Boot-legger
shot dead Excelsior Special Correspondent SRINAGAR, Dec 14: In a glaring setback for security forces and all counter-insurgent agencies in Kashmir, militants have launched simultaneous grenade and firing attacks at the Hajan residence of the Valley’s counter-insurgency King Kukka Parray and a major camp of the pro-India guerrilla outfit ‘Ikhwan’ at Anantnag town besides the residence of SP Operations Pulwama Mr Ghulam Mohammad Dar At Janbanzpora, Baramulla. In other militancy-related incidents, a liquor and narcotics dealer has been gunned down in the capital city here while as a highly-decomposed dead body has been recovered in Kulgam. Special Operations Group (SOG) of J&K Police claimed to have apprehended yet another group of militants who had been active for the last several years. With the authorities celebrating the ‘last round’ of Kashmir insurgency, militants during last night demonstrated their manoeuvrability while knocking at the door of counter-insurgent agencies and conducting a simultaneous attacks on the residences of the pro-India Ikhwan patriarch Kukka Parray as well as SP SOG Pulwama besides an Ikhwan camp at Anantnag town. Even as there has been insignificant damage at the targeted structures and premises materially, the series of attacks has come as a major psychological blow for all nationalist elements and counter-insurgent forces in Kashmir valley. Informed sources told EXCELSIOR that at 0220 hours, pro-Pakistan militants ventured deep into the Valley’s counter-insurgency capital at Hajan and fired three rockets, one after another, on the residential house of the former Ikhwan supremo and now J&K Awami League MLA Mohammad Yusuf Parray alias Kukka Parray. As the rockets hit the compound wall and other exterior portions of the premises, militants showered volleys of automatic fire. The CRPF platoon guarding Parray’s house retaliated the fire. However, there was no casualty from either side as all the militants managed to escape. Reports said that Parray was present at his home alongwith his family members. None of them was injured. Under the impact of the rockets, the compound wall was damaged and window-panes of Parray’s house were shattered into pieces. It is first time in the 4-year life of the pro-India Ikhwan-ul-Muslimoon that separatist militants have been able to make inroads into Kukka Parray’s domain and launched a major rocket attack. While as Hajan-Sumbal-Ganderbal-Bandipora belt remained under the near-total control of Parray’s Ikhwan from 1994 to 1996, pro-Pakistan militants have staged a come-back during the 2-year rule of National Conference and eliminated a large number of SPOs, Ikhwan members, NC activists and other nationalist elements. Early this year, Ikhwan’s 5-member top-brass was wiped out in a landmine explosion near Sumbal. In Baramulla district again, militants fired upon the residence of SP Operations Pulwama Mr Ghulam Mohammad Dar at Janbazpora. Police guard posted at the house retaliated the fire. However, there was no damage from either side as all the militants managed to escape safely. While as Mr Dar was reportedly in Pulwama, all of his family members were present at their home when militants struck late last night. Over a year back, Dar was the first Kashmiri Muslim in J&K Police force who volunteered to conduct the counter-insurgency operations, that time in Kupwara district. Sources said that at 0210 hours, during last night, militants also conducted a rocket attack on Ikhwan’s Jehangir Camp at Janglat Mandi in the south Kashmir capital town of Anantnag. Rockets, followed by automatic firing from a close range, hit a portion of the targeted building which caught fire. Alarmed Ikhwan cadres extinguished the flames quickly. Militants struck at the sanitised district headquarters hours after security forces eliminated 6 Hizbul Mujahideen and Harkat-ul-Mujahideen guerrillas in two major operations at Saleh and Yasu villages. Last evening, militants also fired upon a police picket at Zaloora, Sopore. The fire was returned and there was no damage from either side. Meanwhile, militants today struck in the downtown locality of Bahaud-din Sahib, Nowhatta, and fired pistol shots on Mohammad Sadiq Misgar alias Pacha of Sangeen Darwaza, Hawal. With critical injuries he was rushed to Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences Soura (SKIMS) where he succumbed in the afternoon. SSP Srinagar Raja Ajaz Ali told EXCELSIOR that Misgar was a released militant who had been dealing in the illegal business of liquor and narcotics after his release from jail 4 years ago. He had been apprehended by police at least four times for the last two years but each time he was released on bail. Reports available from Kulgam said that police recovered a highly-decomposed dead body of Manzoor Ahmed Shah son of Tahir Ahmed Shah resident of Churhat, Qazigund, who had been missing from his home for the last 22 days. Meanwhile, the two militants killed by security forces at Balia, Ashmuqam, last evening, have been identified as Nisar Ahmed Sofi alias Sajid son of Mohammad Ramzan Sofi, resident of Salar and Firdaus Ahmed Bhat alias Shahid son of Mohammad Ramzan Bhat, R/o Sirigufwara. Identities of the four militants killed at Yasu, Achhabal, were still being ascertained though a Defence spokesman identified three of them as Abu Manzoor, Mohammad Yaqoob and Abu Shahid of Pakistan. All the four were now believed to be Pakistani nationals. In the operation at Yasu, one RR jawan also got killed and another sustained injuries. Residential house of Abdul Gani Bhat and cowshed of Mohammad Akbar Ganai also gutted in the encounter. At Salia, one civilian namely Ab Rasheed Shah son of Ab Rehman Shah had got injured. Meanwhile, SOG Srinagar today claimed to have apprehended Javed Ahmed Dar of Tengpora, Batmaloo, Mohammad Azad Khan of Batmaloo, Mohammad Yaqoob Bhat of Batmaloo and Tahir Hussain Mir of Rambagh. They were described as militants of Hizbul Mujahideen as a quantity of arms and ammunition was claimed recovered from their possession. Farooq Ahmed Dar of Kawdara and Ali Mohammad Ahangar, who were allegedly the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen conduits in the fake-currency racket, were also claimed arrested. Sources said that counterfeit currency worth Rs 90,000 was recovered from their possession. |
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JK Bank branch inaugurated Excelsior Special Correspondent MOGA PUNJAB, Dec 14: The Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah has ruled out third party meditation for solving pending issues between India and Pakistan and said the talks on Kashmir should be held as per Simla Agreement. Talking to mediapersons here today on the opening of 381st branch of Jammu and Kashmir Bank, the Chief Minister said that Pakistan has failed to mobilise International support and hoped that two countries would sit together to sort out their pending issues. All countries have impressed upon Pakistan for bilateral talks with India, he added. The Chief Minister said that Pakistan was pushing mercenaries in Jammu and Kashmir to create trouble but the people here are determined to frustrate their evil designs. He assailed Pakistan for aiding and abetting militancy and killing innocent people. He said that they cannot snatch even an inch of Kashmir which has tied its fate with India 50th Years ago. He said lot many people had to flee their homes and hearths from Kashmir in the wake of militancy. They included both Hindus and Muslims who had to take refuge as migrants in Jammu and elsewhere in the country. He said two communities are living in amity and brotherhood and want peace in the State. On return of the Kashmiri migrants, the Chief Minister said a sense of confidence is to be instilled among them for ensuring their ‘‘honourable and safe return’’ instead of pressurising them. He gave the measures taken by the Government for safeguarding the property of the migrants in the Valley. To another question on nuclear test, the Chief Minister said that it had become necessary for updating and upgrading nuclear technology of India and protecting its sovereignty. He said India is a peace loving country and will not wage war against any country. However, the country cannot make any compromise on its defence requirements, he added. The Chief Minister said that the State, which has undergone a traumatic phase of militancy and suffered colosal infrastructural damages, needs funds for rebuilding damaged assets and speedy development. He said he is looking forward to the proposed meeting with the Vice Chairman, Planning Commission for liberal financial support to the State in view of its special needs which include beefing up of security set up and accelerating the pace of development. Dr Abdullah said the State is heading towards peace and normalcy. This year over a lakh visitors visited the Valley and over 1.50 lakh pilgrims, against expected 75,000, had darshan at the Amarnath cave. He hoped that more and more people will visit the Valley next summer when the plains in the rest of the country become hotter. Earlier, speaking at a function after the inauguration of 381st branch of Jammu and Kashmir Bank, Dr Abdullah today advocated for decentralisation of powers saying that the strong States are imperative for a stable Centre. The Chief Minister said weak States can never make New Delhi stronger and giving them more power is essential for the expeditious development of the country. He said, Jammu and Kashmir is demanding greater autonomy within the ambit of the Constitution and this should not be construed as an attempt to weaken the relations of the State with the Centre. ‘‘We are a proud part of India’’, he added and said that the report of the State Autonomy Panel would come soon. He said, every State has peculiar problems and it is in this backdrop that the powers should not be centralised at Delhi. The Chief Minister assailed Pakistan for pushing in mercenaries of different countries to Jammu and Kashmir for shedding the blood of innocents in Udhampur, Doda, Poonch, Rajouri and Kashmir valley. Pakistan, he said, is punishing Kashmiri Muslims for their wise decision of acceding to India in 1947 but they should understand that their no machination can dampen the spirit of the patriotic people of the State. ‘‘We will overcome all our difficulties like our brethren in Punjab who too have suffered like us’’, he declared. Dr Abdullah said Pakistan is creating trouble in many States like Himachal after perpetrating violence in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir but they will not succeed in their evil designs. The people of Jammu and Kashmir have faced all challenges with courage and fortitude and frustrated all attempts of the enemy. If Pakistan thinks that by killing Farooq Abdullah or sending mercenaries into the State, they can take Kashmir then they are wrong. ‘‘They may get stars from skies but not even an inch of Kashmir’’, he said amidst cheers. He said, despite being Muslim majority State, the people of Jammu and Kashmir tied their fate with secular India. The Chief Minister complimented the people of Punjab for bravely fighting terrorism and bringing back the State on rails. Once a prosperous State saw lot of devastation and destruction, he said while recalling the day in 1982 when he had said at a public meeting that if Punjab is engulfed by militancy, Kashmir too will not escape its effects. He said Pakistan, no doubt, has been able to create problems for us but in return they are spoling their own country. He advised her to desist from aiding and abetting terrorism on Indian soil. Terrorism, he said, took toll of precious human lives, caused devastation and many people had to leave their homes and hearths for safety of their life in various of the country. Pakistan has never been a well wisher of the people of Kashmir, he observed saying that is why that country has stalled the Tulbul Navigational Lock Project depriving the State of its power potential. As a result of Pakistan's objection, the State does not make optimum use of Uri hydel project, generation of which has come down to just 100 MWs due to dwindled water level in Jhelum river. He said he has already requested the Centre for review of Indus-Water Treaty. Referring to the power requirement of Jammu and Kashmir, the Chief Minister hoped that the State would get adequate power supply from Punjab and a meeting about which among four northern States is scheduled soon. He also hoped that J&K will get water from Ravi Thien Dam for its lift irrigation project as agreed to by Sher-i-Kashmir and Mr Prakash Singh Badal several years ago. About the J&K Bank branch at Moga, Dr Abdullah hoped that it will be beneficial for the people of Moga. He asked the Bank to play its role in the economy of Moga which is a major Mandi of wheat and paddy in Asia. He hoped that the banks would simplify their procedures for benefitting the business community. The Chairman, Jammu and Kashmir Bank, Mr Mohammad Yousf Khan, in his welcome address, said the Moga branch is 12th branch of the bank in Punjab. He said, the banks operations, confined to the State only till 1970, have now spread across the country through a network of 75 branches. He said the bank established in 1938 ranks one amongst the best 500 banks of Asian region and is also ranked amongst the first 2000 banks of the world ahead of many public and private sector banks of the country. Giving the stutus of the financial strength of the bank, Mr Khan said, it has since achieved capital adequacy ratio much higher than the minimum level of 8% stipulated by the Reserve Bank of India for all banks. The J&K Bank's ratio stands at 20.48%. The capital and reserves of the bank have recorded a substantial increase to Rs 388.59 crores as at the end of September this year. It is in view of its sound financial health that the RBI has ranked it as No. 1 in their last year's survey of major commercial banks of the country in the area of financial management. The Chairman said the total turnover of the bank has crossed Rs 7000 crores at the end of March 1998 and plans are afoot to take it to Rs 10,000 crores by this financial year end. Mr D S Rana, a Director of the Bank and a large number of people including local businessmen were present at the inaugural ceremony. Civilian dies in
firing Excelsior Correspondent RAJOURI, Dec 14: Army today gunned down two hardcore militants, who happened to be the Pakistani nationals, during an encounter at village Rujdhaw in Thanna Mandi area of this district while a civilian was killed in Pakistan firing on the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch. According to a Defence spokesman, the Army personnel launched a seek and destroy operation after sealing Rujdhaw area on a specific information about the presence of militants given by SSP Rajouri Mr Hemant Lohia. The spokesman said Army jawans noticed a group of militants at about 0730 hours moving in hilly areas through the civilian houses. Militants made an unsuccessful attempt to take cover of civilians and escape from the area. Troops opened firing aiming the militants. The encounter between the two sides continued for more than an hour in which both dreaded Pakistan-trained militants were gunned down by the Army personnel. There was no casualty on Army or civilian side in the encounter due to restraint exercised by the Army personnel during the encounter, which culminated successfully. Bodies of both the militants have been recovered by the Army from the encounter site and handed over to local police. The slain militants have been identified as Mohd Harun son of Alla Dad Khan and Mohammad Sahil son of Qurban Hussain, both Pakistani nationals and activists of Lashkar-e-Toiba militant outfit. Two AK-47 rifles, eight magazines, 37 live rounds, one Yasu radio set and six hand grenades and some incriminating documents were recovered from the possession of slain militants. The spokesman said the slain militants were part of a group involved in planting of seven Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) on Mora Bashai-Mahrot road on December 9 and killing of a woman Sugana Bee wife of Inayat Hussain on December 10 at Faisalabad in Surankote area of Poonch district. Army was hunting for this group of the militants for last five days and finally eliminated both of them after receiving a report about their presence in the area. The spokesman said the killings of the militants were made possible due to relentless operation carried out by the battle hardy troops in rugged terrain and inclement weather. Similar operations to eliminate other militant groups were going on in different areas, he added. He said so far, security forces have killed 54 hardcore militants in Rajouri district and adjoining areas firing past one and a half month. Most of them were foreign mercenaries involved in a series of killings, kidnappings, extortions and rapes. Meanwhile, a civilian was killed in Pakistan firing on the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district yesterday, reports received here today said. Reports said the civilian sustained serious injuries in Pak firing while moving towards his house on the LoC. He succumbed to his injuries on way to hospital. Businessman’s kin held in car lifting case Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 14: The Crime Branch of Jammu police have arrested son of a prominent businessman of the City for his alleged association with a gang of care lifters. The Crime Branch officials were tight-lipped over the arrest and declined to elaborate on the ground that they had received instructions from higher ups to ‘go slow’ since the businessman happened to be a close relative of a prominent politician of Jammu. However, reliable sources told EXCELSIOR that teen-aged boy of the businessman was taken into custody by the Crime Branch after prima-facie it was established that he was associated with the car lifters’ gang and had also purchased a car from them. The car has been seized by the investigating team. Sources said the investigating team of Crime Branch had already seized a couple of stolen cars from two other persons, who were also arrested earlier but were bailed out. They said the Crime Branch authorities were under "tremendous pressure" from some quarters including their own higher-ups to hush up the case and don’t disclose any details to the media since the arrested boy belonged to an "influential family" of Jammu. A senior officer of Crime Branch, connected with the investigations when contacted, admitted the arrest of the boy but said he has been directed by a top officer of the Branch not to share details with the media and ‘go slow’ in the case. The officer apprehended that he even might be forced by the higher-up to release the boy after questioning and recovery of the stolen vehicle. He said the boy during questioning has confessed his association with the car lifters. Some more clues could be extracted if the boy was interrogated thoroughly, he added. Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 14: One person was killed in heavy firing by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch, Kargil and Siachen sectors of Jammu and Kashmir last night, official reports said here today. The reports said Abdul Aziz of Kasba village in Surankote was killed in the firing in Poonch. Indian troops retaliated to the firing in Siachen and Kargil sectors of Ladakh region, they said. SOG repulses attack
on picket Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 14: The Special Task Force (STF) today achieved a big success when they gunned down two hardcore militants of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit at Chaler Chinyas in Gandoh tehsil of Doda district. Official sources said the STF personnel raided a militants’ hideout after getting a tip off from local people about the presence of local militants’ in the area. Militants resorted to heavy firing on STF jawans and tried to escape from the hideout. The STF personnel, who had surrounded the hideout, retaliated and gunned down both the militants in an hour long encounter. The STF jawans didn’t suffer any casualty in the encounter. Bodies of both the slain militants were recovered from the spot but their identity hadn’t been established so far. The duo was stated to be local. Some documents recovered from the hideout were being studied to establish their identity. Documents showed that they were affiliated with Hizbul Mujahideen outfit. A large quantity of arms and ammunition including two rifles have been recovered from their possession. Meanwhile, militants attacked a picket of Special Operations Group (SOG) in Shiva area of Doda district last night but the attack was repulsed by SOG personnel after a fierce encounter. A police spokesman said a big group of militants numbering around 20 and comprising some foreign mercenaries attacked SOG picket at Shiva at about 2300 hours last night. The SOG personnel, who were maintaining a strict vigil at the picket in anticipation of militants’ attack, took position and returned the firing. Militants used heavy fire arms and sophisticated explosive devices during their attack on the picket, which was carried out from atop a hill. The SOG personnel effectively retaliated and forced militants to flee from the spot after more than one and a half hour long gun-battle. There was no casualty on SOG side in the encounter though some bullets landed around their picket. In the meantime, reinforcement of security forces and police also rushed to the spot and launched search operations in the area. But, the reports said, militants had managed to escape towards mountainous areas taking advantage of darkness. Searches were going on in the area to eliminate militants but no success has been achieved so far. Police have also taken the assistance of Army and security forces in the search operation in view of large number of militants including foreign mercenaries’ presence in the area. Meanwhile, unidentified militants attacked a Retired Captain Abdul Qarim near his house in Shiva area at 1945 hours last night when he was moving towards his house. The Captain sustained two bullets on his persons and fell unconscious. Militants managed to escape from the spot. After sometime, police and local people rushed to the spot and shifted the injured Captain to district hospital of Doda where his condition was stated to be critical. Police carried out searches in the area but militants responsible for attempt on Captain’s life remained untraced. Their identity has also not been established so far. Women’s Bill tabled amid bedlam NEW DELHI, Dec 14: Amid unruly scenes and a spate of adjournments, the controversial Constitution Amendment Bill seeking 33 per cent reservation for women in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies was today introduced in the Lok Sabha. As the agitated Rashtriya Janata Dal, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party members continued their tirade against the legislation, K Yerran Naidu, presiding officer, adjourned the House for the day more than an hour ahead of the schedule. Slogan-shouting members demanding quota for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and minorities in the 84th Constitution Amendment Bill repeatedly stormed the well stalling the proceedings five times. Quoting rules, the members complained that procedures had been violated by the Government while introducing the bill saying nothing could be heard in the din and that the House was not in order. Even before Law Minister M Thambi Durai got up to introduce the measure, these members were in the well shouting "Mahila bill wapas lo" (take back the women’s reservation bill). As soon as Durai rose to introduce the bill in the midst of pandemonium, members from treasury benches, Left Parties and Congress thumped their desks loudly to greet the measure. Soon after the storm over Mamata Banerjee’s issue subsided with Speaker G M C Balayogi condemning Friday’s clash between her and SP member Daroga Prasad Saroj and referring the matter to the privileges committee, SP, RJD and BSP members rushed to well protesting introduction of the measure listed for the day. The SP and RJD members were up in arms against Banerjee’s misbehaviour with Saroj and jointly gave a notice of breach of privilege to the Speaker demanding termination of her membership. In retaliation, Trinamool Congress gave a similar notice to the Speaker seeking action against Saroj for hurling blows on Banerjee. Trouble began soon after the House assembled this morning with SP and RJD members firm on their demand for action against Banerjee. After five minutes, the House was adjourned. When the House re-assembled at 1300 hours, the plea by Yerran Naidu, who was in the chair, to maintain calm went unheeded forcing him to adjourn the proceedings for another hour. As the House met again at 1400 hours, the Speaker gave his ruling on Friday’s incident and said he had sought a time-bound report from the privileges committee. In the midst of continuing turmoil, Law Minister introduced the controversial Women’s Bill which says reserved seats may be allotted by rotation to different constituencies. There was no let-up in the unrelenting attitude of the members opposed to the legislation and the House witnessed two more adjournments before the chair calling it a day. (PTI) Pandemonium in RS over Sena member’s remark against Dilip NEW DELHI, Dec 14: The Rajya Sabha witnessed pandemonium for over 30 minutes today when Shiv Sena member Sanjay Nirupam called film actor Dilip Kumar a Pakistani. Members were so agitated over the remark that almost the entire opposition trooped into the well of the House and demanded withdrawal of the remark and apology from the member. Even Chairman Krishan Kant was highly perturbed, and said that use of such a remark is not only an indignity to this House but to the entire country. He said the member had given a bad name to the House and the country by using this type of bad language and asked his apology failing which action would be taken. However, refusing to withdraw his remarks, Nirupam repeated I have not called any member of the House a Pakistani. But Dilip Kumar has received Nishan-e-Pakistan, the highest award of that country, and he is a Pakistani. This triggered a volley of protests from opposition with Left Party and Rashtriya Loktantrik Morcha (RLM) members rushing into the well. The chair then abruptly adjourned the House five minutes ahead of lunch. The issue came up when Vyalar Ravi (Cong) and others raised through a special mention the reported demonstration by semi-nude Shiv Sena activists before Dilip Kumar’s house in Mumbai to protest against the veteran film actor supporting the controversial film Fire highlighting lesbian relation. Dilip, along with others, had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Supreme Court requesting that the screening of the film should not be banned. Raising the matter after Question Hour, Ravi said no civilised society would tolerate attempts to gag the freedom of expression. As soon as the senior Congress member complained about the demonstration before the residence of Dilip Kumar, Nirupam was heard asking is it wrong to hold a demonstration? Nirupam was immediately shouted down by a number of opposition members who chanted shame, shame when Ravi referred to the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting M A Naqvi reportedly defending the demonstration by the Shiv Sena. Ravi alleged Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray was holding Mumbai metropolis to ransom by disrupting public screening of the film and threatening not to allow Pakistani cricketers to play in the city. This was strongly objected to by BJP and Shiv Sena members who said that since Thackeray was not a member of the House, he would not be discussed. Vijay Kumar Malhotra (BJP) said they were not against freedom of expression but opposed to portrayal of lesbian relationship in the film. Not only this but the two main women characters in the film had been named as Sita and Radha, the sacred names for the vast Hindu majority, he added. By portraying Hindu womanhood in bad light and naming them after the worshipable Hindu religious personalities, the film makers have insulted the enire Hindu community, he said. Mr Vijay Kumar Malhotra (BJP) said the Congress and Leftist members were in the habit of adopting double standards and his party would continue to oppose any attack on Hinduism and Indian cultural traditions. He said he was not objecting to what was shown in the film Fire but one of the women named was Radha who was revered all over the country. Mr Malhotra said the Congress and Left Parties had defended painter M F Hussain who had painted Sita in the nude, and wondered if it was a fashion to abuse Hindus and their culture. (UNI) Group clash, arson claim 7 lives PURNEA (BIHAR), Dec 14: At least seven people were burnt alive and six received multiple burn injuries in an incident of arson following group clashes at Nikhrel village of Purnea district last night. District Magistrate Deepak Kumar Singh told newspersons today that trouble started when residents of tribal Tola of Nikhrel village injured one person with arrows while he was tilling his land. They later set his tractor ablaze and threw him into the flames causing his instant death yesterday. In retaliation, the residents of the village, raided and set afire the tribal Tola reducing 75 houses to ashes. Six people died and as many received multiple burn injuries, Mr Singh said. Among the dead were three children, two women and one unidentified boy. The injured were admitted to Purnea Sadar Hospital. According to Superintendent of Police R S Bhatti, the main accused of the incident have been arrested and one platoon of the Central Reserve Police Force posted in the village to maintain law and order. (UNI) Gold biscuits worth over Rs 50 lakh seized KOZHIKODE, Dec 14: In a swift operation, the special customs preventive unit here has seized gold biscuits worth Rs 52 lakh in two separate cases. Two persons were arrested in this connection on December 12, Assistant Commissioner, Customs, Radha- krishnan, told today. While K Sukumaran of Feroke near here was arrested for smuggling in 59 gold biscuits worth Rs 30 lakh through the Karipur airport, K P Abdul Nasser of Kodencheri in Malappuram district was nabbed by the team when he was on his way home from Riyadh via Mumbai, Radhakrishnan said. Fifty gold biscuits worth Rs 22 lakh were recovered from Nasser’s possession which was concealed in an emergency lamp and a cassette recorder in his luggage, Radhakrishnan said, adding that Nasser was already cleared by the customs at the Mumbai International Airport where he had arrived from Riyadh. During interrogation, Nasser confessed that he was a carrier operating on behalf of some agents for payment of Rs 50,000, Radhakrishnan added. (PTI) Pakistan delegate calls for solving Kashmir through talks NEW DELHI, Dec 14: A senior functionary of Murtaza Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party today appealed to the leadership in India and Pakistan to sink their differences and let the people in the sub-continent live in peace. "Pakistan should respect India as its elder brother and India should love Pakistan as its younger brother. Circumstances have separated the two brothers," Mr Khalid Mahmood Qureshi, General Secretary of the Pakistan People’s Party—Shahid Bhutto (PPP-SB) said here. Mr Qureshi, who was in the capital to attend the two-day international conference on terrorism, told that common man in Pakistan wanted to have friendly relations with people in India. But political leaderships with vested interests wanted otherwise. "The world has seen the dismantling of berlin wall. A common european currency is coming up and the world in entering a new millennium. Under such circumstances, the two countries should also forget their differences and promote each other’s economies." As a first step, he said, visa system between the two countries should be abolished. At present only 50 or 60 visas were given a day. The number should be increased to at least to 1000. Mr Qureshi said he was "harassed" by Pakistani authorities while coming to India for participating in the conference. His papers and documents, including visiting cards, diaries and the paper he was to present at the conference, were seized by Pakistani authorities and he was interrogated for three hours. "Such deliberate harassment should stop," he said. Accusing the United States of spreading terrorism in South Asia for its own vested interests the PPP leader said the US had created the Taliban to keep developments in Afghanistan under check. He said Taliban could also be present in Kashmir and it was known to the US. But they chose to remain silent because it suited them. "They have double-standards for their allies and others. They never want any Government in a developing country to be stable." He said the CIA had an office in Peshawar from where it controlled developments in South Asia. Even in the Philippines, China and Central Asia, terrorist activities were growing and the US authorities knew about it. He said Kashmir problem should only be solved across the table and not by armed conflict. "Many innocent lives have been lost without any solution. It must be realised that terrorists don’t have any religion, region or nationality." He also criticised fundamentalists in his country for trying to force their fundamentalist teachings on common man even by force. "They open madarsas and equip the youth with weapons. Their ideology is that the entire earth belongs to them and whoever does not accept their ideology, must be punished." (UNI) |