J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

APHC annoys ‘jehadis’ in J&K Supports Musharraf’s decision Jammu, September 20

By supporting Gen Pervez Musharraf’s stand on Saudi terrorist Osama bin Laden and by associating with those who have announced war against terrorism, the All-Party Hurriyat Conference has seemingly annoyed the ‘jehadis’ within Jammu and Kashmir and in Pakistan. Hurriyat chairman Abdul Gani Bhat addressing a press conference at the party headquarters in Srinagar after the conclusion of an executive meeting of the Hurriyat. — PTI photo

Dissidents want Qureshi replaced
Jammu, September 20
The dissidents in the J and K state unit of the Congress, who have outnumbered the loyalists, today left for Delhi to carry their battle against the PCC Chief, Mr Mohammed Shafi Qureshi, to the AICC headquarters.

NC deprived Gujjars of quota: BJP cell
Jammu, September 20
The Gujjar cell in the state unit of the BJP today pledged to oppose the National Conference in the next Assembly elections on the plea that the ruling party had deprived the Gujjars and Bakerwals of privileges due to them on account of having been declared as Scheduled Tribes.

Three Harkat ultras shot
Srinagar, September 20
At least four persons, including three militants were killed in separate incidents in the Kashmir valley while security personnel held four suspects and recovered a large quantity of arms and ammunition since yesterday.

Three of family die in mishap

APHC annoys ‘jehadis’ in J&K
Supports Musharraf’s decision
M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 20
By supporting Gen Pervez Musharraf’s stand on Saudi terrorist Osama bin Laden and by associating with those who have announced war against terrorism, the All-Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has seemingly annoyed the ‘jehadis’ within Jammu and Kashmir and in Pakistan.

Announcing that the APHC supported the US policy of fighting terrorism, the 23-party conglomerate has distanced itself, for the time-being, from the Pakistan’s Jamait-e-Islami and other hardliners.

Prior to terrorist strikes against key US targets, the APHC leaders were seen siding with the ‘jehadis’, even while extending support to General Musharraf. But after the American tragedy, the Hurriyat Conference has not only supported the American plan of waging a war against terrorism, but sided with General Musharraf who has announced logistic assistance to the US Government.

Asked to comment on this change in policy, the Chairman of the Hurriyat Conference, Prof Abdul Gani Bhat, said: “We have been against all types and manifestations of terrorism. We have never been in favour of killing innocent people,” he said.

Asked when his party was opposed to terrorism why he had not given a call to the militants operating in Jammu and Kashmir to bid adieu to arms, Prof Bhat said: “Our call would have not stopped the roar of the guns.”

He explained that no unilateral ceasefire “can work” and cited the example of the Government of India which declared a unilateral non-initiation of combat operations in Jammu and Kashmir. He said “this did not work.”

He said a ceasefire declared by Pakistan, India and the people of Kashmir “will alone stop the roar of the guns and grenades.”

In reply to another question, he said senior Jamait-e-Islami leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who represents the organisation in the Hurriyat Executive Committee, “has to follow the APHC line.”

Prof Bhat said the APHC was of the opinion that whatever decision General Musharraf had taken was in the interest of Pakistan and its people. This indicates that the APHC has decided to cast its lot with Pakistan because it finds that the situation is becoming so grim that Islamabad cannot face further isolation.

The decision of the US Government to carry its campaign against terrorism to its logical conclusion has caused dissensions among different militant groups in the valley. The Hizbul Mujahideen and a couple of outfits with local domination have not associated themselves with the call given for the Kashmir bandh in protest against the American plan to target Afghanistan and Osama bin Laden.

Those outfits which have given the call for hartal for tomorrow have done so to associate themselves with ‘jehadi’ groups which have given a similar call in Pakistan.

SRINAGAR: The executive council of the All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) today supported the stand taken by Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to side with the USA against terrorism.

Addressing a press conference after a meeting of the executive committee members at its Raj Bagh headquarters this afternoon, Prof Abdul Gani Bhat, chairman, said, “We support General Musharraf’s bold decision to side with the international community against terrorism.”

He said, “We also appreciate General’s efforts to see that the Bin Laden crisis is over peacefully.”

Prof Bhat said the meeting was also convened to discuss the strike call given by some pro-Pakistan outfits, including Dukhtaran-e-Milat, for tomorrow to express solidarity with Afghanistan and Osama bin Laden, the chief suspect in last week’s terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.

The executive appealed to the people not to observe any hartal without an APHC call. He said time had come for India to resolve the Kashmir issue peacefully without any further delay. UNI

Dissidents want Qureshi replaced
Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 20
The dissidents in the J and K state unit of the Congress, who have outnumbered the loyalists, today left for Delhi to carry their battle against the PCC Chief, Mr Mohammed Shafi Qureshi, to the AICC headquarters.

Of the 160 Pradesh Congress Committee members 110 were present at a meeting held here this morning and 10 others had conveyed their support in writing to the dissidents. More than 60 PCC members from the Kashmir valley were present at the meeting and noticeable among them were Mr Ayub Khan, Peerzada Mohammed Syed and Mr Taj Mohiuddin, who at one time, were supporters of Mr Qureshi.

The decision to launch a determined campaign against Mr Qureshi in Delhi was taken by the PCC members who were supported by over 1,000 party leaders and workers at the meeting which continued for over four hours.

Member after member, including Mr Mangat Ram Sharma, Senior vice-president, Mr Raman Bhalla, Mr Taj Mohiuddin and others dwelt on the harm the Qureshi leadership had done to the Congress in Jammu and Kashmir.

Mr Raman Bhalla accused Mr Qureshi of hobnobbing with the Hurriyat Conference and the National Conference leading to erosion of Congress strength which was evident in the recently concluded panchayat election in the state.

At the meeting the PCC members and the party delegates expressed faith in the leadership of Mrs Sonia Gandhi and vowed to persuade the party president to remove Mr Qureshi as PCC Chief.

The dissidents plan to spend two to three days in Delhi and it was made known at the meeting that they might extend stay till their demand for replacing Mr Qureshi was accepted by the AICC President.

The dissidents bank on the support of senior AICC leader, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is trying to mediate between the two sides by persuading Mrs Sonia Gandhi to install a leader acceptable to the dissidents, as PCC Chief.

The dissidents also announced that they would work under any PCC chief except Mr Qureshi and conveyed to Mrs Sonia Gandhi that in case she wanted the Congress to remain a powerful organisation she should ask Mr Qureshi to quit.

From the mood of the dissidents, who berated the role of Mr Qureshi, it was clear that the anti-Qureshi lobby in the Congress would prefer sitting on the sidelines to being forced to play a second fiddle to him.

Couple of dissidents said that it was the last chance being given to the party President to remove the “wrong” and allow us to work for the strengthening of the organisation.

Majority of prospective Congress candidates for the next Assembly poll were present at the meeting. A senior party leader said that if “our whishes were ignored again” the Congress might be hit hard at a time when its strength was needed to fight communal and separatist forces besides the BJP and the National Conference.

As scores of dissidents reached the Railway station to catch trains for Delhi they shouted slogans “Congress Zindabad” and Sonia Gandhi Zindabad. Those who left by cars for Delhi were seen carrying Congress flags.

NC deprived Gujjars of quota: BJP cell
Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 20
The Gujjar cell in the state unit of the BJP today pledged to oppose the National Conference in the next Assembly elections on the plea that the ruling party had deprived the Gujjars and Bakerwals of privileges due to them on account of having been declared as Scheduled Tribes.

Mr Mohammad Khatana, president of the cell, told mediapersons here that the government had “deliberately” ignored the Gujjar and Bakerwal ethnic groups with the result that they had been denied reservation in jobs, in the delimitation of Assembly constituencies and in admission to professional colleges.

Mr Khatana said due to government policies, the two groups had remained totally backward. He alleged that the Central Government funds allotted for the development of the groups were being “misused”. In several cases, the funds had been diverted to construction of ministerial bungalows, he said.

Mr Khatana described the National Conference as a “conglomerate of anti-national elements,” adding that several senior NC leaders were in “league with the militants.”

He said the National Conference was scared of the Gujjar and Bakerwal communities because their sizeable population in the state could pose a threat to the ruling party in the next Assembly elections. He said at least 10 Assembly seats should be reserved for Gujjars.

He urged the Central Government to ensure that the funds earmarked for the ethnic groups were not misappropriated.

Three Harkat ultras shot
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 20
At least four persons, including three militants were killed in separate incidents in the Kashmir valley while security personnel held four suspects and recovered a large quantity of arms and ammunition since yesterday.

Three unidentified militants belonging to the Harkat-ul-Ansar were killed in an encounter with the security forces at Reshigund forests in Kupwara district yesterday. Three rifles and three magazines were recovered from the site of the encounter, a police spokesman said here today.

Unidentified militants shot dead Ghulam Mohiuddin of Warmuna in Budgam district yesterday. Two suspected militants of the Hizbul Mujahideen were apprehended during searches in Kupwara district. Three hand grenades and 62 rounds were recovered from their possession.

The SOG, Ganderbal, near here, busted a hideout of the Hizbul Mujahideen in Tangchetar forests and recovered a rifle, three magazines, 85 rounds, a pouch, a tent and some incriminating documents.

Another militant of the Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen was held at Ratnipora in Kupwara district from whose possession five RPGs, two magazines, 45 rounds and two hand grenades were recovered.

Three of family die in mishap

Baramula, September 20
At least three persons, including a woman and a child, were killed in an accident at Charoo on the Srinagar-Baramula road today.

Official sources said a truck from Srinagar hit a Maruti car head on at Charoo, resulting in on-the-spot death of Mohammad-ud-Din, his mother and three-year-old son. UNI