 |
| Sunday, November 12, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
|
Jash-e-Mohammad in eye of
storm ITBP official among 13 killed in J&K Rigidity won’t do: GM
Shah
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Need to step up vigil:
Farooq JAMMU, Nov 11 — The state government continues to be worried over determined efforts being made by agencies across the border to push into the state large groups of rebels. Minister lays stone for drilling
well 5 dead in car accident
|
|
Jash-e-Mohammad in eye of
storm JAMMU, Nov 11 — Several militant groups have lodged protest with Pakistani authorities, including the ISI, over the way the recently floated Jash-e-Mohammad (Army of the Prophet) outfit has started trying to “hijack” their activists in Pakistan occupied Kashmir and in Jammu and Kashmir. Reports reaching here from across the border said that Harkatul Mujahideen, which at one time, had announced its merger with Jash-e-Mohammad, has protested against the activists, led by Maulana Azhar Masood, who were allowed to “ransack” headquarters of Harkatul Mujahideen in Muzaffarabad recently. The “raiders” had taken away weapons, ammunition, vans, medicines and cash worth several lakhs of rupees. The Harkatul Mujahideen Chief, Khalil-u-Rehman, has conveyed, in strong terms, is protest to the Pakistani authorities, including the ISI, against the patronage they had granted to Azhar and his men in browbeating other rebel outfits. Reports said that Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-i-Toiba outfits too have supported the stand taken by Harkatul Mujahideen. Official sources in Srinagar confirmed that Hizbul Mujahideen leadership was quite unhappy with the style of functioning of the activists of Jash-e-Mohammad by luring Hizb activists to JeM either through threat or with the power of money. Both Harkatul Mujahideen and Hizbul Mujahideen, besides Lashkar-i-Toiba, have conveyed to the Pakistani authorities that they had spent crores of money and had put in lot of labour to create a situation which hastened the release of Azhar Masood from his detention in the Kot Bhalwal jail in Jammu. It may be mentioned that Azhar was one among the three detainees who had been released in exchange for 150 Indian Airlines passengers who had been held hostage in Kandahar over a year ago. According to these reports, another reason for Hizb and Laskar-i-Toiba to be unhappy with the Pakistani authorities is the recent decision of the ISI to give top priority to Jash-e-Mohammad as far as supply of weapons, ammunition and funds were concerned. Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-i-Toiba leaders have been demanding equal share in weapons and funds. Reports said that in case the Pakistani authorities failed to redress the grievances of Hizbul Mujahideen Lashkar-i-Toiba and Harkatul Mujahideen, these outfits may not be willing to carry out operations against the Indian security forces in cooperation with the activists of Jash-e-Mohammad. Meanwhile, senior (functionaries of the ISI and the Army have been taking keen interest in organising full-fledged arms training for the militants who had been enrolled in different outfits in recent weeks. One new major arms training centre has been set up at Kail across Gurez valley where more than 1,000 militants are being trained in handling of highly sophisticated weapons, in assembling heavy weapons, and in manufacturing high grade explosives. Large number of concrete bunkers have been constructed for these militants at several places across the LOC including the border belts in Athmuqam, Lipa Valley and Nakyal. These concrete bunkers are being also used for storing weapons and ammunition that the militants had to smuggle into Jammu and Kashmir during their infiltration. Senior functionaries and the ISI and the Army have been found carrying out regular surveys on the LOC, right from Kargil to Rajauri, in order to carve out new infiltration routes for the rebels. Official sources said that after the completion of arms training by over 800 rebels recently more than 3,000 militants have been brought close to the LoC for being pushed into Jammu and Kashmir in small groups. Since the ISI and the Army functionaries have found that the Indian troops had sealed major and conventional infiltration routes the Pakistani authorities are said to have instructed the Pak soldiers to resort to heavy firing and shelling in several sectors so that militants were able to sneak into Jammu and Kashmir under the cover of fire. The Pakistani agencies have given clear instructions to the Army to prepare at least 2000 militants for fighting a regular war with the “enemy” on the border. Under these instructions 10 per cent of each group of the rebels has to be groomed as Fidayeens so that they could storm into the Indian security pickets and camps by carrying out suicide raids. The idea behind these plans is to keep a large group of armed youths ready for carrying out swift attacks on the Indian border posts for capturing them and in case the “raiders” were arrested or eliminated Pakistani soldiers would escape direct indictment. |
|
ITBP official among 13 killed in J&K SRINAGAR, Nov 11 — At least 13 persons, including six security force personnel, one of them an Assistant Commandant of the ITBP, were killed and five others were injured in separate incidents of violence in Jammu and Kashmir since yesterday. A police spokesman said here this evening that an Assistant Commandant and a jawan of the ITBP were among six persons killed in an encounter between militants and the security forces at Bonagund in the Verinag area of Anantnag district in south Kashmir last evening. Two unidentified militants and two civilians, Mohammad Ramzan Chopan and Ghulam Hassan Chopan, were also killed in the encounter. A residential house and two cowsheds were gutted in the exchange of fire between the militants and the security forces. The police said the encounter ensued when the security forces were fired upon by the hiding militants in the village. Two AK rifles, one grenade launcher and two wireless sets were seized from the site of the encounter. Five persons, including a police constable, an SPO or a counter-insurgent and three civilians, were injured when unidentified militants hurled two grenades in the busy market of Hari Singh High Street here this afternoon. The explosions took place at 4 p.m. and those injured were shifted to the hospital where their condition is stated to be stable. Three security force personnel were killed in an encounter with the militants at Chachahal in Banihal in Doda district last night, the police here said. One security force jawan was killed and another got injured in an IED explosion when a security force patrol was on the move at Goha, Marmat in Doda district. The police today recovered the body of Abdul Qayoom Khan, Nambardar, who had been abducted by unidentified militants from his village Hamam Markote in the Panzia area of Baramula district, yesterday. One militant was killed in an encounter with the security forces at Bala in the Budhal sector of Rajouri district yesterday. One AK rifle, three magazines, 65 rounds and one pouch were seized from the site of the encounter. An unidentified body was recovered from Shhendhara Top in Poonch district today. |
|
Rigidity won’t do: GM
Shah SRINAGAR, Nov 11 — Seeking tripartite talks to resolve the Kashmir issue, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Mohammad Shah here today appealed to both India and Pakistan to shun rigidity. Addressing an over 2000 strong public meeting at Sher-e-Kashmir Park here this afternoon, Mr Shah, President of the Awami National Conference (ANC), announced that an all-party meeting to discuss the issue would be convened within the next three months. He had last month issued letters to over 70 political parties, separatist organisations and prominent personalities of Jammu and Kashmir inviting them for discussions on Kashmir through tripartite talks. Stating that several unions, political parties and prominent leaders had responded positively to the proposal, Mr Shah appealed to the separatist Hurriyat Conference to respond to the invitation. He said a peace march and a door-to-door campaign would be launched soon in this direction. He blamed both the Prime Minister and the Chief Executive of Pakistan for the impasse on the Kashmir problem. He also held them responsible for the failure of the ceasefire announced by the Hizbul Mujahideen early this year. Mr Shah urged both leaders to shun rigidity on the Kashmir issue, which was eating into the very vitals of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Mr Shah expressed concern at the day-to-day killings, lack of basic amenities, unemployment and rampant corruption unleashed by the present government. The former Chief Minister appealed to the militants to give up arms and come forward for a dialogue on the Kashmir issue. This was the first public meeting by Mr Shah in 12 years. He had earlier in 1998 conveyed to all mainstream and separatist organisations to come on the negotiating table. He said today that his approach had found favour with several political parties and personalities and the public. A close associate and son-in-law of the founder of the National Conference, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, Mr Shah constituted the National Conference (Khalida) in 1983 after resigning as minister in 1982. He was sworn in as the Chief Minister in July 1984 till May 1986. Having remained a constituent of the Muslim United Front (MUF) during the 1987 elections, the party was renamed as the Awami National Conference in 1988. Mr Shah joined hands with the Quami Mushawarati Council of separatist leader Azam Inquilabi last year “for peaceful and negotiated settlement of the Kashmir issue.” Meanwhile, the state Unity Forum has supported the demand for tripartite talks to end the ongoing turmoil in Jammu and Kashmir. Its chairman, Mr A.H. Qazi, told mediapersons that the people in the state had suffered because of militancy and the problem could be resolved if the Governments of India and Pakistan and representatives of the people began negotiations. Mr Qazi opposed the demand for trifurcation of the state. |
|
Need to step up vigil:
Farooq JAMMU, Nov 11 — The state government continues to be worried over determined efforts being made by agencies across the border to push into the state large groups of rebels. This concern was expressed by the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, while answering questions by a group of CRPF probationers here today. The CRPF probationers, who are on a visit to Jammu, had called on the Chief Minister. Yesterday, the Director-General of Police, Mr Gurbachan Jagat, had addressed them on the latest security scenario in Jammu and Kashmir. Dr Abdullah told the CRPF probationers that there was utmost need for stepping up vigil on the Indo-Pakistan border and for evolving a foolproof mechanism for checking infiltration and arms smuggling. He said Pakistan was bent upon pushing into the state large groups of militants, especially mercenaries, for further “destabilising peace.” He said India was engaged in a different kind of war in Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan’s proxy war had provided moral and material support to the militants. The Chief Minister explained to the CRPF probationers that war was not going to solve the problem and suggested to Pakistan to understand the ground realities and accept conversion of the LoC into a permanent border. He said this was the only viable solution to the problem. In reply to a question, he ruled out the possibility of holding talks with Islamabad unless it stopped exporting terrorism to India. The Chief Minister did not approve of the release of three top militants in exchange for 150 IA passengers held hostage at Kandahar. He, however, said relatives of the hostages had mounted pressure on the Government of India which forced the government to be “soft”. Regarding human rights, he said it was the duty of every man in khaki to respect these. He said a mistake committed by an individual securityman would malign the name of the entire force. He said since the security situation had registered a marked improvement and people were providing information regarding the plans and hideouts of the rebels, it was time that the security forces took measures for winning the hearts of the masses. He said “We cannot afford to be a weak nation”, but at the same time all government agencies, including the security forces, had to take in hand steps for ameliorating the lot of the people of Jammu and Kashmir who have been on the receiving end during the past 12 years on account of Pakistan-sponsored proxy war. |
|
Minister lays stone
for drilling well JAMMU, Nov 11 — The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has so far drilled 205 exploratory wells in the three regions of Jammu and Kashmir in order to tackle the drinking water shortage problem. This was stated by the Union Minister for Water Resources, Mr Arjun Charan Sethi, after having laid the foundation stone for a drilling well at Ghagwal, in Kathua district, here on Thursday. He said people of the Kandi area were facing hardships due to shortage of drinking water. But it was shocking to know that the people of higher Kandi migrate to lower areas during summer months because of the scarcity of water in the upper reaches. Mr Sathi said it was unfortunate that the people were facing scarcity of drinking water despite the fact the state was endowed with abundant water resources in the form of lakes and glaciers. Earlier, the Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Prof Chaman Lal Gupta, assured the people that the central government was keen to solve their problems. The minister said Udhampur and Srinagar districts had been selected under the Pilot Scheme and Rs 100 crore for each district, to be spent in four years, sanctioned for the two districts. He said Rs 25 crore for each district had already been released and it was now for the state government to implement the pilot scheme in these districts. The CGWB has drilled 31 more holes in the outer plains and Shivaliks in Kathua district since 1970. The pilot bore hole at Ghagwal will be drilled to the depth of 200 metres. The bore hole will be logged by using multiple electric logger in order to identify and demarcate thick boulder bed having less clay content. |
5
dead in car accident JAMMU, Nov 11 (PTI) — Five persons were killed when their car plunged into the Chenab near Ramban, about 150 km from here, last night, the police said here today. The driver of the car, lost control of the vehicle while negotiating a curve. |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | In Spotlight | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 120 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
