‘Hegemony’ of individuals is over
J&K to have a system free of middlemen: Mufti

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 16: The Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, declared on Saturday that middlemen and corrupt elements will not have any place in a system the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)-led Government wishes to provide for the people across Jammu and Kashmir.

While winding up the joint meeting of the State Cabinet and Kathua District Development Board, Mufti Sayeed said that his Government would do its best to give the people of the State a system free of middlemen, corruption and red tapism.

He held out an assurance that the coalition Government would check people’s discontentment by pursuing the agenda of giving fair deal in respect of development and dispensation of justice to all the regions of the State. This apart, the Government, he said, would also institutionalize recruitments and decentralize powers for soliciting massive community participation in welfare programmes.

Mufti Sayeed urged all political parties to rise above narrow party considerations and join hands in meeting the challenge confronting the State. He had a loaded expression: The recent free and fair elections to the State Assembly not only ended the hegemony of individuals and a party but also raised a ray of hope among the people for change.

The Chief Minister said: "The challenge and golden opportunity thrown up by the people’s verdict in the election have to be met cutting across the party lines". He said that he did not believe in making false promises.

He also assured that commitments made would be fulfilled and decisions taken at Board meetings monitored and implemented. He reiterated that respective divisional commissioners had been made responsible for implementation of these decisions. They had also been directed to report back to the Chief Minister.

On empowerment of democratic units at grassroots level, the Chief Minister said that panchayats would supervise and monitor the functioning of schools, dispensaries and other services. This mechanism, he said, had worked well in West Bengal. He hoped that public assets would remain functional and safe under the panchayats.

The Chief Minister admitted that people "are craving for a fair deal" and said that this phenomenon had added the Government’s responsibility to deliver. He emphasized that the authority with accountability "is the watchword" for the administration that will have to perform at all levels.

In his pointed reference to the non-utilization of funds earmarked under various centrally-sponsored schemes, Mufti Sayeed called for speedy implementation of the programmes aimed at ameliorating the economic conditions of the poor and the needy. He argued that delay in submitting utilization certificates affected the flow of funds. This made the people suffer ultimately for no fault of theirs.

The Chief Minister announced the release of additional Rs 5.60 crores for Kathua district. He pointed out that while Rs 2.50 crores would be spent on various services, Rs 1 crore had been earmarked for the electric transformers and Rs 2 crore kept at the disposal of the District Development Commissioner.

Responding to the demands from the legislators, the Chief Minister gave on-the-spot approval to various schemes and projects after assessing their utility and viability. He sanctioned Rs 10 lakhs for improvement and upgradation of four village roads in Basohli constituency. Another Rs 25 lakhs were approved for the construction of hospital building during the current year, while the high school at Thein will be upgraded as higher secondary school.

In Kathua constituency, possibilities would be explored for setting up a college for women in the existing hospital building and priority would be accorded to the need for introducing various post-graduate courses in the Kathua college. The college hostel will have additional 20 rooms for which sanction was also accorded.

While approving Rs 1 crore for the Kathua hospital, the Chief Minister sought drafting of a project for seeking central funding under assistance to the emergency hospital programme. Rs 40 lakhs were earmarked for public health engineering sector in the constituency.

In Hiranagar constituency, Chadwal high school will be upgraded to higher secondary school, while middle school at Saarthiya will be made a high school. The constituency will get 50 hand pumps and 20 medium water pumps. Besides, a scheme will be formulated for providing tap water to 10 villages with NABARD funding.

An amount of Rs 10 lakhs was sanctioned for construction of road between Dingan and Ambh, while the Billawar hospital will be equipped with a generator set. The Chief Minister said that a scheme would be formulated for the central funding for construction of road between Billawar and Bani. This apart, work on Billawar-Machedi road will also be expedited.

For renovation and improvement of the Gujjar hostel at Kathua, Rs 5 lakhs were approved. Rs 10 lalkhs were sanctioned for promoting horticultural activities in the Kathua district. The Chief Minister sought a comprehensive plan for milk chilling plant at Kathua to be taken up with the Planning and Finance departments.

In his speech at the meeting, the Deputy Chief Minister, Mr Mangat Ram Sharma, said that the coalition Government had the support of the nation as the major opposition party, Congress, is in the Government, while the Central Government "is also sympathetic towards the problems of the people of Jammu and Kashmir".

Mr Sharma stated that the common minimum programme (CMP) of the coalition Government aimed at sustained and equitable development of the three regions of Jammu and Kashmir State. He said that all the regions and areas would get equitable opportunities of progress and every effort would be made to steer the State towards peace and tranquility.

He reiterated that the new Government did not rush to overhauling the bureaucracy, as it believed that the officers maning various positions were in the know of status of various projects and programmes in their jurisdiction that need to be implemented vigorously. He, at the same time, stressed that the performance and integrity would be the watchword for the administration.

Prof. Chaman Lal Gupta, Minister of State for Defence, appreciated the efforts of making the District Development Board meetings purposeful and said that this could be the fora for taking on-the-spot decisions on the problems faced by various areas of the State.

Prof Gupta highlighted the need for all-round and equitable development of all the areas. On the problem of discontent and alienation among the people, he hoped that the Centre and the State Government would take effective measures in this regard. He called for judicious utilization of central funds.

Mr Harshdev Singh, Minister for Education, announced the opening of 40 schools in Kathua distrrict for promoting elementary education under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan. He also sought formulation of a panel for engagement of Rehbar-e-Taleem workers from time to time to meet the deficiency of staff in various schools. He asked the legislators to supervise construction of school buildings in their respective areas.

Minister for Rural Development, Peerzada Mohammed Sayeed, lamented over non-utilization of funds under various centrally-sponsored programmes and said that the people’s involvement "has to be sought at all levels" for making these effective instrument of rural upliftment. He said that he would monitor the works on the ground and take action in the event of delay or laxity.

Minister for Social Welfare, Mr Mula Ram, said that a multi-pronged strategy would be adopted for providing respite to the handicapped, destitute and weaker sections of the society. In this context, he referred to several steps taken to ensure doorstep delivery of financial assistance to the beneficiaries under these categories.

Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Mr Ghulam Hassan Mir, said that the Government was considering ways and means to strengthen the civic bodies and make these representative in character and outlook. He stressed the need for pursuing town planning while developing towns and cities.

Minister of State for Works, Mr Nawang Rigzin, asked the engineers to formulate road projects for funding by the Centre under various schemes.

Satphone accessories recovered from Bandipore hideout
Three militants among 5 killed in Kashmir valley

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Nov 16: While as security forces have eliminated three militants in two different operations in Kashmir valley since last evening, unidentified gunmen have shot dead two civilians in Tral and Kokernag areas. Forces have also destroyed three militant hideouts in Bandipore area and recovered a large quantity of arms, ammunition, rations and also accessories of a satellite telephone.

Informed sources in north Kashmir told EXCELSIOR that in an ambush troops of 11-Sikh LI eliminated three infiltrators in Nowshera Naar area of Machhil sector, close to LoC, in Kupwara district. Exchange of gunfire continued for several hours and two soldiers sustained injuries. Two AK-56 guns have been recovered from the slain militants but it could not be immediately ascertained whether they were Pakistani cadres of Jehadi outfits or Kashmiri militants returning from their training camps in PoK.

Another gunbattle occurred between militants and a joint ambush of 21-Para and SOG Kupwara in Sadhoo Ganga forest area of Kandi in Kupwara district. One militant of Lashkar-e-Toiba got killed. He was identified as Abu Jehad, a resident of Gujranwalla, Pakistan.

On a specific information, troops of a Para unit and SOG Pulwama raided a militant hideout at Zawoora, near Balpora, in Shopian area today. According to the tip-off, a group of two militants was present at the hideout. During the operation, exchange of gunfire took place between the holed up militants and security forces which continued till late this evening. It was not clear whether the two militants had managed to escape or they were still in the cordoned area.

In Shoga Naar forest area of Bandipore, a joint contingent of RR 13 Bn, RR 14 Bn and SOG Bandipore launched a search operation over a specific information. During the daylong operation, troops destroyed three hideouts and recovered a large quantity of arms and ammunition besides ration items. Interestingly, the antenna and some other parts of at least one satellite telephone were also recovered from one of the hideouts.

Last evening, militants had dragged out and shot dead a former militant of Aljehad at Rathsuna vilage in Tral. He was identified as Nazir Ahmed Ahangar alias Matha S/o Gul Mohammad Ahangar. After his surrender in 1994, he had been working as a tailor in his village.

Last evening again, militants appeared in Kokernag area and shot dead a civilian, namely Mohammad Amin Naikoo S/o Abdul Ahad Naikoo R/o Drugmulla, Gadole.

Meanwhile, SOG Srinagar claimed to have recovered a quantity of arms and ammunition in Srinagar.

‘Govt's claim of releasing all separatists false’

SRINAGAR, Nov 16: The Hurriyat Conference today said the Mufti Mohammed Government’s claim that JKLF vice chairman Bashir Ahmad Bhat and Hurriyat leader Sheikh Abdul Rashid have been released is "false".

"The Government’s claim that Bhat and Rashid have been released is false. The two leaders are lodged at JIC Talab Tillo in Jammu where they were brought after being released from Kot Balwal jail," a Hurriyat spokesman said.

The spokesman alleged Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s son-in-law Altaf Shah was picked up again late last night by security agencies.

"Hurriyat Conference condemns the rearrest of people after they are being released by the courts. The Government’s claim that no one would be rearrested after being released by courts has been exposed," he said.

Meanwhile, a people’s delegation from several areas of the Valley visited its headquarters here and narrated the difficulties they are put through by the security forces, the spokesman said. (PTI)

Musharraf gets new term as Assembly meets

ISLAMABAD, Nov 16: Pakistan’s Parliament met for the first time in three years today without agreement on a coalition and with its powers limited by military President General Pervez Musharraf, who was sworn in for five more years.

The convening of the Assembly is meant to herald a return to civilian rule in a country ruled by Generals for more than half its history since independence in 1947, but Army Chief Musharraf will still wield real power.

Musharraf, a key ally in the US-led war on terror, revived the constitution suspended when he overthrew elected Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a bloodless coup in October 1999 but with amendments giving him power to dismiss Parliament and the military a role in overseeing the work of a new Government.

A 342-member Assembly elected on October 10 convened shortly after Musharraf was sworn in and looked set for a stormy session, with rival parties split both over who should lead the Government and Musharraf’s constitutional changes.

Right-wing Islamists holding the balance of power immediately set the tone, insisting in angry shouts from the floor on taking oath under the constitution as it stood before it was amended.

"We want to make it clear that we are taking the oath under the original 1973 constitution," said Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, one of the leaders of the six-party Islamic alliance. Former Speaker Illahi Baksh Soomro, who presided over the session, insisted not a single comma of the original oath in the 1973 law had been changed and the swearing in went ahead.

Musharraf secured his fresh term through an April referendum analysts say was heavily rigged in his favour. The election was also controversial as key figures, including Sharif and another former Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto, were barred from standing.

The pro-military Pakistan Muslim League secured most seats - 118 - but not enough to rule alone.

It has been trying to form a coalition with the Islamists, who fought on a strong anti-US platform and secured a surprising 60 seats.

But the religious parties have insisted that their candidate, Fazal-ur-Rehman, a hardline cleric who supported the former Taliban regime in Afghanistan, should be Premier, a prospect that alarmed markets and proponents of the war on terror.

Rehman said yesterday the alliance could not back the League’s Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali as Premier as he had dissolved a provincial assembly in the past and could not be expected to defend Parliament against the military in future.

Rehman told reporters that the talks were still going on with the league on a common stand on the constitutional changes.

"We hope we will reach some understanding on these issues," he said. "Then we will talk about formation of the Government."

Yesterday, 10 newly elected members of Bhutto’s anti-military Pakistan People’s Party, which came second in the polls with 81 seats, said they had formed a breakaway faction expected to side with the Muslim League. Bhutto’s party denounced the split as an attempt by Musharraf to create an artificial pro-military majority and it slammed the General for suspending a ban on defections when reviving the constitution.

"The day of the so-called revival of democracy has been turned into a day of shame by the dictators," the party’s acting secretary General Mian Raza Rabbani said in a statement.

"It is a day of mourning for the whole nation, which has been hijacked by a bunch of pirates chanting hurrah."

It remains unclear how much power the Assembly will eventually be able to exert and prolonged wrangling can be expected from politicians seeking to regain the upper hand over the presidency and military, a struggle that has dominated politics throughout Pakistan’s 55-year history.

Soomro said election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker would take place on Tuesday, but no date was set for the selection of a Prime Minister.

Rehman said his group had reached understandings with the Muslim League on many issues, but "hidden hands" were causing a delay. He accused Washington and Western powers of putting pressure on Musharraf to keep the religious parties out of power. (AGENCIES)

Line of control or line out of control?

JAIPUR, Nov 16: An apolitical body representing those with roots in "Ghulam Kashmir" (PoK) today demanded that the 24 seats lying vacant in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly from the region be reserved for such migrants.

Mr N K Sharma, president of the newly-formed "Non-political" Pak-occupied Kashmir Liberation Front (POKLF), told reporters here that those who migrated from PoK in 1947 should have their own representatives in the J and K Assembly since the Government maintains that the area is an integral part of India and the seats are still vacant in keeping with the State’s original constitution.

"The strength of people with roots in ‘Ghulam Kashmir’ (PoK) who are living in various parts of the country has increased to nearly 5.5 million over the years. Some 1.4 million of them live in Rajasthan alone," he said adding that the migrants could play a "balancing role" in the House.

"The 18 terrorist training camps in PoK and eight other centres in other parts of Pakistan are the main cause of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of India ... The Line of Control (LoC) has in fact become the line out of control," he said.

Mr Sharma said a majority of the nearly 3,50,000 migrants in the national capital and Jammu could not vote during the recent Assembly elections because they were not issued voter I-cards on time. All efforts should be made to ensure that these migrants and those from PoK vote in the next J and K Assembly elections, he added.

He also termed as "suicidal" the Government’s decision to withdraw armed forces from the Pakistan border. Infiltration of terrorists could increase, now that hardline Islamists were coming to power in Pakistan, he said.

"The time has come to destroy the terrorist training centres and take into possession the areas of Kashmir occupied by Pakistan since 1947. Without this, terrorism in India will not be controlled," he said.

Mr Sharma was here to take part in a meeting of the executive committee of the Rajasthan unit of the front, formed a day after the December 13 attack on Parliament last year. (UNI)

Salman Khan exempted in hit & run case

MUMBAI, Nov 16: A local court today exempted film actor Salman Khan from appearance in a hit and run case even as the matter was deferred to December 19 for transferring it to the Sessions Court for trial.

As regards Salman’s plea for a direction to the police to return the vehicle involved in the mishap, the court decided to hear the matter on the next date.

In a related development, police returned Salman’s passport after the actor urged that he wished to go to Malaysia for a film shooting on November 21.

Earlier, while granting bail to Salman, a Sessions Court had directed him to deposit his passport and take it back when he wanted to go abroad.

Salman’s lawyer H S Anand urged for actor’s exemption for the day on the ground that he was busy and prosecutor Varsha Doshi did not object to his plea.

Salman had allegedly rammed his vehicle into a bakery on September 28 killing one person and injuring four others. He was arrested on the same day and granted bail. Hearing a public interest litigation, Mumbai High Court had ordered him to pay compensation of Rs 19 lakh to victims. The actor has already deposited the amount with the registrar of the court.

Following public outcry, the Maharashtra Government directed police to book Salman for a more serious offence, culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Accordingly, he was arrested on October 7 and released on bail on October 24.

Salman has now pleaded that the Toyota land cruiser, allegedly driven by him on the ill-fated day, be returned. Police has objected saying the vehicle was registered in the name of Abdul Rahman. (PTI)

PPP flays swearing-in

ISLAMABAD, Nov 16: Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto’s Pakistan Peoples Party today questioned the legality of Pervez Musharraf getting himself sworn in for another five years as President and termed his decision to keep the country’s anti-defection laws in abeyance as a step to "encourage defections".

"It was absolutely wrong on the part of Musharraf to assume fresh term when the legality of the referendum under which he was elected itself was in doubt," PPP spokesman Faratullah Babar told PTI reacting to Musharraf’s decision to take oath for a five year term.

"The referendum under which he was elected was itself unconstitutional and his presidency carried a big question mark", he said pointing out that Musharraf had taken several oaths during the past three years- as Chief of Army, Chief Executive, President and now as an elected President.

Earlier, the PPP issued a strong statement criticising Musharraf for keeping the anti-defection laws in abeyance, while partially restoring the constitution.

"The revival of the constitution by Musharraf and at same time keeping the article dealing with the floor crossing in abeyance is a shameful invitation to the politicians to change loyalties" the party said.

"It is a bid to deliberately encourage horse trading and further break major political parties to aid the king’s party," it added.

Already 10 elected members have defected from PPP in order to support the PML-Q.

Referring to the move by Musharraf to suspend the anti-defection laws, party’s acting general secretary Rabbani said "the unethical move could have come only from diseased minds and sickly souls even as they wore glittering medallions or flaunted so-called acumen in legal profession..

Accusing Musharraf of going back on its promise to end the scourge of horse trading from national politics, Rabbani said, "today on the eve of so-called revival of democracy, it has suspended the operation of that very constitutional provision".

"It is a day of mourning for the whole nation, which has been hijacked by a bunch of pirates. It is a day on which all those who uphold democracy should shed tears. (PTI)

Court rejects Gilani's bail

NEW DELHI, Nov 16: A Delhi Sessions Court today rejected the bail plea of Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Gilani’s son-in-law Iftikar Gilani who was arrested by Delhi Police on June 10 last under the Official Secrets Act.

However, Additional Sessions Judge S N Gupta while rejecting Gilani’s bail plea gave liberty to the accused to file a fresh bail application before the trial court.

Following this, his counsel V K Ohri immediately moved a fresh bail application in the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) and the matter would be heard on Monday.

The court also directed the investigating officer to confirm from competent authority within 15 days whether the papers allegedly recovered from the accused were "secret" or not.

During the course of arguments, Public Prosecutor R P Yadav told the court that the accused could be released with certain conditions. However, when the court asked him to give it in writing, he refused to do so.

This is for the second time in four days that Gilani’s bail application has been dismissed. Earlier, on Wednesday last CMM Sangita Dhingra Sehgal had rejected his bail plea "keeping in view the larger interest of public and the state."

Gilani, the Delhi Bureau chief of Kashmir Times, is lodged in Tihar jail since June 10 last when he was arrested by the special cell of Delhi Police for allegedly possessing sensitive papers prejudicial to the integrity of India.

A day before his arrest, Income Tax Department had conducted a search at his residence here and recovered a computer which allegedly contained information about deployment of Indian troops in Jammu and Kashmir. (PTI)

Security forces kill 27 Maoists

KATHMANDU, Nov 16: Security forces in Nepal have gunned down 27 Maoist rebels in the past 24 hours as they continued anti-terror operations across the country, official sources said today.

Eleven armed rebels were shot dead in Jumla, Bara and Kailali districts during separate encounters, a Defence Ministry official said today.

Sixteen more Maoists were killed as the security forces launched blocking and search operations to hunt the rebels after Thursday’s massive terror attack in Jumla district, radio Nepal said quoting local security sources.

Nine of them were killed in Tamti area and seven killed in Kudari area of the district, the radio said.

The security forces have recovered guns, pistols, socket bombs and explosive materials from these sites.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand’s Cabinet, which was appointed on October 11 by King Gyanendra after the Monarch dismissed the elected Government, met in an emergency session.

Yesterday, a top rebel negotiator Krishna Bahadur Mahara said in an interview with CNN that talks with the Government would come soon on the Maoists’ terms and that "the king’s Army will not fight for very long." (PTI)

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