Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif. File photo

Islamabad, May 10

Pakistan on Wednesday accused India of using its national Kulbhushan Jadhav’s death conviction to “divert” attention from its “state-sponsored” terrorism in the country.Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif’s allegation against India came a day after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) stayed the execution of 46-year-old Jadhav, who has been sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of “spying”.

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“Indian letter to ICJ attempt to divert attention from state sponsored terrorism in Pakistan. Kulbhushan convicted of offences against national security,” Asif tweeted.It was the first response from Pakistan after the order by the Hague-based ICJ.The order by the ICJ came a day after India approached it against the death sentence handed down to Jadhav by Pakistan’s Field General Court Martial last month.Earlier, Pakistan’s media rejected India’s claim over the order. Geo TV said the ICJ had no jurisdiction over Pakistan as it could take cognizance of the matter only with the consent of the parties.Dawn online did not report about the Indian claim on the stay order. Similarly, the Express Tribune in its report on the issue has not reported about the stay order.India, in its appeal to the ICJ, accused Pakistan of “egregious” violations of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and asserted that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he was involved in business activities after retiring from the Indian Navy but Pakistan claimed to have arrested him from Balochistan on March 3, 2016.Jadhav’s sentencing evoked a sharp reaction in India.India has warned Pakistan of consequences and damage to bilateral ties if the “pre-meditated murder” was carried out.In its application, India had also informed the ICJ that it learnt about the death sentence against Jadhav from a press release.Jadhav was sentenced to death for “espionage and subversive activities”.India acknowledges that Jadhav had served with the Navy but denies that he has any connection with the government. It also said that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran.India has also handed over to Pakistan an appeal by Jadhav’s mother, initiating a process to get his conviction overturned. PTI

AIFF website hacked, message against Jadhav’s release posted

New Delhi, May 10

The All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) website on Tuesday was hacked by an anonymous group called ‘Zero Cool’.

The group hacked the website and posted a message provoking India over Kulbhushan Jadhav, an Indian national booked for espionage and sabotage activities against Pakistan. Jadhav was awarded death sentence by the country.

The hackers posted messages against India and its demand for the release of Kulbhushan Jadhav.

The AIFF has not yet released a statement on this.

Jadhav was arrested in March last year in the restive Balochistan province and was accused of being a Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) agent.

However, in a major relief to India, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has put a stay on the execution after an appeal by India, which accused Pakistan of “egregious violations of the Vienna Convention” and sought a stay on Jadhav’s death sentence. — ANI

Nawaz Sharif meets Army chief amid stay on Jadhav hanging

Islamabad, May 10

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Wednesday held a meeting amid the stay order from the International Court of Justice against the hanging of Indian “spy” Kulbushan Jadhav.The meeting between Bajwa and Sharif was the second within a week and is significant in the light of the prevailing civil-military relations in the country.Sources, quoted by Geo News, said that the Prime Minister was briefed on the ICJ order.Gen Bajwa was accompanied by Director General Inter-Services Intelligence Lt. Gen Naveed Mukhtar while Finance Minister Ishaq Dar was also present at the meeting.Reacting to the stay order, Foreign Affairs Advisor to the Prime Minister Sartaj Aziz here said: “We are analysing the Indian petition and the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) authority (on the case).” Earlier, Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said, India’s decision to move the ICJ to halt the death sentence awarded to Jadhav was an attempt to divert attention from “state-sponsored terrorism in Pakistan”.The ICJ on Tuesday told Pakistan not to hang Jadhav, sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of promoting terrorism in its territory and spying for India.Asif tweeted: “Indian letter to ICJ attempt to divert attention from state-sponsored terrorism in Pakistan. Kulbushan convicted of offences against national security.” — IANS

Today Visited Martyr Sub Paramjit Singh village in Tarn Taran  and handed over cheque of RS 50000/- to veer  Nari Paramjit Kaur  and Rs 50000/- to his father Udham Singh. 

Capt Harminder Distt congress PresidentJallander 

And

 Col Balbir, President Punjab Unit Sanjha Morcha  accompanied. 

Chq was given by Mr Charanjit Singh Walia President  Nursing training Institutions association  Punjab cum Chairman Mata Sahib Kaur college of Nursing Mohali  along Ex-MLA Inderjit Singh Zira father of MLA Kulbir Singh Zira of congress .

Charanjit Singh Walia  Also announced free nursing course for the youngest daughter till MSc Nursing with 

No academic fee and free hostel facilities 

Col Charanjit Singh Khera

Gen secy 

Sanjha Morcha

Foreign secretary S. Jaishankar summoned Pakistan high commissioner Abdul Basit who denied any involvement of the Pakistan Army.

 The soldiers killed were Naib Subedar Paramjeet Singh of 22 Sikh Infantry and Head Constable Prem Sagar of 200th Battalion of BSF. (Photo: PTI)

Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh. Tribune file

Kulwinder Sandhu

Tribune News Service

Moga, May 2

Responding to the Indian government’s complaint to the Canadian government regarding “perceived threats” to Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh during the April 22 Khalsa Parade in Canada, the human rights group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) has termed it as a nefarious attempt to curb the freedom of expression of Sikhs living in Canada.

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The rights panel said no threats to life were issued to Amarinder during the parade and all those who participated in it were law-abiding citizens of Canada.   In a statement issued to The Tribune, the SFJ has stated that Canadian Sikhs had a constitutionally protected right to express any political opinion, no matter how discomforting it might be for the Indian Government, including propagating for Sikh homeland Khalistan.  On April 22 during the Khalsa Day parade in Surrey, British Columbia, thousands of Sikhs followed the Khalistan float with the images of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his followers who were killed in Punjab during militancy.  Calling the Indian Government’s complaint against SFJ to Global Affairs Ministry of Canada as frivolous, Attorney Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, legal adviser to SFJ, claimed, “Separatism is not terrorism and SFJ always works within the framework of law.”“Captain Amarinder is a human rights violator as per the international laws and we are waiting for him to be in Canada, America or European Union Countries so that we can hold the Punjab CM accountable for all the atrocities committed on the Sikhs and prosecute him for crimes against humanity,” Pannun said.In April 2016, SFJ blocked Amarinder from addressing public rallies in Canada by initiating a “private prosecution” seeking his arrest warrants for his “culpability in the torture of Sikhs in Punjab during his tenure as CM of Punjab between 2002 and 2007”. Now, again, the SFJ has filed a defamation suit against Amarinder in a Canadian court.

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 30

Senior commanders of the Indian Navy will meet in New Delhi to review security measures of naval assets, bases and air stations and the overall operational readiness of units with particular emphasis on indigenisation towards achieving greater self-reliance and support the “Make in India”.A four-day Naval Commanders’ Conference is scheduled in the national capital from May 2 to May 5. Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba will lead the commanders in focusing the Navy’s plans for sustained operational effectiveness, combat readiness and improved maintenance philosophy to carry out its roles and missions. One of them is the Navy’s role in a joint/unified military structure in future.In the backdrop of terrorist threats, the conference is the Navy’s approach to increase Maritime Domain Awareness. Ways to strengthen maritime security would be discussed

Lack of any cohesive action against Maoists marks failure of successive govts. The Maoists now choose the place, the time to kill our young men in paramilitary forces. A look at what has gone wrong

RISING TOLL: Villagers and family members of CRPF soldier Surender Thakur take his body for cremation at Mandi in Himachal Pradesh. Thakur was among 26 paramiltary men killed in a Naxalite attack in Sukma, Chhattisgarh. PTI

CRPF jawan Ram Mehar being cremated in Karnal. PHOTO: RAVI KUMAR

FOR over four decades, India’s home ministers seem to be vying for the wooden spoon on the anti-Naxalite battlefront. The ease with which nearly 300 Maoists planned and laid the ambush to kill 26 CRPF men at Burkapal in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh last week startled the security experts and political leaders. The Maoists walked away with over 27 sophisticated weapons. As the nucleus of the 106 districts of 10 Red Corridor states, Sukma has been in the news with ominous frequency over the past few years. Being at the tri-junction connecting Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Telangana it facilitates Maoists’ inter-state movement to dodge the police.“The Naxalites have graduated from guerrilla warfare to mobile warfare and have captured nearly 10,000 sq km of the area around Sukma. Their politburo is active in the region,” says former joint director of Central Intelligence Bureau (CIB) and former Director General of Chhattisgarh police, Vishwaranjan. He bore the brunt of intense criticism when 75 CRPF jawans and a state police officer were killed in an ambush in Dantewada on April 6, 2010. The Maoists have gained in strength with multiple layers of leadership. The Maoists now decide the timing of attack. “For now I see no light at the end of the tunnel as the state police are not being trained to meet the challenge,” says Vishwaranjan. He feels the Greyhound force of Andhra Pradesh came closest to meeting the challenge. 

No cohesion

Despite multiple committees at the Centre and state level, there is little cohesion and intelligence-sharing between security forces. Former Director General of Madhya Pradesh police Kirpal S Dhillon, better known in Punjab for leading the police during the dark days of militancy, says, “A well-thought out policy needs to be formulated and executed under a joint command. The primacy of state police is lost.” Upendra Joshi, another ex-DG who handled the Maoists militancy at its initial stage in Madhya Pradesh, says the genesis of the problem lay in disconnect between the people and the state officials. Barring a few development-oriented officers, others saw the posting in the region as punishment and tried to make the most of it for corrupt practices. Cases of financial irregularities and exploitation of women turned the tribal population against the officials. Joshi says the introduction of Central forces to assist the local police had a flip side. The local police absolved themselves of much of responsibility. The first instance of Naxalite violence was reported in composite Madhya Pradesh in 1967. For half a century, the problem has been allowed to fester.

Lack of policy

Political expediency has often prompted administrative responses. The government claims the Naxalites are acting in desperation because of the pressure by security forces. They targeted the CRPF that was helping in the construction of road in the region because they feel development would expose their sanctuary in the thick forests. But, the Maoists’ outlawed outfit, the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC), owned up the attack saying it was carried out in retaliation to the alleged sexual violence by security forces against tribal women.Late last year the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had found several security personnel guilty of raping and physically assaulting at least 16 tribal women in five villages. The commission still awaits the recorded version of another 20 alleged victims of similar sexual violence. The incidents took place in October-November 2015 and the NHRC took suo moto cognizance of news reports after spot investigation.The NHRC directed the state government to probe the incident within a month and pay compensation to the victims. It asked the DIG (Investigation) to record the statements of the 15 victims who could not testify before the commission or a magistrate. The police say the investigations could take a few months as tracing the victims, who live in remote forests, and bringing them to the court to record their statements is a daunting task.

Left-wing extremism on the rise

• 106 districts in 10 states — Bihar, Jharkhand, Andhra, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, W Bengal, MP, UP and Chhattisgarh — are hit by Maoists. The area is called the Red Corridor (see map).
• The CPI (Maoist), believed behind killing CRPF men in Sukma, was formed in 2004
• The strength of armed Naxalites is estimated around 9,000 with access to 6,500 firearms

Sumayyah Qureshi

Hindus and Muslims once lived in peaceful coexistence in ‘Kalhana’s paradise’. And, then, they had a bitter separation. The circumstances changed, equations changed, relations change, and friends became foes overnight.

The debut novel of Sanchit Gupta takes us to the point where it all started in Kashmir, almost three decades ago. It takes us to the days when Kashmiri Pandits lived happily with their Muslim neighbours, when they used to share their happiness and grief with each other. It brings alive their joys and what they had to go through in later years. The story takes us through that tumultuous journey. While one community suffered away from home, the other was condemned to suffer at home.

The author doesn’t discriminate, or support or oppose anyone. He doesn’t demonise anyone either, or judge or take sides, but talks dispassionately about the overall human sufferings, of those who lived on this land, who belonged here, who stayed and who left.

Gupta weaves his story around three friends, one of whom is a Pandit. He is the link among their lives. The plot revolves around the lives of Bilal, Safeena and Deewan. The three are distanced by circumstances and engulfed in a vortex of violence. But they are destined to meet again, and to pull each other out of the quagmire. They all have their share of grief. They all have grim, sordid tales to tell as they ‘come from the land that has no identity’. It is also the story of two neighbours who live in Srinagar — the Bhats, who are Pandits, and the Maliks, who are Muslims, and who are like one big happy family.

And, then one day, everything changes — for worse. As the chorus about ‘azadi’ gets louder in the streets of the Valley, one night the Bhats take refuge at Maliks’ house. In that long, unending dark night, everything loses its meaning or rather the meaning as understood till that point in time. And dreams, lives and everything synonymous with Kashmir — Kashmiriyat, friendship, brotherhood — are ripped apart, shattered, mauled.

That night, death changes all equations, it changes the way the two families look at each other. It fills their hearts with sorrow and hatred.

The book details the transition from the times of peace to the times of war. It talks of fear — the fear of living in one’s homeland, the fear of living away from home, the fear of being labelled a terrorist. It talks of murder, torture chambers, rape, conflict, crackdowns, destroyed homes, killings, Army brutality and militant excesses. It talks of the plight of Pandits and the plight of Muslims, doing a fair justice to the story. The book covers almost all aspects of the Kashmir conflict. It gives us an overview of everything that Kashmiris have had to go through since armed insurgency broke out in Kashmir.

The author, though not a Kashmiri, seems to have his finger on the pulse. He gets the intricacies and the tenor almost perfect. He seems to have done his work well, giving readers an unprejudiced story from a conflict zone.

It is not one of those lopsided stories. It does justice to the big story that is ‘Kashmir’. It spares no one, neither the Army, nor the militants. It is unforgiving, vivid, well-written, profound and well-paced for a debut novel.

Canada”s Defence Minister Harjit Singh Sajjan presented the coin of honour to Diljit Dosanjh on the sets of a reality show. Photo courtesy Twitter handle: @diljitdosanjh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 23

It was a proud moment for Punjabi singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh on the sets of Rising Star where he received the coin of honour from Canada’s Minister of National Defence Harjit Singh Sajjan.The defence minister had also unveiled the second poster of Diljit’s upcoming film Super Singh.“Had a unique opportunity to meet the famous and very humble @diljitdosanjh. Great discussion on his work to inspire the next generation,” the minister later wrote on his social networking site.The event is trending on twitter currently. Sajjan gave his personal coin of honour that the government of Canada had bestowed upon him.On Twitter Diljit Dosanjh shared his experience, “Harjit Singh Sajjan Said It’s good to get rewards for your Hard work but what is more important is what you give back to society!!”

A video grab of the human shield incident in Kashmir.

Amit Khajuria

Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 21

Pakistan has set up a number of cyber warfare centres to fuel violence, militancy and stone-throwing in the Valley with the long-time objective of defaming India over Kashmir across the world.Highly placed sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs told The Tribune that Pakistan after declaring 2017 as the “Year of Kashmir” had intensified its cyber warfare against India over the Valley. It had been producing videos like “Sangbaz” (stone-thrower) with fiery songs and “martyrdom appeals” to target the Indian security forces and wreck its political and democratic system. Pakistan had undertaken a major exercise to make youth, some of them hired cyber warriors, to go in for anti-India propaganda.A highly placed source in the MHA said that after seeing the crowds in Kashmir fight the police and CRPF in the wake of the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani, the ISI and Pakistan army with the clear nod of the civilian government had started such cyber warfare centres. The propaganda material gets downloaded in the social media sites of the individuals hired for the purpose, and that is used by them instantly or at a convenient time.The restrictions on the Internet in Kashmir have not much affected the cyber warriors, who have the patronage of political groups, and are operating through highly sophisticated and undetectable devices that broadcast real and imaginary images.It remains a mystery that who uploaded the videos showing the Army in a negative frame or the heckling of CRPF personnel in Budgam on the polling day on April 9. It is also not known who shot and uploaded the video of the “human shield” used by the Army. The video has been shot professionally as the camera deftly captures the images from the front and then moves to the top and then straight before going to the rear.“This is highly professional work,” a source said, adding that it is suspected that some hi-tech minds are involved with a large financial support.The MHA authorities are looking into the whole affair and are trying to find out ways to get rid of the propaganda-churning machinery. They believe that something more than mobile phone cameras are at work.“We have confirmed and reconfirmed that it is Pakistan behind the trouble. Other factors are secondary,” the source told The Tribune.

Human shield video shot ‘professionally’

• It remains a mystery who uploaded the recent videos on Kashmir showing the Army in a negative frame or the heckling of CRPF personnel in Budgam. It is also not known who shot and uploaded the video of the “human shield” used by the Army. The video has been shot professionally as the camera deftly captures the images from the front and then moves to the top and then straight before going to the rear.

Clashes in Valley, youths protest use of force against students

JKLF activists throw stones at policemen at Maisuma in Srinagar on Friday. Tribune Photo: Amin War

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 21

Protests and clashes took place between agitating youth and security personnel at various places in Srinagar and elsewhere in the Valley after the Friday prayers over the alleged use of force against students recently.The police lobbed teargas shells to dispel the protesters in the Nowhatta area of Srinagar, where youths took to the streets after the congregational Friday prayers, prompting a shutdown in the area.Even as the separatists had given no shutdown call today, spontaneous protest demonstrations were witnessed in various parts of the Valley. There were reports of protests and clashes from Pulwama in south Kashmir and Sopore and Bandipora in north Kashmir.In Sopore town, the police lobbed teargas shells to disperse the protesters who were agitating after the Friday prayers.Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who delivers the Friday sermon every week at Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid, continued to be under house arrest for the seventh consecutive Friday, a spokesman said. He said Mirwaiz had expressed concern over the use of force against students of Government Degree College, Pulwama, on April 15 and the subsequent harassment of the protesting students in other parts of the Valley.Meanwhile, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan today directed the principals of all colleges to adopt a proactive approach in dealing with any untoward incident on the campuses and focus on ensuring a peaceful atmosphere in the institutions. He also asked them not to allow any outsiders on the premises of their institutions.

Colleges to remain closed today

• Srinagar: While the higher educational institutions in the Valley remained closed on Friday to prevent any further protests by students, the divisional administration said the teaching work in all colleges shall remain suspended on April 22 as a precautionary measure. However, protests were witnessed in Bandipora, where students of Government Boys High School, Bagh, hit the streets, triggering a shutdown in the main town. The Valley witnessed massive student protests on April 17 against alleged thrashing of students, including girls, by security personnel at Government Degree College, Pulwama, on April 15. TNS

Police lob teargas shells to quell protests

• Protests and clashes were reported from Srinagar, Pulwama in south Kashmir and Sopore and Bandipora in north Kashmir
• The police lobbed teargas shells to dispel the protesters in the Nowhatta area of Srinagar and in Sopore town

US NSA Lieut Gen HR McMaster with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Photo courtesy: Twitter handle of PIB

New Delhi, April 18The US on Tuesday reaffirmed India’s designation as a Major Defence Partner and emphasised the importance of its strategic relationship as its National Security Adviser HR McMaster met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and held talks with his counterpart Ajit Doval.“The two sides discussed a range of bilateral and regional issues, including their shared interest in increasing defence and counter-terrorism cooperation,” the US embassy said in a press statement after the meetings here.“NSA McMaster emphasised the importance of the US-India strategic relationship and reaffirmed India’s designation as a Major Defence Partner,” it said and noted that the meetings were “productive”.

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McMaster, whose trip here marks the first visit by a top official of the Trump Administration, also met Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar.“The visit was a part of the regional consultations that included stops in Kabul and Islamabad,” the statement said.During the US official’s meeting with the Prime Minister, the two sides discussed key bilateral and regional issues, including defence and counter-terrorism cooperation.Doval, Jaishankar and several key officials were present in the meeting that took place at the Prime Minister’s residence.Earlier, McMaster and Doval held detailed discussions on Indo-US relations, especially the security aspect of the ties, sources said.The US NSA arrived here on Monday evening from Pakistan where he met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and some top officials.In Islamabad, the relations between India and Pakistan figured in McMaster’s discussions with Sharif. PTI