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Tuesday,
May 6, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Peace
process to be time-consuming: Mufti NEWS ANALYSIS |
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Transport
operators call off stir J&K to
get 265.5 cr for security 4
threaten immolation, detained Probe into plot
allotments
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Peace process to be
time-consuming: Mufti
Srinagar, May 5 Talking to reporters after the reopening of offices here today, the Chief Minister said the peace initiative had vindicated his government’s stand and added that “our point of view had found acceptance all over the country”. He said dialogue between India and Pakistan would be composite and comprehensive. The Chief Minister reached secretariat at 10 a.m. He was presented the guard of honour by a contingent of the Jammu and Kashmir police and received by his ministerial colleagues, senior officers and functionaries of the Civil Secretariat Non-Gazetted Employees Union. The offices which closed in Jammu, winter capital of the state, on April 25, re-opened here today. These includes 34 offices in full and 33 in camps with 3500 employees. Later accompanied by several ministers, Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary (general administration) and Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, the Mufti went round various offices and inspected the functioning of the secretariat. He interacted with the employees and enquired about their boarding and lodging arrangements. On the security scenario, the Chief Minister said that overall situation had improved with the change in the mind set of people. However, some precautionary measures had to be taken by the police in view of fidayeen (suicide) attacks, he said adding he would discuss with the security agencies the possibility of minimising inconvenience to people due to traffic restrictions. Listing his priorities for the current year, he said it would be a year of development. He said all resources would be pooled in to speed up the development work adding that state coffers were not so empty that welfare measures for people could not be taken. He said administration would be further geared up to solve problems confronting people. Meanwhile, tight security arrangements had been made around all sensitive installations including the civil secretariat here as these buildings were soft targets for militant attacks in the past, police sources said. Surveillance in the areas and localities in the vicinity of the secretariat had been stepped up to check for any suspected elements, the sources said adding traffic diversions had been enforced on the routes close to the summer capital. It was for the first time that no separatist or militant organisation had called for a strike on the occasion of state government shifting its base to
Srinagar.  |
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NEWS ANALYSIS Jammu, May 5 In a statement Mr Geelani expressed fears that the way Islamabad had responded to the announcement of the resumption of diplomatic ties by Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee might encourage Pakistan to “dilute its stance and accept the LoC as international border for its national interests.” Sources said fear in the minds of those seeking Kashmir’s incorporation with Pakistan are the result of the changed tone and tenor of the US State Department which has now started replacing the term disputed Kashmir by Indian Kashmir and Pakistani Kashmir. According to these sources, Mr Geelani, known for his pro-Pak leanings, would not have reacted to the positive response from Islamabad to the peace initiative mooted by Delhi had he not been conveyed by those who matter in Washington that the USA was in favour of freezing the Kashmir issue for at least 10 years and for converting the LoC into a soft border to facilitate trade and travel. Mr Geelani also stated that Pakistan could justify its willingness to freeze the Kashmir issue by citing “situation” in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Iran and other Gulf countries. He made it clear that the resumption of diplomatic ties, air, bus and rail services, trade and travel were not going to end “political uncertainty in Kashmir.” He announced that despite the resumption of the bilateral talks the ongoing “jehad” would be carried to its logical conclusion. Though the top leadership of the Hizb-ul Mujahideen and the Tehrik-ul-Mujahideen has welcomed Mr Vajpayee’s peace initiative and Jamali’s positive response it has pleaded for involving representatives of the people of Kashmir in the talks. The Hizb-ul-Mujahideen supremo, Syed Salahuddin, has said only tripartite talks could be meaningful if the Kashmir issue was to be discussed and settled. The Tehrik-ul-Mujahideen chief, Sheikh Abdullah Mubarak, too has called for the settlement of the Kashmir issue. The two made it clear that the resumption of diplomatic ties, trade and travel were a good omen but in case the Kashmir issue was kept under the carpet peace in Kashmir could be a distant dream. What seems to worry the separatist and rebel camps in the Kashmir valley is that they might be forced to close their shop in case Pakistan and India agreed to freeze the Kashmir issue and convert the LoC into a soft border. Reports indicate that once the Indo-Pak talks begin these separatists and rebels may not hesitate in mounting pressure on Islamabad against softening its stand on Kashmir. And those official agencies in Pakistan, which are against freezing the Kashmir issue, may resume their material and moral support to the jehadis, operating in Jammu and Kashmir, to give teeth to their armed
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Transport
operators call off stir Jammu, May 5 The announcement was made by the president of the Private Transporters Association, Mr T.S. Wazir, at a joint meeting of senior civil and police officers, and representatives of the association here this morning. The Deputy Chief Minister thanked the transport operators for calling off their strike and assured them that their demands like waiving off passenger toll and token tax would be discussed at a high-level meeting. Mr Wazir has appealed to the transport operators and minibus operators to start plying their vehicles from today itself and strictly adhere to the revised fare schedule, according to which the passengers shall have to pay Rs 1.50 for a 2-km distance. Mr Sharma hoped that the minibus operators would strictly adhere to the new rate schedule and would not harass commuters. He also complimented the public for its cooperation and regretted the inconvenience caused due to the strike. He, however, made it clear that there would be no compromise with the interests of the people and the government would do everything possible to provide the best transport system to them. The Deputy Chief Minister said various measures were being taken to streamline the transport system. He said route permits would be rationalised and vehicles plying on wrong routes shall have to divert to the original routes. Mr Sharma asked the operators to stop playing videotapes in minibuses and remove black glasses, failing which strict action would be taken against them. Referring to complaints about plying of unauthorised video coaches and other buses, the Deputy Chief Minister said he had directed the RTO and the SSP (Traffic), Jammu, to identify such buses and take appropriate action. |
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J&K to get 265.5 cr for security Jammu, May 5 An official spokes persons said today Rs 2,357.85 crore had been reimbursed to the state by the Centre since 1989 when terrorism started here till past year. Under the SRE, Rs 530.45 crore had been made available to the Jammu and Kashmir Government for the welfare of migrants while Rs 362.79 crore had been released for welfare activities. A sum of Rs 233.23 crore was provided to the state for security-related construction work and related activities while Rs 192 crore was provided for election-related additional SRE. A sum of Rs 872.73 crore was made available to the state as additional expenditure on the police, while Rs 166.65 crore was released as action plan SRE. In 1999, an SRE standing committee under Special Secretary, Jammu and Kashmir Affairs with representatives of the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Home Affairs, state government and state police was created to oversee SRE assistance to the state government, which was primarily in the form of reimbursement of expenditure on approved items. The Central Government was also reimbursing expenditure incurred on special police officers (SPOs) at the rate of Rs 20,000 per SPO per annum, which included cost of honorarium, weapons, equipment and training. Presently, there were more than 23,000 SPOs in the state. Besides, there were nearly 2,300 special SPOs (ex-servicemen), working with Jammu and Kashmir police for whom the Centre also made reimbursements. The Centre had decided that VDCs would be provided with better weaponry. Accordingly, Rs 1.25 crore had since been paid to Assam Rifles towards the supply of 2,500 rifles to Jammu and Kashmir police for the use of VDCs. The Centre also released Rs 20 crore to the state government from the National Defence Fund for the purchase of tants and for providing civic amenities in the camps set up for border migrants at various places. Moreover, for the border area development programme (BADP), Rs 500 crore would be given over the next five years. Half of the amount would be made available directly to district rural development agencies with a focus on economic and infrastructure development programmes in the border and LoC areas and 15 per cent of the funds would be allocated for roads in border/LoC areas to be constructed by the border roads organisation. Under the special debt relief scheme, Rs 297.17 crore had been released to various banks and financial institutions by the Centre to implement the scheme. |
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4 threaten
immolation,
detained Srinagar, May 5 The police detained Abdul Rehman Dar, his daughters Shahzada and Shamima, and human rights activist M.A. Untoo while they were proceeding to the secretariat after addressing a press conference. On April 30, Mr Dar of Dangerpora in Budgam district, alleged that his daughters 17-year-old Shahzada and 12-year-old Shamima, had been abducted by a group. While Shamima was set free after a few days, Shahzada was sexually abused for several months before she escaped. Addressing the press conference, today, he alleged that the police was protecting the culprits as they were working as informers. Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Muzaffar Hussain Beig had assured him that action would be taken against the accused within 48 hours, Mr Dar said. Despite the minister’s assurance the police had not taken action against them, he said. Mr Untoo said they went to meet the Budgam DIG to enquire about the progress made in the case but were told that it would take more time as investigations were still on. The accused had come to the victims’ house and threatened their uncle with dire consequences if the girls did not change their statement, Mr Untoo said. They had ransacked the house and beaten up those present at that time. "We have no choice left but to immolate ourselves to highlight our plight and seek justice," Mr Untoo said.
PTI |
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Probe into plot
allotments Srinagar, May 5 An order in this regard issued here today said the Special Secretary, Housing and Urban Development, Mr Abdul Hameed Wani, had been appointed the fact-finding officer. He would probe allegations of irregular allotments made during the past two years and submit his report within a week. Meanwhile, the allotments made, if any, would remain in
abeyance. |
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J&K offices reopen in
Srinagar
