J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Attacks aim to prevent Hurriyat-govt talks
JAMMU, May 23 — When militants made an abortive attempt to blow up the state Legislature complex in Srinagar on Tuesday, in which four women were injured, it seemingly indicated that the rebels had started targeting vital government installations to heighten the scare among the people, create chaos and confusion which could invite US or UN mediation on Kashmir.

British envoy calls on Farooq
SRINAGAR, May 23 — The British High Commissioner in India, Sir Rob Young, here today met Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah and leaders of the All-Party Hurriyat Conference.

Executive member of Hurriyat conference and chief spokesman of the party, Prof. Abdul Gani explaining Hurriyat's view point to the visiting British High Commissioner, Rob Young during a meeting at Rajbagh in Srinagar on Tuesday. — PTI photo

Awami League on talks with Hurriyat leaders
JAMMU, May 23 — The Jammu and Kashmir Awami League, headed by Mr Kukka Parrey, MLA, has urged the Centre and the state government to start dialogue with any separatist group only after the Hurriyat Conference announced its resolve to restore peace in the state.

Ration depots face closure
KATHUA, May 23 — Ration depots here are virtually facing closure as the prices of wheat and wheat atta have come down sharply in the open market at Rs 600 to 650 per quintal and Rs 750 to 800 per quintal, respectively.

Attacks aim to prevent Hurriyat-govt talks
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, May 23 — When militants made an abortive attempt to blow up the state Legislature complex in Srinagar on Tuesday, in which four women were injured, it seemingly indicated that the rebels had started targeting vital government installations to heighten the scare among the people, create chaos and confusion which could invite US or UN mediation on Kashmir.

Tuesday’s attack was the second bid to blow up the Assembly secretariat during the past one week. On Monday, as many as 13 grenades were hurled to blow up the Civil Secretariat in which one employee succumbed to his injuries and two employees received splinter wounds. Had the grenades hit the secretariat, a lot of damage would have been caused.

Political analysts are of the opinion that the step-up in militancy-related violence in different parts of the state is part of the Pakistan plan to further destabilise peace in the state so that the prospects of the Government-Government talks become dim. The repeated militant attacks on vital government installations and security pickets, according to these analysts, indicate that the subversive elements are not in favour of bilateral talks.

It is the result of stepped up violence that several Hurriyat Conference leaders changed their earlier stand and instead of accepting an offer for bilateral talks, they have started insisting on tripartite talks. They want Pakistan to be included in the proposed parleys.

The grenade attack on the Civil Secretariat on Monday is a repetition of earlier attacks, including rocket attacks, carried out by the militants. Last year, three security personnel were killed in one such attack. The attacks on the Civil Secretariat may be part of the plan of the militants to eliminate senior ruling political leaders, including the Chief Minister, and senior bureaucrats and disrupt the functioning of the government. However, the attack on the state Legislature complex, when the Assembly is not in session, is intriguing.

Political observers give two reasons for it. First, Tuesday’s grenade attack was launched when the authorities were reviewing the security arrangements in the light of the ensuing special session of the state Legislature to discuss the state autonomy report. This indicated that the pro-Pakistan elements were not interested in securing greater autonomy for the state. Secondly, the militants were trying to undermine the importance of state Legislature which is one of the pillars of democracy.

Whatever may have motivated the militants to carry out the grenade attacks on the Civil Secretariat and the Assembly complex, one thing is certain that militants have developed the strength and the capacity to strike at will despite heavy security bandobast. This strength is said to have emanated after Jaishe Mohammad (‘Army of the Prophet’) took centrestage. This organisation, floated by Maulana Azhar Masood, who was one among the three detained persons to have been released in exchange for 150 Indian Airlines passengers held hostages in Kandahar, has attracted scores of ace guerrillas, most of them foreign mercenaries.

A number of militant oufits, including Harkatul Mujahideen, have associated themselves with Jaish-e-Mohammad to make it a frontline rebel outfit.

That Pakistani agencies have framed a long-term strategy of kicking up turmoil within the state and on the border is no longer a secret. These agencies have put on a double face. On the one hand, Islamabad shows interest in resolving the problem through talks and on the other hand, it has ordered heavy military build-up on the border for helping militants to sneak into Jammu and Kashmir.

During the past three weeks, Pakistani troops have resorted to heavy firing and shelling in border villages and Indian posts in Uri, Kupwara Tangdhar, Keran, Poonch and Rajouri sectors. Besides this, its troops have resorted to mortar shelling in the border areas on this side of Akhnoor sector. In these incidents, more than 10 persons, including four security personnel, have been killed and about 20 others wounded.

The step-up in militancy-related violence in the summer capital and in parts of the Jammu region is the result of infiltration of large groups of foreign mercenaries in Srinagar district. These mercenaries have been trained in blowing up vital government installations and if they have missed the target it is because of the tight security arrangements. Police experts say that security arrangements have to be further improved to foil Pakistan’s machination.

British envoy calls on Farooq
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, May 23 — The British High Commissioner in India, Sir Rob Young, here today met Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah and leaders of the All-Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC).

An official spokesman said the Chief Minister sought international pressure on Pakistan to stop cross-border terrorism and bloodshed in the state. He briefed the visiting envoy about the security situation in the state and on the border.

He also listed the measures being taken to tackle the Pak-sponsored militancy on one hand and restoring peace and normalcy on the other. He said the release of the Hurriyat leaders by the government was aimed at creating a conducive atmosphere. "We want them to see what damage has been caused to the people by Pak-sponsored terrorism in Kashmir", he said. He dwelt on the destruction and devastation caused by cross-border terrorism with a large number of innocents falling prey to acts of violence and colossal damage to the infrastructure.

In their meeting with the visiting British envoy, the leaders of the separatist All-Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) apprised him of the situation in Kashmir in the light of the offer of talks with the government. They said an ultimate solution to Kashmir was the only solution to the restoration of peace and normalcy in South Asia. The APHC leaders pointed out that the much talked about talks offer on one hand and the killings of innocents and excesses on innocent masses on the other hand.

The British envoy, according to a statement of the APHC, said an end to the crisis was immediately needed, adding that Britain would play its role in case of a peaceful and amicable solution to the issue.

Those who met the British envoy included Mr Abdul Ghani Lone, Prof Abdul Ghani Bhat, Mohammad Ashraf Sahrai and others.

Meanwhile, APHC leaders and JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik has threatened to go on a hunger strike here tomorrow to register protest against "innocent killings" in Kashmir. The APHC has already called for a two-day bandh from tomorrow to protest against the "innocent killings" and excesses.

Awami League on talks with Hurriyat leaders
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, May 23 — The Jammu and Kashmir Awami League, headed by Mr Kukka Parrey, MLA, has urged the Centre and the state government to start dialogue with any separatist group only after the Hurriyat Conference announced its resolve to restore peace in the state.

This demand was in a resolution adopted at a convention organised by the Awami League here yesterday. The resolution expressed concern over the moves for initiating talks with those who have been instrumental in death and destruction in the state. The Awami League resolution said that talks and not violence could resolve turmoil in Kashmir. It said the Awami League was for talks but not with those who were yet to end violence in the state.

It said that confusion had been created by different voices being heard in the central government circles and among the Hurriyat Conference leaders. It said that there was no change in the outlook of the Hurriyat Conference and the Hurriyat leaders were not doing anything for the restoration of peace in the state.

The league convention resolution wanted the Centre to start talks only after the guns fell silent. Without it talks would not prove meaningful.

It also wanted the Centre and the state government not to ignore those who had been fighting against militants like tested patriots. It said that those who had rendered great sacrifices including the activists of the Awami League had been sidelined by the government and their lives had been endangered. It also demanded that during the proposed talks these "freedom fighters", referring to renegade militants who had lost their kin in their struggle against the terrorists, also be included.

Ration depots face closure
From Our Correspondent

KATHUA, May 23 — Ration depots here are virtually facing closure as the prices of wheat and wheat atta have come down sharply in the open market at Rs 600 to 650 per quintal and Rs 750 to 800 per quintal, respectively.

The government had increased the prices of wheat and wheat atta under the PDS to about Rs 1,000 per quintal and Rs 1,025 per quintal, respectively. While in the wholesale market the rate of good quality of wheat atta is Rs 635 to Rs 640 per bag of 85 kg.

To carry on their business some depot holders have started buying atta from the open market. The failure of the ration supply system through depots is likely to cause huge loss to the state.