SRINAGAR, 20 July 2020, TON: When Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that electricity distribution companies in Union Territories (UTs) will be privatized, no one had an idea that disputed State of Jammu and Kashmir would be hit too. Kashmiri leadership including Syed Ali Geelani and other top leadership of All Parties Hurryiat Conference (APHC) strongly protested Indian interference in the ibnternal affairs of Jammu and Kashmir. They warned that if the decision is not taken back Kashmiris would come to the streets against Indianhanding over of the projects to private companies of India, US, Israel and Iran.

The Jammu and Kashmir Electricity Act 2003 provided state must have a State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC) but after the 5 August 2019 announcement of amalgamation of Jammu and Kashmir State as Indian Union Territory, the Indian leadership is up to privatize the power sector. This privatization of power distribution companies (Discoms) in the Union Territories is being carried out under the Aatam Nirbhar Bharat. Article 85 of the Jammu and Kashmir Re-Organisation Act, 2019 provides that the Centre may establish Advisory Committees for apportionment of assets, rights, and liabilities of the companies and corporations s relating to the continuance of arrangements in regard to generation and supply of electric power and supply of water.

The J&K Power Development Department (JKPDD) handles transmission and distribution of electric power in the state, power generation is looked after by J&K State Power Development Corporation Limited (JKSPDC), commercial aspects of power purchase are handled by J&K State Power Trading Company (JKSPTC) while J&K State Power Development Corporation Limited (JKSPDCL) is a power generating utility having 21 hydro projects across J&K. Their territorial jurisdiction comprises of entire Jammu and Kashmir State.
The government is currently spending about Rs 21 crore per day on power purchases from power corporations to meet the power demand in Jammu and Kashmir. NHPC gives 12% free power
as royalty to Jammu and Kashmir since the hydro resources of the state are utilized for power generation. In addition, Jammu and Kashmir has a share of 25% in 600 MW Ranjit Sagar Dam project and the power is supplied at the generation cost.  

The estimated hydropower potential of Jammu and Kashmir is 20,000 Megawatts (MW), of which about 16475 MW have been identified out of which only 3263 MW has been exploited. This comprises of 1211.96 MW in the state sector, 2009 MW in the central sector and 42.5 MW in the private sector. Similarly, 168 MW Shahpur Kandi project on Ravi is another joint sector hydro project with Punjab where Jammu and Kashmir has 25% share.

SRINAGAR, 17 July 2020, TON: In district jail Anantnag, where there are 192 prisoners as on15 July 96 have been declared COVID 19 positive. Zahoor Bhat, brother of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front founder Maqbool Bhat was declared positive for COVID 19.

The Kupwara Court in a judgment found improper treatment being give to COVID 19 patients in several quarantine centres and ordered constitution of Special Investigation team (SIT) to probe alleged negligence by the authorities. SIT is bound by the Court to submit the report within seven days.

A court in Kupwara on Thursday took cognizance of “improper treatment” given to COVID19 patients in several quarantine centres in the district and ordered constitution of Special Investigation team (SIT) to probe alleged negligence by the authorities.

The court of sub-judge Kupwara Javeed Alam, after hearing the case, directed SSP Kupwara to constitute the SIT for investigating the matter without any delay and submit the report within seven days.

The Court has further ordered District Development Commissioner Kupwara being head of the District Disaster Management to ensure that the COVID19 patients are given proper treatment and proper food and medicines as prescribed under guidelines.

It has been generally noted that Kashmiris, who are opposing Indian government for their illegal occupation of disputed Jammu and Kashmir State and extrajudicial killings of Kashmiris in fake encounters by Indian security forces, are victim of COVID-19 and are quarantined at various hospitals and centers in Jammu and Kashmir State. As per  Dr Mehraj Ahmed Sofi, Medical Officer at Ganderbal the rate of recovery of the COVID19 patients was less tha 50%.

Meanwhile, the genocide of Kashmiris is in full swing through COVID cum military operations against the Kashmiris. This Friday, Indian security forces claimed that three militants killed in the gunfight with the security forces in Nagnad Chimmer area of Kulgam district. This month and last month saw atleast 2/3 Kashmiris either killed in a fake encounter or found missing. The death toll due to COVID-19 is in addition to this.

SRINAGAR, 15 July 2020, TON: Lieutenant Governor, G C Murmu accorded sanction to the transfer of over 13,665 Kanals of State land for establishment of industrial estates at the ten locations in districts including Kulgam, Kupwara, Anantnag, Baramulla, Bandipora, , Budgam, Ganderbal, Pulwama, Srinagar and Udhampur. According to reliable sources, it has already been decided to allot Industrial plots to Indian national and foreign investors.

Meanwhile, the Indian government has planned to bring foreign investment in Jammu and Kashmir through the acquisition entire territory of disputed State of Jammu and Kashmir into Indian Unions. New Delhi has already given go to organize ‘Global Investors Summit’ in Jammu and Kashmir. In the past India never wanted to take risk in investing in the disputed State due to non availability of Union owned land in Jammu and Kashmir for setting up of industries. 

In another development, Lieutenant Governor Murmu accorded sanction to transfer of land measuring 88 Kanals, 09 Marla situated in village Edipora Bomai, Tehsil Zainageer, District Baramulla to Higher Education Department for establishment of Government Degree College, Bomai.  Similarly, pice of land has also transferred to higher education department for establishment of a College at Chadoora in Budgam district.

In the near past, Lieutenant Governor Murmu has accorded sanction to the transfer of 40 kanal of land in Shopian district for the establishment of colonies for non-Kashmiri employees and workers. It was also reported that the Indian Army and the security forces has also been allocated lands for the extension of their camps and residential areas.

SRINAGAR, 14 July 2020, TON: The Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Para Military Forces were all deployed aound the graveyards and the mosques, not to allow the Kashmiris to visit their love one on 13^th July. For the first time in the history of Jammu and Kashmir, a centuries-old tradition of Muslims of Jammu and Kashmir, they couldn’t visit the graves of the men who laid their lives on 13 July 1931 fighting against the tyrant Maharaja Rule.

The Indian authorities did not allow anyone to visit Martyrs Graveyard or ‘Mazaar-e-Shohada’ and instead the Indian Army personnel deputed on the gates of the graveyards guided them to use facebook and Twitter to pay tributes to those died.

The day commensurate the martyrdom of 22 Kashmiri Muslims, who were killed on this day in 1931 by soldiers of the British installed Hindu ruler outside the Central Jail in Srinagar. Ever since, the day is observed as public holiday but since last year New Delhi after amalgamating the disputed Jammu and Kashmir State into the Indian Union discontinued the day from the list of holidays. Against the century old tradition, hurting the sentiments of the Kashmiri Muslims, Indian authorities bowed down before objections by Hindus of India, who consider the Hindu ruler Hari Singh link between Hindu India and Jammu and Kashmir State.

Meanwhile, over 60 Kashmiris were detained by Indian security forces on charges of trying to force their way into the graveyard to pay homage to the Kashmiri martyrs. 13 of the detainees were still in detention of Indian security forces when last reports came in.   

BARAMULLA, 13 July 2020, TON: In an intelligence-based operation in Sopore’s Reban village of Baramulla district, Army troops, personnel of 22 Rashtriya Rifles, Central Reserve Police Force and Police carried out joint operation against the stone pleters, identified through CCTV cameras during protests.

As per the details, presence of three youth in a house at Gulshanabad area of Reban village was confirmed through a Special Police Officer (SPO). The joint team carried out siege of the hose and knocked the door. As soon as the door was opened, the troops rushed in and opended indiscriminate firing, killing all the three Kashmiri youth.

Later, Police officials gave statement that in the Sopore operation they killed Police Usman belonging to Lashkar-e-Tayyiaba (LeT), who was involved in attack at Model Town Sopore in which a CRPF personnel was also killed.

IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar in a statement said, “In the encounter, 3 militants affiliated with LeT were killed including two of them identified as Abu Rafia alias Usman and Saifullah both resident of Pakistan. Abu Rafia alias Usman was active in Kashmir since 2016. They were involved in many incidents including the recent Sopore incident on 1^st July 2020 in which one CRPF Jawan and a civilian was killed.”

A local witnessed residing in Gulshanabad said that since Sunday morning whole area was sealed and no one was allowed to come out of their house. Later, there was intense firing and movement of vehicles was noticed, Media reports later reveled killing of three militants. The witness added that Indian Army and the security forces have made a rotine to kill all those who even carryout peaceful protest against Indian occupation of Jammu and Kashmir.

 ‘2020’ remarks the circling return of epidemics after every 100 years. As every nation is involved in the epidemic economically, socially and culturally, so the pandemic seems like another World War. The crisis is alarming us the evolution of the traditional security issues. The COVID-19 attack has made the world nations shocked. Every nation is responding to the crisis differently according to their culture. So the national and international governance should take strategies on the basis of the nations’ culture and adaptation ability. The post-pandemic reconstruction cost depends on how innovative the taken strategies are during the pandemic. New Zealand reported zero cases on the 8th June,2020. Prime Minister Jasinda Ardern has been showing praiseworthy leadership by adopting decisions and implementing policies which are made on the New Zealanders culture. She announced a very effective four level alert system (prepare, reduce, resist and eliminate) and maintained a collaborative network. The concept of lockdown and quarantine referred to as ‘the Bubble’ to ensure peoples’ staying safe at home. This bubble concept is truly commendable as it is easier to understand and implement by the general population of the country. Surprisingly, the New Zealand government did not indicate the word lockdown and quarantine in the emergency crisis management initiatives as they can be hard nuts for their peoples. Jordan developed a well-formulated national preparedness and response strategy with maintaining a high level of awareness and determination among the citizens. As a result of an effective and intelligent leadership, the upper-middle status holding country announced a country curfew on 20th March evaluating the culture of the citizens. The country maintained a strict international travel ban and travel regulations during the early overseas transmission. These proved a very strong and appropriate measure in combating the war. Strong unity between federal and provincial authorities and impressive solidarity across the entire country made Canada’s COVID-19 responses successful. Canada, a middle power country, followed the travel ban recommendations of WHO appropriately and implemented large scale social programs such as the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit and Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy. The laudable leadership of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his daily briefings spread divine influence on the Canadian people to fight against the coronavirus. Japan is an ideal model in this war situation. The country holds the largest number of old people in the world but the death rate is too low. Their behavioural culture made it possible. The Japan government’s request to stay at home turned the picture of the country into a lockdowned area. The health researchers of the country informed about the ‘historical immunity’ the Japanese possess which battled strongly against the coronavirus within their body. Surprisingly, the government took no measure to ensure social distancing and health security regulations in this crisis moment. The Japan Prime Minister Shinjo Abe proudly announced that Japanese culture of obedience made the ‘Japan Model’ in this war. New Zealand and Canada took lessons from the 2003 SARS outbreak. They used their health sector preparedness and response initiatives of 2003 to mitigate the damages of 2020. While Japan adopted necessary COVID-19 health regulations after the 1919 Flu pandemic and developed contact tracing systems after the 1950 TV pandemic. By contrast, the Trump Administration largely broke down the epidemic monitoring and command groups within the US National Security and Department of Homeland Security in 2018, set up by the Obama Administration after the 2014 Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa. Many countries in the world are dealing with such respiratory diseases for the first time and facing strategic gaps. Bangladesh faces such a health emergency crisis earlier and this global pandemic impacted largely the health, economic, political and social security sectors. In this emergency crisis the government took many initiatives to ensure the containment of COVID-19 but there are lackings in their implementation process. Adoption of the western concepts like lockdown and quarantine firstly failed the general less literate people to make understanding about social distancing and health regulations. The connectivity gap between the Prime Minister and the country people and the collaboration gap between public and private authorities are the main reasons for the strategic mistakes there. Experts recommended the decision makers and strategists to adopt strategies and policies on the basis of Bangladeshi culture and peoples’ response to the crisis.

ISLAMABAD, 9 July 2020, TON: It has been reported by the Pakistani authorities that Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav, the Indian intelligence operator who was caught by the Pakistani agencies on 3 March 2016, in connection with his espionage activities, has decided not to file review petition and follow mercy petition. Commander Jadhav’s mercy petition is still pending before the President of Pakistan and the delay has been caused due to the interference of Indian High Commission, Islamabad. Pakistan’s Foreign Mistry issued a statement on Wednesday that Pakistani authorities are ready to give India consular access to Jadhav as well allow him to meet his wife and father. The statement also said, Pakistan has invited India to pursue the case of Jadhav in the Islamabad High Court in line with the judgment of the International Court of Justice.

Indian High Commission spokesperson was quoted to have said that in the light Ordinance passed on 20 May 2020 that allows High Court to review the sentence awarded by their military court, India has decided to file a petition.  Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said in a statement that International Court of Justice order has already held that Pakistan is in egregious violation of international law while Jadhav has been coerced by the Pakistan military not to file a review petition. Indian authorities are demanding copy of unedited video and other documents pertaining to his trial including copy of FIR, charge sheet, witness statements etc.

BANDIPORA, 9 July 2020, TON:    Bharatiya Janata Party former district president, Sheikh Wasim Bari along with his father Bashir Ahmad and his younger brother Sheikh Umar Bari were killed by security personnel in target killing. 10 policemen deputed on protection duties with Sheikh Wasim Bari have been arrested. All three were BJP leaders and are suspected to have been killed by Indian agencies to fail complete strike given by Kashmiri leadership from 8^th to 13 July 2020. On 8^th July strike call was observed by all the Kashmiris throughout Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir, which was indication of Kashmiris resistance to Indian occupation.

As per the details, the incident took barely 10 metres from the local police station. The attack took place when all the three were sitting in their shop, located just outside their house in Muslimabad area of Bandipora. Unidentified gunmen opened fire from two directions and sprinkled bullets in their bodies. One was killed on the spot while two were seriously injured in the firing. They were immediately shifted to Sub District Hospital, Bandipora, where they succumbed to injuries.

Witnesses said that the terrorist who had covered their faces used revolvers fitted with silencers but one witnessed claimed that they were having normal talk with a group who killed them. Soon after the incident, police and security forces rushed to the spot and arrested all the 10 Police personnel deputed on protection duties of BJP leader.

 In a statement attributed to top Kashmiri leader Syed Ali Geelani, he paid rich tributes to Burhan Wani for his struggle for freedom of Kashmiris and also condemned the attack on BJP leaders and expressed condolence with the aggrieved family. IGP Kashmir said in a statement that there was negligence on the part of the police personnel deputed on protection of the BJP leader as they were missing at the time of attack. Meanwhile, BJP president Jagat Prakash Nadda said that it was a cowardly attack that caused huge loss for the party.

When it comes to the protection of and promotion of Human Rights in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir State, the Indian record as well as that of the administration of Jammu and Kashmir has had always remained very poor.  In a surprise move, month of July 2020 witnessed National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) trying to impose Standing Operating Principle in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir State but seems too late with serious issue of action in good faith.  The first ever letter written by NHRC read, “In case of custodial deaths, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) should be intimated within 24 hours, and within 48 hours of the incident in case of an encounter death”. It is surprising that thousands of men, women and children have been killed in fake operations, extra-judicial killings and cold blooded murders, nowadays on the pretext of contracting Coronavirus but why all of the sudden the conscience of Indians NHRC awoke?

Interestingly, NHRC Secretary General Jaideep Govind has requested the Indian occupied authorities in Jammu and Kashmir to pass suitable instructions to those concerned for compliance and directed to immediately send all requisite reports, including the post-mortem, videography and magisterial enquiry reports, in all custodial deaths and encounter deaths. Meanwhile in an interesting move, Indian agencies aided a robust media attributed a letter from top Kashmir’s Pakistani leader Syed Ali Geelani, giving a call for a six day shutdown in entire Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir  beginning 8 July 2020, on the occasion of death anniversary of Kashmiri freedom fighter Burhan Wani. Indian agencies blamed Kashmiri media for posting of social media platforms on Tuesday, 7 July and making it viral. It would surprise everyone that there is no internet service in entire Jammu and Kashmir except some pockets where the signals are too weak and specialized equipment is required to access the network. However, the India media claims that Jammu and Kashmir police was quick to step in, informing the people that it was a fake letter and that Police has filed a FIR under Section 13 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Section   Indian Penal Code (IPC) for publishing or circulation of statements that cause fear and alarm in public.

It could not be comprehended that the Indian law enforcement authorities and other agencies did not directly clarified from Syed Ali Geelani about the genuineness of the letter but unidentified family member is being quoted that the letter is fake and not issued by Syed Ali Geelani. In a tweet dated 7  July 2020, Jammu and Kashmir police writes, “Kashmir Zone Police @KashmirPolice In this regard a #case FIR No 265/2020 under section 13 ULA(P) Act, 505/IPC has been #registered in PS #Budgam. Further #investigation is in progress. @JmuKmrPolice.” Another tweet said, As per the family sources of SAS Geelani the letter is fake and not issued by him. This is published from Pakistan. Police is taking action against those who are circulating it through different social media platforms to instigate violence and create L&O problems. @JmuKmrPolice.”

It is sad to observe that India has annexed illegally self-ruled disputed State of Jammu and Kashmir as Indian Union Territory against the signing of Instrument of Accession between Ruler of Jammu and Kashmir State dated 26 October 1947 as temporary provision, a number of United Nations Security Council Resolutions, Simla Agreement and other treaties concluded under the Charter of United Nations Organization. To add fuel to the fire in grave human rights violations, the Indian authorities have imposed draconian, Media Policy – 2020 on 2 June to further harass and punish the Kashmiris. Now Indian authorities would sensor all material on websites, pages of newspapers, portals and groups to check fake news or any material challenging the sovereignty and integrity of India so that journalist, editors and staff could be punished. The Indian media policy is challenging freedom of press and information and sheer violation of Charter of United Nations. One wonders why the United Nations Organization is silent and not doing anything for the right of self-determination of the Kashmiris who are still the symbol of colonialism.

PULWAMA, 7 July 2020, TON: Report of Army personnel killed in an operation in Pulwama proved to be self-engineered and fake. Indian Army conducting joint operation along with Police, 53 Rashtriya Rifles and Central Reserve Police Force reported presence of militant in the house in Goosu village of Pulwama district on Tuesday. Although there was no militant present but cross firing started in which it was claimed that three security personnel received minor injuries. The initial reports emitting from the Brigade Headquarters said that two military personnel were killed in the operation against the terrorists.

Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police on Tuesday clarified that no Army personel was killed or injured in the operation; however, later it was attributed of having said that two army soldiers and a policeman were injured in a gunfight in Goosu area of Pulwama district.

It was also reported that unidentified persons on lobbed a grenade near Police post Delina, however, no casualty or damage to property was reported. The senior Superintendent of Police Baramulla, disclosed that unidentified persons lobbed a grenade on Delina-north campus road, however, no one was injured in the incident.