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Tuesday,
April 23, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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J&K poll: bid to woo separatists
2 jawans hurt in Pak firing 9 ultras killed in J&K |
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Withdraw
POTA, says Mehbooba One dead, 18 injured in bus accident
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J&K poll: bid to woo
separatists Jammu, April 22 Reliable reports have said following the receipt of reports that Pakistani agencies have formulated a plan to create more scare in the state by raising the level of subversive violence so that people do not take part in the poll process, attempts are being made to woo these moderates and dissidents in the separatist camps. The Union Government is keen to ensure the participation of people in the poll on a large scale so that the Pakistan’s propaganda that people are not for election but for settlement of the Kashmir issue lose its teeth. In this connection the government agencies are in touch with moderates and dissidents in Hizbul Mujahideen, Hurriyat Conference, Peoples’ League, Muslim Conference, Peoples’ Front and other groups. Already feelers have reportedly been sent to several Hurriyat Conference leaders, including Mr Abdul Gani Lone, Molvi Umar Farooq, besides the chief of the Democratic Freedom Party, Mr Shabir Ahmed Shah, that they should take a bold step by contesting the Assembly poll for which the government would ensure that polling is free and fair. In addition to this, attempts are being made to revive parleys with Mr Abdul Majid Dar of Hizbul Mujahidden, Mr Gulam Mohammad Naikoo, Mr Nayeem Khan and Mr Fazal Haq Qureshi so that they too can be motivated to join the poll process. So far there has not been any major breakthrough and those who have shown an inclination to do so have started imposing conditions, one among them being that the poll be held under the Governor’s rule and some international observers be allowed to monitor the fairness of polling. Those agencies which are engaged in the task of forming a forum plan to give it a shape before the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, visit the valley. Though developments in Parliament and in Gujarat have forced Mr Vajpayee to delay his political trip to Kashmir, the Indian agencies are on their job to give some shape to the forum so that the Prime Minister can announce the resumption of dialogue with the forum leaders for resolving the Kashmir imbroglio. The Hurriyat Conference Chairman, Prof Abdul Gani Bhat, has repeatedly announced that the 23-member conglomerate will not contest the election on the plea that the poll is not going to resolve the Kashmir dispute. But the agencies are trying to secure support from the second-rung Hurriyat leaders for ensuring bigger participation of people in the election. Even if the agencies succeed in forming the forum of different separatist leaders one may expect only marginal increase in the polling percentage. Yes, people too yearn to take part in the poll process but they need a right atmosphere for it. If the militants keep on striking at their will and out of vengeance not many will be prepared to risk their lives by travelling to the polling stations. Two factors are stated to be vital for either forcing the government to postpone the election or for witnessing a poor participation. First, Pakistan will raise the level of violence within the valley which is enough to scare away people from the polling booths. Second, the strings of militancy are in the hands of foreign
mercenaries. Even if some moderate and disgruntled separatists decide to take part in the poll process, the foreign mercenaries will not listen to their directions and suggestions. Those who refer to these factors point out to the panchayat elections and the Census operations. Though the government claims that after 23 years the panchayat elections were held in the state last year, at least 35 per cent panchayats in the Kashmir valley have yet to be covered. Similarly, the Census operations were completed in 2000 after a gap of 20 years but the actual enumeration in various areas in the valley was based on assumptions and on the figures of 1981 Census as the enumerators did not dare to move from door to door when separatists and militants had given a call for the boycott of
panchayat polls and Census enumeration. The call has not evoked as much response as one found in 1996 Assembly election. But the security environment is yet too disturbing, if not alarming, to encourage people to join the poll process or the peace initiatives that the Prime Minister may launch. If the moves to woo the separatists failed, the government has to bank on the National Conference. |
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The rise of sons and daughters Jammu, April 22 The “son rise” began with Dr Farooq Abdullah taking over from his father Sheikh Abdullah, first as NC President and then as the Chief Minister. He followed his father’s footsteps and baptised his son in politics. His rise was quick with his induction in the Union Council of Ministers, first as Commerce and then as External Affairs Minister. By inducting Mr Rajinder Handoo and Mr Sajad Kichloo in the Executive Committee of the National Conference recently after both of them lost their fathers, Mr P.L. Handoo and Mr B. A. Kichloo, who were ministers in the Cabinet headed by Dr Farooq Abdullah the circle of putting saddles on the sons to be dark horses in the race course of politics is being completed. Others whose sons are trying to peep behind the clouds are the wards of Mr Ghulam Mohiuddin Shah, Housing Minister, Mr Ali Mohammed, Sagar, Public Works Minister, Mr Mohammed Shafi, Education Minister. Mr Najib Sohrawardhy, son of the late Atta Ullah Sohrawardhy, close associate of Sheikh Abdullah, who had won from his father’s Assembly seat of Doda was recently inducted in the Council of Ministers as Minister of State for Home. In the Opposition camp, Molvi Umar Farooq had stepped in the shoes of his father, the late Maulana Mohammed Farooq, as Kashmir Mirwaiz and Chairman Awami Action Committee. Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, Chief of the People’s Democratic Party, had since 1996 facilitated the dawn of his daughter Mahbooba Mufti, who got elected to the state Assembly. She later resigned from the House to join her father’s party. The son-in-law of Sheikh Abdullah, Mr G.M. Shah, groomed his son Muzaffar Shah, as a politician having access to men who matter in Delhi. Reports have revealed that Ms Shabnam Lone, daughter of Mr Abdul Gani Lone, too may jump into politics not with the support of her father but on account of feelers being sent to her by the National Conference leaders. Dr Mehboob Beg, son of Mirza Mohammed Afzal Beg, right hand man of Sheikh Abdullah, joined politics soon after his father’s demise. He rose to the rank of a Cabinet Minister and later rejoined the National Conference. Ms Sakina Itoo is at present Minister of State for Tourism. She had to abandon her career as a student in a Medical College to join as National Conference after her father Wali Mohd Itoo, a former
Speaker. |
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2 jawans hurt in Pak firing Jammu, April 22 Eight Pakistani soldiers were killed in retaliatory artillery fire in the Nowshera sector. A senior security official said the Rangers opened fire from heavy machine guns around 6.30 a.m., targeting forward bunkers and villages bordering the IB. The Indian troops manning the forward positions retaliated and the fiery showdown continued for some time. In the heavy cross-border firing, two Army jawans S.K. Ram and Kuldeep Singh, sustained serious bullet injuries and had to be rushed to the Military Hospital at Satwari, on the outskirts of Jammu city for treatment. A hail of bullets fired by the Rangers hit the dry grass which caught fire igniting 150 sacks of foodgrains in Devigarh, the official said. Indian soldiers fired mortar shells from 81 mm guns in quick succession targeting Pakistani bunkers, and their fuel and ammunition depots. The cross-border firing lasted for more than two hours in which seven Pakistani bunkers were destroyed and five soldiers were killed. Incensed at heavy Indian retaliation the soldiers opened fire from heavy-calibre 105 mm artillery guns in a bid to pin down Indian soldiers and targeting India’s gun positions and watch-towers, sources informed. In retaliation Indian troops opened fire from similar calibre guns and for next two hours both sides were locked in a heavy artillery duel. Thereafter, in a swift change of tactics the Pakistanis opened another front in the Kalaal area also in the Nowshera sector but here also troops manning the frontier positions gave a befitting reply, sources said. In the cross-border artillery firing in Kalaal three more Regulars were killed and four more of Pakistan bunkers destroyed. The reverberations of pounding by the artillery guns could be heard from miles away amid reports of fresh migration or people from bordering villages to safer locations. The Indian Army has warned the Pakistani forces to refrain from firing on frontier Indian positions failing which “the Indian side will have no option but to retaliate...more seriously.” According to an Army press note, tension has been building up on the Jammu border for the past few days due to unprovoked Pakistani firing on various forward posts. “If Pakistan does not show restraint, the Indian side will have no option but to retaliate, not only to the unprovoked firing, but also more seriously to Pakistani actions to cause damage to the border fence as no interference to fence construction is acceptable,” the release added. |
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9 ultras killed in J&K
Srinagar, April 22 Three Jaish-e-Mohammad ultras were killed by security forces in an encounter during search operations at Dardpora in the frontier district of Kupwara, they said. The slain ultras have been identified as Ghulam Mustaffa, Abu Turab, alias Sherbaz,
and Abul Talib — all from Pakistan. Three AK assault rifles, 10 magazines, six grenades and over 1,000 rounds of AK ammunition were seized from them. Security forces shot dead two ultras during search operations in Suroti village of Mendhar tehsil last evening. One of them belonged to the Drabkillan area of Pakistan. Two AK-56 rifles along with its six magazines and 92 rounds, two hand grenades and some other gadgets were seized from the encounter site. An Army ambush party killed a foreign mercenary during an encounter at Nilahi village in Rajouri district. Security forces shot dead a militant at Shalinar near Khansahib in Badgam district late last night. An AK rifle and some ammunition were seized from him. Security forces shot dead an ultra in an encounter in the upper reaches of Doda, while another militant was drowned when he jumped into the Chenab river after a gunbattle with the security forces. His body is yet to be recovered. Militants killed a civilian at Gambir Mughlan village in Rajouri district yesterday. JAMMU: One foreign militant was killed and an Army jawan injured in a fierce encounter between unidentified militants and security forces in the Manajkote area of Rajouri district early today. A police spokesman said on being tipped off that some ultras were hiding in the Manjakote area, policemen and Army personnel launched a pre-dawn operation to flush them out. On seeing the security personnel approaching, the ultras opened fire on them. In the ensuing gunbattle, one ultra was killed and an Army jawan injured, he said.
UNI, PTI
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Withdraw POTA, says Mehbooba
Srinagar, April 22 Ms Mufti told mediapersons here today that atrocities by the SOG and counter-insurgents had increased manifold after the National Conference came to power in 1996. She described the National Conference as the biggest obstacle in finding a peaceful resolution to the Kashmir issue. She said her party would shortly organise peaceful demonstrations at all district headquarters in the state in protest against the implementation of POTA. She said 70 persons, including seven girls, had been arrested under POTA by the state government since its implementation, but most of them were later released as they were found innocent. This Act would be misused against innocents to settle the score, Ms Mufti charged. Ms Mufti said during her month-long tour to different parts of the valley she was told by the people, including youth, that if things did not improve they would have to take to the gun to defend the honour of their women. She said the SOG should be disbanded and its personnel be recruited in the state police. In reply to a question, Ms Mufti said counter-insurgents should be disarmed immediately as they were “raping, torturing, looting and killing” innocent people in the valley. They should, however, be properly rehabilitated, she added. She alleged that security forces were committing atrocities in far flung areas and the people were feeling helpless as no senior Army, police or civil officer was visiting them. Ms Mufti demanded that police should also be deployed in far-flung areas alongwith the Army so that civilians could feel some kind of security in their presence. However, the security forces be prevented from committing atrocities, she demanded. She said Mr Abdullah’s recent statements on Gujarat was very unfortunate. “We too have one Modi in our state as custodial killings, rape and other atrocities has increased during the National Conference rule in the state”. UNI
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One dead, 18 injured in bus accident Jammu, April 22 The overloaded bus was on its way to Banihal from Jammu when a speeding truck coming from the opposite direction collided head-on with it at Kala Kuppar, killing one person on the spot. The deceased was a manager of a cooperative bank. The injured were rushed to Government Medical College here.
UNI
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