Jammu, January 9
While the External Affairs Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, is flying to Islamabad later this week to find a lasting solution to the Kashmir problem, the Indian Army today rejected Pakistan's proposal on "joint management and demilitarisation" of Jammu and Kashmir.

A spokesman of the Army here stressed that there could not be a joint management between a military dictator of Pakistan and a democracy like India.

The spokesman described "joint management" as a "dangerous proposal" because it would dilute India's control on two-thirds of the original state of J and K.

For the first time the Army has come out against the much-hyped proposal of Pakistan with the spokesman saying that Pakistan is toying with the idea of an "out-of-box" solution called "joint management" of the J and K state, but it was dangerous for India.

Rejecting the demilitarisation proposal, the spokesman said some leaders had also talked of “disarmament” along the Line of Control (LoC) which was the dividing line between the IJK (Indian Jammu & Kashmir), Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and the northern areas illegally annexed by Pakistan. The LoC originated in 1949 as a 'ceasefire line' at the end of the first Indo-Pak in 1947-48. It was slightly altered during the 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan. It was renamed as the Line of Control by the Inter-Governmental Agreement in July 1972 to be respected by both sides without prejudice to the recognised position of either side.

The spokesman pointed out that Pakistan had also illegally annexed some portions of Kashmir and called these “northern areas”. These areas include Gilgit, Baltistan, Hunza and Nagar which are being ruled as a colony.

Under the UN Resolution of August 13, 1948, Pakistan was asked to demilitarise the illegally occupied portion of Kashmir, but Pakistan has not done so till today. No foreigner is allowed to visit these areas; only some Indian journalists were allowed under the peace process. Pakistan was also asked to demilitarise the Minimars area between Guraiz and Burzil by the UN Commission for India and Pakistan on July 27, 1949, but was given a short shrift completely ignoring the written acceptance given by that country.

There is also some talk about the demilitarisation of Siachen, “world's highest, costliest and coldest battlefield”, also most polluted, because of Pakistani shelling for the past 22 years. The Pakistani demand for demilitarisation has also been voiced and repeated parrot-like by the separatist leaders of the valley, who only recently praised the role of the Indian Army which provided succour to the victims of “snow tsunami” in February-March, the earthquake in October last year and floods in September this year.

Three villages have been adopted in the quake-affected areas in Kashmir, viz, Uroosa by the Indian Air Force, Kamalkote by the CRPF and Churonda by the Indian Army. The Indian Army has also opened an Army Goodwill School at Tatwal village, close to the Loc. Where there are no schools, classes are held in tents, under trees and on stream-banks.

Jammu, January 9
Noisy atmosphere was today witnessed in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly when several opposition National Conference (NC) members accused the Congress-led coalition government of not being serious in the implementation of assurances it made to the House and also taking the House for granted.

The NC members were annoyed of the government’s failure to fulfil commitment of holding one-month session of the House in Srinagar in October last year.

As the House assembled this morning, Mr Mubarak Gul (NC) raised the issue, alleging it was a “betrayal” of people and added it amounted to a breach of privilege.

Later, several other NC members, including leader of the opposition Abdul Rahim Rather, Mr Sharief-ud-Din Sharik, Mr Saif Ullah Mir and Mr Kafil-ur-Rehman, protested and demanded that Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad should apologise in the House for not fulfilling this assurance.

As NC members were making allegations against the government, some members from the treasury benches, including state Health and Medical Education Minister Mangat Ram Sharma and Tourism Minister Dilawar Mir, got up and said due to unprecedented floods in the state during autumn last year, convening of the legislature session was not possible.

They maintained the entire administration was busy in relief and rescue operations and as such the session could not be held.

A number of Congress and PDP members traded charges with the NC MLAs on the issue. Mr Rather pointed out Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and then Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Beig, had made a commitment on the floor of the House that a longer session of the Legislature would be held at Srinagar. However, contrary to the assurance only four-day session was held there.

Peace returned only after Speaker Tara Chand directed the government to fulfil the assurances made by it in the House.

CRIMINAL LAW AMENDMENT BILL: Later, the Chief Minister introduced in the House a Bill seeking to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Ranbir Penal Code to check the witnesses turning hostile in the court.

The Bill seeks to introduce the concept of plea bargaining to reduce the delay in disposal of criminal trials and appeals as also to alleviate the sufferings of under-trial prisoners, make the investigation of criminal cases more accurate and perfect by getting the statements made by persons before the inquiry officer to be reduced in writing and signed by him, copy of which to be provided to him free of cost to enable him to refresh his memory at the time of his deposition before the court.

The Chief Minister also moved a Bill seeking to bring transparency in the appointment of the chairman of the board of professional entrance examination who will be appointed by the government on the recommendation of the screening committee headed by the Chief Secretary.

Jammu, January 9
Leaders of the APHC have decided to visit Islamabad anytime between January 17 and 19 to exchange ideas with the establishment in Pakistan on the core issue of Kashmir.

According to Prof Abdul Gani Bhat, a senior APHC leader, “Our visit to Islamabad is on the invitation of the Pakistan Foreign Secretary whom we had met in Delhi two months ago.”

Indications from official circles are that the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, may invite the APHC leaders for another round of talks before they leave for Islamabad. Prof Bhat said today: “We are always available whenever the Prime Minister invites us for a dialogue.”

Prof Bhat said: “We wish we could meet Dr Manmohan Singh before our departure for Pakistan.” He explained: “Before our visit to Islamabad we wish to exchange our ideas with the Prime Minister so that our discussion with leaders in Pakistan could be on the basis of our talks with Dr Manmohan Singh.”

In reply to a question the APHC leader said: “We shall meet Dr Manmohan Singh and President, Pervez Musharraf with an open mind.” Asked whether the Hurriyat leaders would complain to the Prime Minister on non-implementation of their demands, which included demilitarisation, release of detainees and an end to excesses by the security forces, Prof Bhat said: “We shall meet him with a clean and open heart.”

He said: “Our discussion with President Musharraf will be Kashmir centric. We shall exchange our ideas so that Delhi and Islamabad double the pace of dialogue and confidence-building measures for the settlement of the Kashmir issue which continued to be the key to peace in the subcontinent.”

Srinagar, January 9
One militant of the Jaish-e-Mohammad outfit was killed in an encounter with the security forces in Baramula district, while a large quantity of arms and ammunition was recovered during search operations in Jammu and Kashmir since yesterday.

With another security force jawan succumbing to his injuries in the hospital here today, the death toll in the grenade explosion at Shopian in Pulwama district on Sunday last has gone up to four. One security force jawan and two civilians had already lost their lives in the explosion.

The police here said that one militant of Jaish-e-Mohammad was killed in an encounter with the security forces at Kothar, Bandipore in Baramula district, yesterday. One AK rifle, one magazine and 11 cartridges were recovered from the site of encounter.

The security forces seized a large quantity of arms and ammunition when they smashed a hideout at Mazmoon Top, Karnah, in Kupwara district last night. The recoveries included one sniper rifle, one magazine, 101 sniper cartridges, one pistol, two pistol magazines, 18 pistol cartridges, 16 UBGL grenades, nine hand grenades and a binocular set.

Two UBGL grenades and a hand grenade were seized during searches at Ganovsargam village in the Kulgam area in Anantnag district yesterday.