Islamic party holds protest in Pak
US troops in Afghanistan as Taliban plan ceasefire

ISLAMABAD, Oct 19: As US deployed ground forces in southern Afghanistan indicating that the military action could be intensified, the ruling Taliban militia today said it has prepared a "ceasefire plan" but at the same time declared that they are ready for any ground attack.

After overnight bombing, Afghanistan was relatively calm with US scaling down attacks apparently because it being a Friday. Only two bombs hit Kabul during the day.

While Pentagon officials confirmed that a small number of US special forces, used for small scale and covert operations including search and destroy missions, were in southern Afghanistan, stronghold of Taliban, President George W Bush refused to comment on it.

"I will not comment on military operations," Bush told a joint press conference with Chinese counterpart Jiang Zemin on the sidelines of APEC meeting at Shanghai in China.

"I have made very clear at the outset of this campaign that I will not respond to rumours and information that seeps into public consciousness for fear of disrupting the operations that are taking place" in Afghanistan, he said.

The Pentagon officials in Washington said on condition of anonymity that American troops have been deployed on the ground inside Afghanistan in recent days for duties "consistent with the changing nature of the operation." They said it could be the first phase of a larger US troop presence in Afghanistan.

Taliban ambassador to Pakistan Abdul Salam Zaeef, who returned from Kandahar after meeting top militia leadership, said in the Pakistani city of Quetta that he had brought a ceasefire plan.

"I went to Kandahar to discuss with my leader about the ceasefire plan, I will go to Islamabad to meet Pakistanis and after that I will declare at a press conference the purpose of my visit to Kandahar," Zaeef told reporters.

The militia, at the same time, maintained their defiant posture declaring that they were ready for any ground attack.

"We do not want this fight but if there is a ground battle we would prefer that to aerial bombing," Abdul Hanan Hemat, head of Taliban’s Bakhtar news agency was quoted as saying.

Stating that the militia would relish the chance to avenge weeks of bombing, he said "Afghans are ready for Jihad and we will fight, especially now that Americans have martyred hundreds of our people."

The reports of deployment of US troops in Afghanistan came after Defence Secretary Donald H Rumsfeld that warplanes "cannot crawl around on the ground and find people." Bush and British Premier Tony Blair had indicated yesterday that the use of ground troops was imminent.

Rumsfeld told a Pentagon briefing that intelligence reports suggested that air raids in recent days inflicted more damage than earlier attacks, leaving terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden’s forces vulnerable.

"We have seen movement of what we believe to be the Al-Qaeda forces and they have been specifically targetted while they were moving," he said.

According to Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press, a close associate of bin Laden and a leading Al-Qaeda militant Abu Baseer Al-Masri, who was wounded on October 11, died two days later in a hospital in Jalalabad.

AP adds: The US special forces were dropped into Taliban territory today, a Pakistani military official said on condition of anonymity.

Washington has told Pakistan that US special forces will be conducting "hit-and-run" operations to flush out terror suspect Osama bin Laden, members of his Al Qaeda network and Taliban leaders, the Pakistani official said.

As well, Pakistan was told that US forces have been in opposition Northern Alliance territory for more than one week.

Pakistan, neighboring Afghanistan, is lending logistical support to the US-led military campaign.

US officials have said they expect no full-scale deployment of ground troops, like that of the Gulf war.

After heavy pounding overnight, attacks eased in the Taliban’s headquarters city of Kandahar as well.

Thousands fled the city by foot and car, fearing more attacks.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees said 3,500 refugees had crossed to the Pakistan border town of Chaman by early today.

More were coming, many without stopping to gather up belongings or even food, UN refugee agency spokesman Ron Redmon said.

Meanwhile, Islamic parties in Pakistan today staged protests against the use of Pakistani bases by US forces attacking neighbouring Afghanistan.

In Peshawar, activists from Pakistan’s biggest Islamic party, Jamaat-i-Islami, said all Muslims supported the ruling Taliban movement in its struggle against the United States.

Some 900 km away, a pro-Taliban party held a similar protest in the small town of Dalbandin, home to a third airbase newly opened to Americans by the Pakistani Government.

Qazi Hussain Ahmed, head of the influential Jamaat-i-Islami, told a crowd of some 10,000 in Peshawar he would lead a movement against the Pakistani President, General Pervez Musharraf, if he did not reverse his decision to help Washington.

He also urged Afghanistan’s anti-Taliban opposition leaders to support the Taliban now that the radical Muslim movement, which has tried to establish the world’s strictest Islamic state, is suffering under daily US bombing raids.

Hundreds of rifle-toting troops and riot police with shields and sticks patrolled the streets around Peshawar’s Khyber Bazaar, which was filled with Jamaat supporters chanting "God is greatest" and waving anti-American placards.

Barbed wire sealed off some streets to traffic.

The crowd was disciplined. They chanted heartily and tore apart a US flag but did not burn effigies or threaten foreign reporters as seen in more violent protests earlier this month.

Slamming Musharraf for allowing US troops to use the three Pakistani airbases, Ahmed said: "We oppose this decision and we will take action against the Government."

In words for Taliban spiritual leader Mullah Mohammad Omar, he said: "Don’t lose your patience. The whole Muslim world is with you. We will all fight at your side against the Americans."

At a park near the protest, tent booths set up along the roads collected donations for the Taliban. Boys roamed the streets selling 2 T-shirts sporting pictures of Afghan-based militant Osama bin Laden, the Saudi-born militant Washington says was behind last month’s attacks on the United States.

An 18-year-old man named Habibullah, dressed in the military camouflage worn by all Jamaat crowd monitors, said he had received rifle training with a Kashmiri underground group in Rawalpindi, near the Pakistani capital Islamabad, and was ready to go fight a "Jihad" (holy struggle) in Afghanistan.

"I have a Kalashnikov, but not with me now," he said.

Engineering student Mohammad Fayaz Khan, also 18, said his father had taught him to shoot a small gun and he was also ready to go fight in Afghanistan: "It’s a simple gun but it can shoot at American helicopters," he said.

One of the speakers rousing the rally before Ahmed told the cheering crowd: "Inshallah (god willing), Afghanistan will become a cemetery for the Americans as it did for the British and the Russians."

Afghans successfully beat off British invasions from India in the 19th century and the 1979-89 Soviet occupation.

Musharraf’s Government has so far been able to control the anger of hardline Islamic groups in Pakistan against US attacks on Afghanistan, perceived by them as attacks on Islam.

But the Government says it wants the military campaign in Afghanistan to be short and avoid civilian casualties, otherwise, sentiments may flare up beyond control. (REUTERS)

India asks US to probe role of Pak vis-a-vis Taliban

NEW DELHI, Oct 19: India today asked the United States to probe the past role of Pakistan in encouraging the Taliban and fundamentalist elements, who have targeted democratic countries.

"We have no comparison with Pakistan but New Delhi is of firm opinion that people who have been part of the problem cannot be part of the solution," Minister of State for External Affairs Omar Abdullah told American ambassador Robert Blackwill, who called on him at his office.

During a 40-minute meeting, Abdullah said the international community especially the United States should probe the circumstances leading to emergence of the Taliban and fundamentalist elements, official sources said here.

He said India was aware of the fact that Pakistan was required in the operation against Taliban because of its strategic location but "the world should not ignore our concerns as otherwise it could leave the problem unresolved."

Refusing to be drawn into any comparison of India with Pakistan in relation to the United States, the minister told Blackwill "we are aware of India’s position in the globe which is not worth comparing with Pakistan."

"There were a few demonstrations here and there where the radical Jamaat-e-Islami has a strong hold and the religious party also attempted in vain to exploit the situation in the State of Jammu and Kashmir," the minister said after the ambassador sought his opinion about the protests in Kashmir following the US-led air strikes against the Taliban.

"The actual position in Kashmir was that Kashmiri people were against such so-called Jehadi elements as they have only resulted in killing kith and kins of Kashmiris," the minister told the ambassador.

Blaming Pakistan sqaurely for the ongoing militancy in Jammu and Kashmir, the minister told Blackwill that Islamabad after failing in previous three wars had begun its covert operation by "launching this proxy-war."

To a query of Blackwill that if there could be any backlash in Pakistan following the air strikes in Afghanistan and whether it could have any bearing on India, Abdullah said "whatsoever happens in Pakistan is their internal matter but New Delhi is capable of dealing with any situation."

Referring to the recent border skirmishes between the two countries, Abdullah told the US ambassador that "New Delhi’s patience has been gauged by the international community during Kargil operations when our troops exercised maximum restraint despite the fact that Pakistani-backed intruders had intruded into our territory."

However, Abdullah said, Pakistan needed to do some talking and explaining as to what non-military persons were doing inside the Pakistani bunkers. "They were only militants waiting to cross over," he added. (PTI)

Another Al-Badr group wiped out in Shopian
8 Pak militants, 2 soldiers killed

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 19: Having intensified their counter-insurgency operations, security forces and Special Operations Group (SOG) of Jammu & Kashmir Police have eliminated eight more Pakistani militants, while losing two soldiers and a porter, in Kashmir valley today.

Informed sources in south Kashmir told EXCELSIOR that SOG Pulwama and security forces eliminated four Pakistani militants of Al-Badr Mujahideen at Sharatpora village in Shopian area today. Sources said that, on the specific information gathered by SP Operations Pulwama Vijay Kumar, SOG and security forces conducted a massive combing operation at Arshipora, Sharatpora, Dachhipora, Ganpora and Shahlatoo villages of Shopian. They tracked down a 4-member group of Al-Badr militants and killed them all in a fierce gunbattle. There were four to eight more militants present in the cordoned area but the forces withdrew the operation at dusk, possibly fearing casualties of civilians and troops. Two soldiers of Rashtriya Rifles 01 Bn sustained injuries.

In addition to SOG and RR 01 Bn, troops of 4/1 GR, BSF 151 Bn and CRPF 30 Bn participated in the daylong operation. This came within 24 hours of the killing of four Pakistani militants of Al-Badr in Dobjan forest area of Shopian.

Vijay Kumar confirmed the death of four militants at Sharatpora but insisted that no more militants were present in the cordoned area. He said that one soldier of RR was injured and there was no civilian casualty either. He said that four AK-56 rifles, two wireless sets and 10 grenades were recovered from the site of encounter. He said that a clipping of DAILY EXCELSIOR dated July 17, 2001, was recovered from the pocket of a slain Pakistani militant which indicated that this group of militants had shifted to Shopian from Ganderbal. The clipping carried a news item with photograph regarding the death of three Al-Badr militants, in an encounter, in Khimber area of Ganderbal on July 16 this year. Two Pakistani militants and a local cadre of Al-Badr’s Nadeem group had died in that encounter.

Even as the officials were certain that all the four militants, killed in today’s gunbattle, were Pakistani nationals, none of them had been identified till late tonight. With this, a total of 50 militants, including Lashkar-e-Toiba’s "divisional commander" Abu Talaha and "district commander" Abu Waleed, have been eliminated in Pulwama-Shopian belt of south Kashmir this year. Since the four militants killed in Dobjan on Thursday were freshly infiltrated cadres of Al-Badr, it appeared that the Pakistan-based outfit was keen to establish a stronghold in Shopian-Pirpanjal area of south Kashmir.

Informed sources in north Kashmir said that this morning a group of Lashkar-e-Toiba militants attacked an Army convoy near Degree College in Handwara town. One soldier sustained injuries as militants lobbed grenades and used assault rifles. Quickly, troops of RR 21 Bn, BSF 81 Bn, CRPF 92 Bn and SOG Handwara laid siege to the locality and gunned down two militants while they were fleeing from the spot. Two militants are believed to have escaped. Even as the militants’ radio intercept identified the two militants, killed in action, as Abu Dujana and Abu Saqib, official sources insisted that they were Abu Dushana and Abu Asghar Aijaz, both Pakistani cadres of Lashkar-e-Toiba. Two AK-56 rifles were recovered from the site of encounter. Sources said that a girl, namely Masooda D/O Abdur Rahim, sustained injuries in exchange of gunfire.

A Lashkar spokesman from Pakistan confirmed the death of two militants while claiming that the leader of the strike, Abu Nayeem, made good his escape. Well-placed official sources disclosed to EXCELSIOR that radio instructions had been flashed to Lashkar militants from Muzzafarabad, asking them "to repeat" suicidal strikes like the one in which about a dozen SOG personnel got killed in Handwara town last month.

Sources said that late last night, militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba attacked a formation of Rashtriya Rifles at Kremhore in Handwara area. Two soldiers of RR 6th Bn got killed. They were identified as Sukhvinder Singh and Yograj Singh. One civilian porter working with Army also got killed. He was identified as Bashir Ahmed S/o Fazal Deen of Dogarpora. After a while, troops swooped on the nearby locality and identified the place wherefrom a militants was firing. The house was destroyed, killing the militant on spot. Civilians identified him as Abu Turaab, a Pakistani cadre of Lashkar-e-Toiba. His charred dead body was handed over to villagers for burial. However, two militants are believed to have escaped.

In yet another gunbattle in Kupwara district today, troops of RR 18 Bn and SOG Lalpora (Kupwara) eliminated another Pakistani militant. He was identified as Abu Weqas Abbasi S/o Asghar Ali Abbasi R/o Murree, Rawalpindi. Officials claimed that he was a "battalion commander" with Al-Badr.

On a specific information, security forces launched a search operation in a pasture at Kachahama in Kupwara district. Exchange of gunfire took place between militants and security forces. However, no casualty was reported till late tonight. An unconfirmed report from Kupwara said that troops of 5-Bihar had killed five exfiltrating militants in Nowgam sector today. Things were immediately unclear as death of 6 militants by 5-Bihar troops had been reported from Nowgam on Thursday.

MLA’s kin attacked

Here in the capital city, militants fired upon Abdul Majeed Akhoon, brother of senior National Conference leader and MLA Hazratbal Mohammad Sayeed Akhoon, near his residential house at Surteng in Rainawari locality last evening. As eight rounds were fired on him, Majeed sustained critical injuries and was rushed to SKIMS. Late tonight, doctors at SKIMS described him as "critical", saying that he was battling for life in the ICCU.

ISI's sharp differences with US persist

From B L Kak

NEW DELHI, Oct 19: Even as Pakistan President and military ruler, Gen. Parvez Musharraf, has, for the present, established his firm control over his country’s intelligence establishment, the Americans find themselves in a piquant situation. The US Administration, which has to depend on Pakistan’s ISI on critical inputs vis-à-vis the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden and Taliban supremo, Mullah Omar, does not seem sure about the ISI’s full support and cooperation.

This is, apparently, because of the sharp differences the ISI has with the United States. The US State Department has not denied reports that Washington may not get critical intelligence from the Pakistani ISI on Osama bin Laden. Even as Gen. Musharraf has obliged Washington by removing the ISI chief, Gen. Mehmood Ahmed, there are indications to suggest unwillingness and reservations on part of the ISI on the question of total support to America’s war on Afghanistan.

Clearly, the US has been compelled to be back to the old days. For any operations inside Afghanistan, the Americans need their old ally, namely, Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Once they were so close that their agents trekked across the Hindu Kush together on reconnaissance missions. It was the time of the Soviet war on Afghanistan, and America’s premier intelligence organisation, the CIA, was utterly dependent on the ISI to pass on arms and training to the guerrillas in their struggle against the Russians.

In 1984, the collaboration between the CIA and ISI became a reality. Brigadier Mohammed Yousaf was the head of the Afghan bureau of the ISI that time. In fact, Brigadier Yousaf placed himself on record as saying: "From 1984 to 1987 over 80,000 mujahideen went through our training camps. Hundreds of thousands of tons of weapons and ammunition were distributed, and active operations were planned and carried out in all of Afghanistan’s 29 provinces".

There is no denying that the US, without the full backing of the ISI, would blunder into Afghanistan blind. Then, as now, the CIA had no agents on the ground, had no Pashtu-speaking personnel and would rely on what their satellite cameras told them.

Can Washington deny the fact that it rapidly lost interest in Afghanistan and American funds dried up after the Soviet Union pulled out? Events after the Soviet pull-put from Afghanistan confirmed that the ISI became intensely disillusioned with America. The ISI, in fact, felt badly let down.

Now, if America is to find Osama bin Laden, track his movements and use Pakistani facilities, it has to once again cultivate the ISI. True, the US has taken some steps in this direction. But Pakistani military sources, as reported in a section of media in the United States, speak of difficulties in turning the ISI’s nexus with the Taliban on its head so suddenly.

In fact, Washington Post, quoting a Pakistani military official, said the other day: "Basically, you are telling the ISI operatives to break their ideological and traditional bonds with their Afghan friends". Doubts have been expressed in America as well as in Pakistan on the possibility of getting real-time intelligence from the ISI.

The failure of the US forces to get at Osama bin Laden and Mullah Omar can be attributed to the lack of credible intelligence. Pakistan is in an awkward position, since its military intelligence agency in essence created the Taliban.

The Americans and Saudis, New York Times reported, poured roughly 5 billion dollars through Pakistani intelligence into the Afghan rebels to defeat the Soviets in the 1980s. There is widespread resentment that, the job done and the Cold War over, America stepped away, leaving both countries awash in drugs, guns, refugees and mounting anarchy.

Heated discussions have begun almost everywhere in the world on the threat from Osama bin Laden’s militant sword of Islam. Taking the situation as it is, the most thrwatened regimes appear to be Pakistan, America’s key ally in the hunt for bin Laden; Saudi Arabia, the land of his birth and home of his religious sect; Jordan, long a loyal client of the West; and Mr Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian leader, whose own policemen fired on Palestinian students in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday as they protested US bombing raids.

Centre increases Haj quota
Direct flights from Srinagar introduced

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 19: With the efforts of Minister of State for External Affairs, the Centre Government has increased Haj quota for Jammu and Kashmir from this year’s 4443 to 6400 for next year. The Government has also introduced direct Haj flights from Srinagar to Jeddah with a brief halt at Sharjah.

Authoritative sources told EXCELSIOR today that first direct flight to Jeddah will be seen off on January 15 next year by Omar Abdullah himself as this was due to his personal efforts that direct flights have been introduced from Srinagar, the summer capital of the State.

Presently, there were eight capitals in the country, covered with direct Haj flights. This year, the Government had proposed to extend the similar facilities to two more capitals—Srinagar, the Parliamentary constituency of Omar Abdullah and Lucknow, represented by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

However, according to sources, Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pardesh, couldn’t be brought under direct Haj flight facility due to some technical reasons.

The quota of Haj pilgrims has also been increased for Jammu and Kashmir from this year’s 4443 to 6400 next year. Of 6400, the quota for Jammu region has been fixed at 500. Last year, the quota of Hajis in the state was 3252.

Sources said the direct Haj flights from Srinagar will have a brief landing at Sharjah for refueling and then land straight at Jeddah.

Muslim community of Jammu and Kashmir for the past quite sometime had been demanding introduction of direct Haj flights from Srinagar to Jeddah. Their demand has, at last, been conceded.

Airdrop Shahi imam to Kandhar: Intellectuals

NEW DELHI, Oct 19: A group of prominent Muslim intellectuals, led by noted actress and Rajya Sabha member Shabana Azmi and lyricist Javed Akhtar, today questioned the authority of Jama Masjid Shahi Imam to give a call for ‘Jehad’ on the US attacks in Afghanistan saying his writ "does not run beyond the area he lives".

"We condemn the Shahi Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari’s utterances. He does not represent the voice of the Muslim community in the country," Azmi told a press conference here.

"I feel like suggesting the Prime Minister to airdrop the Shahi Imam in Kandahar so that he can wage his Jehad there and spare the Muslims in India," she said.

Those supporting the terrorists, or otherwise glorifying them in the name of a wholly distorted interpretation of Islam, including the Shahi Imam and the extremist clerics in Pakistan, were misguided and deserve outright condemnation, she said.

Condemning the "abominable" terrorist attacks in the United States, she also voiced her annoyance at attempts in India to stifle voices of criticism against Washington’s reprisal actions and their characterisation as "anti-national".

"We are aghast at the action by the administration to bring non-bailable warrants against six students in Delhi for exercising their democratic right (distributing anti-war leaflets)," said a statement, issued on behalf of more than 225 intellectuals.

"We strongly condemn the blatant anti-women and inhuman practices of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. We are also firmly opposed to the US declaration of war against Afghanistan. We hold the conviction that hegemonistic state violence provides no solution to terrorist violence," the signatories said.

Making a dig at the role of media, Javed Akhtar said fundamentalists like the Shahi Imam hogged the headlines while the saner voice was relegated to the back pages of newspapers.

"It is unfortunate that Imam gets so much of publicity," echoed Prof Mushirul Hasan, a professor in Jawaharlal Nehru University. "Attempts are being made as a political campaign to generate a Hindu backlash against Muslims. It is also an act of terrorism."

He recalled Shahi Imam’s call to Muslims for boycott of Republic Day function in January, 1992. "In four hours, we collected over nine thousand signatures in Mumbai from localities worst affected by the post-Babri riots, but not a single paper carried the statement," Akhtar said choking with emotion.

Clerics like Syed Abdullah Bukhari, father of the present Jama Masjid Shahi Imam, were injected into the country’s body politic by political leaders. "One should not forget that Abdullah Bukhari had shared a platform with Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani in 1977."

"The liberal voice among Muslims is being systematically stifled because of a pre-conceived notion that it does not come naturally to the community," Prof Hasan said regretting that only traditional and conservative leaders were given a say on issues of national importance.

Asked about her views on India’s stand on the Afghan crisis, Ms Azmi said," the Government is walking a tightrope. We should support at this juncture. But apparently there are many grey areas which have to be taken note of." (UNI)

CM for retaliatory action against militant outfits

Excelsior Correspondent

Jammu, Oct 19: The Chief Minister, Dr. Farooq Abdullah today reiterated the need of retaliatory action against militant organizations operating from across the border maintaining that "if USA can strike Afghanistan after September 11 air attacks on Washington and New York why can’t we take action against terrorists operating from Pakistan".

Interacting with media persons at the NCC Girls prize distribution function at Nagrota, about 13 kms. from here, the Chief Minister said that it is high time that immediate army action is taken against terrorist organizations and their training camps operating from PoK and other places in Pakistan.

Referring to the measures taken by USA and its allies to destroy terrorist training centres and its infrastructure in Afghanistan, Dr. Abdullah said that after completion of operation in Afghanistan other areas should be brought under the operation.

The Chief Minister said that the State has witnessed much bloodshed during last 12 years and the patience of the nation can not bear more killings of innocent persons by Pakistan trained and sponsored terrorists.

Our capacity of tolerance has exhausted and now there is a time of retaliation with full vigour and vitality by destroying the training camps located in various parts of Pakistan occupied Kashmir, he added.

Dr Abdullah said that terrorism should not be linked with any religion, country or community because all the religions of the world teach us a lesson of brotherhood, communal amity and mutual respect to each other’s feelings. Death and destructions in the name of Jehad or holy war can not be tolerated. In reality it is a clear exploitation of religion by a few persons who are misguiding the youth and misusing their energies for creating hatred against the faiths of others in order to achieve their own ends.

The Chief Minister said that our country is facing the menace of terrorism for last 20 years but USA has felt its draconian effects after September 11 when Pentagon and WTC were air attacked by terrorist groups.

This incident shook whole of American nation and they took a right decision to eliminate the terrorism at the global level after seeking international consensus. The source of terrorism in our State has also to be controlled immediately by launching a similar action against the militancy training centres, he added.

SC rejects plea for dissolution of UP Assembly

NEW DELHI, Oct 19: Putting to rest the controversy over Uttar Pradesh elections, the Supreme Court today rejected an interim application seeking dissolution of the State Assembly and stoppage of salary and allowances to the MLAs on the ground that the House has completed its five-year term.

The interim application filed by Virinder Mohan Singh seeking these two interim reliefs was rejected by a division bench comprising Justice V N Khare and Justice B N Agrawal.

The bench said these prayers would be considered during the hearing of his main petition which has sought a direction to the Election Commission to hold elections to the Uttar Pradesh Assembly. The court has already issued notice on that petition.

The court also issued notice on a petition filed by Uttar Pradesh Government seeking transfer of two similar petitions pending before Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court and stayed the proceedings there.

Singh, an ex-MLA, had said the term of the House had completed since it was constituted on October 18, 1996 and sought a direction for dissolution of the House and holding of elections.

However, Attorney General Soli Sorabjee and Solicitor General Harish Salve appearing for the State, pointed out that under Article 172(1), the term of the House begins from the date when the house meets for the first time.

Sorabjee said Uttar Pradesh Assembly first met on March 27, 1997 and hence, the House should be constituted by March 26, 2002. Accordingly the Election Commission would hold polls in the State to meet the March 26 deadline, he added.

The House faces a piquant situation as almost all the opposition MLAs have resigned from the membership of Legislative Assembly demanding elections. (PTI)

Bureaucratic appointments

NEW DELHI, Oct 19: Government today made a few senior level bureaucratic appointments including that of C Gopal Reddy who has been made Secretary in the Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry.

Reddy, a 1966 batch IAS officer, will succeed Asha Das, who is retiring on October 31, an official release said.

Mantreshwar Jha, a 1967 batch IAS officer, has been appointed adviser of Planning Commission in the pay of Secretary. He will succeed R P Sinha, who too will retire on October 31.

B K Misra, also a 1967 batch IAS officer, has been appointed Secretary in the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. He will succeed K V Irniraya, who is retiring the same day.

The appointments were approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, the release added. (PTI)

First fatality in Laden's rank

LONDON, Oct 19: In the first word of fatality among terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden’s ranks, one of the chief lieutenants of his Al-Queda network has been killed in the US bombing in Afghanistan.

Abu Baseer Al-Masri, an Egyptian Islamic militant presumed close to bin Laden, was killed by a bomb on Sunday near Jalalabad in Eastern Afghanistan. Two of his comrades, a Chinese Muslim and a Yemini, were injured.

Al-Masri died when a colleague tried to throw away an object after a bomb attack near his home, but it hit him and exploded, it was reported here today.

"When the bomb struck he was with two comrades. One man picked up something and tried to throw it away, but it hit Al-Masri and he died of internal injuries," Yasser Al-Siri, the leader of the Islamic Observation Centre in London said.

The private Afghan Islamic Press today confirmed quoting Taliban officials that the veteran militant had died in Afghanistan. The officials denied claims that he was killed in the US raids.

British defence sources said Al-Masri was known to be "very close to bin Laden". (PTI)

Another terrorist killed in Surankot

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 19: Army today eliminated one more terrorist in village Boriwali in Surankot tehsil of Poonch district taking toll to seven.

Five terrorists and a guide were gunned down by army and police in a joint operation in Boriwali yesterday. Another terrorist, who escaped yesterday, was killed this morning in Boriwali forest area, official sources said.

One AK-56 rifle, seven magazines, 197 rounds and a binocular were recovered from the encounter site.

Meanwhile, unidentified terrorists set ablaze a house of Mohd Yaseen son of Ghulam Mohd Naik in village Prachander, Neel in Banihal tehsil of Doda district last night. While inmates of the house survived, their all household goods were damaged.

A BSF jawan was injured in Pak firing in Ramgarh sector.

Tests show no anthrax spores

NEW DELHI, Oct 19: As the Government today said it was geared up to handle any possible chemical or biological war, tests on suspicious letters here and in Gwalior so far have not confirmed presence of anthrax spores.

Health Ministry sources said all tests conducted on samples of suspected mail in National Institute of Communicable Diseases had shown negative results on presence of anthrax spores.

The observations made by the investigating team have also not indicated any hostile acts of planting of pathogenic organisms, they said adding there was no reason for undue panic.

While Director General of Health Services has been keeping a close watch on the situation, the nicd has set up a control room and placed a nodal officer to disseminate information to the public, they said.

Speaking about results of the tests on two suspicious letters in Gwalior conducted by a Defence Research and Development Organisation Laboratory, Home Minister L K Advani said they were also found to be negative.

Health Minister Dr C P Thakur said "our hospitals are on high alert and it is infact war against anthrax" and nicd had been made as the nodal agency to deal with the situation.

Meanwhile, suspicious letters in Chennai were also being examined.

Union Communications and IT Minister Pramod Mahajan said at the Economic Editors Conference here that Department of Post had issued instructions to its officers, especially those handling international mails to be extra vigilant.

DOP officials said "the sorters have been asked to take precautions like wearing gloves and masks while opening a suspicious looking mail."

A watch was also being maintained at the post offices located at various international airports, they added.

"We can deal with the situation and we can make rapid diagnosis and there was no shortage of drugs," he said.

In another development, a private hospital in Coimbatore received a parcel containing some "powder like substance" addressed to nurses, police said.

Nurses, who shook the parcel, heard the sound of powder like substance and handed it over to police. The contents had been sent to Chennai for further investigations.

Sources in the Veterinary Department in Jodhpur said the deadly disease of anthrax was widely prevalent among the sheep populaiton in Rajasthan.

The disease called ‘Kalia Bhao’ is considered to be so dangerous that Veterinary doctors do not even conduct post mortem on the animals. (PTI)

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