J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Centre’s help sought for restoring peace
Konibal (Pampore),  December 24
The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, here today sought the Centre’s support to his government for the restoration of “peace with dignity through the process of dialogue” with Kashmiris in this trouble-torn border state.

J&K ministry expansion in January likely
Jammu, December 24
The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, will expand his ministry in the first week of January, official sources said today. A coordination committee to oversee the functioning of the PDP-Congress coalition government is also expected to be announced simultaneously, they said.

Bandh observed for ST status
Srinagar, December 24
A bandh was observed at Karnah in Kupwara district of north Kashmir in support of the demand for the grant of Scheduled Tribe status to the area today. Life was paralysed as the shops and business establishments remained closed and traffic was off the road in response to a bandh call given by the local Scheduled Tribe Action Committee.

Centre’s help sought for restoring peace
Tribune News Service

Konibal (Pampore), December 24
The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, here today sought the Centre’s support to his government for the restoration of “peace with dignity through the process of dialogue” with Kashmiris in this trouble-torn border state. He said the basic agenda of the coalition parties of the PDP-Congress coalition government was restoration of peace which could only be achieved through unconditional talks with various Kashmiri groups.

The Chief Minister was addressing a largely attended gathering on the occasion of ‘chautha’ of Abdul Aziz Mir, MLA of the Pampore constituency, who fell to the bullets of an unidentified gunman here on Friday. Paying rich tributes to Abdul Aziz Mir, Mufti Sayeed said certain elements were bent upon “derailing the peace process” in the state by indulging in such heinous crimes like killings that created resentment in the area. Mufti Sayeed assured that those responsible for the killing of Mir would be “identified definitely” and action taken.

Speaking on the occasion that was attended by a large number of men and women of the area, the AICC general secretary and CLP leader, Ghulam Nabi Azad, accompanying the Chief Minister, said the coalition partners — the Congress, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Panthers Party and CPM — in the new government had resolved to provide “honest politics and an honest government” in Jammu and Kashmir, for the people of the state had suffered a lot during the past 13 years of militancy.

Other leaders who attended the fourth-day ceremony included the Housing Minister, Ghulam Hassan Mir, and top PDP leaders, Ms Mehbooba Mufti and Tariq Hameed Qarra.

Mufti Mohammad Sayeed said during his recent visit to the union Capital, he had impressed upon the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, and top leaders of various political parties that it was necessary for the Government of India to hold talks with the Kashmiri leaders for the restoration of peace with dignity and honour in the state. He said the people voted for peace, eradication of rampant corruption and to seek employment, the three major spheres least attended to during the recent years.

Reiterating his government’s policy of providing a healing touch to the suffering people of the state, particularly the Kashmir valley, the Chief Minister said efforts were on to change the circumstances through which the people were passing at present. He remarked, “Our political will is to restore peace with dignity and honour” in Jammu and Kashmir. The Chief Minister assured that his government would ensure restoration of peace, end the corruption and provide employment to the educated youth in the state.

J&K ministry expansion in January likely

Jammu, December 24
The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, will expand his ministry in the first week of January, official sources said today.

A coordination committee to oversee the functioning of the PDP-Congress coalition government is also expected to be announced simultaneously, they said. Ministry expansion, widely expected this month, was delayed as the coalition constituents apparently failed to reach a final agreement on the number of ministerial berths, they said. The talks between Mufti Sayeed and Congress President Sonia Gandhi remained inconclusive earlier this month and they did not meet during the Chief Minister’s visit to Delhi last weekend.

The strength of the two-tier ministry is likely to be raised from nine to 28. The Congress, the largest coalition partner with 20 MLAs, has three ministers, including the Deputy Chief Minister, at present, and was expected to get a major share in the expansion, the sources said.

The Ladakh Union Territory Front, which has a Minister of State, is demanding a cabinet berth so as to have “a say in cabinet decisions”.

Speculation is rife that the CPM, a coalition partner which has so far remained out of the government, will also join it with the inclusion of its state secretary M.Y. Tarigami.

The representation of the four-member Panthers Party, having one minister, is likely to be raised to two.

A coordination committee of the coalition partners is also to be announced along with cabinet expansion.

The formation of the committee to oversee the functioning of the government and ensure the implementation of the common minimum programme was decided by the allies at the time of the sewing up of the coalition.

State Congress chief Ghulam Nabi Azad is all set to head it.

The Congress and the PDP are expected to have two representatives each on it while the other partners will have one nominee each. Many Congress MLAs are vying for ministerial berths and have met Mr Azad after he arrived here yesterday. PTI

Bandh observed for ST status
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, December 24
A bandh was observed at Karnah in Kupwara district of north Kashmir in support of the demand for the grant of Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the area today. Life was paralysed as the shops and business establishments remained closed and traffic was off the road in response to a bandh call given by the local Scheduled Tribe Action Committee.

A spokesman for the committee threatened to take “drastic action” in the near future if the government failed to fulfil the long-standing demand of the local residents. He pointed out that other backward areas, like Gurez in Baramula district and Leh and Kargil areas of the frontier cold desert region of Ladakh, had been granted the ST status.

The spokesman said the Prime Minister had assured of the fulfilment of the demand, where he visited the area in December, 1998.“The Paharis have not been declared STs in spite of the fact that the sections confront similar socio-economic impediments as the Gujjars”, the committee chairman, Haji Manzoor Ahmad, stated, adding that the delay in granting the ST status to the Paharis had led to a sense of alienation among them.