J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Ultras torch 11 houses in Poonch
3 women among 7 killed elsewhere
Jammu, February 5
Militants set ablaze 11 houses in Poonch district while security personnel seized explosives and ammunition from Rajouri district of Jammu division since last night, an official spokesman said here today. He said a group of unidentified militants burnt down eight houses in Chandimar-Bafliaz sector under Surankote police station in Poonch district last night.

Farooq may recommend early Assembly poll
Jammu, February 5
When Dr Farooq Abdullah called upon his partymen to prepare for the Assembly poll from “right now” as the election would be announced “anytime taking everybody by surprise” he was seemingly dropping a broad hint about his plan of going to the polls much earlier than the schedule.

Pak clears border villages for troops
Jammu, February 5
Even after launching a crackdown on terrorist outfits, Pakistan has not yet changed its strategy as far as its proxy war against India is concerned. More than 200 Pakistani border villages across Poonch, Rajouri and Akhnoor sectors have been cleared of the civilian population.

Army jawans patrolling in snow-bound mountains in deep jungles in the Rajwar area of Kupwara district, near Loc, in north Kashmir. — Photo Amin War.

Ultras torch 11 houses in Poonch
3 women among 7 killed elsewhere

Jammu, February 5
Militants set ablaze 11 houses in Poonch district while security personnel seized explosives and ammunition from Rajouri district of Jammu division since last night, an official spokesman said here today.

He said a group of unidentified militants burnt down eight houses in Chandimar-Bafliaz sector under Surankote police station in Poonch district last night.

The ultras also set ablaze three houses in the Behra Kund area of Mendhar tehsil of the district during the period, he said, adding that, however, no one was hurt in the incidents as the houses, earlier occupied by the security forces, were vacant.

Security forces during a joint operation at Taran village in Rajouri district seized 10 bricks of explosives, one 60-mm mortar bomb, one improvised explosive device and ammunition from the house of Bashir Ahmed, the spokesman said.

Meanwhile, Pakistani border guards opened fire from heavy calibre weapons on various Indian Border Out Posts (BOPs) in almost all frontier sectors along the international boundary in the Jammu region early today.

Official sources said Pakistan Rangers opened fire on Kanachak, Khour, Arnia, Ramgarh, Samba, Hiranagar and Ranbir Singh Pura sectors targeting forward bunkers and BOPs. The Indian troops retaliated and the gun battles lasted varying durations, the sources said.

SRINAGAR: Two militants and three women were among seven persons killed in separate incidents, while the police repulsed a militant attack on their picket set up for the protection of a minority community in the Kashmir valley since Monday night, police sources said today.

The militants — Javid Ahmad Dewani of the Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen and Abu Baker of the Lashkar-e-Toiba — were killed in an encounter with the BSF at Kunan in the Bandipora area of Baramula district on Tuesday, the sources said.

They said two AK rifles, eight magazines with 100 rounds, two wireless sets and four grenades were seized from the killed militants. A prominent counter-insurgent associated with the Ikhwan outfit, Abdul Majid Wani, alias “Bambar,” was killed and his accomplice Majid Pahloo, alias “Shabir,” injured when Army personnel, mistaking them as militants, opened fire at Sumbal in Baramula district on Monday evening, sources said.

The Army had cordoned off an area following information about presence of militants there. On noticing the duo, the troops mistook them as militants and opened fire in which Wani was killed. Pahloo, who was wounded, had been hospitalised, they said.

Militants shot dead a woman, Khazeeba, and her granddaughter Ulfat in their house at Batfozen village in Pulwama district of south Kashmir on Monday, the sources said.

However, residents of the area blamed a local gunman Bashir Ahmad Kalay for killing the two women. Bashir had some old rivalry with Khazeeba’s son, Mohammad Ashraf, the residents said.

A teenaged boy, Javid Ahmad Najar, who was injured in a shootout between militants and security forces at Kantpora in the frontier district of Kupwara on Monday, succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday, the sources said.

On hearing the news of Javid’s death, his mother died of shock, they added.

Militants opened fire on a police picket established for the protection of a minority community at Harzibji near Khag in Badgam district of central Kashmir on Monday night.

The police guards repulsed their attack. No one was hurt in the shootout, the sources added.

Meanwhile, normal life was disrupted on Tuesday in Srinagar and other major towns of the Kashmir valley following a strike to mark “Kashmir Solidarity Day’’.

Although no secessionist or militant outfit has called for a strike, shops and business establishments in most parts of Srinagar remained closed and only skeleton transport was plying.

The strike also affected work in government and semi-government offices, banks, courts and other establishments throughout the valley, reports said. PTI, UNI

Farooq may recommend early Assembly poll
M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

Jammu, February 5
When Dr Farooq Abdullah called upon his partymen to prepare for the Assembly poll from “right now” as the election would be announced “anytime taking everybody by surprise” he was seemingly dropping a broad hint about his plan of going to the polls much earlier than the schedule.

The Assembly poll is slated for October and a fortnight ago the Chief Minister had announced that the Assembly elections might be held somewhere in September. However, during the past 15 days new developments have taken place which may force the Chief Minister to go to the polls somewhere in June.

The most important development is the emergence of Mr Wajahat Habibullah, Director, Lal Bahadur Shastri Academy of Public Administration, Mussoorie, as a mediator between Kashmiri separatists and the Government of India. When Mr Habibullah met government’s chief negotiator, Mr K.C. Pant in Delhi on Monday he reportedly conveyed to Mr Pant that he would be able to persuade the separatists, especially the APHC leaders, to participate in the Assembly poll. Mr Wajahat Habibullah had visited Kashmir recently and renewed his links, with some separatist leaders.

The second development is the APHC announcement that it would contest elections only for determining the representative character of the Hurriyat leaders.

The third development is the result of Dr Abdullah’s growing suspicion against rulers at the Centre because despite being the best bet for India in Kashmir he is apprehensive of behind the scene moves by his political detractors in Kashmir with the help of a section in the ruling elite in Delhi.

Sources close to the Chief Minister think that the moves for preparing the APHC and other separatists to contest the next Assembly poll are a warning signal for the ruling National Conference.

Ruling party leaders know that it might take some time for either Wajahat Habibullah or for the Centre to motivate the APHC and other separatists to participate in the Assembly poll. The APHC leadership knows that deciding in favour of participating in the poll could be a risky decision because that way they might not be able to carry the burden of 40,000 deaths on their shoulders when they would be asked whether the “freedom struggle” was meant to secure their participation in the elections and for winning power.

Dr Abdullah would try to upset the APHC applecart and of those who continue to be Farooq baiters in Delhi. This he can do by going to the polls atleast three to four months earlier than the schedule.

However, the National Conference leadership would watch APHC moves closely and once the Chief Minister gets the hint that the Hurriyat is going to take part in the election he may opt for early elections. First the National Conference will wait for the poll results of the Jammu Lok Sabha seat where the polling is slated for February 21. Even if the National Conference repeats its 1998 and 1999 performance of being a runner up it will go in for the early Assembly poll.

At present it is plugging main loopholes and by allowing a senior Congress leader, Mr Janak Raj Gupta, to re-enter the National Conference the Chief Minister has indicated that he will go all out to win the Jammu Lok Sabha seat.

The National Conference leadership will not give enough time for his political detractors, including Mufti Mohd. Sayeed, to form a third front with the assistance, direct or indirect, of separatists. Once the third front take shape the Congress may show interest in being part of the front.

The Chief Minister also indicated that he would bring his son, Mr Omar Abdullah, back to the state from the Centre to campaign for the Assembly poll. He was thus, trying to project a new party leader before the electorate and till this day Omar Abdullah carries a clean picture among the people of the state.

At the sametime it cannot be ignored that Dr Abdullah is not averse to the APHC contesting the Assembly poll. He has even gone to the extent of conveying to the APHC leaders that he is prepared to quit in case they agree to take part in the Assembly poll.

Pak clears border villages for troops
Tribune News Service

Jammu, February 5
Even after launching a crackdown on terrorist outfits, Pakistan has not yet changed its strategy as far as its proxy war against India is concerned. More than 200 Pakistani border villages across Poonch, Rajouri and Akhnoor sectors have been cleared of the civilian population. Reports from across the border said Pakistani troops had occupied civilian houses and converted them into bases for anti-India activities. The reports said a large number of T-80 tanks had also been deployed.

During the past month, the Pakistani troops fired more than 65,000 rounds from small arms on the Indian border villages and posts from Siachen to Kathua. During the same period, more than 18,000 artillery and mortar shells were fired, indicating that Islamabad was trying to mount pressure on Delhi to resume bilateral talks.

Defence experts said the Indian military build-up had been exploited by Islamabad which had finalised arms deals with several countries.

Messages intercepted by some Indian agencies revealed that the Pakistani agencies had become desperate over the marked decline in militancy-related activities. In January there had been three grenade attacks on security pickets and camps against 10 in December. However, in the case of random firing and crossfire, there had been no major decline because the security forces had intensified seek and destroy operations. The experts said the militants had yet to come under pressure from the security forces because large-scale multi-dimensional operations had not been ordered.