Militants may target Jammu
NEW DELHI, Nov 28 — After launching a series of attacks on important installations, including Army headquarters in Kashmir, militants are likely to step up their strikes, with Jammu being the next target, even as around 200 ultras wait to across the Line of Control.

JKYT backs job quota for J&K orphans
SRINAGAR, Nov 28 — The Jammu and Kashmir Yateem Trust an NGO working for the welfare of orphans and widows, would launch a campaign to secure reservation in government jobs for orphans in the state.

Militants may target Jammu

NEW DELHI, Nov 28 (PTI) — After launching a series of attacks on important installations, including Army headquarters in Kashmir, militants are likely to step up their strikes, with Jammu being the next target, even as around 200 ultras wait to across the Line of Control (LoC).

Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Toiba militant outfits, said to be jointly involved in the stepped up attacks in Kashmir, are expected to strike at important installations, including the secretariat, in Jammu as early as in December, intelligence sources here said.

The seat of the government moves from Srinagar to Jammu in November for six months as part of the annual ‘Darbar Move’.

Militants have in the past few months twice attacked the Secretariat in Kashmir and struck at security camps, including the Badamibagh cantonment housing 15 Corps headquarters in the valley.

The most daring attack was on the cantonment when three militants entered the high security complex and killed Army PRO Major P. Purshottam and some others early this month.

The sources said the militants had lately changed strategy with Lashkar claiming responsibility for the joint attacks to allow Tahreek a free run.

In another indication of plans to step up militancy, about 200 trained Al-Badr militants are said to be waiting to cross the Line of Control (LoC) from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Militants, trained in Mansera camp in PoK, are waiting in Athmugam, Bugna, Lepa valley and Poonch areas for an opportunity to sneak into India.

Around 200 youth, who are said to have crossed over to PoK to attend a convention of Lashkar-e-Toiba in Muridka, are also waiting to cross over.

The incoming militants will supplement the strength of foreign mercenaries whose presence has been detected in many parts of Kashmir, including Srinagar district.

The foreign mercenaries, who have been sighted in good numbers in places like Beeru, Bandipur, Kishtwar and the old city areas of Srinagar behave in a friendly manner with locals to establish rapport with them.

The locals are paid "very well" for food or other items and their families are not disturbed to win their support, they said.

According to sources, six militant groups are at present active in the state. They are the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Toiba, Islamic Front, Al Badr and Hizbul Mujahideen.

They added that very little information was available about Lashkar and Tehreek because rarely are any of their activists arrested as they prefer to get killed.

The Tehreek is also said to be armed with more sophisticated weapons the latest acquisition being the D-40 grenade launcher.

JKYT backs job quota for J&K orphans

SRINAGAR, Nov 28 (PTI) — The Jammu and Kashmir Yateem Trust (JKYT), an NGO working for the welfare of orphans and widows, would launch a campaign to secure reservation in government jobs for orphans in the state.

"The government should reserve at least five to 10 per cent seats for the orphans of the state both in government jobs and professional colleges," JKYT General Secretary Abdul Rashid Hanjoora told reporters here yesterday.

Quoting a survey conducted by the JKYT, he said two years back there were 15,000 orphans in Kashmir region. "While the backward and other reserved class people have their parents to take care of them, the orphans are totally dependent on others and need reservation," Mr Hanjoora said adding the trust would start a sustained campaign to achieve the goal.

The NGO, engaged in providing food and shelter to orphans and widows, accused the government of reducing aid to it by 50 per cent and withholding 1990-91 sanctioned grant in aid due to which the trust was facing extreme difficulties.

He said the number of orphans and widows in the state was on the rise due to militancy.