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Monday,
May 6, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Hurriyat
Conference divide widens Gujarat
shadow over J&K tourism Security
forces on ‘high alert’ Hizb
expels 3 commanders |
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Pak bid to
blow up installations foiled Rs 50 lakh
for forensic lab upgradation Small
industry to hold protest today Minor
injured in accidental fire
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Hurriyat Conference divide widens New Delhi, May 5 In the letter, a copy of which was released to the press, Nazir, who runs the Jammu and Kashmir Council for Human Rights, criticised fire-brand Jamaat-e-Islami leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani for his criticism of the Dubai meeting and said “I am constrained to say that the Hurriyat seems to have parted company with politics of mature judgement and an enlightened conscience. It has clad itself in an attire of arrogance.” Coming down heavily on Geelani’s recent statement against Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Abdul Gani Lone for participating in the Dubai Conference, he said “his contribution to the Kashmir case is enduring but he does not qualify to issue a fatwa on Jehad (armed crusade). He has to respect the constitutional discipline of Hurriyat.” Defending the Dubai meeting, Nazir, who was also one of the participants at the three-day meeting, said “there is no room for the mala fides attributed to Dubai meeting by Hurriyat leadership” and warned that the blame game was “dangerous” and does not match well with the requirements of a “mature judgement.” The London-based leader said “I was appalled to see that the Hurriyat could not formulate a well considered and united response of affirmation or non-affirmation of the Dubai meeting. Each constituent hastened to boil its own pot and ran down the street to hang its washing to dry.” He said the “heads I win and tails you loose” attitude of Hurriyat Conference leaders had caused the loss of many opportunities of people’s welfare. Lashing out at the Hurriyat Conference leaders, Nazir said “the Hurriyat has to set its own house in order and learn to believe that there are more than seven Kashmiris (executive of the amalgam) who would either take Kashmir to Pakistan, to India or make it independent state.”
PTI |
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Gujarat shadow over J&K tourism Srinagar “We are trying to revive tourism, which has suffered a lot due to militancy,” said Mr Mushtaq Ahmad Ganai, Commissioner, Tourism. Mr Ganai said both domestic and foreign tourists were being allured to visit Kashmir. “ If the situation in Gujarat has led to a decline in the flow of tourists, we are trying to attract tourists from other states,” said Mr Ganai. “Everything is not bad in the valley, he points out, as he refers to various militancy-related incidents across the valley and similar incidents across the globe. Efforts are on to promote pilgrim tourism, the Vaishno Devi shrine being the main focus. Travel agents from Kashmiri have been provided space at Katra to attract pilgrims to Kashmir. Within the valley, similar efforts are being made. Emphasis is on the development of picnic spots in other areas of the valley, apart from the famous spots of Dal Lake in Srinagar, Pahalgam or Gulmarg. There are also plans of developing “tourist circuits” in the state, two each in Ladakh and Kashmir divisions, and one in the Jammu
region. Foreign tourists are also being allured to visit Kashmir in spite of the adverse advisories by the embassies of various countries. New brochures in Arabic and Chinese have been published for this purpose keeping in view the possible tourist flow from the Middle East and China. The embassies are also being advised to reconsider the adverse advisories to their countrymen against visiting
Kashmir. A tourism package in collaboration with Indian Airlines and the JK Tourism Development Corporation (JKTDC) — operative till the end of October envisaging four-day and three-nights stay in Kashmir — is also
operational. Hoteliers, houseboat owners and other related with tourism are keeping their fingers crossed. “Now we have started getting enquiries for accommodation. Till last month we had only some business travellers and professionals,” “The Gujarat incidents have led to the decline in the flow of tourists,” said Mr Amit Amla of Broadways Hotel in Srinagar. Mr Manish Khanna of Grand Palace Hotel also holds the same view. |
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Security forces on ‘high alert’ Srinagar, May 5 “We have definite information that militants have received fresh directives from across the border to step up violence in the valley, particularly on the day when the civil secretariat will reopen here. Inspector-General of Police K. Rajinder Kumar told UNI. He said messages had also been intercepted from across the border directing militants here to cause explosions and grenade attacks in the city, particularly on the Civil secretariat and police headquarters on the eve of the reopening of the office. “To prevent it we have divided the city into zones to counter any militant attack “ he said. “To thwart any attempt by militants to fire rockets or rifle grenades towards the secretariat and police headquarters, we have deployed security forces on all highrise buildings around important offices in the city. This drill will continue throughout the summer,” he added. About six persons were killed and many injured in militants rocket and rifle grenade attacks on the civil secretariat in the past. Mr Kumar said militants who till recently were confused because of domestic action by the Pakistan authorities against some militant leaders under pressure from international community now have been directed to spread violence and terror in the valley. He said because of heavy deployment and mobile patrolling along the 300-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway, they succeeded in foiling militants designs to attack the convoy carrying officials and records to the summer capital here from Jammu. “We had intelligence reports that militants would attack the convoy of officials and also trucks carrying government files and other records from Jammu because of precautionary steps and the initiative taken by the security forces jointly, we could keep militants away success he said. About the presence of militants in the city, he said they came in the city only for hiding after attacking security forces in other places. Search operations against militants were being intensified besides the regular routine intelligence-based searches were being carried out in all-out offensive against militants hiding in the city and its outskirts, he said. Security forces wearing bullet-proof jackets were seen holding automatic weapons behind the specially built bunkers in and around the secretariat. Road blocks have also been erected and passenger and private vehicles were being searched at several places in the city. Shopkeepers around the civil secretariat alleged that their business will be affected by the restrictions imposed in these areas. They alleged that even pedestrians were not being allowed to pass through the area. Mr Kumar said these measures were necessary to prevent any militant attack. “Our utmost effort would be that the business of shops did not suffer because of the presence of security forces, he said. Government offices, including those of the Governor, the Chief Minister, his cabinet colleagues and top brass of the state governments function from Jammu during the six winter months. The shifting of offices costs crores of rupees to the state. Nearly 24 offices were not shifted from Jammu this summer and they will continue to function there. Meanwhile, roads were being repaired and cleaned on the eve of reopening of offices for the six summer months. Inspector-General of Police (Traffic) has imposed restrictions on the movement of heavy vehicles in the city in day time.
UNI |
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Hizb expels
3 commanders Srinagar, May 5 One of the expelled commanders challenging the expulsion, said those sitting across the border had no understanding of the ground situation in Kashmir.
This was conveyed to local journalists by Hizbul spokesman Saleem Hashmi from Muzzafarabad.
He said the Central Command Council (CCC) of the outfit met at Muzzafarabad in occupied Kashmir (PoK) yesterday to discuss the activities of some of its
leaders. The CCC, after detailed deliberations on the subject, decided that three commanders — former chief operations Abdul Majid Dar, former spokesman Assad Yazdani and Zaffar Abdul Fateh — be dismissed for their anti-organisation activities.
Abdul Majid Dar was leader of the three-member team which met Union Home Secretary at Nehru Guest House in the first week of August last year after the outfit declared a unilateral ceasefire. The talks failed after India refused to include Pakistan in the
talks. The spokesman said the meeting, which was presided over by supreme commander of the outfit Syed Sallahudin, felt that the approach of these commanders was not in the interests of the policies of outfit and the movement in the
state. One of the expelled commanders Zaffar Abdul Fateh challenging his expulsion from the outfit, said they (commanders in PoK) have no feel of the ground realities in
Kashmir. “Hizbul Mujahideen belongs to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and it is for them (people) to decide who remains in the organisation or who should be expelled,’’ he told local scribes.
He said those sitting across the border could not claim to be representatives of Kashmir and the organisation.
UNI |
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Pak bid to blow up installations foiled Jammu, May 5 The Inspector-General of Police, Mr P. L. Gupta, and Senior Superintendent of Police, Mr Farooq Khan, told newspersons here that Basharat and Bashir, two youths from Kupwara, after receiving arms training in camps across the border, had sneaked into the city
recently. They had checked in a private hotel in the city from where the two later disappeared. It took the police and intelligence sleuths several days to track them
down. The interrogation revealed that the two Kashmiri militants, belonging originally to Hizbul Mujahideen and the Islamic Front, had been given the task of carrying out bomb grenade and IED explosions at crowded places in Jammu which included bus terminals and railway
station. The duo had reached Jammu on April 17 and next day they escaped from the hotel fearing that they may be arrested. They had taken shelter in a hideout from where the police arrested them and seized large quantities of arms and
ammunition. The two had been responsible for several acts of subversive violence which would foment communal violence.
In fact, a special police team, headed by Mr Farooq Khan, had been constituted to track down the two militants. Senior government functionaries, including the Director-General of Police have lauded the efforts of the Jammu police for foiling the Pakistan gameplan. |
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Rs 50 lakh for forensic lab upgradation Jammu, May 5 Official sources said that militancy-related crime had increased the work of scientists of the Forensic Science Laboratory set up to investigate minor cases of forgery and benami transactions. The laboratory has to examine fake currency notes, fake appointment letters and illegal revenue
deals. Sources said that in recent months laboratory experts had to screen fake Indian currency notes to the extent of Rs 1.65 lakh. They had to examine fake American dollars and traveller cheques also. Following the screening the police unearthed several cases of fake currency notes and traveller
cheques. Militancy witnessed increased drug trafficking and issuance of fake appointment letters. In several cases militants issued fake appointment letters, bearing forged signatures of higher
authorities. In several cases candidates appointed on the basis of fake orders were able to draw salary and sacked after facts were known. This increased the work of the Forensic Laboratory. It has to examine illegal revenue deals, tampering with of revenue records and transfer of immovable assets without the knowledge of the real
owner. Of the 11 districts in the state the laboratory authorities have supplied mobile kits to 10 districts. These kits are with the district police chiefs to facilitate investigations and screening on the
spot. Paucity of staff has delayed the process of screening and examination of forged letters and other documents. Staff strength of the laboratory has not been increased in the last 20 years. To reduce the
burden laboratory will be equipped with sophisticated equipment shortly.
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Small industry to hold protest today Srinagar, May 5 “We have decided to observe black day tomorrow in protest against the adverse process which not only hampers the growth of industry but also prevents the unit holders of the valley to restart their units,” an SSIA spokesperson said here
today. The industrial units in the valley had been craving for some relief, but the incentives announced by the Centre recently and the promises and assurances of the state government were simply an eyewash, he
said. He said no support had been provided and the industrial areas and units unauthorisedly occupied by security forces had neither been compensated nor had any scheme been framed to rehabilitate
them. Urging the Centre and the state governments, besides financial institutions and banks, to work for industrial growth of the valley, he said this was a very serious issue and if not addressed immediately, the entrepreneurs would have no other option but to come on the roads.
PTI
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Minor injured
in accidental fire Udhampur, May 5 The boy, Kamal Kumar, used to collect and sell iron pieces from the firing range. At 8.30 a.m. yesterday, he was waiting for the end of the firing. Suddenly fire broke out and the boy fell down on the spot. Army jawans rushed him to Northern Command Hospital, where he was operated upon. |
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