Situation 'very bad' in Valley
Soz calls for dialogue with Hurriyat Conference

NEW DELHI, Nov 5: In a sudden turn around, former Union Environment Minister and expelled National Conference leader Saif-ud-Din Soz today said that the Centre should hold unconditional dialogue with secessionist Hurriyat Conference for settlement of Kashmir issue.

I am quite optimistic about the outcome of an unfettered dialogue between Hurriyat and the Centre, Soz told reporters here.

Soz, who was expelled from the party last year for anti-party activities, said the situation in Kashmir valley was very bad and if the Centre continued to delay the dialogue process things could even slip out of their hands.

Stressing the need for an immediate dialogue, Soz said India has been seeking friendship and understanding with Pakistan which could be pursued only after Islamabad settled under the new Army regime but at the same time it would be well-advised for them to initiate a dialogue process with the Hurriyat.

The policy-makers at the Centre should understand the need for the talks as in the present scenario in the Valley, Hurriyat was to be taken into confidence before arriving at any solution, he said.

Soz, however, said he was not talking on behalf of Hurriyat. This is my perception about Kashmir which I have voiced today, he said.

Taking a dig at the State Government, Soz said the administration was not functional anywhere and it was the rule of gun either by para-military forces or surrendered militants.

He claimed that people were bitter under the governance of Farooq Abdullah which had only spelt doom during its three-year rule.

This was why the people responded to the Hurriyat’s call for boycott of elections. This indicated the people’s anger and wrath against what they characterised as the misgovernance’ in Kashmir, he said.

He also criticised the State Government for lodging Hurriyat leaders in jail for no valid reasons.

About his future plans, Soz said he would continue to pursue his thoughts and ideas among the intellgentsia in the country and remain in politics. (PTI)

Railways put accidents under carpet: CAG

From B L Kak

NEW DELHI, Nov 5: Repeated recommendations from various committees constituted for increasing safety notwithstanding, the Indian Railways had lagged behind in implementation of safety procedures.

In its report to Parliament, the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India has pointed out several lacunae on the safety front. The report for the year ending March 1998 also lists failings by South Central Railways.

The report lists part implementation of four important safety aids – track circuiting, provision of auxiliary warning systems on trunk routes, provision of radio communication between trains and control centres and the remote-controlled train activated automatic warning devices – and goes on to add that there was a 8.07 per cent shortage with regard to staff in ‘safety category’.

In what could be worrying factor, the report states that in 11 zonal training centres and 33 divisional training schools checked in the audit, the average shortfall was more than 30 per cent with reference to the number of staff required to be trained.

Stating that the situation was no better with regard to safety camps, the report states that in six zonal railways, as much as 25, 76 per cent of the staff required to attend these camps remained absent. With respect to the South Central Railway, the report states that between 1993-98 there were a total of 7961 vacancies in safety categories of the total sanctioned strength of 75,984. Incidentally, the percentage of vacancies at 10.48 in SCR topped all the railway zones.

Stating that there was no clear responsibility centre in the Railways with regard to safety, the report says that there was a gross under-reporting of accidents by zonal railways to the Railway Board and by the Board to Parliament.

Of the 14,000 accidents between 1993-98, only 3157 were reported to the Board. In turn, the Board reported 2187 accidents to Parliament. Among the zonal railways, Southern reported 442 out of 4406 accidents. Central reported 405 out of 3110 and Western reported 317 out of 1889 to the Board.

In terms of consequential accidents – collisions, derailments, trains running into raod traffic at level crossings and fire in trains – five railways, Central, Northern, South Central, Southern and South Eastern between them accounted for 3073 of the 3782 accidents while Central, Northern, Southern and Western zones accounted for 9296 out of 10,218 miscellaneous accidents.

Civilian killed; ASI, cop injured
Police kills Pak militant, captures another alive

Excelsior Correspondent

POONCH, Nov 5: Police gunned down a Pakistani militant and captured another alive in injured condition after a fierce night-long gun-battle with the militants in a house at Seri Chowana in Surankote area of this district. A civilian, who was used as a shield by the militants, was also gunned down by the latter when they were trapped by the police party.

Two police personnel including a Sub Inspector Vimal Indu Sharma were injured in the encounter but were stated to be ‘out of danger’.

SSP Poonch Mr J P Singh told EXCELSIOR that a police party cordoned off a house owned by one Ghulam Qadir after getting a report that two militants had forcibly taken shelter in his house. Police team led by the SSP himself surrounded the house late last night and challenged the militants to come out and surrender.

However, militants throughout the night continued to play a hide and seek battle with the police. In the morning, police personnel stormed into the house and had a face to face encounter with two Pakistani militants.

Militants used the house owner Ghulam Qadir as a human shield and opened heavy firing on the police party, which retaliated effectively. Finding themselves trapped, the militants gunned down Ghulam Qadir and lobbed grenades at the police team.

During the exchange of firing, police cops succeeded in eliminating one militant and apprehended another alive from the scene of encounter. Two police officials including Sub Inspector Vimal Indu Sharma and head constable Surinder Kumar were also injured in the encounter. The injured were evacuated from the firing site and shifted to district hospital where their condition was stated to be stable.

The slain militant has been identified as Nissar Hussain alias Gulsher son of Hassan Din, a resident of village Mang Bajri, Dharkot in Bhag area of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). The injured was Shabir Hussain alias Usmaan, also a Pakistani. He had sustained two bullets and couldn’t escape the police net. He has been hospitalised.

From the scene of encounter, police recovered two AK-56 rifles with eight magazines and 217 rounds, two wireless sets and two pouches. Besides, some diaries and incriminating documents were also recovered from the possession of militants.

Sources said one of the diary revealed that both the militants had spent Rs 34,000 in last 36 days on their meals and other goods. The money had been brought by them from across the border and they were maintaining its expenditure account.

Both the slain militants were front-ranking activists of Hizbul Mujahideen’s Pir Panjal Regiment and were active in the area for more than six months. They were also involved in a number of militant activities in Surankote area of this district, the sources said.

Cantonment attack toll 10
JKLI receives Major Purushottam’s body

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Nov 5: Amidst blowing of bugle and lowering of arms, Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JKLI) today received the bodies of Defence Public Relations Officer Major Purushottam and five other army personnel who fell to militants’ bullets inside the Badamibagh cantonment here on Wednesday.

Covered with the national flag, the bodies were received with full military honours and are being flown to Delhi from where they will be sent to their native places, army sources said.

As the bodies of the soldiers reached the Regimental Centre of JKLI at Rengreth near here, tears welled up in eyes of those present.

Pallavi, the eight-year-old daughter of Major Purushottam, was seen consoling her mother Lt Col Vatsa V K.

Lt Col Vatsa described her husband as a brave soldier who died for the country.

Family members of the deceased soldiers and a large number of media persons, close to the DPRO, were present when Major General R K Mukherjee of the 15th corps laid a wreath on the bodies.

The Jammu and Kashmir Government was represented by Medical Education Minister Sheikh Mustafa Kamal. Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir Khursheed Ahmad Ganai placed a wreath on the behalf of Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, who is away on an official visit.

Meanwhile, death toll in the Badami Bagh Cantonment encounter has gone upto 10 as three more army soldiers succumbed to their injuries. They have been identified as Havildar Suresh Kumar, Sepoy Bawan Parsad and Sepoy Shukla.

Five other army jawans were still admitted in the hospital in serious condition.

Protest against cop’s murder
Mob disrupts traffic at Canal Road

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 5: A large number of people today held a massive demonstration and disrupted vehicular movement at busy Canal Road in protest against the murder of a Traffic Police constable Daljeet Singh early this week and demanding action against the accused.

Police sources said hundreds of people, mostly Sikhs, gathered at Canal Road this morning and held a protest demonstration outside the Canal police post, whose constable Taranjit Singh was involved in the murder of Daljeet Singh three days back.

After demonstrating outside the Canal police post, the mob turned towards main Canal road and scattered there disrupting traffic on Jewel-Talab Tillo and Jewel-Bakshi Nagar road. They were shouting slogans against the police alleging inaction in the murder case of Daljeet Singh. They charged police with shielding the accused constable and trying to weaken the case.

A large number of vehicles were stranded on either side of the road due to blockades raised by the protestants. Traffic Police tried to divert the traffic through alternative routes but couldn’t succeed.

SP City (North) Mr Johnny Williams, SP Traffic Mr V K Ghai and DySP Bakshi Nagar Mr M H Malik rushed to the spot and entered into negotiations with the agitated people. The police officials assured protestants that accused Taranjit Singh was arrested immediately after the crime and put behind bars.

A murder case has been registered against the accused and a challan will be produced in the court of law for judicial determination within the stipulated time, they assured the mob. They also assured a fair trial of the case.

Lashkar asks PakArmy for help in Kashmir

MURIDKE (PAKISTAN), Nov 5: The militant Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, which on Wednesday stormed the Army headquaters in Srinagar killing seven army personnel, today asked the new military rulers in Pakistan to help the organisation in operations in Jammu and Kashmir.

Claiming that the outfit was in a position to liberate Kashmir, Abdul Rehman Al Dhal, the outfit’s Kashmir head, said at the concluding day of the three-day annual congregation of Lashkar, we just need the full support of Pakistan.

The head of Lashkar’s umbrella organisation Markaz-Dawat-Waliirshad, Maulana Hafiz Saeed, said that the organisation’s operations in the Valley were picking up momentum.

Militants of the Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, along with regular Pakistani Army men, had recently occupied vital heights in the Kargil sector in an operation allegedly masterminded by Pakistan’s new Chief Executive Gen Pervez Musharraf.

An estimated 300,000 men gathered at Muridke, barely 25 Kms from Punjab province capital Lahore for a three-day conference which ended today. Organisers claimed that at least 50,000 young men signed up to fight ‘jehad’ (holy war) anywhere in the world.

Giving the final sermon, Saeed claimed that the plight of Muslims was worsening and laid the fault for this squarely on the United States.

Religious leaders in unison condemned the US as evil, and accused Washington of launching a campaign to vilify Muslim. The real evil comes from the US, said Abu Bakr Hamdani. (AP)

Government opposes deletion of Rajiv’s
name from chargesheet

NEW DELHI, Nov 5 : The controversy over naming late Rajiv Gandhi as an accused in the Bofors pay offs case took a new turn today with the Government opposing in the Delhi High Court deletion of his name from the chargesheet filed by the CBI.

Even before the Court issued any notice to the Government and CBI on a petition filed by an organisation seeking deletion of Rajiv’s name from the chargesheet, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S B Jaisinghani and CBI counsel N Natrajan, insisted on recording their presence and said the petition has no merit and should be dismissed.

The Government stand assumes significance in the context of Home Minister L K Advani’s remark in Lok Sabha last week that the Government would do what is appropriate on the Congress demand for deletion of Rajiv’s name.

The Government is also understood to have sought legal opinion on the Congress demand.

Justice Cyriac Joseph, hearing the petition, allowed petitioner Rajiv Gandhi Ekta Samiti (RGES) time till November 18 to place before him entire record to show its locus standi to file such a plea in a criminal case.

Asked by the Court why they wanted to record their presence even before issuance of the notice, they said we want to assist the Court. The petitioner has given us prior notice.

Justice Joseph said, it is made clear that I have not issued any notice on the petition, the pendency will not come in the way of the respondents (Union Government and CBI) taking any action and trial proceedings by the Special Judge.

The Court said the petitioner should place before it the constitution, rules and regulations of the Samiti to show how its rights were affected by inclusion of Rajiv Gandhi’s name in the chargesheet, filed by CBI before the Special Court on November 22.

RGES counsel Vijay K Shukla contended that under Section 482, the High Court has power to quash proceedings in any case before the trial court.

Madhuri has no immediate plans to quit movies

MUMBAI, Nov 5: Madhuri Dixit, the heart throb of bollyhood who tied arranged nuptial knots with a US-based doctor last month, has no immediate plans to say good-bye to the tinsel world but would prefer to settle down with Dr Shriram Nene sooner or later.

Madhuri’s marriage was solemnised at the Los Angeles residence of her brother Ajit on October 17. She had a quiet honeymoon in Hawaii, even before the news of the wedding broke out.

Sources close to her said that Madhuri, who has two films Pukar and Gajagamini, the latter a venture of noted painter M F Hussain, on the floor, would continue to act in movies but ultimately prefer to settle down in the us.

Madhuri herself said, "I believe in destiny", and like the character of Nisha she portrayed in the blockbuster "Hum aapke hain kaun" I am in life serious and mischievous alternately".

Madhuri shot to what the industry termed as the number one position in Hindi movies with a string of hits like "Tezaab", "Beta", "Dil to pagal hai", "Ram lakhan", "Saajan", "Dil" and "Khalnayak". (PTI)

Gen Musharraf rules out early return to democracy

LONDON, Nov 5: Pakistani Chief Executive Gen Pervez Musharraf has indicated that former Prime Ministers Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto might be debarred from participating in politics and ruled out early return to democracy in the country in the near future.

Both of them have betrayed the trust of the people. They were elected twice and rejected twice, Gen Musharraf said in an interview published in the Times newspaper today.

He said the future of the two former Prime Ministers would be decided by the newly set up national accountability bureau and civil courts.

Answering a specific query on restoration of democracy, he said there was no question of a return to democracy, at least in the near future. I cannot give a time-frame for a return of democratic rule until the main objective of reviving the economy is achieved.

Gen Musharraf said a deadline would only generate political instability. Whenever you give a time-frame, a countdown starts and administration comes to a halt.

He put the blame for failure of democracy on politicians, who, he said, lacked sincerity and good governance.

Politics has become a game for rich people who misguide illiterate and poor people. It was a sham democracy where people did not have any say, he said.

In his first extensive interview to a foreign newspaper at his sprawling colonial mansion in the heart of Rawalpindi Cantonment, Gen Musharraf presented his plan for devolution of power at district and city levels, which he said would allow people greater participation in running their affairs.

Gen Musharraf, who assumed power last month in what he describes as a counter coup, said, it is a tough job, but a feeling of being in charge and having confidence makes it enjoyable.

There’s greater realisation among the international community that the military takeover was prompted by the previous Government’s action, he declared.

The Army action was absolutely a reactive event. It was not a coup but a counter coup against the Government’s illegal action of sacking the Chief, Gen Musharraf said.

Sharif dismised Gen Musharraf on October 12 when the Army Chief was returning from a visit to Sri Lanka and appointed the then ISI chief Gen Khawaja Ziauddin in his place. But a swift action by pro-Chief Army Commanders brought an end to Sharif Government.

According to the report, the General was visibly emotional when he narrated how his plane, carrying 190 passengers, was refused permission to land at Karachi airport.

The pilot was told to take the plane to India or crash it. They were so scared of me that they were prepared to risk the lives of innocent passengers. There was only five minutes’ fuel left when the plane finally landed after the military took over control of the airport, he said. (PTI)

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