New Delhi, Aug 9: The Centre is considering bringing in a law to protect the land rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. As per reports, the new law is expected to be enacted in Parliament.

A bill to this effect will be introduced in Parliament as there is no legislature in the newly created Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir because no election was held since the bifurcation of the erstwhile state.

The fears of Jammu and Kashmir domicile people about the settlement of outsiders in the union territory arose after the government abrogated Article 370 on August 5, 2019, which ended the exclusive rights of locals over lands or immovable property and jobs.

“Land rights for the locals in Jammu and Kashmir are coming up. Work is on for enacting a new law that will allay all fears of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” an official privy to the development said told PTI. “Once the legislation is passed by Parliament, the fear of losing rights over land will be over in Jammu and Kashmir,” he added.

After the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A, there was a fear among the Jammu and Kashmir domicile people about people from other states settling in the state-union territory. The central government the government on August 5, 2019, abrogated Article 370 which ended the exclusive rights of the locals over lands or immovable property and jobs. The government also bifurcated the state into two union territories — Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

Srinagar, Aug 9: The Cordon and Search Operation (CASO), which was initiated in the wee hours on Sunday in south Kashmir district of Kulgam, was called off as militants managed to escape after a brief exchange of fire.

Official sources said troops of Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir police, Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and CRPF launched a joint CASO at Sighanpor, Kulgam following a tip off about the presence of militants.

After all exit points were plugged and when security forces were moving towards a particular area, militants hiding there, opened indiscriminate firing with automatic weapons, they said, adding security forces retaliated ensuing in a brief encounter.

However, they said the militants managed to escape under the cover of darkness. “The operation was called off in the evening after the entire area was sanitized,” they said.

They said there were reports of presence of two to three militants in the area.

Srinagar, Aug 9:  Police are verifying the authenticity of an audio message claiming that rifleman of Territorial Army (TA), kidnapped on August 2 in south Kashmir, has been killed, official sources said.

They said an audio message surfaced this morning in which it was claimed that rifleman Shakir Manzoor has been killed. However, the 3.13 minute audio statement did not identify the militant organization responsible for the kidnapping and killing of  the rifleman.

The message however, said that due to COVID-19 pandemic the body of Manzoor was not handed over to his family members and his last rites were performed just like security forces bury bodies of militants in unmarked graves. But we can understand the pain of soldier’s family and friends who were not handed over the body, the message said.

The audio message came a day after father of the rifleman appealed for the release of his son. However, he said that if his son has been killed at least his body be given to perform the last rites.

Official sources said that security forces are already working to trace the missing rifleman Shakir Manzoor of 162 TA. However, so far no breakthrough was achieved, they said.

They said sniffer dogs were also pressed into service after torn clothes of rifleman were recovered from an orchard Landoora, Shopian, on Friday.

Sources said rifleman Manzoor was reported missing since 1700 hrs on last Sunday. However, his abandoned burnt car was later found at Rambhama Kulgam same evening, they said adding it is suspected that the soldier has been abducted by militants.

Sources said Shakir, who had come to celebrate Eid-ul-Adha with family, had left his home at Harmain Shopian Sunday evening in the car. However, when he did not return, police was informed and a massive hunt was launched to trace him.

This is not the first time soldiers who had come on leave to celebrate festivals or other social gatherings with their were abducted by militants in south Kashmir. However, some of them were released while others were killed.

Army officer Lieutenant Umar Fayaz was abducted and later killed by militants in May 2017 in Shopian in south Kashmir.

The Army authorities had directed all soldiers from Kashmir to take extra precautions when they visit home on leave.

Yogesh Sagotra

Jammu, Aug 9: Army on Sunday said that it foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district by killing a militant and injuring two others.

Jammu based defence spokesperson Lt Col Devender Anand while talking to a local news agency KINS said, “A group of militants were attempting to infiltrate across LoC in Krishna Ghati Sector, District Poonch on Friday (August 7). The alert Indian Army troops detected the militants close to LoC and immediately engaged them resulting in on the spot killing of one militant and serious injuries to other two.”

He added that subsequent search in the area showed that the dead body of militant had been dragged away from the incident site.

However, one AK 47 Rifle, two AK 47 Magazines and some eatables were recovered from the incident site.

Ishtiyaq Ahmad

Srinagar, Aug 9:  The Cyber police Sunday registered an FIR under the relevant provision of law after it found a fake twitter handle in the name of Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.

“Following reports of a fake account in the name of the LG Manoj Sinha, we have registered a case under the relevant provision of law,” one of the top officials of the cyber police told news agency KINS.

The official said that they believe it is possible that hackers could try to gain access to prominent Twitter users in a similar fashion. “In times of pandemic, any such hacking incident can also cause widespread rumours leading to chaos. Citizens should be alert and not blindly trust any tweet,” said the official.

He said that similar fake accounts of some senior officials came to fore recently. “We have directed the officials in the cyber police to intensify their vigil.”
SP cyber police Tahir Ashraf confirmed to KINS that the fake account of the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha was found to have been created. “ We have lodged an FIR in this regard,” he said.

To prevent users from falling prey to hackers, Tahir Ashraf advised Twitter users not to blindly trust content posted on social media platforms and take time to determine if the content is authentic or fake.

He also urged users not to spread or circulate any posts that seem like fake news or rumours as well as posts promoting hate speech and violence. “We have also asked other social media platforms to be on the lookout for similar incident, and inform the cyber police in case of a cybersecurity breach.”

Ashok Koul writes to Nadda seeks security for party workers

Srinagar, Aug 9:  A Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) local leader Abdul Hamid Najar was shot at and critically wounded by unidentified gunmen in the central Kashmir’ of Budgam district on early Sunday morning, official sources said.

Meanwhile, hours after the attack on Najar, who was reportedly heading OBC cell of the party in Budgam, four local leaders of BJP in the district announced their resignation from the party. About six BJP workers and local leaders left BJP after a sarpanch was shot dead by militants in south Kashmir recently.

Official sources told UNI that Najar left his Mohiendpora, Badgam, residence for a routine morning walk at 0530 am. However, when he was hardly about 300 meters away from his house gunmen waiting there fired at Najar from close range near railway track. Local residents immediately rushed out of their houses and shifted the injured BJP worker to SMHS hospital where he was operated upon by the doctors. Reports said Najar had received three bullets.

The gunmen managed to escape though security forces immediately reached the spot and conducting search operation.

Confirming the incident, BJP leader Manzoor Ahmad Bhat said that Najar is a dedicated party worker, who has been making efforts to mitigate the problems of locals.
This is the third attack on people associated with BJP in the valley during the last five days. A sarpanch, Sajjad Ahmad, was attacked outside his residence at Qazigund in south Kashmir on Thursday. Another sarpanch, identified as Arif Ahmad Shah, was critically injured in the attack by militants in south Kashmir.

Last month, former BJP district president Waseem Bari, his father and brother were killed inside their shop in north Kashmir district of Bandipora.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) General Secretary (Organisation) Ashok Koul, who has been raising the security issue after recent attack has now written a letter to national president J P Nadda in this regard.

Seeking secured accommodation for the party leaders in every district in Kashmir. However, he urged workers and leaders not to come out without security cover. Koul said, “the BJP leaders and workers will not be cowed down by such inhuman acts.”

Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) senior leader and former legislator Rafi Ahmad Mir condemned the attack on BJP worker Najar in Budgam district.

In a statement issued here, Mir urged the Lt Governor Manoj Sinha to take an immediate review of the security situation especially the requirements of political workers irrespective of their affiliations.

“Today’s attack is again a grim reminder for the J&K government to take concrete measures for safety and security of the political workers who put their lives at risk for strengthening of democratic process in this part of the world. Security of their lives should be of paramount importance and priority for any dispensation which is at the helm of affairs,” he remarked.

New Delhi, Aug 9: India has suggested to Pakistan that the talks for discussing pending issues under the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) be held through video-conferencing in view of the coronavirus pandemic, but Islamabad has been insisting that the parleys be conducted at the Attari check post, sources said on Sunday.

In a letter last week, the Indus Commissioner of India told his Pakistani counterpart that it is not conducive to hold the meeting at the Attari Joint Check Post due to the pandemic.

On Pakistan’s request, a meeting was scheduled in last week of March to discuss pending issues under the Indus Water Treaty. However, it was deferred due to current pandemic. Considering the fact that it may take some time for the situation to normalise and international travel to resume, the Indian Commissioner, in the first week of July, proposed to hold the meeting through video conference or any alternative means, sources said.

In response, the Pakistan Commissioner, in his letter sent in last week of July, insisted on holding the conventional meeting at Attari Joint Check Post instead. “The Indian Commissioner responded stating that the situation in India is still not conducive for travelling of his delegation and holding the meeting at Attari JCP as proposed by his counterpart and may take some time to allow such meeting at Attari JCP or New Delhi as desired by Pakistan,” a source said.

The Indian Commissioner also requested the Pakistan side to consider holding a virtual meeting as a viable option to discuss the pending and new issues, sources added. They noted that even the diplomatic talks with other countries have been taking place through virtual meetings and the Indus meeting can take place in a similar manner.

Currently, one of the pending issues between the two sides is the disagreement over the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectricity projects. The Kishenganga project had been in operation since 2018 while work on Ratle stands abandoned since 2014 due to a contractual dispute between the Jammu and Kashmir government and the contractor.

After prolonged negotiations, India in 2016 sought appointment of a neutral expert to resolve this issue while Pakistan made a request for appointment of a Court of Arbitration (COA). In November 2019, after a meeting of the Indian delegation headed by Jal Shakti Ministry Secretary with the World Bank to explore a way forward, it was agreed that the matter may be discussed by the two commissioners as per the Treaty provisions to decide the mode of resolution — by the CoA or a neutral expert.

The World Bank initially proceeded with both the process of appointment of a neutral expert and constituting the Court of Arbitration but later, in December 2016, it instituted a ‘pause’ on both the processes to allow the two parties to bilaterally choose one option with the help of its good offices, sources said. Under the Treaty, the World Bank has only the procedural role and there is no provision for the global financial institution to take an independent decision in this regard.

The pause is still continuing. In between two trilateral meetings at the secretary-level were held in Washington at World Bank office in August and September 2017 but the logjam persisted, the sources added. After the November 2019 talks, the Indian Commissioner invited his Pakistani counterpart in February 2020 to hold the meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission.

The meeting was scheduled in March but had to be postponed due to the pandemic. The Permanent Indus Commission, formed under the Indus Waters Treaty, was signed between India and Pakistan in 1960. Indus commissioners of both the countries act as representatives of the respective governments for the Treaty matters.

The Treaty provides for both the commissioners to meet at least once every year, alternately in India and Pakistan. It specifies that the waters of three eastern rivers namely Ravi, Beas and Sutlej, have been allocated exclusively to India.

The western rivers, namely Indus, Chenab and Jhelum, are for Pakistan with India given some rights like agriculture, navigation, domestic use and also the unrestricted rights to develop hydroelectric power projects within the specified parameters of design and operations. (news18)

‘For development of New India, entire nation needs to progress’

New Delhi, Aug 9: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said for the development of New India, the entire nation needs to progress.

Interacting with BJP Karyakartas of Andaman and Nicobar Islands through video-conferencing, PM Modi said the government may function from a specific point, but its work should reach out to everyone and more importantly, to the person at the end of the ladder.

He said 12 islands of Andaman and Nicobar have been selected where high-impact projects will be expanded.

‘Andaman and Nicobar is at a strategic location in relation to trade and blue economy. It is linked to Kerala, Kolkata and Bangladesh,’ he said.

The iconic Andaman & Nicobar Islands will become digitally independent on August 10, when PM Modi will dedicate his dream project ‘The Submarine Optical Fiber Cable’ to the nation.

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands contributed in India’s struggle for Independence, PM Modi said, adding that it will also play a key role in Aatmanirbhar Bharat and the security and growth of New India.

‘Our country is lucky that we have different things in different parts. The ones we can develop, like we are going to give impetus to industries like Andaman Nicobar to sea products and Coconut products,’ he said.

PM Modi said many Higher Educational Institutions have been created for the youth of this region.

‘To make the life of the island easier, whatever is necessary to bring prosperity there, they are being completed quickly,’ he pointed out.

The Prime Minister said the islands are also being connected to the rest of the country by airways, improving air connectivity from one island to another.

Port Blair Airport is being expanded in a big way, he maintained.

New Delhi, Aug 9: The Congress has said Sonia Gandhi will continue as interim president till such time a “proper procedure” is implemented in the “not too distant future” to elect a party chief.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi, during an online media briefing, said it was true that Sonia Gandhi’s tenure as interim chief comes to an end on August 10, one year after she assumed the post, but it did not mean that the seat automatically falls vacant that day.

“Sonia Gandhi is the president, she will continue till such time as a proper procedure is implemented and it will be implemented in the not too distant future,” he said.

“Yes, her tenure comes to an end on August 10. But be rest assured that there is a process which goes through the CWC (Congress Working Committee). This will be followed in the near future and a result will emerge,” he added.

The procedure is written in the Congress’ constitution and the party is committed to follow it, Singhvi said, adding that it was being done and information will be shared on it soon.
Asked about the confusion over whether Sonia Gandhi’s term ends tomorrow or there is no deadline for when the term of an interim president ends, he said it is very clear that neither nature nor politics, nor political parties, permit or tolerate a vacuum.

“Just like nature abhors a vacuum, political parties cannot function in a vacuum. It is true that the tenure is expiring tomorrow. There is a laid down procedure in the (party) constitution for elections. As you know it goes through the CWC etc,” Singhvi said.

“Now, in the meanwhile, if anybody is suggesting that the Congress will become headless on the stroke of midnight on August 10 you have to only ask yourself, is it possible, is that a fair interpretation of any constitution that on August 10 suddenly the seat becomes vacant,” he said.

Sonia Gandhi had taken over as interim chief on August 10 last year after Rahul Gandhi resigned taking responsibility for the party’s debacle in the Lok Sabha election.

Srinagar-Leh highway closed due to flash flood, many houses damaged

Srinagar, Aug 9: One person was killed and three others injured on Sunday after a cloudburst stuck Tral in south Kashmir district of Pulwama, official sources said here.

They said that a cloudburst hit Brenpatheri in Tral on Sunday, leading to a flash flood. “Four people were washed away,” they said, adding three among them were rescued with some injuries.

The said the body of the fourth person, identified as Sadiq Doei, was later from the flood water.

“The injured have been taken to a hospital, where their health condition is stated to be stable,” they added.

Meanwhile, Srinagar-Leh national, connecting the Union Territory of Ladakh with Kashmir, was closed due to flash flood, triggered by incessant rain on Sunday.

Meanwhile, several houses were also partially damaged due to the flash flood in Kullan village though the residences were evacuated to safety.

Official sources said that a flash flood occurred in a nallah at Kullan on Srinagar-Leh national highway due to incessant rain.

“Several houses were partially damaged after the structures were inundated,” they said, adding the residents were evacuated to safety and no one was injured.

They said the BEACON project of Border Road Organization (BRO), responsible for maintenance of the highway, has pressed into service machinery to put through traffic on the highway. “After getting green signal from police and BRO officials deployed on the ground, traffic was allowed on the highway,” they further said.