Jammu, November 5
Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today sounded reconciliatory towards his coalition partner- the People's Democratic Party, despite latter's criticism of the functioning of his government. He maintained that the coalition government had done "exceedingly and exceptionally well" for five years compared to the performance of previous governments after 60 years of Independence. However, he remarked that his two years' tenure had been the best and certainly better than the three years under PDP leadership.

After taking the salute at the ceremonial guard of honour on the first day of the opening of the Civil Secretariat here today, Azad said, "During the past five years, the alliance government has consistently improved upon the performance of the previous year", implying that the three years under the PDP might have been good, but his two years were better.

Meanwhile, the darbar ( Civil Secretariat) opened here today. It will work here for the next six months till last week of April.

Azad, however, evaded answer on the recent criticism by PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and his daughter and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti of the government under him (Azad) was not performing up to the expectations of the masses.

While most of the Congress ministerial colleagues of Azad were present today, the PDP was represented by senior leader and agriculture minister Abdul Aziz Zargar only. PDP leaders,Syeed and Mehbooba, have been very critical of the functioning of the Azad government. They had even threatened in case the government continued to function like this, it might not be possible to carry on with the coalition. However, the Congress leaders, including the Chief Minister, had maintained silence on the PDP criticism.

At the same time the Chief Minister reiterated his opposition to the withdrawal of troops from the state. This is one of the major issues of contention between the PDP and the Congress. While the PDP wants troops withdrawn from the valley, Azad has been insisting that the troops were needed.

He also clarified about the reported movement of troops from various areas in the state. He disclosed these were the additional troops deployed here during Kargil war and these had been moving out from time to time. He said, there had been no withdrawal of troops from the borders or from the areas were these were involved in counter insurgency operations.

Udhampur, November 5
G. M. Bhat, an associate of hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, was arrested in connection with the inter-state hawala racket busted recently in the state and the police here has launched a hunt for those had handed over hawala money to the couple for delivering it to some persons in the Kashmir valley. A police team has been sent to New Delhi to nab hawala kingpins pumping money into the Kashmir valley.

Police Department sources disclosed during interrogation that the arrested accused had disclosed the names of persons in Delhi who were in touch with them for some days. During their stay in New Delhi,the persons running hawala channels, had handed over amount to them.

Although police officers are silent over the details of questioning of the arrested persons, the sources said the couple had also disclosed names of some Kashmiri businessmen, settled in the union Capital, for giving financial support to militant outfits in Kashmir.

Meanwhile, Bhat, a leading businessman, was arrested from Srinagar last night in a raid taking the total number of persons rounded up in connection with the racket so far to five. After initial questioning, the arrested persons disclosed the name of G.M. Bhat to whom they had to deliver the consignment. After this revelation, the police raided and picked up Bhat. The money was handed over to them in Delhi from the residence of Bhat, who has a house there also.

An associate of Geelani and member of the Hurriyat Conference at one time, Bhat is being brought to Udhampur for interrogation. More arrests are expected in this hawala racket.

As reported earlier three, Jamali khan, wife Shemeema and Danish, have already been arrested in this case and Rs 50 lakh was recovered from their possession. 

Srinagar, November 5
Mainstream and separatist political parties in Jammu and Kashmir have reacted to the imposition of emergency in Pakistan, while people keenly watch developments for its impact on Indo-Pakistan relations and resolution of the Kashmir issue. These parties hope the situation will improve in Pakistan leading to stability and restoration of democracy though it will impact the peace process if not the Indo-Pak relations.

Terming it as an "inopportune happening", PDP patron and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed hoped it would be a temporary phenomenon and democracy would return soon. He said Pakistan had been passing through difficult times and prayed for the stabilisation of situation in that country in the larger interest of peace in the region.

Maintaining that President Pervez Musharraf's presence had helped improve relations between India and Pakistan, the Mufti said the Pakistan President’s initiatives had helped transform the relationship between the two countries.

National Conference patron and former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah has also hoped democracy will be soon restored in Pakistan while describing the imposition of emergency as unfortunate. He said democracy in Pakistan was important as it would help resolve all issues with India.

Activists of the Jammu and Kashmir Panthers Party, which has four MLAs, held a demonstration here yesterday against the imposition of emergency in Pakistan. The activists, raising slogans against the Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf’s decision blocked traffic on the Residency Road. The police detained them and the traffic was restored on the main road.

Condemning the action of the Pakistan President, the hardline Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, has described it as an unlawful act. It was unfortunate for people of the country as a whole and Jammu and Kashmir in particular, the party said. Geelani’s Hurriyat Conference, which has been criticising the policies of Musharraf, added that developments in Pakistan should be an eye-opener for those supporting his policies, especially the moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference, led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.

Jammu: Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad remarked, "While, it (imposition of emergency) is certainly unfortunate, but there is nothing new in it as Pakistan is used to this system for a long time". Azad observed that democracy had never been allowed to take roots in Pakistan. The recent developments were a result of the ongoing process only.

Azad agreed developments in Pakistan did have a bearing on the state of Jammu and Kashmir. "We have always favoured a stable Pakistan", he said,hoping recent developments would not derail the peace process started by the two countries a few years ago.

Pirzada Mohammad Sayeed, president of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee and senior minister in the government, observed that stability was very important for peace in the South Asian sub-continent. "We are watching the developments with caution", he said and added that peace must return to Pakistan for better relationship with India which will have implications for Kashmir.

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and member of the national executive committee Nirmal Singh remarked that it had been established how fragile the political system in Pakistan was. 

Srinagar, November 5
The Army here today claimed having court-martialled and awarded punishment to two jawans for the molestation of a girl of Kunan Baba Gund village in Bandipore district in June this year.

"Two individuals have been punished by the Army by award of severe punishments of reduction in ranks and rigorous imprisonment to one and severe reprimand to the other," a Defence spokesman here stated. The accused persons were at present undergoing sentence in confinement at Bandipur.

On June 26, the two jawans were accused of house trespassing and outraging the modesty of a girl at Kunan Baba Gund village, Bandipur. The Army court-martialled the individual from October 29 to November 3, 2007, said the Defence spokesman today.

An FIR was also lodged by the Army against the locals who beat up the two Army jawans. The police station at Bandipur is investigating the matter. The Army had also identified these individuals and forwarded their names to the police on September 7. — TNS