J&K situation worsening: Mufti
JAMMU, Oct 22 — The J-K Congress unit has expressed the fear that if both the BJP-led government at the Centre and the National Conference government continue to be plagued by indecision the situation in Jammu and Kashmir may slide back to 1989-90 position.

J&K situation worsening: Mufti
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Oct 22 — The J-K Congress unit has expressed the fear that if both the BJP-led government at the Centre and the National Conference government continue to be plagued by indecision the situation in Jammu and Kashmir may slide back to 1989-90 position. It is of the firm opinion that failure of the Centre and the state government in tackling militancy has led to an upsurge in insurgency in the border districts of Poonch and Rajouri.

According to Mufti Mohammed. Sayeed MP and a former Union Home Minister, militancy took roots in Poonch and Rajouri districts soon after the National Conference assumed power in the state in October 1996. He said this clearly demonstrated that the National Conference lacked the political will and skill to counter the Pakistani gameplan at the political level although the security forces were doing their job in blunting the offensive of the militants.

The Mufti told a crowded news conference here today that the belief that with the BJP in power in the Centre and the National Conference government in the state militancy would be handled with a firm hand had been belied during the last several months. He said that the situation had shown signs of improvement in Kashmir, which was the result of adequate anti-insurgency operations taken in hand during Governor's rule. But as a result of political and administrative failures on the part of the National Conference and the BJP the situation was deteriorating and in Poonch and Rajouri it was alarming.

The Mufti lambasted the state government saying no poverty alleviation programme had been launched and the state government had misused funds. He said the cash crunch in the state was the result of swindling of crores of rupees and on account of wasteful expenditure. In this connection he referred to a massive programme of renovation and reconstruction of ministerial bungalows, including those where the Chief Minister and senior bureaucrats live. He said that several ministers had not paid their income tax and some having business ventures had even refused to clear sales tax arrears running into several crores of rupees.

Admitting that the National Conference took in hand a major employment programme majority of those who recruited in government departments and the police were through the "backdoor entry". Since legislators belonging to the ruling party had been allowed to nominate 10 candidates each for recruitment for Class III and Class IV posts the Subordinate Services Board had been rendered ineffective.

He said these and other follies of the National Conference had increased peoples' alienation. He said the security situation had assumed serious dimensions in parts of the Jammu region and some belts in the valley because of infiltration from across the border. The National Conference had no legitimate right to boast of an improvement in the situation because the backbone of insurgency in the valley had been broken months before Dr Farooq Abdullah assumed power.

The Mufti said that the luxury-loving National Conference leaders had, during the past two years lost touch with the people. Lack of interaction between the government and the people has been fully exploited by the militants. He called for firm steps to check the activities of militants who continue to indulge in killing of innocent civilians. He said, the security forces should ensure that during their anti-insurgency operations people were neither harassed nor inconvenienced.

He was critical of the ruling party for having postponed the panchayat poll in the state twice during the last six months. He said the main reason was the opposition to panchayat elections from ruling National Conference legislators who had fears that their powers could be curtailed by the elected panchayat committees. He said if the National Conference was sure of its political strength it should announce the panchayat poll schedule.

9 killed in J&K violence

SRINAGAR, Oct 22 (PTI) — Nine persons, including two foreign mercenaries and an equal number of securitymen, were killed and four injured in continued violence, while the police repulsed a militant attack on a picket set up to guard a place of worship in the Kashmir valley since last evening, an official spokesman said here today.

Two militants were arrested and another surrendered to the security forces in the valley during the period, the spokesman said.

Six persons, including two foreign mercenaries and two security personnel, were killed and four others, two of them armymen, were injured in an encounter at Banali-Boniyar in Baramula district last evening.

Two AK assault rifles, nine grenades, two grenade dischargers and a wireless set were recovered, he said.

Militants shot dead two persons belonging to Narsangpora-Kalakote in Rajouri district last night.

The body of Ashiq Hussain was recovered from the Ghoru jungle in Doda district last evening, the spokesman said, adding Hussain was kidnapped by militants along with Amjad Hussain from Bachara Chirala on October 14.

While Amjad Hussain returned to his village, Ashiq was killed by the kidnappers, he said.

The spokesman said militants opened fire on guards posted at Ziyarat Sharief Ashmuqam in Anantnag district last evening.The policemen returned the fire and repulsed the militant attack. However, no one was hurt in the shootout.

He said a grenade was found lying near the Khanabal-Pahalgam crossing in Anantnag last evening. The device was defused by a bomb disposal squad.

Security forces arrested two militants, one each from Khushalsar-Zadibal in Srinagar and Bata-Bhagwah in Doda, last evening. A rifle, a grenade and some ammunition were recovered from the arrested militants, the spokesman said.

A militant of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen surrendered to the security forces at Kulangam in Kupwara yesterday.

The militant handed over a rifle, its two magazines and 60 rounds to the authorities, he said.

An improvised explosive device was seized by the security forces from a hideout at Shariefabad on the outskirts of Srinagar last night. However, no one was arrested in this connection.