Kashmir polls

[indiapakistanfriendship]

You are losing it Flint - please explain the rationale behind how a 'military coup' is a violation by a nation of its international commitment? It is a violation of the nation's own constitution, not of an international agreement, and it harms the nation itself more than anything. Just another absurd example on your part.

Ok agreed. But recognising a government that is not recognised by the United Nations. Well for starters that is a non adherence to the UN system when it suits you best.

IPF

 

[Halaku Khan]

From ‘martyr’s’ graveyard to polling booth

Vodhpora (Handwara), Nov 30: On Sunday morning when people waited in long in long queues outside the government middle school-turned polling booth Muhammad Jamal Khan, sixty-five year old stood outside his tea-stall in the courtyard of the educational institution, looking at the grave of his son buried in the “martyr’s” graveyard, 10 meters away from the polling booth. Jamal’s son Muhammad Shafi Khan was a militant and he was killed in 1996.
Pointing towards the graveyard, Jamal said at least 27 more youth are buried in it. “Some of them were killed in nearby forests and others while trying to cross over to and from Pakistan,” he said.
“Shafi was killed on August 26. I didn’t vote because elections will not solve our problems. People will continue to suffer unless the Kashmir issue is solved,” said Jamal.
Inside the Khan’s tea-stall made of rusted-tin sheets were three pairs of old chairs and tools, a gas stove and few cups. “I earn Rs 50 to Rs 60 per day but today it might be few hundreds today given the rush of the people for voting,” Jamal said as he was joined by a group of some elderly persons.
Among them was Muhammad Rustum Shah and his story was the same. Rustum’s son, Ashiq Hussain, also a militant, was killed along with Shafi Khan. Ashiq and Shafi Khan are buried side-by-side in the graveyard.
“How can I forget my son and vote? Thousands of Kashmiri youth sacrificed their lives for a cause, at least we can remember that,” he said and introduced the reporters to Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Bhat.
Bhat had no different tale to narrate. His son, Nazir Ahmad was also a militant and was killed in early 90’s. Bhat had also boycotted the polls. The trio had just sat to take the tea when rush of the people for voting grew to such an extent that Paramilitary troopers of CRPF and policemen outside the booth had to use force to control them. Please tell them (People) to behave, asked a CRPF trooper to a policemen.
Inside the polling booth at 10:10 am, the presiding officer said 135 votes have been polled out of 1143. The rush of the voters was growing by every moment when Rustum and Bhat left for their homes and Khan entered his tea-stall to earn his living for the day.

 

[Zaheerkhan]

Ignoring a boycott call, the separatists' stronghold of Kupwara in Kashmir Valley witnessed a huge turnout with nearly 62 per cent of the electorate exercising their franchise in the third phase of Assembly elections.


Kupwara Ignoring a boycott call, the separatists' stronghold of Kupwara in Kashmir Valley witnessed a huge turnout with nearly 62 per cent of the electorate exercising their franchise in the third phase of Assembly elections.

An estimated 62 per cent of 3.4 lakh electorate voted in the five constituencies of Karnah, Kupwara, Lolab, Handwara and Langate in Kupwara district where polling was held peacefully, election officials said.

Karnah constituency located along the border recorded the highest turnout of 79.25 per cent, the highest among the five segments and 15 per cent more that in 2002 Assembly elections, followed by Lolab at 64.05 per cent, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Masood Samoon told reporters.

Election Commission said Kupwara registered 60.52 per cent polling. The turnout in the other two segments of Langate and Handwara was 54 per cent and 59 per cent respectively.

Kupwara is hometown of JKLF founder Maqbool Butt who was hanged in 1984. It is stronghold of the two factions People's Conference led by Sajad and Bilal Lone, sons of slain Hurriyat leader Abdul Gani Lone. However, as in the last two phases, the separatists' poll boycott call had no effect on people who cast their votes amid tight security.

"We have nothing to do with the boycott call. We are casting votes for the formation of the government which can care for us and develop backward areas of the state like ours", said Abdul Rahim Lone (59) of Machil.

An average 53.15 per cent voting was recorded in the five constituencies in 2002 with Karnah recording the highest of 65.37 per cent and Lolab the lowest - 46.89 per cent.

Despite low to moderate turnout in the early hours due to the cold weather, serpentine queues soon appeared outside many polling stations as morning fog gave way to sunshine.

Link:60% turnout in separatists' stronghold of Kupwara - KashmirLive.Com

 

[Nihat]

Zaheer , there is one more thread in the Current events Confrance - Please mods there.

Mods - can you merge the threads ??

 

[Geromix]

Once again the percentage of voters who voted is above 60%!!

 

[Flintlock]

Once again the percentage of voters who voted is above 60%!!

Its quite astonishing. After those mass-protests, I would have thought that the turnout will be abysmal.

Apparently they may have even outpolled New Delhi.

I think this clearly indicates that people are fed up with the incessant violence and disruptions, and simply want a government that will solve their day to day problems rather than promise them some mythical paradise and make them suffer as a result.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

Ok agreed. But recognising a government that is not recognised by the United Nations. Well for starters that is a non adherence to the UN system when it suits you best.

IPF

Is that a violation of the UN charter? I don't know if it is or not.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

I have replied to this point in this post in the thread on Kashmir resolutions.

It has been answered in the referenced thread - it is a violation of the first clause of the treaty.

Since the LOC was not defined beyond a particular point, what India did in Siachen cannot be construed to be a violation of the Simla agreement

The Siachen aggression was a violation of the second clause of the treaty (the second violation, after including the violation of the first clause):

(ii) That the two countries are resolved to settle their differences by peaceful means through bilateral negotiations or by any other peaceful means mutually agreed upon between them. Pending the final settlement of any of the problems between the two countries, neither side shall unilaterally alter the situation and both shall prevent the organisation, assistance or encouragement of any acts detrimental to the maintenance of peace and harmonious relations

 

[Halaku Khan]

The Siachen aggression was a violation of the second clause of the treaty (the second violation, after including the violation of the first clause):

(ii) That the two countries are resolved to settle their differences by peaceful means through bilateral negotiations or by any other peaceful means mutually agreed upon between them. Pending the final settlement of any of the problems between the two countries, neither side shall unilaterally alter the situation and both shall prevent the organisation, assistance or encouragement of any acts detrimental to the maintenance of peace and harmonious relations

Agnostic, the agreement says the line goes northwards from that last NJ point. Siachen is very very clearly on the Indian side. India was doing nothing unilateral by sending its troops there. This is just a case of Pakistan making outrageous and indefensible claims.

Next you will say that Patna is Pakistani territory and that India should not send troops there.

 

[Halaku Khan]

Lone hits back as Geelani accuses separatists of double standards - KashmirLive.Com

Riyaz Wani
Posted online: November 27, 2008 at 1044

Setting off rumblings within the separatist camp, which is already grappling with the high turnout in the first two phases of the Assembly elections, hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani on Wednesday accused them of double standards in their approach to the poll boycott campaign.

Geelani returned to the Valley on Tuesday after a month, following a surgery in New Delhi.

At a press conference here, Geelani called the People’s Conference (PC) posture a sham. “On the one hand, workers of the People’s Conference are seeking votes for their candidate Shabnum Lone and, on the other, its leaders in Srinagar are calling for a boycott,” he said.

PC head and Shabnum’s brother, Sajjad Gani Lone, reacted swiftly and sharply, saying that not only was he against boycotting elections in principle, but that he could do nothing about his workers contesting except expel them. “I can’t get them murdered like Geelani,” Lone said, pointing out that there was a general perception in his native district Kupwara that it was Geelani who got his father, prominent separatist leader Abdul Gani Lone, assassinated.

“I didn’t want separatists to boycott polls. It was a trap. But then I followed the predominant opinion,” Lone said. “If my sister contesting the poll implicates me, then Geelani has more skeletons in his own cupboard.”

In a dig at the Hurriyat leader’s political past, Lone also noted that the PDP candidate from Sonawari, Yasir Reshi, was the nephew of Geelani’s secretary Shafi Reshi. Lone also reminded Geelani of the brothers of former Jamaat-i-Islami chief Ghulam Muhammad Bhat and senior Hurriyat leader Agha Hassan Budgami who are among the contestants.

“If I wanted, I could have fought the election and even won,” Lone rubbed it in. “Geelani knows it. But I boycotted for the larger Kashmir cause.”

The PC chief also said he had no social relations with sister Shabnum. “Now how can he accuse me of being a party to her election campaign?” Lone said.

Saying that he “rejected Geelani’s brand of politics”, Lone remarked: “I was expecting that on his return he would ask me to be steadfast on my resolve. I didn’t expect this cheap attack.”

 

[Vinod2070]

Geelani returned to the Valley on Tuesday after a month, following a surgery in New Delhi.

Well, let us see how long Indian doctors and army can keep him alive. He is straining at the leash.

 

[Flintlock]

Well, let us see how long Indian doctors and army can keep him alive. He is straining at the leash.

Bloody traitor. He should go to Pakistan and get his treatment.

 

[Chanakya.10]

^^^^ Ya why the hell are we doing his treatment.....

I hope the doc had forgotten a scissor in his stomach....;-)

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

Agnostic, the agreement says the line goes northwards from that last NJ point. Siachen is very very clearly on the Indian side. India was doing nothing unilateral by sending its troops there. This is just a case of Pakistan making outrageous and indefensible claims.

Next you will say that Patna is Pakistani territory and that India should not send troops there.

Different situations completely - in one the line on the map is clearly drawn, in the other it isn't. If the interpretation of the demarcation was that clear cut, our armies would not be sitting up there right now, unable to demilitarize for lack of agreement. Even if the Indian interpretation was correct, the region should have been properly demarcated by the two sides before deploying any forces to it.

Simla clearly states that 'neither side shall unilaterally alter the situation'. With the action at Siachen, that is exactly what India did.

 

[Captain03]

bullkrap news
srry but me as a kashmiri and other people who know the truth about the the kashmiri elections will never believe that