J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Attack on Abdullahs result of
security lapse: team
Jammu, November 1
A question mark has been put on the functioning of the security set-up in Jammu and Kashmir following its virtual indictment by a team of Central Government experts which has inquired into the lapses that led to an explosion at Anantnag where former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah, who are "Z-plus" protectee, had a providential escape.

Musharraf’s views give rise to fears in valley
Jammu, November 1
The Pakistan President, General Pervez Musharraf’s recent statement on the Kashmir issue has given rise to fears among a section of Kashmiri Muslims who have, over the years, established flourishing business here and in other states.

APHC factions to meet at Pak Embassy
Srinagar, November 1
With a mixed views on Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s proposal on resolving the Kashmir issue, several separatist leaders are meeting over an Iftar party at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi tomorrow, which is expected to bridge the gaps between divergent groups.

Two militants among four killed in J&K
Srinagar, November 1
Four persons, including two militants, were killed while one was kidnapped in Jammu and Kashmir overnight, an official spokesman said.

Shivraj Patil to visit J&K on Nov 6
Jammu, November 1
If the programme for the three-day visit of the Union Home Minister, Mr Shivraj Patil, to Jammu and Kashmir is any guide, no meeting with separatists is on the cards.

Attack on Abdullahs result of security lapse: team
S.P.Sharma
Tribune News Service

Jammu, November 1
A question mark has been put on the functioning of the security set-up in Jammu and Kashmir following its virtual indictment by a team of Central Government experts which has inquired into the lapses that led to an explosion at Anantnag where former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah, who are "Z-plus" protectee, had a providential escape.

The high-level Central team, that was rushed to Kashmir following allegations of a deliberate attempt to eliminate the two, has pointed out certain serious lapses in the security norms.

Dr Abdullah and Mr Omar Abdullah, who is President of the National Conference (NC), have survived a couple of attempts on their lives. They have been alleging that such attacks were deliberately being organised to create fear among NC activists and immobile the party leaders.

Whereas it has been pointed out that Mr Omar Abdullah was not provided a bullet proof car despite being a protectee of the Central Government, it is a fact that a number of persons who have no threat to their lives were enjoying the privilege of being provided such vehicles and also police escort that have become a status symbol.

Crores of rupees are being spent every year for the security of even those who by no means have any threat perception. There were reports that the system was not being reviewed periodically to cut expenditure.

Moreover, an official report had some time ago pointed out that a security related fund provided by the Centre to J&K was spent on purchase of TV sets, carpets and furnishing of houses of influential persons.

What has surprised the observers was that a single jammer was being used for the protection of Dr Abdullah, Mr Omar Abdullah and a minister in the Mufti government.

The security system here has come under criticism also in the past, particularly when a minister was shot at point blank during the Assembly elections and assassination of the People's Conference leader, Mr Abdul Gani Lone.

A former minister, Mr Safdar Ali Beg, was recently shot dead at Anantnag and Dr Abdullah and Mr Omar Abdullah had gone there to attend the prayers being held in this connection when the explosion occurred.

Mr Omar Abdullah has raised several questions on the lapses in his security set-up. It has been alleged that the bullet-proof car allotted to him earlier was given to a PDP leader and the one provided to him as a replacement was mostly in the workshop as a result of which he had to travel in an ordinary vehicle.

Musharraf’s views give rise to fears in valley
Our Correspondent

Jammu, November 1
The Pakistan President, General Pervez Musharraf’s recent statement on the Kashmir issue has given rise to fears among a section of Kashmiri Muslims who have, over the years, established flourishing business here and in other states.

As apprehensions about possible division of Jammu and Kashmir keep surfacing many affluent Kashmiri families have disturbed sleep. Interaction with a number of Kashmiri businessmen and intellectuals revealed that for them fears were not unfounded and they have started thinking of reducing their business interests in Jammu, Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata and Mumbai or selling a part of their immovable assets in these states.

A prominent Kashmiri businessman, who wished to remain unidentified, said: “I believe Delhi and Islamabad are considering the option of dividing the states either in two parts, one to remain with India and the other, especially the valley, to be part of Pakistan or divide it into seven regions.”

He said: “Whatever may be the final solution I and my business colleagues will suffer.” Explaining it, he said “in case the valley becomes part of Pakistan or remains under the joint control of India and Pakistan my business ventures in Bangalore and Delhi will suffer.”

The business man cited the example of a number of Kashmiris who had built big houses in Jammu and Delhi or had purchased flats in Mumbai and Bangalore and said “they will have no other option but to sell their property much ahead of the division of the state.”

He said: “We do not want to go in for distress sale as Kashmiri Pandits had to after they migrated from the valley 15 years ago.”

It is no longer a secret that a large number of rich Kashmiri families built their second home in Jammu and other Indian states soon after the rise of insurgency in Kashmir in 1989. Big business houses opened branches in several states and between 1990 and 1995 the owners spent most of the time away from the troubled valley to escape extortion and killing by militants.

Fears have gripped people, who have established their business centres in the border areas of Poonch, Rajouri and Kargil.

General Musharraf’s proposal has given sleepless nights to those living in Doda district because the majority of people in this district do not want to remain part of the Kashmir valley. They have fears about their bleak future if the Dixon plan, in a new form, is implemented under which Doda will face a division with two subdivisions, Doda and Kishtwar going on one side, and the third subdivision of Bhaderwah being kept on the other side.

Equally apprehensive are parents of those Kashmiri Muslim youth who have still three to five years to complete their professional courses in various colleges in different Indian states. These parents had spent a fortune in getting their wards admitted to various engineering and medical colleges in several Indian states.

However, the BJP vice-president, Dr Hari Om, said: “The Regional Autonomy Committee, constituted by the erstwhile National Conference Government, had also recommended division of the state in five regions.”

He told this correspondent today that “as such one need not get surprised over the musings of General Musharraf.”

Dr Hari Om said “We should not miss that for the first time the head of the Pakistani state had accepted that PoK and Gilgit and Baltistan were not part of Pakistan.” He said “hitherto Pakistan had been harping on the implementation of the UN resolution providing for a plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir and the idea mooted by General Musharraf is a deviation from the old stand.”

He said the state of Jammu and Kashmir had diverse topography, culture, language, and social ethos and division on the basis of regions could dilute regional passions.

The BJP leader explained that the only difference between General Musharraf’s proposal and the one recommended by the Regional Autonomy committee was that while the former “favours some sort of independence for the valley and Kashmir to be kept under joint control of India and Pakistan, the latter is silent recommending simply regional autonomy for all the five regions.

APHC factions to meet at Pak Embassy
Ehsan Fazili
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, November 1
With a mixed views on Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s proposal on resolving the Kashmir issue, several separatist leaders are meeting over an Iftar party at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi tomorrow, which is expected to bridge the gaps between divergent groups.

Both the factions of the separatist Hurriyat Conference have constituted delegations to present their views at tomorrow’s meeting. While some of these leaders have already left for the Capital, others are on their way.

The moderate APHC faction led by Mirwaiz Omar Farooq has deputed a delegation that includes two former chairmen, Mr Abdul Ghani Bhat and Moulvi Abbas Ansari, and Mr Bilal Lone, some of them having already left for Delhi. The acting chairman, Mirwaiz Omar Farooq, however, will not be attending the Iftar party owing to certain engagements here.

Syed Ali Shah Geelnai, chairman of the other faction, who is already in Delhi, would be joined by other members of his group at the meeting tomorrow. A spokesman of his APHC faction here today said that it had deputed leaders of various constituent groups for the meeting, including Mr Ghulam Nabi Sumji and Mr Agha Syed Hassan.

Mirwaiz Omar Farooq told The Tribune here that the meeting could be helpful in unifying of the divergent factions of the Hurriyat Conference. Referring to the stand taken by the Geelani faction, the Mirwaiz held that those who had parted ways had an "unrealistic" approach. He said both India and Pakistan were talking in terms of dialogue, which was important for an amicable resolution of the problem.

The Mirwaiz, or chief cleric, has already described General Musharraf’s proposal as a “good beginning“. “It is not necessary that such proposals are acceptable”, he commented, adding, “at least it (Pakistan) talks of ways and means to find a solution”.

“We support the decision, but it is necessary that the people of Kashmir are also involved”, he commented. The Mirwaiz also stressed the need for a “positive approach” on the part of the Government of India.

An executive committee meeting of the Geelani faction of the APHC has already endorsed his views on the Pakistan President’s proposal. He had described the proposal as one sided. General Musharraf, according to Syed Ali Shah Geelani, had made a similar proposal earlier also, but regretted that India did not respond positively. He held that by such statements Pakistan was moving away from its stand on the resolution of the Kashmir issue through UN resolutions. He reiterated his stand on the right to self-determination and tripartite talks.

Underground women’s outfit Dukhtaran-e-Millat's chief Asiya Andrabi held that General Musharraf’s proposal was directed towards the implementation of the US road map envisaging the merger of Gilgit and Baltistan and other northern areas with Pakistan, Jammu and Ladakh with India and putting Kashmir under joint control of both India and Pakistan.

Two militants among four killed in J&K

Srinagar, November 1
Four persons, including two militants, were killed while one was kidnapped in Jammu and Kashmir overnight, an official spokesman said.

A militant who was injured in a shootout near the Public Service Commission office yesterday died in the hospital today. One jawan and a civilian were also injured in the incident.

Security forces killed a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen militant in an encounter at Kulgund Achabal today. One pistol with a magazine was seized.

Militants riding on a motor cycle kidnapped one Ramesh Singh Rajput from Yarkhushipora in Anantnag district today. The police has launched a manhunt.

The security forces nabbed two militants in the Handwara area of the frontier Kashmir district of Kupwara last evening and seized 29 rounds of ammunition and three hand grenades from them, the spokesman said.

Militants intruded into the house of one Munshi Khan at Margan Darhal and kidnapped him. He was later killed by them.

Militants also abducted one Tariq Ahmad from Sangiot and later slit his throat, the spokesman said. — UNI

Shivraj Patil to visit J&K on Nov 6
Our Correspondent

Jammu, November 1
If the programme for the three-day visit of the Union Home Minister, Mr Shivraj Patil, to Jammu and Kashmir is any guide, no meeting with separatists is on the cards.

Mr Patil will start his tour in Srinagar on November 6 with a meeting with the Governor, Mr S.K. Sinha, the Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, and the Deputy Chief Minister, Mr Mangat Ram Sharma.

After this Mr Patil will meet the Opposition leaders, legislators and Parliament members. The main Opposition leaders he will meet are Dr Farooq Abdullah and his son, Mr Omar Abdullah.

On November 7, Mr Patil will visit the border areas in Jammu for seeing the on going fencing work.

Leaders of the displaced Kashmiris have been invited for a meeting with Mr Patil.

For the first time a Union Home Minister is slated to meet leaders of Gujjars and Bakerwals.

He will also spend a day in Ladakh where he would meet functionaries of the Leh and Kargil Hill Development Councils and legislators and public delegations.

Informed sources said that since the separatists, including those belonging to the APHC led by Moulvi Omar Farooq, had not responded to the verbal offer from the Centre for the resumption of talks, the Union Home Ministry had not included them in the list of the invitees.