Killing at behest of Pak: Farooq
Thousands join Lone's funeral

Excelsior Correspondent

LOLAB, Sept 12: Thousands of mourners from Lolab and adjacent areas attended the funeral of Minister of State for Law Mushtaq Lone, who was assassinated by the terrorists here yesterday.

The mourners shouted slogans like "god is great and long live Mushtaq Lone".

The flower-bedecked coffin carrying the body was lowered into the grave with full state honours.

The mortal remains of Lone were laid to rest at his ancestral graveyard at Sogam this afternoon amid recitation of the verses from holy Quran.

Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Mr Omar Abdullah and senior ministers were among the large number of people who offered Fateh and bade adieu to the young minister who fell prey to the assassins bullets during an election rally in Tekipora, Lolab yesterday.

The departed minister was accorded state funeral and a police contingent presented guard of honour and reversed arms as a mark of respect to Mr Lone.

Earlier, the Chief Minister, Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Corps Commander, General Patankar and senior civil, police and army officers laid wreats on the coffin and prayed for peace to the departed soul.

The entire Sogam and its periphery wore a gloomy look as the people especially women were seen grieving the death of young leader.

The State Government had announced a 2-day mourning and closureof the Government offices and educational institutions on the demise of Mr Lone. Flags flied half-mast on all the Government buildings.

Meanwhile, blaming Pakistan for the killings and attacks on candidates, Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah today said its design to sabotage the poll process in Jammu and Kashmir would not be allowed to succeed.

The killings and attacks on the candidates are being carried out at the behest of Pakistan to disrupt the poll process, he told reporters here at the funeral of Mushtaq Ahmad Lone.

These killings and attacks will not change our resolve to go ahead with the poll process, he said.

As Abdullah was talking to reporters, militants started firing in the far away forests targeting security forces patrolling the area as four injured jawans were seen being carried away. However, there was no official comment on the casualties.

Security personnel of the dignitaries, including the NC chief Omar Abdullah and several State Ministers who were attending the funeral, ran to give cover to the VIPs.

Asked whether Lone’s killing was a security lapse, the Chief Minister replied in negative.

Asked whether there would be any probe into the killing of Lone, Farooq said "no ... Let us bury the body".

Meanwhile, Omar Abdullah president, National Conference said the dastardly killing of Mushtaq Lone cannot deter the National Conference from perusing its agenda of democracy, secularism and peace.

Addressing a mammoth election rally at Tangdhar alongwith Dr Farooq Abdullah, Omar said while people are suffering, the agents of Pakistan on the political horizon of the State are cosily sitting in USA or their homes without really bothering about the common man. He said the mindless killings of the innocents will stir any human mind but those so called representatives of Kashmir are not bothered as long as their personal vested interests are taken care of by their mentors in Pakistan.

The National Conference president sharply reacted to the statement of the state Congress president Ghulam Nabi Azad about NC’s involvement in the Surankote incident. He said its an irony that a party which has lost thousands of its workers at the alter of this war against terrorism and which has lost a minister yesterday is being accused of violence by a man who stays in Delhi and has no political standing in J&K. He said it was unfortunate that Azad who has realized that the Congress will be wiped out in these elections is now making reckless, irresponsible statements and playing politics on the death of innocent people. He said the Congressmen need to rise above the politics of cynical criticism and come out with an agenda for the welfare of the people.

Omar lambasted PDP and its leaders for their hypocrisy. He said, on the one hand they are participating in the elections and on the other they are toeing the line of the separatists . He said Mehbooba instead of blaming the National Conference Government, should come out in the open against the separatists and their masters in Pakistan who are waging a proxy war against the country and thereby making the innocent people of Kashmir suffer.

Earlier Dr. Farooq Abdullah Chief Minister, while addressing the same gathering said the killing of his Law Minister Mushtaq Ahmad Lone was an effort to derail the democratic process in Jammu & Kashmir. He said Pakistan was hell bent on denying the people of Kashmir the right to exercise their franchise without the fear of the gun, but they shall not succeed in their sinister designs.

Dr Farooq said the world community must in unison condemn such acts of violence and unitedly fight the menace of terrorism. He said the people of Kashmir have suffered a lot and unless the entire world identifies and isolates the perpetuator of terror in the region the violence will continue and the innocents will keep on dying. Farooq said Pakistan should be made accountable for the innocent lives lost in these years of terrorism.

The Chief Minister said the people must understand the designs of Pakistan and give them a befitting reply by upholding the democratic process in the State.

Later Dr. Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah attended the burial of the slain minister Mushtaq Ahmad Lone at his native village Sogam. They both paid rich tributes to the departed leader and expressed their sympathies with the bereaved family. Mushtaq Ahmad Lone’s body was laid to rest with full state honours in the presence of senior politicians and thousands of his wailing admirers.

PM meets Bush, discusses cross-border terrorism

NEW YORK, Sept 12: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today met US President George W Bush to discuss Pakistan’s continued support to cross-border terrorism and its sustained attempts to disrupt elections in Jammu and Kashmir through terrorist violence.

During his interaction with Bush, Vajpayee is understood to have emphasised the need for telling Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf in no uncertain terms that cross-border terrorism must come to an end for restoration of peace and normal ties between New Delhi and Islamabad.

Vajpayee, who was assisted by External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha, Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal and his Principal Secretary Brajesh Mishra, is believed to have drawn Bush’s attention to the sudden upsurge in violence in J and K ahead of the Assembly elections.

The meeting came a day after the gunning down of J and K Law Minister Mushtaq Ahmad Lone and National Conference candidate.

Economic and defence cooperation is also believed to have figured in the parleys ahead Musharraf’s meeting with Bush.

As regards the defence cooperation, the two countries had recently conducted joint military exercises in Agra and further exercises are planned in Alaska. They are also likely to go in for joint naval exercises soon.

India’s claim for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council in view of its size and population and contributions to the UN is also believed to have come up.

Bush in his second meeting with Vajpayee in one year apprised him about the broad contours of the road map for US relations with India including Washington’s desire to further consolidate the new momentum in bilateral ties. After the 35-minute meeting, an official spokesperson said regional issues including the situation in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq came up during the discussions.

The two leaders decided to explore expanding cooperation in the fields of space, diverse forms of energy, commerce and science.

Mishra had a meeting with National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice for discussions on these issues.

The spokesperson said the focus of the talks was on bilateral relations in the context of Vajpayee’s parleys with Bush in November last in Washington.

The two leaders noted the positive developments that have taken place in the areas of counter-terrorism and defence cooperation and felt that they should take full advantage of the changing situation.

They emphasised deepening of bilateral ties and strengthening a new strategic framework

The spokesperson said the atmosphere during the meeting was extremely friendly and Bush spoke time and again of his desire to see transformation and strengthening of Indo-US relations across the board in diverse ways. (PTI)

Two terrorists spotted in Mahamaya forests

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Sept 12: Two terrorists were spotted in Mahamaya forests last night after which a massive search operation was launched by police and para-military but the ultras remained untraced.

Police said a villager, who was returning to his house last night, was intercepted by two terrorists, carrying weapons. The terrorists warned him to leave the area immediately or otherwise he would be killed. The frightened civilian, whose identity has been kept secret, fled the forest immediately. He even lost his shoes in the forests.

The civilian informed police immediately. Strong contingents of police and para-military led by SP City (South) Raghubir Singh and SDPO East Sanjay Sharma rushed to the forests and started a search operation. Massive searches continued throughout the last night but the terrorists remained untraced.

Police said the surrounding forests have also been cordoned off to ensure that the terrorists didn’t manage to escape. Till late this evening when the reports last came in, the search operations were going on in several forests. However, the terrorists were not spotted again.

Police said they have every reason to believe the statement of the villagers about terrorists’ presence. "The way the civilian left the forests even leaving behind his shoes clearly indicated movement of the terrorists", they added.

The Mahamaya forests were linked with Raika forests, where two terrorists had taken shelter after killing 28 people and wounding 30 others in Rajiv Nagar on July 13. While one of the terrorists was eliminated by police, another was apprehended.

Populated villages around Mahamaya forests and Sidhra area have been alerted by police. Security arrangements have been further strengthened in the villages in anticipation of a terrorist strike, police sources said, adding ‘round-the-clock patrolling has been intensified in all sensitive areas’.

Narrow escape for Company Commander
3 injured in 5 attacks on BSF, CRPF teams in Rajouri

Excelsior Correspondent

RAJOURI, Sept 12: Terrorists tonight stepped-up attacks on security personnel targeting CRPF and BSF teams at five places late this evening in Rajouri town, Fatehpur and Thanna Mandi wounding three jawans. A Company Commander of CRPF had a narrow escape in one of the attacks.

Late tonight, a Sentry of a BSF camp near Panj Peer in the town opened firing after observing mysterious movement. Area was also lit up by the BSF jawans but there were no reports of any terrorist attack when the reports last came in.

Terrorists triggered an IED explosion in front of a CRPF Gypsy at Fatehpur, near here at 1715 hours today. The blast was engineered with a remote control device by the terrorists, reportedly hiding in the grown up maize crops,

The blast occurred just about 50 meters away from the CRPF Gypsy, which had been trapped in a ditch. The CRPF personnel opened firing aiming the terrorists in maize crops but the ultras managed to escape. The CRPF personnel including the Company Commander escaped unhurt in the attack, the sources said.

Enforcement of CRPF and police was rushed to the spot to carry out a search operation for the terrorists but they remained untraced.

Three patrol parties of CRPF came under firing and grenade attacks from the terrorists simultaneously at Palangar, Rajdhani and Pangai in Thanna Mandi at 1745 hours. Two CRPF jawans identified as Mukand Lal and Surya Dhar were injured in Pangai attack while another jawan, Satish Kumar was injured in Rajdhani.

All three injured were evacuated from the firing site and shifted to hospital.

In Palangar, the CRPF personnel were fired upon when they were taking a bath in a nullah. Immediate retaliatory firing by the CRPF jawans forced the terrorists to flee from the spot.

Our Udhampur correspondent adds: Security forces gunned down one terrorist in an encounter at village Sunlhi in Bhaderwah area of Doda district this morning. Slain terrorist has been identified as Asif.

According to official sources, a total of three terrorists were trapped by army and police but two of them managed to escape after Asif was killed. One AK-47 rifle, three magazines, 120 rounds and one pouch were recovered from the slain terrorist.

Security forces also defused a 30 kg weight IED in Pasnoti area of Doda this evening. A major catastrophe was averted with timely detection of the IED, which was defused by a Bomb Disposal Squad.

Security forces also arrested three suspects from Baghwan Mohalla in Kishtwar and recovered one Chinese made pistol, one magazine, 18 rounds, one web belt and one khaki berret cap from them. Arrested suspects have been identified as Mohd Hanief R/o Patnazi, Noor Mohd and Fateh Mohd of Bunjwa.

Arrested suspects were being questioned to ascertain their links with the terrorists.

Oust NC to end militancy: Azad
NC out to rig elections: Soni

Excelsior Correspondent

NOWSHERA/MENDHAR, Sept 12: AICC (I) general secretary Ambika Soni today apprehended that the ruling National Conference might rig the ensuing Assembly elections in the State as it was frustrated due to sharp decline in its vote bank.

"Sensing imminent defeat at the hustings, the NC could resort to rigging as had been done previously by them. The NC has also started terrorising the people by sponsoring terrorist activities on the Congress rallies", Soni said addressing election rallies in favour of party candidates Dr Romesh Sharma in Nowshera and Zafarullah in Mendhar.

She, however, appealed to the people not to get terrorised or misled by the NC campaign and turn-out in large number on September 16 to exercise their franchise and make the Congress candidate victorious. "The NC has been badly exposed before the people as it had failed to fulfill even a single promise made to the people", she said, asking the people not to trust the NC leaders any more.

Ms Soni claimed that the NC, the militants and the Pakistan Government had a common aim to ensure less polling.

"You all should give them a resounding no. Come out to vote on Monday," she said.

Pradesh Congress (I) Committee president Ghulam Nabi Azad told the gathering in Nowshera and Mendhar that the Centre had disallowed Ms Gandhi from visiting the two border towns apprehending militant strikes.

‘’You must have heard about the assassination of State Law Minister M A Lone in Lolab and the killing of 12 people, including security men, in Surankote yesterday,’’ Azad said.

He also told the gathering, which had waited for more than three hours for Ms Gandhi to arrive, that the Congress had already lost former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi due to terrorist violence and was not in favour of exposing its party president to any risk.

He directly accused the Farooq Abdullah Government of yesterday’s militant attack in Surankote in which Azad and Soni had a miraculous escape, saying that the National Conference was trying to threaten its political opponents.

The attack happened when Soni and Azad had landed in Surankote town to address a public meeting.

"If you want to remove militancy from Jammu and Kashmir then you will have to route out the Farooq Abdullah Government," he added.

The PCC chief also claimed that the NC was using money power to wean away Congress MLAs who had won Assembly seats from the region in the 1996 election.

The meeting was held amid unprecedented security in view of yesterday’s attempt by the terrorists on the life of Azad and Ambika Soni. Army helicopters scoured the surrounding hills in search of possible militants.

Security men were seen on virtually every hill surrounding this town, barely five-km from the Line of Control (LoC). Visitors’ identity cards were being checked as they entered the city and as far away as Siot, 20-km from the town.

Nowshera is the least sensitive part of the Rajouri district. Only eleven of a total 80 polling booths here have been declared sensitive.

In comparison, nearby Darhal constituency has just one "normal" booth. Sixty-two polling booths have been declared hyper-sensitive and 20 as sensitive in Darhal.

Militants violence up as Pak worried over
J&K elections: Advani

JAIPUR, Sept 12: Virtually blaming Pakistan for the upsurge in militant violence in Jammu and Kashmir, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani today said Islamabad was worried that the results of Assembly elections would go against its design of proxy war in India.

"Pakistan is worried that the election results in Jammu and Kashmir would create a decisive situation before the world community .... That would go against its design of proxy war against India," he said addressing the concluding session of the two-day north zone regional camp of BJP functionaries here.

Advani said Pakistan has gone back on its assurance to stop infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir.

The infiltration of terrorists had reduced in May and June but it again increased in July and August culminating in a big spurt this month because Pakistan feared that successful elections in Jammu and Kashmir would consolidate world opinion against it, Advani said.

He said the killing of Law Minister Mushtaq Ahmad Lone yesterday was an assualt on the democratic electoral process in the State.

The border district of Kupwara, where there had been a tremendous response of the people to the election process, the Pakistan supported terrorists have struck the most, Advani added.

He said the realisation by the world community about the gravity of the situation after the terrorist attack in United States on September 11 last year would help our efforts but India would have to fight cross-border terrorism on its own strength.

Advani said a massive campaign had been launched in the country to demolish networks of Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence through which Islamabad had been waging its proxy war after its deafeat in conventional war in 1971.

Stating that 150 ISI centres had already been demolished in different parts of the country, he asked the BJP cadres to keep a vigil on the activities of suspected ISI agents in their areas and inform the security agencies.

Earlier, the Deputy Prime Minister told reporters that the terrorist strikes in Jammu and Kashmir were aimed at terrorising the people of the troubled State who are participating in the election process enthusiastically.

He said it was significant that the terrorists chose the anniversary of September 11 attack on the World Trade Centre and Pentagon in the US to strike in Jammu and Kashmir.

Advani said the BJP spokesman Arun Jaitly has aptly described the Assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir as a battle between democracy and terrorism. (PTI)

Div Comm, IGP reviews law & order
Surankote attack toll 16
*BSP candidate thrashed, deserts Rajouri

Excelsior Correspondent

RAJOURI, Sept 12: Death toll in yesterday’s terrorist attack in Surankote today went upto 16 with two more BSF jawans succumbing to their injuries in a Military Hospital while a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate and his PSO were seriously injured when they were thrashed by an army officer. After the incident, the BSP candidate suspended his campaigning and left for Jammu.

Official sources said two BSF jawans S C Rai and Haman Sai of 63 battalion, who were seriously injured in terrorists’ strike in Surankote City yesterday afternoon, succumbed to their injuries in Military Hospital at Draba, Surankote today.

With this, death toll in the attack had gone upto 16. They included 12 security personnel, two civilians and two terrorists.

As reported, four terrorists in army uniforms had struck in Surankote City as soon as two senior Congress (I) leaders—Ambika Soni and Ghulam Nabi Azad landed there to address an election rally. Both these leaders had a narrow escape in the attack.

Divisional Commissioner, Jammu Anil Goswami and Inspector General of Police (IGP), Jammu Zone, Pitambar Lal Gupta flew-in to Surankote town today and met prominent citizens and police officers. The IGP directed police officers to make adequate security arrangements in and around Surankote town to restore a sense of confidence among the frightened people.

Panic-stricken people and shopkeepers in Surankote town had fled to their houses soon after the terrorists first ever strike in the town. Even today morning, very few shopkeepers turned up to open their business establishments.

Later, the Divisional Commissioner and IGP Jammu reviewed arrangements for stay and security of Punjab Government officials, who had been deployed on election duty in Poonch and Rajouri districts.

Meanwhile, BSP candidate for Rajouri Manzoor Choudhary and his PSO were slapped by an army officer outside a BSP election office at Gujjar Mandi this morning. The BSP candidate was also reported to have retaliated.

In the melee, the escort of army officer tried to pack up the BSP candidate in their vehicle. In the meantime, a CRPF escort of the BSP candidate also reached there and briefed army officer that the person they were thrashing was a contestant. Army personnel then left the spot.

Injured BSP candidate alongwith a large number of supporters held a demonstration at Gujjar Mandi and marched to Deputy Commissioner’s office in Rajouri shouting slogans against security forces. Army’s Station Commander and DC Rajouri K A Khan persuaded the protesters to call of their demonstration. However, the demonstrators suspended their agitation only after a First Information Report (FIR) was lodged against the army officer.

But, the BSP candidate decided to suspend his campaigning and left for Jammu after the incident.

Lolab to go to polls on Oct 8

NEW DELHI, Sept 12: The Election Commission is understood to have decided to hold elections on October 8 to the Lolab Assembly constituency, from where Jammu and Kashmir Minister Mushtaq Ahmed Lone, who was a candidate, was killed in a terrorist attack yesterday.

EC sources said election to that constituency is likely to be held along with other constituencies going to polls in the 4th phase of polling.

The election to that constituency was countermanded yesterday with the death of Lone, who was seeking re-election from that constituency.

Lone, a Minister in the Farooq Abdullah Ministry, was killed by militants in a grenade attack and gun fire at an election rally in Kupwara district.

According to earlier schedule, Lolab was to go to polls on September 16, the first phase of the four-phased Assembly polls in the State.(PTI)

Massive combing operations directed before J&K polls

NEW DELHI, Sept 12: In a determined bid to prevent militants from disrupting election process in Jammu and Kashmir, security forces have been directed to launch massive combing operations to sanitise conditions for the voting.

The Army and para-military forces have been directed to launch major search and destroy operations of militant hideouts, particularly in the areas in the vicinity of the Line of Control.

Plans to launch these wide-scale operations were decided at the meeting of the Unified Command in Srinagar today which was chaired by Defence Minister George Fernandes, official sources here said.

The anti-insurgency Kilo Force operating in Kupwara, victor force operating in south Kashmir, Romeo Force in Rajouri and Delta force in Doda have been asked to undertake proactive actions in order to neutralise Pakistani mercenaries bent on disrupting electioneering.

Defence experts here attributed the sudden spurt in level of violence, including the killing of State Law Minister Mushtaq Ahmad Lone, to the Army moving most of its forces in the valley close to the Line of Control. (PTI)

Hurriyat hints at US pressure

NEW DELHI, Sept 12: Hurriyat Conference today virtually admitted US pressure on it and Pakistan to resolve the Kashmir issue.

"I will not like to term it as a pressure and it is not the right word to use. Instead we can call it an effort to make the countries to have a balanced approach in resolving Kashmir issue," Hurriyat chairman Abdul Gani Bhat told PTI when asked whether he was admitting that there was US pressure to resolve the Kashmir issue.

He went on to claim that it was the American policy which would decide whether Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf would be meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

Asked whether the amalgam had any ray of hope from the ongoing UN Assembly, Bhat said "it all depends on how the United States chooses to engage both of them."

Bhat, who has been camping in the Capital for last four days, said finally both New Delhi and Islamabad would have to come to the table to resolve the issue and the "sooner it will be, the better for the entire South Asia."

Asked whether on their return, the amalgam leaders would continue with their "poll boycott" campaign, a seemingly irritated Bhat said "well, we will see. It is not a boycott campaign but an exercise to make people aware about the futility of these elections."

It may be mentioned here that the United States has been pressing the Hurriyat Conference not to issue a poll boycott call saying that such a move was against the essence of democracy.

During his stay in the Capital, Bhat met officials of the German and Holland Embassies while another senior executive member of the Hurriyat Mirwaiz Umer Farooq met the US Embassy officials.

The Hurriyat delegation comprising Bhat, JKLF acting chief Javed Ahmed Mir and Jamaat-e-Islami Ali Mohammed Sheikh, also visited Pakistan High Commission and sought their help in faciltating the Kashmir Committees from India and Pakistan to meet.

Asked whether the meetings with foreign diplomats were a part of an offensive against New Delhi, Bhat said "we don’t believe in any offensive. We were only apprising them of the present situation in the State."

Referring to his move for seeking the help of Pakistan in facilitating a meeting between the two Kashmir Committees of India and Pakistan, Bhat said "I am sure that there will be a good response from Islamabad."

"When our meeting with Kashmir Committee led by Ram Jethmalani was fruitful, we were sure that the support from Pakistani Committee will also be encouraging," he said.

Bhat refused to be drawn into any controversy over the statement of the Mirwaiz that autonomy was also an option for solution of the Kashmir issue and said "I cannot comment on his behalf as I do not know in which context my colleauge had stated it". (PTI)

Unified Hqrs review situation

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Sept 12: A meeting of the Unified Command, attended by Defence Minister George Fernandes and Jammu and Kashmir Governor and Chief Minister, today reviewed the security situation in the State, besides discussing measures to thwart attempts by militant outfits to disrupt the poll process, official sources said.

The two-hour meeting was held in the backdrop of killing of State Law Minister Mushtaq Ahmad Lone and 15 others in militancy-related activities yesterday.

Besides Fernandes, Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah and Governor G C Saxena, Commander of the 15 corps, Director General of BSF and high-level Home Ministry officials also attended the meeting, the sources said.

Fernandes flew in here last evening, following the killing of Lone.

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