'Dulhasti, Baghliar projects will improve power scenario'
NE type package for J&K soon

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, May 18: Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah today assured the industrialists that power situation in the State would be improved after commissioning of Dul Hasti and Baghliar Power projects.

Speaking in a seminar on "WTO Related Issues" jointly organised by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry with the active support of the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India, Chief Minister said that State Government has asked the Centre for a mega thermal power project to cope with the severe power crises in the State. "A proposal has been sent to the Centre in this regard", he said and added that proposed project, if approved, will be established very soon.

Dr Farooq Abdullah stressed the need for educating the trade and industry on WTO issues so that all the apprehensions that have arisen out of WTO are dispelled. He asked all the participants to take full advantage of the seminar as some senior officers of the Ministry of Commerce had been invited to conduct the technical sessions on these. He assured the industry that the poor availability of power, which is acting as serious bottle-neck for industry would improve in the near future after commissioning of Dul Hasti and Baghliar Power projects. He also mentioned that a meeting at the level of Union Finance Minister would be held in the State as early as possible to review and resolve the problems faced by the industry on account of flow of credit.

In his key note address, Mr Omar Abdullah, Union Minister of State for Industries and Commerce stated that a comprehensive package of incentives on North Eastern pattern for J&K has been framed and is awaiting final approval from the Union Cabinet. He said that Standing Committee of Parliament on Industry and Commerce has already approved the package. He stated that various schemes for pack houses and refrigerated vans were being implemented through APEDA. He further stated that the Ministry of Commerce planned to hold a seminar on Saffron development and agriculture. Export zones in the State during the current year.

Putting at rest at apprehension on WTO, Mr Abdullah said that we have more advantages than disadvantages after signing WTO.

Dr Mustafa Kamal, Minister for Industries and Commerce stated that State Government was doing its best to revive the industry which had been adversely affected due to the onslaught of militancy. He stated that the State Government is looking for liberal financial assistance from Centre for revival of sick units and was also pursuing the package of incentives sought from the Centre on the pattern of North Eastern States. He stated that the State Government was engaged in the process of economic development to give boost to the industry to bring it to the level of some of most industralised states of the country. He stated that seminar provided a forum for the entrepreneurs to dispel some of their apprehensions on WTO.

Prof Dharam Rajan, director general, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade stated that keeping in view the immediate need for development of human resources, IFFT would start first course on export marketing from August this year.

Mr Ram Sahai, president Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry stressed on the need for establishment of an Inland Container Depot in the State, improvement of road net work and supply of quality power. He advocated for the safe guards to SSI units enabling them comply with WTO standards.

"The economical revival of the State of Jammu and Kashmir is the most daunting task before the Government. The challenge is the creation of wealth based on developing the core competency of the State", he said, adding, "this would mean adopting a focused approach which would be based on exploiting the comparative advantages of the State both within the national as also in the widely networked world economy".

He said that there was dire need to enhance strategic advantages prevailing within the State. "This would mean incentivising resource based industries where competitiveness hinges on exploiting the natural endowments of the State", he said, adding, "what is needed is to identify areas of extreme focus which would give a competitive thrust to industralisation just as the economy of Aligarh is centred around locks and Ludhiana is known for cycles".

He said that food processing, agro based industries, forest products-herbs and spices, minerals, horticulture and floriculture, handicrafts and medical and health care were some of the potential areas.

Principal Secretary, Industry and Commerce, Mr Mohammed Shafi Pandit in his welcome address stated that SSI sector contribute to more than 35 percent of the total exports. He stated that the prevalence of obsolete technology needs to be addressed to for SSI so as to enable them to become competitive and meet the global quality standard.

Mr G Q Wani, director SIDCO, Dr Sheshadari and Mrs Alka Bhatia, officers from Department of Commerce, Mr Tabrez Ahmed, representative of CIFTI, Mr Tarun Bajaj representative from APEDA also addressed the seminar.

'I will love to play host to him'
Shah not averse to meet Pant

NEW DELHI, May 18: Dispelling doubts over his participation in dialogue over Kashmir, senior secessionist leader Shabir Shah today asserted that Kashmiri leaders around the world favoured dialogue and he would like to meet the Government’s interlocutor K C Pant during his visit to Jammu and Kashmir.

Welcoming the reports that Pant would be visiting the Valley, Shah told PTI over phone from Srinagar "...Pant is our guest and I would love to play host to him. There would be some talks on Kashmir and he will also get the feel of the situation."

However, he suggested that Pant should meet him at his residence. "Agar Woh Aaye Aur Mere Ghar Aana Chahe To Muje Bahut Khushi Hogi (if he (Pant) visits the Valley and likes to come to my house, I will be very happy," Shah said in reply to a question.

When asked does his statement mean that it is his way of inviting Pant to start talks on Kashmir, Shah replied "sure, sure."

"I have not imposed any conditions, I can meet Pant anywhere in the country but I would like him to visit the Valley first so that he has a feel of the situation," Shah said.

"Whether I go first and meet him or he comes first to the Valley is not a condition at all," Shah, who was termed by London-based Amnesty International as "Prisoner of Conscience", maintained.

Shah, who is also termed as "Nelson Mandela of Kashmir", said he was already in touch with Kashmiri leaders around the world including leaders in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir.

"I spoke to Sardar Abdul Qayoom in PoK and other leaders in the United States and Britain. Everyone was of the opinion that the process of dialogue should not stop," he said.

Shah, who has spent nearly two decades in jail, said he was willing to go to Pakistan and hold talks with militant leaders and military establishment of Pakistan.

"But this is not a necessary thing. Today’s technology has concised the world into a global village and I can speak to them from Kashmir also," he said.

He said that talks were necessary to resolve any dispute in the world. "Even a war is called only after the two warring factions hold negotiations and now if the Government has begun the peace process, then parleys are a necessary exercise," Shah said.

Stating that the reply to the clarifications sought by him was "not disappointing", Shah said "the Government has made it clear that the talks were aimed at resolving the dispute and that it was not averse to involving Pakistan in the talks."

Shah made it clear that in order to give to carry forward the peace process, the participation of Pakistan was compulsory.

"The letter from Pant, which states that the Government is interested in a permanent resolution to the Kashmir issue with the consent of all parties, is an achievement in itself," he said.

"If talks are started on a note that Pakistan will be carried along, then it is a good beginning," Shah said.

He said Pakistani military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf had also expressed his willingness to hold talks with India on several occasions and "New Delhi should give a considerate thinking over the window of opportunity provided by Islamabad."

To a question whether people in Ladakh division also supported his positive response to the offer made by Pant, Shah conceded that some factions were favouring a Union Territory status for the Himalayan region.

"My stand was hailed by almost all the groups in Ladakh and I told them that let the major issue (Kashmir) be solved first...The other issues could be sorted out at a later stage with consensus of all groups," Shah said.

Shah, who visited the region recently, said "however, personally I am not in favour of any division of the State."

The Kashmiri leader said he was also in favour of return of Kashmiri migrants to their homes and hearths.

"I am already in touch with Kashmiri Pundit leaders and I promise that I will knock every single door of migrants to return to the Valley," he said.

He said during his meeting on April 28 with nearly 600 intellectuals there was a consensus that "the process of dialogue should not be stopped and efforts be made to pave a smooth way for talks."

"Talks are the only platform where one can place his point of view and also hear the others view on the issue. If such a process is stopped at the onset itself, how will the issue be resolved," Shah asked. (PTI)

Dollars, arms recovered
SOG Jammu nabs hardcore militant from New Delhi

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, May 18: In another major success, the Special Operations Group (SOG) Jammu tonight nabbed a dreaded militant from a posh locality of New Delhi and recovered a large quantity of American dollars besides arms and explosive devices from his possession.

Arrest of a top militant from Delhi came just three days after SOG Jammu arrested two militants of ‘Khalistan Zindabad Force’ (KZF) from Amritsar.

"The militant was nabbed at 2000 hours today by a SOG team with the help of Delhi Police in a dramatic hour long operation. All precautions had been taken to capture the militant alive as his interrogation could yield very vital clues", a SOG officer told EXCELSIOR on telephone from New Delhi late tonight after completing the raid.

"Right now, a top militant is in our custody. We have recovered a large quantity of American dollars besides arms, ammunition and explosive devices from the militant", he said but declined to disclose the identity of militant saying he was under instructions from senior Jammu Police officers not to disclose anything to media.

According to him, the militant was being brought to Jammu under tight security arrangements by road. The SOG team alongwith militant was expected to reach here tomorrow afternoon.

The officer said hideout of the militant in New Delhi was identified by one of the two militants, arrested by SOG from Amritsar early this week. The militant had been taken to Delhi by the SOG team to help in identification of hideout and arrest of the ultra.

Infact, he said, name of this militant figured during interrogation of two Jammu-based ‘KZF’ militants arrested from Amritsar. Accordingly, a raid was planned and the ultra arrested.

Simultaneously, Srinagar Police (on a tip off given by SOG Jammu on the basis of clues given by two militants) carried out raids in two localities of Srinagar and arrested two suspected ultras. It couldn’t be ascertained immediately as to whether recovery was made or not from the possession of two militants.

Police sources said the militants arrested from Amritsar, New Delhi and Srinagar were part of a large network of Kashmir and Punjab militants. They were involved in a series of militant activities and were planning more subversion across Jammu and Kashmir state to derail the peace process.

More clues were expected to be gathered from the militants during their sustained interrogation and cross-examining by SOG on their arrival in Jammu tomorrow.

One of the militant involved in the racket has been identified as Mehraj-ud-Din. Besides militancy, they were also engaged in hawala transactions.

SOG sources described the arrests as a ‘prize catch’.

Pakistan allows militants to collect crores secretly

NEW DELHI, May 18: Pakistan’s military regime has directed the police and law enforcement agencies "not to raid or use force" against any ‘Jehadi’ organisation but suppress political protests and rallies, as part of a "secret deal" with Islamic fundamentalist and militant outfits, media has reported.

Quoting senior Pakistan Government officials, English daily ‘The News’ said after the "recent closed door discussions with the heads of leading ‘Jehadi’ organisations, police and other law enforcement agencies have been told not to raid or use force against any Jehad-related facility in the country".

Another monthly from Islamabad, ‘The Newsline’, said "this unpublicised agreement between the Jehadi organisations and the Government agencies smoothly functioned on Eid-ul-Azha when the authorities allowed them to collect animal hides worth tens of crores of rupees, and, on their part, these bodies restrained their workers from setting up camps used to propogate Jehad."

Reports also said while genuine political activities, like May Day rallies or demonstrations by the alliance for restoration of democracy (an umbrella body including Pakistan People’s Party and Jamaat-e-Islami), were not being allowed, ‘Jehadi’ outfits were carrying out their activities in an "unabated manner".

Police raided homes and headquarters of political parties a day before and arrested more than 200 persons including two top leaders to prevent the pro-democracy rally on May Day in Karachi.

"A blanket ban on political leaders travelling to Sindh province was imposed," ‘Khabrein’ said, adding the Pakistan Oppressed Nations Movement (PONM) was denied permission to hold a meeting at Kinjhar lake on May eight.

Senior leaders of Pakistan People’s Party including vice chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim were off-loaded last month from a London-bound plane though their names were "not listed in the exit control list", the daily said.

In another report, ‘The News’ referred to visit of CIA Director George J Tenet to the ISI headquarters and his meeting with military ruler Pervez Musharraf "to deliberate on US concerns emanating from growing religious fundamentalism in Pakistan".

It said the CIA chief "spoke candidly about the nexus between Pakistani Jehadi organisations and Osama bin Laden" and suggested measures to prove that Pakistan was distancing from the elements involved in international terrorism. But it appears that tenet’s visit was a futile effort."

In the "secret deal" arrived at after "prolonged negotiations", the fundamentalist and militant outfits, which were openly carrying out recruitment and fund-raising drives in different parts of Pakistan, "agreed" to the Musharraf regime’s appeals to be discrete about their activities.

"In return, the Government has decided not to pursue -too aggressively - its pledge to force the closure of all such activities," `The News’ said.

The reports said outfits like Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Al Badr and Harkat-ul-Mujahedeen were organising conferences, seminars and public meetings.

"Fiery speeches were delivered openly by the leaders in these congregations against the United States and India in particular..... Messages of Osama bin Laden were read out and appeals for recruitment made in the name of Jehad."

Even former premier Benazir Bhutto said in a recent article that the main agenda of these groups was "to gain time and create a parallel armed force. One that can take on the regular armed forces should a slowdown be called for".

In her article in ‘The News’, Bhutto said "the militants already field an irregular force of one hundred and fifty thousand. In ten years, they hope to have half a million men under arms." (PTI)

Truck driver injured in heavy Pakistan firing

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, May 18: A truck driver was injured as Pakistan army intensified firing all along the International Border to sabotage fencing work started by the Border Security Force (BSF) recently.

Official reports said a bullet fired by enemy troops hit a truck No. 9047 JKU at village Mela Bela, close to the border, in Pargwal sector of Akhnoor tehsil this morning. Truck driver identified as Bushan Lal son of Thoru Ram, a resident of village Karangi was injured in the firing.

Truck was also damaged. Injured driver was evacuated from the firing site by local people and security forces and shifted to hospital. His condition was stated to be out of danger.

Heavy firing was reported from Mela Bela and Garkhal villages in Akhnoor tehsil throughout the last night. However, barring injuries to truck driver, no other casualty or damage was reported in the firing.

Indian side also returned firing at all places. Exchange of firing stopped this evening. Unprovoked firing by Pakistani troops created a wave of panic among border villagers in Pargwal island.

Pakistani troops also continued firing on several other forward Indian posts including Jabowal, Mehta Post, Pital Post and Budhwar in Arnia sector, Korotona Khurd in RS Pura, Kandral, Malu Chak, SM Pura and Bhallar in Ramgarh sector.

Firing was totally unprovoked, official sources said, adding ‘it was aimed at infiltration of militant and derailing fencing work’. However, Pak firing failed to deter the security forces, who were going ahead with fencing, official sources said.

Meanwhile, BSF jawans today arrested 30 Bangladeshis from Paharpur post of Hiranagar sector when they were trying to exfiltrate to Pakistan.

Arrested Bangladeshi nationals included 18 male, seven female and five children. They have been sent to police lock-up.

PM plans major bureaucratic reshuffle soon

From B L Kak

NEW DELHI, May 18: The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, has planned to effect a major bureaucratic reshuffle soon. Indications are by no means uncertain that the proposed reshuffle will involve about 20 top official of the secretary rank in the Government of India.

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has sought tabulation of the IAS and IPS officers belonging mainly to the 1965, 1966 and 1967 batches and who are now with the Government of India.

According to sources in the Cabinet Secretariat, the two-page document has 40 names of IAS officers. Mr Vajpayee has been quietly interviewing the senior secretaries individually to understand each one of them.

Some of the bureaucrats are puzzled at being called to the Prime Minister’s House for interview as they say Prime Ministers seldom undertake such an exercise. At the same time, the Vajpayee camp insists that there is nothing wrong in the Prime Minister personally interviewing the IAS officers.

Obviously, the Prime Minister is keen to tighten his grip over the administration. He wants to select such officers who can deliver the goods. The list of prospective candidates for the top secretary-level posts was drawn up for the Prime Minister as a sequel to his luncheon meeting at the residence of the Home Minister, Mr LK Advani, the other day,

Mr Advani is believed to have stressed at the meeting the urgency to give a face-lift to the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) Government by putting a committed bureaucracy at the helm of affairs to deliver the goods. Both Mr Vajpayee and Mr Advani were reported to have shared their concern that three years of the NDA rule had not evoked much response since the implementation of various programmes had not been as effective as desired to have the right impact.

The brief given to key officials in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) by Mr Vajpayee was to ensure that the impending reshuffle does not create any serious differences or heartburns among the senior bureaucrats, as otherwise that would defeat the very purpose of tuning the administration for better results.

Based on the details provided by the Cabinet Secretariat, the two officers in the PMO have drawn up panels of two or three officers for each one of the posts to be filled, and the remark column against each officer not only describes his past performance but even his political allegiance and how he handled the requirements of the non-BJP Ministers.

The conclusion is obvious: Mr Vajpayee is looking for efficient but committed bureaucrats of his confidence. The list includes at least half a dozen IAS officers who have been posted in the existing Ministries for six months to one year, which is too little time for them to prove their ability which is generally judged on the basis of the performance in a particular Ministry for two to three years.

Mr Vajpayee is believed to have told his aides involved in preparing for the bureaucratic reshuffle that he would not be restrained in selecting "able" officers for the new posts even if their last shifting was only a few months ago. According to sources, following his three-hour discussions with Mr Advani at the latter’s residence, Mr Vajpayee was keen to effect changes in his office as well.

If the Union Home Secretary, Mr Kamal Pande, manages to become Cabinet Secretary in July, the PMO may choose either Petroleum Secretary, Mr P Shankar, or Disinvestment Secretary, Mr Pradip Baijal, to succeed him. The present Director-General of the elite National Security Guard (NSG), Mr Nikhil Kumar, also retires on July 3. Similarly, though not so soon, Special Secretary incharge of internal security, Mr MB Kaushal, will be retiring by December-end.

A number of chiefs of State Police, too, will have to be replaced by the Home Ministry in consultation with the Chief Ministers concerned. The UP Director-General of Police, Mr MC Dwivedi, is retiring on July 31, DGP Madhya Pradesh, Mr SC Tripathi, is retiring by December-end and DGP Haryana and DGP Karnataka retire in end July and September next year respectively.

Lambardar, woman shot

Excelsior Correspondent

UDHAMPUR, May 18: A Lambardar and a woman were killed in two separate incidents across Doda district today while two civilians were injured in Mahore.

Official reports reaching here said that militants shot at a Lambardar when he was grazing cattle Thalela village of Thathri in Doda district this morning. Identified as Jagdish Kumar son of Kunj Lal, a resident of Prem Nagar, the Lambardar was rushed to hospital by police and local people but he succumbed to his injuries.

Two militants, both believed to be locals, were involved in the shoot-out, the reports said, adding they escaped after killing the victim.

Killing of Lambardar has been resented by local people. A police party has reached the spot for investigations.

Body of a woman was fished out from a nullah in Ghai village near Dessa in the same district today. She has been identified as Nirmala Devi wife of Jarni Lal, a resident of Ghai.

Reports said the woman was missing since May 6 evening. Reasons behind her killing couldn’t be ascertained.

Police got the post-mortem on body conducted at the spot as body was not in a position to be shifted to hospital. It was later handed over to family members for cremation.

Police said possibility of the woman having been killed by militants wasn’t ruled out.

Meanwhile, two civilians were injured when they were allegedly beaten-up by security forces in Seel Dar area of Mahore tehsil in Udhampur district.

Injured included Shamas Din son of Abdul Sattar Chopan and Bashir Ahmed son of Gani Chopan, both residents of Seel Dar. They were shifted to Gool hospital in a procession by about 200 people, who were shouting slogans against security forces.

Later, local MLA Abdul Wahid Shan visited the village and persuaded people.

LF Ministry sworn-in

KOLKATA, May 18: A two-tier 48-member new Left Front Ministry headed by Buddhadev Bhattacharjee was today sworn in by West Bengal Governor Viren J Shah amidst boycott by the main opposition, Trinamool Congress.

Congress, the alliance partner of Trinamool Congress, also did not attend the swearing-in ceremony on the lawns of the Raj Bhavan. The party, however, refused to describe it as a boycott.

State BJP was represented by its president Ashim Ghose. BJP leader and Union Minister Satyabrata Mukherjee was present.

Dissident Trinamool Congress leader Ajit Panja attended the ceremony and described TC’s boycott as ‘irresponsible’.

Bhattacharjee, dressed in Dhoti and Kurta, was the first to take oath in Bengali followed by Nirupam Sen, the CPI(M) central committee member, newly inducted into the sixth Left Front Ministry.

The Council of Ministers included 34 of cabinet rank and 14 ministers of State. Their portfolios are yet to be announced.

The new Front Government includes nine new faces of cabinet rank - Nirupam Sen, Md Salim, Sailen Sarkar, Nandarani Dal from CPI(M), Kamal Guha, Chhaya Ghose and Hafiz Alam Sairani from Forward Bloc, Amar Chowdhury and Amalendralal Roy from RSP.

The six new ministers of state are Kanti Ganguly, Pratyush Mukherjee, Narayan Biswas, Nayan Sarkar and Iva Dey from CPI(M) besides Dasarath Tirkey from RSP.

A relaxed Bhattacharjee who arrived about half-an-hour before the oath-taking ceremony, greeted octogenerian leader Jyoti Basu with a bouquet and walked upto the guests to exchange pleasantries.

Bhattacharjee’s daughter Suchetana, his mother and his wife sat in the front row.

Among those present at the swearing in ceremony were CPI(M) general secretary Harkishen Singh Surjeet, CPI(M) politburo members Prakash Karat, Sitaram Yechuri, Anil Biswas and Biman Bose. Veteran CPI leader Hiren Mukherjee also attended the function.

Industrialist S K Birla, Harsh Neotia, Sanjeev Goenka, Rajesh Shah, C K Dhanuka, M K Jalan, P K Ruia, Sisir Bajoria, ASSOCHAM president Raghu Modi and J P Chowdhury were present.

Noted Rabindrasangeet exponent and Sheriff of Kolkata Suchitra Mitra and leading cultural personalities like Javed Akhtar, Soumitra Chatterjee, Subhendu Chatterjee, Paritosh Sen and Buddhadeb Guha were present besides former international footballers Sailen Manna, P K Banerjee and Chunni Goswami.

Bhattacharjee told newsmen before leaving for the Writers’ building, "my responsibility has now increased". (PTI)

Gogoi, 16 others sworn-in

GUWAHATI, May 18: Senior Congress leader Tarun Gogoi was today sworn in as 14th Chief Minister of Assam along with 16 other ministers amidst rumblings of dissatisfaction within the party.

Gogoi, dressed in his customary white-spotless Khadi Kurta and Pyjama, was administered the oath of office and secrecy by the Governor, Lt Gen (Retd) S K Sinha, at an impressive ceremony in the Darbar Hall of the Raj Bhavan here, which started 30 minutes behind schedule.

Twelve ministers of Cabinet rank, including former Chief Minister Dr Bhumidhar Barman, former ministers Dr Ardhendu Kumar Dey, Sarat Barkatoky, Bharat Chandra Narah, G C Langthasa, besides Hemoprava Saikia, widow of former Chief Minister Hiteswar Saikia also took oath.

Four State Ministers, including one with independent charge were also sworn in. The four new faces are Dr Hemoprava Saikia and State Ministers Pradyut Bordoloi, Rupom Kurmi and Nazibul Umar.

Senior leader and former MP, Bhubaneswar Kalita, who was a surprise omission from the list of ministers, did not attend the function as also former Chief Minister and AGP president Prafulla Kumar Mahanta.

The Chief Minister, who led the Congress to a landslide victory in the assembly elections, later told reporters that the anti-insurgency operations in the State would continue and that he was opposed to extension of NSCN ceasefire to Assam from Nagaland.

Kalita had earlier said he was a contender for the Chief Minister’s post but took back his candidature following the decision of party president Sonia Gandhi in favour of Gogoi.

Former Finance Minister and Speaker Jiba Kanta Gogoi talking to reporters here after the swearing-in ceremony said that he was surprised that his name was not included in the list of ministers as the people of the State expected him to be in the council of ministers.

"I am not disappointed and have no expectations, but my constituency people and also the people of Assam expected me to have been included", he said.

Cabinet Ministers Dinesh Prasad Goala took oath in Hindi, while Gautam Roy preferred Bengali.

Cabinet Ministers Dr Ardhendu Dey, Ismail Hussain, G C Langthasa and Debananda Konwar took oath in English while the rest chose Assamese, including Gogoi.

Senior Congress leaders, Kamal Nath, Jagdish Tytler and Santosh Mohan Dev besides the Chief Minister’s wife Golly Gogoi and their son and daughter were present.

The portfolios of the new ministers would be allocated tomorrow.

The list of the Council of Ministers was kept a closely guarded secret with even the ministers who were sworn in not informed about their possible inclusion in the ministry.

The ministers told reporters that they had no inkling till the last moment about their inclusion.

Gogoi had finalised the list of ministers in Delhi at a closed-door meeting with AICC general secretary Kamal Nath till late last night which was approved by Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Gogoi flew in here with the list this morning. (PTI)

Action plan for IT in J&K

NEW DELHI, May 18: An action plan has been drawn up by the Government to popularise Information Technology in Jammu and Kashmir.

The group comprises representatives of the NASSCOM, the ASSOCHAM, the Department of IT, the Department of Telecommunications, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Planning Commission.

Twenty community information centres are being set up in Jammu and Kashmir.

This decision was taken at a meeting presided over by Deputy Chairman Planning Commission K C Pant. (UNI)

Rashid quits

SRINAGAR, May 18: Hakeem Abdul Rashid, publicity secretary of Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (JKDFP), today quit the organisation protesting against party leader Shabir Shah’s "inclination" to enter into bilateral talks with New Delhi to resolve the Kashmir issue.

Rashid told reporters here he had revolted against Shah on the call of

his "conscience" and had joined Jammu and Kashmir Muslim League, a constituent of Hurriyat Conference.

Rashid, who had been named by Shah as a member of a three-man delegation to hand over a letter to Centre’s interlocutor K C Pant earlier this month, had refused to visit Delhi alleging that the decision had no mandate from the party’s working committee.

"No decision was taken at the meeting to depute a team to New Delhi for handing over the letter to Pant as it amounts to entering into bilateral talks with New Delhi," Rashid said adding he refused to be part of the team for the same reason.

He said the letter could have been sent to Pant through post or courier service as was decided at the apex body’s meeting. "Had Home Minister L K Advani or Defence Minister Jaswant Singh offered invitation for talks, the response would have been different," he said.

He claimed that at the press conference on April 30, Shah had not read out the statement prepared at the apex body meeting and had "deviated from the actual text."

To a question, he said bilateral talks have "yielded no results in the past nor will these bear fruits in future". (PTI)

Two top Hizbul militants killed

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, May 18 : Two dreaded Hizbul Mujahideen militants and one army Jawan was killed in different militancy related incidents in Kashmir valley today.

According to an official spokesman two top Hizbul Mujahideen militants, Mohammad Ishaq Kalu alias Mehraj-ud-Din Malik, a self-styled district commander and Niyaz

Ahmad Shah alias Riyaz, section commander, were killed in an encounter with joint search party of Special Operations Group (SOG) of local police and CRPF at Gundthalpora in Harwan area on the outskirts of Srinagar early today, the spokesman said.

However, the relatives of the deceased alleged that the two youths were killed by the SOG after their arrest.

Police fired teargas shells and used batons to disperse the agitated residents of Kak-Sarai, Karan Nagar and Chattabal who tried to take out a procession in protest against the alleged "custodial killings".

An army jawan was killed and three others critically injured when their vehicle ran over an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), planted by militants, at Malik-Aanganpora in Anantnag district last night, he said. Body of a 68-year-old person, Mohammad Munshi was recovered by police from Bogal area in Baramulla district today, the spokesman said. Police also picked up body of an unidentified person from Kurimulla in Kupwara district today.

| home | state | national | business| editorial | advertisement | sports |
| international | weather | mailbag | suggestions | search | subscribe | send mail |