J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

An Army column maintains vigil on a suspected infiltration route near the LoC in Kupwara sector of North Kashmir. — PTI

Pak, UAE ‘financing’ militancy in J&K
SRINAGAR, Feb 21 — Union Minister of State for Industry and Commerce Omar Abdullah has blamed Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE for financing the All-Party Kashmir Hurriyat Conference (APKHC)-sponsored militancy in the Kashmir valley.

Two killed, intrusion bid foiled in valley
SRINAGAR, Feb 21 — Two persons, including a counter-insurgent associated with the Ikhwan outfit, were killed in the Ganderbal area on the outskirts of Srinagar, where private transport operators today staged a strike to protest against the alleged excesses committed by the security forces.

Mehbooba: autonomy no solution
SRINAGAR, Feb 21 — A former Congress Legislature Party leader, Ms Mehbooba Mufti, today sought some "solid political package" as an alternative to much talked about autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir to end further alienation of the people from the ruling National Conference.

Pak, UAE ‘financing’ militancy in J&K

SRINAGAR, Feb 21 (UNI) — Union Minister of State for Industry and Commerce Omar Abdullah has blamed Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE for financing the All-Party Kashmir Hurriyat Conference (APKHC)-sponsored militancy in the Kashmir valley.

Addressing a press conference here yesterday, Mr Abdullah recommending a tough stand against APKHC leaders, said they should be put behind bars throughout their lives for preaching secessionism.

“APKHC leaders are fomenting trouble in the valley through the money they are receiving from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE,” he said “If these leaders do not believe in our Constitution they should go to Pakistan.”

I do not think any country allows preaching of secessionism,so APKHC leaders have no right to remain free. They should stay in jail till they realise their mistakes,” Mr Abdullah said and added that the Hurriyat leaders should see the situation in Pakistan.

Mr Abdullah said though the situation in Kashmir was a cause for concern, it was not alarming. However, complacency at this stage would definitely deteriorate the situation. “We must gear-up anti-insurgency operations to foil Pakistan’s evil designs.”

In reply to another question, he said after tasting defeat in Kargil, Pakistan would send more foreign militants to escalate violence. “But, our forces are ready to face any challenge,” he said.

About the proposed visit of US President Bill Clinton, Mr Omar said the USA had no role to play in the Kashmir problems as it was a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan to play.

Mr Abdullah said the autonomy report submitted by the state government to the Centre “may not be perfect”. The report, he said, would be examined by a team of ministers from the Centre and the state. He apprehended a “confrontation” between the state and the Centre over autonomy but that “should not deter (the ruling) National Conference from pursuing its autonomy agenda”.

“Autonomy is not a demand for separation but strengthening bonds between Kashmir and the rest of the country,” he said. Asked if the NC would follow a political or constitutional course for more autonomy, he preferred to toe the constitutional line.

Two killed, intrusion bid foiled in valley

SRINAGAR, Feb 21 (PTI, UNI) — Two persons, including a counter-insurgent associated with the Ikhwan outfit, were killed in the Ganderbal area on the outskirts of Srinagar, where private transport operators today staged a strike to protest against the alleged excesses committed by the security forces.

An activist of the Ikhwan outfit, Mohammad Shafi Sheikh, was shot dead by militants in his house at Bonizal village near Haripora in Ganderbal, home constituency of J and K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, late last night, official sources said here today.

Unidentified gunmen killed a civilian Mohammad Yunus at Chuntwaliwar in Ganderbal today, and raided his house in search of his militant son, the sources said.

Transport operators kept all their vehicles off the roads today to protest the "high-handedness" of security agencies camping in the area, the sources said.

The Army and other paramilitary forces are hijacking the passenger vehicles every day to conduct raids on the suspected militant hide-outs and for movement from one place to other," a spokesman of the operators said, adding, "This act of the security forces endangered the lives of the operators as well as passengers".

In frontier district of Kupwara, a civilian was shot at and injured by militants outside his house at Chenpora in the Vilgam area of north Kashmir last night, an official spokesman said.

He said militants attacked a police post at Shadipora on the outskirts of Srinagar last evening. The police guards posted there returned the fire repulsing the militant attack.

No one was injured in the shootout, he said.

The security forces smashed a hide-out in the Kashmir valley during the past 24 hours.

An official spokesman said Special Operation Group (SOG) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Border Security Forces, in a joint operation, smashed a well-built hide-out in the woods of Yarwan in the Pulwama district last evening. One AK rifle, two magazines, two gas cylinders, one gas stove, 30 blankets, five beddings, two quintal of rice and one quintal of dal were seized.

He said a massive hunt has been launched to nab the militants residing in the hide-out.

He said SOG seized two universal machine guns, one wireless set, one missile launcher, and one Chinese grenade during a search operation at Tulamulla at Ganderbal this morning.

JAMMU: Troops foiled an infiltration bid by Pakistan-backed militants in the Keri area of Poonch sector, while three ultras were killed in Poonch and Udhampur areas of Jammu division since last night, official sources said here on Monday.

The troops noticed movement of some militants on the Line of Control (LoC) in forward area of Keri last night and challenged them, the source said.

The infiltrators fired at the troops, who retaliated. In the exchange of fire, two ultras were killed, the sources said.

One was identified as Abdula Aziz of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), the sources added.

Rest of the militants escaped, the sources said.

Our Correspondent adds: On specific information, BSF troops launched a operation in the Kund area, 4 km north of Thuru, in Udhampur district on Sunday.

During the operation a dreaded militant identified as Zakat Ali was killed. He was the sector commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen.

The gun battle lasted for more than four hours. One AK 47 rifle, three AK magazines, hand grenade and some ammunition were seized from the site of encounter.

Reinforcements have been sent to the area to comb the adjoining forest area where the remaining militants have escaped.

Mehbooba: autonomy no solution
Tribune News Service and PTI

SRINAGAR, Feb 21 — A former Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader, Ms Mehbooba Mufti, today sought some "solid political package" as an alternative to much talked about autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir to end further alienation of the people from the ruling National Conference.

"Autonomy is not going to solve any problem ... some solid political package is needed which should have some relevance with the ground situation said Ms Mehbooba Mufti, senior leader of the newly constituted Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at a press conference here today. Terming autonomy issue raised by the National Conference as "irrelevant" she told reporters that even if autonomy was granted the situation prevailing in the valley won’t improve. She added that it was again a "political gimmick" of the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah.

Ms Mufti, who had resigned from the membership of Legislative Assembly, where she represented Bijbehara constituency last year, said only way to solve the problems was by negotiating with the people of Kashmir. "We want peace and an end to the day-to-day excesses where innocent people are being victimised", Ms Mehbooba said. The state government's claim that increase in violence was due to the Kargil conflict was wrong, she added, and alleged that Kargil card was raised only to divert the people's attention.

She alleged that there was an increase in the militancy related cases and thus more and more innocent people were being harassed and tortured. She put forward various instances to support her claim. The situation had further worsened over the past few months, adding that it was more because of the "pro-active policy" adopted by the Central government.

Ms Mehbooba alleged that there was a secret pact between the National Conference (NC) and the BJP over the issue. It had been raised by the NC to fool the people of Kashmir, to hide its failures and opposition of autonomy by the BJP was to strengthen its base in Jammu region, she added.

"Had the NC been serious about autonomy it should have availed the opportunity and stepped up its efforts in this regard during the United Front government at the Centre which had included greater autonomy to the state in its common minimum programme", Ms Mehbooba said.

Villagers block highway
From Our Correspondent

KATHUA, Feb 21 — Irate residents of Koota and its adjoining villages under Hiranagar tehsil in this district blocked the Kathua-Pathankot highway for about five hours yesterday.

They were protesting against the acute shortage of water in the area. They alleged that villages like Koota, Rattanpur Surara, Chann Morian, Satoora, Rarngoli, Dinga Amb, Pranjali and Mangloor had been going without water for the past several days. The matter was brought to the notice of the authorities concerned at Hiranagar but nothing was done in this regard.

The local PHF staff said the motor had gone out of order. Motors at water pumping stations were not repaired for days together, they said.

The blockade was lifted following an assurance from the Additional Deputy Commissioner that he would look into the matter.