J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Mercenaries in control: DGP
JAMMU, Nov 28 — Pakistan has been able to “sustain its undeclared war” against India in Jammu and Kashmir mainly because of the presence of battle-hardened foreign mercenaries. This was stated by the Director-General of Police, Mr Gurbachan Jagat, while addressing a press conference here today. He said the reigns of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir were in the hands of foreign mercenaries. 

Conference on J&K planned
NEW DELHI, Nov 28 — Encouraged by the positive response to the recently held international symposium, the London-based Friends of Kashmir organisation is planning a follow-up global conference in Srinagar early next year for consolidating the peace process initiated by the ceasefire offer of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

A.K. Suri succeeds Jagat
JAMMU, Nov 28 — Mr A.K Suri was today appointed as Director-General of Police in place of Mr Gurbachan Jagat who has been appointed Director-General BSF. 

Mercenaries in control: DGP
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Nov 28 — Pakistan has been able to “sustain its undeclared war” against India in Jammu and Kashmir mainly because of the presence of battle-hardened foreign mercenaries.

This was stated by the Director-General of Police, Mr Gurbachan Jagat, while addressing a press conference here today. He said the reigns of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir were in the hands of foreign mercenaries. Also the inhospitable border terrain from Kargil to Kupwara and Kupwara to Rajouri was dotted with lofty dense forests and deep ravines making it difficult for the security forces to fully check infiltration from across the border.

Mr Jagat said in Punjab “our men” did not face such problems. A battalion of the security forces could achieve better results as far as checking infiltration was concerned than 10 battalions could achieve in Jammu and Kashmir.

He said despite the fact that people on both sides of the border longed for peace, the situation continued to be challenging, mainly because of the presence of the foreign mercenaries who were determined to wreck the ceasefire, which came into effect last night.

He said he was hopeful that the ceasefire announced by the Prime Minister would usher in peace because of the support it had received from the populace and local militant groups. Since last evening the state had not witnessed any major incident. This was a positive sign.

The police chief, who would be taking over as the DG, BSF, tomorrow, said the police had a vital role to play in containing the activities of the foreign mercenaries. His plans to reorganise, modernise and increase the police strength had yielded results. He stated that 95 per cent counter-insurgency operations in the state “are joint operations” in which the police had played a pivotal role.

Mr Jagat said earlier cordon and search operations had to be launched to nab or eliminate the militants. But the police and its intelligence units were now providing the security forces with specific information on the hideouts and plans of the militants, facilitating specific and result-oriented operations against the rebels.

He made it clear that despite adding six more police battalions and modernising weaponry and the communication system during his four-year tenure, a lot of improvement was called for to take the police force effective in tackling the mercenaries.

He said he felt obliged to the Prime Minister, the Union Home Minister and the Kashmir Chief Minister for their support and assistance in revamping the police in the state.

He said that as the DG, BSF, he would remain in touch with the day-to-day security developments in the state and try to further improve the security apparatus of the BSF for curtailing infiltration on the 187-km-long international border from Akhnoor to Kathua in the Jammu sector.

Conference on J&K planned
From Satish Misra
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Nov 28 — Encouraged by the positive response to the recently held international symposium, the London-based Friends of Kashmir organisation is planning a follow-up global conference in Srinagar early next year for consolidating the peace process initiated by the ceasefire offer of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

Talking to The Tribune, the Secretary of the Friends of Kashmir, Dr Shiraj Shah, said the global conference was being planned for sustaining the peace initiative launched by the Indian Prime Minister.

Dr Shah, who along with the President of the Friends of Kashmir, Lord Eric Averbury, came on a week-long trip to India during which he met the Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, and the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Mr Brajesh Mishra, apart from other important leaders in Jammu and Kashmir, said there was a tremendous desire for peace in the state.

There were obviously threats to the ceasefire offer as some quarters interested in maintaining the conflict for their own vested interests would try to sabotage it but the momentum generated by the Prime Minister’s offer and encouraged by the latest international symposium “Next steps in Jammu and Kashmir: Give peace a chance” had to be further consolidated by involving representatives of all three regions of the state as well as from the other side of the border, Dr Shah said.

He said the peace process in Northern Ireland similarly faced threats when people were killed in a bomb explosion challenging the accord but the Government of India should sustain the peace process. “There are people who are interested in keeping the conflict simmering”, he pointed out.

Expressing the hope that Pakistan and militant groups would respond to the ceasefire offer, Dr Shah said “there is no military solution to the conflict and there has to be a dialogue”.

The offer and symposium has helped in creating an atmosphere for dialogue as you need peace for talks, he said.

Making a distinction between militant groups which were predominantly dominated by Kashmiri youths and the other who were directed and controlled by Pakistani, Afghani and other foreign elements, Dr Shah said there was a need for evolving an agenda for peace as attempts to trifurcate the state had to be thwarted. Kashmiri Pundits, people from Ladakh and Jammu and the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir have also to be roped in the peace process, he said, adding that the All-Party Hurriyat Conference would have to seek popular mandate for staking its claim as the third party.

A. K. Suri succeeds Jagat
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Nov 28 — Mr A.K Suri was today appointed as Director-General of Police in place of Mr Gurbachan Jagat who has been appointed Director-General BSF.

In order to prevent other claimants from mounting pressure on the government for their elevation, the state government took quick decision to appoint Mr Suri, IPS officer of 1969 batch, as the new Director-General of Police. Mr Suri’s name was cleared by the Union Home Ministry after the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, conveyed his choice to the Centre. Mr Suri was preferred for his rich and long experience for holding different posts in different areas in the state for the past several years.

Mr S.S. Ali, Additional Director Prisons and Mr R. Tikoo, Additional Director-General Vigilance, have been elevated to the post of Director-General Prisons and Director-General Vigilance, respectively.

Mr S.C. Meena, IPS, has been elevated to the rank of Additional Director-General. Mr P.S. Gill, IG Operations, has been appointed as Director Sher-e-Kashmir Police Training College at Udhampur. Mr Kuldeep Khuda, IPS, has been appointed IG Intelligence in place of Mr Suri. Mr Masood Chowdhary, IPS, has been appointed IG Crimes and Railways.