J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

PDP seeks one more year for Mufti?
Jammu, October 5
With about three weeks left for the power transfer agreement to be implemented in Jammu and Kashmir, the PDP leadership has started a secret campaign for getting at least one more year for Mufti Sayeed as Chief Minister of the state.

7 Dukhtaran activists to be released
Srinagar, October 5
Seven activists of the radical women’s organisation, Dukhtaran-e-Millat, barring its chief Syeda Asia Indrabi, are among the 44 detainees to be released by the Jammu and Kashmir Government.

A member of the Dukhtaran-e-Milat (Daughters of Nation) holds her son during a protest in Srinagar against the arrest of the chief of the organisation Asiya Andrabi and her associates on Wednesday. —  Tribune photo by Amin War

Army doctors come to aid of burns victim
Jammu, October 5
It is a major relief for 42-month-old Shamima Akhtar whose wounds inflicted by terrorists, have been cured by Army doctors.

Militants kill two jawans
Srinagar, October 5
Three militants were gunned down by the security forces who lost two of their personnel in separate encounters in Badgam, Pulwama and Kupwara districts of Jammu and Kashmir since last night.

8,500 kg contraband seized
Srinagar, October 5
In a major haul, the Jammu and Kashmir police today claimed to have seized a huge consignment of 8,500 kg contraband worth crores of rupees in the international market during an operation in the Shopian area of the Pulwama district last evening.

GOC-in-C visits higher division
Jammu, October 5
Lt Gen Daljeet Singh, GOC-in-C of the Western Command, made his first visit to the Tiger Division here today after taking over charge of the command.

• New Colonel of J&K Light Infantry

PDP seeks one more year for Mufti?
M. L. Kak

Jammu, October 5
With about three weeks left for the power transfer agreement to be implemented in Jammu and Kashmir, the PDP leadership has started a secret campaign for getting at least one more year for Mufti Sayeed as Chief Minister of the state.

Sources said that besides using a section of the print media for its campaign, the recent meeting the PDP chief, Ms Mehbooba Mufti, had with the AICC President, Sonia Gandhi, is viewed as the last-minute attempt by the ruling PDP to get the power transfer implementation stalled for a year more.

It was the last-minute conversation between Mehbooba Mufti and Ms Sonia Gandhi that enabled the PDP to get the rider's seat in the coalition government in November 2002. At that stage, the state unit of the Congress, which had won 20 seats in the Assembly against 16 by the PDP, staked claim for the Chief Minister's post.

It was as a result of intervention by Ms Sonia Gandhi that Mufti Mohd. Sayeed was sworn in as Chief Minister on November 2, 2002.

It is in the light of this development that Ms Mehbooba has been trying to persuade Ms Gandhi to postpone implementing power transfer agreement.

The sources said the meeting between Mufti Mohd. Sayeed and Prime Minister, Mr Manmohan Singh, in Delhi on Tuesday was meant to convey to Dr Singh the state government's performance as far as the execution of series of development works was concerned.

Though the Mufti did not seek Mr Manmohan Singh's favour in postponing the implementation of the power transfer agreement, the exercise the Kashmir Chief Minister carried out for impressing the Prime Minister about the functioning of the state government was by itself an indirect attempt to convince him on his (Mufti's) indispensability in Jammu and Kashmir at this critical juncture.

The sources said that Ms Mehbooba called on Ms Sonia Gandhi as she (Mehbooba) knew that the entire Congress hierarchy, including those who matter in the organisation in Jammu and Kashmir, had left it to the AICC President to decide whether the power transfer agreement had to be implemented on schedule or not.

The Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, had, in his latest statement, indicated that unless Ms Sonia Gandhi wished otherwise there would be no change in the implementation of the agreement under which a Congress leader had to be installed as the Chief Minister in place of Mufti Mohd. Sayeed.

What seems to have emboldened the PDP leadership is the fact that a section of senior Congress leaders of the state, who are members in the council of ministers, do not seem in favour of the implementation of the power transfer agreement. Their fears are that in case their partyman took over as Chief Minister some of them may be axed because Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is tipped to replace Mufti Mohd. Sayeed, has already announced that he would reduce the size of the council of ministers.

One thing seems to be certain that in case the Congress high command opted for the implementation of the power transfer agreement the Mufti would be rehabilitated in the Central Cabinet, though he is yet to decide over the issue as he would prefer strengthening the PDP after he relinquished his office as Chief Minister.

As the suspense on the power transfer agreement is yet to be over, the National Conference leadership seems to be eagerly watching the situation expecting the Congress to seek its support by snapping its ties with the PDP.

Former Chief Minister and National Conference patron, Dr Farooq Abdullah, said in Jammu today: "Yes if the Congress wanted the NC to act as its bride we are ready to support it."

He said that former Prime Minister Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee's assessment that the Congress-NC accord of 1986 and the consequent controversial Assembly poll in 1987 had resulted in the rise of militancy was "really wrong."

7 Dukhtaran activists to be released

Srinagar, October 5
Seven activists of the radical women’s organisation, Dukhtaran-e-Millat, barring its chief Syeda Asia Indrabi, are among the 44 detainees to be released by the Jammu and Kashmir Government.

The names of Mehmooda of Natipora, Rifat Rizwan of Nowgam, Bazgah Talaul of Methan, Sofi Fahmida of Lal Bazaar, Noor Jehan of Nowpora, Razia of Khanyar and Nahida Nasreen of Pampore figure in the list of detainees whose cases have been cleared by the state and Central governments, officials said today.

The Joint Screening Committee met on Monday and approved the release of 44 persons following Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s talks with Hurriyat Conference leaders in New Delhi on September 5.

The Hurriyat delegation had insisted on the release of political detainees languishing in different jails in and outside Jammu and Kashmir.

Indrabi and seven Dukhtaran activists were arrested by police in August for vandalising a restaurant as part of its moral policing campaign and booked under the Public Safety Act. — PTI

Army doctors come to aid of burns victim
Tribune News Service

Jammu, October 5
It is a major relief for 42-month-old Shamima Akhtar whose wounds inflicted by terrorists, have been cured by Army doctors.

There was no hope of Shamima surviving due to the serious burns she received when terrorists raided her house and set it on fire two years ago. Her parents fled, leaving the child behind.

The child suffered extensive burns on the head and the neck. Her eyelids were burnt and she was unable to shut her eyes, even for sleep.

Her poor father, Mohammad Iqbal, ran from pillar to post for help. Finally one of his nephews, Jameel Ahmad, a special police official (SPO), agreed to foot the bill for her treatment Unfortunately, within a few days Jammel was shot dead.

As luck would have it, Iqbal came across a contingent of the Rashtriya Rifles who took the child to the regimental medical officer for treatment. She was referred to senior Army authorities. The authorities got reconstructive surgery done on her in the Northern Command Hospital, Udhampur.

Thereafter, two more grafting and reconstructive surgeries were done on her. A large ulcer on her head was cured completely. Her eyelids were reconstructed, thereby removing the risk of blindness due to constant exposure to sunlight. Her nose was also reconstructed.

Militants kill two jawans

Srinagar, October 5
Three militants were gunned down by the security forces who lost two of their personnel in separate encounters in Badgam, Pulwama and Kupwara districts of Jammu and Kashmir since last night.

Two jawans of the Territorial Army identified as Ghulam Hassan Baba and Mushtaq Ahmad Mir were killed by militants at Nasrullahpora village in central Kashmir’s Badgam district last night, the sources said.

Hailing from Qadipora and Shulipora villages of the district, the two jawans had gone to the village to get information about militants hiding there.

Two unidentified militants were killed in a gunbattle with the security forces at Devarpora-Nagbal village in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district early today.

The search operation in the village was continuing when reports last came in.

In another encounter, security forces shot dead an unidentified militant at Thapal near the Line of Control in the Machil sector of north Kashmir Kupwara district last night. An AK assault rifle, two magazines and some ammunition were seized from the killed militant.

3 of family killed

JAMMU: Militants today shot dead three members of a family and injured a woman while the security forces gunned down a top Hizbul Mujahideen ultra in Udhampur and Doda districts of Jammu and Kashmir.

A group of militants barged into the house of Gami Gujjar, a former Special Police Officer, and tortured him in the Sangaldhan area of Udhampur district early today, official sources said here.

They later opened fire at the inmates of the house, killing Gami, his daughter and son, they said. The police has launched a combing operation in the area to track down the militants.

Militants opened fire on the wife of a former SPO Gulam Nabi and injured her in village Saranda in the Gool belt of udhampur district last night. Injured Rafiqa was hospitalised. — PTI

8,500 kg contraband seized

GOC-in-C visits higher division

Jammu, October 5
Lt Gen Daljeet Singh, GOC-in-C of the Western Command, made his first visit to the Tiger Division here today after taking over charge of the command.

During his two-day visit, Gen Daljeet Singh interacted with senior officers of the Tiger Division and emphasised the need to instil the motto of “service not self” and “beyond excellence”.

He appreciated the contribution of the Tiger Division in assisting the civil administration in maintaining incident-free environment here. — TNS

New Colonel of J&K Light Infantry
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 5
The General Officer Commanding, Desert Corps in Rajasthan, Lieut-Gen P.R. Gangadharan, has been appointed Colonel of the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (J&K LI) Regiment.

As Colonel of the regiment, he will be responsible for overseeing regimental affairs and welfare of troops belonging to the J&K LI. He takes over from Lieut-Gen Hari Prasad, the erstwhile General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command.