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Thursday,
March 28, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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JKLF strike hits life in valley
Ghulam Nabi Azad is J&K Cong chief
Grand celebrations
on Baisakhi in J&K |
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JKLF strike hits life in valley Srinagar, March 27 The bandh was peaceful barring a minor clash between the police and JKLF supporters at Maisuma in the city, official sources said. Shops and business establishments remained closed in Srinagar and other major towns of the valley in response to the strike call. However, skeletal transport was plying in the valley, including Srinagar, the sources said. The sources said work in government and semi-government offices was also affected, while educational institutions, banks, courts and other establishments remained closed. Despite additional deployment of police in sensitive areas of the city, JKLF supporters led by its vice-president Javid Ahmad Mir protested outside their headquarters at Maisuma for the third day today. The police used batons and fired teargas shells to disperse JKLF activists, the sources said, adding that no one was hurt in the clash. JAMMU: Three persons, including a militant, were killed and an ultra arrested in different militancy- related incidents in Doda, Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu division while the security forces busted two militant hideouts and seized arms and explosives since Tuesday, official sources said here Wednesday. The sources said militants entered the house of Shabir Ahmed Sheikh in Halimaidan-Duligam area of Doda district
on Tuesday evening and shot him dead. In another incident, the security forces killed a militant during an encounter in Balna-Keshwan area of Kishtwar tehsil in the same district. However, the identity of the slain ultra had not been ascertained, the sources said, adding that an AK-47 rifle and three hand grenades were seized from the site. Reports from Rajouri district said militants killed a 65-year-old man, identified as Bazir Mohammad, in Kuthian village during the period. The security forces busted a militant hideout in the upper reaches of Doda district and seized an under barrel grenade launcher with its three grenades, two M-60 anti-tank grenades and a radio set. Another militant hideout was busted in Lassana area of Poonch district. Fifty Pika rounds, five anti-tank grenades and two IED switches were seized from the site. The police arrested a militant of the Hizbul Mujahideen Riaz Ahmed from Paryot area in Doda district. An AK rifle with two magazines and 37 rounds, besides two hand grenades, were seized from him, the sources said.
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Ghulam Nabi Azad is J&K Cong chief Jammu, March 27 “Now the party will be controlled by a politician and not by a Governor,” was the comment of a senior party leader, Mr Taj Mohiuddin while supporting the appointment of Mr Azad as the new PCC chief. He said: “We fought for the removal of Mr Qureshi not because we had anything personal against him. We wanted him out because he was behaving like a Governor.” Inside reports said during the past five months the AICC leadership had not succeeded in picking up a candidate, who could be acceptable to the two sides, for the post of President of the PCC. Two things weighed in favour of Mr Azad. First, a majority of dissidents had, of late cast their lot with Mr Azad. Mr Azad too had started openly favouring those who wanted Mr Qureshi to be replaced, though he himself was not willing to head the PCC in the troubled Jammu and Kashmir which could mean a sort of a demotion. As AICC General Secretary Mr Azad had a bigger role to perform than he would be able to do now. Second, some senior AICC leaders had already conveyed to Ms Gandhi that over the years Mr Azad had been responsible for encouraging groupism in the PCC because he wanted to retain his hold on the organisation in his home state. The AICC leadership had summoned a senior party leader, Mr Mangat Ram Sharma, to Delhi. It is learnt that in the past five days he again confronted Ms Gandhi with details of omission and commission of Mr Qureshi who was also being blamed for recommending Mr Madan Lal Sharma for the party ticket for the Jammu Lok Sabha seat which the Congress had lost. Filed reports had reached AICC headquarter that had Mr Mangat Ram Sharma been fielded the Congress would have won. Mr Azad is known for his capacity to run an organisation. He knows the pulse of each senior party leader and may be in a position to keep the Congress flock together provided he does not resort to his old game of divide and rule. The task before Mr Azad is quite difficult. He has to strengthen the organisation at the grassroots level because during the past seven years infighting and groupism has weakened it beyond recognition. However, as head of the PCC, Mr Azad will have to face one embarrassing situation. As a close friend of the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, who supported him in getting elected to the Rajya Sabha five years ago, it will be difficult for him to adopt strong anti-Farooq postures which is necessary for building the Congress to a party that can measure swords with the National Conference, atleast in the Jammu region. |
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Pak woman’s unending tale of woes Jammu, March 27 Seven years ago, she had strayed into the Indian territory by mistake from across the Poonch sector. She was arrested by the Army and handed over to the police. In police lockup, a constable, Mohammad Din, as per her statement, raped her. She conceived and delivered a baby girl six years ago, named Mobin Kaunsar, while Mohammad Din was suspended from service. After completing the sentence, her ordeal did not end. Thrice she was taken to the R.S. Pora border for handing over to Pakistani forces. The troops across the border refused to accept her child saying that Mobin was an Indian. Neither Shehnaz Parveen is prepared to leave her child back in Jammu and cross over to Pakistan nor Mobin is willing to part from her mother. According to the Director-General, Prisons, Mr S.S. Ali, the state government had tried to help her by arranging her repatriation but Pakistan had refused. “We cannot do anything,” he said. Mobin has been told by her mother about their relatives in Pakistan. Consequently, Mobin is keen to meet her maternal uncles. But the rules do not provide for it. Shehnaz says she continues to suffer while the man who ruined her life has only lost his job and nothing else. The future holds only three possibilities for her. The government could prepare an Indian passport for Mobin and arrange her trip to Pakistan. Secondly, Mohammad Din could be persuaded to marry her, for which Shehnaz is ready, saying that at least Mobin could satisfy her desire of seeing her ‘abu” (father). She has not told Mobin anything about Mohammad Din and the rape. The third possibility is that she should remain in jail and hope that an NGO comes forward to help her. |
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Grand celebrations on Baisakhi in J&K Srinagar, March 27 The festival will be celebrated to welcome spring after a prolonged winter and all tourist resorts, including Mughal Gardens on the banks of the Dal Lake, will be reopened for the tourists, they said. A special ‘shikara rally’ will be organised from the Dal gate and Nehru Park to
Cheshma-e-Shahi during which riders would be extended special rebate, the sources said. The Deputy Commissioner of Srinagar, Mr Abdul Hamid, directed the officers to arrange transport, drinking water, cleanliness and medicare facilities on tourist spots. He said by organising such rallies, the economy of the state would get a boost and the unemployment problem would also get solved. The meeting constituted a committee, which would identify the spots for organising cultural programmes, make arrangements for parking facilities and give a facelift to the Mughal Gardens along the Dal Lake.
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