India, Tajikistan to step up defence co-operation

DUSHANBE, Nov 14: Underlining its strategic interests in Central Asia, India today set up a joint working group with Tajikistan to combat international terrorism with the two countries deciding to intensify their defence co-operation and to build a highway linking them.

A treaty of extradition was among eight documents signed between India and its closest neighbour in Central Asia at the conclusion of talks between Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Tajikistan President E S Rakhmanov, who hailed these decisions as the "opening of a new page in the ancient bilateral ties".

A joint declaration on friendship and cooperation signed by Vajpayee, the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Tajikistan since it broke away from the erstwhile Soviet Union 12 years ago, and Rakhmanov condemned "supporters of terrorism and those that finance, train or provide support for terrorists".

Indicative of the desire of the two countries to construct a highway that will link them on an "urgent basis" was the decision to set up a working group for this.

Vajpayee announced an economic package of USD 40 million including a credit line of USD 25 million to Tajikistan. India will also assist in infrastructure development of the military training college in Dushanbe.

Besides the declaration and the extradition treaty, the six other agreements signed included accords on cooperation in tourism and information technology and an MoU on establishment of Indo-Tajik IT Centre. Instruments of ratification for agreement on mutual legal assistance in legal matters and bilateral investment promotion were also exchanged.

Vajpayee’s 22-hour visit took place amidst reports that India had set up a military base at Ayny in northern Tajikistan and Rakhmanov brushed aside the development.

Responding to a Russian reporter’s question on Ayny, the Tajik President said he knew "where the question had come from" and he went on to explain that his country had looked around for help in rebuilding the airstrip at Ayny before a friendly India had offered to reconstruct it. There was no secret about it.

Rakhmanov pointed out that military personnel of Tajikistan were being trained in India and that para-troopers had participated in military exercises in this country. Tajikistan wanted to expand such cooperation, he said. Vajpayee expressed satisfaction over the cooperation between the armed forces of the two countries.

Vajpayee said India and Tajikistan had common concerns about the situation "in our region". Both the countries were affected by terrorism which they were fighting determinedly,

"Tajikistan has been playing the role of buffer, defending not only Central Asia, but also Europe from drugs, terrorism and extremism coming from Afghanistan," he said.

The Prime Minister said he had invited Rakhmanov to visit India which he has accepted. Rakhmanov said for Tajikistan India was one of the strategic partners and it saw this partnership growing in future. "There is total identity of views of regional and global issues." He said India’s role in ensuring security of Afghanistan and rest of the region was great. Tajikistan played a key role in the security of Afghanistan and this was the only country in the region that had supported northern alliance in the fight against Taliban. (PTI)

‘Gorshkov’ purchase deal during Ivanov’s visit

MOSCOW, Nov 14: India and Russia are likely to sign a deal for purchase of aircraft carrier ‘Admiral Gorshkov’armed with a complement of MIG-29 K warplanes from Russia during the three-day visit of its Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov to New Delhi from November 26.

The acquisition of the 44,000-tonne aircraft carrier, along with MIG 29 aircraft and Kamov-31 helicopters, will bring the curtains down on the protracted negotiations between the two countries for the last four years.

The two countries are likely to sign a deal during Russian Defence Minister’s visit, highly placed sources said.

The price of the deal could be 1.5 billion US dollars, Russia’s Itar-Tass News Agency said. This would include expenditure to make the carrier combat effective besides creating an infrastructure for its service and maintenance in India. The hull of the ship is not included in the cost.

With the negotiations on the carrier in final stages, the warship is being prepared for repairs and modernisation which would entail increasing the length of the ski-runway and a catapult for faster take-off of aircraft from it, a spokesman of Sevmash shipyard said.

There was, however, no word on reports of a possible broad package which would include leasing of two-long range Tu-22m supersonic bombers and two ‘Akula’ class nuclear-powered submarines for the Indian Navy.

Ivanov, who had called on Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee here yesterday, said after the meeting that he was looking forward to holding talks with Defence Minister George Fernandes to reach "serious agreements".

"We hope forthcoming talks (with Fernandes) will produce serious agreements," he said after receiving an invitation to visit India during his meeting with Vajpayee.

"Military cooperation with India was developing dynamically and has very good prospects. Our fleet have carried out successful large-scale exercises this year", he said.

Ivanov, during his visit to New Delhi would have a hectic agenda before him and his talks with Fernandes would include finalising of contract for Smerch 60 kms long range multi-barrel rocket system and make sales pitch for new generation of infantry combat vehicles.

‘Admiral Gorshkov’ has been anchored at the shipyard in Severodvinsk since 1999 and checks of its machinery and structures have been completed, outdated equipment and weapons dismantled and fuel tanks unloaded and cleaned, the news agency reported.

"All wishes of the Indian side regarding the preparation of the ship for repairs and modernisation have been fulfilled," the spokesman of the shipyard specialising in construction of nuclear-powered submarines said.

‘Admiral Gorshkov’, which was previously called ‘The Baku’, was built in Nikolayerv, Ukraine. It joined the Russian northern fleet in 1987.

The warship is 273 metres long, 53 metres broad and 63 metres in height and after modernisation is likely to join Indian naval Flotilla by 2006, the agency said. (PTI)

Ultras use parts of body to trap cops

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 14: In a new technique, the militants today used parts of a human body to trap security and police officers in an IED blast in Thathri area of Doda district. However, the militants failed in their plan.

Police said a Village Defence Committee (VDC) member Amar Singh son of Bhagat Ram noticed two legs and two arms lying on roof of his house at village Bankhanatawa in Chirala area of Thathri at 6 AM this morning. Some blood stains were also seen near the parts of a human body.

Alert villagers started searches in the adjoining houses. They detected an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) fitted near adjoining house of another VDC member Hoshiar Singh son of Mool Raj. The villagers immediately informed police and security forces, who rushed to the spot alongwith a Bomb Disposal Squad.

The Squad defused the IED safely.

Meanwhile, police and security personnel picked-up human organs and shifted them to a local hospital. Police said no civilian of the area was found missing or killed.

"It appeared that the militants used organs of a person, killed in another area, to attract police and security forces officers and then detonate the IED planted in adjoining house to cause casualties", the sources said, adding the militants’ plot, however, failed due to alertness shown by the villagers and security personnel.

Security forces and police immediately cordoned off the area and launched a search operation suspecting presence of the militants. However, no arrests had been made so far. Senior officers of police and security forces also visited the spot for investigations. Some local suspects are being questioned by the cops.

Meanwhile, an army jawan was seriously injured in an encounter with the militants at village Tota Morha in Thanna Mandi area in Rajouri district this evening. Injured jawan has been shifted to a Military Hospital, official sources said.

The militants, however, managed to escape, they added.

Lyngdoh says polls not before March

HYDERABAD/ NEW DELHI, Nov 14: Andhra Pradesh Assembly was today dissolved, ten months ahead of its term, paving the way for early elections but the Election Commission said polls were not possible before February, which Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu wants.

Armed with his party’s backing for seeking an early mandate, Naidu convened a Cabinet meeting this morning which adopted a resolution recommending dissolution of the 294-member assembly.

Shortly later, he met Governor Surjit Singh Barnala, who accepted the Cabinet recommendation and dissolved the House while asking Naidu and his Council of Ministers to remain in office as caretaker Government.

However, Chief Election Commissioner J M Lyngdoh, appeared to have thrown cold water on Naidu’s plans for elections in early February saying polls were possible "not before February". Lyngdoh, who retires in February next, said the elections "may be held in March or beyond March" as the State was not prepared since the revision of electoral rolls was in progress.

Naidu reacted saying his Government would make a representation to the Commission to hold elections before March in view of the examination season.

The dissolution came six weeks after an abortive assassination bid on Naidu by PWG Naxalites at Tirupati, which Naidu believes would generate sympathy for his party.

The TDP general body meeting last night adopted a resolution demanding early polls to effectively counter extremist forces and "obstructionist" Congress.

While BJP welcomed Naidu’s decision and said it would align with the TDP, Congress said it was "more than ready" for elections. Congress said the people were ready to rid the state of "bad governance".

"We are eager to exploit the terrible sentiment developing against the misrule of TDP," Congress spokesman Jaipal Reddy told reporters dismissing as "false and perverse" the Chief Minister’s claim that the attitude of Congress forced him to dissolve the Assembly.

Congress said it was not averse to a tie up with Left parties and regional outfit Telengana Rashtriya Samiti.

The Cabinet resolution said "we believe the time has come to tackle extremism head-on with courage and fortitude. It is for this reason that despite commanding complete confidence and support of the people, the Government feels it necessary to go to public on the issue of extremism."

Seeking to paint Naxalites and Congress with the same brush, the Cabinet said the opposition party was ‘overtly encouraging extremism’ by favouring talks with Naxalites who have no respect for or faith in democracy.

"The opposition is playing an extremely opportunistic role by failing to take a clear stand on the issue of extremism," the resolution said.

Seeking a fresh mandate from people for rejecting extremism in the ‘most clear and categorical manner’, the resolution said " the TDP Government is willing to sacrifice the remaining term in office in order to discharge its responsibility towards the people of the State". (PTI)

10-day-long operation ends in Rafiabad
Woman, teacher among 3 killed in Valley

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Nov 14: Unidentified persons, believed to be militants, have killed a private schoolteacher and a young woman in Kashmir Valley since last evening. Late this evening, militants have killed another civilian at Singhpora in Baramulla district.

Informed sources told EXCELSIOR that a group of militants appeared at Gotapora village in Soibug area of Budgam district late last evening and whisked away 24-year-old Shaheen Ahmed Rather S/o Ghulam Hassan Rather from the local mosque where he was busy with Taraveeh prayers. He was fired upon at a distance. He was rushed to SMHS Hospital but succumbed after some time. Even as no militant outfit has claimed responsibility, he is believed to have been eliminated for having allegedly worked as a source of security forces.

Shaheen, with B Sc and B Ed degrees to his credit, had been working as a teacher with Islamic Educational Society Soibug. This chain of schools had been founded by JKLF leader Shabir Sidiquee who was among the 32 militants killed by SOG Srinagar near Hazratbal shrine in March 1996. Sidiquee was a resident of Soibug but arch rival to the fellow villager and Hizbul Mujahideen supremo Syed Salah-ud-din.

However, residents said that Shaheen had never associated himself with any group of militants, counter-insurgents or political workers.

In southern outskirts of Srinagar city, Police recovered the dead body of a 23-year-old woman at Chak-e-Pohroo, in Nowgam area. She was identified as Tasleema wife of Ghulam Mohi-ud-din R/o Balpora, Shopian. Sources said that there were visible torture marks on her body and she seemed to have been strangled to death. Her husband told Police that Tasleema had left for a Srinagar hospital two days ago. She is believed to have been kidnapped and killed by militants.

Sources said that Tasleema’s residence was yards away from Balpora formation of Rashtriya Rifles 44 Bn. An identity card, recovered from her pocket, confirmed that she had been working as an informer for security forces.

At 1845 hours this evening, an unidentified person lobbed a hand grenade into the premises of one Mohammad Ayaz Shah S/o Mohammad Yusuf Shah at Rawalpora, in Srinagar outskirts. It exploded and caused damage to Shah’s Maruti car and the targetted house. Shah is working as an electrician at SKIMS, Soura.

Sources in north Kashmir said that unidentified gunmen, believed to be militants, appeared at Singhpora (Pattan) on Srinagar-Baramulla highway late this evening and dragged out a labourer from his home. He was reportedly shot dead after a while. His identity was not available immediately.

Meanwhile, two militants killed by troops of RR 5th Bn at Bamlora, Ganderbal, on Thursday have been identified as Asgar and Usman, both Pakistani nationals. Official sources said that Asgar was a "District Commander" with Al-Badar outfit and Usman was a "Company Commander" with the same organisation.

Meanwhile 10-day-long gunbattle, which began between militants and security forces in Chadoosa forest area of Rafiabad, close to Nowgam sector in Handwara-Baramulla belt of north Kashmir, had ended without any casualty. Troops of RR 28 Bn, RR 30 Bn and some units of RR’s Sector 10 conducted an operation in the vast Chadoosa area after militants opened fire on Army on Novermber 4 last. Search operation and exchange of heavy gunfire continued for ten days without any material progress. Residents of the area are lamenting that huge numbers of armed militants have occupied a vast area, installed heavy guns and challenged Army and, thus, created a "Kargil-like situation".

Army officials did not attach too much of importance to the operation and said that it was a routine encounter followed by a search operation which concluded this evening.

3 commanders identified as duo reveal a well established nexus
HM financier gave Rs 10 lakh to brother-sister in City

By Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, Nov 14: Police today said a Hizbul Mujahideen financier Khalid Hussain had given a consignment of Rs 10 lakh to the brother-sister at their Sidhra residence, a major part of which was either looted by the criminals at Circular Road on Wednesday morning or misappropriated by the duo. The consignment was meant for Hizbul Mujahideen’s ‘deputy financial chief’, based at Gool in Udhampur district.

Jamaal Din, a resident of Hajam Nagar, Gool, the ‘deputy financial chief’ of Hizbul Mujahideen for Pir Panjal range and his associate Bashir Ahmed R/o Malla, Jamsalan in Mahore tehsil had to collect the consignment from Nadir Tabassum alias Sweety and his brother Ali Mohd at a given place on Sunday but before that Rs nine lakh of the consignment went missing under the mysterious circumstances.

Jammu Police sources told Excelsior that the brother-sister duo were active workers of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit and they had already supplied nine consignments of cash from Jammu to Gool and Mahore, the two militancy infested tehsils of Udhampur.

Duo had complained to City police on Wednesday morning that two scooter borne miscreants had snatched Rs three lakh cash from them when they were riding on a scooter along Circular Road. As Rs one lakh was recovered from the scooter’s dickey and the complainants failed to explain source of the cash, they were taken into custody the same day and subjected to questioning during which they broke down.

"Under a well planned strategy, the Hizbul Mujahideen cadre had helped Ghulam Ali (father of the accused), a resident of Malla Jamsalan, Mahore and a Government teacher, in purchasing land and construction of a house at Sidhra", police said, adding Ali Mohd and Sweety had been working for the militants for last more than two years.

Police was confident that further interrogation of the brother-sister, which would be carried out at Joint Interrogation Centre (JIC), would unravel their links with top Hizbul cadre of New Delhi and Udhampur-Doda districts. Khalid Hussain, who had handed over the cash consignment to Ali Mohd and Sweety, was also stated to be a top Hizbul activist based at New Delhi. Khalid’s name had earlier also figured in financing the militancy in Jammu and Kashmir during arrest of four Kashmir militants at Lakhanpur in Kathua district.

However, police said, it still remained a mystery for them as to where Rs nine lakh of the cash consignment has gone. While the duo had earlier claimed that they had Rs three lakh cash with them, during interrogation they disclosed that they had Rs 10 lakh cash. After receiving the consignment from Khalid Hussain at a fixed place somewhere near Bus Stand, they were shifting the consignment to their house at Sidhra for further taking it to Gool the next day when they complained of cash snatching.

As Rs one lakh were recovered from the scooter’s dickey, Rs nine lakh were missing. "As of now, we are not ruling out the possibility of cash snatching", police said, adding they were also looking into some other aspects including the one that the duo might have misappropriated the cash consignment and made it a snatching to escape wrath of the militants.

For the purpose, police today also carried out a raid in Sidhra residence of Ali Mohd and Sweety but couldn’t get the cash. The duo had confirmed that this was tenth consignment of cash which they had received from a Hizbul Mujahideen activist here. All previous consignment had been supplied by them to Jamaal Din and Bashir Ahmed for further supply to the militant commanders in Mahore-Gool belt.

This way, they had supplied atleast Rs one crore to the militants, police pointed out and said the duo had admitted receiving ten per cent of the consignments everytime as "charges for supplying cash" to the militants. Charges were in addition to the expenses incurred by Hizbul cadre in constructing their house at Sidhra.

Police have, meanwhile, sounded their counterparts in Mahore and Gool to apprehend Jamaal Din and Bashir Ahmed besides duo’s father Ghulam Ali. A City police team is also being dispatched to Mahore and Gool to co-ordinate with the local police in the arrests.

Police said the arrests have confirmed their doubts that two newly come up localities on City’s outskirts are being used by harbourers of the militants to carry out their activities clandestinely.

It was due to professional approach displayed by the City police officers that a well established racket of Hizbul Mujahideen, operating from City’s outskirts has been unearthed. "Normally, police would have taken the case as a routine cash snatching incident and allowed the complainants go home after receiving their complaint", the sources said, adding the police officers went into details of the case and succeeded in breaking the brother sister with their tactical questioning.

"Only worry of the police now is to recover Rs nine lakh of the consignment", they said.

Meanwhile, police have identified owner of the scooter, which was allegedly used in the cash snatching, as Bansi Lal of Purkhoo, Domana.

However, Bansi Lal, when quizzed by the police, said that the scooter was taken away by his brother-in-law Rajesh Kumar of Purkhoo a day before the incident of cash snatching. Police was now looking for Rajesh Kumar.

Mulford new US Ambassador to India

WASHINGTON, Nov 14: US President George W Bush has nominated Credit Suisse International Chairman David Campbell Mulford as the next Ambassador to India.

The post has been vacant since Robert Blackwill moved to the national security council as strategic Adviser to Condoleezza Rice.

Mulford’s nomination, which was announced by the White House yesterday, will have to be approved by the US Senate.

Presently, Mulford is Chairman International and Member of the Exec-

utive Board of Credit Suisse first Boston in London, England.

He previously served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (Europe) for the same corporation. Prior to that, Mulford was Under Secretary for International Affairs for the department of the treasury, where he had earlier served as Assistant Secretary for International Affairs.

Mulford earned his Bachelor’s degree from Lawrence University, his Master’s degree from Boston University and his Ph D from Oxford University. (PTI)

US concern over re-surfacing of LeT, JeM outfits

ISLAMABAD, Nov 14: US has expressed concern over resurfacing of the banned Jehadi outfits Jaish-e-Muhammad and Lashker-e-Toiba with new names even as it asked Pakistan to normalise relations with India by improving political and trade links.

"The United States together with Pakistan monitored the effectiveness of actions taken to curb the banned Jehadi groups Lashker-e-Toiba and Jaish-i-Mohammed as they posed a serious threat to Pakistan, US and the region", US Ambassador to Pakistan, Nancy Powell said.

"We are particularly concerned that these banned organisations are re-establishing themselves with new names," Powell said while making a presentation on `US foreign policy towards Pakistan’, organised by the Karachi Council on Foreign Relations yesterday.

Powell said that Pakistan had taken many steps to prevent extremist groups from crossing the Line of Control into Jammu and Kashmir but asked Islamabad to enhance the efforts to put an end to it.

She also said the level of the violence in Jammu and Kashmir should come down in order to find a permanent solution to Kashmir issue. "A lasting solution to this difficult issue could only come through political dialogue and negotiation, not through violence", she said adding a permanent end to violence in Kashmir remained a key goal for US.

Turning to Pakistan’s ties with India, Powell urged Islamabad to normalise ties with New Delhi by improving trade, communication and political links.

Welcoming the recent measures announced by India to improve ties with Pakistan, Powell said US believed that expanding the potential for cross-border trade, whether through bilateral talks in areas such as civil aviation or through regional SAARC initiatives could help improve the atmosphere between the two countries.(PTI)

George holds closed door meet with Mamata

KOLKATA, Nov 14: The Defence Minister and NDA convenor, George Fernandes today held a closed-door meeting with Union Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee amidst speculations that the much-awaited issue of portfolio allocation to her was discussed.

Fernandes flew into the metropolis this morning en route to Imphal and drove to the TC headquarters to hold a 20-minute one-to-one meeting with Banerjee.

The Defence Minister refused comment after emerging from the tete-a-tete.

Banerjee denied that the portfolio issue was discussed but said Fernandes would return to the city tomorrow evening after his visit to Imphal and Kohima to hold another round of talks.

"I am happy. I don’t want anything at all," Banerjee said in reply to a question whether the portfolio issue figured.

But according to a TC source, it did come up during the brief interaction.

Banerjee, however, has cancelled her visit to Siliguri tomorrow morning to attend the Nagar Palika conference of her party.

The Trinamool Congress chief has been sans portfolio for over two months after her re-induction to the Union Cabinet on September 8 after a gap of two and half years.

Banerjee, on her part, said that during the meeting, politics within the BJP-led NDA and as also the need for strengthening regional parties within the alliance was discussed.

Asked what the agenda of the meeting was, the Trinamool chief said, "we did not meet merely for a cup of tea. There was definitely political sugar and salt."

She denied that there was any attempt to create a pressure group within the NDA by uniting a few parties on an informal platform.

"We are in the NDA and there is no pressure group as every party has its own identity and symbol," Banerjee said and went on to say that there was a need to strengthen the regional parties.

"We want solidarity and friendship among the regional parties," she said while stressing that there was no discussion in her party joining the proposed entity to be created after the merger of Janata Dal (United) and Samata Party.

"It is a hypothetical question", she said when asked whether she would join the proposed Fernandes-led Janata Dal (United). (PTI)

Mumbai police chief goes on leave

MUMBAI, Nov 14: Mumbai Police Commissioner R S Sharma today proceeded on "indefinite leave" in the wake of indictment by special investigating team for his alleged role in "shielding" prime accused Abdul Karim Telgi in multi-crore fake stamp paper scam.

"I have decided to proceed on leave from today", Sharma told PTI.

The leave has been sanctioned with immediate effect, official sources said.

Speculations were rife over Sharma proceeding on leave since yesterday after he met Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, who has been forwarded the sit report by the Mumbai High Court.

Joint Commissioner of Police Satyapal Singh has taken over as the acting Commissioner, the sources said. Sharma is due to retire this month end.

On learning that SIT report had been forwarded to the Chief Minister, Sharma had rushed to Shinde’s official residence yesterday and had offered to go on leave. He later met Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, who also holds the Home portfolio.

Both Shinde and Bhujbal have denied that Sharma had been asked to proceed on leave. The Chief Minister had also said he was yet to read the report. (PTI)

7 teenagers repatriated to Pak

WAGAH (AMRITSAR), Nov 14: As a goodwill gesture on the Children’s Day, seven Pakistani teenagers languishing in juvenile jails in Punjab and Gujarat for the past one year were today repatriated to their country from the joint check post here.

The Hindu boys with Pak nationality - one from a Faridkot jail in Punjab and six from a Bhuj jail in Gujarat - crossed over to their country along with an official of Pakistan Embassy this afternoon, official sources said.

The boys, who were below the 17 years of age, were received by Pakistan authorities at the Wagah joint checkpost.

While Dinesh Kumar was released from Faridkot Jail, Shano, Sava, Krishan, Ramjee, Premjee and Hira were released from Bhuj jail.

The boys, while expressing gratitude towards the Indian Government for their freedom, were all praise for the good treatment they received in jails.

"I will always remember the sweet behaviour by jail members, particularly jail cook Ram Piari," 16-year-old Dinesh Kumar remarked while leaving Faridkot jail.

Before stepping into freedom, Kumar touched the feet of jail cook to get her blessings and also shook hands with seven other Pakistani boys who were with him in the same jail.

Praising jail teacher Inderjit Singh, Kumar said "he not only delivered good books on regular basis to all the Pakistani boys during detention period, but also helped strengthen our moral values and brotherhood."

Dinesh, a resident of Amarkot in Pakistan’s Sindh province, said he ran away from his home after he failed in the matriculation examination last year.

Sources said that the Pakistani boys from Bhuj jail were brought to Wagah by road by Gujarat Police this afternoon. All of them said that they entered the Indian territory from the Kutch region mistakingly, while playing or grazing cattle.

Meanwhile, a Pakistani adult prisoner, Mohammed Sayeen, released from Tihar jail in Delhi, also crossed the Wagah border today. He was in the Indian custody for travelling in to the country with an invalid passport. (PTI)

Bar resents dissensions in Hurriyat

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Nov 14: In a significant development, Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association has taken strong exception to the dissent in the ranks of All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) while stating that the Association would soon decide whether to continue in the separatist amalgam or not.

In a statement issued here today, the Bar Association spokesman while giving reference of a report prepared by a committee set up to look into the differences within the Hurriyat, said that both the factions of the APHC were reluctant and non-flexible.

"After meeting Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mohammed Yasin Malik, Moulvi Omer Farooq, Dr Hubbi, Masrat Alam and others, the committee members have reached to the conclusion that both the factions are adamant on their stands. There is a huge gulf between the two factions and if they do not show sagacious and far-sighted approach, the united Hurriyat would be a dream," the spokesman said.

He said that even J&K Liberation Front chairman, Mohammed Yasin Malik had revealed that he was trying to unite both the groups and would contact the Bar himself. "Two months have passed and he (Mohammed Yasin Malik) is still to contact the Bar Association."

"A general body meeting may be convened to decide the future strategy and whether to remain part of the Hurriyat in the wake of continuing conflict and chaos in the amalgam," he pointed out.

Jamali ready to visit India

ISLAMABAD, Nov 14: Pakistan Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali said today he is ready to visit India any time to discuss all the problems including Kashmir if Vajpayee agrees.

"I and the Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee are interested in improving the lot of our peoples," Jamali told reporters in Islamabad.

Rejecting allegations of the cross border infiltration of militants from Pakistan into Jammu and Kashmir, he said nothing is ‘happening from our side on this count’.

Jamali said despite India’s assertions that there was no chance of bilateral meetings with Pakistan leadership during the SAARC summit scheduled to be held in January next year, Jamali said he thought a meeting between him and Vajpayee was possible.

He also said "Pakistan would adopt a very positive and constructive approach at the fourth SAARC summit."

Jamali said the objective of his Government was to make Pakistan strong in all fields and work for the final settlement of the Kashmir issue. (PTI)
 
 
 
 

 

 

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