Rajouri, October 14
Two militants and a jawan were reportedly killed in an ongoing fierce encounter in Sangyote area of Mendhar in Poonch district.

Police sources divulged that on a tip-off, special operation group personnel of the Jammu and Kashmir police and troops of the 38 RR cordoned a hideout in Ratta Jabbar near Sangyote area of Mendhar in Poonch district today.

As security personnel were advancing towards the hideout, they came under heavy fire from the militants hiding inside the cave. The soldiers returned the fire and in the exchange a trooper, Surjeet Kumar of 38 RR, was killed.

The troops lobbed a grenade inside the cave killing two militants on the spot. Whereas the body of one of the slain militants was recovered, the body of the other militant is yet to be retrieved. One of the slain militants has been identified as Huzefa Shah of Harni in Mendhar believed to be from Lashkar-e-Toiba group, the sources added.

DIG, Rajouri-Poonch range, Kamal Saini, said one militant and a soldier were killed in the encounter.

Defence spokesperson D.K. Kachari said over phone that one militant Huzefa Shah of the LeT was killed in Mendhar area.

At the time of filing of this report, the encounter was still going on.

Srinagar, October 14
Governor N.N. Vohra today indicated that a delegation of the Chambers of Commerce and Industries from Jammu and Kashmir would soon pay a return visit to Muzaffarabad for bilateral interaction with the traders of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Chairing a meeting of senior officers from various Union ministries and state administration, the Governor said that the exchange of visits was imperative for enhancing the level of cooperation and mutual understanding between the trading and business organisations on both sides.

Vohra referred to his recent interaction with the PoK delegation and said that the general feedback he got was that the traders of both the sides were keen to expand the list of commodities in respect of which trading would be allowed.

This aspect, he said, could be taken care of by the Joint Working Groups comprising officials of the Governments of India and Pakistan when they meet next.

The Governor also referred to the strong demand made by the trading organisations of the two parts of Jammu and Kashmir about the need to simplifying the travel procedures, which would be applicable to on both sides and the telephone connectivity.

Vohra referred to the successful operation of the bus service through Uri and Chakkan-da-Bagh routes and said that about 9,000 passengers so far had traveled across the LoC.

He said the cross-LoC trade was yet another confidence-building measure (CBM) which aims at intensifying the people-to-people contacts in the region. He observed that the proposed opening of the Kargil-Skardu route in Ladakh region would be yet another important milestone in the improving Indo-Pak relations.

The Governor, according to an official spoksman, said that the basic infrastructure for starting cross LoC trade is in place, both at Chakkan-da-Bagh and Salamabad in Uri. Further expansion is in the pipe line and land for the second phase of the infrastructural development at Salamabad has also since been acquired.

Jammu, October 14
A delegation of the Muzaffarabad (PoK) Chambers of Commerce has said the opening of the trade route between the two parts of the undivided state would pave way for building strong bonds between India and Pakistan and would help in strengthening the ongoing peace process.

While speaking in the interaction session with the media, the PoK chamber president Zulfikar Abbasi said the opening of the trade link between the two countries should be looked upon as a first milestone towards “thousand miles journey” that may lead to strong bonds between the two nations besides helping in building up of peace process.

He urged that the need of the hour was a political will between the two nations to allow hassle free trade.

“The governments on both sides do not seem to be serious in installing proper infrastructure for smooth trading,” he said, adding that the need was to raise the infrastructure to the desirable level.

When asked about opening of the trade link being seen here as a ploy associated to influence the forthcoming state and parliamentary elections, he said: “There are rumours attached to this event but our efforts are sincerely aimed to improve the trade ties between the two sides and we hope that political influence may remain at bay.”

Abassi also advocated converting the line of control into the line of commerce and said the will and resolution lies with the people of both regions.

On the volume of trade and facilities being exchanged, the PoK chamber president urged for the need of immediate setting up of joint mechanism between the counterparts so that the “briefcase trade of one-and-half lakh tones” may be turned into a more comprehensive and open affair among the two nations.

Jammu, October 14
The Election Commission's move to defer announcement on the Assembly poll in the state has not only divided the mainstream political parties but also added to the uncertainty surrounding the timing of the elections.

While the BJP and the Panthers Party have attacked the Congress and the EC for deferring the announcement of poll dates, the Congress and the NC have left it to the EC to take a call.

Apparently referring to the apprehensions of a low voter turnout, the NC, however, said the elections should be a "meaningful exercise". Not surprisingly, the PDP is the only party to hail the EC move.

State BJP president Ashok Khajuria said: "The EC is dancing to the tunes of the Congress which has compromised with the national interests and surrendered to the separatist forces. It is a black day for Indian democracy." He said the Congress' intentions were not clean and it was trying to defer the Assembly poll so as to regain the lost ground in the state. He said if the Assembly elections were deferred they would raise the issue in the people's court.

Former education minister and senior Panthers Party leader Harsh Dev Singh said the Congress had "manipulated and influenced" the EC as the former was apprehensive of being routed in the Assembly poll. He said the "EC should uphold its autonomy rather than towing the line of a particular party". He said the Congress had "surrendered to the diktats of separatists" who have been saying - "we want azadi, not elections".

NC president Omar Abdullah said: "Though the EC has not announced any date, it has not deferred the elections either. As far as we are concerned we have told the EC what we think on the issue and now it’s up to it take a call as to when it can hold the elections. "

Former Deputy Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Mangat Ram Sharma said they had left it to the EC to decide on the timing of poll, adding that the commission would hold the elections whenever it felt that these could be conducted in a free and fair manner.

On the other hand, PDP spokesman Syed Basharat Bukhari hailed the EC move. He said they had already told the EC that the situation was not conducive for the poll. "Many people have lost their lives over the past three months and their wounds are still fresh. We want the government to initiate some confidence- building measures (CBMs) directly linked with the people so as to apply balm on their wounds before holding the elections. "

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti urged the government to take concrete measures to address the “just concerns and aspirations” of the people to rebuild their confidence before embarking on any electoral process in the state.

Udhampur, October 14
Blaming the PDP for the Amarnath land row, the Congress asked its workers to expose those political parties “exploiting” sentiments of the people for petty gains.

Addressing a meeting of the party workers at Jaganoo in Udhampur, Congress leader and councilor Ashwani Khajuria said as the PDP backstabbed the Congress, the coalition regime headed by Ghulam Nabi Azad could not complete its full term.

He, however, said the Congress-led regime in Jammu and Kashmir has accelerated developmental activities all over the state.

In the meeting, Congress workers from Udhampur and adjoining areas participated and highlighted their problems.

Khajuria handed over a release letter of Rs 5 lakh on behalf of MP Lal Singh to the local people for the renovation of ancient pond in Jaganoo town.

Locals raised demands including repair of the road from Dhar Road to Jaganoo town, completion of the building of Government Girls Middle School Jaganoo, installation of hand pump, provision of street lights in the town and poor sanitary condition.

Pradesh Youth Congress general secretary R.S. Pathania conducted a tour of Gandh Top, Majori, Basantgarh, Mang, Lousru, Pachound, Bihana Choun, Dudu, Kirchi, Balota and Bergaga villages of Dudu-Basantgarh block.

Jammu, October 14
The key outfits of the displaced Kashmiri Pandit community have flayed the delay in announcement of poll dates.

Working president of J&K National United Front A.K. Dewani said: "The government is succumbing to the pressure of separatists and political parties like the National Conference and the PDP. The Election Commission should have adhered to the schedule, as we are following a democratic setup in the country."

He said the move would send a wrong message to the international community as it amounted to "giving in to the blackmail of anti-national forces".

He claimed that the deferment in announcement of dates was aimed at allowing the Congress to regain the lost ground in Jammu and the National Conference to recapture hold on the Kashmir valley.

"If the government could go ahead with the poll in 2002 when the voter turnout was 5 per cent, then why not now," he wondered. The front is the only political outfit of the displaced Kashmiri Pandit Community.

Panun Kashmir Movement president Ashwani Chrungoo said: "The government and the EC are trying to avoid elections and that's why they are resorting to dilly-dallying tactics. The division in the EC indicates that the government nominees in the commission are playing their role."

He said though they had been keeping away from the elections for the past two decades, the poll process was a part and parcel of democracy.

He lamented that the democratically elected governments in the state had failed to address the issues pertaining to the displaced Kashmiri Pandits.

"Our community is not in a position to send its representative to the state Assembly who can fight for the cause on the floor of the House," he said.

Udhampur, October 14
The BJP has been desperately trying to woo Muslims in general and nomadic Gujjars and Bakerwals in particular in the newly carved Reasi district. The party has realised that without support of Muslims it is impossible for it to win any of the three seats of the district.

Although Reasi is a Hindu majority seat, Gool-Arnas and Mahore are Muslim-dominated seats where vote shares of Hindus is not more than 30 per cent. For the last one month, the BJP has organised two rallies for Muslims of these areas.

Due to the prevailing regional and ethnic differences, the BJP has managed to woo some Muslim leaders, especially Gujjars and Bakerwals. A government teacher, Mohammad Ismial, has already resigned from his service to contest election on BJP mandate from Mahore. Similarly, a good number of Gujjars have already joined the party during the last one month.

BJP district president Kabla Singh has reasons to stake claim of getting support of the majority community this time. “We are getting over-whelming response from Muslims in general and Gujjars and Bakerwals in particular,” he said and pointed towards joining of the party by some prominent leaders.

Mohammad Hussain, Haji Abdul Rashid, Haji Mohammad Pogali and Mohammad Sharief Din of Hardiwalla are some of the prominent Muslims leaders who joined the BJP yesterday at Arnas.

“Members of the Muslim community have been bearing brunt of the on-going militancy in this belt. They have realised that the BJP is the only party that has taken a clear stand on terrorism,” Kabla Singh said. After migration of the minority community from the far-flung areas of Mahore, Gool and Arnas, militants have been targeting the Muslim community by dubbing them as informers. The BJP has been roping in militancy-affected Muslim families to consolidate its position in the area.

BJP leadership has realised that due to “irresponsible and provocating statements” of some leaders, the party has been dubbed as communal by the opposition. BJP state president Ashok Khujuria, while addressing a rally at Arnas, said: “Those who accuse the BJP of communalism are misleading the minorities, especially Muslims, to exploit them for votes.”

In view of continuous tension prevailing in Kashmir due to protests and clashes, All-India Shiromani Akali Dal president Jaswant Singh Mann will send a peace delegation to the valley on October 18 and will organise a convention of the Sikh community in Tral in Pulwama district a day later to assess the situation.

After the recent flare-up over the Amarnath land row between Jammu and the valley, Sikh leaders in the state are worried about the safety of about 1,03,000 Sikhs living in Kashmir.

A young Sikh, who recently visited his hometown near Srinagar, expressed his apprehensions. “For the first time, I felt as if I was in an alien place,” he said.

“In my hometown, where everyone knows me, I suddenly noticed some children and youngsters staring at me, and they started forming a circle around me. I ignored them. But they soon began chanting ‘hum kiya chahte hai…azadi (what we want is freedom),” he added.

The Sikh population in the Jammu region is about 5,30,000. Over 250 Sikhs, including women and children, have become victims of militancy since the beginning of “gun culture” in the state in early ’90s. The total number of Sikh soldiers killed in the state since 1947 is about 5,280.

Talking to this correspondent from Chandigarh, Mann said, “Our peace delegation would meet Governor N.N. Vohra and leaders of the political parties.” Joginder Singh Shaan, president of the J&K unit of the All India Shiromani Akali Dal, will preside over the convention.

According to Mann, the real mission of the delegation is “to spread the message of peace, amity and brotherhood among the people of J&K.” The delegation will start its journey from Amritsar on October 17, after paying obeisance at the Golden Temple.

“The peace delegation would take up the issue of regional and communal divide between Jammu and the valley with the leaders of both the regions and would urge them to work together to bring normalcy,” said Mann.

At the convention, Mann said, the participants would discuss the Instrument of Accession of October 1947, the special safeguards and status of Jammu and Kashmir State under Article 370, the Ranbir Code (local laws that prevailed during the Dogra rulers’ regime before 1947)) and other local laws concerning usage and customs of J&K.

“The peace delegation attending the convention will also broach the issue of self-determination within the parameters of the existing laws,” he added.

Mann is a professor of law and author of various Sikh-related political, social, historical and social documents, including “Some basic documents on the demand of Sikh Foundation.”

Of late, the political and religious leaders of the Sikh community in Punjab and J&K have started expressing apprehensions about the safety of Sikhs in the Valley.

So far, two major incidents involving the killing of Sikhs have taken place in Kashmir. Over eight years ago, on March 20, 2000, 35 Sikhs were gunned down by 20 heavily armed LeT militants, dressed in army fatigue, in village Chithisinghpora in South Kashmir. The incident took place few hours before the arrival of the then American President Bill Clinton in India. In another incident in the Mehjoor area of Srinagar in 2000, the militants had opened fire at a group of Sikhs and killed six of them.

Jammu, October 14
Sham Lal, a farmer in border village of Kanachak in Akhnoor, has a reason to smile as he would soon be cultivating his land, which was left on the other side of the barbed fence near the international border, without any restrictions.

After the ministry of defence started realigning the border fence, hundreds of affected farmers are hopeful that they would be free to move and spend more time on their fields.

After the barbed fences were erected to check infiltration from across the border, though the ownership rights remained with them, the farmers were not allowed to enter their fields.

Relaxation came after the 2003 ceasefire between India and Pakistan. The farmers were given timings (from 8 am to 5 pm) to cultivate their fields but they had to seek permission from the BSF authorities at the border outposts.

But the farmers in these villages felt that they need to spend more time to get a good harvest from their fields. Though there is no actual figure, they had to bear losses due to fencing.

“To reach our fields we needed permission from the sentry at the BoPs and if we got late they used to close the gate of the fence,” said Sham Lal.

Then the villagers faced a tough task. They were not given permission to bring along outside labourers. The BSF issued special passes to local farmers only. The BSF officers said they were aware of the problems of the farmers but expressed hope that realignment of the fences would bring a solution.

“We have been relocating the fence on the Zero Line. After the work is done, the farmers would get their land back,” an officer of BSF said.

Srinagar, October 14
Chief Secretary S S Kapur today reviewed the arrangements made for the annual darbar move.

An official spokesman said the meeting decided that the SRTC would provide trucks for carrying office record from Srinagar to Jammu, besides buses for the employees. The buses would be available on October 25, 26, November 1, 2, 8 and 9 for the employees moving from Srinagar to Jammu.

It was decided that the deputy commissioners of Anantnag, Pulwama,Kulgam, Ramban and Udhampur would make arrangements for ensuring hygienic food for the employees in transit

The Health Department would provide medical facilities, including standby ambulances, at all hospitals along the national highway while doctors would be provided by the director, health services, Kashmir, to accompany the convoy during the move days.

Jammu, October 14
The Jammu and Kashmir police has launched a drive against eve-teasers and drug peddlers within the city and its periphery.

''With increasing complaints of eve-teasing and sale of intoxicants in different localities of the city, special teams have been constituted to tighten the noose around the miscreants indulging in these activities,'' a senior police officer told UNI. The police officer, however, added that two or three complaints of eve-teasing were being received every week at different police stations.

''Policemen in civvies are keeping surveillance in the city areas, especially outside colleges and schools, to trap the eve-teasers,'' the police officer said.

The police is also keeping a close watch on drug peddlers, who are selling intoxicants to school-going students and youngsters.

“Complaints about the sale of drugs, including charas, intoxicant capsules, bhukki had been on the rise for the past few months. Strict directions have been issued to the SHOs of the police stations and posts concerned to trap the criminals indulging in social crimes,'' the police officer said. As the maximum supply of drugs like poppy and charas was being supplied to Jammu and other parts of the country from Kashmir, special deployment had been made at various checkposts on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway. — UNI

Jammu, October 14
A team of Colleges Development Council, University of Jammu, headed by Dr Meenakshi Kilam, director, Colleges Development, visited institutions in the region that offer professional postgraduate programmes in MBA and MCA.

The team comprised Prof J.R. Dhotra, dean, Faculty of Management Studies; Dr Jatinder Khajuria, joint director, Colleges Development Council; Prof Devanand, head, Computer Science; Dr Vibhakar Mansotra, Department of Computer Science; R.S. Dalpatia, assistant registrar, Colleges Development Council; Ginny Dogra, assistant director, Centre for Quality Assurance and Strategic Planning, assessed the improvements made for the current academic year in the private colleges.

Stressing upon the initiatives required for enhancing career prospects of the students, Dr Meenakshi laid emphasis on capacity building in communication and computing skills besides developing faculty for exploring possibilities of industry-academia collaboration.

Jammu, October 14
Flouting all norms, marriage halls continue to function in residential areas of the city, right under the nose of the authorities concerned. At many places, these halls are located near educational institutions and hospitals.

During marriages and parties, these halls use DJ systems to play music, which creates noise pollution. As these marriage halls are located in residential areas, they cause frequent traffic jams, as there is no provision for parking. People park their vehicles on roadsides, disrupting the flow of traffic.

A resident of Shakti Nagar, Vinod Ved, said: “The Municipal Corporation should not renew licences of marriage halls located close to educational institutions and hospitals, besides the ones situated in congested residential areas. New applicants, too, should be given licence only if they follow all norms”.

A resident of Rehari Colony alleged that despite restrictions imposed on the use of DJ sets by the government, a marriage hall in Bakshi Nagar had become “nuisance” for the people.

Meanwhile, deputy mayor Dharamveer Singh Jamwal said: “We are trying to stop the construction of marriage halls in residential areas. We had referred these cases to the government a couple of years back, but the officials concerned did not take any action against the owners of these halls.”

He, however, said a number of such cases were also sub judice.

Jammu, October 14
Jammu and Kashmir has started exporting live seed cocoons to the licensed seed producers of West Bengal. The experiment was first launched in 2006-2007. In order to promote sericulture in the state, the government has initiated the concept of exporting seed cocoons to West Bengal and Karnataka.

Under the double cropping pattern introduced by the Department of Sericulture, about 20,000 kg of cocoons were harvested this year against 18,000 kg in 2006-2007. The report said the double cropping pattern was introduced on pilot basis. Under the Prime Minister’s special financial package, construction of four cocoon warehouses at Nandali, Sunderbani (in Jammu) and Mirgund and Berigam (in Kashmir) were under progress and those at Udhampur, Jammu and Srinagar have been made operational. The report also stated that the silk industry in the country suffered a major setback due to low priced Chinese silk yarn and its dumping in the Indian silk market. It resulted in a situation when the rearers in the state had thought of shifting to other farming practices.