Notified class of voters
SRINAGAR: Declared as a notified class of voters by the Election Commission, Kashmiri migrants can exercise franchise through the postal ballot during the ensuing Lok Sabha elections in Srinagar, Baramula and Anantnag.

2 women injured in Indo-Pak firing
JAMMU, Aug 22 — Indian and Pakistani troops exchanged fire along the border in Jammu division last evening, injuring two women from either side, official sources said today.

Farooq’s warning to govt docs
SRINAGAR, Aug 22 — Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah today said government doctors practising privately during working hours would be dealt with as per law.

Over 1 lakh visit Amarnath
JAMMU, August 22 — At least 1.04 lakh pilgrims have so far visited Amarnath for the annual pilgrimage to the cave shrine as the holy yatra entered final phase with the arrival of "chari mubarak" at the Pahalgam base camp.

NMC's plea on DA instalment
JAMMU, Aug 22 — Mr Subash Shastri, President of the National Mazdoor Conference (NMC) has urged the state Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, to take an early decision in releasing the instalment of DA due from January, this year at the rate of 10 per cent along with second instalment of pay revision arrears on the eve of ensuing Krishna Janamashtami festival.

Pak move to keep border tense
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Aug 22 — Pakistani troops have shown dogged resistance and despite severe "drubbing" by Indian soldiers in several areas on the 1,260 km-long Indo-Pakistan border in Jammu and Kashmir.

Defence Ministry sources said even after the destruction of more than 50 bankers in the Indian retaliatory fire across Uri, Kupwara, Gurez, Poonch, Nowshehra and Rajouri during the past one week the Pakistani troops continued to resort to unprovoked shelling and firing on the Indian border villages and Army posts.

The sources cited several instances in which the Pakistani troops suffered heavy casualties and several bunkers and army camps were blown up. Recently, Pakistani soldiers opened fire on Army posts and villages in Uri sector in which two women were killed. One senior Indian Army officer was enraged when he saw the two young women having been killed in Pakistani shelling. He immediately ordered his troops to use the Bofors, mortar guns and other weapons. For half an hour Army bases across Uri were lashed by a rain of shells.

According to the sources, for two days, Friday and Saturday, Pakistani troops carried out repeated shelling not only in Uri sector but also in Kupwara, Tithwal and Koran areas. And again during the past 24 hours the Indian troops gave a "befitting" reply.

In the Nowshehra area of the Poonch sector Pakistani soldiers made an abortive bid to provide fire cover to the militants by resorting to heavy shelling. The Indian troops foiled the game plan and pounded Pakistani border posts and villages with mortar and machine gun fire. For the past three days there was not a single bullet fired from across the border in Nowshehra indicating that the Pakistani troops have had suffered heavy losses.

Within minutes of the Nowshehra incident, the BSF had been alerted on the 187-km long international border from Akhnoor to Kathua against possible Pakistani retaliation. During the past three days Pakistani Rangers resorted to intermittent firing in Akhnoor, Samba and R.S. Pora sector which the Defence Ministry sources described as "routine".

The sources said that the main reasons behind Pakistani misadventure in the form of opening fire on the Indian border villages and posts were two. First, Pakistani troops were trying to engage the Indian border guards in exchange of fire so as to carve out passage for the infiltrators. This strategy has helped Pakistan to push into Jammu and Kashmir more than 1500 militants, most of them foreign mercenaries, in past three months.

Secondly, Pakistani soldiers were testing the defence preparedness of the Indian forces so that in the event of any laxity they could capture some Indian posts. In this context the Pakistani soldiers have not succeeded and at three places including Poonch, Kupwara, Gurez Pak soldiers had managed to sneak into the Indian territory and establish their control. But within 24 hours the attack was repulsed and the Pakistani forces were pushed back and heavy casualties were inflicted on them.

Thirdly, Islamabad, rather the army top bras in Pakistan, has come to believe that by keeping the Indo-Pakistani border tense with intermittent firing and shelling the Kashmir issue could be kept alive.

In addition to this, Pak border firing was meant to boost the morale of the separatists and militants operating in Jammu and Kashmir.

Informed source said that during his recent visit to the state the Indian Army Chief, Gen V.P. Malik, discussed the latest border situation with senior Army functionaries including the field commanders.

According to these sources, the Army chief suggested to the field commanders to give suitable reply whenever and wherever Pakistani soldiers resorted to unprovoked firing or shelling. During the meeting emphasis was laid on developing mechanism which could reduce the rate of infiltration and arms smuggling. To achieve the desired goal several intelligence agencies have been directed to keep all those villages which are very close to the border under strict surveillance and monitor the movement of the infiltrators.

The state authorities have already conveyed to the Army chief that it was difficult for the security forces to track down the militants once they entered into the villages and towns. As such it was necessary to halt the ingress at any cost which alone could act as an antidote to insurgency.

Notified class of voters
From Ehsan Fazili
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR: Declared as a notified class of voters by the Election Commission, Kashmiri migrants can exercise franchise through the postal ballot during the ensuing Lok Sabha elections in Srinagar, Baramula and Anantnag.

Polling for the Srinagar constituency is on September 5 and for Baramula and Anantnag constituencies on September 18. Kashmir migrants, who left their homes and hearths about a decade ago in the wake of militancy, were also declared notified class of voters during the previous two parliamentary elections in the state.

The last date for receiving application for ballot papers is August 28, 1999, for the Srinagar parliamentary constituency and September 9, 1999, for the Baramula and Anantnag constituencies.

According to a notification issued here by the Chief Electoral Officer, the migrants living in different parts of the country since on or after April 1, 1989, and whose names figure in the electoral rolls of any of the three Lok Sabha constituencies of the Kashmir valley are entitled to vote, regardless of the places where they have been putting up since their migration and whether or not they or their families have been registered as migrants with the government or the administration of the state or union territory where they have been living.

The migrant voters have been asked to apply to the Assistant Returning Officer of their assembly segment whose addresses and format of the application form have been published in newspapers in all major circuits of Delhi, Calcutta, Mumbai, Jalandhar, Chandigarh, Bangalore and Jammu.

Clippings of the application format or its copy in neat hand-writing, typed, photo-copied or cyclostyled can also be used as an application form. Adequate number of forms would be available for free distribution in the camps and offices dealing with the relief and rehabilitation problems of Kashmiri migrants, besides the offices of the Resident Commissioner, J&K House, 5 Prithvi Raj Road, New Delhi, and SDM (HQ) Room No. 157 Tees Hazari, Delhi.

After a migrant voter applies on the prescribed form, he or she will be sent a ballot paper through the camp in charge or officer in charge, if the voter is registered with any such camp or office. In case of a government employee, the ballot paper would be sent through the head of the office and through the treasury or bank in case of pensioners. Those who do not fall in any of these categories will be sent the ballot paper through the post office.

The Chief Electoral Officer has appealed to the migrants voters to be prompt in sending their forms duly completed and bearing the necessary certificate so as that these are sent to the Assistant Returning Officers concerned by or before August 28, 1999, in case of the Srinagar constituency and before September 9, 1999, in case of Anantnag and Baramula.

They have been asked to record the necessary attestation in the form without which no ballot paper would be sent to them. The migrant voters have been also advised to ensure the declaration form is attested, without which the vote is liable to be rejected, and maintain secrecy before and after the receipt of the ballot paper.

Triangular contests likely in J&K
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Aug 22 — Though there are more than seven candidates in the field for the six Lok Sabha constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir it is going to be primarily a triangular contest in each constituency.

Notwithstanding dates for filing nomination papers yet to end in the four constituencies of Anantnag, Baramula, Jammu and Udhampur the overall pre-poll scenario indicates that in the two constituencies of the Kashmir valley the main battle of the ballot will be among the candidates fielded by the National Conference, the people's Democratic Party (PDP) and the Congress. As far as the third constituency of Baramula is concerned the tussle will be mainly between Prof Saifuddin Soz (Independent), Muzaffar Hussain Beg of the PDP and Mr Abdul Rasheed Shaheen of the National Conference. The Congress has decided to support Prof Soz whose vote against Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee's motion of confidence had led to the fall of the BJP-led government in the Centre.

The latest trend in the Srinagar and Anantnag constituencies indicates that despite the fact that there are more than 10 candidates in the field the main contest is going to be between Ms Mehbooba Mufti, daughter of Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, Chief of the PDP, Mr Omar Abdullah, son of Dr Farooq Adullah, and the Congress candidates, Syeed Mehdi, who had won the poll in 1996.

Again in Anantnag the main tie is between Mufti Syeed of the PDP, Ali Mohd Naik of the National Conference and Peerzada Mohd Syeed of the Congress.

Usually there used to be a straight contest in the Ladakh constituency between the Congress and the National Conference. However this time it is going to be a triangular contest among the candidates fielded by the Congress, the National Conference and the BJP.

As in the past elections Jammu and Udhampur are expected to have a large number of candidates in the field but in both constituencies it would be a contest mainly among the candidates fielded by the BJP, the National Conference, the Congress and the BSP.

Since the PDP plans to field its candidates in all six constituencies its role will be confined to squeezing the vote bank of the Congress in the Jammu region and of the National Conference and the Congress in the Kashmir valley. Initial reports indicate that its candidate have the potential to pose a serious threat to the National Conference in the Anantnag and Baramula constituencies.

There are over 50 lakh voters in the six constituencies in the state which presents a typical picture of diverse topography, multilingual, ethnic and religious groups. The Jammu constituency tops the list with over 14.48 lakh voters followed by Udhampur which has over 10.15 lakh electorates. Ladakh has the lowest electorate of over 1.43 lakh.

As far as the sex ratio is concerned the total strength of women voters in the six constituencies is over 22.94 lakhs against over 27.22 lakh men electorate. It is only in Ladakh where women voters out number men. There are over 72,000 women electorates against over 71,000 men voters in the mountain region of the Ladakh province.

Nearly, 35,000 employees were to be deployed for poll duty to man the elections in about 6510 polling stations out of which more than 500 booths are located at heights ranging between 10,000 feet and 16,000 feet.

Again Jammu Lok Sabha constituency is on the top with 20 assembly segments followed by 17 in Udhampur. The Ladakh constituency has four assembly segments.

In the 1998 poll, the BJP had won two seats of Jammu and Udhampur, the National Conference three seats of Srinagar, Ladakh and Baramula and one seat of Anantnag had gone to Mufti Mohd Syeed who was the Congress candidate. Except for Srinagar, where Mr Omar Abdullah is in the field the National Conference has fielded new faces in the remaining five constituencies. The BJP has fielded the same candidates from Jammu and Udhampur and new faces from Ladakh and Srinagar. The Congress has fielded new faces from Jammu, Udhampur, Anantnag and Ladakh.

The National Conference shifted Mr R.S. Chib, who had lost the 1998 poll from Udhampur, to Jammu this time. The BSP too has fielded new candidates. The Congress has repeated its candidate only in Srinagar.

The poll will be completed in three phases. While polling will take place in Srinagar and Ladakh on September 5, it will be held on September 11 in Udhampur and Jammu followed by Baramula and Anantnag on September 18.

Captain among 7 killed in valley

SRINAGAR, Aug 22 (PTI) — Seven persons, including three securitymen and two ultras, were killed even as the police and counter-insurgents jointly repulsed a militant attack on their camp in the Kashmir valley since last evening.

An official spokesman said, militants, armed with rocket launchers and other small and heavy weapons, attacked the joint camp of the police and counter-insurgents at Wawoora village of Kupwara district last night, injuring two counter-insurgents

The alert cops repulsed the attack and launched a massive hunt in the nearby forests to nab the militants.

A captain, a junior commissioner officer and two Pakistani militants were killed and five jawans were injured in a major encounter in Anantnag district yesterday.

A civilian, Rafiq Khan was also killed in the exchange of fire. Two AK assault rifles and some ammunition were recovered from the encounter site.

The spokesman said militants shot dead a youth in his shop in Sopore area of Baramula district today.

Militants also shot at and injured a released militant Ali Mohammad in Kupwara late last night.

Meanwhile, some carborne persons abducted and looted a cashier of Food and Supplies Department Abdul Rahim of Rs 39,000 while he was on way to his home at Firdousabad in central Srinagar. He was later let off.

2 women injured in Indo-Pak firing

JAMMU, Aug 22 (PTI) — Indian and Pakistani troops exchanged fire along the border in Jammu division last evening, injuring two women from either side, official sources said today.

The Indian woman was injured when Pakistani troops resorted to firing in the Pindi Khadwal area of R S Pura subsector, the sources said, adding she had been hospitalised.

The Pakistani woman, Shamima Akhtar, sustained bullet injuries during an exchange of small arms fire between Pakistani rangers and the Border Security Force troops at the Lehari Kalan area, opposite Samba subsector, they said.

Pakistani troops targeted 23 border outposts in Akhnoor, 15 in R S Pura and six in Samba. Indian troops retaliated and the crossfire continued till this morning.

Reports of exchange of mortar fire between the two sides were received from the Laam, Bhawani and Sunderbani areas along the LoC in Rajouri district. There was no casualty on the Indian side, the sources added.

Farooq’s warning to govt docs

SRINAGAR, Aug 22 (PTI) — Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah today said government doctors practising privately during working hours would be dealt with as per law.

Inaugurating a two-day international conference on recent advances in medicine here yesterday, Mr Abdullah said some medicos of government hospitals were privately practising even during working hours which "is not only unethical but also against the conduct rules. Such inappropriate conduct by the doctors would be dealt with as per law", he said.

Stressing greater role for private health institutions, Mr Abdullah said the government hospitals alone could not cater to the growing medical needs of the people.

The increasing pressure on government hospitals delay the treatment, particularly surgeries, and it was here the private sector could step in and play its role, he said.

He said medical professionals should play a missionary role and keep up to their oath to serve patients.

He announced the formation of a committee to suggest measures for improving the functioning of the medical colleges and asked it to submit report within two months.

Over 1 lakh visit Amarnath

JAMMU, August 22 (PTI) — At least 1.04 lakh pilgrims have so far visited Amarnath for the annual pilgrimage to the cave shrine as the holy yatra entered final phase with the arrival of "chari mubarak" at the Pahalgam base camp.

While most of the pilgrims preferred traditional route via Pahalgam-Chandanwari-Sheshnag, Panchtarn and the holy cave, several thousand devotees took short trek of about 12 km from the Baltal route.

Swami Depender Giri, accompanied by hundreds of sadhus and devotees, led the "chari mubarak" to the base camp yesterday. The mace would reach the cave shrine on August 26 on the occasion of "sharvana purnamashi" coinciding with Raksha Bandhan.

After puja at the cave, "chari mubarak" will be brought to Srinagar and the yatra will conclude.

NMC's plea on DA instalment
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 22 — Mr Subash Shastri, President of the National Mazdoor Conference (NMC) has urged the state Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, to take an early decision in releasing the instalment of DA due from January, this year at the rate of 10 per cent along with second instalment of pay revision arrears on the eve of ensuing Krishna Janamashtami festival.

Addressing a meeting of the conference workers at Udhampur today, Mr Shastri said that several state governments have already released these instalments and there was no justification for withholding the same.

Mr Shastri urged Dr Abdullah to intervene and regularise the service of daily wagers who have completed seven years of service in their respective departments till March last.