J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Canada positive on SAARC
Jammu, February 23
Hailing India as a ''peace-keeping nation'', Canadian High Commissioner to India David Malone said today that both India and Pakistan could look forward to the coming SAARC summit in New Delhi for better bilateral ties in terms of a joint effort to fight terrorism.

Fake killing: Case against Army, SOG
Srinagar, February 23
Acting in yet another case of fake encounter killing, the police has registered a murder case against an army unit and Special Operations Group which had shot dead a cleric claiming he was a foreign militant in Jammu and Kashmir.

2 militants, jawan killed in encounters
Jammu/Srinagar, February 23
An Army havaldar and two terrorists were killed in Rajouri district in an encounter when the troops launched an operation to free nearly 12 women and children held hostage by two unidentified ultras at Thanamandi this morning.

Activists of the Jammu and Kashmir Muslim League hold a protest in Srinagar on Friday to demand an end to fake killings and alleged human rights violations by the security forces in the valley. — Tribune photo by Amin War

Pak invites Geelani
Srinagar, February 23
Chief of the Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who among other separatist leaders met the visiting Pakistan Foreign Minister Khursheed Mahmood Qasoori in Delhi yesterday, has been invited to visit Pakistan.

Canada positive on SAARC
Tribune News Service

Jammu, February 23
Hailing India as a ''peace-keeping nation'', Canadian High Commissioner to India David Malone said today that both India and Pakistan could look forward to the coming SAARC summit in New Delhi for better bilateral ties in terms of a joint effort to fight terrorism.

There were various levels, including the regional and international arenas and SAARC could be one of those where both nations can look forward for peace in the region, Mr Malone said in an informal chat with The Tribune on the sidelines of the International Conference on Canadian Studies at the University of Jammu here.

Expressing his concern over lack of information and then ''uninformed opinion'' at any level on such issues, he said there could be different formulas to address the proposed joint efforts of the two neighbouring nations to fight terrorism.

''We are looking forward to the coming SAARC summit scheduled in New Delhi,'' he said, when he was asked about his opinion about the proposal of a joint mechanism to combat terrorism in the sub-continent.

Mr Malone, however, brushed aside the issue of a proposal for a joint probe by India and Pakistan into the terrorist attack on the Samjhauta Express to which India had already denied.

''I won't comment on that since I am no authority on such specific incidents which are, of course, highly tragic for both nations,'' he said.

Earlier, addressing the inaugural session of the conference, the High Commissioner hailed India's participation in peace making missions.

Fake killing: Case against Army, SOG

Srinagar, February 23
Acting in yet another case of fake encounter killing, the police has registered a murder case against an army unit and Special Operations Group (SOG) which had shot dead a cleric claiming he was a foreign militant in Jammu and Kashmir.

Official sources said here today that the special investigation team probing the fake encounter killings of innocent civilians received a positive DNA mapping report which identified the deceased as Showkat Ahmad Kataria, a cleric who had gone missing from Zadibal area of the city last year.

Initially, a missing case was registered in Zadibal police station. Now, the charges of abduction, murder and conspiracy have been slapped on the army unit, 13 Rashtriya Rifles, and SOG, Ganderbal.

The two security agencies had claimed to have killed one Abu Zahid, a Pakistani militant, at Ajas in Bandipora area of Baramulla district, on October 5 last year. However, the DNA tests on the exhumed body has confirmed that it was that of Kataria, a resident of Banihal in Doda district.

The sources said the police tried to serve summons to the concerned army unit which they refused to accept. The police were not allowed to enter the the camp at Manasbal. — PTI

2 militants, jawan killed in encounters
Tribune News Service

Jammu/Srinagar, February 23
An Army havaldar and two terrorists were killed in Rajouri district in an encounter when the troops launched an operation to free nearly 12 women and children held hostage by two unidentified ultras at Thanamandi this morning.

Deputy inspector-general of police (Poonch-Rajouri range) M.A. Anjum said on the phone that the ultras entered a house in a thickly populated area and held the inmates and some neighbours hostage. They indiscriminately fired at troops who had launched an operation to get the women and children freed. A havaldar of the Army lost his life during the encounter.

One terrorist was killed when the troops retaliated. The other ultra tried to escape but was shot by the security forces.

Pak invites Geelani

Srinagar, February 23
Chief of the Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who among other separatist leaders met the visiting Pakistan Foreign Minister Khursheed Mahmood Qasoori in Delhi yesterday, has been invited to visit Pakistan.

An invitation from Pakistan Prime Minister was handed over to him by the foreign minister during the meeting in New Delhi yesterday evening. — TNS