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Saturday,
June 8, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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10 Pak
soldiers killed Major haul
of RDX, ammo Farooq
against ban on Hurriyat
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Local
ultras weary of foreign mercenaries Geelani
detained at Pattan Nilnag
to be tourist resort, says minister
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10 Pak soldiers killed Jammu, June 7 Defence Ministry sources said Indian troops retaliated with long range and mortar guns after five persons were killed and 16 wounded in heavy Pakistani shelling on border villages at five places in the Poonch and Mendhar sectors. According to the police, Chander Prakash, Abdul Hamid and Pooran Chand died on the spot and eight were wounded when Pakistani shells exploded on the bus stand at Jhalas in Poonch this morning. The ministry sources said the Pakistani troops resorted to heavy shelling from across Dabi village in Mendhar, Saujia, Sagra and Balakot in which more than two civilians were wounded and half a dozen cattlehead killed. More than 200 persons migrated from Jhalas, Balakot and Dabi villages to safer places. Unofficial reports said three Indian jawans were wounded in the Poonch sector in the shelling. One jawan later succumbed to his injuries. Official sources said the Pakistani troops resorted to mortar shelling and small arms firing from across the Samba, Khour and Akhnoor areas. There was no loss of life. The Pakistani artillery and mortar guns roared from across the Karnah and Dras sectors. The Indian troops retaliated effectively, causing heavy damage to the enemy forces. Some vehicles were damaged opposite Khari-Karmara last evening, the sources said. Shelling and heavy firing is a modus operandi to facilitate infiltration, the sources said and added that troops generally kept their movement confined to bunkers and posts due to the shelling. During the past month, over 400 to 500 militants, including some notorious and hardcore Afghanis, had entered the Poonch and Rajouri areas, police sources said. Not only this, 184 militants had been killed in these areas during the period, the sources said. As per intercepts, the Pakistani army had directed the militants to enter profusely into Jammu and Kashmir until the end of June after which the entire border belt might be plugged due to international pressure, the sources said. People living along the border said: “Pakistan wants the number of militants currently operating in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly south of Pir Panjal, to go up thrice along with arms, ammunition and explosives so that if the border was sealed, the militants could continue fighting for three to four months on their own until the situation changed. As per intelligence reports, 1200-1500 heavily-armed militants were ready at launching pads along the LoC with the Poonch, Rajouri, Kathua, Jammu, Kargil, Kupwara and Baramula sectors. |
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Major haul of RDX, ammo
Srinagar, June 7 An official spokesman said the security forces and the special operation group of the Jammu and Kashmir police achieved a major success when they unearthed a hideout in the woods of Lashtiyal today. The Arms and ammunition seized included 10 AK rifles, a rocket launcher, 50 rifle grenades, 15 kg RDX, 1000 rounds of ammunition, five mortar bombs and some detonators. Meanwhile, the militants shot an SPO, Nissar Ahmad Bhat, at Kulgam this morning. He said the security forces killed an LeT militant, Abu Usman a resident of PoK during an encounter at Bandipora. The security forces also gunned down two LeT militants at Malwa Gundna in Doda district of the Jammu region during a search operation last night, the spokesman said, adding that two AK rifles, four magazines and 96 rounds were seized near the site of the encounter. In another incident last night, militants hurled a hand grenade towards a border security force picket near Batmaloo. However, the grenade missed the target and exploded on the roadside without causing any damage. One militant surrendered along with an AK rifle, two magazines and 40 rounds at Kupwara last night. With his surrender, about 35 militants, mostly from the Hizbul Mujahideen have laid down their arms in the north Kashmir during the past week. However, the Hizb described it as a drama by the security forces and the local administration.
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Farooq against ban on Hurriyat
Srinagar, June 7 The leaders of the Hurriyat Conference have divergent views, with some supporting Pakistan, some talking to the Centre and some advocating the so called ‘Azadi,’ he said. Dr Abdullah said the state legislature had passed the resolution on autonomy, the main plank of National Conference government. It is now pending with the Centre for consideration, he said, adding that autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir will satiate the urge and aspiration of the people.
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Local ultras weary of
foreign mercenaries Jammu, June 7 First, local militants have become weary of foreign mercenaries. They do not like the big brother attitude adopted by activists of the Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. Both these outfits are dominated by Pakistani and Afghan guerrillas. A defence Ministry spokesman releasing excerpts of the intercepted message said the local militants, especially those belonging to Hizbul Mujahideen, had been upset over the way the foreign mercenaries had massacred innocent civilians, including the family members of the Indian soldiers at Kaluchak Army camp. The message read, “We should be shameful for that action which has occurred at Kaluchak.” This was a message sent by a leader of Hizbul Mujahideen in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to his colleagues in the valley. The message said, “Only Pakistanis carry out this type of action. Kashmiri Mujahideen do not carry out such type of action.” Secondly, the split in Hizbul Mujahideen leadership with Abdul Majid Dar and four commanders on one side and the Hizb supremo, Syed Salahauddin on the other, has led to Hizb activists feeling isolated. Thirdly, the Hizbul Mujahideen leadership in the Kashmir valley has realised that the activists of the Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed were getting preferential treatment as far as moral and material aid was concerned. In many areas, the Hizb activists had exhausted ammunition and had no money to meet their requirements. Official sources said a sizeable number of local militants was ready to surrender, but they had developed cold feet when they were reminded of the treatment that was meted out to them by the security agencies and the state and Central governments. It is for the Central Government and its agencies to work out a suitable plan for the rehabilitation of renegade militants so that others too could get motivated to join the national mainstream. |
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Geelani
detained at Pattan Srinagar, June 7 Mr Geelani along with three others was on his way to Sopore when he was arrested by the police at Pattan, a Hurriet Conference spokesman said. He said Mr Geelani was scheduled to address a Friday congregation at Sopore this afternoon.
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Nilnag to be tourist resort, says minister Srinagar, June 7 Addressing a public meeting at Nilnag yesterday, he said massive afforestation drive, building up tourist facilities, laying up of improved road communication network and developing Nilnag as an attractive water body would form part of the integrated development project formulated for the purpose. He said the project, besides adding to the scenic beauty of the area, would also open new opportunities of employment.
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