Braving Pak firing, climate, terrain
SRINAGAR, Aug 30 — Braving treacherous environment, high velocity blizzards and Pakistani firing, Indian soldiers keep vigil undeterred on the Siachen glaciers, world's highest battlefield to safeguard the country's territorial integrity.

Left high and dry by Pak Govt
R.S. PURA (J&K), Aug 30 — Over 70 Pakistan nationals, who have completed their terms in various jails in India for illegally crossing the border, have since been awaiting "deportation, for the past two decades. But the Pakistan Government seems least interested in taking back its own citizens.
Pakistani rangers fire at outposts
JAMMU, Aug 30 — Pakistani Rangers fired all through the night at Indian border outposts along the Line of Control in the R.S. Pura and Samba sub-sectors in Jammu region last night, the BSF said here today.
Payment of DA slab sought
JAMMU, Aug 30 — Activists of the National Mazdoor Conference led by its president, Mr Subash Shastri, today held a rally demanding immediate issuance of the requisite notification for the release of the DA instalment due from January.

Braving Pak firing, climate, terrain

SRINAGAR, Aug 30 (PTI) — Braving treacherous environment, high velocity blizzards and Pakistani firing, Indian soldiers keep vigil undeterred on the Siachen glaciers, world's highest battlefield to safeguard the country's territorial integrity.

As Lt-Gen Krishen Pal, Commander, 15 Corps (which looks after the operational part of the Siachen glaciers), says the coldest battlefield in today's history has proved that Indian soldiers are one of the most rugged and dedicated soldiers in the world.

Guarding border posts as high as 20,000 feet, a jawan is proud to sacrifice his life for the country.

"There is a threat to his life at every step as nobody knows whether the next step would land him into a crevass as deep as 700 feet," he said.

Siachen glaciers was a spot on this planet, which could represent hell, writes Major Raghu Raman in an article "rope" in the "Infantry" magazine.

"The locals dread the place. Just as the evil is sometimes, beautiful, so is the glacier," he said.

And yet in the most beautiful of its moments, it constantly reminds a jawan that death lurks just a footstep away, says Major Raman.

The most lethal slayers of the glacier are avalanches and crevasses with the latter more feared for good reasons, he said.

"No price is too high in terms of cost of money or lives to preserve the national integrity," he said.

The unusual weather at the 76.8 km-long glacier has also brought in health hazards for jawans guarding the northern border of the country.

"The jawan posted here might develop diseases like peptic ulcer, loss of weight, psychological problems and loss of appetite," says Col (Dr) V.K. Parmar, who has served at the Siachen base hospital for 10 years.

According to him, the soldiers are fighting three foes — Pakistan, climate and terrain.

They work in temperatures ranging between —20° C to —40°C with the winds further "chilling you to the marrow of your bones," says Colonel Parmar.

Nearly every system of human body gets affected due to prolonged stay at high altitudes. The soldier becomes vulnerable to a host of problems which could lead to pulmonary oedema (water in lungs), cerebal oedema (water in brain) and polycythemia (increase in red blood cells) causing thickness of blood, he says.

And yet their morale is high, says Brig Ashok Kapoor, formerly Brigadier General Staff of 15 Corps.

"One could see the motivation among our men and families who lost more than one son in Siachen," he said.

The genesis of the problem dates back to 1948 when a ceasefire line was drawn up under the Karachi agreement. The demarcation process was terminated at a point referred to as "NJ 9842" due to its inaccessibility.

However, since 1975 Pakistan started sending foreign expeditions in an attempt to establish its writ over the area which was countered by India and "Operation Meghdoot" was launched in 1983.

Till 1987, Pakistani artillery used to interfere with Indian helicopter flights and other ground movement from its post named "Qaid".

However, Hawaldar Bana Singh, after whom the top post is named, captured it and ended Pakistan's supremacy in the region. He was later awarded the first Param Vir Chakra after the 1971 war.

Left high and dry by Pak Govt

R.S. PURA (J&K), Aug 30 (ANI) — Over 70 Pakistan nationals, who have completed their terms in various jails in India for illegally crossing the border, have since been awaiting "deportation, for the past two decades. But the Pakistan Government seems least interested in taking back its own citizens.

Most of these Pakistanis are living in "protected custody" in various police stations along the Indo-Pak border in the R.S. Pura, Samba and Hira Nagar areas of Jammu.

As many as 72 convicted foreign nationals, including 38 Pakistanis, 29 Bangladeshis, and seven Burmese have been awaiting clearance from their respective governments for their repatriation despite the clearance by various Indian agencies.

The pangs of separation from their respective families in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Burma is writ large on their faces as each of them has a sordid story to narrate about their border crossing, letters from families, and their conditions back home.

Mohammed Iqbal, from Qasoor district and at present lodged in Samba police station, could not attend his only sister's marriage for which he unsuccessfully attempted to smuggle gold biscuits worth Rs 1.40 lakh in January 1995.

Iqbal was arrested by the BSF troops in the R.S. Pura sector with the contraband. He completed his 21-month jail term and is now waiting for his repatriation for about two years.

"I love to hear from home and am tension-ridden about the fate of my family for whom I was the lone bread-earner", he said cursing the day he crossed the border.

For Shahbaz of Shakergarh in Pakistan's Narwal district, letters from home are the only source of help in overcoming the sorrows of separation. Having served 21-month jail term in Central Jail, Jammu, he has been awaiting the "pushback" for over a year.

"I feel cut off from home and long to return to my land and pray to the Almighty to listen to my pleas", Shahbaz said in a choked voice.

Craving for reunion with his poor family, Allah Dutta wept bitterly the moment he was asked about the fate of his family and the young girl who wrote him letters asking him to return.

Hailing from Lahore, he has also been waiting for five years for repatriation after serving a three-year jail term. "No one is there to look after my family and plead with the government for my pushback", he said crying uncontrollably.

"The governments of India and Pakistan should understand our feelings and allow us to go back to our native places", he said.

For Mohammad Ismail of Silwar district in Qasoor, the temptation to attend the Chimbiliyal mela in Ramgarh near the Indo-Pak border landed him in jail for six months. After that he too has been awaiting pushback for 19 months.

"I had a pretty daughter who was studying. She was bright and intelligent. I don't know whether she is dead or alive", he said.

For Mukhtiar of Narwal village in Punjab province of Pakistan, it has been three years' of desperate wait. After serving one-year jail-term in 1995, he was shifted to Ramgarh police station to be sent to Pakistan. He has been there since then.

Mukhtiar, who was the lone earning member of the family, has kept his links with wife and five daughters through letters. Each letter has resulted in more dejection. "In all these letters, my daughters ask me when I will return. What do I tell them? I have lost all hope of meeting them ever", he said.

It is the intricacy of the border line with Pakistan which has ruined the life of Mohammad Hafeez of Kangra district of Pakistan, who while striding along his village did not know when he intruded into the Indian side and was arrested by the BSF. For five years he was in Ramgarh police lockup away from his family.

"They cannot be sent back forcibly to Pakistan without diplomatic clearance", said Inspector General of Police (IGP) J&K, Kuldeep Khuda. "We completed all formalities about four years ago in most of the cases. The Government of Pakistan took away all their files but did not respond even after three years", he added.

Blaming the Pakistan Government, the IGP said they have no value for the "human rights of their own people, who have been crying for reunion with their families in Pakistan".

Pakistani rangers fire at outposts

JAMMU, Aug 30 (PTI) — Pakistani Rangers fired all through the night at Indian border outposts along the Line of Control in the R.S. Pura and Samba sub-sectors in Jammu region last night, the BSF said here today.

Pakistani troops fired intermittently at Sangral, Garoda and Kachal outposts in R.S. Pura and at Regal, Londi, Khora and Pansar outposts in Samba from 7 pm last evening to 5 am in the morning, a BSF spokesman said.

BSF personnel retaliated, he said, adding there was no casualty or any damage on the Indian side.

In another incident, a Pakistan trained militant-identified as Sonaullah, was arrested from his hideout in Uripur near the Line of Control in Rajouri district in a joint operation by the Army and the BSF, the spokesman said.

An AK-47 rifle, four grenades and 92 rounds of ammunition were recovered from him.

Reports from Doda said militants opened fire on security forces in Shatru area yesterday. The troops returned fire forcing the militants to flee.

Five handgrenades and three magazines were recovered from the site of the encounter.

Payment of DA slab sought
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 30 — Activists of the National Mazdoor Conference led by its president, Mr Subash Shastri, today held a rally demanding immediate issuance of the requisite notification for the release of the DA instalment due from January, enhancement in the wages of daily wagers from Rs 35 to Rs 100, regularisation of the services of daily wagers and the payment of the first instalment of pay arrears to state government employees.

Addressing the rally, Mr Shastri said while the state Cabinet had approved grant of DA to its employees and pensioners, the Finance Department was yet to issue the formal notification in this regard.

Mr Shastri also expressed concern over the state government's directives to all Deputy Commissioners and treasuries of the State to defer the payment of pay arrears to its employees till further orders.

Mr Shastri urged the Chief Minister to direct Treasury Officers to release the arrears of pay revision immediately.