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Army nabs 3 Chinese along LAC in Leh dist
NC, PDP, Congress condemn killing of 2 youths in Sumbal
Pakistan’s designs on Afghanistan, Kashmir
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New Lakhanpur toll plaza fails to decongest ‘gateway’ to J-K
Northern Command bids farewell to Lt Gen Parnaik
28 soldiers killed in militant attacks this year
Meet held to devise plan to keep Poonch militancy-free
11,000 pilgrims leave for Amarnath shrine on 3rd day
Two months after quake, Doda victims await relief
Separatists condemn Bandipora killings, call for shutdown today
Omar hailed for taking up reservation issue of Paharis
BJYM slams govt’s soft approach to terrorism
Prizes presented to Mughal rally winners
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Army nabs 3 Chinese along LAC in Leh dist
Jammu, June 30 However, the incident came to light on Saturday. “Yes, we apprehended three men of Chinese origin identified as Adil, Salamo and Abdul Khaliq inside the Indian territory on June 12. They were speaking Yarkandi language and we had no translator to understand their language. Later, after preliminary questioning and formalities, we handed them over to the ITBP,” a senior Army officer told The Tribune. The three young men aged between 18 and 23 spoke in Yarkandi. Yarkand is an area in Xinjiang Uyghur in China. The trio also carried political maps in Arabic language, he said. The officer said for further update on the development, the ITBP and Leh Police could be contacted. However, ITBP officers in the Ladakh sector remained tightlipped over the entire incident while Leh SSP Vivek Gupta feigned ignorance over the development. “So far neither the Army nor the ITBP has communicated anything of this nature to us,” said the Leh SSP. The three men were caught on June 12 near the Sultanchusku area and the Army had to work hard for days together to know their names, said an official source. “The Yarkandi language was not understood by us but we somehow managed to know the names of the three fair complexioned Sunni Muslims,” he added. The three Chinese men were caught near the Murgo post along the LAC, some 250 km south of Leh. Yarkand in the Tarim Basin lies west of the strategic Karakoram Pass. The source claimed that the Chinese men were caught with sharp-edged weapons like swords and knives. They were also carrying tinned food, including egg powder, Chinese currency of over 900 Yuan and Chinese leather jackets, he added. However, the Army officer said the intruders didn’t carry any sharp-edged weapons and they were unarmed. “Now, we are trying to get a translator, who can translate Yarkandi for us to enable us to question them,” said the officer. Yarkandi is spoken in Xinjiang province, which is close to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and touches Daulat Beg Oldi tip in north of Ladakh where Indian and Chinese troops had a stand-off in April-May this year. An Intelligence source said a chopper was being requisitioned to airlift the intruders to Leh where they would be questioned. The Home Ministry and Defence Ministry are in constant touch with the authorities here over the issue, he added. Yes, we apprehended three men of Chinese origin identified as Adil, Salamo and Abdul Khaliq inside the Indian territory on June 12. They were speaking Yarkandi language and we had no translator to understand their language. Later, after preliminary questioning and formalities, we handed them over to the ITBP |
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NC, PDP, Congress condemn killing of 2 youths in Sumbal
Srinagar, June 30 In a statement, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee chief Saifuddin Soz expressed his “deepest anguish at the sad happening” at Sumbal, in which two youths got killed in Army firing. He condemned the firing, the statement said. Soz said the Army should constitute a high-level inquiry and bring the persons responsible for the incident to book. PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has also condemned the killing of the two youths in the Sumbal area of north Kashmir. Addressing a rally of party workers in the Kulgam area of south Kashmir today, Mufti said the incident reflected the sad state of affairs in the state. He said the firing was unwarranted, adding that the government has lost all control over the situation. He sought the relocation of the Army from some areas and gradual demilitarisation. The PDP leader expressed solidarity with the bereaved families. He said the laws such as the Armed Forces Special Powers Act were needed at a time when hundreds of gun-wielding youths were present in the state. He added that in view of the improved situation on the militancy front, such laws were not required. He said the Sumbal incident was the result of such laws. Additional general secretary of the NC Sheikh Mustafa Kamal and MP Ghulam Nabi Rattanpuri have also condemned the killings. |
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on the frontline
Exactly a year from now, the western forces will start leaving Afghanistan. That exit strategy of President Obama of America may be good for his nation, but leaving behind the challenges for peace and stability in a country ravaged by more than three decades of war would affect India and Jammu and Kashmir, in particular.
There is no denying the fact that the Afghans should be politically engaged by the United States to silence the Taliban-led insurgency there. The use of force and drone attacks have failed, and now it is the turn to set up a negotiation table with the Taliban to bring about peace in Afghanistan. The first step has been taken with the Taliban having opened their office in Doha, Qatar, from where they would be holding negotiations on the future of Afghanistan, notwithstanding the reservations that President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan has about this kind of dialogue. There are many sceptics in the US too. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who for the past nearly a decade has been a champion of good relations with Pakistan, wants that the neighbourhood should settle down and allow the forces of peace to take over. Afghanistan is a crucial factor when he talks of Afghanistan and Central Asia and Kashmir’s centuries-old ties with the Central Asian nations. Omar, a keen observer of international developments, knows that unless Pakistan changes its mindset and approach towards India, Kashmir cannot have that perfect peace that it has been seeking for decades. But that is not going to happen any time soon, as there are forces having other thoughts. Before talking of the spillover of the Afghan situation into Jammu and Kashmir, two important aspects need to be brought into focus. One, Pakistan should learn from its past mistakes. It created the Taliban and facilitated their march into Afghanistan and today it is consumed by the violence perpetrated by the Pakistani Taliban, an offshoot of the Taliban. It also did not gain anything by diverting militancy and weaponry to Kashmir after Soviet troops left Afghanistan in the late 1980s. The fact of the matter is that Kashmiris are scared by the terror violence that is sweeping through the neighbouring country. They don’t hesitate over cursing Pakistan for what it has done to Kashmir. Pakistan, and the militants sponsored by it, have ruined the normal life of Kashmiris and dented the image of the place. Two, Pakistan itself is burning in the flames of terrorism. There is no safety for Pakistanis even in their country. They are dying by scores in terror-related acts. The international community knows that havens of terrorism exist in Pakistan. That is a real danger for Kashmir because the Pakistani establishment — read the Pakistani army and Inter-Services Intelligence — has not changed its mindset. It is interested in keeping the pot boiling in Kashmir, not for any other reason but to stall the development and progress in Kashmir. They are also desperate to lay their hands on the natural resources of the state. As Chief Minister rightly pointed out at a seminar in Kashmir University on Saturday that Pakistan is a hurdle in connecting Kashmir to Central Asia. Pakistan did not allow its airspace for civilian airliners for flights emanating from Srinagar international airport. But things should not be given up and an effort should be made. One thing should be clear that Pakistan’s interests are focused on the natural resources of Jammu and Kashmir and water tops the list. Otherwise, there is no other explanation as to why it should be throwing one obstacle after another in the execution of the power projects in the state. It tried its best to stall Baglihar project and now it is bent upon stalling the work on Kishenganga. Pakistan is interested, rather desperate to have its strategic depth in Afghanistan. It is the creator of the Taliban and it would want its pound of flesh too in the negotiations that the Taliban are expected to have with the United States of America. Before talking to the Taliban, the US should ensure that Pakistan doesn’t cross the red lines. It must be told where the red lines are. If that doesn’t happen, Kashmir is in for trouble in 2014.
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New Lakhanpur toll plaza fails to decongest ‘gateway’ to J-K
Jammu, June 30 The new toll plaza has six gates but so far only one is operational. Vehicles, mostly trucks, remain parked on the two-lane National Highway 1A on which the plaza has come up, thereby causing inconvenience to the ongoing traffic. However, the authorities concerned claimed that things were falling in place after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah inaugurated the plaza on January 13 this year. “So far we have been able to achieve over 50 per cent of our objective of effectively and efficiently collecting toll tax besides decongesting Lakhanpur,” said a top official of the Commercial Taxes Department, who insisted on anonymity. He hoped that in the next two months the gateway would be decongested completely and would give a new soothing look to the visitors. “Computerised collections have been started while the remaining impediments would be removed in the next couple of months. You would agree that the old Lakhanpur town has now been decongested completely,” he said. The official said that in a bid to streamline the entire toll plaza, 30 per cent additional staff of his department had been deployed there. He, however, could not give any reason behind the delay in making all six gates functional at the plaza. “While the one with us is functional, I don’t know why the Excise Department has not yet made the other gates functional,” he said. Haphazardly parked trucks and other vehicles not only give a shabby look to the plaza but are a nuisance for the incoming and outgoing traffic. “The authorities collect toll tax from every incoming and outgoing vehicle but they have not done enough to decongest the place. It gives a bad experience to the visitors entering the state,” said Rakesh Kumar, a shopkeeper at Lakhanpur. A local resident, Mohan Lal said, “The state government that earns a major chunk of revenue from Lakhanpur has not done enough to make it a professionally organised toll post, like in other parts of the state.” They spent over Rs 40 crores of the taxpayers’ money but did not deem it fit to come up with separate lanes for passenger vehicles and light motor vehicles, he added. Nearly one lakh vehicles cross the gateway every month. |
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Northern Command bids farewell to Lt Gen Parnaik
Jammu, June 30 The GOC-in-C had taken over the reins of the Northern Command on January 1, 2011, when the Valley was going through a cycle of protests. He conceptualised and executed a realistic and practical strategy in conjunction with the civil administration, police, paramilitary forces and other intelligence agencies, resulting in relative peace in the region for three consecutive summers, said Lt Col Rajesh Kalia, defence spokesperson for the Northern Command. The Army officer contributed significantly to the initiation of a number of development projects for the welfare of people under Operation Sadbhavana, especially to channelise the energy of youth for constructive and purposeful activities such as vocational training and sports. Owing to his sustained efforts, several projects to upgrade the facilities for troops deployed in extreme weather conditions and inhospitable terrain were initiated. He also contributed towards the welfare of the veer naris, veterans and their dependants. In his farewell message, the Army Commander complimented all ranks for their professionalism, steadfastness, dedication and loyalty. He also thanked the civil administration for its excellent synergy with the armed forces. “The honour and integrity of our nation rests on your shoulders and the strength of your resoluteness. I am sanguine that you shall continue to do the country proud.” Lt Gen Parnaik told his Command before hanging up his boots. “The General is a soldier and a great motivator. As all ranks of the Northern Command say good bye to him, they will remember him for his sterling qualities as a military leader, statesmanship, firm resolve to follow the righteous path and his unwavering commitment to the national cause,” said Lt Col
Kalia. |
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28 soldiers killed in militant attacks this year
Srinagar, June 30 Though militancy has receded to a record low in the state as militants have suffered loss of most of their rank and file in counter-insurgency operations over the past decade, fidayeen attacks have resurfaced. This suggests militants still have a tactical edge over the security forces. This year 13 militants were killed, mostly during gun battles in south Kashmir. Data shows that 17 security forces personnel were killed last year across the militancy affected state. While in the first half of this year, 28 security forces personnel were killed in the Kashmir division alone. The number of security forces personnel killed in the Kashmir valley includes 13 soldiers, nine policemen, five from the CRPF and a BSF jawan. While the five CRPF personnel were killed in a fidayeen attack on the outskirts of the city on March 13, four soldiers were killed in an ambush on May 24 near south Kashmir’s Tral town. On June 24 militants ambushed an Army convoy on a highway on the outskirts of the city in which two militants killed eight soldiers and wounded 16 others. The 13 militants killed this year include two fidayeens from Pakistan who were killed in a retaliatory fire, three militants trying to enter the state were killed in north Kashmir’s Nowgam sector besides eight local militants. |
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Meet held to devise plan to keep Poonch militancy-free
Poonch, June 30 The security agencies discussed the prevailing security situation in the twin districts and suggested measures to deal with militancy-related incidents. The GOC said he was satisfied with the efforts of the civil administrations, police and security agencies. He appreciated their efforts to keep the area peaceful and conducive for the development of the twin districts. He said everybody needed to be focused and synergised efforts at all levels were required to keep the internal security situation up to the expectations of the ‘Awam’. Poonch SP Shamsheer Hussain Chaudhary and Rajouri SP Mubassir Latifi gave the latest updates on the prevailing security situation in the twin districts. They apprised the gathering about the steps initiated to maintain the confidence of the people.
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11,000 pilgrims leave for Amarnath shrine on 3rd day
Srinagar, June 30 The yatra has been going on smoothly. All arrangements and facilities are in place for the pilgrims at various points along the 32-km-long trek from Chandanwari to the holy cave shrine via the traditional Pahalgam route and on the 14-km-long trek from Baltal via Sonamarg. Officials here said 5,345 pilgrims left for the cave shrine from the Nunwan base camp in Pahalgam this morning. Nearly 200 yatris arrived from Jammu at the base camp in Pahalgam this evening. Some yatris were on their way to the two base camps till the reports last came in, the officials said. Similarly, 5,693 yatris left from the Baltal base camp near Sonmarg in Ganderbal district this morning. This is the shortest route to the holy cave and those wanting to return from the cave in one day take this route. |
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Two months after quake, Doda victims await relief
Jammu, June 30 So far, they have not received even a single rupee to rebuild or repair their houses damaged in the May 1 earthquake. Their houses have been declared unsafe by survey teams of the government. According to an official data of the district administration, over 48,000 structures were damaged in the earthquake, out of which more than 10,000 were severely damaged and nearly 1,000 were completely damaged. A few houses even collapsed but no loss of life was reported. After the monsoon struck Jammu and Kashmir, people living in the open or in tents had to look for alternate places and a few of them got shelter in the houses of their relatives but a majority of them are still living in tents. “Rains have increased our problems and we are going through very difficult phase as half portion of my house has collapsed and the rest is about to fall. The government has provided only one tent in which my eight-member family is living,” said Sandeep Singh (32), a labourer from Dreja village of Bhaderwah. He said the district administration had given strict instructions that if the tent received any kind of damage, they would have to pay a fine of Rs 50,000. “Being a labourer, I have to earn livelihood by working somewhere. But after the threat from the administration, I am busy in protecting my tent,” he added. “We have forwarded the request for the relief package after conducting a survey and preparing a detailed report. But so far, no relief package has been announced by the government,” said Doda Deputy Commissioner Mubarak Singh. He said after the government provided initial relief and around 4,500 tents to the victims and the situation was under control. “There is nothing alarming as people have got adjusted in tents and other places. But the relief package is necessary for repair and rebuilding of houses,” the DC added. Rains have increased our problems and we are going through very difficult phase as half portion of my house has collapsed and the rest is about to fall. The government has provided only one tent in which my eight-member family is living |
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Separatists condemn Bandipora killings, call for shutdown today
Srinagar, June 30 Following the incident, the police today prevented JKLF leader Yasin Malik and Independent MLA Engineer Rashid from reaching the firing spot in the Sumbal area and took them under preventive custody, while other separatist leaders, including Shabbir Shah and Nayeem Khan, have been put under house arrest in Srinagar. The call for a complete shutdown was first given by chairman of the hardline faction of the Hurriyat Syed Ali Shah Geelani and seconded by Yasin Malik, who along with another separatist leader Javed Mir and activists, was detained by the police near the Sumbal area in north Kashmir early on Sunday. “Yasin Malik while condemning the killings of two innocent Kashmiris has called for a complete protest shutdown on July 1,” a JKLF spokesman said. Geelani in his statement said the incident had proven there was “no accountability” with the security forces under the AFSPA and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was “acting” only as a “show boy.” Condemning the civilian killings, the Hurriyat Conference headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has termed the incident as an “act of state terrorism” saying that the killing “demonstrates that the ground situation in Kashmir has not changed.” The amalgam, a Hurriyat spokesman said, has called for an emergency meeting on July 2 to decide about approaching International Criminal Court (ICC) against “such killing and other human rights violations” allegedly perpetrated by the security forces. The authorities also placed other separatist leader, including National Front Chairman Nayeem Ahmad Khan and Democratic Freedom Party chairman Shabbir Ahmad Shah under house arrest in Srinagar. Both the leaders have supported the shutdown call on Monday. The police has also detained former Bar president Mian Abdul Qayoom and Bar Association joint secretary Shabbir Ahmad in north Kashmir and lodged them at Tarzoo police station in the sopore area, a Bar member told the Tribune. Independent legislator and Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) president Engineer Rashid was also detained near Watlab village in north Kashmir, who was on his way to attend the funeral of the two slain youths. He was later lodged at Handwara police station. |
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Omar hailed for taking up reservation issue of Paharis
Jammu, June 30 In a joint statement, senior National Conference leaders Peer Mushtaq Ahmed Bukhari, Mirza Abdul Rasheed, Kafeel-ur-Rehman, who is also the vice-chairman of the Board for Development of Pahari People, MLAs Rachpaul Singh and Aijaz Jan hoped that the issue would be solved, putting an end to the discrimination being faced by the Pahari people. The leaders appreciated Omar Abdullah’s endeavour of taking up the issue during his powerpoint presentation before the Prime Minister and a team of senior Central government officials in Srinagar early this week. This, they said, signifies Omar’s keenness in seeking reservation for the Pahari people. The National Conference leaders also referred to the initiatives taken by party president and Union Minister for Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah in taking up the long-pending demand of the Pahari people at the fora concerned and with the successive Prime Ministers. |
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BJYM slams govt’s soft approach to terrorism
Jammu, June 30 “The morale of the militants is growing. The recent attack on an Army convoy in Srinagar was an eye opener for those who were crying for revoking the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from the state,” said Ashok Singh Chouhan, BJP national executive member and in charge of party affairs in J&K, while addressing the office-bearers of the state unit of the BJYM here. Chouhan criticised Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for his alleged failure to address the problems being faced by the people and for making controversial statements on AFSPA withdrawal. “The Line of Control (LoC) is being attacked from one end to the other and infiltration attempts from across the border are being made regularly. Under these circumstances, the revocation of AFSPA can prove suicidal,” he said. Ravinder Raina, BJYM state president, said: “Chinese intrusions and militancy-related incidents in the state seem to be happening in tandem and the withdrawal of AFSPA would only help the pro-Pakistani militant groups to regain strength in the state.” |
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Prizes presented to Mughal rally winners
Srinagar, June 30 “A total of 55 teams from various states participated in Xtreme and Enduro categories. Besides, Germany participated in the rally with the active participation of over 120 rallyists. The Jammu and Kashmir teams had three women participants who also participated in the rally,” an official said. A prize distribution ceremony was held at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre on the banks of the Dal Lake in Srinagar. The first prize of Rs 2 lakh and a trophy was won by Amittrajit Ghosh and Ashwin Naik. The fourth edition of the Mughal road car rally was organised jointly by the Tourism Department and Jammu Kashmir Bank in collaboration with Himalayan Motor Sports, Shimla. The Tourism Minister said the event would help kick-start tourism activities in the areas which have so far not been opened for tourism activities. Mir said peace was a pre-requisite for tourism boom. Commissioner Secretary, Tourism and Culture, Atul Duloo said organising such events would prove helpful in promoting adventure tourism in the state. — TNS |
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Even after spending a whopping Rs 42.58 crore from taxpayers’ money, the new Lakhanpur toll plaza in the Jammu region has so far failed to fully achieve its objective of streamlining toll collections and decongesting the “gateway” to Jammu and Kashmir.
