J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Lacklustre campaigning draws to a close
Jammu, October 11
The campaign for byelections to four Assembly constituencies of Jammu and Kashmir, that closed today, was a low-key affair as no Central leaders of any party, except Mr Raj Nath Singh, came for electioneering.

Panthers Party’s no to Ireland-type agreement
Jammu, October 11
Mr Bhim Singh, chairman of the Panthers Party, today said that the proposal of the Congress for an Ireland-type agreement to resolve the Kashmir imbroglio was a dangerous plan to divide Jammu and Kashmir on communal lines.

17 NCC cadets scale Siachen
Jammu, October 11
In a bid to catch them young for strenuous defence services, an expedition of 17 NCC cadets, besides four officers and eight members of staff, to the 20,000 feet high mountain glacier of Siachen was conducted.

3 militants gunned down in Pulwama

Srinagar, October 11
Three militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir today, a defence spokesman said.

Acting on a tip-off about presence of militants in Shopian area of the district, troops of the Victor Force raided the village, the spokesman said.

The hiding militants opened fire on the security forces and in the ensuing encounter, three militants were killed.

The encounter was on when reports last came in.

Troops also arrested a militant of Pakistan-backed Al-Badr outfit and three activists of Lashkar-e-Toiba, who harboured ultras in Kupwara and Baramulla districts last evening, the spokesman said.

Al Badr ultra Mohammad Yousuf Lone, a resident of Tujjar Sharief in Sopore area of Baramulla district, was arrested from Langate in Kupwara and a Chinese pistol, one magazine and seven rounds were seized from his possession, he said.

Lone was handed over to the police at Kralpora, the spokesman said.

He said three overground workers of LeT outfit, Abdul Rahim Sheikh, Abdul Rahim Lone and Mohammad Munawar Waza were arrested from Palhallan-Pattan in Baramulla district.

Five RPG rounds concealed in Abdul Rahim Sheikh’s house were seized by the security forces, the spokesman said.

He said the trio confessed to having harboured LeT militants for monetary benefits and were handed over to the Pattan police. — PTI

Lacklustre campaigning draws to a close
Tribune News Service

Jammu, October 11
The campaign for byelections to four Assembly constituencies of Jammu and Kashmir, that closed today, was a low-key affair as no Central leaders of any party, except Mr Raj Nath Singh, came for electioneering.

The campaign remained a local affair although Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed is contesting the election from the Pahalgam constituency of Kashmir.

No leader of the Congress came here from the Centre to campaign for the two candidates of the party who are contesting from Akhnoor and Basohli.

The Congress has left the two seats of Pahalgam and Batmaloo in the Valley for the PDP.

Although there are four candidates in the Pahalgam constituency, but the main contest is between the Mufti and National Conference (NC) nominee Rafi Ahmad Mir.

As many as 3,28,045 voters are registered in the four constituencies that would go to poll on October 13. A total number of 43 candidates are in the fray among whom only two are women.

The NC is contesting all four seats, while the coalition partners, the Congress and the PDP, are sharing two seats each.

The Panthers Party, which is also a coalition partner in the government, has spared the Mufti by not fielding any candidate against him, but was playing a spoilsport for its own allies by contesting other three seats. The chairman of the party, Mr Bhim Singh, has been criticising the Congress in his election rallies.

The position of the Congress candidate, Mr Sham Lal, has slightly improved in the Akhnoor constituency where a number of ministers were camping for the past few days.

As many as 367 polling booths have been established in the four constituencies and paramilitary forces have been deployed in strength to maintain law and order.

The highest numbers of 14 candidates are in fray for the Akhnoor seat and the lowest numbers of four candidates are trying their luck for the Pahalgam seat. 

Panthers Party’s no to Ireland-type agreement
Tribune News Service

Jammu, October 11
Mr Bhim Singh, chairman of the Panthers Party, today said that the proposal of the Congress for an Ireland-type agreement to resolve the Kashmir imbroglio was a dangerous plan to divide Jammu and Kashmir on communal lines.

Mr Bhim Singh, while reacting to the statement of Mr Salman Khurshid who favoured an Ireland-type peace agreement for solving the Kashmir issue, said that the Congress was following the Dixon plan of 1950 by thinking on these terms.

He asked the Congress leaders, who are leading the coalition government at the Centre, to justify the proposed solution on the Ireland pattern. Ireland was divided in 1938 on the basis of two-nation theory, a division between Protestants and Catholics.

An independent Ireland was carved out for the majority of Catholics, whereas the Northern Ireland was made a buffer state, with the majority of Protestants under the British control.

Northern Ireland has been on fire and thousands of innocent people have been killed due to the ongoing war between the two communities, and the security of the entire UK has been under threat ever since the division of Ireland, he said.

Mr Bhim Singh alleged that the USA and several fundamentalist countries had made Northern Ireland a haven for dumping illicit weapons, thereby threatening entire Europe.

He pointed out that such a proposition was against the unanimous resolution of Parliament that had declared that the solution lies in the liberation of the Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). He urged the nationalist parties and the Left to justify their support to the Congress that has proposed to create an independent Kashmir and merge the Hindu-dominated areas with India.

17 NCC cadets scale Siachen
Our Correspondent

Jammu, October 11
In a bid to catch them young for strenuous defence services, an expedition of 17 NCC cadets, besides four officers and eight members of staff, to the 20,000 feet high mountain glacier of Siachen was conducted.

The cadets, drawn from Gujarat, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, started the expedition from Ahmedabad on September 26, returned from the world’s highest battlefield and landed in Jammu today. Col S.S. Baga, officiating Deputy Director-General, NCC Jammu and Kashmir Directorate, received the members of the expedition.

Col J.P. Anklesaria, in charge of the expedition, told mediapersons here today, “The expedition was a part of adventure activities being promoted in the NCC to inculcate the spirit of adventure among the cadets.

Its aim was to develop leadership qualities among the cadets so as to prepare them for joining the defence services.”

Col Sunil Kalia said, “The cadets had not seen snow so far and were thrilled when they set their foot on the 64 km long glacier, where nothing but snow is found.”

Nihal and Imran, cadets, said “It is an extremely useful experience, we could, for the first time, experience the nature of the services our troops rendered while guarding our border.”

They said, “If more cadets are sent to Siachen, they could become tough soldiers and officers after joining the Army.”

Colonel Kalia said, “It was for the first time that NCC cadets were sent on an expedition to the Siachen glacier.”

The members of the expedition travelled in four-cylinder vehicles from Ahmedabad to Leh via Udaipur, Delhi, Chandigarh, Manali and Patsio From Leh the mountaineers travelled to Dras, Srinagar and Jammu. They left Jammu today for Ahmedabad.

The expedition was sponsored by the Reliance Group of Industries and the Gujarat Government.