Pak plan to stoke up communal hatred
JAMMU, Aug 5 — Militants descend on villages, strike and then escape. Senior government functionaries, including VIPs, visit the affected villages and make promises which are never fulfilled. After every militant strike, additional companies of the security forces are rushed to carry out combing operations.
CRPF's fight against insurgency
SRINAGAR, Aug 5 — The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has apprehended 24 "supreme commanders" and "deputy commanders" of various militant organisations, in addition to 129 top ranking leaders of these outfits during its counter-insurgency operations in the valley since last year.
Anti-encroachment campaign
SANGRUR, Aug 5 — The anti-encroachment drive launched here a few days ago has been a success.

Pak plan to stoke up communal hatred
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Aug 5 — Militants descend on villages, strike and then escape. Senior government functionaries, including VIPs, visit the affected villages and make promises which are never fulfilled. After every militant strike, additional companies of the security forces are rushed to carry out combing operations.

This hide and seek between the security forces and the militants has been going on in Jammu and Kashmir where during the past one month militancy-related violence has registered an unprecedented rise, especially in Doda, Udhampur, Poonch and Rajouri districts of the Jammu region. Between June 26 and August 5 more than 200 civilians have been killed by militants, including 150 in the Jammu region and Chamba in Himachal Pradesh.

Heavy shelling by Pakistani troops on the border villages in Kargil, Uri and Kupwara sectors, resulting in the death of 45 persons, including several Army jawans has added new dimensions to the eight-year-long Pakistan sponsored proxy war in the state.

The reason for rise in militancy are several — the most important one being that Pakistani agencies want third party mediation, particularly by the USA, for resolving the Kashmir issue. By kicking up a large-scale subversive violence within the state and triggering off clashes on the Line of Actual Control, Pakistan wants to internationalise the Kashmir issue. As a result of week-long armed conflict on the Line of Actual Control , the UN Security Council members have appealed to both India and Pakistan to resolve the problems through negotiations. This is exactly what Islamabad has been trying to achieve. It wants to secure direct intervention by either the UN or by the USA.

Reports said the initial plan of Islamabad was to intensify militant activities to force India to adopt a conciliatory attitude at the SAARC meeting and during the talks between Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee and Mr Nawaz Sharif. After India rejected the conditions set by Pakistan for continuing the talks, Islamabad decided to further escalate militancy-related violence to mount pressure on India to reduce troops on the border, withdraw the Army from the valley, allow more UN military observers on the border and grant recognition to the All- Party Hurriyat Conference.

Another reason for the rise in insurgency is that the Pakistani agencies plan to carry out demographic changes in the four districts of Poonch, Rajouri, Udhampur and Doda. Concerted attempts are being made to force the minority communities to migrate from the districts.

By targeting innocent people belonging to a particular community, the agencies across the border want to kick up communal riots. An element of mistrust has already crept in the social fabric in Doda which otherwise exhibited communal amity. There are reports that the way members of a particular community are being equipped with weapons, has generated communal tension, especially in the Kishtwar and Bhaderwah areas.

As far as the overall political scenario is concerned , the escalation in militancy- related violence is part of the Pakistan plan to destabilise the National Conference government in the state and the BJP-led coalition government in the Centre.

Following an increase in the rate of civilian killings in Jammu and Kashmir, the demand for the resignation of Union Home Minister L.K. Advani has started gaining momentum. And once the turmoil further increases , it could force the Centre to promulgate the Governor's rule.

CRPF's fight against insurgency
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Aug 5 — The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has apprehended 24 "supreme commanders" and "deputy commanders" of various militant organisations, in addition to 129 top ranking leaders of these outfits during its counter-insurgency operations in the valley since last year.

This was disclosed by Mr C.M. Pandey, IGP, CRPF, at a press conference here yesterday. He claimed that at least five militants organisations — Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen, Al-Fateh Force, Hizbullah, Al-Burq and Tehreekul Mujahideen — have been completely wiped out, besides the seizure of large quantities of arms and ammunition.

In reply to a question, the IG, CRPF, Mr C.M. Pandey, said the CRPF would take over the security of a part of Srinagar city on the pattern of Anantnag and Baramulla.

The CRPF was also poised to launch its security operations in the sensitive district of Doda in the Jammu region, he said.

Due to the concerted efforts of the security forces in Kashmir, militants appeared to have shifted their activities to the Jammu region, he said.

Anti-encroachment campaign
From Our Correspondent

SANGRUR, Aug 5 — The anti-encroachment drive launched here a few days ago has been a success.

Both temporary and permanent encroachments on municipal land have been removed.

As many as seven pucca shops constructed illegally on municipal land near the local PRTC bus stand were demolished. The police was deployed at the site to ward off any untoward incident.

Most of the encroachments were removed voluntarily by the persons concerned following persuasion.