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Saturday,
March 29, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Rift in
APHC after Dar’s killing Hurriyat,
DFP welcome US offer Governor’s
rule ruled out Jammu to
have two satellite townships |
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Transport
strike hits life Buddhist
philosophy need of hour: Beig Jawan
killed in ultras’ attack Two boys
drown in Tawi
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Rift in APHC after Dar’s killing Jammu, March 28 While in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir supporters of Dar have set up a separate outfit for challenging the leadership of Syed Salahuddin, Hizb Chief, in the Kashmir valley the APHC failed to reach unanimity on the condemnation of the killing of Abdul Majid Dar. Leaders of only two Hurriyat constituents, the Peoples'
Conference and the Peoples’ Democratic Front, visited Dar’s house to mourn his death. Two other constituent leaders, Molvi Umar Farooq and Khalil Ahmed issued statements condemning Dar’s killing The silence of the 23-party analgam over the killing of Majid Dar was exploited by the Democratic Freedom Party Chief, Mr Shabir Ahmed Shah. Addressing mourners in the village house of Dar Shah berated the APHC leaders for what he termed adopting a dual policy. He said the APHC leaders remained silent because Dar had been dubbed an agent of India for having declared unilateral ceasefire. He said Dar had consulted Hurriyat leaders days before the announcement of ceasefire two years ago. And when the United Jehad Council, headed by Syed Salahuddin, rejected it and expelled Dar the Hurriyat leaders were too scared to own the responsibility. The scare was so much evident that they did not dare to travel to Dar’s place to be with the members of his family at the time of bereavement. Mr Shah said these very leaders, who kept their eyes and ears shut during the killing, were present when Dar’s two daughters were engaged a fortnight ago. Kashmir experts are of opinion that even if Dar’s killing gave a setback to the peace process which he had initiated it has further cemented the rift between his supporters, on both sides of the LoC, and his opponents. Even Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, has admitted that Dar’s elimination “has given a setback to the peace process.” According to Kashmir experts, it depended on Pakistan and its official agencies to decide whether they wanted to cultivate pro-Dar activists in the Hizbul Mujahiddeen or continue to give patronage to the group led by Syeed Salahuddin. Without moral and material assistance from across the border the pro-Dar faction in the Hizbul Mujahideen may not be able to cut much ice in Kashmir. It has not been able to do so in the past two years and the agencies across the border preferred to provide financial and moral aid to the Lashkar-e-Toiba and the Jash-e-Mohammad activists despite the fact that Dar had started inflating the ranks of his supporters. It was the result of scare of losing goodwill of Pakistani agencies that the burial ceremony of Dar was not as much well attended as expected. |
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Hurriyat, DFP welcome
US offer Srinagar, March 28 “It is a very positive step. US mediation in resolving the Kashmir issue will be of great help,” senior Hurriyat Conference leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said. However, Mirwaiz was critical of Washington and London for waging an “unjust” war on Iraq. But he was quick to add that the two issues could not be talked about in the same breath. “We cannot compare the war on Iraq and the Kashmir dispute but the USA and the UK should put an end to the brutal carnage they have unleashed on innocent people of Iraq,” he
said. Shabir Ahmad Shah, welcoming the statement, said it had been an established fact now that only a dialogue could resolve conflicts and disputes. “Though the USA and the UK are involved in a war on Iraq, we welcome the statement issued by their Foreign Secretaries. It is a move in the positive direction,” Mr Shah said. “The USA involvement in Kashmir issue can lead to a long-lasting and durable peace in the subcontinent.”
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Governor’s rule ruled out Jammu, March 28 The demand for the dismissal of the Mufti led government was made by several political organisations, including the Panun Kashmir, all State Kashmiri Pandit Conference and the Panun Kashmir Movement soon after the massacre of 24 Pandits in Pulwama district. These organisations had held the coalition government responsible for escalation in incidents of militancy related violence because the government had adopted a “soft policy” towards the separatist which Mufti Mohd Sayeed has denied vehemently. Official sources said the centre refused to pay heed to the demand for the dismissal of the Mufti led government on account of apprehensions that such a step could shake the faith of people in the democratic traditions. Even in his latest report to the Centre the Governor, Mr
G.C. Saxena, is said to have opposed any move to place the state under the central rule. Reliable reports said the Governor suggested the revamp of the security grid with stress on checking infiltration from across the border. The Congress leadership, which is a partner in the coalition, had at one stage, felt embarrassed with the escalation of violence but it has come to the conclusion that since 75 per cent guntoting youths operating in the state are mercenaries adequate steps are needed to check the ingress. In addition, the congress leadership has blamed the NDA government for not providing additional forces in the state for carrying out massive operations against the militants. The Centre has suggested to the Chief Minister to stop sending wrong signals to separatists by announcing that all those who had been detained in various jails without serious charges would be released. Also he should not repeatedly lay emphasis on giving weightage to “boli instead of
goli” as such announcements were being construed by the separatists as a climb down by the government thereby giving encouragement to the militants. The Chief Minister is said to have conveyed to the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister that the Pulwana massacre and earlier incidents were engineered by agencies from across the border simply to destabilise peace in the state. He also informed the Centre that since his policies had started yielding results in the shape of widening the distance between common people and the militants, besides the separatists, the agencies across the border directed the rebels to step up violence in order to create scare among people forcing them to support their armed struggle. |
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Jammu to have two satellite townships Jammu, March 28 “Two satellite townships at Majeen and Rangoore and a residential colony at Tarore on the outskirts of Jammu city will be developed at an estimated cost of Rs 17 crore”, Mr Ghulam Mir said. The townships would be spread over 1,700 kanals while the colony would come up over 4,000 kanals, he said. A decision to this effect was taken at the 62nd Board of Directors meeting of the Jammu Development Authority held here yesterday under the chairmanship of Mr Ghulam Mir. He said the authority had decided to regularise the Christian basti, Paloura, Bathendi, Gujjar Nagar and Toph Sherkhanna along with 18 other unauthorised colonies. Regarding the problem of traffic jams in the old city, Mr Ghulam Mir said the JDA had decided to shift the bus stand for inter-state transport to Transport Nagar where separate terminals would be constructed for vehicles coming from Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Delhi. As many as 130 residential units would be completed at Khanpora by next month, while the construction of 150 dwelling units would start at Qasim Nagar soon, he said.
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Transport
strike hits life Jammu, March 28 No local buses, matadors, auto-rickshaws and inter-state buses were seen on the road. This is for the first time after many years that a complete strike of the transport services has been observed. The authorities failed to make adequate alternative arrangements for passengers, particularly those reaching here by train. People carrying their belongings were seen on the long route from the railway station to the city. The call for the strike was given jointly by the local transport unions. Their leaders said that the prices of diesel and petrol had increased many times this year, but the transport fares had not been hiked by the government. The government had made arrangements for carrying its employees to offices in buses of the transport corporation, but students, private employees and other commuters had to walk long distances to reach their destinations. Last evening’s efforts of the Deputy Chief Minister, Mr Mangat Ram Sharma, who holds the Transport portfolio, to make the transporters withdraw the call for the strike failed. Meanwhile, it is learnt that the authorities have indicated to the transporters that the fares will be hiked and they should avoid going on strike again. |
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Buddhist
philosophy need of hour: Beig Jammu, March 28 Speaking at the second annual conference of Indian Society for Buddhist Studies organised by the Department of Buddhist Studies, University of Jammu here, the minister related the importance of Buddhist philosophy of non-violence with the need for preserving the identity and cultural heritage of Kashmir in the context of the Nadimarg massacre. Mr Beig said he was shocked at the massacre of innocents at Nadimarg especially two children. “How can any religion preach such barbarism,” he said, adding humanity would never pardon such ruthless acts of violence. The only silver-lining in this tragedy, Mr Beig said was the anguish and anger of thousands of Muslims of the area who stood by the Pandits in their hour of grief. He urged the media to exercise restraint and not over play such incidents. Mr Beig expressed the hope that the deliberations at the two-day conference would provide a platform to go for an introspection and ponder over the challenges facing the world. |
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Jawan killed
in ultras’ attack Srinagar, March 28 The militants fired the rocket and opened indiscriminate fire on the camp at Wagad village in Tral belt of Pulwama wounding six soldiers, the sources said. The injured have been admitted to hospital where one of them identified as Sepoy Santosh Umar succumbed to his wounds, they
said. PTI |
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Two boys drown in Tawi Jammu, March 28 The boys were sons of the Indian Air Force officials and were playing when the incident occurred in the Baba Pahar Devta area. The bodies were fished out, and later after the post-mortem examination handed over to the families.
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