PESHAWAR
In 1995, the Chrar-e-Sharief town burned down in a devastating fire that was outcome of a protracted stand-off between Army and militants led by Mast Gul Khan. The latter escaped with most of his buddies. Almost 19 years later, Khan is back in news. A Pakistani newspaper reported that Khan works for Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and was responsible for various sectarian attacks. The newspaper printed a picture showing a henna-bearded Khan flanked by Mufti Hasaan Swati. The last time he was in news was when he led a protest against non-availability of food grains in the NWFP. The only twist this time is in his name. Is he Mast Gul Khan Alias Haroon or vice versa.
DELHI
As police sent its teams to trace the end receiver of the 114 kg’s of brown sugar – that led to a protracted stand-off between India and Pakistan at the LoC, Delhi police arrested Khurshid Aalam, a Kashmir police constable carrying 10 kg’s heroin worth Rupees 35 crore. Son of a police man, Aalam is a resident of Gutlibagh and has admitted to be a courier of drugs from Jammu to the mainland. Two Tamil Nadu men who were taking the delivery were also arrested. Police is awaiting some information from Delhi to establish, if any, link between LoC and Delhi.
SRINAGAR
Filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj is keen to make a difference in Kashmir with his new flick Haider. There are more than 200 Kashmiri artists who are working in the film and the latest is that he wants to include a Kashmiri composition in his film. It is Raja Bilal, a young local composer who will be composing it. In the composition, most of the traditional musical instruments have been used. The film has Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Irrfan Khan and Tabu playing the main characters.
MATTAN
For Kashmir, it was seen as a quantum jump. From Mattan to Kerela and then to NASA, the main launch pad for movement to space, courtesy: Army. Asif Ali of Mattan was a student of Army’s Goodwill School at Aishmuqam. Then, we were told officially by the army, the boy did his B.Tech from Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Kerala where he is currently doing M.Tech in astronomy. He had filed two projects to NASA and both were approved. At a function that army organized in the school, Ali said he is soon flying out. Seeing a potential brand Sadhbhavna ambassador in Ali, army issued detailed statements. A week later, IIST issued a disclaimer: “This institution herewith makes it known to one and all that a student by this name has never graduated from IIST, nor is he presently doing a postgraduate course in astronomy in IIST.” The last report said he is studying in Punjab.
JAMMU
With Prime Minister in town, it was a panicky scene for the police to find a woman hiding on a tree in the press club premises. It was raining heavily as well. An alarm was sounded especially when the security grid was informed that the PM’s cavalcade had just passed the area. It was fire service personnel who somehow detected her and counselled her. She was identified as Sakina Begum of Darhal. The Mentally un-fit relative of a police official, she had been driven for medical consultation that she escaped and climbed a tree.
JAMMU
A newspaper reported the police have concluded its investigations in the cricket scam. The findings suggest that Dr Abdullah was involved but the case is not charge-sheeted for obvious political reasons. But that does not deter Dr Farooq to preside over the function of Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) for a function to felicitate the state Ranji team. The main picture of the function was J&K star Parvez Rasool holding Dr Abdullah, the JKCA president, hands. But will it help Rasool manage wages of his team?
From June to September 2010, SKIMS got 634 patients – 325 with firearm injuries (88 bullet injuries, 39 tear-gas shell injuries and 198 pellet injuries); 98 were injured by stone pelting and another 211 alleged beating by security forces. Six with pellet injuries died and five lost eyesight.
In 2011, 2095638 passengers travelled by rail which increased to 2997731 in 2012. The earnings by railway were at Rs 20836494 and Rs 26767027, respectively.
