J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

J&K Governor, CM visit migrant camps
Jammu, May 20
The State Governor, Mr G.C. Saxena, and the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, have expressed concern over the gameplan of Pakistan which has provoked border conflict, forcing more than 15,000 people to migrate to safer places from the border villages of Poonch, Rajouri, Hiranagar, Samba, R.S. Pora and Akhnoor sectors in recent days.
Video: Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Farooq Abdullah says war will be the last option. (28k)

• War with Pakistan inevitable: minister

• Tarigami calls for Indo-Pak dialogue

Border Security Force officers display sophisticated communication network equipment recovered from Hizbul Mujahideen from upper reaches of south Kashmir, at a camp in Srinagar on Monday. — Photo Amin War.

DLP ready to contest J&K Assembly poll
Srinagar, May 20
Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Liberation Party Chairman Hashim Qureshi, who is facing charges for hijacking an Indian Airlines plane in 1971, today said the party was ready to contest the forthcoming Assembly elections in the state.

J&K Governor, CM visit migrant camps
Tribune News Service

Jammu, May 20
The State Governor, Mr G.C. Saxena, and the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, have expressed concern over the gameplan of Pakistan which has provoked border conflict, forcing more than 15,000 people to migrate to safer places from the border villages of Poonch, Rajouri, Hiranagar, Samba, R.S. Pora and Akhnoor sectors in recent days.

Mr Saxena and Dr Abdullah today visited two migrant camps in Samba and at Madeen in Hiranagar tehsil, where they told the migrants: “We cannot send you back to your ancestral hamlets because of continued firing and shelling being carried out by the Pakistani troops.”

The Chief Minister told newsmen at the camp that India “is not for war. If all other options failed to bring sense to Islamabad, we will have no other option but to hit back.”

He said India “has been in favour of friendly ties with Pakistan but the latter has not understood the value of friendship and thrust four wars on us.”

He told the border migrants that the government could not send them back to their villages till Pakistan stopped shelling and firing. “When will you return, we cannot say at present,” he said, adding that so long they were in the camps, the government would provide them relief and ration.

Dr Abdullah said: “We are using all diplomatic and other options, but if these don’t work, we will have the last option of waging war against Islamabad.”

Mr Saxena said if war broke out, it would not be only by soldiers’ war but people, too, would have to assist the troops in their armed campaign. He said a recruitment drive would soon be started in the state for recruiting youth.

War with Pakistan inevitable: minister

Jammu, May 20
Minister of State for Food Processing Chaman Lal Gupta has said war with Pakistan is “inevitable” but it is difficult to determine its timing. “War would be fought and it would be a final war to resolve the issues once for all,” he said. “Time has come for our country to give a befitting reply to Pakistan, but decisions like waging a war or adopting any other means to punish the enemy are not taken in haste,” Mr Gupta said here yesterday at a function. PTI

Tarigami calls for Indo-Pak dialogue

Srinagar, May 20
The CPM state secretary, Mr M.Y. Tarigami, has called upon India and Pakistan to resolve all outstanding issues through dialogue.

“Even at this critical juncture, the leadership of the two countries must show statesmanship by resorting to a dialogue rather than military measures,” he said addressing a party convention in Anantnag yesterday.

Mr Tarigami, MLA, said: “Any military confrontation between the two nuclear neighbours would result in unprecedented bloodshed and miseries of Kashmiris...”. He regretted that assurances by Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to wage a struggle against terrorism had not yet been fulfilled. PTI 

DLP ready to contest J&K Assembly poll

Srinagar, May 20
Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Liberation Party (DLP) Chairman Hashim Qureshi, who is facing charges for hijacking an Indian Airlines plane in 1971, today said the party was ready to contest the forthcoming Assembly elections in the state.

“We are ready to contest the Assembly elections provided our demands are met and the poll is held in a free and fair manner,” Mr Qureshi told reporters after separatist leader Manzoor-ul-Islam announced his decision to join the party.

Mr Islam, formerly a leader of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), was recently released after serving a 12-year term in jail.

Mr Qureshi demanded that all the detenues in various jails be released before the polling schedule was announced, security forces’ bunkers be removed and the revision of voter lists completed.

He said thousands of youths were in various jails for the past 12 years and they should be released before the dates for the election were announced so that they could participate in the political process.

Mr Qureshi also demanded that all the security forces’ bunkers in the valley be removed to create a conducive atmosphere for political activities.

All parties should be given an equal opportunity to hold public meetings in the state, he said, alleging that the DLP and other political parties in the state were not allowed to organise meetings. UNI