BLOCKED: Justice JP Singh of Jammu & Kashmir High Court stayed the selection of Safina Gul, daughter of chief minister’s adviser Mubarak Gul for a post-graduate diploma in ophthalmology under the reserved “Rural” category. Under influence allegedly from CM Secretariat, Board of Professional Entrance Examinations (BOPEE) had selected Safina, despite her not having the essential qualification (five years of continuous working in rural areas). Safina’s admission was challenged by a dropped candidate.
Shifted: Hurriyat (G) chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani was shifted to SKIMS from Chesma Shahi sub jail, after his health deteriorated on July 22. Doctors said Geelani had developed some complicacies due to the already existing health problem.
Initiated: The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has decided to initiate dialogue with different social and political groups in J&K, including Hurriyat Conference, to find ways to resolve the Kashmir issue and restore peace in the state. Invitations would be extended separately to each small and major group, unionists as well as separatists including both factions of Hurriyat Conference.
DEPLOYED: The District Magistrate Srinagar has directed 18 Assistant Executive Engineers (AEEs) to perform the duties of executive magistrates for maintaining law and order in coordination with the concerned police stations. No formal training was imparted to these engineers, who are given charge of deciding how much force (baton charge/ tear gas/blank fire/ firing) to be used to quell protests. The engineers complain non-cooperation from police as they also fear getting blame for excessive police action.
URGED: International rights watchdog, Human Rights Watch has urged J&K government to implement a state high court order to set up juvenile courts and juvenile homes for minors arrested mainly on charges of stone pelting.
UPHELD: The Supreme Court upheld the life imprisonment awarded by a designated TADA court to a Hizbul Mujahideen militant for allegedly killing Mirwaiz Moulvi Farooq in May 1990. Court rejected the plea of Mohammed Ayub Dar that the confession recorded by the police under the TADA at that time was erroneous. Dar was arrested in Delhi and the trial court had, on the basis of the confession made by him before the SSP Suri, awarded him life imprisonment for offences under Section 3 of the TADA and 302 RPC (Ranbir Penal Code applicable in Kashmir).
PROBE: Army has ordered a probe into charges of criminal intimidation against a brigadier by a private realtor. Brigadier Pradip Kumar Tikoo had invested Rs 1.3 crore with a realtor Vinod Gandhi. When the business went bust, Gandhi alleged, Tikoo threatened to kidnap and cause him harm if he failed to return the money. Army is investigating both intimidation allegations and into how Brig. Tikoo posted in Jammu and Kashmir amassed so much wealth.
GAGGED: The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Tuesday issued a gag order on the Home Ministry, disallowing Home Secretary or anybody else to speak to media except the authorised spokesman. Restrictions came in view of the Home Secretary’s G K Pillai’s several remarks creating problems, the latest being his comment on the ISI role in the 26/11 attacks on Mumbai, which sabotaged Indo-Pak peace talks. Calling PDP a frustrated party and issuing curfew orders for Kashmir on TV were his other embarrassments for New Delhi.
SUGGESTED: A Deccan Herald senior editor has suggested that J&K government should explore curfew tourism as an avenue. With roads, streets, market places, river-side and tourist spots deserted for a month, the edtior suggested it to be sold to risk taking tourists. His idea is that if an adventurous tourist wants to explore the deserted places in Srinagar, he or she may get official curfew-passes and let himself freak out unhindered by crowd, vehicular traffic and any other obstructions, with only onlookers being men in uniform.
REPORTED: Hospital statistics reveal that most of the bullets and the teargas victims have been target shots, aimed directly at head or chest. During the last 20 days, SMHS hospital, received at least 14 cases of injury due to bullets. Out of 14, six including two protestors who were brought dead to the hospital, were hit on the chest, one was hit on the neck, one on left shoulder, and one on the arm. The doctors said that they have not received any case of bullet injury on lower limbs in the last three months.
MET: J&K National Panthers Party Chairman Bhim Singh met Hurriyat (G) chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani in Cheshma Shahi sub-jail. Singh described Geelani as more tough, alert and determined in his resolve while being in jail.
He invited him to share a platform as a chief guest at Lal Chowk on July 28 to launch a ‘genuine political process,’ for mobilising people’s opinion for the return of peace and justice to the Valley.
MET: Track-II people Amitabh Mattoo, Radha Kumar and others met Hurriyat (G) chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani but could get a clear response from the influential leader. According to the visitors, Hurriyat (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar refused to meet them and put conditions that all the political prisoners be released, Armed Forces Special Powers Act be revoked and the troopers shifted from the civilian areas, before any meet.
POLLED: An opinion poll conducted by the Outlook magazine in association with Marketing & Development Research Associates (MDRA) has found that 75 percent of those polled don’t see Pakistan hand behind stone-pelting, while 38 percent were dissatisfied with Omar Abdullah government. As many as 46.3 percent think that the current strife will continue for more than a year. 30.8 percent described yearning for ‘azadi’ as reason for current situation. 45.4 percent blamed Central government for the current mess. Just 1.7 percent of respondents agreed that Hurriyat was behind the unrest.
