Jammu, September 24
Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin is under pressure from Pakistan for declaring ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir, but he has developed cold feet following the resentment shown by other constituents of Muzaffarabad-based United Jehad Council, which he heads, against conditional offer of ceasefire announced recently by Hizb spokesman, Ehsan Illahi.

As a result of the resentment, by the council constituents on the ground that they were not consulted while making a conditional offer of ceasefire, the Hizb spokesman denied that any ceasefire offer had been made.

Another reason for Syed Salahuddin to resist pressure from Islamabad is that the ceasefire offer made either by the Hizbul Mujahideen or by the United Jehad Council may not succeed unless it has the backing of the Lashkar-i-Toiba, the Jaish-e-Mohammad and the Al Badr. Any announcement on ceasefire by the council is not mandatory for the LeT the Jais and the Al Badr because they are not members of the Jehad Council.

Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad had hoped that militants would ceasefire during the month of Ramazan which could be reciprocated by government forces, but Mr Azad’s wish is unlikely to materialise because the Hizbul Mujahideen has already made it known that it may declare ceasefire if the government fulfilled some conditions which included demilitarisation in Jammu and Kashmir, release of all detainees, and an end to human rights violations by security forces.

Official sources said already the incidence of human rights violations had registered a marked decline in the state and the government might agree to set free the detainees who were not involved in major crime. But the demand for demilitarisation would not be acceptable to the government as there had been no substantial drop in the level of infiltration from across the LoC and in the rate of violence.

Government sources confirmed that the establishment in Pakistan was trying to persuade militants, operating in Jammu and Kashmir, to cease fire so that Islamabad could convince Delhi that it had taken some steps for checking crossborder terrorism which had the potential of encouraging India for resuming a meaningful dialogue on bilateral issues, including Kashmir.

A senior police officer, posted in Srinagar, told this correspondent today that “the prospects of ceasefire in the coming week or so in Jammu and Kashmir were bleak unless Islamabad imposes its will on militants.”

Jammu, September 24
Waltzing to Mozart’s tunes, jets and choppers painted the sky in tri-colour here today as the Indian Air Force displayed its world-famous aerobatics show by Surya Kiran Sarang and Akashganga teams for the first time close to Indo-Pakistan border.

While the IAF station at Satwari was packed for the show, people took all vantage positions, including tree tops, to watch IAF daredevils in action.

“It was history in itself as our Surykiran and Sarang teams with their Kiran Mark-II jets and Advance Light Helicopters danced in sky for nearly one hour at Jammu Air Force Station, which is just 14 km distance from Pakistan,” Station Commander Group Captain J.S. Klare told PTI.

“It is an IAF show of power and of their dare-devil fighter pilots, as only a few can do so with their machines,” he said.

“Unfortunately we did not get the security clearance for MAM stadium, so the show was held at the IAF station,” the IAF officer said, adding “we feel sorry for the people who could have watched it.”

As the show started, the 5.5 tonne helicopters of Sarang, with images of peacocks painted on them, danced in the air to the tunes of Mozart for half an hour drawing applause from the audience.

“It is not an easy task. But making it look like a song is Sarang,” Klare said.

The IAF’s helicopter display team for the first time participated in India’s own international air show Aero India 2005. Sarang is one of the world’s three operational helicopter display teams, apart from Britain’s Blue Eagle and Black Cat.

People watched in awe as a young Sarang team of six pilots led by Wing Commander Shashant-carried out the various beats including splits, the crossovers, nosedives and reverse moves.

Led by Wing Commander Sandeep Bansal, the nine-aircraft Surya Kiran team took off in a batch of three and mesmerised people with its aerobatics in an area of 7 km, close to Indo-Pakistan border in Jammu .

“The display of precision flying and of manoeuvers is the result of intense training, critical examination of each practice sortie and the tireless effort to achieve the best,” Wg Cdr Bansal told reporters.

During the display, the team operates between speeds of 200 and 600 kmph and flies within a height band of 30 to 1500 metres, he said adding flying with such split-second precision demands peak performance from both man and machine, every time, leaving no room for error or doubt.

In appreciation for its performance since 1996, the Chief of Air Staff had awarded the unit citation to the team on October 8, 2004. Surya Kiran is the first unit of the IAF to receive this award. — PTI