M A I N   N E W S

PM wants terrorist camps in PoK dismantled

New Delhi, October 5
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today called for dismantling of all terrorist training camps in occupied Kashmir while regretting that Islamabad continued to deny that it was running such camps.

“We have made our policy on this issue very clear that there is no place for such terrorist training camps. The difficulty is that Pakistan does not accept that it is running such camps. The whole world knows about the reality,” Mr Vajpayee told the media before his departure on an eight-day tour of South-East Asia during which he will attend the second India-ASEAN summit in the Indonesian island resort of Bali on October 8.

Mr Vajpayee said the USA had also made clear to Pakistan during the recent Bush-Musharraf meeting at Camp David that such camps should be closed.

In a departure statement, Mr Vajpayee expressed concern over the growing menace of terrorism in South-East Asia, saying that stringent measures should be taken to deal with the increasing spread of terrorism in South-East Asia.

“We are all concerned about the fate of multilaterlism in the modern day world.... We have to deal with the increasing spread of terrorism,” he added.

The Prime Minister will discuss border and other important issues with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on the margins of the India-ASEAN summit in Bali.

“The process of talks with China on all important issues has started,” Mr Vajpayee told reporters on his special aircraft.

Mr Vajpayee, who is expected to meet the Chinese Premier tomorrow, noted that India’s trade with the country had increased considerably in recent years.

On the India-ASEAN summit, he said: “India’s endeavour is to increase economic ties with all members of the 10-nation association.” — UNI

Two children killed in blast

Jammu, October 5
Two children were killed in a grenade explosion in the Darhal area of Rajouri district this evening.

Police sources said two shepherd of Gujjar community were grazing their cattle in the upper reaches of the Darhal area. While grazing their cattle they found an unclaimed packet lying in the forest.

As the youth started fiddling with the packet it exploded with big bang. Both the youth were killed on the spot. — UNI