Srinagar: Mohammad Aijaz Asad Thursday assumed charge as Deputy Commissioner Srinagar taking over from Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary who was accorded warm farewell in a function at DC Office here.

Handing over the charge to him, Dr Shahid said Mohammad Aijaz Asad is one of the most professional and committed officers and that he was very happy to hand over this very important charge to him.

He also expressed his gratitude to the gathering of officers and officials and thanked them for their love and respect he was accorded on the occasion.

Mohammad Aijaz Asad while speaking on the occasion said he was honoured to take over as the DC of the historic and capital district of Srinagar. He praised the outgoing DC for the high standard of administration he has left in his wake and also thanked him for his words of praise.

While addressing the district administration staff present on the occasion he said he expects complete dedication to professionalism and commitment to work from all officers and officials and assured them of his complete support to honest work endeavours aimed at prompt work disposal and development of the district.

ADCs Mohammad Haneef Balkhi, Khurshid Ahmad Shah, SDMs East and West Owais Mushtaq and Akshay Labroo, ACR Rouf Rehman, Chief Planning Officer Srinagar Mohammad Yaseen Lone and other officers and officials of the district administration were present on the occasion.

Jammu: Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha today released a book titled “Forgotten Kashmir: The Other Side of the Line of Control” authored by Dinkar P. Srivastava.

The Lt Governor also addressed a webinar of Vivekananda International Foundation on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, the Lt Governor appreciated the author “for unmasking Pakistan’s conspiracy and atrocities on the people of in other Kashmir across the LoC over the past seven decades through his book, and creating a better understanding of Pakistan’s motivations for its policies in the region.”

The book is well researched and documented , based on facts and experience of the author, bringing into light various important aspects of ‘tribal’ invasion in 1947-48, the Sudhan revolt in the 1950s, the Ayub era, the Simla Agreement, the adoption of an ‘Interim Constitution of 1974’ and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The book also mentioned the Pakistani Army Officer who himself spoke about the designs of Pakistan, said the Lt Governor.

The Lt Governor commended the contributions of Dinkar P. Srivastava, who is a seasoned diplomat, on foreign diplomacy front. He also made a special mention of the author for his involvement in the Jammu and Kashmir issue at the Ministry of External Affairs, and discussions in the United Nations.

“Home Minister of India, Amit Shah, on the floors of Parliament has cleared India’s stand on the other Kashmir, Indian Foreign Ministry has also warned Pakistan against any demographic change in the region,” said the Lt Governor.

The Lt Governor also spoke on the “Black Day observed on 22 October in J&K, where a two-day National Symposium and Exhibition on the “Memories of 22 October 1947”in collaboration with the National Museum of History, Art, Conservation and Museology was organized in Srinagar to educate the young generation of Jammu and Kashmir about the atrocities of Pakistan.”

During the curtain raiser event of “Azaadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav” celebrations on 12th March, I visited the birthplace of Brigadier Rajinder Singh and paid tributes to the first recipient of Maha Vir Chakra, who along with his soldiers, despite being heavily outnumbered, displayed tremendous courage while successfully keeping the enemy at bay, said the Lt Governor.

Speaking on various reformative measures being taken for the development of the UT, the Lt Governor observed that J&K is witnessing a wave of positive change in the last 18 months and a determined push is being given to socio-economic development, besides empowering the common people.  Hundreds of laws and policies hampering the development of the region have been done away with, or modified.

For the last seven decades, J&K has been kept away from prosperity and development despite being getting more per capita budget than other states. Since, 5th August 2019, with the efforts and resolve of Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji, J&K has been fully integrated into the mainstream of the nation, the Lt Governor maintained.

Now, the development process in J&K has been accelerated. Soon, the population living in 973 villages will be connected with paved roads for the first time after independence, and remote villages would see 20-22 hours of electricity in the next three-four years, said the Lt Governor.

While speaking on the importance of empowered grass-root democratic setup, the Lt Governor said that the three-tier Panchayati Raj System was established and peaceful, violence-free and fair elections were held for the District Development Councils for the first time in J&K.

The Lt Governor observed that the UT Government is nurturing transparency and accountability at all levels of the Administration. Issues and developmental aspirations of the people living in rural areas are one of the focus areas of the government, he added.

Reforms have been made in making public grievance redressal mechanisms more robust and responsive. LG’s Mulaqaat- Live Public Grievance Hearing is being held every month where I interact with the people and take first hand appraisal of their grievances, said the Lt Governor.

In his concluding remarks, the Lt Governor conveyed his best wishes to the author for his book.

Arvind Gupta, Director Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) and Satish Chandra, Vice Chairman, VIF attended the book release event through virtual mode.

Lt General (Retd.) Syed Ata Hasnain, Chancellor, Central University of Kashmir, besides diplomats and distinguished personalities, also joined the event through video conferencing.

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Thursday referred to its division bench a petition filed by National Conference President Farooq Abdullah against an order by Enforcement Directorate, attaching his properties in a case of alleged money laundering.

“Having gone through the writ petition as also the judgment of the Coordinate Bench in Ahsan Mirza’s case, it can be seen that some of the issues raised by the petitioner (Farooq Abdullah) in the present petition were also issues, which were raised and decided by the Coordinate Bench, which now, form the subject matter of consideration by the Division Bench of this Court,” a bench of Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur said.

“Considering the fact that the genesis of the proceedings both against the petitioner, Dr. Farooq Abdullah as also the appellant, Ahsan Ahmad Mirza (former treasurer of JKCA), lies in the case which is pending trial before the Designated Court and the issues being common, in my opinion, therefore, are required to be considered together,” he said.

In these circumstances, Justice Thakur, having expressed opinion that the matter be considered by a Division Bench, both the senior Counsel—Sidharth Luthra, as also Tushar Mehta, Solicitor General of India expressed no objection.

“Be that as it may, Registrar Judicial of this Court is directed to list this matter before the appropriate Bench after seeking due permission from the Chief Justice,” the court added.

The court said that it can be seen that an FIR bearing No. 27/2012 dated 10th March, 2012 came to be registered under Section 409,406, and 120-B RPC in Police Station, Ram Mushi Bagh, in connection with “misappropriation” of funds of the JKCA.

The investigation of the case was subsequently transferred to the CBI in September 2015 by virtue of an order passed in a PIL—Majid Yakoob Dar and Another vs. State of JK and Ors.

“After investigation, the CBI filed its final report and the matter is pending trial before the Designated Court. Amongst others, the petitioner, Dr. Farooq Abdullah as also Ahsan Ahmad Mirza have been reflected as accused in the case. Consequent upon the filing of the challan before the appropriate court, proceedings have been initiated by the Authorities under the PML Act against the petitioner as also against Ahsan Ahmad Mirza.”

Ahsan Ahmad Mirza had challenged proceedings before the court in 2019 and his petition was later dismissed on 15 October that year. Mirza’s appeal is pending before a Division Bench.

Farooq, the former three-time Chief Minister of J&K, has challenged the action of the Authorities under the PML Act, among others on the issue of jurisdiction, the applicability of PML Act to the erstwhile State  as also on grounds of illegality and procedural irregularities.

The 83-year-old parliamentarian has said his ancestral and family properties in J&K have been illegally attached by ED despite the fact that it had “no jurisdiction to do the same.”

“The illegal, excessive and arbitrary attachment of properties has resulted in grave injustice to the Petitioner (Farooq), and is a continuing violation of his fundamental rights under Article 14 and Article 21 of the Constitution.”

In 2012, he submitted in the plea that certain allegations regarding the siphoning off of JKCA funds emerged.

“As per the Final Report, these discrepancies were noticed by the then Treasurer, Manzoor Ahmed Wazir who brought it to the notice of the President (Farooq) who convened an immediate meeting of the Office Bearers of JKCA and subsequently an FIR No. 27/2012 dated 10.03.2012 under Sections 409, 406, 120B RPC was registered in PS Ram Munshi Bagh naming the erstwhile General Secretary and Treasurer namely Saleem Khan and Ahsan Ahmad Mirza as accused persons.”

“A bare perusal makes it amply clear that the ED has simply adopted the case of the CBI and the resulting Final Report filed against the Petitioner (Farooq),” he submitted.  (GNS)

Srinagar: According to District Industries Centre, (DIC) Srinagar, 350 Unit Holders have registered their Units on Udhyam portal during a campaign launched by the department from March 8 to 17, 2021. The department has organized Melas in all the Industrial Estates of the district and sensitized the Unit holders about the benefits of the scheme.

The Udhyam Registration is fully online, paper less, free registration based on  self-declaration for micro, small and medium enterprises, who will get permanent registration number after registration. After completion of process of registration, a certificate to the Unit Holder will be issued online. Those units, who have EM 2 or UAM registration or any registration issued by any Authority under ministry of MSME will have to mandatorily register themselves on Udhyam portal.

This new system will replace the existing EM 2 registration system and benefit those who registered their Units on the portal, the communiqué said.

Srinagar: In the upcoming Real Heroes Award to be presented by the Parliamentary panel on March 21 in Srinagar, SSP Haseeb Mughal, Journalist Saleem Pandit, and Dr Saleem Khan HoD SKIMS are all set to get awards.

Officials told KNO that while as awards will be given in different categories, SSP Srinagar Haseeb Mughal, Dr Saleem Khan HOD SKIMS, and journalist Saleem Pandit will be awarded on March 21 under Real Heroes  Category.

Srinagar: Jammu-Srinagar highway, the only surface link connecting Kashmir valley with the rest of the world, shall remain closed for the traffic on Friday, officials said on Thursday.

“Tomorrow on 19-03-2021, No vehicular movement shall be allowed from either side on Jammu-Srinagar NHW between Nashree and Jawahar Tunnel in view of maintenance/repairing of the road,” a traffic official said.

He said Mughal road, connecting Poonch and Shopian districts, remained closed due to snow accumulation. (GNS)