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Stone-pelting
on 2 ministers, Div Com, IGP, DC Budgam From Ahmed Ali Fayaz SRINAGAR, June 8: In an unprecedented incident of terrorism, four devotees were killed and 60 others left wounded when a grenade blast occurred at the crowded shrine of Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Noorani at Chrar-e-Sharif in Budgam district today. While as officials held the militants responsible for the explosion, a section of local population alleged that the bloodshed was engineered and executed by SHO Chrar-e-Sharif. Angry crowds demanded removal of the SHO and resorted to stone-pelting on two Ministers and a number of senior civil and police officers. Eyewitnesses told EXCELSIOR that a grenade blast occurred at the outer precincts of the reverred 14th century Rishi saint, Sheikh-ul-Aalam Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Noorani, at Chrar-e-Sharif at 2.25 p.m. today when over 10,000 devotees were about to perform the afternoon prayers. Hurled by an unidentified person, the grenade fell on the space reserved for women devotees. Four female devotees got killed while as 60 more — including 40 women — sustained injuries. Police fired several bursts and the resultant stampede left many more injured. Most of the wounded were rushed to Chadoura, Budgam and three hospitals in the capital city. Four women devoees killed in the blast were identified as Gausiya D/o Aftab Khan R/o Nishat, Nisara R/o Habbakadal, Zubaida R/o Khrew and Jana sister of Mohammad Khalil R/o Chadoura. Even after the stampede, a thick crowd of local people shouted slogans against police and alleged that police had failed to protect the life of devotees. Later, the same crowd alleged that SHO Chrar-e-Sharif was behind the blast as he had been spotted handing over a grenade to a policeman. They even insisted that police had opened indiscriminate gunfire on the congregation and most of the wounded had gunshot wounds. When, 80 minutes after the blast, DC Budgam Rohit Kansal and SP Budgam Syed Ashiq Hussain Bukhari reached the spot to examine the situation, a thick crowd demanded immediate suspension and arrest of the SHO. Even as DC Budgam assured them that a magisterial inquiry would be ordered, they did not relent and, instead, resorted to heavy stone-pelting on both the officers. Messers Kansal and Bukhari, had a narrow escape as their official vehicles were damaged in stone-pelting. Police again fired several shots in air and the officers fled towards Police Station, situated at Chrar outskirts. Within half-an-hour, both the officers returned to the tense Chrar-e-Sharif town while escorting Minister of State Home Mushtaq Ahmed Lone, Minister of Revenue Abdul Qayoom — who happens to be a resident of the same town — Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Khursheed Ahmed Ganai and IGP Kashmir Dr Ashok Bhan. The high level official team managed to talk to some people but again there was sloganeering and stone-pelting. The Ministers and officials left the town while escaping the wrath of a pro-Hurriyat crowd and assuring the pro-establishment people that a magisterial inquiry would be ordered soon. Resident of Chrar-e-Sharif town and a middle rung leader of the separatist Hurriyat Conference, Dr Ghulam Mohammad Hubbi, told EXCELSIOR that some residents had witnessed SHO Imtiyaz Ahmed handing over a hand grenade, wrapped in black polythene, to a constable who hurled the same on the crowd. He said that he himself offered the Friday prayers in a local mosque and was planning to go to the shrine to address the gathering when the blast occurred. He alleged that the SHO, a Kashmiri Muslim, was from Special Operations Group of J&K Police and he had unleashed a reign of terror in Chrar-e-Sharif area for the last one year. Dr Hubbi claimed that most of the injured had gunshot wounds as they were injured in the shootout. However, MoS Home Mushtaq Ahmed Lone, Minister of Revenue Abdul Qayoom as well as IGP Kashmir Dr Bhan refuted Hubbi’s allegations and claimed that not a single person had died of the police firing. They asserted that SHO was himself present just 10 yards from the spot of explosion and not even a fool would have asked his men to hurl the grenade on himself in the crowd. They asserted that such machinations and manipulations were exclusively the handiwork of militants and the separatist group. Mr Lone claimed that police had fired some shots in air and not a single person had gunshot wounds. Meanwhile, reports from Kupwara said that troops of 1/4 GR and SOG Kupwara eliminated two unidentified militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba in an encounter in Branwar forest area, near Chowkibal, today. Two AK-56 rifles have been recovered from the spot. In yet another encounter, troops of 1-Mehar and SOG Kupwara eliminated a Pakistani militant, namely Liaqat Khan, in Kumkari forest area today. Reports from Baramulla said that unidentified gunmen shot dead Abdur Rasheed Lone S/o Abdul Khaliq Lone of Lorihama Rafeeabad at Hadipora. He was described as a businessman. |
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LeT, Harkat warn Musharraf against getting close to India ISLAMABAD, June 7: Stung by Gen Pervez Musharraf’s criticism of "Jehadi groups" anti-India posture, Pakistan based militant outfits Lashkar-e-Toiba and Harkatul Mujahideen mounted a bitter attack on the Pakistan military ruler, saying he has to "pay the price" for his "emerging friendship" with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. LeT chief Hafeez Mohammad Saeed in a statement here said that Gen Musharraf "would have to pay the price for his friendship with Vajpayee. Musharraf should make such fast friendship with Vajpayee". Replying to Gen Musharraf’s appeal to Pakistan’s Islamic clergy to stop making statements like hoisting Islamic flag over Red Fort in New Delhi, Sayeed referred to the LeT militant’s attack on the Indian army contingent at Red Fort last December and said by attacking the Red Fort, the Mujahideen hit the very base of the Indian army. Saeed said dialogue with Indian leaders cannot be successful until it recognised the right of the self-determination of the Kashmiri people. Secretary general of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen Maulana Fazlur Rehman Khalil regretted the statement made by Musharraf on June 5 at a religious conference here, in which he appealed to the clerics not to make tall claims and irresponsible statements, and said the military ruler attacked the Ulema (Islamic clerics) even before he went to New Delhi in order to please Indian leadership. "India is a very cunning country and Musharraf should understand Hindu mentality before leaving for India," he said adding he should direct the strong language against India and not at the Ulema. Another militant group, Hizbul Mujahideen, however, said the Musharraf-Vajpayee summit was a breakthrough. "Vajpayee has invited Musharraf, this is a breakthrough," it said. "Earlier, the Indian Prime Minister put a condition that Pakistan should stop cross-border terrorism and wanted to talk to only a democratically elected Government. But now he has taken a U-turn ignoring his two conditions," he told Pakistan news agency NNI here today. He, however, said Kashmiris were not hopeful about the outcome of summit between Vajpayee and Musharraf as India "was not serious in holding dialogue on Kashmir issue". "We have not yet received any signal to attach any importance to forthcoming summit," he said. "Military operations and dialogue are two separate things. Both can go simultaneously and side by side. We can take any risk either to stop or reduce our military operations," he said. (PTI) |
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Arms, explosives haul in
Poonch Excelsior Correspondent RAJOURI, June 8: Army killed a foreign mercenary in Surankot while the militants shot at and seriously injured a civilian at village Godar, near here in two separate incidents overnight. Troops also recovered a large quantity of arms and ammunition from Angan Pathri in Sabjian area. Defence sources said army and police launched a swift search operation in a dhok near Surankot at 0400 hours today. Operation was started within few minutes after a message was received about militants’ movement in the dhok. In the encounter that followed, security personnel eliminated one militant while others managed to escape taking advantage of darkness and inclement weather. Army continued searches in the village to track down the absconding militants. Identity of the militant was being ascertained but he was affiliated with Hizbul Mujahideen’s Pir Panjal Regiment. Recovery made from him included one AK-56 rifle, two magazines, 34 rounds, two hand grenades and one pouch, which contained some medicines. In another incident, four militants appeared in village Godar, near here at 0130 hours today and attacked the house of Majid Hussain son of Mohd Iqbal. They dragged Majid Hussain out of the house. One of the militant fired two shots on Majid from point blank range. As Majid fell down, the militants presumed him dead and fled away. Majid’s family shifted him to district hospital where he survived after being operated upon by the doctors. He had sustained two gun shots on his chest and leg. Hid condition was now stated to be out of danger. During continued searches in Angan Pathri area of Sabjian in Poonch district, troops of Poonch Brigade recovered five Under Barrel Grenade Launchers (UBGL), one wireless set, one ruck sack, five magazines and 200 rounds of AK and few explosive devices. Poonch Brigade had eliminated 18 militants in Sabjian belt this week. Meanwhile, Rajouri police have busted a syndicate of charas smugglers by arresting three smugglers from Dasal and Mendhar last night. About one kg charas has been recovered from their possession. Police sources said one of the charas smuggler Mohd Azam son of Abdul Aziz R/o Dasal was arrested from Abdullah bridge by a police party. One kg charas was recovered from him. Azam was grilled by police during which he revealed that he used to purchase charas from two persons in Mendhar tehsil of Poonch. Same police party raided Raj hotel in Mendhar and arrested Ram Parkash and Shamim Ahmed, the two associates of Mohd Azam. The charas smugglers disclosed that they used to smuggle charas from Mendhar to Rajouri and then from Rajouri to New Delhi via Jammu. Their further questioning was on and some more clues were expected. |
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Summit aimed towards
peace: Advani CHENNAI, June 8: Home Minister L K Advani today categorically ruled out holding of elections in Kashmir under international supervision as sought by Hurriyat Conference. "There is no question of holding elections in Kashmir under international surveillance from inside or outside the country. In the past five years, the country had conducted polls in a most democratic and fair manner", Advani told reporters at the airport. He was responding to a question on Hurriyat Conference’s willingness to contest polls under international supervision. "The way polls have been conducted has been admired the world over," Advani, on a day’s visit here, said. Asked about the demands of DMK and BJP for the recall of Tamil Nadu Governor for swearing in Jayalalitha as the State Chief Minister, he said there was no such proposal before the Government. The Prime Minister had already expressed his views on the matter, he said. "The constitution conferred certain powers on the Governors. There is no question of Government of India approving or disapproving Governor’s action. If there is anything, it will be decided by the court," Advani said. Asked about the Centre’s stand on Tamil Nadu Government’s demand for a ban on Tamil ultra groups TNLA and TNRT, he said the matter had been discussed with Chief Minister Jayalalitha during her recent visit to Delhi and it was being examined, he said. Advani said the Prime Minister’s invitation to Pakistan military ruler Pervez Musharraf for talks was an integral part of the Centre’s strategic perspective to establish durable peace for the entire South East Asian region. "We sincerely hope that Pakistan reciprocates this perspective", he said while addressing the 165th annual general meeting of the Madras Chamber of Commerce here. He said the Government would defeat the proxy war the country had been facing from its neighbour over a decade and it was with that sole intention the Centre had decided against extension of ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir and at the same time resorted to the initiative of inviting the Pakistan leader for talks. The Government was following a "bold policy" aimed at ensuring peace in our borders and a strong internal security environment, he said adding that this was an imperative need for the country’s economic progress. Advani said the recommendations of the six task forces appointed to review the country’s border management system would be implemented soon. Later answering a question from the audience he said the union cabinet was yet to take a decision on appointing the Chief of Defence Staff as recommended by the group of ministers on security. "The Prime Minister will discuss the issue in the cabinet and with opposition leaders to arrive at a consensus on the matter," he said. Advani said the proxy war the country had been facing from its neighbour (Pakistan) for the last one decade was worse than an actual war. Describing the invitation to Musharraf a major initiative, he said it was a "motion forward and something positive is certain to emerge out of the discussions though it may not be end of the tunnel". The Home Minister said the Centre also wanted an early end to the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka based on a just solution, satisfying the interests of all, as part of the country’s commitment to ensure durable peace in the region. On internal security, Advani said the Centre was ready to fully support the State Governments in their efforts to strengthen law and order. All help had been assured to Tamil Nadu Chief Minsiter Jayalaitha for nabbing forest brigand Veerappan either by the Tamil Nadu Government alone or jointly with the Karnataka Government, he said. "The Veerappan issue is not something that affects Tamil Nadu and Karnataka alone but the entire country" he said. Advani said the Centre had been working actively with the states and also trying to strengthen co-operation among states to effectively deal with challenges of terrorism, extremism and subversive elements. (PTI) |
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Cop dies mysteriously Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, June 8: A youth was murdered by his brother-in-law in his house at village Data Talab near Birpur under the jurisdiction of Bari Barahamana police station last night. Accused has been arrested by the police. In another incident, a police constable died under mysterious circumstances at his house in village Basantpur in Lakhanpur area of Kathua district last night. Reports said Mohd Sadiq Gujjar son of Allai Baksh, a resident of Data Talab, Birpur and Ghulam Qadir son of Umer Din of Rabta, Amb Ghrota were related to each other as brother-in-law. Both of them had married sisters of each other. Both Mohd Sadiq and Ghulam Qadir had developed enmity with each other on some domestic problems. Last night, Qadir had gone to the house of Mohd Sadiq at Data Talab to sort out the domestic feud. However, Mohd Sadiq turned violent after heated exchanges with Qadir and attacked him with a sharp-edged weapon on his head. Leaving the victim bleeding profusely, Mohd Sadiq alongwith his entire family fled from the house. Neighbour of Sadiq, who heard screams of Qadir informed local police. A police party reached village Data Talab and shifted the victim to Medical College hospital where he was declared as brought dead. Police parties from Bari Barahamana led by Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Dushyant Sharma and SHO Inspector Mohd Rafiq immediately swung into action and by early this morning succeeded in apprehending the murder accused from near Vijaypur railway station where he was trying to board a train. Police said Mohd Sadiq was posted as a guard in State Bank of India (SBI) railway station branch. He has confessed his crime. The weapon of offence has also been recovered from his possession and a case of murder under Section 302 RPC has been registered against him. Meanwhile, a police constable Yog Raj, posted in Ramnagar police station in Udhampur district, died last night under mysterious circumstances in his house at village Madri near Basantpur under the jurisdiction of Lakhanpur police station. Reports said Yog Raj had come to his house on leave. Last night, he started vomiting after taking dinner and was rushed to the district hospital where he died. His post-mortem report revealed that he died of poison. Police couldn’t say as to how poison was mixed in his food. Lakhanpur police have registered a case for further investigations. Body of deceased constable was handed over to his family after post-mortem. Police said family members of the constable will be questioned later. |
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ISLAMABAD, June 8: Pakistan’s all-powerful military commanders today discussed India’s invitation to military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf for talks and the statements by Islamic militant groups opposing his proposed visit to New Delhi. An official statement issued here at the end of the first day of the two-day conference of the commanders at the army headquarters in Rawalpindi made a one-line reference to India’s invitation stating that discussion took place on India’s "positive response to Pakistan’s desire for a dialogue on the issue of Kashmir." Official sources said the meeting of the Corps Commanders, the highest policy-making forum of the military Government since the 1999 coup which brought Musharraf to power, reviewed in detail the developments that followed Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s invitation to Musharraf to visit New Delhi for a summit meeting. Musharraf is understood to have explained the developments following Vajpayee’s invitation and the preparations underway for the summit meeting which is likely to take place in July after the Indian Prime Minister recovers from kneey surgery. The sources said the meeting, attended by all the 12 Corps Commanders and principle staff officers of Pakistan army, took note of the attack by the militant groups which said Musharraf "has to pay the price for his friendship" with India. The militant groups had initially maintained at a low volume their opposition to Musharraf’s proposed visit to New Delhi but stepped up their campaign after the military ruler made a scathing attack on the religious parties, groups and Islamic clerics for making statements which made the world brand Pakistan as a terrorist and a failed state. This was the first meeting of the commanders after India extended the invitation to Musharraf on May 24. Musharraf, however, had held an informal meeting with the deputy chief of army, Lt Gen Hussain Usmani and chief of Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI Lt Gen Mehmood Ahmed before sending his letter to Vajpayee accepting the invitation. Both Lt Gen Usmani and Lt Gen Mehmood attended today’s meeting. Meanwhile, official sources said Musharraf presided over a meeting of Pakistani Foreign Ministry officials yesterday to take stock of the preparations being made for his forthcoming visit to New Delhi. The meeting discussed the dates and duration of Musharraf’s visit and broad agenda that could form part of his meeting with Vajpayee and other top Indian leaders. Informed sources here said Musharraf was likely to meet leaders of the religious parties and Jihadi groups on June 10 to discuss his proposed visit to New Delhi as well as the criticism being levelled against him by them. (PTI) |
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Shah hails PM's peace initiative Excelsior Correspondent RAJOURI, June 8: Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) supremo Mr Shabir Ahmed Shah today maintained that improvement in the relations between India and Pakistan is must for promotion of peace in the Sub Continent. Addressing a public meeting at Town Hall here today, he said as Kashmir is the key issue between the two nations and for its permanent and peaceful solution the people of the State should also be taken into confidence. The DFP chief expressed the hope that the scheduled summit between Indian Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee and Chief Executive of Pakistan Mr Parvez Musharraf in July will evolve a mechanism to resolve the five decade old dispute over Jammu and Kashmir as per the aspirations of the people of the State. Mr Shabir Ahmed Shah urged the Government of India to create a congenial atmosphere before the summit and stop the human rights violations. Hailing the peace initiative of the Prime Minister, he said Mr Vajpayee possesses tremendous courage as he took a bold decision to resolve the Kashmir dispute which has strained the relations between two South Asian nations for last five decades. He said Mr Vajpayee adopted a realistic approach by admitting that the Kashmir is a dispute and it should be resolved by initiating a dialogue with all the concerned parties. He said "Prime Minister also sent a letter to me in this regard and to give a positive response to his initiative I organised a conference of my Party cadres in which the representatives of all the three regions took part to give their views." "After asserting the views of the Partymen I suggested Prime Minister that being a party to the dispute the Chief Executive of Pakistan be also invited to the talks," he said. Showering all praises on Mr Vajpayee, Shabir Shah said he willingly admitted my suggestions and extended invitation to Gen Musharaf who also readily accepted the same. Mr Shabir Shah also described the recent statement of Gen Musharraf in Pakistan regarding forthcoming summit as very encouraging. He, however, strongly lambasted those persons who he said are working overtime to sabotage the peace process for their vested interests though they enjoy no ground support. Showing his willingness that elections should be prelude to dialogue, Mr Shah said that his party will fix only condition that such polls should be held under the supervision of intellectuals from India. He said how many times the elections were conducted in the State since 1947 but the situation did not change for better and in last Assembly poll only five percent people exercised their franchise. He said the India has a unique position in Asia and the country can become the permanent member of United Nations Security Council. It has many resources for progress but the Kashmir issue is the main impediment in its path of progress. Regarding his recent meeting with Mr K C Pant Center’s Interlocutor on Kashmir, he said I told him (Pant) categorically that there should be no rights violation in the State and the Government should halt the crack downs and search operations. Criticizing the trifurcation of the State he said his organisation will not allow division of State by making Jammu a separate State and giving a UT status to Ladakh as demanded by certain quarters. "We will not allow this blunder to take place once again and resist strongly laying of "blood line"." He without naming the former Chief Minister, Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah said that we are reaping the fruits of his mistakes while stressing that the forthcoming dialogue should be held in a congenial atmosphere so that the issue is resolved. The JKDFP chief saluted the parents whose wards according to him made sacrifices to internationalize the Kashmir issue. He said it is due to the sacrifices of these thousands of youth that world considers that Kashmir issue needs solution. He said it is due to these sacrifices that there is growing international pressure over both India and Pakistan to solve the issue and its all credit for this goes to militants. He held the Indian Government responsible for forcing the Kashmiri youth to take to arms saying that the issue can be resolved when all the three parties sit together to resolve it. He said the people of the border areas have been worst sufferers of the conflict between the two nations and they have been uprooted many times in past due to this dispute. He said I have visited this border area to take people in confidence and added that we are not only talking of Kashmir valley but all the three regions of J&K besides the Pak occupied Kashmir (PoK) . He said I have sent my representative to Pakistan and asked him to meet the politicians and people in PoK to ascertain their views on the issue. The gathering was addressed by Maulana Abdullah Tari, general secretary, DFP Mr Abdul Saleem and Mr Manzoor Shah, the Rajouri district president. |
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Shahi Imam hails Musharraf’s rebuke to ‘jihadis’ NEW DELHI, June 8: Shahi Imam of Delhi’s Jama Masjid Maulana Syed Ahmed Bukhari today hailed Pakistani military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf’s condemnation of "Jehadi" groups for their anti-India utterances. "Violence creates violence and violence or war are not the solution to any dispute," the Shahi Imam said in a press statement here. Stating that time had come for "sincere" and "responsible persons" of both sides to "come forward and ponder honestly for each other’s progress and prosperity", Maulana Bukhari said "it is the Indian Muslims who have more interest in the betterment of Indo-Pak relations." Applauding the recent efforts to solve the Kashmir issue through negotiations, he said "such efforts can prove fruitful only if both the parties accept the ground realities and have a flexible stand." He appealed to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to "control such communal organisations which always remain busy in spoiling the game by issuing statements against Pakistan and Indian Muslims". "The Prime Minister should also keep in mind that communal and anti-Muslim organisations start sabotaging any such move which is meant for cordial relation between India and Pakistan," the Shahi Imam said. Meanwhile, another Muslim organisation United Muslim Front today said Gen Musharraf’s visit to India should be utilised as a historic opportunity to resolve the Kashmir issue. The two countries should also sign a "no war pact" for at least 10 years and resolve all disputes peacefully, Front president Basir Ahmad said in a statement here. In a separate statement, Delhi unit Janata Dal(S) president and MLA Shoaib Iqbal expressed happiness and optimism over the proposed summit meeting between Musharraf and Vajpayee. "The meeting between Indian and Pakistani leaders would help solve outstanding disputes and ease the existing tension between both the countries", Iqbal said. (PTI) |
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J&K Cong-I leaders meet Sonia, Kidwai NEW DELHI, Jun 8: Groupism in Jammu and Kashmir Congress came to the fore today with several PCC members meeting party president Sonia Gandhi, demanding removal of PCC chief Mohammad Shafi Qureshi "as he is ruining the party unit". The demand for removal of Qureshi, who was appointed to the post only a year back, has been witnessed over the past few months. It, however, was precipitated further following removal of eight District Congress Committee presidents by Qureshi yesterday for their alleged "anti-party activities". The PCC delegation suggested to Gandhi that Qureshi be replaced with Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, former Minister and senior vice-president of the State unit, Mohammad Sultan and Laxmi Dutta, who comprised the delegation, told reporters. Earlier, they met AICC general secretary in-charge of Jammu and Kashmir Mohsina Kidwai, and pressed their demand, Sultan said. Sultan and Dutta said Kidwai claimed she was unaware of the development in the State but promised that she would take up the matter with Gandhi. Sultan said 120 PCC members out of the total 160 are in Delhi to lodge their protest to the Central leadership against Qureshi and demand his removal. Yashpal Khajuria, Lalita Sharma, Ashok Sharma, Kanta Bhan, Santosh Majotra, Surendra Gupta, Mohammad Sultan, Ali Mohammad Dar and Mohammad Anwar are among those who met Gandhi and Kidwai to demand the removal of Qureshi. (PTI) |
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Excelsior Correspondent NEW DELHI, June 8: The Government has elevated Mr Sudesh Kumar Gupta and Mr Brij Lal Bhat and appointed them as Additional Judges of Jammu and Kashmir High Court for a period of two years. The warrants of appointment in their favour have been issued by the President Mr K R Narayanan after the Supreme Court cleared their names. Both Mr Gupta and Mr Bhat are presently holding the posts of District and Sessions Judges in the State. An official announcement here said that their appointment as Additional Judges would come into effect from the date they assume charge. With the appointment of Mr Gupta and Mr Bhat as the Additional Judges, the total strength of Judges in Jammu and Kashmir High Court has gone to 10 including Chief Justice Dr B P Saraf. There are still four vacancies of the judges in J&K High Court. |
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Geelani favours troops withdrawal Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, June 8: In a shift in its stand, pro-Pakistan Jamaat-e-Islami has asked Pakistan and India to withdraw their troops from Jammu and Kashmir and allow people of the State to decide their own fate. "Both India and Pakistan should withdraw their troops from the State and allow the people to exercise their right to self-determination," the Jamat fire-brand leader and chief of Political Affairs Syed Ali Shah Geelani told a public meeting at Noorbagh-Sopore, 55 kms from here, yesterday. This is a shift in the stand of Jamat as it had been advocating merger of Kashmir with Pakistan. The former Hurriyat chairman welcomed the proposed Vajpayee-Musharraf summit and said it should be directed at resolving the Kashmir issue. |
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Pant to hold talks with parties NEW DELHI, June 8: After making an assessment of the ground situation in Jammu and Kashmir, Centre’s interlocutor K C Pant will be meeting representatives of all national political parties from tomorrow. In the first leg, Pant would be meeting a two-member team of Congress party to discuss the situation in Kashmir besides ascertaining their views on the issue. The Congress would be represented by senior party leader and CWC member Pranab Mukherjee and AICC general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad. Pant, during the second phase of his interaction with various groups and political parties, will also be meeting representatives from other including BJP and Left parties, official sources said. (PTI) |
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Summit vital for Kashmiris: Mirwaiz SRINAGAR, June 8: Senior Hurriyat Conference leader Mirwaiz Umer Farooq today said the coming summit between Premier Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Pakistani military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf was an event of vital importance for the people of Jammu and Kashmir who had pinned high hopes on it. "The coming summit is an important event as people of Kashmir have pinned high hopes and attached much significance to it," Mirwaiz told a Friday congregation at historic Jamia Masjid here. Mirwaiz, former Hurriyat chairman, said "our stand is clear from day one that all outstanding issues, including Kashmir, should be resolved through dialogue. "All the three parties involved should come closer to each other and find ways and means to solve the issue peacefully through talks." Mirwaiz said both India and Pakistan should forget past bitterness and take appropriate and serious steps to resolve the issue. Admitting Kashmir was a "complicated" issue, he hoped the two leaders would break the deadlock which would help in easing tension between the two countries. Extending support to the coming summit, Mirwaiz said his party, Awami Action Committee, favoured tripartite talks, involving Pakistan and Kashmiris, to resolve the issue. (PTI) |
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MUMBAI, June 8: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who underwent a total joint replacement of right knee at Breach Candy Hospital here, was made to sit this evening, a PMO spokesman said. US based orthopaedic surgeon Dr Chittaranjan Ranawat, who performed the operaion yesterday, was "satisfied" with the progress, he said. "The Prime Minister is recovering well and all his vital signs are normal", hospital and official sources said. Vajpayee, who slept soundly last night after the surgery, had a liquid diet. "He would now be encouraged to assume normal sitting posture" by the medical team attending on him, it was stated. The Prime Minister also followed the UK polls and events occuring in the country and around the world, the sources said. The make-shift office of the Prime Minister here was flooded with "get well" messages from a host of international and national dignitaries including, the king of Nepal Gyanendra, Prime Minister G P Koirala, former Prime Ministers P V Narasimha Rao, I K Gujral and H D Deve Gowda and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. The Governors of Punjab, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh had also sent get well messages to the Prime Minister, the sources added. (PTI) |
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