5 Army men hurt in exchange of fire

JAMMU, Nov 16 (PTI) — Five Army personnel were injured when an ice-cave crumbled at Siachen glacier while firing and shelling continued between Indian and Pakistani troops along the Jammu and Kashmir border since yesterday, a Defence Ministry spokesman said today.

During the exchange of artillery fire between the troops, an ice-cave crumbled at central Siachen yesterday, causing minor injuries to an Army officer and four jawans, the spokesman said, adding that they did not receive any splinters injury.

Pakistani troops fired around 100 artillery and mortar shells on the Indian side. The Indian troops retaliated by firing 12 artillery rounds since yesterday, he said.

Light exchange of artillery fire was also reported in the Kargil region on Ladakh during the period without any loss of life or damage on the Indian side, he said.

However, heavy exchange of light arms fire was reported along the Line of Control in the Kalal area on Poonch district in the Jammu region yesterday.
The spokesman said Pakistani forces fired about 9,000 rounds on the Indian positions in the Kalal area during the period. Indian troops exercised restraint and fired only 2,000 rounds, he added. There was no casualty on the Indian side.

The Border Security Force (BSF) and Pakistani Rangers also exchanged intermittent fire along the international border in Akhnoor, Samba and RS Pura sectors of Jammu division since yesterday, official reports said.

SRINAGAR: Senior Congress leader and member of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Ashok Sharma escaped a bid on his life while six persons, including a prominent National Conference activist, were killed in Jammu and Kashmir since Sunday evening.

The security forces destroyed two militant hideouts while an ultra surrendered in the state during the period, an official spokesman said here today.

National Conference activist Abdul Aziz Bhat was shot dead by militants at Noorbagh in Srinagar on Monday, he said.

Militants equipped with sophisticated weapons attacked the house of senior Congress leader and MLA, Ashok Sharma at Panjwaj in the border district of Rajouri on Saturday night. The guards deployed there returned the fire and foiled the nefarious designs of the militants, he said, adding that no one was injured in the attack.

He said militants gunned down a surrendered militant at Hakar naka near Sarkhal in Kupwara on Sunday.

The bullet-riddled body of an unidentified person was picked up from the Kulgam area of Anantnag district on Sunday night.

He said two militants were killed in an encounter with the security forces at Kuligam near the forest area in Kupwara on Sunday.

Another militant was shot dead at Butgund in Kupwara district during the period, he said.

Split in Jamaat on cards
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Nov 16 — The Jamaat-e-Islami has dissociated itself from the activities of militants and by announcing that it would work within the "framework" of the organisation's constitution in a democratic manner a vertical split in the party is round the corner.

When the Jamaat chief, Mr G.M. Butt, and three other party leaders announced at a news conference in Srinagar recently that the party had "nothing to do with militancy" and it did not permit its "members to use violence as means for achieving its goal," it caused a flutter in the faction headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who is also head of the political wing of the Jamaat. Since Mr Geelani is the chairman of the All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC), a conglomerate of over 30 religious and political organisations, the APHC held an urgent meeting in Srinagar today to discuss the new trends following Jamaat's dissociation from militant outfits.

Inside reports reveal that the latest stand of the Jamaat has added a new dimensions to the 10-year-old tussle between the moderates, headed by Mr G.M. Butt, and the hawks, led by Mr Geelani. It is for the first time in 10 years that Jamaat leaders made available to newsmen copies of the constitution of the organisation. For all these years anyone who wanted a copy of the constitution was not obliged on one pretext or the other. As such Mr Butt's stand is said to be a message for Mr Geelani that he should fall in line with the party decision.

The change in Jamaat's heart is the outcome of prolonged deliberations the party leaders held during the past eight months and that too after Mr Butt had secret sessions with Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah. What transpired between the two is not known but it is believed that Mr Butt pleaded with the Chief Minister that he should direct the police and the security forces to stop using Jamaat leaders and activists as a scapegoat.

Kashmir watchers and analysts are of the opinion that by announcing its detachment with militancy the Jamaat leaders have tried to secure the lives of its activists. Mr Butt has already alleged that in the past eight years more than 2,000 activists and supporters of the Jamaat had been killed and murdered by renegade militants, by the security forces and by unidentified gunmen. By dissociating itself from militancy the Jamaat has plans of preparing itself for contesting elections whenever they are held in the state. Also, by trying to be an overground organisation after the ban imposed on it in 1990 expired in 1992 the Jamaat has plans to strengthen its organisation which had been weakened in the light of insurgency.

Others are of the opinion that the latest Jamaat decision is a part of the strategy to buy peace with the government so that its leaders and activists are able to increase the membership in the state. After the organisation was banned in 1990 the majority of leaders and activists of the Jamaat went underground with the result its usual religious and political activities received a setback. In the past 25 years the organisation has grown in size after its policy of "catching them young" received support from doctors, teachers, students and engineers. However, this programme too suffered a setback when the youths were lured to militancy.

Jamaat leaders are said to have decided to throw out anyone found supporting militants or anyone seen using the gun. This decision may place restrictions on the style of functioning of Mr Geelani who has been the only Jamaat leader who was invited to a lunch in the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi recently.

No doubt the Jamaat chief emphasised the need of resolving the Kashmir issue amicably his stand had seemingly disturbed Islamabad. Pakistan had already received reports as the "changed face" of Jamaat in Kashmir and it was because of this that Pakistan High Commissioner invited Mr Geelani for talks in Delhi to convey to Jamaat leaders that Islamabad would be by the side of the hawks not with the doves.

The change in the organisation's stance is not an ordinary development and both state government and the Centre should try to cash on it.