Salahuddin calls for Pakistan's military support to struggling Kashmiris

Syed Salahuddin gestures during an addresss to
a gathering in Muzaffarabad

Syed Salahuddin, chief of the United Jihad Council (UJC), an alliance of over a dozen groups fighting Indian occupation of Jammu and Kashmir, on Sunday asked Pakistan to send its troops across the Line of Control or provide military aid to the struggling Kashmiris until the UN dispatched peacekeeping forces to the occupied territory.

Speaking to a gathering in Muzaffarabad, in his first public talk in many months, he dilated at length on the situation in occupied Kashmir, particularly in the wake of India’s move of Aug 5, scrapping special status of the held territory, putting it on a lockdown, clamping ceaseless curfew and communications blockade. 

“It is for the first time in history that a whole nation has been immobilised and held hostage [by India] through a round the clock curfew and communication shutdown. The savage Indian imperialism is hell bent upon shedding the blood of innocent Kashmiris who are not ready to budge on their just stand,” said Salahuddin, whose Hizbul Mujahideen is the largest constituent of UJC.  

“[Indian Prime Minister] Narendra Modi has unilaterally scrapped the recognised disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir to annex the occupied territory in accordance with his election manifesto,” he said.

“Sadly, our rulers, politicians and diplomats failed to take timely steps to frustrate this nefarious move,” he lamented, warning that Modi was pursuing his manifesto hotfoot that also included occupation of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

Salahuddin pointed out that there had been around a dozen United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions on Kashmir, but the issue was yet to be resolved. 

This issue, he regretted, was never discussed in the UNSC after 1965 in what put a question mark on Pakistan’s diplomacy over all these years. 

He said in view of the “most alarming” situation in occupied Kashmir, it was the “responsibility of the UN to instantly land its peacekeeping forces there to save the humanity.” 

Salahuddin said Pakistan was the only worldly support for the oppressed Kashmiris after the Almighty Allah, and therefore the centre of their hopes. 

“In these testing times when India is obsessive about quelling resistance movement in occupied Kashmir and has dumped more than 10,000 youngsters into torture cells, Kashmiri people are looking towards Pakistan for the much needed military aid.” 

Addressing Prime Minister Imran Khan and Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, he said if the deployment of UN peacekeepers was not possible immediately, Pakistan should enter its troops in the India occupied territory, for being a key party to this dispute.

“Political and diplomatic efforts are appreciable but nothing except use of force and jihad will work to evict India from Kashmir,” he said, warning that the time was running out very quickly.

 He said because of the untiring struggle and sacrifices of Kashmiri people Kashmir issue had been into the spotlight across the world.

Though the world was paying attention to Kashmir but India was a cruel, wicked and untrustworthy enemy that only understood the language of power, he said.

Reminding premier Khan and Gen Bajwa of an injunction from the Almighty, he said: “In fact, it is obligatory for the armed forces of Pakistan to enter occupied Kashmir to help the subjugated Kashmiris.”

“On our part, we assure that the moment Pakistani troops will step on the soil of occupied Kashmir, the whole Kashmiri nation will stand up [to fight] along side them.” 

“But if that’s not possible either, the second option is that Pakistan should arm the Kashmiri youth to fight India, to fulfil its responsibilities,” he said. 

Salahuddin also made a veiled reference to the crackdown that Pakistan had launched on militant groups after Pulwama attack. 

 “At this point, the harsh steps taken by Pakistan have restrained us and our aiders (in AJK) from launching armed resistance against India. This is not fair,” he said, warning that the restrictions were augmenting “misunderstandings and apprehensions” across the entire state.

In 2017, the United States had put Salahuddin, who originally hails from Badgam area of occupied Kashmir, on a list of global terrorists, a move that Islamabad had had described as unjustified.

Tariq Naqash

Mustafa Kamal advises PM Imran Khan not to shy away from war with India for Kashmir

Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) chairman Syed Mustafa Kamal on Thursday advised Prime Minister Imran Khan not to shy away from war with India if it was inevitable for freedom of Kashmir.

“For God’s sake do not ever say that if we should go for a war with India [or not]. Instead say, yes we will go for a war; rather we will initiate a war, if India does not stop atrocities in occupied Kashmir instantly,” he told a group of reporters after paying a visit to a Kashmiri migrants’ camp here, on the second day of his visit to the AJK capital. 

Mustafa Kamal and colleagues offer Fatiha for Kashmiri martyrs

Accompanied by PSP President Anis Qaimkhani, vice chairman Ashfaq Mangi, members of National Council Syed Hafizuddin, Aafaq Jamal, and Shamshad Siddiqui, he conversed with refugee leaders and children and offered fatiha for the Kashmiri martyrs. 

“Make it clear to the whole world that if you will not stop India from unleashing terror [in occupied Kashmir], we will launch a war against her,” the PSP chairman said. 

He said India should not think that it has to fight just 800000 Pakistani troops but the 220 million Pakistanis, who included 25 million Karachiites.  

He advised the nation to come out of the delusions that so and so country was Pakistan’s friend.

“No one is the friend of the weakand oppressed... It’s not an ideal world. If we continue to shed tears and paint ourselves as weak, no one will come to our rescue,” he said.

 “Any misconceptions in this regard should stand removed after some recent happenings in the Middle East,” he said, referring to the conferment of awards on Indian prime minister Narendra Modi by some Arab states. 

“Be powerful instead. Only then the world will come in aid of you.” 

The PSP chief was of the view that Pakistan should create international community’s stakes in Kashmir.

“If we tell the world we cannot help it at the moment, the stake will be created.”

Continuing, he said: “The world is cruel and will not take mercy on you. Yes, when it will feel that nuclear war can set off anytime, they will come to us.” 

Walking through the camp with refugee leader Uzair Ghazali (r)

He said more than three weeks had lapsed India had not lifted curfew and other restrictions in occupied Kashmir. 

“The Kashmiris drape Pakistani flags around the coffins of their dead. What time we are waiting for now [to help them]? We will have to take the lead to force the world to rush to us [for settlement of the issue].”

Mr Kamal maintained that India alone was not an oppressor that had unleashed terror on Kashmiris “but all those persons and states choosing silence on the atrocities on Kashmiris were its abettor.” 

“Pak Sarzameen Party is on the soil of Kashmir to to tell you that our hearts beat with yours. We are not among the oppressors and abettors. We will support you to the last extent.” 

Referring to the situation in Karachi, Mr Kamal said it had a direct link with and bearing on Kashmir. 

“The city where I have come from was once dubbed by some people as ‘occupied Karachi.’ This term was being promoted by people who India had done investments on,” he said, without naming anyone directly.

“The past four decades bear testimony to the fact that whenever Kashmir movement picked up momentum, Karachi would suddenly plunge into ethnic, political and sectarian riots,” he added.  

He claimed that there were evidences and confessional statements by RAW agents apprehended in Karachi regarding funding by the Indian intelligence agency. 

“Why was RAW funding them? Because it wanted to divert attention from Kashmir to Karachi,” he said, adding: “We have fought Kashmir’s war in Karachi, without arms, and we have devastated RAW’s hold in Karachi.” 

He said an economically strong Pakistan was vitally important for Kashmir and economic progress was directly linked to peaceful atmosphere. 

“Since Karachi is the nerve centre of country’s economy, PSP has been helping maintain peace there and it’s an indirect contribution to Kashmir cause,” he asserted.  

He also appreciated the role and sacrifices of law enforcement agencies in Karachi but said the operation succeeded only after “we came in aid of them after giving up perks and privileges.” 

Coming back to Kashmir, Mr Kamal said his party had kept political differences at a bay on the question of Kashmir. 

“Our party has unconditionally supported all moves by the government, prime minister Imran Khan and state institutions on Kashmir.” 

“At the moment I will not criticize the state or the prime minister in any way. He (PM) is the captain. Whether he plays good or bad, we have to support him. Wherever needed we will back and buck him up and ask him to keep his stance strong.”  

He said Indian premier Modi had himself driven the last nail in the coffin of the so called “Akhand Bharat (undivided India) by scrapping Kashmir’s special status 

“It’s India’s misconception that it can change Kashmir’s demography by imitating Israeli practice in Palestine. India should know that there was no Pakistan in the surroundings of Palestine.” 

He said he could foresee disintegration of India with the emergence of my states. 

Responding to a question, he said no ruler or powerful person could sale out the blood of Kashmiris, even if they wanted so behind closed doors.

He did not agree with a questioner that some “unpleasant” solution of Kashmir had been agreed upon by the government of Pakistan. 

“These are just the speculations and conspiracy theories... Whatever Kashmiris want will happen. Nothing without their consent.” 

To another question, he said more than that of Pakistan, Mr Modi had himself internationalized Kashmir issue. 

Agreeing with a questioner, he said Pakistan should do the needful to project Kashmiri leadership. 

With this scribe at Central Press Club

“The AJK government should have the role of true representative of the whole [disputed] region. No one else can represent the oppressed Kashmiris the way you can.”

He said if Pakistan agreed to the mediatory role of any individual or country, there should not be any ambiguity in it. 

“Islamabad should ask the mediator to first persuade India lift curfew and release all Kashmiri detainees,” he said. 

A day earlier Mr Kamal had addressed "Meet the Press" programme of Central Press Club Muzaffarabad.

Ends 

Rs 4.2m drawn for PM's upcoming foreign tour

Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider is all set to proceed to some European countries for almost two weeks later this week “to highlight Kashmir issue and interact with the Kashmiri diaspora,” according to an official notification circulated on Monday.

The notification states that the 3-member delegation led by Prime Minister Haider would visit United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Spain and Italy from October 6 to October 18 (including journey days).

“The delegation shall visit London to meet with Kashmiri Community. Later on the Prime Minister will move to France to participate in Kashmir Conference on the invitation of Ms Binet Stephanie from 7 to 8 October. Thereafter, the PM will participate in the events of ‘2017 Kashmir-EU Week’ from 9 to 10 October at Brussels (Belgium) under arrangement of Kashmir Council-EU. The PM will also visit Spain and Italy to interact with Kashmiri Community from 13 to 16 October,” reads the shoddily drafted notification.
The notification was silent about Ms Biter - the inviter in France.

The delegation includes senior minister Chaudhry Tariq Farooq and additional principal staff officer to PM Raja Arshad Hussain.

“Expenditures on the tour will be incurred against the budgetary head ‘Foreign Tour’ of PM Secretariat and will be regulated as per financial concurrence of the Finance Department,” added the notification.

However, there was no mention of the sanctioned amount in the notification, in a departure from the practice adopted by previous governments.

Sources in the PM secretariat told this scribe on condition of anonymity that the current year’s budget had an allocation of Rs 2.5 million for PM’s foreign tours.

However, as the expenses of the upcoming tour were estimated at Rs 4.2 million, the amount had been withdrawn in advance from (the funds of) Jammu Kashmir Liberation Cell (JKLC), after obtaining a formal concurrence from the Finance Department, sources said.

The prime minister happens to be the chairman of JKLC – an institution raised in late eighties to “highlight Kashmir issue at national and international level.” It meets its expenditures from what is called ‘Kashmir Cess,’ levied on all salaries drawn and payments (of contracts) made from the AJK exchequer, as well as on sale of properties.

Most of the expenses on foreign tours of government functionaries, in the name of projecting Kashmir cause, are secretly drawn from JKLC.

In 2016-17, the funds earmarked for foreign tours of AJK president and prime minister were Rs 2.5 million each. However, while the PM spent Rs 3.5 million the president splashed out Rs 3.9 million during the previous fiscal year.

But apart from these funds, the president had expended an additional Rs 1.55 million from the JKLC funds on his foreign tours in 2016-17, sources said.

In the first three months of the current fiscal year, the president has so far claimed Rs 4.1 million from JKLC funds for his foreign tours, while the premier has just drawn Rs 4.2 million for his upcoming visit, sources added.

Interestingly, the senior minister has only recently returned to the seat of government after a month long leave for a personal foreign tour to UK and some other foreign countries.

When this scribe asked him over telephone what had necessitated another tour to the same countries at official expense, he maintained that since he had been engaged with the Kashmir Council-EU for a long time, he was invited by the organization to attend its event in Brussels.

“However, I am yet to decide whether I will proceed or not,” the senior minister said.

In the absence of the prime minister, the senior minister functions as acting premier and AJK is abuzz with reports that both do not enjoy “very cordial relations” for quite some time.

Interestingly, as some people shared the notification on social media on Monday, there was a torrent of comments criticizing “wasteful” spending of taxpayers’ money on “junkets” on the pattern of previous PPP government. 

“I wish #AJKPM remembered his own views as opposition leader about wasteful expenses on foreign junkets in the name of #Kashmir,” tweeted Naeem Wani, a social media activist.

It may be recalled that in his previous 9-months stint as AJK premier, Mr Haider had not undertaken any foreign tour.

Instead, he was often heard criticize such tours that he then maintained only burdened the exchequer of the cash strapped region.

This scribe made several attempts to contact prime minister’s press secretary Raja Wasim for his reaction, but his all three cellular numbers were found switched off. 

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Cash-strapped AJK plans to buy new luxurious vehicles for ministers, bureaucrats

Facing a revenue shortfall of around 7 billion in the current fiscal year, the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government is reportedly contemplating buying over three dozen new luxurious vehicles for cabinet members and senior bureaucrats, notwithstanding growing criticism of “reckless extravagance” with the exchequer of the cash-strapped region in this regard.

According to well placed sources, the preliminary process has been initiated by the concerned authorities for purchase of as many as 16 reconditioned 4200cc Parado jeeps worth Rs 10 million each and 23 brand new 1800cc Toyota Corolla Grande cars worth Rs 2.5 million each.

A 4700cc Land Cruiser Jeep worth Rs 25 million is also being separately purchased for Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider, sources added.

Approval to purchase of new vehicles for ministers was given by the cabinet on April 18 after the ex-agenda item was tabled by none other than the prime minister.

However, as yet it’s not clear as to where the funds will be arranged from for the “unwarranted shopping” as the Finance Department is already struggling hard to seek additional funds from Islamabad to reduce revenue shortfall that sources say has made it difficult for the government to pay salaries and pensions before Eid.

The decision to buy new vehicles comes amid an overlong wait for a comprehensive transport policy dealing with purchase, allotment and use of official vehicles.

Misuse of vehicles a chronic issue

According to conservative estimates, there are more than 6000 official vehicles in the 13297 sq. km AJK territory, which has scanty fiscal resources of its own and (thus) banks mostly on grants from the Centre to meet most of its needs. 

Due to the alleged prodigality of successive governments, the “accumulative shortfall” since 2009-10 has soared to about Rs 25 billion and as a result payment of salaries and pensions turns out be a thorn in the side of the government every month, particularly after it exceeds its overdraft limit of Rs 4.5 billion and the State Bank stops clearance of its cheques.

Under the existing transport policy of 1993, cabinet members are entitled to two official vehicles, while the secretaries, including the chief secretary, are entitled to one official vehicle.

However, hardly a few secretaries follow this rule, while the majority brazenly possesses two to three additional vehicles.

Similar is the case with senior police officers, almost all of whom are in possession of two to three extra vehicles.

Official vehicles are being occupied even by those officials who do not qualify for their allotment.

The logbooks of such vehicles are maintained fictitiously, sources say, adding, wear and tear of official vehicles is another big source of embezzlement of millions of rupees every year in the absence of an effective monitoring system.

PML-N government’s claim

Since the alleged unjustified purchase of official vehicles and their unauthorized allotment and unchecked use had drawn scathing criticism from media and civil society in PPP rule, the PML-N government had vowed to address this issue on a priority basis.

At a cabinet meeting in October last year, it had decided to replace the existing transport policy with a new one.

However, ever since assuming office, the PML-N government has not enforced even any cosmetic measure as a precursor to a stringent policy about the allotment and utilization of official vehicles, lamented the sources.

A source told this scribe that after the cabinet decision, secretaries were asked to furnish details about the vehicles in their respective departments within one week. But none of them complied and none was made accountable for the lapse.   

“It appears the announcement regarding transport policy was just an eye-wash because neither the cabinet members nor the bureaucrats want enforcement of a tough policy that can eventually deprive them of the boon of retaining additional vehicles,” remarked one official on condition of anonymity.  

In December 2011, the then PPP government had constituted a 4-member committee, led by the then additional chief secretary general Aizaz Nasim, to collect details about official transport and indicate the officers using official vehicles beyond entitlement. The committee was also tasked to submit proposals for implementation of (existing) transport policy to control misuse of official vehicles. 

The report, a copy of which is available with this scribe, points out abuse of vehicles in detail and suggests 35 measures to arrest the unlawful practices in this regard.

However, the PPP government sat over the report over the next five years. 

“That report was enough to pull the plug on misuse of official vehicles. But, when it comes to arresting misuse of official vehicles, it seems that Raja Farooq Haider government is not different than Chaudhry Abdul Majeed led previous PPP government,” commented the official.

“When the public representatives, including the prime minister, are not ready to surrender extra vehicles, you should not expect the bureaucracy to withdraw unwarranted privileges,” he added.

When contacted by this scribe, Finance Minister Dr Najeeb Naqi dispelled the impression that the PML-N government was following the previous PPP regime regarding misuse of official vehicles.

“It were we who reclaimed many official vehicles from Zardari House after assuming office,” he said, but didn’t provide the number.

He claimed that a cabinet sub-committee tasked to revisit transport policy would present its recommendations in next cabinet meeting.

When asked if the committee will suggest some toughest measures to control the unlawful trend of misusing official vehicles, he said since he was not its member he could not say anything about it with certainty.

“We will ensure that the criteria for allotment and use of official vehicles is strictly followed,” he said.

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AJK Ehtesab Bureau summons Women University VC in appointments case

The vice chancellor and some other officials of a nascent public sector university in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) have been summoned by the Ehtesab Bureau to record their statements on alleged irregularities and favoritism in appointments and other administrative matters, it has been learnt.

Dr Muhammad Haleem Khan, Vice Chancellor (VC) of the Women University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (WUAJK), Bagh, and Registrar Dr Mohammad Riaz had been asked to appear before the bureau’s director (investigations) Sardar Ilyas Khan in Muzaffarabad respectively on May 16 and 17, while members of the varsity’s scrutiny/selection committee as well as a complainant would appear on May 18, according to the relevant sources.

The WUAJK was established by an Act of the AJK Assembly in 2014, and the then secretary higher education Dr Saima Shahjehan was appointed its VC as a stopgap arrangement.

Dr Haleem was appointed as her successor on May 2, 2014 for a three-year term.

 According to a comprehensive complaint filed in October last year by Shahzad Khan, a civil society activist from Bagh, the WUAJK officials had made a “mockery” of the rules as well as judgments of the AJK Supreme Court in making appointments against as many as 83 gazetted posts.

The advertisement for permanent appointment against these B-16 and B-17 posts in 32 different departments was published in January 2015, in response to which some 500 candidates had submitted applications.

The WUAJK hired National Testing System (NTS) for recruitment, which conducted written exam in September 2015 while interviews were held after two months.

The record submitted by the complainant, almost all of which was also obtained by this scribe, and an initial inquiry into it revealed that the varsity had “thrown dust into the eyes of the candidates” by recruiting the already serving employees “in a questionable manner.”

As the WUAJK had adopted the rules, regulations, policies and statues of the University of AJK, Muzaffarabad, to run its affairs, it was required to invite the top five successful candidates in written exam for interviews.

However, following the written exam results, the WUAJK invited all candidates for interviews allegedly to ensure that the favorites, most of them already serving employees, were not left out.

Candidates were shocked to see that almost all of the permanent appointees were those who had failed to make it to the top five in the written exam, “in what amounted to frustrating rather mocking the perceived purpose of involving NTS in recruitment process.”

In one of the several such examples, a candidate who was beyond 40th position in written exam was also declared successful.

Similarly, a candidate with one 3^rd division also got permanent appointment, even though his competitors included those who had secured first divisions throughout their academic career.

Under the Higher Education Commission (HEC) rules, a person with single third division in educational career cannot be hired as faculty member.

However, in order to accommodate favorites, the WUAJK administration misled the HEC to obtain relaxation of this rule, by citing “non-availability” of faculty in the “hard area.”

Even a candidate, who had secured only 43 marks below the passing criteria of WUAJK, was gifted with appointment against the post of programmer.

The complainant had cited several other cases of favoritism and irregularities.

For example, an ex-serviceman was appointed as chief security officer on June 25, 2014, but he was assigned the task of making purchases for the varsity on June 10, two weeks before his appointment.

Sources said that initial investigation into the complaint was conducted by director (complaints) Amjad Minhas and on his report the case was transferred to director (investigations) Sardar Ilyas Khan by Ehtesab Bureau Chairman Raja Ghazanfar Ali.

Sources also claimed that WUAJK administration had planned to stall bureau’s proceedings on this case but had to cut a sorry figure after AJK President Sardar Masood Khan, who happens to be the chancellor of all public sector varsities, did not agree, and instead advised them to defend themselves before the bureau if they were not guilty.

Interestingly, in a bizarre move, Dr Haleem had obtained a 2-year extension on March 9, 2016 from the then President (and chancellor) Sardar Mohammad Yaqoob Khan, more than 14 months before the expiry of his 3-year term.

Tariq Naqash