J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

176 civilians killed during ceasefire
JAMMU, Jan 28 — Civilian casualties in militant attacks in Jammu and Kashmir registered a sharp increase since the unilateral ceasefire, announced by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, came into effect on November 28, an official spokesman said today.

Toothless APHC passive spectator
JAMMU, Jan 28 — The past two months of the ceasefire have clearly indicated that the All-Party Hurriyat Conference, which claims to be the representative of the people of the Kashmir valley, has avoided issuing direct instructions or appeals to militant outfits to suspend armed strikes against the civilians and other wings of the political and social set-up.

• APHC expresses grief at tragedy

5 militants killed in gunfights
SRINAGAR, Jan 28— Five militants were killed in gunfights with the security forces and 15 civilians injured in three grenade explosions in Jammu and Kashmir, where Border Security Force jawans averted a possible tragedy with timely detection of an explosive device since last evening.

176 civilians killed during ceasefire

JAMMU, Jan 28 (PTI) — Civilian casualties in militant attacks in Jammu and Kashmir registered a sharp increase since the unilateral ceasefire, announced by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, came into effect on November 28, an official spokesman said today.

He said 176 civilians were killed and 421 injured by Pakistan-backed militants in the state during the 58 days of the ceasefire till January 24. The figures were 106 and 137 respectively in the 58 days preceding November 28. Civilian killings registered a 66 per cent rise and civilian injuries 207 per cent.

The figures reveal the ultras, instead of responding positively to the Prime Minister’s peace initiative, were taking advantage of the suspension of combat operations against them and targeting innocents, the spokesman said.

Meanwhile, casualties among militants registered a sharp decline of 150 per cent during the period, he said. Against 292 militants killed from October 1 to November 27 last, only 118 militants were killed during the 58 days of ceasefire. These casualties were mostly in retaliatory actions by the security forces.

He said 25 militants were nabbed during the ceasefire against 154 nabbed in the previous 58 days. Only 10 militants surrendered during the ceasefire whereas 42 had surrendered in 58 days prior to November 28.

There was a marginal fall in the killing of the security forces during the ceasefire when 57 security personnel were killed, the spokesman said. The figure was 73 during the period from October 1 to November 27.

Injuries to the security forces rose from 123 to 192 during the ceasefire period, he said.

The total number of incidents came down from 621 to 564 during the ceasefire. But the number of grenade attacks rose to 72 during the period against 49 in 58 days till November 28, he added.

Toothless APHC passive spectator
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Jan 28 — The past two months of the ceasefire have clearly indicated that the All-Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC), which claims to be the representative of the people of the Kashmir valley, has avoided issuing direct instructions or appeals to militant outfits to suspend armed strikes against the civilians and other wings of the political and social set-up.

The spurt in the civilian killings at the hands of militants during the ceasefire has also revealed that the APHC has no teeth to enforce its writ. The APHC had supported the Prime Minister Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee’s peace initiative which came in the shape of non-initiation of combat operations against the militants. But when three powerful militant outfits, the Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jash-e-Mohammed and Al Badr, rejected the peace initiative, the APHC had no alternative but to remain a passive spectator.

The APHC Chairman, Prof Abdul Gani Bhat, has explained that the announcement to the ceasefire was unilateral and militants were not bound by any agreement to suspend their strikes. But this explanation seems to be a sign of helplessness when the APHC leaders are keen to allow the peace process initiated by Mr Vajpayee to reach its logical conclusion.

Government sources said by rejecting the peace process the foreign mercenaries were simply carrying out the agenda set up for them by Islamabad. These rebel outfits wanted to achieve two main objectives by refusing to respond positively to the ceasefire. Firstly, the Pakistan-trained militants wanted to mount pressure on Delhi to resume direct talks with Islamabad. Secondly, the rebels wanted to convey to the world that the Prime Minister’s peace initiative had not ended the turmoil and the cry for the “liberation of Kashmir.”

The rate of civilian killings at the hands of the militants during the past two months of the ceasefire has registered a 67 per cent increase compared to the 60 days preceding the non-initiation of the combat operations.

Between November 27, when the ceasefire was announced, and January 27, the militants killed 180 civilians and wounded 425 against 106 killings and injuries to 137 persons during the two months preceding the ceasefire.

As a result of cessation of the combat operations, the rate of killing of militants has gone down by 150 per cent during the past two months. Against 292 militants killed from October 11 to November 27, not more than 123 rebels were killed during the past two months. Only 25 militants were apprehended during the past 60 days against 154 during 60 days before the ceasefire. Prior to the ceasefire, 154 militants had surrendered before the security forces but during the past two months not more than 10 rebels laid down their weapons.

However, the attacks on security forces during the ceasefire witnessed a marginal improvement. Against the killing of 73 security personnel till November 25, 57 securitymen lost their lives during the past two months. But as many as 192 security personnel were wounded in the past 60 days against 123 during two months preceding the ceasefire. The total militancy-related incidents have come down from 621 to 567.

The Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, is annoyed over the further extension of the ceasefire because of the sharp increase in the rate of civilian killings.

He has stated that “the more they (militants) strike, the harder will be our attitude against them.” This indicates that in case the militants do not stop that killing of innocent people, political activists’ combat operations against them would be resumed in one form or the other.

In fact, in certain areas of the state, including Poonch, Rajouri Kupwara and its adjoining areas, security forces have intensified patrolling and have carried out elimination of those militants who had started posing danger to the civilians and the security forces.

APHC expresses grief at tragedy

SRINAGAR, Jan 28 (PTI) — The Hurriyat Conference today expressed grief over the heavy loss of life and property in the devastating earthquake in Gujarat. “We Kashmiris know better how one feels at the loss of life and destruction of property as we have witnessed the same for a long period in Kashmir,” Hurriyat said in a statement here. Sharing the grief and sorrow of the people of Gujarat, it said: “We pray to God Almighty to give strength to the people of the state to come out of this grave crisis.”

5 militants killed in gunfights

SRINAGAR, Jan 28 (PTI) — Five militants were killed in gunfights with the security forces and 15 civilians injured in three grenade explosions in Jammu and Kashmir, where Border Security Force (BSF) jawans averted a possible tragedy with timely detection of an explosive device since last evening.

Meanwhile, the Pulwama district president of Awami National Conference Gulzar Ahmad Nengroo was released unharmed by militants early today in the Shopian area of South Kashmir, an official spokesman said.

MR Nengroo, a resident of the Kachdoora area of Shopian, was abducted by militants outside his house on Friday night.

In a major encounter, the spokesman said, three unidentified militants were killed by the police at Mora-Bichai in the Surankote area of Poonch district last night.

A pika gun, two assault rifles and a grenade thrower and some ammunition were seized from the slain ultras, he said.

Another unidentified militant was killed in an encounter at Machpora village in the Handwara area of Kupwara district in North Kashmir today, official sources said.

They said the encounter in the village was going on since early today. Further details are awaited.

A Pakistani militant associated with Lashkar-e-Toiba was killed in an encounter with the Army at Wangipora in the Sumbal area of Baramula district in North Kashmir today, a defence spokesman said.

He said troops of the Rashtriya Rifles were on a routine patrolling in the village when they came under fire from militants causing injuries to a jawan. The troops fired back and encircled the whole village, resulting in a gunfight in which the militant was killed and a rifle was seized.

The search operation in the village to trace out other members of the group was continuing when last reports were received, the spokesman said.

Fifteen pedestrians were wounded in grenade explosions triggered by militants at Ali Kadal, Gojwara and Karan Nagar in Srinagar last evening, he said.