Pak plan to carry on subversion
JAMMU, July 30 — After a major debacle in Kargil and Dras sectors Pakistani agencies have restructured their subversive activities in Jammu and Kashmir.

Migrants abandon plan to return
JAMMU, July 30 — At least 2,000 migrants who had fled from three major village in the R.S. Pura sector, today abandoned their plan of returning to their ancestral hamlets following heavy firing on their villages last night.

Pak plan to carry on subversion
FFrom M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, July 30 — After a major debacle in Kargil and Dras sectors Pakistani agencies have restructured their subversive activities in Jammu and Kashmir.

According to official sources, the Pak agencies have finalised a three-pronged strategy to keep turmoil going in the state. Pro militants have been directed to Indian civilians to generate panic selling their land and houses and make room for insurgents including foreign mercenaries.

The sources said the exercise of forcing pro-India elements to flee out of Muslim-dominated areas of Poonch, Rajouri and Doda had been started four years ago. The militants have received fresh instructions to step up their campaign against the nationalist forces.

The militants have been directed to carry out gun and grenade attacks on members of village defence committees, special police officers and other security agencies.

They have been directed to carry out these attacks during the night. And this is what the insurgents did in Bhaderwah sub-division last night. The militants divided in several groups attacked security posts at five places in villages Grara, Jagota, Kothi Pai and Indrala. However, security personnel returned the fire forcing the militants to run away.

The third feature of the new strategy is to continue shelling on the Indian villages and border posts. Even though all the infiltrators have returned to Pakistan areas there has been no let up in cross border firing right from Kargil to Kathua.

Mortar guns for pounding Indian villages in Kargil, Dras Poonch and Rajouri sectors. They carried out heavy small arms fire on Indian posts in the R.S. Pora sector.

Official sources said Pakistani troops planned to provide fire cover to large groups of militants which had been brought close to the border across Poonch, Rajouri, Uri, Gurez, Machel and Keran areas. They said agencies across the border were making desperate attempts at pushing into Jammu and Kashmir more than 2,000 to 3,000 militants, including foreign mercenaries during the next two three months and smuggle into the state large quantities of sophisticated weapons and explosives.

Under the plan Pak agencies are planning to carve out infiltration and arms smuggling routes for militants when security forces are engaged in maintaining law and order during poll campaign from the middle of next month.

It is on the basis of these reports that the Ministry of Defence has decided not to withdraw those additional battalions of troops that had been sent to the border in the wake of armed conflict in Kargil and Dras sectors.

Indian troops have been given orders to deal firmly with any attempt of incursion and infiltration from across the border.

Migrants abandon plan to return
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, July 30 — At least 2,000 migrants who had fled from three major village in the R.S. Pura sector, today abandoned their plan of returning to their ancestral hamlets following heavy firing on their villages last night.

Two months ago these people belonging to over 650 families had migrated from Nikowal, Jabowal and Devigarh villages which lie close to the border after their houses were hit by the bullets fired by Pakistani troops. They have been camping in three school buildings at Sai, Dabliar and Seerbala with minimum assistance from the government. The rainy season has made their living in dilapidated school buildings miserable. They have approached several government agencies for cash relief and assistance by way of free ration and tented accommodation.

According to Ramesh Bhagat, a student leader, who has been arranging foodgrains and other essential items for the refugees, a large number of families had decided to go back to their villages. While a date for the same was being finalised, Pakistani troops and Rangers resorted to heavy firing on this side of the border. This forced the refugees to abandon their plan of returning home.

Ramesh Bhagat said he and his colleagues had met several government officers and ministers and each time they were assured that the revenue authorities would visit the camps and prepare a list of "genuine" migrants who would be given cash assistance and free ration.

The refugees said some relief and ration was given to a section of migrants in Sai camp but others had not so far received a penny.

What worries these migrants is that if there is no let up in firing then 32,000 villagers in the Suchetgarh Assembly constituency in R.S. Pura will be affected. They will not be able to carry out farming practices under the shadow of Pak bullets. Already transplantation of paddy had been abandoned in 15 villages in the R.S. Pura sector.

A hill resort without a phone
From Kavita Bhargava

JAMMU: On the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, about 110 km from here is situated the beautiful tourist spot of Patnitop surrounded by magnificent deodars. From there a circular road leads to Sanasar, about 19 km away. With its beautiful meadows and magnificent slopes, Sanasar is an ideal tourist spot. The Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department has done a lot of things to bring it on the tourism map and its efforts have yielded some results.

In summer, when the temperature in Jammu touches 47°C, Sanasar is quite pleasant with just 25°C. The JKTDC has a dak bungalow and few huts for tourists in Sanasar but this idyllic place still to attract tourists. Perhaps more attention to this place can make it a draw.

Sanasar is ideal for paragliding and the tourism department has been organising courses here since 1991. But any tourist who goes there after staying at Patnitop for a day or two, can hardly forget the bumpy ride as the road to Sanasar is in a bad condition. The road has sunk at several places and is in need of repairs.

The JKTDC has been charging Rs 460 per double room in Sanasar (there are no single rooms) and the charges per hut are Rs 1500. The tourists who pay this amount in the hope that they would be able to get good facilities, are however disappointed. There are not even TV sets in the rooms. There is only one TV set and that too in the dining hall.

Mr Tarun Razdan, a tourist who has been to Sanasar, said at the same rent, one finds luxury room with colour TV and even air conditioners in Jammu city. He says there is also water shortage.

The problem of frequent power cuts is also a problem in Sanasar like the rest of the state. There is also no generator in the dak bungalow or in the huts.

What adds to the existing tale of woe of the tourists is that if want to contact the world outside there is not a single phone in Sanasar. In case of an emergency, one has to go to Patnitop to make a STD or local call.

The beautiful huts constructed by the Tourism Department and later given to JKTDC for revenue generation, are also in a bad shape. The flooring and furnishing of these huts also needs to be changed.

The J&K Government needs to pay immediate attention to Sanasar as it has already been brought on the tourism map and people from various parts of the country are visiting this place. With the objective of sending the right signals to people outside J&K, a sincere and concerted effort is needed.

Militants kidnap policeman

JAMMU, July 30 (PTI) — Masked militants attacked a power grid station and kidnapped a policeman in Rajdhani area, 25 km from Rajouri, last nigh, official sources said today. They also took away self-loading rifles.

The sources said here 10 militants cordoned off the power grid station and attacked security personnel posted there.

The militants, after a brief exchange of firing, forced three policemen on guard duty to surrender their weapons, the sources said.

While one of the cops escaped, another ran away en-route. One was kidnapped by militants.

He was identified as Manzoor Ahmed. Those escaped were Mohammad Iqbal and Din Mohammad.

Troops and the police have launched a combing operation to track down the militants and rescue the kidnapped cop.