J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Geelani refused permission
New Delhi, January 21
The Centre has refused permission to firebrand Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani to visit Saudi Arabia for Haj pilgrimage. “The authorities have once again refused permission to me to perform Haj,” the former Hurriyat Chairman told UNI here today before leaving for Srinagar.

Cop injured in Pak firing
Jammu, January 21
A police official was wounded in Pakistani firing at Kharotna village in the R.S. Pora sector today. He had gone to the border village for carrying out investigations regarding a criminal case.

BSF men patrol in Srinagar on Monday. Authorities said the cordon and search operations to flush out any possible hidden ultras have been intensified in the Kashmir region ahead of the Republic Day celebrations on January 26. — Photo Amin War	A soldier carries his luggage at a railway station in Jammu on Monday. — Reuters

Geelani refused permission

New Delhi, January 21
The Centre has refused permission to firebrand Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani to visit Saudi Arabia for Haj pilgrimage. “The authorities have once again refused permission to me to perform Haj,” the former Hurriyat Chairman told UNI here today before leaving for Srinagar.

“Despite fulfilling all formalities, the permission has not been granted,” Mr Geelani said. The Centre had earlier decided not allow any Kashmiri separatist leader to visit abroad. However, in December last year, former Hurriyat Chairman Mirwaiz Omar Farooq was allowed to visit Saudi Arabia to perform “umrah”. Mirwaiz Farooq was also granted permission to visit the USA and Denmark to attend a peace conference there. UNI

Cop injured in Pak firing
Tribune News Service

Jammu, January 21
A police official was wounded in Pakistani firing at Kharotna village in the R.S. Pora sector today. He had gone to the border village for carrying out investigations regarding a criminal case.

In another village in the same sector, one person was killed in a mine explosion when he was trying to cross over to Pakistan. He was identified as a Bangladeshi, sources said.

“We are still on high alert. Officers and jawans are in a state of suspense but they continue to install long-range guns and other war machines”, the sources said.

They made it clear that the withdrawal of additional forces from the border was out of the question. “We will send them back once we are satisfied that Pakistani troops will not resort to unprovoked firing and shelling and stop pushing into Jammu and Kashmir groups of militants,” they said. “Troops not deployed on the border, police and paramilitary forces should be ordered to launch multidimensional operations against militants.”