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Evolve consensus by involving academics: Mufti
Host of experts for seminar on |
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3 militants, jawan killed in encounters
Azad to file nomination papers on April 5
Keep varsity away from politics: BJP
Opening of Poonch-Bagh bus route demanded
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Evolve consensus by involving academics: Mufti
Srinagar, March 26 He also sought the participation of all separatist political parties, who stayed away from the last roundtable conference, in the next roundtable meeting here to make these talks “result-oriented.” Addressing a press conference here this afternoon, the PDP patron expressed optimism over Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s approach towards the dialogue process that had been initiated by the NDA government. The Mufti pointed out that it was Kashmir focused and comprehensive proposals were coming out without conceding to territories, which made the developments different from the earlier approach on resolving the Kashmir issue. He described the Prime Minister’s recent statement on making the borders irrelevant as a “good and very important.” Referring to the forthcoming roundtable meet to be held here in May-end, the Mufti sought to evolve a consensus by involving academicians, particularly the Vice-Chancellors of Kashmir University, Jammu University and a few others to discuss the issue. “They should try to evolve a consensus on what is self-rule and other issues before the roundtable meeting is held”, the Mufti said. He added that thorough discussions by academicians from independent institutions would definitely help in the direction where the Prime Minister wanted to evolve a consensus. The Mufti held that proposals should be in black and white before meeting and stressed need to ensure participation of separatist organisations. The former CM also sought to hold a Pugwash type of meeting in Srinagar to discuss the Kashmir issue on the pattern of Islamabad meeting held earlier this month, after the next roundtable here. Replying to questions, Mufti said it would be a “great mistake” if the separatists did not attend the forthcoming roundtable conference, where they were invited by the Prime Minister. He held that PDP would like all to be on board dialogue process for finding a resolution to the Kashmir issue. |
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Host of experts for seminar on Indo-Pak peace
Jammu, March 26 The national seminar, that has been organised by the centre for strategic and regional studies of Jammu University, will be inaugurated by the Governor, Lieut-Gen S.K. Sinha (retd), on Tuesday. Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad would address the valedictory session. The deputy Chief Minister, Mr Muzaffar Hussain Baig, will deliver a special lecture on the opening day. Eminent experts on the Kashmir affairs, including Mr N.N. Vohra, Centre’s interlocutor on Kashmir, Mr Wajahat Habibullah, Mr
S.K. Lambah, Mr G. Parthasarthy and Mr Prem Shankar Jha will deliver lectures at the seminar. The initiative for organising the seminar has been taken by Prof Amitabh Mattoo, Vice-Chancellor of the university, at a time when the peace process has reached a stage of lot of movement on internal and external aspects. Among other issues, the present status of the India-Pakistan composite dialogue, forward movement of the confidence building measures (CBMs) and the diverse perspectives in the three regions of the state would be discussed at the seminar. Air Vice-Marshal Kapil Kak (retd), Adviser, Strategic Studies, told this correspondent today that the seminar was expected to generate papers that would be sufficient to publish a book on peace building in Jammu and Kashmir within a few months. The seminar would be an open-ended forum where free flow of ideas would take place. Mr Vohra would chair a session on the internal dimensions of the peace process while Mr Habibullah would speak on “The internal political dialogue — the way forward”. Mr S.K. Lambah will take care of the session on the external dimensions of the peace process while Mr Parthasarthy would speak on the India-Pakistan composite dialogue. Dr C. Raja Mohan will deliver lecture on the CBMs and Mr Parveen Swami will talk on extremism, terrorism and demilitarisation. Prof M. Aslam of India Gandhi National Open University would deliver a lecture on strengthening self-governance. Mr Jha will speak on the interesting topic of combating vested interests in the process of restoring peace in the state. The issue of economics of peace would also be deliberated at a separate session in which Dr Haseeb Drabu, Chairman of the J&K Bank, will speak on Intra-J&K trade. Several political figures and intellectuals of the state would also participate in the seminar. They include Mr Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, CPM leader, Dr Nirmal Singh, president of the state BJP, Mr Pintoo Norbu, MLA from Ladakh. They all have recently returned from Islamabad after attending the Pugwash conference during which they also met President Pervez Musharraf. Mr Balraj Puri will deliver a lecture on the sensitive issue of creating regional balance in Jammu and
Kashmir. |
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3 militants, jawan killed in encounters
Srinagar, March 26 The police here said that one militant of the Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit and a security force jawan were killed in an encounter near Pampore on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway this morning. The encounter ensued when the militants fired upon a convoy of the security forces at Drangbal, near Pampore, about 15 km from here in Pulwama district at about 9.15 a.m. Four security personnel were injured in the encounter, one of whom later succumbed to his injuries in hospital. The militant killed in the incident was identified as Abu Abdullah from PoK. The recoveries made from the spot included one AK rifle and four magazines. Two militants were killed in an encounter with the security forces at Haripora, Handwara, in Kupwara district yesterday. A residential house was damaged in the encounter, the police here said. Two AK rifles and two magazines were recovered from the site of encounter. Unidentified militants kidnapped and strangulated to death a 16-year-old youth, Wasim Akram, at Sangiot Harni village of Poonch district last night. The security forces recovered 170 PIKA rounds from an open place at Morah Bachai in the Surankote area of Poonch district yesterday. Two militants of the Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen outfit surrendered before the security forces at Kali Post in the Uri area of Baramula district, the police here said. |
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Azad to file nomination papers on April 5
Jammu, March 26 Mr Azad is seeking election from Bhaderwah as he is not a member of either of the two Houses of the legislature in Jammu and Kashmir. His cousin, Mr Mohammad Sharief Niaz, has vacated the Bhaderwah seat for him. After filing his nomination, Mr Azad would address only one rally in the town and another at Bhela village in the constituency. Thereafter, he would not go to the constituency to campaign for himself, Mr Niaz has said. The National Conference and the BJP are yet to announce their respective candidates against Mr Azad. The heavyweights within these parties were reportedly reluctant to jump in the contest against Mr Azad. Meanwhile, Mr Balwant Rai Rathore, general secretary of the Doda district unit of the BJP, today joined the Congress. The Director-General of Police, Mr Gopal Sharma, held a high-level meeting at Srinagar yesterday to finalise the security arrangements during the forthcoming byelection for the three Assembly seats, Pattan, Rafiabad and Sangrama, in the Kashmir valley.
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Keep varsity away from politics: BJP
Jammu, March 26 In a statement here today, Dr Nirmal Singh, while reacting to the debate against the university initiated by an NC leader in the Assembly, said that Jammu University was the first university in the country to get international accreditation and warned that political interference would harm the interests of students as well as the faculty. He said political interference would erode the autonomous character of the university. The BJP chief alleged that the institution had become a centre of separatist activities during the NC regime. He pointed out, besides imparting quality education, the university was also engaged in promoting national interests within and outside the country. Dr Nirmal Singh said that a team of Jammu University recently participated in the Pugwash conference on Kashmir at Islamabad where it played a positive role to defeat the nefarious designs of certain elements.
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Opening of Poonch-Bagh bus route demanded
Jammu, March 26 The demand was contained in a resolution adopted at a meeting of senior leaders of organisation of the Sikhs held in Jammu today. Mr S.S. Wazir, a former president of the State Gurdwara Prabandhak Board, presided over the meeting. The resolution said that the Amritsar-Nankana Sahib bus service “will link historic cities and facilitate Sikhs in India to travel free to Nankana Sahib and visit other Sikh shrines in Pakistan for offering prayers.” The leaders of the Sikhs said that the opening of the bus service “will go down in history as a golden achievement of Dr Manmohan Singh as after 59 years people from this side of the border could travel to visit gurdwaras in Pakistan.” |
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