J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Mother, son die in blast; SPO shot
JAMMU, June 12 — A mother and her 16-year-old-son were killed on the spot and a girl injured when a powerful improvised explosive device (IED) went off at Phagla village in Mahore tehsil of Udhampur district last evening.

Panun Kashmir issues formula
JAMMU, June 12 — Panun Kashmir, a premier organisation of displaced Pandits, has suggested to the Government of India to accept its three-tier formula before planning to take the migrants back to the valley. It has suggested that the government should start confidence-building exercise before the process of return of the displaced people was initiated.

Rural development allocation cut
JAMMU, June 12 — The Union Government’s annual allocation for rural development works has been slashed from Rs 40 crore in 1995-96 to Rs 11 crore for 2000-2001.

Mother, son die in blast; SPO shot
From Our Correspondent and agencies

JAMMU, June 12 — A mother and her 16-year-old-son were killed on the spot and a girl injured when a powerful improvised explosive device (IED) went off at Phagla village in Mahore tehsil of Udhampur district last evening.

Official sources said here today that the IED went off when a family was moving along a mountain track near the village in Mhore the Sil, resulting in the death of Reshma and Shabir while Raseena was severely injured.

The girl was evacuated to Government Medical College, Jammu, where her condition is said to be critical.

The IED was planted by suspected militants for targeting military patrol parties or vehicles.

Elsewhere in the Jammu region, four militants, including two foreigners and a special police officer (SPO) were among six persons killed during anti-militancy operations today.

Official sources said that a massive search operation had been launched by the special task force of the local police at Sirikhi village in Doda district today following a tip-off.

While the operation was in progress, militants fired at the search party which retaliated. The ensuing encounter resulted in the death of two foreign militants, believed to be members of the Harkat-ul-Jehadi-Islami outfit, and SPO Karanjeet Singh.

An encounter was going on between militants and security forces at Basantgarh village in Udhampur district.

Details were awaited. Today, the police recovered a body from Dessa village.

Panun Kashmir issues formula
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, June 12 — Panun Kashmir, a premier organisation of displaced Pandits, has suggested to the Government of India to accept its three-tier formula before planning to take the migrants back to the valley. It has suggested that the government should start confidence-building exercise before the process of return of the displaced people was initiated.

This was stated in a resolution adopted at a two-day convention of Panun Kashmir. In a joint statement here today, Dr Agnishekhar, convener, Dr K.L. Chowdhary, Chairman, political affairs, and Mr Moti Kaul, vice-president, said the central government should discuss the core issues connected with the return of the displaced families and the need for restructuring the state, including the geo-political reorganisation of the valley.

The statement said Panun Kashmir recently rejected the state government draft plan for the return of the migrants to the valley since it was a big “hoax and a cruel joke” as there was no mention about the steps the government planned to take for ensuring the safety of the minority community.

The statement said that in the backdrop of escalating militancy related violence in the valley where the insurgents had renewed their plan of carrying out further ethnic cleansing the situation was not conducive for the migrants’ return to Kashmir.

Panun Kashmir leaders said the autonomy report submitted by the state government to the Centre was only a “step towards azadi and in a fact parallel track with the secessionists”. They said if any section of people genuinely desired and deserved autonomy it was the Pandits, the Jammuites and the people of Ladakh because they were an oppressed class under the domination of political and administrative set-up of the valley.

The statement suggested the creation of a homeland for seven lakh people who had been “hounded out of the valley on the basis of faith and nationalism”.

About the proposed talks with the All-Party Hurriyat Conference the Panun Kashmir convention felt the central government needed to take a fresh look at the perception and the priorities in Jammu and Kashmir and the dangers “of legitimising militancy by giving a long handle to the ideologues of armed Islamic fundamentalism”. It suggested that for ensuring a duration solution to the Kashmir issue the government should initiate multi-lateral dialogue with the genuine representatives of Pandits, those from Jammu region, the Ladakhis and the silent Muslim majority of Kashmir.

Rural development allocation cut
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, June 12 — The Union Government’s annual allocation for rural development works has been slashed from Rs 40 crore in 1995-96 to Rs 11 crore for 2000-2001.

This was stated at a press conference here yesterday by the Director, Rural Development, Mr Mohd Aslam Qureshi.

He admitted that delay in the submission of utilisation reports had prompted the Union Government to reduce the allocation. He said the delay occurred became various agencies working in far-flung areas had to be contacted for securing the reports.

Mr Aslam said the Rural Development Department had taken a number of steps like involving academician and experts from deferent sections of society for formulating new policies and plans. He further stated that a system was being involved in the state to bring bureaucrats and politicians more close to the public for speedy development of rural areas.

Mr Aslam said during the last financial year more than Rs 20 crore were spent on various poverty alleviation and employment generation schemes.