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'All
political prisoners to be released' Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, Nov 13: The Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, has made it abundantly clear that his Government would not give up the process of releasing all political prisoners in Jammu and Kashmir to create a conducive atmosphere for dialogue. That Mufti Sayeed is unfazed by criticism from parties like the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) against the release of political detainees has been borne out by his re-assertion of the State Government’s policy to release all political prisoners. He told mediapersons here this afternoon: "It is a matter of our policy and common minimum programme to release all the political prisoners in the State. We are bound to implement the policy. We have initiated the process and it will go on". The Chief Minister’s forthright statement came when he was asked if he would continue the process of releasing prisoners following Mr Yasin Malik’s challenge to him to contest an election with him to test his popularity in the Valley. Mufti Sayeed strongly defended his Government’s initiative to free political detainees. He observed: "Democracy is a battle of ideas. Let them (political prisoners) come out and put forth their point of view and we will put forth ours". Emphasizing that the release of political detainees would help normalize the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, Mufti Sayeed said that while his Government was committed to giving a "healing touch" to the situation and restoring "peace with dignity", release of the detainees "is a step in this direction". The Mufti, at the same time, pointed out that all such decisions were being taken carefully and the Government was confident that these would have "good effect" on the situation. "We want to create an atmosphere conducive to a dialogue. We live in a democratic country. And we have had free and fair elections recently", he said. The Mufti parried a direct question on the date for release of firebrand secessionist leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani. He simply pointed out that all cases were being reviewed and freedom of detainees would be ensured only after the process was completed. The Mufti insisted that this was not the first time that political prisoners were released. He substantiated his argument, in this regard, by saying that earlier also Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mr Abdul Ghani Lone, Mr Yasin Malik and Mr Abdul Aziz Sheikh were set free by the State and Central Governments on different occasions. He also insisted that there was no reason for concern on this account. "Let the released persons express their views and we will fight them politically", he said. Stating that the Government of India was aware of the ground realities in J&K and "our decision", Mufti Sayeed also pointed out that even the Prime Minister had taken initiatives to break the ice by announcing unilateral cease-fire during Ramzan that continued for four months. He recalled that no less a person than Union Home Secretary came here to hold talks with Hizbul Mujahideen. The Centre also engaged Mr KC Pant as interlocutor to initiate unconditional talks on Kashmir, he said. "If these steps were correct then, how can anyone find fault with our decision now", he asked. He said: "I do not see any reason for Government of India to feel any concern on this issue". He added that there could be political compulsions of criticizing the decision in view of Gujarat elections "to put our coalition partner (Congress) in wrong". The Chief Minister, who addressed a seminar at University of Kashmir, said: "Our stand has been consistent that Kashmir issue cannot be solved by gun. It has to be resolved through a peaceful dialogue". |
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Passenger bus, army Jonga
targetted Excelsior Correspondent POONCH, Nov 13: Seven persons including two police officers, four civilians and an army soldier were injured in an explosion, triggered by the terrorists, at village Lassana in Surankote tehsil this morning. Later, another explosion rocked the same village within a span of 10 minutes but failed to cause any damage. A powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED), filled with the mixture of RDX and TNT, had been planted by the terrorists in a TATA mobile, which was lying on roadside at Lassana after it was ambushed by the terrorists last week killing four persons and wounding another. The terrorists detonated the IED with a remote control device from some distance when a passenger bus No. 1998 JK02B and an army jonga crossed the spot at 0955 hours today. While the bus was heading from Surankote to Poonch, the army jonga was coming from the opposite direction. Official sources said both the vehicles were hit with splinters of the explosions and damaged extensively. Two police officers including a Sub Inspector, patrolling near the site of explosion, four bus passengers including driver and an army jawan, travelling in the jonga, sustained injuries in the blast. Security forces, police and the teams of Special Operations Group (SOG) rushed to the spot and cordoned off the area. Injured army and police personnel were shifted to a Military Hospital in Potha while the injured civilians were admitted to the sub district hospital in Surankote. All the injured were responding to the treatment, the sources said. The injured have been identified as Probationary Sub Inspector J B S Chib and an Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) of police, Bhola Nath, Khalil Ahmed son of Mohd Shaffi R/o Mastandara, Surankote, driver of the bus, Pervez Ahmed son of Babu Khan R/o Mastandara, Mir Mohd son of Ghulam Hussain R/o Kalar Kattal and Mohd Mushtaq son of Mohd Hussain R/o Fazlabad. Identity of the injured army jawan couldn’t be ascertained. As security personnel were shifting the injured to the hospital, another IED went off at a distance of just 20 meters from the site of first explosion. However, it didn’t cause any casualties or damage. One more IED, planted by the terrorists in the same area, was detected by a Bomb Disposal Squad of army and defused safely, the sources said. Traffic on Surankote-Poonch road was suspended by the authorities soon after the blast. Traffic was restored after more than two and a half hours after entire Lassana road was again sanitised by a Road Opening Party (ROP) of army, they added. It may be recalled that the terrorists had ambushed a TATA Mobile at Lassana last week when it was transporting a dead body from Jammu. Four civilians, travelling in the vehicle, were killed while another person was seriously injured in heavy firing and a grenade attack by the terrorists on the civil vehicle. The TATA Mobile, which was badly damaged in the ambush, was lying on the roadside at Lassana and was used by the terrorists in planting the IED. Security forces have launched a search operation in Lassana to get the terrorists involved in the ambush of TATA Mobile and today’s explosions, the sources said, adding that ‘a same group of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit was suspected to be involved in both the incidents’. Meanwhile, a terrorist gunned down by army yesterday at Khanetar nullah in this district, was today identified as LeT ‘tehsil commander’ Talabtullah, a foreign mercenary. He was also operating as an important guide for the outfit in Khanetar for the last six months and was involved in shifting over a dozen group of the infiltrators to the safer areas, the sources said. Killing of Talabtullah was a big blow to LeT outfit, they added. As reported, one AK-47 rifle, two magazines, four hand grenades and one sophisticated wireless set were recovered from the terrorist, whose three associates had managed to escape during the encounter. Searches carried out by army today for three fleeing terrorists failed to yield any result, the sources said. |
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Osama hails terror attacks in audiotape to Al-Jazeera LONDON, Nov 13: An Arab television has broadcast an audiotape attributed to Osama bin Laden in which he praised a series of recent terrorist attacks in the world, and US officials say the voice sounded like that of the Al-Qaeda leader. The message was broadcast across the Arab world last night by Al-Jazeera television network which declined to say how it obtained the recording. US officials said the voice sounded like that of bin Laden and that the language used was the literary style of Arabic previously used by the Al-Qaeda leader. "It does sound like bin Laden’s voice," said one official. "We have to complete the technical analysis." Another source said: "it’s him. He’s alive." If the voice is bin Laden’s it would send a jolt through Western intelligence agencies, who have been unsure for the past year whether bin Laden was dead or alive, ‘The Independent’ daily said today. Experts said proof that bin Laden was still alive would have huge implications - not only in energising Al-Qaeda as its members tried to regroup but also in raising fresh questions about the wisdom of attacking Iraq while the network’s leader was still at large. In last night’s tape, the speaker referred to Bali bombing that killed almost 200, the killing last month of a marine in Kuwait, the bombing of a French oil tanker last month off Yemen and the Chechen hostage-taking in Moscow. He said the attacks were "undertaken by sons who are zealous in the defence of their religion". "The attacks are only a reaction response to what George Bush, the pharaoh of the age, is doing by killing our sons in Iraq and what America’s ally Israel is doing, bombarding houses with women and old people and children inside with US planes," the speaker said. "Our people in Palestine are being killed, subjected to the worst kind of suffering for almost a century now. If we defend our people in Palestine the world is disturbed and allied against Muslims under the banner of combating terrorism," he said. "What business do your governments have to ally themselves with the gang of criminality in the White House against Muslims? don’t your governments know that the White House gang is the biggest butchers in this age?" He condemned countries that backed America, specifically identifying Britain, France, Italy, Canada, Germany and Australia, saying "if you don’t like looking at your dead... Remember our dead, including the children in Iraq." (PTI) |
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Govt not to recover loans, interest from farmers: PM NEW DELHI, Nov 13: In a move to alleviate the hardships being faced by farmers following failure of south-west monsoon in different parts of the country, the Government has decided not to effect any recovery of crop loan, including interest, during the current financial year, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee said today. "This benefit will cover farmers in the affected areas, including the plantation sector", Vajpayee said in a statement here. Stating that the respective State Governments would be taking all possible measures to protect the interests of plantation sector, the Centre has now decided to create a corpus of Rs 500 crore, with a substantial contribution from the Centre, apart from the contribution from State Governments and a small contribution from the growers, Vajpayee said. Income from this corpus would be used for providing relief to participating growers when the market conditions were depressed, he said adding that the details of the scheme would be finalised shortly in consultation with the Finance Ministry. Repayment of loans and interest given to coffee growers were being rescheduled upto a maximum of 11 years, he said. "I want to emphasise that efforts towards modernisation of the processing industry in the plantation sector would get full support from the Central Government," the Prime Minister said. Emphasising that effects of the drought would have to be tackled with "fortitude, prudence and unitedly until at least May/June 2003", Vajpayee said that the Centre was determined to do its utmost to minimise farmers’ difficulties. It was expected that with all these measures, State Governments would also be able to gear up the field level machinery and ensure that benefits reached all the farmers, he said. Stating that the Centre has been taking urgent steps to deal with the grave problem arising from the failure of south-west monsoon, Vajpayee said the task force headed by Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani is meeting soon to decide further release of funds and foodgrains. "In the meantime, considering the gravity of the situation, I have decided to provide direct relief to our farmers from payment of crop loans extended to them", he said adding "the Government has, therefore, decided not to effect any recovery of crop loan, including interest, during the current financial year." The Government had already released Rs 1186 crore under calamity relief fund to 14 affected states, apart from 13.25 lakh MT of foodgrains amounting to Rs 1500 crore, he said. Substantial advance releases have also been made under rural water supply programme and Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yojana, Vajpayee added. (PTI) |
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BJP lambasts Mufti for releasing political prisoners AMRITSAR, Nov 13: The BJP today attacked the PDP-Cong Government in Jammu and Kashmir for releasing the political prisoners and accused it of halting all anti-terrorist operations in the State saying these would affect the morale of the security forces. Charging the Congress with being hypocritical, party president M Venkaiah Naidu said, "on the one side Congress strongly condemns all forms of terrorism while on the other side, it is extending unconditional support to its partner PDP who is releasing terrorists with impunity". Criticising Congress for playing "second fiddle" to the pdp and "blindly supporting" its every action "only with an eye to remain in the power," he said the Congress had always "played with the national interest with the sole motive of coming to power. It even does not hesitate to boost terrorism in its nasty power snatching game." Naidu alleged that the State Government had halted all the anti-terrorist operations and that "will certainly bring down the morale of security forces who relentlessly waged a war to fight terrorism without even caring for their lives." Commenting on the Assembly elections in Andhra Pardesh, Naidu claimed Congress in its elections manifesto was promising free electricity to farmers. "But strangely, after coming to power in Punjab, it withdrew the facility of free power from the people so people must not take Congress on its face value," he said. Targetting Congress for preventing BJP from deleting certain objectionable portions from the NCERT syllabus, Naidu said, earlier it was the Congress, which blew the issue out of proportion in the Delhi State Assembly and urged the Union Government to deleting the remarks. "When the alleged objectionable remarks were removed Congress started moving in the opposite direction. These variant stands of the Congress are beyond anybody’s comprehension," he said. (PTI) |
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NEW DELHI, Nov 13: Acting on a Gujarat Government report, the Election Commission today barred the VHP from going ahead with its proposed yatra from Friday saying no activity that may aggravate differences between communities should be allowed. Fresh from a two-day tour of Gujarat, the three-member Commission today viewed with "utmost concern" the report of the state administration that "there is every likelihood of communal tensions and passions getting exacerbated" by the VHP’s plans for a yatra. It also noted with concern that the yatra would involve the use of replicas of S-6 coach of the Sabarmati Express that was burnt down by miscreants on February 27 in Godhra and the likelihood of communally provocative and intemperate speeches being made during the yatra. "In fact, the state administration has unequivocally stated that the possibilities of law and order situation arising in the wake of the proposed yatra cannot be ruled out", the Commission said quoting the Gujarat Government report. "In view of the above, the proposed vhp yatra should not be allowed to take place," the Commission said. The Commission said it "would, in fact, go so far as to state that any activity which may aggravate existing differences or create mutual hatred, disharmony, ill-will or caste-tension between different castes and communities, religious or linguistic, will not only vitiate the election process and tarnish the fair democratic traditions of the country, but will also seriously jeopardise the law and order situation conducive for the conduct of free and fair elections in the State." It said "the maintenance of law and order is the responsibility of the State Government and the Commission expects the state administration to take all such measures under the existing laws as are considered appropriate for maintaining an atmosphere conducive for conduct of peaceful, free and fair polls even during the run-up period to the elections." The Commission directed the State Government to take all such measures under the laws to prevent any such yatra and procession and display and use of images that may incite communal tensions and passions that would disrupt law and order and vitiate free and fair elections. "Similarly, preventive and punitive action should be taken against individuals, parties and organisations indulging in communally incendiary and provocative speeches, posters and pamphlets that incite communal tensions," the EC said. (PTI) |
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Prof Amitabh Mattoo is new JU VC Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Nov 13: Young academician and a Professor in Jawahar Lal Nehru University, Mr Amitabh Mattoo, has been appointed as new Vice-Chancellor of the Jammu University. Prof Mattoo replaces Prof R R Sharma, whose extended tenure as the Vice-Chancellor has already ended. The appointment of Prof Mattoo as the VC was made by Governor, Mr Girish Chandra Saxena, who is also Chancellor of the Jammu University. An official communique in this connection was received by the University this morning. According to the communique, Prof Amitabh Mattoo is appointed as new Vice-Chancellor of the Jammu University and he will continue on the post for three years after assuming the office. Professor Amitabh Mattoo is currently Professor of International Relations at Jawaharlal Nehru University and is concurrently Director of the Core Group for the Study of National Security at JNU. He is also a member of the Indian National Security Council’s Advisory Board Born in Srinagar on June 26, 1962, Prof Mattoo had his early education in Burn Hall School, Srinagar and the JNU. He did his Doctorate in International Relations from the University of Oxford, United Kingdom. Prof Mattoo was selected for the Indian Police Service in 1988 and allotted Karnataka cadre but he preferred a career in academics. He has been visiting Professor at Stanford University, USA, the University of Notre Dame and the University of Paris. He is also chairman of the Centre for International Politics, Organisation and Disarmament at JNU. Prof Mattoo has published nine books and more than forty articles in leading international journals including (London) and Asian Survey (Barkeley, California). His recent publications include Kargil and China Relations in the 21st Century (2000); and India’s Nuclear Deterrent: Pokhran II and Beyond (1999). Prof Mattoo is on the Board of Advisors of various national and international institutions including the Culver Academy, USA and is also on the Editorial Board of several reputed journals in India and abroad. |
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PSO’s rifle snatched Excelsior Correspondent UDHAMPUR, Nov 13: Terrorists snatched rifle of a Personal Security Officer (PSO) of a National Conference leader in broad day light at Pul Doda this afternoon while three para-military personnel including a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) were injured in an accidental burst in Kud. Official sources said two terrorists struck at Pul Doda at 1600 hours today and snatched a SLR from Piar Singh, PSO of NC leader Abdul Rashid. The NC leader accompanied by his PSO had gone to attend a funeral procession in Pul Doda when the terrorists appeared from the crowd and decamped with PSO’s rifle. The PSO immediately brought the matter to the notice of local police, which came into action and started a search operation for the terrorists. However, no arrest could be made immediately, the sources said. A case in this connection has been registered at local police station for investigations. Meanwhile, three para-military personnel including a DySP were injured in an accidental burst by a security personnel in Kud town, about 35 kms from here on Jammu-Srinagar national highway this evening. The para-military personnel comprising ITBP and CRPF were part of a convoy that was heading from Srinagar to Jammu. DySP Mohan Parkash of CRPF 66 battalion, ITBP head constable Kartar Chand and Second-in-Command Sandeep Kokal were injured in the accidental burst. Injured were taken to a local hospital from where they were shifted to the Military Hospital in Udhampur. Their condition was stated to be stable, the sources said. They ruled out any sabotage behind the incident and said the mishap occurred as a carbine of a para-military jawan fell down from the vehicle and a full burst went off from it, leading to the injuries to three personnel. |
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Wireless operator among 4 killed SRINAGAR, Nov 13: Four persons including a militant and a wireless operator of police were killed in separate militancy-related incidents in the Kashmir valley today. An official spokesman said a Hizbul Mujahideen militant was killed by security forces at village Sail Kanan in Anantnag district of south Kashmir last night. A civilian, Ali Mohammad Lone was also killed in the crossfiring, the spokesman added. He said militants kidnapped and later killed one, Zakir Hussain Sheru inside his house at Kapran-Dooru in Anantnag district today. Body of a wireless operator, Nasir Ahmad Shah of local police was recovered from Lariyar near Tral in Pulwama district of south Kashmir today, the spokesman said. Residents alleged that Shah was killed by security forces as his body was lying near their camp. He had ventured out of his house last night to get some medicines and was apparently killed by security forces guarding the camp, they claimed. (PTI) |
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SRINAGAR, Nov 13: A constable has been arrested for allegedly raping a teenaged girl in Tral area of Pulwama district in south Kashmir, police sources said today. The girl, a resident of Awantipora, was reportedly abducted by constable Fayaz Ahmad Wani while she was on way to visit her relatives in Tral yesterday. The policeman, along with a civilian accomplice Ashiq Hussain Shah, raped the girl and fled, the sources said adding he was later arrested. A case has been registered against the constable while search for his associate was continuing, they said. PDP vice president Mehbooba Mufti today visited the victim’s residence and assured her family that exemplary action would be taken against the arrested policeman if he was found guilty of the crime. (PTI) |
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IAF confirms Kargil-II took place NEW DELHI, Nov 13: Nearly four months after the incident, the Indian Air Force (IAF) today confirmed that Pakistani troops did occupy a strategic Indian post at the Neelam Valley near Gurez in Jammu and Kashmir before the Army and the IAF evicted them in their joint Kargil II operation. We did what we had to. Of course, it was an operation jointly conducted with the Army,’’ senior IAF officials here said. The officials said the Army wanted the IAF’s assistance in launching the operation and we provided them whatever help was needed . This is the first time that the IAF has officially confirmed the operation which it had initially tried to keep under wraps. In late July when the two countries were engaged in a prolonged stand-off on their borders, the Indian security agencies came to know about the possession of the Indian post by the Pakistani troops through an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). Immediately, it was decided by the top brass of the defence forces that the Pakistani troops must be evicted from the post. The Army and the IAF launched a joint operation and succeeded in evicting the Pakistani troops but not before both sides suffered casualties.(UNI) |
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JEI for release of other Hurriyat leaders SRINAGAR, Nov 13: The Jammu and Kashmir Jamaat-e-Islami (JEI), a constituent of Hurriyat Conference, today welcomed the release of JKLF chairman Yaseen Malik and demanded release of all other political prisoners including its leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani without any further delay. "JEI welcomes release of Malik and some other detenus, but demands the release of other detenus languishing in different jails within and outside the State," the spokesman of Jamaat, Advocate Zahid Ali said in a statement here. Expressing concern over the continued detention of Geelani and his close associate Mohammad Ashraf Sahrai, the spokesman said JEI impressed upon the Government to release them without any further delay and tricks. Besides, other Hurriyat leaders, including Peoples’ League chairman Sheikh Abdul Aziz who were put behind bars due to "political vendetta," should also be released forthwith, the statement said. (PTI) |
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NEW DELHI, Nov 13: Congress today dismissed BJP’s charge that it has compromised with national interests by the release of separatist JKLF leader Yaseen Malik saying he was released only on parole and no cases have been withdrawn. "There has not been any order releasing the jailed terrorists. Even in a case of political prisoner like Yaseen Malik no charges have been dropped. No cases have been withdrawn. He has been released on parole for 30-days", party spokesman Anand Sharma told reporters. Stating that the new Jammu and Kashmir Government was being run under a Common Minimum Programme, he said Malik was detained under Public Safety Act and was released on the basis of his undertaking to abide by conditions. "If there is any violation of these undertaking, the law will take its own course", he said. He said the allegations against the party were "mischievous and contrary to the facts" asserted that Congress was firm in its commitment to fight against terrorism. Neither would it compromise its stand, Sharma added. He also reminded BJP its Government had ordered unconditional release of jailed militants by capitulating to the demands of hijackers in releasing the dreaded terrorists. Besides, he said they had also declared cease-fire unilaterally and extended it thrice. "So they should not question the credentials of the Congress Party on the issue rather see their track record which lacked policy and perspective."(PTI) |
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