Puri flays Jammu admn
JAMMU, Sept 30 — Mr Balraj Puri, Convener of the People's Union for Civil Liberties, Jammu and Kashmir, has criticised the administrative system here for lack of initiative, political direction and timely response to people's problems.

Lok Shakti nominee joins BJP
SRINAGAR, Sept 30 — The Lok Shakti candidate from Anantnag parliamentary constituency, Mr Abdul Rashid Bhat, today joined the BJP along with several others activists and retired from contest in favour of the BJP nominee, Mr Shoukat Hussain Wani.

Cong to counter JKLF threat
From M.L.Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Sept 30 — The state unit of the Congress plans to counter JKLF chief, Amanullah Khan's threat to cross the Line of Control on October 4 by staging demonstrations on the LoC in Poonch sector and attempt to cross the border to "liberate" Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

A senior Congress leader Mr Raman Bhalla, has been camping in Poonch during the past several days to enlist party activists who would march to the border on October 4 with a demand for liberating Pak-occupied Kashmir.

Mr Bhalla said the Congress party workers would make it clear to the world that "we want liberation of occupied Kashmir." He said 60 per cent of the Poonch areas were under "illegal" occupation of Pakistan.

He described Mr Amanullah Khan's threat to cross the LoC as yet "another tamasha" of the separatists who were keen to keep the already "settled Kashmir issue" alive.

Meanwhile, the state government has started viewing with concern the Pakistan Government's statement announcing that it will not stop the JKLF march to the border. A senior Government functionary said by declaring that it would remain a passive spectator of the border crossing Pakistan wanted to further internationalise the Kashmir issue.

He said the troops deployed in Uri and Poonch had been directed to remain vigilant and take every suitable step to stop the JKLF activists from infiltrating into the Indian territory. He said it was not only in Uri and Poonch but in other sectors also that the troops had been asked to maintain round-the-clock vigil to foil the JKLF plan of crossing the LoC.

Defence Ministry source said despite reports that Mr Amanullah Khan may change the plan for crossing the LoC at the last minute the Indian forces had been directed to handle the situation carefully because Pakistan intended to get some JKLF activists killed in the Indian firing.

It may be recalled that in 1992 when Mr Amanullah Khan decided to send his supporters to cross the LoC eight persons were killed across Uri sector in Pakistani firing. Then the Pakistani troops did not allow them to reach near the zero line of the border. Later, the JKLF activists carried out a "march to the border" twice but it was all a symbolic exercise. The activists were never serious about crossing the LoC. Their purpose was only to highlight world attention towards the demand of the JKLF for independence of the undivided state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Since the JKLF is against Kashmir's incorporation with Pakistan there is no love lost between the front and Islamabad. Hence Islamabad has preferred to adopt a passive approach towards the proposed JKLF march on October 4 to bring the JKLF activists and the Indian troops in direct confrontation with each other.

The Indian defence authorities have fears that Pakistani agencies may push into Jammu and Kashmir groups of militants, especially foreign mercenaries, in the garb of JKLF activists. Hence instructions have been given to the troops to prevent any individual or groups of people from crossing into the Indian territory not only from across Uri and Poonch but also from another sector on the 1260-km-long Indo Pak border in Jammu and Kashmir.

Charar-e-Sharief project to be revised
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, Sept 30 — The J&K Housing and Urban Development Minister, Maulvi Iftikhaar Hussain Ansari, has directed the Chief Town Planner of Kashmir, to redraft the model town project for Charar-e-Sharief town in Budgam district which was burnt along with the 600-year-old Sufi shrine of Nund Rishi four years ago. He has been asked to complete it within 15 days.

During the inspection of various ongoing works at historic town here yesterday, Mr Ansari said the revised project should be integrated and comprehensive. The satellite township of Charar would also be brought under the purview of the Notified Area Committee which would provide relief to people on account of civic amenities.

The revised cost of the development plan of the town is estimated to be over Rs 10.40 crore against Rs 8 crore envisaged earlier. The project would be completed in a phased manner in three years. A sum of Rs 6 crore would be spent in the first phase and Rs 4.40 crore in the second phase. Till now, the government has spent about Rs 3.20 crore on various development schemes, including the construction of lanes, drains, road connections, drinking water facility and landscaping work.

During the current year, Rs 60 lakh are being spent on various development related works, which include Rs 30 lakh under the National Slum Development Programme.

The main feature of the redrafted plan would be the decongestion and beautification of the old town particularly between Khankah and Bada Talab via Trajbal and construction of a modern bus stand at Gulshanabad.

Puri flays Jammu admn
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, Sept 30 — Mr Balraj Puri, Convener of the People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), Jammu and Kashmir, has criticised the administrative system here for lack of initiative, political direction and timely response to people's problems.

In a statement issued here today, Mr Puri, while referring to the police firing on the border migrants, killing one and injuring many, questioned as to why the administration or the ministers could not negotiate with the migrants during the past 70 days when they had started their dharna.

Criticising the mob-control method used by the state police, he said the police should have been equipped with water cannons and rubber bullets instead of resorting to firing at the slightest provocation.

Mr Puri also condemned the brutal manner of killing of Ghulam Rasool Munshi, a retired Army captain and President of the Ex-Servicemen's League at Kishtwar allegedly by CRPF men. He said the manner in which an elderly and a highly respected person was beaten to death should be condemned by all communities.

Lok Shakti nominee joins BJP

SRINAGAR, Sept 30 (PTI) — The Lok Shakti candidate from Anantnag parliamentary constituency, Mr Abdul Rashid Bhat, today joined the BJP along with several others activists and retired from contest in favour of the BJP nominee, Mr Shoukat Hussain Wani.

Announcing the decision, Mr Bhat appealed to voters in his constituency, scheduled to go to polls on October 4, to vote in favour of the BJP as it was the "only party which could solve the problems facing the people of Jammu and Kashmir", a statement released by the Pradesh Lok Shakti said.

Mr Bhat and other top leaders of the Lok Shakti here, including General Secretary Javid Ahmad Bhat, also announced their decision to join the BJP state unit.

Senior BJP leader in Kashmir, Dilawar Ahmad Naiku, welcomed the Lok Shakti leaders into the party.