A old man looks at the new town area in Rajouri. Tribune photo: Shariq Majeed

Hospital down with power cuts 
Tribune News Service

Rajouri, July 13
The 17-hour-long power cuts have not only hit the common man but have also created problems for patients seeking medical aid at the district hospital here. With power supply remaining disrupted at the hospital, patients were finding it hard to get themselves treated. As such, they thronged private clinics and diagnostic centres for the purpose.
Patients said since there was an acute shortage of power at the health centre, doctors did not attend to them, and instead asked them to visit their private clinics, where they had installed generators.
Confirming that the crisis had hit the district hospital here, medical superintendent P.S. Slathia said he had taken up the matter with the director health services, Jammu. “About two days back, we tried to operate various units like X-ray, ultrasound and ECG on the generator installed in the hospital but it did not take the load,” Slathia claimed.
Meanwhile, the health director, Jammu, had assured to supply a 40 KVA generator for the hospital.

Hizbul militant, OGW held 
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Rajouri, July 13
In a major success, the Rajouri police today arrested a militant and an over ground worker (OGW) in separate operations from the town area here in the border district.
The police sources said Abdul Rasheed alias Mansoor-Ul-Haq, son of Abdul Ghani Bhatt of Doda, of the Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) was arrested by the Rajouri police. Rasheed was on his way back to his native village in Doda via Rajouri from the Peer Panjal area where he had been hiding for the past few months.
"We had specific information about the militant travelling to his native village---through this town---from the Peer Panjal area . He was apprehended while he was about to board a bus", a police source said. The police had recovered an AK rifle along with some ammunition from the possession of the HM militant.
Meanwhile, the police today arrested an alleged OGW from the outskirts of the town here.The police sources claimed that Mushtaq Ahmed of Jamola village was arrested by them after the specific information confirmed that he had to hand over more than Rs 1.3 lakh ---brought by him from Pakistan from the financers of the HM outfit-----to the HM commanders.

Militant hideout busted 
Tribune News Service

Rajouri, June 30
Troops of the Army busted a militant hideout and recovered a cache of arms and ammunition from Mendhar tehsil in frontier district of Poonch today.
A Jammu-based defence spokesperson said that the troops of 105 Infantry Battalion (Territorial Army) under the aegis of 25 Infantry Division recovered a cache of arms in Mendhar today.
The recovered cache comprises eight Chinese grenades, huge quantity of assorted ammunition and other miscellaneous stores.

Forest dept’s show-cause notices served on Army 
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Rajouri, June 30
On the heels of a major controversy over alleged allotment of forest land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, the state government has served show-cause notices on two brigade commanders and a garrison engineer for illegal construction on a forest land. The notices have been served on brigade commander of two infantry divisions and a garrison engineer based at Poonch in two separate cases for violation of the Jammu and Kashmir Forest Conservation Act 1997 and the Jammu and Kashmir Forest Act.
Sources in the forest department at Poonch said in the first case of the violation of provisions of various forest acts of the state, the department has served a show-cause notice on the brigade commander of 93 Infantry Division for undertaking widening of road through a forest area without seeking statutory permission from the forest department. "The 93rd Infantry Division did the widening of road through 600 metres of forest land from Gali Maidan to the Rangvan stretch without seeking statutory approval of the forest department. While doing so they violated Section 2 of the J&K Forest Conservation Act 1997 and Section 6 of the J&K Forest Act by unauthorised undertaking of road construction and encroaching upon the forest land,” reliable source in the department said. "Since as per the provisions of the J&K Forest Conservation Act if a department undertakes construction on forest land without requisite approval from the forest department, the head of that department becomes prima facie responsible for offence, the show-cause has been served on the brigade commander to explain as to why the army didn't seek statutory approval from the forest department.
In the second case, a show-cause notice has been served on a brigade commander of 10 Infantry Division and Garrison Engineer of 881 work section for issuing land clearance/availability certificate to the engineering works department of the Army without obtaining any clearance from the forest department. "The officers concerned have reportedly given a nod for laying the 11 KV high tension electric line through forest area. The DSO and brigade commander of 10 Infantry Division violated the provisions of the J&K Forest Conservation Act 1997 by issuing land clearance/availability certificate to the engineering works department of the Army without obtaining any clearance from the forest department thus failing to exercise due diligence as required under the provisions of the forest conservation act", the source said. "The show-cause notice has been served on both officers concerned for the violation and they will have to file their reply within 30 days".
The Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Poonch, while confirming the development, said "The violation has taken place. We are fulfilling the statutory requirement and after completing necessary formalities, the forest offence report will be filed before the competent court", DFO said.

Forest dept’s show-cause notices served on Army 
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Rajouri, June 30
On the heels of a major controversy over alleged allotment of forest land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, the state government has served show-cause notices on two brigade commanders and a garrison engineer for illegal construction on a forest land. The notices have been served on brigade commander of two infantry divisions and a garrison engineer based at Poonch in two separate cases for violation of the Jammu and Kashmir Forest Conservation Act 1997 and the Jammu and Kashmir Forest Act.
Sources in the forest department at Poonch said in the first case of the violation of provisions of various forest acts of the state, the department has served a show-cause notice on the brigade commander of 93 Infantry Division for undertaking widening of road through a forest area without seeking statutory permission from the forest department. "The 93rd Infantry Division did the widening of road through 600 metres of forest land from Gali Maidan to the Rangvan stretch without seeking statutory approval of the forest department. While doing so they violated Section 2 of the J&K Forest Conservation Act 1997 and Section 6 of the J&K Forest Act by unauthorised undertaking of road construction and encroaching upon the forest land,” reliable source in the department said. "Since as per the provisions of the J&K Forest Conservation Act if a department undertakes construction on forest land without requisite approval from the forest department, the head of that department becomes prima facie responsible for offence, the show-cause has been served on the brigade commander to explain as to why the army didn't seek statutory approval from the forest department.
In the second case, a show-cause notice has been served on a brigade commander of 10 Infantry Division and Garrison Engineer of 881 work section for issuing land clearance/availability certificate to the engineering works department of the Army without obtaining any clearance from the forest department. "The officers concerned have reportedly given a nod for laying the 11 KV high tension electric line through forest area. The DSO and brigade commander of 10 Infantry Division violated the provisions of the J&K Forest Conservation Act 1997 by issuing land clearance/availability certificate to the engineering works department of the Army without obtaining any clearance from the forest department thus failing to exercise due diligence as required under the provisions of the forest conservation act", the source said. "The show-cause notice has been served on both officers concerned for the violation and they will have to file their reply within 30 days".
The Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Poonch, while confirming the development, said "The violation has taken place. We are fulfilling the statutory requirement and after completing necessary formalities, the forest offence report will be filed before the competent court", DFO said.

Infiltrators using new routes to sneak in 
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Rajouri, August 31
Even as the security forces have managed to cap the common routes used by the infiltrators along the Line of Control (LoC) to sneak into India, militants in an apparent new tactic are using less frequently used routes for crossing LoC in twin frontier districts of Rajouri and Poonch.
With election in the state probably slated later this year, the Pakistani Army is exploring all ways to infiltrate trained militants into this side to increase the violence level in this troubled state.
In the first such case, in February-March this year, more than 10 militants had reportedly sneaked into the Indian territory, using “less frequently used routes” from the Rakhi post in Sunderbani sector.
In a more recent case, a group of four to five militants allegedly chose the “not frequently used route” of Kaskancha in Laam sector of Nowshera tehsil of this frontier district to infiltrate to this side of the LoC and had reportedly successfully infiltrated into the Indian side.
“These militants who infiltrated through the less frequently used routes are reportedly active in Buddhal, Darhal and upper reaches of Thanamandi in this border district besides some are active near Mendhar, Surankote and upper reaches of Pir Panjal,” a intelligence source claimed.
He further said with the melting of snow on the mountains, the infiltrators preferred to sneak through the traditional routes of Mendhar, Balnoi, Krishna Ghati and Mankote in frontier district of Poonch and some areas in Sunderbani and Nowshera sectors of this border district, but this time around the infiltrators have made attempts through the “less frequently used routes” of Jhallas, Mandi and Poonch sector in Poonch district and Rakhi post in Sunderbani, Jabran in Keeri sector near here and Kaskancha in Laam sector of Nowshera in this frontier district.
“Krishna Ghatti, Mendhar, Balnoi, Mankote in Poonch and Keeri, some border areas in Sunderbani and Nowshera in Rajouri were frequently used by infiltrators to sneak to this side of the LoC. But Jhallas, Mandi and Poonch sector in Poonch district and Rakhi post in Sunderbani, Jabran in Keeri sector near here and Kaskancha in Laam sector of Nowshera in this border district were not frequently used by infiltrators. Now they are using these routes also,” said an Army source.
“It appears that by choosing less frequently used infiltration routes, they are trying to reduce the causalities they suffer. Even as they are exploring new tactics to infiltrate into our territory, we are to the task and have been thwarting their attempts successfully,” the source added.
Despite repeated attempts, defence spokesperson couldn't be contacted. However, defence sources maintained that the Army was taking all preventive measures and has been successfully foiling all infiltration attempts through Rajouri and Poonch sectors.

M A I N   N E W S

After 30 years, Poonch-Haveli goes to Cong
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Poonch, December 15
The Congress today pulled off a big victory the Poonch-Haveli constituency ahead of the assembly elections slated for next year.

Its candidate Jehangir Mir registered a win by defeating his nearest rival, independent candidate and one time party colleague Yashpal Sharma by a good margin of 4,398 votes.

Mir secured 20,697 votes of the 66,468 polled votes whereas Sharma could just manage 16,299. National Conference candidate Aejaz Ahmed Jan finished third by securing 16227 votes.

The election to this seat which was necessitated following the death of NC leader and sitting MLA Ghulam Mohammad Jan saw his son Aejaz Jan fighting hard to retain the seat once held by his late father.

The election to this seat saw triangular contest between Congress candidate Jehangir Mir, NC’s Aejaz Jan and Congress rebel-turned independent candidate Yashpal Sharma.

The other candidates who were in fray here included Pardeep Sharma (BJP), Janak Singh (All J&K Kissan Mazdoor Party), Shah Muhammad Tantrey, Syed Nissar Hussain, Iftikhar Hussain Bazmi (all independent candidates).

The voting trend in four zones Poonch Urban, Khanetar, Mandi, Loran, suggested a gain for Congress in Mandi and Khanetar zones, whereas an independent Shah Muhammad Tantrey gains in Loran and Yashpal Sharma securing maximum votes in Poonch urban.

Though the biggest surprise of this by-poll was the inroads made by Shah Muhammad Tantrey in Loran once a NC bastion. Tantrey secured 7,935 votes.

The voting trend further suggests that National Conference suffered major jolts in all the zones except for in Sawjian where party registered good gains.

As soon as the Returning Officer Shahbaz Mirza announced win for Congress candidate Jehangir Mir in the by-polls, celebrations started in Syndigate Muhalla where Mir resides.

“The Congress last won the seat in 1971 when Jehangir Sahab’s uncle Ghulam Muhammad Mir emerged victorious. After 30 years we have won the seat again and will retain it,” said a Congress leader.

“We attribute this win to the performance of Congress-led Coalition government and to Azad sahib who is doing great service to the state.”

M A I N   N E W S

Army encounters embarrassment
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

RELUCTANT ADMISSION: The militants it engaged in one of the longest, nine-day, gunbattles in Mendhar of Poonch, have apparently escaped. Two of its officers died in the encounter but it is yet to recover the bodies of the four militants it claimed to have killed.

Rajouri, January 9
Even as the Army suffered a huge embarrassment after it admitted that militants engaged with it, in one of the longest gunbattles in the Bain forest of Bhatti Dhar area of Mendhar in Poonch, may have escaped in the nine-day-long operation, it reportedly continued to search the forest.

Army sources said that even after it called off operation Bhatti Dhar and admitted that “possibility of terrorists having slipped out taking advantage of the rugged terrain and prevailing climatic conditions cannot be ruled out”, it continued to search the densely forested area and has reportedly blasted the huge rocks where a hollow space, which formed a perfect place for militants to hide in, existed. The source added that the Army had busted three hideouts yesterday and had recovered cooking oil, dal, 20 kg rice and a gas cylinder.

Sources had further said that there was no firing from militants’ side since the morning of January 7, suggesting that militants may had either been killed or escaped. The second option was more likely since the security forces had laid a three-tier cordon in the area where militants were holed up.

Army sources added that even as the Army has claimed that it had killed four militants in the operation on January 1, it didn’t recover the body of even a single slain militant reportedly killed. The sources expressed shock that two Army personnel, including a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO), and a Special Police Officer (SPO) sacrificed their lives.

Operations to flush out terrorists holed up in the forest area of the Mendhar continued on January 8 by a number of tactically organised teams.

Col DK Kachari, public relations officer, ministry of defence, Northern Command, said that the operations to flush out terrorists holed up in the forest area continued on January 8. “There were numerous inputs about the presence of terrorists, including a contact, on January 2009 when a JCO and an SPO were killed in action. During the course of flushing out operations a couple of natural caves were destroyed.

M A I N   N E W S

This gift is simply ‘unbeerable’
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Poonch, January 11
In an unusual event, 13 Sector of the Army gave beer bottles to students for winning various competitions during a function held to mark the theme of this year’s Army Day — The Nation Above All — in Thannamandi area of Rajouri district.

The Army Day is to be celebrated on January 15.

Local sources told The Tribune that the Army’s Thanamandi-based 13 Sector gave beer bottles to students of various schools who won in different competitions, including ring contest and National Anthem competition.

They added that the senior officer of the Army reportedly gave “Golden Eagle” beer bottles as a winning prize to 25 students. Interestingly, the winning students, reportedly, also comprised 11 girls.

“I participated in a ring competition in the function organised by the Army and won a prize. After I opened it, I found it was a liquor bottle. When I told my parents about the same, they got really furious and also abused me,” a student said on the condition on anonymity.

“This is shocking. They shouldn’t have distributed beer as a prize. What message do they want to convey by this gesture?” the mother of a winner asked.

“This will definitely not go well with these tender brains. They (Army) should not have done this,” she added.

A senior police officer confirmed to The Tribune that incident had happened. However, he was quick to add that this did not constitute any offence as beer is not covered under the Drugs Act.

Meanwhile, when contacted, Jammu-based Defence spokesperson told The Tribune over the phone that “no such prize was given to the students”.

M A I N   N E W S

POLLS 2008
Jammu & Kashmir
Dipping into faith
Naveen S Garewal and Shariq Majeed
Tribune News service

Kalakote (Rajouri), November 11
Mehbooba Mufti knows faith fires people. Especially the innocent and the ill-informed.

That’s why she has reached out to “pirs and fakirs” to secure a pledge of support for the People's Democratic Party in the backward areas of Rajouri.

Thousands of followers of Sufi saint Syeed Mussafar Hussain Shah have vowed “not to let her down” in the elections.

They have little choice. Shah’s message to them is as simple as it gets: “You always come to me and I have always used my miraculous powers to heal you. But, remember, the next time you come to me, I will be able to determine if you voted for Khalid Qureshi or someone else. If my powers tell me otherwise, I will break all religious ties with you. I now want you to raise your hands and take a pledge in the name of Allah that you will press the button for the PDP candidate".

At a gathering today, about 3,000 people sat like ones transported as the PDP chief started her speech with a one-liner: "What can I tell you more than what you have already heard from ‘Baji Sahib’ (Shah)?” Almost spantaneously, almost everyone in the near-euphoric audience raised their hands in affirmation.

Caught between militancy and security “crackdowns”, residents of Kalakote barely manage to feed themselves in this predominantly rural constituency. Mostly illiterate, they are farmers and nomads, including "Gujjars" and “bakkarwals”, who work on their small lands or as manual labour.

Development is unknown here. PDP leader Ashiq Hussain Bukhari says, “People here desperately need a healing touch and some development to bring them at par with other areas of the state”. Even though a thermal plant was set up here over a decade ago, it remains non-functional. First it was not commissioned as the area was highly militant-infested and, later, the last Vidhan Sabha simply ignored the area as the sitting legislator (Rashpal Singh) belonged to the National Conference.”

Mehbooba says she has the mantra for development. Seeking support for Khalid Qureshi, her party candidate, she said, “If you strengthen that hands of Mufti Sahib (Mufti Mohammad Sayed), he will ensure development and prosperity. The NC has done nothing for the common people”.

She lays out promises thick and fast: regional councils for Poonch and Rajouri, decentralisation of power, and “empowerment” of the people of Poonch and Rajouri.

A politician's staple, but she must be aware that if something is going to help her, it will be something entirely different —the pull of faith...

Army organises veterinary camp 
Tribune News Service

Rajouri, September 21
As a part of the military civic action programme, Mendhar Brigade of the Army organised a veterinary medical camp under Operation Sadbhavana at Jhallas, Salotri and Dharati villages in the border Poonch district yesterday. A team of Army and civil doctors treated approximately 650 animals.
Speaking on the occasion, Commander Mendhar Brigade assured the people of the area that such camps and other welfare projects would be conducted in future under Operation Sadbhavana.

Subedar arrested in fake permanent resident scam 
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Rajouri, September 21
The police has arrested an Army Subedar after his involvement in the fake permanent resident (PRC) scam was established by a team constituted to probe the scam.
Sources identified the Subedar as Manjeet Singh of Bathooni here. Manjeet Singh was arrested after he had returned home from the North-East where he was posted, sources added.
The PRC scam was brought to light in 2006 when the then Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), Rajouri-Poonch range, V.K.Singh, received the complaint regarding fake PRC having been issued to the ward of an Army Brigadier. The DIG had ordered an enquiry and under the supervision of the then SSP Rajouri, Farooq Khan, a special team of the District Special Branch (DSB) was constituted to investigate the authenticity of the complaint.
The investigators, during preliminary investigation, had found that one Patwari, Khursheed Tantrey, prepared the necessary documents required for issuance of PRC. The documents were then signed by the then Tehsildar, Rajinder Singh, then Assistant Commissioner Revenue (ACR), A.Q.Mir (now retired), and revenue clerk Muhammad Yousuf.
The fake PRC was issued by the revenue authorities in favour of one Harkanwar Singh, son of Brigadier Manjeet Singh of Jalandhar, who during his posting as Col HR with Romeo Force Headquarters had managed to get the document issued.
The senior Army officer at present a Brigadier in Kashmir had managed to get the fake documents issued in favour of his son Harkanwar by showing him to be the son of Subedar Manjeet Singh of Bathooni, Rajouri, and had used the fake PRC to get his son admitted to Acharya Shri Chander Institute of Medical Sciences.
A member of the DSB team while confirming the arrest of Subedar Manjeet Singh told Tribune News Service that the Subedar was among the 11 accused in the scam. "We are also trying to get the other accused in the case so that they can be brought to book".

Villages hit by power cuts 
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Parori-Darhal (Rajouri), June 29
Voicing their resentment over continuous power and water shortage, Parori-Darhal villagers have accused the government of neglecting their woes for the past many years.
They alleged that the Power Development Department (PDD) has been supplying electricity just for 11 hours a day for the last five years.
The village elders, mostly illiterate, chose to remain silent and have least expectation from the government.
But the present generation, equipped with the power of education and knowledge about their rights, said the government had a bias against the rural areas.
“We are getting electricity for just 11 hours a day and that too is erratic,”said Mian Ahmed, a village elder.
Mustafa Ahmed, a student, complained that whereas the government made all efforts to improve the living conditions in the urban areas, it did little to provide even the basic facilities in the villages.
“In our village, the department supplies power for just five hours during the day and six hours in the nights,” he said.
The officials of PDD were not available for comments. However, a source in the department claimed that the authorities stop the power supply to these villages to provide the same in Jammu and Srinagar cities.

Villages hit by power cuts 
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Parori-Darhal (Rajouri), June 29
Voicing their resentment over continuous power and water shortage, Parori-Darhal villagers have accused the government of neglecting their woes for the past many years.
They alleged that the Power Development Department (PDD) has been supplying electricity just for 11 hours a day for the last five years.
The village elders, mostly illiterate, chose to remain silent and have least expectation from the government.
But the present generation, equipped with the power of education and knowledge about their rights, said the government had a bias against the rural areas.
“We are getting electricity for just 11 hours a day and that too is erratic,”said Mian Ahmed, a village elder.
Mustafa Ahmed, a student, complained that whereas the government made all efforts to improve the living conditions in the urban areas, it did little to provide even the basic facilities in the villages.
“In our village, the department supplies power for just five hours during the day and six hours in the nights,” he said.
The officials of PDD were not available for comments. However, a source in the department claimed that the authorities stop the power supply to these villages to provide the same in Jammu and Srinagar cities.

Hideout busted in Rajouri 
Tribune News Service

Rajouri, June 29
Troops of Army busted a militant hideout and recovered a cache of arms and ammunition from Atensari forest area of Ghai village in Rajouri yesterday.
Army sources said troops of the 38 Rashtriya Rifles under the aegis of the Romeo Force launched a search operation in Atensari forest area. During the operation, the troops busted the hideout and recovered arms and ammunition.
Defence spokesperson Lt-Col S.D. Goswami said two .303 rifles, one AK rifle, 10 magazines, 300 rounds, 14 rounds of Pika rifle, 20 detonators, 12 grenades, one kg of explosive, 78 rounds of pistol and one landmine was recovered.

2 years after quake, library books still in debris 
Shariq Majeed

Poonch, February 24
More than two years after the deadly earthquake brought down the historic Shri Jagat Dev Singh (SJD) library here, the state government has failed to give the books their rightful place. While some of the books continue to remain buried in the debris, many more have been stolen by the locals.
“The books are stolen by the people. Even a writer who claims to write the only history on Poonch and Rajouri regions also managed to steal most of the local original sources on it,” said Shoket Mir, local youth leader and social activist. “However, what pains us the most is that some of the invaluable books are still buried under the debris and the department of libraries don’t bother to recover them,” he added.
He further said while the department has shifted the books to two rooms in the district industries centre, only few readers know about its changed location.
Visitors to this library said it had a good collection of books, including the ones on art, culture, literature, science, and the local and international history. The prominent writers whose books were housed here included famous Urdu writers Krishan Chander, Charag Hassan Hasrat (contemporary of world famous Urdu poet Allam Muhammad Iqbal), historian Muhammad Din Fok and Sufi writers Baba Fareed and Baba Bulle Shah.
Every effort to get the director libraries to respond to the allegations did not materialise, however, a junior officer of the libraries department told The Tribune that the department has asked the district administration to identify the land for construction of new library. He further claimed that department is in the process of providing new books to the library.

2 years after quake, library books still in debris 
Shariq Majeed

Poonch, February 24
More than two years after the deadly earthquake brought down the historic Shri Jagat Dev Singh (SJD) library here, the state government has failed to give the books their rightful place. While some of the books continue to remain buried in the debris, many more have been stolen by the locals.
“The books are stolen by the people. Even a writer who claims to write the only history on Poonch and Rajouri regions also managed to steal most of the local original sources on it,” said Shoket Mir, local youth leader and social activist. “However, what pains us the most is that some of the invaluable books are still buried under the debris and the department of libraries don’t bother to recover them,” he added.
He further said while the department has shifted the books to two rooms in the district industries centre, only few readers know about its changed location.
Visitors to this library said it had a good collection of books, including the ones on art, culture, literature, science, and the local and international history. The prominent writers whose books were housed here included famous Urdu writers Krishan Chander, Charag Hassan Hasrat (contemporary of world famous Urdu poet Allam Muhammad Iqbal), historian Muhammad Din Fok and Sufi writers Baba Fareed and Baba Bulle Shah.
Every effort to get the director libraries to respond to the allegations did not materialise, however, a junior officer of the libraries department told The Tribune that the department has asked the district administration to identify the land for construction of new library. He further claimed that department is in the process of providing new books to the library.

Army frisks people, then demands NOC 
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Poonch, June 9
Even as ‘every now and then’ the army faces allegations of human rights violations in the garb of frisking, it has found a new way to save itself from legal ramifications. In border districts of Rajouri and Poonch the Army seeks a ‘no objection certificate’ from the people after subjecting them to the frisking.


Army personnel frisking a young boy at a mobile checkpoint near Shindra in Poonch district. Photo by writer
In fact, sources in the district administration here and in Rajouri district divulged that in order to save itself from legal ramifications of frisking, the army seeks NOC from the people after subjecting them to the same at the mobile checkpoints in these twin border districts. They added that police is acting as a witness to the whole alleged ‘drama’ to give frisking a more legal face.
“Since the Army is itself seeking the NOC from the people after subjecting them to frisking, people cannot afford but to oblige for fear of being harassed. What makes the whole ‘drama’ more interesting is the fact that the police is made as one of the two witnesses in the whole procedure. The NOC the copy of which is with The Tribune reads “It is certified that vehicle number — driven by me (name) — has been checked on — 2008. There is no divergence found in it. It is further certified that no locals were harassed/manhandled.” In the document to be signed by a local, the police is one of the witnesses and the other witness is some other local accompanying that person.
“Though the Army continues to harass people in the name of frisking, yet they are now wise enough to give it a legal face. Can we afford not to sign the NOC?” asked a local preferring anonymity, after undergoing frisking at Shindra on the Surankote-Poonch road here.
Justifying the procedure, an Army officer said “we never resort to harassment during frisking and even people by signing the NOC are justifying this fact, or better say act. He said the frisking was done for safety of people. Repeated attempts to contact respective deputy commissioners of Rajouri and Poonch couldn’t materialise since they didn’t attend to their calls. “We will have to examine the matter,” a senior officer here said. 

Poonch, Rajouri traders hope for economic boom 
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Poonch, September 28
The decision to start cross-LoC trade through the Poonch-Rawalkot road from October 28 has cheered up traders in twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri.
They feel that their economic status will get a lift as the trade starts.
However, there is one complain. Majority of the traders said the state government has not told them about the modalities of trade and items.
The authorities said initially 21 items from India and Pakistan would be traded. These items will be finalised by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Jammu and that of PoK.
“It is a historical decision. It will definitely boost the economy of our districts,” said Sanjeev Mehta, who runs a wholesale karyana shop near bus stand here.
“But we have a grievance that the government didn’t display the list of items to be traded and modalities for trade. They should do it at an earliest so that we also prepare for registering ourselves for trade with PoK,” he added.
Another trader, Bashir Mughal, who runs a provisional store at Bazar Hathithan here, said it would go a long way to uplift the economic status of the traders on both the sides of LoC and will also bring people closer.
Pushkar Nath, a one time trader of Mendhar, recalled the trade practice on either side of LoC in 1962.
He said during those days, trade was carried out by the traders on either side through people living in buffer areas (no mans land).
“We used to sell Lipton tea, muslin cloth, dry fruits and desi ghee to the traders on other side of LoC. They used to sell us some dry fruits, saw sharpner,” Nath said.
“I feel happy that trade between the two sides is starting again,” he said.
When asked about the complaints of the traders, Poonch deputy commissioner Muhammad Afzal told The Tribune that even we don’t have the list of the items to be traded and the procedure to enlist.
“As soon as we get the requisite information, we will display the same,” the DC said.

Mufti favours free movement of people across LoC 
Tribune News Service

Poonch, December 19
Expressing dismay over the slow progress on the implementation of the cross-LoC confidence-building measures, former Chief Minister and People’s Democratic party (PDP) patron on Monday hoped that India and Pakistan would speedily move forward for allowing free movement of people and goods through all the traditional cross-LoC routes in Jammu and Kashmir.
He was interacting with locals and pilgrims at the famous shrine of Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah at Shahdara Sharief in Rajouri district.

Mobile network in shambles in Poonch 
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Poonch, December 19
If you are in this border township and want to make a call to someone from your mobile phone, it will take you not less than half-an-hour to get connected -- courtesy the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) -- the sole mobile phone operator here that is troubling people.
Despite having a proud tagline, "Connecting India", the BSNL claiming to provide best mobile phone services in the country, has taken the subscribers here for a ride.
Residents complain that BSNL's mobile service is so poor that most of the times the network is busy.
“The mobile network here is so poor that it takes hours to make a call. On many occasions, we lodged severe protests, but the authorities do little to rectify the problem,” said Aejaz Ahmed, a resident. "The authorities have different excuses for poor connectivity here. Mostly they say that since the number of subscribers is high, the system is overloaded. They also attribute poor connectivity to the increasing number of intra-state roaming subscribers coming here and limited number of channels."
Even about a fortnight back, National Conference president Omar Abdullah, while addressing an election rally here, had expressed disappointment over the poor mobile phone connectivity in this region.
At present, the BSNL has two towers in this border township, one at Dalera, "Dalera 1" and other near here, "Dalera 2". The number of mobile subscribers here is more than five thousand. Sources said BSNL was facing shortage of channels, which results in poor connectivity. They did not rule out the existence of a nexus between some STD owners and BSNL employees here.
"Though BSNL is facing shortage of channels here, yet there are reports that there exists a nexus between its employees and STD owners. Since the STD owners operate hundreds of STDs, they with the help of a local mediaperson, run a nexus with some BSNL employees who shut down the mobile network so that the STD owners do good business", sources added.
Telecom district engineer (TDE), Rajouri-Poonch, M.L.Raina admitted the mobile connectivity in Poonch town is not satisfactory. "There is problem with the connectivity in Poonch town. However, we are upgrading the system and increasing the channels that will improve the connectivity," he assured.
As regards the existence of nexus between some BSNL employees and the STD owners, TDE refuted the allegations and termed them "baseless".

Missing Persons Case
It took ten long years for police to file a report 
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Mora Katha-Kotdhara (Rajouri), July 25
Three civilians were taken into custody by Army men in 1997 but it took the police ten years to register a case. By rule, the police is expected to file a missing persons report within 24 hours of being informed about a case.
Abdul Aziz, son of Sher Muhammad, Abdul Aziz, son of Muhammad Hussain, and Muhammad Yousuf, son of Raj Muhammad were picked up by men of the 18 Dogra Regiment from their residences. They never came back.
Their families say they tried tried to lodge a missing persons report a few days after they failed to trace the three men.
The families of the three men waged a grim battle for justice for a decade, which saw court interventions too, but the police continued to slumber over what has been termed by the State Human Rights Commission as a gross violation of human rights.
The police, they alleged, was reluctant to take on the Army and attempted to dissuade them from not filing a report.
Baggo Begum, wife of one of the victims, Muhammad Yousuf, remembers how they visited the police station in Rajouri only to be abused by the police personnel and told to go back.
“However,’’ she said, “we didn’t give up and continued to go to the police station. We were often terrorised by Army personnel in plain clothes on the way”, she said. Nothing moved.
Slowly, the stress beagn to take a toll on her two young sons. “Unable to comprehend the disappearance of their father, my sons suffered so much that they have become abnormal in their behaviour,’’ Baggo said.
Muhammad Farooq, brother of Abdul Aziz, who was allegedly killed in a fake encounter, said he read a news item regarding the Ganderbal fake encounter last year.
That triggered hope. “The very next day, we filed a application in the deputy commissioner’s office for exhumation of the bodies of our family members since a source told us that, after killing our relatives, the Army had buried them in pits near Kancha post in Peer Badeswar area.”
The DC referred the case to SSP Farooq Khan who, after much dilly-dallying, asked the SHO to register a missing persons report.
“That was March 29, 2007, a decade after the three men were done away with,’’he said.
Rajouri SSP Rajesh Kumar told The Tribune that he doesn’t know about the matter. “The report was not filed during my time, so I don’t know anything about it” was all that he had to say.

Custody killings: Kin hail SHRC’s judgment 
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Mora Katha-Kotdhara (Rajouri), July 24
A day after the SHRC indicted the 18 Dogra Regiment of the Army for killing three civilians in its custody, family members of the victims today hoped that the state government would act fast on the judgment.
The State Human Rights Commission directed the police to register a murder case against the accused Army personnel.
Even if the government fails to comply, family members of the victims said they were ready to take their fight to a logical conclusion in the court of law.
In his report to the Commission, the senior superintendent of police, Rajouri, had said the three civilians were lifted and killed by the troops of the 18 Dogra Regiment and were buried at Peer Badaser near Kacha Post.
He solicited registration of a criminal case under section 364 and 302 of the RPC against the concerned Army officials besides recommending an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the relatives of the deceased persons.

Custody killings: Kin hail SHRC’s judgment 
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Mora Katha-Kotdhara (Rajouri), July 24
A day after the SHRC indicted the 18 Dogra Regiment of the Army for killing three civilians in its custody, family members of the victims today hoped that the state government would act fast on the judgment.
The State Human Rights Commission directed the police to register a murder case against the accused Army personnel.
Even if the government fails to comply, family members of the victims said they were ready to take their fight to a logical conclusion in the court of law.
In his report to the Commission, the senior superintendent of police, Rajouri, had said the three civilians were lifted and killed by the troops of the 18 Dogra Regiment and were buried at Peer Badaser near Kacha Post.
He solicited registration of a criminal case under section 364 and 302 of the RPC against the concerned Army officials besides recommending an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the relatives of the deceased persons.

Don’t let people down: Vohra to officers 
Tribune News Service

Rajouri, July 24
Governor N.N. Vohra called upon the district officers in Poonch to work with honesty and dedication to ensure expeditious completion of schemes undertaken in their areas so that the fruits of development percolate down to the people at grassroots level. He warned against any slippage and said funds would not be any constraint if the pace of work on the projects was satisfactory.
The Governor yesterday laid special emphasis on road development, water and power supply, improving civic amenities and ensuring urban development on sustained basis.
During an on-the-spot assessment of problems faced by the people in far-flung areas, he said the people have many expectations from the administration and the officers must redouble their efforts in satiating their aspirations.
“Don’t do anything which attracts any kind of dissatisfaction or public criticism,” he warned the employees.
He was accompanied by his Principal Secretary, B B Vyas, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Sudhanshu Pandey, and Inspector General of Police, Jammu Zone, K Rajendra. The Governor also took stock of the civic works under execution in the town and asked the District Development Commissioner to monitor their status on regular basis and send him report.

Divided families hope for easy travel 
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Poonch, April 26
For 55-year-old Abdul Razzak Khan, a resident of Mendhar here, the announcement of the measures by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for easing travel across Line of Control (LoC) has come as blessing. Two years back Razzak applied for the permit to travel to Kotli in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) to meet his uncle Misri Khan, who got separated from them in 1965. He is yet to receive the permit.
However, the Prime Minister’s announcement of various measures to ease travel across the LoC has given a ray of hope to Razzak Khan, who wishes to meet his relative.
“I had applied for permit to travel to PoK about two years back, but till date I couldn’t get the permission”, said Razak Khan. “We welcome the statement of Manmohan Singh regarding the easing travel across the LoC and urge him to take up the issue with the Pakistan government in the earnest so that we can meet our family members who got separated from us”, he added.
The Prime Minister while addressing a public meeting in Akhnoor on Friday announced triple entry permits and completion of the verification process within six weeks.
The Prime Minister said he wanted to see the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Poonch Rawlakote roads to be used for trade and travel like Attari-Wagah and Khokhrapar-Munnabao roads.
“A triple entry permit is being considered to facilitate this. Besides, it has been decided to dispose off applications within six weeks,” said the PM, adding that India wanted the bus service on Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawlakote to be weekly instead of fortnightly as at present.

School building collapses, government unmoved 
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Phagwari-Mandi (Poonch), September 24
At a time when the state government thinks big of introducing information technology in higher secondary schools, it is not able to reconstruct even a school building, which collapsed two years back.
Heavy snowfall and winds damaged the building of Government Primary School, Phagwari, in 2006 and since then the students have been studying in houses of villagers.
One of the two teachers of the school, asking not to be named, confirmed the apathetic attitude of the authorities.
Besides studies, the school records and infrastructure, including furniture, have been housed in the houses, the teacher added.
“We urged the state government to reconstruct the building but nothing happened. The students suffer especially during rainy season and snowfall,” he said.
“When the government didn’t pay any attention, we requested the locals to allow us to run classes in their houses and house our record and furniture. To which they allowed us access and that too free of cost,” the teacher said.
Few months back, the government on its part gave a tent to run the school. “But it is not possible to run the classes in a single tent,” the teacher said.
Village sarpanch Ghulam Muhammad said they had raised the matter during the visit of former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad to the area by putting up banners, demanding reconstruction of school building, but without success.
“We raised the issue with the Education Department and district administration many a times but they say that they will get the building reconstructed only after they get funds,” the sarpanch said.
Paramjit Singh, chief education officer, Poonch, confirmed that the school building collapsed in 2006-2007 and was not reconstructed since then.
“We don’t have funds to reconstruct the school building. As soon as we get funds we will reconstruct the building,” the CEO claimed. But the department has given a tent to the school.

Jawan commits suicide 
Tribune News Service

Poonch, September 24
A soldier posted with a Field Artillery Regiment allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself at his camp in Nowshera area of frontier district of Rajouri yesterday.
Sources in the Nowshera police said havaldar Raj Kumar Yadav of the 64 Field Artillery Regiment and resident of Mohindar Garh in Haryana was found hanging inside his barrack at his camp in Nowshera.
Yadav was immediately shifted by his regiment to the hospital where doctors declared him as brought dead. The exact cause of death is yet to be ascertained.
Jammu-based Defence spokesperson Lt. Col. S.D.Goswami confirming the report and said an enquiry had been ordered.”

Fed up with agitation, traders open shops 
Tribune News Service

Rajouri, July 7
Suffering huge losses due to the BJP's agitation over the land transfer issue, traders and shop-owners today defied the party's orders, after the Azad-led coalition bowed out of power, by opening their business establishments here in border districts of Rajouri and Poonch.
After news channels flashed that Azad-led coalition government had fallen, traders and shopkeepers found it the right opportunity to defy the diktat of the BJP, which has already called for continuing the agitation, and opened the business establishments and shops.
Traders and shop-owners of a particular community have been suffering heavy losses in this peak season of business activity due to the ongoing agitation.
"A fuel pump owned by a local BJP leader remained open even as party activists tried their every effort, even violence, to forcibly close down our business establishments. This clearly speaks of the double standards of the BJP. On the one hand, they make poor traders and shopkeepers to suffer, while on the other hand they themselves they don't allow their political agenda to hit their livelihood," said Jyoti Prakash, a resident of the old city area here and a businessman.
"Even if the government had survived, we were planning to open our business establishments. There is politics involved in the agitation and it (BJP) has nothing to do with the religious interests of a religious community."
Reports from Nowshera and Sunderbani in this border district said that immediately after the word about the fall of the Azad-led government spread, traders and shopkeepers opened their business establishments.

Land transfer agitation hits road project 
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Chattapani-Mughal road (Poonch), July 7
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the former main ally in the Congress-led coalition government, might have levelled allegations of blackmailing against Congress ministers for sabotaging the Mughal road project in case it didn't reportedly clear the Shrine Amarnath Shrine Board land transfer, but on ground it seems that it is the BJP which doesn't want Kashmir to be linked through an alternative road link.
The agitation for the cancellation of the revocation of the land transfer to SASB, which the BJP is leading, has led to the shortage of diesel, affecting the construction work on the road link badly.
If sub-contractors, engaged by the main road constructing agency for the project, Hindustan Construction Company (HCC), are to be believed, the agitation has led to the shortage of diesel and petrol in the area due to no supply from Jammu.
It has reportedly become difficult for the main contractors and the sub-contractors to operate the machinery, they added.
"The agitation has led to the shortage of diesel, petrol and kerosene, creating problems for us," a sub-contractor told TNS.
There are around 15 sub-contractors involved in the construction work on the project and shortage of fuel has affected them all since their machinery is lying idle.
Though senior officers of the project and the HCC remained tight-lipped on the issue, a junior officer said the shortage of fuel has definitely affected the working of machinery, which has severely hit the progress of work of the road project.

Private buses remain off road
Tribune News Service

Rajouri, April 22
The strike call given by private transport operators had quite a hard effect on commuters here as majority of the private buses remained off road.
The private transport operators are seeking hike in the passenger fares besides waiver of passenger tax.
Even as the government was aware of the strike call given by the private transport operators, the commuters which largely included government employees and the students taking their annual exams — who were seen having tough time to arrange transport for themselves — alleged that government didn't arrange for some alternate mode. They also alleged that private transport operators just for their petty interests were making the common man to suffer.
"Though the government knew that private transport operators will go on strike today, they didn't make some alternate arrangement. And see the people like us are suffering,” said Vijay Sharma, a student, of the Chingus area. "If the private transporters have some genuine demands the government should think over these. But they (private transporters) too must not indulge in blackmailing tactics and shouldn't take people to ransom".
Reports from neighboring Poonch districts also suggested that the strike call given by private transport operators had quite an affect.

Poonch becoming hub of thieves 
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Rajouri, April 22
There have been 17 cases of theft during the last 21 days in Poonch and the police here has not been able to solve a majority of cases.
Interestingly, this is happening at a time when the state government is taking steps to modernise the police. According to sources, this sad state of affairs has been going on for quite some time.
Only yesterday morning, thieves broke open a locker inside the office-cum-residence of a local scribe and decamped with Rs 2,200 cash and a digital camera.
The scribe Ramesh Bali working with national Hindi newspaper later lodged an FIR and according to him, the police has assured him prompt action into the case.
However, sources in the police said track record of the Poonch police has shown that it has solved fewer numbers of theft cases in the past. There has been increase in number of such cases and since April 1 there have been 17 theft cases.
“Since the police has failed to arrest the thieves in most of the cases, their (thieves) morale has touched a new high and they are now striking at will,” said a source.
Sources further said during this month, there have been three theft attempts in Jhallas area on the outskirts of this border township. Thieves reportedly decamped away with a cash box of a temple and a gurdwara but they were unsuccessful while trying to loot a branch of Jammu rural bank in the same area.
In one other such theft, thieves had struck in a house in the always-buzzing ward No 10 and had reportedly taken away a gas cylinder.
Every attempt to contact the Poonch senior superintendent police didn't materialise, however, a senior police officer on the condition of anonymity told The Tribune over the phone that the police has registered all such cases.
He also acknowledged that there has been increase in a number of theft cases during last some months. “Even as theft cases have increased, I assure you that culprits behind such offences will be soon brought to book,” he said.