J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Army officer killed in valley
SRINAGAR, June 19 — Nine foreign mercenaries and an Army officer were killed in a fierce encounter in Kupwara district today, while militants fired rifle grenades on an installation of the police here this afternoon.

Hurriyat ready for talks, says Geelani
SRINAGAR, June 19 — The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has criticised the much-talked about autonomy issue as put forth by the National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir. It has also threatened to launch an indefinite agitational programme against the spate of “custodial killings” at the hands of the security forces.

J & K Houses mourns deaths of Bhat, Pilot
SRINAGAR, June 19 — Rich tributes were paid to former Minister of State for Power, Ghulam Hassan Bhat and, senior Congress leader, Rajesh Pilot by both houses of the state legislature which met for a special week long session here today. The session would discuss the autonomy issue, the main plank of the ruling National Conference, election campaign in 1996.

Army officer killed in valley
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, June 19 — Nine foreign mercenaries and an Army officer were killed in a fierce encounter in Kupwara district today, while militants fired rifle grenades on an installation of the police here this afternoon.

An Army spokesman said all nine militants killed in the encounter in Hafrada forest in Kupwara district were believed to be foreigners. He said the troops on the receipt of a specific information cordoned off the area yesterday. All routes leading to the hideout were sealed. The troops attacked the hideout. The hiding militants returned the fire. In the ensuring encounter, nine militants were killed. A large quantity of arms and ammunition was seized from the site of the encounter. The bodies had been handed over to the police.

Police sources here confirming the death of nine militants, claimed an Army Captain was also killed in the encounter with the militants. The operation was over this morning.

In another incident militants fired four rifle grenades in the high security area of Sanatnagar, which hit the ITI building. Two of the grenades hit the roof of the ITI complex while the other two exploded in the open compound. The area is close to the location of the frontier headquarters of the BSF.

The locality was cordoned off by the security forces soon after the incident. Pedestrians and residents of the area were being subjected to identification parades. Photo journalists and reporters were not allowed to enter the area after the incident.

Two members of the suicide squad had attacked SIDCO building in the nearby Natipora locality last winter in which at least four security personnel were killed and the building was razed to the ground in the encounter.

Hurriyat ready for talks, says Geelani
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, June 19 — The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has criticised the much-talked about autonomy issue as put forth by the National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir. It has also threatened to launch an indefinite agitational programme against the spate of “custodial killings” at the hands of the security forces.

“Autonomy is no solution...we do not accept it”, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, chairman of the APHC said in reply to questions at a press conference at the party’s headquarters in Rajbagh here today. He said autonomy was only to mislead the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He reiterated APHC’s stand on the right of self-determination for the people of Jammu and Kashmir and the resolutions of the issue under UN resolutions. The APHC chief spokesman, Prof Abdul Ghani Bhat, was also present at the press conference.

The APHC chairman threatened to launch an indefinite agitational programme against the “custodial killings” and excesses being committed by the security forces against the innocent masses. He said the security forces were bent upon harassing the Kashmiris throughout the valley. He referred to a number of cases of “innocent and custodial killings” by the security forces during the past one month. In this connection the APHC leaders referred to the alleged custodial killing of Mohammad Rafiq Baqal of Kokar Bazar, Srinagar and Bashir Ahmad Bhat of Bandipore who were killed recently.

Giving details of the incidents, the Hurriyat leaders claimed that at least 58 such killings had taken place in the past one month. There had been an increase in the killings particularly after a 36-hour fast by senior APHC leader, Mohammad Yasin Malik at Maisuma here last month. 

J & K Houses mourns deaths of Bhat, Pilot
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, June 19 — Rich tributes were paid to former Minister of State for Power, Ghulam Hassan Bhat and, senior Congress leader, Rajesh Pilot by both houses of the state legislature which met for a special week long session here today. The session would discuss the autonomy issue, the main plank of the ruling National Conference, election campaign in 1996.

Paying his tributes, Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, held that Bhat’s killing was masterminded by the militants on the directions of their mentors across the border. He said these very people were raising a hue and cry on the violation of human rights. Dr Farooq Abdullah said Bhat laid down his life while working for the poor.

In his tributes to the senior Congress leader, Rajesh Pilot, the Chief Minister held that the former was a friend of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He said Rajesh Pilot was great sympathiser of the people of Kashmir, who suffered a lot during the past 10 years of militancy. “His attempt was to win over the hearts of the people”, which according to Rajesh Pilot was not possible by force, but by giving a healing touch to those who were suffering.

The one-hour long meeting of the Assembly ended with two minutes’ silence as mark of respect to the departed leaders. Earlier, the speaker of the Abdul Ahad Vakil in his concluding address said the state was bereft of a young and dynamic leader who has worked for the uplift of the masses. He said the militants targeted all those who mattered as representatives of the people of the state. He expressed shock and sorrow over the death of Ghulam Hassan Bhat adding that his family members were in need of help and support. He urged the Centre and the state government to take adequate measures to prevent such acts of violence. Mr Vakil added that different mainstream political parties and the leaders had taken a bold step in 1996 with the participation in a political process which had led to the holding of the elections. This gave a proper direction to the state, which remained without a democratic rule for about seven years, he held.

Several other leaders paid glowing tributes to the two leaders. They included Shiv Charan Gupta of the BJP, Sheikh Abdul Rehman, BSP, Mohammad Yousuf Parray (Kukka Parray) of the Awami League, Abdul Rehman Mir of the People Democratic Party (PDP), Jagdish Raj Dubey, Janata Dal, Tara Chand of the Congress and Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami (CPM).

The BJP MLA and senior most legislator, Mr Shiv Charan Gupta while paying tributes to Ghulam Hassan Bhat alleged that certain persons of the same village were involved in the killing of the minister on May 15. He urged the Chief Minister to order an enquiry into the killing so that the culprits were booked and action taken against them. Paying tributes to Rajesh Pilot, Mr Gupta said he was a promising leader and would have made it to the seat of the Prime Minister, as also stated by the Chief Minister, if spared.

Both Houses are scheduled to meet here for the next four days to discuss the autonomy issue. A report to this effect was tabled before the assembly in Jammu during budget session last year. The autonomy was the main plank of the National Conference election campaign in 1996. The NC Government nominated two committees, “State Autonomy Committee, headed by Dr Karan Singh and Regional Autonomy Committee, headed by Mr Balraj Puri after it came to power. Later Dr Karan Singh resigned on personal grounds, while the government appointed senior most minister, Ghulam Mohiuddin Shah.