Kashmir Times

The death of the 54-year old charismatic former prime minister threw the campaign for the Jan. 8 parliamentary elections into chaos and created fears of mass protests and violence across the nuclear-armed nation, an important U.S.

ally in the war on terrorism.

The attacker struck just minutes after Bhutto addressed thousands of supporters in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, 8 miles south of Islamabad. She was shot in the neck and chest by the attacker, who then blew himself up, said Rehman Malik, Bhutto's security adviser.

At least 20 others were killed in the attack.

Bhutto was rushed to the hospital and taken into emergency surgery.

"At 6:16 P.M., she expired," said Wasif Ali Khan, a member of Bhutto's party who was at Rawalpindi General Hospital.

"The surgeons confirmed that she has been martyred," Bhutto's lawyer Babar Awan said.

Bhutto's supporters at the hospital exploded in anger, smashing the glass door at the main entrance of the emergency unit. Others burst into tears. One man with a flag of Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party tied around his head was beating his chest.

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Article taken from the issue: 28 Dec 2007

Labels: assassinated, Benazir Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto killed, pakistan, rawalpindi

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"Our religion and culture does not allow these things," he said, adding, "this practice must stop immediately."

Addressing a gathering during a cultural show organised by the Tourism Department here, he said girls must be restricted from dancing on stage in and outside Jammu and Kashmir.

The Deputy Chief Minister said we should take performing arts as an esthetic endeavor rather than a recreational one.

We should always encourage artists so that they give out their best performances, said Beig who was upset over a dance by a girl during the show.

He said the girl was dancing to the songs of noted Kashmiri Sufi poet Shams Fakir which is shocking and disappointing.

Labels: cheif minister, jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, kashmir, kashmir news, kashmiri sufi

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No points for guessing that the fast changing developments in turbulent Pakistan have brought the timing of assembly elections in the state into sharp focus and have attached with it new connotations.

Reliable inputs suggest that at the central and the state level, the application of mind on this subject is already on in the corridors of power.

Although Congress is in command of things at both the places at present, yet the sharp contradiction in the perception of central and state leaderships on this account is well evident. Reason being, those, at the helm of affairs at the two places, are viewing this issue through different prisms. They have different set of priorities and different concerns to tackle.

The Centre appears to be in favour of advancing elections around April or May while state Congress leadership wants the assembly to complete its term and hold elec tions as per schedule.

Authoritative sources maintain that New Delhi is looking at the scenario from a wider perspective vis-à-vis its bilateral ties with capricious neighbour Pakistan. While the Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, guided by his immediate concerns in the state, seems to be in no urgency to hold elections earlier than the schedule.

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Article taken from the issue: 18 Dec 2007

Labels: elections, jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, kashmir, kashmir news, pakistan

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Sources said that despite these tall claims there is a sizeable dropout of poor students in Khari zone in Banihal and so far 795 girls and 521 boys never enrolled in this zone in the age group of 3-8 years.

As per figures provided by ZEO Khari Pritam Singh education zone Khari comprises of 44 primary, 11 middle, 5 high schools and recently upgraded two higher secondary schools total 62 educational institutions and only 52 teachers are posted and more then two hundred posts of teaching staff is required. He said there are 6139 students on roll in the Khari zone of them 5687 students enrolled in 1st to 8th standard and 329 boys and 123 girls in 9th and 11th classes.Offical sources said almost all the middle, high school and both 10+2 higher secondary schools are head less as posts of headmaster and principals are lying vacant.

Sources said that Middle school (MS)Kawna and primary schools(PS) of Aakhran, Siran, Khowra, Mahoo, Bajnari, Chanjloo (Ramsoo), Chaka and Kharwan, Bawa are closed for the last one to three years as teachers of these schools have been transferred or have retired and no arrangements have been made to run these government educational institutions of Khari zone of Banihal in Ramban district.

Sources said that an only teacher of PS Hanjoos is attached with Deputy Commissioners (DC) office Ramban, however the teachers Naseema Akhter of PS Bawa of Tehsil Banihal is illegally attached with a primary school in Bhaderwah and her salary is drawn from Khari zone, however the officials of Khari zone said that pay of this teacher have been with held for last one month now..

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Article taken from the issue: 12 Dec 2007

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Located in the vicinity of the residence of high flying National Conference (NC) leader and in a building which also houses Punjab Technical University (PTU), the commission's sub-office is termed by those seeking its address as an office in oblivion. A board which should have been apparently on the roadside to guide those searching the address of the office is lying unattended besides the window of the office.

Neither the sign boards nor the arrows pointing towards the suboffice of the commission are noticeable on the route towards the commission. A complaint box with the name of Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission (JKSHRC) Srinagar, Sub-office Jammu inscribed on it and put up outside on the wall of the building is the only sign of the existence of the commission in that area.

A plain in white paper has been affixed with the wall of the office bearing two telephone numbers of Srinagar office of the commission.

These two telephone numbers are 0194-2454046 and 0194-2456710.

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Article taken from the issue: 6 Dec, 2007

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However, growers attribute it to the lackadaisical approach of the government and agricultural authorities.

"Like other crops, saffron requires irrigation to ensure bumper production," said agriculture scientist Dr F. A. Nehvi.

"If proper irrigation and scientific technology recommended by SKUAST (K) is applied in the cultivation saffron crop, its production can increase by more than 60 percent," he added.

Dr Nehvi, who has done a research on the revival of saffron crop in the state, said that the crop has received a jolt in production and quality since 2002 because of drought and shortage of rainfall. Besides natural factors, he holds farmers equally responsible for saffron's present status in valley.

"Our farmers still use the traditional and unscientific means of farming. No manure or fertilizer is used for enhancing saffron production, which otherwise is very necessary. Corm (the seed material) is replaced after 10 years or 15 years, which as per scientific norms should get replaced after not more than five years. And rain water is still believed the means of irrigation for saffron crop, which should not have been the case," added Dr Nehvi.

He further said that farmers should use the available technology, should apply manure and fertilizers, and irrigate the crop properly.

"The continuous use of corm for more than five years makes it susceptible to a deadly disease cormrot. Farmers should make use of fungicidal treatment, to kill the disease and should replace corm after every five years," said Dr Nehvi.

Couple of years back, Sheri Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences, Kashmir (SKUAST-K) under the guidance of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of India, floated a project "Mini Mission" for the integrated development of Saffron in Jammu and Kashmir. After proper survey and research, it has been concluded in the project that "irrigation should be a priority" for the revival of saffron crop, besides introduction of quality seeds and area expansion under scientific technology mission.

"We have implemented the recommendations of the project and are introducing shallow wells, irrigations pumps, sprinkler irrigation and mini tractors to the farmers under subsidy rates to empower farmers with proper scientific tools and know-how," said director agriculture Ghulam Hyder Bhat, adding that once these things are properly introduced in saffron fields by farmers, the saffron industry would be "revolutionized" in the state.

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Article taken from the issue:5 Dec, 2007

Labels: Dr.Nehvi, FAO, Food and Agriculture Organization, Jammu and Kashmir, kashmir, kashmir news, kashmiri saffron

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Addressing a State level youth convention at Jammu today, PDP patron said that the policy focuses on education, employment and empowerment. Youth has to be brought on the forefront of change and innovation, and the PDP has taken a modest initiative in this direction," Sayeed declared after unveiling the policy document.

He stated that the youth are feeling neglected and that they are special because of the trials and tribulations they have undergone during the past two decades of turmoil in the state. He informed that the year 2008 has been declared as the year of the youth in Jammu and Kashmir and called for developing the state as a special education zone.

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Article taken from the issue: 4 Dec, 2007

Labels: jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, People's Democratic Party

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Defence spokesman, Col A K Mathur told Kashmir Times that they army has vacated all the school and hospital buildings that were under their occupation. "We have vacated 15 schools, seven hospitals and five Primary Health Centres (PHCs) by November 10 and as of now not a single school or hospital building is in our possession", he said.

Col Mathur said that before the directions from defence minister, the army had already started the process of vacating the school and hospital buildings. "The army personnel have totally been moved out from school and hospital buildings in Valley and the possession has been handed over to civil authorities", he said.

CRPF DIG (Operations) Srinagar, M P Nathanael agrees that some school buildings still continue under their occupation.

"CRPF personnel continue to occupy the NIT and a portion of Kashmir University. Our men are also putting up in PHE Ganderbal and once we get an alternate accommodation, we will move our men from these buildings also", he said.

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Article taken from the issue: 3 Dec, 2007

Labels: A K Anthony, defence minister, Jammu and Kashmir, kashmir, kashmir news, Kashmir University, paramilitary soldiers

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