‘Do or die’, intruders told
JAMMU, June 6 — Despite massive operations launched by Indian troops to dislodge Pak infiltrators and soldiers from vantage posts in Dras, Batalik and the Mushkav valley the intruders seem to have received instructions from across the border directing them to fight or face bullets.

Pak plans come unstuck
NEW DELHI, June 6 — Islamabad’s well laid plans, which triggered the current incursions into Jammu and Kashmir, seem to have come unstuck.

Jammu Srinagar

Dismiss central govt: BSP
SRINAGAR, June 6 — The Jammu and Kashmir unit of the Bahujan Samaj Party today demanded dismissal of the caretaker government at the Centre, formation of a joint council and declaration of Emergency in the country to preserve the unity and integrity of the country.

AWWA chief visits wounded soldiers
JAMMU, June 6 — The Army Wives Welfare Association president Ranjana Malik today visited Northern Command Hospital, Udhampur, where soldiers wounded in the anti-insurgent operation near the Line of Control, were being treated.

Adviser inspects Pandits' camps
JAMMU, June 6 — The Adviser on Minority Affairs to the J&K Chief Minister, Prof Satish Raina yesterday inspected Kashmiri migrant camp at Kathua and took stock of problem faced by migrant families.

‘Do or die’, intruders told
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, June 6 — Despite massive operations launched by Indian troops to dislodge Pak infiltrators and soldiers from vantage posts in Dras, Batalik and the Mushkav valley the intruders seem to have received instructions from across the border directing them to fight or face bullets.

Senior government functionaries, who have been monitoring the day-to-day developments in the Kargil-Dras belt since May 9 when Pak troops resorted to heavy shelling, said notwithstanding dogged resistence put up by the infiltrators and the tough hilly terrain the Indian soldiers' march to clear the icy heights has been steady but slow.

Even after regaining control of several high-altitude posts and hilly belts the Indian troops have yet to clear major area in Dras and Batalik. The delay, according to state government sources, has been the result of the infiltrators' advantage of hitting the routes, that the Indian soldiers adopt in scaling the mountain ranges, with artillery guns and machine guns. From heights, ranging between 13,000 — 17,000 feet the infiltrators have no difficulty in monitoring the movement of the Indian soldiers.

Despite these odds the Indian Soldiers have pounded several areas occupied by infiltrators in the Dras, Batalik belts. As a result of the Indian offensive the supply lines to the infiltrators in the two strategic areas have been snapped and the Indian troops have moved closer to infiltrators' camps in hilly areas close to the Line of Control LoC. What has delayed normalcy to return to the Kargil-Dras belt is that infiltrators have neither surrendered nor escaped from upper reaches of Dras, Batalik and the Tiger hills.

The sources said the return of normalcy would be determined by the reopening of the government offices in Kargil along with banks and educational institutions which have remained closed for the past 37 days. They said since towns of Kargil and Dras continued to be pounded by Pak artillery guns, the police wireless centre and brigade headquarters had been shifted to their original places. Shopkeepers open their business establishments when Pak troops give a pause to artillery shelling. These shopkeepers sell essential commodities to several hundred families living in bunkers in Kargil and other commodities are carried to the camps set up for migrants from Dras and other areas.

The state authorities fear that the conflict may be prolonged because Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, has yet to accept the suggestion from US President Bill Clinton that Islamabad should respect the Line of Control.

Pak plans come unstuck
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, June 6 — Islamabad’s well laid plans, which triggered the current incursions into Jammu and Kashmir, seem to have come unstuck. The lack of international sympathy, infact the negative echo emanating especially from Washington, have put paid the effort to internationalise the Kashmir issue in 1999.

By taking decisive military action, including air strikes to vacate the aggression in the Kargil-Dras Sector and combining it with effective diplomatic initiative, India to a large extent has made up for its initial shoddiness, which included miserable failures on the intelligence front.

For the first time in the past five decades Washington has viewed the situation in the subcontinent without the blinkered eye. It’s stand has a technological reason: its space satellites had picked up the movement of the infiltrators. Though NASA did not share this information with India’s ISRO (the two space agencies exchange notes, primarily on the weather scenario) this provided the clinching evidence about Pakistan role in creating yet another flashpoint in the globe while the western power are concentrating their might in Serbia.

Satellite imagery apart, Pakistan’s hand was all too evident: the way the intruders had dug up and fortified position in the perpetually snowbound, rugged high mountainous terrain showed the backing of a well oiled military juggernaut. Besides, the weapons used for the assault carried Pakistan Ordnance Factory (POF) markings. And so did the endless rounds of ammunition. The proof of Pakistani munitions apart, ample evidence came from the discovery of dead bodies of Pakistan Army regulars in the Batalik sector.

Without blinking, the Clinton Administration has asked Pakistan to get its men back to its own side of the LoC. The statement by Pakistan Foreign Minister, Mr Sartaj Aziz, questioning the legitimacy of the LoC too has met with Washington’s frown. Yesterday, there were reports from Pakistan that Mr Nawaz Sharif had talked about war being imminent today his Information Minister, Mr Mushahid Hussian was at pains to deny this report. Every hawkish Pakistani posture thus is being enunciated and thereafter being withdrawn through denials.

While there is good news from Washington, the message from Washington is not without its complications. Mr Nawaz Sharif has been asked to "get these men out" from Indian territory. This message, viewed with the faux pas by Mr George Fernandes, who talked of "safe passage" for the intruders, indicates a complex situation. The armed forces do not understand the finer points of diplomacy. And in Kashmir, from 1949 onwards, India has the history of turning dove while the enemy was on the run.

Meanwhile, the heavy casualties on the Indian side, including the loss of sophisticated aircraft, has made Pakistani’s Kargil misadventure a costly affair, both in terms of men and material, for India.

Having turned down the offer of a June 7 visit by the Pakistan Foreign Minister, the onus now lies on India to indicate the date. The agenda is clear: the "latest conflict", thereby meaning the current engagement along the LoC is India’s concern. Pakistan may not be willing for this one-point agenda. Thus an uphill task lies ahead. The matter is complicated by the fact that External Affairs Minister, Mr Jaswant Singh, is due to visit China by the middle of June. Surely New Delhi will not like the focus of this visit to be digressed.

Meanwhile, there may be some merit in the warning sounded by AICC Foreign Affairs Department Chairman, Mr K. Natwar Singh, who feels that Pakistan may try to prolong the Kargil conflict till September, when the United Nations General Assembly meets. The Pakistan establishment, rebuffed in the present round even by its traditional mentors in Washington, may be looking to New York for the next round of their gameplan on Kashmir.

Dismiss central govt: BSP

SRINAGAR, June 6 (PTI) — The Jammu and Kashmir unit of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) today demanded dismissal of the caretaker government at the Centre, formation of a joint council and declaration of Emergency in the country to preserve the unity and integrity of the country.

"The grave situation facing the country in the wake of intrusion by Pakistan-backed infiltrators in Kargil demands that the President should use his powers to dismiss the caretaker government, declare Emergency and form a joint council to supervise the affairs of the country till next elections", Mr Sheikh Abdul Rehman, national executive member and president of state BSP, told reporters here.

He said since Parliament had been dissolved, there was no option but for the President to use his constitutional powers to declare Emergency in the country as the caretaker government had "miserably failed" to defend the borders.

The joint council to be formed by the President should consist of defence experts, economists, political leaders of integrity, journalists and prominent personalities in different fields to supervise the affairs of the country till the next elections, Mr Rehman said.

He reiterated his party's demand for the formation of a confederation of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh for a long-term solution to the problems facing the sub continent.

He also demanded immediate summoning of the state Assembly to discuss the "situation" prevailing in the state in the wake of intrusion by infiltrators.

Plan to revive Kandi forests
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, June 6 — J&K Forest Minister, Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan announced that the Rs 217 crore World Bank Integrated Watershed Development Project phase-II would be taken in hand shortly for rehabilitation of degraded forests of the Kandi and Korwas belt in the state.

Inaugurating week-long activities related to World Environment Day, Mr Ramzan said the state government was making concerted efforts to ensure eco-friendly socio-economic development and a number of watershed development schemes had been taken in hand.

AWWA chief visits wounded soldiers

JAMMU, June 6 (UNI) — The Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA) president Ranjana Malik today visited Northern Command Hospital, Udhampur, where soldiers wounded in the anti-insurgent operation near the Line of Control, were being treated.

Dr Malik assured them of all possible help.

Speaking to wives of the soldiers, she said, "you all should be proud that you are wives of brave soldiers who are serving the nation with bravery, dignity and pride. AWWA will do its best to protect your interest.’’

Meanwhile, retired Havildar Ajabe Gorak of 9 Para has written a letter to GOC-in-C Northern Command requesting him to allow him to rejoin his unit to fight the enemy.

Adviser inspects Pandits' camps
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, June 6 — The Adviser on Minority Affairs to the J&K Chief Minister, Prof Satish Raina yesterday inspected Kashmiri migrant camp at Kathua and took stock of problem faced by migrant families.

Talking to migrants, the Adviser said the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah was keen to improve life in the migrant camps.

However, the migrants would have to go back to their native places in the valley at an appropriate time. In the initial stages it is proposed to resettle migrants at select places in the valley on an experimental basis and a safe zone will be created for this purpose .

Prof Raina said a special police recruitment camp would be held for the migrant youth at Kathua.

The Executive Engineer PWD said power cuts in the migrant camp will now be from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. instead of 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. and floodlights will be installed.