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APHC (Abbas) wants Patil to address core issue Hunt on for new PCC chief Two securitymen among 9 killed Army deployed on Jammu-Srinagar highway |
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Vaishno Devi shrine to have cable ropeway Former Pak soldier,
Bangladeshi held
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APHC (Abbas) wants Patil to address core issue Jammu, May 24 According to the APHC chairman, Molvi Abbas Ansari, “The discussion, that took place with a former Deputy Prime Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, during two rounds has been recorded by bureaucrats, who were present at the meetings.” He told this correspondent today that “I welcome Mr Patil’s commitment to continue the dialogue with us, but we want him to study the minutes of the two meetings we had with Mr Advani so that when we meet him, we can straightaway discuss the Kashmir problem.” “We should not waste time. We need to address the core issue and find a solution to it,” he said. Mr Ansari, meanwhile, confirmed that there had been no response from the Jamait-e-Islami, the JKLF and the Peoples League to “my offer of stepping down from the post of chairman of the amalgam in the interests of unity among separatists.” The Jamait-e-Islami, the JKLF and the Peoples
League, which had their representatives in the executive committee of the undivided APHC, quit the conglomerate after Syed Ali Shah Geelani objected to the election of Molvi Ansari as the chairman. Mr Ansari said, “I have thrown the ball in their court. I have given them a month’s time and so far there has been no word from my
erstwhile colleagues.” Mr Ansari, who still has a year and two months to go as chairman, offered to step down when he found that efforts made by Molvi Umar Farooq, members of the Kashmir Bar Association, the JKLF chief, Mohammed. Yasin Mailk, and Mr Shabir Ahmed Shah, president, Jammu Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party, for bringing about reconciliation between the two APHC factions failed. He said in case his offer to quit was accepted and the JKLF, the Jamait-e-Islami and the Peoples League returned to “our fold, I will hand over the charge to Molvi Umar Farooq, who had headed the 25-member conglomerate when it was formed eight years ago.” The new chairman would be elected in July, 2005, he said. He said he wanted the separatists to unite so that those who represented the “aspirations of people of Kashmir” participated in the talks with the Centre. |
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Hunt on for new PCC chief Jammu, May 24 The names of Mr Saifuddin Soz and Mr Peerzada Sayed, Minister for Rural Development, are being mentioned for the post. Ms Sonia Gandhi, Congress President, was not in a hurry to remove Mr Azad who is credited with the victory of the party in Jammu and Kashmir and Andhara Pradesh. Moreover, it would not be an easy task to hunt a new PCC chief because of sharp groupism in the party. Although Mr Azad remained busy in Andhra Pradesh for most of the time during the elections, but he maintained his grip over the party affairs in his home state. But now having become a minister at the Centre, it might not be possible for him to control the party through a remote control from Delhi for a long period. Because of his high stature within the organisation, Mr Azad successfully handled the party affairs and there was almost no dissidence here. The earlier party experience when Mr Ghulam Rasool Kar and Mr Shaffi Qureshi were appointed PCC chiefs were bitter. Both of them faced a lot of dissidence as they failed to control the party affairs. Mr Soz , who had toppled the Vajpayee government in 1998 when he was a minister at the Centre, has come closer to Ms Sonia Gandhi after joining the Congress. However, he was not acceptable to a section of the party as he has come from the National Conference. Mr Peerzada Sayed is considered as very close to Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed as a result of which he might not be in a position to oppose the wrong policies of the PDP led by the coalition government, observers point out.
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Two securitymen among 9 killed
Jammu, May 24 Militants barged into the house of one Talibuddin in the Mohra-Sanjot area of Rajouri district last night and killed him and his son Zakir Hussain on the pretext of being informers of security forces, the sources said here. They said militants attributed the killing of their two associates in the same area by Rashtriya Rifle troops on April 30 to information supposedly given by the duo. In another incident, two militants entered into the house of Fayaz Hussain in Karyot village of Thanamandi area of Rajouri district last night and killed him. Militants kidnapped constable Tanveer Hussain from Dudasan Bala village in Surankote tehsil and later killed him. The body of the constable was found this morning, they said. The police also recovered sepoy Jagjit Singh’s body in Bhadra Talab in Akhnoor tehsil of Jammu district last evening, they said, adding he may have been killed by militants. Reports from Udhampur district said two civilians were killed when an improvised explosive device planted at Lancha in the Gool-Mahore area exploded around noon yesterday, killing two civilians, identified as Manzoor and Wazir. Two suspected foreign militants were killed in a gunfight with security forces on the outskirts of Srinagar last night, police sources in the city said today. Acting on a specific information, troops of the Rashtriya Rifles and the local police raided the Gutlibagh area in Ganderbal to flush out the hiding militants. The ultras opened fire and in the ensuing gunbattle two unidentified militants, believed to be foreigners, were killed. Two AK assault rifles, 43 magazines and three pouches were seized. Security forces, guarding the Line of Control (LoC) in the Khour border belt of Jammu district, arrested one former Pakistani soldier identified as Mohmmad Anwar while moving suspiciously near an Indian forward post last night, the sources said. A military pension book (number 520704), Rs 64 in Pakistani currency, a cigarette packet, matchbox and two tablets were found on Anwar, a son of Nawab Din of Deware village of Sialkot district. He was later handed over to the police. A Bangldeshi national, Shah Alam, was also arrested near the border in Jammu district when he was trying to cross over to Pakistan early today, they said. One Bangladeshi woman, who was trying to cross over to Pakistan, was arrested in the R.S. Pura area early today, they added. Security forces destroyed three hideouts in Gulathi, Samhor and Mendhar areas of Poonch district early today, two hideouts in Sangla and Morcha Bachie areas of Surankote district and Bharat Gala and Harnote in Rajouri district and seized huge quantities of arms and ammunition, they added. — PTI
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Army deployed on Jammu-Srinagar highway Jammu, May 24 Troops were deployed on the highway this morning. Besides, the rush of tourists to the Kashmir valley and the holy shrine of Vaishno Devi was picking up these days due to summer vacation. Army vehicles fitted with communication systems have been stationed at several places on the highway. The checking points near Udhampur, Kud, Ramban, Banihal and both sides of the Jawahar Tunnel have been further strengthened. Yesterday’s landmine blast has raised several questions about the safety of motorists. The traffic on the highway is allowed to proceed in either direction from Jammu and Srinagar in the morning only after a road clearance report comes from the security forces. But the culvert under which the remote-control IED was fitted appears to have gone unnoticed by the patrol yesterday. It is also being said the ultras might have fitted the IED after the road clearance party had proceeded. Meanwhile, the Army has also set up pickets on the 100 km Jammu-Pathankot highway and at some places they were checking each and every vehicle. |
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Vaishno Devi shrine to have cable ropeway
Katra (Jammu), May 24 “The Vaishno Devi will have two new tracks, one for incoming and another for outgoing devotees to make the journey comfortable,” Additional Chief Executive Officer, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB), Rohit Kansal told PTI here today. With two new tracks to cave shrine, the rush of the pilgrims would increase, Mr Kansal said adding at present there was only one track. This one track has become conjested since it was being used by incoming and outgoing pilgrims, horses and ponyriders, he said. Besides this, a passenger ropeway between Bhawan and Bhairon temple measuring 450 metres will be constructed at the shrine for Rs 18 crore, he said. An all-weather material ropeway between Katra (Seri) to Himkoti would also be constructed soon, he said adding the Shrine Board was also take up remodelling of the Bhawan complex. To add to the beauty of the Himkoti an ice temple with an aesthetic and ecofriendly environment would be set up, he said. This ice temple would be the first of its kind in the world and will be in the form of snow dome to portray mythological depictions of gods and goddesses, he said. The Shrine Board will also set up a Gurukul Kendra and spiritual growth centre which would include a museum, library and an amphitheatre, Mr Kansal said. The Shrine Board has also diversified the range of souvenir items which will include ashta dhatu idols of goddess, key chains and caps, he said. — PTI
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Former Pak soldier,
Bangladeshi held Jammu, May 24 Sources said, a military pension book (number 520704), Rs 64 in Pakistani currency etc were recovered from his possession. He belongs to Deware village of Sialkot district. He was later, handed over to the police. A Bangladeshi national identified as Shah Alam was also arrested near the International Border here, when he was trying to cross over to Pakistan today, they said.
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