Srinagar, December 23
Two unidentified militants were killed in an encounter when a joint team of the 56 RR of the Army and the police gunned them down in the house of a retired teacher in Bandipora today.

In another incident, three militants took refuge in a mosque in Kulgam district and forced some persons of the locality to stay with them, after being surrounded by security forces. The details were still awaited till the filling of the report.

Before entering the mosque, the militants fired at the security forces, injuring at least one army man and one civilian.

Speaking about Bandipora, a district in central Kashmir, official sources told The Tribune that they had received information about the presence of two Lashkar-e-Toiba militants who fled into the house of Abdul Sattar, a retired teacher. “We asked them to surrender but they fired at us in response. Both were killed in the encounter,” an official said.

It may be mentioned that Bandipora has increasingly become a hotbed of insurgents, especially the LeT, and has witnessed a slew of encounters. In Kulgam, official sources said all three militants were suspected to be from the Hizbul Muzahiddin. They had been identified as Mudassir, Shiraz and Ali. Police sources said they are demanding a safe passage, while holding five locals hostage. “We are trying hard to make them surrender,” a police official said.

Srinagar, December 23
Winter sports would commence at the world-famous ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir tomorrow on the Christmas eve with the inauguration of a snow festival, officials said today.

The Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department would organise the winter sports activities.

“This year we are organising a lot of sports activities in Gulmarg such as night ice-skating, snow making competition, sledge races, snow scooter races, skiing and snow rugby,” they said.

The officials further said that the Tourism Department would also organise National Winter Games and International Cross Country Skiing race from February 17 next year.

Last year, Gulmarg witnessed a record number of foreign tourists during the winter months, they said and expressed the hope that the number would witness a significant rise this year.

“Gulmarg is one of the famous and cheap destinations for skiers and other winter sports lovers. Besides winter sports, tourists can enjoy the snowy beauty of the Kashmir valley,’’ the officials added. — UNI

Jammu, December 23
The residents of the Purkhu camp, housing about 1600 families of displaced Kashmiri Pandits, are sore over being ignored by the government. They rue that they were not being provided the basic amenities by the government although crores of rupees are claimed to be spent on them.

According to Shiben Kishen, a camp resident, the community centre constructed by the government a few years ago was in a shambles.

He said its outer wall had fallen. Although it had been repaired a number of times, it fell again and again, as sub-standard material was used for it.

Another camp resident Avtar Kishen said the residents of the camp are forced to hold their social functions in private banquet halls, which costs a lot of money. He alleged that the continuous representations to the government on the issue had fallen on deaf ears.

They said not only the community centre but amenities like drainage, street-lights and the lanes were also in a bad condition.

"Every time we make a representation, we are told that it would be done within a week, but that never happens," he regretted.

They have appealed to the Chief Minister to visit the camp and have a first-hand information about the plight of the displaced people.

Jammu, December 23
Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today said the first phase of the Baglihar Hydel Power Project on the Chenab would be commissioned in June.

While briefing mediapersons, he said the 450-MW first phase of the Baglihar project would become operational by June next. He said the project would improve the power position in Jammu and Kashmir.

Azad said work on the prestigious project had picked up fast during the past over one year and was being executed round the clock. He inspected work on the dam and the power house. Azad said the Baglihar Hydel Power Project was the biggest electricity generating project coming up in the state. The pace of work on the project had slowed down in the past, breaking the target date of its completion, 
he added.

Azad told the executing agency to complete the project without further delay. His visit was part of his effort to speed up the early completion of the project.

Earlier, the project had been strongly opposed by Pakistan, which argued that India had violated the Indus Water Treaty which it had signed with Pakistan in 1960. After prolonged discussions, India not only continued with the work but also augmented the capacity of the project from 450 MW to 900 MW.

Pakistan had claimed that the dam would result in a loss of 7000-8000 cusecs of water per day during the rabi season. But India assured Pakistan that the quantum of water would not be diminished. Pakistan disputed India's contention that it was a run-of-river project and the site was unsuitable for a spillway.

Jammu, December 23
Former Chief Minister and National Conference patron Farooq Abdullah has accused the ruling coalition partner Congress of rigging the Poonch-Haveli byelection, in which Congress candidate Jehangir Mir defeated NC aspirant Ajaz Jan.

Speaking at a function organised to mark the 118 birth anniversary of Justice Mehar Chand Mahajan, the first Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Farooq said, “We lost the Poonch Assembly seat because the people in power (the Congress) used official machinery to vote for them and the electioneering process that ought to have stopped at 4 pm continued beyond 7 pm.”

Blaming the Congress rule for being the root cause of turmoil in the valley, Farooq said it was the Congress government that brought Jamat-e-Islamia into the politics of Jammu and Kashmir.

“The Congress gave Syed Ali shah Geelani four seats and his party won six. The Congress had always been rigging the elections,” he said.

He, however, said the party didn’t lose the elections because of denial of party ticket to some of the senior party loyalists.

Critical of Azad-led government’s promises, Farooq said, “They sanctioned 18 new degree colleges in the state, but I ask what about the colleges that were opened two years ago. These colleges lack infrastructure and staff.”

“We would be producing only half-baked children, who wont have any knowledge and this is a part of a widespread conspiracy,” he added.

Commenting on the speech made by J&K Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad at National Development Council meeting in New Delhi, Farooq said, “The CM spoke about the development of the state, but he neglected the unemployed and educated youth of the state.”

He also highlighted the role of late Justice Mehar Chand Mahajan in state politics. “I used to hear from my father that Mehar Chand became the prime minister of the state of Jammu and Kashmir at the most turbulent period in the region (South Asia) when there was no Pakistan, Bangladesh and everywhere there was turmoil, but he proved to be a good administrator.”

Jammu, December 23
Kathua town and its surrounding areas, including Bani, observed a complete bandh today to protest against the alleged incidents of cow slaughter on the occasion of Id. The bandh passed off peacefully, while the police remained on a high alert throughout the day.

The call for the bandh was given by various organisations affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Following the incidents of arson and rioting yesterday, the police and administration remained on high alert today. Senior superintendent of police, Kathua, G.P.Singh, who is camping at Bani since yesterday, told The Tribune over telephone that the confidence of people had been restored. He said a number of peace meetings had been organised in which members of both communities participated.

Following the reports of the "sacrifice of a cow" on the occasion of Id in Chalog village, a number of houses belonging to the members of the minority community were set on fire. However, no loss of life was reported, as people had already fled the area. Although there were retaliatory attempts today, these were foiled and the administration managed to restore order.

Meanwhile, people held protest demonstrations in Kathua, Bani, Lakhanpur, Nagrota and Bilawar towns of the Kathua district. They were demanding strict action against the culprits responsible for the “cow slaughter”. They also blocked the Jammu Delhi national highway at several places.

Jammu, December 23
The All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) leadership doesn’t see any possibility of tampering with Gen.Pervez Musharraf's four-point proposal on Kashmir whenever an elected political party assumed power in Islamabad.

“Any new government may not either reject or alter the four-point proposal on Kashmir dished out by President Gen Pervez Musharraf,” Prof Abdul Gani Bhat said here today.

He said, "Gen Musharraf's four-point proposal, providing for demilitarisation, joint management, open borders and self-rule, is a state policy and whether Benazir Bhutto or any other political leader assumes power after the next election this policy is unlikely to be modified or dropped."

In support of his contention, Bhat cited the example of peace initiative and confidence-building measures initiated by former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, and said the policy laid down by Vajpayee was being followed by the Congress-led UPA Government. He added, “In normal circumstances state policies usually remain unaffected by the change of guard.”

Prof Bhat said the APHC has been a staunch supporter of Gen Musharraf's four-point proposal because once India accepted it could “set the stage for the settlement of the Kashmir issue.”

He said once the Kashmir issue was resolved it would hasten the pace of restoration of peace and normalcy in Kashmir. Not only this, he added, amicable settlement of the issue on the basis of the four-point proposal could fulfill the aspirations of people of Kashmir and satisfy both India and Pakistan.

"I do not think any other solution can resolve the Kashmir issue and hence India needs to act fast and respond positively to Gen Musharraf's proposals,” Bhat said. 

Jammu, December 23
Hundreds of thousands of pounds are allegedly being sent to Kashmir to fund militancy through counterfeiting and mortgage fraud. This information was revealed in a report appearing in Scotland on Sunday.

“A Scottish gang is bankrolling murderous terrorist attacks in Kashmir, raising hundreds of thousands of pounds each year through counterfeiting and mortgage fraud,” the report said.

The report quoting MI 5 sources revealed, “Around 50 Scots Asians - most of them in Glasgow - are raising funds for Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), a Kashmiri separatist group responsible for hundreds of deaths and reportedly involved in the kidnap and murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl.”

It said, much of the cash raised in Scotland is sent first to Dubai, where it is laundered, and then passed on to JeM terrorists operating in the Kashmir region.

The report revealed, up to £50,000 a month is raised in Scotland. As well as money from mortgage fraud, around £15,000 of this total is raised by selling counterfeit DVDs, CDs and clothing at market stalls and in pubs and clubs across Scotland.

MI5 estimates that there are about 50 hardcore JeM sympathisers living in Scotland, responsible for shipping half a million pounds abroad every year to fund the militants' murderous activities halfway across the world.

The sale of fake CDs, DVDs, clothing and perfumes in Glasgow and other British cities is helping in raising money for one of the world's most-notorious terror outfits - the group held responsible for the slaughter of US journalist Daniel Pearl in 2002.

MI5 is now targeting British-based supporters of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), a pro-Kashmiri group dedicated to gaining the disputed territory its independence. Its aims include the “destruction” of the United States and India.

JeM militants have been waging a war for Kashmiri independence since formation of the group in 2001.

They have been a proscribed terror group in the UK for years. However, several months ago there were intelligence reports that JeM had linked up with Osama bin Laden's network in order to intensify their attacks in Kashmir.

The report said, the MI5 learned about the Glasgow fundraising operation from the Pakistani secret service, the ISI, which became aware of large amounts of money being paid into suspects' bank accounts.

It said, the MI5 has been keeping a very “close watch on those individuals who they believe are orchestrating the violence”. It was from this surveillance work and analysis of their bank details that the alert was first raised about money coming in from the UK.

The Scottish-based organisers of the group have, so far, managed to keep a relatively low profile, making it hard for the authorities to act against them.

But ever since the ISI tip-off a few months ago, the security services have been keeping a close watch on the individuals they suspect are behind the scams, the report said.

It revealed, all of the Scots behind the fundraising are British-born but remain fiercely supportive of their roots.

There are also hot-beds of support for Kashmiri militants in London and Birmingham, although a recent crackdown has had a severe impact on the activities of fundraisers.

The Kashmiri community in Scotland is well-established, having first settled here two generations ago. Although not as big as either Indian or Pakistani communities, it is still a substantial presence, numbering thousands, most of them living in Glasgow.

The police say the Scottish public has no idea about the ease with which their money can be moved across the world to Kashmir, where it is used to buy guns, ammunition, bomb-making equipment and pay for safe houses, mobile phones and transport.

Small high street shops offering international wire transfers are the normal way of transferring funds, sending them usually via the Emirates to Pakistan - although the Lebanon is becoming an increasingly popular route. 

Jammu, December 23
The body of an infiltrator is lying unattended between the India-Pakistan border at the Line of Control (LoC), with each side shrugging off its responsibility.

Exposing a bitter story of Human Rights Violation, the body of an unidentified infiltrator, who was killed in a counter- infiltration operation by the security forces, is lying unnoticed on the other side of the Munawar Tawi river, close to the LoC.

The “dishonoured” body of the infiltrator, who was believed to be carrying “secret security-related information”, is now decaying on the bank of the Munawar Tawi river, in the Sunderbani area of Rajouri district.

“It (infiltrator's body) is still lying on the bank of the Munawar Tawi, and apparently, it seems that it has started decomposing,” official sources told UNI. Moreover, the body of the infiltrator has become a bone of contention for troops on both sides of the border.

Due to extreme cold conditions, the bullet-ridden body has started to decompose from the wounded parts and those which are in touch with the flow of stream, sources said.

“Had it been summers, the surrounding area, including that under Pakistan's control, would have been stinking due to the rapid decomposition of a human body,” sources added. — UNI

Srinagar, December 23
The decision of the All-India Football Federation to let Jammu and Kashmir host the prestigious Santosh Trophy in May next year has evoked both surprise and joy among sports administrators here.

A two-member committee, which visited Srinagar recently to make a final assessment, has given the green signal in this regard and the AIFF is likely to announce its decision in a few days.

The AIFF decision is also a vindication of the rapidly improving security scenario in the valley, which has been hosting junior level national tournaments for some time, but continued to be denied any big ticket championship due to apprehensions in some quarters. "Our relentless effort in convincing the AIFF of our preparedness for the last few years has finally paid off. It will prove to be a ground-breaking event in the valley's sports history," a sports official told The Tribune.

Sports minister Babu Singh, who had been taking the lead in presenting the case of state and had expressed anguish over the denial of Santosh Trophy to the state despite positive assurances by the national football body, could not be reached for comments despite several attempts.

The clearance from the AIFF has also positively surprised the sports administration. If and when the decision comes, the state will host the trophy after 30 years.

He, however, said they would continue to keep their fingers crossed till a final decision is taken.

It may be mentioned that the valley has been long in the line to host the premier football championship, but despite the government's claims that it had proper infrastructure in place, some states always expressed their reluctance in playing in strife-torn Srinagar. In 2006, the trophy was moved to Haryana from the state, which created a lot of disappointment here.

Srinagar recently successfully hosted national youth wrestling championship at the Sher-e-Kashmir stadium, and it helped increase its stake in any future contention for hosting national championships.

Jammu, December 23
Minister of agriculture Abdul Aziz Zargar launched the Rs 121 crore Ranbir Command Area Development project at Bishnah recently.

Zargar said the project would be completed in seven years and would provide irrigation facilities to 38,600 hectares of land in 489 villages of Bishnah, RS Pura, Satwari, Marh and Bhalwal blocks.

He said the project would ensure proper utilisation of water and better irrigation facilities to farmers during the Rabi and Kharif season.

“The scheme would prove beneficial in increasing the agriculture production on its completion,” he said.

Zargar said the natural water resources were decreasing day by day and it was time to utilise the available water resources judiciously, particularly in the agriculture sector.

He said, “Deforestation has imbalanced the environmental set up and glaciers are melting rapidly. There is an urgent need to save our forest wealth.”

Zargar appealed to the farmers to take benefit of the Kissan Insurance Scheme (KIS) announced by the government recently. He said the aim of the coalition government was to provide facilities to farmers in the field of agriculture and horticulture.

Zargar also asked the director, Command Area Development (CAD), to organise awareness camps to make farmers aware about the judicious utilisation of water in farms. He asked the Water User Association to ensure that water reached the fields of every farmer irrespective of its position and location.

Appreciating the role of the CAD, Zargar said every effort had been made to rejuvenate the activities of the department.

Udhampur, December 23
To ensure people’s participation in the ongoing developmental activities in the far-flung areas and to educate the masses about various central sponsored schemes, the Social Welfare Department organised an awareness programme at Muttal, a backward village bordering Udhampur and Reasi district.

A large number of people belonging to Muttal, Jassarkote, Lalli, Dhanoo, Sandrani, Chirayai, Jangalgali and Bhamag villages participated in the camp in which they were informed about programmes being launched by the state and Central governments.

Minister of Rural Development, Jugal Kishore Sharma, said the coalition government was determined for socio-economic transformation of the downtrodden sections of the society as well as providing other basic amenities of life in still under-developed pockets of the state.

The minister affirmed that lack of funds was no problem for development of rural areas but the problem was lack of will of the people. He added that a lot of funds were pouring in from the Centre under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme (NREGA), which would be effective in Udhampur district from next financial year. 

Jammu, December 23
The state unit of the CPM, headed by MLA M.Y. Tarigami, has been trying to form a third front in Jammu and Kashmir.

Tarigami said, “What is wrong in the formation of a third front in Jammu and Kashmir?”

He said, “We already have two fronts, the National Conference and the Congress-PDP combine.

The state needs a third front, which could play a vital role in case the verdict in the next election threw up a hung Assembly.”

In reply to another question, Tarigami said, “I have yet to give practical shape to my idea. But I have the contours of the plan in my mind and I have been meeting various political leaders in this connection.”

He is said to be in touch with transport minister Hakim Mohd.Yasin, who heads the Peoples' Democratic Front.

He said in the third front “I plan to bring the CPIM, the CPI, the Democratic Freedom Front, which is part of the ruling coalition, independent legislators and other prominent political leaders under the canopy of the third front.”

Asked whether the Panthers Party, headed by Prof Bhim Singh, which has four members in the Assembly and one in the Legislative Council, will also be brought under the front umbrella, Tarigami said, “At present I have not given any thought to it. I shall think over it because I want like-minded and secular organisations to be part of the third front.”

Jammu, December 23
Chairman of the hardline faction of All Party Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, has reiterated his demand for holding a plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir in accordance with the United Nations Resolutions on Kashmir.

Talking to reporters during an Id party hosted by him here today, Geelani asserted the Kashmiris have been promised that they would decide their own future and added, “no other solution is possible.”

“It has been promised by the Government of India in the United Nations,” he said, adding these resolutions passed in 1948, the people of Jammu and Kashmir can exercise the choice of joining India, Pakistan or remaining independent.

The radical Hurriyat leader also rejected the four-point formula put forward by Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, which included self-rule, demilitarisation, open borders and joint management of the two parts of the state. He said, this was unacceptable and an insult to the thousands of people who “sacrificed their lives for the Kashmir cause.”