Civilian among 3 killed in Anantnag encounter
Cable operator, 3 militants killed

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 23: Even as unidentified gunmen today shot dead a cable operator in the capital city, three militants and a civilian got killed in two separate encounters in south Kashmir.

Informed sources in south Kashmir told EXCELSIOR that, on the basis of a specific information, troops of Rashtriya Rifles 7th Bn and SOG Anantnag conducted a cordon-and-search operation at Choorgund, Utarsoo, in Achhabal locality of Anantnag today. During the operation, a gunbattle took place between the militants and security forces in which two militants got killed. While as the Zonal Police bulletin identified them as Abu Jameel and Abu Raza of Lashkar-e-Toiba, sources in south Kashmir said that they had been identified as Razaq Bhai and Junaid Bhai. Civilians of the area believed them as Pakistani cadres of Jaish-e-Mohammad. A civilian, Ghulam Hassan Ganai, is reported to have died in the crossfire.

Sources said that troops of BSF 138 Bn and SOG Tral conducted a search operation, on a tip off, at Mir Mohalla of Dadsar, in Tral area. During the operation, troops gunned down one Nazir Ahmed Bhat alias Gulzar S/o Karim Bhat R/o of Nowdal. He was described as a "battlion commander" of Hizbul Mujahideen. Two constable of BSF 138 Bn, Bhagwat Singh and Rakesh Kumar, sustained injuries in exchange of gunfire with the holed up militant.

Here in the capital city, unidentified gunmen shot dead a cable operator at Bhagwanpora locality of Habbakadal. He was identified as Maqsood Ahmed Wani S/o Abdul Hameed Wani R/o Babademb. Earlier this year, gunmen had fired upon his brother and left him injured.

Meanwhile, driver-constable Nazir Ahmed, who had sustained critical injuries in October 1st blast at the Assembly complex, passed away at SKIMS Soura. With his death, a total of 35 civilians and four militants have died in Jaish-e-Mohammad outfit’s suicide strike on the Legislature complex.

Reports from north Kashmir said that a minor blast occurred near the shop of Mohamad Shafi Khan at Bazar Bandipore when a patrol of security forces was in movement. Reports said there was no damage.

During last night, militants have reportedly kidnapped one Mohammad Gayas S/o Hidayatullah of Kudara, Bandipore. He remained untraced till late this evening.

Delhi for seek-and-destroy mission

From B L Kak

NEW DELHI, Oct 23: The Government of India is understood to have approved a plan to carry out seek-and-destroy mission in Jammu and Kashmir.

This follows desperate attempts by Pakistanis to push into the Indian territory fresh groups of infiltrators, and the interception of wireless messages from across the border that have directed the cadre of the Jaish-e-Mohammed and the Lashkar-e-Toiba to launch suicide attacks on Indian troops and their installations and camps in J&K.

The new strategy, formulated at the instance of the Army Headquarters, will replace the old policy where Indian security forces only retaliated in the event of any offensive from Pakistani forces.

According to sources in the Army Headquarters, if Pakistanis insisted on violating the ground rules anywhere along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border, then Indian troops would be compelled to carry out more operations like the ones in Mendhar and Akhnoor sectors last week.

Offensive and punitive action by Indian forces in the two sectors was, significantly, followed by the Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes’ statement on "specific action" in Kashmir. This clearly suggested some kind of a change in strategy by the Government in Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistan’s ruling military establishment was prompted to put the troops on high alert after Islamabad received three messages at the same time. First, India admitted that it fired the first shot to abort Pakistan’s serious infiltration bid. Second, Indian troops let it be known that they had destroyed not just a few bunkers but Pakistani posts. Third, New Delhi described the action in Mendhar and Akhnoor sectors in strong words such as "punitive" and "ruthless" and not retaliatory.

True, difficulties for India in Kashmir have not declined. But India’s action, a top Government source told EXCELSIOR, led military ruler of Pakistan, Gen. Parvez Musharraf, to get into touch with Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee on hot-line only to assure him that he (Gen. Musharraf) had no hand in the October 1 blast in the Srinagar premises of the J&K Legislature.

After Indian troops’ punitive action in Mendhar and Akhnoor sectors, the US President, Mr George W Bush, pleaded from Washington with New Delhi to stand down. India did. But only after the message was sent across to Pakistan: International Border or LoC, India will hit back.

Considerable amount of consternation has been triggered in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) by the recent statements of Mr George Fernandes and the demand voiced by the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, calling for Indian attacks on PoK-based terrorist training camps.

At the same time, however, Gen. Musharraf has begun to play the India card to save himself from the unrest in his country against his support to America’s war on Afghanistan. A recent poll has indicated that only 3 per cent of Pakistanis support the US strikes against Afghanistan. In contrast, at least 87 per cent Pakistanis, according to the poll, have sympathies for the Taliban. Most significantly, the opinion poll shows that opponents of Gen. Musharraf’s policy form not 10 to 15 per cent, as claimed by him, but 41 per cent.

Equally significant is the disenchantment within Pakistan’s armed forces-a section of them, according to latest intelligence inputs, has justified Pak army’s links with the Taliban by seeking to discover in Afghanistan the ‘strategic depth’ in relations to Pakistan’s border with India. This section of the Pak armed forces looked the other way when Osama bin Laden-trained militants and terrorists slipped into Jammu and Kashmir.

Indian forces carried out the attacks, until recently, at the infiltrators. But last week Indian border guards attacked what the Government source termed as "the very source" from where the Pakistani infiltrators began their march toward the Indian side in Jammu region.

By the time the Government of India formulated the new strategy aimed at carrying out the seek-and-destroy mission on the Indian side of the border in Jammu and Kashmir, a signal emanated from the Ministry of Defence making it clear that military commanders can now take decisions at their level on tackling militants and infiltrators.

Entire grant given by Centre diverted for salaries
J&K's family welfare reduced to 'wage programme'

By Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, Oct 23: The National Family Welfare Programme, started by the Centre Government in 1952 with twin goals of ‘Health for All’ and a ‘Net Reproductive Rate’ (NRR) of unity, has virtually been converted into a ‘wage programme’ for its employees in Jammu and Kashmir.

With 100 per cent of the funds being spent on employees salary, the Family Welfare Department in the State was hardly left with any amount to spend on family welfare programmes. Funds allocated to the Department for implementation of various schemes were diverted for payment of salaries, according to the report of Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India.

The report revealed that the expenditure on salaries constituted 70 per cent of the total funds in 1995-96 and 97 per cent in 1996-97 and 1997-98. The expenditure went upto 100 per cent in the year 1998-99, thus, making a mockery of the programme.

"The envisaged planned activities by the Family Welfare Department in the State were badly affected due to expenditure of entire fund on employees salary, degenerating it into a ‘wage programme’. This badly affected main objectives of the programme including stabilising population level and improve maternal and child health care", the CAG report, submitted to the State Government recently, said.

It said that Government of India released Rs 67.34 lakh for implementation of four schemes viz innovative publicity, printing of Eligible Couple Records (ECRs), orientation training of medical/para-medical staff and reproductive child health. However, the Department couldn’t implement any of these schemes during the years 1995-96 to 1998-99 as the entire expenditure was incurred merely on payment of salaries to the staff.

Similarly, according to the report, the expenditure under five other sub-schemes like media activities, family welfare compensation, POL, sterilisation bed scheme and medical termination of pregnancy during 1995-99 was only 33 per cent (Rs 0.77 crore) of Rs 2.36 crore worth grants released by Centre Government. The balance 67 per cent grant was utilised on salaries.

The CAG observed that entire expenditure of funds on salaries rendered several family planning centres defunct as the Department was not in a position to engage ANMs and make payment of rent for hired buildings.

The CAG report said the test-check of record of two District Family Welfare Bureau (Srinagar and Kathua) revealed that out of 176 sub centres, 32 were non-functional due to non-availability of ANMs and non-payment of rent for the buildings, where the centres were being run.

The Department also badly lagged behind the targets fixed for number of family welfare centre required to be set up as per 1991 census. According to census, the Department had to set up 2859 sub centre but till March 31, 2000 had set up only 1798 centres, which accounted for net shortfall of 1061 centres (37 per cent).

Target for Primary Health Centres was fixed at 436 but it too fell short by 103 centres (24 per cent) as the Department could set up only 333 centres. Only 54 Community Health Centres were established as against the target of 109, a shortfall of 55 (about 50 per cent).

In another interesting revelation, the CAG revealed that onus of adopting birth control measures remained mainly focused on women. "The percentage of male sterilisation (vasectomy) to total sterilisations conducted was only 5 during 1995-96 and it further declined to 2 during 1999-2000, clearly indicating that women remained the focus of adopting birth control measures", it observed.

The report also noticed a declining trend in the number of sterilisations from 15714 in 1995-96 to 11040 in 1999-2000. It, however, said that position of IUD acceptors remained more or less stagnant during the period from 1995-96 to 1998-99 except for the year 1997-98.

The CAG pointed out that effectiveness of PP programme and its contribution to family welfare in the districts had neither been monitored nor assessed at any level during 1995-96 to 1999-2000 due to non-receipt of quarterly progress reports from 14 out of 15 PP centres. Even the co-ordination committee for PP centre had also not been constituted, the report noted.

It pointed out shortfall in immunisation of expected mothers and children against various diseases between 9 and 69 per cent during 1995-96 to 1999-2000 despite the fact that vaccines were provided free of cost by the Centre Government. The shortfall was attributed to failure of health workers/ANMs to visit the families and local communities in their areas to educate them.

Castigating the Department for its poor working, the CAG noted with serious concern that stock of conventional contraceptives and IUDs were not available for periods ranging from one to 12 months. Fallopian rings for one to nine months, oral pills for one to 24 months and medicines (iron tablets and Vitamin A solution) for one to 17 months were also not available in stock.

In the provincial stores at Srinagar/Jammu, however, 1.68 lakh packets of ORS, 5.83 lakh doses of T.Toxide, Oral Polio, measles vaccines and 4.31 lakh tablets of iron supplied by the Central Government during the period from October 1994 to September 1999 had expired. In addition, 15765 IUDs in these stores had also expired which indicated poor inventory management of family welfare devices and medicines in the Department, the report said.

Hurriyat will respond to fresh proposals positively

NEW DELHI, Oct 23: Hurriyat Conference today said it will have a positive response to any fresh proposal from the Centre for talks provided "a deeper sense for resolving the dispute was exhibited by the Government.

"The earlier invitation of the Government has become redundant after the Agra summit or rather it is a dead issue now. But if there is a new initiative from the Centre which is aimed at solving the dispute, we will respond in a positive manner," former Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq told PTI.

The Mirwaiz, who is a part of the Hurriyat team camping in the Capital to meet representatives of various embassies, said the Hurriyat Conference has always been in favour of evolving a mechanism under which the vexed Kashmir issue is resolved through political means.

Asked about the growing suicide attacks in the Valley including the one yesterday at the Awantipura airbase, the former Hurriyat chairman said "suicide attacks are a part of the strategy of the militants and we have nothing to say on it. But yes, Hurriyat Conference is of the firm belief that no innocent should be killed either by the militants or the security forces."

Commenting on the discordant voices emerging from the amalgam over the US-led air strikes on Afghanistan, the former chairman said "Hurriyat Conference is united in condemning the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington but at the same time we do not adhere to or support the attacks on innocent people in Afghanistan."

Asked specifically about the pro-Taliban speeches by a senior member of the Hurriyat, Farooq said "this will be his personal view."

About the attacks on Afghanistan, he said "the United States and Britain should exercise a deeper sense of accommodation and pursue a serious diplomatic and political channel in this matter."

He said both the countries should rope in more and more Muslim countries, who could solve the issue.

However, the Mirwaiz regretted the stand of Organisation of Islamic Conference and said "the OIC has failed to come out with a clear stand on Afghanistan."

Asked about some moderate Hurriyat leaders facing threats from various militant organisations, he said "though militants are an important element of the Kashmir issue, we hope that they would refrain from making irresponsible statements."

Reacting to the amendment of the statement by the US Secretary of State Colin Powell on Kashmir during his visit to India, he said whether Kashmir is "the central" issue or "a central" issue did not alter the fact that Kashmir issue has to be resolved with respect to the wishes of the people.(PTI)

'Laden, Mullah Omar alive'

ISLAMABAD, Oct 23: An unbowed Taliban ambassador today said his supreme leader Mullah Mohammad Omar and Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden were both alive and the hardline organisation expected a long war with the United States.

Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef told a news conference the civilian death toll from US attacks on Afghanistan had passed 1,000 and accused the United States of terrorism, repeating the Taliban charges that Washington has turned to chemical weapons.

The United States, which maintains it is targeting only military sites to minimise civilian casualties, has flatly denied any use of chemical weapons and said the Taliban casualty figures were wildly inflated.

The United States has vowed to punish the Taliban for protecting bin Laden, who is the chief suspect in the September 11 attacks on Washington and New York.

Asked at the news conference if bin Laden and Mullah Omar were both all right despite the round-the-clock US bombing, the Taliban ambassador to Pakistan replied simply: "Yes". Zaeef said Taliban morale was high and they were prepared for a long struggle. He said the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance forces outside the key northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif were not in a position to attack.

"It is a long war and we don’t use our ammunition uselessly," Zaeef said when asked about the low level of Taliban anti-aircraft resistance to the continuing US air assaults across Afghanistan.

But Zaeef dismissed reports that the Taliban were depending on large numbers of Arabs and other foreign Islamic militants to strengthen their lines.

"There is not a great number of foreign Mujahideen in Afghanistan and we have not invited anyone to come to Afghanistan for Jihad (holy war)," Zaeef said. "Maybe some people have gone but it is not a great number of people." (REUTERS)

Pak plea for halt in operations rejected
22 Harkat militants killed in US air raids

ISLAMABAD, Oct 23: Twenty-two militants of Pakistan-based outfit Harkat-ul-Mujahideen were tonight killed in American air raids on Kabul, BBC television reported.

The militants appeared to be holding a meeting at a house in Kabul when a precision-guided missile hit the venue killing all of them, including their leader Ustad Farid, BBC said.

Most of the militants reportedly hailed from Lahore. They were in Kabul to fight alongwith Taliban.

The US strikes tonight were considered to be a major intelligence breakthrough as they were based on specific information about the meeting of the militants, BBC said.

HuM was recently listed a terrorist outfit by the US for its links with terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden’s militant network, Al Qaeda.

Meanwhile, brushing aside Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s plea for a halt in military operations during Ramzan, US today stepped up its assault against Taliban in Afghanistan launching a three-pronged attack on the key city of Mazar-e-Sharif, frontline positions and targets in and around capital Kabul.

In London, British Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon said that all nine camps identified as being part of Osama bin Laden’s Al Qaeda network have "successfully" been put out of action.

"We believe nine Al Qaeda camps were occupied before the start of the military operations... We have successfully put all these camps out of action," he told reporters.

As Talibans claimed fresh civilian casualties, the UN said that a military hospital on outskirts of the Western town of Herat was destroyed in the US strikes, but it had no information regarding casualties.

Taliban Ambassador to Pakistan, Abdul Salam Zaeef, yesterday had said that more than 100 people, including patients, doctors and nurses were killed when the hospital was hit in the US strikes.

UN spokesperson Stephanie Bunker told reporters here that a bomb hit a military hospital within a military compound on Herat’s Eastern edge but she did not know if there were any casualties.

She also said that several civilian districts have been hit in Kabul as Taliban was sending troops in those areas. "Residential areas and some villages around Kabul are becoming more dangerous because Taliban troops are moving in those areas," the spokesperson said.

The US seems to have stepped up attacks in Afghanistan with winter fast approaching which might make its military operations difficult.

As the northern alliance launched a new offensive to capture the key city of Mazar-e-Sharif, the US attacked Taliban troops there in an effort to soften ground positions for the opposition forces.

US jets also pounded frontline troops in Northern Afghanistan and dropped bombs North of Kabul where Taliban troops have been entrenched.

Northern alliance warlord Abdul Rasheed Dostum said his forces were locked in fierce battle with Taliban in Mazar-e-Sharif, which was once his stronghold and which he is eager to recapture.

Another key alliance Commander, Mohammad Atta, said his men had launched a ground and air attacks overnight on Keshendeh, 70 km South of Mazar-e-Sharif. Atta said between 10 and 20 Taliban fighters were killed in the fighting.

Taliban Information Ministry said that a US bomb fell on a mosque in the Western city of Herat killing and injuring several people praying inside.

Pakistan, already home to more than two million Afghans who have fled their country since 1978, says it is unable to take more, a position that runs contrary to U.N. wishes for new refugee camps to be established where emergency aid could be provided.

"This is a cause of great concern to us," Musharraf told CNN. "Hundreds of thousands of refugees want to cross over into Pakistan and our dilemma is that we already have about two and a half million refugees here in Pakistan."

In Washington, officials said two postal workers who died after seeking treatment had most likely inhaled anthrax spores, though a definite diagnosis had not been made.

Both worked at a post office that handled mail for the U.S. Congress where an anthrax-laced letter earlier exposed 28 Senate staff members to the deadly bacteria. None developed infections.

"It is very clear that their symptoms are suspicious and their deaths are likely due to anthrax," said Tom Ridge, the Director of U.S. Homeland Security. Two other workers at the same postal station have also developed inhaled anthrax infections, the most lethal type.

The latest deaths, if confirmed, would bring to three the number of Americans who died from inhaled anthrax this month. The first was a 63-year-old photo editor at a Florida tabloid.

In addition, there have been four cases of less severe skin contact anthrax in New York and two in New Jersey.

The office buildings for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives were ordered to remain closed today for a sixth day. The lawmakers, however, will go about their business inside the domed Capitol building.

The source of the anthrax letters remains a mystery but President George W. Bush and his administration have not ruled out a link with bin Laden. (Agencies)

Malli, Shaffi exchange posts; Kundal, Ajit swap places
Dewan is Div Comm Kashmir; Sidhu Comm/Secy Transport

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 23: The State Cabinet today ordered transfers of 71 Government officers including several Principal Secretaries and Commissioner Secretaries and eight Deputy Commissioners.

Mr I S Malhi, Financial Commissioner, Agriculture and Mr M S Pandit, Principal Secretary, Industries and Commerce will swap places. Similarly, Mr Ajit Kumar, Principal Secretary PDD and Mr B R Kundal, Principal Secretary Works will exchange places.

Mr Pervez Dewan, Commissioner/Secretary Tourism has been transferred and posted as Divisional Commissioner Kashmir.

Mr Amit Khushari, awaiting orders of posting has been posted as Principal Secretary Rural Development. Mr GD Wadhwa, Chairman Special Tribunal has been transferred and posted as Principal/Secretary Revenue. Mr A S Sidhu, Commissioner/Secretary PSUs has been transferred and posted as Commissioner/Secretary Information and Transport. Mr Parvez Dewan, Commissioner/Secretary Tourism has been transferred and posted as Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir.

Mr Pankaj Jain, Resident Commissioner, New Delhi has been transferred and posted as Commissioner/Secretary ARI. Mr Mushtaq Ganai, Commissioner/Secretary Information and Transport has been transferred and posted as Commissioner/Secretary Tourism. Mr A R Parray, Commissioner/Secretary Revenue has been transferred and posted as Chairman Special Tribunal.

Mr KA Ganai, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir has been transferred and posted as Resident Commissioner, New Delhi. Mr Chaman Lal, MD, Scheduled Caste Development Corporation has been transferred and posted as Commissioner/Secretary PSUs. Mr Suresh Kumar, Director Education Jammu has been transferred and posted as Director Handloom.

Mr A S Bhat, Secretary Rural Development has been transferred and posted as Secretary Works. Mr Khurshid Ahmad, Commissioner/Secretary Law has been transferred and posted as Member Special Tribunal. Mr Akhtar Kochak, Special Secretary Law has been promoted as Secretary Law. Mr S A Masudi, Settlement Commissioner has been transferred and posted as Custodian General.

Mr Mumtaz Afzal, Director Rural Development has been transferred and posted as MD SC&ST Development Corporation. Sheikh Mohd Hussain, DC Baramulla has been transferred and posted as Excise Commissioner. Mr Atal Dulu, Special Secretary GAD has been transferred and posted as Special Secretary Rural Development.

Mr M M Bhat, Commissioner/Secretary, has been transferred and posted as Director Rural Development Kashmir. Mr R K Goel, Dy Commissioner, Jammu has been transferred and posted as Special Secretary Home. Mr Feroz Ahmad, Director Census Operations has been transferred and posted as Director Social Welfare.

Mr Mohammad Iqbal, Dy Commissioner, Kathua has been transferred and posted as Director Rural Development Jammu. Mr Shant Manu, Vice-Chairman Jammu Development Authority has been transferred and posted as Director Employment. Mr Shaleen Kabra, Special Secretary Home has been transferred and posted as Special Secretary GAD. Mr Bipul Pathak, Dy Commissioner Srinagar has been transferred and posted as Director Tourism Srinagar.

Mr K R Padha, Special Secretary Housing & UD has been transferred and posted as Special Secretary Forests. Mr A K Gadayli, Registrar Special Tribunal has been transferred and posted as Special Secretary, Housing and UD. Mr Asgar Samoon, Administrator Srinagar Municipality has been transferred and posted as Director Food and Supplies Kashmir. Mr Naveen Choudhary, Director Employment has been transferred and posted as DC Baramulla.

Mr Pawan Kotwal, Administration Jammu Municipality has been transferred and posted as Special Secretary Education. Mr Rohit Kansal, Dy Commissioner, Budgam has been transferred and posted as Dy Commissioner, Jammu. Mr Shailender Kumar, DC Doda has been transferred and posted as DC Udhampur. Mr Mohammad Aslam, Director Rural Development Jammu has been transferred and posted as Vice Chairman Jammu Development Authority.

Mr N K Verma, Secretary State Women Commission has been transferred and posted as Secretary PSC. Mr Khalid Habib, Director Handicrafts has been transferred and posted as Secretary State Women Commission. Mr Masood Samoon, Director Education Kashmir has been transferred and posted as Additional Secretary Social Welfare. Mr Abdul Hamid, Vice Chairman Srinagar Development Authority has been transferred and posted as DC Srinagar.

Mr Mohammad Syed Khan, DC Udhampur has been transferred and posted as Director Education Jammu. Mr G A Peer, Dy Commissioner Anantnag has been transferred and posted as Director Education Kashmir. Mr Javed Iqbal Director Handloom has been transferred and posted as MD JKFED. Mr Hassan Khan MD Handicraft Corporation has been transferred and posted as Director Handicrafts. Mr Farooq Peer, Special Secretary PSC has been transferred and posted as Vice Chairman Srinagar Development Authority.

Mr Aslam Laigroo awaiting orders of posting has been posted as Administrator Srinagar Municipality. Mr K B Jandial, Director Information has been transferred and posted as Administrator Jammu Municipality. Mr Narinder Singh, Dy Commissioner Vigilance Relief Jammu has been transferred and posted as Director Information.

Mr T P Singh, Joing Director Information HQ has been transferred and posted as Settlement Commissioner. Mr S A Leharwal, MD Women Development Corporation has been transferred and posted as OSD Transport. Mr BA Rounyal Director Food and Supplies Kashmir has been transferred and posted as DC Anantnag. Mr Baseer Khan has been transferred and posted as DC Budgam.

Mr Azad Lone Secretary Backward Classes Development Corporation has been transferred and posted as Dy Commissioner Doda. Mr BD Sharma, Additional DC Jammu has been transferred and posted as Dy Commissioner, Kathua. Mr R A Qadri, MD Handicrafts Corporation has been transferred and posted as OSD Industries and Commerce. Mr G Q Bisati, OSC I&C has been transferred and posted as MD Handloom Development Corporation.

Mr GQ Wani, MD SIDCO has been transferred and posted as MD JKI. Mr Vinod Gupta MD SFC has been transferred and posted as MD SICOP. Mr A A Bhat, MD J&K Minerals has been transferred and posted as MD SIDCO. Mr A K Khullar, MD SICOP has been transferred and posted as MD J&K Minerals.

Mrs Rema Wani, Joint Director, Sericulture has been transferred and posted as MD Women Development Corporation. Mr A D Shahnaz, Additional Secretary Member SSRB. Mr R K Thussu, MD JAKFED has been transferred and posted as MD Agro. Mr Mohinder Singh, has been transferred and posted as Director Local Bodies Jammu.

Mr R K Handa, Director Local Bodies Jammu has been transferred and posted as Chief Executive Officer JKEDA. Mr Nayeem Akhtar, Special Secretary PDD has been transferred and posted as Commissioner of Inquiries. Mr Bua Dita, Additional Secretary Tourism has been transferred and posted as Additional DC Jammu.

Mr Badyal, Additional Secretary Summer Secretariat Jammu has been transferred and posted as Registrar, Special Tribunal. Mr S S Bhalla, Director Tourism Jammu has been transferred and posted as Additional Secretary Tourism. Mr Mohammad Abass Additional DC Srinagar has been transferred and posted as Joint Director SKIMS. Mr Rafiq Dar, Dy Director Food and Supplies has been transferred and posted as Additional DC Srinagar. Dr Kasba, Joint Director Administration SKIMS has been transferred and posted as Joint Director IMPA.

Jawan killed in Poonch; 3 grenades seized

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 23: The Border Security Force (BSF) today recovered three hand grenades from a field in border village of Budhwar in Arnia sector while an army jawan was killed in an encounter in Surankot tehsil of Poonch district.

BSF sources said the jawans of 143 battalion with help of local people detected a consignment of explosive devices hidden in a field in Budhwar village early this morning. The consignment was recovered by the BSF soldiers and was found containing three hand grenades.

No arrest was made in connection with recovery of the explosives consignment. Sources suspected that the terrorists might have abandoned the consignment due to security forces movement in the village and escaped. Joint searches by the BSF jawans and police, however, continued.

Meanwhile, an encounter took place between army and the terrorists at village Millan in Lassan area of Surankot in Poonch district this afternoon. The encounter followed an ambush of army patrol party by the terrorists.

Exchange of firing continued for about one hour in which an army jawan was killed. He has been identified as Sartaj Singh. The terrorists managed to escape after killing of the jawan.

Enforcement of security personnel reached the spot and launched searches for the absconding terrorists, numbering five to six, all of whom were Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) activists. While fleeing, they left behind some literature of their outfit, which was recovered by army jawans.

Meanwhile, five civilians and not armymen were injured in an explosion at village Naika Majari in Mendhar tehsil of Poonch district late last evening.

The villagers were returning after burial of two terrorists, eliminated by army, when they were trapped in an IED planted by the ultras.

Injured civilians have been hospitalised.

India will wage war against terrorism: Advani

NEW DELHI, Oct 23: India will wage its war against terrorism without crossing the border even though international law allowed targetting terrorist camps outside the country, Home Minister L K Advani said today.

"We do not want to go across the border. We did not do so even during the Kargil war and still won that war....International laws allow us to go across the border but we will not do that," Advani said after inaugurating a petrol pump awarded to Kargil martyr Rajiv Pundir’s widow here.

Stating that people were asking questions like "why does the Indian Government not attack terrorist camps" in Pakistan occupied Kashmir, the Home Minister said the Indian Government would tackle the menace from within its borders.

Referring to the Vajpayee Government’s achievements including the successful Pokhran nuclear tests and the Kargil victory, he said "these events generate belief" in the country’s stability.

"Security is the most important thing. Only when there is security, development will take place," Advani said. (PTI)

Mirpuris to approach ICJ

NEW DELHI, Oct 23: Mirpuris, who were forced to leave their homes in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir when Pakistan began construction of the Mangla Dam, have threatened to approach the International Court of Justice (ICJ) if Islamabad raised the level of the dam.

Reports from Mirpur say that 25000 Mirpuris, now settled in the United Kingdom, have signed a petition saying that they would go to the ICJ if the height of the dam was raised.

The signatories are among lakhs of people who were uprooted during the construction of the dam in the early 1960’s and now fear that thousands will again be rendered homeless if the level was raised.

Pakistan People’s Party leader Barrister Sultan Mehmud Choudhry, who was the Prime Minister of PoK until his party lost in July, would go to the Mirpur district to mobilise support against this project, reports have said.

President of Mirpur Bar Association Raja Zulfikar said a member of the British Parliament and 25 councillors had assured their support and a committee of 30 anti-Mangla activists would raise the matter in British legislature and the international media.

Pakistan decided to raise the level of the dam after its Punjab and Sindh provinces faced acute water shortage late last year and early this year. (UNI)

Rs 12000 fixed as Haj airfare

NEW DELHI, Oct 23: The Central Haj Committee has fixed Rs 12,000 as airfare for those willing to undertake next year’s Haj pilgrimage.

In a statement today, Haj Committee (India) executive officer Abdul Rashid Mir said the amount had to be paid through bank draft drawn in favour of "Haj Committee (India), Mumbai" and sent to the executive officer, Haj Committee (India), Haj House,7-A, M R A Marg, (Palton Road), Mumbai-400001.

Mr Mir said the bank draft should be accompanied with a covering letter indicating the name, address and the cover number of the prospective pilgrim. The cover number must be mentioned on the reverse of the bank draft.

The last date for the receipt of the draft is November 30.

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had already shot down the Finance Ministry proposal to cut down the Haj subsidy by 50 per cent.

The proposal, which was discussed at the Union Cabinet meeting recently, was rejected, and it was agreed to continue subsidy of over Rs 18,000 per pilgrim for air travel. The Government provides more than Rs 110 crore in subsidy to the pilgrims each year.

The Finance Ministry had favoured gradual elimination of the Haj subsidy, and this year it wanted the subsidy to be slashed by 50 per cent. However, Civil Aviation Minister Sued Shahnawaz Hussain strongly favoured continuation of the Haj subsidy.(UNI)

Boycott American goods: Dukhtaran

SRINAGAR, Oct 23: Radical women’s organisation, Dukhtaran-e-Millat has asked Muslims in Kashmir to desist from using products manufactured by United States and its allies.

"We appeal to Kashmiris to boycott the products being manufactured by America and its allies and strictly follow the `Fatwa’ (religious decree) issued by the Muslim clerics of India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and Iraq," Dukhtaran chief Syeda Asia Indrabi said in a statement here today.

She said US President George W Bush, by waging war on Afghanistan, has "proved himself the worst enemy of Muslim `Uma’ (community) and Islam". (PTI)

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