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Saturday,
May 11, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Strike
hits life in Srinagar
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Bhat boos
pro-poll separatists Panel for
better facilities at airports
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Strike hits life in Srinagar Srinagar, May 10 Four militants, two of them foreigners, were killed in an encounter with the security forces in Budgam district today. All shops and business establishments remained closed here in response to the strike call. Traffic was disrupted here and at many other routes outside the city. Educational institutions and some banks remained closed as a majority of the employees could not reach their offices due to lack of transport. The APHC had given the call in protest against the continued killings in Gujarat, murderous attack on its senior executive jailed leader Mohammad Yaseen Malik in Jammu and the alleged fake encounter in Baramula last week in which six charred bodies, believed to be of militants, were recovered. An APHC spokesman here claimed that its former chairman, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, was held by the police at Pattan, 27 km from here, in Baramula district today and was prevented from addressing a Friday congregation in the area. Addressing a Friday congregation at Jama Masjid, main mosque here, a former chairman, Maulvi Umar Farooq, expressed concern over the continued violence in Gujarat and blamed the Central and the state governments for having failed to control the violence, aimed against a community. The police said here four militants, including two foreigners, were killed in an encounter with the security forces at Badran in Budgam district today. Those killed included two categorised militants, carrying rewards of Rs 1 lakh and Rs 50,000 on their head, respectively. Seven other suspects were apprehended in Pulwama and Kupwara districts during search operations. Giving details, a BSF spokesman said here that on specific information the troops of 194 Batallion, BSF, in a joint operation with 2 Rashtriya Rifles, killed four militants at Goigam in Budgam district today. When the troops cordoned off a house, the hiding militants opened fire on the search party and tried to escape. “Troops retaliated and an hour-long gunbattle ensued leading to the death of the four militants,” he said. Those killed were identified as Mohammad Abdul Rehman, alias Saif Akhtar, and Abu Mugeria of the Jaish-e-Mohammad, both residents of Pakistan. Two others were identified as Parvez Ahmed Lone and Abdul Rahman Beigh of the same area. Meanwhile, a UNI report from Jammu said the security forces shot dead two terrorists who sneaked into India from across the Line of Control in the remote Shahpur area in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir early this morning. One person was killed when Pakistani troops opened unprovoked fire on frontier Indian positions along the Gharana border outpost in the Ranbir Singh Pora sector of this district
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Time to topple Farooq? Jammu, May 10 This question has stalked senior National Conference leaders following activities in Delhi which may lead to Governor’s rule in the state just two months before the Assembly poll. What seems to have added to their fears is the way a senior official in the PMO has had discussions with some separatists for
their participation in the Assembly poll. The separatists besides the Democratic Freedom Party chief, Mr Shabir Ahmed Shah, have expressed their apprehensions to Mr A. S.
Dulat, OSD in the PMO. They maintain that free and fair poll was not possible under the Farooq regime. The People’s Democratic Party President, Mufti
Mohd. Sayeed, has conveyed to the men who matter in Delhi that a clean and effective government and free and fair poll could be steps towards the resolution of the Kashmir issue. He and Mr Shah have
argued with Central leaders that as a result of “misgovernance and rampant corruption in government recruitment the Centre should make a suitable political arrangement to ensure free and fair poll. Several National Conference leaders opine that after the
anti-Farooq Abdullah lobby at the Centre failed to dislodge the state government through defections and exercise was on for the imposition of Governor’s rule under a new guard in Raj
Bhavan. These leaders say that the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, was being “misled” by “rootless Kashmiri Opposition leaders”. They said that dislodging a ruling party, which has a two-thirds majority in the Assembly, would amount to “rape of democracy”. They say in 1953 the government headed by Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah was ousted. The Sheikh and his colleagues were jailed. In 1984 the Farooq government toppled through defections. The result of 1953 coup was that a plebiscite movement took roots in Kashmir and gained ground for 22 years. The outcome of 1984 toppling was that the National Conference led by Dr Farooq Abdullah, regained the lost ground. Kashmir observers argue that any such attempt could prove counter productive as it happened in 1977 when the Congress withdrew support to Sheikh Abdullah who had been brought to power with the Congress support in 1975. As a result the National Conference was absolute majority in the 1977 Assembly poll. Two major factors provoked five members of the National Conference in the Lok Sabha to abstain from voting on the censure motion under rule 184. The Minister of State for External Affairs, Mr Omar Abdullah, did not press for the acceptance of his resignation indicating that the National Conference simply wanted to convey its displeasure to the Central Government. First, the ruling party had been peeved at the inordinate delay in releasing additional funds and reluctance to waive the Central loan. It had expected a major economic package for the state. Secondly, it did not like Mr Dulat’s prolonged negotiations with the separatists. However, Opposition parties, including the Congress and the BJP, besides the separatists are unsure if even a team of observers, appointed by the Chief Election Commission, could ensure free and fair poll under the NC regime. |
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Bhat boos pro-poll separatists Jammu, May 10 “We cannot fight elections in the name of freedom struggle”, Prof Bhat told TNS while referring to those separatists who had a meeting with Mr A.S. Dulat, OSD in the PMO, in Srinagar recently. Professor Bhat said, “The separatists should shun hypocrisy and make it clear whether they are for elections to win power and be with India or struggle for freedom”. You cannot have the cake and eat it too, he said. The Hurriyat Chairman said, “Our stand is clear we are not contesting the Assembly poll. We are for a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue. The Assembly poll will not resolve the issue. Such elections had failed to do so in the past”. In reply to a question he confirmed that the Chairman of the Kashmir Affairs Committee, Sardar Abdul Qayoom Khan, had rung him but “I was not at party headquarters or at my residence in Srinagar. I had gone to my ancestral village in Sopore”. He denied that he was annoyed with Sardar Khan for having organised a meeting of Kashmir leaders from both sides of the border in Delhi without consulting the APHC. Asked if he would talk to him on phone if he again rang up, Prof Bhat said “I will talk to anyone who
chooses to talk to me”. “I can even talk to the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee”, he added. In reply to another question on the split in the Hizbul Mujahideen Professor Bhat said the clash in approach and ideology had taken roots when Chief Commander (Operations) Abdul Majid Dar announced a unilateral ceasefire in July 2000. He said for two years the two sides tried to sweep the differences under the carpet. |
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Panel for better facilities
at airports Jammu, May 10 The committee, which met here today, expressed concern over the difficulties being faced by people going to the airport after the parking slot for cars and other vehicles was removed from the airport premises. Those who attended today’s meeting included Mr Ram Sahai, President, Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Mr Kuldeep Khuda, Additional Director-General, Intelligence, Dr G.N. Qazi, Director, Regional Research Laboratory, Mr A.K. Sharma, Director, Jammu airport, Mr S.K. Deswal, Senior Manager, AAI, Mr Javed Anjum, Manager, Engineering (Civil), Mr A.S. Nugyal, Assistant Manager, Cargo and two prominent journalists Ashwani Kumar and Neeraj Rohmetra. The members suggested that on the right side of the airport a parking zone be carved out and a waiting hall for passengers, their friends and relatives with AC facilities be built. They said there was no arrangement for entertainment or recreation at the airport and those waiting for their guests could not even buy a bottle of aerated drink. It was suggested that an X-ray machine be installed at the outer entrance so that after the luggage was screened airport coolies would carry the luggage as the passengers had to drag it right from the outer gate up to the departure lounge. In the afternoon members of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries and those in Advisory Committee had a detailed discussion with Mr K. Ramlingam, Member, Operations and Planning, AAI, and Mr V. Aveli, Director-General, Civil Aviation (Security). The two sides discussed the threat perception which had forced the authorities to remove the parking zone and restrict the entry of those accompanying the passengers on to the airport premises. The Advisory Committee member pleaded that airports in Srinagar and Jammu be made more user friendly because a lot of foreign and home tourists were coming to the state. |
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4 ultras killed in encounter
