Srinagar earns the dubious distinction of being among the dirtiest cities in India (Greater Kashmir). An Editorial in the Rising Kashmir puts the blame squarly on its citizens - both within the government and those on the outside
Srinagar - 4th Dirtiest City
Srinagar: The state’s summer capital and one of the oldest cities in the world - Srinagar has bagged the ignominious distinction of being the fourth dirtiest city in India, according to sanitation ratings by the union urban development ministry.
In a national survey on where cities stand on sanitation, Srinagar has earned the ‘distinction’ of figuring right at the bottom, raising a question mark on the functioning of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation, which spends lakhs of rupees on “sanitation” annually.
The picturesque city of lakes, gardens and hills, founded by King Pravarasena II around 10 BC, has scored a mere 19.1 on a scale of 100 in the National Rating and Award Scheme for Sanitation for Indian Cities.
The city, where garbage litters on the streets round-the-clock, ranks at 420 among 423 cities in the sanitation ratings released by the union ministry. Against this, Jammu is far ahead ranking at no. 186. While Srinagar has just secured 19.1 points out of 100, Jammu bagged 36.114 points.
Srinagar has figured in the Red zone, just above three ‘little-known’ cities figuring in the extreme bottom. The cities are Pilbit (UP), Lakhanpur (UP) and Churu (Rajasthan).
The cities and towns have been rated on parameters like complete elimination of open defecation, elimination of open scavenging, safe collection and disposal of human excreta. On basis of the rating, cities have been classified as Red, Black, Blue and Green which would denote increasing level of achievement of good environmental and health outcomes.
INDICATORS AND MARKS
Here is the SMC’s marks-wise report card. Elimination of manual scavenging (0/4); Percentage of properties with safe collection system (0/3); Proportion of total black waters safely treated and disposed (0/4); Proportion of total grey water safely disposed (0/3); Proportion of treated waters, Recycled and Reused (0/3); Proportion of total storm water drainage (0/3); Proportion of total waste regularly collected (0.3/4); Quality of drinking water (0/7) Water quality in water bodies (0/7); Reduction in water borne diseases (0/6); Are septage/sledge cleaned? (0/5); City water causes no impact on surrounding areas? (0/5); and Proportion of solid waste generated regularly collected (0.3/4).
According to officials, the survey was no surprise. “It was bound to happen. At a place were SMC prefers fountains to sanitation, such a survey shouldn’t surprise us,” said a top official, pleading anonymity. “It is time for the Government to get the matter probed because public money is going down the drain.”
The SMC authorities, however, shift the blame on other departments. “Assessed indicators pertain to four departments. Sanitation indicators of SMC, water quality indicators of PHE, water quality in water-bodies pertaining to LAWDA, and treatment of sewerage pertaining to Sewerage and Drainage department. The Srinagar City has poorly scored on the performance of other three departments, not the SMC alone,” said the SMC Joint Commissioner, Planning, Hamid Ahmad Wani.
The ratings were carried out as part of the National Urban Sanitation Policy, announced by the Central Government in October 2008 with the objective “that all Indian cities and towns become totally sanitized, healthy and livable, that is, they become ‘Nirmal Shahars’.” To sensitize the states and cities as well as the citizens about the current state of sanitation and raise awareness about the need for improvement, it had launched a National Rating Exercise in 2009 for Class I cities.
Pertinently, Chandigarh is on top, followed by Mysore, Surat, New Delhi Municipal Council area and Delhi Cantt. in the top five list of civic areas—graded by independent agencies appointed by the ministry.
Each city has been scored on 19 indicators divided into three categories: output (50 points), Process (30) and Outcome (20 points).
For the task, the ministry engaged three agencies -- AC Nielsen, Development & Research Services and Centre for Environment Planning Technology.
The survey was done in the city in January-February 2010 when a team from Union Ministry visited the state to assess the sanitation in Jammu and Srinagar.
* Secures ZERO In Sanitation
* Figures In RED ZONE
* Ranks 420 In Survey Of 423 Cities
* Jammu Cleaner At 186
Sri-dirty-nagar
Govt and people are both responsible for Srinagar’s fourth rank among the dirtiest cities of India
The ranking of Srinagar as the fourth dirtiest city in India in a survey by Urban Development Ministry may have disappointed the city dwellers but it does not come as a surprise. People have long been concerned over the deteriorating sanitation conditions of the city, increasing levels of pollution, degradation of water bodies including the famed Dal Lake and other related issues.
The city has earned the dubious distinction at the most embarrassing time for the state government when it was busy giving routine cosmetic touches to the roadsides ahead of Durbar Move. Maintaining a city’s charm is not all about erecting fountains at main avenues or dismantling footpaths in the name of road widening, it is about maintaining the basic standards of sanitation and aesthetics.
A casual tour through the city and one can realize the chaos it is descending into. The city is beset with plethora of civic problems. Roads inundated with potholes, overflowing drains, non-functional street lights, long and frequent traffic jams, heaps of unattended garbage, packs of stray dogs, footpaths and roadsides encroached by CRPF bunkers...the list is endless. All these issues also deprive the city of its aesthetic charm.
The government has failed to address all these issues despite announcing funds for various developmental projects from time to time. The lack of coordination between the various executing agencies has led to utter failure of the projects. Drainage works, moving at snail’s pace, has been keeping civilian and traffic movement suspended for months together in many localities of the city. The city’s traffic system is in complete disorder. Due to the exponential increase in the number of vehicles, the problem of traffic jams has assumed monstrous proportions. This is further compounded by unabated violation of traffic rules like wrong parking.
The authorities have also failed to address the problems within available resources. Bus stops and traffic lights, which could have been more than handy in streamlining the city traffic, have been left defunct. Streets littered with garbage is a common sight in the city. The authorities are yet to employ modern means of waste disposal and management. With the amount of waste growing by the day, there is bleak prospect for residents to have clean streets. Stray dog population has also increased manifold over the years adding to the unhygienic look of the city. Srinagar has traditionally served as one of the choicest tourist destinations, but with its worsening condition it won’t be a surprise if the tourist arrivals also show a steep decline in coming times.
The city has suffered from lack of civic sense as much as it has been a victim of government indifference and shortsightedness. To help restore its lost glory is therefore a collective responsibility.
For the bureaucracy, "the show must go on"
‘Srinagar development plan on cards’
Srinagar: Chief Minister’s advisor Mubarak Gul on Tuesday announced that “a special beautification -cum- development project will be formulated for the Srinagar city keeping in view its historical and socio political importance.” (GK NEWS NETWORK)
Friday, May 14, 2010
Literally Going to Dogs
Sameer shares a common topic of discussion these days
Dog Menace: Problems and Remedies
Sameer Rashid Bhat
The pleasant weather last evening compelled even a slothful person like me to take a stroll. Within few minutes my leisure walk quickened to a brisk pace and soon I had to hasten myself home, courtesy stray dogs.
Kashmir valley, particularly Srinagar city, has been literally left to dogs. The dog population is growing exponentially in the city. Officials estimate that 100,000 stray dogs roam the streets of the city. According to some estimates, the dog population will equal the human population in Kashmir in 2014. One can only imagine the results in such a situation.
The number of dog bite cases reported at SMHS in 2007 stood at 3185 while in 2008 it increased upto 3866. There may be many more cases of dog bites which go unreported while they are treated at district hospitals or private clinics. SMHS hospital receives dog bite victims from Baramulla, Anantnag, Budgam and other districts too besides Srinagar. Kids are the main victims.
Stray dogs also pose threat to pedestrians, cyclists and two wheelers, particularly in the evening hours. There have been instances where people have died after being bitten by an apparently healthy dog. In Ganderbal, for instance, a boy accompanying his father was licked by some puppies in his wounded feet. Nobody took it seriously but later on the child developed rabies and died.
There is a desperate need to take some measures for the prevention of dog biting. Mutton shops near residential areas should be closed immediately and alternative places should be allotted to them. Srinagar Municipal Corporation should provide shelter and food to old and weak dogs. Birth control programme for dogs can be taken up to check their population. In municipal heath centers, there is severe shortage of rabies vaccine. We need to have adequate supply of the vaccine. The stray dog menace is a grave problem and the authorities should act to tackle this issue effectively.
Dog Menace: Problems and Remedies
Sameer Rashid Bhat
The pleasant weather last evening compelled even a slothful person like me to take a stroll. Within few minutes my leisure walk quickened to a brisk pace and soon I had to hasten myself home, courtesy stray dogs.
Kashmir valley, particularly Srinagar city, has been literally left to dogs. The dog population is growing exponentially in the city. Officials estimate that 100,000 stray dogs roam the streets of the city. According to some estimates, the dog population will equal the human population in Kashmir in 2014. One can only imagine the results in such a situation.
The number of dog bite cases reported at SMHS in 2007 stood at 3185 while in 2008 it increased upto 3866. There may be many more cases of dog bites which go unreported while they are treated at district hospitals or private clinics. SMHS hospital receives dog bite victims from Baramulla, Anantnag, Budgam and other districts too besides Srinagar. Kids are the main victims.
Stray dogs also pose threat to pedestrians, cyclists and two wheelers, particularly in the evening hours. There have been instances where people have died after being bitten by an apparently healthy dog. In Ganderbal, for instance, a boy accompanying his father was licked by some puppies in his wounded feet. Nobody took it seriously but later on the child developed rabies and died.
There is a desperate need to take some measures for the prevention of dog biting. Mutton shops near residential areas should be closed immediately and alternative places should be allotted to them. Srinagar Municipal Corporation should provide shelter and food to old and weak dogs. Birth control programme for dogs can be taken up to check their population. In municipal heath centers, there is severe shortage of rabies vaccine. We need to have adequate supply of the vaccine. The stray dog menace is a grave problem and the authorities should act to tackle this issue effectively.
Solving Unemployment in Kashmir
Minister claims youth spurn seed money to start businesses over a desire to get "sarkari" jobs, little realizing that massive corruption is killing enterpeneurship and attracting youth to seek positions where illicit greed thrives
Rather Confirms 5 Lakh Jobless Youth
‘Eyeing only Govt jobs won't help’
Sajad Kralyari (Kashmir Images)
Srinagar: Expressing grave concern over the minimal response to the government-sponsored schemes for the unemployed youth for setting up units, Finance Minister Abdur Rahim Rather Tuesday said the government is providing "non-refundable seed money" for the entrepreneurs to set up their own units.
“Only this can solve the issue of unemployment. However, I am disappointed to see post-graduate students hankering after Class IV jobs for meagre salary. The response to the schemes is disappointing,” the minister said at the inaugural function of Shaheen World, a multi-brand family showroom.
Referring to the establishment of the Entrepreneurs Development Institute (EDI) at Pampore, Rather said they have tied up with the Jammu and Kashmir Bank, which has agreed to provide loans on easy installments and lower interest rates. The government has provided Rs 50 crores to EDI.
“The experts at EDI will provide counselling to the unemployed youth for setting up units suiting them. They will be provided all the necessary training. The JKB will provide loans and we, on our part, will help youth by providing them non-refundable seed money for withdrawing loans from the bank," he said.
The finance minister said 5, 58,000 youth have registered their names with the district employment exchanges and it was impossible for the government to provide jobs to all. “Government has employed only 5 lakh people for the last 63 years. But, presently, we have more than 5 lakh registered unemployed youth and this figure increases every year. Obviously, providing employment to all youth is impossible,” he said.
Rather said the government has already provided employment to 20,000 youth this year and in the next six years around one lakh people would get job. “But this seems to have no effect on the chronic problem of employment. Government jobs won’t solve the problems. Youth have to change their mindset and come forward for setting up their own units. We will help them,” he said.
Referring to the traders, who had earlier alleged that the government was taking coercive steps for collecting tax which Rather said the government had strictly directed the tax collectors to be friendly with traders. “We have to collect tax to run the government. There would be no harassment while collecting tax but the traders have to cooperate,” said Rather.
He, however, warned the defaulters of stern action if they deliberately avoided paying tax. “If someone defaults deliberately, we have to take stern action. There is no other way out and there are strict laws for tax collection,” warned Rather.
The finance minister was requested to re-model commercial taxes for benefit of the traders.
Rather Confirms 5 Lakh Jobless Youth
‘Eyeing only Govt jobs won't help’
Sajad Kralyari (Kashmir Images)
Srinagar: Expressing grave concern over the minimal response to the government-sponsored schemes for the unemployed youth for setting up units, Finance Minister Abdur Rahim Rather Tuesday said the government is providing "non-refundable seed money" for the entrepreneurs to set up their own units.
“Only this can solve the issue of unemployment. However, I am disappointed to see post-graduate students hankering after Class IV jobs for meagre salary. The response to the schemes is disappointing,” the minister said at the inaugural function of Shaheen World, a multi-brand family showroom.
Referring to the establishment of the Entrepreneurs Development Institute (EDI) at Pampore, Rather said they have tied up with the Jammu and Kashmir Bank, which has agreed to provide loans on easy installments and lower interest rates. The government has provided Rs 50 crores to EDI.
“The experts at EDI will provide counselling to the unemployed youth for setting up units suiting them. They will be provided all the necessary training. The JKB will provide loans and we, on our part, will help youth by providing them non-refundable seed money for withdrawing loans from the bank," he said.
The finance minister said 5, 58,000 youth have registered their names with the district employment exchanges and it was impossible for the government to provide jobs to all. “Government has employed only 5 lakh people for the last 63 years. But, presently, we have more than 5 lakh registered unemployed youth and this figure increases every year. Obviously, providing employment to all youth is impossible,” he said.
Rather said the government has already provided employment to 20,000 youth this year and in the next six years around one lakh people would get job. “But this seems to have no effect on the chronic problem of employment. Government jobs won’t solve the problems. Youth have to change their mindset and come forward for setting up their own units. We will help them,” he said.
Referring to the traders, who had earlier alleged that the government was taking coercive steps for collecting tax which Rather said the government had strictly directed the tax collectors to be friendly with traders. “We have to collect tax to run the government. There would be no harassment while collecting tax but the traders have to cooperate,” said Rather.
He, however, warned the defaulters of stern action if they deliberately avoided paying tax. “If someone defaults deliberately, we have to take stern action. There is no other way out and there are strict laws for tax collection,” warned Rather.
The finance minister was requested to re-model commercial taxes for benefit of the traders.
Accountability and Transparency Not Welcome Here
This is Jammu and Kashmir, home of the institutionalized corruption
Except JK Bank, no PSU in JK Prepares Balance Sheet
19 public undertakings skipping yearly audit for more than a decade
Jammu: Out of 20 Public Sector Units in J&K, 19 have been skipping audit on their balance sheets and other financial statements for last so many years, ranging from four to 15 years.
While the state government is claiming to have taken various measures to revive the loss making Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), these units have failed to submit yearly audit reports making it difficult for the former to ascertain their financial position.
Successive governments have been asking for the annual financial statements from these ‘white elephants” but the management of the PSUs has given no two hoots to such calls.
A recently released document observes, “This position renders it difficult to assume any PSU to be in profits unless audit position is up to date. This aspect of the matter is being seriously addressed by the government by providing a timeline within which the statutory audit has to be implemented”.
According to the official figures, of the 20 PSUs only J&K Bank has submitted regular audit reports to the government.
Admitting the mess in the PSUs, industries minister Surjit Singh Salathia told Greater Kashmir that there was need for a long term strategy “and we are taking steps in this regard”.
Meanwhile, minister for education and public enterprises, Peerzada Muhammad Sayeed convened a meeting in Srinagar on Wednesday to review the performance of PSUs, an official spokesman said.
The meeting was informed that out of 20 PSUs, 19 have not prepared up to date balance sheets for last so many years ranging between 4 to 18 years.
It was revealed that J&K Project Construction Corporation (JKPCC), has not prepared its balance sheet for the last fifteen years.
The minister directed the PSUs to take up the preparation of audited statements and balance sheets on priority adding that non-compliance on this account affects relationship of the PSU with financial institutions for drawing loans for business development.
Peerzada said he would himself monitor the activities of the PSUs with focus on appointment of auditors, preparation of audited statements, holding meetings of Board of Directors, vetting of the reports by CAG and finally holding the General Body meeting, on regular basis.
THE MESS MAKERS
* J&K Industries Limited: Government has asked the management to close down 10 out of 15 units running in losses, directed it to downsize its staff strength by offering VRS to 144 employees, identified 1077 employees as surplus out of the available strength of 1643 and asked to lessen the huge wage bill of Rs 16.91 crore to Rs 6 crore.
* J&K Horticulture Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation: Audit Default for last 15 years. Forced to adopt VRS scheme for downsizing, there by reducing its wage bill.
* J&K Minerals Limited: Audit default for last 15 years, last audit 1992-93, downsizing of establishment by implementing VRS/GHS, asked to close down un-viable units.
* J&K Handicrafts Corporation: Not audited its account for last 11 years. Last audit conducted in 1997-98. Down sizing of employees started through VRS/GHS.
* J&K Agro-Industries Development Corporation: Last audit 15 years ago. To increase the business, asked it to start VRS scheme for employees.
* J&K Handloom Development Corporation: Last audit conducted 10 years ago in 1998-99. Corporation suffering huge losses, asked to downsize employees’ strength.
* J&K State Financial Corporation: Audit default period 5 years. Having outstanding of Rs 35 crore on account of matured bond liabilities, Rs 21 crore transferred to the corporation,. Management restructuring to include downsizing to reduce establishment cost.
* J&K State Road Transport Corporation: Period of default 5 years, last audit 2004-05. Already started downsizing of staff
(Greater Kashmir)
Except JK Bank, no PSU in JK Prepares Balance Sheet
19 public undertakings skipping yearly audit for more than a decade
Jammu: Out of 20 Public Sector Units in J&K, 19 have been skipping audit on their balance sheets and other financial statements for last so many years, ranging from four to 15 years.
While the state government is claiming to have taken various measures to revive the loss making Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), these units have failed to submit yearly audit reports making it difficult for the former to ascertain their financial position.
Successive governments have been asking for the annual financial statements from these ‘white elephants” but the management of the PSUs has given no two hoots to such calls.
A recently released document observes, “This position renders it difficult to assume any PSU to be in profits unless audit position is up to date. This aspect of the matter is being seriously addressed by the government by providing a timeline within which the statutory audit has to be implemented”.
According to the official figures, of the 20 PSUs only J&K Bank has submitted regular audit reports to the government.
Admitting the mess in the PSUs, industries minister Surjit Singh Salathia told Greater Kashmir that there was need for a long term strategy “and we are taking steps in this regard”.
Meanwhile, minister for education and public enterprises, Peerzada Muhammad Sayeed convened a meeting in Srinagar on Wednesday to review the performance of PSUs, an official spokesman said.
The meeting was informed that out of 20 PSUs, 19 have not prepared up to date balance sheets for last so many years ranging between 4 to 18 years.
It was revealed that J&K Project Construction Corporation (JKPCC), has not prepared its balance sheet for the last fifteen years.
The minister directed the PSUs to take up the preparation of audited statements and balance sheets on priority adding that non-compliance on this account affects relationship of the PSU with financial institutions for drawing loans for business development.
Peerzada said he would himself monitor the activities of the PSUs with focus on appointment of auditors, preparation of audited statements, holding meetings of Board of Directors, vetting of the reports by CAG and finally holding the General Body meeting, on regular basis.
THE MESS MAKERS
* J&K Industries Limited: Government has asked the management to close down 10 out of 15 units running in losses, directed it to downsize its staff strength by offering VRS to 144 employees, identified 1077 employees as surplus out of the available strength of 1643 and asked to lessen the huge wage bill of Rs 16.91 crore to Rs 6 crore.
* J&K Horticulture Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation: Audit Default for last 15 years. Forced to adopt VRS scheme for downsizing, there by reducing its wage bill.
* J&K Minerals Limited: Audit default for last 15 years, last audit 1992-93, downsizing of establishment by implementing VRS/GHS, asked to close down un-viable units.
* J&K Handicrafts Corporation: Not audited its account for last 11 years. Last audit conducted in 1997-98. Down sizing of employees started through VRS/GHS.
* J&K Agro-Industries Development Corporation: Last audit 15 years ago. To increase the business, asked it to start VRS scheme for employees.
* J&K Handloom Development Corporation: Last audit conducted 10 years ago in 1998-99. Corporation suffering huge losses, asked to downsize employees’ strength.
* J&K State Financial Corporation: Audit default period 5 years. Having outstanding of Rs 35 crore on account of matured bond liabilities, Rs 21 crore transferred to the corporation,. Management restructuring to include downsizing to reduce establishment cost.
* J&K State Road Transport Corporation: Period of default 5 years, last audit 2004-05. Already started downsizing of staff
(Greater Kashmir)
Monday, May 10, 2010
Kashmiri Youth - II: How high can it get?
Shah Faesal became the first Kashmiri to top the IAS examination. His achievement led to soul searching in the Kashmiri Press. Here are three differing perspectives
(Dr. Shah Faesal, 27, was born in Sogam village of District Kupwara. He studied at his village schools until the 10th grade and then transferred to the Tyndale Biscoe School Srinagar. Through an open merit system, he was selected for a seat in the medical college and finished his medical degree (MBBS) from the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, Srinagar. His hobbies are reading literature (English, Urdu, Persian and Kashmiri), writing articles and plays, peace activism, and is currently involved in grass-roots advocacy for implentation of the Right to Information (RTI) in J&K state. He accomplished a herculean feat by securing the first position in the 2009 UPSC examinations in which over 100,000 aspiring candidates participated.)
Faesal Made us Believe
YES, WE CAN WIN
Syed Rafiuddin Bukhari
It took 63 years for Kashmiris to see a young boy, Shah Faesal, toping India’s most coveted Civil Services Examination. In 1982 Khurshid Ahmad Ganai, then a youth from South Kashmir’s Mattan village missed the top slot by few points but secured second rank at All India level. This year north Kashmir’s Shah Faesal, shattered many a myth by filling that gap. Earlier the taboo about entering the top most service during the turmoil was broken by Imtiaz Ismail Parray, the boy from Kulgam who made it to Indian Police Service last year. He did it after 15 years, as Javed Mujtaba Gillani and Abdul Gani Mir were last two Kashmiris who made it to Civil Services in 1994.
All India Services commonly known as IAS and IPS, have been uncommon for Kashmir since 1947. Most of the IAS or IPS officers from Kashmir have achieved this distinction by getting inducted into them through the state service quota. In spite of being a Muslim majority state the representation of the community into this service has been negligible.
In over last 60 years only a few Kashmiris have made it to IAS and IPS cracking through the grueling examination process. We have splendid examples in IAS and IPS from Kashmir. One can count them fingers: M L Koul, H L Kadalbuju, Mohammad Shafi Pandit, followed by S L Bhat, Mohammad Iqbal Khandey, Khurshid Ahmad Ganai, Atal Dulloo, Dr Asghar Hussan Samoon in IAS and Rajinder Tickoo, Ashok Bhan, Kuldip Khuda, Javed Gillani and Abdul Gani Mir in IPS. There are few more like G R Sufi, Farhat Qureshi and Zubair Ahmad who made it to services like Indian Revenue Service (IRS) by competing in the same examination. But the presence of Kashmiris in these services has been very small. This year, however, four, the highest number ever, have qualified for these services. Apart from Faesal, Rayees Mohammad, Showkat Parray and Mir Umair Nabi are in the list.
Your browser may not support display of this image. Faesal’s achievement, however, has temporarily overshadowed all what we think have been deprived of during last over six decades. His resolve to reach to the top position amid the odds he faced in wake of the murder of his father has made us rethink that this can be achieved. Losing one of the parents and then mustering enough courage to appear for the Common Entrance Test is something, which throws up a lesson for our youth. Faesal’s determination apart, the way with which his teacher-mother stood by the family in the worst time also is something we can boast about. Kashmiri women have faced the brunt of violence in Kashmir in past 20 years and Mubeena is one among them; she did something extraordinary by giving the best to her three children in a rented room in Srinagar. After the killing of her husband Ghulam Rasool Shah, she left Sogam village in desperation and had no idea where she will land. But with meager resources she did not allow Faesal’s dream to shatter. “I never intervened in what he wanted to do but told him that I am with you,” she said.
Faesal’s achievement has also broken many myths surrounding the issue that why we lag behind in making it to such coveted positions. First and foremost is that even a young boy with trauma in his life can do this. Second that irrespective of a good or bad school such a feat was possible. Day in and day out Kashmir discusses the education system and the reforms we can make and we are more driven towards the private schools thus dismissing the fact that at ground level especially in rural areas it is the government school which shows the way of life. The fact that Faesal was a student of a government school in Sogam stands testimony to the fact that it is hard work which matters more than merely being in a “good” or “expensive” school”. Kashmir’s talent has been acknowledged worldwide and wherever a Kashmiri has gone he has excelled but it is only question of taking up a challenge and show that “we can do it”. The myth that the services like IAS or IPS were a far-fetched dream for a Kashmiri has also gone with this sweeping achievement. Your browser may not support display of this image.
But there are still a few factors, which keep us away from such things. Last 20 years of turmoil had thrown everything out of gear in Kashmir. It is a fact that the political instability had an important role to play in keeping the young Kashmiris away from such processes. May be many would think that whether such an entry had future given the confusing signals the political situation was sending. Our “love” for medical and engineering streams was unending and we could not think beyond that. But Faesal was also a medical graduate and he could achieve both the targets. Bigger problem the experts say is of awareness among the youth that there was something better in store in case you strive for that.
As acknowledged by Faesal’s mother as well, he was inspired by the awareness campaign launched by some KAS officers and supported vigorously by local media. This awareness has to go on to get best out of the lot. However, the avenues of coaching and guidance in Kashmir are limited. If they opt to go out the shadow of suspicion follows them in Delhi, Mumbai and other places. It is the atmosphere of confidence for Kashmiri youth in rest of India, which can motivate more and more people to go out and look towards such opportunities. Faesal, Rayees and Showkat’s entry into All India Services has also restored the confidence in the system which had been so far faulty” for us. But one thing is clear that merit does prevail once you make up your mind that you have to achieve this. Today we salute Faesal and all others who have made us real proud.
Iqbal has rightly said “Zara Nam Hou Tou Yeh Miti Bahut Zarkhez Hey Saqi”.
Back Home Faesal Utters his K Wish
‘Kashmir should be constituency of peace not enterprise of violence’
Muzafar Wani
The Kashmir doctor who topped the prestigious Indian civil service exams, Shah Faesal Rasool wishes to see Kashmir as a “constituency of peace” that he says is tagged as the “enterprise of violence”.
After receiving a rousing reception at his residence here at Hyderpora, Faesal, on his return from New Delhi, said: “We need to reconstruct ourselves. I wish to see reduction in the political rhetoric for the better present and future of Kashmiri people.”
Sharing experience of his success with Rising Kashmir, Faesal said Kashmiri youth are overtaken by the sense of failure that serves as an obstruction to succeed in such examinations.
“Stereotyping in Kashmir has created preconceived notions about the difficulty and discrimination with Kashmiri and Muslim aspirants in the examinations,” he said as his friends and relatives burst firecrackers, danced and sang songs.
Faesal said that if he was allotted the J&K cadre, he would honestly and with all his efforts try to meet the expectations of the Kashmiri people. “Doctors and engineers from Kashmir are already working at top positions in Europe and India. The need is to create manpower in the public service sector.”
He said upholding Kashmiri language, establishing a counseling centre for aspiring candidates and work for Right to Information (RTI) Act would be his preferences. “I wish to see Kashmir with quality study circles and counseling centres.”
Regarding RTI, he said there should be the balance between information seeker and information provider for successful exchanges.
Replacing the concept of hard work with ‘smart work’, Faesal said: “Although it is difficult to clear such examinations because of efficient competing lot from various IITS and IIMS, yet it is not unbelievably difficult. It is the time for our youth to diversify their interests. I hope we can do it.”
He said many positive inspirations including this years’ selection from Kashmir would help evade the sense of fear about the exam among the students. “Inferiority complex and the creation of myths are the worst enemies to excel for a promising future. I suggest Kashmir youth to aim and dream high and work honestly for their actualization.”
Stressing to adopt new perspectives, Faesal said: “The horizon of our goal setting has shrunk by sealing of dreams that need to be broadened by inculcation of the sense of public service.”
Attributing his success to his late father, Ghulam Rasool Shah, mother Mubeena and his friend Rafiq Ahmad Shah, Faesal said that they served as driving forces for him to go in the field.
For the civil services aspirants, he said: “Don’t programme the mind with information. All the exam needs is focus, ingenuity and creativity. Previous selection in IAS from Kashmir served as my inspiration. I concluded I too can do it.”
Dr Faisal would have no room in NC’s autonomy, PDP’s ‘self-rule’
Omar, Mehbooba should learn a lesson of silence from Geelani, Mirwaiz
Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
Kashmiris, identifying themselves with a positive transformation in this piece of the world, have every reason to be ecstatic over Dr Shah Faisal’s historic achievement of becoming this state’s first topper in Indian Civil Services examination in the last over 60 years of Independent India. Everybody, from intelligentsia to an ordinary Kashmiri, seems to be justifiably thrilled. Valley’s separatist leadership has reasons to its silence: Faisal’s father, Ghulam Rasool Shah, who was gunned down by the armed Messiahs of our pro-Azadi leaders in July 2002, was buried without a word of condemnation from politicians. Secondly, praising Faisal’s accomplishment would obviously run the risk of romanticizing the infidelity of Kashmir’s integration with the ‘occupational India’.
After abusing the Indian Civil Services---particularly Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) --- in a competition of over 10 years, both the mainstream majors, namely National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have suddenly begun to outclass each other in showering praises on Dr Faisal for doing his home state proud by standing first in order of merit among hundreds of thousands of the candidates of this country, whose population is over 1,000 million. Since Thursday afternoon, greetings have been exuberantly pouring in from all men and women of consequence in Dr Farooq Abdullah’s NC and Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s PDP.
Rulers and ex-rulers, who had not the courtesy of allotting a government accommodation to Shah’s destitute family in the wake of its migration from Sogam village of Kupwara to Srinagar, have been shamelessly shooting off greetings and statements of praise on the woman who has given the history’s most befitting reply to the killers of her husband. Shah, according to his neighbours in Lolab valley, was neither an “Indian agent” nor an informant of Police or security forces. Forgetting a fellow villager’s beheading on the premises of Jamia Masjid of Sogam few months back, he had done the mistake of resisting a foreign militant’s “hand shake” with a girl of his neighbourhood. He was eliminated within a day.
Then Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah’s Minister of State for Home and Law, Mushtaq Ahmed Lone, who lived at a stone’s throw from Shah’s house, chose to be a mute spectator to both of his neighbours’ slayings. He became famous for his trademark abusing of “renegades” (Kashmiri militants shifting their loyalties to Police and armed forces) but still failed to get militants’ support of silence to his election campaign. In two month’s of Shah’s killings, Lone was gunned down alongwith his armed guard in full view of his Police and CRPF protection and over a thousand of his audiences at an election rally at Tikkipora village. His brother, Mohiuddin, was not spared either. In the next three months, he met the NC leader’s fate outside his residence in Sogam.
Shah’s wife, Mubeena, who teaches Kashmiri at a high school, came over the tribulation in utter helplessness. She raised both of her sons--- Faisal and Shahnawaz--- as doctors. Her daughter got a job in Education Department. Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad’s as well as Saif-ud-din Soz’s congratulations to Faisal and his mother are understandable in the sense that both believe in the state’s undiluted integration with the rest of the country. Governor N N Vohra’s appreciation of Faisal’s feat and a public invitation to him and his mother also deserves respect. But, one fails to understand what precisely has thrilled leaders of the ruling NC and opposition PDP who have been both avowed detractors of central Civil Services in Jammu & Kashmir.
Getting thrilled over Faisal’s historic achievement in a civil services competition has got to be patently different from the street excitement over Qazi Tauqeer’s distinction in a countrywide singing competition on television. Faisal is obviously going to join IAS---a central administrative service which has no room either in NC’s “greater autonomy” or in PDP’s “self-rule”. Unlike NC, PDP can celebrate Faisal’s success with one-odd firecracker after Muzaffar Hussain Baig’s recent statement in which the legal luminary suggested a marginal provision for IAS and IPS in Jammu & Kashmir.
To simplify, a couple of the sons of soil like Dr Faisal could be accommodated in the state government if PDP one day succeeded to get “self rule” from New Delhi. All 26 sons of soil, who are currently in IAS --- with the inclusion of three Kashmiri boys yesterday--- would have to be disowned and thrown out to the Centre if New Delhi ever granted “greater autonomy” to this state of special constitutional status. Fate of those in IPS and the separately managed Indian Forest Service would have to be no different. Yes, all the brilliant members of the IAS, IPS and IFS club, preserving laminated originals of their Permanent Resident Certificates (PRCs), would be entitled to owning immovable properties in their state of domicile.
(Dr. Shah Faesal, 27, was born in Sogam village of District Kupwara. He studied at his village schools until the 10th grade and then transferred to the Tyndale Biscoe School Srinagar. Through an open merit system, he was selected for a seat in the medical college and finished his medical degree (MBBS) from the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, Srinagar. His hobbies are reading literature (English, Urdu, Persian and Kashmiri), writing articles and plays, peace activism, and is currently involved in grass-roots advocacy for implentation of the Right to Information (RTI) in J&K state. He accomplished a herculean feat by securing the first position in the 2009 UPSC examinations in which over 100,000 aspiring candidates participated.)
Faesal Made us Believe
YES, WE CAN WIN
Syed Rafiuddin Bukhari
It took 63 years for Kashmiris to see a young boy, Shah Faesal, toping India’s most coveted Civil Services Examination. In 1982 Khurshid Ahmad Ganai, then a youth from South Kashmir’s Mattan village missed the top slot by few points but secured second rank at All India level. This year north Kashmir’s Shah Faesal, shattered many a myth by filling that gap. Earlier the taboo about entering the top most service during the turmoil was broken by Imtiaz Ismail Parray, the boy from Kulgam who made it to Indian Police Service last year. He did it after 15 years, as Javed Mujtaba Gillani and Abdul Gani Mir were last two Kashmiris who made it to Civil Services in 1994.
All India Services commonly known as IAS and IPS, have been uncommon for Kashmir since 1947. Most of the IAS or IPS officers from Kashmir have achieved this distinction by getting inducted into them through the state service quota. In spite of being a Muslim majority state the representation of the community into this service has been negligible.
In over last 60 years only a few Kashmiris have made it to IAS and IPS cracking through the grueling examination process. We have splendid examples in IAS and IPS from Kashmir. One can count them fingers: M L Koul, H L Kadalbuju, Mohammad Shafi Pandit, followed by S L Bhat, Mohammad Iqbal Khandey, Khurshid Ahmad Ganai, Atal Dulloo, Dr Asghar Hussan Samoon in IAS and Rajinder Tickoo, Ashok Bhan, Kuldip Khuda, Javed Gillani and Abdul Gani Mir in IPS. There are few more like G R Sufi, Farhat Qureshi and Zubair Ahmad who made it to services like Indian Revenue Service (IRS) by competing in the same examination. But the presence of Kashmiris in these services has been very small. This year, however, four, the highest number ever, have qualified for these services. Apart from Faesal, Rayees Mohammad, Showkat Parray and Mir Umair Nabi are in the list.
Your browser may not support display of this image. Faesal’s achievement, however, has temporarily overshadowed all what we think have been deprived of during last over six decades. His resolve to reach to the top position amid the odds he faced in wake of the murder of his father has made us rethink that this can be achieved. Losing one of the parents and then mustering enough courage to appear for the Common Entrance Test is something, which throws up a lesson for our youth. Faesal’s determination apart, the way with which his teacher-mother stood by the family in the worst time also is something we can boast about. Kashmiri women have faced the brunt of violence in Kashmir in past 20 years and Mubeena is one among them; she did something extraordinary by giving the best to her three children in a rented room in Srinagar. After the killing of her husband Ghulam Rasool Shah, she left Sogam village in desperation and had no idea where she will land. But with meager resources she did not allow Faesal’s dream to shatter. “I never intervened in what he wanted to do but told him that I am with you,” she said.
Faesal’s achievement has also broken many myths surrounding the issue that why we lag behind in making it to such coveted positions. First and foremost is that even a young boy with trauma in his life can do this. Second that irrespective of a good or bad school such a feat was possible. Day in and day out Kashmir discusses the education system and the reforms we can make and we are more driven towards the private schools thus dismissing the fact that at ground level especially in rural areas it is the government school which shows the way of life. The fact that Faesal was a student of a government school in Sogam stands testimony to the fact that it is hard work which matters more than merely being in a “good” or “expensive” school”. Kashmir’s talent has been acknowledged worldwide and wherever a Kashmiri has gone he has excelled but it is only question of taking up a challenge and show that “we can do it”. The myth that the services like IAS or IPS were a far-fetched dream for a Kashmiri has also gone with this sweeping achievement. Your browser may not support display of this image.
But there are still a few factors, which keep us away from such things. Last 20 years of turmoil had thrown everything out of gear in Kashmir. It is a fact that the political instability had an important role to play in keeping the young Kashmiris away from such processes. May be many would think that whether such an entry had future given the confusing signals the political situation was sending. Our “love” for medical and engineering streams was unending and we could not think beyond that. But Faesal was also a medical graduate and he could achieve both the targets. Bigger problem the experts say is of awareness among the youth that there was something better in store in case you strive for that.
As acknowledged by Faesal’s mother as well, he was inspired by the awareness campaign launched by some KAS officers and supported vigorously by local media. This awareness has to go on to get best out of the lot. However, the avenues of coaching and guidance in Kashmir are limited. If they opt to go out the shadow of suspicion follows them in Delhi, Mumbai and other places. It is the atmosphere of confidence for Kashmiri youth in rest of India, which can motivate more and more people to go out and look towards such opportunities. Faesal, Rayees and Showkat’s entry into All India Services has also restored the confidence in the system which had been so far faulty” for us. But one thing is clear that merit does prevail once you make up your mind that you have to achieve this. Today we salute Faesal and all others who have made us real proud.
Iqbal has rightly said “Zara Nam Hou Tou Yeh Miti Bahut Zarkhez Hey Saqi”.
Back Home Faesal Utters his K Wish
‘Kashmir should be constituency of peace not enterprise of violence’
Muzafar Wani
The Kashmir doctor who topped the prestigious Indian civil service exams, Shah Faesal Rasool wishes to see Kashmir as a “constituency of peace” that he says is tagged as the “enterprise of violence”.
After receiving a rousing reception at his residence here at Hyderpora, Faesal, on his return from New Delhi, said: “We need to reconstruct ourselves. I wish to see reduction in the political rhetoric for the better present and future of Kashmiri people.”
Sharing experience of his success with Rising Kashmir, Faesal said Kashmiri youth are overtaken by the sense of failure that serves as an obstruction to succeed in such examinations.
“Stereotyping in Kashmir has created preconceived notions about the difficulty and discrimination with Kashmiri and Muslim aspirants in the examinations,” he said as his friends and relatives burst firecrackers, danced and sang songs.
Faesal said that if he was allotted the J&K cadre, he would honestly and with all his efforts try to meet the expectations of the Kashmiri people. “Doctors and engineers from Kashmir are already working at top positions in Europe and India. The need is to create manpower in the public service sector.”
He said upholding Kashmiri language, establishing a counseling centre for aspiring candidates and work for Right to Information (RTI) Act would be his preferences. “I wish to see Kashmir with quality study circles and counseling centres.”
Regarding RTI, he said there should be the balance between information seeker and information provider for successful exchanges.
Replacing the concept of hard work with ‘smart work’, Faesal said: “Although it is difficult to clear such examinations because of efficient competing lot from various IITS and IIMS, yet it is not unbelievably difficult. It is the time for our youth to diversify their interests. I hope we can do it.”
He said many positive inspirations including this years’ selection from Kashmir would help evade the sense of fear about the exam among the students. “Inferiority complex and the creation of myths are the worst enemies to excel for a promising future. I suggest Kashmir youth to aim and dream high and work honestly for their actualization.”
Stressing to adopt new perspectives, Faesal said: “The horizon of our goal setting has shrunk by sealing of dreams that need to be broadened by inculcation of the sense of public service.”
Attributing his success to his late father, Ghulam Rasool Shah, mother Mubeena and his friend Rafiq Ahmad Shah, Faesal said that they served as driving forces for him to go in the field.
For the civil services aspirants, he said: “Don’t programme the mind with information. All the exam needs is focus, ingenuity and creativity. Previous selection in IAS from Kashmir served as my inspiration. I concluded I too can do it.”
Dr Faisal would have no room in NC’s autonomy, PDP’s ‘self-rule’
Omar, Mehbooba should learn a lesson of silence from Geelani, Mirwaiz
Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
Kashmiris, identifying themselves with a positive transformation in this piece of the world, have every reason to be ecstatic over Dr Shah Faisal’s historic achievement of becoming this state’s first topper in Indian Civil Services examination in the last over 60 years of Independent India. Everybody, from intelligentsia to an ordinary Kashmiri, seems to be justifiably thrilled. Valley’s separatist leadership has reasons to its silence: Faisal’s father, Ghulam Rasool Shah, who was gunned down by the armed Messiahs of our pro-Azadi leaders in July 2002, was buried without a word of condemnation from politicians. Secondly, praising Faisal’s accomplishment would obviously run the risk of romanticizing the infidelity of Kashmir’s integration with the ‘occupational India’.
After abusing the Indian Civil Services---particularly Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) --- in a competition of over 10 years, both the mainstream majors, namely National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have suddenly begun to outclass each other in showering praises on Dr Faisal for doing his home state proud by standing first in order of merit among hundreds of thousands of the candidates of this country, whose population is over 1,000 million. Since Thursday afternoon, greetings have been exuberantly pouring in from all men and women of consequence in Dr Farooq Abdullah’s NC and Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s PDP.
Rulers and ex-rulers, who had not the courtesy of allotting a government accommodation to Shah’s destitute family in the wake of its migration from Sogam village of Kupwara to Srinagar, have been shamelessly shooting off greetings and statements of praise on the woman who has given the history’s most befitting reply to the killers of her husband. Shah, according to his neighbours in Lolab valley, was neither an “Indian agent” nor an informant of Police or security forces. Forgetting a fellow villager’s beheading on the premises of Jamia Masjid of Sogam few months back, he had done the mistake of resisting a foreign militant’s “hand shake” with a girl of his neighbourhood. He was eliminated within a day.
Then Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah’s Minister of State for Home and Law, Mushtaq Ahmed Lone, who lived at a stone’s throw from Shah’s house, chose to be a mute spectator to both of his neighbours’ slayings. He became famous for his trademark abusing of “renegades” (Kashmiri militants shifting their loyalties to Police and armed forces) but still failed to get militants’ support of silence to his election campaign. In two month’s of Shah’s killings, Lone was gunned down alongwith his armed guard in full view of his Police and CRPF protection and over a thousand of his audiences at an election rally at Tikkipora village. His brother, Mohiuddin, was not spared either. In the next three months, he met the NC leader’s fate outside his residence in Sogam.
Shah’s wife, Mubeena, who teaches Kashmiri at a high school, came over the tribulation in utter helplessness. She raised both of her sons--- Faisal and Shahnawaz--- as doctors. Her daughter got a job in Education Department. Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad’s as well as Saif-ud-din Soz’s congratulations to Faisal and his mother are understandable in the sense that both believe in the state’s undiluted integration with the rest of the country. Governor N N Vohra’s appreciation of Faisal’s feat and a public invitation to him and his mother also deserves respect. But, one fails to understand what precisely has thrilled leaders of the ruling NC and opposition PDP who have been both avowed detractors of central Civil Services in Jammu & Kashmir.
Getting thrilled over Faisal’s historic achievement in a civil services competition has got to be patently different from the street excitement over Qazi Tauqeer’s distinction in a countrywide singing competition on television. Faisal is obviously going to join IAS---a central administrative service which has no room either in NC’s “greater autonomy” or in PDP’s “self-rule”. Unlike NC, PDP can celebrate Faisal’s success with one-odd firecracker after Muzaffar Hussain Baig’s recent statement in which the legal luminary suggested a marginal provision for IAS and IPS in Jammu & Kashmir.
To simplify, a couple of the sons of soil like Dr Faisal could be accommodated in the state government if PDP one day succeeded to get “self rule” from New Delhi. All 26 sons of soil, who are currently in IAS --- with the inclusion of three Kashmiri boys yesterday--- would have to be disowned and thrown out to the Centre if New Delhi ever granted “greater autonomy” to this state of special constitutional status. Fate of those in IPS and the separately managed Indian Forest Service would have to be no different. Yes, all the brilliant members of the IAS, IPS and IFS club, preserving laminated originals of their Permanent Resident Certificates (PRCs), would be entitled to owning immovable properties in their state of domicile.
Kashmiri Youth - I: How low can it get?
Romance with the gun has burdened the society with more ills than anyone can fathom
Pressure of studies forces six boys to plan crossing LoC
Baramulla: It was the pressure of studies that forced six students of Islamia Model School and Government High School, Palhalan, in the Pattan area in Baramulla district to plan crossing the Line of Control (LoC) to take up arms training.
The police last night arrested the students in the age group 12-14 from Rigpora village, near the LoC, in Kupwara district. “Our teachers used to beat us and we were under a lot of pressure from them and our parents.So, to take revenge from the teachers, we planned to cross the LoC and take up arms training,” said Abdul Rashid, a student of the seventh standard.
He,along with, Umar Sultan, Mohammad Yaqoob Bhat, Mohammad Saleem Sheikh, Shqriq Ahmad Mir and Ishtiaq Ahmad Tantray were today handed over to their parents by the police. “While playing cricket, we decided to cross the LoC to take arms training and then join jihad in Kashmir,” said Umar Sultan, another student.
Their parents said they had ‘no idea their children would think of taking such a step’ as they wanted them to study.
“We used to ask them to study.We had no idea they would take such a step. We are thankful to the police for bringing them back to us,” said one of the parents.
“We got a call from a maulvi of a local mosque in Kupwara where the students were staying.He informed us that the boys were planning to cross the LoC”, DIG, North Kashmir Range, AQ Manhas said.He said the police arrested the six after they were coming out of the mosque after offering prayers last evening.
“During questioning, they admitted they had come to the border village to cross the LoC to take up arms training,” Manhas said. “ On their identification, we took into custody two more boys who were also planning to cross the LoC”, Manhas said.
Pressure of studies forces six boys to plan crossing LoC
Baramulla: It was the pressure of studies that forced six students of Islamia Model School and Government High School, Palhalan, in the Pattan area in Baramulla district to plan crossing the Line of Control (LoC) to take up arms training.
The police last night arrested the students in the age group 12-14 from Rigpora village, near the LoC, in Kupwara district. “Our teachers used to beat us and we were under a lot of pressure from them and our parents.So, to take revenge from the teachers, we planned to cross the LoC and take up arms training,” said Abdul Rashid, a student of the seventh standard.
He,along with, Umar Sultan, Mohammad Yaqoob Bhat, Mohammad Saleem Sheikh, Shqriq Ahmad Mir and Ishtiaq Ahmad Tantray were today handed over to their parents by the police. “While playing cricket, we decided to cross the LoC to take arms training and then join jihad in Kashmir,” said Umar Sultan, another student.
Their parents said they had ‘no idea their children would think of taking such a step’ as they wanted them to study.
“We used to ask them to study.We had no idea they would take such a step. We are thankful to the police for bringing them back to us,” said one of the parents.
“We got a call from a maulvi of a local mosque in Kupwara where the students were staying.He informed us that the boys were planning to cross the LoC”, DIG, North Kashmir Range, AQ Manhas said.He said the police arrested the six after they were coming out of the mosque after offering prayers last evening.
“During questioning, they admitted they had come to the border village to cross the LoC to take up arms training,” Manhas said. “ On their identification, we took into custody two more boys who were also planning to cross the LoC”, Manhas said.
The First Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) is Coming to Kashmir
Sajad discusses an exciting new business that is about to land in Srinagar
(Mr. Sajad Kralyari, 28, was born in Kralyar, Srinagar. He had his early schooling at the General Public Mission (GPM) School, and his higher secondary education from the Government High School. He completed his B.Sc. from the Gandhi Memorial College, Rainawari, Srinagar, and Master's degree in journalism from the Media Educational Research Centre (MERC), University of Kashmir in 2008. He subsequently did a brief stint in New Delhi before returning as a correspondent for the Rising Kashmir, working on business and economy related stories.)
AEGIS to start operation in 15 days
Srinagar: With 200 youth already being trained for over a month, AEGIS Srinagar is all set to launch outsourcing services after two weeks. This would be first BPO to start its operation in Kashmir Valley.
“We have invested here in Srinagar and are looking for long term returns. We see huge potential in Kashmir and with the help of local talent we are functioning. All the leadership team is local,” said President Aegis, Sudhir Agarwal. “It will take only two weeks for the actual calls to come.”
Agarwal said the infrastructure put in place here is a notch ahead of other 42 delivery centers across India and other countries.
“There is a problem of space outside Kashmir. But here we have enough space and all calls would be received under one roof, which is totally amazing. We can have eye on all the customer care executives that would help us work more effectively,” said Agarwal.
Aegis Srinagar plans to recruit 1000 more people after adding infrastructure for more client services.
“After successful completion of one year or so, trained employee from here would be sent outside the State and abroad for further training or work,” said President Aegis.
“We have the technology in place and can manage all types of jobs,” said Zahool A Malik, the Essar Group State head.
The facility has also provided an opportunity for hundreds of Kashmiris working in Delhi and NCR to return home.
“Over 15 per cent of the workforce in BPO sector in Delhi and NCR is from Kashmir and they all are seeking an opening to be back with expertise,” said an official at Aegis Srinagar
Some of the Kashmiris working in Delhi have joined Aegis Srinagar in HR and IT.
Presently, the employees come in different shifts for training and are provided Rs 4000 monthly remuneration.
“After they start working their salary would be enhanced. They are paid at par with the employees at other centers across India during training. They have an advantage as that they are at home,” said the official.
Team leaders also appreciated the communication skills of trainees.
“Kashmiris have good communication skills. The trainees are also good at presentation and communication,” said a team leader, Amir Banday.
With around six million users serviced by seven cell phone operators, J&K has a huge call centre market available locally, but it’s one that is under-exploited.
(Mr. Sajad Kralyari, 28, was born in Kralyar, Srinagar. He had his early schooling at the General Public Mission (GPM) School, and his higher secondary education from the Government High School. He completed his B.Sc. from the Gandhi Memorial College, Rainawari, Srinagar, and Master's degree in journalism from the Media Educational Research Centre (MERC), University of Kashmir in 2008. He subsequently did a brief stint in New Delhi before returning as a correspondent for the Rising Kashmir, working on business and economy related stories.)
AEGIS to start operation in 15 days
Srinagar: With 200 youth already being trained for over a month, AEGIS Srinagar is all set to launch outsourcing services after two weeks. This would be first BPO to start its operation in Kashmir Valley.
“We have invested here in Srinagar and are looking for long term returns. We see huge potential in Kashmir and with the help of local talent we are functioning. All the leadership team is local,” said President Aegis, Sudhir Agarwal. “It will take only two weeks for the actual calls to come.”
Agarwal said the infrastructure put in place here is a notch ahead of other 42 delivery centers across India and other countries.
“There is a problem of space outside Kashmir. But here we have enough space and all calls would be received under one roof, which is totally amazing. We can have eye on all the customer care executives that would help us work more effectively,” said Agarwal.
Aegis Srinagar plans to recruit 1000 more people after adding infrastructure for more client services.
“After successful completion of one year or so, trained employee from here would be sent outside the State and abroad for further training or work,” said President Aegis.
“We have the technology in place and can manage all types of jobs,” said Zahool A Malik, the Essar Group State head.
The facility has also provided an opportunity for hundreds of Kashmiris working in Delhi and NCR to return home.
“Over 15 per cent of the workforce in BPO sector in Delhi and NCR is from Kashmir and they all are seeking an opening to be back with expertise,” said an official at Aegis Srinagar
Some of the Kashmiris working in Delhi have joined Aegis Srinagar in HR and IT.
Presently, the employees come in different shifts for training and are provided Rs 4000 monthly remuneration.
“After they start working their salary would be enhanced. They are paid at par with the employees at other centers across India during training. They have an advantage as that they are at home,” said the official.
Team leaders also appreciated the communication skills of trainees.
“Kashmiris have good communication skills. The trainees are also good at presentation and communication,” said a team leader, Amir Banday.
With around six million users serviced by seven cell phone operators, J&K has a huge call centre market available locally, but it’s one that is under-exploited.
Stone Pelting: The Boomerang Effect
Fayyaz says that civilian's murder by stone pelting draws widespread flak against 'only tool of resistance'
(Mr. Ahmed Ali Fayyaz, 48, was born in Bodina, Budgam, and received his primary and secondary education in Budgam and later at Amar Singh College, Srinagar. He completed his Master's degree in Kashmiri language and literature from the University of Kashmir in 1987. After working with Rashtriya Sahara and Kashmir Times in 1993-94, and later for 13 years as Srinagar Bureau Chief of Daily Excelsior, he is woking as Resident Editor/ Srinagar Bureau Chief of Jammu-based English daily Early Times (www.earlytimes.in) since April 2009. He is also a filmmaker whose forte in audio-visual media is Kashmir's composite culture, heritage, ecology and social issues. Since February 2008, he has been regularly anchoring Take One Television's bi-weekly hard talk show "Face To Face With Ahmed Ali Fayyaz" which is watched by more than three million viewers in Srinagar, Jammu and other urban areas of Jammu & Kashmir.)
Political, Intellectual Support to Stone Pelting Begins to Diminish in Valley
Srinagar: Many in politics and media attempted to underplay it as a routine incident of a civilian getting hit by a 'stray' stone during a street clash between the demonstrators and Police in this turbulent capital city. Others slogged to create an impression that the class 4thofficial of Jammu & Kashmir State Board of School Education died of a 'gunshot wound'. But, in the last five days, Kashmiris holding diverse political beliefs have been unanimous over the fact Shafeeq Ahmed Sheikh of Nattipora had been horribly killed in Batmaloo area on Friday last by a group of stone pelters who have embraced this form of social terrorism as a result of immense political and intellectual support in the Valley.
That the politicians and intellectuals, known for justifying stone pelting as "our only tool of resistance against the state repression", have been isolated by the people at large is evident from the fact that nobody in Kashmir has accepted Hurriyat (G) Chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani's initial suggestion of Sheikh's death in 'firing'. A day before Mr Geelani's visit to the bereaved family, Hurriyat (G) spokesman, Ayyaz Akbar, had quoted "people who performed Sheikh's funeral rituals" as having spotted "gunshot wounds" on the civilian's body.
When the brutal killing refused to pass off as a death in firing---which is conveniently attributed to Police or CRPF in Kashmir---Geelani swerved to safety and asserted that "some black sheep" had intruded into ranks of the pro-Azadi demonstrators. Identical reactions poured in from Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and other "pro-freedom leaders". As that too failed to click and even the ideologically paralyzed National Conference (NC) organized its maiden show in Srinagar Civil Lines with hardcore statements and slogans against the stone pelters and their political godfathers, Geelani was quick to withdraw his support to this anarchical form of 'resistance'. Addressing his followers in Sopore, he even advised the demonstrators not to shout anti-India slogans.
This kind of acrobatics used to be characteristic of the state actors whenever armed forces or their locally raised counter-insurgents killed civilians or militants in fake encounters in the Valley several years ago.
In 2009-2010, Geelani had emerged as the biggest supporter of stone pelting with his stylish argument. "This is not good but these boys feel that this is our only tool of resistance against the state repression", hardliner separatist leader had invariably said in his statements. His first volte face came a day after an eleven-day-old infant was killed by stone pelters in the lap of his mother in Baramulla.
Some of the mainstream political parties, also known for their encouragement to the stone pelting crowds, shot off a new theory. In a subtle categorization of "good stone pelters" and "bad stone pelters", on the pattern of "good terrorists" and "bad terrorists", they began alleging that the NC-led government had raised a "sarkari brigade of the stone pelters---Ikhwanis".
As the Baramulla tragedy faded into memory, quite a number of the Valley's politicians---pro-Azadi as well as pro-India---began lamenting that the "alienated youth" had no other way of asserting themselves against the "state repression". In a lengthy debate, that included the world's first ever conference on stone pelting, intelligentsia in Srinagar took pride to justify the lawless shows with subjective reference to religious history and jurisprudence. While the photo captions in media glorified the stone pelters as 'brave hearts", editorial comments and opinion articles---some of them drafted in luxury hotels---claimed that freedom thinktanks like Edward Said had had the privilege of performing stone pelting.
Death of the middle-aged civilian of Nattipora seems to have changed everything. In contrast to what was initially being projected as "a stray stone", the driver and the conductor of the minibus stated on camera that there was neither any clash between demonstrators and Police nor any deployment of Police or paramilitary forces when the vehicle was intercepted by an unruly group of eight to nine men. According to them, one person came close to the slowing vehicle with a weighty stone in his two hands and threw it on a windshield with full force. It shattered the glass and crushed the poor commuter's head, leading to his death on way to hospital. That is what deflated the balloons of "gunshot" (from Police/CRPF) and "a stray stone" (from the angry youth clashing with Police/CRPF).
Sheikh's death by a gunshot wound, or even Police or paramilitary presence 500 yards away, would have undoubtedly led to massive demonstrations and days of continuous shutdown in Valley.
Statements of the SKIMS Medical Superintendent, Dr Syed Amin Tabish, corroborated by a team of Kashmiri Muslim doctors who conducted Sheikh's post mortem, not only prompted the paralyzed NC to stage its first demonstration against the menace of stone pelting but also forced a number of the stanch supporters of the stone pelting in media and politics to change the tack. For them, brave hearts have suddenly turned into hooligans.
(Mr. Ahmed Ali Fayyaz, 48, was born in Bodina, Budgam, and received his primary and secondary education in Budgam and later at Amar Singh College, Srinagar. He completed his Master's degree in Kashmiri language and literature from the University of Kashmir in 1987. After working with Rashtriya Sahara and Kashmir Times in 1993-94, and later for 13 years as Srinagar Bureau Chief of Daily Excelsior, he is woking as Resident Editor/ Srinagar Bureau Chief of Jammu-based English daily Early Times (www.earlytimes.in) since April 2009. He is also a filmmaker whose forte in audio-visual media is Kashmir's composite culture, heritage, ecology and social issues. Since February 2008, he has been regularly anchoring Take One Television's bi-weekly hard talk show "Face To Face With Ahmed Ali Fayyaz" which is watched by more than three million viewers in Srinagar, Jammu and other urban areas of Jammu & Kashmir.)
Political, Intellectual Support to Stone Pelting Begins to Diminish in Valley
Srinagar: Many in politics and media attempted to underplay it as a routine incident of a civilian getting hit by a 'stray' stone during a street clash between the demonstrators and Police in this turbulent capital city. Others slogged to create an impression that the class 4thofficial of Jammu & Kashmir State Board of School Education died of a 'gunshot wound'. But, in the last five days, Kashmiris holding diverse political beliefs have been unanimous over the fact Shafeeq Ahmed Sheikh of Nattipora had been horribly killed in Batmaloo area on Friday last by a group of stone pelters who have embraced this form of social terrorism as a result of immense political and intellectual support in the Valley.
That the politicians and intellectuals, known for justifying stone pelting as "our only tool of resistance against the state repression", have been isolated by the people at large is evident from the fact that nobody in Kashmir has accepted Hurriyat (G) Chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani's initial suggestion of Sheikh's death in 'firing'. A day before Mr Geelani's visit to the bereaved family, Hurriyat (G) spokesman, Ayyaz Akbar, had quoted "people who performed Sheikh's funeral rituals" as having spotted "gunshot wounds" on the civilian's body.
When the brutal killing refused to pass off as a death in firing---which is conveniently attributed to Police or CRPF in Kashmir---Geelani swerved to safety and asserted that "some black sheep" had intruded into ranks of the pro-Azadi demonstrators. Identical reactions poured in from Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and other "pro-freedom leaders". As that too failed to click and even the ideologically paralyzed National Conference (NC) organized its maiden show in Srinagar Civil Lines with hardcore statements and slogans against the stone pelters and their political godfathers, Geelani was quick to withdraw his support to this anarchical form of 'resistance'. Addressing his followers in Sopore, he even advised the demonstrators not to shout anti-India slogans.
This kind of acrobatics used to be characteristic of the state actors whenever armed forces or their locally raised counter-insurgents killed civilians or militants in fake encounters in the Valley several years ago.
In 2009-2010, Geelani had emerged as the biggest supporter of stone pelting with his stylish argument. "This is not good but these boys feel that this is our only tool of resistance against the state repression", hardliner separatist leader had invariably said in his statements. His first volte face came a day after an eleven-day-old infant was killed by stone pelters in the lap of his mother in Baramulla.
Some of the mainstream political parties, also known for their encouragement to the stone pelting crowds, shot off a new theory. In a subtle categorization of "good stone pelters" and "bad stone pelters", on the pattern of "good terrorists" and "bad terrorists", they began alleging that the NC-led government had raised a "sarkari brigade of the stone pelters---Ikhwanis".
As the Baramulla tragedy faded into memory, quite a number of the Valley's politicians---pro-Azadi as well as pro-India---began lamenting that the "alienated youth" had no other way of asserting themselves against the "state repression". In a lengthy debate, that included the world's first ever conference on stone pelting, intelligentsia in Srinagar took pride to justify the lawless shows with subjective reference to religious history and jurisprudence. While the photo captions in media glorified the stone pelters as 'brave hearts", editorial comments and opinion articles---some of them drafted in luxury hotels---claimed that freedom thinktanks like Edward Said had had the privilege of performing stone pelting.
Death of the middle-aged civilian of Nattipora seems to have changed everything. In contrast to what was initially being projected as "a stray stone", the driver and the conductor of the minibus stated on camera that there was neither any clash between demonstrators and Police nor any deployment of Police or paramilitary forces when the vehicle was intercepted by an unruly group of eight to nine men. According to them, one person came close to the slowing vehicle with a weighty stone in his two hands and threw it on a windshield with full force. It shattered the glass and crushed the poor commuter's head, leading to his death on way to hospital. That is what deflated the balloons of "gunshot" (from Police/CRPF) and "a stray stone" (from the angry youth clashing with Police/CRPF).
Sheikh's death by a gunshot wound, or even Police or paramilitary presence 500 yards away, would have undoubtedly led to massive demonstrations and days of continuous shutdown in Valley.
Statements of the SKIMS Medical Superintendent, Dr Syed Amin Tabish, corroborated by a team of Kashmiri Muslim doctors who conducted Sheikh's post mortem, not only prompted the paralyzed NC to stage its first demonstration against the menace of stone pelting but also forced a number of the stanch supporters of the stone pelting in media and politics to change the tack. For them, brave hearts have suddenly turned into hooligans.
Protecting the Consumer
Maroof speaks for the "aam admi"
(Dr. Muhammad Maroof Shah, 31, was born in Kunan, Bandipore. He has pursued a career in veterinary medicine and animal husbandry, completing Bachelors's degree in veterinary sciences (BVSc) at the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry (FVSc & AH), Shuhama campus of the Sher-i-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir (SKUAST-K), and MA English through the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). He is presently posted as a Veterinary Assistant Surgeon (VAS) at the Government Sheep Breeding Farm in Dachigam. Dr. Shah is the author of two books, and has lectured as a visiting fellow at the Jaipur University on Western Philosophy. In his leisure time he pursues studies in comparative religion, philosophy and literature.)
Who is Prowling People?
Recently the price of floor had increased and there was hike in price of roti. Why doesn’t any representative come forward to plead for decrease in price of it? Many can’t afford a roti or lawasa now.
Are our official representatives waiting for civil society to collect money and give it as bribe to them to talk about these issues? I don’t think so but they are simply not interested. But why should they be interested? Has the ruling class been interested in the welfare of the ruled class? The only option left is the ruled attempt their best to snatch their rights, to build themselves own tattered shelters, stitch torn clothes and heal wounds.
Associations have their personal causes to fight for. There is no people’s association. No one representing people. Employees want retirement age enhancement. Why should not public protest to ensure better work, work without corruption? Is there any party who calls for protests against corruption? What we need is to provide corruption free alternative services in education, in health care, in businesses, in consumer services so that the corrupt system is automatically strangled.
Who represents those shopkeepers who have been forced to close shops because of the practice of giving on wazum to customers and countless others who suffer terribly on account of this practice? Without wazum business can’t be run in villages especially small provision shops, milk, sabzi and most of items including medicine at many places. Can’t govt. give protection to poor shopkeepers? I think it may be legislated that if money is not paid within a month additional money shall be charged. All payments that involve wazum should be done through credit card. I don’t think it can be called interest as shopkeeper is not giving cash but perishable item. If this is indeed a form of interest is it allowed to take things on wazum which is not cleared in due time? Or government should extract lending tax from shopkeepers which shall in turn charge it from customers. All business transactions should be in writing specifying how much amount paid and how much is still with the customer, time of clearing whole payment, excess charges due on account of delay. All I want is some mechanism for protecting interests of shopkeepers.
Who represent customers and consumers? You may aver that consumer courts exist. But there are issues that are not so far addressed. No consumer knows if he has not been badly exploited in his purchase of most items purchased from most shops as rate is not written.
World Health Organisation (WHO) has specified only hundred plus drugs that cure all diseases around. But how many drugs are being sold in our medicine shops that are not recognised by WHO? A drug costs around 2800 according to print on it but is purchased for Rs 800 only if doctors guide you how to purchase it. Representation should be banned. Good drugs are sold on the basis of merit or efficacy and not on the basis of representation. It is generally the case that you need vigorous representation for substandard drugs. Some representatives have confided to me that they are trading in blood by doing the job. How many doctors prescribe without taking commissions or advantages from the companies or representatives? I know some kind of advertising is needed for selling the product. Drug industry is more dangerous than armament industry. It causes greater damage. Drug industry must be nationalised if we want to cut off spending billions of dollars in health sector on problems directly or indirectly caused by illegal, substandard and unregulated use of drugs. Capitalism can’t survive if it can’t sell its products. It must employ representatives who trade in blood. There are more medicine shops in Kashmir than anywhere else in India indicating our created dependence on medicine suppliers and companies.
Who represents the interests of owners of apple orchards who are at the mercy of contractors? Can’t there be some protecting mechanism for them? Who represents farmers and seeks to create mechanisms for better returns for their products without middlemen? Who would initiate and coordinate efforts for making cooperatives for eliminating middlemen?
I travel in public transport and don’t think hell will be much different. Hell is waiting for nothing, uncertainty, overcrowding, denial of rest, denial of your request, abusive language, fighting – all these are in our public transport. There is a department that controls traffic but none that recognizes overloading as a problem.
Civil society can select advocates and fix a fee, say 10000 for every case won. These advocates shall process cases on the basis of merit only and involve absolutely no deception or any unfair means. They shall not charge only a nominal fee for peshis. Once standardised and people come to know about it these 10 advocates shall be doing huge business. Earnings shall go on the basis of 50% to civil society which shall use it to engage more advocates and process some cases which can’t afford even 10000 as fee. Civil society could also fight public interest litigation cases.
(Dr. Muhammad Maroof Shah, 31, was born in Kunan, Bandipore. He has pursued a career in veterinary medicine and animal husbandry, completing Bachelors's degree in veterinary sciences (BVSc) at the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry (FVSc & AH), Shuhama campus of the Sher-i-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir (SKUAST-K), and MA English through the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). He is presently posted as a Veterinary Assistant Surgeon (VAS) at the Government Sheep Breeding Farm in Dachigam. Dr. Shah is the author of two books, and has lectured as a visiting fellow at the Jaipur University on Western Philosophy. In his leisure time he pursues studies in comparative religion, philosophy and literature.)
Who is Prowling People?
Recently the price of floor had increased and there was hike in price of roti. Why doesn’t any representative come forward to plead for decrease in price of it? Many can’t afford a roti or lawasa now.
Are our official representatives waiting for civil society to collect money and give it as bribe to them to talk about these issues? I don’t think so but they are simply not interested. But why should they be interested? Has the ruling class been interested in the welfare of the ruled class? The only option left is the ruled attempt their best to snatch their rights, to build themselves own tattered shelters, stitch torn clothes and heal wounds.
Associations have their personal causes to fight for. There is no people’s association. No one representing people. Employees want retirement age enhancement. Why should not public protest to ensure better work, work without corruption? Is there any party who calls for protests against corruption? What we need is to provide corruption free alternative services in education, in health care, in businesses, in consumer services so that the corrupt system is automatically strangled.
Who represents those shopkeepers who have been forced to close shops because of the practice of giving on wazum to customers and countless others who suffer terribly on account of this practice? Without wazum business can’t be run in villages especially small provision shops, milk, sabzi and most of items including medicine at many places. Can’t govt. give protection to poor shopkeepers? I think it may be legislated that if money is not paid within a month additional money shall be charged. All payments that involve wazum should be done through credit card. I don’t think it can be called interest as shopkeeper is not giving cash but perishable item. If this is indeed a form of interest is it allowed to take things on wazum which is not cleared in due time? Or government should extract lending tax from shopkeepers which shall in turn charge it from customers. All business transactions should be in writing specifying how much amount paid and how much is still with the customer, time of clearing whole payment, excess charges due on account of delay. All I want is some mechanism for protecting interests of shopkeepers.
Who represent customers and consumers? You may aver that consumer courts exist. But there are issues that are not so far addressed. No consumer knows if he has not been badly exploited in his purchase of most items purchased from most shops as rate is not written.
World Health Organisation (WHO) has specified only hundred plus drugs that cure all diseases around. But how many drugs are being sold in our medicine shops that are not recognised by WHO? A drug costs around 2800 according to print on it but is purchased for Rs 800 only if doctors guide you how to purchase it. Representation should be banned. Good drugs are sold on the basis of merit or efficacy and not on the basis of representation. It is generally the case that you need vigorous representation for substandard drugs. Some representatives have confided to me that they are trading in blood by doing the job. How many doctors prescribe without taking commissions or advantages from the companies or representatives? I know some kind of advertising is needed for selling the product. Drug industry is more dangerous than armament industry. It causes greater damage. Drug industry must be nationalised if we want to cut off spending billions of dollars in health sector on problems directly or indirectly caused by illegal, substandard and unregulated use of drugs. Capitalism can’t survive if it can’t sell its products. It must employ representatives who trade in blood. There are more medicine shops in Kashmir than anywhere else in India indicating our created dependence on medicine suppliers and companies.
Who represents the interests of owners of apple orchards who are at the mercy of contractors? Can’t there be some protecting mechanism for them? Who represents farmers and seeks to create mechanisms for better returns for their products without middlemen? Who would initiate and coordinate efforts for making cooperatives for eliminating middlemen?
I travel in public transport and don’t think hell will be much different. Hell is waiting for nothing, uncertainty, overcrowding, denial of rest, denial of your request, abusive language, fighting – all these are in our public transport. There is a department that controls traffic but none that recognizes overloading as a problem.
Civil society can select advocates and fix a fee, say 10000 for every case won. These advocates shall process cases on the basis of merit only and involve absolutely no deception or any unfair means. They shall not charge only a nominal fee for peshis. Once standardised and people come to know about it these 10 advocates shall be doing huge business. Earnings shall go on the basis of 50% to civil society which shall use it to engage more advocates and process some cases which can’t afford even 10000 as fee. Civil society could also fight public interest litigation cases.
Why the Hush-Hush Track-II?
Shamshad argues for openess and transparency, but in reality he is resetting Pakistan's official position for the current Pakistani Administration
(Mr. Shamshad Ahamad, 69, did his B.A. (Hons) and Master's in Political Science from the Government College, Lahore. He joined the Foreign Service of Pakistan in 1965 and was Pakistan's Foreign Secretary from 1997-2000.)
Kashmir at Backchannel
Former foreign minister Khurshid Kasuri deserves praise for rejuvenating the Kashmir issue. Addressing a recent meeting in Lahore of civil society representatives from India and Pakistan, he revealed that Gen Musharraf’s “backchannel” diplomacy had completed almost 90 per cent of the spadework on the Kashmir issue. “A final Kashmir settlement was just a signature away once India and Pakistan decide to pull the file from the rack,” he told the meeting, which was part of the ongoing “Aman ki Asha” campaign of the Jang Group and The Times of India.
India and Pakistan have agreed to resume their dialogue and will soon be taking stock of where they left and where to start again. But where is the “backchannel” file? Is there a “backchannel” file beyond Musharraf’s pronouncements of unreciprocated unilateral gestures of flexibility? Who will pull it off the rack? No one has any answers. Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has categorically denied there is any file in his ministry. And that is what always happens when shady deals are struck at non-institutional levels.
In April 2007, addressing the third roundtable conference on Kashmir in Delhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had dismissed repeated “wishful” claims in Islamabad that India and Pakistan were nearing an agreement on Kashmir, or even Siachen. “Some public statements in this regard (the Kashmir issue) emanating from Pakistan do not give the correct picture,” he said.
The confusion over the “backchannel” outcome arises only because the whole matter was personally handled by Gen Musharraf, who had deputed his friend and confidant Tariq Aziz, a man of exceptional skills in wheeling and dealing, to negotiate the destiny of the Kashmiri people.
On the other hand, the Indian side was represented at the “backchannel” by Satinder Lambah, a seasoned diplomat who served his country with distinction and whose quiet negotiating skills had earned him respect not only by successive governments in India but also in countries where he served as ambassador, including Pakistan. He was chosen by Manmohan Singh’s government to serve as special envoy in the Prime Minister’s Office, in which capacity he became India’s point man on Kashmir.
The day after Lambah presented his credentials in Islamabad as high commissioner, then-prime minister Nawaz Sharif hosted a lunch for him, in a marked departure from usual Pakistani practice. When Lambah’s tenure ended three years later, Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto did him the same honour.
If a Kashmir settlement was only a signature away, the credit must go to Lambah. Without any compromise on his country’s position, he swayed Pakistan’s Kashmir stance which had been a constant of its foreign policy in the context of an unwavering commitment to the cardinal principle of self-determination enshrined in the UN Charter. Tariq Aziz or his boss had no idea what they were doing to their country.
No government in Pakistan, elected or unelected, ever deviated from this fundamental policy, which was rooted in the UN Security Council resolutions adopted on the question of Kashmir. Gen Musharraf’s backchannel produced negative effects on Pakistan’s known position, and he started speaking of options for a Kashmir settlement beyond UN resolutions.
At the end of the day, where are these two “backchannel” pioneers? India’s Satinder Lambah is still serving his country’s interests, and Tariq Aziz has vanished like his friend and boss to places where they have enough wealth to sustain them. The Kashmiri people have every reason to protest to Pakistan for putting their destiny in the hands of wheelers and dealers who played havoc with their own state.
Those were difficult days for Gen Musharraf who, after staging the Kargil debacle and overthrowing an elected government in Pakistan, was struggling for legitimacy and acceptability of his military rule. The September 11 attacks gave him an opportunity to gain relevance in the ensuing “war on terror,” and he did everything to avail himself of that opportunity. As Gen Musharraf wrote in his book In the Line of Fire, 9/11 “came as a thunderbolt” that presented to him acute challenges as well as opportunities.
He was right in claiming that he had to “absorb external pressure and mould domestic opinion” in readjusting Pakistan’s policies to the new global environment. He chose, perhaps rightly, to make Pakistan a vital ally in the US-led anti-terrorism coalition. He found himself walking a fine line. On the one hand, he was under pressure from the US and India to deliver on his commitments to their terrorism-related demands and, on the other, he was involved on multiple domestic fronts, ranging from military operations in Balochistan and Waziristan to the judicial crisis.
Against this backdrop, Musharraf went beyond all limits and crossed the Kashmir Rubicon. How could Musharraf play with the future of the Kashmiri people without going through any institutional process, or even consulting the Kashmiris? He had no mandate. He offered “demilitarisation and self-governance” to the Kashmiri people, something he had denied even to the people of Pakistan. How could the Kashmiris trust him? He did no service to the Kashmiris. And look at the legacy of violence and corruption he has left behind for his own people to suffer.
Yes, since January 2004, some confidence-building measures, including the Kashmir bus service, commercial exchanges and people-to-people contacts were taken by India and Pakistan, but their implementation remains half-hearted. Visa policies on both are still stringent. They need to be relaxed for more people-to-people contacts, so that the prevailing environment of mutual mistrust and apprehension can be addressed.
Incidentally, the Kashmir solution being touted at the “backchannel” was not a solution. It was a Kashmir-related CBM that could have only ameliorated the living conditions of the Kashmiri people. It involved identification of Kashmir in ethnic regions, their demilitarisation, self-governance and a joint mechanism overseeing the self-governance in residual subjects. As a solution, it would have amounted to legalisation of the Line of Control. Any new discussions on this arrangement must address this only as a confidence-building measure, and not a permanent solution.
The present elected government cannot afford to start from where Musharraf left. In any case, on an issue like Kashmir, there can never be a backchannel deal. Any settlement on Kashmir will have to be backed by people on both sides of the Line of Control. It must be acceptable to the Kashmiris, who are the final arbiters of their destiny. Pakistan should never degrade them by leaving their destiny in the hands of wheelers and dealers or at the mercy of dictators.
In the ultimate analysis, no deal lacking the support of the Kashmiri people will bring durable peace between the two neighbours. In Pakistan, we need to build national consensus on our India policy which would require transparency and domestic confidence-building through a genuine national effort for debate. It will only strengthen the government’s hands and reinforce Pakistan’s negotiating position in the dialogue, if and when it is resumed.
In any case, the task ahead is not going to be easy, given the complexity of the issues involved. There will be no quick fixes, and we should be ready for a long-drawn-out process, which must not be interrupted by change of governments or personalities. Nor should it be subjected to the vagaries of domestic politics.
(Mr. Shamshad Ahamad, 69, did his B.A. (Hons) and Master's in Political Science from the Government College, Lahore. He joined the Foreign Service of Pakistan in 1965 and was Pakistan's Foreign Secretary from 1997-2000.)
Kashmir at Backchannel
Former foreign minister Khurshid Kasuri deserves praise for rejuvenating the Kashmir issue. Addressing a recent meeting in Lahore of civil society representatives from India and Pakistan, he revealed that Gen Musharraf’s “backchannel” diplomacy had completed almost 90 per cent of the spadework on the Kashmir issue. “A final Kashmir settlement was just a signature away once India and Pakistan decide to pull the file from the rack,” he told the meeting, which was part of the ongoing “Aman ki Asha” campaign of the Jang Group and The Times of India.
India and Pakistan have agreed to resume their dialogue and will soon be taking stock of where they left and where to start again. But where is the “backchannel” file? Is there a “backchannel” file beyond Musharraf’s pronouncements of unreciprocated unilateral gestures of flexibility? Who will pull it off the rack? No one has any answers. Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has categorically denied there is any file in his ministry. And that is what always happens when shady deals are struck at non-institutional levels.
In April 2007, addressing the third roundtable conference on Kashmir in Delhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had dismissed repeated “wishful” claims in Islamabad that India and Pakistan were nearing an agreement on Kashmir, or even Siachen. “Some public statements in this regard (the Kashmir issue) emanating from Pakistan do not give the correct picture,” he said.
The confusion over the “backchannel” outcome arises only because the whole matter was personally handled by Gen Musharraf, who had deputed his friend and confidant Tariq Aziz, a man of exceptional skills in wheeling and dealing, to negotiate the destiny of the Kashmiri people.
On the other hand, the Indian side was represented at the “backchannel” by Satinder Lambah, a seasoned diplomat who served his country with distinction and whose quiet negotiating skills had earned him respect not only by successive governments in India but also in countries where he served as ambassador, including Pakistan. He was chosen by Manmohan Singh’s government to serve as special envoy in the Prime Minister’s Office, in which capacity he became India’s point man on Kashmir.
The day after Lambah presented his credentials in Islamabad as high commissioner, then-prime minister Nawaz Sharif hosted a lunch for him, in a marked departure from usual Pakistani practice. When Lambah’s tenure ended three years later, Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto did him the same honour.
If a Kashmir settlement was only a signature away, the credit must go to Lambah. Without any compromise on his country’s position, he swayed Pakistan’s Kashmir stance which had been a constant of its foreign policy in the context of an unwavering commitment to the cardinal principle of self-determination enshrined in the UN Charter. Tariq Aziz or his boss had no idea what they were doing to their country.
No government in Pakistan, elected or unelected, ever deviated from this fundamental policy, which was rooted in the UN Security Council resolutions adopted on the question of Kashmir. Gen Musharraf’s backchannel produced negative effects on Pakistan’s known position, and he started speaking of options for a Kashmir settlement beyond UN resolutions.
At the end of the day, where are these two “backchannel” pioneers? India’s Satinder Lambah is still serving his country’s interests, and Tariq Aziz has vanished like his friend and boss to places where they have enough wealth to sustain them. The Kashmiri people have every reason to protest to Pakistan for putting their destiny in the hands of wheelers and dealers who played havoc with their own state.
Those were difficult days for Gen Musharraf who, after staging the Kargil debacle and overthrowing an elected government in Pakistan, was struggling for legitimacy and acceptability of his military rule. The September 11 attacks gave him an opportunity to gain relevance in the ensuing “war on terror,” and he did everything to avail himself of that opportunity. As Gen Musharraf wrote in his book In the Line of Fire, 9/11 “came as a thunderbolt” that presented to him acute challenges as well as opportunities.
He was right in claiming that he had to “absorb external pressure and mould domestic opinion” in readjusting Pakistan’s policies to the new global environment. He chose, perhaps rightly, to make Pakistan a vital ally in the US-led anti-terrorism coalition. He found himself walking a fine line. On the one hand, he was under pressure from the US and India to deliver on his commitments to their terrorism-related demands and, on the other, he was involved on multiple domestic fronts, ranging from military operations in Balochistan and Waziristan to the judicial crisis.
Against this backdrop, Musharraf went beyond all limits and crossed the Kashmir Rubicon. How could Musharraf play with the future of the Kashmiri people without going through any institutional process, or even consulting the Kashmiris? He had no mandate. He offered “demilitarisation and self-governance” to the Kashmiri people, something he had denied even to the people of Pakistan. How could the Kashmiris trust him? He did no service to the Kashmiris. And look at the legacy of violence and corruption he has left behind for his own people to suffer.
Yes, since January 2004, some confidence-building measures, including the Kashmir bus service, commercial exchanges and people-to-people contacts were taken by India and Pakistan, but their implementation remains half-hearted. Visa policies on both are still stringent. They need to be relaxed for more people-to-people contacts, so that the prevailing environment of mutual mistrust and apprehension can be addressed.
Incidentally, the Kashmir solution being touted at the “backchannel” was not a solution. It was a Kashmir-related CBM that could have only ameliorated the living conditions of the Kashmiri people. It involved identification of Kashmir in ethnic regions, their demilitarisation, self-governance and a joint mechanism overseeing the self-governance in residual subjects. As a solution, it would have amounted to legalisation of the Line of Control. Any new discussions on this arrangement must address this only as a confidence-building measure, and not a permanent solution.
The present elected government cannot afford to start from where Musharraf left. In any case, on an issue like Kashmir, there can never be a backchannel deal. Any settlement on Kashmir will have to be backed by people on both sides of the Line of Control. It must be acceptable to the Kashmiris, who are the final arbiters of their destiny. Pakistan should never degrade them by leaving their destiny in the hands of wheelers and dealers or at the mercy of dictators.
In the ultimate analysis, no deal lacking the support of the Kashmiri people will bring durable peace between the two neighbours. In Pakistan, we need to build national consensus on our India policy which would require transparency and domestic confidence-building through a genuine national effort for debate. It will only strengthen the government’s hands and reinforce Pakistan’s negotiating position in the dialogue, if and when it is resumed.
In any case, the task ahead is not going to be easy, given the complexity of the issues involved. There will be no quick fixes, and we should be ready for a long-drawn-out process, which must not be interrupted by change of governments or personalities. Nor should it be subjected to the vagaries of domestic politics.
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