Srinagar, January 17
The Regional Passport Office that was damaged during a militants attack at the indoor stadium here on Sunday has been closed due to heavy damage caused to the building and records.

Disclosing this here today, Mr John Shilish, Passport Officer, said it would take at least three months to retrieve the records damaged in the incident. He said any further decision to resume the functioning of the office would be taken by the higher authorities. The office had suffered similar damage in 1990 and, therefore, shifted to Delhi where it remained till 1994 when it was shifted to Jammu, the winter capital of the state. It resumed functioning here in 1997.

While the exact number of applications for passports in the damaged structure was not readily available, at least 70 passports had suffered heavy damage or completely destroyed that were signed on Saturday. At least, 10,360 passports had been issued during 2004, he said.

The office, housed in a building of the Jammu and Kashmir Youth Services and Sports Council, was damaged in an exchange of fire between the holed-up militants and the security forces after a night-long operation on Sunday morning. Both militants and two security personnel were killed in the operation that ended on Sunday evening. The two militants had forced their entry into the premises of the indoor stadium where the building and a youth hostel were also located.

Replying to questions at a press conference, Mr Shilish said emergency cases for issuance of passports in favour of those belonging to the Kashmir and Ladakh divisions would be handled by the Passport Office at Jammu.

These included the applications of those going abroad for jobs, admissions in educational institutions and for medical reasons. “We are making special arrangements for emergency cases,” he pointed out.

“If every support is available, it can resume work within three months,” Mr Shilish said.

Jammu, January 17
The All-Party Hurriyat Conference and other separatist groups have supported Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s recent statement that people be allowed to travel on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road without any passport and visa.

“Kashmiris meeting their brethern across the LoC should not require any passport and visa,” said Prof Abdul Gani Bhat, former Chairman of the APHC.

He told this correspondent today that “we support the stand taken by General Musharraf because the LoC is not an international border and hence travel on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road should be cleared without introducing any passport or visa system.”

In reply to a question, he said, “Yes, we have been seeking permission from the Government of India, regarding valid travel documents for visiting Pakistan from the LoC.”

Professor Bhat and his fellow travellers did not seem to be enthused by yet another statement of the Union Home Minister, Mr Shivraj Patil, in which he said he would be holding talks with various political leaders and those representing trade, industries and separatist camps.

The APHC leader said, “Let Mr Patil meet traders, vegetable sellers and those connected with the tourist trade and discuss their problems. Let him meet others to discuss the problem of unemployment and power shortage.”

“We have nothing to do with such issues as we are concerned about the peaceful settlement of the Kashmir dispute. And if Mr Patil wants the issue to be resolved, he may hold talks with us. We are not prepared to discuss economic problems with the Union Home Minister,” Prof Bhat said.

He disclosed that the APHC has worked out a solution for resolving the Kashmir issue. “If Mr Patil wants we can dish out it to him,” he said, adding “the same solution has to be conveyed to Islamabad simultaneously.”

Delhi and Islamabad could discuss “our solution first bilaterally and then with the representatives of the people of Kashmir,” he said.

He made it clear that Delhi should understand that traders and mainstream political leaders did not represent the aspirations of the people of Kashmir.

Jammu, January 17
The security has been tightened in and around Central government offices and vital installations throughout the state following indications that the terrorists might continue attacking such establishments around Republic Day.

Militants have targeted the passport and the income tax offices at Srinagar and the security agencies were not leaving anything to chance now.

These attacks resulted in the killing of four terrorists and a couple of paramilitary personnel. Such attacks are nothing new around Republic Day and Independence Day.

The recent attacks were apparently an attempt by militants to catch attention of the world community towards their claim that the status of Jammu and Kashmir was disputed and they did not accept accession of Kashmir to India.

Terrorists have also become active in the Jammu region. They carried out a grenade explosion in the back street of the Raghunath Temple here on Saturday. Nine persons were wounded in the incident.

The police has started frisking suspicious persons besides checking two-wheelers at a number of pickets that have been set up in and around the town. Army personnel were also checking all vehicles coming towards the city from Pathankot and Srinagar sides.

The recent terrorist attacks on Central Government offices in the valley have rung alarm bells for security officials and they were trying to prevent recurrence of such incidents by mobilising additional police personnel.

However, the Army was continuing the withdrawal of troops from the border areas of the state. Another withdrawal of troops would be effected in the Reasi area of Udhampur district tomorrow. Militants have been very active in this area in the past.

Jammu, January 17
The ruling coalition partners including the PDP of Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed, the Congress and the Panthers’ Party, are heading for a friendly contest in the coming local bodies elections that may prove fatal for them.

These coalition partners have fielded their respective candidates on most of the seats, particularly for the Jammu Municipal Corporation, (JMC) as they have so far not reached any seat sharing formula.

None of the coalition partner was in a mood to relent and might make the fight difficult for each other. While PDP and Congress leaders have held a series of meeting to prevent division of votes among themselves, the Panthers’ Party chief, Mr Bhim Singh, was blowing his own trumpet and was set to queer the pitch for the other partners.

There was enthusiasm among the lower level activists of all political parties as the elections for the local bodies were being held after about 17 years and they have found an opportunity to try their luck this time. Moreover, the election for the Jammu and Srinagar municipal corporations was being held for the first time as these have been upgraded from the status of municipal council.

Throughout the day there was an atmosphere of festivity on the streets as a large number of candidates filed their nominations at the beat of drum and slogan shouting by their supporters.

Despite the claim of PCC chief, Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, that an agreement has been reached between the Congress and the PDP on sharing of seats, the former has announced candidates for 55 of the 71 wards of the JMC. The PDP has decided to field candidates in all the wards, but has kept the doors for negotiations open by getting the withdrawal forms signed by the nominees.

The ruling coalition has already suffered in the valley during the Lok Sabha elections where they were engaged in a friendly contest. The loss this time was expected to be wider as the wards of the municipal corporations and other local bodies are smaller in size.

On the other hand, the BJP that has always controlled the civic body here has decided to share seats with the Akali Dal and the Shiv Sena.

It is a testing time for the National Conference that has decided to contest all 71 seats of the JMC without any alliance to consolidate its strength following the defeat in the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.

Reports indicate that there was great enthusiasm among the political parties also in the Kashmir Valley where nearly 300 nominations have been filed for the 68 wards of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC).

A large number of people have also filed their nominations for the local bodies in the terrorism prone areas of Uri, Baramula, Bandipura and Kupwara.