hurriyat Conference (G), Syed Ali Shah Geelani Friday darted a letter to tourist visiting the Kashmir valley from the Indian mainland and other parts of world.

“The main motive behind distributing pamphlets is to aware all tourists about real story of Kashmir,” Geelani told a press gathering at his residence in Hyderpora, here.



“We welcome tourists with open arms but appeal them to feel our pain, become the ambassadors of our peaceful and just struggle in India. We appeal them to tell our plight to others in India, tell the Indian masses that Kashmiris want freedom, fulfillment of promises made by the Indian leadership,” he said.

The Hurriyat (G) chairman also appealed locals to “behave well with tourists.” “Particularly local shopkeepers, traders shouldn’t take undue advantage by selling goods to tourists at exorbitant rates.”

“Sell them (tourists) original Kashmiri products, and do not dupe them,” Geelani said.

“We must especially ensure that tourists do not feel a trust deficit while purchasing things because trust, as Socrates has said, is like soul— it cannot be retrieved once it dies,” he said.
“Besides the beautiful view of Valley there is a suffering of every Kashmiri which tourists need to know so that they could convey our messages to their native lands,” Geelani wrote in the letter that has been imprinted on the pamphlet.



The booklet titled “Tourists and Pilgrims Welcome to Kashmir” systematically mentions the history of Kashmir from 1947 onwards, “This country had a distinct position in the comity of nations. On 27th of October 1947, sorties after sorties of Indian army landed on this land and occupied it. The people of this land of great tradition of religious tolerance and humanism are suffering for past sixty three years,” it reads.

The pamphlet that has been written in three languages- English, Hindi and Urdu also talks about the various United Nations resolutions passed on Kashmir.

“The UNSC has passed as many as eighteen resolutions guaranteeing right to self determination to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. These resolutions explicitly state providing of an opportunity to the people of the state to decide their future and holding of a plebiscite under the aegis of the United Nations,” the pamphlet reads.


Geelani also released a pamphlet— “Tourists and Pilgrims Welcome to Kashmir”— which he said would be distributed among the tourists visiting the Valley. The pamphlet written in English, Urdu and Hindi, appeals tourists “ ( to) become my(Geelani’s) ambassador in people of India and raise your voice against suppression of about ten million people. And I am equally confident that you will garner support of all justice loving people for my just cause.”

Geelani termed the government’s allegations that pro-freedom leaders were against peace as baseless. “ The fact is that we are for peace while the government, the police, army and other forces are trouble makers, they don’t want peace in Kashmir. “

Referring to the unrest of last three summers, Geelani said Kashmiris have been protesting peacefully against “injustices being done to them but New Delhi and its allies in Kashmir have killed hundreds of youth, arrested thousands.”

“If india would have been sincere, the Kashmir issue would not have been lingering on for 63 years , there would have been no rigged elections and our youth wouldn’t have been forced to pick up the gun. But the truth is that India has broken promises, it did not even spare its friends, a leader was put in jail for 11 years and released after he surrendered.”

“ I wany to ask the self-proclaimed champions of peace who allotted land to Shrine Board in 2008, and killed hundreds of youth when people took to streets peacefully against it, who allowed the perpetators of Shopian double rape and murder case to go scot free,” he said.

“Even last year when people protested against the killings of teenagers like Wamiq Farooq, Zahid Farooq, Machil Killings, 118 people were killed by government forces. Today, jails in Jammu and crammed with Kashmiri youth and political activists and they are treated as criminals.”

Geelani said New Delhi was mistaken “ if it thinks that people will accept status quo because of btute force .”

Budgam residents asked to stay indoors during artillery practice

State authorities on Thursday issued advisories in over a dozen villages of central Kashmir’s Budgam district asking locals to remain indoors during the six-day firing session of Army that will begin on June 7.

According to an official spokesman, the locals in sixteen villages of Lachmanpora, Khaipora, Lassipora, Drung, Habber, Kadlabal, Khanpora, Shunglipora, Zoogukharian, Sutharan, Saigalipora, Chill, Gutlipora, Khandpora, Pabhanpora, Batapora and Brass have been asked to avoid moving out of their houses in view of the six-day artillery practice in picturesque Tosa maidan field that will start on June 7. The advisory, the spokesman said has been issued to prevent any loss of human life.
"As per the information of Commanding Officer, field firing range Tosa maidan, received through the district administration, the Army will carry out artillery practice in Tosa maidan field firing ranges from June 7 to June 12," the spokesman said.

The practice hours will begin at 8 AM and will end at 9 PM each day. There will be a respite between 4:30 PM and 7 PM when there will be no firing,” he added.

Prof Talat appointed Vice Chancellor KU

Srinagar: In a surprising move, Professor Talat Ahmad of the Delhi University has been appointed as the new Vice-Chancellor of the University of Kashmir here. He will replace Professor Riyaz Punjabi, whose term ended on January 7, this year.

Sources told Kashmir Dispatch that the Governor, Narindra Nath Vohra appointed Professor Talat, who is a Professor at the department of Geology at the Delhi University for the last eight years as the new Vice-Chancellor of the Kashmir University for the next three years. The official communication in this regard was sent to the Prof Talat on Monday.

Prof Talat, whose name was recommended by the search committee headed by former Member of Planning Commission, Prof Abid Hussain, is likely to join the varsity on June 1.

“I received the offer letter from the Chancellor’s office yesterday. I have accepted the offer and agreed to take over the post of the Vice Chancellor,” Prof Talat told Kashmir Dispatch over phone from New Delhi.


Talat who is a professor at the Department of Geology, University of Delhi, will replace Professor Riyaz Punjabi, the present Vice Chancellor, who had completed his tenure on January 6 and was, since then, awaiting the appointment of his successor, an official communique issued here today said.

“Governor, N N Vohra, who is also the Chancellor of the University of Kashmir, has in consultation with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah (who is Pro-Chancellor of the University) appointed Talat Ahmad from a panel of three persons recommended in early April 2011 by a Search Committee chaired by Dr. Abid Hussain, former Indian Ambassador to USA, and comprising Professor G K Chadha, CEO, South Asian University and former Vice Chancellor, Jawaharlal Nehru University, and Prof S Seyed E. Hasnain, an eminent Scientist and, till recently, the Vice Chancellor, University of Hyderabad,” the communiqué said.



Prof Talt completed his MSc in geology from Aligarh Muslim University in 1977 followed by an M Phil in Ore Petrology from JNU in 1980.

He then went onto complete his PhD in Igneous Petrology from JNU in 1985.

In 1988-89, Prof. Talat did a Post Doctoral Fellowship with University of Liecester, while in 1997-98, he did he did another Post Doctoral Fellowship with University of Cambridge.

In 1999-2000, he did another Post Doctoral Fellowship with Nagota University (Japan).

He joined Geological Survey of India as Geologist in February 1980 and later worked as a Scientist-B with Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehra Dun from 16-7-1984 to 3-9-1989.

He held different academic and research positions and fellowships with a number of universities and later worked as a Scientist-C with Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehra Dun.

He has been functioning as Professor at Department of Geology, University of Delhi, continuously since 31-10-2003.

Prof Talat received the prestigious National Mineral Award, 1994 from the Government of India.

He is a Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore and a Life Member of Mineralogical Society of India.

Indian Navy pressed in to fish out Biscoe boy

Srinagar: A day after a student from Tyndale Biscoe School drowned in river Jehlum, the state government on Saturday pressed drivers from the India Navy to fish out his body.

After 22 hours State Disaster Management and Indian Navy today used divers to find out the body of 10th class student Shakir Ashraf Bhat of Tyndle Boscoe School who drowned after he allegedly jumped into the river for a bet with his friend.

One of the officer from India Navy on the basis of anonymity said, "At around 11 am this noon we received a message from state Disaster Management about this incident. We instantly reached on spot and started a joint rescue operation."

Meanwhile, the families in house boats have expressed serious concern about the delayed use of divers. “The state disaster management should inform the navy force immediately but they called them after one day. It is bizarre on their part,” said, Ali Mohammad a houseboat owner.

Ejaz Ahmad, who last saw Shakir urging for help in the midst of the river is traumatized. “I saw Shakir’s waving his hand in the middle of the river crying for help. I jumped into the river but I feared to move ahead. There was mud and it was difficult to swim safely,” he said.

When contacted, OSD, State Disaster Management, Amir Ali said, We have also brought divers and are trying to locate him as soon as possible."

He further added that it may take couple of days to recover the body.

JKLF chief among 6 held in Ganderbal

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), Chief, Mohammad Yasin Malik and six of his associates were detained by police in Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district this morning.

Reports said that a delegation of JKLF activists led by the party Chief, Mohammad Yasin Malik were on their way to Kangan to address a public gathering, when a police team intercepted them near main chowk, Ganderbal around 10:30 this morning.

The JKLF activists, reports said offered resistance and tried to proceed towards the venue. However, police swung into action and detained Malik along with six of his activists before whisking them to the nearby district police lines, Kher Bawani.

Some of the detained JKLF activists have been identified as Sheikh Abdur Rashid, Mohammad Zaman Mir, Mohammad Javed, Mohammad Shafi, Nazir Ahmad Sheikh, and Mohammad Haneef Dar.

“We were arrested by police when we were on way to Kangan to address a public gathering. Ten of my party activists were also arrested by the police,” Malik told this correspondent over phone

'Power need not corrupt'

Oveesa Iqbal is the first Muslim woman from Jammu and Kashmir to qualify the coveted Union Public Service Commission exam 2010. In an interview with Kashmir Dispatch correspondent Junaid Rather, she says power 'need ot corrupt'.



Ovessa Iqbal, 25, in a file picture.

You are the first Muslim woman from Jammu and Kashmir to qualify the coveted UPSC exams. Tell us about it?

I got to know about the news of being first Muslim woman from Jammu and Kashmir from newspapers only. I am glad that God has blessed me with this honour. I don’t have words to express my feelings.

Your inspiration?

I draw inspiration from many sources at different point of time.

Tells us about your days while you were preparing for the exams?

Those were days of mixed emotions, failure, success, failure, finally success! But then I feel those were the best days as I was enjoying what I was doing irrespective of results.

You pursued engineering, how did UPSC happen?

After my graduation I had few options like going for a job or do MBA or pursue Masters or go for civil services. Finally I decided to go for civil services as this was the best career option to start at a young age. It offers challenges like diverse service opportunities, social esteem and involvement with the masses.

Does coming from an underdeveloped region make a difference?

I don’t feel so. My parents never made me feel that I belong to a remote area. Being born and brought up in a remote area doen't make much of a difference as everyone has to face same conditions.

What do you aspire for the people who saw you grow?

At this point I don know which part of the country I will be serving. Where ever I would be, I will try to reach out to the people and ensure my loyalty towards them and towards the organization.

Many Kashmiris believe that they are discriminated elsewhere in India. What do you think?

To some extent in some way or other this is true. This I realized after living in Kashmir. But things are changing now as the education level is changing and people are becoming more aware.

More Kashmiris are moving into civil services, do you think this could be helpful in resolving Kashmir Issue?

Yes I feel so because by this the general perception about the things which are going on will change in a positive way and the potential of the brilliant youth of Kashmir can be channelized.

Power corrupts, what’s your take?

If power corrupts then does powerlessness make you pure? So for me power need not corrupt.

Your message for those who are planning to prepare for UPSC exams.

First you need to be firm with your decision then just believe in yourself no matter what others say and be yourself. Don’t follow coaching centers blindly.

Kashmir enslaved by India, Pak, China: IDP

Srinagar: Pro-India Internationalist Democratic Party (IDP) on Tuesday said that the formerly princely state of Jammu and Kashmir was enslaved by India, Pakistan and China soon after the partition of the sub-continent in 1947.

“The truth is that India was a slave when Kashmir was free. When India gained freedom, Kashmir was enslaved by the three countries. 70000 acres of land of our state is held by Pakistan, 49000 acres by China and 1, 38,000 acres by India. Our state has been divided. We have been devastated,” senior IDP leader, Kulbushan Singh said while addressing a gathering on the second day of the peace conference being held at SK international convention complex (SKICC) here this afternoon.

“Desires can’t bring peace. It is time for the people of Kashmir to think before both the countries ruin us,” he added.

Lashing out at India, the IDP leader said that the government of India was not serious in resolving the Kashmir issue. He said that the involvement of people of Jammu and Kashmir was imperative for any dialogue process to succeed.

“New Delhi doesn’t want peace to prevail in Kashmir. They don’t want to resolve Kashmir issue,” he said.

He said that Kashmir has been a flashpoint between the two arch rivals and elections in both the countries were being fought with Kashmir as the main agenda.

“Both the countries want to keep the conflict going for their personal interests,” he said.

The IDP, he said aspires for a peaceful solution to the Kashmir issue for which peace conferences are being held in different states of the country