India to call for joint SAARC strategy against terrorism

NEW DELHI, Dec 28: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will exhort SAARC nations during their January 4-6 summit in Islamabad to take a cue from Bhutan’s recent crackdown on Indian insurgent groups and adopt a joint strategy to rid south Asia of the menace of terrorism.

The Prime Minister, who will lead the Indian delegation to the summit, is also expected to use the platform to unveil his vision for a strong south Asia, which includes economic integration of the region and a common currency.

India will also make efforts to ensure that terrorism is dealt with adequately in the draft declaration being prepared for the 12th summit of the seven-nation grouping that brings together India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan and the Maldives. The summit is taking place after a gap of two years.

"We want to see that due importance is attached to terrorism in the document in the regional context and that it takes into account international developments," official sources said.

Mr Vajpayee, who has been extremely appreciative of Bhutan’s drive in recent days against north-east insurgent groups operating from within Bhutanese territory, will seek similar action against anti-Indian groups from other SAARC member-countries, especially Pakistan and Bangladesh.

India has been constantly asking Pakistan to dismantle terrorist infrastructure on its side of the border before the two countries can resume a composite dialogue. Similarly, it has been asking Bangladesh to act against ULFA and Bodo militants who have taken shelter in that country.

"We want to see what cooperation we can get from SAARC member-countries in initiating action against such groups operating from within their territories," the sources said.

The issue is bound to figure during a bilateral meeting that Mr Vajpayee is likely to have with Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia on the sidelines of the summit.

Sri Lanka and Nepal are the other two countries which have so far requested bilateral meetings with Mr Vajpayee. The sources said details of these meetings were being worked out.

But they made it clear that, as of now, no bilateral meeting had been scheduled with either Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf or Pakistan Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali.

"Various ideas are floating, but nothing has been worked out so far," they said about the speculation on whether Mr Vajpayee would hold one-to-one meetings with Gen Musharraf and Mr Jamali during his three-day stay in Islamabad.

Even if there is no formal bilateral meeting, Mr Vajpayee will come face to face with Pakistani leaders at various SAARC events, including the retreat for SAARC leaders at Mr Jamali’s residence and at the dinner being hosted for them by Gen Musharraf.

Indian officials feel that Gen Musharraf would be keen on a meeting with Mr Vajpayee so as to be able to demonstrate to his people and the world that he could engage with India.

India has been insisting that a composite dialogue with Pakistan could begin only after Islamabad ended its support to cross-border terrorism and dismantled the terrorist infrastructure in its territory.

New Delhi is saying that it would like to focus on larger issues affecting the region at the multilateral forum but it is clear that all eyes will be on India and Pakistan.

The summit is being seen as a major opportunity for India and Pakistan to raise their bilateral relations to a new level after Mr Vajpayee’s latest peace initiatives and Islamabad’s response to them have created a positive climate between the two countries.

The meeting will take place against the background of the two recent attempts within days of each other on Gen Musharraf’s life.

India will watch with interest the changes that Pakistan will make, following these two incidents in the paragraphs, on terrorism in the draft declaration that has been circulated among member-countries.

According to some reports, Pakistan has, in the draft prepared by it, attempted to whittle down the strong language on terrorism that the heads of State and Government of SAARC member-states had adopted at their 11th summit in Kathmandu two years ago.

Asked about the draft circulated by Pakistan, Foreign Secretary Shashank said at his briefing for reporters on the summit here yesterday that "it is only a draft and the final document will emerge on the basis of a consensus among member-countries."

He admitted there were differences between India and Pakistan on the definition of terrorism, a factor which was also delaying the adoption of the comprehensive convention on terrorism introduced by India at the UN.

Pakistan has already made it clear that the summit would take place despite the attempts on Gen Musharraf’s life and Mr Vajpayee is also going ahead with his visit to Islamabad despite the heightened security concerns.

According to the sources, adequate security arrangements would be made for Mr Vajpayee during his stay in Islamabad.

They explained that Mr Vajpayee, as an elder statesman with a clear vision for south Asia, would like to send out clear signals that he was not going to be deterred from attending the summit by such incidents.

Mr Vajpayee is due to reach Islamabad on January 3 and leave for home on January 6, shortly after the closing ceremony of the summit.

Mr Shashank will represent India at the meeting of SAARC senior officials on December 31 and January 1 while External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha will attend the Council of Ministers meeting on January 2 and 3.

India is also watching with great interest the action that Pakistani authorities take against various terrorist groups in Pakistan after the attempts on Gen Musharraf’s life.

The reading here is that while there has been some action against the Al-Qaeda and groups working against Pakistan’s internal stability, no steps have been taken to curb the activities of the Taliban and groups working against India.

At his media briefing yesterday, Mr Shashank had pointed out that Pakistan, which was the epicentre of terrorism, was now itself suffering terrorist attacks.

He hoped the summit would send out a strong message against terrorism, an issue on which the United Nations and developed countries had been sensitised, especially after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States.

Mr Shashank was confident that the declaration to be issued by the leaders at the end of the summit would strengthen the 1987 SAARC convention on terrorism. He said the additional protocol in this regard would come up for discussions during the meeting.

Asked if India was satisfied with Pakistan’s implementation of the UN Security Council resolution 1373 on terrorism, he said there were monitoring mechanisms in place and countries had to regularly file compliance reports. India had been pointing out the deficiencies noticed in the reports being filed by Pakistan.

At the same time, he stressed that all the SAARC countries were partners in the coalition against terrorism and were committed to fighting the menace jointly.

On the economic front, India is hoping that the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) agreement will be concluded at the summit.

This and a social charter that will be adopted by the leaders are expected to help rid the region of poverty and disease and open up possibilities for faster economic growth.

Mr Shashank felt that the signing of SAFTA would be a major achievement for the grouping.

Mr Shashank said the reports of the meetings of SAARC health and Information Ministers as well as those of SAARC regional centres would be submitted to the summit.

On the social charter to be signed by SAARC leaders, Mr Shashank said India wanted an additional chapter on cooperation in the area of health to be incorporated in the draft. In this connection, he referred to the strides made by India in the pharmaceutical sector, especially in the matter of anti-AIDS drugs and HIV vaccines.

Overall, the fact remains that the atmosphere between India and Pakistan has improved, with the restoration of diplomatic ties at the High Commissioners’ level and the resumption of the Delhi-Lahore bus service. Air links between the two countries are due to resume on January 1 and the Samjhauta Express on January 15.

India has also completed internal procedures for the restoration of the Khokrapar-Munabao road link between Rajasthan and Sindh and the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad link between Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

On the Mumbai-Karachi ferry service, the Shipping Corporation of India has done some preliminary work and also located a ship. But Indian officials are trying to assess whether there would be a demand for such a service after the restoration of the air, rail and road links.

Further, there has been a dramatic increase in the people-to-people contacts between the two countries in recent times. India is particularly happy about the large number of Pakistani delegations of Parliamentarians, lawyers, journalists, businessmen, activists and students which have visited this country in recent months. Indian delegations have also been visiting Pakistan.

They pointed out that as many as 900 Pakistani delegates had applied for visas to attend the world social forum in Mumbai next month.

"People on both sides have taken charge and are now major actors in this process....This is a new phenonomenon," they added. (UNI)

Cong signal to prospective allies
Prime Ministership will be decided by people: Sonia

MUMBAI, Dec 28: In clear signals to prospective allies to fight BJP, Congress president Sonia Gandhi today said the issue of Prime Ministership will be decided by the people though she made it clear that Congress party would decide on who its leader will be.

"We never impose our leadership on other parties. We do not interfere with the internal affairs of other parties and it would be unfair for them to do so. The leadership of Congress will be decided by us", she said at her maiden press conference here when asked if the party would insist on her leadership of the proposed front of secular allies.

To a query whether she would be the party’s Prime Ministerial nominee, Gandhi said "this is a question to be decided by the people of the country."

Gandhi’s remarks appear to be a slight shift from the message of the Congress’ Shimla conclave that a secular alternative to BJP would be under Congress leadership.

Asked whether Congress would firm up ties with BSP, DMK and SP, Sonia said "we will have to hold talks with them".

When Gandhi’s attention was drawn to NCP president Sharad Pawar’s statement that his party was willing to set aside the contentious issue of foreign origin, she said "I am not aware of Pawarji’s statement".

"If we want to defeat the anti-secular forces, then all of us should put aside our differences to form a compact alliance", the Congress president said.

Asked whether foreign origin issue had become irrelavent, she said "it is for the people of the country to decide".

Taking ahead talks of Congress willingness to firm up allies to take on the resurgent BJP, Gandhi said Congress is "willing to work with like-minded parties to defeat anti-secular forces".

"We are working with other parties in Governments in Maharashtra, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir and Meghalaya and this is a signal ahead", she said.

Gandhi emphasised on the need for putting up a compact fight to defeat communal forces by forming an alliance of secular parties.

When asked to identify Congress’ prospective allies, she said "there are a number of secular-minded parties, with whom we can work".

Gandhi said "in Uttar Pradesh, there are SP and BSP and other smaller parties. Situation is fluid and we are to keep in touch with each other and put up a compact group of secular alliance".

To a query over party’s debacle in assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, she said "we sufferred due to the impact of anti-incumbency."

Maintaining that these State Governments had contributed immensely to social infrastructure and empowerment, Gandhi said "the people’s aspirations were more and we could not fulfill them".

In Rajasthan, with five years of consecutive drought "we had quite a difficult task". Similarly, she admitted that BJP’s aggressive publicity campaign was responsible for the saffron party’s spectacular performance.

However, she added that her party has learnt its lessons. (PTI)

Sangh stalwart Kushabhau Thakre dead

NEW DELHI, Dec 28: Sangh Parivar stalwart and former BJP president Kushabhau Thakre, who steered the party during its initial years in power at the Centre, died here this morning following prolonged illness.

82-year old Thakre, a bachelor who began his political career as an RSS Pracharak in 1942 at Neemuch in Madhya Pradesh, was suffering from cancer which had spread all over the body and died at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences at 8 am.

Thakre, who became the party president in 1998 a few months after it strode to power, was known for his organisational skills and was credited with building up the party in his home state of Madhya Pradesh.

Hearing about Thakre’s demise, vice-president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat rushed to the hospital and offered floral tributes.

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani alongwith a host of senior BJP leaders paid their last respects to the departed leader at the party headquarters where his mortal remains, wrapped in party flag, was kept before being flown by a special aircraft to Bhopal for last rites tomorrow.

Condoling Thakre’s death, President A P J Abdul Kalam in a letter to his brother Jayant Thakre said he (Kushabhau) was a prominent political leader who was well-known for his work during his many years in public life.

Thakre, who wished to see the party coming back to power in Madhya Pradesh, would be accorded a state funeral, which would be attended among others by Vajpayee, Advani, party president M Venkaiah Naidu, RSS chief K S Sudarshan and its joint general secretary in charge of BJP Madan Das Devi.

The Uma Bharti Government has declared a state mourning tomorrow as a mark of respect to the memory of the late leader. The National Flag would fly half-mast atop all Government buildings and offices would remain closed with all laying a wreath on Thakre’s body at the party headquarters here, Vajpayee said "he had dedicated his life for the party and the country to fulfill his dream of a powerful and strong India".

"Thakre was a great leader who kept the party united", he said and exhorted party workers to follow his principles.

Vajpayee said Thakre’s life was a path full of thorns but he strode bravely to work towards his goal.

Advani, while attributing BJP’s victory in the Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections to Thakre’s tireless effort, said his dedication, loyalty and selfless work for the party should be followed by all partymen.

He said BJP workers will continue his good work and take the party to victory in the comming Lok Sabha polls.

In his condolence message, RSS chief K S Sudarshan said, "he (Thakre) has placed before all of us an example of an ideal Sangh Pracharak to emulate." (PTI)

Two militants killed, two held
*Two civilians injured in firing

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 28: Army today gunned down two militants at Thanna Mandi in Rajouri district and apprehended two others from Gool area in Udhampur district while two civilians including a woman were injured in the separate militancy related incidents across the region since last evening.

Official sources said the Army personnel today gunned down two militants in a hideout in Thanna Mandi in Rajouri this afternoon. Troops didn’t suffer any casualties in two hour long gun-battle.

Sources said the Army personnel carried out a search operation on outskirts of Thanna Mandi this morning after developing an information about the presence of two militants including a ‘commander’ of Harkat-ul-Jehad Islami (HUJI) outfit.

Troops took the militants by surprise as they stormed their hideout. However, the militants managed to come out of the hideout, took positions and exchanged firing with the Army personnel. After about two hour gun-fight, both the militants were killed, the sources said, adding that their identity hasn’t been established so far.

One of the slain ultra was, however, stated to be a foreign mercenary and a ‘local commander’ of the HUJI outfit. Two AK rifles with ammunition and one damaged wireless set were recovered from the slain militants. Hideout of the militants, where the encounter took place, was destroyed in the operation.

Another hideout of the militants was destroyed by the troops in the same area. One UBGL grenade and one compass were recovered from the hideout.

Sources said three militants escaped from the hideout alongwith their arms and ammunition minutes before it was raided and destroyed by the Army personnel. They are being chased by the troops in a forest area.

Meanwhile, Army have arrested two militants during a search operation in Gool area of Ramban police district. They have been identified as Fazil son of Mohd Amin, a resident of Kishtwar and Tariq Ahmed Lone alias Azhar son of Mohd Anwar Lone R/o Marwah.

The arrested militants had undergone training in Pakistan and belonged to the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit.

After preliminary interrogation, Army handed over the militants to local police.

A woman was today injured when she was caught in the cross-firing between security personnel and the militants at village Sollian in Mehrote area of Surankote tehsil in Poonch district.

She has been identified as Naseema Akhter wife of Mohd Ibrahim, a resident of Sollian. She has been shifted to the district hospital in Poonch.

Another civilian Munir Khan alias Neena Bakerwal son of Shamas Din R/o Ladde, Narkote under the jurisdiction of Reasi police station, was injured when the Village Defence Committee (VDC) members opened firing mistaking him as a militant.

Later, he was shifted to a local hospital from where he was referred to the Medical College hospital here.

Mulayam pours water on Sonia's plan

LUCKNOW, Dec 28: Putting a spoke in Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s plans for a compact secular alliance against BJP, Samajwadi Party supremo and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav today said he favoured only issue based support to like minded parties and a post-poll tie-up.

He also categorically ruled out an alliance with any party having any understanding with arch rival BSP.

"Formation of an alliance of secular forces is not under our consideration at the moment. We have already taken a decision. We will seek and give issue based support. An alliance could be considered after the polls depending upon the results," Yadav told reporters here.

He was responding to a question about Gandhi’s appeal for a compact alliance ahead of the Lok Sabha polls next year.

The Chief Minister, however, said his party will seek and give issue based support to like minded parties and "also have seat adjustments".

Making it clear that his party would have nothing to do with any party which entered into any kind of alliance with BSP, he said "BSP is a corrupt party. It wanted to slap pota on me. We want to re-establish moral values in politics".

On being pressed further on Sonia’s appeal, he said his party had been fighting the communal forces all through. "The real battle against the communal forces will be fought in the plains of Ganga and Yamuna, where only the SP is a force to reckon with." (PTI)

‘Pak proxy war in last phase’

NEW DELHI, Dec 28 : Union Minister of State for Home I D Swami today said the proxy war pursued by Pakistan has reached its last phase and India would soon curb all terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of the country.

Launching the 64th anniversary celebrations of the Central Reserve Police Force, Mr Swami said India has been fighting cross-border terrorism for the last two decades and like various wars which it won against Pakistan, the country would also defeat this proxy war.

Mr Swami was addressing the function on behalf of Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani who could not be present due to the death of senior BJP leader Kushabhau Thakre here this morning.

He said cross-border terrorism was no solution to any problem and all outstanding issues could be addressed only through talks which could be meaningful only if Pakistan dismantled terrorist camps and infrastructure within its territory and Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir.

The Minister said the repeated Pakistani proposals for talks were meaningless till cross-border terrorism stopped completely.

Guided by its concern for security and integrity of the country, the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA Government has decided to give priority to strengthening intelligence, border management and modernisation of the force.

Appreciating the role of security forces in fighting terrorism, the Minister said whereas globally securitymen have failed to foil "Fidayeen" attacks by terrorists, in India repeated attempts by suicide bombers have been foiled, including the Parliament attack, Akshardham, Srinagar Airport and Raghunath Temple. (UNI)

Kashmir, Afghan network targets Musharraf: Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, Dec 28: A network of Kashmiri and Afghan militants was behind the latest assassination attempt on President Pervez Musharraf, Pakistani officials said today.

Two suicide car bombers tried to ram explosives-laden vehicles into Musharraf’s Limousine on Thursday in the Garrison city of Rawalpindi, 20 km from the capital Islamabad.

Information Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed said investigators were close to arresting those behind the attack.

"It’s a huge network of terrorists having tentacles from Kashmir to Afghanistan. They also have international ties," he told Reuters.

A senior Government official said, on condition of anonymity, that one of the suicide bombers was from Pakistani-occupied Kashmir (PoK), while the other was an Afghan who carried a fake Pakistani identity card.

The fake identity card showed his address to be in a town of North West Frontier Province, bordering Afghanistan, he said.

Fifteen people were killed and 45 wounded in the attack, the second against Musharraf in less than a fortnight. A powerful bomb exploded moments after his motorcade crossed a bridge on the same Rawalpindi road on December 14.

Musharraf, a staunch ally of the United States in the war on terror, blamed Islamic extremists for the attacks and vowed not to falter in fight against terrorism.

Ahmed said several people had been arrested in the crackdown aimed at the masterminds of the attack.

"We have entered the network," he said, without elaborating. Witnesses in Rawalakot in Pakistan’s part of Kashmir said authorities arrested at least three suspects from a nearby village in a raid before dawn on Friday.

They said the Kashmiri suicide bomber was from the village.

Hardline Islamists are furious with Musharraf for supporting Washington’s crackdown in which Pakistan arrested hundreds of Al Qaeda militants and handed them over to the United States.

Musharraf’s recent peace overtures with India and attempts to resolve the Kashmir issue have also fuelled militants’ anger.

Pakistan has not only banned several Pakistan-based guerilla groups fighting in Kashmir, but is also trying to stop militants infiltrating Kashmir.

"The anger toward Musharraf and his policies is natural," said a former guerilla belonging to the banned Harkat-ul Mujahideen.

"We have lost so many friends, brothers and relatives in the struggle in Kashmir. What was that for? Not all Mujahideen are going to sit quietly," he said.

A dissident faction of Harkat-ul Mujahideen tried to blow up Musharraf’s motorcade in the southern port city of Karachi last year, according to officials.

Kashmiri and Afghan militants have a history of close ties with the Pakistan Army. Pakistan abandoned its one time ally, the Afghan Taliban, to support the US-led war that ended the hold of the Islamic militia over the war-ravaged State.

Analysts have questioned how the perpetrators could have got details of Musharraf’s movements to allow them to carry out two attacks in so short a time in Rawalpindi, the Army headquarters.

Official sources said militants ignored Musharraf’s decoy motorcade on Thursday. Analysts said this showed militants had either infiltrated Pakistan’s top security agencies or gained access to sensitive information. (REUTERS)

‘CA’, 3 others held for duping people worth lakhs

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 28: A self-styled Chartered Account (CA), who had duped large number of people of their hard-earned money estimating between Rs 40 to Rs 50 lakh, has been arrested by the police.

Three criminals, who were hired by the ‘Chartered Accountant’ for threatening the people demanding their money, have also been arrested and stamps of several non-existing companies recovered.

Police spokesman said that Gandhi Nagar Police was receiving complaints about the self-styled Chartered Accountant for the past quite sometime and last night a police team headed by SHO S S Sambyal under the supervision SSP Jammu Dr Kamal Saini, SP South Bhupinder Singh and DySP South Vijay Kumar Chowhan conducted a raid in the office of the CA in Gandhi Nagar Extension second.

When the raid was conducted, the self-styled CA R K Tandon, son of Amir Chand and three hired criminals were present in the office. All were immediately arrested and record was seized. While the ‘CA’ has been arrested under Sections—170, 420, 472, 467, 468 RPC, the criminals were arrested under Preventive Section.

The preliminary investigations carried out by the police revealed that R K Tandon was running a company on the name and style of Professional Consultancy Bureau and was claiming to have qualified Chartered Accountancy from Chandigarh and had offices in different parts of the country particularly in Delhi.

He was operating in the Jammu city for the past over three years and had duped several people of their hard-earned money estimating between Rs 40 to Rs 50 lakh. "He was dealing in the business of sale and purchase of properties, providing bank loans for car and houses and arranging match for the young boys and girls", the police spokesman said.

"When the people started approaching him for the return of their money the `CA’ hired three professional criminals, who started threatening people not to demand their money back", the spokesman said and added that during the raid about 14 stamps of non-existing firms were recovered from the office of the `CA’.

The stamps are of President/Secretary of KS Educational Society, Muthi, Shastri Printers and Publishers and Women Employment Society, Upper Talab, Muthi, Intouch Educational and Vocational Institute, President/Secretary Intouch. A number of documents of land and property mortgage were also recovered.

"R K Tandon is basically the resident of Chandigarh but a few years back he shifted to Delhi. About three years back he started his business of befooling people in Jammu by claiming to be a qualified CA", the spokesman said and added that the investigation revealed that he was not a qualified CA.

The cheat was also running Sunny Helpine at Gurdwara Sunder Singh Road but recently he closed the business due to unknown reasons. "At present we can say that this is a well knit gang. The investigation into the matter is going on and some sensational disclosures are likely", the spokesman said.

The criminals arrested from his office have been identified as Inderpal Singh, son of Harjeet Singh, Amarpal Singh, son of Reva Singh and Harmohinder Singh, all the residents of Gole Gujaral.

7 militants trapped in Pulwama

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Dec 28: Even as militants have eliminated two persons in Kashmir valley since last evening, a group of at least seven armed militants of Hizbul Mujahideen got trapped in a military operation at Arihal village in Pulwama district this evening.

Informed sources told EXCELSIOR that troops of Rashtriya Rifles 01 Bn and Awantipore Police launched a cordon-and-search operation at Arihal, on Pulwama-Shopian road in south Kashmir this evening. According to a specific information, seven militants of Hizbul Mujahideen were present at two particular houses in the village. Troops threw a tight cordon around a cluster of five houses. All the civilians are believed to have been evacuated from these houses. The militants, believed to be holed up at two houses, opened fire in an attempt to escape. However, troops retaliated and foiled all such attempts of the besieged militants.

There was no casualty in the initial round of the crossfiring. Troops, according to sources, have been directed to maintain low-intensity gunfire until Monday morning. They were reportedly planning to destroy the two residential houses and kill all the holed up militants. Top wanted Hizb militants, Hyder and Parvez Ahmed Dar alias Muzammil of Punjgam, are believed to have been trapped.

Sources said that on Saturday one Habibullah Chohan of Surigam Kupwara was caught and hanged to death by militants in Khuri forest area of Lolab after they learned that he was gaining access to their hideout for Police and security forces.

Here in the capital city, unidentified gunmen, believed to be militants, have shot dead a former militant, namely Bilal Ahmed Bagwan, at Alamdar Colony Nawpora last evening.

Meanwhile, main office building of the Army’s High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) gutted at Gulmarg today. Constructed in 1962, the building was predominantly wooden. The blaze originated from the main office building at 10.00 a.m today. It engulfed the whole building which was reduced to ashes. Fire tenders extinguished the leaping flames in a two-hour-long operation and saved the adjoining structures from possible devastation.

Official sources said that during the fire-fighting operation, six soldiers sustained minor burn injuries. Two civilians also got injured in the same operation.

HAWS was currently training participants for three snow sports and skiing events being held at the Alpine slopes of Gulmarg in January and February 2004.

Pro-democracy parties boycott Jamali meet

ISLAMABAD, Dec 28: Pakistan’s pro-democracy parties today boycotted a special meeting held by Premier Zafarullah Khan Jamali to brief them about the issues and preparations for next week’s SAARC summit as also the controversy surrounding the alleged proliferation of nuclear technology by the country’s scientists.

The 15-party Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD), consisting moderate opposition parties including Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-N, boycotted the meeting by Jamali for the country’s political parties.

While the Islamist Alliance Muttahida Majlis-e Amal (MMA), which called off its agitation against President Pervez Musharraf this week after reaching an agreement on his controversial constitutional amendments, attended the meeting, the ARD boycotted it saying it does not want to give a "photo opportunity" to the Government to show the people that it too was a part of the MMA-Government deal.

"We do not want to be seen as a part of MMA-Government agreement on constitutional amendments and Musharraf. If we attended the as a photo opportunity. The boycott has nothing to do with SAARC," PPP spokesman, Senator Faratullah Babar, said.

MMA leaders, including Maulana Fazlur Rehman of Jamat Ulema Islami and Qazi Hussain Ahmad of Jamat-e-Islami, attended the meeting in which Jamali and Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri briefed them about the SAARC summit and the chances of bilateral meetings between Indian and Pakistani leaders on the sidelines of the summit.

The MMA leaders were also briefed on the questioning of top nuclear scientists by security agencies following allegations of proliferation of nuclear technology to Iran and Libya. (PTI)

Centre turns down ULFA's offer

NEW DELHI, Dec 28: The Centre today turned down the outlawed ULFA’s offer for conditional talks through a neutral mediator on its demand for sovereignty, saying the sovereignty and integrity of the country cannot be compromised.

"There is no question of any compromise on the sovereignty and integrity of the country," Minister of State for Home I D Swami told reporters after the 64th anniveary parade of the CRPF here.

Swami was responding to a question on ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Baruah’s reported statement that the outfit was ready for peace negotiations with New Delhi on its main demand of sovereignty with a "neutral third party mediator" acting as a facilitator.

Barua had reportedly demanded that the neutral third party had to be a ‘nation state’ as ULFA could not trust mediators from within India to be "neutral".

Asserting that the pro-active policy against the banned outfit would continue, the minister said "there cannot be talks with pre-conditions".

He, however, clarified that as a matter of principle, the Centre was ready for talks with any insurgent group which laid down arms and did not put forward any conditions.

Swami expressed the hope that ULFA would respond to the amnesty offer of the Assam Government and join the mainstream.

He said after the operation of the Royal Bhutan Army (RBA), ULFA was demoralised and it cadres were on the run.

The minister thanked the Bhutan Government for having launched the operation against the insurgent outfit and said New Delhi persuaded the Himalayan kingdom for it through diplomatic channels as it was in the interest of both the countries. (PTI)

Stamp paper accused being charge-sheeted today

PUNE, Dec 28: The Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the multi-crore fake stamp paper racket, is likely to file third supplementary chargesheet against nine accused, including the TDP MLA C Krishna Yadav, Assistant Commissioner of Police Gokul B Patil and others, tomorrow in a city Court.

Other accused who will be chargesheeted include senior Inspector Crime Branch Mumbai Dattatreya Dal, Police Inspectors Vashist Andale and Prabhabkar Kakade and four other persons, SIT sources said here today.

The chargesheet, running into more than 1,500 pages, will be filed under Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).

C Krishna Yadav was the second MLA to be arrested in connection with the scam. Hailing from Himayatnagar assembly constituency of Andhra Pradesh, Yadav was arrested on September 6, brought to Pune and remanded to police custody from time to time. The first MLA to be arrested was the Samajwadi Janata Party (SJP) MLA Anil Gote.

The first chargesheet was filed on March 27 this year against the kingpin Abdul Karim Telgi and 38 others, which gave details of how Telgi’s gang infiltrated into the Nasik-based India Security Press (ISP). This chargesheet was spread over 11,000 pages.

The second supplementary chargesheet was filed against Gote and 15 other on September 15 spelling out their role in the whole scam.

Former Mumbai Police Commissioner R S Sharma, Joint Commissioner of Police Sridhar Vagal, suspended Assistant Commissioner of Police M C Mulani and others will be chargesheeted later, the SIT sources added. (PTI)

Pak Assembly endorses Musharraf presidency

ISLAMABAD, Dec 28: Pakistan’s National Assembly tonight ratified President Pervez Musharraf’s presidency and his diluted Constitutional amendments with two thirds majority with the Islamist alliance Muthahid Majlis Amal voting for it after a deal with the Government.

Official media reports said the 17th Constitutional amendment bill, which included legitimising Musharraf’s election as President through a referendum last year, was ratified by the National Assembly with a two third majority enabling Musharraf to continue in the post till 2007. However Musharraf managed to obtain MMA’s support only after agreeing to quit the powerful post of Chief of Army in December 2004.

The bill was passed with 236 to 40 votes by the 342 member Assembly indicating that some of mainstream opposition either abstained or voted against the bill while MMA, which blocked Parliament for over an year voted for the amendment. The bill would go to Senate tomorrow and was expected to be ratified in a similar way on Tuesday. After this Musharraf was expected to win a confidence vote in the all the four provincial Assemblies.

The entire process was expected to be completed before the SAARC summit, which begins here on January 4. The ratification is expected to end the year long political deadlock and help Musharraf to consolidate his powerbase politically. (PTI)
 
 
 
 

 

 

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