The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Tuesday, December 12, 2000,
Chandigarh, India

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1 killed, 22 hurt in J&K blasts
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Dec 11 — One person was killed and at least 22 persons were injured in two separate explosion in Srinagar and Budgam districts today, while four others were killed and two injured in separate incidents of violence in Jammu and Kashmir since yesterday.

Two security forces personnel and 12 pedestrians were injured when unidentified militants hurled a grenade on a vehicle of the security forces at Chadoora market in Budgam district at 1.45 pm today. The vehicle was also damaged in the attack, as the grenade exploded on the road.

In another mine explosion, one person was killed and at least five security forces personnel and three pedestrians were injured at Parimpora on the outskirts of Srinagar city at 1.25 pm today. Those injured were shifted to the hospital. Two vehicles of the BSF were damaged in the attack. The police said one civilian, Mohammad Yunus Kawoosa, succumbed to his injuries while being shifted to the hospital.

An SPO or a counter-insurgent, identified as Abdul Qadoos, was killed when militants fired a rocket at his house in the Lalpora area of Kupwara district in north Kashmir last night. His wife and daughter were injured in the attack, the police said here this evening.

One person, Parvez Ahmad of Kakarhamam of Baramula, was killed when unidentified militants shot at him in the same area last evening. He was critically injured in the firing and succumbed to his injuries while being shifted to a hospital.

Unidentified militants shot dead two persons in Poonch district of Jammu region, according to delayed reports. The police said that one person, Shabir Hussain, was killed when militants intruded into his house at Dandhi Dara in the Surankote sector on Friday. Militants shot dead an SPO, Mohammad Sadiq, at Dhundak in the Surankote sector yesterday. He had been posted as SPO or a counter-insurgent at Surankote.

Meanwhile, one person, Nadeem Malik of Kupwara, who was undergoing treatment at the Shere-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences here, succumbed to his injuries today. He was injured in a grenade explosion in Kupwara town last Thursday in which at least three others, including an SPO, had died on the spot while several others were injured.

India should agree to terms for talks: Pak

NEW DELHI, Dec 11 (PTI) — Pakistan today said India should follow up its unilateral ceasefire announcement by agreeing to a set of modalities for talks with all the concerned parties to find an amicable solution to the vexed Kashmir issue.

“India should agree to a set of modalities which can allow all parties concerned to participate in a negotiating process and they should adopt a stand which allows progress towards ultimate settlement of the issue,” Pakistan High Commissioner Ashraf Jehnagir Qazi said while participating in “Line of Fire” anchored by Karan Thapar, to be telecast on “Sab TV” on Saturday.

Reiterating that Pakistan was willing to abide by all bilateral agreements with India including Lahore Declaration, Mr Qazi said “Pakistan has responded positively to Indian offer despite the feeling in Islamabad that the announcement really did not address the (Kashmir) problem itself.”

Dispelling the claims that Pakistan had practically repudiated the Lahore Declaration, Mr Qazi said this was clear from “the statement of our Foreign Secretary and later by Foreign Minister that Pakistan would abide by all (bilateral) agreements signed with India, including Simla and Lahore.”

Besides Mr Qazi, former Prime Minister I.K. Gujral and JKLF Chairman and senior Hurriyat leader Yaseen Malik also participated in the discussion.

Asked whether Pakistan could rein in the militant groups operating from its territory, Mr Qazi said, “we have always maintained that we do not control these groups, but what we want to stress is that after Pakistan announced restraint, the situation on ground is improving and this fact is acknowledged even by Indian officials.”

JKLF Chairman Yaseen Malik said Mr Vajpayee’s offer of ceasefire was a “bold initiative” but “peace could not be created in vaccum” and what was needed was “sincere” efforts from New Delhi.

Malik said Hurriyat Conference had already made it clear that for a permanent resolution, a conducive atmosphere was necessary. “We have asked the government to allow the Hurriyat leadership to go to Pakistan to hold talks with the militant leadership and Pakistani Government,” he said adding, “this would help in creating such an atmosphere.”

Mr Gujral said “The peace initiative of the government open up avenues of peace in valley and elsewhere..despite the temptation and provocation by certain elements outside our country especially in Pakistan to dislodge it.”