Friday, July 25, 2003, Chandigarh, India
Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

Nation on verge of disintegration, says Chandra Shekhar
New Delhi, July 24
Former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar is categoric that the aim of all political parties “which count in the political sphere is to capture power and serve their ends.” He warns that if the present drift of sidelining the peoples’ problems and concerns continues, then the situation “will worsen and take the country on the verge of disintegration.”

Edit page: Concerns of the common man are ignored

Army to launch major operation
Ultras to be flushed out from Jammu border belt
New Delhi, July 24
The Army is set to launch a major operation to flush out militants in Rajouri, Udhampur, Akhnoor and Jammu areas and has also finalised plans to reposition some of its establishments in these border areas to make them less vulnerable to militant suicide strikes.

  Intelligence in a fix over identity of killed ultras
  Nation page: Army caught unawares
  Editorial: Pilgrims’ progress

Takht Patna Sahib overruled on Romana
Amritsar, July 24
The Sikh clergy today declared the hukamnama (edict) issued by Takht Patna Sahib declaring Mr Mohinder Singh Romana, president of the Gurdwara Management Committee, Patna Sahib, a tankhiya as null and void.

IAS officer booked for forgery
Shimla, July 24
The police today booked Mr S.K. Chaudhari, an IAS officer who allegedly got appointment as Joint Secretary to the Himachal government on the basis of a forged letter. He has been charged with forgery and cheating.

Fazlur Rahman backtracks on LoC remarks
Wagah (Amritsar), July 24
Maulana Fazlur Rahman leader of the Opposition in National Assembly, Pakistan, today evaded the issue of condemnation of recent killings in Katra and Akhnoor sectors believed to be the handiwork of Pakistan-backed terrorists.

The leader of the Opposition in Pakistan Parliament, Mr Fazlur Rehman, with Mahmood Asad Madani, General Secretary, Jamiat Ulama-Hind, at the Wagah checkpost on Thursday. — Tribune photo Rajiv Sharma

AJT deal with UK firmed up
New Delhi, July 24
Defence Minister George Fernandes announced in the Lok Sabha today that the government had “finalised the last action” on acquiring Advanced Jet Trainers for the Indian Air Force. It is the second time in 10 days when India has ruffled feathers of the USA.

  I will fly in MiG-21, says Fernandes
  George’s boycott set to end

100 bus passengers looted near Raipur Rani
Panchkula, July 24
In a daring highway robbery, over 100 persons travelling in two buses, a truck and a car were looted by five persons near Dhandrawali village, 4 km from Raipur Rani, in the wee hours of the morning today. It is estimated that cash and jewellery worth over Rs 2 lakh was stolen.

2 buried in landslide in Kulu district Manali, July 24 Two members of a Nepalese family were buried alive when the house in which they were living collapsed due to flash floods in Podu-Ra-Nullah at Bahang on the Manali-Leh border road, 4 km from here, today at 7.30 a.m. Rescue operations being carried out at Bahang, 4 km from Manali, to extricate bodies of flash-flood victims on Thursday morning. — Photo by writer