Jammu: Days after recovering high intensity Improvised Explosive Device on February 14, Jammu and Kashmir Police have arrested the most wanted facilitator of militant activities from Jammu Airport here.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Jammu Zone, Mukesh Singh said that the main coordinator and facilitator of militant activities of various militant groups involving facilitating infiltration of militant, smuggling of arms and ammunition, narcotics from PaK to Indian Territory from Balakote area of Poonch district, militant Sher Ali of Dhargloon, Mendhar, district Poonch has been arrested by District Police Poonch at Jammu Airport.

He has been arrested in connection with case FIR No. 292/2020 P/S Mendhar and is also involved in many other cases of district Poonch, said the Jammu Division Police Chief.

Singh said sitting aboard, Sher Ali was involved in sending two Pakistan militants from Dabbi area of Balakote Sector on Nov 24-25, 2020 at the behest of Pakstani handler alias Sultan. “The two militants of JK Gazanavi Force were later killed in an encounter on December 13, 2020 in Poshana area of Surankote.”

Sher Ali also smuggled arms and ammunition which included 3 pistols and one IED besides other ammunition through Balakote Sector in Mendhar district Poonch, he said.

The receiver of these Arms and ammunition namely Mushtaq Ahmed (father of Sher Ali) and Raskeem Akhter (sister of Sher Ali) were arrested by Poonch Police on September 11, 2020 and FIR was registered at P/S Mendher.

So far, the top cop said that five over ground workers namely Mushtafa of Kandi Galuta, Mohammad Yaseen of Dabbi Balakote, Younis, Irfan and Raskeem, have been arrested who were involved in the militant network led by Sher Ali.

Sher Ali was also involved in drug smuggling along with smuggling of arms and ammunitions and 2 Kgs heroin worth approximately Rs 8 crores in the international market were also recovered from this militant network which was meant to be used for militant financing, he said and added, ”from this network so far, five Pistols, 13 grenades and one live IED has been recovered while further investigation is in progress.”

‘Situation not good in JK’

Handwara: The former chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Wednesday said that the delegations will come and go but the fact remains that the situation isn’t favorable in J&K.

Mehbooba was speaking to a gathering in the Handwara area of Kupwara. She is on a two day-visit to the border district.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of her visit to Handwara, Mehbooba said that the delegations will come and go but the situation in Jammu and Kashmir is not good.

To a question about the approach of the central government and visit of foreign delegation to J&K, Mehbooba said that the delegations keep coming but the situation is and not good at all.

“The approach that has confined the movement of Jammu and Kashmir’s leadership is not good at all. We are being caged in our own homes,” she said.

The party workers during their interaction apprised Mehbooba about the party functioning in the border district Kupwara, Handwara and Langate in particular.

While showing their resentment with the former Rajya Sabha member, Mir Fayaz and Ex-Minister Abdul Haq Khan, they maintained that both the leaders ignored subdivisions and not a single penny was spent by the recently retired MP for developmental works or other required purposes.

Mehboba concluded the workers meet in just very few minutes saying that all the grievances raised are genuine and everything will be done in the times to come to give party workers ease—(KNO)

Srinagar: National Conference (NC) Members of Parliament (MPs) Dr Farooq Abdullah, Muhammad Akbar Lone and Hasnain Masoodi on Wednesday expressed their inability to associate with the Delimitation Commission, urging it not to go ahead with the process as the J&K reorganisation act 2019 is under judicial scrutiny in the Supreme Court (SC).

The MPs asserted this in a letter to Chairperson Delimitation Commission Justice (Retd) Ranjana Prakash Desai, an NC spokesperson said on Wednesday.

He said that the Members of Parliament noted that the Delimitation Commission has been constituted by virtue of Notification SO 1015 (E) dated March 6, 2020 in exercise of powers under Section 3 of the Delimitation Act, 2002 and the Commission in terms of Para 3 (i) is required to delimit the constituencies of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in accordance with the provisions of Part V of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 (34 of 2019) and the provision of the Delimitation Act, 2002 (33 of 2002).

The MPs noted that they are of the opinion that as vires or Constitutional validity of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 and the Constitutional Orders (C.O. 272 and C.O. 273) were under Judicial Scrutiny before the Supreme Court, the principle of Constitutional Propriety demanded that the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019 should await Hon’ble Supreme Court.

”We are of the view that under the principle of Constitutional Propriety fundamental to Constitutional democracy, the two pillars of the State — Executive and Legislature, must out of respect to the third pillar i.e., the Judiciary, avoid to implement and exercise powers under an Act vires whereof are under scrutiny of the Court, as implementation of such an Act might amount to pre-empting the judicial verdict,” they said.

”That under the Constitutional scheme Delimitation of Assembly Constituencies fell within powers of the State of Jammu and Kashmir and under second Proviso to Section 47 Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir the Delimitation of Constituencies is to be undertaken once the figures of the first census after the year 2026 are published. The Jammu and Kashmir Representation of People’s Act, 1957 Part II dealt with the constitution of Delimitation Commission and the procedure to be followed by the Commission,” they said.

”We would also respectfully and with all humility at our command, request Chairperson, a renowned legal luminary of the Country not to go ahead with the proceedings as it may amount to exercise of powers under an Act constitutional validity whereof is being examined by the Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court and is therefore at present constitutionally suspect law,” they said.

JAMMU: Commissioner, Secretary, Industries & Commerce Department, Manoj Kumar Dwivedi, Wednesday discussed modalities for export promotion here at a meeting with Federation of Indian export Organization (FIEO) and concerned Government departments.

The meeting was hosted by Directorate of Handicrafts & Handloom, Jammu & JK Trade Promotion Organization, Jammu.

The Commissioner highlighted the need to boost exports by way of strengthening traditional industries/sectors of J&K. He underlined the need for transformation of economy of J&K, UT from a supply constrained one into a competitive export-led entity with wider participation at national and global economy.

Parshant Seth, Head of Research Team of Federation of Indian export Organization, Director FIEO, gave a detailed presentation, showcasing  various verticals on which work needs  to be done.

Various sectors of J&K like Tourism, Agriculture, Industries etc were discussed in detail and potential areas were also identified. It was suggested by FIEO that wider consultations are required for which there is a need to engage exporters of the UT for better policy framework.

Pertinently, to boost exports in the UT, Government of Jammu and Kashmir, has earlier notified J&K Trade and Export policy (2018-2028). Since, various reforms are being introduced by the GoJK viz; the upcoming new Industrial Policy to incentivize the entrepreneurs/ existing businesses and new Land Allotment Policy. As such, it has become imperative to revisit the existing J&K Trade and Export policy(2018-2028),in this regard FIEO has given some fiscal and non-fiscal interventions which would pave a way to augment the exports from the UT. The department is therefore, working on drafting a new export policy in consultation with FIEO and other stakeholders with the inputs from all the administrative departments and Directorates.

Besides, Secretary to Government Tourism Department, Sarmad Hafeez, Heads of Department of Handicrafts & Handloom, Jammu/Kashmir, Tourism, Agriculture, Horticulture, SICOP, JKEDI, Handicrafts & Handloom Corporation, JKI, KVIB, JKTPO, Industries and other stakeholders were also present in the meeting.

The officers from Valley also attended this meeting through Video Conferencing. They also highlighted the various interventions required to boost exports in their respective fields. The FIEO has agreed to hold individual meetings with these departments to formalise the specific actions required to augment exports in their sectors and based on that Department Wise Action Plan will also be prepared.

Srinagar: Army is holding a three-day recruitment rally for the candidates of all districts of of Jammu and Kashmir in Srinagar in March, a defence ministry spokesman said.

He said Army Recruiting Office (ARO) Srinagar will host a recruitment rally at Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JKLI) Regimental Centre from March 24 to 26,2021.

Candidates of all the districts will be covered, he said adding dates for every district will be announced later.

He said candidates can apply online “http://joinindianarmy.nic.in/BRAVOUserRegistration.htm”.

Army and Central Paramilitary Forces (CPMF) are organizing recruitment rallies in the Kashmir valley for the past over one decade. Recruitment rallies are witnessing heavy response from youths despite militant threat to stay away from such rallies.

Even scores of surrendered militants have also joined forces after their clearance by police.