SRINAGAR, 1 August 2006 — The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) was rendered headless yesterday as its chairman Justice (retired) Ali Mohammad Mir resigned in protest against growing human rights violations and the government’s non-serious attitude toward the commission.

In his resignation letter addressed to state Governor Lt. Gen. (retired) S.K. Sinha, the SHRC chairman said, “During my tenure not even a single recommendation made by the commission has been implemented.” “Right from the day I assumed office I have been observing that the government is not serious about the commission. I all along made strenuous efforts for drawing the attention of the government to the difficulties of the institution,” Justice Mir said in his resignation letter.

“The position has, however, worsened from day to day.” He said, “In the wake of growing human rights violations the commission under my leadership has not been able to accomplish the objects for which it was established.”

“I waited for long in the hope that my efforts might yield some results. This was all along in vain. During this period I continued in office much against my conscience. I am certain that my further continuance will also be of no use and in the light of the circumstances I have decided to resign my post,” he wrote to the governor.

The resignation of Mir comes in the wake of mounting criticism of the Ghulam Nabi Azad-led government on growing human rights abuse. The government has drawn criticism on this count not only from the separatists, both moderate and hard-line groups, but also from the mainstream political parties like National Conference and its ally in the government, Peoples Democratic Party.

The state government early this month constituted a subcommittee to offset the mounting criticism by various quarters regarding tardy implementation of the recommendations of the SHRC. The sub-committee was informed that 440 cases were recommended by the SHRC for implementation by the various deputy commissioners since year 2000.

Meanwhile, India and Pakistan have postponed the opening of a crossing point along the heavily militarized frontier in Kashmir, a move that comes amid a halt in peace efforts between the nuclear rivals. Four militants and a civilian were killed in a gunbattle near the so-called Line of Control and six people were injured in a grenade attack by the insurgents, the army and police said.

The crossing point was to be the fifth opened across the line since last year’s massive earthquake left tens of thousands dead in Kashmir. But hours before its scheduled opening yesterday near the town of Silikot, 110 kilometers north of Srinagar, Indian authorities said the crossing point would have to be put off indefinitely because Pakistan was not ready.

The “Pakistani Army conveyed their lack of preparedness in a meeting with our army officers on Sunday who had met to check the final preparedness on both sides,” army spokesman Lt. Col. V. K. Batra told The Associated Press. But the Pakistani Army spokesman, Maj. Gen. Shaukat Sultan, said the two sides had “mutually decided to open the checkpoint on Aug. 7.”