NC activist shot
SRINAGAR, April 19 — A National Conference activist and three members of a single family were among nine persons killed in different militancy-related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir since yesterday.

Former J&K Prime Minister passes away
SRINAGAR, April 19 — A former Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Khwaja Shams-ud-Din, passed away here this morning after a prolonged illness. He was 77.

Soz expelled from NC
JAMMU, April 19 — The National Conference has expelled MP, Prof Saifuddin Soz, from the primary membership of the party for having defied the party decision and voted against the motion of confidence which resulted in the fall of the BJP-led coalition government at the Centre.

NC activist shot
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, April 19 — A National Conference activist and three members of a single family were among nine persons killed in different militancy-related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir since yesterday.

Unidentified militants shot dead an activist of the ruling National Conference at Beerwah in Budgam district last evening. The police said gun-wielding militants intruded into the house of Mohammad Yousuf Dar at Kangripora, Beerwah about 30 km northwest of here last evening and shot him dead.

Three members of a single family, including two women, were shot dead by militants at Bana Mohalla in Inderkoot village in the Sumbal area of Baramulla district last night. They have been identified as Gulzar Ahmad Mir and two women, Ms Haseena and Ms Rubeena, both daughters of the house owner, Ghulam Mohammad Mir. Gulzar Ahmad Mir is reported to be the son-in-law of Ghulam Mohammad Mir.

Acting on a specific information, the Special Operations group (SOG) and the Army cordoned off the village this morning and launched a search operation to flush out the hiding militants, allegedly responsible for the killing of three members of a single family. The police said three militants hiding in the village were killed in the encounter that ensued between them, the Army and the police. The identity of those killed was yet to be ascertained.

The police, said three AK rifles, 180 rounds of ammunition, two grenades, a wireless set were seized from the site of the encounter.

In another incident, militants shot dead Sakhi Mohammad at Prankote, Reasi in Udhampur district of Jammu division, the police here said. A security force personnel was also killed in another encounter between the militants and the security forces in Poonch district.

JAMMU: Three foreign mercenaries belonging to Harkat-ul-Ansar outfit were killed by the troops in the forest belt of Malla Gala in the Kalakot area of Rajouri district today.

Defence Ministry spokesman said that on receipt of information from the police, troops cordoned off a hideout in the forest belt. The militants tried to flee opening fire on the troops. The soldiers returned the fire and all three foreign guerrillas were killed on the spot.

Three assault rifles, 50 mm mortar bomb, five hand grenades, 2 kg of explosives were seized.

In another incident two militants barged into the house of Shakhi Mohd. in Narkot village of Udhampur district and shot him dead. This incident resulted in anger among the villagers who raised anti-Pakistan slogans. The area had been cordoned off by the BSF and search operations launched to nab the killers.

Soz expelled from NC
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, April 19 — The National Conference has expelled MP, Prof Saifuddin Soz, from the primary membership of the party for having defied the party decision and voted against the motion of confidence which resulted in the fall of the BJP-led coalition government at the Centre.

The working committee of the National Conference, which met here today under the chairmanship of Dr Farooq Abdullah, discussed the role Prof Soz played by violating the party decision in the Lok Sabha. A majority of the members voiced concern over the stand taken by Prof Soz which, if treated casually, could generate indiscipline in the ruling organisation.

The committee decided to expel Prof Soz from the primary membership of the party for lifetime. Dr Abdullah said the working committee also asked Prof Soz to resign his seat and contest the poll from the Baramula constituency afresh. The working committee members pressed for forcing Prof Soz to quit the Lok Sabha seat because he had been elected from Baramula on the National Conference ticket in 1998.

Several ministerial colleagues of Dr Farooq Abdullah and senior party activists had already mounted pressure on the Chief Minister to throw out Prof Soz. Some of the ministers had informed Dr Abdullah that Prof Soz had been hobnobbing with Congress leaders against the interests of the ruling National Conference. Others said had he been expelled from the party a year ago when he had opposed NC's issued-based support to the BJP-led government things would have not assumed serious dimensions.

Reports said the National Conference leadership decided to throw Prof Soz out with a view to clipping his wings and preventing him from becoming a rallying point for the dissidents in the National Conference. According to these reports, some of those who were vociferous in the working committee meeting while seeking the expulsion of Prof Soz had maintained secret links with the MP.

Informed sources said the National Conference leadership wanted to convey a message to the dissidents that they too could meet the same fate.

The working committee did not accept a plea that Prof Soz be asked to explain his position on the plea that he had made it known through the print and electronic media that he had defied the party decision. As such there was no question of giving him a chance to clarify his position and no scope for believing that he had not been informed about the decision.

Mr Ghulam Mohiuddin Shah and Sheikh Nazir Ahmed said Prof Soz had been informed by none less than the Chief Minister that the party had taken the decision to back the Vajpayee government.

Some of the senior ministers were apparently happy because for them Prof Soz had become a threat to them. The Chief Minister announced that Mr Ghulam Mohiuddin Shah would function as working president of the National Conference in the absence of the president. Dr Farooq Abdullah is scheduled to leave for Geneva and London for about three weeks from tomorrow.

Dr Farooq Abdullah also directed the party workers and leaders to get ready for a mid-term poll. He felt that the political situation had reached such a stage that no govt has absolute majority and a mid-term poll was the only alternative.

In reply to a question he said the National Conference would adopt a wait-and-watch policy till a clear picture emerged at the Centre.

Former J&K Prime Minister passes away
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, April 19 — A former Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Khwaja Shams-ud-Din, passed away here this morning after a prolonged illness. He was 77.

His body was taken to his family graveyard at Anantnag. He was Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir for a brief spell from October 12, 1963, to February 29, 1964. During his tenure as Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, he launched a major programme for the development of rural areas. He played a significant role in developing "naya Kashmir".

Several leaders and various socio-political and religious organisations have expressed grief over the demise of the former Prime Minister, hailing his contribution towards society, especially in the educational field.

Khwaja Shams-ud-Din was first elected to the Legislative Assembly in 1956 and re-elected in 1962, 1967 and 1972. He was Agriculture and Rural Development Minister in the Cabinet of Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad from 1957 to 1963.

He was arrested in the "Quit Kashmir Movement" in 1946 and was jailed for 16 months. Having been elected to the Assembly four times, he was elected leader of the National Conference and took over as Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir in October, 1963. He resigned during February, 1964.

He was among the first group of NC leaders who join the Indian National Congress. He was appointed Speaker of the Assembly from 1968 to 1972.

He is survived by his wife, two sons and three daughters.