CM asks parties to join Centre's peace talks
'Solution to problems in Delhi, not in Islamabad'

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Apr 11: Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah today urged all to joint peace talks initiated by the Centre and subsequently in elections when held to herald a new chapter of normalcy and prosperity in Jammu and Kashmir.

Those sincere of steering the people out of morass must respond positively to the Centre's offer, the Chief Minister said while addressing a day-long convention of panches and sarpanches of Udhampur and Doda districts at Udhampur this afternoon.

He said those who nurture the hope of Kashmir becoming Pakistan or so called Azadi are enemies of the people, as continued violence has brought nothing but miseries to the State. 'We want peace but they engineer violence', he said reiterating his commitment to steer the State to peace, progress, development and prosperity. We have to seek solution of our problems from New Delhi,' he said adding that solution will not come either from Islamabad or New York. As part of this great nation, the people of Jammu and Kashmir have to flourish. 'Pakistan cannot take even an inch of our soil,' he declared.

The Chief Minister ridiculed Pakistan for claiming to be champion of Muslims and said that they never bothered about vast chunk of Muslim population at the time of partition. India is second largest Muslim inhabited country after Indonesia and the Muslim population has to seek solution of their problems here alone.

Dr Abdullah said panchayats would be strengthened and power decentralized to the people at grass-roots level as envisioned by Sher-i-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. The panchayats have to play a key role in development effort and smooth functioning of schools and health institutions in the rural areas, he added.

Felicitating the newly elected panches and sarpanches, the Chief Minister reminded them of their onerous challenges in serving people in rural areas. Envisaging greater role for panchayats in development activities and monitoring the functioning of schools and hospitals, he hoped they will single mindedly devote themsleves to the uplift of rural infrastructure that calls for greater attention particularly in the wake of colossal damages caused to it during recent years.

He hoped that the panches and sarpanches would come to the expectations of people who have voted them, braving intimidation from ultras and elements inimical to peace. He reiterated his desire to strengthen panchayats, giving them more teeth to tackle the local problems and fix priorities. By dint of their determination and devotion they can retain the trust of people as otherwise the electorate would not take any time to stamp them out. Though the women have not got adequately elected, he said their nomination would be considered and hoped that in next elections they will join the fray in a big way.

Dr Abdullah said that steps would be taken to have libraries in each panchayat besides community television sets and telephone booths for people to benefit. He said Rs 9 crore have been projected for convening meetings of the panches and sarpanches during a year, that would have to be allocated for making panchayats an effective instrument of governance. 'Decentralization of power is the main objective of the Panchayati Raj system,' he said, adding that despite inhibition by some political leaders the Government kept its commitment of holding elections. He sought suggestions of the people in effecting amendments in the Panchayati Raj Act.

The Chief Minister asked the panches and sarpanches not to be confined to their party ideology but instead work for rural development in a team spirit. That will help achieve the objective of Panchayati Raj.

The Minister of State for Rural Development Mr Ajay Sadhotra said an infrastructure has to be built for effective functioning of the panchayats in the State. He said the panchayat elections would be almost completed by July and the process of electing block samitis and vice chairperson in the districts initiated.

He lauded the efforts of the Chief Minister in getting the promise of taking power at grass roots level fulfilled. With this the dream of Sher-i-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah has been realized.

The Minister said in 80s Dr Abdullah constituted a ministerial committee to go through the Panchayati Raj system in the country that would be more suited to Jammu and Kashmir. After thorough examination of the system, the State opted for Karnataka model.

Mr Sadhotra gave latest position of elected panches and sarpanches in Udhampur and Doda districts. He said National Conference believes in people's mandate and transparency.

Deputy Chairman Legislatie Council Mr Chuni Lal Khajuria and Financial Commissioner Agriculture, Mr I S Malhi also spoke on the occasion.

Besides the newly elected panches and sarpanches, some legislators of the district were present in the convention.

Immolation bid by two at Udhampur
Children, ladies court arrest; PSEJAC strike continues

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Apr 11: For the first time in the history of trade union movement in the State about three hundred family members of the Public Sector employees, including young children and female folk held demonstration and courted arrest in support of their bread-earners, who are on agitational path for the last one month.

The employees of different corporations assembled at old transport Yard, Bikram Chowk, alongwith ladies and children. The first batch of ladies and children took out a procession and attempted to march towards Civil Secretariat, but the heavy police contingent deployed there did not allow women and children to proceed further.

There arose a scuffle between the processionist and police for some time and later the children between the age group of 5 years to 15 years exhibited exemplary courage and courted arrests, which was followed by ladies. The police picked them up to police lines and later released all of them on bail.

Meanwhile as per programme the PSEJAC members tried to break the police cordon laid outside the gate of the SRTC Complex and attempted to take out a rally, but the leaders of Public Sector Employees Joint Action Committee reached the spot and persuaded the rallyist not to proceed further in view of fact that Divisional Commissioner Jammu has invited the PSEJAC for a meeting at 3.30 pm today.

The rally led by Mr Suresh Sharma, on the assurance of the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police, slightly diverted the route and the rally culminated into a biggest ever demonstration in the lawns of State Forest Corporation.

Mr Suresh Sharma, chairman of the PSEJAC while addressing strongly condemned the police action in taking the innocent and underage children into custody and described it as a historic blunder of State Government in crushing the peaceful agitation. he said such suppressive measures could not deter them from their peaceful struggle in support of their genuine demands. He said any such move of the Government would be retaliated with full determination in future. Mr Sharma congratulated the workers for showing presence of mind as a result of which no child was hurt. He saluted the children who came forward in the rally and termed them as real trade unionist for the times to come.

Later as invited a delegation of PSEJAC executive body led by Suresh Sharma called on the Divisional Commissioner. The DC Jammu was also present. The meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere and the Divisional Commissioner assured that matter will be taken up with the Government tomorrow.

Others in the delegation included Messrs Amrik Singh Sasan, Anchal Bakshi, Baldev Raj, Mrs C K Sudan, Madam Basanti, Surinder Gupta, Karam Chand, Joginder Pal, Dev Raj Bali, Jagjit Singh Bawa, Jeet Singh Jamwal, Parveen Kumar, Sukhvinder Singh, A K Tandon, Nar Singh, Karan Singh, Purshotam, Surjit Singh, Devinderjeet Singh, Kuldeep Kumar, Gopal Krishan Sumbria, Khurshid Zargar, Bashir Malik, Mohd Yousuf, Balwinder Singh and Iqbal Singh. Meanwhile reports reaching from Doda and Udhampur conveyed that working in all Public Sector Undertakings in both the districts remained paralyzed like Jammu for the consecutive 30th day. The PSU employees of both the districts gathered at Shaheed Bhagat Singh Park, where they were addressed by convenor of PSEJAC convenor Mr F A Malik who criticised the criminal silence of the Government as also its anti-employees policies. Others who addressed included Messrs Shahnaz Iqbal, Gurmeet Singh and Chuni Lal. Later they took out a procession towards Government degree college for Boys, where the Chief Minister was scheduled to arrive in connection with convention of sarpanches. Holding torch lights in their hands thousands of employees proceeded towards Tara Palace. When the PSU employees reached near M M Morh, the police and CRPF blocked their way by raising barricades and stopped the procession. While the employees tried to break the barricade the police resorted to lathicharge but the employees continued their march towards Tara Palace.

Meanwhile two employees namely Shahnaz Iqbal of JKHDC and Uttam Singh of SICOP tried to immolate themselves but the police present on the spot prevented them from taking extreme step and took into custody leaders of PSEJAC Udhampur who included F A Malik, S Gurmeet Singh and others. Later all the employees courted arrest. The arrested employees raised slogans against the Government. Meanwhile the arrested employees resolved to remain on hunger strike till they were kept under detention.

Delhi CM alerts police
Kashmiri migrant shopkeepers threaten immolation

From B L Kak

NEW DELHI, Apr 10: The threat of direct action by a section of Kashmiri Hindu migrants has set in motion the Delhi Government headed by Ms Sheila Dixit. Round-the-clock vigil has been ordered in and around the INA market in Kidwai Nagar in south Delhi.

The Chief Minister of Delhi, Ms Dixit, has, in fact, alerted the local police and ordered them to handle the situation with "greater skills and utmost caution".

This follows the threat by Kashmiri migrant shopkeepers to resort to self- immolation if the Government did not offer them a suitable rehabilitation package. The threat of direct action has followed the authorities’ plan to relocate the migrant shopkeepers from the INA market because of the upcoming flyover at the crossing of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

The trouble arose after the migrant shopkeepers alleged that the rehabilitation package offered by the Government falls short of what they stand to lose by shifting their shops from Kidwai Nagar.

In recent years, a number of shops were built by Kashmiri migrants in the area. These migrants attribute the prevailing rehabilitation crisis to differences among the local bodies in the National Capital Territory Region of Delhi.

EXCELSIOR was told that as many as 60 shops belonged to Kashmiri migrants in the Kidwai Nagar INA market. These shops are being shifted from a commercially strategic area of Delhi to an insignificant alley near the Super Bazar. Hence, the outcry against the far-from-suitable rehabilitation package.

Kashmiri shopkeepers are not against the construction of the much-needed flyover. Indeed, they seem prepared to shift from the area. Their condition: "We will shift only when we are given a suitable area".

Initially, the authorities had planned to shift them to an area near Lajpat Nagar. But the idea was dropped after the NDMC and MCD decided against it. The local bodies, it was alleged, were fighting among themselves. And the result, migrants lamented: "Delay in our rehabilitation for no fault of ours".

The Kashmiri shopkeepers have also alleged that some elements in the adjoining Mohan Singh market are also colluding with the local bodies to thwart their rehabilitation in the area near Kidwai Nagar.

After a decision was taken to shift the migrant shopkeepers en masse to a plot under the MCD, a squabble took place between the NDMC and MCD over who would allot land for their rehabilitation. And desperate shopkeepers accused the MCD of having refused to rehabilitate them as, according to MCD, it was NDMC’s liability to rehabilitate them.

True, the authorities have allotted a new site to the migrants for constructing their shops. But just when it looked like they could set up their shops at the new place and settle down, the Deputy Commissioner of NDMC told them that they could not erect nut and bolt structures with tin sheds.

Kashmiri shopkeepers have stated that the NDMC wanted them to raise only temporary structures using tarpaulin material. "This is unacceptable", assert majority of shopkeepers.

Azadi couple are free to visit Kashmir
Hurriyat’s marriage diplomacy runs smooth

From Ahmed Ali Fayaz

SRINAGAR, Apr 11: Even as the Hurriyat delegation’s proposed visit to Pakistan is stuck in an unending controversy over the inclusion of hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Pakistan and India have now consensus over granting freedom of movement to the separatist leaders’ wards. They are now literally free to intermarry and stay in any part of Jammu & Kashmir or Pakistan.

Indian embassy in Islamabad is understood to have granted a "multi-purpose visa" to Asma Khan, daughter of the JKLF chairman Amanullah Khan, who tied her nuptial knot to the senior Hurriyat leader Abdul Gani Lone’s son, Sajjad Lone, in November last. High Commissioner Vijay Nambiar has been generous enough not only to issue the travel documents to the Azadi couple but also to make "all necessary arrangements" for a trouble-free passage upto Kashmir valley. Nambiar and his wife had shown remarkable enthusiasm in the Khan-Lone tie-up, consummated in the Pakistan capital.

According to sources close to the two families, Mrs and Mr Sajjad Lone would be travelling in PIA’s Lahore-Delhi flight on April 19. After staying in the Indian capital for a couple of days and visiting some historic places —including Taj Mahal — the couple would fly to Srinagar. The bride is required to return, as per the provisions of her visa, but she can enjoy a company with the inlaws for over two months and utilise the facility of shuttling between India and Pakistan four times a year.

Interestingly, before Sajjad and Asma’s departure, a full truckload of their belongings would be ferried to Waga Border. Across the border, all arrangements of trans-shipment have been finalised. The huge consigment of dowry and gifts would include furniture articles, cooking and crockery items, a small health club as also the electronic gadgetry like computer and Fax machines.

A former JKLF functionary, who is now in bullion business, Sajjad Lone had become a target of the militant threats last year when Pakistan-based Al-Barq chief and Kupwara resident, Malik Bilal Rahi, asked him to return the organisation’s arms dumps. Rahi alleged that the Hurriyat leader’s son had swindled millions of Rupees which he was supposed to spend on Kashmir’s "freedom struggle". In a statement faxed to a Srinagar daily, Rahi had alleged that the junior Lone had misappropriated the "relief money of the martyrs’ families". In Kashmir valley, the senior Lone has had the reputation of being a JKLF and Al-Barq thinktank.

Militant outfits Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen and Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen had also meddled in the matter and asked Sajjad to return the "arms dumps so that the same were used against Indian security forces". Jamiat had even issued a serious threat in case the Lones failed to respond positively.

Officials here maintain that Sajjad Lone is wanted in a subversive activities case in Srinagar while as, according to a Pakistani reporter, he had fled to abroad while stealing a Delhi company’s 20 kg gold consignment.

Informed sources say that, during his two-month stay in Pakistan, Abdul Gani Lone had a confidential meeting with the Al-Barq chief and he managed to silence him with several "clarifications, promises and assurances". However, Lone’s family sources decline to accept that such a meeting had ever taken place.

Authoritative reports from across suggest that Mr Lone has ordered total closure of his Peoples Conference offices in Pakistan and he is understood to have asked all of his political lieutenants to report back to him in Srinagar immediately. Party’s top functionary, Yusuf Naseem, is however said to be blowing hot and cold over the president’s directive.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s New Delhi embassy has granted a visa to another senior Hurriyat leader, Sheikh Abdul Aziz, whose brother Sheikh Yaqub — a former divisional commander of Aljihad — married off a Kashmiri girl at Islamabad last month. Sheikh Aziz, who was denied a visa in March, is now scheduled to cross over to Pakistan with a select guestlist of 15 Kashmiris. Preparations are underway for a grand reception and Waleema at a Rawalpindi hotel on April 22.

Now the real matter of speculation is whether the former Hurriyat chairman and the bachelor Azadi activist, Mirwaiz Omar Farooq, would be tied to the marital shackles at New York, Islamabad or Srinagar later this year. He has been lately engaged to a Kashmiri girl whose family has settled in USA.

After the young Mirwaiz, model-turned-militant-turned-politician Yaseen Malik is the only footloose in Hurriyat executive. His obsession for Kashmiriyat will be put to a litmus test in his selection of partner and place of performance — if, at all, the diminutive leader decided to raise a family.

Talks, terrorism can’t go together: PM

TEHRAN, Apr 11: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today offered to go the "extra mile" to promote peace in India’s neighbourhood but obliquely asked Pakistan to shun the path of violence, making it clear that dialogue and killings could not go hand in hand.

"On our part, we are aware of our responsibilities, and will always act with restraint," Vajpayee said addressing a packed Iranian Majlis (Parliament) in chaste Hindi peppered with quotes from noted Iranian poet Hafez.

Maintaining that New Delhi sought friendship and cooperation with all countries in its neighbourhood, Vajpayee, the second Indian Prime Minister after P V Narasimha Rao to address the Majlis since the 1979 Iranian revolution, said "wherever there are differences and however strong or emotional these differences, they have to be addressed directly, peacefully and through dialogue."

Vajpayee, whose speech was greeted with thumping of desks by the members, said "dialogue and violence cannot go hand in hand.

"We call upon those forces in our neighbourhood, which have promoted confrontation and pursued the path of violence to recognise the futility of their ways and to abandon them," he said without naming Pakistan.

Majlis Speaker Hojjetoleslam Medhi Karoubi warmly welcomed Vajpayee as he, along with External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh and Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Omar Abdullah, drove to Parliament.

Asserting that India would never allow any external force to cast a shadow on its secular fabric by seeking to damage its unity and territorial integrity, Vajpayee said "Islam has made significant contribution to the development of our culture. We do (not) consider any religion foreign to us.

"For nearly a thousand years, Islam has been part and parcel of our national and social life. The mellifluous call of the Aizzan, the bells of our temples and churches, the invocation of the Guru Granth Saheb and the Dhammapadda all blend in a melodious symphonic offering to the almighty," he said.

Voicing concern that despite the region taking the road to socio-economic progress, dark forces of violence, terrorism and obscurantist ideologies had again emerged in the neighbourhood, Vajpayee said Afghanistan was at the crossroads of civilisation.

Regretting the destruction of Bamiyan Buddhas by the Taliban regime, he said it was tragic that an attempt was being made to obliterate Afghanistan’s past by destruction of its historic art, which was the heritage of all mankind.

"Those who are guilty of these acts are not of this day and age: they have lost reason and logic. These acts cannot be condoned as an expression of rage against an uncaring world," the Prime Minister said.

Vajpayee said the mentality behind the forces responsible for the destruction presented a "challenge to all those societies that aspire for harmony and peace".

Expressing similar sentiments, Iranian President Syed Mohammad Khatami told reporters last night that Iran as president of OIC will take action against the Taliban for its "anti-cultural" and "anti-human" action in destroying the Buddha statues.

Referring to "strong civilisational links" between India and Iran, Vajpayee said Khatami’s call for a `dialogue among civilisations’ stressed global security and prosperity needed cooperative efforts and not confrontation or unilateral imposition of one’s will.

Maintaining that globalisation, technology revolution and international interdependence were inescapable realities, he, however, said it should not be an inevitable corollary that weaker countries get marginalised in the process or the socio-economic divide was replaced by the digital divide within and between countries.

In an obvious reference to US sanctions, he said the operation of some technology-denial regimes had blocked even genuine developmental requirement of developing states.

"Countries like India and Iran which retain their interdependence of spirit and action need to jointly engage in the process of countering moves which could create a new international regime of economic discrimination," he said. Later, Vajpayee laid a wreath at the tomb of late Imam Khomeini, who led the revolution in 1979 that overthrew Shah of Iran.

The Prime Minister will address the Iranian Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Mines tomorrow. He would leave for Shiraz, the centre of Persian culture, where he would name a square in memory of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.

Meanwhile, official sources said President Khatami had accepted Vajpayee’s invitation to visit India. The dates for it would be worked out through diplomatic channels. (PTI)

Pilot’s body, debris of crashed MiG-21 found

JAMMU, Apr 11: The body of Flight Lt P K Arun, pilot of the crashed MiG-21 jet aircraft and the plane’s debris were located by Army patrols at Tosh-I-Maidaan, 20 kms inside the Line of Control (LoC), in South East of Gulmarg, defence sources said here today.

They said efforts were being made to bring the body of the pilot to the base camp.

The pilot had established radio contact with the base around 1410 hours yesterday before the plane crashed at Tosh-I-Madaan due to technical snag. The air force has set up a court of inquiry into the accident, they added. (PTI)

Bomb defused in front of North Block

NEW DELHI, Apr 11: A daring bid for a blast in the high-security North Block here housing Home and Finance Ministries was foiled when a powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED) contained in a tiffin-carrier was defused last night even as Delhi Police today ruled out involvement of any dreaded terrorists group.

"Fortunately for us, the explosion did not take place as the battery was very low," Joint Commissioner of Police New Delhi Range Suresh Roy told reporters.

He, however, said the white powder explosive was of nitrate composition, similar to the chemical used during the 1997-98 serial blasts in the Capital.

He said the very condition in which the four kg explosives was found with a low-volt battery showed that "it was not the work of any dreaded terrorists group like Lashkar-e-Toiba".

"It could be the work of some peripheral novice group," he said adding further investigations were on.

Replying to a question, Roy, however, did not rule out involvement of Kanpur-based groups like Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).

"There has been some violence recently in Kanpur and Agra," he said.

A live bomb, concealed in a tiffin-carrier, was found near Gate Number two, the entrance to the Finance Ministry, at around 2100 hours yesterday.

The explosives weighing about four kgs along with a nine-volt battery, two electric detonator and one ABCD timer was found wrapped in a yellow polythene bag inside a tiffin carrier, he said.

The Joint Commissioner of Police said that the Personal Assistant to Union Minister of State for Finance DSM Sundaram first came across the "unusual sight of the tiffin carrier" lying under a tree in the scooter parking lot in front of the Finance Ministry.

"I give him full credit. By showing his alertness Sundaram informed the CISF constables — Hans Nath Yaj Singh — on duty in the area and accordingly a police PCR van was informed," he said adding following this anti-bomb squad of police, dog squad of Army and Bureau of Civil Aviation Security were informed and the bomb was defused.

He said Sundaram would be suitably rewarded for showing his presence of mind and alertness.

Answering a question, Roy said "in no way I would like to link the incident with the Lashkar-e-Toiba’s recent threat to blast off Prime Minister’s Office".

The investigation of the case has been handed over to the special cell of the city police, he said.

He denied that the incident reflected a major security lapse and said the north block was open for general public visit.

The entire gamut of security in the north block area was reviewed at a high-level meeting, he said adding steps are being initiated to ensure that only "cars and scooters with authorised labels would be allowed to be parked there".

Roy said a lot of security sensitisation work has been already initiated specially in market places and busy locations in the city. (PTI)

Basantgarh bandh enters 5th day

Excelsior Correspondent

UDHAMPUR, Apr 11: Tension flared up in Basantgarh town today where a bandh was observed for fifth successive day in protest against alleged excesses by police with people insisting on their demand for a visit to the spot by DIG Udhampur-Doda range Sheikh Owais Ahmed or SP Udhampur Deepak Kumar.

Meanwhile, a bandh was also observed today in Banihal tehsil of Doda district against the killings of militants in an encounter with army the other day.

Reports said all shops remained closed in Basantgarh town for the fifth day today. An indefinite dharna by the local people also continued in the town. A large number of women and children also joined the protest dharna.

Agitated people in Basantgarh were demanding stern action against police personnel of a special mobile party, which had allegedly committed excesses on local people including women during a search operation in the area.

People were also demanding a visit to Basantgarh by DIG Udhampur Sheikh Owais Ahmed or SP Udhampur Deepak Kumar. Agitating people today also constituted a Joint Action Committee (JAC) to intensify their agitation, which they vowed to continue till a senior police officer visits the town and take action against the ‘erring’ constables.

DySP Udhampur (Headquarters) Shiv Kumar Khajuria was camping in Basantgarh since yesterday afternoon to defuse tension but the local people refused to meet him.

A bandh was also observed in Banihal tehsil of Doda district today on a call given by some local organisation to protest the killings of militants killed in an encounter with army and police in Neel area the other day.

Bandh passed off peacefully with no untoward incident reported from any part of Banihal. Shops remained closed in Banihal town and on Jammu-Srinagar national highway during the day today.

Joshi opposes ceasefire, blasts BJP

NEW DELHI, Apr 11: Union Heavy Industries Minister and senior Shiv Sena leader Manohar Joshi today opposed the Centre’s ongoing ceasefire in Kashmir and indirectly attacked the BJP for "abandoning" its `Hindutva’ agenda.

"Pakistan will never accept the ceasefire. They will never understand any other language than that of Shiv Sena and (its supremo) Bal Thackeray," Joshi said addressing party’s Delhi unit workers here.

Though as a cabinet minister, he was part of the Government, Joshi said the Sena was opposed to the ceasefire and will continue to do so in future.

Stating that Thackeray was much ahead of his time, Joshi said, "he had opposed playing cricket with Pakistan ten years back and was ridiculed, but today the centre has been forced to stop playing with that country."

Without directly naming BJP, Joshi regretted that some parties used ‘Hindutva’ as a plank but abandoned it once they were in power.

"Today, Shiv Sena is the only party which espouses the cause of Hindutva. It will always be our effort to unite Hindus across the country," he said.

Earlier, at the convention, some State leaders criticised Home Minister L K Advani for describing the demolition of the disputed structure as "unfortunate".

"He should remember that he has come to power in the name of the temple and he will continue to be there so long as he talks of Hindutva," said one leader. (PTI)

Defence attaches visit J&K

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Apr 10: The Defence Attaches of 23 countries arrived on a two day familiarisation visit here today. On arrival, they were accorded a warm welcome. Earlier, they visited Srinagar for two days.

The envoys would be meeting Lt Gen JBS Yadava, General Officer Commanding (GoC) Nagrota Corps and will be apprised of the prevalent situation. In addition to visiting the forward areas, the Defence Attaches would call on Governor, Mr GC Saxena and Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah.

They would also meet senior Defence and State Government Officials of Jammu and Kashmir.

CM bans permits

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Apr 10: Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah today announced ban on fresh transport permits in Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing a joint meeting of senior officers and transporters here this afternoon, the Chief Minister also gave instructions for streamlining tax structure by removing the anomaly in entry fee of the State Motor Carriages into Punjab.

The Jammu and Kashmir Motor Transport Companies Association complained that the vehicles were being charged Rs. 2000 as entry fee in Punjab while J&K levied just Rs. 50 for entry in the State.

The Chief Minister assured the Association that points raised by it would be earnestly examined. He said permit for plying light motor cabs on various routes in the State had been granted for the comfort of traveling public.

Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Mr. Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Shah, Minister for Finance, Mr. Abdul Rahim Rather, Minister for Transport and Information, Mr. Ajatshatru Singh, Chief Secretary, Mr. Ashok Jaitly, Financial Commissioner, Finance, Mr. J. A. Khan, Commissioner/Secretary, Transport, Mr. Mushtaq Ahmad and Transport Commissioner, Mr. A. K. Mohanty were present in the meeting.

The President of the Association, Mr. T. S. Wazir projected the problems of transporters.

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