Pak announces ceasefire on LoC, hopes
India too will respond
Jamali says Pak ready to discuss Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service
Vajpayee’s SAARC visit will open a new chapter

ISLAMABAD, Nov 23: Seeking to improve relations with India, Pakistan Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali tonight announced a ceasefire on the Line of Control (LoC) from Eid day, which is likely on Nov 26, and expected India to respond positively.

In a televised address to the nation marking completion of his first year in office, Jamali said Pakistan Army has already been ordered to stop firing from Eid-ul-Fitr, marking the end of the fasting holy month of Ramadan.

"Our troops deployed along the Line of Control have been ordered to display complete ceasefire from the day of Eid. I expect India will make a positive response to our announcement because without this our step will be incomplete," he said. Jamali also responded positively to a number of other peace initiatives recently unveiled by India. The Pakistan Prime Minister’s announcement came less than two months before the SAARC summit scheduled to be held in Islamabad in January next.

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf had in August this year proposed that his country could negotiate a truce with India along the LoC but New Delhi at that time had dismissed the offer saying it was meaningless as Islamabad continued to sponsor cross-border terrorism.

Hoping that Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee would attend the SAARC summit in January, Jamali said the coming event would "open a new chapter" in regional cooperation.

"Pakistan is interested to live in peace with India and was waiting for the participation of Atal Behari Vajpayee in the summit," Jamali said adding "with strong political commitment, Pakistan and India could change the atmosphere of confrontation."

Acknowledging there are a number of hurdles in the way but well thought-out steps are needed to be taken to restore mutual confidence and to set directions for the resolution of Kashmir and other problems.

"We can change the atmosphere of confrontation with a strong political determination. We are aware that there are a lot of hardships and testing phases but we think such steps should be taken which can help restore mutual confidence, so we can find new ways for a peaceful and just solution of the Kashmir issue," Jamali said.

Jamali responded positively to a number of proposals recently made by India to improve ties with Pakistan.

He said Pakistan was ready for talks on starting a ferry service proposed by India between Karachi and Mumbai as well as to run a bus service between Kokharapar in Sindh in Pakistan and Munabao in Rajastan.

On both the issues, Pakistan had earlier said it would hold talks only after India begins dialogue on Kashmir and other issues. Jamali’s announcements today did not carry that rider.

Jamali also accepted Indian suggestion to open more visa camps to facilitate more people-to-people contact between the two countries. Both Pakistani and Indian High Commissions, after mutual agreement, should look into the possibilities of opening visa camps, he added.

While Pakistan earlier insisted requirement of UN documents for passengers to travel in Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service, Jamali tonight said his country was ready to hold talks with India on this proposal as well as others.

Jamali, however, expressed Pakistan’s willingness to start a bus service between Muzaffarabad and Srinagar on the assumption that Jammu and Kashmir remained a "disputed" territory in accordance with the UN resolutions and the LoC was temporary line.

Early this month, Pakistan Foreign Secretary Riaz Kokhar, in his response to Indian proposals, had said the bus service between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad was possible only if India agrees to permit the passengers to carry UN documents and the checkposts on the both sides are manned by UN personnel. India rejected it as an outrageous proposal.

However, the issue of UN documents were conspicuously absent in today’s speech by Jamali.

Jamali also proposed a bus service between Lahore and Amritsar and said additional buses on Lahore-Delhi route could be discussed. He said a notification was being issued for citizens of the two countries above 65 years to cross the Wagah border by foot.

He also proposed that Home Ministeries of Pakistan and India should find ways to resolve the problems of prisoners jailed in each other’s countries, specially those who have served their term but could not be sent back to their countries.

The Prime Minister said it would be a welcoming step if India releases such prisoners before Eid so that they could celebrate Eid in their own country.

Jamali invited India to initiate talks on the modalities and other related matters for starting the bus service and offered to host meeting in this regard.

Jamali said Pakistan was in favour of resumption of air links between the two countries and negotiations between the two civil aviation authorities were extremely important. The two sides would meet in New Delhi on December 1 to discuss the resumption of air links.

He hoped that talks between the two countries would lead to revival of air links between Lahore-Delhi, Karachi-Mumbai and Karachi-Delhi.

He also refloated Pakistan’s proposal of reviving Samjouta express, saying "we think that a decision in this regard should be reached by the end of this year." India has said that the train services could be resumed after resumption of air links.

The Prime Minister said that there were many difficulties on the road to peace but called for well thought-out measures to promote mutual trust and find new avenues to a peaceful resolution of the lingering Kashmir dispute and other issues. Jamali again called for Pakistan and India to resolve their outstanding disputes through political and diplomatic channels and added that the two countries should inform each other at the Government level and not through media.

"To improve the environment or make it conducive is a good objective but is not an alternative to a comprehensive and composite dialogue," he said.

Jamali said resumption of meaningful and result-oriented dialogue was must for peace and stability in the region, and for the durable solution of all outstanding issues, specially the Kashmir issue.

He said eyes of the entire world were focussed on this region, adding Pakistan desired to live in peace with its neighbours.

Jamali said India should not mistake Pakistan response as weakness, saying Islamabad was not oblivious to its defence.

"No one should think that we have forgotten our defence while pursuing the path of peace," he said adding that while the Government has extended a hand of friendship to India, it has also concentrated fully on strengthening its own defence requirements. (PTI)

GOC-in-C hopeful of major improvement in situation

From Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Nov 23: Pessimistic about Pakistan’s influence to reduce the level of infiltration but optimistic about the results of a slew of fresh counter-insurgency measures, Commander of Army in Jammu & Kashmir is hopeful of major improvement in the situation within the next one year. He said that Pakistan was continuously pushing in trained militants for disruption in Jammu & Kashmir but only few of them were reaching their destinations.

While addressing a news conference at headquarters of 15 Corps here today, General Officer Commanding in Chief Northern Command, Lt Gen Hari Prasad, asserted that Pakistan’s claims of crackdown on militant groups were "simply for the consumption of Americans". He claimed that, having put in 40 years of service in Indian Army and having worked mostly in J&K, he was best aware about the ground situation. "I have every reason to believe that there’s no truth in Pakistani claims. Pakistan Army and ISI have been continuously pushing in militants but we have eliminated most of the infiltrators", he said.

The Army Commander described Pakistani claims of mounting pressure on militants as a "sham" and said that the same had not been translated into action on ground.

Gen Hari Prasad elaborated that troops have killed about 300 infiltrators while intercepting 93 groups in the last few months. According to him, there was "total go-ahead" to militants from Pakistan. He claimed that presently there were 2,500 to 3,000 active militants in the State, of whom two-third were foreigners.

Nevertheless, Gen Hari Prasad sounded optimistic that the level of infiltration would be reduced to a trickle by the middle of next year as Army had taken up several significant measures in this direction. The most important step was installing the barbed-wire fencing on 575 Km long LoC and IB. Inspite of Pakistan Army’s gunfire, it could continue with full zeal and zest, he said. According to Gen Hari Prasad, fencing on the whole LoC and IB would be executed on war-footing bases and completed by October 2004. He said that 170 Kms of the targeted length had already been completed.

Gen Hari Prasad specified that thermal imagers, ground sensors and night vision glasses were being installed at different sensitive points over the LoC to detect and combat infiltration of militants. He claimed these facilities had already proved fruitful on the LoC and IB in Jammu region. He said that Army had already neutralised 1,500 militants in the State in current year. They also included those who laid down arms or who were arrested. Hari Prasad said that as many as 400 Kashmiri militant recruits were arrested by Army in the current year and most of them were handed over back to their families.

In addition to the barbed-wire fencing and installing high-tech surveillance devices, Army had created second-tier of defence along the borders. Gen Hari Prasad said that seven battalions of Territorial Army were currently being raised for the purpose of putting a decisive end to the unending menace of infiltration from Pakistan. Asked if he was sure to completely stop the infiltration of militants with these measures, the Army Commander said: "We’ll cut it to trickle".

Gen Hari Prasad claimed that, in the wake of new counter-insurgency and counter-infiltration measures, Pakistani mentors of the militants were finding it difficult to induct fresh recruits. Consequent, they had been directing their existing strength of militants to extend stay in Jammu & Kashmir. He claimed that with the advantage of Military Civic Action Programme and certain people-friendly measures, Army was enjoying the best kind of liaison and relationship with the local populace. "By next year, Pakistan won’t be having required number of people to sustain militancy in Jammu & Kashmir", he said.

The Army Commander was hopeful of the restoration of total peace in Jammu & Kashmir in the next two years and described the same as his personal dream.

‘Don’t be impatient to become CM’
Wait for next poll: PDP to Abdullahs

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 23: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) today ridiculed the talk of former Chief Minister and National Conference leader Dr. Farooq Abdullah of foisting his son as Chief Minister in no time and termed it as hegemonic and feudal state of mind.

Reacting to his interview published in Excelsior, a spokesman of the ruling PDP today said it appears that Abdullah family is impatient to return to power as probably they can’t live without it. In democracy, it is the people who give mandate to a party and a leader to rule. Undoubtedly, the Chief Ministerial candidate of NC, Mr. Omar Abdullah was routed right in NC’s bastion at the hustings that has been acclaimed worldwide being the most transparent and fairest election Kashmir ever held. He said dreaming his son to be Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir despite his humiliating defeat, shows sheer contempt to the people’s verdict.

The spokesman said that there is no restriction in dreaming anybody to be the Chief Minister. Everybody has to aspire and work for it. ‘So, don’t be impatient and wait for next elections and again test your strength’. He said Kashmir witnessed flowering of democracy and let Abdullah family seek public mandate for re-imposing their family rule which was brought to an end and ushered in a combination of political parties and independents to power that represents aspirations of different regions.

Describing Dr. Abdullah’s talk of forming his Government as wishful thinking, the spokesman said that there is absolutely no threat to the coalition Government in the State. There is complete cohesiveness and consensus on all issues. He said the NC has been talking of toppling the Government ever since its new leadership was rocked by internal dissensions and dissidence. ‘The high talk of forming the Government in no time is basically aimed at keeping their flock together’, he said and added that it would help its leaders to remain at the centre stage of the media glare. He said such talk goes well with the flamboyant aspect of his personality.

Denying that coalition Government has tapped Dr. Farooq Abdullah’s telephone, he said where is the need to tap his phone as "he hardly keeps any secret close to his chest."

Without expressing surprise over Dr. Abdullah’s remarks over ‘zero performance of the coalition Government’, he said that the person who spent most of his time in London, cannot be expected to have objective view of the performance. He said nobody can keep Nelson’s eyes over the spectacular achievements of the Government, be it in the field of security, political or socio-economic development.

He said total relaxation in situation in the Valley, increased political activity, greater sense of security and declining incidents would have been better known to him, had he been stayed put in the valley all this time. He said the Chief Minister and other Ministers reached out to the people even in such far-flung areas where not even a Naib-Tehsildar goes. It is strange that NC leadership did not even see the manifold increase in tourist traffic to the Valley and holding of nearly 150 conferences of national level during this summer. He said it is the coalition Government which gave new direction to various sectors, be it education, power development, agriculture or horticulture, road communication or public distribution system, be it IT sector or rural development and panchayats. The Government has established several milestones in each of these sectors. What NC Government could not do even during 25 years, the coalition Government did it just in one year.

The spokesman also dismissed as "ridiculous" the claim that NC leaders’ security has been scaled down. He said no security has been withdrawn and it is given to the leaders as per the threat perception.

The spokesman said that for the first time there is a national consensus on Kashmir. On one side Congress is its major ally in the coalition and as such had the support of country’s main opposition party, the State Government has also the support of NDA Government at the Centre besides the CPI (M). This, he said, was mainly because of the pragmatic strategy adopted to tackle the situation to win the hearts and minds of the alienated people and carry along all the regions by associating them in governance.

Separatists favour Pak involvement in talks

SRINAGAR, Nov 23: Separatist organisations in Kashmir, other than Hurriyat Conference led by Maulvi Mohammad Abbas Ansari, do not attach much significance to the proposed talks between Hurriyat and New Delhi as in their view talks without involving Pakistan will be a futile exercise.

"The process of talks (between Hurriyat and New Delhi) is a futile exercise unless Pakistan is involved in the dialogue," rebel Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani said today.

However, he said his faction of Hurriyat would have no objection to the talks once India accepted "disputed status" of Kashmir and "find ways and means to ensure participation of all the parties to the Kashmir issue - India, Pakistan and people of Kashmir- in the negotiations".

Another senior separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah said solution to the Kashmir issue could be obtained through talks but demanded involvement of militants in the negotiations.

"Mujahideen through their blood internationalised Kashmir issue and their involvement in the negotiations cannot be ignored," Shah, who heads democratic freedom party, said.

Shah expressed concern over the division in the ranks of separatists and said "the Kashmiri leadership is divided at a crucial time of the freedom struggle".

He said the best way to respect the wishes and aspirations of the people is that all the leaders come to one platform and speak in one voice.

Demanding involvement of Pakistan in the talks, rebel Peoples Conference chairman, G M Hubbi said bilateral talks between New Delhi and Islamabad or New Delhi and Kashmiris have failed to resolve the Kashmir issue in the past and it will be futile exercise if repeated again.

Hubbi, who parted ways with sons of slain Hurriyat leader Abdul Gani Lone and formed rebel Peoples Conference, said participation of all the parties to the issue in the talks is imperative.

"The offer of talks to Hurriyat by New Delhi is not a sincere effort to resolve lingering Kashmir issue but forced by tremendous international pressure on India to resolve the issue," Hubbi said.

"If the proposed talks between Hurriyat and New Delhi end up with an accord that would be worst than the one reached between the then separatist leader Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah and the Centre in 1975," he said.

Another rebel leader heading a breakaway group of Muslim Conference, Ghulam Nabi Sumji alleged that New Delhi has never been sincere towards resolving Kashmir issue.

"We are not against talks but negotiations should be purposeful and result-oriented. If New Delhi accept Kashmir as a disputed territory we have no objection to talk to them," Sumji who revolted against the leadership of former Hurriyat chairman Abdul Gani Bhat, said.

Echoing the statement of Sumji, Muslim leauge leader Mian Manzoor Ahmad said his party is in favour of talks but the talks should be result oriented and Pakistan be involved in the talks to solve the issue.

Acting leader of Peoples League, Mohammad Maqbool did not approve bilateral talks between Hurriyat and New Delhi saying bilateral talks between India and Pakistan and New Delhi and Kashmiris have failed to resolve the Kashmir issue. As such all the parties including Pakistan be included in the talks to resolve the issue once and for all.

Meanwhile, breakaway Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani termed the decision of Ansari led Hurriyat to go ahead with talks with New Delhi as "a cruel joke".

"Accepting the offer of talks without making India to concede that Kashmir is a disputed issue is a cruel joke," a spokesman of the breakaway Hurriyat said after a meeting of its general council yesterday.

The general council consisting of 16 outfits discussed the offer of talks of the Centre and the subsequent nod of the moderate Hurriyat leadership yesterday.

He said the general council was of the view that New Delhi does not recognize the disputed status of the Kashmir issue. The offer of talks is mere opportunism and nothing. We want to make our stand clear before the people, the spokesman said. (PTI)

PM dismisses charges against 6 Ministers

JODHPUR, Nov 23: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today dismissed charges of corruption against his six Cabinet Colleagues that they were looting Public Sector Undertakings and said they were free to approach court and file defamation cases against those levelling baseless allegations.

Addressing an impressive election meeting at stadium ground here to canvasss for BJP candidates in Assembly elections, Vajpayee attacked Congress for levelling baseless allegations and said he had found out from Chief Vigilance Commissioner that there was no truth in the charges.

"Congress is asking for the names of ministers who were minting money from PSUs. I met CVC and Cabinet Secretary to enquire if the ministers were taking money from PSUs. Charges are not correct. This is to defame us," he said.

These ministers have right to approach court and file defamation cases, Vajpayee said and asserted charges against everybody will be investigated.

Refering to resignation of Dilip Singh Judeo from Union Council of Ministers even before CBI investigation, he said Congress was now doubting independence and credibility of CBI which was probing against Chattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi too.

Emphasising that CBI was totally independent, Vajpayee took a dig at Congress saying those who have used it for 50 years are now questioning its credibility.

Regretting that such baseless allegations were being levelled by some people for electoral gains, Vajpayee cautioned that such tendencies eroded democracy.

Exhorting the people to give a befitting reply to them, Vajpayee wondered ‘Kya Yah Chunav Ki Chaal Hai ? Jo Apradh Karega Uski Jaanch Hogi Aur Saja Di Jayegi’ (those who commit crimes would be investigated and punished. But is it an election game?).

Coming down heavily on Congress Government, headed by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in Rajasthan for "politicising", even the humanitarian drought relief assistance given by the Centre totalling Rs 7000 crores, Prime Minister said state administration diverted funds for providing drinking water to pay for salaries to its employees.

The State Government should generate its own funds for salaries, he said. "I strongly deny the charge that Centre did not help Rajasthan in drought period. Nobody should make such denials but if false allegations are levelled than I have to refute them," he added.

Stating that Centre had given unprecedented support to Rajasthan which suffered worst drought in whole of the country, Vajpayee said besides Rs 3,100 crores for distribution of wheat and rice and another Rs 1954 crores from national calamity fund, the Centre also waived state’s old loans totalling Rs 442 crores.

Saying that "we have not obliged anybody. We have not given any donation. We are custodians of public money and have spent it wisely," he regretted that the desert state had been left behind in the race for development in the country.

"We have resources. We have manpower. Then why can’t India be among developed nations. Whenever I thought about it in my 50 years of parliamentary career I became emotional," he said. Emphasising on accountability and transparency in public life.

He said his Government is also completing its tenure despite predictions by many that it will collapse midway

"We shall come to you for votes in Lok Sabha elections but that would be next year but now it is for State Assembly polls and people should ask for accounts from State Government.

He said the desert state did not perform to the desired level and instead politicised relief works and added Gehlot Government should have the courage to give credit to the Centre for the help given by it.

Listing centre’s development agenda he said his Government’s focus was on electricity and road construction for development adding " we are correcting the mistakes of the last 50 years. (PTI)

3 Hizb militants killed in Valley

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Nov 23: While as security forces have killed three militants of Hizbul Mujahideen in two separate gunbattles in Kashmir valley since last evening, militants have killed two civilians in Bandipore and Pulwama areas.

Informed sources told EXCELSIOR that, over a specific information, troops of Rashtriya Rifles 22 Bn launched a search operation at Chinad in Delina area of Baramulla late last evening. Suddenly two militants were spotted walking out of the cordoned area. In a brief armed clash, troops gunned down both of them. They were identified as Abdul Hameed Khan alias Saleem R/o Nowpora, Keeri, and Ghulam Hassan Bhat alias Khalid R/o Aalaupora, Kreeri. Officials claimed that they were cadres of Hizbul Mujahideen.

At Hadbal in Bandipore area, armed militants barged into the local mosque when Muslims were busy with special prayers of Shab-e-Qadr. They dragged out one Ghulam Hassan Khan S/o Feroz-ud-din and shot him dead. Unconfirmed reports said that Khan’s killing was the result of a clash between two militant outfits as he was believed to be close to one of them.

Sources said that over another tip-off, troops of RR 34 Bn and SOG Budgam conducted an operation at Talapora in Khansaheb-Beerwah belt of Budgam district in the morning today. Three militants were spotted and engaged in an encounter. Even as two of the group managed to escape, one of them got killed. He was identified as Fayaz Ahmed Bhat S/o Sonaullah Bhat R/o Aripanthan, Beerwah. Official sources claimed that Bhat was a prominent militant, who had recently infiltrated into the Valley, alongwith the top wanted Hizb commander Yusuf of Rathsuna, from Pakistan.

Reports from Pulwama said that militants kidnapped one Nazir Ahmed Ganai S/o Ghulam Mohammad Ganai R/o Shrakapora from Mitrigam and later shot him dead. Ganai was an ex-serviceman.

Militants have also reportedly kidnapped Riyaz Ahmed Rather S/o Ali Mohammad Rather R/o Monpora, Wuyan from his home.

All fake stamp paper transactions valid: Jaswant

NEW DELHI, Nov 23: In a bid to remove apprehensions in the wake of Rs 30,000 crore fake stamp paper scam, Finance Minister Jaswant Singh today said all transactions involving such papers would be valid and Government was considering to move away from the stamp paper regime.

Asked about the plight of those who unknowingly had used fake stamp papers in various transactions, Singh said "don’t worry. The papers already used will not become invalid." The Government was considering to move over from stamp to non-stamp paper system, he said on the sidelines of the India economic summit here, organised by World Economic Forum and CII.

This implied that the Finance Ministry was working towards a Demat system as it was prevalent for securities transactions.

Asked if a CBI probe had been ordered into the scam, the Finance Minister said it would be decided after consultations with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani.

A formal announcement in this regard was expected tomorrow, he said.

There are reports that Government was considering an ordinance to validate transactions carried out through fake stamp papers between 1998 and 2002. (PTI)

Brahmos test fired successfully

BALASORE (Orissa), Nov 23 : Brahmos, the supersonic cruise missile, was today test fired successfully from a moving warship in the Bay of Bengal hitting its target accurately, defence sources said.

The missile, which was successfully tested from a mobile launcher at the integrated test range at Chandipur near here a fortnight ago, was fired at a decommissioned ship drifting in the sea this afternoon, the sources said.

The target was unmanned and located 290 km, the range of the missile, away from the vessel from which it was fired.

"It was test fired successfully and for the sixth time in the series," Dr A S Pillai, Chief Controller, R and D, Defence Research and Development Organisation and CEO and MD, Brahmos, told PTI.

The experiment was conducted about 50 km from the Orissa Coast, he said.

Stating that all the six test flights of the missile, jointly developed by India and Russia, had been successful, Pillai said, "we will prove its different versions in the coming days. Then it would be lined up for production and induction."

Two warships under the Eastern Naval Command were pressed into service for the experiment.

Weighing about three tonnes, the missile was eight metres long and carried a conventional 200 kg warhead, DRDO sources said. (PTI)

3 militants killed, 2 civilians hurt

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 23: Two foreign mercenaries and a local militant were gunned down by the army and police in two separate encounters in Poonch and Doda districts today while two more civilians were injured in continued shelling on Line of Control (LoC).

In a joint operation, army and police today gunned down two foreign mercenaries at Morha Bachai in Surankote tehsil in Poonch district. Identified as Abu Tariq R/o Karachi and Abu Qassar R/o Sialkot, the mercenaries belonged to Al Badr outfit, official sources said.

A dhok, where the militants had taken shelter, was destroyed in the two hour long operation which was successfully executed by the troops of 45 Rashtriya Rifles and local police. Security forces didn’t suffer any casualties in the operation.

Police party in the operation was supervised by SSP Poonch Mukesh Singh and DySP Poonch (Headquarters) Nasir Ahmed. Two AK-56 rifles, three magazines, 21 rounds and three hand grenades were recovered from the slain militants, the sources said.

Both the militants were active in Surankote for last more than one year and were involved in a series of militant activities including civilian killings and attacks on security forces.

A fortnight before, security forces had gunned down six militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba and Al Badr outfits in the same area.

In another operation at Sertangul in Bhaderwah tehsil of Doda district, troops of 4 Rashtriya Rifles eliminated a local militant. Slain militant has been identified as Altaf Hussain son of Abdul Zabbar, a resident of Sungli, Bhaderwah.

An army jawan Satish Kumar was injured in the gun-battle. He has been hospitalised. Altaf was affiliated with Hizbul Mujahideen outfit.

Meanwhile, two more civilians were injured in uninterrupted mortar shelling by Pakistan army in forward village of Digwar in Poonch sector late last night. Yesterday, a civilian was killed and five others were injured in Pak shelling in Sunderbani and Poonch sectors.

Civilian injured in Digwar have been identified as Mohd Javed, 16, son of Mohd Anwar and Pritam Singh, 58, son of Kala Singh, both residents of Digwar. They have been admitted in the District Hospital Poonch.

Shelling was replied by the Indian side effectively.

Exchange of shelling and firing also took place between the two sides at Lam in Nowshera sector in Rajouri district today. No casualties or damage was, however, reported.

Racket involved in CAT paper leakage busted
*3 doctors among 9 held

NEW DELHI, Nov 23: A countrywide racket involved in leaking question papers for top entrance examinations was busted today with the arrest of nine people, including three doctors from Bihar, following leakage of questions for common admission test for prestigious Indian institutes of management forcing its cancellation in which 1.3 lakh students appeared.

Acting on a tip-off, the CBI made the sensational expose by arresting four persons, among them the kingpin Dr Ranjit Singh, from a hotel in Mahipalpur area of south west Delhi, while they were allegedly giving out questions along with answers to Common Admission Tests (CAT) for IIMS to four candidates.

Maharashtra police arrested five persons, including a girl, in Pune in connection with the sale of leaked papers to candidates appearing for the examinations.

The CBI has also detained at least 10 people including some students in Delhi and Patna, where the agency carried out raids at five places including a nursing home owned by Ranjit Singh.

Acting swiftly, the Central Government cancelled the examination and ordered an enquiry into the episode.

Union Human Resource Development Minister Murli Manohar Joshi said that soon after receiving the report about the leakage of the examination paper, he ordered its cancellation.

"The leakage is being inquired and those found guilty will be brought to book," Joshi said, adding he was having consultation with senior officials of his Ministry in this connection.

CBI, which has registered a case and was investigating the matter to find out its entire ramifications, claimed that the gang has been selling question papers for a price ranging from Rs two to four lakh and was also involved in leakage of question papers for other national level entrance tests including All India Medical Exams, CBSE pre-medical and bank Probationary Officers.

CBI said its sleuths found four candidates in the hotel alongwith the touts who were in possession of a copy of the question paper and answer sheet of the CAT examination.

Acting on a tip-off police in Pune laid a trap near the Pune University square and arrested five persons including a girl for allegedly selling the papers to students who were appearing in the examination by charging from Rs two to Rs three lakhs.

The arrested members were from Bihar and the girl hailed from Amravati in Maharashtra, police said, adding they have seized question papers and computer compact discs containing question papers and other documents.

IIM Ahmedabad Director Bakul Dholakia did not rule out the possibility of examination papers being leaked out from the printing press.

The CBI spokesman said the four touts arrested at the Delhi hotel were suspected to be a part of an organised gang which might have an all India network and whose stakes might run into crores of rupees.

He said to ensure that the dummy candidates do not come and expose them, the touts took care to scrutinise the admission cards and other documents of the candidates.

The question papers seized from the touts was compared with the paper that was circulated in the examination centres and it was found that all the 150 questions matched.

The CBI spokesman said the modus operandi of the gang was to approach prospective candidates before the scheduled date of examination.

Such candidates were collected and put in some guest house or hotel on the eve of examination during which question papers and relevant answers were shown to them, he said.

To ensure that the information did not leak to others, the gang members would allow the candidates to leave the premises only in the morning to enable them to reach their respective examination centres on time, he said.

The examination was conducted in 26 cities. (PTI)

Maran dies at 69

CHENNAI, Nov 23: Murasoli Maran, Union Minister and DMK’s pointsman in Delhi, died here today at the age of 69 after battling for life for over a year.

DMK president M Karunanidhi, for whom his nephew Maran was the "conscience keeper", was at the Minister’s bedside when his end came at the Apollo hospital where he was admitted on his return from the United States after treatment.

Considered to be the think tank of DMK and an ideologue of Dravidian movement in Tamil Nadu, Maran is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter.

Maran, who had undergone a bypass surgery at the all India institute of medical sciences, virtually upstaged the police who came to arrest Karunanidhi on a midnight in June 2001, shortly after AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa returned to power. Maran was arrested and kept in a hospital under police guard. He was released only after central intervention.

Maran, who was holding Commerce and Industry portfolios in Vajpayee Government before being made a Minister without portfolio following his illness, underwent a mitral valve replacement in AIIMS in April 2002 and had to be admitted to Apollo Hospital in September 2003, as he developed infections in the replaced valve.

He underwent another surgery for replacement of the valve after he developed complications. Though the surgery was successful, the infection caused by a fungal growth could not be contained. As his condition worsened, he was taken to Houston. After spending 10 months in a Houston hospital, Maran was brought back here on September seven last and admitted to the hospital where he breathed his last.

Born on August 17, 1934 at Thirukuvalai in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruvarur district, Maran grew under the shadow of his uncle Karunanidhi.

Right in his early age, he was drawn to the Dravidian movement and even changed his name for that.

Maran, first entered the Lok Sabha in a by-election from South Madras in 1967. He was re-elected in 1971, but was defeated in 1977 polls. He was a Rajya Sabha member for two terms and was elected to the Lok Sabha from Central Madras in 1996, 1998 and 1999.

He was a Minister in all the coalition governments at the Centre of which dmk was a constituent. He had held Urban Development portfolio in V P Singh Ministry and was Industry Minister in the governments of H D Deve Gowda and I K Gujral.

Maran was instrumental in forging alliance with BJP by convincing DMK cadre which viewed the saffron party as an "octopus" and preaching "communal" politics.

He had written scripts for five Tamil films and was founder and editor of the party mouthpiece "murasoli" for several years. (PTI)

3 US soldiers killed in Iraq

MOSUL, IRAQ, Nov 23 : Attackers killed two U S soldiers today as their car stood in traffic in the City of Mosul, and a roadside bomb killed another soldier North of Baghdad.

A spokesman for the 101st airborne division said its men were shot dead shortly after midday (1630 hrs ist) as they travelled from one mil-

itary compound in the bustling Northern City to another.

But several Iraqi witnesses said the soldiers were stabbed and had their throats slit. Television pictures showed large pools of blood on the asphalt.

Witnesses said locals stole items from the dead men’s pockets, and smashed the windows of their white, four-wheel drive civilian car. One man was seen brandishing bloodstained Iraqi dinars he said were taken from the bodies.

"People were taking things from the car. I looked inside and saw two soldiers with blood all over them," said a local fireman who ran to the scene after hearing gunshots.

U S troops quickly surrounded the area, in the crowded centre of the kurdish city, and interrogated bystanders.

"They hate the Americans in this area," said a man waiting for petrol near the scene. "They’ve been doing many raids around here and so it’s not surprising they’ve been attacked."

In Baquba, 65 km North of Baghdad, a 4th Infantry Division soldier was killed and two were wounded when a roadside bomb was detonated as their convoy drove past, spokesman Lieutenant Colonel William Macdonald said.

And in Falluja, a restive city in the Sunni Muslim heartland West of Baghdad, witnesses said a roadside bomb injured six Iraqis and another hit a U S convoy, without casualties. The attacks came a day after suicide bombers detonated cars packed with explosives outside Baquba’s Police Headquarters and a police station in the nearby town of Khan Bani Saad.

Macdonald said 17 Iraqis were killed in the bombings, one fewer than initially thought.

Since Washington declared major combat in Iraq over on May 1, 185 U S soldiers have been killed in action.

Mosul has seen an upsurge in violence in recent weeks. Guerrillas brought down two U S black hawk helicopters over the city this month, killing 17 American soldiers in the deadliest single strike on U S forces since they invaded in March.

Yesterday, a bomb in a cart loaded with oranges exploded in the city as a convoy of three U S military vehicles was passing. The convoy was unharmed but two Iraqis were killed.

Southeast of Mosul, in the oil city of Kirkuk, explosions shook the North Oil Company compound late on Saturday, wounding four contractors working for the American services firm Kellogg, Brown Root, a U S spokesman said.

Overnight, witnesses said U S fighter jets bombed areas around the town of Samarra, about 100 km North of Baghdad, as coalition forces maintained an offensive against guerrilla targets. Civilian flights to Baghdad were suspended at the weekend after a DHL cargo plane made an emergency landing on Saturday following a direct hit by a missile. Airport officials said a surface-to-air missile hit the plane on its left wing.

It was the first successful strike by guerrillas against fixed-wing aeroplanes in Iraq. Rocket-propelled grenades and shoulder-launched missiles have been fired at others but all have missed — although five U S helicopters have been brought down in the last month, killing 49 soldiers.

In Japan, Defence Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Tokyo, one of Washington’s closest allies in Asia, should defy threats and stick to its controversial plan to send troops to Iraq.

The comments followed media reports in Japan that Al Qaeda had warned it would infiltrate Tokyo and attack the Capital as soon as Japanese troops set foot in Iraq.

In a move to normalise post-war diplomatic ties, Iraq’s Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zerbari announced that Rend Rahim Francke, an Iraqi-American woman and a veteran lobbyist, would become Iraq’s Ambassador to the United States — ending 13 years of diplomatic freeze between the two countries.

In Southern Iraq, British forces said today they had detained an Australian man with connections to suspected Saddam Hussein loyalists.

A spokeswoman for coalition forces in the South said the Australian of Iraqi descent was arrested in the Port City of Umm Qasr following a raid on a house occupied by suspected supporters of the former regime.

News of the arrest came a day after a U S official said 307 foreigners had been arrested in Iraq since May 1 — 140 Syrians, 70 Iranians and others from Yemen, Chad, Saudi Arabia and the West Bank. (REUTERS)

India to react today

NEW DELHI, Nov 23: India today declined to make an immediate comment on Pakistan’s offer of a ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC).

External Affairs spokesman when contacted said India would react to the Pakistan offer tomorrow.

Pakistani Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali today said he was ordering his troops on the LoC to observe a ceasefire from next week as a gesture of goodwill. (UNI)

Pak openly backs Geelani faction

ISLAMABAD, Nov 23: Breaking its silence over factionalism in Hurriyat Conference, Pakistan for the first time said that it recognised the breakaway Geelani faction of the separatist amalgam.

"They (the faction led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani) were the main active partners, and I think he (Geelani) is the one who has been very active and very vocal throughout, and I think people respect him in the (Kashmir) Valley also," Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali said in an interview to `Dawn’ newspaper on completion of one year in office.

This is the fist time that Pakistan officially admitted its backing for the Geelani faction since the split in the Hurriyat nearly two month ago.

Earlier, Pakistan had maintained that it wanted both Geelani and Maulana Abbas Ansari to patch-up, while its official media referred Geelani as the chairman and gave prominence to him only. Also, Pakistan backed Geelani faction’s claim to get recognition at the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC).

The announcement by Jamali comes two days after Hurriyat Conference led by Ansari expressed its willingness to hold talks with the Indian Government.

"As far as we are concerned, Geelani is the person," Jamali said while accusing India of trying to create a "dent" in the Hurriyat for "political motivations".

When asked whether it was right for Pakistan to sideline Ansari-led Hurriyat, he said "we have not sidelined them." Jamali also said that Pakistan worked for reconciliation. (PTI)
 
 
 

 

 

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