ISLAMABAD, Apr 4:
Pakistan’s former president Pervez Musharraf has challenged the non-bailable arrest warrant against him by a court here in the 2007 Lal Masjid case for his repeated absence in the trial, saying he had to appear before a medical board on the day the warrant was issued.
The 71-year-old former dictator filed a petition in the Islamabad district and sessions court yesterday, requesting it to set aside the non-bailable arrest warrant it issued on Thursday for repeatedly failing to appear in the murder trial of Lal Masjid cleric Abdul Rashid Ghazi.
In his petition, filed through advocate Malik Tariq, Musharraf said he had to appear before a medical board constituted to ascertain his health under the directions of a Quetta anti-terrorism court (ATC), where the Nawab Akbar Bugti murder case is pending adjudication, the Dawn reported today.
Musharraf contended in the petition that police had declared him innocent after a thorough investigation in the case and had placed his name in the investigation report, prepared under the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and commonly known as the case challan, the report said.
A single-member bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) headed by Justice Noorul Haq N Qureshi is expected to hear the petition on Monday.
On Thursday, Islamabad district and sessions court judge Wajid Ali issued the warrant against the former president after rejecting his pleas for exemption from appearance.
The case was registered against Musharraf for the murder of the cleric and his mother during the Red Mosque operation of 2007. Ghazi was killed when army commandos stormed the mosque in the capital on Musharraf’s orders.
Musharraf was nominated in the case but he never appeared in court, citing health and security reasons.
In October 2013, police submitted a challan to the sessions court, declaring Musharraf innocent and left him at the mercy of the court.
The medical board has been asked to ascertain whether Musharraf is suffering from a disease and whether or not he is fit to travel. He has been accused of involvement in the killing of Baloch nationalist leader Bugti in 2006. The former president is facing a slew of court cases after returning from five years of self-exile in Dubai to contest the general elections in 2013 which he lost. Musharraf is already facing murder charges in the case of former premier Benazir Bhutto who was assassinated in 2007. He is on bail in the case.
He has also been indicted in a high treason case in March last year for suspending, subverting and abrogating the Constitution and imposing an emergency in Pakistan in November 2007, the first army chief to face such a prosecution. He has also been charged in the judges’ detention case. (PTI)
Musharraf challenges arrest warrant in Lal Masjid case
Raina marries childhood friend in star-studded wedding
New Delhi, Apr 4:
Star India cricketer Suresh Raina has tied the nuptial knot with fiancee Priyanka in a private ceremony attended only by family members and close friends, including his national and IPL team-mates, at a posh hotel here.
The couple tied the knot late last night in a ceremony attended by among others, ICC Chairperson N Srinivasan and India and Chennai Super Kings captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
The 28-year-old Raina and Priyanka, who is presently working in The Netherlands, have been friends since their childhood. Their family also has close association for a long time. In fact, Priyanka’s father was reportedly Raina’s sports teacher in Ghaziabad.
Big wigs from politics and entertainment world, besides fellow cricketers including Dwayne Bravo, Michael Hussey and Stephen Fleming, attended the ceremony.
Test captain Virat Kohli and his girl friend Anushka Sharma had attended the couple’s engagement ceremony on Wednesday.
Middle-order batsman Raina returned to the country with his India teammates after the semifinal loss to Australia in the World Cup last week. Raina is contracted with the Chennai Super Kings, who are scheduled to kickstart their campaign in the eighth edition of the Indian Premier League on April 9, barely six days after his wedding. (PTI)
Body of drowned youth recovered
Excelsior Correspondent
UDHAMPUR, Apr 4: Body of a youth, who got drowned in a stream at block Pancheri was recovered today after five days.
As per police sources, a load carrier (JK14A-4393) carrying four bovine animals and some passengers was on its way to Kainth Gali from Batota, when the water level of a stream at Kultiar in Pancheri tehsil suddenly increased due to heavy rains in which a youth got washed away and two others were injured.
After five days, body of drowned youth was recovered in a joint operation being carried out by SDRF, police and locals.
The deceased has been identified as Angrez Singh (22), son of Chaman Lal of Batota in block Pancheri.
Haq Khan reviews functioning of RDD
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 4: Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj System, Abdul Haq Khan convened a meeting of Rural Development Department here today to review its functioning.
Briefing the meeting through a power point presentation, the Director Rural Development Department informed the Minister that during last fiscal 56613 rural development works were taken in hand out of which 33306 works have been completed while work on 72 works is apace.
An amount of Rs 368.04 crore is being expended on these projects, out of which Rs. 16066.19 crore have been spent up to ending March 2015. Besides, 549826 job cards have also been issued among the unemployed youth by the department.
The Minister urged the officers to supervise the under construction projects personally and asked the officers to be present at their headquarters and be ready 24×7 for the service delivery. He said dereliction of duty would be severely dealt with while dutiful officers and officials would be encouraged.
The meeting was attended by the Director Rural Development Kashmir, Executive Engineers of various streams, ACDs and other concerned officers.
Madhav explains alliance with PDP
BENGALURU, Apr 4:
Seeking to allay concerns in the party over alliance with PDP in Jammu and Kashmir, BJP’s national executive today dwelt at length on the issue, underscoring that “conventional positions” would not have met the developmental aspirations of the people of the State.
A special briefing on its partnership with Mufti Mohammad Sayeed-led party, for which BJP put several key issues including Article 370 on the backburner, was made by the party’s General Secretary Ram Madhav during the concluding day of the meeting and the decision received “complete endorsement” of the national executive, senior party leader and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said.
“It is the nature of the mandate which decided the possible course of the coalition.
Secondly, there is a popular feeling within the State also that the governance deficit must go and developmental politics must come.
“And, thirdly, behind the national agenda of developmental politics it is extremely important that more and more political parties come and endorse the developmental politics which the rest of the country wants in J&K.
“You need peace, you need developmental politics and therefore conventional positions would not have achieved that,” Jaitley said during his briefing after the meeting ended.
Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the explanation by Madhav, who was the party’s pointsman in stitching up the alliance with PDP, was received with applause from the executive members.
The session on J&K focused particularly on the Common Minimum Programme of the alliance Government and the particular context in which it took place, Jaitley said. (PTI)
Immediate need to transform education system: Naeem
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 4: Minister for Education, Naeem Akhtar today visited Women’s College M.A. Road and Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Kothi Bagh to review the functioning of these premiere educational institutions. He called for strengthening the infrastructure and rejuvenating the academic process in these institutions.
On this occasion, the Minister said that there is immediate need to transform the education system in the State. He asked teaching fraternity of Government schools to work with dedication and make it a mission to achieve literacy targets and to motivate students to seek admission in Government schools instead of hankering after private educational institutes.
The Minister announced release of Rs. 5 lakh from his CDF for strengthening infrastructure of the Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Kothi Bagh Srinagar. The funds would be spent on developing sports activities and for setting up hiking and monitoring clubs in the school.
The Minister while visiting Women’s College M.A. Road, Srinagar assessed the damage caused to college infrastructure during September 2014 floods. He asked the college authorities to spend Rs 1 crore from College Fund for strengthening infrastructure.
The Minister urged the administration of these educational institutions to destroy the books and records affected by the floods to maintain better hygiene in these institutions.
Private Tuition Centre Union deputation meets MLA
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 4: A delegation of all Private Tuition Centre Union of Samba today met with M. L. A. Samba Dr Gagan Bhagat. The delegation was led by Yog Raj and it comprised of highly educated youth.
Yog Raj highlighted the agony and trauma faced by the educated youth after the closure of tuition centres.
It demanded that there should be a slab system to fulfill the requirements mentioned under J&K Rules for Private Tuition Centre, 2010, a separate terms and conditions for very high turnover institutions, High, Low and Very Low turnover institutions.
It also demanded that there should be some kind of relaxations to those tuition centres run by single or two persons working in rural areas, relaxation be given to the educated unemployed persons running their institutions, the order should be kept in abeyance for a period of three months for completion of the requirements on the basis of turnover / income of the tuition centres.
All the members urged the Government through the MLA Samba that this order will affect the employment of educated youth at large scale and will result in the socio-economic problems as the persons who are teaching in rural areas are doing social work by teaching at a minimal tuition fee and their job is educating the society and not for making money.
Dr. Devinder Manyal, MLA Samba assured the delegation that their grievances will be discussed with the higher level of the Government and a proper policy would be framed by the Government.
BJP betrayed people of Jammu region on AIIMS: Ravinder
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 4: Chief spokesman of J&K Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC), Ravinder Sharma, today said that BJP has caused severest ever blow and betrayed people of Jammu region and adjoining areas of neighbouring states by reversing the decision for setting up AIIMS at Jammu.
“It is an act of great betrayal and injustice not only to the people of Jammu region and adjoining States besides over one crore pilgrims who visit every year to this part of country”, he said, questioning BJP over its double standards and politics of deceit.
He said that BJP Government has not even provided funds to the Medical Colleges and the Cancer Institutes announced by the UPA Government for the State under the Health Ministry headed by Ghulam Nabi Azad.
Sharma said that this would be on the top of the series of betrayals by the BJP with the present and future generations and people would never forgive it for the same.
Arrangements finalized for Border Festival
Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, Apr 4: District Development Commissioner, Kathua, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary chaired a meeting to finalize arrangements for celebration of 1st Border Festival, which will be celebrated biannually on rotation in various border areas.
The border festival aimed at promoting International Border as a tourist attraction and creating facilities for local and national tourists is being organised on April 9 at Hiranagar.
The festival will have a series of recreational activities, cultural programmes and special emphasis will also be laid on information, education and communication regarding various Government schemes for border residents in particular. More than 100 stalls by departments, organizations, projects, industries and tourism associations will be established during the festival. A one-day border trip package is also being organised by administration for tourists. The festival will showcase Dogra cultural heritage, art and history.
The DDC informed that the festival is aimed at boosting the tourism sector in border area and linking youth with a public driven tourism industry. More than 15 Border Tourism Huts are being taken up with public partnership in current year for attracting tourists. He called upon officers of line departments to put in their best efforts for making the event successful and lay firm foundation for showcasing border belt as a tourist destination and support livelihood of border residents.
Arrangements related to fool-proof security, establishment of 104 stalls, fire & emergency, first aid, cultural programme, invitation, reception, heritage display, transportation, management, involvement of public and industry, tourism groups, NGOs, publicity were discussed in the meeting. Administration has extended open invitation to interested associations and groups to display various tourist destinations and packages in the festival. Border Security Force, Army and PTC Kathua have extended assistance to district administration in logistic arrangements and organizing special events. Sports events and competitions will also form a part of festival.
SSP Kathua Neeva Jain, Addl DC Dr Mushtaq Ahmed, Addl SP Nasir Ahmed, CPO Ram Rattan, SDM Hiranagar Sohan Lal, ACD Tilak Raj, Principal GDCs, CEO, District officers of all the departments and other attended the meeting.
BLSKS presents musical play ‘Ganga Tera Pani Amrit’
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 4: Bhartiya Lok Sangeet Kala Sansthan (BLSKS) in close coordination with Unison Cultural Troupe, Sangam Tru Art Production and ESRM presented its 44th musical play ‘Ganga Tera Pani Amrit’ at open Air theatre, Durga Bhawan, Janipur.
The play was written, produced and directed by ML Dogra.
The program was inaugurated by VK Magotra. Tara Singh Charak, former Deputy Director, State Health Department and Romesh Chander, event director were the guests of honor.
The play commenced with song “Ganga Tera Pani Amrit Pal-Pal Mela Hota Jaey”, “Ganga Par Kari De Ganga Mai” and “Jal Hi Jeevan”, sung by the renowned artists, Usha Handoo, Raju Bajgal, Hem Raj and KK Joshi.
Earlier, presenting welcome address, ML Dogra, chairman BLSKs, threw light on the life of Sant Bhagirath, a great king who is said to have brought the River Ganga to Earth from the heaven.
The musicians and actors who performed in the play were Raju Bajgal (Harmonium), Rajeev Salotra, Gouri Lal, Rajat Nakalia, Shivani Disgotra, Rajni Gupta, Neelam Gandotra, Kamli Devi, Mamta Sharma, Deepak Pandita, Swatantra Singh, Kamla Devi, Sunil Kumar, Sumojeet Mohanty, Sunil Kumar, MC Kotwal, Kuldeep Raj, Bodh Raj, Rakshit Sharma, Mohan Sharma, Ujwal Sharma, Dhruv Pandit, Pooja Loach, Pranavi Khajuria, Rajanya Khajuria, Samarth Gupta, Sanam Gupta and many others.