 |
|
Fencing along LoC to continue,
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
India, Pak can’t ignore Kashmiris: Abdul
Bhat SPO, militant among
three killed in valley 5.2 million visit Vaishnodevi
shrine Prisoners to undergo weekly check-up for AIDS
Women embrace each other before leaving
for the Haj pilgrimage, in Srinagar on Wednesday. — Tribune Photo by Amin War HC asks govt to get land vacated
|
|
Fencing along LoC to continue, says
Army Jammu, December 24 Replying to a question whether the infiltration of terrorists had reduced because of the ongoing peace process between India and Pakistan, the GoC-inC said the infiltration had reduced as the mountainous routes were blocked due to snow. The late of infiltration was low during winter in November and December last year also, he added. He said taking advantage of the ceasefire, the Pakistani troops were also repairing their posts along the LoC. General Prasad said the Centre had cleared a proposal to raise seven new battalions of Territorial Army in the state. Three battalions would be deployed in the Kashmir valley and four on the Pir Panjal range, he informed. Earlier, General Prasad interacted with 100 Gujjar and Bakerwal students who returned after visiting various parts of the country. They were taken on the tour by the Army under Operation Sadbhavana. He urged the students to derive benefit from the experience gained from the exposure and to become responsible citizens. |
|
India, Pak can’t ignore Kashmiris: Abdul
Bhat Jammu, December 24 “It is good that India and Pakistan are moving closer. Positive developments keep on taking place as far as easing of the tension between the two neighbours is concerned. But the reality is that neither Delhi nor Islamabad can ignore representatives of Kashmiris while working out a settlement,” said former Chairman of the APHC, Prof Abdul Gani Bhat. Professor Bhat, who is not ready to stomach the viewpoints of those who “doubt our representative character” told this correspondent today that “It is not necessary to contest elections for claiming to represent people. We, at least represent the aspirations of the people of Kashmir.” He said, “Neither Mahatma Gandhi, nor Yasser Arafat, nor Nelson Mandela fought elections and still they represented the people of their countries while securing freedom from the colonisers.” The APHC leader, who headed a three-member team during a detailed interaction with foreign diplomats in Delhi recently, said “In the interest of peace in the region Delhi and Islamabad have to hold parleys with us.” In reply to a question he said, “We have waited for 55 years and we can wait for 15 or 55 days. We are not in hurry. In fact we want talks with us to start soon after the confidence building measures initiated by Delhi and responded favourably by Islamabad reached its logical conclusion.” Professor Bhat made it clear that the events that took place during the past 55 years, particularly during the past 14 years, have convinced all parties to the dispute that Kashmir “has defied a military solution.” “As such dialogue is the best instrument for removing irritants, misgivings and hatred that has soiled the relations between India and Pakistan forcing millions of Kashmiris to face tribulations,” he said. The APHC leader did not want Delhi and Islamabad to “miss the bus this time.” He said, “If the two sides gloated and boasted about their nuclear capabilities they could simply lead to bigger destruction.” |
|
SPO, militant among three killed in valley Srinagar, December 24 SPO Javid Iqbal was killed in an encounter with the militants at Jora top in Doda district while a surrendered militant was injured in an IED blast in the playground of Boys Higher Secondary School at Bhaderwah today. A militant was killed and a jawan was wounded in a fierce encounter at Thanole Reasi, while one Mohammad Azam died in a crossfire incident at Keri in Rajouri district last night. Four persons, including a nine-year-old girl, injured when militants exploded a grenade in a busy market area in the heart of the city today. Militants hurled the grenade on a moving vehicle of security personnel in the Jehangir Chowk area around 4 p.m. but it missed the target and exploded on the road, injuring four pedestrians, official sources said. Nine-year-old Zarak Mehraj, Ghulam Nabi, Mohammad Rafiq and Abdul Rashid were injured in the blast. Militants also hurled a grenade on a CRPF patrol in Pulwama district around 3 p.m. today, but the device failed to explode and was later defused by experts. Last night, militants attacked a police picket with a grenade at Hanjeevera in Baramula district, but no one was injured in the blast, the sources said. A former militant was critically injured today when militants shot at him suspecting that he was an informer of security forces, official sources said here. Motorcycle-borne militants fired several bullets at Adil Magray at Fatehkadal where he was running an electronic goods shop. He was hit by one of the bullets in the abdomen and was hospitalised in a critical condition, they said. Magray, a resident of Zaldagar area in the city, was associated with Islamic Front militant organisation before being arrested. He had started a television repair shop after being released. Meanwhile, encouraged by the ceasefire on the border and decline in the militancy-related incidents in the valley, a joint meeting of common people, officers from the civil administration and security forces was organised to work out a roadmap for the restoration of peace. Major-Gen Satyavir Yadav,
GOC, counter-insurgency force, was the chief guest. — UNI, PTI |
|
5.2 million visit Vaishnodevi shrine Jammu, December 24 It is for the third time in the history of the shrine that the five million mark has been reached. A number of new records have been achieved this year at the holy shrine, the reports said, adding that it was for the first time that over 52.19 lakh devotees paid obeisance at the shrine. The previous highest figure of 52,17,715 was recorded in 2000. In June this year, the holy shrine was visited by 7.40 lakh devotees, which is an all-time record for a single month and in the autumnal "Navratras" this year, a record-breaking pilgrimage of over one lakh devotees was witnessed. The Additional CEO of the Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine Board, Mr Rohit Kansal, felicitated Mr Hira Lal Parekh, who attained the privilege of becoming the record-breaking pilgrim to pay obeisance at the holy shrine. His family would be treated as the shrine board’s guests and given certain privileges, including accommodation and special
darshan. —
PTI |
|
Prisoners to undergo weekly check-up for AIDS Jammu, December 24 This was stated by the Health Minister, Mr Lal Singh, during his visit to the district jail at Kathua yesterday. He said concerted efforts had to be made for controlling the spread of AIDS. He said 10 diagnostic centres were being opened in the far-flung areas to provide specialised medical treatment to the people. The minister said the jail inmates due to their behavioural changes and sociological set up are more prone and vulnerable to infections. He sanctioned Rs 35,000 for the upgradation of the sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic in the jail. |
|
Haj pilgrims leave for Jeddah Srinagar, December 24 “Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and several other leaders were present at the Srinagar airport to see off the 413 Hajis who form the first batch of over 9,000 pilgrims this year, official sources said. “You are going to Baitullah (god’s home) ... pray for the return of peace, success of SAARC Summit and lasting friendship between India and Pakistan,” Mr Sayeed told the pilgrims. The pilgrims arrived at the tourist reception centre before the scheduled time of 7 am and were ferried to the airport in State Road Transport Corporation buses. —
PTI |
|
HC asks govt to get land vacated from Army Srinagar, December 24 On a petition of local farmers, Mr Justice Muzaffar Jan said the occupation of private land by Army at Kareva, Damonda, Wathoora and Kralpora in 1952 for defence purposes without paying any compensation was bad. He directed the government to de-requisition the property from Army. Mr Justice Jan said an order of requisition could not continue indefinitely and its continuation for 30 years or more was unreasonable. However, a defence spokesman here said he was not aware of the
judgment. —
PTI |
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | National Capital | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
(
