M A I N   N E W S

Musharraf calls meeting of army commanders

Islamabad, January 27
Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has convened a meeting of Corps Commanders on January 31 to possibly discuss India’s demand for extradition of 14 of its nationals figuring in the list of 20 criminals and terrorists forwarded by it.

The meeting, proposed to be held at the Army Headquarters in Rawalpindi, would also review the security situation and the state of military preparedness, media reports here said today.

The immediate issue that could figure high on the agenda of the top commanders conference would be the strategy to be adopted to deal with the extradition of 14 Indians in the 20 list of criminals and terrorists forwarded by it, the report said. PTI

No killings in Kashmir

Srinagar, January 27
For the first time since the eruption of militancy nearly 12 years ago, no killings have taken place in the Kashmir valley during the past 48 hours.

Though isolated incidents of blasts and militant attacks took place in some pockets, causing damage to public and private property, there was no report of any killing from any part of the valley since Thursday evening, official sources said.

The fall in violence during the past 48 hours even proved wrong the calculations of the security agencies who apprehended large-scale violence on Republic Day, as was being witnessed in the past since 1989.

Meanwhile, militants caused two explosions using an improvised explosive device (IED) and a grenade in the Kashmir valley, where nine persons were arrested by security forces for questioning since last night, a police spokesman said today.

However, no one was injured in the explosions which took place at Manchihama-Tral at Pulwama district and Bemina locality in Srinagar last night, he said.

The public urinal where the militants had planted the IED at Manchihama was damaged in the explosion. However, no damage was caused in the grenade blast at Bemina which occurred outside a power station.

Seven suspected youths were picked up by security forces from Tral after the explosion, while a suspected militant was arrested from Gousia colony in Bemina today, he said.

Meanwhile, security forces apprehended a militant at Chowgam-Utrasoo in Anantnag district today and seized two grenades and some ammunition from his possession, he added.

JAMMU: Five CRPF personnel were injured when militants fired upon a CRPF camp at Bafliaz sector in Poonch district on Saturday night.

Official sources said here on Sunday that a local senior secondary school, which CRPF personnel were using as their barracks, was attacked by terrorists around 10 p.m.

The militants fired bullets from medium-calibre weapons for about 10 minutes on the camp. The personnel retaliated and in the subsequent gunbattle, five jawans sustained bullet injuries.

The ultras fled under the cover of darkness, the sources said. The injured have been admitted to a local hospital. PTI,UNI

Civilian killed in Pak firing
Tribune News Service

Jammu, January 27
A civilian, Rishal Singh (35), was killed when Pakistani troops resorted to heavy firing on Indian border villages and posts in Ramgarh sector today.

Official reports said Rishal Singh was working in a field when he was hit by bullets in the chest.

According to these reports, Pakistani troops indulged in intermittent firing on Indian posts and villages in Samba and R.S. Pora sectors today. The Indian troops retaliated using long-range guns and destroyed at least 10 Pakistani bunkers. In the retaliatory fire, 10 to 12 Pakistani soldiers were killed and several others injured.

The reports said Pakistani troops resorted to heavy shelling with the purpose of pushing militants into Jammu sector.