M A I N   N E W S

Army not to hire civilian porters
Ehsan Fazili
Tribune News Service

Yannar (Pahalgam), February 11
Chief of the Army Staff General NC Vij has said barring one recent incident there was no infiltration from across the border in Jammu and Kashmir in the past couple of months.

Replying to queries from mediapersons after the inauguration of a bridge here today Gen Vij said that the troops foiled an infiltration attempt in Bhimbar Gali of Rajauri district in Jammu region and killed one of them three days ago. Five of his associates had returned after resistance from the troops on this side. The body of the killed infiltrator had been handed over to the police here, he said. Gen Vij added that in the Kashmir region no infiltration was possible at present, as the infiltration routes get blocked due to snow in winter.

He held that this would depend upon the improving relations between the two countries, which have announced several confidence-building measures. In this connection he referred to the assertion of the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed that even Pakistan’s President General Pervez Musharraf had denounced terrorism and favoured dialogue as solution of all issues.

When asked about the allegations against Army for killing five civilians at Chithibanday in Bandipore area of north Kashmir, the Army Chief said that they were killed in an accidental fire. “They were working as porters and not used as shield” Gen Vij said denying the charges that the Army had forced the youths and used them as shield in an encounter with militants. Six militants and three Army personnel had been killed in the encounter, the Army Chief said. Gen Vij asserted that strict instructions had been given to the troops against engaging locals as porters.

Earlier, Chief of the Army Staff and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed jointly inaugurated the bridge across river Lidder at Yannar near Pahalgam, in Anantnag district, 85 km south of Srinagar. Another bridge over Lidder at the nearby Sakhnar village was also inaugurated. The two bridges have been constructed jointly by the Army and State government agencies as part of the Army’s Operation Sadhbhavna and State government’s healing touch policies. About 20,000 people are likely to benefit from these bridges which will enable trans-Lidder movement of vehicles thereby connecting the two roads on either side of the river going to Pahalgam.

Addressing a public meeting on the occasion, Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed said the situation in the region was improving with leaders of India and Pakistan coming closer and added that would lead to peace in the region. He said that Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani had offered to talk with Hurriyat leaders even when SAARC meet was on. He also hailed Pakistan President Musharraf’s assertion that there was no way out than dialogue process to resolve all the issues. He said that his government also initiated several measures to restore peace and give succour to the needy and victims of the ongoing militancy. He lauded the role of Army and other security agencies for observing restrain while fighting militants, and thereby leading to a relaxed atmosphere.

In his address on the occasion Chief of the Army Staff, Gen NC Vij said that Army apart from fighting militancy in Jammu and Kashmir had resolved to help the people. Without referring to the recent killings of five persons in Bandipore, Gen Vij, however, admitted that sometimes ‘minor mistakes’ were being made. He said the Army would be people-friendly, and also extend its all help including jobs for the welfare of the people. He added that over 14,000 youth of Jammu and Kashmir had already been adjusted in the Army and there were plans to adjust over 6000 more in various wings of the Army at the rural level. Free education to the orphan and poor children, particularly the victims of militancy would be provided with free education, he held. All this was aimed at “jawan aur awam man hai Muqam”, he said.