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Kar
attacked in Sopore; PSO injured From Ahmed Ali Fayaz SRINAGAR, June 29: Superintendent of Police Srinagar (South) Ramesh Kumar Jalla and Senior Congress leader Ghulam Rasool Kar survived two separate attempts on life today. While as Kar’s PSO sustained injuries, Jalla was critically injured alongwith two of his PSOs at the crowded Jehangir Chowk, in the capital city. SP City, South, Ramesh Jalla was managing vehicular traffic at the busy Jehangir Chowk when militants attacked him with a hand grenade, at 10.17 a.m today. The grenade exploded inside a Police cabin and caused grievous injuries to Jalla and two of his escort personnel. He was rushed to SMHS Hospital and put on constant observation after medical treatment. After recovering from the shock and undergoing treatment at SMHS Hospital, Ramesh Jalla told EXCELSIOR that a minute before the attack, he had entered a wayside cabin of the traffic Police. A three-wheeler passed by and a militant hurled an HE-36 grenade well in the cabin. Before, the Police officer would escape, it exploded and caused multiple splinter injuries on his body. His heart, eyes, neurosystem and other vital organs remained unharmed even as Jalla has scores of grievous injuries on the full surface of his body. Doctors described Jalla out of danger and maintained that all the injuries were superficial. They asserted that he would recover soon and that there was no complication. They said that both the injured constables, Khursheed Ahmed and Hakoomat Singh were also stable. A Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen spokesman claimed over telephone to local news agency, CNS, that the militants of his organisation had carried out the attack on SP Jalla. Receipient of three Police and Presidential medals for gallantry and meritorious services, 42-year-old Ramesh Kumar Jalla has been on the top of militants’ hit list as, prior to his present posting, he has functioned in Special Operations Group (SOG) — the counter-insurgency wing of Jammu & Kashmir Police — for six years. Working as Dy SP with SOG Srinagar and incharge SP Operations Anantnag and Baramulla, Jalla eliminated hundreds of hardcore militants in numerous encounters. It was at his office in Baramulla last year that a detained militant snatched away a constable’s gun and emptied magazines on Jalla’s chair, who, however, was fortunately out. The militant was killed in retaliation. Goodluck favoured Jalla again when late last year, a Pakistani militant fired heavy volume of gunfire on his bunker, in a suicidal attack, at Police Control Room. That time, the brunt was faced by the bullet-proof windshield and Jalla sustained minor injuries. Within days, there was a grenade attack on his office at Rambagh. Today’s attack on Jalla came within four days of a militant attack on SP Pulwama Mukesh Singh. On Tuesday last, Singh had a narrow escape when militants ambushed him in forest area of Kellar, in south Kashmir. Militants’ attacks on Police officials had reduced to an extent after August 8, 2000 car-bomb blast at State Bank of India. SP City (East) Pankaj Kumar Dard had a miraculous escape — while sustaining critical injuries — in the car-bomb blast which left 10 Police officials and four civilians killed and dozens wounded. Kar attacked Senior Congress leader, Ghulam Rasool Kar, too had a miraculous escape when militants launched an attack on him at his residential town of Sopore. Official sources said that Kar was performing Friday afternoon prayers at the Khankah-e-Moula mosque when a militant fired pistol shots and left his PSO, Jang Bahadur Singh, injured. He turned his pistol to Mr Kar but did not work and the militant ran away. 84-year-old Kar has lately distanced himself from Congress and gained proximity to Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah. He has not, however, joined any other political party. It was Mr Kar who broke the political ice by organising a Uri-Qazigund rally on January 5, 1996 and later he organised massive public meetings all over the strife-torn Kashmir valley. Almost all the leaders of today’s ruling party, National Conference, were living in migration at Jammu and other places, even months after Kar’s mainstream political rallies in 1995-96. Meanwhile, security forces today eliminated two unidentified militants, one each at Haril in Kupwara district and Govind Nullah Bagtoor, near LoC, in Gurez sector. Reports from Kupwara said that militants and troops of 10-Madras clashed at Kandi late last night. This morning, two boys — Mohammad Imran S/o Sultan Magray and Mohammad Shafi S/o Ghulam Nabi — picked up a crude explosive device at the spot and fiddled with it. It exploded, causing injuries to both of them. Reports from Anantnag said that militants today targetted a prominant Ikhwan activist, Idrees Ahmed Baba S/o Abdur Rehman Baba of Sarnal at Dangarpora. He escaped but a PCO owner, Mukhtar Ahmed Shah S/o Ghulam Mohammad R/o Kreeri Batpora, sustained injuries in the shootout. He was rushed to a Srinagar hospital. Troops of RR 36 Bn had picked up two youngsters for guiding them to a village at Sondbrari in Kokernag area. Militants ambushed the patrol and both of them sustained injuries. They were identified as two brothers — Juma Sardana and Mohammad Talib, sons of Habibullah. Two Army personnel also sustained injuries. Late night reports said that a fierce encounter was going on between militants and security forces at Chini Wudar, Bijbehara. |
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Pak should not harp on Kashmir issue, says Omar NEW DELHI, June 29: Union Minister Omar Abdullah today said that with open market economy bringing about regional co-operation the world over, Pakistan should not continue harping on the Kashmir issue as key to improving its relations with India. "Kashmir could be one of the issues identified for solution to promoting good relations between the two countries but it should not be taken as a barometer for measuring the air of goodwill between the two countries," Omar told PTI here. Stating that in today’s world open market economy was one of the major factors in uniting countries, the 31-year-old Minister of State for Commerce and Industries said one should see the history of Europe which has more or less integrated due to economic compulsions and European countries have more or less given a go-by to traditional differences to work out a new relationship of co-operation. Defending the Government’s stand of not allowing the Hurriyat leaders to meet Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf during his visit to this country, he said "we want to make it clear that we will not allow an interventionist attitude in the forthcoming summit. Besides this, can Musharraf afford to meet the leaders even before meeting Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee"? he asked. Referring to the demand of some separatist groups in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) asking Musharraf to make Kashmir as the core issue during his talks with Vajpayee, he said "needless to say or remind him (Musharraf) about the unanimous resolution of Parliament in 1994 on regaining back the areas of the State under occupation." Omar said India’s offer for talks should be taken in the right perspective by Pakistan and it should work for building up "bridges of confidence rather than widening of gulf". "The ball is in the court of Islamabad and it is up to Musharraf’s approach. The better they do it, the better they will get," he said. Taking a dig at the Hurriyat Conference leaders, Omar said "the self-proclaimed peace makers are actually saboteurs of peace". He alleged the Hurriyat leaders had pushed a major chunk of the youth on the path of destruction, who could otherwise have been used for leading the "State to new heights." He said the Hurriyat leaders were enjoying Government security "as they feared that some militants might make them a target." The minister said "some Hurriyat leaders even want to enjoy similar facilities extended to the Chief Minister of the State by the Government." "The day is not far when these leaders will have to either bow to the wishes of the people or run away from the State," he said. He said the rejection of the autonomy plan of the State was a setback but the National Conference would continue to strive to fulfil the aspiration of the people. "We hope to resolve the issue of autonomy by creating awareness among the people through debates and seminars," he said. Revival of the state’s economy would be a major factor in restoring peace, he said adding several projects like community information centres, software technology park and packaging industry for saffron growers were on the anvil. (PTI) |
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Indian industry optimistic on Musharraf visit MUMBAI, June 29: The Indian captains of industry are beaming with optimism about the prospects of phenomenal growth in bilateral trade relations with Pakistan in the wake of summit between Prime Minister A B Vajpayee and General Pervez Musharraf. "The summit would open direct trade between India and Pakistan," says Jugal Kishore Mehra, Director, Western Regional Council of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). India’s official export to Pakistan during 1999-2000 stood at Rs. 405.3 crore, while the reciprocal turnover is valued at Rs 296.75 crore. The industry sources put the unofficial bilateral trade volume at around one billion US dollar. Since the trade between two countries has been restricted, the unofficial trade between the two nations is being routed through third countries like Singapore, Afghanistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka, the sources said. According to Mr Mehra, the recent FICCI delegation led by Chamber chairman Chirayu Amin received an overwhelming response from Pakistan industry during their recent visit. The 35-member delegation held meetings with a group of 100 Pakistan industrialists to find avenues of enhancing the mutual trade relationship. India exports chemicals, tyres, industrial machinery, tea and pharmaceuticals to Pakistan and imports pulses, edible oil, spices and dry fruits from Pakistan. Pakistan has already sanctioned 600 items to be imported from India and sought a list of these items, industry sources said. Industry sources said the Pakistan Government has reportedly cleared the grant of Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India and the industry here is awaiting its implementation by the Pakistan Government. Former president of Indian Merchants Chamber (IMC), Sharyu Daftary, welcomed the initiatives of India and Pakistan to establish peace by organising the "summit". Ms Daftary called the summit as the beginning of new era between India and Pakistan and said that Indian industry is looking forward for the significant growth in bilateral trade. However, she had doubts if bilateral trade would figure at the talks, expected to be dominated by a political agenda. "Unlike Bill Clinton’s visit to India during his tenure as the US President last year, Vajpayee- Musharraf summit talks are expected to be a very closed-door meeting between the two leaders as there is no information as yet whether any business delegation would be accompanying the Presidential entourage, she said. Expressing satisfaction over the peace initiatives of two nations, past president of Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), Mr Ramu Deora, praised Prime Minister Vajpayee for the invitation extended to Mr Musharraf. He said the summit would serve as a platform for sharing the business views that could pave the way for eliminating third country’s role in imports of Indian goods in Pakistan. According to him, textile, ancillary, automobiles, plastic, information technology, entertainment and tourism industry have a great future if the two nations come closer and open the doors for free and direct trade. South Asian Federation of Exchanges (SAFE), an association of stock exchanges in the SAARC countries is also optimistic about the summit. Ms Deena Mehta, former Vice President of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and Executive Committee member of SAFE, said that the proposed visit of Pakistan President will lay the foundation for boosting the preparedness of Indian mutual funds and asset management companies to launch their operations in Pakistan. According to her, the SAFE has already initiated a concept of safe mutual fund to tap the funds of non-residents of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Bhutan. Recalling her visit last year to Pakistan, Ms Mehta said the then Pakistan’s Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz who is now Prime Minister, had extended all cooperation to the safe delegation and discussed his ideas to promote bilateral cooperation. What she discovered during her visit to Pakistan was that the business community in that country is eagerly waiting for the initiatives of both the countries to flower to strengthen trade relations. (UNI) |
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Mule owners, pithoos go on
strike Excelsior Correspondent KATRA, June 29: Pilgrimage to Mata Vaishnodevi shrine has been badly affected due to strike by mule owners and ‘pithoos’ in protest against the pre-paid system introduced by Notified Area Committee (NAC), Katra. Agitation turned violent last evening when a group of mule owners handed over a sound thrashing to eight pithoos, who were carrying the pilgrims from Katra to Bhawan. Eight mule owners have been arrested by police in this connection. Reports said the mule owners and pithoos were protesting against the new system of NAC which, they said, was not acceptable to them. According to the new system, the NAC will charge the entire payment to be made to mule owner or a pithoo by the pilgrim. In turn, the NAC will give a receipt to mule owners. Payment to the mule owner or pithoo will be made by the NAC only after they bring the pilgrim back to Katra, the base camp of the shrine, with an undertaking of ‘satisfactory pilgrimage’ from the yatri. Mule owners and pithoos were of the view that being poor men they had to utilise the amount paid by yatris for taking food and feed for their mules enroute. "We will become helpless in the absence of money ", they observed. Reports said soon after the NAC notified the decision, all mule owners and pithoos went on strike causing immense hardships to hundreds of Vaishnodevi pilgrims, who had been thronging or the base camp daily in view of summer vacations across the country. However, the NAC authorities held talks with some representatives of mule owners and pithoos yesterday after which the Union announced suspension of their strike. Withdrawal of strike without conceding any of the demand by authorities was strongly resented by mule owners and pithoos, who defied the directive of their Union and decided to go ahead with their agitation. This, according to sources, resulted into a scuffle between the two groups. The group, which was in favour of strike, beat-up eight pithoos who were carrying pilgrims children and luggage from Katra to Mata Vaishnodevi shrine. The pithoos were injured in the attack. Katra police swung into action and apprehended eight mule owners involved in the attack. A case against them has been registered at Katra police station for further investigations. Meanwhile, a complete strike by mule owners and pithoos continued for third day today. Strike was complete despite the withdrawal announced by the Union, the reports said, adding the strike has badly affected the pilgrimage to Mata Vaishnodevi shrine. |
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LONDON, June 29: Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front leader Yasin Malik has charged Pakistan with "ditching" Kashmiris and said he does not expect any result from the Vajpayee-Musharraf summit as the "principal party" - the people of Kashmir - have not been included in the dialogue. "They have been saying that there are three parties to the dispute — India, Pakistan and the Kashmiris. Now when Gen Pervez Musharraf is going to India for talks, Pakistan has forgotten that there is a third party," Malik told PTI here. While flaying Pakistan for "ditching the Kashmiris when it mattered most", Malik praised Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee saying he is a "sincere person who wants to resolve the Kashmir issue". "I do not think there will be any outcome at the summit because the principal party to the Kashmir dispute are not represented at it," Malik said. It was a pity that the people of the land were nowhere to be seen in the talks, he said. "Now Vajpayee and Musharraf will decide our future. Are we animals!" he wondered. Claiming that the Kashmir issue was neither a border nor a territorial dispute between India and Pakistan, Malik said it is "directly concerned with the people of Jammu and Kashmir". Malik also opposed any kind of division of Kashmir. He said division of Kashmir on communal lines would be a disaster not only for Kashmiris but also for South Asia. There would be a blood bath like the one witnessed at the time of partition in 1947, he said. On the Centre’s interlocutor K C Pant’s holding negotiations with leaders of various groups in Kashmir, Malik said "they have invited only pro-India leaders who are their own people". Malik favoured a peace process on the pattern of Nagaland. "When Government of India started a peace process in Nagaland there were three agreements - talks will be at Prime Ministerial level, there will be no pre-condition and talks will be only between the Prime Minister of India and the NSCN leaders and even the Chief Minister of Nagaland is not involved in the process. The outcome is that there is a complete ceasefire and thousands of lives have been saved," he said. (PTI) |
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Pak Kashmiri leader wants families reunited ISLAMABAD, June 29: The "Chief Executive" of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir today proposed the India-Pakistan summit next month agree to allow reunions of tens of thousands of families divided by conflict in the disputed region. Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry told Reuters television he had made the proposal to Pakistani military ruler General Pervez Musharraf and asked him to take it up with Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in their talks scheduled for July 14-16. The Premier of Pakistan-ruled Kashmir said he had also proposed that India must withdraw troops from big cities and allow Kashmiri politicians from both sides of the LoC to meet to discuss the territory’ future. Chaudhry said Pakistan-based Kashmiri politicians made several proposals when Musharraf consulted them on Thursday about his Indian trip. "One is that there must be intra-Kashmiri dialogue," he said. "So General Musharraf will talk to Mr Vajpayee that there should be talks between the Kashmiri leaders of both sides. "And then I suggested to General Musharraf that if India is really sincere and serious to resolve the Kashmir issue they must take a few steps. "One, they must withdraw their troops from the big cities of Kashmir — they could stay in the cantonments but they must withdraw from the big cities — and they must stop human rights violations in Kashmir. "They should allow the right of passage on the Line of Control (LoC) and of course, intra-Kashmiri dialogue. Then the thing could take off." Asked if the right of passage across the LoC would mean reopening the blocked road links between the sides, he said: "Yes people could go and come, to start with, in a limited way like the divided families could meet each other, the victims (of violence) could meet each other, the injured." Chaudhry said he backed the idea of starting a bus service between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad, but had not made a specific proposal to Musharraf. The 183-km Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road, which was the main route for visitors to Kashmir from the rest of India before independence, was blocked after a bridge over a stream was blown up to stop Indian forces at the start of the 1947 war. That Lal Pul bridge, some 60 km by road southeast of Muzaffarabad and 125 km west of Srinagar, was never repaired. (REUTERS) |
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Civilian shot dead Arms haul in Poonch Excelsior Correspondent RAJOURI, June 29: Militants beheaded a civilian in Darhal while army and police effected two big seizures of arms and ammunition from two different places in Pir Panjal and Chingus areas overnight. According to official sources, two militants attacked the house of Sajjad Ahmed at village Ujjan in Darhal area of this district last night and kidnapped him in front of his wailing family members. Militants whisked away Sajjad Ahmed to a surrounding field and be-headed him. They escaped after the killing. Headless body of Sajjad Ahmed was recovered by police this morning and handed over to family members. Police said a reason behind the killing couldn’t be ascertained immediately. DIG Rajouri-Poonch range S S Bijral said a team of CID (Counter Intelligence) carried out a search operation in Chingus area of Rajouri this evening and smashed a militants’ hideout. A huge quantity of weaponry was recovered from the hideout. Seizure included eight boxes containing 5000 rounds of Pika gun, 20 UBGL grenades, five Chinese grenades, one UBGL, five anti-tank rockets, 16 RPG boosters, eight grenades boosters, seven IED timers, five kg RDX and six switches. Another haul of recovery was made by Dogra battalion of Poonch Brigade in Pir Panjal area Recovery included one Propelled Grenade Launcher with sight, five UBGL, three anti tank rockets, 12 hand grenades, 516 rounds of AK-47, 23 remote controlled IEDs, 20 sealed IEDs, 19 square type IEDs. three magnetic type IEDs, five kg explosive material and one electric tool bag. Army team of Dogra Regiment, which effected the recovery, was led by Poonch Brigade Commander Brig WJB Sturgeon. Militants have suffered a major setback with the recovery, the sources said. |
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Musharraf for time bound
plan RAWALPINDI, June 29: Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf has said he wanted Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to agree at next month’s summit that Kashmir is the core issue that must be settled. Musharraf, who said he was going with "cautious optimism" to the summit, yesterday told journalists for foreign news organisations that he believed the public in India now wanted a resolution to the conflict that has dogged relations for more than half a century. While India has tried in the past to list Kashmir as only one of a number of irritants, Musharraf said he was hopeful New Delhi was ready to agree at the July 14-16 summit that Kashmir is the key issue. "I think certainly an absolutely, unequivocal acceptance of the fact that Kashmir is the dispute which has bedeviled relations between India and Pakistan and which needs to be resolved adequately, peacefully," he said when asked what would constitute a successful summit. Musharraf, who is also military commander, said at his Army residence near Islamabad that the conflict has to be settled to improve lives in a subcontinent that remains mired in poverty but contains a fifth of the world’s population. "I would be really disappointed if we go there and we follow the hackneyed path of ‘let us start discussing all the issues and we will come to Kashmir also,"’ he said of the traditional Indian view that Kashmir is an internal issue not subject to negotiation with Pakistan. "There is no ‘also’ involved. Kashmir is the issue," he said. "And all other issues which are very, very minor irritants can be resolved very easily after that." New Delhi has traditionally considered all of Kashmir as an integral part of India, while Pakistan has demanded the honouring of a half-century-old UN Security Council resolution calling for residents to be allowed to vote on which country they want to join. "If one sticks to one’s stated position, on both sides, too rigidly, there won’t be any progress," said the General, who seized power 20 months ago and added the title of President last week. India rules about 45 percent of Kashmir, where it is fighting an 1l-year-old revolt by separatist Muslim militants. Pakistan controls about a third of the former princely State, over which the two nations have fought two of their three wars since independence from Britain in 1947. China holds the rest. Musharraf, while emphasising he would be flexible, said he would not discuss details of his positions before meeting the Indian Prime Minister. But he said he had detected a shift in India’s willingness to place Kashmir at the centre of discussions both in the invitation for talks from Vajpayee and their subsequent telephone conversation. "I sense that there is a gradual change toward a peaceful resolution of this dispute so that peace prevails in the subcontinent and we concentrate on the economic development of this region," he said. Musharraf was speaking after meeting Pakistan-based Kashmiri politicians in a continuing series of consultations to ensure national support for his first meeting with the Indian leader. "I go with my hand strengthened by the people of Pakistan," he said. Musharraf said he would try to evolve a "time bound" framework to resolve Kashmir issue during his forthcoming summit . "During my talks with the Indian Prime Minister, I would call for a certain framework for the resolution of Kashmir problem. I would also urge the Indian leadership that dialogue must continue under certain framework", Musharraf was quoted as saying during his meeting with Kashmiri leaders yesterday. After the meeting, Kashmiri Affairs Minister Abbas Sarfraz Khan told local media that all issues, including Siachen, could also come up for discussion,‘Dawn’ reported. "The President said he himself believes that there cannot be any instant solution for all the problems and that he is going to India with an open mind and with an effort to create a conducive environment for future talks," Khan told the media. The minister said that previously there was no framework of talks, nor timetable for the resolution of the Kashmir problem. But now efforts would be made by Musharraf to have some time bound framework to resolve this issue. Asked how President Musharraf would compete with a "polished politician" like Vajpayee, Khan said it was not a matter of politics but a matter of diplomacy. "This is international diplomacy and Musharraf is well aware of it". Khan said Musharraf was optimistic about his visit to India. The President believed that there was certain realisation on the part of Indians to resolve differences with Pakistan. The participants in yesterday’s meeting also asked Musharraf to involve the Hurriyat Conference in the Indo-Pak talks, Khan said. He said that Pakistan had already asked India to include the Hurriyat leaders in talks so that there was certain representation of the Kashmiris. "In fact, we have called for having leaders of both sides of Kashmir to take part in the forthcoming talks," the Minister said. India has already informed Pakistan that it was not willing to permit Hurriyat leaders to meet Musharraf. (AGENCIES) |
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Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, June 29: The State Government have re-designated the post of Principal Private Secretary to Chief Secretary as Senior Principal Private Secretary to Chief Secretary till it is held by Kashmir Administrative Services (KAS) officer. Mr Mohammed Yasin Hamdani, KAS, is now re-designated as Senior Principal Private Secretary to Chief Secretary. |
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Excelsior Correspondent UDHAMPUR, June 29: A youth was killed in a mine explosion in Warwan area of Kishtwar tehsil in Doda district this evening. He has been identified as Ghulam Qadir, a resident of Warwan. Police said Qadir walked over an IED, planted by the militants while working in the fields. He died on the spot. |
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Hurriyat leader’s kin detained NEW DELHI, June 29: Mrs Talat Fatima, cousin of senior Hurriyat leader Molvi Omer Farooq, was not allowed by the immigration authorities to leave the country as she had not reported to the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) on her arrival from Islamabad. Mrs Fatima, who came here along with her two children to attend the Nikah ceremony of Omer Farooq on June 16, was about to leave for Lahore last night in the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight from the Indira Gandhi International Airport when the immigration authorities refused to allow her to proceed to the aircraft, Mr Bhushan Bazaz, president of the Democratic National Conference said. The authorities asked her to seek clearance from the FRRO office to enable her to leave the country. Mrs Fatima, who is the daughter of Molvi Mohammed Ahmed, Mirwaiz of the Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) is a US national. Soon after her arrival here, she proceeded to Srinagar to attend the Nikah function. Molvi Omer Farooq has got enganged to Sabeeha Sibtain, daughter of a well known Kashmir doctor, settled in the US. Mr Bazaz said that 15 members of the Molvi Omer family, who are settled in the PoK, had requested for visas to enable them to attend the ceremony. However they were denied the visit while Mrs Fatima was the only close member of the family allowed to attend the function. (UNI) |
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Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, June 29: President Bar Association Jammu, D S Saini has convened a meeting for tomorrow to decide the future course of action so that the ongoing agitation of lawyers in protest against the opening of the Fast Track/Circuit Courts in Jammu, be taken to the logical conclusion. Bar Chief said that in order to intensify the agitation, there were number of proposals including relay hunger strike, fast unto death and demonstration at District headquarters. Meanwhile, the dharna launched by the Association entered seventh day today, while’s the strike launched in protest against opening of Fast Track Courts, entered 68th day. It was claimed by the Secretary Bar Association that the normal functioning of the High Court as well as Subordinate Courts remained paralysed as " none of the members caused appearance in the Court". Sanjay Raina, secretary Bar Association Poonch also joined the dharna to express full solidarity with Jammu Bar. |
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Mirwaiz meets APHC leaders from PoK NEW DELHI, June 29: Former All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) chairman Mirwaiz Omar Farooq today met the members of the APHC’s Pakistan chapter in Mali and discussed next month’s Indo-Pak summit and other related issues. "Mr Farooq held talks with leaders of the APHC (Pakistan occupied Kashmir chapter), including the central leader Prof Ashraf Saraaf and Ghulam Mohammad Safi on the sidelines of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) Foreign Minister’s meeting in Mali’s capital Bamako," APHC spokesman Abdul Majid Banday told UNI here. Mr Banday said the summit meeting between Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf came under discussion. The leaders also discussed the future course of action in the wake of New Delhi’s decision not to allow the Hurriyat leaders to meet Gen Musharraf during his July 14-16 visit to India. Regretting India’s decision of barring the Hurriyat leaders from meeting Gen Musharraf, Mr Mirwaiz said the move vindicated the APHC’s stand that New Delhi was not sincere in resolving the 53-year-old vexed issue. Mr Mirwaiz reiterated that the bilateral talks between the two countries without the involvement of the people of Jammu and Kashmir would not provide the desired results, he said. "In the past also, all bilateral negotiations between India and Pakistan have failed," the former APHC chairman pointed out. However, the conglomerate had no objection if the two countries started the process of resolving the issue bilaterally with geniuneness and sincerity and then include the representative forum of the people of the troubled State - the APHC into the talks, Mr Mirwaiz added. Prof Saraaf said the resolution of the Kashmir issue was a must for the global peace. The leaders of the two countries should make sincere efforts to find a lasting and permanent solution to the Kashmir imbroglio, he added. Mr Safi welcomed Gen Musharraf’s statement that Kashmir will be accorded priority in the summit. Mr Mirwaiz Farooq had left for Bamako on Sunday to attend the OIC meeting in which the APHC has been granted the observer status. The five-day OIC meeting, which commenced on June 25, discussed Kashmir, Afghanistan, Palestine and other issues faced by the Islamic world. Yesterday, India dismissed as "interventionist" the OIC’s resolutions on Kashmir, including providing financial assistance to the people of Kashmir, appointment of a special representative to handle the issue and sending a fact-finding team to the Valley. (UNI) |
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SRINAGAR, June 29: Police lobbed teargas shells and resorted to repeated lathicharge to disperse slogan shouting demonstrators at Nowhatta and Maisuma here this afternoon, protesting against alleged security force excesses. Police had to fire teargass shells to disperse the protestors at Nowhatta immediately after the Friday prayers were over in the historic Jamia Masjid. The irate mob also pelted police and passing vehicles with stones. About six persons, including two policemen were injured in the stone pelting and police action. Police also lobbed teargas shells to disperse activists of World Islamic Students League (WISL) at Maisuma, when they tried to take out a procession this afternoon. The processionists also hurled stones at police. Meanwhile, shops and business establishments in the Civil line including Lal Chowk, Budshah Chowk, Maisuma, Koker Bazar, Exchange Road, Hari Singh High Street and Court Road remained closed on a hartal call given by WISL and two other organisations in protest against alleged security forces excesses on women in the Valley. (UNI) |
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Bihar admission racket referred to Crime Branch Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, June 29: The State Government today placed under suspension Dr Abdul Rashid Reshi, Associate Professor, Department of Nephrology, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar and Aijaz Ahmed Bhat, Junior Engineer, PHE Division, Baramulla for their role in a racket of arranging admission of female candidates from Kashmir in various un-recognised Medical Colleges/Dental Colleges of Bihar. The Government have referred the case to Crime Branch of Jammu and Kashmir Police for detailed investigations. The suspended officers shall remain attached with Director, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar and Dy. Commissioner, Baramulla, respectively. The Government have also kept in abeyance the adhoc appointment of one Mr Shabir Ahmad, Drawing Instructor, ITI, Anantnag, who is reported to be the prime suspect in this racket. The Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag has been asked to enquire into the legality of his adhoc appointment made in September 1992. The Government had received serious allegations that Mr Shabir Ahmad alias Shaheen is the prime suspect in sponsoring female candidates for admission in various unrecognized Medical Colleges and Dental Colleges in Bihar. In a public interest litigation in the Supreme Court of India, it was, among other things, alleged that the female candidates in the garb of admission in the aforesaid un-recognized Medical/Dental Colleges were being harassed. The Apex Court had directed J&K Govt to look into the allegation of harassment and other things associated with female candidates. Accordingly the Government decided to have the role of various suspect persons in the sponsoring of candidates to the above colleges investigated by the Crime Branch of the Jammu and Kashmir Police. |
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Excelsior Correspondent Srinagar, June 29: The Government have ordered immediate attachment of seven engineers of the PHE division Kupwara with the Chief Engineer, Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Kashmir. As per the orders, issued on the instructions of the Minister for Works, Mr Ali Mohammad Sagar, the attachment of the engineers has been ordered to facilitate an impartial enquiry into the allegations of misconduct against them. The officials placed under attachment include Mr. Khazir Mohammad, Executive Engineer (Monitoring Cell PHE Kashmir), Mr. Sartaj Singh, Assistant Executive Engineer, Mr. Nazir Ahmad Dar, Assistant Engineer and Mr. Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din, Mr. Mohammad Ramzan, Mr. Bashir Ahmad and Mr. Abdul Aziz, all Junior engineers. |
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