Violating natural justice …J&K hullabaloo is crying over spilt milk DR. JAVID IQBAL Indus Water Treaty [IWT] violating natural justice was evident from day one of the treaty signed on September the 19th, 1960 in Karachi by Pundit Nehru and President Ayub Khan. It is Punjab centric to the detriment of J&K’s interests. Partition based on religious division had other factors–water head, irrigation head, and run of the river provision added to it. The rider put India in total control of all the western rivers in J&K [Jhelum, Chenab and Sind] in addition to eastern rivers in Punjab [Ravi, Beas and Sutlej]. Thus Indus basin became totality India’s handmaiden. The recent hullabaloo witnessed in J&K state cannot be captioned beyond calling it crying over spilt milk or repenting over stolen grain. MP Rajya Sabha … Read entire article »

Eye wash Interlocutors’ report is silent about some grave issues  By ABDUL MAJID ZARGAR   With the publication of New Delhi’s nominated interlocutors report on Jammu Kashmir, the genie  is finally out of the bottle- Barely a few months  ago, in response to an application under RIT, the Home Ministry had denied  its publication on the ground of “National security”. Whether during this short interregnum, the parameters of National security have changed or the hearts & minds of My- Lords in New-Delhi, remains to be seen. Interestingly the report has been made public when a senior official of the Home Ministry was in Pakistan to negotiate the Siachen issue. The timing appears to have been arranged to get a first hand reaction from Pakistani establishment. The interlocutors have ruled out return of the Delhi-Srinagar relations to … Read entire article »

  The Supreme Court judgment in Pathribal fake encounter case constitutes a severe assault on the right to life of common people living in conflict areas like Kashmir. Following Chittisinghpora massacre of Sikhs in the year 2000, five innocent civilians were virtually dragged from their beds and killed in cold blood by personnel of 7 Rashtriya Rifles. The victims were labeled as LET mercenaries responsible behind the chittisinghpora incident. Even the then Union Home Minster, Lal Krishen Advani flew from New-Delhi to shower praises on the Army unit responsible for the Act. When the identity of five men became known as innocent civilians, protests intensified across Anantnag, forcing the government to order a judicial inquiry. On April 3, 2000, the protesters marched towards the Deputy Commissioner’s office. Nine of them were … Read entire article »