J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Sikh leaders concerned over Musharraf’s utterances
Jammu, October 30
Leaders of various Sikh organisations have expressed concern over the recent utterances of the Pakistan President, Gen Pervez Musharraf, on Kashmir. They said “such ideas could harm the ongoing peace talks between Delhi and Islamabad.

World page:
Flexibility needed to resolve Kashmir issue, says Musharraf

Eight killed in J&K
Srinagar, October 30
Five militants and a Congress activist were among eight persons killed while two Hizbul-Mujahideen militants were arrested in militancy-related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir since last night, a police spokesman said today.

5 die in car-truck collision
Jammu, October 30
Five persons, including two brothers, were killed today after their car collided with a truck at Lakhanpur near Kathua, about 90 km from here, on the Jammu-Pathankot stretch of the national highway.

Sikh leaders concerned over Musharraf’s utterances
Our Correspondent

Jammu, October 30
Leaders of various Sikh organisations have expressed concern over the recent utterances of the Pakistan President, Gen Pervez Musharraf, on Kashmir. They said “such ideas could harm the ongoing peace talks between Delhi and Islamabad.

At a meeting here today, which was presided over by Mr Mohinder Singh, chief organiser, Bhai Kanaya Nishkam Sewa Society, including Mr Jagdev Singh, president, State Akali Dal, Mr Paramjit Singh, president, AISSF, Mr Narbir Singh, president, Youth Akali Dal, Mr Amar Singh, president, Sikh Welfare Society, said “the map of India cannot be changed on the advice of General Musharraf.”

The leaders wanted the people contact grow so that representatives of the people in India and Pakistan could “sort out various differences.”

They said with the enforcement of ceasefire on the border the situation had improved and any “controversial statement by General Musharraf on the Kashmir issue could endanger peace again.”

The Sikh leaders also wanted the Government of India to include refugees from Pakistan and the PoK settled in Jammu, in the talks. They said “The only solution to the Kashmir issue lay in liberating that territory of the state that was under the occupation of Pakistan as more than 8 lakh Hindus and Sikhs had been hounded out by the Pakistani tribals from homes in 1947.”

They also demanded restoration of all fundamental right to these refugees. They said these refugees had neither been given suitable compensation for the immovable assets left at the time of migration nor were granted citizenship rights in Jammu and Kashmir.

Eight killed in J&K

Srinagar, October 30
Five militants and a Congress activist were among eight persons killed while two Hizbul-Mujahideen militants were arrested in militancy-related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir since last night, a police spokesman said today.

The Congress activist and a member of the Gujjar and Bakerwal Advisory Board, Bashir Tiker, and his 12-year-old son Mohammad Akram were killed when militants intruded into their house and opened indiscriminate fire at Mahore in Udhampur district last night, the spokesman said, adding a woman present in the house was seriously injured.

Two militants of the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen outfit, Mushtaq Ahmad alias Bilal and Shakeel Ahmad alias Salam, were killed in an encounter with security forces during search operations at Inshan-Sukhni in Doda district today.

In another encounter in the district, he said security forces shot dead two militants at Deedni village last night and recovered some arms from them.

Security forces killed another militant at Hari Budha in Poonch district yesterday, he said.

He said a civilian Bashir Ahmad Khan was killed and an Army jawan injured in an exchange of fire between militants and security forces at Sumlar in Baramula district today.

Security forces arrested two Hizbul-Mujahideen militants from the Sopore area of Baramula and recovered arms and ammunition from them, the spokesman said.

Security forces also busted a militant hideout established in a migrant house at Palapora in Srinagar and recovered one pistol, two grenades and some ammunition, he said. — PTI

5 die in car-truck collision

Jammu, October 30
Five persons, including two brothers, were killed today after their car collided with a truck at Lakhanpur near Kathua, about 90 km from here, on the Jammu-Pathankot stretch of the national highway.

The police said the car was on its way to Barwal, Kathua, when a truck collided head-on with it. There were five persons in the car and all died on the spot.

Those dead were Kulwant Singh, his brother Balwant Singh, Narinder Khajuria, Vinod Kumar and Balwan Singh, all were residents of Barwal.

The truck driver escaped from the spot, but conductor Feroz Ahmad a resident of Shopian in Kashmir was arrested and the truck was impounded. — UNI