GNS RAJOURI

BY: Iftikhar Gilani Efforts at resolving Kashmir have often involved people who never exist in public imagination, and they are used to achieve informally what is impossible or difficult to defend publically for the governments. IftikharGilani profiles the role MansoorIjaz, who is at the center of a controversy in Pakistan, may have played during the NDA regime in New Delhi.  The Lobby of Bristal Hotel in Gurgaon, in the outskirts of New Delhi was bristling with activity in November 2000. Many non-resident Kashmiris, who for years had claimed representing Kashmiri sentiments in the world capitals - be that Dr Shabir  Chaudhry of JKLF or Dr NazirGilani, a familiar face at the annual UN conferences and others had perhaps for the first time landed in Delhi on a peace mission. But the cynosure of both the media and the politicians was aspecious looking person MansoorIjaz, a Pakistani American businessman, now at the center of 'Memogate' controversy that is taking a toll of the g...

T BY: Zahir-ud-Din The first ever one day International was played in Srinagar on October 13, 1983. A spirited Indian team having won the Prudential (World) cup at Lords expected a win at Srinagar. But in a few moments the team realised it was playing West Indies not in India but somewhere in Barbados. India lost the match and Kashmiris won a battle. The message was conveyed in clear terms. Indian captain, KapilDev was angry and the then Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah had to eat a humble pie.   The stadium was packed to capacity. The highly charged spectators were chanting anti-India slogans. The West Indian players were amazed. Could they get such support in West Indies? A spectator displayed Imran Khan's poster urging Sunil Gavaskar to have a look. Gavaskar responded nicely. He raised his hand, bowed his head a little as if admitting Imran Khan's greatness. The gesture had an impact. Gavaskar was spared and the spectators focused attention on other players....

BY SALMAN NIZAMI GNS JAMMU DEC : The funding of Madrassas by the Centre has triggered outrage among the Maulanas of different Madrassas operating across Jammu and Kashmir with the latter out rightly rejecting of receiving any financial assistance for imparting religious education to the youth."We don't receive funds from government of India for our Madrassas. We strictly follow the guidelines set by Darul-uloom Deoband that bars us from taking financial assistance from the government for imparting religious education to the Muslim youth," Head Madrassa Talab Khatikan Jammu, Molana Abdul Samad told State Observer. He said the claims of funding Madrassas across the state should be thoroughly probed by a premier investigative agency and the persons responsible for bringing bad name to the Madrassas should be taken to task. Pertinently, this newspaper on Monday had reported that the Centre was pushing crores of rupees to at least 372 Madrassas operating across the two capi...

GNS JAMMU, Dec :   The State Government today said it was looking into each and every aspect including violation of Excise Act, procuring fake No Objection Certificates (NOCs) and forging signatures of the District Magistrate by State Time Editor Raj Daluja alias Raji and action will be taken in next two days. Commissioner/Secretary, Finance, Sudhanshu Pandey told the Excelsior that Excise Commissioner, Vineeta Gupta was going into all details and documents including legal aspects that Raji had opened 14 liquor shops, two depots and one bottling plant on his own name and the name of his family members and relatives including Devinder Daluja (brother), Suman Daluja (wife), Neelam Daluja (sister-in-law), Sahil Gupta (son of sister-in-law) among others. “The Excise Commissioner will go into legal and other aspects. She will look into everything. She was going through the (Excise) Act and other procedural requirements. All legal formalities will be completed before taking ...