Pakistan inspires awe in Islamic world
Military rule in Pak gets Saudi-American support

From B L Kak

NEW DELHI, Oct 28: A major event has taken place, with Saudi Arabia playing a decisive role in swinging America and the Arab world opinion in favour of Pakistan’s military ruler, Gen Parvez Musharraf. Disclosing this, a functionary of the Delhi-based chancery of Saudi Arabia has, significantly, hinted at the "possibility" of the Americans and the Saudis bringing pressure on India to do business with Gen Musharraf.

The Saudi official pleaded anonymity as he also disclosed in an interview that Saudi Arabia’s Prince Salman Bin Abdel Aziz, in his talks with Pakistan’s Chief Executive, Gen Musharraf, in Riyadh, had, among other things, discussed the modus operandi of Afghanistan-based "terror merchant", Osama bin Laden, but Riyadh continued to be opposed to his (Osama’s) return to Saudi Arabia.

Yet another disclosure made by the Saudi diplomat: As Saudi Arabia wanted to keep Pakistan alive, the Saudi Government had assured Gen Musharraf of "massive" financial aid in the coming days. That nuclear Pakistan is looked upon with awe by the Islamic world has been borne out by their instant acceptance of Gen Musharraf as the new Pak ruler. The first reaction of the Saudis was to welcome the coup in Pakistan.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) followed the suit. "It is only a matter of time before others give their stamp of approval", said a functionary of the Delhi-based Pakistan chancery. One line of argument for Saudi-American support to military rule in Pakistan could be that they can handle the jehadi warriors better than under Mr Nawaz Sharief.

Gen Musharraf and his men in khaki, according to a section of Pakistan-watchers, can stop cross-border terrorism, at least in the Islamic world, without much difficulty. With the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) now in control of the Pakistani Army, the makers of Taliban and their terrorist training camps will come back to the Army’s control. The Taliban’s strategy of exploiting the differences between the Army and the civilian authorities can be stopped.

Significantly, the US pressure has now increased on Gen Musharraf for steps to ensure the transfer of Osama bin Laden to a country where "he can be brought to justice". Pressure on this specific issue is much more greater than the one currently being put on New Delhi by Washington for doing business with the present military ruler of Pakistan. Washington has conveyed to Gen Musharraf and to the Taliban that since Osama bin Laden and his activities are a "threat" to Americans, he needs to be expelled to a country "where he can be brought to justice". This message has been made loud and clear by the US Secretary of State, Ms Madeleine Albright.

Equally significant is the continuing opposition from Pakistan-based jehadi groups and their sponsors to Islamabad yielding any ground to the United States on issues like handing over Osama bin Laden. Hence, the situation for Gen Musharraf is quite tricky. At the same time, media reports clearly indicate that the USA wants to be "pragmatic" and formulate is policies according to ground realities. For Washington, Mr Nawaz Sharief is part of history, and Gen Musharraf is the man on the spot leading Pakistan into the 21st century.

Before he took off for Riyadh on an important political mission, Gen Musharraf had voiced concern at his country’s economy being in a mess. Will Pakistan collapse, if economic aid from outside stops ? This may not happen, considering the fact that Pakistani economy has three layers.

If one is called the organised sector which is official, the other is the parallel economy or black money economy. Pakistani economists have already let it be known that black money economy equals, and at times exceeds, the Gross Domestic Product that is generated through white money. The third layer is the money generated through narcotics trade.

Estimates of grey money generated by narcotics vary from 5 billion dollar to 10 billion dollars a year. Apart from the fact that a number of senior politicians and Army personnel are involved in the narcotic trade in Pakistan, the ISI agency also is involved in the trade from 1980-81. Therefore, if Gen Musharraf is desperate, he can always divert funds from the narcotic trade to keep the economy afloat.

Dead-lock persists during dialogue
Medicare crippled on 3rd day of junior docs stir

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 28: Junior doctors continued their strike for third day today virtually crippling the medicare in Medical College and associated hospitals by forcing closure of Operation Theaters and Outdoor Patients Department (OPDs) causing enormous inconvenience to the ailing community of Jammu.

Despite third round of negotiations with Medical College Principal Dr H L Goswamy, a dead-lock persisted between striking doctors and the administration with latter outrightly rejecting the demand of doctors to suspend Pharmacist Jatinder Shastri involved in a scuffle with Dr Tahir Hussain on Sunday evening.

Sensing the problems being caused to common man on account of closure of OPDs and Operation Theaters besides other problems in Wards and Emergency wing of the hospitals, the Medical College administration today took a hard stance against the strikers telling them to resume their duties immediately.

Official sources said in the meeting with junior doctors the authorities described their demands as ‘not genuine’ and reiterated its stand that ‘law will take its own course’ in the scuffle between Pharmacist and doctor since latter had already lodged a report with the police station.

The meeting ended in a dead-lock with junior doctors deciding not to withdraw their strike for the time being. They, however, decided to hold their general body meeting at 1100 hours tomorrow to take a final decision.

Meanwhile, there was a virtual chaos in the Emergency wing and Wards of Medical College and associated hospitals including SMGS hospital, CD hospital and Dental Department due to absence of junior doctors. This correspondent, who took a round of the hospitals, saw a number of patients in all the hospitals leaving Wards due to lack of adequate medicare.

Senior doctors were maintaining Wards and Emergency but services remained crippled due to junior doctors’ strike. The Operation Theaters remained closed for third straight day today resulting into suspension of several emergency operations. A large number of patients were seen returning from the OPDs which were run only by the senior doctors and couldn’t cater to patients’ rush.

In SMGS hospital, housing vital Departments like Pediatric and Gynecology only emergency services like Labour Room were being run by the striking doctors. The OPDs and routine operations remained suspended. Only emergency operations were being performed in the emergency theater.

Meanwhile, in their meeting this morning, the striking doctors demanded upgradation of emergency wing of the Medical College for better medicare to the patients and action against the Pharmacist involved in scuffle with Dr Tahir Hussain. They alleged that a section of Medical College administration was presenting distorted facts to media regarding junior doctors’ strike.

Meanwhile, Association of Doctors, Jammu province, has appealed to junior doctors to call off their strike ‘in the interest of ailing community’.

Army launches offensive in Kashmir , Pir Panjal

NEW DELHI, Oct 28: The Indian Army has launched a major offensive in the Kashmir valley and Peer Panjal ranges to thwart the intensified armed action by Pakistan-backed militants in the state after facing defeat in Kargil.

Additional troops have been deployed in the hinterlands for Counter-Insurgency (CI) operations and two special CI forces created for the purpose - ‘Kilo’ force to primarily carry out search and destroy operations in north Kashmir and ‘Romeo’ force in the Rajouri sector.

The responsibility of CI operations in the Valley and Jammu region, which was vested with the Director General of Rashtriya Rifles during the Kargil conflict, has been restored to the General Officers Commanding-in-Chief of 15 and 16 Corps, official sources said. Both the Corps Commanders have been reverted as Security Advisors to the State Government.

Despite operational commitments and a belligerent Pakistani posture along the Line of Control (LoC) which saw heavy battle during the Kargil conflict, additional battalions have been deployed to flush out the mercenaries and militants from forested areas and the higher reaches, they said.

Army Chief Gen V P Malik had recently told PTI that Pakistan was attempting to replicate in J and K the military strategy it followed in Afghanistan with its Army regulars and militants working as a single entity.

There is greater collusion of the Pakistani Army regulars and the so-called Mujahideens or militants. They are definitely working now as a single entity and not separate forces, Malik had said.

CI operations had earlier received a setback when certain units of the armed forces were moved from the Valley to Kargil sector in May last.

We did not have enough troops for offensive operations (against militants). The paramilitary forces were by and large protective and were not going in for offensive operations, the Army Chief had also acknowledged.

However in August, additional battalions were brought back from the Kargil front to resume offensive anti-militancy operations.

Since then, there has been improvement in the situation and September was a good month during which a large number of militants were killed, the sources said.

The offensive operations, carried out since August till now, have forced the militants to vacate their hideouts and bases in dense jungles in the higher reaches and they have suffered very heavy casualty and loss of stores.

Inter-group clashes have also been reported from the militant hideouts and communication network and supplies channels destroyed, giving them major logistic setback which would affect their sustenance during the harsh winter months, the sources added. (PTI)

Blast rocks Gool, 2 BSF men hurt
Militant, jawan, civilian killed in Banihal encounter

Excelsior Correspondent

UDHAMPUR, Oct 28: Three persons including a militant, a Rashtriya Rifles soldier and a civilian were killed while a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) and another jawan were injured in an encounter at Duligam in Banihal tehsil of Doda district last night. Atleast five militants managed to escape during the encounter and were being chased by the troops.

Meanwhile, two Border Security Force (BSF) jawans were injured in a powerful blast at Kanta Morh in Gool. The vehicle was blown up with the impact of explosion.

Official sources said troops of 12 Rashtriya Rifles launched a search operation in Duligam area of Banihal tehsil late last evening after getting a tip off about the presence of a group of hardcore Pakistani militants. Militants, who had taken positions atop a hill, opened firing on the approaching army column, who retaliated.

An encounter between army and militants continued for four hours till mid-night in which one militant was shot dead. An army jawan lost his life while fighting bravely with the militants while a civilian was caught in the exchange of firing between the two sides and got killed. A Subedar, who was in forefront of the operation and another army jawan were seriously injured in the gun-battle.

Identity of the slain militant has been established as Abdul Rehman alias Abu, a resident of Gujranwala district of Pakistan. Deceased army cop and civilian were identified as Kalicharan and Ghulam Rasool respectively. Body of the civilian was handed over to his family and that of militant to local police in Banihal.

The injured Subedar and jawan have been admitted in the Army hospital, Udhampur where their condition was stated to be critical.

Sources said atleast five other Pakistani militants have managed to escape from the scene of encounter after sensing that army was gaining an upper hand over them. Additional forces, which reached the spot after the encounter, were chasing the militants in the dense forest areas.

Meanwhile, militants engineered a powerful explosion with an Improvised Explosive device (IED) at Kanta Morh on Ramban-Gool road last evening blowing up a BSF vehicle. The IED had been planted by the militants on the road to disrupt the movement of security forces.

Sources said the IED went off as soon as the BSF vehicle passed over it causing a big explosions. Two BSF persons, including driver of the vehicle, were seriously injured in the explosion, Militants responsible for triggering the blast escaped.

BSF personnel from an adjoining camp and local police rushed to the scene of explosion and shifted the injured jawans to hospital in critical condition. Security personnel cordoned off the area and launched searches for the militants but no arrest has been made so far.

Laharwal reinstated, posted in SWD
14 KAS officers among 16 transferred

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 28: In a Durbar Move time reshuffle in the lower and medium rungs of the State administration, the Government today ordered transfer and appointment of 16 officials, including 14 officers of Kashmir Administrative Service (KAS).

According to Government Order No: 1235/GAD of 1999 Dated October 28, 1999, Government today reinstated Mr Shamim Ahmed Laharwal, the suspended Director of State Motor Garages, and appointed him as Executive Director Rehabilitation Council in Social Welfare Department. Secretary Legislative Council Mr Inderjit Singh has been transferred and posted as Joint Transport Commissioner.

Among the KAS officers, General Manager DIC Kupwara Abdul Hameed Bhat has been transferred and appointed as Deputy Director Food and Supplies Department, Kashmir, in place of Mr GN Bodha who has been transferred and appointed as Deputy Commissioner Sales Tax Kashmir (Recoveries). Another Deputy Director in F&S Department, Kashmir, Mr M S Koka has been transferred and appointed as Joint Registrar Cooperative (Audit). Jt Registrar Cooperative (Audit) Kashmir Mohammad Amin Bhat has been appointed as DD F&S Kashmir vice Mr M S Koka.

Chief Executive Officer Jammu Urban Development Agency (CEOJUDA) Mr Ravinder Gupta has been transferred and appointed as Secretary Khadi and Village Industries Board in place of Mr JL Bhagat. J L Bhagat has been posted as Secretary J&K Housing Board in place of Mrs Chandra Gupta who has been transferred and appointed as CEOJUDA vice Mr Ravinder Gupta.

Mrs Vineeta Gupta, Joint Registrar Cooperative (Adm), has been transferred to the Civil Secretariat and appointed as Deputy Secretary to Government in the State Home Department. She has been replaced by Mr Nanhaji Raina, GM DIC Doda. Development Officer Handicrafts, Jammu, Mr Harbans Singh has been transferred and appointed as Deputy Secretary in Administrative Reforms and Inspections (ARI) Department.

According to the order, Deputy Director Employment, Doda, Mr C L Khosa would hold the additional charge of GM DIC Doda. Deputy Director (Administration) in Rural Development Department, Kashmir, Mr Fida Hussain has been transferred and appointed as Chief Project Officer, Desert Development Agency, Kargil. Joint Registrar Cooperative, Kashmir, Mr Mohammad Amin Bhat has been transferred and appointed as GM DIC Kupwara vice Mr Abdul Hameed Bhat.

Project Officer, District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), Srinagar, Mr Ghulam Mustafa Alamgir has been transferred and appointed as Joint Registrar Cooperative (Special), Kashmir.

Tarar justifies coup
Commonwealth asks Pak to restore democracy

ISLAMABAD, Oct 28: A Commonwealth delegation today asked the military regime in Pakistan to set a time frame for restoration of democracy even as President Muhammed Rafiq Tarar strongly defended the Army rule in the country in a bid to persuade the mission not to expel Islamabad from the body.

The four-member team, led by Canadian Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy, which is in the country to allow the Commonwealth summit in Durban in November to take a decision on Islamabad’s expulsion, however, hinted that the 55-member group could allow Pakistan a breathing space of two years for restoring rule of law in the country.

There are several options short of expulsion under Commonwealth rules, mission spokesman Kaye Whiteman told reporters here.

In the interim, we could give future technical assistance in the exercise of restoring democracy or assistance such as drafting of a new constitution, Whiteman said.

He said the delegation has also sought access to deposed Premier Sharif.

We have made a request to meet Nawaz Sharif and awaiting a response... The mandate of the mission is to meet the Pakistani regime and any others the mission may deem appropriate in order to assess the current situation in Pakistan and explore with the regime its plans for early return of Pakistan to democracy, he said.

Meanwhile, in an obvious reference to the fact that the mission’s report might lead to Pakistan’s expulsion from the 54-member organisation, President Tarar told the delegation the Commonwealth should realistically review the situation before taking any hasty step.

Tarar, once considered very close to deposed Premier Nawaz Sharif and appointed by him in January 1998, explained that despite Army action in the country the constitution was intact and the courts were carrying out their functions.

The fundamental rights are in place and there is no restriction on the press, Tarar told the delegation in an effort to convince it that the military coup was justified.

Tarar also argued that as per Pakistani constitution, the Parliament comprises the President, National Assembly and the Senate, and of them, the President is holding his office while the remaining two components have not been dissolved.

This proves that the Army wants to hand over power to the elected representatives after completing its agenda within shortest possible period.

The Commonwealth mission also met Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Saiduzzaman Siddiqui who assured the mission that, the courts in the country are functioning as usual.

Later in another meeting the new Foreign Minister designate Abdul Sattar told the mission that there was no martial law in the country and the civil liberties of the people were intact.

The new administration is largely civilian and comprises eminent personalities and technocrafts, Sattar, a former Foreign Secretary and twice High Commissioner to India, told the delegation. (PTI)

NCP threatens to pull-out by today
Maharashtra Govt heads for grave crisis

NEW DELHI, Oct 28: The coalition Government in Maharashtra appeared to be heading for a grave crisis with the NCP deciding to pull out its Ministers if the Congress fails to remove three of its Ministers tomorrow, highly placed NCP sources said here tonight.

They said that a directive has been issued that if a way out is not found to the issue by tomorrow, the NCP Ministers should tender their resignation.

The NCP is unhappy over Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh inducting three more Ministers without consulting the coalition partner and thereby violating the agreement over the size of the Ministry between the two parties.

The toughening of the NCP stand comes after its boycott of the first Cabinet meeting of the 11-day old Deshmukh Government in Mumbai this morning.

Meanwhile, NCP president Sharad Pawar told PTI that his party was not insisting on Congress removing any particular persons from Ministership in an apparent bid to dispel the impression that he was opposed to some of his baiters being made Ministers.

We have no objection to Congress making any individual a Minister, but it has violated the agreement on the size of the Ministry which it should rectify at the earliest to end the uncertainty in the state, he said adding NCP wanted this Government to last.

He said if the Chief Minister is able to take decisions and gets the power to do so we are confident that this Government will last.

Pawar is leaving for Singapore tomorrow evening on a private visit and is scheduled to return on November 4. (PTI)

DIG raids Janipura police station

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 28: DIG Jammu-Kathua Range Dr S P Vaid today conducted a surprise raid at Janipura police station following complaints of large scale irregularities and corruption against the SHO.

Dr Vaid seized the record from police station pertaining to some recent cases including recovery of allegedly fake stamps from a youth, police sources said.

They said there had been allegations that a large amount has exchanged hands in the fake stamps case.

Militants again target Rehtal post

Excelsior Correspondent

RAJOURI, Oct 28: Militants tonight again targeted police post Rehtal in Chowdhary Narh area by resorting to heavy firing from automatic weapons and launching grenade attacks.

Police and security personnel, deployed at the post, returned the firing effectively, SSP Rajouri Mr Parminder Singh said.

He said the exchange of firing between the two sides continued for half an hour. Militants’ attack on the police post was successfully repulsed. No casualty was reported on police side.

This was second attack on Rehtal police post this week. On Sunday night, militants had fired mortar shells aiming the police post but failed to hit the target.

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