MONDAY, January 01, 2018 13, Rabi-ul-Thani, 1439 31st Year of publication

Published from Srinagar | Jammu Regd. No. JKNP-5/SKGPO-2015-2017 Vol: 31 No. 01 Pages: 20 (16+4 Pull out) Rs. 5.00 epaper.GreaterKashmir.comGreaterKashmir.com, GreaterKashmir.net, GreaterKashmir.news

NEW YEAR RESOLUTION

We can make a future that is bright and certain

Bottomline

HASEEB A DRABU

We are, as histori-an Primo Levi once described,

in the “grey zone” of human existence: situ-ations in which indi-viduals strive to survive through a mixture of per-sonal weakness, collec-tive courage, and social

dignity; all operating in the context of a history of compromises.

At the heart of our existence—social, politi-cal, cultural and eco-nomic—lies the fact that our “individual” aspira-tions are not in line with our “collective” societal aspirations. Or perhaps it is the other way round. There is disconnect between what we aspire for ourselves as individ-uals and what we aspire for the society.

So, let the first reso-lution of 2018 be that our societal aspirations

will be in line with our personal and individual aspirations! What we want for ourselves, lets desire that for the whole society.

Let us resolve this New Year that a job does not have to be “naukri” funded by the Govern-ment; a business does not have to be an enter-prise which is profitable because of a subsidy; a venture does not have to be successful on the back of tax and electricity con-cessions.

Why we are not able to do it today is because

we have lost confidence in our capabilities; in our creativity, in our own comprehension to run our own affairs. Let us resolve to believe in ourselves and our capa-bilities.

We now talk about ourselves in a way that portrays us only as vic-tims. This defensive atti-tude has made us incapa-ble of thinking positively and acting honestly. Starting today, we shall not think of ourselves as victims, but as normal human beings. We have and have had lives;

unhappy and tortuous as these may be. We have a history; tormented as it may be. We have faces and names; sad as these may be. Yet we can make a future that is bright and certain.

We have made our-selves into a story. We are not a story. Or even a series of endless stories. Worst is that and at some stage, this story of ours has got fictionalised. The result is that we are now living in fiction. Let us resolve to alter this and live in reality.

Soldier killed in LoC firing in Rajouri

YOGESH SAGOTRA

Jammu, Dec 31: A soldier was killed in Nowshera area of Rajouri district after Pakistani army alleg-edly violated ceasefire and targetted several posts along the Line of Control in twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch, offi-cials said on Sunday.

Muslim women can now perform Hajj without ‘mehram’: PM'No lucky draw system for such pilgrims'

‘Muslim women found way to freedom from triple talaq’New Delhi, Dec 31: After years of “hardship”, Muslim women have found a way to free themselves from instant triple-talaq, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday in his first remarks on the issue after a bill to criminalise the practice was passed in the Lok Sabha.

The Prime Minister made these remarks highlighting the efforts of his government to give equal opportunities

Regularisation of casual workers after budget session ends: Haseeb DrabuSrinagar, Dec 31: The government on Sunday said that regularisation of 60,000 casual labourers and daily-rated workers will begin immediately after the budget session, begin-ning January 2, concludes.

Local news gathering agency KNS quoted finance minister Haseeb Drabu as saying that the formal SRO on regularisation of casual labourers and daily-rated workers has already been issued but the actual reg-ularisation hasn’t been started as yet. “The govern-ment is studying the cases

‘J&K government to get back Centaur hotel’Srinagar, Dec 31: The govern-ment is getting back Srinagar’s Centaur hotel from the hotel corporation of India limited, finance minister Haseeb Drabu said on Sunday.

Drabu said that the min-istry of civil aviation has decided to transfer the Cen-taur hotel back to the state government and a written agreement between the two sides has been finalised.

“I have met the minister for civil aviation and we reached at an agreement that the hotel will be trans-ferred to the state govern-ment,” Drabu said.

Asked whether the gov-ernment would run the hotel itself or outsource it, Drabu said that once the formalities

‘He chose a different path’: PM praises KAS exam topper

YOGESH SAGOTRA

Jammu, Dec 31: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday praised Kashmir Administrative Service examination topper Anjum Bashir Khan Khattak for not giving in to circumstances and “emerging as a fighter and inspiration for youth” of Jammu and Kashmir.

Recounting story of Anjum, Modi said: “He actually extricated himself from the sting of militancy and hatred and topped in the KAS examination. You will be surprised

New Delhi, Dec 31: Call-ing the policy allowing Muslim women to perform Hajj only in the company of a male guardian as “injus-tice”, Prime Minister Nar-endra Modi said on Sunday that his government has removed the restriction following which hundreds of women have applied to travel alone for the holy pilgrimage.

See Muslim women...on Pg-10

See Mehbooba...on Pg-10

See Lethpora...on Pg-10

See Vohra...on Pg-10

See 5 CRPF men...on Pg-10

See Had inputs...on Pg-10

See Soldier killed...on Pg-10 See Muslim women found...on Pg-10

See He chose...on Pg-10

NEW YEAR

Vohra, Mehbooba, Abdullahs, others greet peopleJammu, Dec 31: Gover-nor NN Vohra on Sunday conveyed his greetings to the people of Jammu and Kashmir on the eve of New Year and prayed that 2018 ushers peace and normalcy which would promote prog-ress, prosperity and well being of all sections of the society.

ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE NEW YEAR, GK IS PLEASED TO OFFER ITS READERS A FOUR PAGE PULLOUT OF KASHMIR INK,  THE WEEKLY MAGAZINE, WHICH WILL HENCEFORTH BE A PART OF THE DAILY NEWSPAPER EVERY MONDAY.

See J&K government...on Pg-10

See We can make...on Pg-10

See Regularisation...on Pg-10

5,500 cases filed against youth under review: DGP Vaid‘Operation all-out not only about killing militants, but also bringing them back into mainstream’

ABID BASHIR

Srinagar, Dec 31: The police on Sunday said that after the “general amnes-ty” granted to over 4,000 “first-time offenders” in Kashmir, the cases of 5,500 youth are under review by a committee constituted to withdraw the charges against them.

Addressing a press con-ference on the eve of New Year, director general of police SP Vaid said that in 2008-2009, 634 youth were granted the general amnesty.

“Similarly, charges were dropped against 4,327 youth against whom there were cases filed from 2010 to 2014,” he said.

Vaid said that there are

5,500 cases of youth who were “involved in vari-ous offences” in 2016-2017 under review by the com-mittee authorised to grant

See 5,500 cases...on Pg-10

MALIK WRITES TO SWARAJ ON PLIGHT

OF KASHMIRI PRISONERS

READ FULL REPORT ON PAGE 4

Mehbooba, Nirmal condemn killing of CRPF menJammu, Dec 31: Chief Min-ister Mehbooba Mufti con-demned the killing of five central reserve police force personnel in a militant attack in Lethpora area of Pulwama district on Sunday.

In a statement, Mehbooba termed the attack as “das-tardly” and said that violence has taken a heavy toll of the society in terms of deaths and destruction, “tearing apart the

Had inputs about possible militant strike: DGPSrinagar, Dec 31: Director general of police Shesh Paul Vaid said on Sunday that the police “already had inputs” about possible militant strikes in Kashmir and “due to alertness of forces, it seems that the militants involved in CRPF camp attack in Leth-pora didn’t get the desired target.”

“Yes we had reliable inputs about possible militant strikes for past four

Lethpora attack reminder of how bad things are in Kashmir: OmarSrinagar, Dec 31: The Nation-al Conference on Sunday expressed grief and sorrow over the loss of lives in a mili-tant attack on a CRPF camp in Pulwama district and called it a reminder of how bad things were in the Valley.

“As the year draws to a close we get a terrible remind-er of how bad things are in the valley. My condolences to the

5 CRPF men, 2 militants killed in Pulwama attack

‘Fidayeen’ storm training center in Lehtpora 1 of 2 slain militants is son of a police constable and reportedly a student of class 10th Operation to resume on Monday morning, say officials

IRFAN AMIN MALIK

Awantipora, Dec 31: Militants stormed a central reserve police force (CRPF) camp in Lethpora area along the Srinagar-Anantnag highway in an audacious pre-dawn strike on Sunday, killing at least five CRPF personnel, officials said, even as the anti-militancy opera-tion, which continued for at least 16 hours, was suspended for the night. Two militants, both local, were killed in the gunfight while reports said that another militant is still believed to be holed up.

A police official said that a group of militants carrying under-barrel grenade launchers and automatic weapons took posi-tions in the main building of the 185 CRPF training center in Leht-pora at around 2 am and started

CRPF training center at Lethpora, Pulwama, came under attack of heavily-armed militants at around 2 am, according to officials. Mir Wasim/GK

CMYK