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Wednesday,
June 25, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Militants poison girl to death Pak ultras spreading AIDS in J&K
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Mufti suggests soft border Clear-cut policy lacking on Kashmir:
Mulayam Leaders leaving APHC to be dubbed ‘traitors’
Canadian High Commissioner to
India Peter Sutherland (R) and Kashmir University Vice-Chancellor Jalees Ahmad Khan
Tareen release the book 'Over Canada', in
Srinagar on Tuesday. BSF jawan injured in
Pak firing Low-profile campaign by NC Protest over blast by forces Kashmiri likely to be taught from Class IV
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Militants poison girl to death Jammu, June 24 Reports said she was abducted from her house and later killed in the jungle. Further details were awaited. The police rushed to the remote village. This is third such incident in the past two days in the border area of the Jammu division. A Pakistani terrorist was killed in the Kalakote area of Rajouri in an encounter with BSF personnel. A rifle was recovered from him. In another incident, BSF men shot dead a Pakistani intruder in the Allah Mai di Kothi area of Akhnoor. His body was later recovered from a minefield. Three security personnel were injured when militants detonated an improvised explosive device planted near the body of a woman slaughtered by them in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir. Militants abducted Naseema Begum and slaughtered her in the Thanamandi mountain hamlet last night, official sources said here today. They threw the mutilated body on the roadside and planted two powerful IEDs near it, the sources said. As the security personnel assembled near the body, militants detonated an IED around 11.30 am, injuring three of them. The second IED was recovered from near the body and defused, the sources said. The sources said this was probably the first incident of its kind in the Jammu Division. Such incidents were earlier reported from Kashmir. Security forces raided militant hideouts in the Dhrahal and Surankote areas of Rajouri and Poonch districts late last night and seized huge quantities of arms and ammunition, an Army spokesman said. Acting on a tip-off, security forces raided the militant hideouts and seized one five-KVS stabiliser, two IED remote control batteries, two switches, five kg PEK, one kg TNT, four anti-tank grenades M-60, one round 84 mm HE, one radio set, three IEDs and 1220 kg of rations, he said. SRINAGAR:
A Junior Commissioned Officer belonging to the 19 Rashtriya Rifles was killed in an encounter with militants in the Gagal forest in the Lolab area of Kupwara district last night, sources said. They said a civilian, identified as Mushtaq Ahmad War, was killed and Mohammad Akbar Lone seriously injured when some explosive substance went off in the Wahipora area of Kupwara district this morning. The two civilians were accompanying an Army search party which had raided the village early this morning in search of militants, the sources said, adding that the blast took place when they were digging a piece of land where the Army suspected that ultras had hidden their weapons. The sources said troops of the 13 Rashtriya Rifles killed an unidentified militant in a gunbattle at Katpora village of Sumbal in Baramula district last night. An AK assault rifle, four magazines, 220 rounds and some rifle grenades were recovered from him. Security forces cordoned off Batpora village of Chadoora in Badgam district of central Kashmir today and launched house-to-house searches to nab suspected militants hiding in the village. Militants and security forces exchanged fire in Tral in Pulwama district last evening, during which Ali Mohammad was injured. Security forces unearthed a militant hideout at Worposh Ganderal and seized a large cache of arms and ammunition, which included one secrecy device, one wireless set, one hand dynamo manual, one keyboard, one handset assemble, one long-distance transmission antenna, one lead long antenna, seven other leads, two battery chargers, one assault rifle, one UBGL, three UBGL grenades, three magazines and 100 rounds of ammunition. |
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Pak ultras spreading AIDS in J&K Jammu, June 24 According to Army sources, the reply is in affirmative as Army doctors have come across a number of patients carrying symptoms of the virus. A senior officer told TNS that there was a sudden spurt of the HIV cases in the rural areas of Rajouri and Poonch districts. The Army doctors, who have been organising medical camps in these areas, got suspicious when they found that the immune system in some patients had broken and the medicines being given to them were proving ineffective. Further investigations confirmed that these patients were suffering from the HIV. At least nine young girls suspected to be carrying the HIV were detected recently. The number of males carrying the dreaded disease was much more, the sources said. Reports have been received from time to time of the terrorists exploiting young girls in the border areas in the name of religion and
“jehad”. Reports of the terrorists sexually exploiting some school-going boys in the border areas have also been received. At least two boys were rescued during a recent Army operation in the Hillkaka area bordering the Pakistan -occupied-Kashmir (PoK). The Army has also reportedly come across some terrorists involved in criminal activities in Pakistan and were got released from the prison by the ISI and sent to Jammu and Kashmir for militant activities on the assurance that their sentence will be condoned when they return after accomplishing the assigned task. |
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Mufti suggests soft border Srinagar, June 24 “Free movement of people across the border is imperative to ensure greater public interaction and lessening of tension,” he said and suggested the softening of border to allow people to travel freely. He was speaking at a function organised by the J and K chapter of the India Institute of Public Administration in connection with the release of a book” The Dying Terrorism, Ballot Defeated Bullet in Jammu and Kashmir”. Terming the last Assembly elections as historic, he said people voted for good governance and not for solution to the Kashmir problem. “They (people) voted for good governance and redressal of their socio-economic problems and didn’t participate in the poll for the solution of Kashmir dispute,” he said. The Chief Minister said: “Militancy didn’t erupt on its own in Kashmir. There are some causes, some injustice and we have to address them. However, we have a democratic system and democratic means to address the issue,”. The Mufti said as the issue was not going to be resolved soon, India and Pakistan could not afford to remain hostile to each other. —
PTI |
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Clear-cut policy lacking on Kashmir: Mulayam Srinagar, June 24 “Unfortunately, Kashmir became an international issue after the NDA government invited Pakistan for talks to Agra without any agenda or proper homework,” Mr Yadav told PTI here after a three-day visit to the Kashmir valley. Mr Yadav, who was here as a head of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Petroleum, said Mr Vajpayee and Mr Advani were “directly responsible for internationalising the Kashmir issue” as they did not take the opposition into confidence before entering into dialogue with Pakistan in Agra. Regarding the latest peace moves, he asked “What is the policy on the basis of which these were initiated? What is the agenda the government has formulated to resume talks with Pakistan?” “The PM and his deputy say they will not enter into dialogue with Pakistan unless Islamabad stops cross-border terrorism, but at the same time the PM extends hand of friendship towards Pakistan,” Mr Yadav said. He said Mr Vajpayee enjoyed the backing of Parliament and represented the people of the country but criticised him for his reported statement that he would like to meet Pakistan premier Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, saying the latter was in power only with the blessing of General Pervez Musharraf. “It would be better to talk to the power centre of Pakistan (Musharraf),” Mr Yadav said. On the Uttar Pradesh politics, Mr Yadav said that his party had never tried to topple the Mayawati-led government, saying differences within the ruling coalition were responsible for the crisis it was facing. “We have never tried to topple the government in the state. Rivalry within the coalition is responsible for the crisis facing the government,” he said. He said the latest crisis for the government was triggered by the withdrawal of support by the 14-member Rashtriya Lok Dal led by former Union Minister Ajit Singh. Mr Yadav claimed that the BSP-BJP coalition had been effectively reduced to a minority because of the withdrawal of support by the RLD. He said that democracy had been subverted in Uttar Pradesh and “terrorism of highest order” had been unleashed by the BSP-BJP coalition. About the Ayodhya crisis, Mr Yadav said his party’s principle stand was that court verdict should be honoured or the imbroglio should be resolved through talks. Asked about the possibility of his party fighting next year’s general elections in alliance with the Congress, he said “a good beginning (of cooperation with the Congress) has been made. How long and how far it goes is to be seen.” However, the emergence of a third front was in the best interests of the country, Mr Yadav said. Criticising those who doubt the patriotism of Muslims in the country, Mr Yadav said in the Kargil war, 14 per cent of Indian soldiers killed were Muslims even though they constitute just 2 per cent of the Army. About his detractors’ statements that he won elections only because of the support of minority community, Mr Yadav said he was elected in Uttar Pradesh nine times. “I have won even from Mirpor constituency where Muslims constitute only 2.5 per cent of the voters,” he said. —
PTI |
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Leaders leaving APHC to be dubbed ‘traitors’ Jammu, June 24 Notwithstanding the firm denial by Professor Bhat, the message, APHC sources said, was meant to discourage those members of the general body who were being lured by the Jamait-e-Islami hardliner, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who has been insisting that the People’s Conference, a vital constituent of the APHC, be expelled on a charge of having indirectly participated in the 2002 assembly poll which was a clear violation of the Hurriyat Conference decision. Professor Bhat told this correspondent that his message was not directed against any leader of the conglomerate. “It was meant for all those who are working under the APHC umbrella,” he said. Reports have surfaced indicating that since the APHC leadership has delayed the expulsion of the People’s Conference, Mr Geelani has been toying with the idea of floating a new organisation with the help of some members of the general body of the APHC. So far he has not succeeded as the Hurriyat constituents fear isolation and pecuniary problems once they leave the conglomerate. Mr Geelani has reminded the Hurriyat leadership that the Democratic Freedom Party chief, Mr Shabir Ahmed Shah, was expelled from the conglomerate on a charge of violating the APHC decision by meeting former US Ambassador Frank Wisner. He wants the Executive Committee to adopt the same procedure in respect of the People’s Conference by expelling it from the APHC. According to Professor Bhat, “We cannot take any hasty and wrong step. Hence, a three-member committee, comprising Molvi Umar Farooq, Mohd Yasin Malik and Molvi Abbas Ansari, has been constituted to examine the matter. Once its recommendations and report are finalised, the Executive Committee will discuss the issue and act accordingly.” “I am against any split in the organisation and I want the APHC to grow strong because this is the only conglomerate that represents the aspirations and sentiments of the people of Kashmir,” Professor Bhat said. He added “since Indo-Pak talks are round the corner, it is necessary for the APHC to grow in size and strength so that its leaders are involved in the dialogue.” Asked whether he would repeat his request to Delhi for allowing an APHC team to visit Pakistan for discussing various issues with leaders in the government and those who are heading militant organisations, Professor Bhat said. “There is no need for it because I know the Government of India will not permit us to cross over to Pakistan or occupied Kashmir.” He expressed optimism over Indo-Pak talks taking off in the near future and said “the decks are being cleared for these. |
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Canadian envoy lauds Indo-Pak initiative Srinagar, June 24 “It was a statesman-like initiative by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and there was a positive response from Pakistan. Little by little, with more confidence-building measures, it will lead to a dialogue”, Canadian High Commissioner to India Peter Sutherland told reporters after donating books about his country to Kashmir University here. Asked if New Delhi and Islamabad were just talking about talking, he said, “You cannot have a dialogue without first talking about it. It is a positive beginning.” Mr Sutherland said it was encouraging that Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf was taking steps to rein in the militants and hardliners who were supporting militancy in Jammu and Kashmir. Asked if the international community had set a time-frame for the two South Asian countries, Mr Sutherland replied in negative, saying there was no such thing, but they would like the two countries to start the dialogue process as soon as possible. Mr Sutherland, who was here on his first visit to the valley, said there was a lot of difference between the headlines and the ground situation in Jammu and Kashmir. “Unfortunately, people just read the headlines. There is a lot of difference between them and the situation here”, he said suggesting that it was a possible reason for the lack of foreign tourists visiting the state. Asked if he would recommend his compatriots to visit Kashmir, he said, “We do not advise our people on such a matter. We just suggest that they (should) assess the ground situation before undertaking a journey”. On the rise in hate crimes against people of Arab and Asian origin in the West, he said there might be stray incidents in Canada, but it was not a policy of the government. “We have a large Muslim and
Indo-Canadian population who have contributed well towards the development of our country. We have a minister of Indian origin in Canada. There is no question of discrimination as we are a multi-ethnic country”, the High Commissioner said. —
PTI |
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BSF jawan injured in
Pak firing
Jammu, June 24 Pakistani troops stationed across the international boundary opened heavy and sudden fire from
medium-calibre weapons, targeting the outpost at 1:05 am last night, injuring Head Constable Anil Kumar seriously, the spokesman said. The BSF jawans retaliated and after a brief showdown, the cross-border firing simmered, he said, adding that Kumar had been rushed to a nearby Army health unit. Kumar was the second BSF jawan wounded in Pakistani firing during the past 24 hours as another BSF jawan, Raj Pal, was wounded in Pakistani firing in the Samba sector yesterday. —
UNI |
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Low-profile campaign by NC Pahalgam (Kashmir), June 24 “We are looking at the reasons for our debacle in the last elections and as part of the programme to strengthen the party, we have started a mass contact campaign,” NC provincial president Mehboob Beigh said here. Mr Beigh, who arrived here on Sunday to meet his party workers, said the party was concentrating on Pulwama and Anantnag where the NC lost in 14 out of 15 segments. Mr Beigh was the only winner from NC from the two south Kashmir districts where the party had 14 MLAs in the previous Assembly. “We are concentrating from Pahalgam to Pampore (both seats currently held by the ruling PDP) during this campaign,” he said. Asked why the party had opted for a low-key campaign, the NC leader said, “We are not seeking publicity ... We are looking at our weaknesses and trying to figure out what went wrong.” Asked if the NC was foreseeing a midterm poll in the state, he said he did not see such a possibility, at least, until the parliamentary elections next year. He lambasted the ruling PDP-Congress coalition for failing to deliver on its promises as, he claimed, there had been no end to human rights violations or decrease in violence in the state. —
PTI |
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Protest over blast by forces Baramulla, June 24 About 1,000 persons, mostly women, marched on the streets and blocked the main Bahipora-Handwara road in protest against the security forces who allegedly blasted a house of Mohammad Akbar Lone at Bahipora today. Official sources said one person, Mushtaq Ahmad War, was killed and the house owner was injured. Shops and other business establishments were closed in the village and other adjoining areas in protest. — UNI |
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Kashmiri likely to be taught from Class IV Srinagar, June 24 The Chief Minister asked the Education Department to convene a joint meeting of officers and experts of Kashmiri and other languages to devise mechanism for introducing these languages from the Class IV onwards and develop a curriculum for the purpose. The Cultural Education Wing in the Directorate of Education would monitor the implementation of the decision for introducing these languages. —
UNI |
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