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Tuesday,
July 22, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Mufti for opening
Suchetgarh, Hurriyat chief against US role Omar backs Hurriyat demand for autonomy Panchayat elections in first week of Oct |
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Six militants killed in Surankote Minister accuses SSP of security lapse Hrithik, Sonali
visit Vaishno Devi
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Mufti for opening Suchetgarh, Uri posts Jammu, July 21 The Mufti, who was addressing a public meeting at Banihal in the Doda district yesterday, said that opening of the two border posts would also help remove wrong impression created by Pakistan that “we” in India are captives of security forces. The fact is that we are free and a part of great democracy and opening of these border posts would enlighten people of Pakistan about real things. He said when people are allowed to enter Pakistan from the Wagah border post there should be no objection if such visits were regulated through the Suchetgarh and Uri border posts. He said that he was not asking for the reopening of the Rawalpindi road. He described atmosphere in India and Pakistan as that of reconciliation. Exchange of various delegations and the growing people to people contact in the two countries has raised a hope for peace in the region. He said that the statements of Maoulana Fazalur Rehman, Pakistan’s Senator and leader of the Jamaat Uleema-e-Islam, were encouraging. These show a change of heart which reflects the change of mindset of even hardliners in Pakistan. Exchange of trade delegations and the visit of Pakistan’s little Noor Fatima for her surgery at Bangalore generated a great deal of interest in India. The Mufti said that dialogue was the key to the Kashmir’s problem Congress president, Sonia Gandhi was also in its favour. He referred to the positive statements of the new chief of the All Party Hurriyat Conference and said that everything was in the right direction with the change of mood of the people who had voted for peace and against the gun in the Assembly elections. The Chief Minister said that the government’s multi-pronged strategy to tackle the situation had paid dividends, but the people played major role in this direction. The influx of tourists to Kashmir has supplemented the efforts of the government for the normalisation of the situation. |
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Hurriyat chief against US role Jammu, July 21 According to Chairman of the APHC, Maulvi Abbas Ansari,” the Kashmir issue may not be treated purely as a border problem. It is a human issue of the separation of families.” He told this correspondent today “those who feel that the issue can be settled by distributing territories between India and Pakistan are wrong.” Maulvi Ansari also did not subscribe to the views of Pakistani leadfer, Fazl-Ur-Rehman,that the Simla agreement could be the basis for the fresh talks between Delhi and Islamabad. He said “there is a lacuna in the Simla agreement. It does not define precisely which Kashmir issue,the one held by India or that part under the occupation of Pakistan,has to be discussed and settled.” He said “another lacuna is that there is no time frame for resolving the Kashmir issue under the Simla agreement.” He said “if these two shortcomings were removed dialogue under the Simla Agreement could be ideal.” To a question the APHC chairman said “no doubt I have modified my statement by saying that in case of any problem the USA could mediate between India and Pakistan, I am against any American plan of bringing a road map for the settlement of the Kashmir dispute.” “We do not want American intervention on the pattern its has done in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” he said. He stated that “both India and Pakistan should bank on friendly countries and people Mediation on Kashmir and in this context I have Iran and Nelson Mandela in my mind.” Asked whether the APHC will support the the call of National Conference President, Omar Abdullah,for strengthening his hand while demanding restoration of greater autonomy the Maulvi said “our prime concern is the reunion of families segregated on account of the partition.we want travel facilities to become quite easy so that people could meet one another freely.” He also pleaded for the resumption of the Indo-Pakistan dialogue so that the turmoil in Kashmir and the tension on the LOC was over. |
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Omar backs Hurriyat demand for autonomy Jammu, July 21 Supporting the demand of former Hurriyat Conference chief and Mirwaiz (head priest), Kashmir, Maulvi Omar Farooq, for internal autonomy, he said, “I welcome the bold statement of former Hurriyat chief Moulvi Omar Farooq for internal autonomy for the state.” He urged the Mirwaiz and other Kashmiri leaders to fight unitedly for the restoration of internal autonomy to the state, which is the “only lasting solution to the Kashmir imbroglio”. The Mufti government has failed on all fronts barring raising hollow slogans and making tall promises, he said at public gatherings in Udhampur district. The NC chief said fissures within the ruling alliance had led to indecision and uncertainty in the administration and development works in the far-flung areas had come to a standstill thereby increasing the misery of people. He said due to the incompetence of the present state government, the Baghliar hydroelectric project was running behind schedule by over one and a half years and the Sawalakote hydroelectric project was a non-starter. The complacency of the government would badly affect the economy of the state, he said, adding that his party would raise people’s issues on the floor of the House and shall strive for redressal of their grievances.
— PTI |
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Panchayat elections in first week of Oct Srinagar, July 21 Rural Development Minister, Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed stated this here today, that voters lists would be updated by August 10, a process for which already started on July 18. The final electoral rolls would come out on August 23, he said. He said that the Block Development Councils would be set up in 71 blocks by August and September, where the elections were completed two years ago. The Minister said that District Development Boards would also be constituted in next two months. There are 428 vacancies of sarpanches and 5304 panches in Kashmir, while in Jammu division, there are 65 vacancies of sarpanches and 549 panches. The elections were complete in 70 blocks held by the National Conference government two years ago, while these could not be completed in some areas. There were only four blocks in Kashmir division, where the elections were completed. These include the border areas of Uri, Boniyar and Gurez blocks of Baramula district and Karnah block of Kupwara district, both in the twin districts of north Kashmir. |
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Six militants killed in Surankote Jammu, July 21 Security forces during ‘seek and destroy’ operation eliminated four militants of the Harkat-ul-Jehadi Islami
(HUJI) outfit in the Solian Hari area of Surankote tehsil of Poonch district this afternoon, they said, adding the operation was continuing when the last reports came in. Three AK-56 rifles one Pika gun, besides other arms and ammunition were recovered from the slain militants. One of the killed militants has been identified as
Rasheed. Security forces also smashed two hideouts in Solian area and recovered some arms and ammunition from them. However, the details of the recoveries were awaited, the sources said. Troops manning the LoC foiled a major infiltration attempt when they shot dead one militant in an encounter at Peer Bhadesar in Rajouri district today, the police said. Meanwhile, in Poonch last night a group of terrorists barged into the house of Mohammad Jamir and shot him and his sister Firdous Begum dead and later escaped under the cover of darkness.
— PTI, UNI |
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Minister accuses SSP of security lapse Srinagar, July 21 Maintaining that he would await the report of the inquiry set up by the government, Mr Sayeed told reporters, “I had planned to visit Larnoo village in Kokernag area on July 2, but on the advice of the police officer concerned, I undertook it on July 4.” “I was under the impression that the SSP of the district would accompany me to the village,” Mr Sayeed said, adding that he had later found that the police official was not there. “I came to know that he had left the spot half an hour before my arrival,” Mr Sayeed, who escaped with minor injuries in the attack, said. The SSP of South Kashmir, Mr Munir Khan, was not available for comments. The accusation comes close on the heels of the arrest of seven state police officials for allegedly entering into a criminal conspiracy with militants in the assassination of a former minister, Mushtaq Ahmed Lone.
— PTI |
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Hrithik, Sonali
visit Vaishno Devi Jammu, July 21 Hrithik, accompanied by his wife, and Sonali participated in the special ‘arti’ at the shrine this morning, temple officials said. Actress Sushmita Sen along with her adopted daughter visited the cave shrine in June-end. As many as 13 tinsel stars have paid obeisance at the holy shrine in the past six months.
— PTI |
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