Tension in Surankote, people protest
Two women among 6 civilians, terrorist killed; 5 injured

Excelsior Correspondent

POONCH/ UDHAMPUR Oct 27: Six civilians including two women and a terrorist of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) outfit were killed and four civilians and two army soldiers were injured in three separate incidents in Poonch and Udhampur districts over-night.

Four civilians were killed and four others were injured in the cross-firing between a group of terrorists and security forces at Hill Kaka in Surankote tehsil of Poonch district this afternoon, official sources said.

They said about a dozen of houses were caught in heavy exchange of firing between the two sides in Hill Kaka. The civilians were killed inside their houses, the sources said, adding the troops tried to rescue the civilians and in the process the terrorists managed to escape without suffering any casualty.

Number of the terrorists was stated to be between five to seven and all of them were believed to be the foreign mercenaries. Army have launched a massive search operation in Hill Kaka forests to trace the terrorists. However, no fresh contact has been established with the terrorists.

Four civilians, who were killed in the encounter, have been identified as Badar Din, 70, son of Wali Mohd, Haneefa Bi, 24, wife of Karamat Hussain, Khalil Ahmed, 20, son of Mohd Hussain and Kousar Bi, 25, daughter of Makhana, all residents of Hill Kaka. Injured included Ikhlaq Hussain, 25, son of Wazir Mohd, Neem Jan, 25, wife of Haji Farooq Ahmed and Begum Bi, 30, wife of Nazir Mohd and Zooni, 40 wife of Fazal Hussain , residents of Hill Kaka.

An army Subedar Ajaib Singh was also injured in a separate encounter in Surankote.

Injured have been shifted to Surankote hospital in serious condition. Reports said that local people in Hill Kaka protested against the killings. More forces have been rushed to the village for searches.

Bodies of all four killed civilians were brought to Surankote town by the local people from Hill Kaka. People were likely to hold protest in the town tomorrow morning.

Meanwhile, a joint team of army and police carried out a search operation at village Bhatti Dhar in Mendhar tehsil of Poonch district early this morning. The terrorists opened heavy firing on the army and police personnel from inside a dhok. The security personnel retaliated.

In the exchange of firing, one terrorists and a civilian were killed. Identified as Mohd Mushtaq, 35, son of Mir Mohd, the civilian was working in his fields when he was trapped in the cross-firing. Mushtaq was seriously injured and was being shifted here from Mendhar when he succumbed to his injuries near Bhimber Gali.

A search operation was still going on in the village. Army and police jawans were hunting other terrorists, who escaped during the encounter.

Identity of the slain terrorist hasn’t been established so far but he was said to be a foreign mercenary. One rifle, one pistol and ammunition were recovered from the scene of encounter. Security forces didn’t suffer any casualty in the operation, the sources said.

The terrorist set on fire the paddy of six civilians in Fazalabad area of Surankote last night. The civilians, whose paddy was burnt in the fire, have been identified as Rafiq Hussain, Hassan Mohd, Noor Mohd, Faiz Mohd and Mohd Lateef.

In another incident, the terrorists gunned down a teacher Ghulam Nabi son of Salah-ud-Din in his house at village Deoli in Mahore tehsil of Udhampur district last night.

Two terrorists, who executed the killing, were suspected to be local activists of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit, the sources said and added that both of them escaped after the killing. Local police have launched a search operation in the village to trace the terrorists.

Pakistan army fired three air bursts in Purani Poonch and Khakha Navan Mohalla in Poonch town early today. However, no loss of life or damage was reported in the firing.

An army jawan was injured in an IED blast at Lal Darman in Doda last night.

Resentment among Cong, independent MLAs

SRINAGAR, Oct 27: Differences cropped up in Jammu and Kashmir unit of Congress on the party high command’s decision to hand over State Chief Ministership to PDP chief Mufti Mohd Sayeed in the new coalition Government with two senior leaders voicing reservations about it.

Taj Mohi-ud-Din and Mohammed Shafi Bhat told reporters here after a meeting of some Congress MLAs and some independents the party high command had "ignored" the desire of all the party MLAs by announcing the name of Sayeed for the post of Chief Minister.

He said there was no guarantee that Sayeed would not recommend dissolution of the State Assembly after completion of his three-year term under the power-sharing accord between Congress and PDP.

Besides, there had been no discussion on portfolios to be given to ministers from the two parties, Taj added.

"We had conveyed to all Congress observors, who came here, that Ghulam Nabi Azad was our Chief Ministerial candidate," Taj Mohi-ud-Din said.

Mohd Shafi Bhat said "we had conveyed to senior Congress leader Manmohan Singh when he had come here recently about the repercussions of having Mufti Sayeed as Chief Minister. Still, the Chief Ministership goes to him. I will take measures as and when required."

Taj said Azad should have lived up to the faith reposed in him not only by Congress MLAs but by some independent legislators as well to become the Chief Minister.

Stating that while he did not contest the right of party president Sonia Gandhi, Taj, however, said the legislators should have been taken into confidence before taking such a decision.

"We have conveyed our sentiments to the Congress high command and are awaiting a response," he added.

Asked what would be his course of action in case there is no response from the high command, he said "we will cross the bridge once we reach there. As of now, I and my colleagues are protesting within the party’s constitution."

Flaying the decision, Mohammed Shafi Bhat said "I fail to understand what kind of decision the Congress Party takes. We told even the repurcussions of appointing Sayeed as the Chief Minister to Congress leaders Manmohan Singh, but still a reverse is seen in Delhi."

Bhat, who left National Conference on the eve of elections and won on a Congress ticket from Amira Kadal Assembly seat, said he would oppose the appointment of Sayeed as Chief Minister tooth and nail. "I will take necessary measures as and when required," Bhat said without elaborating.

Meanwhile, Independent candidate from Banihal Moulvi Abdul Rashid today announced not to support People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mufti Moha-mmad Sayeed as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.

Moulvi Rashid told reporters here this evening that he will not accept Mr Sayeed as the Chief Minister.

He said he had extended support to PCCI chief Ghulam Nabi Azad headed Government in the State.

Moulvi Rashid claimed that five other independents who also extended their support to Mr Azad’s candidature had also decided not to support Mr Sayeed.

"I and five other independents from Jammu had told senior Congress leader Manmohan Singh during his recent visit here that we will extend support only to a Congress led Government in the State," Moulvi Rashid, a rebel National Conference (NC) leader, said.

He alleged that it was Mr Sayeed who as a Union Home Minister was instrumental in sending Jagmohan as Governor of the State in 1989.

"Mr Sayeed was responsible for large scale killings of innocent people in the Valley when he was the Union Home Minister and we will never support him," Moulvi Rashid said.

He accused Mr Sayeed of implementing the RSS agenda. "Mr Sayeed by raising the issue that the Chief Minister should be from the Kashmir valley has infact helped the RSS which is demanding trifurcation of the State on communal lines.

When told that it was the Congress high command’s decision that Mr Sayeed will lead the Government for first three years, he said, "I am not a Congress member..I am not bound to accept the decision of the Congress high command," he added.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Peerzada Mohammed Sayeed MLA from Kokernag Assembly constituency, claimed that there is no reservation or resentment among the party over the decision of the high command.

"We accept the decision of the high command as true solider of the party. There is no issue over the Chief Minister’s post," he said. (PTI)

Jethmalani hails move
Hurriyat approaches Pak for help to allow meet of KCs

SRINAGAR, Oct 27: Hurriyat Conference has sought help of Pakistan High Commission to facilitate meeting of Kashmir Committee headed by Ram Jethmalani with that led by Sardar Abdul Qayyum despite opposition from one of its constituents, JKLF.

A Hurriyat Conference team comprising its chairman Abdul Gani Bhat and his predecessor Mirwaiz Umer Farooq met Deputy High Commissioner of Pakistan in Delhi J A Gillani and asked him to help in facilitating such a meeting.

"We want that the two committees should meet and try to do their bit in resolving the Kashmir issue," the Mirwaiz, who returned from Delhi, told PTI here.

The Hurriyat leaders decided to go ahead with seeking the help of Pakistan despite stiff opposition from JKLF, which had said that the people of Kashmir were represented only by the Hurriyat Conference.

Asked about the criticism of JKLF, the Mirwaiz sought to downplay this and said the acting chairman of JKLF is a signatory to a joint statement issued in Delhi earlier where "we authorised the Kashmir Committee to explore ways and means to find a solution to the Kashmir issue."

The JKLF had flayed the Mirwaiz for his remarks that Kashmir Committee should go to Pakistan and hold a meeting with the committee led by Sardar Abdul Qayyum.

However, the Mirwaiz, while regretting the JKLF statement, said there is no scope of misunderstanding as the people of Kashmir are represented by Hurriyat Conference only.

"Now that the centre has some problem in sending a Hurriyat delegation to Pakistan, we were unanimous in our view to facilitate a meeting between the two Kashmir Committees," the Mirwaiz said.

The Mirwaiz had also come in for a sharp criticism from some expatriate Kashmiri leader Ayub Thakur for allegedly ganging up with non-Kashmiris to plead the cause of Kashmiris.

"This is not the case. We have been trying to get the help from every quarter so that the Kashmir issue is highlighted in international fora," he said.

The former Hurriyat chairman said the amalgam was trying its best to get the issue resolved through a process of dialogue between India, Pakistan and the people of Kashmir.

Asked what would the Hurriyat do if the proposed meeting could not be held in Pakistan due to some reasons, the Mirwaiz said that provisions were being made to hold such a meeting in a third country as well.

Meanwhile, Chairman of Kashmir Committee (KC) Ram Jethmalani today hailed the Hurriyat Conference moves to facilitate a meeting of his committee with its Pakistani counterpart.

Jethmalani told PTI that if the move of the Hurriyat Conference bore fruit then he would be interested to convey to the highest authority in Pakistan the ‘futility of their present approach’.

A Hurriyat Conference team, comprising its chairman Abdul Gani Bhat and his predecessor Mirwaiz Umer Farooq met Deputy High Commissioner of Pakistan in Delhi J A Gilani and asked for his help in facilitating a meeting of the Indian Kashmir Committee with the Pakistani Kashmir Committee headed by Sardar Abdul Qayoom.

Jethmalani said: "I would like to emphasise to the highest authority in Pakistan through (KC’s) counterpart that you have tried war, it has not borne fruit; you have tried terrorism, it has recoiled as the entire international community has turned against terrorism".

"So what options are left with you (Pakistan)? either keep trying in the failed strategies or decide on a more rational attainable objects like autonomy to Kashmir within the Indian Union — an issue which can be discussed", he added.

He said ‘we should also appreciate the stand taken by Hurriyat Conference that they will abandon extreme position and avoid violence".

"That by itself is an achievement", he added.

Jethmalani termed the arrangement between the PDP and Congress to have Chief Ministers on a rotation basis, as ‘good’, and expressed the hope that PDP leader Mufti Mohammad Sayeed would be in a better position to talk to the extremists.

"This is because he has lived in their midst and understands their mindsets better. Moreover, his own daughter was once kidnapped. I am glad that they have arrived at a good and sensible decision", he added.

Jethmalani said "I have very good relations with both Azad and Mufti and I am looking forward to useful talks with them on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir".

"But first let them form the Government and get into the saddle. I will meet them at the propitious time", he said adding that "by then we will also come to know the political set up in Pakistan". (PTI)

Kashmiris pin hopes on Mufti, say tough task ahead

SRINAGAR, Oct 27: Mr Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, after emerging winner in the 16-day battle for political supremacy in Jammu and Kashmir, faces many tough challenges when he takes over as the sixth Chief Minister of the strife-torn State.

People of the state, who voted out the 70-year-old National Conference (NC), expect Mr Sayeed to fulfil his election promises of talks with separatists, disbanding the Special Operations Group (SOG) and the Special Task Force of the state police and disarming the surrendered militants who had created "terror" in the State.

The Mufti-led Congress-People’s Democratic Party (PDP) coalition Government will have to do a tough balancing act to survive in the State.

However, most of the people were of the opinion that Mr Sayeed being a seasoned politician and an able administrator would be able to cope up with the situation.

Though the success of the Government will be judged by its performance in the field of development, employment for youth and providing a clean and corruption free rule, the prime concern of the people has been whether it will be able to check the alleged human rights violations by the security forces and surrendered militants.

Mr Abdul Rashid, a leading businessman from Valley, said, restoration of peace and self-security was a prime concern among the people.

"Peace and security are a priority and other issues come next... We are not against development and providing employment to our unemployed youth but a peaceful atmosphere is necessary for overall development of the State," he said.

The acid test for Mr Sayeed will be the implementation of the promises his party had made to the people of the State. Expressing his views, Mr Mohammad Amin, a teacher, said the PDPs commitments to the people have generated a lot of hope.

"It will be considered Mr Sayeed’s major achievement if he succeeds in bringing the separatists to the negotiating table to find a lasting and peaceful solution to the Kashmir issue... Regardless the outcome of the talks," he added.

The separatist All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) also welcomed the change of guard in the State. APHC chairman Abdul Gani Bhat had said, "the 23-party conglomerate saw a ray of hope in Mr Sayeed making sincere efforts to resolve the Kashmir issue."

Others feel disbanding the SOG, against which serious allegations of atrocities have been levelled, will be a major step in restoring the confidence of the people.

"We voted the NC to power in 1996 with the hope that it will at least save us from the exploitation by the uniformed men and the surrendered militants," said Sajad Hussain, a student.

"We never expected the nc to save us from the armed men fighting for the liberation of Kashmir as everybody knows they were not under their control but at least it could have prevented the uniformed men and the surrendered militants from targetting civilians," he added.

People in south Kashmir, particularly at Bijbehara, Mr Sayeed’s hometown, were jubilant over his announcement as the next Chief Minister of the State.

However, they cautioned that the new Government will also meet the same fate as the NC if it failed to deliver and live up to the expectations of the people, who voted braving militant threats.

"We are in favour of a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue...But with honour and dignity," said a group of young men in Bijbehara.

"We are not against the security forces. Let them do their job but at the same time we want that people should not be harassed... We expect that the security forces involved in the killings of five villagers at Patharibal Anantnag after the massacre of 40 sikhs at Chattisinghpora be brought to book and punished as per law of the land," they added.

For the people of urban areas development also remains a prime concern.

People at Ganderbal, the seat wrested by PDPs Qazi Mohammad Afzal from the NC after defeating Union Minister of State for External Affairs and NC president Omar Abdullah, said crores of rupees had been withdrawn from the state exchequer but there was no development in the area.

Resolving acute water crisis, ensuring adequate supply of electricity supply to industry, construction of roads, revival of tourism industry are the other daunting task ahead for the new Government. (UNI)

Mufti calls on PM

NEW DELHI, Oct 27: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee told the would-be Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mufti Mohammed Sayeed that efforts should be made for early return of normalcy in the State.

Vajpayee made these remarks during a meeting with Sayeed, who will head a coalition Government in Jammu and Kashmir, when he met him here this evening, offical sources said.

The Prime Minister expressed the hope that the successful completion of Assembly polls in J and K would help restore normalcy in the State.

Vajpayee recalled that the Centre had assured the people of Jammu and Kashmir that it would ensure a free and fair poll there and said now that free and fair elections have been accomplished, efforts should now be made for early return of normalcy in the State.

Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani was present at the meeting.

The sources said the meeting was held in a "cordial atmosphere." (PTI)

Siachen out of bounds for NGS, IMF
Mountain cleaning programme permitted elsewhere in J&K

By B L Kak

JAMMU, Oct 27: Involvement of the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) and National Geographic Society (NGS) in Jammu and Kashmir has, at no stage hitherto, raised eyebrows, in official and non-official agencies. They have, in fact, enjoyed full freedom while carrying out their "legitimate" tasks, individually or jointly.

What,however,has been necessary for the two organisations is that, during their operations in Jammu and Kashmir, they should keep their contact with the State administration, particularly the Department of Tourism. And in case of any adventures to "sensitive" mountain areas, permission from the defence authorities "is a must".

It is, apparently, in this context that the Ministry of Defence does not want agencies like the National Geographic Society and Indian Mountaineering Foundation to undertake the task of removing huge loads of garbage on the 18,000-foot-high Siachen glacier in Ladakh.

The Government of India, EXCELSIOR was officially told, had, on several occasions, appreciated the performance of both Indian Mountaineering Foundation and National Geographic Society. However, allowing men of the two organisations to undertake the cleaning operations in Siachen sector will not be feasible at a time when the armies of India and Pakistan are arrayed against each other on the world’s highest battlefield.

Meanwhile, the National Geographic Society and Indian Mountaineering Foundation and Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department have jointly taken up a comprehensive mountain clearing programme in Stok Kangri area of Ladakh. The Stok Kangri peak, about 18,000 feet high,is the most frequented trekking point in the ‘Greater Himalayas’.

According to official statistics, 30 to 40 foreign expeditions visit the Stok Kangri peak every year. Environmentalists and mountaineering specialists have, therefore, highlighted the need for "a regular bath" to keep routes to the peak clean. A week-long cleaning drive began on October 21.

Similar operations were carried out in other parts of Kashmir, coinciding with the celebration of International Year of Mountains. More than 300 students, drawn from various schools, fanned out in different directions in a group of 25 each, along with their teachers,cleaned up entire Gulmarg valley. They collected over three truckloads of garbage left over by tourists and other vacationists during the summer this year.

Cleaning operations could not start along the 48-km stretch to the Amarnath cave because of early snowfall in upper reaches in eastern Kashmir. The Department of Tourism plans to take up the drive next year before the commencement of annual pilgrimage to the cave shrine.

Over one lakh pilgrims visited the cave this year. Entire track has been found to be littered with garbage.

5 killed, 4 injured as GREF vehicle rolls down

Excelsior Correspondent

DODA, Oct 27: Five persons were killed and four others injured when a GREF vehicle skidded off the road and rolled down into nullah at Chottegala under the jurisdiction of Bhaderwah Police Station.

According to police, the ill-fated vehicle bearing registration number 99-C-18825 was on its way towards Bhaderwah when met with accident. The driver of the vehicle reportedly lost control over the vehicle while negotiating sharp curve resulting into vehicle rolling into nullah.

Getting the report of accident, a police party from Bhaderwah Police Station immediately rushed to the spot and started rescue operation. All the passengers of the ill-fated vehicle were brought out of the nullah and shifted to hospital in private and police vehicles.

At hospital, doctors declared five of them as brought dead while the condition of four injured was stated to be critical when reports last came in.

The deceased have been identified as Arif Hussain, son of Ghulam Mohammad of Bati, Mohd Ayaz, son of Mohd Shafi, Hayat Ahmed, son of Abdul Rashid, Abdul Rashid, son of Ali Shah of Thanda and Ayaz Ahmed, son of Feroz Din of Basti.

The injured have been identified as Nazir Ahmed, son of Bashir Ahmed, Shoukat Ali, son of Shamshu Din, Shahid Hussain, son of Ali Mohd and Abdul Rashid, son of Mushtaq Shahid, all the residents of Basti.

Police has taken the cognizance of the incident.

Meanwhile, a pedestrian was killed and another was seriously injured when a speeding and rashly driven Maruti car bearing registration number JK02Q-1253 knocked them down at Tara Nagar under the jurisdiction of Kathua Police Station.

The deceased has not been identified while the identity of the injured has been established as Ujaghar Singh, son of Preetam Singh of Tara Nagar.

A case has been registered in this connection and further investigations were on.

Sonia to attend swearing-in
PDP-Cong coalition to be in place on Nov 2

Excelsior Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, Oct 27: Decks have been cleared for the historic event in the Raj Bhavan in Srinagar—that is, installation of the new Government to be headed by Mufti Mohammed Sayeed.

Indications were by no means uncertain on Sunday evening that the swearing-in ceremony will take place on November 2.

Mufti Sayeed, who will fly out to Srinagar on Monday, was engrossed in consultations with Congress leaders for several hours on Sunday. These consultations, obviously, were meant to chart the programme for Government formation.

The Mufti was said to have finalised the list of members he would include in the coalition Government. Nothing was officially divulged in this regard.

According to some indications, senior Congress leader from Jammu, Mr Mangat Ram Sharma, is quite likely to be accommodated as the Deputy Chief Minister in the new set-up, which will also have, besides Congress and People’s Democratic Party (PDP), representatives from the People’s Democratic Forum (PDF), Panthers Party and a few independents.

The speaker of the Assembly would be a nominee of the Congress(I). It was decided that Home portfolio shall also be allotted to the Congress.

Mufti Sayeed will be elected as leader of the coalition in Srinagar on Tuesday,October 29. This will be followed by the much-awaited event, namely, the coalition’s claim to Government formation.

The AICC supremo, Ms Sonia Gandhi, has, meanwhile, planned to turn yet another leaf in the history of PDP-Congress coalition by her willingness to be in Srinagar to attend the November 2 swearing-in ceremony.

Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, president of the J&K PCC, is to be appointed as chairman of the coordination committee for the coalition Government.

NC hopes Cong-PDP people will fulfill poll promises

SRINAGAR, Oct 27: National Conference today expressed hope that the alliance Government between PDP and Congress would be able to implement the promises made to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

"We can only hope how the Congress and PDP will run the Government when it took them over two weeks to sort out the issue of Chief Ministership," party president Omar Abdullah said after the two parties reached an understanding on Government formation yesterday.

The party president expressed hope that there would be a smooth transition of power from Governor to the alliance Government and not on fighting over the ministry formation.

Asked about claims made by his party on staking claim for Government formation, omar said they respected the mandate of the people.

Asserting that his party would prove to be a "healthy opposition" in the stater assembly, he said, "we are not interested in their common agenda for governance but what they do for the people as tall promises have been made."

He, however, described as "hypothetical" as what the NC stand would be on the coalition Government’s pledge to revoke POTA and other special acts in the State.

"We will act only in favour of people," said Omar, whose party still enjoys a majority in the Upper House of the State Assembly. To repeal any act, any Government must have a two third majority. (PTI)

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