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Friday,
May 2, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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PEACE TALKS ‘No change in stance on Pak’ Violent protests against killing of youth
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NC activist killed 2 NC
legislators face action Rain
lashes valley Minibus
operators’ stir hits life
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PEACE TALKS Jammu, May 1 However, there has been no change in the stand of the
APHC leadership since then. When the APHC Chairman, Prof Abdul Gani
Bhat, was reminded of the hope expressed by Mr Vohra, he quipped: “Hopes
can be duped”. In support of his contention that no purpose will
be solved if “we meet India’s point man in Kashmir”, Prof Bhat
said after the ice was broken between the Prime Ministers of India and
Pakistan the relevance of the Vohra mission had been lost. The APHC
chief said: “Both India and Pakistan have their compulsions and
neither side can shy away from talks because New Delhi and Islamabad
have to realise the sensitivity of the problem”. The “Indo-Pak
talks are moving on a higher level and able administrators like Mr
Vohra may not have any role to play”. When asked to comment on the
reason behind several mainstream political parties, including the
Congress, the National Conference, the Awami National Conference and
the CPI, demanding that Mr Vohra should talk to the separatists,
especially the APHC, Prof Bhat said: “I do not know the real
purpose. But I presume that these organisations were trying to absolve
themselves of the possible failure of the Centre in clinching the
issue through the Vohra mission. I am glad that the mainstream
political leaders have realised our relevance as far as the Kashmir
problem is concerned,”. The APHC Chairman did not believe that the rise in the level of violence in Kashmir could stall the Indo-Pak dialogue. He said the acts of violence were not meant to derail the Indo-Pak dialogue process but they were aimed at showing to the world that the problem of Kashmir had not ended with the recent Assembly elections and with the installation of a non-NC government. He
said soon after the Assembly elections the Government of India started
“telling the world that Kashmir has had its first ever free and fair
poll which could end the turmoil”. He said: “Those in the
forefront of ‘jehad’ took it as a challenge and hence they are
keen to convince the world that the ground realities in Kashmir have
not changed with the change of guard in the civil secretariat”. |
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‘No change in stance on Pak’
Srinagar, May 1 “The National Conference has no intention of toppling the coalition government but there are indications that it may not complete its term,” Dr Abdullah, a Rajya Sabha member and patron of the NC said while answering questions in the Radio Kashmir’s phone-in programme broadcast last night. He said circumstances indicated some changes were in the offing and the PDP-led coalition government might not last long. “We do not believe in horse trading or aya ram gaya ram politics, but we will be back,” Dr Abdullah said. He, however, declined to elaborate. Dr Abdullah was grilled by volunteers for his Pakistan bashing, which off late, he had given up. On the change in his stance towards Pakistan after his party’s debacle in the Assembly poll, Dr Abdullah said he had not changed his stance as Pakistan continued to send militants into this side of the border. “Where from do the militants come and where from they bring deadly weapons?,” he said adding, “We have to talk to Islamabad to resolve the issue”. On his suggestion of sending a parliamentary delegation to Pakistan to initiate a dialogue process, Dr Abdullah said he never suggested that he be involved in the group. “We wish a parliamentary delegation on a non-governmental level should visit Pakistan,” Dr Abdullah said clarifying that he never offered himself to lead such a delegation as reported in sections of the media. The former Chief Minister expressed skepticism on Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s recent assurances saying he believed the Centre would not fulfil the promises on employment and other assistance. “We had been promised many times but nothing practical happened,” he said. Taking a dig at the state government, Dr Abdullah alleged the coalition government lived on providing employment to next kin of militancy victims.
UNI, PTI
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Violent protests against killing of youth Srinagar, May 1 The police fired tear gas shells and used batons to chase away agitating residents of the Soiteng locality of Lasjan, who tried to march towards the residence of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed at nearby Nowgam to protest against the killing of Javid Ahmad Magray, a Class XII student, they said. Magray was shot at several times, allegedly by the security forces, when he ventured out of his house late last night to ease himself. He was rushed to the Soura Medical Institute where he succumbed to injuries this afternoon, the sources said. As the news of his killing spread, residents of the locality and adjoining areas assembled at his residence and staged a demonstration, demanding an inquiry into the incident. Later, the protestors decided to march towards the residence of the Chief Minister but were intercepted by the police near the Nowgam bypass. The police asked them to disperse, but they turned down the appeal and tried to break the police cordon, the sources said. The police swung into action using tear gas shells and batons to disperse the protestors, who turned violent and resorted to stone throwing, they said, adding that none was hurt in the clash. PTI
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NC activist killed Jammu, May 1 Despite being injured, the NC leader and sarpanch of Dodi village, Abdul Rashid, overpowered the militant. However, the militant fired at the sarpanch killing him on the spot, the sources said adding that the militant managed to escape. The injured have been hospitalised. In a separate incident, the security forces during search operations, busted a militant hideout in the Surankot area and seized 50 rounds of pikka ammunition, a pistol round, an improvised explosive device (IED) and a primer. SRINAGAR: Two militants and a teenaged boy were killed and four others injured in militancy-related violance in Jammu and Kashmir overnight, official sources said today. The militants were killed in an encounter with the Border Security Force (BSF) at Watlar-Kokernag in Anantnag district last evening, the sources said. In another incident, a teenaged boy was killed and four others were injured in an exchange of fire between militants and the security forces at Sumbler-Bandipora in Baramula district, last evening. The sources said the militants attacked an Army camp in the area, following which the security forces returned fire. A vehicle was caught in the exchange of fire, resulting in the death of the boy and leaving four others injured. The injured included the driver and conductor of the vehicle. PTI
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2 NC
legislators face action Srinagar, May 1 “Yes, we have
taken serious note of the statement issued by the party MLA from
Rafiabad, Mr Mohammad Dilawar Mir, and Khalid Najeeb Suharwardy (Bhaderwah)”,
Dr Abdullah said in a phone-in programme organised by Radio Kashmir,
Srinagar. He said both would have to present themselves before the disciplinary committee of the party. The
two had criticised the party leadership for not playing the role of a
strong Opposition in the state. UNI |
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Rain lashes
valley Srinagar, May 1 The area around Srinagar airport recorded a maximum rainfall of 40.6 mm followed by Kupwara and Srinagar city at 37.7 mm and 35.8 mm, respectively, a Weather Department official said here. South Kashmir has had substantial rainfall since last night with Pahalgam recording 28.8 mm and Awanitpora 22.2 mm. A
medium downpour was recorded on either side of the Pir Panjal range,
dividing the valley from Jammu. PTI
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Minibus
operators’ stir hits life Jammu, May 1 SRINAGAR: More than 8,000 minibuses stayed off the road
as private transporters began an indefinite strike on Thursday to
protest against the downward revision of passenger fares by the
government. UNI, PTI |
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