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Saturday,
April 26, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Will Pak agree to fencing of gaps on
LoC? Forces, admn should cooperate:
Mufti ‘No US move to thrust solution’ CM for technical institutes in remote areas |
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Morcha opposes greater
autonomy Steps to isolate fake coop
societies Non-iodised salt banned in J&K
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Will Pak agree to fencing of gaps on
LoC? Jammu, April 25 This question assumed significance following recent announcements made by Deputy Army Chief Lt-Gen J.B.S. Yadava, and Director-General, BSF, Mr Ajai Raj Sharma. These two senior functionaries said in Jammu that besides stepping up work on the fencing of 185-km-long International Border from Kathua to Akhnoor the stretches of the LoC prone to ingress were to be fenced. The plan, if taken in hand, may also trigger a border conflict because when Pakistan objected to the fencing of the International Border, which Islamabad describes as working border, and delayed work for three years by targeting workers and engineers engaged in raising the barbed wire, it may use all means to stall fencing parts of the LoC. Delhi’s opposition to the idea of converting the LoC into a border became known when former J&K Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, mooted the idea saying that it was the only feasible solution for the Kashmir dispute, Delhi had argued that since India claimed that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir was part of its territory conversion of the LoC into a permanent border would amount to surrendering “Azad Kashmir” to Islamabad. Islamabad has been claiming to have Kashmir which may not allow it to sit silent in case the Indian troops start raising a barbed wire on some stretches of the LoC. However, security experts are of the firm opinion that if infiltration from across Pakistan had to be checked various portions of the LoC and the International Border had to be fenced. They have cited the example of the Indo-Pakistan border in Punjab where infiltration of militants from across Pakistan stopped only after the entire border was fenced. It is in this context that work on fencing of the IB has been stepped up and so far 70 km have been fenced and within next two years the remaining 115 km would also be covered under the barbed wire. During the past 13 years the security and intelligence experts have identified more than 20 infiltration routes in Uri, Kupwara, Bandipore, Handwara (all in the Kashmir valley) and in Poonch and Rajouri in the Jammu region. Most of these routes pass over lofty alpine forests which remained under heavy snow for over three to four months. Some routes pass through deep ravines. Is it possible to raise barbed wire fence on such difficult terrain which can survive snow storms and landslides? These are some of the questions the Defence authorities have to debate on before several thousand crores of rupees were pumped in the fencing project. However, the Defence experts say there is no alternative to fencing when it was well-nigh impossible to raise a human wall on the LoC for checking infiltration. |
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Girl killed in
Pak shelling Srinagar, April 25 Eighteen-year-old Yasmeen Shakoor died and her mother, Khatija, was seriously injured in Drass sector of the frontier region of Ladakh. Khurbu, Kaksar, Batalic and Mushkoh in Kargil also witnessed heavy artillery and mortar shelling from across the border, the sources said. The sources said Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked shelling in these areas since last evening, prompting Indian troops to retaliate. The border areas of Uri,
Gurez, Karnah, Tangdhar and Keran in north Kashmir were also targeted by the Pakistani troops.
PTI |
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Forces, admn should cooperate:
Mufti Jammu, April 25 He was interacting with senior officers of the Army, BSF and the police here yesterday to review the security scenario in the Jammu province. This is the second such high-level security meeting held in the past month, the first having been convened in Srinagar. Mr Sayeed has convened these meetings to personally take stock of the security situation in different districts and the steps taken by the forces to deal with militants. This is the first time that such an initiative has been taken to interact with officers dealing with the situation and receive direct feedback. In his two-hour-long interaction, which was attended by the Chief Secretary, Dr Sudhir S. Bloeria, the DGP, Mr A.K. Suri, and the Corps Commander, 16 Corps, Lt-Gen T.P.S. Brar, the Chief Minister stressed the need for taking the help of the local population in bringing to an end the darkest chapter of the state's history. Due care must be taken in protecting innocents while dealing with militants, he said. Stressing the need for preventing infiltration from across the border, the Chief Minister said a majority of the militants crossing into the state were foreign mercenaries. He said effort should be made to tackle them at the border itself. Commending the civic action programme of the Army, the Chief Minister said such people-friendly activities not only enhanced the image of the Army but also provided much-needed relief to the population in remote areas. He urged the Army to enlarge its scope of working especially by organising medical camps in remote areas, where due to militancy, the civil administration presence was limited. The government, would provide adequate medicines for the people, he said. He noted that the 16 Corps last year had spent Rs 3 crore on "Sadbhavana" activities. Discussing people's response to recruitment in the Army, the Chief Minister was told that lack of knowledge of Hindi was a hindrance in their recruitment, especially in the border districts of Rajouri and Poonch. He asked the Army authorities to explore possibilities of imparting training in Hindi to youths before organising recruitment drives. Mr Sayeed also appreciated the Army's programme for developing model villages in the districts of Rajouri and Poonch. He was informed that two such model villages had been created in the area. He, however, desired that such activities should be given adequate publicity. The Chief Minister was given a briefing by the GOCs concerned on various successful operations in Rajouri and Poonch, especially in Surankot area and Doda district. He was also informed that the percentage of foreign militants was about 70. Various other matters were also discussed, including tackling elements making attempts to motivate youths towards militancy. A strategy for dealing with such elements was also discussed. General Brar assured the Chief Minister of full help and said the Army and paramilitary forces were in control of the situation and militants would be dealt with firmly. He also assured the Chief Minister that wherever civil administration wanted Army help in organising camps, it would be provided to benefit the people. A proposal was also mooted to organise joint Army-civil administration camps for better results. |
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‘No US move to thrust solution’ Jammu, April 25 The Chief Minister told this correspondent here today that he did not believe in reports that the American Government was planning to thrust a solution on Kashmir. The President of the National Conference and former Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Mr Omar Abdullah, had said in Jammu two days ago that in case Delhi and Islamabad did not resume bilateral talks the American Government may thrust a solution on Kashmir which could not be of interest to India and Pakistan. However the Mufti did not agree with Mr Omar Abdullah’s observation. He said it was not possible for the US Government to thrust a solution. There has been, so far, no indication to this effect and all that the American Government had been laying emphasis on was to encourage the resumption of Indo-Pakistan talks. Meanwhile, several leaders belonging to the mainstream political organisations, including the CPI, the Awami National Conference, have suggested to Mr Vohra to send a formal invitation to the separatists. Hitherto, no formal invitation had been sent to the Hurriyat leaders and the chief of Democratic Freedom Party, Mr Shabir Ahmed Shah. |
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CM for technical institutes in remote areas Jammu, April 25 “Education has to be in tune with the changing times,” he said, while chairing a meeting of the Jammu and Kashmir State Wakf Council here. The Chief Minister said every effort would be made to make the university an institution of academic excellence, open to all, irrespective of region or religion. Such institutions, he said, had immense relevance in the spread of quality education to produce technocrats and professionals. Referring to the setting up of professional institutions in the state, the Chief Minister said the Prime Minister has assured support for setting up of educational and technical institutions in far-flung areas of Jammu and Kashmir that would help create more avenues for students. The Mufti stressed on the need for drawing up a plan for the prestigious institution within a stipulated timeframe, detailing infrastructure requirements and courses to be introduced. He said reputed consultancy services would be engaged for creating infrastructural facilities so that the university started functioning at the earliest. To begin with, a project director would be appointed to coordinate and liaise with different agencies for speedy completion of the project. A committee comprising, among others, Vice-Chancellors of Kashmir and Jammu Universities, would be constituted to implement and monitor the setting up of the university. The Chairman of Jamia Hamdard, too, would be associated with this project. The Mufti said a model school would be set up by the Wakf in Jammu on the pattern of DPS to provide quality education to students belonging to poor families. |
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Morcha opposes greater autonomy Jammu, April 25 “The Jammu Mukti Morcha (JMM) is of the firm opinion that greater autonomy granted to the state under Article 370 is the basic reason for the present situation in the valley,” the party general secretary, Col V. P. Sharma said. “The autonomy given to the state was misused by the Kashmiri leaders and it has made them autocrats,” he said, adding “They looted the public, misappropriated the grants received from the Centre for their own benefits and indulged in corrupt practices.” This gave them the liberty to function arbitrarily and establish political, social and economic dominance of the Kashmir region over Jammu, he alleged. “Even the Kashmiri masses were not benefited and it simply provided the leaders leverage to blackmail the Centre and play political gimmick with the people,” Colonel Sharma noted.
PTI |
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Steps to isolate fake coop
societies Jammu, April 25 The survey to be completed within a fortnight would identify viable cooperative societies in the handloom sector, which would be provided financial assistance for revival through macro-management programme and the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC). This decision was taken at a meeting of officers of the Cooperative and Handloom Department here yesterday to devise way and means for revival of the industrial cooperative societies in the state. The Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives, Mr Abdul Aziz Zargar, presided. The minister called for a perspective planning for revival of the cooperative societies, particularly in the handloom sector, which has a vast potential to provide jobs to the unemployed. He asked the officers concerned to lay down a clear roadmap for bringing the ailing cooperative sector back on the rails. He said coordinated efforts were needed to reorganise cooperative societies rendered non-functional during the decade-long turmoil in the state. He asked the officers to set up model cooperative societies which would serve as torch-bearers for revitalising cooperative movement in the state. |
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Non-iodised salt banned in J&K Jammu, April 25 “We have slapped a blanket ban on import of non-iodised salt from outside Jammu and Kashmir as also its sale in the state from April this year,” Mr Mohideen told PTI here. The mountainous people needed more iodine but they were getting non-iodised salt, which was affecting their health, the Minister said.
PTI |
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