‘We’ll talk to Delhi when invited’
Ansari’s Hurriyat unfolds Kashmir road map at Jamia Masjid
Amid tight security Mirwaiz resolves: Kashmiris will
now resolve Kashmir for themselves

From Ahmed Ali Fayyaz & Aijaz Hussain

SRINAGAR, Nov 21: The last Friday of the holy month of Ramazan was politically eventful today as the Abbas Ansari faction of Hurriyat Conference declared in unequivocal terms at a massive congregation at Jamia Masjid that it would soon begin talks with the Government of India to seek the ‘lasting solution’ of the vexed Kashmir problem. The second most important venue of the Jumatul Vida was no less significant at Hazratbal as, first time in the last 14 years, Chief Minister of the State participated in the mass prayers. Separatist leader Shabir Shah landed in Police detention as he and his followers attempted to create a scene with his pro-Azadi slogans at Hazratbal.

Amid speculations that leaders of Hurriyat’s Ansari faction would publicly announce their decision of entering into the process of a dialogue with the Government of India, authorities had made unprecedented security arrangements in and around Jamia Masjid. This historic place of worship, situated in Srinagar downtown and controlled by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’s Awami Action Committee (AAC), draws the Valley’s biggest congregation on occasion of Jumatul Vida. By conservative estimates, over 1,25,000 Muslims participated in the Friday afternoon prayers.

Thick armed columns of BSF and J&K Police, besides hundreds of plainclothesmen from CID and Security wings of Police, had occupied every sensitive spot at Jamia Masjid when leader of the occasion, Mirwaiz Umar, arrived in to deliver the ceremonial address. His Hurriyat colleagues—Abbas Ansari, Prof Abdul Gani Bhat and Bilal Gani Lone—were escorted to the podium by dozens of gun-totting personal security officers. Senior officials had every apprehension that militants inimical to the sans-Geelani, sans-Pakistan dialogue process would make an attempt of big sabotage like the one of May 21, 2002, when senior Hurriyat leader, Abdul Gani Lone, was gunned down at a 10,000-strong public meeting at Iddgah.

It was at the end of his sermon that the young Mirwaiz turned to the hard politics. He said that, for the last 50 years, the people of Kashmir waited for "India, Pakistan, the Islamic world and the United Nations" to solve the Kashmir problem judiciously. But, regretfully, there was no progress at all. India and Pakistan, he said, were the "important parties" so settle this dispute. "They didn’t solve it. It appears that they won’t solve it. This is high time that the people of Kashmir will now solve it for themselves as they are the basic party to this problem", Mirwaiz said and his devout audiences yelled "jis Kashmir ko khoon se seencha woh Kashmir hamara hai", "yeh mulk hamara hai iska faisla ham karenge" and "ham kya chahte azadi".

He clarified that the Hurriyat had not yet received any formal invitation but asserted that it would participate in the dialogue process as and when an invite came from the Government of India. "The holy Quran will guide us", he added. He said that Hurriyat’s doors would be open for any dialogue process and the people of Kashmir would be duly taken into confidence with regard to the proposals formulated by the conglomerate.

Mirwaiz claimed that he and other of his colleagues had made every possible effort to get into the Hurriyat fold "all those who have estranged us" as the amalgam believed in "unity and brotherhood". But, there was no progress. Without mentioning the name of the estranged leader and hardcore separatist icon, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz thundered: "Don’t misconstrue it as our weakness. Awami Action Committee is strong enough to singularly carry out the struggle for Kashmir’s freedom. It has raised it voice (for freedom) when others were either mute or part of the Government system. But APHC is the symbol of our unity. We’ll crush the forces bent upon shattering this unity".

At the end of his speech, Mirwaiz raised we-want-freedom slogan and the high-spirited audience responded to him with reverence.

Former Hurriyat chairman, Prof Abdul Gani Bhat, disclosed that Hurriyat had chalked out a roadmap for the realistic solution of the Kashmir problem. He said that the people of Kashmir would be taken into confidence with regard to the formula, which Hurriyat would push and pursue during the dialogue process. He said that it would be a solution "ever lasting and acceptable to all" but held back details "for want of time". He said that in the wake of the "changing ground realities all over the world", Hurriyat had decided that the people of Kashmir themselves would now solve the Kashmir problem and it would be "very soon". None other, he said, had the capacity to resolve this crisis.

Prof Gani replayed Mirwaiz’ claim that "sincere attempts" of the Hurriyat leaders (Ansari group) had failed to get back those who had deserted the alliance. He made an appeal to his estranged colleagues to return and make the platform stronger.

According to him, Hurriyat was "one and united and very much relevant" and the same would play its role to resolve the Kashmir crisis. He said that the Hurriyat would take into confidence not only the people at home but also the whole world through respective diplomatic missions and it would duly place its formula before New Delhi and Islamabad. "We believe in way-out, not in sell-out", he said while allaying fears of his detractors that the Ansari faction would impatiently jump to New Delhi’s offers.

Traditional pro-Pakistan slogans and green flags were conspicuously missing at the Jamia Masjid congregation today.

While as most of the National Conference leaders present in town offered their Jumatul Vida prayers at a mosque-cum-shrine at Sonwar, Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed created history when he attended the prayers at a massive congregation at Hazratbal. It was for the first time that a Chief Minister of the State participated in the mass prayers on this occasion since 1989. In 1997, Dr Farooq Abdullah had attended prayers on a different occasion at Hazratbal but he had to leave the venue due to hostile slogans and hooting by a section of participants.

Immediately after the prayers concluded, chairman of Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) and senior separatist leader Shabir Shah proceeded to the dais with the intention of making a speech. He turned restive when his request was turned down. SDPO Hazratbal and his men overpowered Shah and whisked him away from the spot amid pro-Azadi slogans by about 200 of his followers. Police used baton charge to disperse the DFP activists and Shah was detained at Police Station Nageen. His wife told EXCELSIOR that he had not been released till late tonight.

Historic opportunity to solve Kashmir: Mufti

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 21: Hailing Hurriyat Conference’s decision to hold unconditional dialogue with Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today said it provided a "historic opportunity" to solve the Kashmir problem.

"It will be a turning point in resolution of Kashmir imbroglio and usher in lasting peace and normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir. It has vindicated our stand," he told reporters at an Iftar party hosted by Governor Lt Gen (Retd) S K Sinha at the Raj Bhavan here.

Sayeed said "we have made it clear in the Common Minimum Programme that the coalition Government would persuade the Centre to initiate an unconditional dialogue with everyone to address the internal dimension for solving the Kashmir problem."

Sayeed said he had met the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister several times and demanded that they should hold talks with separatists. Appreciating the Centre’s response by appointing N N Vohra initially to hold talks and then upgrading the level of dialogue by entrusting this responsibility to Advani, Sayeed said "it showed their seriousness."

The Chief Minister said "it is a historical opportunity to solve the Kashmir problem and no one can afford to spurn the offer of dialogue as people are yearning for restoration of peace in the State."

"It is a five-and-a-half-decade-old problem and certainly cannot be resolved just in one go," he said and asserted that the dialogue would pave way for peace and normalcy dawning in the State. Replying to a question, Sayeed said "we are very consistent in our approach. Unlike National Conference, which says one thing while in power and quite opposite while in opposition, PDP has been advocating the same thing (dialogue) today as well as before coming to power."

"This is the difference between the present coalition Government and the previous NC Government," he said. "We had been a strong votary of dialogue when in opposition and worked for it to get materialised once voted to power."

Former Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah, who was also present at the Iftar party, hailed the Centre’s move to hold dialogue with Hurriyat and other separatist groups in Jammu and Kashmir.

He said it would help in finding some ways to the vexed Kashmir issue.

Asked whether Pakistan should also be involved in the dialogue at this juncture, Abdullah said "first we must set our own house in order and then think of others."

"It may take quite a good deal of time to reach some settlement," he added.

One Pak militant for Rs 5 cr, another for Rs 5

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Nov 21: It took hundreds of Army personnel 48 hours, several casualties and damage worth Rs 5 cr to get one Pakistani militant at Indira Nagar in Sonwar area. It took the driver of a three-wheeler just 5 minutes and fuel worth Rs 5 to get another and hand him over to Army authorities at headquarters of 15 Corps.

A Pakistani militant of Lashkar-e-Toiba, who has been identified as Mohammad Iqbal, made a joke of the last three days’ Army operation at Indira Nagar when he surfaced in the morning today in the same locality which had been "sanitised" by troops at Indira Nagar. Having sustained injuries in the gunbattle, he escaped while firing volleys of automatic gunfire and asked the driver of a three-wheeler to give him a lift.

The driver responded positively and placed the militant’s AK-56 rifle out of his possession. Rather than taking the militant out of Sonwar, he drove him straightaway to Batwara entrance of the Corps headquarters and handed him over to Army. Eye-witnesses said that the militant made an unsuccessful attempt to escape when he found himself in trouble but he was overpowered by the driver and some soldiers.

Interestingly, for over two days, Army and CRPF had been claiming to have eliminated both the militants, who had launched a suicide strike near headquarters of CRPF 62 Bn at Indira Nagar on Tuesday evening. When the troops were searching for dead body, he emerged from another building and made his presence felt today. Thus, it became clear that troops destroyed Rs 3 cr telephone exchange, its 3-storeyed building and ammunition worth lakhs of rupees to kill just one militant. Revenue loss to BSNL is estimated at Rs 2 cr as all the 4,000 lines have been rendered defunct.

In addition to that, one Major of Rashtriya Rifles 32 Bn, one soldier of CRPF 62 Bn and a poor employee of BSNL died while as eight personnel of armed forces sustained injuries. The only good thing was that over-enthusiasm was not doled out on television channels like in the past.

On the other hand, the auto-driver with no security to his life and property burned fuel worth Rs 5 and spent just 5 minutes to make the Lashkar militant land in Army’s custody. Sources said that the militant, during his sustained interrogation, made sensational disclosures, including the one that large number of Pakistani militants had been frequently visiting close vicinities of the Corps headquarters.

IGP Kashmir Zone, K Rajendra Kumar, told EXCELSIOR that the detained militant was supposed to be handed over to Police in 24 hours for further interrogation.

Meanwhile, reports from Budgam said that unidentified militants, believed to be militants, barged into the local mosque at Sanoorkalipora village, in Beerwah area, this evening when Muslims were performing late evening prayers. They dragged out one Ghulam Hassan Ganai S/o Gasha Ganai and shot him dead with the allegation that he was an informer of security forces. About 20 Muslims have been similarly killed by militants around mosques since the beginning of the holy month of Ramzan.

Reports from north Kashmir said that Pakistani troops directed heavy gunfire on Gurez valley last evening and today in the morning. Main town Dawar seemed to be their prime target. While as 12 residential houses, building of a Government Higher Secondary School and two barracks of Army near the Brigade headquarters suffered extensive damage, two civilians got killed. They have been identified as Afroza D/o Ghulam Mohammad Lone and Mohammad Maqbool Lone S/o Ghulam Rasool.

Indian troops retaliated but it was not clear whether the other side suffered any damage or not. In August and September, at least seven people had died and many more sustained injuries in similar shelling at Dawar. One of the shells hit a parked bus at Tuel Market, yards away from the main entrance of the Brigade Headquarters. It had caught fire which engulfed the market. About 20 shops were reduced to ashes.

6 top ultras, jawan, civilian killed
*118 Bangladeshis arrested in Ramgarh

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 21: Six militants including a ‘divisional commander’ of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit, a civilian and an army jawan were killed while two other jawans were injured as security forces effected seizure of a huge quantity of ration in two encounters in Banihal and Poonch today.

Meanwhile, the Border Security Force (BSF) today arrested 118 Bangladeshi nationals when they were trying to exfiltrate into Pakistan from International Border (IB) in Ramgarh sector.

Official sources said the army personnel, assisted by police, launched a search operation in snow clad Buzla mountains, about nine kms from Khari in Banihal tehsil of Ramban police district early this morning on the basis of a specific information that four top Lashkar militants led by their ‘divisional commander’ Abu Abrar were holding a meeting in a hideout.

After trekking several kilometers on snow, the security took the militants by surprise and stormed their hideout. A heavy exchange of gun fighting ensued between the two sides for next two hours in which all four militants were killed. Hideout of the militants was destroyed in the operation while security forces didn’t suffer any casualties in the operation.

Of four slain militants, two have been identified as Abu Abrar, a ‘divisional commander’ of LeT and his deputy Abu Moosa, both foreign mercenaries. Recoveries made from the slain militants included three AK rifles, Under Barrel Grenade Launching (UBGL) gun, their ammunition, 50 kg RDX, 1000 kg ration, 300 litres kerosene oil, 100 hand grenades, 13 grenades, one wireless set, three diaries and some other incriminating documents.

Killing of top four LeT militants especially Abu Abrar was a big blow to the outfit, the sources said, adding Abrar was active in Banihal tehsil for last two years. He was wanted in a series of militant activities in the area.

A local militant Mushtaq Ahmed of LeT was gunned down by army in Ramban tonight. One pistol, one magazine and one hand grenade were recovered from him.

In another operation, troops of Poonch Brigade today foiled an infiltration attempt on line of Control (LoC) at Dhokri, about three kms from Poonch early this morning killing one Pakistani militant. However, one army jawan Rifleman Naseer Ahmed was also killed in the gun-battle while two other jawans were injured.

Sources said the encounter started when a group of four to five infiltrators were spotted crossing LoC. Other militants managed to escape back to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) during the exchange of firing.

One AK rifle and three magazines were recovered from the slain ultra, whose identity hasn’t been established so far.

A civilian Fareed Ahmed Son of Jamal Din was shot dead by the militants in his house at Mahakund in Gool last night.

Meanwhile, BSF jawans today intercepted a group of 118 Bangladeshi nationals at Assampur border outpost in Ramgarh sector when they were trying to exfiltrate to Pakistan. They included 114 male, two females and two children. They belonged to Binamool district in South Bengal, the sources said.

They said about 50 Bangladeshis disclosed that they were putting up in Vijaypur for last few days while second batch of their associates arrived here today alongwith a middleman, who had promised to push them to Pakistan. However, the middleman fled away when the Bangladeshis group was intercepted, they added.

The Bangladeshis have been handed over to the local police.

ISI more dangerous than Al-Qaeda: Advani

NEW DELHI, Nov 21: The world community should express as much concern over the role of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) as it does for Al Qaeda and Taliban if terrorism is to be checked, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani said today.

"The threat from ISI is more ... It is more dangerous than Al Qaeda or Taliban, because these are non-governmental organisations which are supported by some governments. But the ISI is itself a government body," he said while releasing a book on the money laundering menace authored by Additional Commissioner Customs and Excise Arya Ashok Kumar.

Speaking on how narco-terrorism was funded by money laundering, Advani said some sections even now do not realise the threat posed by ISI, despite a whole lot of evidence about its role in nurturing terrorism.

World leaders, he said, now realise the import of India’s cautioning them about terrorism which it had been facing over the past two decades.

"Even Pakistan now condemns terror attacks claiming innocent lives. Though this is all on theory, Pakistan continues to do the same (supporting terrorism) in practice," the DPM said. Advani said the Money Laundering (Prevention) Act was adopted by Parliament in 2002 specifically to prevent the global menace though there were other laws to deal with it.

Former Secretary in the Government Bhure Lal said the "gross criminal product was estimated currently at over 1,000 billion US dollars, which was over 20 per cent of the world trade".

Half of it, he said, originated from drug trafficking, while the rest came from arms smuggling, counterfeit currency and computer piracy.

Lal said it had been estimated that over 150 billion US dollars had been stashed away in Swiss banks or other tax havens by Indian nationals.

He said money laundering meant that the proceeds of crime were disguised, concealed, transported and camouflaged into mainstream currency, corrupting it.

The book gives a concise account of the money laundering phenomenon and the global efforts to combat the menace. Besides the author, former diplomat and MP L M Singhvi was also present. (PTI)

Opinion Poll
BJP ahead in MP, Cong in other States

NEW DELHI, Nov 21: BJP is ahead in Madhya Pradesh in the coming Assembly elections, say opinion polls conducted by two news weeklies which, however, place Congress ahead in the other states going to polls on December one.

As the campaign enters mid-stream, the BJP’s swing has increased from four per cent to six and that of Chief Minister Divijay Singh has decreased further from minus 3 to minus 4.

The swing of others have also decreased by one point. All the gains are the BJP’s, says the "India Today-Aaj Tak Org-Marg" poll which gives the party 140 to 150 seats in the 230 member House against its 83 in 1998.

The ruling Congress is expected to get between 55 and 65 seats against the 124 held by it in the outgoing Assembly, the poll said.

The poll predicted bad tidings for BJP in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Delhi. In Rajasthan it gave BJP between 55 and 65 seats against 33 in 1998. The ruling Congress there is expected to secure 120 to 130 setas against 153 in 1998.

In Delhi, again the ruling Congress is expected to retain the majority in the 70 member Assembly securing 50-60 seats against 49 won five years ago. BJP is expected to get 10 to 20 seats against the 15 it had.

Chhattisgarh is slated to give Congress 46 to 56 seats in the 90 member House and 30 to 40 for the BJP.

The poll covered 21,773 respondents among eligible voters spread across 142 constituencies in the four states. The sampling was studied at the parliamentary constituency level selected on the basis of swing zones on a random principle with an error of not more than three per cent either way.

The other poll conducted by ‘TNS Mode’ for the "The Week" says after ten years in power, Digvijay Singh may have to move over with BJP having a positive swing of 8.2 per cent. But the saffron party has tough days ahead in Rajasthan and Delhi.

BJP is slated to get a massive majority of 165 to 195 seats in the 230 member Assembly in Madhya Pradesh, where Congress is predicted to win between 19 and 33 seats while losing power.

Populist campaigns like ban on cow slaughter and stance on Hindutva seem to be in favour of the BJP in Madhya Pradesh. As many as 45 per cent of the electorate see the State as not having developed in the last five years and rate the BJP better on providing infrastructure.

Digvijay Singh also trailed Uma Bharati as a favourite contender for the top post, "The Week" survey says.

In Rajasthan, BJP is expected to get between 55 and 60 seats against the ruling Congress which is predicted to secure 125 to 135 seats.

In the capital, the Shiela Dixit Government’s performance is expected to get Congress a majority with 46 to 54 seats forecast for it in a House of 70. BJP has to settle for seats between 11 and 20, "The Week" poll says.

The survey for the "The Week" poll was conducted on interviews to 8,652 voters across 30 constituencies in the Madhya Pradesh, 3,214 voters in 32 constituencies in Rajasthan and 2,3148 in 23 constituencies in Delhi between Nov 3 and 10. (PTI)

‘India went to UN due to aggression’

ISLAMABAD, Nov 21: Rejecting Pakistan’s demand that UN resolutions be implemented in Jammu and Kashmir, India has said it first went to the world body not because the State was a disputed territory but because of Pakistani aggression.

In an interview to a private Pakistani TV channel broadcast today, External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha said "you are right in saying that it was India which took the question of Pakistan aggression on Jammu and Kashmir to UN. You are also right in saying that we suggested that there should be a plebiscite."

Kashmir had acceded legally to India and "after that we went to UN, not because Kashmir is a disputed territory, but to protest the aggression by Pakistan," Sinha told Geo TV.

"At that time Pakistan had not agreed to the condition that it should withdraw it forces. These talks went for several years but the issue was not resolved."

Sinha said in view of this India believed Simla agreement constituted the basis for settlement of Kashmri issue.

"Simla agreement says representatives of both the countries will meet to find a final solution to Jammu and Kashmir. This outlines the process for final settlement," he said, adding Pakistan neglects the agreement and speaks only of UN resolutions.

Asked about Pakistan’s demand, in response to India’s latest peace gesture, that UN documents be used by passengers travelling in the proposed Srinagar-Muzzafarabad bus, Sinha shot back, "Pakistan-based Kashmiris travel between India and Pakistan as well as abroad with documents issued by Pakistan. Some of them are coming to India and some going abroad. Where does the UN come in between?"

Denying that there were any proposal to formalise the Line of Control as border between the two countries, Sinha said India’s official stand was that Pakistan should give up its right on Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

"Therefore there is no dispute on that. If there is problem it is Pak-occupied Kashmir," he said.

Sinha said Kashmir had undergone a great deal of change after UN resolutions as Pakistan had given 5200 sq km of territory in Kashmir to China.

Besides, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf himself said over two lakh families of soldiers had been settled in PoK. "Has it not changed the demography of Kashmir. Which Kashmir are they talking about. Can we go back to the situation as it prevailed in 1949?" Sinha asked.

"I want to tell you with confidence that this cross border terrorism is not going to last long. It will now be difficult to continue with infiltration," he said.

Sinha said Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee would visit Islamabad for the SAARC summit in January but would not meet Pakistani leaders.

"We said it clearly that we will hold summit-level meeting at that (high) time when all the preparations were made from the `bottom level’ as direct summits failed to yield results," Sinha said. (PTI)

Thackeray warns to disrupt RRB exams

MUMBAI, Nov 21: Championing the cause of sons-of-the-soil, Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray today threatened to disrupt Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) exams on Sunday even as RRB announced cancellation of test in Mumbai citing extreme damage to its computer system and other records following violent protests by Shivsainiks on November 18.

"We will not allow the RRB exams to be conducted unless a specific percentage of jobs are reserved for local youths," Thackeray told mediapersons at his residence "Matoshree" here.

The Sena would continue to champion the cause of justice for the sons-of-the-soil, he added.

Thackeray, however, condemned the on-going violence against Biharis in Assam over the issue and said Sena would never resort to any such action.

Meanwhile, Railway authorities in Delhi announced cancellation of November 23 examination in Mumbai following damage to computer system and other records during the recent vandalism by Shivsainiks. The examination date would be intimated later to the candidates, official sources said in the national capital.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, who presided over a meeting of Railway officials, supporting the Sena’s stand, stated that he would write to Railway Minister Nitish Kumar to ensure reservation for local youths.

Bhujbal, who also holds Home portfolio, said security would be provided if "somebody wants to take law into their hands" for smooth conduct of the exams.

Nearly 6.5 lakh applications were received for 2200 group D services job in Railways. Out of the total applications, 40 per cent belonged to Maharashtra, the sources said.

A delegation of Shiv Sena would soon call on Nitish Kumar to highlight the issue, Thackeray said.

Unlike Assam, Shivsainiks had not attacked Biharis or set afire their houses, the Sena chief said. "The RRB office was ransacked only to highlight the cause of the local population," he observed.

Thackeray also pointed out that despite killings and torching of houses of Biharis in Assam, police in the north-eastern state had not opened fire at the agitators. But in Maharashtra, Shivsainiks were "brutally" lathicharged when they merely damaged furniture of the RRB office for the cause of the local youth.

Since its inception three decades ago, the Shiv Sena has championed the cause of the ‘sons-of-the-soil’ and would not deviate from its path, he said. "We will continue to protect the interests of the local population," the Sena chief said.(PTI)

Punjab Govt seeks Speaker’s intervention
to prosecute Badal

CHANDIGARH, Nov 21 : Punjab Government has sought the permission of the Assembly Speaker to prosecute former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, who is also the Leader of the Opposition in the House, in a corruption case filed by the Vigilance Bureau.

Official sources today said a request to this effect was given to Speaker Dr Kewal Krishan. Some documents relating to the case were attached to the request.

A decision on the request is expected to be taken next week, they said.

The Speaker confirmed receipt of the Government request.

Vigilance Bureau has made the request after seeking legal opinion in the matter since Badal is leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly and enjoys a status equivalent to that of a Cabinet Minister.

The sources said as per rules it was necessary to take prior permission from the Speaker if a sitting MLA or a Cabinet rank Minister was to be booked in a case.

The allegations of corruption against Badal pertain to the 1997-2002 period when he was the Chief Minister and was a public servant.

Badal, his wife Surender Kaur, son and Rajya Sabha Member Sukhbir and others were booked in June this year in a corruption case for owning assets disproportionate to their known sources of income.

The PVB is expected to file the Chargesheet in the case in a Ropar court some time next week, the sources said, adding the preparation of the chargesheet, on the basis of investigations carried out during past few months and evaluation of 16 properties of Badal family in Chandigarh, Haryana, Punjab and Delhi, was in the final stage.

While official sources claimed that the Government has sought permission of the Speaker for the prosecution of Badal, a spokesman of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) claimed that the former Chief Minister had sought intervention of the Governor and the Speaker on the alleged excesses on Akali cadres.

SAD spokesman D S Cheema told PTI that Badal had yesterday sent a detailed note to the Governor and the Speaker similar to the one recently submitted to the National Human Rights Commission drawing its attention to the implication of SAD leaders and workers in false cases at the behest of the Amarinder Singh Government.

Cheema said Badal has requested both the Governor and the Speaker to take steps to end the "harassment" meted out to the SAD workers and also take action against all those involved in the alleged fabrication of "so-called evidence" against him and others.

Badal’s letter alleged that Party MLAs and others were being booked in false cases of corruption and the PVB was "fabricating" evidence. (PTI)

Pak shuts Islamic groups’ offices

ISLAMABAD, Nov 21: Police shut the offices of two more banned radical Islamic organisations, officials said today.

In the past week, President Pervez Musharraf has ordered the closure of six Islamic groups accused of militancy and sectarianism - the latest three yesterday - drawing praise from the United States, which counts Pakistan as a key ally in its war on terrorism.

Two of the groups, Hizb ut-Tahrir and Jamiat-ul Furqan, are accused of sectarianism, amid increasing violence between rival Shiite and Sunni Muslims in Pakistan, officials said.

A third group, Jamiat-ul Ansar, is a renamed version of Harkat-ul Mujahedeen - a militant group prohibited last year. Harkat-ul Mujahedeen had admitted sending separatist rebels to fight in Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistani police yesterday closed down three Jamiat-ul Ansar offices in the cities of Lahore and Hyderabad, and one Hizb ut-Tahrir office in Lahore, that city’s police chief, Khawaja Khalid Farooq, said.

"We are trying to trace offices of these groups. We will seal them as soon as we get them," he said today.

However, there were no arrests reported, and Imran Ahmed, a Hizb ut-Tahrir spokesman, said its Lahore office had actually been closed for the past two years following an earlier crackdown. (AP)

Geelani in Baramulla: No Pak, no talk

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Nov 21: While as leaders of the Abbas Ansari faction of the Hurriyat Conference imposed themselves at a religious congregation at Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, their bete noire Syed Ali Shah Geelani did it at Baramulla to push his politics.

While addressing the 3,000-strong Jumatul Vida congregation at Masjid Baitul Mukaram, hardcore separatist leader Geelani laid total stress on his suggestion that India must directly talk to Pakistan to seek the lasting solution of the Kashmir problem. According to him, Pakistan was the primary party to the dispute and no solution could be found until that country was associated with the peace process right from the beginning.

Geelani proposed that "those leaders of Kashmir who enjoy the peoples’ trust and confidence" must be associated with the process at a later stage. He said with confidence that New Delhi’s attempt of beginning the process with some discredited Kashmiri leaders would end up in fiasco.

Geelani complained that media had turned explicitly biased, particularly since the last few weeks, and only the reports of New Delhi’s liking were being published in newspapers. He asked the people of Kashmir to continue their struggle for Azadi and assured them that the ultimate goal was not far away. He said that those showing no regard for 100,000 sacrifices, outraged chastities and torched houses of Kashmiri people would be simply committing treason.

Centre ready for unconditional talks with Hurriyat

NEW DELHI, Nov 21: Centre today said it was ready to hold "unconditional" talks with Hurriyat, as desired by the amalgam, and that the parleys would be Kashmir centric only.

The talks are likely to be held after the Assembly polls in the five states, Minister of State for Home I D Swami told PTI reacting to Hurriyat’s announcement in Srinagar that it was ready to hold unconditional talks with the Centre.

"We are ready for an unconditional dialogue. In fact, we have been making it clear umpteen number of times that we have only one condition that the opposite party should abjure violence, which they (Hurriyat) have done," Swami said.

"Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani have always maintained that the Government is ready to talk on anything without any precondition, and if there are any grievances, any demands, they can certainly be discussed on the table," he said.

Asked when the Centre would send a formal invitation to the amalgam leaders, he said "well, these are small formalities which will be completed soon."

He appreciated Hurriyat for not insisting on tripartite talks involving Pakistan.

Swami said the fresh approach from the Hurriyat was a "good development" as people of Jammu and Kashmir had been "yearning for peace". (PTI)
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

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