M A I N   N E W S

High Commission staffer in Pak tortured, freed

Islamabad, June 1
An Indian High Commission staffer here was today abducted suspectedly by ISI operatives and released after four-and-a-half hours of torture and interrogation during which he sustained serious injuries, officials said.

Indian High Commission officials said Mr Kulwant Singh was abducted from near his residence around 11.30 a.m. while he was returning home from office along with his 10-year-old son.

A group of people suspected to be officials from local intelligence agencies pounced on him while he was nearing the Royal Enclave, the apartment block where most of the High Commission staffers reside, and whisked away, leaving the vehicle and the child.

Mr Kulwant Singh’s abduction came a day after a Pakistan High Commission staffer was apprehended in New Delhi on spying charges. The news of Mr Kulwant Singh’s abduction was revealed by his terrified son who managed to reach his flat and alerted the family members, the officials added.

Charge-de-Affaires of the Indian High Commission Sudhir Vyas, later said Mr Kulwant Singh was in a serious condition with injuries on his chest and back. “He is in a poor condition and being rushed to hospital.”

Besides being forced to sign a statement, he was also photographed, Mr Vyas said. PTI

SOS for Israeli missile detectors
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 1
With Pakistan raising the rhetoric on the use of nuclear weapons, India has asked Israel, its new found ally in the field of defence, to speed up the supply of Aerostat Balloons which would help detect incoming missiles up to 500 km.

Ministry of Defence (MoD) officials here said Tel Aviv had been asked to speed up the delivery of the system, specially keeping in mind the developing security scenario in the region. The two countries had recently signed an agreement for the supply of the system which is also capable of providing an in-depth battlefield surveillance as well as track incoming enemy artillery shells.

India was, accordingly, also stressing on upgrading the border radar systems for which a deal has already been signed with the USA. It was similarly keenly looking at the USA anti-missile system, which is at presently in testing stage.

Officials said India was evaluating the American system, which was likely to be fielded by 2005-2006, with Washington inviting Indian experts to take part in missile command post exercises in June.

Asserting that India had information that Pakistan had deployed its clandestinely acquired Chinese and North Korean missiles, officials said, “We have taken Islamabad threats very seriously and taken counter-measures”.

Stating that New Delhi had also some information that Pakistan may be trying to rein in mercenary and terrorist groups from crossing the Line of Control, officials said, however, “we will be looking for some permanent markers before any de-escalation”.

On the absence of weapon locating radars with the army, ministry officials said the earliest India could get contracted US ANTPQ-37 system was 24 months. However, they added that with augmentation of unmanned aerial vehicle supplies to all three services, the UAV as well as the about-to-be acquired Aerostats could fill the void.

Officials also said recently the country had gone in for massive import of 155 mm ammunition, adding that the army had huge stores to meet any contingency.

They also said India’s battle preparedness had recently received a boost with induction of the state-of-the-art T-90 tanks which had been deployed in the current ongoing mobilisation.