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| Tuesday, January 23, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Foreign ultras have limited role: Lone HAVING come to be recognised as the most vocal supporter of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s peace initiative, senior All-Party Hurriyat Conference leader Abdul Ghani Lone, however, is categoric that without Pakistan’s involvement it will be difficult to resolve the protracted Kashmir problem. 3 militants killed in
valley APHC calls for
strike today Give passports to
all Hurriyat leaders: Mufti Lineman’s bravery
goes unrecognised |
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Students to intensify stir against
admissions J&K adopts new system
of land measurement
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On record HAVING come to be recognised as the most vocal supporter of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s peace initiative, senior All-Party Hurriyat Conference leader Abdul Ghani Lone, however, is categoric that without Pakistan’s involvement it will be difficult to resolve the protracted Kashmir problem. Forthright in his views, he lays the blame for the problems in Kashmir squarely on India. President of the People’s Conference, which he floated in the early Eighties after being in the Congress, Mr Lone feels that each partner of the 23-party Hurriyat Conference is entitled to its opinion but a collective decision should be honoured by all. Maintaining that Kashmir is a political and not a religious issue, he told Prashant Sood in an interview that the situation would not have come to such a pass had initiatives like the present ceasefire been made earlier. The following are the excerpts of the interview. Question: The Prime Minister has indicated that talks will begin on Kashmir issue soon. Who should the government talk to in the first stage? Answer: It is for the government to decide to whom it wishes to talk. But everywhere in order to solve a problem, you talk to people who do not agree with you. Hurriyat says Kashmir is a disputed territory but the National Conference and the Congress have the same view as the Indian Government. What will the government talk with them? So, Hurriyat becomes the automatic choice. Q. How do you reconcile your views with the hardliners in the Hurriyat? A. It is not the question of hardliners or otherwise. Hurriyat is not a political party but an association of political parties. Each party has its own thinking. Q. But how do you convince those opposed to you? A. It is the question of your approach. The majority approach in the Hurriyat is that Mr Vajpayee has taken an action and we must give it a chance. We must put it to the test. Q. Some of your statements on the primacy of political parties in finding a political solution have not gone down well with some sections. Why? A. That may be the case but it is an effort. If you believe in something, say it. The question is of convincing people. It is a public debate. Q. Do you hope to convince everyone about the need to eschew violence and find a negotiated solution to Kashmir problem? A. That is the trend all over the world. Every dispute has been settled through negotiations. There is a glimmer of hope in Kashmir. It is to be seen how much sincerity is displayed by the Indian government. Q. What will be your agenda for the talks in Pakistan? A. The Prime Minister of India, on his own, has come up with a peace proposal for creating a congenial atmosphere for a meaningful dialogue. People should give it a full try instead of rejecting it. In Pakistan, we would talk to everybody — the establishment, people and militant leaders. Q. But the visit has been opposed by certain sections in the Valley? A. So what. In such matters you won’t always have smooth-sailing. There are other opinions as well. Q. You were in Pakistan recently. What is the feeling in that country about Mr Vajpayee’s peace moves? A. Generally, the people of Pakistan are in favour of peace. The Kashmir dispute has a treacherous background. The Indian Prime Minister has made a very big committment that he is not going to tread the beaten path in finding solution to the Kashmir issue. The common man would like the issue to be settled. They are not for war. I think Pakistan’s Chief Executive Gen Pervez Musharraf is very much sincere. Q. Are you not dictating terms when you say that political negotiations should be left only to the APHC. A. I believe some beginning should be made. Then, the issue of involving others can come. Militants can have the gun. It should be left to the APHC how to get their support and participation. Q. Are you in favour of direct participation of militants in talks? A. Why not. At one level, it is their movement. Q. What about foreign militants? A. As far as negotiations are concerned, it has a limited role. The foreign militants have come to help us. The main parties are going to solve the dispute. Armed struggle is one aspect. There is the other very important aspect which is political and diplomatic. Q. How do you view Hashim Qureishi’s return to India after being in exile for 15 years? A. I don’t know. The situation is complicated and individuals do not matter. Q. There is a view that Kashmiris do not want to go with Pakistan because they feel their freedom will be curtailed? A. First we don’t know how many people want to go to Pakistan, how many want freedom and how many want to stay with India. Today it is the Kashmiris movement, they have made sacrifices. India, Pakistan and the rest of world should take note of this — the earlier the better. And it is wrong to say that there is lack of development on the other side of Kashmir. Gone are the days when there was a difference. Q. What is the role of Pakistan that you see at this juncture? A. Pakistan is an important player. It is in the interest of India and Pakistan that the issue gets resolved soon as it is the key for easing tension between the two countries. Q. India wants Pakistan to restrain militants and end cross border terrorism. A. India wants to score a point. It says Pakisan is doing all this (supporting militants) which is not a fact. It is India which introduced the right of self determination. Kashmir is not regional or religious but a political issue and is a legitimate dispute. Then come other elements like how far Pakistan is contributing to it. And why should Pakistan help India consolidate its position. Pakistan has been made party to the dispute by India in the United Nations. Why should India expect that Pakistan would make things easy for it when there is a very unfortunate chapter of India helping in the suppression of East Pakistan. Q. There is the Shimla accord which enjoins India and Pakistan to resolve their problems bilaterally. A. Whatever Shimla accord is, it says Kashmir is a disputed territory. India has been dragging its feet. It has been trying to consolidate its position through fradulent elections. The basic issue India has to face is regarding people of Kashmir. Now there are foreign militants. If the issue was not there why would foreign militants come? Why they do not go to any other state of India, and if they do, it is because of Kashmir. Who is to be blamed for the Kashmir problem? India is to be blamed. They are responsible for it. So this being their (India’s) line, they would want the whole world to believe that Pakistan is doing it. Q. Is there no denying that Pakistan is aiding and abetting cross border terrorism? A. Something is wrong with India’s approach. India has a weakness and Pakistan takes, and rightly so, advantage of it. India is on a weak wicket. There is a Chief Minister who is against the will of the people. Is it not a problem? India has something to hide. If people of Kashmir are with India, why don’t they tell Pakistan that let’s go for plebiscite. That is the basic weakness. So in order to cover up all these things like support by Pakistan (to terrorists) come up. If people would not have been supporting Pakistan, things would have been like 1965 when Pakistan was not successful. The basic fact is that something is wrong with India beacuse of which Pakistan and other hands become possible. The foreign militants started coming to the Valley in 1996. If this attitude, which is the present attitude of India’s Prime Minister, would have been there and parleys had been taking place, do you visualise there would have been foreign militants. But India at that time tried to tackle the issue administratively. Q. Do you see prospects of an immediate end to the violence in Kashmir? A.
One cannot say. Much depends on the determination of the Indian
government. |
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3 militants killed in valley JAMMU, Jan 22 (PTI) — Two persons were seriously injured when improvised explosive device (IED) exploded in the Sangla area of Surankote tehsil of Poonch district in Jammu division last evening, police sources said today. The two youths — Shakeel Ahmed and Shafiq suffered serious injuries when an IED exploded near a road yesterday, the sources said adding, that they were later rushed to Surankote hospital for treatment. The IED, intended to target security vehicles exploded when the two youths walked over it, they said. Meanwhile, the police recovered a grenade near a local mosque at Bhala village of Thathri tehsil in Doda district yesterday. A report from Srinagar said security forces killed two unidentified militants in an encounter in Anantnag district of south Kashmir, an official spokesman said today. The last night encounter was initiated by the militants at Tesun-Kulgam in Anantnag, 74 km from here, and in retaliatory action two of them were killed, he said. Two rifles, four magazines and a wireless set were recovered from the slain militants, he said. A UNI report said one Al-Barq militant was killed last night. An official spokesman said Nazir Ahmad Mir and Surjeet Kaur, who were injured in a mine blast at Tapper in Baramulla district yesterday died in hospital this morning. With this the toll in the blast has risen to 10. He said security forces gunned down an Al-Barq militant at Vilgam in the frontier district of Kupwara late last night. One AK rifle, six magazines and 98 rounds were recovered from him. |
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APHC calls for
strike today SRINAGAR, Jan 22 (UNI) — Jammu and Kashmir government department drivers in the valley observed a one-day “chakka jam’’ today in protest against the alleged custodial death of their colleague recently. Kashmir’s main separatist alliance, the All-Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has given a call for the general strike tomorrow in protest against the alleged increase in the custodial killings. President of the Government Drivers and Cleaners Association claimed that the “chakka jam” was complete as no government driver or conductor attended duty. He said drivers of snow clearance machines also struck work. The drivers of public health engineering, power development and forest departments also observed strike. He said the “chakka jam” was in protest against the arrest and subsequent torture of a forest department driver by the Special Operation Group of Jammu and Kashmir police.
Bilal Ahmad Mir, driver of the state Forest Corporation, whose jeep was used by the Lashkar-e-Toiba in a suicide attack at the airport on Tuesday, was arrested along with two other forest officials and two motor
mechanics. Bilal’s body was handed over to his relatives the next day after his arrest. The police claimed that he was killed in an encounter between a police party and militants when the driver was being taken to a hideout for arms recovery.
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Give passports to
all Hurriyat leaders: Mufti SIRNAGAR, Jan 22 (UNI) — Jammu and Kashmir People Democratic Party (PDP) president Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today said the centre should issue passports to all Hurriyat leaders to visit Pakistan. In a statement issued here, the former Union Home Minister said the Centre should reconsider its decision and issue travel documents to all the Hurriyat leaders so that they could travel to Pakistan and explore the possibility of playing a positive in resolving the Kashmir issue. He alleged that the Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah, was trying to sabotage the peace process initiated by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee by announcing unilateral ceasefire till January 26. |
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Lineman’s bravery
goes unrecognised JAMMU, Jan 22 — Richipal Singh, a lineman in the Power Development Department, is yet to receive recognition and appreciation from the government for his valour and presence of mind he displayed while foiling a major Pakistan subversive plan. Richipal Singh and his son were moving about with their .12-bore guns searching for wild fowls in the Kanachak belt close to Mishriwala area on the outskirts of the city yesterday when they were alarmed to see militants moving. The lineman asked his son to contact the nearby police station and inform them about the presence of militants. A small posse of policemen rushed to the spot but fled afer they were fired upon. The higher authorities were informed and the police and the Army carried out a joint operation, which lasted for seven hours. Six militants were killed and six security personnel, including three Armymen, injured. Large quantities of arms and ammunition were recovered from them, which included rockets and rocket launchers. The militants took position at seven points and fired at the security forces. Meanwhile, Richipal Singh says he has done his job for the country. He said if his son was given a job he would feel sure even if the militants targeted him. |
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Students to intensify stir against
admissions JAMMU, Jan 22 — While the boycott by students of various colleges in Jammu and its adjoining areas entered the 12th day today, the ABVP has plans of staging an indefinite dharna outside the offices of the Union Health Ministry in protest against admission of 67 students belonging to an unauthorised private medical college in Srinagar in the two government medical colleges in the state. The national secretary of the ABVP, Mr Romesh Puppa, met the Union Health Minister, Mr C.P. Thakur, in Delhi and lodged a protest against the joint decision of the Centre and the state government in accommodating these students in violation of the rules of the Medical Council of India and those framed by the state government. The state government has, as per the rules, made it mandatory to regulate the selection of candidates in the professional colleges only through the competent authority. Mr Puppa said Mr Thakur wanted some more time to review the decision. He said the ABVP and other students’ organisations had decided to intensify the stir against the decision on admissions and against the increase in the curtailment of power supply. Today a fourth batch of students sat on a relay fast outside the medical college premises despite rain and icy winds. The ABVP leaders have condemned the government’s silence on the issue when the career of thousands of college students was at stake. A number of student union activists blamed the Centre and the state government for the mess in the admission policy and in power supply. They said since the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, and the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, were working on the same wave length the former had succeeded in persuading the latter to intervene and “legalise” the admission of students in the government medical colleges. The student leaders said it was because of the intervention of Mr Advani that both the Union Home Ministry and the Medical Council of India had compromised on the established norms and recommended to the state government that the students of the private college be given admission in recognised medical colleges on humanitarian grounds. |
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J&K adopts new system
of land measurement JAMMU, Jan 22 — Jammu and Kashmir is the first state in the country to have adopted the latest technology for the measurement of land through electronic total stations (ETS). The advantage of ETS is that it furnishes accurate data, besides being an economical and expeditious system of measuring land. The Revenue Department has purchased 55 ETS machines worth Rs 3.30 crore between 1996 and 2000. With its help as many as 3.50 lakh survey numbers have been measured from April, 1998, to December, 2000, as against 1.50 lakh survey numbers measured by the traditional chain system between 1989 to 1998. Due to the latest system the measurement of survey numbers in 468 villages have been completed between 1998-2000 as compared to 501 villages from 1989 to 1998. The field data collected through ETS is being fed into a computer where an accurate print out of the village map comes out. With the introduction of this technology a land holder can obtain a floppy of his land holdings from the provincial record room and preserve it for posterity and ready reference without even having to go to a patwari. The revenue training institutes in Jammu and Srinagar have been computerised, and moreover all tehsil headquarters have also been computerised. About 400 computers costing Rs 2.30 crore were purchased between 1996-2000 and provided to these offices. During the current financial year 34 offices of assistant commissioners, sub-divisional magistrates and additional deputy commissioners will be provided with computers for which Rs 1 crore has been sanctioned. |
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