J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Army Major, 2 jawans killed
Srinagar, September 20
An Army Major and two jawans were among five persons killed in separate incidents in the Kashmir valley since yesterday, while a cash of Rs 36 lakh was looted from the Jammu and Kashmir Bank in Shopian today.

Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road’s reopening in cold storage
Jammu, September 20
When a year ago the PDP-led coalition government ordered putting up milestones between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad, it had envisaged to generate a pro-establishment wave.

 

Kashmiri farmers reaping paddy crop at Shalimar on Monday. Kashmiri women work shoulder-to-shoulder with their male counterparts in farming activities for centuries. — PTI

Cong not to field candidates against PDP
Srinagar, September 20
The Congress has decided not to field its candidates against its alliance partner, the PDP, from the Batamaloo and Pahalgam Assembly constituencies going to by-elections next month, though the move is against the will of a majority of its leaders in Kashmir valley.

Army Major, 2 jawans killed
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 20
An Army Major and two jawans were among five persons killed in separate incidents in the Kashmir valley since yesterday, while a cash of Rs 36 lakh was looted from the Jammu and Kashmir Bank in Shopian today.

The police said five armed militants barged into Jammu and Kashmir Bank, branch of Kachdoora, Shopian, in Pulwama district and looted Rs 36 lakh, this afternoon.

A Major and two jawans were killed in an encounter at Nadihal, Bandipore in Baramula district today. The encounter ensued when the hiding militants opened fire on a search party from the house of Abid Ali Bhat in the village. The troops had cordoned the house and the area on the receipt of a specific information. One Bihari labourer, who was held inside the house was rescued.

In another encounter at Sumlar in the same area, a Pakistani militant of the Jaish-e-Mohammad outfit was killed while a woman sustained injuries during an exchange of fire between militants and the security forces today. The militant was identified as Bukhari Bhai from Gujranwala, Pakistan, from whose possession the security forces recovered one AK rifle, three magazines, a grenade and a wireless set.

Unidentified militants shot dead Mohammad Yusuf Hajam near his house at Goripora, Kangan in Srinagar district this afternoon.

In a major haul, the security forces seized 40 kg of RDX from a militant hideout in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir today, a police spokesman said.

Acting on a specific information, a joint search party of the police and the Army unearthed a militant hideout at Kalmuth nullah in Khelani sector this morning.

The search party also seized four hand grenades, four UBGL grenades, two AK magazines with five rounds, two detonators, two matrix sheets and some ration items from the hideout.

However, no one was arrested during the operation. — PTI

Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road’s reopening in cold storage
M.L. Kak
Our Correspondent

Jammu, September 20
When a year ago the PDP-led coalition government ordered putting up milestones between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad, it had envisaged to generate a pro-establishment wave.

However, the move has failed to enthuse people.

Initially, when the Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed raised the demand, it evoked an interest among the people.

The announcement brought a ray of hope for several hundred divided families on this side of the border. Reopening of the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road could make travel easier for them.

But with time passing by and there being no sign of an early agreement between New Delhi and Islamabad, people seem to have lost interest in the road opening programme.

The initial excitement over the reopening of the Suchetgarh-Sialkot road in Jammu sector is also over.

When the Pakistan Foreign Minister visited Delhi recently, about 50 activists of the Panthers Party, headed by Prof Bhim Singh, staged a demonstration near Suchetgarh demanding the opening of the road linking Jammu with Sialkot.

In fact, the ruling PDP had tried to woo voters during the Lok Sabha poll in the name of reopening of the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road. It organised a peoples’ march to Uri. But it ended in a major controversy with a bomb explosion wrecking the peace march.

Kashmiri separatists, especially the hardliners, have not shown any interest in the plan. Syed Ali Shah Geelani had gone to the extent of opposing the move on the plea that it would place the Kashmir issue into cold storage.

To him, settlement of the Kashmir issue was more important than the reopening of the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road.

Of late, the state government has also adopted a go-slow strategy on the plan of upgrading the border road in Uri.

Except for renovating and reconstructing bridges, the government has not yet implemented its plan of building a four-lane road to the Uri border.

Official sources said the plan could be executed only if the Centre released additional funds or directed the Border Roads Organisation to upgrade the road.

Those who favour reopening of the road argue that travel to Muzaffarabad via Uri, under liberal visa rules, could save time.

Cong not to field candidates against PDP
Ehsan Fazili
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 20
The Congress has decided not to field its candidates against its alliance partner, the PDP, from the Batamaloo and Pahalgam Assembly constituencies going to by-elections next month, though the move is against the will of a majority of its leaders in Kashmir valley.

"We have decided not to field our candidates from the two constituencies," said the Pradesh Congress Committee chief, Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, here today.

He said this decision had been taken "even as some of the district presidents are in favour of contesting" on the pattern of last Lok Sabha elections.

In the last Lok Sabha elections the Congress fielded its veteran leader and former PCC chief Ghulam Rasool Kar from the Baramula constituency, leading to the victory of the opposition candidate of the National Conference.

It will contest from Akhnoor and Basohli that were represented by the party members in the last Assembly elections.

The PDP is also expected not to contest against the Congress from these two constituencies of the Jammu region.

By-elections to four Assembly constituencies — Batamaloo and Pahalgam in Kashmir valley and Basohli and Akhnoor — in Jammu division will take place on October 13.

Of these Batamaloo constituency fell vacant following the death of senior National Conference leader, Ghulam Mohiuddin Shah, while that of Pahalgam fell vacant with the election of PDP leader, Ms Mehbooba Mufti, to the Lok Sabha.

Both the seats of Akhnoor and Basohli in the Jammu region held by Congress members, Lal Singh and Madan Lal Sharma, fell vacant after their election to the Lok Sabha from Udhampur and Jammu constituencies, respectively.

The PCC chief said his party’s decision not to field its candidates came after the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and PDP leader, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, impressed upon the leadership of the alliance partner to this effect.

Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, who is also the Rural Development Minister was talking to mediapersons at his residence.

An executive body meeting of the Congress leaders of Kashmir valley. It was attended by over 40 members. Those included seven district presidents, and a former PCC chief, Ghulam Rasool Kar.

With this there is going to be a direct contest between the PDP chief and Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and opposition National Conference candidate in the Pahalgam constituency. Sources in the ruling PDP have confirmed that the Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed would be its candidate from the south Kashmir constituency.

Another alliance partner, the Panthers Party of Mr Bhim Singh has already clarified that it would not contest from Pahalgam, from where the Chief Minister would contest.

Similarly in the Batamaloo constituency of Srinagar district, there is going to be a tough contest between the ruling PDP and the opposition National Conference candidates.

Though the formal announcement is yet to be made, the PDP has decided to field Tariq Hameed Qarra against Irfan Shah of the NC.

Tariq Hameed Qarra had lost to Ghulam Mohiuddin Shah in the 2002 Assembly elections and will right a direct contest against his son, Irfan Shah.

Sharma to contest as Independent
Our Correspondent

Jammu, September 20
The Congress suffered a setback when Mr Govind Ram Sharma, a former minister who had defected from the National Conference to the Congress six months ago, announced to contest the Akhnoor Assembly byelection as Independent. The Congress had selected Mr Shyam Lal, brother of Mr Madan Lal Sharma, who contested the election to the Lok Sabha, had left the seat vacant. This decision caused resentment among several senior party leaders.

Mr Govind Ram had joined the Congress hoping to get the party ticket and when he found that his name was not considered, he resigned from the Congress to fight the election.

Party sources said that initially the Congress high command was not willing to allot the party ticket to the brother of Mr Madan Lal Sharma, who had won the Akhnoor seat in 2002 Assembly poll, nor to Ms Kanta, wife of Mr Lal Singh, who had bagged the Basholi seat in the previous poll, but the Speaker, Mr Tara Chand, had intervened, assuring the AICC leadership that he would help the two candidates to win the election.