11 killed in fresh Pak shelling
Army bid to stop migration
Tribune News Service and agencies

SRINAGAR, Aug 5 — In the continued heavy shelling and firing by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control at least 11 persons, including eight securitymen, have been killed and 33 others injured since yesterday. With this the death toll due to Pakistani firing along the LoC in north Kashmir and Ladakh region has gone up to 48 since Thursday.

Defence sources here confirmed the death of Captain Gautam Groon in the Kupwara sector today. He was injured in the firing from across the LoC yesterday and succumbed to his injuries this morning. An Army jawan was also killed in Uri sector today.

Heavy damage to civilian property has been caused in various areas along the LoC in Uri and Baramula districts of north Kashmir. A large number of persons from more than 100 villages in these areas have moved to safer places. While some of these have shifted to the places of their relatives, others have shifted to the government installations with the help of the police and security forces.

At least eight Army men including one captain, were wounded in the firing by the Pakistani troops in Kupwara and Uri sectors between Tuesday and Wednesday morning. As many as 33 civilians were also injured in these two sectors till this morning, according to the reports here.

There have also been reports of firing in Siachen and Kargil sectors in the frontier cold desert region of Ladakh during the last night. However, there were no reports of any injury or damage to property in these incidents.

Defence sources here revealed that Pakistani troops fired 3000 to 4000 rounds of artillery in the Uri sector while 1200 rounds were fired in Kupwara sector yesterday. Last night the Pakistani troops fired 200 rounds of artillery and over 220 rounds of small arms in the Uri sector. However, there were no reports of any damage or casualty.

Three civilians, including two women, were killed in the Jabla area of Uri sector yesterday. They have been identified as Kounsar Ara, Shamima and Sattar Ali. At least 18 others were also injured due to Pakistani shelling in the village, reports said.

Four jawans of the BSF were also killed in the firing from across the Line of Control in the area. Two soldiers were killed in the Uri sector yesterday in Pakistani firing, while six jawans were also injured in the firing. One soldier and 15 civilians were injured in Kupwara sector.

Reports of firing by Pakistani troops have also come in from Kachchal, Machchil, Kanzalwan and Tangdhar sectors of Kupwara district. Defence sources here said that Pakistani troops fired at least 500 rounds of artillery in these sectors, while 2500 rounds of small arms were also fired. A captain was injured in the firing at Chamalkote in Kupwara sector.

Nine persons were injured in Paranda village of the Karna sector in Kupwara district while two others were injured in Machchil sector, the police here today said.

Indian Oil Company has been directed to shift its depot from Jammu. Over 18,000 filled cylinders have been removed from the town to prevent Pak troops from blowing up the depot.

Since yesterday the civil and Army authorities have been trying to stop further migration from Uri where several government offices and banks have been closed. More than 20 families of employees have been insisting on migration to safer places, but the civil and Army authorities have been persuading them to remain back and operate under security cover.

The Buniyar-Uri road is being kept under strict Army watch to keep the route open for movement of security forces and for carrying supplies to troops posted in forward areas. However, civilian movement has been restricted.

In Gurez, Tangdhar and Karnah areas people have migrated to safer places and more than 25 villages cleared of civilian population. All 35 families in Amori village in Tangdhar have migrated towards Bandipore.

The authorities have shifted the staff of Border Roads Organisation in Uri and that of the CISF to accommodate civilians, including government employees. Camps are being set up at Gantamulla and Sheeri in Baramulla for providing temporary shelter to migrants from Uri sector.

Reports said several border villages, including Kamalot, Gharkot Jabla, Salamabad and NS bridge, were hit by Pak shells in Uri sector. The Drass-Kargil road, which is within the Pak firing range, is under constant watch of the troops to prevent Pak shells from blowing up Army convoy or civilian trucks loaded with essential commodities.

URI (North Kashmir): The Army authorities have said the "intensity’’ of the ongoing Pakistani shelling and firing on Indian positions in Baramulla sector is "unusual’’ as missiles have also been fired.

"The firing used to be normal in this sector of North Kashmir but the intensity of the firing for the past six days is unusual’’, Brig U.S. Klair, Sector Commander of Baramulla said here on Tuesday.

Addressing mediapersons at the Baramulla headquarters before visiting Uri and forward areas, he said in all Pakistani troops fired 16,171 rounds and shells of artillery, mortars, rockets, 85 mm field guns and other weapons besides nine missiles on Indian positions and villages in the sector.

The missiles, anti-tank and guided missiles, having a range of 3,700 metres to 4 km, however, failed to hit any target, Brig Klair said.

Denying that Indian soldiers also fired missiles in retaliation, he said there was no need to fire missiles from this side but "our response has been very adequate.’’

On the reasons behind the sudden escalation in the firing from across the border, he said Pakistan’s motive was to push in militants into Kashmir to sustain trouble here.

"Our retaliation was aimed at silencing their guns and in the process foil Pakistan attempts to send intruders’’, he said.

"We have targeted Pakistan’s military installation in retaliation only,’’ he said.

The Sector Commander said it began on July 30 when Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing and shelling on Indian positions and forward villages all along the 150-km long Baramulla sector.

"We exercised restraint but responded when civilian villages got affected’’, Brig Klair said.

He said it was amazing that most people in the affected villages near the line of control had not migrated to safer areas and were bravely facing Pakistani firing and shelling.

Meanwhile, 10 militants, a security jawan and two women were killed and 32 wounded as militants intensified their activities in the Kashmir valley since last evening.

The security forces foiled militants' attempt to trigger explosions and arrested two militants. Another laid down arms, an official spokesman said.

In Kupwara militants clashed with security forces and carried out targeted attacks against civilians, resulting in the death of seven militants and three civilians, including a woman.

Three foreign mercenaries and an equal number of local militants were killed by search parties at Rangwar Gali-Kalaroos and Rashanpora-Dardpora, while a militant, Farooq Ahmad Mir and a woman, Beeb Jan lost their lives and two were wounded in a fierce encounter between the militants and security forces at Awatkul-Kralpora in Kupwara district last night.

Five assault rifles, a pistol, 16 grenades, 5 kg of explosives and some ammunition were recovered from the dead militants.

Militants killed two persons including a retired head constable of the Jammu and Kashmir police, Ghulam Qadir, at Tapendi and Lolab (Kupwara) late last night.

Three militants were killed at Poshbagh-Ahalan village in Gadool area of Anantnag district. A militant who was injured in the encounter was arrested.

Troops prepared, says Fernandes
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Aug 5 — The Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes, today assured the Lok Sabha that the security forces guarding our borders in Jammu and Kashmir were in fine mettle and in full preparedness to meet every eventuality that might arise.

While making a statement in the House following his return from the forward areas of Jammu and Kashmir yesterday, the Defence Minister said Pakistan had always resorted to firing along the LoC to facilitate infiltration by Pakistani and foreign militants. These, he said, were organised, trained, equipped, financed, armed and finally infiltrated with active covering fire and support from the Pakistani army deployed along the LoC.

In recent months, especially since May 1998, our security forces had been able to intercept and reduce the level of infiltration, thereby frustrating Pakistan’s designs he said. As if to give vent to its frustration, Pakistan had started targeting not only our army posts but also civilian inhabited areas, with Batalik, Kargil, Kanzalwan, Tangdhar, Keren and Uri becoming the main targets.

These actions by Pakistan were in consonance with its calculated design to obstruct and stall peaceful bilateral dialogue and to create a sense of alarm by orchestrating incidents on the border which would project Jammu and Kashmir as a ‘flashpoint’. Pakistan’s desperation was becoming acute in view of the fast declining Kashmiri support in the valley to militancy, control of which had passed into the hands of Pakistani militant organisations, patronised by Pakistani political figures, and foreign mercenaries directed by Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence, he said.

"I do not have to emphasise that India had never engaged in any provocative action and had always desired that the international boundary and the Line of Control should be peaceful and tranquil. India has exercised the utmost restraint and will continue to do so. We expect Pakistan to reciprocate. We also expect that the established diplomatic and military channels will be effectively utilised to prevent such incidents."

He informed that Pakistan had resorted to unprecedented and unprovoked firing of artillery and mortars on our posts and in the civilian areas of Batalik and Karkil from July 27. As a result India was compelled to retaliate appropriately and this resulted in casualties to civilians and troops, as well as damage to military and civilian property on both sides.

Sporadic exchange of fire had been going on since then. The intensity of firing, however, had come down since yesterday in most of the areas except Keren, Tangdhar, Uri and Rampur sectors, the Kargil sector has been quiet for the past two days. The casualties from July 27 to August 4 were 10 Army soldiers, 6 BSF constables and 31 civilians killed and 77 Army soldiers, 4 BSF constables and 77 civilians wounded.

The Defence Minister visited Kargil, Kupwara and Baramulla. He also visited two posts in the valley along the LoC. The GOC 15 Corps accompanied him. Thereafter, he visited the 92 Base Hospital and a hospital in Srinagar to see the injured Army and civilian personnel.

Vajpayee to address UN on Sept 24

UNITED NATIONS, Aug 5 (PTI) — Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee is slated to address the 53rd session of the UN General Assembly on September 24, according to a tentative programme announced by the world body today.

This will be the first time that Mr Vajpayee will be addressing the 185-member assembly as Prime Minister. Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will address the house during the evening session a day earlier.

Brazil will open the general debate on September 22 and it will be followed by US President Bill Clinton, according to the UN programme.

Brazil traditionally is the first speaker and the USA has the second slot as the host country.

At present, 26 Heads of State, two Crown Princes and 11 Prime Ministers are listed to speak in the general debate which ends on October 2.