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| UJC Dissolved Temporarily, Militant Leaders Disappear | | | | AGENCIES
ISLAMABAD, DEC 13: A Pakistan-based conglomerate of militant groups active in Kashmir, headed by Syed Salahuddin, has "temporarily" dissolved itself with its leaders going underground in the wake of the crackdown on Jamaat-ud-Dawa and other banned terrorist outfits, a media report said today.
The United Jehad Council (UJC) -- which comprises Hizbul Mujahideen of Salahuddin, Harkat-ul-Ansar, Jamiat-ul- Mujahideen, Al-Jihad, Al-Barq, Ikhwan-ul-Mussalmin and Tehrik-ul-Mujahideen -- has closed its offices, removed all signboards and asked its leaders to stay quiet while temporarily dissolving the coalition, the report said.
"Following the Mumbai attacks and the subsequent tension b... | |
| | | | Terror has hurt democracy: PM | | | | AGENCIES
New Delhi, Dec 13: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday said that the Indian democracy was hurt by the recent terror attacks across the country, especially the deadly siege in Mumbai.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the two-day International Conference of Jurists on Terrorism, the Role of Law and Human Rights, Dr Singh said that when terrorists strike in cities like Delhi and Mumbai, “our economy is hurt, people are hurt, and India is hurt.”
Noting that the terrorists seek to target a particular community in their bid to cause disharmony, the PM cautioned that no specific group should be targeted in the fight against terror. He added that there was a sustained effor... | |
| | | | Attempts to bureaucracy may be limited | | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
Jammu, Dec 13: The Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission is already working on a similar proposal and if the Administrative Reforms Commission is going to have its say only the younger lot will have the opportunity to compete for civil services and that too with limited attempts.
Civil service aspirants in general category may get only three chances, one less than they are allowed at present, to take the Union Public Service Commission examination if recommendations of an official panel are accepted by the government.
The Second Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) in its report released today mooted that five chances be given for OBC candidates, two less th... | |
| | | | What’s Ram Paswan doing in J&K elections? | | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
Jammu, Dec 13: Political waters in Jammu and Kashmir are already troubled. But what are the people like Union Steel and Chemicals Minister Ram Vilas Paswan doing here.
Paswan has already addressed a public meeting in Kashmir; another he addressed in Banihal and is now slated to address a meeting in Jammu on December 21. His Bihar originate party has not been any reckoning in the recently concluded elections in five states but Paswan has his eyes focused on Jammu and Kashmir.
Unfazed by the dismal performance in the recent Assembly elections in five states, LJP leader Ram Vilas Paswan tried to woo voters in Jammu and Kashmir by promising a slew of populist measures if... | |
| | | | Jammu polls boon for Punjab’s music industry | | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
Jammu, Dec 13: Each of around 600 villages of Punjab are reported to have over a dozen singers, musicians and lyricists who have once or twice brought out their own albums before getting lost into oblivion of quantitatively vast music industry.
Interestingly, the ongoing elections in Jammu region have suddenly come as a boon for Punjab’s unsung heroes of Punjab who have got a chance to sing a song. The lyrists have penned down several dozens of dim-witted and somewhat obtuse songs mostly in chaste Punjabi and the music form as almost the same for every production. Still these songs are a hit in Jammu.
Whether people vote for songs or not but contestants from differen... | |
| | | | Azad’s development odyssey takes break in Bhaderwah as he challenges Abdullahs | | | | ZAFAR CHOUDHARY
Jammu, Dec 12: In his campaign trail across the state, the Congress leader and former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has remained focused on a typical development essay with a full stop at the Peoples Democratic Party. However, in his home constituency of Bhaderwah the discourse is entirely different –it is about National Conference, Dr Farooq Abdullah and the (in)famous Ganderbal constituency.
Wherever he has gone for the campaign, Azad’s speeches have remained the same –“I carried out development in Jammu and Kashmir in my tenure of two and half years which exceeds combined record of past 60 years”. And then he adds, “I had to much more but the Peoples Democratic Part... | |
| | | | Militants lying low | | | | EarlY Times Report
Jammu, Dec 12- The militancy related incidents during the current election year have been minimal as compared to earlier election years of 1996 and 2002.
Official reports have revealed that during the current election year there were not more than 600 incidents of violence triggered by militants when against it the number of such incidents was over 3,000 in 2002 and over 5,000 in 1996.
These reports indicated that militants had witnessed depletion in their man and weapon power with the result they could not strike against the soft targets. According to these reports, no doubt the security grid in the entire state had been strengthened weeks before the start of the pol... | |
| | | | Reshuffle in Planning deptt | | | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, DEC 12: The Government today ordered placement of officers (P&S) as Incharge Directors in the Planning and Development Department. The officers shall hold the charge of posts in their own pay and grade with charge allowance.
R P Sazgotra, Joint Director Forest Department has been transferred and posted as Director Man Power Planning against newly created post.
Ravi Kumar, Joint Director (BADP) has been transferred and posted as Director, Centrally Sponsored Schemes (with Flagship Programmes) against newly created post.
Riyaz Ahmed Banday, Joint Director, Directorate of Rural Development Kashmir has been transferred and posted as Director Power Development Depar... | |
| | | | Omar: Coalition ‘darkened’ J&K by abandoning our power policy | | | | Early Times Report
Doda, Dec 12: Looking at the flow of mighty Chenab and promising people the rays of most sought afrer light (electricity) these winters , the National Conference President Omar Abdullah today said that his party’s policy of tapping water resources was abandoned by the coalition government to utter disadvantage of Jammu and Kashmir.
Saying that his party is committed to optimum utilization of water resources Omar argued, “had the coalition carried forward National Conference policy on power, the state would have been electricity surplus by now”. He was addressing series of public meetings and road shows in Kishtwar, Doda and Ramban districts.
He said if voted to power... | |
| | | | Crucial fifth round polling today | | Mehbooba, Lal Singh among 119 contestants on 11 segments | | | EarlY Times Report
Jammu, Dec 12: Stage is set for the crucial fifth round of polling tomorrow where Peoples Democratic Party has the challenge scripting its future by maintaining hold on South Kashmir and the Congress has challenge of security its base in Kathua.
Officials said that all arrangements have been made for fifth phase of polling 11 Assembly constituencies of Tral, Pampore Pulwama, Shopian, Rajpora, Wachi, Bani, Bilawar, Basohli, Kathua and Hiranagar spread over 3 districts of Pulwama, Shopian and Kathua are going to polls on Saturday.
Over 5770 polling staff and about 200 companions of security personnel have been deployed to ensure smooth, free and fair elections. The elec... | |
| | | | Repoll one Gurez station on Dec 17 | | | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, December 12- According to the District Election Officer (DEO), Bandipora, Sheikh Mushtaq Ahmad, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has ordered repoll in 25-Jawdara polling station of the Gurez constituency of Bandipora district on December 17, 2008 from 8 am to 4 pm.
According to the DEO, the polling station for 224 voters of 25-Jawdara will be at Rajdhani Top.
... | |
| | | | Indo-Pak cricketing ties may be off | | | | ET DESK
Jammu, Dec 12: The sports minister MS Gill has bluntly said that the Indian cricket team's tour of Pakistan should not go ahead in the wake of the terror attacks in Mumbai. He said it is not the right time to play cricket with Pakistan when "people from their soil are indulging in mass murder in India".
"Is it possible for one team to arrive in Mumbai and indulge in mass murder, and have another team go and play cricket in the winter afternoon sun at Lahore, immediately after?," Gill asked rhetorically, and said he was not in favour of the Indian team playing in Pakistan.
He added, though, that it is up to the government to take a final decision.
The sports minister's categoric... | |
| | | | Polls under paparazzi fear? | | | |
EarLy Times Report
Jammu, Dec 12: As political activity reaches its zenith with both parts of state witnessing heightened electioneering authorities fear a unique threat –militants taking guise of video and photojournalists to sabotage polls.
Amidst intelligence inputs that militants might masquerade as camermen and use weapon disguised as camera, security was beefed up for all 113 candidates, including PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti, in 6 assembly seats in Pulwama and Shopian districts of Jammu and Kashmir which go to poll tomorrow.
"We have inputs that militants might sneak into polling areas tomorrow in the guise of photo journalists and use weapons disguised as cameras to target cand... | |
| | | | Beware, lazy Babus! | | | | Agencies
New Delhi, Dec 12: Government servants could lose their job after 20 years of service if they failed to come up to the expectations of their superiors under a new system of assessment suggested on Friday.
The Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC), headed by M Veerappa Moily, recommended far-reaching changes in the service rules of government servants and suggested two intensive reviews to make civil servants accountable.
The report on 'Refurbishing of Personnel Administration' said the first review at 14 years would primarily serve the purpose of intimating to the public servant about his or her strengths and shortcomings, while the second review at 20 years would mainly... | |
| | | | Mumbai attacker’s father identifies him | | | |
Islamabad, Dec 12: Though LeT and JuD may disown him, the father of the lone Pakistani gunman arrested for the Mumbai terror attacks has admitted that the young man whose picture was beamed by media across the world, is his son.
Amir Kasab, the father of Ajmal Amir Iman alias Ajmal Qasab, broke down as he confessed to an influential newspaper in the courtyard of his house in Faridkot, a village of about 2,500 people in Okara district of Punjab province.
"I was in denial for the first couple of days, saying to myself it could not have been my son... Now I have accepted it. This is the truth. I have seen the picture in the newspaper. This is my son Ajmal," Amir said in his first intervi... | |
| | | | Terror coverage: Parliamentary panel wants regulations for media | | | |
Agencies
NEW DELHI: A Parliamentary Committee has favoured statutory regulations for the media as it voiced concern over the live telecast of the 60-hour
"Operation Black Tornado" by the security forces in the wake of the Mumbai terror strikes.
"The Committee apprehends that the live footage shown by TV channels to the viewers, could also have been used as free intelligence input by the perpetrators sitting far away from the place of incident who allegedly guided the attackers," it said.
The Rajya Sabha Committee on Petitions, headed by senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu, in its report presented in the House today said the live feed of commandos being air dropped "directly... | |
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