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| Thursday, January 25, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Geelani unlikely to get passport
Response to ceasefire good: Kaul APHC call
for Jan 26 as ‘black day’ |
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I have nothing to say on truce: Farooq Judge
refers news article to CJ
1.53 lakh visit Vaishno Devi
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Geelani unlikely to get passport NEW DELHI, Jan 24 — The third unilateral extension of cessation of combat operations against Pakistan-aided militant outfits in Jammu and Kashmir by another month will ensure a pro-active brief to the security forces, it is learnt. The security forces will not be hemmed in by the directives issued in November when Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee announced the ceasefire in a bid to get the peace process off the ground. These are expected to be modified to counter the stepped up terrorist violence against the innocents and garrisons of security forces. Several factors have held sway with the Vajpayee government in extending the ceasefire though it is not anybody’s case that the political leadership is going to wait indefinitely for Pakistan to give peace a chance in the subcontinent. “Any peace initiative after prolonged violence has its inherent pitfalls but efforts must continue in a sustained manner for achieving a breakthrough, howsoever small it might be in the prevailing complex environment,” observed authoritative sources. “It will be foolhardy to backtrack after coming this far considering the outpouring of support for the Prime Minister’s peace initiative. We must persevere without compromising our national interests,” is the opinion of J and K strategists in the government. Ruling out tripartite talks involving Pakistan on the Kashmir tangle, sources maintained that the All-Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) ‘‘cannot appropriate to itself a mediatory role. The APHC is not the sole representative of the people of J and K.” Indications are clear that the NDA government is in no hurry to make available passports to the pro-Pakistan leaders among the five executive members of the APHC team nominated to travel to Pakistan. “Let the violence first stop in J and K, then we will see,” is the cryptic but firm comment. The security forces will not be fighting the secessionist and Jehadi elements with one hand tied behind their backs as evidenced in the last two months since the ceasefire took effect in November coinciding with the holy fasting month of Ramzan. There is discernible consternation in the security forces that if the present brief is pursued, it might nullify the gains achieved in the state’s fight against crossborder terrorism. To that extent, the political brass of the NDA has found substance in the arguments advanced that while extending the unilateral ceasefire the security forces should be permitted the necessary elbow room to deal with a given situation. This would naturally depend on intelligence gleaned and other information about militants planning attacks rather than adopting reactionary tactics after violence has played its havoc. A strong section in the government has carried the day that it was imperative to pursue a pro-active policy rather than taking the heavy losses in precious human lives witnessed over the last eight weeks in Jammu and Kashmir. India’s new found pragmatism in re-engaging Saudi Arabia after a prolonged hiatus is also believed to have had a crucial bearing in extending the ceasefire in J and K. External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh’s recent visit to Riyadh has paved the way for joint efforts in fighting the menace of international terrorism and holding foreign office consultations. The Chief of Army Staff, Gen S. Padmanabhan’s advocacy for extending the ceasefire has found a big echo at the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) held here yesterday. Those actively involved in Track-II diplomacy comprising erstwhile diplomats, former chiefs of the defence forces and security and nuclear experts have also favoured extending the ceasefire but on a month-by-month basis. While commending Mr Vajpayee’s peace initiative these eminent personalities visualise a crucial opening for building confidence through complementary actions both by New Delhi and Islamabad. They also do not summarily dismiss some forward movement being on the anvil following Pakistan’s renewal of interest in restarting the stalled bilateral dialogue with India. |
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Response to ceasefire good: Kaul SARAI KHAS (Jalandhar), Jan 24 — Certain militant groups in Jammu and
Kashmir are responding in a positive manner towards the ceasefire announced by the Prime Minister. Stating this, Mr Gautam Kaul, Director-General of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), who was here to inspect the ITBP headquarters yesterday, said the truce had been well received by the people of the valley and even by some of the militant groups even as the security forces had to “sit tight” due to this. “Actually, it is a genuine attempt to bring divergent groups to the table and the outcome of the ceasefire process is good,” said Mr Kaul, who, however refused to identify the militant groups who have welcomed the ceasefire. “What I say at the moment is that some important people among them are responding in a very positive manner but they are still not in a position to come in the open. The ceasefire should be seen from two angles — one from the point of view of the people and the other from that of the security forces. The security forces have some limitations and if you talk about people they are very happy. The ceasefire has resulted increased interaction among them, particularly as they don’t have to face difficulties which were there earlier. They have heaved a sigh of relief and want the situation to continue. In a way it is an opportunity for most people to sit and ponder over the entire situation in a patient
manner,” the ITBP Director-General said. Talking about the presence of the ITBP in the valley, Mr Kaul said 60 per cent of the total force had been deployed for doing internal security duty in the valley and this had shown very good results. The ITBP personnel are doing a lot of things on the social front for them. They don’t even go in for local help. “I have witnessed a very interesting phenomena. At most places people urge the state government to deploy the ITBP and withdraw the Army and the CRPF.” said Mr Kaul, who defended the ceasefire announcement by saying that it was always the powerful who take such steps “since they have more options.” Elaborating on the changing role of the ITBP in the contemporary era where apart from its original task of guarding the India-China border it had to perform internal security duties like protection of banks and other VIP duties, Mr Kaul said his force was fully equipped to meet any challenge on any front and perform any duty in accordance with its amended 1978 charter. “No doubt we are guerrilla force and our commandos have also been deployed to avert any untoward incident at the ongoing Kumbh mela,” he said, adding that to strengthen the force further the central government had given the nod for creation of 3,800 new posts of constabulary and other ranks. At the same time 500 more commandos would be included in its 2500-strong commando unit. He said out of the 3800 vacancies of constable and other ranks 700 would be filled by people from the northern region. Interestingly, Mr Kaul, who has been a keen observer of happenings in the valley, sought to give a new angle to the Kashmir tangle by observing that the lack of rain and the long dry spell in the valley due to large-scale deforestation in the valley could add fuel to the flames in the valley in terms of increased violence by unemployed youth. “The valley during its 600 year-old history has seen just 21 peaceful years and another thing which I treat as a threat and which should be pondered over by strategists is the large-scale destruction of forests. Have you noticed that the temperature in the valley has gone up by 4-50C during the past three four years alone due to less cloud seeding and the water table has gone down from 4 to 18 feet. The
Kashmir valley is going the Ladakh way and the day is not far when you will see a desert in place of a green valley. This situation is going to affect the economy and create more unemployment in the valley even as 3.5 lakh Hindus have already migrated from there,” added Mr
Kaul.
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APHC call for Jan 26 as ‘black day’ SRINAGAR, Jan 24 — The APHC has called for a general strike and appealed people to observe January 26 as “black day”, even as security has been tightened to prevent any attempts by militants to disrupt the Republic Day celebrations. Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Bipul
Pathak, hoisted the national flag and took salute in connection with a rehearsal of the Republic Day parade at Bakshi Stadium today. The contingents representing the BSF, CRPF,
ITBP, JKAP, district police, fire services, auxiliary police and IRP women police participated in the march past, an official spokesman said. All entry routes to the stadium have been sealed and the movement of civilian traffic and pedestrians has been restricted. The police, CRPF and BSF have been deployed in large number to prevent any attempts of the militants to create trouble in the area. An APHC spokesman today alleged that custodial killings, unwarranted arrests, victimisation of women, torture and harassment had become a routine. Excesses were being committed in the name of search operations and crackdowns ahead of the Republic Day, he alleged. Hundreds of suspects had been apprehended as a precautionary measure. These suspects included surrendered and released militants. The spokesman claimed that hundreds of such youths had been picked during the recent days and their relatives were not being allowed to meet them. |
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I have nothing to say on truce: Farooq JAMMU, Jan 24 — When a crowd of print and electronic mediamen approached the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, here today for his comment on the Centre’s announcement on extending, by another month, the ceasefire which was enforced on November 27, he refused to utter a word. He said: “I have nothing to say.” Dr Abdullah has reason to be reticent which is unusual for a leader like him who takes pride in giving a good copy to newsmen whether the occasion demands or not. His continued Pakistan bashing has been resented not only by his family members but senior functionaries of the ruling National Conference. Informed sources said even the party General Secretary, Sheikh Nazir, had been upset by Dr Abdullah’s fulminations against the militants, against Islamabad and the Hurriyat Conference leaders. Sheikh Nazir has not supported the party president’s opposition to further extension in the ceasefire period. While Dr Abdullah had made known his feelings against the continuation of the ceasefire, his son, Omar Abdullah, Union Minister of State for Commerce, supported the demand for further extension in the ceasefire period on the plea that it would allow India to get political mileage over Pakistan as far as the Kashmir issue was concerned. Several leaders of the Youth National Conference too have not only supported the continuation of the ceasefire but also tripartite talks. At one stage Sheikh Nazir Ahmed openly advocated the need for tripartite talks. The sources said the motive behind this stand, which ran counter to the one taken by the Chief Minister and the National Conference president, ways to ensure that the party workers and leaders were not targeted by the militants. The NC leaders had come to believe that each anti-militancy and anti-Pakistan utterance of the Chief Minister was greeted with elimination of one or more NC workers and leaders. According to these sources, soon after the Centre announced another extension to the ceasefire Dr Abdullah was requested by his senior partymen to maintain silence because his anti-Pakistan stand would make more partymen vulnerable to the armed attack by the militants. The Chief Minister is believed to have adopted strong anti-Pakistan, anti-militants and anti-ceasefire stand because he was enraged at the massacre of his partymen in various parts of the state. He had made it clear that he was opposed to the continuation of the ceasefire because in the past two months militants had killed a number of innocent people, including National Conference leaders and workers. At his address to mourners who had gathered to condole the death of a brother of NC MLA, Mr Dilawar Mir, he announced that the police had been told to launch a hunt for the militants and eliminate them. Another factor responsible for Dr Abdullah’s anti-ceasefire stance was to maintain his close equation with the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, who, of late, has been stated to be supporting the Chief Minister’s views on the ceasefire and on the issue of permitting the five-member Hurriyat Conference team to visit Pakistan. Dr Farooq had reportedly become suspicious of the PMO’s move to encourage the Hurriyat Conference to be a third party to the Kashmir dispute. Thirdly, Dr Abdullah’s opposition to the Hurriyat team’s proposed visit to Pakistan and to the ceasefire continuation is seen as part of his plan to thwart an undertable agreement with the separatists which may endanger his seat of power. |
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Judge refers news article to CJ JAMMU, Jan 24 — Expressing “prima facie” opinion that a news article published in a weekly newspaper “fell within the definition of criminal contempt”, Mr Justice Tejinder Singh Doabia of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court has directed the Registrar (Judicial) to place the case file before the Chief Justice for the constitution of a Division Bench or a “Bench of more judges”. In the news article, an advocate in the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, after describing himself as the chief patron of Journey Line, had written that a 13-year-long pendency in a case had “helped and enabled a petitioner raise a construction”. He said: “A Bench was shifted from Jammu to Srinagar for a few days. Ultimately, the writ petition was disposed of.” Cognisance of the news article was taken after it was read out in the court by some advocates. They pointed out that it suggested that an interim order was passed to benefit the writ petitioner and “that a Bench was constituted for a purpose to deal with the particular case in which the interim order came to be passed in 1985”. Pronouncing the orders in an open court, Mr Justice Doabia observed: “The news article clearly brings the system of administration of justice into disrepute. This would definitely fall within the definition of the term criminal contempt”. The judge also observed: “In the present case, the respondents have tendered an unqualified apology. Even though I have expressed a prima facie opinion that the publication falls within the definition of criminal contempt, the matter is further required to be heard and determined by a Division Bench or by a larger Bench as the Chief Justice may decide in terms of the procedure indicated in the Contempt of Court Act”. In his 30-page-order, the judge said: “Pen is mightier than sword. This proverb seems to have been totally misunderstood by the respondent-members of the Fourth Estate.”
1.53 lakh visit Vaishno Devi UDHAMPUR, Jan 24 — Around 1.53 lakh pilgrims from various parts of the country have visited the Vaishno Devi cave shrine since January 1 this year. During the corresponding period last year, around 1.31 lakh pilgrims visited the shrine. This was stated by the additional chief executive officer of the shrine board, Mr M. K.
Dwidi. To provide accommodation to the increasing number of pilgrims at the base camp, a dormitory was under construction at Niharka in the Vishram Ghar complex, he said. |
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