J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Gurez toll rises to nine; four others killed in J&K
Srinagar, July 15
With the recovery of two more bodies, the number of militants killed in the four-day-long encounter between the Army and infiltrators near the LoC in Gurez sector of Baramula district has gone up to nine.

Hurriyat-Pandit talks in phases
Jammu, July 15
The dialogue process between Kashmiri migrants and APHC leaders, which is to begin at the Hurriyat headquarters in Srinagar on July 19, is to be carried forward step by step.

Water panel team to visit Baglihar project
Jammu, July 15
A 10-member team of senior officials of the Indus Water Commission from Delhi is scheduled to pay a two-day visit to the controversial 450 mw Baglihar power project in Doda district from July 18.

Villagers demand shifting of Army camp
Dooru (Anantnag), July 15
Angry demonstrators, for the second consecutive day today, protested the alleged killing of a teenaged girl, Zahida, by an Army jawan in Choang village here on Wednesday night. The jawan, Baljinder Singh of the RR, reportedly involved in the incident, was found dead in the nearby paddy fields on Thursday morning. He had probably shot himself.

Gurez toll rises to nine; four others killed in J&K
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, July 15
With the recovery of two more bodies, the number of militants killed in the four-day-long encounter between the Army and infiltrators near the LoC in Gurez sector of Baramula district has gone up to nine.

A defence spokesman said so far nine bodies had been recovered, some of these from the Kishan Ganga. The operation got prolonged due to inclement weather and inhospitable terrain and was still in progress, he added. The group was first spotted on Tuesday last as it attempted to infiltrate through inaccessible and glaciated terrain. The Army immediately trailed the group over the high reaches. In order to block their way, helicopters were used to ferry the troops. They were encircled and in the ensuring firefight some of them had been killed and several weapons and ammunition seized, the spokesman said.

Elsewhere, at least four persons, including three militants, two of them infiltrators, were killed in separate incidents in Kashmir valley since yesterday. At least seven persons, including a retired police officer, were injured when militants hurled a grenade at Magam in Budgam district today.

Two infiltrators of the Islamic Front outfit were killed and another held at Gulab Post on the LoC in Kupwara district of north Kashmir last night, the police said. Those killed were identified as Shakeel Ahmad of Srinagar and Muneer Ahmad of Baramula. Three AK rifles, nine magazines, 217 rounds of cartridges, 29 hand grenades, one pistol with 18 rounds of cartridges, 14 explosive rods, five detonators, six kgs RDX and a wireless set were seized from the site of the encounter.

A retired Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mr Mohammad Ibrahim, and six others, including one of his PSOs, were injured when militants hurled a grenade towards him at Magam in Budgam district.

A Pak militant, Mohammad Tayoub, alias Gorkha, of Al-Badr outfit, was killed in an encounter with the security forces at Fidderpora in the Panzla area of Baramula district yesterday. One AK rifle, two magazines, 15 rounds of cartridges and three hand grenades were seized from the site of the encounter.

The police today found the dead body of a farmer, Bashir Ahmad Dar, from paddy fields at Wandena village in the Zainpora area of Pulwama district. He was kidnapped by militants on Wednesday last, the police said.

Hurriyat-Pandit talks in phases
M.L. Kak

Jammu, July 15
The dialogue process between Kashmiri migrants and APHC leaders, which is to begin at the Hurriyat headquarters in Srinagar on July 19, is to be carried forward step by step.

The APHC leadership is, at present, preparing the agenda for the first ever interaction with the migrants, and emphasis will be on the modalities that can be adopted for facilitating the return of the displaced families to Kashmir.

According to a senior APHC leader, Prof Abdul Gani Bhat,” We will also discuss about the future of Kashmir in the light of the 57-year-old problem that ultimately led to the exodus of Hindus in 1990 and forced Kashmiris, irrespective of their caste, creed and religion to suffer ribulations, death and destruction.”

He said since several issues had to be sorted out the meeting would be held in phases.”"It cannot be a day or a week long exercise. We may have to meet and meet again and again till a solution to various problems confronting Kashmiris is found,” he said.

The APHC leader confirmed that return of Pandits, who had left the valley in 1990, would be their “priority.” He said “We are for the return of displaced families. But first of all we have to find out who and which agency will ensure security to the migrants once they are back in Kashmir.”

Professor Bhat posed a question “Will the APHC leaders and other sections of people be able to ensure security of displaced families ? Will the gun toting youths, operating in the Kashmir valley announce their willingness to make Pandits safe and secure after their return to the valley ?”

He said these questions had to be debated during the interaction. The APHC leaders were not opposed to the government plan of settling the displaced families on tenements at three places in Kashmir, including Sheikhpora in Budgam district. He stated that such a rehabilitation would not promote social contact between the two main communities in the valley.

The APHC leader said, “Staying in tenements in Kashmir would be hardly any different from the life Pandits had been leading in camps in the plains.” He said, “Our basic thrust will be on seeing people displaced from villages going back to their ancestral houses and we have to find out ways and means for it.”

Professor Bhat said, “Despite ideological differences, Pandits and Muslims have lived together, shared joys and sorrows together for a long time. We want that era to return and hope that Pandits will help us in fulfilling this desire.”

Asked what board and lodging arrangements had been made for those migrants who were expected to attend the meeting, Professor Bhat said, “They can stay in our houses and share food with us in case they desire so.”

“I know Pandits are neither misers nor so poor that they cannot afford to stay in a rented accommodation. Still we shall play host to our brethren who are part of our social ethos, “Professor Bhat said.

Water panel team to visit Baglihar project
Our Correspondent

Jammu, July 15
A 10-member team of senior officials of the Indus Water Commission from Delhi is scheduled to pay a two-day visit to the controversial 450 mw Baglihar power project in Doda district from July 18.

Official sources stated here today that the team would assess the pace of progress of the project and the damage caused to the road by floods in the Chenab.

However, the visit of the experts from Delhi has assumed significance in the light of the scheduled visit by a team of experts from Pakistan Indus Water Commission to the project on July 23, which was to be followed by a visit by a Swiss engineer, Raymond Lafitte, a neutral arbitrator appointed by the World Bank following a complaint lodged by Islamabad that India had violated the 1960 Treaty.

Knowledgeable sources said that though the Union Water Resources Minister, Mr P.R. Das Munsi had, in his report to the Prime Minister, Mr Manmohan Singh, stated that no violation of the Indus Water Treaty had been committed by India, the team of experts from Delhi may study the possibility of carrying out minor modifications in the design of the project which could satisfy Pakistan.

Sources said that the team from Delhi would also see whether an 800m long tunnel was required to be constructed after a long stretch of the road leading to the project had been washed away in the recent floods, affecting the pace of work.

Villagers demand shifting of Army camp
Tribune News Service

Dooru (Anantnag), July 15
Angry demonstrators, for the second consecutive day today, protested the alleged killing of a teenaged girl, Zahida, by an Army jawan in Choang village here on Wednesday night. The jawan, Baljinder Singh of the RR, reportedly involved in the incident, was found dead in the nearby paddy fields on Thursday morning. He had probably shot himself.

Hundreds of villagers from the tiny hamlet of Choang near here, about 80 km south of Srinagar, blocked traffic on the nearby Srinagar-Jammu national highway demanding the shifting of the Army camp located in the area.

A complete bandh was observed in Dooru township where angry protesters disrupted normal activities. No movement of traffic was allowed to the town from the district headquarters of Anantnag, about 30 km away.

While the Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has assured of an investigation into the incident, separatist leaders have expressed concern over the repeat of such incidents. Senior separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah arrived in the area this morning and led the protests. He expressed concern over the role of the Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, and the Congress MLA, representing the Dooru constituency, Mr Ghulam Ahmad Mir, who is also the Minister of State for Works.