Srinagar, May 19: Senior National Conference leader and former deputy speaker assembly Nazir Ahmad Gurezi Sunday sought the help of Governor Satya Pal Malik and Director General Police Dilbagh Singh for tracing the missing Bandipora teacher.

In a statement issued to media, Gurezi urged Governor Satya Pal Malik and Director General Police Dilbagh Singh to help trace the missing teacher Mushtaq Ahmad Lone.

As reported already Mushtaq Ahmad Lone son of Abdul Rehman Lone resident of Bandipora a teacher by profession went missing on May 13 this year when he was returning from Government High School Chuntimulla Gurez to his home. A missing report was filed with the local police station but the missing teacher has not returned home yet.

Srinagar, May 19: Private Schools’ Association of Jammu and Kashmir (PSAJK) has welcomed the government step to allow schools to conduct class 8 examinations instead of SIE (State Institute of Education) and DIET (District Institute of Education and Training).

The Association while welcoming yesterday’s statement of Advisor Khurshid Ahmad Ganai at Baramulla has termed it as a good omen for the education sector. The Advisor Ganai had at Baramulla announced that schools have been entrusted to conduct the annual examinations from current academic session that were previously conducted by SIE and DIET. “This is one of the biggest news for education sector in recent times. Earlier the centralised examination conducted by SIE and DIET had become worthless and loss its relevance due to host of problems. Markings were biased, element of corruption had crept in, no truthful evaluation of children could take place,” said G N Var chairman PSAJK. “Now the entire system will get streamlined.”

The Association termed it as an academically viable decision which will ensure every child is assessed properly. “The earlier examinations were sheer wastage of time and resources. The schedule would often clash with interests of schools and the situation on ground. There would be frequent postponements of papers and even after exams the time would be wasted in checking, evaluation etc. Now schools can conduct exams as per their convenience and declare results accordingly without wasting any time. Schools don’t have to wait for SIE date sheet,” said Var. “Secondly there is a huge learning gap between children of private schools and government schools. The single exam was unable to do justice with their evaluation. Under new system there would be fair evaluation as schools would self assess the performance of their students. We will achieve the objectives of Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation.”

The association said that it will also eliminate corruption. “There were reports of fudging of marks and manipulation by few vested interests. The government would end up with unreliable data about students thus hampering its long term planning. Now that thing will be eliminated and system will have hassle free and transparent evaluation. It will also reduce the school dropout rate,” said Var. “The new system will make education sector to be at par with the other states in terms of conducting of examinations of class 8.”

The Association said that another benefit of the new government order will be that SIE and DIET will be freed of the huge work of conducting examinations. From now on they will work towards teacher training programme which is their original mandate and hep in propagating quality teaching.

Srinagar, May 17: Hailing Pakistan for its goodwill gesture of releasing Indian prisoners, Jammu Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (JKDFP) has said that the largest democracy of the world must also release Kashmiri political prisoners before EID so that they can celebrate the festival with their nears and dears.
The Freedom Party Spokesperson said in a statement that Pakistan government has exhibited maturity by its goodwill gesture and set an example to follow.
In a statement issued here, JKDFP Spokesperson praised the resolve and unflinching stance of its incarcerated chief, Shabir Shah towards the long standing Kashmir dispute, saying Shabir Shah despite his serious ailments is bravely resisting the hardships of Tihar jail.
“Shabir Shah is in his 32 year of imprisonment for advocating the right to self-determination of the people of Jammu Kashmir. The people of Kashmir have also time and again acknowledged the unmatched sacrifices of Shabir Shah,” the spokesperson said.
The Spokesperson expressed serious concern over the pathetic condition Kashmiri political prisoners are made to face in and outside the state jails especially in Tihar Jail. He said that despite being political prisoners they are denied every right guaranteed in the jail manual. Revengeful attitude of the rulers has crossed every limit of heartlessness and insensitivity.
JKDFP said that slow and humiliating judicial process has already ruined the lives of so many young Kashmiri innocents who were arrested on factious cases and are yet to be augmented with the documentary evidence of their so called crimes.
New Delhi is prolonging the imprisonment of Shabir Shah, Mohammad Yasin Malik, Peer Saifullah, Altaf Ahamad Shah, Ayaz Akbar, Raja Meraj-ud-Din Kalwal, Nayeem Ahamad Khan, Shahid-ul-Islam, Farooq Ahamad Dar, Shahid Yousaf, Syed Shakeel Ahmad, businessman Zahoor Ahamad Watali, Asia Andrabi, Fahmeedah Sofi, Naheedah Nasreen and other political prisoners languishing in Tihar jail Delhi.
JKDFP said that it is unfortunate that the Hurriyat leaders are treated like criminals in jails which have been turned into worst interrogation centres. Hailing the uncompromising courage and dedication and undented commitment with the movement, JKDFP said that our political prisoners including, Shabir Shah, Dr. Mohammad Qasim, Dr. Shafi Sharyati, Dr. Gh. Mohammad Bhat, Masarat Aalam Bhat, Muzuffar Ahmad Dar, Talib Hussain, Ghulam Qadir Bhat, Mohammad Ayoub Dar, Mohammad Ayoub Mir and others are the torch bearers of the movement.
The JKDFP Spokesperson hailed the resolve of Javaid Khan who is languishing in Tihar jail since last 24years. He said that Mirza Nisar, Latif Ahmed Waza, Ali Mohammad Bhat and Abdul Gani Ghoni are also praise worthy who are facing hardships since last 24 years in Jaipur and other jails.
JKDFP appealed United Nations Human Rights Commission, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and International Red cross to monitor and see the pathetic and inhuman treatment meted out to Kashmiri political prisoners and pressurize India to stop its inhuman and undemocratic attitude towards these political prisoners.