J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

45-day Amarnath yatra from July 15
Srinagar, June 29
The impasse over the duration of this year’s Amarnath ‘yatra’ has been sorted out, with the Jammu and Kashmir Governor and the Chief Minister agreeing to extend the yatra by 15 days. 
Amarnath-bound sadhus stand in a queue for yatra registration at Jammu on Tuesday. — PTI photo

Peace move: Pranab puts onus on Pak
Jammu, June 29
The Defence Minster, Mr Pranab Mukherjee said today that India was committed to continue the peace initiative with Pakistan and the success of the process depended on there sincere response from the other side.

Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee inspects the recently constructed fence along the LoC at a forward post in the Rajouri sector of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday. — PTI photo

Pak not to be flexible on Kashmir: Geelani
Srinagar, June 29
Chairman of the breakaway Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani yesterday claimed that Pakistan Foreign Secretary Riaz Khokher “assured” him that Islamabad would not show any flexibility or weakness in regard to the Kashmir issue.

4-member panel to decide NC, ANC merger
Srinagar, June 29
The Awami National Conference headed by the former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Mr G.M. Shah, is yet to decide on returning to its parent organisation, the National Conference, after a gap of two decades.

A monk holds a Manay  (prayer wheel) in Shey, 15 km southeast of Leh, on Tuesday. — Reuters

45-day Amarnath yatra from July 15
Tribune Reporters

Srinagar, June 29
The impasse over the duration of this year’s Amarnath ‘yatra’ has been sorted out, with the Jammu and Kashmir Governor and the Chief Minister agreeing to extend the yatra by 15 days. Under the new arrangement, it will be a 45-day yatra, the longest yatra, beginning July 15.

The Governor, Lt-Gen S.K. Sinha, chairman of the Sri Amarnath Shrine Board, will perform ‘pujan’ on Vyas Purnima along with a limited number of devotees at the care shrine, an official spokesman said here this evening.

This followed a series of meetings between the Governor and Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. These meetings were followed by the Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Gulam Nabi Azad’s meeting with both on his arrival here yesterday.

Earlier, the government, sticking to its stand not to allow the yatra beyond one month, had agreed upon extending it by only 10 days. Under that arrangement, the yatra was scheduled to begin on July 20. However, both sides agreed on a 45-day yatra by softening their respective stands.

The Governor thanked the Chief Minister for “readily and graciously” accepting his proposal of permitting the performance of religious rituals of ‘pratham darshan’ and ‘pujan’ at the cave shrine on July 2.

The Governor thanked religious leaders, particularly Mahant Deependra Giri, head of Dashnami Akhara, for accepting the arrangements for the ritual and commencements of the yatra. The Governor appealed to the people who had been agitating in Jammu and elsewhere in favour of a two-month yatra not to press with their agitation and to accept these concessions.

Peace move: Pranab puts onus on Pak
Our Correspondent

Jammu, June 29
The Defence Minster, Mr Pranab Mukherjee said today that India was committed to continue the peace initiative with Pakistan and the success of the process depended on there sincere response from the other side. Addressing the troops in Rajouri and later briefing newsmen on his one-day tour of the forward areas Mr Mukherjee said, “We are keen to carry the peace initiative to its logical conclusion of establishing lasting peace and its success banked on Pakistan’s sincere approach. “In this connection he referred to continued infiltration and said “though the level of infiltration had notgone up but groups of terrorists had been brought on the launching pads across the LOC”.

He said “terrorists across the LOC were ready to sneak into our territory and this should be stopped. “He said “our armed forces were ready to prevent these militants from crossing into the Indian territory and for meeting any eventuality”. The Defence Minister while referring to the recent armed strikes by the militants said rebels attack soft targets to sabotage the peace process and added the “whenever there is an important event connected with the peace initiative militants carry out armed strikes to convey a message of their existence”.

He said beginning of the bilateral-talks signals improvement in the situation and added that talks would continue but one could not expect overnight results. Mr Mukherjee appreciated the role of the armed forces, civil administration and the police for carrying out anti-terrorist operations. He said “We are modernising the weaponary of the armed forces but that is not going to see an immediate end to terrorism. Either, terrorists have to be eliminated or be forced to surrender”. He said official level talks had already begun and from the Indian side “there will be no dearth of cooperation”.

He said one could not guarantee whether the peace initiative would bear fruit or not. The Defence Minister said “there is no plan either to reduce or increase the troops on the border. We have to keep our forces ready for meeting any eventuality and for protecting our country”. In reply to a question Mr Mukherjee said “I do not treat any country, including China and Pakistan as our enemy. We have simply to remain vigilant”. He refused to comment on whether the Government of India will impose cuts in defence budget.

Pak not to be flexible on Kashmir: Geelani

Srinagar, June 29
Chairman of the breakaway Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani yesterday claimed that Pakistan Foreign Secretary Riaz Khokher “assured” him that Islamabad would not show any flexibility or weakness in regard to the Kashmir issue.

Any solution without the participation and acceptance of kashmiri people would not be durable and lasting one, he said. — PTI

4-member panel to decide NC, ANC merger
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 29
The Awami National Conference (ANC) headed by the former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Mr G.M. Shah, is yet to decide on returning to its parent organisation, the National Conference, after a gap of two decades. The National Conference patron, Dr Farooq Abdullah, had urged his estranged brother-in-law, Mr G.M. Shah, to return to the party fold for strengthening it for the greater interests of the people and the state.

In his address to the senior party leaders and workers here yesterday the ANC president, however, welcomed the moves aimed at forging unity and cooperation. He added that Kashmir continued to be a disputed issue and no compromise could be made on this matter. He said both India and Pakistan had on several occasions admitted the fact that Kashmir was a disputed territory which needed a resolution. He lamented that no serious move was taken to resolve the issue leading to the sufferings of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

After serious deliberations on the issue, the Awami National Conference has constituted a four-member “team to hold discussions for unity between the National Conference and ANC”, a spokesman of the party said. They include Mr Shah’s son, Dr Muzaffar Ahmad Shah, who is also the chairman of the party’s Intra-Kashmir Conference, Ghulam Mohiuddin Uri as its convenor, G.R. Wani as the Vice-President and Mir Mohammad Shafi as the general-secretary of the party.

The spokesman added that the yesterday’s working committee and central committee meeting was of the view that both parties “should have a similar stand with regard to Kashmir dispute. This would definitely open a new chapter in the history of Jammu and Kashmir” the spokesman added. He added that the ANC was headed by a “person who throughout his life has never believed in the policies of compromise.”

In his statement, the ANC spokesman said unless the Kashmir issue was resolved through tripartite talks involving the people of Jammu and Kashmir as the principal party peace would not prevail in the state.