J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

J&K parties reject joint-control theory of US-based group
Jammu, November 28
There is no taker here of the US-based Kashmir Study Group’s theory of joint control of India and Pakistan over Jammu & Kashmir and the main parties in Jammu and Ladakh have rejected the proposal outrightly.

Hurriyat leaders apply for travel forms
Srinagar, November 28
Leaders of the Hurriyat Conference moderate faction today submitted application forms to travel across the Line of Control to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in mid-December for relief efforts in the quake-hit areas there.

Municipal Councillor, cousin killed by militants
Srinagar, November 28
A Municipal Councillor and his cousin were killed by militants in north Kashmir this afternoon while elsewhere in the state two Hizbul Mujahideen militants surrendered and another was arrested in the past 24 hours.

Mild tremor in Srinagar
Srinagar, November 28
A mild tremor was recorded here today but there were no reports of any damage to life or property, officials said. The tremor was recorded at around 11.07 a.m., Met Director of Srinagar L.C. Ram said, adding the department was calculating its intensity and epicentre.

J&K parties reject joint-control theory of US-based group
S.P. Sharma
Tribune News Service

Jammu, November 28
There is no taker here of the US-based Kashmir Study Group’s (KSG) theory of joint control of India and Pakistan over Jammu & Kashmir and the main parties in Jammu and Ladakh have rejected the proposal outrightly.

While the Kashmir-based separatists, the PDP of Mufti Sayeed and the National Conference were either in favour of the proposal or wanted autonomy for the state, the BJP in Jammu and the Ladakh Union Territory Front (LUTF) say that accession of J&K to India was irrevocable and steps should be taken to bring the state in the mainstream of the country.

Various US-based individuals and bodies have started lobbying for the “self governance” proposal that also mooted by Pakistan.

Proposals of the KSG have evoked strong reactions here with the BJP describing it as an “insidious influence” to make India withdraw from Jammu and Kashmir and hand over the state to the Pakistani agents in Kashmir.

In a hard-hitting reaction, Prof Hari Om, vice-president of the BJP, today said that anti-India elements, including many sitting in Delhi, were these days busy conspiring against India with a view to preparing ground for another partition of the country on communal lines and throwing in the lot of the non-Muslim minorities in the state with the religious fanatics masquerading as freedom fighters. He named some individuals in his statement.

He said it was difficult to understand why the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre was watching as mute spectator anti-India activities going on in Delhi itself and allowing them to vitiate the country’s politico-religious atmosphere.

Prof Hari Om said neither Mr Omar Abdullah and Ms Mehbooba Mufti, who were supporting the idea of self-governance, represented will of the people. He alleged they represented only the opinion which hates pluralism, diversity, secularism and the principle of justice, fair play and equal participation.

Chairman of the Hill Development Council of Ladakh, Tsring Dorjey, when contacted at Leh over the telephone, rejected the proposals of the KSG and said that we wanted to strengthen ties with India.

The idea of J&K becoming a buffer state was not acceptable to the people of Ladakh who wanted to join the mainstream of the country, he added.

Mr Rajiv Chunni, president of the SOS Refugees Organisation, who represents the displaced persons of Muzaffarabad (PoK), said that the accession of J&K to India was final and toying with the idea of self-governance or joint control of India and Pakistan over Kashmir was a dangerous proposition that was not acceptable to the refugees.

He questioned the proposal of the KSG that all displaced persons on either side would have the right to return to their home localities and pointed out that with Mirpur town (PoK) having submerged under the waters of the Mangla dam there was no question of the refugees returning there.

The KSG, that has claimed to have taken into account the Kashmiri sentiments before preparing the proposals, has among other things suggested that the borders of Jammu and Kashmir in India and Pakistan would remain open for the free transit of people, goods, services in accordance with arrangements to be worked out between India, Pakistan and the five entities of J&K.

The KSG has recommended that portions of the formerly princely state of Jammu and Kashmir be reconstituted into self-governing entities enjoying free access to one another and to and from India and Pakistan.

While the present Line of Control (LoC) would remain in place till such time as both India and Pakistan decided to alter it in their mutual interest, both India and Pakistan would de-militarise the area included in the entities. Neither India nor Pakistan could place troops on the other side of the LoC without the permission of the other side.

All displaced persons who left any portion of the entities would have the right to return to their home localities.

Hurriyat leaders apply for travel forms

Srinagar, November 28
Leaders of the Hurriyat Conference moderate faction today submitted application forms to travel across the Line of Control to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in mid-December for relief efforts in the quake-hit areas there.

“While 12 moderate leaders will cross the LoC, three others, Chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, executive members Bilal Gani Lone and Fazl Haq Qureshi, will travel by air as they possess valid passports,” sources in the amalgam said.

The applications were submitted at the Regional Passport Office here. Passport officer S L Sriramlu said the office had received the applications, which were being put into process.

The sources said the visit was likely to take place in the second week of December as the Mirwaiz was scheduled to attend two Organisation of Islamic Conference meets.

On December 6, the Mirwaiz is slated to attend the OIC conference in Istanbul, followed by another in Saudi Arabia on December 8, they said. The Hurriyat chairman was not available for comment as he is in New Delhi along with Bilal Lone.

The decision to send a 15-member delegation was taken at a joint meeting of its executive committee and general council on November 24. The delegation includes executive members Abdul Gani Bhat (Muslim Conference), Masroor Ansari (Itehad-ul-Muslimeen) and Aga Syed Hassan (Anjuman-e-Sharie Shian). Syed Saleem Geelani, Nayeem Ahmad Khan, Javid Ahmad Mir, Mohammad Yousuf Naqash, Manan Bukhari, Zaffar Akbar Bhat, Mohammad Amin Qureshi, Bashir Ahmad Shawl and Bashir Ahmad Kant are the members from second rung general council. — PTI

Municipal Councillor, cousin killed by militants

Mild tremor in Srinagar

Srinagar, November 28
A mild tremor was recorded here today but there were no reports of any damage to life or property, officials said.

The tremor was recorded at around 11.07 a.m., Met Director of Srinagar L.C. Ram said, adding the department was calculating its intensity and epicentre.

Mr Ram said another moderate tremor was recorded yesterday at 6.29 p.m. “The magnitude was 5.2 on the Richter scale while its epicentre was in Pakistan,” he added.

Official sources said there was no loss of life or property in the two aftershocks recorded since last evening.

More than 120 aftershocks have been recorded in Jammu and Kashmir since the killer quake struck on October 8. — PTI