J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Talks with Pak: Farooq, Nazir differ
JAMMU, Nov 12 — While the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, who also heads the ruling National Conference, is opposed to holding talks with Pakistan unless Islamabad stopped exporting terrorism to Jammu and Kashmir, the NC General Secretary, Sheikh Nazir Ahmed, says that the Kashmir problem could be resolved through tripartite talks among India, Pakistan and the representatives of the people of Kashmir. Dr Abdullah has said that conversion of the LOC into a permanent border between India and Pakistan was the only viable solution to the problem.

4 Armymen, five militants killed
SRINAGAR, Nov 12 — An Army officer, three soldiers and five militants were killed and seven persons wounded in separate incidents in Jammu and Kashmir while a major tragedy was averted with timely detection of an improvised explosive device since last evening.

Lone likely to get passport
NEW DELHI, Nov 12 — Hurriyat Conference leader Mr Abdul Ghani Lone, whose son is getting married in Pakistan on November 19, is likely to be issued a passport by the government.

Relief given to Batpora victims

Clashes between Jamaat, Hizb factions intensify

NEW DELHI, Nov 12 (PTI) — In a bid to gain control of training camps in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK), clashes between a faction of the Hizbul Mujahideen led by Masood Sarfaraz and the Pakistan based Jamaat-e-Islamia (JI) have intensified leaving scores dead.

The clashes saw yet another development with the differences between the Jamaat-e-Islamia and the Musharraf government coming to fore as Pakistan’s ISI along with Islamabad-loyalist Al-Badar militant group extended support to Sarfaraz during the clashes, media reports from Pakistan said.

According to a report published in Urdu daily “Ausaf” when armed clashes were going on between groups of the Jamaat and Sarfaraz, Al-Badar chief Bakht Zaman was present with the latter evolving a joint strategy against the former to gain control of training camps in Kotli of PoK.

A recent report in Urdu daily “Jung” said “several (government) agencies were also active in the fight between the two.”

The reason for fighting between the two grew stronger after the Jamaat, at an important meeting, dismissed Sarfaraz from the post of commander of Pir Panjal range of the Hizb.

The Jamaat, after ensuring effective takeover of the hizb command in Pakistan was “eyeing” similar take-over of the Hizb in Jammu and Kashmir.

According to reports, Sarfaraz had filed even an FIR against PoK-based Jamaat chief Abdul Rasheed Turabi and others for killing one of his commanders Usman.

The reports said even rocket firing was exchanged by the two sides.

Another in-house journal of Hizb “Takbeer” said “the recent tragedy in the Pir Panjal regiment might have various interpretations but the fact is now that (militants) are now busy in dividing camps and their assets.”

The journal said the recent clashes between the two groups were not new and could be termed as beginning point of large-scale destruction.

The continued clashes between the two groups have also resulted in widespread demonstrations in PoK especially after the killings of Raja Mehmood Ahmad, a member of Muslim Conference (Qayyum).

Several supporters of the group held a demonstration and shouted slogans “foreign oppressors — leave our Kashmir and heirs of Kashmir are still alive” and demanded shifting of militant training camps to any isolated place.

According to the journal, the warring factions would now gather their manpower at a mutually agreed destination and division of camps and assets would take place.

However, analysts say Sarfaraz would receive the major chunk of the assets as the ISI is all-out to support him and at his instance they have already taken control of the training camps in PoK.

Talks with Pak: Farooq, Nazir differ
From M. L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Nov 12 — While the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, who also heads the ruling National Conference, is opposed to holding talks with Pakistan unless Islamabad stopped exporting terrorism to Jammu and Kashmir, the NC General Secretary, Sheikh Nazir Ahmed, says that the Kashmir problem could be resolved through tripartite talks among India, Pakistan and the representatives of the people of Kashmir. Dr Abdullah has said that conversion of the LOC into a permanent border between India and Pakistan was the only viable solution to the problem.

This diverse stand has caused confusion among the people and politicians in the state. It had become difficult for them to know which of the trio is the National Conference stand. “Should we accept Sheikh Nazir’s version as the official stand of the National Conference on the demand for tripartite talks or that from the Chief Minister who has been opposing any dialogue with Islamabad? asked a senior BJP leader.

Since July last, when the proposed talks between the Hizbul Mujahideen and government did not take off, the demand for tripartite talks has gained momentum in the state, particularly in the Kashmir valley. The latest to support this demand is the Awami National Conference leader, Mr G.M. Shah. Mr Shah told a public rally in Srinagar on Saturday that nothing short of tripartite talks could resolve the Kashmir dispute.

In fact, Mr Shah had echoed the voices raised in this context from several political and separatist leaders, including the All Party Hurriyat Conference.

Even the PDP chief, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, who was been earlier a votary of talks with separatists including the militants operating in Jammu and Kashmir, has, of late, started favouring tripartite talks.

Why this favour of tripartite talks? The reasons are not difficult to fathom. First, not only the separatists but some mainstream political organisations have also realised that they would get totally sidelined or marginalised if they continued to harp on bilateral talks, parley between the rebels and the government. This realisation has dawned on them after they witnessed the fate of senior Hizbul Mujahideen leaders, including Abdul Majid Dar and Syed Salahuddin, who were totally disowned by Pakistan the moment they opted for talks with the Government of India without involving Islamabad in the proposed dialogue.

And Syed Salahuddin had to retract within 48 hours announcing that he was opposed to bilateral talks. He had been removed as Chairman, Jehad Council, in Pakistan. It was understandable that Syed Salahuddin had to change his mind because he was in Pakistan at the mercy of the Pak Government. Though Syed Salahuddin is back as Chairman, Jehad Council he and his colleagues in Hizbul Mujahideen do not dare to repeat the mistake of supporting bilateral talks.

Secondly, Islamabad has adopted tough postures against those trying to support bilateral talks. The Pakistani agencies have mounted pressure on separatists and some mainstream political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir that in case they again harped on bilateral talks their survival would be in danger and they would not receive any moral and material support from Islamabad.

4 Armymen, five militants killed

SRINAGAR, Nov 12 (PTI) — An Army officer, three soldiers and five militants were killed and seven persons wounded in separate incidents in Jammu and Kashmir while a major tragedy was averted with timely detection of an improvised explosive device (IED) since last evening.

Two unidentified militants were killed in a fierce encounter lasting nearly 36 hours at Churnar forest in the Handwara area of Kupwara district in north Kashmir today, official sources said.

Two Army personnel, including a Lieutenant of the Gorkha Rifles, were killed and two injured in the incident. The injured were rushed to hospital where one of them succumbed to his injuries, the sources said.

An AK assault rifle and some ammunition were recovered from the killed militants, the sources said.

Militants shot dead an Army jawan of 24 Rashtriya Rifles at Sopore area of Baramula district this evening, they said.

The militants also exploded two grenades at Nihalpora-Pattan in Baramula and Hawal in Srinagar, wounding four jawans and two civilians, the sources said.

Two Lashker-e-Toiba militants were killed in an encounter with security forces at Giabas-More in Rajouri district last night, an official spokesman said.

The deceased militants were identified as Abdullah Umer and Saifullah Rehman of Pakistan, the spokesman said, adding that two AK assault rifles and six grenades were recovered from them.

In another encounter, the security forces shot dead a militant and recovered a rifle, a wireless set and a hand grenade from him at Neiltarari in the Banihal area of Doda district last night.

The spokesman said militants shot at and seriously wounded a counter-insurgent, Suhail Ahmad, in the Nawakadal area of downtown Srinagar today.

The militants also exploded a grenade near a security picket at Soura on the outskirts of Srinagar, but no one was hurt in the explosion, he said.

He said security forces averted a major tragedy when they recovered a powerful IED planted by the militants on main road at Nunar in the Ganderbal area of Srinagar last evening. The IED was later defused by experts.

The spokesman said security forces arrested four suspected youths during search operations at Nihalpora in the Pattan area of Baramula last evening.

Security forces also recovered a rocket projectile gun, a Pika gun, an AK assault rifle, a grenade launcher, three grenades, a remote control device and some ammunition during search operations at Tahab in Pulwa and Bud Khanari forest in Rajouri district yesterday, the spokesman said. 

Lone likely to get passport
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Nov 12 — Hurriyat Conference leader Mr Abdul Ghani Lone, whose son is getting married in Pakistan on November 19, is likely to be issued a passport by the government.

Sources said a final decision on Mr Lone’s passport would be taken jointly by the officials of the External Affairs Ministry and Home Ministry by Tuesday. With the exception of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, there is no indication yet of any other Hurriyat leader attending the marriage of Mr Lone’s son in Rawalpindi. 

Hurriyat officials said Mr Farooq, who has valid travel documents, would attend Mr Lone’s son’s marriage after visiting Qatar where a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Conference countries is being held. Mr Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who was not present when Hurriyat chairman Abdul Gani Bhat, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mr Lone met officials of Pakistan High Commission on Wednesday, has joined other leaders in Delhi in the hope of being allowed to travel to Pakistan.

Hurriyat officials in Delhi said although they had submitted relevant documents in time, they had not yet heard from the External Affairs Ministry.

A Hurriyat official told TNS that the Srinagar passport office had told them that the request had been forwarded to Delhi. He said the Passport Officer, Srinagar, had written a letter to the MEA on September 19 saying that necessary instructions regarding Mr Lone’s representation be conveyed expeditiously. Mr Lone’s representation was also accompanied by a communication from the High Commission of Human Rights.

It is understood that the prime reason for delay in deciding upon Mr Lone’s passport application is his conduct during his visit to USA last August for medical treatment. Sources said Mr Lone reportedly held dialogues with certain members of the Organisation of Islamic Conference. He is also said to have been in touch with separatist leaders which was not looked upon favourably by the union government.

The government, however, does not want to play a spoilsport especially when the issue is the marriage of Mr Lone’s son. It is likely to give Mr Lone a passport but for short duration.

Hurriyat officials are also understood to have requested Pakistan to grant an early visa after passport is issued by the government.

Pak behind jehad against Israel
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Nov 12 — Pakistani agencies are reportedly preparing guerrillas for helping Palestinians in their fight against Israel.

Reports reaching here from across the border said senior ISI and Pakistani army officers were supervising the training in guerrilla warfare being given to groups of youths, who had been enrolled by various fundamentalist organisations to carry out jehad against those who were acting against the Islamic movement.

The reports said after imparting training to the Pakistani youths a sizeable number of them would be divided into different groups. These groups would be sent to Palestine for assisting the Palestinians in giving teeth to anti-Israel “jehad”. Other groups would be sent to Israel for indulging in subversive violence and terrorist-type strikes.

The Pakistani agencies are said to have sought financial help from several Islamic countries, including Saudi Arabia, for running these special training camps and for arranging travel to Israel and Palestine. Those booked for carrying out guerrilla-type attack on the Israelis have been assured of financial aid, which includes payment of more than Rs 10 lakh to the parents of each guerrilla in Pakistan and occupied Kashmir.

These agencies have also plans of raising a large group of guerrillas, which can strike against the US missions in ‘any part of the world in case the US Government ordered bombing of those areas supposed to be hide-outs of Osama bin Laden. Afghanistan has already announced that it would not hand over Laden to the US Government and Islamabad has endorsed the decision.

The Pakistan agencies fear US action against Afghanistan any time and hence guerrillas are being trained to counter the American move. Reports said some of these guerrillas would be sent to Afghanistan to impart training to the members of Taliban.

Meanwhile, these agencies have decided to provide cyanide capsules to each group of Fidayeens and other militants, who will be sent to Jammu and Kashmir for carrying out operations against the security forces.

Relief given to Batpora victims

SRINAGAR, Nov 12 (PTI) — The Jammu and Kashmir Government has disbursed an ex-gratia relief of over Rs 36 lakh to victims of the recent encounter at Batpora village between militants and security forces. The relief package was handed out yesterday to 53 persons, whose houses were damaged during the four-day long gun battle in which four securitymen, two teenaged girls and five militants were killed, an official spokesman said today.