Srinagar, September 17
All eyes here are set on New York, where leaders of India, Pakistan and separatist Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Omar Farooq have gathered for the meetings of the UN General Assembly and the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC). There has been a mixed response to the joint statement of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf, followed by a meeting between General Musharraf and Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.

A spokesman for the Hurriyat Conference here, giving details of the meeting between Mirwaiz Omar Farooq and President Musharraf, said the chairman described it as a satisfactory meeting. He held that the Mirwaiz stressed the need for expediting the triangular dialogue process, and for this purpose another visit to Pakistan was necessitated. The Mirwaiz, after having visited Pakistan as the head of a five-member delegation in June this year, had also a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh early this month. “To make the present triangular dialogue process positive and result-oriented to resolve the Kashmir issue in accordance with the wishes and aspirations of its people, the Hurriyat Conference will again visit Pakistan,” the spokesman quoted the Mirwaiz.

The hardline faction, led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, however, has criticised the ongoing developments. A spokesman of the faction here stated that the “claims of progress on resolving Kashmir issue are hollow. This is a plan of the outside forces and a readymade plot which is going on. There is not the least consideration to the aspirations and sacrifices of the people of Kashmir,” the spokesman stated, as he referred to the recent developments like the Centre-APHC talks and PM-Musharraf meetings.

A former chairman of the moderate Hurriyat Conference, Moulvi Abbas Ansari reacting to the recent developments said. The common man here looks at the recent meetings as “good steps” in the right direction as the people of Kashmir had suffered a lot due to turmoil during the past 15 years.

Jammu, September 17
The All-Party Hurriyat Conference leadership is worried over the way militants, operating in Jammu and Kashmir have so far responded to the confidence building measures initiated by India and Pakistan.

A former Chairman of APHC, Molvi Abbas Ansari, told this correspondent today that “the dialogue between Delhi and Islamabad is moving at a snail’s pace. It will not work. We want the two sides to show some flexibility and evolve a durable solution to the Kashmir issue.”

In reply to a question he said “to whom we should appeal for suspending violence. There is no fun in issuing an appeal to the militants to drop the gun. It is so because acts of violence and harassment were being committed by the security forces also.”

He explained that search operations, causing a lot of inconvenience to people, had not been suspended. “If one has to reach one’s office in Srinagar one is subjected to severe frisking at three places between Sopore and Srinagar forcing an employee to reach the place of duty three hours late,” he said adding “if the security forces declare a ceasefire it may encourage militants to follow the suit.”

Another senior APHC leader, Prof. Abdul Gani Bhat, said “once the India-Pakistan talks show signs of progress militants will have no other alternative but to drop their guns.”

Asked why Pakistan was not persuading or forcing militants to eschew violence in the interest of peace talks Prof Bhat said “Islamabad cannot have any control over militants operating in Jammu and Kashmir.

In reply to a question the APHC leader said “during our visit to Pakistan four months ago we could feel that the government’s hold on the strings of militancy had started loosening.

Reckong Peo, September 17
Incessant rain during the past 24 hours has disrupted normal life in many parts of Kinnaur district. There were reports of snowfall on high mountain ranges in upper areas of Kinnaur.

The road link to Reckong Peo, district headquarters of Kinnaur, was cut off for more than six hours from the rest of the country in the morning on Saturday as landslides were witnessed on the National Highway 22 at many points.

The rain has also hampered the ongoing restoration work on the national highway.

The road link from Reckong Peo to Pooh and Kaza in Spiti valley through the Old Hindustan-Tibet Road was also disrupted during the past 24 hours.

High mountain ranges in the upper areas of Kinnaur also witnessed moderate snowfall during the past 24 hours. Kinner Kailash (6,500 metres) and its adjoining ranges, near Reckong Peo, also witnessed fresh snowfall.

Meanwhile, a revived monsoon has disrupted life in Hamirpur, Shimla, Solan, Kulu, Mandi, Kangra districts of the state, while light to moderate snowfall was reported in higher reaches of Kinnuar and Chamba districts during the past 24 hrs.

Sources said Kinner Kailash and higher mountains of Sangla Valley in Kinnaur district received mild snowfall during the past 24 hours following which the maximum and minimum temperatures in the district have plummeted.

Jammu, September 17
With the Food Corporation of India (FCI) not issuing levy sugar to the Consumer Affairs Department, the ration cardholders in Jammu and Kashmir are without sugar for the past two months.

Against the monthly demand of about 70,000 quintals of sugar in the state, only 17,000 quintals were supplied last month. However, 9,000 quintals out of the supply was despatched to the frontier region of Ladakh for winter storage.

The Director of Consumer Affairs Department, Mr Aizaz Iqbal, confirmed that against the monthly demand of 31,000 quintals in the Jammu division, only 4,000 quintals were received last month.

The FCI was holding an advance deposit of about Rs.2.50 crores from the Consumer Affairs Department, Mr Iqbal said.

He said the department had not been in a position to issue levy sugar to the ration holders for the past two months because the full quota was not being supplied by the FCI.

Meanwhile, reports from the far flung areas of Doda, Rajouri and Poonch districts said the consumers were purchasing sugar from the black market. The sugar price at the open market in Jammu and Srinagar has also gone up.

However, the situation may likely to ease out in the next few days as the Consumer Affairs Department was expecting the FCI to get two rakes of sugar that comes to nearly 42,000 quintals.