Briefing

SRINAGAR

Anytime, anywhere in Srinagar, you would not face a problem to move around. Just call a Radio Taxi on 432432. The first fleet of 50 radio taxis is operational.

Fitted with GPS facility, road electronic billing system and audio-visual security, the round-the-clock service would cost Rs 20 for every kilometre plus Rs 50 for summoning the car to one’s doorstep. The taxi will always be linked to its control room. Owned by Kehwah Express Services (KES), a nearly Rs 10 crore joint venture between three young businessmen, it calls its white Indigo taxis  ‘Snow Cabs’ which have red panic button that passenger can use if they feel that the driver is bullying them. This button will freeze the car till the help arrives.

Bengaluru

Far away from Kashmir, the people in Bengaluru  would always know him as a model. Now Kashmir born Abrar Zahoor at 23 has signed a three-movie deal with Ovez Khan Mastan, besides a Telugu flick. He is playing lead role in all the three films that till date lack a name and apparently a plot too. As a signing amount, he got a Suzuki Hayabusa worth Rs 15 lakh. Zahoor has walked the ramp for over 50 fashion shows, including the Bangalore Fashion Week last weekend. Besides, he has done six television commercials and acted in a film called Jaan Leva with Kalpana Pandit.

CHRAR
NDAs Defence Minister Jaswant Singh is increasingly being accused of flying India’s most wanted in a charter plane to Kandhar and handing them over to the militants in lieu of hijacked passenger. Last week, he retaliated suggesting that the NWFP warlord Mast Gul Khan who had camped in the Chrar-e-Sharief town in 1995 was “escorted to the LoC” after he had “vacated the dargah”. Reminding his hosts in a newspaper of a “wonderful dargah in the Valley that was burnt”, Singh said: “Narasimha Rao was the prime minister. I know for a fact that Mast Gul vacated the dargah and he was escorted all the way to the LoC and permitted to go.” Army and militant have accused each other for destruction of the town and the shrine. But the people who reported the events suggest Singh’s assertion are doubtful because many days after his “escape” Khan addressed a news conference in city outskirts. Only then he was reported on the other side of the LoC.

DELHI

A number of India’s women organizations gathered at Delhi’s Constitution Club to highlight the violation of Kashmiri women’s rights. Jyotsna Chatterjee, Director, Joint Women’s Program is reported to have said they are unaware about the actual situation of women in Kashmir and their problems. Sehba Farooqui of All India Democratic Women’s Association said that they should highlight the plight of Kashmiri women in the interest of democracy. After the speeches were over, they passed a resolution raising many demands. Accusing security forces of degrading and humiliating women, one resolution said Kashmiri women are the biggest victims of sexual violence. There were quite a few representatives from Kashmir.

LONDON

JKLF’s British recruits have launched ‘Torch of Peace’, a Kashmir awareness campaign to get attention during the Olympic Games already underway in London. It is all about campaigners driving banner-mounted vans around the Olympic venues for the whole month. Launched from the Olympic Games Village, a number of Kashmiri expatriates have associated themselves with the initiative. This is perhaps the first major activity of the JKLF after its two factions on either side of the LoC mended fences. Certain factions are still working as free floating electrons.