J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

6-member Hurriyat team for talks with PM
Srinagar, September 1
The moderate faction of Hurriyat today decided to send a six-member delegation led by its Chairman, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, for talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to pursue with “seriousness” the dialogue to find a “lasting and durable” solution to the Kashmir problem.
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Former chairman Molvi Abbas Ansari (L), Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, chairman, senior leaders Bilal Gani Lone and Prof Abdul Gani Bhat of the All Party Hurriyat Conference at a meeting in Srinagar on Thursday. — Tribune photo by Amin War

PDP leader among 12 killed
Srinagar, September 1
The security forces foiled a major infiltration bid when they shot dead nine heavily armed militants in the Nowgam sector immediately after crossing over to the Indian side from Pakistan occupied Kashmir.

No involvement in hawala case: Shabir
Srinagar, September 1
Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party chief Shabir Ahmad Shah today denied allegations of the Delhi police that he was involved in a hawala case.

CITU wants Singer staff protected
Jammu, September 2
The Centre of Indian Trade Unions has urged the Jammu and Kashmir Government to declare the closure of the Singer Sewing Machine factory here as illegal and save about 300 workers from starvation.

Protest over killing of porters
Jammu, September 1
Hundreds of people, including women, held a demonstration at Satwari here today, demanding a probe into the killing of four porters, allegedly by the Army, in the Lolab valley in Kashmir last year.

Minister resigns

6-member Hurriyat team for talks with PM

Srinagar, September 1
The moderate faction of Hurriyat today decided to send a six-member delegation led by its Chairman, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, for talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to pursue with “seriousness” the dialogue to find a “lasting and durable” solution to the Kashmir problem.

“It was unanimously decided to accept the invitation for talks by the Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh, with a view to proceed with seriousness, imagination and courage to find an acceptable and durable solution to issue of Jammu and Kashmir in the larger interests of the people of the region,” Spokesman Abdul Majid Banday read from a prepared statement after a joint meeting of the executive committee, general council and working committee of the amalgam.

Mirwaiz would lead the Hurriyat delegation and had been authorised to nominate other members later, he said.

Highly placed sources said a six-member team would be flying to Delhi on September 4 for the talks.

Besides the four executive committee members — Mirwaiz, Bilal Gani Lone, Abdul Gani Bhat, Maulana Mohammad Abbas Ansari — Aga Syed Hassan and Fazl Haq Qureshi are likely to be included in the delegation to be announced tomorrow, they said.

The September 5 meeting of the separatists with the Prime Minister would be its first with the UPA Government and would be held nine days ahead of Dr Manmohan Singh’s scheduled meeting with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf in New York.

The amalgam had held two rounds of talks with then Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani in January and March last year during the NDA regime. — PTI

PDP leader among 12 killed

Srinagar, September 1
The security forces foiled a major infiltration bid when they shot dead nine heavily armed militants in the Nowgam sector immediately after crossing over to the Indian side from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Elsewhere in the state, a ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader and a Border Security Force (BSF) jawan were among three persons killed, while the security forces averted a major tragedy and recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition during the past 24 hours.

Official sources said troops guarding the Line of Control (LoC) noticed a group of heavily armed militants sneaking into this side from PoK at Qazinar in the Nowgam sector yesterday under the cover of darkness.

However, troops laid an ambush and as the group reached near a particular place, troops challenged them and asked them to surrender. Militants, armed with automatic weapons, grenade launchers and other sophisticated weapons, resorted to indiscriminate firing. The fire was returned and in the fierce gunbattle, which continued for several hours, nine militants were killed. — UNI

No involvement in hawala case: Shabir

Srinagar, September 1
Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party chief Shabir Ahmad Shah today denied allegations of the Delhi police that he was involved in a hawala case. “The allegations levelled against me by the special cell of the Delhi police are totally baseless and motivated,” Mr Shah told UNI here today.

He said it was nothing but a move to defame him and tarnish his image. “The Centre did not allow me to visit New York and Brussels,” he added.

“I have been part of the freedom struggle for the past 40 years and served terms in jails for more than 22 years,” Mr Shah said and added that he was ready to prove his innocence.

Mr Shah claimed that the allegations had been made on frivolous grounds. He said he was not going to be cowed down by these allegations and would continue his struggle.

The DFP chief said he had never seen or met the youth named by the Delhi police, who had admitted that he was to deliver Rs 50 lakh to him (Shah). — UNI

CITU wants Singer staff protected
Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 2
The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) has urged the Jammu and Kashmir Government to declare the closure of the Singer Sewing Machine factory here as illegal and save about 300 workers from starvation.

Mr K.K. Bakshi, acting president of CITU, said here today that the action of the management was illegal and violative of the law. He alleged the management was diverting funds outside the state.

Protest over killing of porters

Jammu, September 1
Hundreds of people, including women, held a demonstration at Satwari here today, demanding a probe into the killing of four porters, allegedly by the Army, in the Lolab valley in Kashmir last year.

The people also blocked vehicular traffic and raised slogans in support of their demand. All the four were allegedly killed by the Army in a fake encounter at Lolab on April 20 and their bodies were buried in the same area.

The protesters demanded that the bodies be exhumed for identification. The Army has already ordered a probe into the incident. — UNI

Minister resigns

Srinagar, September 1
Javaid Mustafa Mir, Minister of State for Power in Jammu and Kashmir, has resigned from the Council of Ministers. “It is a fact that I have submitted my resignation to Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed yesterday,” he said. The minister, however, said he would not divulge the reasons for submitting his resignation at the moment. — PTI