Kargil: Pak aim to redemarcate LoC
JAMMU, May 22 — Infiltrators backed by Pakistani troops, who have occupied several uninhabited areas from Turtuk to Dras and the forward belt of Kargil, are said to be aiming at redemarcating the Line of Control.

New high in J&K tax collections
JAMMU, May 22 — Tax collections in the state are likely to touch a record high of Rs 600 crore during the current financial year.

Jammu

NC leader shot dead
BARAMULA, May 22 — A National Conference block president, two brothers and five militants were among 11 persons killed in twin districts of Baramula and Kupwara since last evening.

Panchang tercentenary
JAMMU, May 22 — Vijayeshwar Karyalaya, printers and publishers of "Vijayeshwar Panchang", which brought out its first edition in 1684 AD in Kashmir, will be celebrating its tercentenary on October 20. A new panchang will also be published for Kashmiri Pandits on the occasion.

Kargil: Pak aim to redemarcate LoC
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, May 22 — Infiltrators backed by Pakistani troops, who have occupied several uninhabited areas from Turtuk to Dras and the forward belt of Kargil, are said to be aiming at redemarcating the Line of Control (LoC).

This became evident when Islamabad in its protest over the incidents in the Kargil-Dras belt accused the Indian troops of violating the Line of Control. The statement indicated that Islamabad is not prepared to accept that it had sent well-trained militants to Kargil-Dras under the cover of artillery fire.

Though the over 40 sq km area in the Dras-Kargil belt, from Turtak to Dras, had been under the control of the Indian troops, the infiltrators have, fortified their positions there. This could give a casual visitor the impression that the areas under the control of Islamabad. The infiltrators were able to cross into Indian territory because during severe winter, scores of forward posts, situated at heights ranging between 11,000 ft and 14,000 ft, remain abandoned.

The infiltrators took advantage of this and nearly two months before the Indian troops were scheduled to move to the forward areas, the militants were already there.

Informed sources said a majority of the infiltrators are Pakistani servicemen who have been pushed into Kargil-Dras in the guise of militants so as not to give the impression that Pakistan had launched a direct attack on the Indian borders in the Kargil sector. During the past 14 days, these militants have shown their expertise in using machine guns, Pika guns and rocket launchers. It was due to the sophisticated weapons used by the infiltrators that during this period, more than 14 Indian soldiers were killed, 45 wounded, including eight civilians, and more than 35 infiltrators were eliminated.

The other motives of the infiltrators was to cut off the Kargil-Leh road, internationalise the Kashmir issue and extend the proxy war to the Ladakh region, where people have not supported militancy. The primary aim was to occupy a portion of the Indian territory so that pressure was mounted on New Delhi to accept a new Line of Control in Kargil-Dras.

The Indian troops have already started an offensive against the infiltrators by snapping supply lines to them, but the difficult terrain has slowed the flushing-out operations. The sources said New Delhi has decided to launch a military and diplomatic offensive against Islamabad in the Kargil sector.

As far as the military operations are concerned, aerial attacks on militant hideouts are not ruled out. On the diplomatic front, New Delhi plans to get in touch with different missions in the Union Capital and inform the senior diplomats regarding the border violation committed by Pakistan in the Kargil sector.

In case some diplomats wished to visit the site, they would be flown to the area after the infiltrators were pushed back.

For the time being, the situation in Kargil-Dras sector continues to be tense with the two sides exchanging artillery fire. Reports said Pakistan has installed long-range guns at three places which have the capacity of thwarting the Indian troops in their plan to scale the upper reaches for demolishing the bases of the infiltrators. However, to meet any eventuality, Indian soldiers too have moved heavy artillery guns to a number of places to counter any offensive by Pakistani troops.

New high in J&K tax collections
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, May 22 — Tax collections in the state are likely to touch a record high of Rs 600 crore during the current financial year. This will be more than double the collection of Rs 290 crore made in 1996-97.

The Finance Minister, Mr Mohammad Shafi, conducted surprise raids at excise and sales tax posts at Lakhanpur and said allout efforts were being made to mobilise resources for development and this increase in tax collections was the result of concerted steps taken by the popular government in the past over two years.

The Finance Minister said the state government had also decided to reduce the administrative expenditure by Rs 150 crore during the current financial year. This would be the result of austerity measures like the limit imposed on telephone expenditure, restrictions on the purchase of vehicles and air travel by ministers and civil servants by economy class etc.

The minister was apprised that a revenue of Rs 44.78 crore was realised by the excise post, Lakhanpur, in the last financial year as against only Rs 38.75 crore realised during the preceding year. The revenue during April this year was Rs 5.31 crore as against Rs 3.17 crore during the corresponding month last year.

The minister was also informed that advance sales tax collection system has paid dividends and since the inception of system on August 23 last year, Rs 97.40 lakh had been collected at the entry point up to last month from tax defaulters notified by the government.

The minister was told that a penalty of Rs 81.35 lakh was imposed on defaulting traders in the last financial year as against Rs 64.51 lakh during the preceding year. During the first 20 days of this month, a penalty of Rs 7.40 lakh had been imposed as against only Rs 2.28 lakh during the full month of May last year.

Similarly, Rs 13.51 lakh as passenger tax had been realised during the first 20 days of the month as against Rs 7.90 lakh during the full month of May last year.

NC leader shot dead

BARAMULA, May 22 (UNI) — A National Conference (NC) block president, two brothers and five militants were among 11 persons killed in twin districts of Baramula and Kupwara since last evening.

Thirty persons were also injured during the same period in the districts.

Official sources said at least 30 persons were injured in a blast at the Azad Bridge in Baramula town this afternoon. The condition of some of the injured was stated to be critical.

The seriously injured were rushed to Srinagar hospital.

Sources said militants killed Nazir Ahmad Wani, NC block president, at Dodipora in Kupwara today.

People at Zachaldar took to the streets when the bodies of Abdul Qayoom and Nazir Ahmad were handed over to his relatives by the police. The villagers alleged that both were killed by the security forces while they were in custody.

Militants shot dead Abdul Rashid Sheikh at Drogmulla while the bodies of Mohammad Shafi War and Manzoor Ahmad Khan were recovered from Lolab today.

Official sources said troops killed five militants in three operations in Baramula and Kupwara districts of North Kashmir since last evening.

Some arms and ammunition, including assault rifles, grenades and explosives were seized.

A report from Jammu said an Army jawan was killed while three other security personnel, including a Special Police Officer (SPO), were injured in a fierce encounter in the Gandoh area of Doda district this afternoon.

The police told UNI that acting on a tip-off, the troops, assisted by the Special Task Force (STF), conducted a search operation at Budhula village in Doda district this afternoon.

When the operation was in progress militants fired at the search party with automatic weapons. The security forces returned the fire and in the exchange of fire, a jawan belonging to 17 Rashtriya Rifles was killed on the spot and three others, including SPO Ghulam Hussain, were injured.

The injured jawans were taken to Doda hospital.

The operation was continuing when reports last came in. Further details were awaited.

Panchang tercentenary
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, May 22 — Vijayeshwar Karyalaya, printers and publishers of "Vijayeshwar Panchang", which brought out its first edition in 1684 AD in Kashmir, will be celebrating its tercentenary on October 20. A new panchang will also be published for Kashmiri Pandits on the occasion.

Stating this, Pt Prem Nath Shastri, Editor of the panchang, said the new panchang would be named "Panvireshwar Panchang" and would be be released by Dr Karan Singh, former Sadr-e-Riyasat Jammu and Kashmir and a noted scholar.

"Vijayeshwar Panchang" is called 'janthari" by three lakh Pandits and consulted almost everyday.

Mr Shastri said the Panchang which was in Urdu and Hindi, had considerably increased after the exodus of the Kashmiri pandits from the valley in 1998. Mr Shastri has also prepared cassettes on the Bhagvadgita and "lalvakhs".