Srinagar, September 8
Opposition National Conference president, Omar Abdullah here today asked his party men to be ready for fresh elections, which could be held any time after November when term of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed expires. Hailing the resumption of Centre-APHC talks, he sought involvement of elected representatives of Jammu and Kashmir for a resolution of the Kashmir problem. He also criticised “poor performance” of the coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir blaming it for not fulfilling promises made to people.

He was addressing a public meeting here today on the occasion of the 23rd death anniversary of his grandfather, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, founder of the National Conference, whose birth centenary is also being observed this year. “The political situation is fast changing in Jammu and Kashmir”, Mr Omar Abdullah, NC president and MP said. He said term of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed expires in November this year, as per the agreement between the PDP and the Congress, coalition partners. He indicated that their would be “an end to the present difficult situation”.

Referring to the Centre-APHC talks, the National Conference president demanded “result-oriented” dialogue with the involvement of the people of Kashmir. What was the agenda of Centre-APHC talks?, Omar questioned and regretted that if it was only focused on the release of detainees, review of the cases of those under the PSA, reduction of troops, internal ceasefire and the like. He pointed out that the only difference between the Hurriyat Conference and the National Conference was that the APHC favours “azadi’ while NC seeks an internal autonomy in Jammu and Kashmir. National Conference chief wanted involvement of all people of Jammu and Kashmir in the dialogue. He urged the governments of India and Pakistan to involve the elected representatives. He criticised those indulging in separatist politics for giving a strike call today but added that it was despite a strike call and other hurdles a large gathering of people was made possible on the occasion of paying tributes to the party’s founder leader, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah.

In tributes to Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, Omar said that the founder of the NC had the same ideology like the dialogue process, peace with dignity, and other things five decades ago and regretted that the Sheikh was branded a Pakistani. Referring to the PDP and the APHC, Omar said that these parties now had the same agenda.

Making a comparison between the Mufti government and the National Conference government led by Farooq Abdullah, Omar said that the coalition government did not make any efforts to talk to militant outfits like the Hizbul Mujahideen. He pointed out that it was only during the NC regime that five “Commanders” of the Hizbul Mujahideen were ready to talk to the government at the Nehru Guest House here. All those five “commanders” had been killed during the two years and 10 months regime of Mufti Sayeed, he claimed. 

Srinagar, September 8
Normal life was partially affected here today in response to the general strike call in protest against the detention of Ms Asiya Andrabi, the chief of underground women’s outfit, Dukhtran-e-Millat and her eight activists under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act (PSA). The call was given by the High Court Bar Association and supported by several separatist organisations, including the Geelani faction of the Hurriyat Conference, to protest Ms Andrabi’s detention. She alongwith eight of her activists was arrested here on September 1, and later sentenced for detention for a term of two years under the PSA. This followed her campaign against social crimes like the running of brothels, and other crimes in hotels, houseboats, and cyber cafes in different parts of the city.

Shops and business establishments in most areas were closed here while the traffic plied normally on the city routes in view of the rush of devotees at the Hazratbal shrine and other places of worship ahead of Friday following Meraju-l-Nabi. Attendance in government offices was thin and most of the educational institutions remained closed.

Meanwhile, a spokesman of the Geelani faction, here said the chairman, Mr Syed Ali Shah Geelani, was again kept under the house arrest at his Hyderpora residence here today since early morning. He had been kept under the house arrest on Tuesday when a day after the Hurriyat PM talks in Delhi. It followed the simultaneous detention under the PSA of Ms Asiya Andrabi and her activists, which has been vehemently criticised by the separatist organisations. A spokesman of the APHC-Geelani said another senior leader of the organisation, Mr Mohammad Amin Bhat, was also arrested by the police in Kulgam area of Anantnag district. 

Srinagar, September 8
With the death of another hiding militant, the 19-hour-long encounter between militants and the security forces at Suthrashahi in the vicinity of the Civil Secretariat ended this morning raising the death toll to three. Five police and CRPF personnel were injured in the encounter.

However, no harm was caused to the civilians or the property in the congested locality near a cinema hall in one of the most secured zones close to the Civil Secretariat and the Police Headquarters.

The encounter started around 3.20 p.m. yesterday when some militants hurled a grenade and resorted to firing at a security picket near Neelam cinema. One militant was killed in the retaliatory fire by the security forces, while another managed to flee from the scene. A police constable was injured in the incident. Panic gripped the area. The area was cordoned off and search for the militant was launched.

The SSP, Srinagar, Mr Muneer Khan, said contact was established with the hiding militant around 6 a.m. today. He was hiding in the house of Fida Mohammad Wani. He hurled a grenade towards the search party, which led to an encounter leading to the death of the militant. Four police and CRPF personnel were injured in the incident, while constable Ajay Sharma died in the exchange of fire. The operation concluded around 11 am.

The identity of the killed militants was yet to be ascertained, though the police believed that they were foreigners. One AK-47 rifle, two hand grenades and three magazines were seized from the site of the encounter. The police had also seized one AK rifle, five magazines and two hand grenades from the slain militant yesterday.

Three militant outfits, according to a local news agency here, have owned the responsibility of the attack. These included the Harkat-ul-Ansar, the Jaish-e-Mohammad and the Al-Mansoorian.

Elsewhere, at least six persons, including a militant, were killed in separate incidents in the state since yesterday.

One militant was killed by the Army at Nilur village in Pulwama district, a defence spokesman said. The operation was in progress, he added.

The spokesman said the Army also busted a hideout in the Lam area of Pulwama district and seized 400 rounds of AK-47 ammunition, 13 UBGL grenades,besides other things.

One person, Merajuddin, was killed and four others were injured when unidentified militants exploded a grenade at the Sopore bus stand in Baramula district.

Militants shot dead two persons, Shaheena and Nazir Ahmad Mir, at Kangnoo, Zainpora, in Pulwama district yesterday.