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Friday,
June 8, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
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Musharraf assumes larger-than-life image
J & K must top agenda: APHC Move to replace J&K Cong chief |
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Yatra registration from June 10 From war cries to
weddings
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Musharraf assumes larger-than-life image Jammu, June 7 “It is pro-Musharraf and pro-Vajpayee wave in the valley,” said a senior police officer. He said from class IV employee to senior bureaucrats, from intellectuals to small traders, General Musharraf’s image had become “larger than life.” Another senior government functionary said what had endeared General Musharraf to the Kashmiris was his “down-to earth-expression of reality” which people in the valley believed was the most constructive step taken by any of his predecessors. General Parvez has castigated the clergy and “jehadis” for their anti-India campaign, including their threat to hoist the Pakistani flag at the Red Fort in New Delhi. General Musharraf reminded the fundamentalists about the current economic distress in Pakistan and the global situation which warranted cordial ties with other countries. This statement has seemingly “rekindled” hope among the people in Kashmir who support the proposed Vajpayee-Musharraf summit. Since a majority of people in the troubled valley have been yearning for peace for the past several years, they feel that the prospects of peace have become bright with the positive attitude adopted by Mr Vajpayee and General Musharraf. Bashir Ahmed, an exporter of Kashmiri handicraft, said: “General Musharraf has shown greater political wisdom than political leaders who have ruled Pakistan prior to his takeover because he has been quick in responding to the unilateral ceasefire enforced by the Government of India by ordering the Pakistani troops to observe restraint at the Loc.” He said Pakistani troops did observe restraint and there was a lull on the border for the past six months. A lawyer said: “Though we cannot expect the Kashmir issue to be resolved at the meeting between Vajpayee and Musharraf, a positive step has been taken which has come as a ray of hope.” He said “the process has to be a prolonged affair and both sides need to be not only flexible but patient.” A Muslim doctor, who for a couple of years had to migrate from the valley because of threat perception, said
General Musharraf had become a hero in the eyes of the people in Kashmir. He said in 1979, Gen Zia-ul-Haq was the most “hated” Pakistani ruler when he ordered execution of Z.A. Bhutto, who had become a hero in the valley due to his cry for a “thousand years war against India.” The same Zia became a “darling” of the Kashmiris when militancy took roots in the state in 1989. General Zia’s portraits decorated the walls of many houses in Kashmir for one reason alone — he had launched Operation Topac. But when the Kashmiris learnt a bitter lesson from Operation Topac, not many shed tears when Zia died in an aircrash. Those connected with tourism said that General Musharraf would be “loved and respected” if he stopped providing moral and material assistance to militants. Raman Bhalla, a senior Congress leader, said people in the Jammu region, especially those in Poonch, Rajouri and Doda districts, would remember General Musharraf if he took steps for restoration of peace in the state. “Let there be a soft LoC allowing people on either side of the border to meet frequently and an opportunity to run their government without interference from Pakistan,” he said. |
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J & K
must top agenda: APHC Srinagar, June 7 A spokesman of the Hurriyat Conference here said that senior Jamaat-e-Islami leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, addressing a public meeting at Sopore today, pointed out that the APHC would welcome any “positive steps” towards the resolution of Kashmir issue. He reiterated the APHC stand on the resolution of the Kashmir issue in its “historical perspective” and under UN resolutions. He sought the right to self-determination for the people of Jammu and Kashmir after withdrawal of forces, both by India and Pakistan. He said the grant of autonomy as demanded by the ruling National Conference was not acceptable. Syed Geelani asserted that the Hurriyat Conference would not enter into any dialogue under the purview of the Indian Constitution. The APHC had already rejected the Centre’s offer for talks with its interlocutor on Kashmir Mr K.C. Pant. While the Centre’s chief negotiator held meetings with a cross-section of people in all three regions of the state here recently, the Hurriyat Conference, a conglomeration of separatist organisations, rejected the invitation for talks. Senior separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah, chief of the Democratic Freedom Party, however, held an informal meeting with Mr Pant here on May 29. The Hurriyat Conference instead sought its involvement in the talks between the Prime Minister and the Pakistan Chief Executive. It also demanded a meeting with General Musharraf in Delhi. The Hurriyat Conference had earlier sought involvement of Pakistan in any talks to resolve Kashmir issue, while it responded to the invitation letter from Mr Pant. In conformity to its stand on the tripartite talks to resolve Kashmir issue, the Hurriyat Conference had earlier this year sought permission to visit Pakistan to have a dialogue with the leadership of Pakistan and the Militant leader there. The visit proposed for January 15 this year could not materialise for want of passports to some of its members. A five-member team comprising Jamaat-e-Islami leader and former chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani, People’s Conference leader Abdul Ghani Lone, former Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Sheikh Abdul Aziz of the People’s League and Shia leader Moulvi Abbas Ansari, all executive members were nominated for the visit. The decision to send its five-member team to Pakistan was taken after the announcement of a unilateral ceasefire by the Prime Minister which commenced on November 28 last year. The ceasefire, extended thrice up to six months, expired this May end. |
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Move to replace J&K Cong chief Jammu, June 7 According to the PCC general secretary, Mr Hari Singh, the dissidents had launched a campaign against the PCC chief, because Mr Qureshi had started exposing the misdeeds of certain persons with regard to “misappropriation” of the party funds and assets. Mr Hari Singh explained that a former PCC chief, Mr Ghulam Rasool Kar, had transferred Khidmat Press from the party ownership to his personal property. He alleged that Mr Kar and some of his party colleagues had not deposited nearly Rs 80 lakh earned from Khidmat Press in the party account during the past several years. The Congress leader said on an average Khidmat Press used to earn about Rs 4 lakh per month. He said when Mr Qureshi served a notice on Mr Kar and others to explain why a private trust had been floated to grab the party property Mr Kar had sent a reply to the party high command that Khidmat Press was run by a trust and he was the chairman of the trust. As such, Mr Qureshi had no legal authority to demand a statement of accounts. However, supporters of Mr Qureshi said he had authorised Mr Kar, who took over as PCC chief from Mr Qureshi after the latter was appointed Governor, to be in-charge of the Khidmat Press which was the property of the Congress. Mr Hari Singh said fearing trouble and legal action the dissident leaders mustered the support of others to campaign for the ouster of Mr Qureshi. He said these dissidents were being supported by the ruling National Conference circles because the party headed by Dr Farooq Abdullah continues to be scared of Mr Qureshi who is a strong administrator. He said besides Mr Qureshi only Mufti Mohd Sayeed could pose political problems for the National Conference. Since the Mufti floated his own party after quitting the Congress only Mr Qureshi was left to revive the party. He said the party high command had been shown all relevant documents in support of the charge that certain dissident leaders were trying to cover up their bunglings of party resources by demanding the head of Mr Qureshi. He said the dissidents had never allowed Mr Qureshi to function as the PCC chief and they even boycotted programmes which had been approved by the
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Yatra registration from June 10 Srinagar, June 7 The registration will be made at New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad, in addition to Jammu. Disclosing this, Sheikh Nissar Ahmad, Director, Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department, which has been conducting the annual pilgrimage, said this year the base camp had been shifted from Pahalgam to Nunwan, two km short of Pahalgam. The government wants to streamline the pilgrimage on the pattern of the Vaishno Devi shrine. The state government had already constituted an Amarnath Yatra Board under the chairmanship of Governor Girish Chandar Saxena. The board would by assisted by the Tourism Department. According to decisions taken at a high-level meeting under the chairmanship of Mr Saxena, the current registration of yatris at Jammu would not be made this year. This step has been done to overcome the heavy rush of pilgrims. The Nitish Sengupta Committee constituted after the death of over 250 pilgrims due to heavy rain and flashflood on the 45-km-long trek from Chandanwari to the cave in 1996, has said not more than 3,500 yatris should be allowed every day. The J.R Mukherjee Committee which investigated into last year’s firing incident at Pahalgam in which about 30 pilgrims were killed suggested similar measures. The department has decided to strictly adhere to the suggestions. As many as 2,800 yatris would be allowed from Pahalgam and 700 from Baltal routes. “We will encourage more pilgrims, but for their safety such a pattern has been adopted”, Ms Sakina Ittoo, Minister of State for Tourism, said while talking to mediapersons at Beijbehara yesterday. If the safety measures were taken seriously, a total of 1.05 lakh pilgrims
would be visiting the shrine this year. A total of 1.73 lakh pilgrims visited the cave last year. The government has already sanctioned Rs 2 crore for the development of routes from Pahalgam-Chandanwari and Baltal to the cave. The Tourism Department has also advised local tourists not to venture to Pahalgam during the yatra period from July 4 to August 4. The authorities are also undertaking other measures and streamlining the movement of pilgrim traffic from Jammu-Khannabal-Pahalgam and then to the cave. |
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From war cries to
weddings Jammu, June 7 The stage was set by senior APHC leader Abdul Gani Lone, who married his son Sajjad Lone to Asma, daughter of JKLF supremo Amanullah Khan in Pakistan in November. This time the prospective bridegrooms are Molvi Umar Farooq, Kashmir Mirwaiz and a former chairman of the APHC, Javed Ahmed Mir, senior leader of the JKLF, Shaidul Islam of the Awami Action Committee, and a former chief of the Hizbullah militant outfit, Bilal Beg, chief of the Islamic Students Front and several others. Molvi Umar Farooq has decided to marry the daughter of a Kashmiri doctor settled in the USA. Javed Ahmed Mir plans to marry a Kashmiri advocate practising law in Srinagar. Shaidul Islam is going to tie the knot with a student of Kashmir University and Bilal Ahmed Beg has decided to marry a girl living in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Beg’s sister, Farida, has gone there to finalise the wedding arrangements. Indications are that Bilal Ahmed Beg and his relations will seek passports and visa documents for crossing over to PoK for the ceremony. People’s League chief Sheikh Aziz Ahmed’s brother, Sheikh Iqbal who is living in Pakistan, got married recently. Sheikh Aziz had gone to Pakistan in connection with the wedding celebrations where he visited several areas as a state guest of Pakistan Government. |
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