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| Tuesday,
April 10, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Geelani emerges Pak favourite
Cong cautions Centre
on talks with Hurriyat 3 of family among 8
killed |
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Geelani emerges Pak favourite New Delhi, April 9 Mr Geelani,ardent supporter of Pakistan, has been twice to the Pakistan High Commission last week to have one-to-one meeting with the High Commissioner, Mr Ashraf Jehangir Qazi. While in the past, other Hurriyat leaders also used to be present at such meetings, this time the High Commission took special care to invite Mr Geelani alone. One-to-one meeting is obviously not being appreciated by other members of the Hurriyat executive. It cannot be a mere coincidence that Mr Geelani arrived in New Delhi the day other Hurriyat leaders left the Union Capital, where they had been camping for days, for Srinagar, a leader observed. What transpired at the meeting between Mr Geelani and Mr Qazi could not be ascertained, Islamabad is understood to have conveyed to the former Hurriyat chairman that he should try to check the pro-talks move of leaders like Abdul Ghani Lone and should also rein in JKLF leader Yasin Malik who is departing from the Hurriyat course by going alone on his pro-Azadi plank. Realising that the APHC may slowly move toward a split with a moderate section coming out of the conglomerate for talks with New Delhi, Islamabad has advised Mr Geelani that he should not hesitate to float another “tanzim” (outfit) if it suits the main objective, sources said. Islamabad has decided to embark upon its present course realising that Indian Government’s initiative of ceasefire and subsequent invitation for talks without any pre-conditions was not only being appreciated in the Western capitals but it was also striking a welcome cord with some APHC executive members. The offer of unconditional talks took the wind out of the sails of the hardliners within the Hurriyat who were certain that no government in New Delhi would be able to muster so much of political courage to invite Kashmiri groups for dialogue without any conditions. While earlier the Hurriyat was asking for a dialogue without any conditions, now the government’s unconditional offer has taken away the APHC’s main plank. Followers of different parties of the APHC are beginning to ask probing questions on their stand on talks with the Centre. “What is the hitch now”, they are asking. The National Democratic Alliance(NDA) government’s offer has caught not only the Hurriyat members unawares but has even surprised Islamabad, sources said,adding that the APHC was deeply divided over the issue. The APHC has begun to show cracks with three distinct views surfacing over New Delhi’s offer. While the moderate lobby led by Professor Lone is for talks with the Centre, Mr Geelani is opposed to any dialogue with New Delhi. The APHC chairman, Prof Abdul Gani Bhat has maintained that since Pakistan is a party to the dispute and a Hurriyat delegation should be first allowed to travel to Pakistan. Former Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Maulvi Abbas Ansari are still waiting in the wings to make their stand known, sources said, adding that they might decide to join Professor Lone after sometime. Another leader Yasin Malik is in the USA campaigning for an independent Jammu and Kashmir. Mr Malik, who ostensibly went to the USA for medical treatment, has been telling his American interlocutors that India’s offer of talks was just an “eyewash” and the Kashmiri people would not relent in their struggle until “complete freedom” was not attained. Ever since Mr Geelani declared that Kashmir was a religious issue and not a political issue, his support among the militant and terrorist outfits has gone up tremendously. In coming days , terrorist groups are likely to mount pressure on all those leaders, including those from Hurriyat, who come in open with their support for dialogue with New Delhi, sources said. |
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Cong cautions Centre
on talks with Hurriyat Jammu, April 9 In a statement issued here today, a spokesman of the Congress, Mr Amrit Malhotra, said before the government negotiator, Mr K.C. Pant, started talks with the separatists he should keep in mind the evil impact of the ceasefire. During the past four months not only militancy related violence escalated but also regional and communal tensions heightened in the state, he added. Mr Malhotra said if the stability and secular character of the state were threatened by the talks it would simply prove counter-productive. He said if discontent was the basis of invitation for talks the level of discontent in the Jammu region was more than in the valley, which called for keeping in view the aspirations of the people of this region. The Congress spokesman referred to the assurances given by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Ms Indira Gandhi, Sheikh Abdullah and other leaders and said the only solution to the current imbroglio and regional passions was to allow the state to have regional autonomy. Mr Malhotra regional autonomy on the pattern suggested by Mr Balraj Puri, chairman of a committee, and not on the basis of the report prepared by the National Conference. He said if the National Conference report was implemented it would divide Jammu and Ladakh regions on communal basis. He also demanded the Central Government’s intervention so that the National Conference was forced to withdraw its resolution and recommendations on the restoration of greater autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir. |
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3 of family among 8 killed Srinagar, April 9 Three members of a family were killed when a group of unidentified militants raided their house at Kralgund in the frontier district of Kupwara in North Kashmir early today, an official spokesman said. The deceased were identified as Riyaz Ahmad Lone, his brother Abdul Rashid and their cousin Ishaq Ahmad Lone. The motive behind their killing was not immediately known, the spokesman added. The Special Operation Group of the Jammu and Kashmir police gunned down a self-styled district commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen, identified as Ghulam Qadir Najar, alias Mudasir Fazli, during a raid on his hideout at Kawari-Jagarpora in Kupwara early today. An AK assault rifle, a wireless set and some ammunition were seized from the slain militant. Another Hizb militant, Abdul Rashid Khan was killed in a shootout with the Border Security Force (BSF) at Batapora in the Pahalgam area of Anantnag district late last night. A rifle and two grenades were seized from him. A suspected militant, Bashir Ahmad Dar was killed here when a hand grenade went off this morning. Security forces killed a militant at Darsoo in Kupwara while an unidentified body was found in Chureenar in the same district this morning. Two civilians were injured when militants hurled a hand grenade on a security force picket at the Bandipora bus stand in Baramula district of North Kashmir early this afternoon. Militants also hurled grenades towards a BSF picket at Soura near here and Hillar-Kokernag in Anantnag last night, wounding two jawans, the spokesman said. The BSF seized a pistol, two grenades and some ammunition from a hideout at Brainwar in Badgam district last night. JAMMU: The security forces seized a huge cache of arms and ammunition at Loharkan near Thanamandi in Rajouri district yesterday. A defence spokesman said that based on a specific information, security forces busted a huge cache of arms and ammunition at Loharkan near Thanamandi in Rajouri district. The cache was hidden in thick jungle areas. In another incident, the security forces, on being informed of suspicious movement of unknown people at Tota Gali in the same district, found two ruck sacks containing Rs 1 lakh in cash and eight grenades. UNI |
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