Jammu, October 21
The killing of Mr Ghulam Nabi Lone, Minister of State for Education, by terrorists in Srinagar and a spurt in terrorist activities in other parts of the state indicates that the United Jehad Council (UJC), which had announced a unilateral ceasefire during the holy month of Ramzan, has lost its grip over the Pakistan-sponsored ultras operating in Jammu and Kashmir.

The UJC had announced the suspension of terrorist activities a day before the month of fasting began, but the militant outfits have ignored their call and intensified bloodshed.

The UJC headed by Salahudin, who was operating from Muzaffarabad in the PoK, had so far been steering terrorist activities in the state. However, the recent incidents are a clear indication that the terrorist groups have started defying his dictates. In the past any word uttered by Salahudin, who was heading the dreaded militant outfit of Hizbul Mujaheedin, was considered a law by ultras of other outfits. Eleven Hindus were massacred in the Rajouri district a day after the UJC declared suspension of militant activities during Ramzan.

Thereafter, an Army camp was attacked in Kathua where two soldiers were killed and seven wounded in an encounter.

A senior leader of CPM was shot dead by terrorists in Anantnag district a day before the attack on the minister. A futile attempt was made on the life of the state CPM chief, Mr Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, a neighbour of Mr Lone. However, when the security forces retaliated the terrorists entered Mr Lone’s residence and shot him. Al-Mansoorian and the Islamic Jehad Front, which have claimed the responsibility for the minister’s assassination, had earlier been operating in coordination with the UJC.

Although there are reports of about 23 terrorist training camps in the PoK having got destroyed due to the recent earthquake, but attempts of infiltration by ultras have increased. This is possibly because many posts on the Line of Control (LoC) have got damaged due to the quake and the army personnel are engaged in the relief operations in the affected areas. There are reports that the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) had recently sent to the government a report saying that taking advantage of the quake terrorists might try to infiltrate here.

Srinagar, October 21
Setting at rest speculation over the transfer of power in Jammu and Kashmir, the AICC general secretary, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, has said that there was no change in the agreement on power sharing with its coalition partner, the PDP, in Jammu and Kashmir. As per the agreement between the two main coalition partners, the three-year term of the PDP Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, ends on November 2 after which a Congress Chief Minister is to take over.

Talking to media persons here today, the Union Urban Development Minister and AICC general secretary, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad made it clear that there was “no change in the agreement as yet”. He was replying to questions at a Press conference here this afternoon, wherein he gave details of the relief and rehabilitation works to quake victims in the state. A section of the Congress party is keen on the transfer of power as per the agreement between the two parties reached upon after the 2002 Assembly elections.

However, sources in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had contacted the Congress president, Ms Sonia Gandhi, earlier this week and impressed upon her to take an early decision in this regard. These added that Mufti did not want “things to linger” since these added to the uncertainty and confusion. The party sources held that Mufti had approached the Congress chief seeking her “positive approach” towards the fast moving political and developmental works over the past three years of his rule. The uncertainty in view of the lack of decision over the continuity of his rule would not be in the right perspective, the PDP chief is believed to have conveyed to the Congress leadership. Any change in the top post would hamper the fast political and developmental works in the state, the party sources claimed, thereby seeking the Congress chief’s green signal to let Mufti continue.

With less than two weeks for the change, according to sources in the Congress party, Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed is expected to step down by the end of this month to pave way for Congress to take over.

This, according to the sources, would help to pave way for a Congress Chief Minister to take over by November 2, when the three-year term of PDP-led coalition government is over. The last time the Congress was in power in the state was in 1974, when the then Chief Minister, Syed Mir Qasim, stepped down to pave way for the NC chief, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, to take over.

Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, his daughter and PDP president, Ms Mehbooba Mufti, and senior party colleagues have been frequently making it “abundantly clear” that the Chief Minister would strictly abide by the agreement with the Congress party. “We have a clear and stated position on that”, Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed had stated here recently replying to the questions over the change of power.

The agreement on power sharing between the Congress and the PDP was reached upon after none of the parties could claim a majority in the 87-member House in the 2002 Assembly elections. The National Conference lost power in the elections by getting only 28 seats, though it was the single largest party.

Srinagar, October 21
A series of grenade blasts and encounters left eight persons, including three soldiers and four militants, dead in Jammu and Kashmir overnight, official sources said.

The slain militants included three ‘commanders’ of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).

Official sources said two militants hurled grenades followed by heavy firing on a BSF patrol party near the Samad Talkies in the main town this afternoon, resulting in the death of a jawan, Ranjit Singh.

A patrol party of 22 RR coming from the opposite direction returned fire and in the ensuing encounter, a soldier, Deepak Singh died and a civilian, Mehraj Uddin was injured.

The sources said reinforcements from the nearby camps were rushed to the spot and the entire area was subsequently cordoned off. Many people have been detained for questioning.

Sources said a search operation was on to nab the militants.

This was the third major incident after the Fidayeen of Al-Mansoorain killed Jammu and Kashmir Minister of State for Education Ghulam Nabi Lone, his guest and two security personnel at the high security Tulsi Bagh area on October 18.

Militants resorted to indiscriminate firing at the main market at Pampore on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, on the next day, killing two persons and injuring nine others, including a police officer.

Militants also hurled two hand grenades at a security force patrol party at the high security Balgarden area of the city, near a petrol pump this afternoon.

The grenade exploded on the roadside injuring three security personnel, a police constable and a civilian. The injured were admitted to hospital.

A BSF spokesman said today that troops of 53 Batallion, based on specific information, conducted a search operation at Tsuribug Tral in Pulwama district last evening to nab militants hiding there.

However, when the troops were sealing all exit points, militants hurled grenades and also resorted to indiscriminate firing with automatic weapons.

Troops immediately encircled the area and returned the fire and in the encounter that followed two JeM commanders identified as Adnan Farooq and Danish Maviya, both residents of Pakistan were killed.

Adnan, wanted in a number of militancy related incidents, had been active in the area for some time. — UNI

Srinagar, October 21
At least 131 free telephone calls have made to the PoK by people from the four destinations in the state that were opened by the BSNL on Wednesday in view of the recent earthquake.

Union Minister and AICC General Secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad said here that many people continued to wait for their turn to contact their relatives across the LoC.

On the first day, 30 calls had been made with 12 each from Srinagar and Jammu centres, four from Uri and two from Tangdhar.

On Thursday, 22 call were made from Srinagar, 21 from Tangdhar, and 15 each from Jammu and Uri centres.