Surjeet Singh home after 30 years, says he was a spy

 
After more than 30 years of incarceration in Pakistan, Surjeet Singh returned home Thursday to a tumultuous and teary welcome from family and friends and promptly admitted that he had indeed been sent to spy for India. 

Held in Pakistan on spying charges in the early 1980s, Surjeet, 69, was released from Lahore's Kot Lakhpat jail early Thursday and made the road journey to Wagah, on the Pakistan side of the border, before entering his homeland. 

"I was a RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) agent. No one bothered about me after I got arrested. Don't ask me too much...," Surjeet told reporters soon after stepping on Indian soil.

He was garlanded and hugged by family members and fellow villagers from Phidde in Ferozepur district. Dozens of camera crews and media persons jostled with each other to capture the moment.

The crowds were so frenetic that Surjeet, who completed his life term in 2005, couldn't even meet his wife Harbans Kaur. They were taken to Amritsar, where the family offered prayers at Harmandar Sahib, the holiest of Sikh shrines, in separate vehicles.

Smiling and waving to family members, friends and supporters, a tired but beaming Surjeet thanked Pakistani border officials as he walked across the zero line at the international border. 

"I am very happy to return after 30 years and meet my children and family," he said. 

"Indian prisoners are treated well in Pakistan jails. Sarabjit Singh is also doing well there. I met him recently though I couldn't meet him today before leaving. He has sent no message with me. Leave it to me, I will get him released... Please don't ask anything more," Surjeet said, referring to Sarabjit Singh, also from Punjab who has been in Kot Lakhpat jail.

Downplaying the confusion over the release, he said: "In Urdu, the way they write Sarabjit and Surjeet is almost the same. This led to the confusion. Otherwise, everyone knew that the matter was regarding my release only.

"I will never return to Pakistan again," Surjeet, with a grey flowing beard, told reporters in Punjabi, his head and finger indicating a firm "no" gesture.

"I was arrested earlier for spying charges. If I return again, the security agencies might suspect that I have come for spying again." 

Surjeet said prisoners on both sides of the border should be released by the respective governments.

"I was treated well by prison officials and I am thankful to them," he said.

Dressed in a white kurta-pyjama and black turban and carrying two bags, Surjeet had been brought to the Wagah border on the Pakistan side in a prison van. 

Though he had been freed, his left hand was in handcuffs. The accompanying policemen got down with him but did not open the handcuffs immediately even as he smiled and hugged his lawyer. 

Once the formalities were completed, he crossed to the Attari side of the joint border checkpost, about 30 km from Amritsar, where his family and friends waited excitedly to meet him. 

His son Kulwinder, holding a box of sweets, couldn't hold back his tears. The family had given up hope of seeing him again, presuming him to be dead after he went missing near the border in Ferozepur sector in 1982. 

"I was only two-three years old when he went missing. This is the biggest day of my life," said Kulwinder.

Surjeet's release came in the midst of the controversy and flip-flop over the release of Sarabjit Singh. 

The Pakistan side was Tuesday widely reported to have announced that Sarabjit, who is facing death penalty on terrorism charges, would be released after his death sentence was commuted by Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari. 

In an apparent flip, this was retracted later at night with the government clarifying that it was not Sarabjit but Surjeet who was being freed.

NRI Kidnap Case

Charge sheet against six accused filed in court
Police adds sections of robbery, wrongful confinement, forgery in NRI kidnap case

Chandigarh, June 27
The UT police today filed a charge sheet in the NRI kidnapping-for-ransom case, that was registered on April 10. The charge sheet was filed against six accused and the police added sections of robbery, wrongful confinement, receiving stolen property and forgery in the charge sheet after completing investigations.
The charge sheet was been filed in court under Sections 364-A, 341, 342, 397, 411, 468, 471, 473 and 474 of the IPC.
Navneet Singh Chatha, a Canada-based NRI, was kidnapped for a ransom of Rs 1 crore on April 10. A team of the crime branch of the UT police had rescued him following an extensive operation at Darua village in Kurukshetra.
The NRI's brother in Canada had received a ransom call, demanding Rs 1 crore. The police laid a trap and arrested the six accused who kidnapped the NRI.
The kidnappers fired shots at the police and the police had to open fire. The charge sheet was filed against Pradeep Malik, Nitin, Sanjeev Kumar, alias Soni, Sukhdev, Anil Kumar and Ajit Singh. While Pradeep fired shots at the police, Soni was the owner of the farmhouse where the victim was confined.
Of the six accused, Anil Kumar had three cases of murder registered against him and was a proclaimed offender with the Haryana Police. As per the charge sheet, the police had recovered Rs 12.5 lakh, 300 Canadian dollars, the Honda Accord car of the victim, a Swift Desire car robbed from a person in Panchkula and two mobile phones.
An investigating officer said the NRI was robbed of his purse and belongings at gunpoint in confinement, following which the police added sections of robbery with attempt-to-murder under Section 397 of the IPC.
The Swift Desire car used in the crime was stolen from Panchkula and an FIR in this regard had been registered there. The police had recovered a fake registration certificate of the car and added sections of forgery in the charge sheet.

the case Navneet Singh Chatha was kidnapped for a ransom of Rs 1 crore on April 10. A police team rescued him following an extensive operation.

Relative throws 7 of family into canal; 6 feared drowned



A police official and villagers at the crime spot

Khamano June 27
In a shocking incident, a relative allegedly pushed seven members of a family into the Bhakra canal near Thablan village at different times since yesterday to grab the money the family got after the sale of their land in Sangrur district. While six of them are feared drowned, 35-year-old Jasmin Kaur managed to save herself and brought the matter to light.
The victims have been identified as Gurmel Singh (65), his wife Paramjit Kaur, son Gurinder Singh (33), son-in law Rupinder Singh (36), and grandchildren Jaskirat Singh(4) and Simarpreet Kaur (6). The family belonged to Mukandpur village in Ludhiana district.
The accused, Khushwinder Singh, is a close relative of former police havildar Gurmel Singh. He is a resident of Suhavi village in the subdivision and runs a photocopy business at the Fatehgarh Sahib court.
In her statement to the police, Jasmin alleged: "Khushwinder had promised to send Gurmel and his family members abroad. He first brought four family members on the banks of the canal yesterday morning to please divine powers. When they sat near the canal on his directions, he pushed them into the water body.
"Last night, Khushwinder picked up the remaining members and reached the canal bridge. He pushed them into the canal and escaped at around 9 pm. I managed to swim out".
Kuldip Singh, a nephew of Gurmel, who was present at the site with other villagers, said they were looking for the bodies. Several police officials and fingerprint experts reached at the site.
SSP Mandeep Singh Sidhu said the accused had been arrested. The police had recovered the car used in the crime and Rs 36.70 lakh from his custody, he said, adding that divers had been pressed into service to locate the victims.

Bill C-31: Past wrongs and present-day injustices

Japanese Canadians being relocated to camps in the interior of British Columbia after the outbreak of World War II.

Canada is a country of contradiction. On the one hand, it has an international reputation as one of the world’s most compassionate and humanitarian countries. On the other, Canada is tainted by historical injustices committed by the Canadian government against specific groups simply because of who they were, not what they did.

That contradiction has from time to time manifested itself in this country’s treatment of immigrants, refugees and Canadians of racial minority descent, both past and present. To its credit, the Canadian government has apologized and redressed many of these past wrongs. But has it learned the lessons of history? Apparently not.

Before the House of Commons is the proposed Bill C-31 — an omnibus bill on Canada’s refugee system. If passed, the bill has the potential to inflict untold pain and injustice on a whole new generation of asylum seekers.

Bill C-31 gives the government the power to detain refugees — including women and children — with no judicial oversight. It discriminates against asylum seekers based on their country of origin by allowing the minister to designate so-called “safe countries” and to deny refugees from those nations the right to appeal. Above all, the bill empowers the minister to deport legitimate refugees — even after they have become permanent residents — simply on the minister’s say-so that they will not face danger if returned to their home country.

Not only does this bill run contrary to the tradition of humanitarianism so many Canadians are proud of, it returns Canada to the days when racism and xenophobia were part of our official immigration policy.

Our history is replete with such examples of discrimination. Among the first to suffer from legally sanctioned racism were Chinese immigrants, who were subject first to a head tax and then to an immigration exclusion act, the sole purpose of both being to restrict and exclude people of Chinese descent.

During World War II, Japanese Canadians became refugees in their own country, declared personae non gratae by their own government. More than 22,000 Canadians of Japanese descent were sent to internment camps, and 4,000 more were deported to Japan, a country most of them had never set foot in.

Canadians also stood by while our government turned away Jews fleeing Nazi persecution because, in the words of an immigration officer, when it comes to Jews, “none is too many.”

A mere three decades later, the generosity of Canadians and our country finally shone. Collectively, Canadians put out our welcome mat for boatloads of Indochinese refugees. The then Progressive Conservative government of Joe Clark initiated a program to accept every Vietnamese refugee who arrived through private sponsorship. Canada has been enriched by these refugees-turned-citizens, who became an important part of the Canadian fabric and made significant contributions to the building of our nation.

Like canaries in the coal mine, conscientious and fair-minded Canadians are beginning to sense the toxins that are poisoning our country. They are beginning to question the fear-mongering and demonizing of the desperate people who are knocking on our door as they escape from global environmental, economic and political devastation.

By instilling fear instead of promoting compassion, Bill C-31 asks Canadians to turn our backs on those who need our assistance, and to forgo our core values as a just and open society. This is a bill that all fair-minded Canadians should reject.

Our government certainly has the right to design a refugee-determination system that would screen out illegitimate claims. But such a system must be tempered with compassion for asylum seekers and respect for the Charter of Rights and international law.

The government achieved that balance when it reached a compromise with the opposition parties to pass Bill C-11, the Balanced Refugee Reform Act, which gives all claimants the right to appeal while granting the government tools to speed up not-so-meritorious claims. Bill C-31, on the other hand, is overkill.

Let’s not forget that, aside from the aboriginal peoples, we are all immigrants and refugees, or their descendants.

Canadians deserve a balanced and compassionate approach to our immigration and refugee system. Let’s not repeat our historical wrongs. Let’s stop Bill C-31.

Pak confusion: Sarabjit stays in jail

Zardari’s spokesman clarifies: It’s Surjeet who will be set free

Islamabad/Chandigarh, June 26
Hours after reports emerged that Pakistan was to free Indian death row prisoner Sarabjit Singh, the presidential spokesman clarified that authorities had taken steps for the release of another Indian prisoner named Surjeet Singh who has been jailed for three decades.
“I think there is some confusion. First, it is not a case of pardon. More importantly, it is not Sarabjit. It is Surjeet Singh, son of Sucha Singh. His death sentence was commuted in 1989 by President (Ghulam) Ishaq (Khan) on the advice of (then premier) Benazir Bhutto,” presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar said.
Law Minister Farooq Naek today conveyed to the Interior Ministry that Surjeet Singh had completed his life term in jail and ought to be released and sent back to India, Babar said. “Keeping him in jail any longer will be illegal confinement,” he added.
Any references to President Asif Ali Zardari in the entire matter were “out of context,” the presidential spokesman said.
Surjeet Singh, currently being held in Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore, has been in Pakistani captivity for over 30 years.
He was captured near the border with India on charges of spying during the era of military ruler Zia-ul-Haq.
Earlier in the day, Pakistani news channels had reported that President Zardari had converted Sarabjit Singh's death sentence to life imprisonment and directed authorities to release him if he had completed his prison term.
Sarabjit was sentenced to death on September 15, 1991 on charge of involvement in three blasts in Lahore and one in Multan in which 14 persons were killed. As the news of the presidential order became known, the media in Lahore flocked to the jail, hoping to see Sarabjit walk a free man.
Four of Sarabjit’s clemency petitions had been turned down earlier. Determined to see her brother walk free, Sarabjit’s sister Dalbir Kaur had sent an appeal to President Zardari during his visit to India in April. Official sources too had said that steps had been initiated for Sarabjit's release.
In New Delhi, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna had thanked Zardari for the steps purportedly taken for Sarabjit's release.
Sarabjit, 49, too is currently being held at Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore and has been on death row for over 20 years.
Though Sarabjit was set to be hanged in 2008, Pakistani authorities put off his execution indefinitely after former premier Yousuf Raza Gilani intervened.
His family maintains he wandered across the border in an inebriated condition and was arrested by Pakistani authorities.

22-year ordeal continues
August 1990: Sarabjit crosses over to Pak near Kasur. Arrested, charged with involvement in serial blasts in Lahore & Multan in 1990 that left 14 dead

1991: Awarded death sentence by anti-terror court

March 2006: Pak Supreme Court rejects Sarabjit's mercy petition, upholds death sentence

March 2008: Ex-president Pervez Musharraf rejects Sarabjit's mercy petition May 2012 Sarabjit files fresh mercy plea, accepted by President Zardari

June 26: News reports emerge that Sarabjit Singh's death sentence has been commuted, to be freed. Past midnight, Pak clarifies that prisoner to be released is Surjeet Singh, who was pardoned in 1989, not Sarabjit.

Another corruption case against Congress minister

 Virbhadra Singh

Union Minster Virbhadra quits as a corruption charges framed by a Shimla Court

New Delhi, June 26
A day after a Shimla court ordered that charges be framed against him in a corruption case, Union minister Virbhadra Singh resigned from the Cabinet today, putting a question mark on his political future in his home state Himachal Pradesh where he is seeking a sixth term as chief minister in the year-end assembly polls.

Virbhadra Singh is the third minister in the UPA II government to have quit on corruption charges, the other two being A Raja and Dayanidhi Maran.

The 78-year-old veteran Congress leader submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at his residence this afternoon. “I have resigned on moral grounds. Nobody asked me to quit, but I did not want to embarrass my party, the PM or the government,” Virbhadra said after his meeting with the PM. He had also met Congress president Sonia Gandhi last evening. The PM accepted the minister’s resignation and forwarded it to President Pratibha Patil shortly after it was submitted.

Congress sources said since Virbhadra had moved the High Court, the party leadership had decided to wait for the judicial process to be completed before taking a view on his resignation. It also did not want any controversy to mar the ongoing Presidential election.

Virbhadra’s aides maintained it was the senior leader’s personal decision to put in his papers. Since Himachal Pradesh is headed for Assembly polls later this year, the former CM felt it was a better option to pitch his tent there to focus his energies on waging a political battle against the BJP-led government.

The resignation was also meant to take the sting out of the opposition’s campaign against the senior Congress leader. Virbhadra has repeatedly refuted the charges framed against him, describing them as “concocted” and a conspiracy by the BJP Chief Minister P K Dhumal who, according to him, “was the biggest liar in Himachal Pradesh.” The former CM was also at pains to state that his resignation should not be taken as an admission of guilt. On the contrary, he was preparing to battle it out till the bitter end.

“I have handled several portfolios in the last 50 years but nobody has questioned my integrity,” Virbhadra said. Congress leaders admitted the court decision and Virbhadra’s Singh’s resignation had pushed the party on the defensive on the issue of corruption.

Swedish reporter Lena Pettersson reimbursed for sitting next to dead man on Kenya Airways flight

It's one thing to have a fellow airline passenger fall asleep and drool on your shoulder, but quite another to have him die and sit next to you throughout your flight.

That's exactly what happened to Swedish reporter Lena Pettersson on a recent Kenya Airways flight from Europe to Tanzania.

When Pettersson boarded her plane at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport, she couldn't help noticing her co-passenger was in rough shape.

"He was sweating and was having convulsions," she told Sveriges Radio, the state broadcaster for whom she works. Regardless, the plane took off as scheduled.

It wasn't long after liftoff that the passenger's condition worsened. The crew put out a call for medical help and eventually was forced to give the man cardiac massage, but it didn't help. The passenger had died in his seat. The Kenyan crew, unsure of protocol, covered the man and laid him across three seats next to Pettersson until the plane landed hours later.

The airline did reimburse Pettersson for being subjected the macabre incident, but only after months of e-mail exchanges. Eventually she got $713, about half the cost of her ticket.

"This feels much better," she said. "It's reasonable. Of course it was unpleasant, but I am not a person who makes a fuss."

Death at 35,000 feet isn't terribly uncommon. Last September a man choked to death on an in-flight meal during an 11-hour trip from Singapore to Auckland. Passengers were given only $100 travel vouchers for their troubles.

Elliot Lake mall collapse claims one life, fears for 30 more still missing

Debris is removed as rescue workers continue attempts to secure the building before searching for any survivors at the site of the collapsed roof of the Algo Centre Mall in Elliot Lake, Ont., on Monday.

ELLIOT LAKE, Ont. — Officials have confirmed at least one person has died and 30 others are now unaccounted for after a roof collapsed at a shopping mall in Elliot Lake, Ont.

Rescuers said earlier today that tapping sounds had been heard coming from under the rubble at the Algo Centre Mall around 4 a.m., but residents of the small northern city are expressing grave concern for the fate of those still unaccounted for in the wake of Saturday’s tragic events.

As crews worked around the clock to stabilize the scene and make it safe enough for search and rescue teams to go in today, provincial police said images of the partially collapsed car park roof showed a hand and a foot in the dusty debris.

Bill Needles, a spokesman from the Heavy Urban Search and Rescue team which travelled from Toronto, said the structure and the escalator in the area where the roof collapsed is still shifting.

“It’s still very unstable, very unsafe. We still need to be careful with every move we make.”

Needles added that rescuers are now focusing their efforts on the area where the tapping was heard, and a person is believed trapped.

“This morning around 4 o’clock, the OPP utilized the piece of equipment that they have to again determine that there was signs of life from the one same locations that we had indicated yesterday. And again we’re still diligently working as fast we can towards that person.

“Unfortunately, we’ve got a setback, in that the structure after some of the weight had been removed, from some of the other parts had fallen.. It’s still shifting. It’s become more unstable for us.

“We’ve had to remove our crews to reassess our entry point,” Needles said, adding: “It’s not to say that we have stopped working. We have now gone back to the other avenue from the north to now come back from that entrance, to now start shoring and putting up posts and supporting the roof above, to keep moving towards that void where the person was located this morning.

“We’re still scared, it even has the potential of falling down. We put on some tactile equipment to assess how much movement. It’s still very unstable, still very unsafe, and we have to be careful with every move that we make.”

“We are still moving forward with that rescue… To give you a time frame, I just can’t do that. because now we’re reassessing the whole operation. Moving forward in what is now a different direction. So I don’t have a time frame on when we will be able to make contact.”

The collapsed roof of the Algo Centre Mall is seen from a nearby hill in Elliot Lake, Ont. on Sunday June 24, 2012.

Amateur video of the aftermath of the Elliot Lake mall roof collapse

 Asource who has been briefed on the recovery effort said this morning that rescuers still believe as many as three people could be trapped alive inside the mall’s wreckage. Authorities don’t know how many casualties there could be beyond the one confirmed death.

“The truth is no one has a handle on how bad it could be,” said the official, who requested anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly.

Late Sunday night, police said there were still nine names on the list of those unaccounted for. That figure rose to 30 early Monday afternoon.

Ontario Provincial Police Insp. Percy Jollymore noted that the number had been fluctuating with some names being taken off the list, and others added.

“It is difficult to determine who was a casual customer or visitor to the mall,” Jollymore said Monday afternoon. “We have been maintaining a list of individuals and we have been encouraging people to call in. We went through the staffing of the mall, who was working, and who we thought would be there, the vehicles parked in the mall, that type of thing.”

Jollymore claimed the missing list had been fluctuating up and down: “Last night  the list shortened to about 3 or 4. But overnight it has grown again with people calling in worried about people they hadn’t been in touch with. So, the list was in the high 30s. But I caution, it goes up and down, and as you can imagine, difficult to determine who was a casual customer or visitor to the mall at the time of the collapse. We continue along those lines.”

The roof came down with a thunderous crash just before 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, injuring at least 22 people.

Rescue workers cut timber as attempts continue to secure the building before searching for any survivors at the site of the collapsed roof of the Algo Centre Mall in Elliot Lake, Ontario on Monday June 25, 2012.

Mayor Rick Hamilton told the National Post Monday that people are praying there is a positive outcome.

“We have an expert crew in there. They’re doing a fantastic job. They’re working as quickly and safely as possible. And I would certainly like to commend them on their efforts thus far.”

Hamilton said he couldn’t comment on complaints from residents about mall leaks and suggestions that repairs were needed before the collapse

“The Ministry of Labour is on site, and they will be doing a full investigation. At that point, we will be able to comment and react accordingly. “

Heather Richer owns a restaurant in the mall and was at work when it happened.

“I’m hoping everyone’s found, but I’m giving up hope on whether they’re going to find them alive,” she said Sunday.

Bianka Manning, a teacher from the local French high school V.F.J., said she feared a former high school classmate may be trapped among the wreckage.

Manning said her friend worked at the mall’s lottery kiosk, but she didn’t know if she was inside the mall when the roof caved in.

Manning and two of her students spent all of Sunday night sitting outside the mall wrapped in blankets, waiting for news.

“She might be alone in there, but she wasn’t alone all night,” said Manning, 36. “Somebody was with her — maybe not in there, but we’re out here for her.”

Manning said her friend used to come in to the school to do mock interviews for students in civics class.

A woman checks out the damage after a roof collapsed at the Algo Centre Mall in Elliot Lake, Ont., Saturday, June 23, 2012. 

Several candles were lit in front of the mall early this morning.

“We’re the uranium capital, so they say when you’re from Elliot Lake, you glow in the dark,” said Manning. “Hopefully someone’s glowing in there and they’ll find them.”

“Everybody’s blaming everybody, but really, who cares? I’m more concerned about who’s in there and how are they going to get out of there safely,” she said.

The two-storey centre, which was built in the early ’80s, underwent a structural study in May and received a passing grade, said a source with Eastwood Mall Inc., which owns the mall.

Work was being done on the roof before the collapse to prevent leaks, but no “substantial renovations” were underway, the source said.

Some irate city residents, however, insisted the building was much in need of repairs.

“The mall’s always had leaks (and) roof damage,” said Jean-Marc Hayward, who was in the mall at the time of the collapse.

The ceiling of the mall always dripped when it rained, he said.

The northern city, once an Ontario mining hub, is located about 160 kilometres west of Sudbury.

Well wishers leave candles at a vigil as rescue workers continue attempts to secure the building before searching for any survivors at the site of the collapsed roof of the Algo Centre Mall in Elliot Lake, Ontario on Monday June 25, 2012.

4 dead, 30 wounded in weekend Chicago violence intensifying search for answers

CHICAGO - Two teenage boys - ages 13 and 14 - were among four people killed, and at least 30 others were wounded in shootings in Chicago over the weekend, CBS Chicago reports. The weekend incidents highlight a disturbing trend that makes the streets of the Windy City even deadlier than Kabul, Afghanistan.

By some accounts, rising murder rates have made Chicago more dangerous than a war zone: According to The Daily, homicide victims in Chicago outnumber U.S. troops killed in Afghanistan this year. 

While 144 Americans have died in Afghanistan in 2012, 228 Chicago residents have been killed. The murder rate is up 35 percent from last year, a rash of homicides that quadruples New York City's rate and doubles Los Angeles' rate.

Antonio Davis, 14, was gunned down during a drive-by shooting just before 9 p.m. Friday in Englewood, CBS Chicago reported. Tyquan Tyler, 13, also died in a gang-related incident after being shot in the chest at a party in a different Englewood neighborhood around 1:30 a.m. Sunday.

Two more people were fatally shot in other Chicago neighborhoods on Sunday: 29-year-old Hansen Jackson  was shot several times in the chest and later died at Mount Sinai Hospital,and 22-year-old Anthony Jones who was also shot and killed, according to a CBS Chicago report.

At least 30 others, including two other teenage boys, were reportedly wounded in shootings throughout the city. A 15-year-old and 14-year-old were taken in stable and fair condition, respectively, to a children's hospital following a shooting attack while they were playing basketball Saturday around 8:45 p.m.

Other victims include a man shot and two other hit by a vehicle in a suspected gang-related incident about 4 a.m. Saturday in front of the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, police said. Another man, 36, was shot in the arm in an unrelated incident and was taken in critical condition to a hospital.

Violence also struck one of the city's most popular areas, where the floats rode down the streets for the Gay Pride Parade on Sunday.

The city said street gangs are responsible for the bulk of the recent gun violence and announced this week that it will allow police to work overtime in order to put more officers on the street, according to The Daily.

"Just look at what's been happening every single weekend," Vice President of Chicago's Fraternal Order of Police Daniel Gorman told The Daily. "Although we appreciate the overtime, we still can't ignore that we've got a manpower crisis, and the recent violence in the city is proof of that crisis."

But highly publicized accounts of the recent murders, shootings and gang activity have some police arguing that the media have blown Chicago's crime problem out of proportion. Police superintendent Garry McCarthy said Chicago is facing a "perception issue."

Though there have been 228 murders in the city so far this year, The Daily reported that Chicago's murder rate has actually fallen over the past several years - but not as fast as the rates in New York or Los Angeles.

"We have a lot of violence, but the fact is, we have to keep doing what we're doing, because the trend is actually turning," McCarthy told CBS Chicago over the weekend. "You would never know it, but the trend is actually turning. It's hard to tell that for somebody who hears gunfire."

Police to partner with CeaseFire on anti-violence pilot program

CeaseFire is expected to receive funding through the city’s Department of Public Health to target crime in two Chicago police districts under a pilot program. CeaseFire has received federal and state funding over the past decade but no money directly from the city.

Originally, CeaseFire was supposed to receive $1.5 million, but the figure could be lower now that it will operate in only two districts instead of three, as originally planned, sources told the Chicago Sun-Times.

The partnership was proposed after Chicago’s bloody Memorial Day weekend, druing which10 people were shot to death and the city’s homicide rate reached 200, a nearly 50 percent increase over the same period of 2011.

Through June 17, murders were up 38 percent compared to the same period last year.

According to sources, at a violence reduction meeting with federal and local officials last week, McCarthy expressed his discomfort at having to work with CeaseFire, which sends ex-felons into high-crime neighborhoods to “interrupt” potential violence.

Dr Cheema on Punjab Budget:Centre colluding with oil companies to loot common man

Debate on Punjab Budget:SAD includes small & marginal farmers in MNREGA
Chandigarh, June 25 : The Shiromani Akali Dal demanded recasting of the much publicized MNREGA scheme to help the small and marginal farmers to cover wages for labour on their own farms and urged the Centre government to adopt a pro farmer approach while formulating farm policies and promote agro based industry in the state to help the farmers in the state who have struggled a lot to make the country self sufficient in food grains.
The party also demanded a complete restructuring of the agricultural cost and price process by linking the MSP to the market forces or accepting Dr. Swaminathan formula of giving 50 percent profit over and above the investment incurred by the farmers. Initiating the discussion on the budget in Punjab Vidhan Sabha today, the SAD Secretary and Spokesman Dr. Daljit Singh Cheema said that to give more push to the much publicized MNREGA scheme in the states like Punjab it would be appropriate to increase the wages paid to the laborers and there is urgent need to cover the small and marginal farmers in the scheme as they are the worst sufferers of the wrong farm policies of the Centre. He said that the scheme could prove helpful to these poor farmers if they be included in the scheme and
provided monetary help to work in their own fields. This is must because the cost of labour is never counted while fixing MSP for various food grains. Demanding recasting of the system to decide the MSP of the food grains, he said that the hands of the Commission for Agriculture and Price are tied before empowering it to decide on the MSP of the
agriculture produce. He said that the Centre was hell bent on curtailing the subsidies on the DAP and other manures knowing well that this will further burden the debt ridden peasantry in the whole country. He pointed out that with the new policy of nutrient based subsidy started by the UPA government the cost of DAP has reached about Rs. 1230 per bag which was earlier less than Rs. 500. Similarly, he added that the unprecedented hike in the price of diesel has further added to escalation of input costs which are not being compensated with the present MSP. He said that new scheme of giving Rs. 2 lacs to the families of the farmers who committed suicide because of mounting debts will go a long way in soothing the wounds of the aggrieved families but to stop this practice the Union government will have to change its anti farmer policies. Lashing out at the Centre for colluding with the oil companies in looting the common man, Dr. Cheema said that the government is directly helping the oil companies in plundering the common man and skipping the review on June 16 for lowering the price of the petrol in light of reduction in the international prices was a clear evidence in the matter. He said that the government must lower the price of the petrol by Rs 5.46 per litre in as the price of the crude oil has fallen from $115.81 to $ 99.75 per barrel.

Sarabjit's death sentence commuted

Chandigarh, June 26 (babushahi.com bureau): In a significant development, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari changed the sentence of Sarabjit Singh to life in prison on Tuesday. The Law Ministry of Pakistan Govt. has sent a summary to the Interior Ministry for the immediate release of Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh. 
Sarabjit Singh had been sentenced to death after he was convicted for his involvement in the 1990 Multan and Lahore bomb attacks. He is currently imprisoned in the Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore. 
The family of Singh had appealed to President Zardari for his release during the president's visit to India. 

Badal hails release of Sarbjit Singh from Pak jail

Badal congratulates family of Sarbjit Singh 
Chandigarh 26 June (Babushahi.com Bureau): Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today hailed the release of Indian convict on death row Sarbjit Singh by the Pakistan Government. In a statement the Chief Minister profusely thanked the President of Pakistan for allowing his mercy petition. Badal said that this goodwill gesture would further boost the congenial ties between the two countries. He said the release of Sarbjit Singh would give further impetus to the on going Confidence Building measures between India and Pakistan for strengthening the bonds of friendship, amity, peace and brotherhood amongst the people of India and Pakistan. The Chief Minister also congratulated the family members especially the sister of Sarbjit Singh Sarbjit Kaur for mobilizing support for the release of her brother not within the country but in Pakistan also through making use of diplomatic channels besides people to people contact.

Arrest Capt. Amarinder in Power theft case:PPP

Manpreet Singh Badal

The Punjab Peoples Party (PPP) today demanded that the state government should register a case of power theft against former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh and arrest him in this case. The chief spokesperson of the party Bir Devinder Singh said here in a release that if news published in the various newspapers regarding RTI information was correct suggested than it was very serious matter and a non- bailable offence. He said Capt Singh should live such life which was ane example for others as he remained Chief Minister of the state fro full five years and now he was a MLA. It was astonishing matter to note that the seals of power meters were allegedly broken and some meters were dead, he added.

He also lashed upon the officials of Powercom and questioned that why they have not sent bills on teh basis of load and average. It was very serious matter and a high level inquiry should be initiated by the powercom officials, he demanded.

Arrest Amarinder for power theft: Bir Devinder Singh

Offenders of power theft should not go scot free: Bir Devinder

Patiala 25 June : Former deputy speaker of Punjab Bir Devinder Singh today demanded immediate arrest of former Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh for alleged gigantic power theft and blatant irregularities committed at Moti Bag, Patiala the residence of Amarinder Singh. In a statement issued here today Singh said, If the information obtained under the Right to Information Act, which appeared in the Punjabi Daily, is factually correct then a serious offence is made out against the offender the law of the land. He said that Amarinder Singh, who happened to be the Chief Minister of Punjab once and now MLA from Patiala besides being the President of the principal opposition party of Punjab, the congress, is expected to live by example. Such a colossal misuse of authority and committing grave offence of gigantic power theft should not go unobserved and unpunished. Offenders should not go scot free, no matter what public status or official authority they enjoy. They must be booked under the relevant provisions of the law, that deals with the power theft and other enormous irregularity they had committed, in utter disregard of the law of the land, sans their political position in the Indian polity, he added. He further added that the Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd apparently follow the dictates of the legendary Proverb, Law grinds the poor and the rich rule the law in latter and spirit. Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd. should either take immediate explicit action or supply domestic power free of cost, to all the consumers of the State, forthwith, he demanded . I wonder as to why Capt. Amarinder Singh has not responded to the media reports, so far and conspicuously refrained from joining the issue, who is otherwise in the habit of joining issues on the gaudy-gaudy things of no consequence, he said adding the general public of the state of Punjab is impatient to know his version of the alleged massive power theft being committed at his Patiala Moti Bag residence, as per the information supplied by the POWERCOM under the Right to Information Act.

Pranab Mukherjee behind ‘cover-up’ on Netaji’s air-crash, alleges book

NEW DELHI: A soon-to-be-published book claims that finance minister and UPA's presidential nominee Pranab Mukherjee was engaged in an elaborate "cover-up" on the last days of Azad Hind Fauj founder and national leader Subhas Chandra Bose.

Penned by former journalist Anuj Dhar, the book that is likely to hit the stands in July, dismisses the official version that Bose died in an air-crash in Taiwan in 1945. The book, India's Biggest Cover-Up, is based on records declassified by the US, British and Indian authorities and several documents that continue to be kept secret over 65 years after the incident.

Dhar says that Mukherjee, in his capacity as the foreign minister, went the extra mile to support the air-crash theory despite evidence negating it. Referring to an incident in 1996, Dhar says that the then joint secretary (JS) in the ministry of external affairs suggested in a secret note that India should issue a demarche to the Russian Federation that they should conduct a search for any evidence about Bose in the KGB archives.

The book says, Mukherjee saw this note and directed foreign secretary Salman Haider to meet the JS. After this meeting, the JS forgot about the demarche and became increasingly cynical and eventually noted that to seek access to the KGB archive would harm Indo-Russian relations. "Mukherjee remains India's foremost proponent of the Bose died in Taiwan theory,'' he writes.

Dhar also claims that in 1994 the MEA in response to a top secret home ministry query about the Japanese government's confirmation of Bose's death by way of furnishing a proper death certificate replied in negative since the Japanese records were obviously fake.

A decade later, Mukherjee was described in the Justice Mukherjee Commission of inquiry report as one of the seven witnesses who had testified before it in favour of the story of Bose's death. Ironically, Mukherjee returned to power in 2004, and then sat in judgment on the Commission report with his other Cabinet colleagues, rejecting the report's conclusions.

The author believes that there is enough circumstantial evidence to show that Bose was possibly in Russia after the crash, and between 1945 and 1990 the Indian government did not bother to ask the Russian authorities about it.

When asked what he believed actually happened if Bose did not die in 1945, Dhar said, "There is some evidence to suggest he died in Faizabad but the question can only be incontestably settled when government undertakes comprehensive declassification especially of those documents held by intelligence agencies."

200-yr-old shrine lost in fire in Kashmir

Relics of Pir Dastageer Sahab safe

Firefighters try to douse the fire that broke out at the
 Pir Dastageer Sahab shrine in Srinagar on Monday. 

SRINAGAR: More than two dozen people were injured in clashes with police in downtown Srinagar after a fire broke out in 200-year-old Peer Dastageer Sahib shrine at Khanyar. The fire, which started in the dome of the wooden shrine due to a short circuit at about 6.30am on Monday, soon engulfed the whole building. 

Angry locals took to the streets holding fire officials responsible for laxity in reaching the shrine and clashed with them, in which several firemen were also injured. 

"The fire tenders arrived late and they had no water. Because of their unpreparedness, the entire building was ablaze in a matter of minutes," said Riyaz Ahmad Bhat of Khanyar. 

The cause of the fire is being inquired into, said director general of fire and emergency GA Bhat. "But the protesting people damaged 22 department vehicles and burnt down one. They also damaged a sky lift which costs Rs 6 crore," he said. In all, 15 firemen were injured. 

Bhat denied any scarcity of water in fire tenders. "The people did not allow firemen to use water from the nearby Barinimbal canal," Bhat said. 

The Sufi shrine of Hazrat Shaikh Abdula Qadir Jeelani, popularly known as Peer Dastageer Sahib, is revered in the whole of Kashmir. Syed Khalid Hussain, the 'sajjada nasheen' (descendent of the peer) of Dastageer Sahib, said the holy relic and copies of holy Quran are safe in his custody. 

Soon after the news spread, people began pelting stones at passing vehicles in the city, forcing the authorities to restrict people's movement. The restrictions in turn triggered clashes between the youth and the police. Police and CRPF men used smoke shells and resorted to lathi charge to disperse the agitating mob. 

Muthaida Majlis-e-Ulema, the amalgam of various religious organizations, asked people to observe a shutdown on Tuesday to mourn the loss.

ਸਾਊਥਾਲ ਦਾ ਕਬੱਡੀ ਕੱਪ ਵੁਲਵਰਹੈਂਪਟਨ ਦੇ ਹਿੱਸੇ ਆਇਆ ਅਤੇ ਡਰਬੀ ਉੱਪ ਜੇਤੂ ਰਹੀ

1) ਵੁਲਵਰਹੈਂਪਟਨ ਦੀ ਟੀਮ ਜੇਤੂ ਕੱਪ ਨਾਲ ( 2) ਸਾਊਥਾਲ ਦੇ ਟੂਰਨਾਮੈਂਟ ਦਾ ਅਨੋਖਾ ਦ੍ਰਿਸ਼ ਲੈਸਟਰ ਕਬੱਡੀ ਟੀਮ ਦੇ ਖਿਡਾਰੀ ਸੁੱਖਾ ਮੋਢਿਆਂ 'ਤੇ ਕਵੈਂਟਰੀ ਦੀ ਟੀਮ ਦੇ ਖਿਡਾਰੀ ਨੂੰ ਲਿਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੋਇਆ    (3) ਸਾਬਕਾ ਖਿਡਾਰੀਆਂ ਦਾ ਸਨਮਾਨ ਕਰਦੇ ਹੋਏ ਪ੍ਰਬੰਧਕ  (4) ਮੁੱਖ ਮਹਿਮਾਨ ਸ. ਗੁਰਮੇਲ ਸਿੰਘ ਮੱਲ੍ਹੀ, ਸ. ਰਵਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਪਵਾਰ, ਸ. ਸੁਰਜੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਬਿਲਗਾ ਤੇ ਹੋਰ।

ਲੰਡਨ, 25 ਜੂਨ - ਸਾਊਥਾਲ ਕਬੱਡੀ ਟੂਰਨਾਮੈਂਟ ਸਿਆਸੀ ਕਿੜਾਂ ਕੱਢਦਾ ਹੋਇਆ, ਮੀਂਹ ਤੋਂ ਬਚਦਾ ਬਚਾਉਂਦਾ ਆਖਰ ਸਿਰੇ ਲੱਗ ਹੀ ਗਿਆ, ਹਜ਼ਾਰਾਂ ਦਰਸ਼ਕਾਂ ਦਾ ਇਕੱਠ ਇਸ ਗੱਲ ਦੀ ਗਵਾਹੀ ਭਰਦਾ ਸੀ ਕਿ ਸਾਊਥਾਲ ਸੱਚ ਮੁੱਚ ਹੀ ਮਿੰਨੀ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਹੈ। ਗਰਾਊਂਡ ਦੀਆਂ ਚਾਰੇ ਬਾਹੀਆਂ ਖਚਾਖਚ ਭਰੀਆਂ ਹੋਈਆਂ ਸਨ। ਇਸ ਮੌਕੇ ਸਥਾਨਿਕ ਐਮ ਪੀ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਵਰਿੰਦਰ ਸ਼ਰਮਾ, ਐਮ ਪੀ ਸੀਮਾ ਮਲਹੋਤਰਾ, ਡਾ. ਉਂਕਾਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਸਹੋਤਾ, ਈਲਿੰਗ ਦੇ ਮੇਅਰ ਮੁਹੰਮਦ ਅਸਲਮ, ਹੰਸਲੋ ਦੇ ਮੇਅਰ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਮ ਸਿੰਘ ਗਰੇਵਾਲ, ਸਿੰਘ ਸਭਾ ਦੇ ਪ੍ਰਧਾਨ ਹਿੰਮਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਸੋਹੀ, ਸ਼ੇਰ ਗਰੁੱਪ ਦੇ ਚੇਅਰਮੈਨ ਸ. ਗੁਰਮੇਲ ਸਿੰਘ ਮੱਲ੍ਹੀ ਮੁੱਖ ਮਹਿਮਾਨ ਦੇ ਤੌਰ 'ਤੇ ਸ਼ਾਮਿਲ ਹੋਏ, ਕਬੱਡੀ ਕਲੱਬ ਦੇ ਪ੍ਰਧਾਨ ਪ੍ਰਮਜੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਰੰਧਾਵਾ, ਕੁਲਵੀਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਵਿਰਦੀ, ਕੰਮਾ ਔਜਲਾ, ਬਲਜੀਤ ਮੱਲ੍ਹੀ, ਪਾਲੀ ਢਿਲੋਂ, ਪ੍ਰਭਜੋਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਬਿੱਟੂ ਮੋਹੀ, ਬਲਬੀਰ ਰਣੀਆਂ, ਕੇਵਲ ਰਣਦੇਵਾ, ਬੁਲਟ, ਭਿੰਦਾ ਸੰਧੂ, ਬਿੱਲਾ ਗਿੱਲ ਆਦਿ ਸਮੇਤ ਵੱਡੀ ਗਿਣਤੀ 'ਚ ਸਾਊਥਾਲ ਦੇ ਪ੍ਰਬੰਧਕ ਹਾਜ਼ਰ ਸਨ। ਇਸ ਟੂਰਨਾਮੈਂਟ ਦਾ ਫਾਈਨਲ ਕੱਪ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਯੂਨਾਇਟਿਡ ਵੁਲਵਰਹੈਂਪਟਨ ਨੇ ਤੇ ਦੂਸਰੇ ਨੰਬਰ ਦਾ ਕੱਪ ਡਰਬੀ ਨੇ ਜਿੱਤਿਆ। ਪ੍ਰਬੰਧਕਾਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਇਸ ਮੌਕੇ ਸਾਬਕਾ ਕਬੱਡੀ ਖਿਡਾਰੀ, ਸ. ਹਿੰਮਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਸੋਹੀ, ਬਾਈ ਚੀਮਾ, ਇੰਦਰਜੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਬੱਲ, ਕੁਲਦੀਪ ਸਿੰਘ ਪੁਰੇਵਾਲ, ਕੁਲਵੰਤ ਸ਼ਾਹ, ਰਸ਼ਪਾਲ ਸਿੰਘ ਅਟਵਾਲ, ਦਵਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਸੰਧੂ ਦਾ ਸਨਮਾਨ ਕੀਤਾ ਗਿਆ। ਪਾਲਾ ਜਲਾਲ ਵਧੀਆ ਜਾਫੀ ਤੇ ਦੀਪਾ ਬੱਲਾਂਵਾਲਾ ਵਧੀਆ ਧਾਵੀ ਐਲਾਨੇ ਗਏ। ਇਸ ਮੌਕੇ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਸਿੱਧੂ ਤੇ ਨੈੱਬ ਸਿੱਧੂ ਨੇ ਗੀਤਾਂ ਰਾਹੀਂ ਦਰਸ਼ਕਾਂ ਦਾ ਮਨੋਰੰਜਨ ਕੀਤਾ ਤੇ ਸਟੇਜ ਦੀ ਕਾਰਵਾਈ ਸੁਖਦੇਵ ਸਿੰਘ ਔਜਲਾ, ਸੁਖਬੀਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਸੋਢੀ ਨੇ ਨਿਭਾਈ ਤੇ ਕੁਮੈਂਟਰੀ ਦਾ ਰੰਗ ਭਿੰਦਾ ਮੁਠੱਡਾ, ਸੋਖਾ ਢੇਸੀ ਤੇ ਰਵਿੰਦਰ ਕੋਛੜ ਨੇ ਬੰਨ੍ਹਿਆ।

ਐਡਮਿੰਟਨ ਵਿਚ ਦੇਸ਼-ਵਿਦੇਸ਼ ਟਾਈਮਜ਼ ਵੱਲੋਂ 'ਸੱਭਿਆਚਾਰਕ ਮੇਲਾ'

* ਵਾਰਿਸ ਭਰਾਵਾਂ ਨੇ ਖੂਬ ਰੰਗ ਬੰਨ੍ਹਿਆ

ਮੇਲੇ ਦੌਰਾਨ ਵਾਰਿਸ ਭਰਾ, ਮੰਤਰੀ ਮਨਮੀਤ ਭੁੱਲਰ, ਸਪੀਕਰ ਜੀਨਜਵੈਸਡੇਸਕੀ, ਵਿਧਾਇਕ ਪੀਟਰ ਸੰਧੂ, ਉੱਘੇ ਕਾਰੋਬਾਰੀ ਪਾਲੀ ਵਿਰਕ, ਕੁਲਦੀਪ ਵਾਰ, ਲਾਡੀ ਪੱਡਾ ਤੇ ਹੋਰ।

ਐਡਮਿੰਟਨ, 25 ਜੂਨ (ਵਤਨਦੀਪ ਸਿੰਘ ਗਰੇਵਾਲ)-ਦੇਸ਼-ਵਿਦੇਸ਼ ਟਾਈਮਜ਼ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਸਾਲਾਨਾ ਸੱਭਿਆਚਾਰਕ ਮੇਲਾ ਸਥਾਨਿਕ ਰਿੱਕ ਸੈਂਟਰ ਦੀਆਂ ਖੁੱਲ੍ਹੀਆਂ ਗਰਾਊਂਡਾਂ ਵਿਚ ਕਰਵਾਇਆ ਗਿਆ, ਜਿਸ ਵਿਚ ਵਾਰਿਸ ਭਰਾਵਾਂ ਨੇ ਆਪਣੀ ਸਾਫ਼-ਸੁਥਰੀ ਗਾਇਕੀ ਰਾਹੀਂ ਐਡਮਿੰਟਨ ਵਾਸੀਆਂ ਦਾ ਭਰਪੂਰ ਮਨੋਰੰਜਨ ਕੀਤਾ। ਇਸ ਮੇਲੇ ਦੌਰਾਨ ਮਨਮੋਹਨ ਵਾਰਿਸ, ਕਮਲ ਹੀਰ ਤੇ ਸੰਗਤਾਰ ਨੇ ਆਪਣੇ ਨਵੇਂ ਪੁਰਾਣੇ ਸੱਭਿਆਚਾਰਕ ਗੀਤਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਭਾਰੀ ਮੀਂਹ ਵਿਚ ਬੈਠਣ ਲਈ ਵੀ ਮਜਬੂਰ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ। ਇਸ ਮੌਕੇ ਸਥਾਨਿਕ ਗਾਇਕ ਉਪਿੰਦਰ ਮਠਾੜੂ ਤੇ ਮਨਿੰਦਰ ਵਾਸੀ ਦਾ ਵਿਸ਼ੇਸ਼ ਸਨਮਾਨ ਕੀਤਾ ਗਿਆ। ਸਟੇਜ ਦੀ ਭੂਮਿਕਾ ਉੱਘੇ ਰਿਐਲਟਰ ਤੇ ਕਲਾਕਾਰ ਲਾਡੀ ਪੱਡਾ ਨੇ ਨਿਭਾਈ। ਇਸ ਮੌਕੇ ਅਲਬਰਟਾ ਦੇ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਮਨਮੀਤ ਭੁੱਲਰ, ਸਪੀਕਰ ਜੀਨ ਜਵੈਸਡੇਸਕੀ, ਵਿਧਾਇਕ ਪੀਟਰ ਸੰਧੂ, ਵਿਧਾਇਕ ਨਰੇਸ਼ ਭਾਰਦਵਾਜ, ਵਿਧਾਇਕ ਸੁਹੇਲ ਕਾਦਰੀ ਨੇ ਸਮੂਹ ਮੇਲਾ ਪ੍ਰਬੰਧਕਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਵਧਾਈ ਦਿੱਤੀ। ਪ੍ਰੋਗਰਾਮ ਮੌਕੇ ਮੇਲੇ ਦੇ ਮੁੱਖ ਪ੍ਰਬੰਧਕ ਇੰਦਰਜੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਮੁੱਲਾਪੁਰ ਨੇ ਮੇਲੇ ਨੂੰ ਸਫ਼ਲ ਬਣਾਉਣ ਲਈ ਸਮੂਹ ਭਾਈਚਾਰੇ ਦਾ ਧੰਨਵਾਦ ਕੀਤਾ।

ਯੂ. ਕੇ. ਦੇ ਜੰਮਪਲ ਨੌਜੁਆਨਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਸਿੱਖੀ ਬਾਣੇ 'ਚ ਆਉਣ ਦੀ ਅਪੀਲ

ਲੈਸਟਰ (ਇੰਗਲੈਂਡ), 25 ਜੂਨ - ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਾ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ ਦੇਵ ਜੀ ਹੋਲੀ ਬੋਨਜ ਲੈਸਟਰ (ਯੂ. ਕੇ.) ਨੇ ਯੂ. ਕੇ. ਦੇ ਜੰਮਪਲ ਨੌਜਵਾਨਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਦਾੜ੍ਹੀ ਕੇਸ ਰੱਖ ਕੇ ਸਿੱਖੀ ਸਰੂਪ ਵਿਚ ਆਉਣ ਦੀ ਅਪੀਲ ਕਰਦਿਆਂ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਦੂਸਰੇ ਵੱਖ-ਵੱਖ ਧਰਮਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਸੰਬੰਧਿਤ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਦੀ ਰਹਿਣੀ-ਬਹਿਣੀ ਤੋਂ ਅਤੇ ਸਿੱਖੀ ਬਾਣੇ ਤੋਂ ਪ੍ਰਭਾਵਿਤ ਹੋ ਕੇ ਸਿੱਖ ਧਰਮ ਅਪਣਾਇਆ ਜਾ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ, ਜਦ ਕਿ ਸਾਡੇ ਸਿੱਖ ਨੌਜਵਾਨ ਸਿੱਖੀ ਤੋਂ ਦੂਰ ਹੋ ਰਹੇ ਹਨ। ਸ: ਬਸਰਾ ਅਤੇ ਗਿੱਲ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਸਾਡੇ ਨੌਜਵਾਨਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਅਜਿਹੇ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਸੇਧ ਕੇ ਲੈ ਸਿੱਖੀ ਸਰੂਪ ਅਪਣਾਉਣਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ। ਉਕਤ ਆਗੂਆਂ ਨੇ ਲੈਸਟਰ ਕਬੱਡੀ ਕਲੱਬ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਕਬੱਡੀ ਟੂਰਨਾਮੈਂਟਾਂ ਲਈ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਤੋਂ ਬੁਲਾਈ ਗਈ ਕੇਸਾਧਾਰੀ ਸਿੱਖ ਨੌਜਵਾਨਾਂ ਦੀ ਟੀਮ ਦੀ ਵੀ ਕੇਸ ਰੱਖ ਕੇ ਖੇਡਣ ਦੀ ਸ਼ਲਾਘਾ ਕੀਤੀ।

ਜਗਦੀਸ਼ ਟਾਈਟਲਰ ਨੂੰ ਵੀਜ਼ਾ ਨਾ ਦੇਣ ਲਈ ਸਿੱਖ ਜੱਥੇਬੰਦੀਆਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਬਰਤਾਨੀਆ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਨੂੰ ਅਪੀਲ

ਲੰਡਨ, 25 ਜੂਨ -ਲੰਡਨ ਵਿਖੇ ਹੋਣ ਜਾ ਰਹੀਆਂ ਉਲੰਪਿਕ ਖੇਡਾਂ 'ਚ ਭਾਰਤੀ ਵਫਦ ਨਾਲ ਆਉਣ ਵਾਲਿਆਂ 'ਚ ਜੇ ਭਾਰਤੀ ਉਲੰਪਿਕ ਐਸੋਸੀਏਸ਼ਨ ਦੇ ਮੀਤ ਪ੍ਰਧਾਨ ਜਗਦੀਸ਼ ਟਾਈਟਲ ਵੀ ਆਉਂਦੇ ਹਨ ਤਾਂ ਸਿੱਖ ਜੱਥੇਬੰਦੀ

ਆਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਉਸ ਦਾ ਵਿਰੋਧ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਾਵੇਗਾ। ਜੱਥੇਬੰਦੀਆਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਭਾਈ ਅਮਰੀਕ ਸਿੰਘ ਗਿੱਲ, ਭਾਈ ਜੋਗਾ ਸਿੰਘ, ਭਾਈ ਬਲਬੀਰ ਸਿੰਘ, ਭਾਈ ਕੁਲਦੀਪ ਸਿੰਘ ਚਹੇੜੂ, ਭਾਈ ਹਰਜੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਸਰਪੰਚ, ਕੌਂਸਲਰ ਗੁਰਦਿਆਲ ਸਿੰਘ ਅਟਵਾਲ, ਭਾਈ ਹਰਦੀਸ਼ ਸਿੰਘ, ਭਾਈ ਬਲਵਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਚਹੇੜੂ ਆਦਿ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਸਿੱਖ ਜਥੇਬੰਦੀਆਂ, ਗੁਰੂ ਘਰਾਂ ਤੇ ਸਿੱਖ ਸੰਗਤਾਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਮਿਲ ਕੇ ਜਗਦੀਸ਼ ਟਾਈਟਲਰ ਦੇ ਉਲੰਪਿਕ ਖੇਡਾਂ 'ਚ ਦਾਖਲੇ 'ਤੇ ਰੋਕ ਸਬੰਧੀ ਇੱਕ ਪਟੀਸ਼ਨ ਦਾਇਰ ਕੀਤੀ ਜਾਵੇਗੀ ਤੇ ਬਰਤਾਨੀਆ ਦੇ ਪ੍ਰਧਾਨ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਡੇਵਿਡ ਕੈਮਰੂਨ, ਗ੍ਰਹਿ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਥਰੀਸਾ ਮੇਅ ਸਮੇਤ ਸੰਸਦ ਮੈਂਬਰਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਜਗਦੀਸ਼ ਟਾਈਟਲਰ ਨੂੰ ਵੀਜ਼ਾ ਨਾ ਦੇਣ ਸਬੰਧੀ ਅਪੀਲ ਕੀਤੀ ਜਾਵੇਗੀ। ਜੱਥੇਬੰਦੀਆਂ ਦੇ ਇਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਆਗੂਆਂ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਇਸ ਪਟੀਸ਼ਨ ਦੇ ਨਾਲ ਜਗਦੀਸ਼ ਟਾਈਟਲਰ ਵਿਰੁੱਧ ਨਵੰਬਰ 1984 ਦੇ ਸਿੱਖ ਕਤਲੇਆਮ ਸਬੰਧੀ ਚੱਲ ਰਹੇ ਕੇਸਾਂ ਬਾਰੇ ਜਰੂਰੀ ਦਸਤਾਵੇਜ਼ ਵੀ ਬਰਤਾਨਵੀ ਗ੍ਰਹਿ ਵਿਭਾਗ ਨੂੰ ਭੇਜੇ ਜਾਣਗੇ। ਸਿੱਖ ਜੱਥੇਬੰਦੀਆਂ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਇਸ ਸਬੰਧੀ ਬਰਤਾਨਵੀ ਦੌਰੇ 'ਤੇ ਆਏ ਨਵੰਬਰ 1984 ਦੇ ਸਿੱਖ ਕਤਲੇਆਮ ਦੇ ਕੇਸ ਲੜ ਰਹੇ ਤੇ ਸੁਪਰੀਮ ਕੋਰਟ ਦੇ ਪ੍ਰਸਿੱਧ ਵਕੀਲ ਵਕੀਲ ਐਚ. ਐਸ. ਫੂਲਕਾ ਨੇ ਸਾਰੀ ਜਾਣਕਾਰੀ ਦਿੱਤੀ ਹੈ ਤੇ ਜ਼ਰੂਰੀ ਦਸਤਾਵੇਜ਼ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਮੁਹੱਈਆ ਕਰਵਾਏ ਜਾਣਗੇ।

Literacy rate doubles in 40 years in Punjab

From 34.1% in 1971, it rose to 76.7% in 2011

Ludhiana, June 24
In a positive step, the literacy rate in Punjab has almost doubled in the past about 40 years. Though four decades seem to be a long time to make improvements in the education system, the latest data with the Census Department show that the literacy rate in the state has increased to 76.7 per cent from 34.1 per cent in 1971.

The previous survey on literacy was conducted in 1971. Almost 75 per cent of the total population of Punjab is now literate. The literacy rate among men is 81.5 per cent while it is 71.3 per cent among women.

Hoshiarpur district with 85.4 per cent has the highest literacy rate. The district having least literacy rate is Mansa with just 62.8 per cent literate population.

In Hoshiarpur, maximum urban women (85.4 per cent) are literate while the most literate urban men are in Mohali district (92.2 per cent), reveals the survey report.

US paying price of backing Islamic militants: Pak Prof

The role of the US in “fanning Islamic militancy” has been highlighted by a visiting Pakistani professor who was the star performer at a seminar sponsored by The Democracy Forum in London.

Nuclear physicist Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy, from Quaid-e-Azam University in Islamabad, was a keynote speaker at the seminar entitled ‘The role of education in combating terrorism’. In his view, the US has played a major role in contributing to the Islamic radicalisation that currently prevails in both Afghanistan and Pakistan.

His views were spelt out at the well attended function, chaired by Dr William Crawley of the Institute of Commonwealth Studies and addressed by The Democracy Forum head and British Conservative MP Stephen Hammond. Other participants included Professor Jack Spence from King’s

College, London, Shiraz Maher from the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation, Mushtak Parker, Editor of Islamic Banker magazine and retired ambassador and visiting professor at the Centre for Policy Research in New Delhi G Parthasarathy. The seminar was brought to a close by retired British Crown Court Judge Sir Mota Singh.

In his speech, Hoodbhoy started by commenting on the changes to the education curriculum in Pakistani schools, quoting from a 1995 primary education document published by Pakistan’s Ministry of Education.

The document states that after the completion of Class V, all children should be able to “understand Hindu Muslim differences and the resultant need for Pakistan”. “Children should be also able to understand India’s evil design against Pakistan,” it further says.

Other requirements for Class V graduates are to “acknowledge and identify forces that may be working against Pakistan” and to “make speeches on Jehad and Shahidat”.

At least as important, according to Hoodbhoy, was the earlier meddling of US government agencies like USAID and the CIA, encouraging Islamic radicalisation which shaped the world view of both young Pakistanis and their Afghan counterparts.

The US role in this process is especially relevant today as the Taliban stage a comeback in parts of Afghanistan in anticipation of the American pullback from the country in 2014. Squads of Taliban-backed morality police are active in provinces like Nuristan where they mete out Draconian punishments to anyone who watches television, listens to music or participates in any other types of activity deemed to be un-Islamic.

Back in the 1980s, the US government spent millions of dollars to produce educational textbooks for Afghan refugee children that were filled with violent images and militant teachings from the Koran.

Published by the University of Nebraska in the US, these textbooks were subsequently exported to the madrassas (schools) operating along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

“They distributed millions of Korans to madrassas with the aim of fanning radicalism,” Hoodbhoy explained. “It was viewed as the most efficient way of fighting the Soviet Union by putting this across as a religious war. The policy was evolved between the US and Pakistan and Saudi Arabia was the funder. But it was very close consultation between General Zia (Pakistan’s late president) and the CIA which conducted the biggest covert war in history (against the Soviet Union.)”

At the time, President Bush explained that some 10 million US-supplied books intended for Afghan school children would teach “respect for human dignity, instead of indoctrinating students with fanaticism and bigotry.”

Yet, the content in one of the mathematics textbooks written in Dari and Pushtu, read out by Hoodbhoy, included the following:

“One group of Mujahed attacks 50 Russian soldiers. In that attack, 20 Russians were killed. How many Russians fled?"

Another mathematics problem states: “A Kalashnikov bullet travels at 800 metres per second. A Mujahed has the forehead of a Russian in his sights 3,200 metres away. How many seconds will it take the bullet to hit the Russian’s forehead?”

Still another textbook publishes a verse from the Koran, followed by a tribute to the Mujahideen who are described as obedient to Allah and willing to sacrifice their wealth and life to impose Islamic law on the government.