‘We can throw present Govt out’
NC for fighting terrorism: Farooq

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 5: Former Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, today said that his National Conference party firmly believed in fighting terrorism with full might instead of making any compromise with terrorists and enemies of peace.

Talking to reporters soon after paying tributes to Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah on his 97th birth anniversary at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan here, Dr Farooq declined to comment on the unilateral cease-fire,to last four days, announced by Lashkar-e-Toiba.

"It will be premature to offer any comment on it this time", he said and added: ``Let us wait and see. Things will crystalise in the next four days".

Dr Farooq, who is patron of the National Conference (NC), emphasized that his party, which was committed to the task of restoring peace and normalcy in the troubled State, would not be lenient towards terrorists and subversives.

Asked to comment on the recent statement of his colleague and Leader of Opposition in the J&K Legislative Assembly, Mr Ghulam Mohiuddin Shah, Dr Farooq, while upholding it, said: "The Indira- Sheikh accord is dead now and it has lost its relevance".

When a reporter asked if this also meant that the Delhi Agreement too had lost its relevance, the NC leader shot back,arguing that the Indira- Sheikh Accord and Delhi Agreement were two different issues.

Lambasting the PDP-led Government, he said that it should not keep the people of the State in the dark regarding the power curtailment and should make it clear where from the funds will come which can be utilized on purchase of additional electricity. The Government should also make it clear that it would not divert the development funds for this purpose.

Dr Abdullah said he made it plain to US Ambassador to India, Mr Robert Blackwill, that there can be no friendship with Pakistan till the continuance of infiltration into Kashmir from across the border. The US Ambassador also shared his views on the issue , he added.

"I too made it clear to him that US should think twice before waging a war against Iraq as this will send a wrong signal that it is a war against Islam. I told Mr Blackwill Israel should be prevented from launching attacks on Palestinians as we have to fight the war against the terrorism and not Muslims", he added.

Charging Government headed by Mufti Mohammed Sayeed with adopting the policies of vindictiveness, he said during the six years of NC rule he was never vindictive against any body." Today, the position is that the security vehicles of our party leaders have been withdrawn", he regretted.

On Accountability Bill, passed by the State Legislature, he said if this weapon will be used against NC today tomorrow it will be their turn. Let them do whatever they like, yeh to chaar din ki chandni hai.

Earlier, while paying rich tributes to his late father, the former Chief Minister, ridiculed the Mufti Government for finding fault with the functioning of previous NC Government.

They have made tall claims and promises, he said adding let us see what change they can bring in the ground situation.

He said "I never adopted policy of shaking hands with militants. But this Government has a liaison with terrorists. The leaders of PDP visited remote places where we could not go even with security," he added.

He said "with 28 to 29 members I preferred to sit in opposition to provide chance to our opponents who were making tall claims".

On reduction in power curtailment, he recalled that the Former Prime Minister, Bakshi Ghulam Mohammed had also taken many so called people-friendly measures during his regime but it was the peoples money which he utilized on subsidy and other things and gave the development a setback.

It was Sheikh Abdullah who after coming to power withdrew this subsidy and money utilized on it was diverted for the public welfare and on various development schemes. By decreasing power curtailments the Mufti Government will put the State in debt trap and we have to pay Rs 1200 crore arrears. He wondered how the State will pay this debt if such wrong policies are initiated by the Government.

Regarding the reports of probe about the construction of Chief Ministerial and DGP residences in Srinagar, he said these bungalows were constructed for security purpose and any Chief Minister can shift there. DG was also a target of terrorists and for the same reason the bungalow was constructed for him, he added.

Dr Abdullah while lashing out at ruling Party said the allegations are leveled on us as we are out of power today.

Had we been adamant they could have never been able to form the Government and If we want we can throw them out even today, he said,adding but whatever we did was in the interest of State and its people,’’ he added.

Dr Abdullah said his Party suffered a lot due to 13 year long turmoil. Our workers and ministers sacrificed their lives but we did not flee, he added.

We refrained from Government formation as NC does not believe in Aya Ram Gaya Ram politics, he said, adding our detractors were saying that NC will not remain without power for a single day and I want to prove them wrong.

Lot of promises were made with the people during poll campaign, he said,adding what happened to the promise of installing the Chief Minister from Jammu.

He said NC workers will die but they will not compromise on the principles of secularism and join communal forces. The Party cadres will lay down their lives for the nation but not compromise with terrorists.

He said situation has deteriorated in State , the holy temple became the target of terrorists. Today Chief Minister is happy saying the US policies have changed but I don’t believe in it. If it is so then George Bush should openly announce that Kashmir is integral part of India, he added.

He does not rule out possibility of Mr Blackwill meeting Hurriyat leaders. Dr Abdullah said if India , Russian and China join hands the US will dig Hurriyat out from grave.

Asking India to fight terrorism on its own instead of standing on crutches from someone else, he said India and Pakistan should sort out problem themselves.

He regretted the Center’s policy saying that 20 terrorists have not been repatriated from Pakistan and we started withdrawal of troops from borders.

Dr Abdullah said when we took up the reins of Government in 1996 the situation was much grave in Kashmir. No flags of Congress, BJP and other parties were visible in Kashmir then. But in this election Congress and BJP campaigned openly. This is the change which took place during NC rule, he added.

Strongly criticising the Mufti Mohammed Syeed Government he said let us see what he can do and how will he take the Kashmiri migrants back. I also tried a lot on this front in last six years let him try now, he added.

He said Pakistan is hell bent on destroying us and so I appeal world to wake up and fight the terrorism as they fought in other countries.

He said I never deceived my people by making false promises. Without naming Chief Minister, he said I am not among those who were in late Rajiv Gandhi’s Government but still created Muslim United Front (MUF) to settle the scores.

On the disbanding of STF, SOG and withdrawal of POTA, Dr Abdullah said we are not averse to it but rid us from terrorism. "I told them do that which can provide succor to people of J&K, I am with you," he added.

He asked his partymen not to be afraid and wait. Let them have a taste of power and you see how they will lose sleep.

He said those who are talking of Sheikh, Indira Accord themselves violated it. The ink had not yet dried on Parthasarthy, Beg accord when Congress played the game. But later they were humbled in the Assembly elections of 1977.

He also warned the defectators saying that don’t take people for granted as elections will come again tomorrow and people are watching your every action.

He said late Sheikh Abdullah fought throughout his life for secular values as the slogan of Hindu, Muslim, Sikh Ithad was most dear to him.

Earlier the NC leaders including provincial president Messrs Bodh Raj Bali, former Minister, Abdul Rahim Rather, Dr Mehboob Beg, Abdul Gani Veeri, Ch. Ramzan, Mushtaq Ahmed Bukhari and other senior party leaders paid rich tributes to late leader. They also garlanded his portrait.

J&K Govt ready for centre's nominee in screening panel

NEW DELHI, Dec 5: Maintaining that a screening committee for release of separatists already exists, the Jammu and Kashmir Government today said it is ready to include a Centre’s nominee as it was necessary that both "trust" each other and work "unitedly" to end militancy in the State.

Law and Parliamentary Affairs and Finance Minister Muzaffar Hussain Beig told PTI that the State Government understood the nation’s concerns and "no person, who is not entitled to be released as per a Supreme Court ruling, will be freed".

He asserted that if the Government finds any of the released persons indulging in violence or disturbing peace, he would be detained again.

"Nobody will be released by any ad hoc or wholesale method but each case is studied properly," Beig said, adding a SC ruling that detention of a person beyond the required period is illegal is working as a guide.

He said each case was to be decided by the screening committee, including top officials of the police and intelligence agencies, which already exists.

"We are ready to include any person that may be nominated by the Centre into the committee to improve the decision-making process," he said.

The "differing voices" that are raised over such developments could be avoided by this move, he said.

Emphasising that the State Government’s measures were aimed at ending militancy and "not to encourage it", Beig said the Mufti Sayeed Government’s move had been "misunderstood".

The Centre and the State "need to trust each other, understand each other’s compulsions and work in a coordinated manner to end militancy," the senior State minister said.

"This is a national issue and partisan politics has no place in dealing with it," he said adding if the Vajpayee Government helps the State, it would not be doing so in the capacity of a party but the national Government.

He said the "common approach" at the national level was needed to fight militancy effectively and there can be no success till there is trust.

"A multi-pronged approach, involving security strategy, development and diplomatic measures, is required to end militancy," Beig said, adding for results "we have to be patient".

He lauded the Central Government, saying it had shown genuineness in assisting the new State Government in developmental field. (PTI)

Disunity among Kashmiris main hurdle in
resolving issue: JKLF

NEW DELHI, Dec 5: Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF -Amanullah group) chairman Amanullah Khan has said that one of the main hurdles in the way of a peaceful, just and permanent solution of the Kashmir issue was "political and ideological disunity among Kashmiris".

"The political and ideological disunity among Kashmiris is one of the main hurdles in the way of a peaceful, just and permanent solution of the Kashmir issue. They need to come together under one roof and make united efforts for the resolution of the Kashmir problem to ensure peace in South Asian region," Mr Khan said in a statement received here.

He called upon the Kashmir Committees of India and Pakistan to accept some bitter realties and keep the interests of Kashmiris in mind in their discussions on the Kashmir problem.

"The Kashmir Committees of India and Pakistan would serve the purpose provided they accept some bitter realties and keep the interests of Kashmiris, who are the worst affected party to the issue, in mind while discussing the problem," Mr Khan said.

He urged the international community to persuade both India and Pakistan to come to a negotiating table to find a peaceful and lasting solution to the Kashmir issue.

"If the international community really wants a peaceful, equitable and permanent solution to the Kashmir issue, it should allow and facilitate intra-Kashmir conference in a neutral country to enable the Kashmiri leadership (representing all regions, religions and political ideologies) to evolve a consensus solution of the problem," Mr Khan said.

The JKLF chief said no patriotic Kashmiri organisation will accept the settlement of the Kashmir issue on the basis of converting the Line of Control (LoC) into a permanent border.

"Kashmiris will also not accept any other solution to the issue imposed on them against their will and aspirations."

He said several solutions were being discussed at regional and international level with special emphasis on changing the LoC into the permanent border.

"Other solutions include reunification and complete independence of the entire Jammu and Kashmir State, division of the State on communal lines, Jammu, Ladakh going to India, Pakistan occupied Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan to Pakistan, and full independence to Kashmir valley and division with river Chinab being changed into Indo-Pak border," Mr Khan said.

He said the JKLF and other "patriotic parties were for reunification and complete independence with a democratic, federal and secular system of Government and having friendly relations with both India and Pakistan."

"After 15 years there should be a UN supervised referendum in which Kashmiris will determine whether their independence be perpetuated or Kashmir became part of India or Pakistan," Mr Khan said. (UNI)

News Analysis
World ‘giants’ differ with Islamabad
Pak stand on J&K losing international market

By B L Kak

JAMMU: Pakistan is on the scanner. The US President, Mr George W Bush’s repeated description of Pakistan as a "stalwart ally" notwithstanding, Islamabad is treated, in several foreign countries,including the USA itself,as an entity willing to accommodate, to aid, to abet and to export Islamic terrorism.

Close links between Islamic Republic of Pakistan and World’s surviving Communist giant, China, have already been acknowledged and accepted the world over. And both Islamabad and Beijing have, from time to time in recent times, chosen for obvious political and strategic reasons to highlight the durability, desirability and efficacy of the Sino-Pak cooperation and collaboration.

Significantly, however, Beijing has conveyed to Islamabad, in so many words, that China can’t be expected to allow covert and overt attempts by some jihadi outfits in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) to incite and instigate the Muslim population in the Chinese province of Sinkiang. Beijing may not openly toe pro-India line on Kashmir. But China hasn’t been supportive of the idea for "independence" to Kashmir.

Other world "giants", such as the United States, Britain, France and Russia, have also conveyed, differently at different times, their opposition to the demand for a new entity—"independent Kashmir", in plain language.

More importantly, all these "giants" as well as several other countries haven’t, in the altered scenario across the world,found it necessary to support the anti-India lobby in Pakistan and secessionists in Kashmir valley in their drive to force the powers-that-be in New Delhi to re-open Kashmir’s accession issue.

Each of these "giants" would, if allowed to, try to mediate on Kashmir. But in view of the stand taken by New Delhi against third-party intervention or mediation, the world "giants" have chosen to highlight the relevance of bilateral negotiations. Bilateralism, these "giants", particularly the US and Russia, would like, should be in the specific context of the Shilma Agreement and Lahore Declaration between India and Pakistan.

Perhaps, Pakistan’s credibility wouldn’t have been in doubt, as it is today, if that country had definitely and decisively acted against terrorist outfits and the machinery, which even now oils the jihadi muscle and machine. True, the international community, the US in particular, is not prepared to see or manipulate ouster of the regime led by Gen Parvez Musharraf at a time like this when he is required in the current battle, initiated by the Bush administration, against global terrorism. But the fact that Islamabad is losing, gradually though, the international market for its Kashmir policy, has become too evident to be missed in recent times.

Gone are the days when Washington attached little importance to cross-border terrorism and infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir. It is not without logic, not without purpose, not without reason when the US administration has, through its representative in the garb of Ambassador to India, Mr Robert Blackwill, decided to publicly emphasize that war against terrorism in the world can be won only after the end of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.

Washington’s revised stand has also to be studied in the context of the brick dropped on Islamabad by the President of Russian Federation, Mr Vladimir Putin. He wasn’t alone as he adopted a rigid posture against terror-friendly policy of Pakistan. Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee was seated close to Mr Putin when both of them signed the Delhi Declaration on December 4, which, in specific terms, wanted Islamabad to prevent the infiltration of terrorists across the Line of Control (LoC) into Jammu and Kashmir and at other points across the border.

At a time when even the "giant" among the Muslim countries, namely, Saudi Arabia had assured the US Government that it would not hesitate to try against the flow of money from Saudi Arabia to different terrorist outfits,and at a time when Washington had again asked Islamabad to organise an effective drive against the cross-border terrorism, Russian President appeared tougher than before when he issued a message to the powers-that-be in Pakistan asking them to dismantle terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK and completely stop cross-border terrorism as a pre-requisite for the resumption of bilateral dialogue between New Delhi and Islamabad.

If major inputs for the Delhi Declaration had reportedly come from Mr Vajpayee, Deputy Prime Minister, Mr LK Advani, and Mr Brajesh Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Russian President’s call-a-spade-a-spade tactics, in the course of his press conference at Delhi, left none in doubt that Moscow would not ignore or underestimate double standards (of US and Pakistan) in the fight against terrorism.

India as well as Russia continues to be gripped, and threatened too, by terrorism. Hence, the louder message contained in the December 4 Delhi Declaration:Roots of terrorism which lay in their common neighbourhood posed a threat to their security interests. Both sides would take preventive and deterrent measures in meeting these threats and cooperate in this regard.

Equally important message: Russia does not rule out the possibility of the use of Pakistani weapons of mass destruction (WMD) by terrorists. Russia and India firmly reject all types of terrorism—political, religious and ideological—and wherever it may exist.

Now that the world "giants" have also found Pakistan to be supportive of and sympathetic with a particular class of terrorists, Islamabad cannot afford to be indifferent for an indefinite period to what the international community wants it to do to end cross-border terrorism and infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir. Should Islamabad decide to act differently, the possibility of Pakistan getting isolated in the international arena cannot be ruled out then.

Civilian killed, 3 of family hurt in Doda
Two ultras held, 2 surrender

Excelsior Correspondent

UDHAMPUR, Dec 5: Terrorists killed a civilian and injured three members of his family at Bhagwa, Doda while security forces and police arrested two ultras and two others surrendered in separate incidents across Udhampur and Doda districts overnight.

Official sources said a group of five terrorists intruded into the house of Ghulam Mohd son of Saidullah at Bhagwa under Doda police station’s jurisdiction late last night. They asked Ghulam Mohd to handover his son, Ghulam Qadir to them for joining the terrorism.

According to sources, Ghulam Mohd and his family outrightly rejected the terrorists’ demand. Faced with opposition, the terrorists tried to kidnap Ghulam Qadir but their attempt was resisted by Qadir, his father and other family members.

In the melee, one of the terrorists opened firing on the house inmates killing Ghulam Mohd on spot and wounding Ghulam Qadir, Zareefa Begum and Shamas-ud-Din. The terrorists couldn’t succeed in their nefarious designs and later fled away.

A police party from Doda police station reached the site of shoot-out and shifted the injured to district hospital in Doda. A search operation was started by security forces and police for five terrorists involved in the incident. However, they hadn’t been spotted so far.

Meanwhile, two terrorists today surrendered before Additional SP Bhaderwah H R Parihar and CO 4 RR in Bhaderwah town in Doda district today. They have been identified as Showkat Hussain alias Abu Sofiya son of Isab Din R/o Bhalla and Manzoor Ahmed alias Aqib son of Mohi-ud-Din Bakerwal R/o Thiral, Ramnagar, Udhampur.

Abu Sofiya was affiliated with Hizbul Mujahideen outfit while Aqib was an activist of Harkat-ul-Jehad Islami (HUJI) outfit, the sources said, adding they handed over one AK-47 rifle, two grenades, 120 AK rounds, four AK magazines, 50 fuse detonators and some documents to police at the time of surrender.

Both the terrorists were involved in a series of subversive activities across Bhaderwah. They were motivated by some elderly people and police officers to shun the path of terrorism and surrender. Questioning of the terrorists was expected to lead to some more arrests of the two outfits, they said.

Meanwhile, security forces today arrested two terrorists from village Dimmy, about five kms northeast from Mahore in Udhampur district. They have been identified as Mohd Shabir Dar, 20, alias Abu Nawaz son of Abdul Hamid and Gulzar Ahmed alias Yaseer son of Abdullah, both residents of Hariwala in Mahore tehsil. Duo had their affiliation with HUJI outfit.

According to sources, the terrorists were arrested after a brief encounter with the security forces in Dimmy area. Recoveries made from their possession included two AK rifles, five AK magazines, 140 rounds, three Chinese hand grenades and one wireless set.

After their arrest, the terrorists were shifted to a security forces camp for questioning. Sources said some important clues were expected during questioning of the terrorists.

Unanimity on disinvestment process: Shourie

NEW DELHI, Dec 5: Government today claimed that a unanimous view has been arrived at on the controversial disinvestment process.

"A unanimous view was arrived at and reported to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister directed Arun Shourie to make a statement about it in Parliament," Disinvestment Minister Arun Shourie told reporters after an informal meeting convened by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to resolve the vexatious issue of sale of equity in two oil PSUs — HPCL and BPCL.

Shourie declined to take any question including whether he was happy or not about the outcome of the over an hour long deliberations in which Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, Defence Minister George Fernandes, Petroleum Minister Ram Naik, External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha and Finance Minister Jaswant Singh took part.

On persistent queries, Shourie said "I have been asked to make just a one line statement."

He said that he would seek time from Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi and Rajya Sabha Chairman B S Shekhawat. (PTI)

Advani condemns killing

NEW DELHI, Dec 5: Condemning the killing of brother of a slain Jammu and Kashmir Minister, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani today said the incident only indicated that anti-India forces continued to be active.

Both the slain Law Minister in the National Conference Government Mushtaq Ahmad Lone, and his brother Ghulam Mohiuddin Lone, who was killed today, had taken a "firm stand" with regard to anti-India elements, he told reporters when his attention was drawn to the incident.

"This only indicates that anti-India forces continue to be active," Advani added. (PTI)

BJP's boat sinking: Sonia

AMRELI (GUJARAT), Dec 5: Congress president Sonia Gandhi today said the BJP is gripped by a Congress phobia ahead of the next week’s Assembly elections and asserted that the saffron party’s boat is "sinking".

"The ground beneath their (BJP) feet is shaking, their boat is sinking. Because of this fear they are seeing Congress everywhere. And it is a very old habit of BJP to blame Congress for everything," Gandhi said.

Gandhi was addressing a series of election rallies in Amreli, Surat and Navsari districts while resuming the second leg of her poll campaign.

Accusing the BJP and the Sangh Parivar organisations of openly dividing the society, Gandhi said they were spreading the poison of communalism instead of talking about social welfare.

"Our old traditional culture of composite culture which preaches brotherhood is being destroyed by them," she said.

Alleging that ruling BJP had pushed Gujarat to the path of destruction, Gandhi said her party would put the State on the track of overall development if voted to power.

She said senior party leaders have been asked to prepare development drafts for Gujarat and she would pay personal attention to it.

In a democracy, elections should be fought on rights, policy and performance of the Government, the Congress chief said and added that the State Government had failed to provide employment, water and power to the people.

Lashing out at BJP’s ‘Gaurav Yatra’ Sonia asked what the party was taking pride in when the people were burdened with various problems?

"Many industries have faced closure, bread and butter of poor have been snatched and peace of all classes disturbed during the BJP rule," Sonia said.

Congress would restore peace, communal harmony alongwith overall development in the State as was during past rule of Congress, she claimed.

Addressing another public meeting in Surat and Navsari districts as part of the party’s poll campaign, Sonia appealed to voters to drive away "anti-people BJP", which brought social and economic anarchy in the prosperous State during its four and half year long rule.

The people’s verdict had favoured Congress in recent past and put it on the seat of power in fourteen states, Sonia said adding that the trend would be repeated in Gujarat.

People had experienced communal riots due to failure on all fronts by BJP, which was wooing voters with issues of "vested interests" instead of providing good governance that they had promised in the last elections, she added. (PTI)

Pak blast kills 3

ISLAMABAD, Dec 5: In an overnight explosion, Macedonia’s diplomatic mission in the Pakistani port city of Karachi was destroyed and three bodies, with throats slit and hands and feet tied, were recovered today.

The blast occurred past midnight at Macedonia’s honorary consul office at 10th Commercial Street, Defence Housing Authority, in Karachi and it could be heard at a long distance, official APP news agency quoted police as saying.

Three bodies, including that of a woman and a Christian night watchman, were recovered from the building.

They were reported to have been killed before the blast.

"Their hands and legs were tied and their mouth sealed with cloth and their throats were slit with a sharp edged weapons," doctors who performed autopsies were quoted as saying.

Local police described it as an act of terrorism and said they had cordoned the site of the blast.

They said so far no one has taken responsibility for the blast, adding they are keeping all options open including that it could be a reaction to the killing of six Pakistanis in Macedonia in March.

The Macedonian police had opened fire on a van killing the Pakistanis and said the men were planning attacks on Western embassies and Macedonian officials.

This was the first such act in Karachi after an attack on Christian missionaries in which several people were killed.

Bomb disposal squad had reached the site and started investigation. (PTI)

All IT facilities in J&K within 6 months

NEW DELHI, Dec 5: After promising mobile telephony to Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast by April 13 and August 15 respectively, the Centre today announced extending all Information Technology (IT) services to the two regions within the next three to six months.

Information Technology Minister Pramod Mahajan said in Rajya Sabha during question hour that all types of services, which are available to the rest of the country, would be extended to the J and K and the Northeast within the next three to six months.

The services were not available to the two regions earlier because of the security situation.

Replying to a supplementary, the minister said a technology park had already been inagurated in J and K. Proper connectivity however, was not available because of certain restrictions.

The Government has already announced extending mobile telephone facilities to J and K by Baisakhi (April 13) and the Northeast by independence day (August 15). (UNI)

HC restrains Jammu cable channel from using logo ‘Jee’

NEW DELHI, Dec 5: Zee Telefilms today secured an injunction in its favour from the Delhi High Court restraining a Jammu-based cable channel network from using the logo "Jee" in its service.

Justice Shameet Mukherjee in an ex-parte interim order restrained the J & K Media Network Pvt Ltd and its agents and franchisees from using the mark "Jee" or any other mark similar to plaintiff’s "Zee TV" in relation to cable channel or any other service till December 19, the next date of hearing.

The court issued notice to J & K Media Network and sought its reply on the next hearing.

Zee Telefilms’ counsel Pratibha M Singh alleged that the Jammu-based Cable Channel has adopted a phonetically and visually deceptive mark "Jee TV" with malafide intention to encash upon the goodwill and reputation enjoyed by the mark Zee TV.

Stating that the Zee Telefims had severed its agreement with the Jammu-based channel in the year 2000, the counsel submitted that the use of mark Jee TV by it leads to confusion and deception about the origin and source of the defendant’s channel.

The adoption of the mark and logo phonetically and visually identical to Zee TV by the defendant was unlawful as it amounts to infringement of copyright bestowed with Zee Telefilms on the mark and logo, the counsel said. (PTI)

Mufti Govt responsible for killing: Omar

SRINAGAR, Dec 5: National Conference president and Union Minister Omar Abdullah today condemned the killing of brother of slain Jammu and Kashmir Law Minister Mushtaq Ahmad Lone and said his party workers had become "sitting ducks" for militants under the Mufti Sayeed Government.

Expressing shock over the tragic incident of militants gunning down Ghulam Mohiuddin Lone alias Kaka Lone at Sogam in north Kashmir, Omar said that the new State Government had been "deliberately" cutting down on the security of his party workers despite the fact that they were "the most wanted lot by the militants."

"The fact that militants have been after us for long was enough a problem for us but now it is coupled by the vindictive nature of the new State Government, whose decisions have reduced my party workers to sitting ducks for militants to come and kill," Omar said.

Claiming that several of his senior party leaders had been deprived of security, Omar said "today’s incident of gunning down of Lone is a glaring example to substantiate" his charge.

The National Conference president said that he had extended all necessary help to the new State Government for its pro-people policies but "it seems the policies of new Government were not only anti-people but also anti-National Conference centric."

Former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah also condemned the incident and said it was the real face of the "unilateral ceasefire announced by a militant group." (PTI)

Farooq flays LeT ceasefire

NEW DELHI, Dec 5: Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Farooq Abdullah today flayed the announcement of a four-day unilateral ceasefire by Lashker-e-Toiba on the occassion of Eid festival and said this could be a gimmick to ease the pressure from security forces.

Warning the State Government not to fall prey to such kind of tactics, Abdullah said "these groups have been resorting to similar moves earlier."

He termed the announcement of the LeT as a brief lull before the "dark nights" which have been hovering over the State for last 12 years.

Abdullah reminded the new State Government about a similar tactics played by Pakistan-based militant groups earlier in middle of 1990s and said "last time they ended the ceasefire was with a new dimension in the militancy by carrying out suicide attacks."

"Now I wonder what will they come after the present ceasefire," he said and added that the pressure on the militants should be maintained so that they do not get time to re-group. (PTI)

India flays Pak decision to free prisoners

NEW DELHI, Dec 5: Accusing Pakistan of not being serious in implementing its pledge to end terrorism, India today came down heavily on the decision of the newly elected Baluchistan provincial Government to order the release of all prisoners belonging to banned religious outfits before Eid festival.

"This only shows that Pakistan is not being serious about honouring its commitments to the international community to permanently end terrorism emanating from that country," official sources said.

A few days after assuming the office of Baluchistan Chief Minister, Jam Mir Mohammad Yousaf said he had directed his Home Department to release prisoners of all religious parties detained in different prisons of the frontier province.

Those to be released include leaders and activists of the Sipah-i-Sahaba, Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, Sipah-i-Mohammad and Tekhrik-i-Jafaria, which were banned by President Pervez Musharraf for fomenting sectarian strife between majority Sunni and minority Shia sects and taking part in acts of terrorism in Pakistan.

Reports quoting Maulana Abdul Wasih, a leader of Yousaf’s party PML-Q, said members of outlawed Jaish-e-Mohammed would also be released.

Musharraf had banned the Jaish in January following last year’s attack on Indian Parliament.

The sources pointed out that in January, Pakistani authorities had detained 2,000 persons but released them later. LeT chief Hafiz Mohammad Sayeed, an accused in the December 13 terror strike on Parliament, was freed last month. The spurt of violence in Jammu and Kashmir, including the attack on the Raghunath Temple in Jammu, followed release of Sayeed who vowed to continue the ‘Jehad’ in J and K and gave a public call to step up terrorist violence in the State, the sources said.

They said Pakistan’s half-hearted steps in the wake of international and other pressures was aimed at dealing with the situation from time to time and not finding a long-term solution.

"Pakistan has a revolving door for terrorists who go in and then come out," the sources added. (PTI)

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