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Friday,
July 26, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Lashkar
operating under four names
1 killed,
18 hurt in J&K blast
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Shabir’s
terms for taking part in poll Centre
should talk to all groups: Dehlvi
Probe
sought into DSGMC affairs
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Lashkar
operating under four names Jammu, July 25 According to official sources, the new DG was informed that the Lashkar-e-Toiba, which continues to be on the top as far as striking power is concerned, had, after being banned by India, the USA and Pakistan, formed four groups under new labels. The group in charge of Srinagar district and its adjoining areas had been christened Al-Madina and the one in south Kashmir, including Anantnag district, Babul Hind Force. For areas in Doda and parts of Udhampur district, Azam Jehad had been floated to step up militancy and in Jammu the task of attacking the security forces and other soft targets had been entrusted with Al-Mansoorian. In Srinagar activists of the Al-Umar and the Hizbul Mujahideen had been enrolled in the Al-Madina. In the rest of the areas, activists of the Lashkar-e-Toiba, the Jash-e-Mohammad and the Hizbul Mujahideen had been found carrying out joint operations against the security forces. Inputs received by government agencies had indicated that the ambush of a BSF camp, in Kulgam area, in which two BSF men were killed yesterday, was the handiwork of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (Babul Hind Force). Since July 19, when the one-month-long annual Amarnath pilgrimage started, militants had attempted targeting yatris on five occasions. Between Khannabal and Pahalgam, they had thrown grenades and planted IEDs. Yesterday, a group of pilgrims had a narrow escape when a grenade hurled by militants near the bus stand exploded a few minutes before the bus carrying pilgrims passed by, the DG was told. A senior BSF officer said since adequate and elaborate security arrangements had been made, militants had, so far, failed to target the yatris but at the same time rebels had not suspended their plan. Another disturbing trend was that the rate of ingress and egress had picked up after a lull of six months. According to state government reports, more than 200 militants, including 100 foreign mercenaries, had crossed into the state from across Kupwara, Poonch and Rajouri in recent weeks. More than 300 to 400 Kashmiri youths had been forced to get themselves enrolled for training across the border. Official reports said 150 Kashmiri youths, most of them belonging to south Kashmir, especially Pulwama district, had been taken to the Poonch border. They were accompanied by a group of 20 militants. The task assigned to them was to help these boys to cross the border. However, tight measures at the LoC prevented this group from crossing the border. Most of them managed to escape back to Pulwama and some were killed. More than six were under interrogation. State government reports said leaders of various militant groups were being regularly contacted on the phone or the wireless by those aiding cross-border terrorism and given directions that they should step up violence to discourage people from going to the polls. By trying to target Amarnath pilgrims, militants wanted to create an impression that their striking capability was intact and separatists who took part in the elections would have to bear the consequences. Official sources said the main plan of Pakistani agencies was to “wreck” the ensuing Assembly poll so that Delhi had to face an embarrassing situation in case the percentage of polling was dismal. In that situation, Pakistani agencies would try to cash on, telling the international community that people in Kashmir wanted plebiscite and not elections. |
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1 killed, 18 hurt in J&K blast Srinagar, July 25 Elsewhere in the state, two Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militants were killed and another surrendered since last evening. Official sources said militants hurled a hand grenade towards a security force bunker at the bus stand. The grenade missed the target and exploded on the roadside injuring 18 persons. One of the injured later died in the hospital, an official spokesman said. Security forces killed two militants of the JeM at Pouni Bankhet last evening during an encounter. Some arms and ammunition were seized from the possession of the slain militants. One Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen militant Abdul Rehman Pal was arrested along with one hand grenade while another militant surrendered along with one AK rifle, five magazines and 140 rounds at Marmat in Doda district last night. Last night militants lobbed grenades followed by firing towards the telephone exchange at Ashmuqam in south Kashmir. Security guards posted there retaliated and the exchange continued for some time. There were no reports of any casualties, the sources added.
UNI |
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Shabir’s terms for taking part in poll Jammu, July 25 Mr Shah, who has been in Jammu since yesterday, meeting several prominent citizens, told The Tribune here today that “I will not
hesitate in participating in the elections if talks on resolving the 13-year-long turmoil preceded the poll schedule.” He said that talks could be of different nature and might be initiated through different channels but basically the representatives of the people of Kashmir should remain involved in such dialogues. He favoured government encouragement to interaction among the people’s representatives from Jammu, Kashmir and Pakistan-held Kashmir on the pattern of the Dubai conclave where the Chief of Pakistan’s Kashmir Committee, Sardar Abdul Qayoom Khan, had discussions with Molvi Umar Farooq and late Mr Abdul Gani Lone, two senior Hurriyat Conference leaders. He said the 54-year-old problem “belongs to the people of the two states and hence their representatives should be invited formally for talks.” Mr Shah said, “Even the most free and fair Assembly poll is not going to solve the basic issue of Kashmir. “The turmoil will not end if the same set of political leaders are able to regain power in the next Assembly poll,” he added. The separatist leader said, “Our struggle is for restoring to the people of Kashmir peace, their dignity and honour and this cannot be achieved through Assembly poll.” In reply to a question he said, “It will not alter the ground realities if the election was held under the Governor’s rule.” He opposed the demand for the trifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir and said that those forces which were supporting the demand “are the same that forced a division of India in 1947 for which we in Kashmir, have been paying a heavy price.” He said, “So far I have not received any response from the Government of India for my offer to take part in any discussion aimed at finding a solution to the Kashmir issue.” |
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Centre should talk to all groups:
Dehlvi Jammu, July 25 It is only through dialogue that a solution could be found or grievances of the people of the state redressed, Maulana Syed
Dehlvi, who returned after a week-long visit to the Kashmir valley, said. If the Centre was sincere about the return of peace in the state, then it must take the initiative to bring all political and other groups on one platform for finding a result-oriented solution, he added. Maulana Syed
Dehlvi, said militancy in the state was not “jehad” but only violence in which innocent persons were being killed adding that those engaged in it were committing a ‘crime’. Referring to the demand of the RSS for the trifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir, Maulana Dehlvi said it would only strengthen the game plan of Pakistan and give credence to the two-nation theory of Mohammad Ali Jinnah and his philosophy.
PTI |
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Amarnath yatri from Punjab dead Srinagar, July 25 An official spokesman said a yatri, Jeet Lal, of Amritsar in Punjab died due to cardiac arrest at Baltal last evening. With this, two yatris have died since the beginning of the month-long yatra this year. He said with the arrival of 2,843 yatris from Jammu, the total influx of pilgrims had risen to 39,000. More than 26,000 devotees had “darshan” of the “shivalingam” at the cave shrine till this evening, he said, adding that about 7,000 had left for their homes. Meanwhile, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Mr Parvez Dewan, took stock of the arrangements at Baltal today. The in charge of the camp apprised him about the facilities being provided to the yatris.
UNI |
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Probe sought into DSGMC affairs Jammu, July 25 At a meeting held here today, which was presided over by Mr Mohinder Singh, chief organiser of the Bhai Kanahiya Nishkam Sewa Society, leaders of Sikh organisations appealed to the people in Punjab to unite and ensure the defeat of the Akali Dal (Badal) in the SGPC elections in Punjab. |
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