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Friday,
December 6, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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ANNOUNCEMENT OF CEASEFIRE
Govt
victimising NC leaders: Farooq Plan to revive tourism in J&K
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Snow in higher reaches Indo-Norwegian afforestation plan under way Brown sugar seized, 2 held
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ANNOUNCEMENT OF CEASEFIRE Jammu, December 5 The Hizb leadership was forced to withdraw the ceasefire within eight days. Now the Lashkar-e-Toiba has decided to enforce its unilateral ceasefire for four days from today. Its spokesperson Abu Hazeefa, announcing it said that the field commanders on the outfit had been directed not to carryout any operation against mainstream political leaders, security forces and the civilians during these days to enable people to celebrate Id-ul-Fitr. The Pakistan-based United Jehad Council, of which the Lashkar-e-Toiba is not a constituent, is yet to react to the Lashkar decision on the ceasefire. Though the Lashkar-e-Toiba, has announced that the ceasefire decision had been taken to facilitate people to celebrate Id-ul Fitr, there are several factors responsible for it. First, the activists of the Laskhar had have earned peoples’ displeasure the way they have carried out series of massacres in various parts of the state in which large number of innocent people were killed. To win back peoples support the LeT has announced a ceasefire from today. According to a senior police officer, had the Lashkar been seriously interested in allowing people to perform rituals in the month of Ramzan and the Id, its activists would have not carried out suicide attacks on security forces, religious places and other government installations. He said that during the past three Ramzan months the activists of the Lashkar made suicide attacks nine times in different parts of the state. He said that the purpose behind the ceasefire was to win peoples’ sympathy. Secondly, Lashkar leadership plans to hoodwink the international community by trying to convey to it that it does not want to hurt religious sentiments of the people in Jammu and Kashmir. Also, the Laskhar-e-Toiba would attempt at creating an impression that it and none else is the master of the game. If it has announced a unilateral ceasefire for four days it can do it for four months depending on the nature of the situation. Knowledgeable circles are of the opinion that the Lashkar-e-Toiba announcement would have the backing from agencies across the border. Without such an approval the Lashkar-e-Toiba could have not, on its own, declared unilateral ceasefire. Those who hold this view cite the instance of release of Lashkar chief Hafiz Syed recently. They said that though Syed was released by the court the Pakistan government did not rearrest him as it wanted to reduce the level of anti-American sentiments triggered by the execution of one Aimal Kansi a Pakistani national but an American citizen who was accused of having opened fire on the CIA headquarters in Virginia in which two CIA officials were killed. These circles say that in the LeT ceasefire Pakistan may be trying to send a message to the USA, Russia and India that it could order ceasefire if Indo-Pakistan talks were resumed for settling the Kashmir issue. Security experts say that Lashkar-e-Toiba ceasefire may give a respite from suicide attacks as this outfit, being the biggest foreign mercenary-dominated group, has raised a number of suicide squads but if one expects total peace one is mistaken because there are other rebel groups that may not go by LeT declaration. In this context these experts referred to today’s grenade blast in Pulwama chowk in which nine civilians were injured. The state government and other mainstream political parties including the National Conference, have welcomed the unilateral ceasefire. Separatist organisations, especially the Hurriyat Conference have not reacted so far indicating that they do not want to take the risk of annoying LeT leadership by opposing its declaration or being blamed for playing a second fiddle to it if the conglomerate supported it when it had opposed the Hizb ceasefire in July 2000. |
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Govt victimising NC
leaders: Farooq Jammu, December 5 Speaking at a function held here today in connection with the birth anniversary of late Sheikh Abdullah, Dr Farooq Abdullah said the PDP leadership was trying to project the former NC Government as a bunch of corrupt people. In this connection he referred to the government plan to institute an inquiry into the construction of residential house for the Chief Minister, the Director-General Police and other bigwigs in Srinagar and said the coalition government had started castigating “me for having approved Rs 25 crore for raising a Chief Minister’s residence.” He said “the building under construction is not my personal property but official residence of a Chief Minister.” Dr Abdullah said “if I want the coalition government can be toppled within days but I do not want it to happen.” He said he would allow sufficient time for the PDP leadership to prove its worth. He claimed that had he wanted he would not have allowed the PDP to lead the coalition government and added that he “knew” how the PDP won 16 seats in the Assembly. He alleged that the PDP leaders had links with militants and separatists with whose support it won 16 seats. In support of his contention, Dr Abdullah said “I was surprised and intrigued because the places where we could not go with our security cover, the PDP leader would visit those areas without any heavy security cover.” He ridiculed the PDP claim that the new government had given four-hour relief in power shedding. “Let me see from where the Mufti will get money and electricity. I have not been able to get it even being a part of the NDA. He said it was unfortunate that “whatever progress the state achieved during the NC rule is being ignored.” |
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Plan to revive tourism in J&K Jammu, December 5 Sources said the Mufti was not in favour of providing financial aid to the tourism trade, but wanted to take concrete steps to revive tourism which was the backbone of the economy in Kashmir. The ski slopes of Gulmarg will be reintroduced this winter and steps will be taken regarding other areas during the next summer. The Kashmir tourism has got diverted to Himachal Pradesh because of militancy here, but it is believed that it will not be a big problem to revive tourism if terrorism is controlled. Mr Sayeed has taken steps to check unproductive expenditure because of the bad financial position of the state. He has ordered to stop work on the office-cum-residence of the Chief Minister at Srinagar which was being constructed at a cost of Rs 25 crore. Over Rs 1.5 crore have already been spent on the building during the previous National Conference regime. The Kashmir House on the Prithvi Raj road in Delhi, where the Chief Minister resides during his visits to the capital, was being renovated at a cost of Rs 5 crore. The residence of the Director-General of Police at Srinagar was also being built lavishly. There are complaints that the grants for fighting terrorism were diverted to meet other expenditures. Mr Sayeed has urged the Centre to restore 15 per cent free share of power from the Ranjit Sagar project on the Beas. He has also sought a special grant for the construction of the Rs 4,000-crore Bagliar hydroelectric project, on which work has been stopped after the state government invested Rs 1,465 crore. A sum of Rs 150 crore has been sought for meeting the losses on the electricity front. |
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Custodial
death case: PDP promises action Srinagar, December 5 PDP Vice-President Mehbooba Mufti visited the family of Abdul Hamid Wani, who was allegedly tortured to near death in police custody, yesterday to offer her condolences. Accompanied by local MLA Javaid Mustafa Mir, who has pursued the case, Ms Mehbooba also assured the people of Mochu that she would take up the matter with the government for necessary help to the bereaved family since Wani was the sole breadwinner.
PTI |
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Snow in higher reaches
Srinagar, December 5 There was about 1 ft of snowfall at the Zojila Pass on the 434-km long Srinagar-Leh National Highway, which was closed to traffic for six winter months late last month. The slopes at the famous ski resort of Gulmarg and Khilanmarg were covered under a thick blanket of snow when people woke up on Thursday morning. A spokesman for the Snow Avalanche Forecast Office said almost all upper reaches across the valley experienced about 30 to 40 cm of fresh snowfall. He said 38 cm of snowfall was recorded on the higher reaches at Jawahar Tunnel on the 300-km-long Srinagar-Jammu National Highway since Thursday morning. He said there was also report of snowfall at Zojila pass and Sonmarg on the Srinagar-Leh highway. A report said the Amarnath cave in south Kashmir experienced about 1.5 ft of snowfall since Wednesday evening while Sheshnag, Pantherni, Mahaguns and the Pisso top had about 1 ft of fresh snowfall. There was also about half a feet of fresh snowfall on infiltration routes in the northern sector. The border area also recorded fresh snowfall. Srinagar city and the adjoining areas are under the grip of a severe cold wave due to icy-cold winds. UNI
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Indo-Norwegian afforestation plan under way Jammu, December 5 Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed discussed this programme with the Norwegian Ambassador Truls Hanevold here yesterday. The meeting also discussed the Sawalkote Hydel Project. A contract has already been signed with a Norwegian consortium. The state Chief Secretary, Dr S.S. Bloeria, Principal Secretary (Power), Mr B.R. Kundal, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Mr M.I. Khanday and Commissioner/Secretary (Forests), were also present at the meeting.
PTI |
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Brown sugar seized, 2 held Jammu, December 5 The SSP, Poonch, Dr Kamal Saini, said here today that acting on a tip-off, the police raided a readymade garment shop in the town and seized 1 kg of brown sugar from Shoukat Hussain while delivering three packets of brown sugar to the shop owner, Sanjay Kumar. The police arrested Hussain and Sanjay Kumar, while their accomplice managed to escape from the shop. A case under the NDPS Act has been registered.
UNI |
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