3 suspected militants found dead in Pattan

Geelani’s silence leads to speculations that the young men have been killed in Hizbul Mujahideen's factional feud

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
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SRINAGAR, Sep 14: Missing from their respective homes in northern Kashmir for some time and believed to be working with Hizbul Mujahideen’s rebel group led by Qayyum Najar of Sopore, three suspected militants were found dead in an orchard in Pattan area of Baramulla district on Monday. Even as one-odd condemnation poured in from Mirwaiz Umer Farooq's faction of the Hurriyat Conference, other separatist leaders----most notably hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani----chose to remain tightlipped, raising speculations that the three youths have died in Hizbul Mujahideen's factional feud.

Authoritative sources told STATE TIMES that Police and the residents recovered three human bodies from an apple orchard between Such and Dangarpora villages on Pattan-Nihalpora Road on Monday afternoon. Eyewitnesses said that all the three bodies bore physical torture marks besides AK-47 gunshots. However, there were no empties around the spot, making it clear that the youths had been killed at some different place and their bodies had been subsequently dropped in the orchard, around 8 km from Pattan.

Ending hours of mystery and confusion, Police got the slain youths identified as Naveed Ahmad Sheikh s/o Mohammad Rajab Sheikh r/o Batpora Sopore, Aamir Ahmad Rishi s/o Ghulam Qadir Rishi r/o Imbarzalwari Payeen Hardushiva Sopore and Ashiq Hussain Wani s/o Mohammad Ramzan Wani r/o Lolipora Pattan. According to Police records, they were missing from their residences respectively since October 2014, July 2015 and June 2014. All the three were believed to have joined Hizbul Mujahideen but subsequently sided with Najar and his Lashkar-e-Islam.

Naveed, doing B. Tech with a University in Chandigarh, had gone into hiding in autumn of 2014. Originally from Ashtengo Bandipore, he lived at Batpora Sopore with his mother and her second husband Ghulam Hassan Khan.

Deputy Inspector General of Police in North Kashmir, Gareeb Das, maintained that the slain youths appeared to be the militants of a rebel faction of Hizbul Mujahideen. He said that Police had registered a criminal matter and started the investigation.

Reports said that immediately after the seizure of bodies, some youths levelled allegations of custodial killing against the security forces and clashed with Police and CRPF at three places on Pattan-Baramulla Road. Spokesperson of Mirwaiz-led Hurriyat faction was quick to strongly condemn the three killings. However, as soon as the bodies were identified and the word spread that the youths could have been killed by the Hizbul Mujahideen’s principal faction led by Salahuddin, demonstrators withdrew silently.

Significantly, neither Geelani nor any other separatist hardliner reacted to the mysterious triple murder. None of the militant or separatist organisations called for a protest shutdown till late on Monday night. This was an indication of a factional feud between militants in North Kashmir. A section of officials insisted that Hizbul Mujahideen had begun to crush the rebellion challenging authority, credibility and relevance of the pro-Pakistan leaders like Geelani and Syed Salah-ud-din. In a statement earlier this year, Hizb chief had expelled Najar and held his loyalists guilty of innocent civilian killings. His statement claimed that Lashkar-e-Islam, which had launched a campaign to shut mobile telephony with guerrilla strikes, was not a bonafide militant organisation.

Senior Police officers were appalled at the reports that the three youths----in age group of 17 to 20 years----had been kidnapped, carried to a long distance, apparently tortured and shot dead at one unknown place and their bodies were finally dropped at another place without being noticed by Police and security forces. They revealed to STATE TIMES that according to recent reports, a fresh group of 15 to 18 militants of Hizbul Mujahideen had set up base in Pattan-Tangmarg belt. In entire Baramulla district, only one encounter took place in the current year at Hardushora Tangmarg where both the holed up militants escaped while killing one SPO and a soldier.

"This fresh group is still dormant. It has the capacity to strike but doesn’t attack Police or security forces as its priority is to establish a strong and wider network before going proactive. We have strong reasons to believe that the same group has eliminated three of Qayyum Najar's cadres today and two more in the last two months----one each in Sumbal and Sopore", said a well placed official.

END

(Published in today's STATE TIMES and the blog aafayyaz.blogspot.in )

Final copy

Big Marathon disrupted at Kashmir University campus

Minister Sukhnandan forced to retreat amid clashes at international event attended by 15,000

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
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SRINAGAR, Sep 13: One of the largest attended sports events in Kashmir in the last 30 years, whis was organised by a Reliance subsidiary Big FM Radio, was disrupted by an assembly of students at the University of Kashmir campuses with pro-Pakistan slogans and flags on Sunday even as clashes continued for several hours and Police claimed to have booked and arrested around a dozen 'miscreants'.

92.7 FM radio network had organised the international event with a month-long publicity blitzkrieg on air and in newspapers while roping in over a dozen of the corporate sponsors and the State government’s department of Irrigation and Flood Control. Officials and the organisers claimed that over 20,000 Kashmiris of all age groups alongside scores of national and international athletes participated in the run. Independent estimates, however, put the number of the participants at 12,000 to 15,000.

Minutes after the Minister of Irrigation Sukhnandan Kumar, who attended as Chief Guest in absence of the Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, flagged off the marathon run, dozens of the youths, believed to be the University students, began shouting pro-Pakistan and Islamist slogans. Eyewitnesses told STATE TIMES that amid the slogans like "Jeevay Jeevay Pakistan", "Yahan kya chalega nizaam-e-Mustafa" and "Ham kya chahtè Azadi", the saboteurs vandalised the dais, besudes camopies and seating arrangements.

As the gathering fled the venue through Sir Syed Gate near the famous Naseem Bagh, police swung into action. Stone pelting, tearsmoke shelling and baton charge were witnessed at the flagging off venue besides Habak Crossing. Dal Lake's Northern Foreshore Road was the route for a 5-km Dream Run and a 21.5 km Technical Marathon. The run was aimed at promoting awareness about conservation of the endangered water bodies like Dal Lake and a healthy lifestyle.

Sukhnandan Kumar, Divisional Commissioner Asgar Samoon, Chief Engineer Irrigation Javaid Jafar and other senior government functionaries were forced to beat a retreat even as some of the senior officials like Secretary Tourism Farooq Shah had already left the venue.

Calls from his well-wishers, including one from Political Analyst in Chief Minister's Secretariat Waheed-ur-Reman Parra, held the Minister of Sports and Youth Services Imran Raza Ansari back from proceeding to the venue. Ansari held his schedule of flying to Anantnag with Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed for inauguration of another sports event. Others who were forced to change their schedule and stay away included National Conference President and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. According to sources, Omar decided to stay at home after the SSG officers told him that the atmosphere at the University campus was "very much hostile".

Some of the sponsors said that Minister of Education Naeem Akhtar was also expected to attend the marathon. He too was absent when the campus turned into a battlefield.

One of the organisers told STATE TIMES that everything was going on smoothly till she noticed the first trouble in the morning after staying awake with the preparations overnight. "We held the show with a great success and enthusiasm which was all-pervading among the participants. It was an unprecedented, huge gathering. When we were about to start the prize distribution, some youths got up and disrupted the show", she said. However, one of the Police officials said on condition of anonymity that the signs of trouble were "clearly evident since last evening".

"We heard pro-Pakistan and separatist slogans intermittently throughout the night. Even CID had logged a message and advised that all precautionary measures needed to be kept in place", the Police officer said.

"It was a great initiative to convey to the world that Kashmir was calm and enthusiastic for tourism. But the disruption, which Police and other authorities failed to foresee, has made the whole event counterproductive", said an official. "With such demonstrations and mayhem all around, who would like to visit Kashmir?", asked he.

An official release said: "The race was flagged off as scheduled and the function was going on smoothly till some miscreants within the crowd started passing obscene and lewd comments at girl participants and those in the audience. The incidents of passing remarks were also witnessed at Habbak crossing. Instances of molestation of girls by rowdy elements were reported at the Kashmir University and en-route. FIRs have been registered into the incidents of molestation and eve teasing at PS Nigeen and 12 miscreants involved in molestation and eve-teasing have been arrested so far".

SP Hazratbal Rayees Mohammad Bhat added: "The event was well intentioned. The gathering was big. There were children and families as well. The organisers had planned 2 events. The international length 21km marathon was scheduled to start at 6.30 a.m. The Run for Fun was scheduled for 8.30 a.m in which many VIPs and officials were to participate. But few boys started passing obscene comments at girls even before flag off. After flag off similar incident was reported at Habbak where police intervened and few boys were arrested. This in turn led to stone pelting from the crowd of youth".

"After this when the race was won by 3 foreigners, the youth started vandalising the University and organiser's property besides hurling bottles of water and steel rods taken from banners. Police displayed maximum restraint as families and kids were part of the audience. The miscreants were isolated and driven out of the university", SP Hazratbal said. "Many such miscreants first ran the race and participated in all functions and then said that these gatherings are against culture and religion!", SP said. Another Police official added that the "miscreants" attempted to set a police crane on fire at Habbak Crossing". It, he said, triggered off fresh violent clashes.

END

Over 12,000 attend LeT militant's funeral in PDP stronghold

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Sep 13: Allegedly involved in dozens of attacks on security forces and several civilian killings, including the killing of 8 soldiers on the eve of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba's top wanted militant Irshad Ganai was buried amid pro-Pakistan slogans in his village of Padgampora in Pulwama district on Sunday. He had died in an encounter with security forces and Police near Kakpora last evening.

Residents and some separatist leaders claimed that 25,000 tp 30,000 people participated in Ganai's funeral. However, independent reports put the number of the participants as 12,000 to 15,000. A J&K Police agency also reported that it was a gathering of 12,000 to 15,000 people----the biggest for a militant in recent times and several years. Padgampora is a village in the ruling PDP stronghold of Pulwama, in South Kashmir.

"1000's attend a LeT militant's funeral in Padgampora, Kashmir (I heard 20k-30k). Still believe an economic package is the solution, do you??", National Conference leader and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tweeted.

Separatist hardliner and Chairman of the radical faction of Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani addressed the huge gathering on telephone from his residence in Hyderpora where Ganai and other LeT militants had ambushed an Army convoy and killed 8 soldiers in 2013.

END

Kashmir up in arms against beef judgment

With separatists planning turbulence during shutdown, Srinagar put under undeclared curfew

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
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SRINAGAR, Sep 11: Even as the principal mainstream parties PDP, National Conference and Congress remained tightlipped, all the separatist organisations including some mainstream politicians in Kashmir valley have rejected the Jammu and Kashmir High Court's order asking Director General of Police to strictly enforce the year 1862 law that bans cow slaughter across the State.

In a PIL filed by advocate Parimoksh Seth last year, a Division Bench comprising Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur and Justice Janak Rak Kotwal had on September 8th directed DGP to ensure strict enforcement of Section 298 of Ranbir Penal Code that makes cow-slaugh liable to 10 years of imprisonment and fine upto five times the cost of the slaughtered animal. Even the consumer under this law has to undergo imprisonment for one year.

Around 500 beef shops are believed to be illegally operating in the Valley as Police and other law enforcement agencies have rarely booked a defaulter.

Dismissing the court order, as also the 1862 law of Maharaja's government, as "not acceptable" and "an intervention into the religious matters of the Muslims", Valley’s political and religious leadership made it unambiguously clear that cow-slaughter and the beef consumption would continue in violation of any law or court order. Separatist hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani has already called for a total shutdown in Kashmir on Saturday to register a strong protest against the High Court order.

Authoritative sources told STATE TIMES that the authorities have decided to enforce "restrictions"----euphemism for undeclared curfew----in half of the summer capital on Saturday. Densely populated Srinagar downtown areas, falling under the jurisdiction of seven Police Stations would remain closed for usual traffic and pedestrian movement.

With the tension mounting, University of Kashmir authorities suspended all the examinations scheduled for Saturday.

Head of a faction of the separatist Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and Dukhtaraan-e-Millat Chairperson Asiya Andrabi stole the limelight with their hard-hitting statements against the interim order passed by the court. They invariably maintained that cow-slaugh and beef consumption were 'Halal' (permitted) in Islam and no government could ban it, particularly so in a Muslim-dominated State.

Even the mainstream parties run by the prominent Communist leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami and Hakeem Mohammad Yasin (both sitting MLAs) opposed the High Court order and called for immediate revocation of the beef law.

Official sources said that at several places in Srinagar and other district headquarters, thin groups of demonstrators staged protest. Cows were publicly slaughtered at eight different spots in the Valley "as a mark of protest". Even in a marketplace beside Iqbal Park, all the six beef selling shops were open in Srinagar. Reports said that Police remained a mute spectator and did not take action against a single defaulter anywhere in Kashmir valley.

Authorities here fear a fresh turbulence, including communal and regional polarisation in the State as the conflict is resting on bovine. While the Muslims in Kashmir contend that beef is very much "Halal" and permitted by Islam, some of the Hindu groups have been crusading for blanket ban on cow slaughter and consumption of beef.

After the Friday congregational prayers, groups of people shouted slogans and engaged police in ding-dong clashes. Police and CRPF used tearsmoke and baton charge to disperse the thin unruly crowds. Officials said that none of the separatists was either detained or put under house arrest. However civilian sources maintained that at least five separatist leaders were under "house arrest".

END

BR Sharma appointed as J&K Chief Secretary

[Published in today's State Times http://news.statetimes.in/br-sharma-appointed-as-jammu-kashmir-chief-secretary/]

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
--------------
SRINAGAR, Sep 7: Son of the soil bureaucrat and 1984-batch IAS officer Brij Raj Sharma assumed charge as Chief Secretary in the Government of Jammu and Kashmir shortly after his appointment was sanctioned by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s Cabinet on Monday.

Following Mr Khanday’s application for voluntary retirement, STATE TIMES had categorically and exclusively reported in its issue of August 26 and again in today's edition that none other than Mr B.R. Sharma would be appointed as the next Chief Secretary. It had reported that unlike on August 21, Commissioner-Secretary General Administration Department Gazzanfer Hussain would attend Monday's meeting as Cabinet Secretary in absence of Chief Secretary. On August 21, Mr Sharma had functioned as Cabinet Secretary in Mr Khanday’s absence.

Fifty-five-year-old Sharma superseded four of his seniors---Arun Kumar and Sonali Kumar (1979), Ashok Kumar Angura (1980) and Khursheed Ahmad Ganai ( 1982)---even as Mr Ganai is likely to be shifted as Director General of Institute of Management and Public Administration (IMPA) in the next Cabinet meeting. Currently posted as Financial Commissioner Industries, Ganai is the only administrative secretary of a department functioning directly under Chief Secretary junior to him in IAS by two years. However, he has less than two months to his retirement from service.

Other three of Mr Sharma’s seniors being out of the bureaucratic hierarchy need not to be relocated to fresh postings. Mr Kumar, who is left with 16 months of service, is currently posted as Financial Commissioner Revenue outside Civil Secretariat while as Mrs Kumar, who is reaching superannuation on November 30, is functioning as Chairperson of the autonomous Jammu and Kashmir Special Tribunal. Mr Angurana, due to retire on April 30, 2016, is currently a full-fledged Secretary in Government of India.

The Cabinet meeting, which lasted for around 40 minutes and was presided over by Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, took a unanimous decision to appoint Mr Sharma as the next head of the State bureaucracy after confirming Mr Iqbal Khandey’s voluntary retirement three months ahead of his date of superannuation.

The Cabinet also placed on record its appreciation for the "honesty, integrity, administrative acumen and remarkable contribution of Iqbal Khandey, in various capacities, towards development of the State", an official release said. It said that Mufti recalled with appreciation Khandey's performance as his Principal Secretary during his previous tenure as the Chief Minister.

Administrative secretaries of different departments, senior officers and secretariat employees called on Mr Sharma and felicitated him on assuming office of the Chief Secretary.

In his 31-year-long IAS career, Mr Sharma has held various important positions in the State administrations including Principal Secretary Home, Principal Secretary Planning and Development, J&K's Chief Electoral Officer, Chief Executive Officer of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, Divisional Commissioner of Jammu, Deputy Commissioner of Kathua and Kupwara, Director School Education Jammu and Excise Commissioner.

With an unblemished service profile, that finally earned him the distinction of becoming the State’s youngest Chief Secretary post-1990, Mr Sharma is widely respected and known for his honesty, integrity and dedication to public service. He has also the distinction of being one of the most nonaligned and uncontroversial bureaucrats with no regional or religious prejudices.

As reported by STATE TIMES, PDP and BJP had consensus over Mr Sharma’s appointment and both the principal opposition parties, National Conference and Conference, seemed to be not averse to his elevation to the hot seat. J&K Pradesh Congress Committee head Ghulam Ahmad Mir had told this newspaper last evening that his party would welcome Mr Sharma as the next Chief Secretary.

"We are aware that Mr Sharma and his family members attended Narendra Modi's Lalkar Rally in Jammu on December 1, 2013. But we know that he is a fairly professional and nonaligned public servant", Mir had said.

END

BR Sharma appointed as J&K Chief Secretary

[Published in today's StaBraje Times http://news.statetimes.in/br-sharma-appointed-as-jammu-kashmir-chief-secretary/]

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
--------------
SRINAGAR, Sep 7: Son of the soil bureaucrat and 1984-batch IAS officer Braj Raj Sharma assumed charge as Chief Secretary in the Government of Jammu and Kashmir shortly after his appointment was sanctioned by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s Cabinet on Monday.

Following Mr Khanday’s application for voluntary retirement, STATE TIMES had categorically and exclusively reported in its issue of August 26 and again in today's edition that none other than Mr B.R. Sharma would be appointed as the next Chief Secretary. It had reported that unlike on August 21, Commissioner-Secretary General Administration Department Gazzanfer Hussain would attend Monday's meeting as Cabinet Secretary in absence of Chief Secretary. On August 21, Mr Sharma had functioned as Cabinet Secretary in Mr Khanday’s absence.

Fifty-five-year-old Sharma superseded four of his seniors---Arun Kumar and Sonali Kumar (1979), Ashok Kumar Angura (1980) and Khursheed Ahmad Ganai ( 1982)---even as Mr Ganai is likely to be shifted as Director General of Institute of Management and Public Administration (IMPA) in the next Cabinet meeting. Currently posted as Financial Commissioner Industries, Ganai is the only administrative secretary of a department functioning directly under Chief Secretary junior to him in IAS by two years. However, he has less than two months to his retirement from service.

Other three of Mr Sharma’s seniors being out of the bureaucratic hierarchy need not to be relocated to fresh postings. Mr Kumar, who is left with 16 months of service, is currently posted as Financial Commissioner Revenue outside Civil Secretariat while as Mrs Kumar, who is reaching superannuation on November 30, is functioning as Chairperson of the autonomous Jammu and Kashmir Special Tribunal. Mr Angurana, due to retire on April 30, 2016, is currently a full-fledged Secretary in Government of India.

The Cabinet meeting, which lasted for around 40 minutes and was presided over by Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, took a unanimous decision to appoint Mr Sharma as the next head of the State bureaucracy after confirming Mr Iqbal Khandey’s voluntary retirement three months ahead of his date of superannuation.

The Cabinet also placed on record its appreciation for the "honesty, integrity, administrative acumen and remarkable contribution of Iqbal Khandey, in various capacities, towards development of the State", an official release said. It said that Mufti recalled with appreciation Khandey's performance as his Principal Secretary during his previous tenure as the Chief Minister.

Administrative secretaries of different departments, senior officers and secretariat employees called on Mr Sharma and felicitated him on assuming office of the Chief Secretary.

In his 31-year-long IAS career, Mr Sharma has held various important positions in the State administrations including Principal Secretary Home, Principal Secretary Planning and Development, J&K's Chief Electoral Officer, Chief Executive Officer of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, Divisional Commissioner of Jammu, Deputy Commissioner of Kathua and Kupwara, Director School Education Jammu and Excise Commissioner.

With an unblemished service profile, that finally earned him the distinction of becoming the State’s youngest Chief Secretary post-1990, Mr Sharma is widely respected and known for his honesty, integrity and dedication to public service. He has also the distinction of being one of the most nonaligned and uncontroversial bureaucrats with no regional or religious prejudices.

As reported by STATE TIMES, PDP and BJP had consensus over Mr Sharma’s appointment and both the principal opposition parties, National Conference and Conference, seemed to be not averse to his elevation to the hot seat. J&K Pradesh Congress Committee head Ghulam Ahmad Mir had told this newspaper last evening that his party would welcome Mr Sharma as the next Chief Secretary.

"We are aware that Mr Sharma and his family members attended Narendra Modi's Lalkar Rally in Jammu on December 1, 2013. But we know that he is a fairly professional and nonaligned public servant", Mir had said.

END

BR Sharma being appointed as Chief Secretary today

Political parties across the board support a State subject who has been the most nonaligned and uncontroversial bureaucrat throughout his IAS career

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

_______

SRINAGAR, Sep 6: Principal Secretary Planning & Development, a son of the soil in bureaucracy and the 1984-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, Brij Raj Sharma, is tipped to be appointed as Chief Secretary in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, following the 1978-batch IAS officer Mohammad Iqbal Khandey’s differences with Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and some Cabinet Ministers that culminated into his voluntary retirement.

Chief Minister is scheduled to preside over a crucial meeting of his Cabinet in the forenoon on Monday that would take a call on selection of the next Chief Secretary. Even as the Cabinet would hold a brief discussion on the five seniormost IAS officers---four of them holding rank equivalent to that of Chief Secretary---highly placed sources in the PDP-BJP government revealed to STATE TIMES that there was “total consensus” on the nomination of Mr B.R. Sharma between the coalition partners.

More significantly, both the principal opposition parties, National Conference and Congress, have made it clear with their sustained silence publicly and private conversations in the last over a week that neither of them would oppose picking up the juniormost of the panel for a host of reasons.

Of the four IAS officers senior to Mr Sharma, Financial Commissioner Revenue and the 1979-batch IAS officer Dr Arun Kumar is the only potential contender as he alone has 16 months of his active service. “He is definitely a diligent IAS officer but two particular factors will go against him: A PDP-led coalition will essentially prefer a State subject and Dr Kumar is from outside; Nobody would run the risk of making him CS in a Muslim-dominated State as he has a negative baggage from the communal strife of 2008 attached to him”, said a Cabinet Minister about Dr Kumar.

The second in the row, Dr Kumar’s wife and 1979 IAS batch-mate, Sonali Kumar, has less than three months to her superannuation. She is currently posted as Chairperson of Jammu and Kashmir Special Tribunal. A network of the State bureaucrats promoted by Mr Khandey is calling the shots even after his retirement and this lobby has been virulently against Mr and Mrs Kumar for over a decade.

The third in the row and the 1980-batck IAS officer, Ashok Kumar Angurana, has only 8 months of his active service and would not ordinarily prefer to return to his State as he is already posted as Secretary (Panchayati Raj Institutions) in the Government of India.

The fourth seniormost State bureaucrat and 1982-batch IAS officer, Khursheed Ahmad Ganai, is apparently a hard contender but he is due to retire from active service on October 31, 2015. Besides, Chief Minister Mufti has not favoured him for Chairmanship of the prestigious Public Service Commission. Currently posted as Financial Commissioner Industries, Mr Ganai would have to be appointed as DG IMPA in case Cabinet decides to pick up his junior for the seniormost position of Chief Secretary.

Sources revealed that a top government functionary was likely to take the opposition parties NC and Congress on board for Mr Sharma’s appointment. However, nobody by this evening had established contact with the opposition. While the NC President Omar Abdullah’s phone was continuously switched off, Congress legislature party leader Nawang Rigzin Jora did not respond to calls from this newspaper.

President of J&K Pradesh Congress Committee and former Minister Ghulam Ahmad Mir, told STATE TIMES that his party would not oppose B.R. Sharma’s appointment as CS. “He has been undoubtedly the most non-controversial and non-aligned IAS officer and popular equally among all political parties. Besides, he is the only one in the lot who has about five years of service left to his retirement. His being a son of the soil and a resident of Jammu will also go to his advantage”, Mir asserted.

“Seniority is a qualification but a couple of Mr Sharma’s seniors have been pretty controversial. It will be difficult for any government to pick them up for the post of CS. But if the PDP-BJP government goes by the seniority alone, we won’t object”, Mir added. He said that “seniority and suitability” is an indispensable combination in the selection of senior officers like CS and DGP. “Someone who has just a few months to retire, doesn’t take much interest in implementation of the government directions. One seldom delivers at the fag end of service”, Mir said.

A senior NC leader, who wished to remain unidentified, pointed out that even when C Phonsog and B.R. Kundal were appointed as Chief Secretary by the former PDP-Congress government, “suitability” had prevailed over seniority.

That all decks have been cleared for Mr Sharma’s appointment as CS was clear on Sunday evening from the fact that, unlike on August 21, he was not appointed as Cabinet Secretary for Monday’s meeting.

Top level sources in the government told STATE TIMES that Commissioner-Secretary General Administration Department, Gazanfer Hussain, would function as Cabinet Secretary in tomorrow’s meeting. “This is a clear indication that Mr Sharma is the coalition government’s choice by consensus”, said a senior government functionary. “Someone, whose appointment or elevation is to be considered by the Cabinet, can’t attend that particular meeting as Cabinet Secretary”.

In absence of Mr Khandey, Mr Sharma had attended the August 21 meeting as Cabinet Secretary.

END