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Monday,
March 24, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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J&K civic poll postponed NC revamp on the cards Majid Dar shot dead Languages should not divide people: minister |
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Copter service for Amarnath pilgrims soon JSC to review cases of detainees 2 women killed in Pak shelling First pvt studio in Jammu
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J&K civic poll postponed Jammu, March 23 These elections were earlier proposed to be held in April, but now these might take place sometime towards the end of the year. The coalition partners of the PDP are worried over the negative reaction which the demolition drive of the Mufti has evoked, particularly among the poor and small business community. There is an undercurrent against the government and holding the elections at this moment would mean giving the Jammu Municipal Corporation to the BJP on a platter, a Congress legislator told TNS. The municipal council here was recently upgraded as a municipal corporation. The elections for the municipal council were held about 25 years ago and, thereafter, the BJP-dominated body was suspended and the government appointed its own officers as administrators from time to time. The Congress activists are disappointed as the bulldozers of the government have so far pulled down unauthorised residential and business structures here mostly belonging to the common people, whereas the encroachments in the posh area where the prices of the land are touching the sky have been left untouched. They are also demanding that a fresh delimitation of the 48 municipal wards in the town should be held first and the electoral rolls updated before holding the elections. It is being pointed out that although the government had paid compensation to some businessmen whose shops were acquired way back in the 1960s for widening the road in the heart of the old city, no action has yet been taken and these properties were still in the hands of the influential traders. The opposition parties have succeeded in creating an impression that the bulldozer of the government was operating only in areas where uninfluential people reside. The issue of demolition was also raised at a recent meeting of the coordination committee of the coalition partners headed by Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad. The Panthers party, which has two ministers in the government, is worried over its prospects, particularly in Udhampur district, because there is lot of resentment against the demolitions in the Udhampur town which has a municipal council.
Mufti’s dilemma on
shuffling bureaucrats The coalition partners are also disappointed over the “failure” of the Mufti to “shunt out” the bureaucrats and officers who are still considered loyal to the previous National Conference regime. Almost five months have passed and hardly any senior officer has been touched, except a cosmetic reshuffle at the Secretariat level. Not only the coalition partners, but some leaders of the PDP have also been targeting the Director-General of Police, Mr A.K. Suri, who they claim was a confidant of Dr Farooq Abdullah. Some bureaucrats, who were considered as members of the kitchen Cabinet of Dr Abdullah have gradually started enjoying the same status in the Mufti government, it is being alleged. However, those close to the Mufti claim that with the NC having ruled the state for 27 years, the Chief Minister has very limited options over the choice of officers because during the period, sympathisers of the Abdullahs in large numbers were recruited for government jobs and they are dominating the administration. The Mufti was trying to get about nine IAS officers repatriated from Central deputation, but it is learnt that they are reluctant to return.
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NC revamp on the cards Jammu, March 23 Soon after the poll results were announced in October, in which the NC emerged the largest single party in the state with 28 seats, Mr Omar Abdullah had initiated his plan of carrying out major changes in the organisational set up. However, party sources said the General Secretary, Sheikh Nazir Ahmed, forced him to delay the plan on one pretext or the other. According to the sources, right from the allotment of ticket to the candidates to the formation of the government by the PDP and the Congress the NC has been gripped by internal dissensions. A large number of senior party leaders, some of them having worked with Sheikh Abdullah, remained loyal to Dr Farooq Abdullah as they feared that if Mr Omar Abdullah was given a free hand his axe may fall on them also. There is a slight improvement in the situation after Dr Abdullah remained away from the state for a long period. Even during the current critical period for the party Dr Abdullah has preferred watching the World Cup — 2003 in Johannesburg to sorting out organisational problems in the party. Hence many senior party leaders have started changing their loyalty from Dr Abdullah to his son. Mr Omar has been satisfied with the performance of the party MLAs during the ongoing Budget session of the Assembly and he is said to have appreciated three former ministers — Mr Abdul Rahim Rather, Mr Ali Mohammad Sagar and Mr Mohiuddin Shah — besides Mr Dilawar Mir, Mr Mubarik Gul, Dr Mehboob Beg, Mr Ajay Sadbotra and Mian Altaf. Inside reports said Mr Omar may not accept any further dilly-dally tactics being adopted by Sheikh Nazir Ahmed who had suggested to the party president that revamping of the
organisation be carried out after seeking approval of Dr Abdullah. The reports said Omar has plans for installing new office-bearers from the block to the provincial level with a preference for youth leaders. Between October and February leaders were trying to win over some Independent MLAs and the disgruntled legislators belonging to the PDP and the Congress for the purpose of forming the government. The plan has been shelved for two reasons. First, not many legislators were ready to cross the side and when the NC leadership realised that they fell short of the required majority by more than eight MLAs it abandoned the plan. Secondly, it realised that since the wind was not in its favour it should not make any attempt at staking the claim for the government and that too when its candidate had been routed in the recent byelection in the Pampore constituency. The reports said feelers had been sent to the Congress for forming the government with the support of the NC. In such a case the Congress could keep number of its MLAs, who have felt dismayed over their non-inclusion in the council of ministers, in good humour by giving them berth in the Cabinet. But when there was no response from the Congress the NC leadership has decided to play an effective role as the main Opposition party in the Assembly. It is learnt that the plan for revamping the party may be taken in hand after the current Budget session of the state legislature was over by next week. One senior NC leader said: “Within next two to three months you will see major changes in the organisation provided Sheikh Nazir Ahmed did not raise any hurdle.”
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Majid Dar shot dead Srinagar, March 23 Mr K. Rajendra Kumar, IG Police, Kashmir, said the militants entered the house of Dar’s brother, Fayaz Ahmad, in the Noorbagh locality of Sopore on the pretext of meeting Abdul Majid Dar, who was there. When asked about their identity, the youths forced their entry into the house and indiscriminately fired on the inmates at about 12.30 p.m. Abdul Majid Dar died on the spot while his mother, Shah Begum, and sister, Rehana, were injured in the shootout. They have been shifted to hospital. The assailants fled from the place after the shootout. It is believed that the killing was as the result of inter-group rivalry, for Dar was known for his pro-peace and pro-dialogue approach. This, according to reports, was resented by the ISI and hardline supporters of Syed Salahuddin. Dar, according to reports, was recently asked by his supporters to visit Pakistan and take over the reigns of the outfit from Syed Salahuddin. His Pakistan visit, according to police sources, would affect the approach of hardliners within the group, which led to his elimination. Abdul Majid Dar, as operational chief of the Hizbul Mujahideen, had on July 24, 2000, announced a unilateral ceasefire for three months to facilitate the restoration of peace in Jammu and Kashmir and the initiation of dialogue with the Government of India. This was followed by a meeting on August 3 between the then Union Home Secretary, Mr Kamal Pandey, and senior commanders of the Hizbul Mujahideen led by chief negotiator, Mr Fazal Haq Qureshi, nominated by the operational chief, Abdul Majid Dar. The ceasefire, however, was withdrawn, much before the stipulated time of three months. The former operational chief was replaced by Saif-ul-Islam last year, even as Dar had claimed that he continued to be the chief. His top lieutenant, Farooq Ahmad Mircha, was also reportedly killed in the intergroup rivalry in north Kashmir last year. Elsewhere, at least five persons, including three militants, were killed in separate incidents across Kashmir valley since yesterday. Two militants of the Hizbul Mujahideen of the Peer Panchal range, were killed in an encounter with security forces at Gangda Akhal in the Kulgam area of Anantnag district today. They have been identified as Sharief Ahmad Tantray, alias Jafer, and Liaqat Ali Bhat, alias Khalid, both from the Banihal area of Doda district. A foreign militant was killed in an encounter with security forces at Warpora in the Handwara area of Kupwara district in north Kashmir. Unidentified militants shot dead a police constable, Zaheer Abbas, in the Lal Chowk area yesterday. A civilian, Mukhtar Ahmad Khan, was shot dead by unidentified militants in Anantnag yesterday. |
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Languages should not divide people: minister Jammu, March 23 Inaugurating a one-day Punjabi conference organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Punjabi Sahit Sangam in collaboration with the North Zone, Cultural Centre, Patiala and the J and K Cultural Akademi here yesterday, the minister said in the era of information technology, when the whole world was coming closer, some vested interests were using language and religion for petty interests. Mr H.S. Rehbar, president, Sahit Sangam, in his welcome address, said great poets and authors had always emphasised that language nourished civilisation and inspired great revolutions. |
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Infiltration declines in J&K: Vij Srinagar, March 23 Talking to mediapersons at the old airport here before leaving for New Delhi after his three-day visit to Kashmir, General Vij pointed out that cross-border firing was also continuing in some areas. He said shelling in the Karnah sector of Kupwara district in north Kashmir during the past couple of days was because of the ‘frustration and helplessness’ of the troops on the other side of the border. He said, however, ‘no noticeable activity’ (infiltration) was found in the area. General Vij claimed that counter-infiltration operations, anti-infiltration surveillance devices and prevailing weather conditions along the high mountains were responsible for the decline in the infiltration. In reply to a question on the declining number of contacts between the militants and the security forces operating in Kashmir, the Army chief said there was no change in Pakistan’s policy but opined that it was weakness on the part of militants and increase in counter-terrorist operations. In this connection he also referred to the killing of a top Hizbul Mujahideen commander in south Kashmir today. The Army chief stated that some schemes had been worked out to increase the number of officers, which also included an increase in number of women officers. General Vij said response was encouraging and the process of filling the gaps would be over within a couple of years. Earlier in his opening remarks, the General said the troops engaged in Jammu and Kashmir had taken up three major schemes as part of the ‘healing touch’ programme to assist the state government. Firstly, over 1,700 youths will be recruited in the Army by June. (1,000 of whom will be taken from the Kashmir valley, 500 from the Jammu region and 200 from Doda district). Those willing to join can contact the respective officers in their areas. Secondly, five important bridges at Pahalgam in Anantnag district, Shopian in Pulwana district and Baramula will be constructed this year. Thirdly, a preparatory school for children of the victims of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir will opened in New Delhi with the financial assistance of the Army. After a year’s preparation, these children will be shifted to Army Public Schools, General Vij announced. |
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Copter service for Amarnath pilgrims soon Srinagar, March 23 The state's Aviation Department would operate a helicopter service for pilgrims from Srinagar to the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir, officials said. This was decided at a high-level meeting of the Amarnath Shrine Board, headed by Governor G.C. Saxena, and attended, among others, by Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed and his deputy Mangat Ram Sharma. The introduction of the helicopter service will serve two purposes — to attract more pilgrims and to send a loud and clear message to tourists to visit Kashmir, known as the 'paradise on earth', officials said. The meeting reviewed arrangements for the yatra which will commence on July 12 this year and conclude on raksha bandhan on August 12, they said. Stressing the need for greater coordination between all agencies for a smooth conduct of the pilgrimage, Mr Saxena said the pilgrimage had the potential to contribute Rs 70 crore to Rs 80 crore to the state's economy annually. Forty per cent of the Amarnath pilgrim traffic gets dispersed to various tourist places in the valley and this trend needed to be promoted further, he said.
PTI |
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JSC to review cases of detainees Jammu, March 23 “The cases of 81 detainees, who are not involved in serious offences relating to terror violence in J and K, would be reviewed on March 27 at a JSC meeting, where Joint Secretary, Union Ministry of Home Affairs Rakesh Hooja (Central Representative) will take part,” sources told PTI here today. The 81 cases of detainees include 54 militants and 27 political prisoners, who are currently lodged in different jails across state and also at Jodhpur Central Jail. Seventeen detainees were recommended to the government by the JSC after a review meeting headed by Financial Commissioner (Home) S.D. Singh here on March 5, they said. Based on these recommendations of the screening panel, the PDP-led coalition government revoked the detention orders of 17 detenues, the sources said. The committee was first scheduled to meet on January 18, but due to the cancellation of flights because of fog, central representatives failed to arrive here, they said. Similarly, a review meeting could not take place due to elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. As many as 443 detainees were released by district screening committees and the state screening committee between 1996 and 2002, the sources said. The release of militants and political prisoners, was made one of the main elements of the Common Minimum Programme of the PDP-led coalition government in the state. As many as 827 persons are currently lodged in different jails inside and outside the state, the sources said, adding that these include 606 detained under Public Safety Act (PSA), 168 under POTA and 53 under TADA.
PTI |
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2 women killed in Pak shelling Jammu, March 23 Five civilians, who were injured in different villages of these sector due to shelling, were hospitalised. Indian troops also retaliated and the intermittent shelling between two sides is continuing when the last reports came in, he said. Meanwhile, exchange of fire between the BSF and Pakistani rangers took place at a few places along international border in Jammu district.
PTI |
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First pvt studio in Jammu Jammu, March 23 According to Mr Vikas Dutt, promoter of the studio, two Mumbai-based producers have started shooting at Trishant Centre for Creative Arts. The complex has two studios and adequate space for outdoor shooting. |
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