J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Politicians favour ceasefire, Army opposes
JAMMU, Dec 29 — There is a difference of opinion on the need for extending the ceasefire in Jammu & Kashmir. While senior field officers of various security agencies, including the Army and the BSF, are uneasy over the way militants have established new bases, mainstream political leaders are in favour of the extension in the ceasefire period.

J&K police team to fetch Qureshi
SRINAGAR, Dec 29 — A special team of Jammu and Kashmir police will soon leave for Delhi to bring Hashim Qureshi, who faces charges of hijacking the Indian Airlines Fokker Friendship plane to Lahore in 1971.

Hurriyat leaders unaware of decision on Pak visit
SRINAGAR, Dec 29 — Hurriyat leaders have claimed they have no information about the Central Government’s decision to issue travel documents to them, enabling them to visit Pakistan to discuss with militant groups the ongoing ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir.

Code of conduct for panchayat elections
JAMMU, Dec 29 — The state government today issued a code of conduct for the ensuing panchayat elections in the state. Under the new orders all political persons, including the Chief Minister, ministers and occupants of any other public office, advisers to ministers and legislators shall bear the cost of travel during election campaign from their own resources.

Project for disabled to be taken up: Governor
JAMMU, Dec 29 — The Governor, Mr G.C. Saxena, today announced that the Regional Red Cross Society would implement a project for the disabled in the state. After inaugurating the Red Cross Bhavan here, the Governor said the project funded by the Union Ministry of Justice and Empowerment under the auspices of the Natinol Programme for Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons would go a long way in mitigating the sufferings of these people.

• 4-year-old girl killed in blast

Politicians favour ceasefire, Army opposes
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Dec 29 — There is a difference of opinion on the need for extending the ceasefire in Jammu & Kashmir. While senior field officers of various security agencies, including the Army and the BSF, are uneasy over the way militants have established new bases, mainstream political leaders are in favour of the extension in the ceasefire period.

Sources said the Defence and Union Home Ministries had received reports from the field agencies in Jammu and Kashmir, indicating that if the hands of the security forces were tied, they might feel demoralised as foreign mercenaries had targeted the security forces, especially troops, who have helplessly been watching the free movement of the militants.

The security agencies are worried over the loss of about 50 security personnel in the attacks by the militants during the first month of the ceasefire which ended yesterday. More than 35 security personnel have been injured.

What is worrying field commanders is that the militants have set up new hideouts, bases and arms dumps in the area where combing operations had been undertaken. They are of the view that the militants were gradually building their source of offensive which they could utilise in the near future.

Those against the ceasefire referred to the plight of renegade militants. They said between 1993 and 1996, renegade militants had, with the backing of the security forces, tightened the noose around the neck of the militants in several areas. Major areas in south Kashmir had been sanitised. Fundamentalists had to flee from their ancestral villages in south Kashmir to safer places. When these renegade militants were disowned by the National Conference government and later by the security agencies, they could either rejoin militancy or migrate from the valley. This situation developed when the militants killed scores of renegade militants within a span of three months.

Those who oppose leniency towards the militants argue that during the first month of ceasefire not more than 55 rebels were killed against 92 between October 30 and November 27. During the ceasefire, more than 110 civilians were killed while in the month preceding the ceasefire not more than 87 persons were wounded in militancy-related violence.

However, supporters of the ceasefire are of the view that the killing of civilians or security personnel has been a routine affair during the past over 10 years. The scales of violence have been fluctuating and during the first month of the ceasefire, there has been no alarming rise in the rates of the killings.

They said during the first fortnight of the ceasefire, 95 incidents of violence and killings had taken place in the state as against 99 in the corresponding period last year.

Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said the ceasefire announced by the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee had helped India to gain political mileage over Pakistan. The international opinion had supported India and it was a major gain as Pakistan felt isolated. Islamabad was forced to adopt maximum restraint on the LoC and order partial withdrawal of the troops.

The PDP leaders said the Indo-Pak border had been calm during the past month. They said on an average 50,000 MMG rounds and mortar shells were being fired by the Pakistani troops on the Indian border villages and posts. In these incidents, scores of Indian troops and civilians had been killed during the six-month period preceding the ceasefire.

They said more time should be given to the exercise for it to reach its logical conclusion. They stated that Hizbul Mujahideen activists and separatists had been on the defensive since the enforcement of the ceasefire. This had started leading to the isolation of foreign mercenaries as a majority of people were for peace.

The state unit of the BJP has supported the peace process but it wants the security forces to be given a free hand in striking against those militants whom they find roaming about and building their bases. Others have stated that tough measures were needed for checking infiltration.

J&K police team to fetch Qureshi

SRINAGAR, Dec 29 (UNI) — A special team of Jammu and Kashmir police will soon leave for Delhi to bring Hashim Qureshi, who faces charges of hijacking the Indian Airlines Fokker Friendship plane to Lahore in 1971.

“I am returning to my native place Kashmir, knowing fully well that I have to surrender before the Indian officials. However, I cannot be tried for the hijacking case as I have already served 19 years jail term in Pakistan for the same offence,” Qureshi said.

Hurriyat leaders unaware of decision on Pak visit

SRINAGAR, Dec 29 (PTI) — Hurriyat leaders have claimed they have no information about the Central Government’s decision to issue travel documents to them, enabling them to visit Pakistan to discuss with militant groups the ongoing ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir.

“We have no information about the government clearing travel documents for four Hurriyat leaders”, two top Hurriyat leaders said here today.

The government, according to informed sources, has decided to restore the impounded passports of four of the seven Hurriyat leaders, including the Chairman, Prof Abdul Gani Bhat, following a request by them to visit Pakistan to speak to militant groups.

A senior executive member of the Hurriyat, Abdul Gani Lone, told PTI: “We don’t know about it (restoration of travel documents) but came to know about it through the media”.

Code of conduct for panchayat elections
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Dec 29 — The state government today issued a code of conduct for the ensuing panchayat elections in the state.

Under the new orders all political persons, including the Chief Minister, ministers and occupants of any other public office, advisers to ministers and legislators shall bear the cost of travel during election campaign from their own resources.

No government servant, except those who are deployed for security purpose, shall accompany the ministers and other political personalities during canvassing for the poll, according to the orders.

Ministers and other authorities shall not sanction grants out of discretionary funds from the date of issuance of election notification till the results are announced. No minister or any other authority shall sanction new schemes or make announcement of such scheme during the elections.

Project for disabled to be taken up: Governor
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Dec 29 — The Governor, Mr G.C. Saxena, today announced that the Regional Red Cross Society would implement a project for the disabled in the state.

After inaugurating the Red Cross Bhavan here, the Governor said the project funded by the Union Ministry of Justice and Empowerment under the auspices of the Natinol Programme for Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons would go a long way in mitigating the sufferings of these people.

Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, speaking on the occasion, lamented that the International Red Cross Society was ridden by politics.

Calling upon people to donate liberally for the noble cause, the Chief Minister said old text books, clothes and toys could be donated to the Red Cross.

4-year-old girl killed in blast

SRINAGAR, Dec 29 (PTI) — A four-year-old girl was killed and four others, including the mother of the deceased, were injured in an explosion which ripped through an STD booth in the Bhaderwah area of Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir yesterday, official reports reaching here said today.

Giving details of the blast, the reports said five persons were injured in the blast. They were rushed to a hospital where the girl identified as Simran died.