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Monday,
April 21, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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250 Kashmiri youths in Pakistan jails Farooq for third-party mediation |
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250 Kashmiri youths in Pakistan jails Jammu, April 20 According to reports received here from Muzaffarabad, these youths had crossed over to Pakistan and occupied Kashmir for receiving arms training and were lodged in jails after they raised a voice against the Pakistan Army officials and the trainers in the camps. These reports said that scores of these youths were lodged in jails in the Gilgit, Baltistan and other remote areas. Some among the detained Kashmiris had tried to escape from the arms-training camps which invited the wrath of the Pakistani Army officials. Till date police authorities in Jammu and Kashmir have received reports on the missing of 3500 people during the last over one decade. A senior police officer said that most of those listed in the missing reports were in Pakistan and occupied Kashmir. Some were in the arms-training camps, others were in jails and the remaining had joined separatist groups and rebel outfits. More than 1,000 Kashmiri youths as per the reports, were working as domestic servants in well-to-do Pakistani families. There were several hundreds who had managed to secure jobs in semi-government and private organisations The reports said that some Kashmiri separatist leaders, including Syed Salahuddin, head of the United Jehad Council, Mushtaq Zargar (Lattram), Farooq Rehmani and others have been staying in Pakistan and occupied Kashmir for the past seven to 12 years. The police officer said that there were reports that some of the missing persons in the Kashmir valley had either been killed in encounters with the security forces or had lost lives in inter-rebel group infighting and their bodies had been thrown in some unidentified gorges and ravines. |
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Farooq for third-party mediation Jammu, April 20 Dr Abdullah was talking to the correspondent here today before returning to Srinagar. He welcomed the
gesture of the Prime Minister regarding the offer for a dialogue with Pakistan to settle the Kashmir issue, but suggested that the process should be well planned. Dr Abdullah said the offer of Mr Vajpayee had been reciprocated by Pakistan, which was a good beginning, but added that his only apprehension was that it should not end like the earlier initiatives in Agra and Lahore. Talking about the “healing touch” policy of the Mufti-led coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir, he said it was unfortunate that the nationalist elements were at the mercy of militants. The “healing touch” should not only be for the militants but for the nationalist elements also. He said all of us want the “healing touch” and that the people should return to their homes, but it has to be seen whether the atmosphere was conducive for the purpose. Steps should be taken to strengthen the security environment, he added. Dr Abdullah hoped that the railway project in the Kashmir valley would be completed by 2007 as per the schedule alongwith the four-lanning of the highway between the valley and Jammu. |
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Bunker cave-in kills 3 jawans
Baramula, April 20 |
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