J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Hurriyat team to take part in talks with Advani
Srinagar, March 20
A four-member delegation of the Hurriyat Conference will participate in the second round of talks with the Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani to be held on March 27. In New Delhi Mr Fazal-ul-Haq Qureshi, who had opted out of the dialogue process after the first round was held on January 22 last, will not take part in the talks.

Lok Sabha poll: Cong, PDP ties under strain
Jammu, March 20
Ruling coalition partners of the People’s Democratic Party and the Congress are likely to go in for “friendly contest” for the Baramula Lok Sabha seat in the Kashmir valley.

Kin of disappeared persons detained
Srinagar, March 20
Members of the Parents of Disappeared Persons Association were taken into preventive custody by the police for violating prohibitory orders in the Amira Kadal area during a protest this afternoon. According to officials, about 15 persons, mostly women, staged a dharna at Amira Kadal demanding to know the whereabouts of their relatives who had allegedly disappeared after being picked up by the security forces in the Kashmir valley since 1990.

A police woman drags a protester during a demonstration by the Parents of Disappeared Persons Association at Lal Chowk in Srinagar on Saturday. — PTI photo

Anti-US protest by CPM
Srinagar, March 20
Several CPM activists led by Jammu and Kashmir state unit secretary and MLA M.Y. Tarigami staged an anti-US protest here today. 

Protesting residents lathi-charged
Srinagar, March 20
The police burst teargas shells and resorted to baton charge to disperse violent demonstrators at Batmaloo protesting against the construction of a drain. The police fired about six teargas shells and resorted to repeated lathi charge to disperse the residents of New Colony, Batmaloo.

Committee to check smuggling of drugs
Jammu, March 20
The Jammu and Kashmir government set up a committee for preparing a plan to check smuggling of drugs and cultivation of narcotic substances. The 10-member committee will be headed by Chief Secretary, S.S. Bleoria.

 

 

 

Hurriyat team to take part in talks with Advani
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, March 20
A four-member delegation of the Hurriyat Conference will participate in the second round of talks with the Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani to be held on March 27. In New Delhi Mr Fazal-ul-Haq Qureshi, who had opted out of the dialogue process after the first round was held on January 22 last, will not take part in the talks.

The APHC delegation proceeding to Delhi for the second round of talks include its Chairman, Maulvi Abbas Ansari, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Abdul Ghani Bhat and Bilal Ghani Lone, sources here said.

The Executive Council of the Hurriyat Conference led by Maulvi Abbas Ansari met at the residence of its former chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Nageen here today. Members discussed invitations extended by the Centre and the Government of Pakistan, an APHC spokesman said. The APHC had received an invitation from the Centre for holding the second round of negotiations next weekend, that was accepted by the APHC. The Government of Pakistan has also invited the APHC leaders for participation in the Pakistan day celebrations at its Embassy in Delhi on March 23.

Meanwhile, the APHC has called a meeting of the general council on Monday leaving for New Delhi, according to the sources. Members would be apprised of the decisions taken by the executive council and would propose a second round of talks with the central leadership.

However, sources in the APHC claimed that its leadership was not happy with the Centre’s approach following the first round of talks. But the APHC leaders have expressed their desire to continue the dialogue.

Lok Sabha poll: Cong, PDP ties under strain
Tribune News Service

Jammu, March 20
Ruling coalition partners of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Congress are likely to go in for “friendly contest” for the Baramula Lok Sabha seat in the Kashmir valley.

There were no signs of leaders of these parties relenting. Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed reportedly wants the Congress to leave the seat for the PDP to contest, the Congress leaders were claiming that being a national party it could not allow the PDP to contest all three seats in the valley.

The Mufti, who was yesterday expected to go to Delhi to resolve the issue with Ms Sonia Gandhi, left for Srinagar where his party has started campaigning in Baramula.

Sources close to the Mufti said he had made up his mind to let the Congress opt for a friendly contest as the main rival of the PDP in the valley was the National Conference (NC).

Some senior Congress leaders said the Congress could not afford to say goodbye to Kashmir and support the PDP there because the BJP had already announced candidates for all six seats in the state including the three in the valley. Such a step would further alienate the Congress from people in the valley, they claimed.

The Congress has named former PCC chief Ghulam Rasool Kar as a candidate, while the Mufti has almost made up mind to field Mr Nizamuddin considered close to the People’s Conference, which is in Hurriyat Conference, the PDP believes that his chances to win were bright. Mr Abdul Gani Vakil, a senior vice-president of the PCC, was also seeing ticket for the Baramula seat, but the party has yet to announce its candidate.

Due to a conflict between the two coalition parties, the opposition NC has reason to smile to be happy, as its leaders believe that the friendly contest between the PDP and the Congress would benefit the NC.

However, efforts are expected to be made by the two parties to resolve the dispute.

Congress activists point out that their party’s performance was better than that of the PDP in the 2002 Assembly elections in the Baramula and Kupwara districts that form the Baramula seat. While the Congress got 21.91 per cent votes in the 10 segments of Baramula, the PDP polled 21.35 per cent votes. Whereas in the five segments of the Kupwara district the Congress got 10.24 per cent votes against 4.29 per cent of the PDP.

Problem faced by coalition partners is not confined only to Baramula, Mr Bhim Singh, chairman of the Panthers Party, has already announced his candidature from the Udhampur seat where the Congress also fielding a candidate. There are two members of the PDP in the state Ministry.

The BSP, also has a minister here, has announced its candidates for the Jammu and the Udhampur Lok Sabha seats.

With these contradictions within the coalition, the Mufti is likely to face difficulty in pacifying the parties which are partners in his government.

Kin of disappeared persons detained

Srinagar, March 20
Members of the Parents of Disappeared Persons Association were taken into preventive custody by the police for violating prohibitory orders in the Amira Kadal area during a protest this afternoon.

The clash left two policemen, including an Assistant Sub-Inspector Ghulam Rasool and photographer of a leading English daily Danish Ismail injured, the sources said. — UNI, PTI

Anti-US protest by CPM
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, March 20
Several CPM activists led by Jammu and Kashmir state unit secretary and MLA M.Y. Tarigami staged an anti-US protest here today. The demonstration was part of the “global protest against American Occupation of Iraq” and was taken out from the Sher-e-Kashmir Park and culminated at Regal Chowk, in the civil lines area here.

The police prevented CPM activists, who were holding placards, banners and were raising anti-Bush slogans from proceeding through the central Lal Chowk area towards the office of the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir. A spokesman of the party later alleged that a number of leaders, 30 according to PTI, were held by the police.

Speaking on the occasion Mr Tarigami said the day marked the first anniversary of the US attack on Iraq. This day, he said, would always be remembered as the day when “USA launched action in violation of all international laws”. He alleged that US President, George, W. Bush had set another “criminal record” in attacking a sovereign country, which posed no threat to USA. He added that even after a lapse of one year the Americans were not able to find “any trace of the weapons of mass destruction, nuclear bombs or chemical or biological weapons”.

Protesting residents lathi-charged

Srinagar, March 20
The police burst teargas shells and resorted to baton charge to disperse violent demonstrators at Batmaloo protesting against the construction of a drain.

The police fired about six teargas shells and resorted to repeated lathi charge to disperse the residents of New Colony, Batmaloo.

The residents alleged that a ruling Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) leader wanted to construct the drain to save another area, including his house. They fear that water of more than 10 other localities will be diverted to the drain, which will create problems for residents as most of the drains constructed in the past are already overflowing.

Three police personnel and six civilians were injured in stone throwing in the area. — UNI

Committee to check smuggling of drugs
Tribune News service

Jammu, March 20
The Jammu and Kashmir government set up a committee for preparing a plan to check smuggling of drugs and cultivation of narcotic substances.

The 10-member committee will be headed by Chief Secretary, S.S. Bleoria. Other members of the committee are the Principal Secretary, Agriculture, the Director, Information, the IGP, Crime and Railways and the Zonal Director of the Narcotics Control Bureau.

The committee will plan of anti-narcotic cells at the divisional level, identify the areas under illicit cultivation of narcotic substances and their destruction.

The committee would recommend measures for creating infrastructure for de-addiction centre.