Srinagar, September 22
Senior separatist leader and chairman of the National Front (NF) Nayeem Ahmad Khan here today announced his decision to sever ties with the APHC led by hardliner Mr Syed Ali Shah Geelani, this being the fourth constituent of the conglomerate to have disassociated from Geelani.

Talking to mediapersons, Mr Nayeem said that, “We have due respect for Mr Geelani” as an individual, but regretted his disappointing attitude as the head of the 15-member conglomerate of the Hurriyat Conference. Mr Nayeem held that without considering to strengthen the forum, Mr Geelani had more focus towards his organisation, Tehrek-e-Hurriyat, which he constituted after parting ways with the APHC, led by Moulvi Abbas Ansari about two years ago. Three other constituents, including the Peoples Conference led by Dr G.N. Hubbi, had already left the APHC-Geelani.

Referring to the ongoing dialogue process between India and Pakistan and the Centre-APHC (Mirwaiz) talks, the National Front chairman said that he was not against the concept of dialogue, but stressed the need for result oriented and time bound dialogue process to resolve the Kashmir issue. He said that this dialogue process “should be aimed at achieving the goal of ending occupation” of Jammu and Kashmir. Mr Khan expressed the hope that this dialogue would lead, if taken in its right perspective, to the guns falling silent in Jammu and Kashmir.

The National Front chairman held that the reduction of troops could be a part of the dialogue process, “But we are in favour of complete withdrawal of the troops”. Pointing out to a recent survey by a news channel that 1,900 militants were operating in the state, Mr Khan claimed the security forces of over 8 lakh strength were fighting them. This was in contrast to the fighting against 3,500 militants by a mere strength of 1.35 lakh US troops in Iraq.

Jammu, September 22
The National Conference, led by Mr Omar Abdullah, leaves no stone unturned for upsetting the applecart of the ruling PDP.

Soon after realising that the Congress was keen on implementing the power transfer agreement, Mr Omar Abdullah announced in Jammu on Tuesday that if the Congress sought “our support we are ready to give.” He, however, hastened to add that so far “we have not received any request for support and if we are approached we will consider it. “

He said: “I had meetings with Ms Sonia Gandhi and Mr Rahul Gandhi and we alone know what transpired between us. In case the Congress sought support we will consider it, though till date no such request has been received.”

This itself indicates that the National Conference leadership has become active in its exercise on seeing its main political rival, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, out of power. By saying that the NC would give support to the Congress if the situation demanded is considered by political observers in Jammu and Kashmir as a tactful move to encourage the Congress for shedding fears, if it has any, over the possibility of the Mufti creating some problem in the implementation of the power transfer agreement.

Though Mufti Sayeed has stated that he and his party were ready for the implementation of the agreement, still the National Conference is trying to widen the chasm between the Congress and the PDP.

Not only this: the National Conference leadership has been trying to create misgivings between the Hizbul Mujahideen militant outfit and the PDP after the NC leadership saw Ms Mehbooba Mufti favouring involvement of the Hizb leadership in the ongoing talks on Kashmir.

Ms Mehbooba has said that involvement of Syed Salahuddin, Hizbul Mujahideen supremo, in the talks was necessary and Mr Abdullah was quick to react by saying that on the one hand the PDP leadership was for involving the Hizbul Mujahideen chief in the dialogue, on the other, five Hizb commanders had been eliminated during the rule of the Mufti.

A senior Congress leader said here today the announcement on the power transfer plan would be made just two days before the deadline on November 2. Till then senior party functionaries would consider all aspects of the plan of replacing the Mufti. In case the transfer of power was considered harmful for the Congress, the Mufti could be asked to continue for a year more.

Srinagar, September 22
Daredevil performances by Suryakiran aerobatics team and Akashganga skydiving team of the Indian Air Force concluded here today.

The Suryakiran aerobatics team, led by Wg Cdr Sandeep Bansal and 10 pilots, displayed hair-raising formations and manoeuvres with nine Kiran aircraft over Srinagar airfield yesterday and over the Dal Lake today. The Suryakirans flew in eight different dazzling formations at high speed and low altitude.

“This is all about precision, dedication, efficiency and, discipline,” said Wing Commander Bansal, who is a fully-operational Mirage pilot and an A2 flying instructor.

The ‘right outer’ in the display team, Sqn Ldr Sharad Pasricha, said they remain alert all the time and trust their commander’s directions. “Real thrill is when the team performs manoeuvres like splits, level and rolling crosses, inverted runs and the heart loop,” he said.

The Suryakiran aerobatic team, comprising nine aircraft which are not fly-by-wire machines but depend mainly on pilot skill, flew at speeds ranging between 200 and 600 kmph within a height band of mere 30 to 1,500 metres.

After the air show by Suryakirans today, 10 sky divers of “Akashganga” skydiving team displayed a dazzling performance of free fall and para jumping from a dizzying height of 30000 ft. above the ground level. They jumped from a MI-17 helicopter flying over Dal Lake at a height of 10000 ft and opened up their parachutes after free fall of 5000 ft. These dare-devils landed in the golf course ground after displaying a superb coordination and control over their body and parachute.

The Jammu and Kashmir Governor, Lieut-Gen S.K. Sinha (retd), the Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, and other senior civil and military officers were among those present on the occasion today.

The IAF would be conducting a recruitment rally for group ‘X’ and ‘Y’ trades of the IAF in the valley. For technical and medical trades, the recruitment will be done from September 30 to October 1 and for non-technical trades it will be on October 2 and 3 between 8 am and 4 pm at Bakshi Stadium, Srinagar.