Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 15: The J&K Board of School Education, Jammu today declared the result of Secondary School Examination (10th class), Annual 2013, regular, winter zone of Jammu province.
According to Prof Veena Pandita, Joint Secretary, Secrecy section of JKBOSE- Jammu division, the total pass percentage is 55.47. A total of 22,130 candidates, including 11848 boys and 10282 girls, appeared in the said examination and 10115 candidates have been declared qualified. The pass percentage of boys and girls is 54.35 and 56.77, respectively.
The result is available on the official website of the board www.jkbose.co.in

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 15: Demanding settlement of their long pending demands and restoration of their rights, the Jammu and Kashmir PoK Refugees Front staged a demonstration in front of Press Club here today.
The demonstration was led by president of the Front Rashpal Singh Chib and a large number of women also participated in the protest.
Raising slogans in support of their demands, the protestors accused successive State and Central Governments of betraying them and turning a deaf ear to their genuine demands.
The Front warned to hold the massive demonstrations at tehsil and block headquarters on Republic Day in support of their demands.
They said though the Constitution of India was implemented on this day in 1951 granting equal rights to the people and treating him equal before the law of the land but PoK refugees were deprived of this right since 1947.
Addressing the protestors, Rashpal Singh Chib said that successive Governments betrayed them since their displacement from PoK. “It was due to the follies of the Government that Pakistan annexed out motherland and now they are depriving us of the rights also”, he added.
Demanding reservations for their wards in professional colleges of the State, he said the Government has mooted a proposal writing the Union Government to grant reservations to them in professional colleges outside the State and this way it wants to uproot our wards.
He demanded reservations be given to the students of refugees in the State as well as outside the State.
Making a dig at NC-Congress coalition, he accused them for the plight of the PoK refugees and alleged that the two parties want to deprive the refugees of their rights and uproot them form the State also.
He appealed the refugees to make the Front’s January 26 call a success and show total solidarity with the Front in taking the present struggle to its logical conclusion.
He alleged that State Cabinet has not till date made any recommendations regarding the final settlement of PoK refugees to Centre and this is a cause of concern. The Cabinet only made recommendations for the Kashmiri migrants and this was a discrimination with PoK refugees, he added.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 15: Sham Lal Sharma, Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, called on N.N. Vohra, Governor, at Raj Bhavan today.
Mr. Sharma briefed the Governor about measures being taken by PHE Department to augment supply of safe drinking water in various areas of the State to meet the fast increasing requirements.
He also discussed with the Governor, the status of various projects undertaken to increase the net irrigated area in the State and the work being done by the Flood and Irrigation Department to check the siltation and choking of water bodies.
The Minister also discussed with the Governor certain political and developmental issues affecting the interests of the State.
Meanwhile, Harshdev Singh, MLA Ramnagar, Balwant Singh Mankotia, MLA Udhampur,  Yashpal Kundal, MLA Samba, called on Mr. Vohra.
The delegation of National Panthers Party Legislators informed the Governor about several issues relating to road connectivity, development of tourists spots, long delays in the releases of allocations by the State Planning Department, neglect of “Bad Pocket” areas, non-implementation of “Prime Minister’s Special Task Force” recommendations and varied other impediments in the way of rapid economic growth of the State.
They also briefed the Governor about the to date status of various Central and State sponsored developmental schemes in their respective constituencies.

Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Jan 15:  Reiterating its belief that laws like Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) can not be a permanent feature of governance in Jammu and Kashmir, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) today strongly objected to the statement of the Army chief on the subject.
In a statement, the party president, Mehbooba Mufti said AFSPA has outlived its utility and J&K is ready for full restoration of fundamental rights, which are severely, restricted by such laws.
Mehbooba said the people of J&K have repeatedly reaffirmed their faith in the democratic process, over the past many years, and it is time that Government of India responds positively to the growing democratic culture in the State.
She said while holding elections and participation of people in them are essential for a democratic polity,  democracy in the State will lack vibrancy as long as the civil institutions, judiciary and elected bodies don’t feel fully empowered, as in rest of the country.
Referring to the recommendations made from time to time on the subject, Mehbooba said the special working group, appointed by Prime Minister had  recommended rolling back of AFSPA. The PDP had taken up the matter with the Prime Minister in January 2007, in response to which a high level committee had also been appointed to review the law.
She said the PDP has time and again emphasized that gun and force from either side will not resolve the problem. “Instead it is democracy, engagement and dialogue that are needed for a permanent settlement of the problem for which a beginning had been made with the initiative in 2003. Shrill statements will take us nowhere, in restoring the confidence in peace process and wining the hearts and minds of people,” said Mehbooba.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 15: Aam Aadami Party started membership drive in Jammu.
Addressing a largely attended gathering at the venue of Jammu Club, Prof Ajit Kumar Jha said that the basic target of AAP is to enroll one crore members upto to January 26, 2014 across the country. Prof Jha added that APP is a national movement in the hands of common man as the people of Delhi have shown the beacon light.
He further elaborated that there is a  strong wave across the country to show the door to the self styled rulers who have forgotten the Aam Aadmi after achieving the success to the corridors of power viz Parliament or Assemblies.
The national executive member Prof Jha said that the process of joining the movement of AAP is free and available on line and appealed the common man to join the movement to uproot the dynastic rulers from the power who have exploited them either single handedly or after entering into unholy alliance during last 67 years befooling the masses during every election making false promises.
On the occasion, vote of thanks was presented by Kuldeep Kumar Rao and S Deep Singh who appealed the gathering to work hard with honesty and sincerely rising above their affiliations, caste, creed or colour and give a tight fight unitedly to throw away the ills and evils.
The membership drive was welcomed and joined by several groups of people from other districts, present on the occasion.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 15:  At least 13 senior JCC members were detained as the police resorted to lathi-charge on the State Government employees when they were taking out a `Mashal’ rally towards Chief Minister’s residence on Residency Road here this evening.
A large number of employees under the banner of Joint Consultative Committee (JCC)  of State Government employees under the leadership of  Abdul Qayoom Wani, Ganesh Khajuria, Amrik Singh and others assembled at Hari Singh Higher Secondary School near Eidgah this evening. They were holding burning candles/  marshals in their hands and started their protest march towards Chief Minister’s residence on Residency and Wazarat Road.
As the employees had covered a small distance on the residency road, a strong contingent of police led by Dy SP City intercepted the agitating employees and foiled their march. The cops resorted to mild lathi-charge on the employees and made many of them to flee. Several fell down during procession and also sustained injuries.
During this action, the police also packed some of the employees and their leaders into vehicles and shifted to City Police Station. They included Qayoom Wani, Ganesh Khajura, Jamat Ali, B B Kotwal, Amrik Singh, Surjit Singh and others.
Mr Wani later told the Excelsior that suppressive measures of  State Government cannot deter the employees and gag their voice. He said the employees would continue their struggle in the democratic way for their rights. Such acts of Government will give more strength to the JCC movement. He alleged that Government has failed to honour its commitment and resolve the pending issues of the employees.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 15: BJP National Executive Member & J&K chief spokesperson Dr Jitendra Singh said  that even as the Congress led UPA government continues to remain undecided about  how to deal with China’s intrusionary designs on the Northern borders, latest  intelligence reports indicate that Beijing has worked out a definite strategy to revive what is popularly called the “Silk route” or the traditional trade route  of Central and South Asia.
In a statement issued here today he said this will amount to trespass of the Northern areas of erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir including Gilgit Baltistan presently under illegal occupation of China and Pakistan.
Elaborating, Dr Jitendra Singh said the “silk route” is bounded in the North East by Tibet, further North by  Xinjiang province of China, in the North West by the Wakhan corridor of Afghanistan, in the West by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and further South by Punjab of Pakistan. This geographic layout is strategically important, also because of its high mountain range, he said and explained, that is why for hundreds of years in the past, Russian, Persian, Chinese, Tibetan and  British Indian empires constantly sought access to this region to dominate each other. Even today, this “ancient axis of Asia” provides a gateway for both India and China to Central Asia, he added.
Dr Jitendra Singh disclosed that Beijing has recently allocated huge budget to build infrastructure through highways connecting Tibet to Xinjiang through the Chinese occupied Akshai Chin plateau and Xinjiang to Pakistan via the Karakorum Highway through the Kunzreb pass. This highway then connects Gwadar port on the Arabian sea, giving further access to the Indian Ocean, he added.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, China has deployed more than ten thousand troops for the purpose of developing infrastructure in the area of Gilgit Baltistan which is de facto under its control since Pakistan is reported to have  leased it out  under  the pretext of facilitating development. Curiously, the road construction work by China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) is going on in clear violation of the agreed freeze on border area work between the two countries but New Delhi continues to remain unconcerned, he alleged.
China is a fast growing economy, looking for easy and inexpensive access to world market and its intrusionary designs are motivated by this larger,long-term design, he added.