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Friday,
August 16, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Centre should undo wrongs: Farooq
Gallantry medals for 46 cops Musharraf’s remarks on poll criticised |
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Hizb commander shot, attacks repulsed Hurriyat strike hits life
in Kashmir 1000-line phone exchange for Kathua
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Centre should undo wrongs: Farooq Srinagar, August 15 Addressing a gathering on the occasion of Independence Day celebrations at the highly-guarded Bakshi Stadium here this morning, the Chief Minister said for the past 55 years Pakistan had not responded to the language of peace and harmony in the region. He said Pakistan raised only the Kashmir issue since Independence, adding that it was not possible for that country to take even an inch of India’s soil. Instead the matter of concern was the PoK and other areas of the state under the occupation of Pakistan and China. Unprecedented security arrangements were made in view of the threats from the separatist militants to create trouble on the occasion. The main function at Bakshi Stadium was held under tight security. The pedestrian and vehicular traffic in the area was stopped from 6 am to 11 am in view of the function. The Chief Minister also expressed concern over the Centre’s approach towards the trouble-torn state for the past over five decades. In this connection he also referred to the Prime Minister’s assertion in his speech at the Red Fort this morning about the “wrongdoings” vis-a-vis Jammu and Kashmir and said the Centre should take measures to undo the wrongs. The Chief Minister also expressed concern over the oft-repeated “measures to hold free and fair elections”. Referring to the proposed talks between the Kashmir Committee, led by a former Union Law Minister, Mr Ram Jethmalani, and the separatist Hurriyat Conference, the Chief Minister questioned the transparency of the negotiations. “Let him clarify as to what he should talk about”, Dr Abdullah asked Mr Jethmalani. “Is he ready to give freedom to the Hurriyat? Or is he ready to let Kashmir go to Pakistan?” Dr Abdullah questioned. “Has Farooq now become enemy number one?” Dr Abdullah pointed out that talks could take place “on different tracks” between the separatists and the government and clarified that there could be no discussion on the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India. JAMMU: Independence Day was celebrated here on Thursday amid heavy security with no untoward incident reported from the region. The main function was held here with the state Minister for Education, Mr Mohammad Shafi, hoisting the national flag and taking salute. Recalling the country’s freedom struggle and sacrifices made by leaders like Gandhiji and Nehru, Mr Shafi appealed to the people to defeat Pakistan’s designs of destabilising the country at all costs. “It is sad that our neighbouring country could not tolerate our progress and peace and indulged in its futile efforts to destabilise the socio-economic structure of our state,” the minister said. Referring to the forthcoming Assembly elections, the minister called upon the people to participate in them in a big way. Reports on the
Independence Day passing peacefully also came in from Doda, Poonch, Rajouri, Udhampur and Kathua districts. |
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PM satisfied with I-Day celebrations Srinagar, August 15 In a telephonic conversation with Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, the Prime Minister congratulated him on the incident-free Independence Day celebrations. Dr Abdullah told Mr Vajpayee that his response to Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s utterances on Jammu and Kashmir poll were “straightforward and encouraging”.
PTI |
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Gallantry medals for 46 cops Srinagar, August 15 The Jammu and Kashmir Government has also awarded 46 other senior officers of the state police, including its Director-General, Mr A.K. Suri, with the newly instituted Sher-e-Kashmir Medal for Gallantry. Others awarded with this medal include Dr Ashok Bhan and Mr K. Rajendra Kumar of the IPS. Those awarded with President’s medal for distinguished services include Mr Javed Makhdoomi, DIG, CID Headquarters, and Mr Seva Singh Mankotia, SP (Operations), Pulwama. Eleven others have been awarded with President’s medal for meritorious services. The Sher-e-Kashmir Medal for Gallantry will be in gold (10 gm). It will be awarded to gallant officers of the state police on the occasion of Republic and Independence Days every year, an official spokesman said. The Director-General of the Jammu and Kashmir police, Mr A.K. Suri, led the list of 13 officers and men, among 46 awardees this year, on the occasion of Independence Day for their distinguished courage on the occasion of the suicide attack by militants on the J&K Assembly complex on October 1 last year. The police officers led by Mr Suri, the then IGP, Kashmir, Dr Ashok Bhan, the then DIG, Srinagar Range, Mr K. Rajendra Kumar and other senior police officers led the forces to save the Chairman, Legislative Council and Speaker, Legislative Assembly, besides MLAs, MLCs and other employees. Sub-Inspector Vishal Sharma exhibited extraordinary courage when the militants sought to create a communal flare-up in Jammu by attacking Raghunath Mandir. Mr Sharma and Constable Dheeraj Kohli countered the attack and eliminated the two foreign militants. In a similar attempt by militants, according to an official spokesman, the SSP, Udhampur, Mr Deepak Kumar, and the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mr Benam Tosh, gathered intelligence that militants were planning to attack the Vaishno Devi shrine and yatris. The officers carried out a swift and smooth operation leading to the elimination of five foreign militants in the adjoining Trikuta hills. |
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Musharraf’s remarks on poll criticised Jammu, August 15 Reacting to General Musharraf’s remarks about elections in the state in his address to the nation on Pakistan’s Independence Day yesterday, they said it also indicated frustration on part of the Pakistani military ruler. BJP state unit president Daya Krishen Kotwal described General Musharraf’s comment as interference in the internal matters of India and said it appeared a part of his conspiracy to create disturbances in Jammu and Kashmir. He said General Musharraf was frustrated because all preparations had been made for holding elections in the state. Senior vice-president of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress M R Sharma said Pakistan had no right to talk about elections in the state and it should rather set its own house in order by restoring democracy in that country. Criticising General Musharraf for commenting on the J and K poll, he said this was tantamount to interference in the internal matters of our country. The president of the state unit of the NCP, Thakur Randhir Singh, said General Musharraf should first restore democracy in his own country before making comments on the election process of neighbouring countries. “How can he talk about the process of elections of other countries when he has denied it to his own people”, he said, adding that the forthcoming Assembly elections had frustrated the Pakistan President himself. The ruling National Conference provincial president Bodh Raj Bali said, “Pakistan has not tasted democracy for long, while we live in a democratic country where people have the right to elect the government of their choice”. J and K national Panthers Party general secretary Harsh Dev Singh also criticised Pakistani President for saying that the coming Assembly elections in the state were an
eyewash. PTI |
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Hizb commander shot, attacks repulsed Srinagar, August 15 Hizb ul Mujahidden battalion commander Saifuddin Rather was killed in an encounter with the security forces at Takanwari in the Safakadal area of downtown Srinagar early today, the spokesman said. The Security forces also foiled the militants’ attempt to trigger an IED explosion while the militants made an abortive attempt to target a BSF camp by firing a grenade towards it in the state during the period, the spokesman said. An SPO was shot dead by the militants at Kamlogalla in the Malhar sector of Kathua district in the Jammu region today, the spokesman said. The militants lobbed a grenade and opened fire on the house of former National Conference MLA, Ghulam Qadir at Pulwama district of south Kashmir last night. The grenade fell short of the target and did not explode. The police also repulsed attacks on Banihal police station in Doda district and Loran police station in Poonch district today.
PTI, UNI |
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Hurriyat strike hits life in Kashmir Srinagar, August 15 Shops and business establishments here and in other major towns of the valley remained closed and vehicles were off the roads. Government offices and educational institutions were closed on account of a holiday today. In Srinagar the hartal was unprecedented mainly because of the heavy deployment of security forces and reports in the local Press quoting Inspector-General of Police K Rajinder Kumar that about 40 ultras had sneaked into the city to cause disturbance during the Independence Day celebrations.
UNI |
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1000-line phone exchange for Kathua Jammu, August 15 The exchange, commissioned yesterday, replaced the existing two units of c-dot 256 type exchange effecting a net increase of 664 lines in the capacity, it said. Enough switching capacity had been made available to clear the existing waiting list of telephone applicants and cater to future demand.
PTI |
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