Centre watching APHC moves
NEW DELHI, Dec 13 — The Centre is watching the activities of the All Party Hurriyat Conference which held a two day dharna here at the Red Fort last week. Taking note of Islamabad’s efforts to unite the various warring sections of the APHC, the Centre is keeping its options open towards the militant organisation, sources said.

Woman, released militant killed
SRINAGAR, Dec 13 — Four persons, including a woman and a released militant, were killed and a security jawan was wounded in separate incidents, while a militant was arrested in Jammu and Kashmir since last evening.

24 injured in road mishap
SRINAGAR, Dec 13 — Twenty-four bus passengers were injured in a road accident near Satarameel on the Kathua-Jammu road today.

Centre watching APHC moves
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Dec 13 — The Centre is watching the activities of the All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) which held a two day dharna here at the Red Fort last week.

Taking note of Islamabad’s efforts to unite the various warring sections of the APHC, the Centre is keeping its options open towards the militant organisation, sources said.

While the Hurriyat was allowed to hold a 48-hour dharna along with a token fast, the Union Home Ministry is said to be waiting for concrete signals from the Hurriyat leaders who are keen to have a dialogue with the Government in New Delhi.

Sources said that the Government has noted with interest that while the entire Hurriyat leadership participated in the dharna, the former APHC Chairman, Maulvi Umar Farooq, was absent.

Many Hurriyat leaders appreciated the Centre’s gesture to allow them to hold a peaceful demonstration in the Capital.

The Government is aware of the growing differences between the moderate factions led by Maulvi Farooq and others like the Jammat-e-Islami (J&K) chief, Mr G.M. Butt, and the hardline section led by the Hurriyat Chairman, Mr S.A.S. Gillani.

Mr Gillani, who had a running battle with the JEI chief recently, advocated the “two-nation theory” in October which virtually ruled out the pro-Azadi plank. This was not appreciated by the JKLF chief, Mr Yasin Malik. Even the People’s Conference led by Mr A.G. Lone had resented Mr Gillani’s open support to the two-nation theory.

Disturbed at the growing differences among the Hurriyat factions, Islamabad had taken a major initiative in November to get the dissensions ironed out.

Listening to Islamabad’s command, the two groups of the JEI, one led by Mr Gillani and the other by Mr Butt — agreed to patch up their differences at the JEI’s meeting of the Majlis-e-Shora on December 4 and 5.

Pakistan had also advised the Hurriyat leadership to chalk out plans to get international attention through dharnas and demonstrations.

Following the advice, the APHC had decided to hold the two day dharna at the Red Fort on the Human Rights Day. Evidence of the Pakistani interest in Hurriyat activities was available when Mr Yasin Malik and the Muslim Conference leader, Prof A.G. Butt, had a three-hour meeting with the officials of the Pakistani High Commission in the first week of this month, sources said.

Grey weather, dark evenings of Kashmir
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Dec 13 — With the three-month-long dry spell the Kashmir valley is reeling under intense cold wave conditions, first of its kind in the past decade. Lack of adequate electricity supply and freezing of drinking water pipes have forced the people to take recourse to primitive ways of saving themselves from biting cold.

During the past one week, the minimum temperature has touched a low of about 8°C below zero, while the highest temperature ranges between 5°C and 10°C. Metereological experts predict no respite for the time being. About one week is left yet for ‘Chillia Kalan’, the 40-day peak winter in Kashmir.

There has been no rain for about three months now in the valley, which have led to flu and influenza. The number of patients suffering from cold and related ailments is on the increase throughout the valley. Patients with these ailments are queuing up at hospitals, private clinics and medical shops. According to Dr Merajuddin, Director, Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKICC), rain or snow is most needed to control such infectious diseases at present.

Coupled with ill health, the people here are facing hardships due to lack of adequate electricity and drinking water supplies. In spite of the proposed hike in electricity tariff to "maintain smooth power supply" the people are provided with an average of 12-hour power supply a day in the capital city. This is against an 18-hour daily supply from the same sources during the previous couple of winters. The 12-hour power supply these days is also erratic. Most of the evenings pass off in darkness.

Most of the rural areas have already been plunged into darkness since the onset of autumn. Either electricity lines are broken or the transformers have been dumped at workshops pending repairs.

According to Mr Bashirul Hassan Bosu, Chief Engineer, Power Development Department (PDD), the valley requires more than 90 lakh power units daily. The total supply from the hydel projects in Kashmir is only 50 lakh units. The additional power supply is being purchased from the northern grid. In spite of the recovery of outstanding bills for the past eight years and proposed hike in tariff, the government has failed to maintain a smooth power supply, said Abdul Samad. According to official sources, 10 per cent of consumers have signed agreements under the new tariff system.

The rates of wood and charcoal, mostly consumed in rural and sub-urban areas, have already touched new heights. "It is out of the reach of the common man. The price of kangri (firepot) and charcoal used in it have gone up", said Mohammad Khalil, a school teacher here.

Even as the government has ordered the presence of a minister at the civil secretariat here during the winter, the public in general is unaware of his presence. "There is no redressal of the grievances and no attention to the current problems of the people here", said Mustaq Ahmad, a resident of Srinagar. "It is only on paper that the presence of ministers has been ordered, no minister is seen around, he adds.

"The winter is a hard time for men and animals in Kashmir, and when wood and charcoal are dear the poorer citizens of Srinagar are much to be pitied", says a historian. This is true even now.

Woman, released militant killed

SRINAGAR, Dec 13 (UNI) — Four persons, including a woman and a released militant, were killed and a security jawan was wounded in separate incidents, while a militant was arrested in Jammu and Kashmir since last evening.

An official spokesman said today that Naseema was killed and a security jawan was wounded in an exchange of fire between militants and security forces at Poti-Kashtigarh in Doda district last evening.

The militants fled after engaging the troops in the armed clash. The injured a jawan was shifted to hospital.

He said militants gunned down two persons identified as Nissar Ahmad Khan, a released militant and Mohammad Amin Pandith, an agro chemical shop owner of Katsoo-Pahalgam and Yaripora-Kulgam in Anantnag district yesterday and today, respectively.

Militants also shot at and critically wounded a person Haji Mohammad Akbar Bhat inside his house at Gushtbugh-Aglar in Pattan area of Baramula district late last night. He was rushed to hospital where he breathed his last.

A live grenade was recovered by the local police near Symthan village in Bijbehara area of Anantnag last evening. The device was later defused by the Bomb Disposal Squad. The spokesman said.

He said the police also arrested a Pakistan-trained militant of banned Hizbul Mujahideen Lal Hussain alias Jehangir Mehraj from his hide-out in Doda district last evening. A pistol alongwith a magazine and six rounds were seized from him.

24 injured in road mishap

SRINAGAR, Dec 13 (UNI) — Twenty-four bus passengers were injured in a road accident near Satarameel on the Kathua-Jammu road today.

An official spokesman said, the mishap occurred when the bus which was on its way from Kathua to Jammu rolled down into a gorge after its driver lost control.

The injured were rushed to hospital for treatment, the spokesman said.