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3 soldiers killed in gunbattle
APHC keen on talks despite threat
Violence will not derail peace process: Jaiswal
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Resume work on Tulbul project: Mufti
UPA govt fails to ‘expose’ double talk by Pak
Six-member Pakistan team visits Baglihar today
IED detected on Amarnath route
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3 soldiers killed in gunbattle
Srinagar, July 23 Acting on a tip off, the security forces cordoned off a village in the Bandipora area of north Kashmir last night. However, when the troops were sealing the village, militants hiding there opened fire and also lobbed hand grenades. The troops returned the fire and in the night-long gunbattle three soldiers and a militant were killed, he said. Panic gripped the historic Lal Chowk, here when militants threw a hand grenade targeting security forces this afternoon. Shopkeepers and pedestrians ran for safety in the Lal Chowk and Gantaghar area when the militants hurled the grenade. A vehicle carrying mediapersons to the venue of the Union Minister of State for Home was stopped for about 10 minutes near the Regal chowk. It was allowed to leave after the grenade was defused by the bomb disposal squad. Traffic on the road remained suspended for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, a report from Baramula said a car was damaged in a blast at Pattan on the Srinagar-Uri road today. No one was injured, sources said, adding the cause of the blast was not immediately known. Later, the security forces recovered one grenade near the car. Militants shot dead Zahoor Ahmad Khan near a school at Sopore this afternoon.
— UNI |
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APHC keen on talks despite threat
Jammu, July 23 Though the APHC leaders refused to comment on the threat issued by four militant groups, Save Kashmir Movement, Al Nasreen, Al Arfeen and Farzandani Milat, which had claimed responsibility for the suicide attack on the Tourist Reception Centre on April 6, they seemed to be slightly upset over the warning. A senior APHC leader, Prof Abdul Gani Bhat, told this correspondent today “we have decided not to comment on the threat dished out to Pandits if they attempted to return to Kashmir.” This by itself indicated that the Hurriyat leaders had felt perturbed over the new development. At the same time the APHC leaders indicated their “determination” to continue with the dialogue process not only with the displaced people but with those living in Ladakh and Jammu regions. Those who were present in the meeting convened by the APHC have reasons to feel dismayed. Leaders of All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference have asked the community people to resort to social boycott of those Pandits who had accepted the invitation from the APHC. Soon after the meeting ended in Srinagar on July 19, a number of Pandit leaders, including Mr K.K. Khosa, had issued a statement that they had participated in the meeting in their individual capacity. They said they did not represent the organisations they headed or were their office-bearers. The APHC leaders feel disturbed because the leaders of the four rebel outfits berated the moderates for adopting anti-jehad attitude. The very indictment of the APHC leadership by the militant groups indicates that the moderates among the separatists do not enjoy sway over a cross section of people. Though the rebel threat may not reverse the government’s policy on the return of Pandits to the valley, it has seemingly disheartened those who were planning to go back to Kashmir. Mr H.L. Chatha, general secretary of the All-State Kashmiri Pandit Conference, said here today that the rebel threat clearly revealed that the security scenario was yet not conducive “for our return to Kashmir.” Dr Ajay Chrungoo, Chairman, Panun Kashmir, said “the militant threat to Pandits should be an eye opener for the APHC leaders.” He said “We have been harping against hasty and unplanned return of the displaced people to Kashmir so long as insecurity and
uncertainty dominated the political scenario in the valley.” Dr Chrungoo alleged that the main “aim behind the APHC exercise was to project itself as
representative body of people of Kashmir by engaging Pandits and groups of people in Ladakh and Jammu regions in
the dialogue process.” However, Professor Bhat explained that “one has to face hurdles of many hues in the dialogue process,” adding that “one should not expect results of our dialogue in one or a couple of meetings.” Those in Kashmir who are in favour of the return of the displaced people treat the rebel threat to Pandits as part of their gameplan of lengthening the turmoil. This set of people are of the opinion that rebels have opposed the return of Pandits because they believe that once the displaced people were back it would be a major sign of restoration of normalcy. Also, the rebels would wish to bargain on the issue as they think that the 15-year struggle could be a wasteful exercise if Pandits return without their dream of seeing the Kashmir issue settled. |
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Violence will not derail peace process: Jaiswal
Srinagar, July 23 Talking to mediapersons here today Mr Jaiswal, who was on a two-day visit to the valley, said there had been an increase in the incidents of infiltration, in spite of heavy damage caused to the infiltrators by alert troops along the border. He said infiltrators would not be spared and they were being eliminated as soon as they sneaked into India. The Union Minister held that an increase in incidents of infiltration was because of the damage caused to border fencing due to heavy snowfall last winter. During his two-day visit he reviewed the overall security situation in the state with the Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, and heads of security forces. He also visited the holy cave shrine of Amarnath and reviewed the security and other measures for the pilgrims there. Mr Jaiswal said the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, during his just concluded US visit had conveyed to Pakistan to fulfil its promise regarding the maintenance of peace in the region. “We will not allow the peace process to weaken and Pakistan has to contribute to this,” he said. He added that the restoration of peace and normalcy was beneficial for both India and Pakistan. “Some forces in Jammu and Kashmir do not tolerate peace process and are desperate,” he said adding that this had led to the recent incidents of violence in the state. One of the major incidents was the IED explosion in a car in the high security zone here, in which at least five persons, including three Army personnel, were killed and several others were injured on Wednesday. Mr Jaiswal who visited the site of Wednesday’s explosion said new techniques were being used by the militants. Other major incidents during the past couple of months included explosions at Jawahar Nagar, outside a school in the Lal Chowk area, IED explosion in the Nishat Bagh area and in Pulwama. At least 28 persons, including nine Army personnel, were killed and scores of others were injured in these incidents. Replying to questions, the minister pointed out that various developments like the recent talks between migrant Pandits and APH leaders were positive signs for the peace process and for the beginning of the restoration of normalcy in the state. When asked about the recent threat issued by four militant organisations to the migrant Pandits coming back, Mr Jaiswal said such elements were desperate. He said government had always been ready to extend its help and reiterated that peace process and peace talks were the only solution to all problems. The minister claimed that many groups had offered to talk and expressed the hope that many more would come forward for talks. Mr Jaiswal said there would be no delay in fixing the date for resuming talks with separatist Hurriyat Conference and indicated that there was no response from the APHC as yet. “If they want to talk to us, the date will be fixed,” Mr Jaiswal said and added that the date “will be fixed as soon as possible” and conveyed to the separatist conglomerate. Centre was ready to talk to the separatist Hurriyat Conference leaders, he said. The meeting between the two sides is being awaited ever since the UPA Government come to power after the APHC had two rounds of talks with the NDA Government. Prior to resuming dialogue with the centre government, the APHC had sought its leaders’ visit to PoK for meeting the separatist and other leaders there. |
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Resume work on Tulbul project: Mufti
Srinagar, July 23 “There is no technical ground for Pakistan to object to the construction of the project”, he said while addressing a gathering at Sumbal, 30 km from here, today. The Mufti said he would request the Prime Minister to sort out with Pakistan the objections raised by it so that the construction work resumed soon. The project, he said, was important as it would stabilise water level in the Jhelum ensuring adequate irrigation facility and required water supply to river-based power projects during winter when water discharge falls drastically. Work on the project was stopped in 1988 following certain objections raised by Pakistan. The Chief Minister said initiation of the dialogue and peace process was a step taken in consonance with the ground realities. He said there could be ups and downs in the process but the ultimate destination was amity and peace. On the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service, he complimented the Prime Minister for creating a congenial atmosphere. He said he had asked the Prime Minister to have the fortnightly bus service changed into a daily service. |
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UPA govt fails to ‘expose’ double talk by Pak
Jammu, July 23 In a statement here, Mr Gupta said: “Either General Musharraf is trying to hoodwink the world powers or he has lost control over the ISI which is the coordinating agency between various terrorist outfits.” “How was it possible that without the support of General Musharraf the mentors of terror are having their headquarters on their soil and also the training camps are operating without any check. The weapons recovered from terrorists bear markings of Pakistan ordinance factories. No large-scale infiltration of terrorists from Pakistan is possible without the direct or indirect support of the Pakistani troops.” Mr Gupta pointed out that the terrorist attack on Parliament House and the Ram Temple Complex in Ayodhya was engineered from across the border. |
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Six-member Pakistan team visits Baglihar today
Jammu, July 23 The team, led by Mr S.J. Ali Shah, Commissioner, Indus Water Commission, would visit the dam for which it has raised several objections. A team of equal number of engineers from here would also visit the project to hold discussions with the Pakistani officials. It is learnt that the Swiss mediator, appointed by the World Bank to sort out the dispute, might visit the project sometime in October or November. |
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IED detected on Amarnath route
Jammu, July 23 The road opening party of the Army detected the IED shortly before the convoy carrying the pilgrims from here to Kashmir was to reach. The IED was planted under the Jaswal bridge, near Ramban, on the Jammu-Srinagar highway. As many as 3,465 pilgrims today left for the shrine. |
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