For J&K youth,Omar promises 50,000 jobs

“While the Prime Minister has constituted the C. Rangarajan Committee to address the employment problem in Jammu and Kashmir,on the occasion of the holy days of Ramzan,I announce that the state government will engage 50,000 youth in the government within the next few months to improve the public delivery system in public services,” he said.

The Chief Minister welcomed the PM’s statement in the all-party meeting recently that he was willing to consider autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir within the Constitution,and welcomed the Government of India’s recognition of the fact that the accession of the state to India had taken place under unique circumstances.

“This is a historic opportunity for us and we must take advantage of it,” he said,and appealed to separatist leaders to “come to the table for talks and play their role in solving the Kashmir issue”.

Expressing deep sorrow over the large number of civilian deaths in firing by the police and security forces,the CM said,“My heart bleeds,and in their hour of grief,I am with the bereaved families whose dear ones have lost their lives… The victims of unfortunate events are my own brothers and sons and I am in gloom.”

Hurriyat faction’s shutdown schedule

SRINAGAR: Already under shutdown for the last 65 days,the hardline Hurriyat faction on Saturday issued a new 21-day calendar for the Valley,with programmes for shutdowns,marches and sit-ins. Only four days of relaxation have been scheduled across the three weeks.

According to the calendar,there will be no strikes on August 21,August 29 and September 3 and 4. However,chief of the Hurriyat Syed Ali Geelani said he will modify the calendar on Sunday. “We need to consult more people on the calendar. We will modify it,” Geelani said from his hospital bed in Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences.

In the past two months,Hurriyat’s hardline faction has been issuing weekly hartal programmes to prolong their agitation against New Delhi. Geelani has,however,called for a complete strike on Independence Day. “People should protest against India’s rule on the day,” he said. “We should make the world aware that Kashmiris are waging a peaceful struggle for the realisation of their right to self-determination.”

ENS