Walkout in House
SRINAGAR, Aug 25 — Members of the Opposition today staged a walkout in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly over the issue of raising emoluments of daily-wage earners, from Rs 35 to Rs 90, following the rejection of the resolution by a voice vote in the House.

3 securitymen among 8 killed in valley
SRINAGAR, Aug 25 — Eight persons, including four ultras and three securitymen, were killed and 17 wounded as militants made abortive attempts on the lives of a police officer and a National Conference activist in the valley since yesterday.

Walkout in House
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Aug 25 — Members of the Opposition today staged a walkout in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly over the issue of raising emoluments of daily-wage earners, from Rs 35 to Rs 90, following the rejection of the resolution by a voice vote in the House.

The resolution was moved by Ashok Sharma of the Congress during zero hour, seeking a hike in the daily wages of such labourers.

Replying on the debate the Finance Minister, Mohammad Shafi, said the matter would be reviewed according to the available resources. He admitted that there had been an upward trend in the prices of the essential commodities but the price determination depended upon the macro-level economic structure of the country.

He told the House that the wages of daily-wage earners had been hiked by Rs 6 only between 1992 and 1997. The National Conference government raised the wages of such labourers from Rs 28 to Rs 35 in January 1997, the Finance Minister said.

In reply to another debate on a resolution, the Finance Minister said the government was working for the decentralisation of powers in a manner that would ensure equal social, economic and political development of the different areas of the state.

The resolution seeking the establishment of the Chenab Valley Hill Development Council for Doda on the pattern of the Ladakh Hill Development Council was moved by Khalid Najeeb Sharwardy (NC) and Sheikh Abdul Rehman (BSP), both belonging to Doda district.

Mr Mohammad Shafi, said the government had constituted the Regional Autonomy Committee under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister precisely to look into issues like this. He said it was a delicate job where balance had to be maintained between various regions and areas.

He said the committee had received memoranda from various areas. The minister asked the movers of the resolution, Mr Khalid Najeeb Suhrawardy and Sheikh Abdul Rehman to wait for the report of the Regional Autonomy Committee headed by Mr Balraj Puri. He assured the members that the government would evolve such a decentralised structure of power in the state which would take into consideration the aspirations of all areas.

The minister criticised the demand for the trifurcation of the state and said this would encourage people of other areas to demand separate regions for themselves. He said if the demand was conceded people in Poonch, Rajouri, Doda and other areas would also seek separate regions on the basis of separate identity. He denounced the policies of regionalism and reminded the members that the constitution of the state did not recognise any region.

3 securitymen among 8 killed in valley
Tribune News Service
and agencies

SRINAGAR, Aug 25 — Eight persons, including four ultras and three securitymen, were killed and 17 wounded as militants made abortive attempts on the lives of a police officer and a National Conference (NC) activist in the valley since yesterday.

Four militants, including two senior activists of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen, were arrested, while a militant surrendered in the valley during the period, an official spokesman said here today.

Three persons, including a militant, a jawan of the special task force of the Jammu and Kashmir police and a jawan of Rashtriya Rifles were killed in a fierce encounter at Wonagam, Bandipore in Baramula district last night. Three others, including two constables of the special task force and a jawan of the Rashtriya Rifles (14RR), were also injured in the encounter.

At least 10 residential houses, two kothars and a mosque were also damaged in the fire during gunbattles between the militants and the security forces, reports said.

Eyewitnesses said the encounter started last evening which continued for about 10 hours. Most of the residents of Wonagam had a sleepless night due to the heavy exchange of fire between the militants and the security forces. A number of people, mostly employees, who had early in the morning left for their place of work could not reach their homes due to the cordon and subsequent encounter. Searches were going on till noon today, the reports said.

More than 12 pedestrians were injured in a grenade explosion at Dalgate here today. The police said suspected militants hurled a grenade on a vehicle of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). The grenade missed the intended target and exploded on the road injuring about 12 pedestrians. One of the wounded, Abdul Rashid Harra, later succumbed to his injuries.

A constable of the Jammu and Kashmir police, identified as Tasadduq Hussain, was killed after he was injured in an attack by militants in the Lal Bazar area of Srinagar city. the police said militants fired upon the vehicle of the DSP Headquarters at Lal Bazar here last evening in which two constables were injured.

One militant was killed in an encounter with the security forces at Ratan Nusigal in Anantnag district, the police here said.

A militant of the Pakistan-based Harkat-ul-Ansar was killed in a group clash at Manjoo area of Doda district, while the police recovered the body of an unidentified militant at Sathura-Mandi in Poonch district yesterday.

Ammunition was seized from the deceased militants, the spokesman said.

Militants also lobbed a grenade at the house of National Conference activist Mohammad Sidiq, but it exploded without causing any harm.

The spokesman said two militants of the Hizbul Mujahideen, including its self-styled district commander Mohammad Syed Wani, were arrested by the police from their hideouts at Khanyar and Chanapora in Srinagar yesterday.

Two AK assault rifles, 6 kg of explosives, a rocket and a pistol besides some ammunition and a wireless set were seized from them, he said.

The security forces also arrested a company commander of the outfit, Ghulam Nabi alias Asifan, from a hideout at Rawatpora in Baramula district yesterday, the spokesman said.

He said two AK assault rifles, two pistols, 13 mines, 113 grenades and nearly 1,000 rounds were seized during the operations.

An alleged harbourer of militants, Ghulam Hassan Mir, was apprehended by the police from the Kanti Mundhan area of Doda district yesterday, the spokesman said, adding that a huge quantity of medicines were seized from him.