No more a forbidden territory

From Pushp Saraf

Gilgit, Nov 30: As I fly over the more-than-25,000 feet-high snow-capped Nanga Parbat along with the other members of a media team in a Fokker Friendship plane my heart is filled with ecstasy. For long we have been taught back home in our schools that there is a fourth region of the State --- Gilgit --- which is under the illegal occupation of Pakistan. Soon we land in what has so far been a forbidden territory for us.

The airport is located amidst mighty but rocky mountains and is at an elevation of a little more than 4000 ft which comes as something like an anti-climax after what one has seen on the way in terms of natural grandeur in the flight from Islamabad.

The thought that we constitute the first batch of Indian media persons visiting Gilgit does give one a feeling of being part of history.

Just outside the airport we are greeted with the slogans of 'independent Jammu and Kashmir' shouted by supporters of Mr Amanullah Khan, who heads the Jammu-Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF). Later while walking through the main bazaar one notices one banner: 'Live like Amanullah Khan. Die like Maqbool Butt'. This is not, however, the only political voice that one hears here.

Since the time at our disposal is short the meetings with local officials and persons including members of the Northern Areas Legislative Council have been arranged at our hotel. Quite a few laud Pakistan for having worked for the welfare of the region. There are discordant notes struck by Balwaristan National Front (BNF) whose leaders, it seems, have come on their own. It is alleged that one of their top leaders Abdul Hamid Khan has been hounded out of the region after being denied an electoral victory. 'We are not treated as human beings here,' one of BNF leaders says.

Gilgit has been known by certain dubious distinctions: denial of political rights, Shia-Sunni riots, school text-books loaded against the Shia majority and the Pakistan Government's refusal to hand over its administration to the 'Azad Government of Jammu and Kashmir' that governs the other parts of the occupied territory. This is the only region of the undivided J&K as it had existed in 1947 where the residents presently don't have State subject certificates.

Local people attribute Shia-Sunni tensions to the handiwork of intelligence agencies and say they can break out 'at the slightest provocation'. 2A leader of the Legislative Council says that the recommendations have already been made to remove grievances of the Shia sect about certain parts of school text-books. The federal Government is seized of the matter and a decision is expected soon (four years, if he is to be believed, have already passed after the recommendations were sent to Islamabad).

There are conflicting views about the powers that the Council, which is an elected body, enjoy. The dominant view is that its office-bearers can't even transfer employees leave alone directing them to carry out their instructions. For all practical purposes the power vests in the Pakistan Government which has a minister to handle the affairs of the region and makes all senior bureaucratic appointments.

At the same time, it is evident that the Pakistan Government is slowly responding to local aspirations. Unlike in the past it has allowed the appointment of local leaders to senior positions in the Council. Not unnaturally those in power at this moment see in it a positive trend. Gilgit has no representation in the Pakistan National Assembly and has a modicum of judicial dispensation unlike the other parts of the occupied territory which are locally known as 'Azad' Kashmir and have a semblance of democracy as well as independent judiciary.

Gilgit is one of the six districts of the Northern Areas which are directly controlled by the Pakistan Government. Having come all the way one feel says that one does not have much time to go around and study the region's problems in detail. For this, however, one can't blame the Pakistan Government or anybody else for it has been a last-minute inclusion in our itinerary. Local officials actually have been very helpful during the brief stay. It is just a coincidence that we get an opportunity to have an extensive tour.

Our return flight is cancelled because of bad weather and we take a bus to travel all the way back to Rawalpindi by road through the Karakuram highway built with the assistance of China. What a breathtaking sight it has been all along the way with enchanting valleys all around along the bank of the Indus River! No wonder, one finds a number of hotels on the route and, from all accounts, they attract a large number of foreign tourists. Watches in nearly all of them display the local timings of, apart from Islamabad, of London, Tokyo and Beijing. This gives a fair indication of the nationalities of guests they receive.

Malik regrets ignoring JK people in Indo-Pak talks
*Mufti flayed for ‘double standards’

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 30: Lambasting Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed for, what he called, adopting double standard, chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), Mohammed Yasin Malik today said killings of innocent people has exposed real face of the present dispensation.

"What to say of protecting dignity or honour of common masses, this dispensation, has been trying to stifle voice of its opponents", Malik said while addressing a press conference here today.

The JKLF chairman was scheduled to address meetings at twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri in connection with his signature campaign but denied permission by the authorities. "We had given prior information to the authorities about our tour programme, but at the eleventh hour, we were denied permission without any solid reason", he informed.

Coming down heavily on Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed for ‘brazenly’ misusing state apparatus to snub his opponents, Mr Malik said that the State of Jammu and Kashmir has been virtually turned into a ‘Police State’. "Mufti Mohammed Sayeed does not have public mandate, he is ruling the State with the help of police", he asserted:

The JKLF chairman challenged the Chief Minister to contest election, from any constituency of his choice, to prove his popularity. "On the one hand the Chief Minister has been repeatedly stating that he believes in ‘battle of ideas’ while on the other hand movements of opponents have been restricted", he said, and recalled, "how he was ‘kidnappned’ by police during by-election of Pahalgam Assembly seat". "I was not allowed to even address public meetings at Pahalgam during anti-election campaign", he recalled.

"It is very unfortunate that borders have been opened for ‘people to people’ contact between India and Pakistan but residents of Kashmir and Jammu are not allowed to even share their views amongst themselves", he said,

To a question, Mr Malik said that he would welcome any move towards unification of both the factions of Hurriyat Conference. "We will welcome any such move", he said.

On the on-going peace process between India and Pakistan, Malik regretted that both the countries have started serious dialogue process but people of Jammu and Kashmir have been singled out. He strongly demanded that people of the State should be involved in the dialogue process.

The JKLF chief claimed that signature campaign launched by the Front has received over-whelming response. "So far we have collected more than 14 lakh signatures during the last 14 months in this campaign which was launched in March 2003.

Kashmir issue can be resolved through
peace talks: Musharraf

BRASILIA, BRAZIL, Nov 30: Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said said he was hopeful that all issues with India, including over Kashmir, could be resolved through peace talks now under way.

"May I say, we see a light at the end of the tunnel, now that the process of rapprochement has started," Musharraf said in a speech at a lunch with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva in the south American country’s capital yesterday.

Musharraf said he was ready to push forward the peace process between neighbours but suggested India had to do more.

"But I would like to say that it needs two hands to clap," Musharraf told journalists later. "So my hand is there, I hope the other hand will also be there and then we will be able to reach peace."

Musharraf arrived in Brazil on Saturday for the first visit of a Pakistani President to Latin America’s largest nation. His trip will also include Argentina and Mexico, followed by Washington, Britain and France.

Progress has been made in the peace talks on several issues, including Kashmir.

"We have initiated a process of rapproachement with India and we look forward to a peaceful coexistence with India in the region, through Confidence-Building Measures and through resolution of all disputes," Musharraf said.

Musharraf, a Muslim leader who has committed himself to the US-led war on terror, has long seen the Kashmir region as a source of extremism among Muslims.

India has suggested giving Kashmir greater autonomy but says it will not redraw its borders.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Masood Khan said yesterday that proposals of greater autonomy for Kashmiris had been proffered in the past and he saw little new in the suggestion made by Indian Foreign Minister Natwar Singh late last week.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz today told a conference of Asian Parliamentarians in Islamabad that any settlement on Kashmir should be in line with the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.

"Let me hasten to add that it is imperative that the process of engagement should be sustained to make the dialogue result-oriented and successful," Aziz said. (AGENCIES)

Govt seeks withdrawal of travel advisories to J&K

Excelsior Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, Nov 30: Asserting that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir was conducive for tourism, the State Government has favoured lifting of advisories issued by various countries against travel there.

Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Minister Ghulam Hassan Mir said the "fear psychosis" was hampering the growth of the industry and needed to be done away with.

The State Government had announced a number of tour packages to attract travellers during the winter, he said. These include special celebrations on Christmas in Gulmarg and on new year at Pahalgam tourist destinations.

"The advisories issued by various countries warning against travel to the State must go. There is no need for such advisories as no tourist has been a target of militants," Mir told reporters here while noting that 3.34 lakh tourists and 4.5 lakh Amarnath pilgrims have visited the Valley this year.

Noting that these advisories were affecting flow of foreign tourists to the Valley, he said "terrorist incidents do not take place in J and K only. These have occurred even in Mumbai, Delhi and various other places across the world. Does that mean that all these places should not be visited?"

Despite travel advisory to foreign nationals against visiting Kashmir, the Valley received a record number of over 334,000 domestic travellers this year, registering a phenomenal 100 per cent increase over the previous year.

Mir, who is here to woo honeymoon couples to visit the Valley during the winter, was confident that the "travel advisory" would be withdrawn in the near future as security atmosphere in the State has improved vastly. He said tourists are not the targets of terrorist.

Interestingly, Mir pointed out that MPs and diplomats from various countries, whose Governments have issued such advisories, have themselves been visiting the Valley.

He was confident that more than four lakh people will visit the Valley this years, excluding Amarnath yatra pilgrims.

The travel advisory had restricted the visit of foreigners to the Kashmir valley as only few thousand foreign tourists came this year. The United States, United Kingdom and other European Nations were advising their nationals to avoid visiting the Valley in view of the violence for more than 10 years.

The minister said there was no threat to the tourists in the Valley as the Government had taken adequate measures for their security and protection. This has been demonstrated during the Amarnath pilgrimage when more than four lakh pilgrims visited Kashmir.

Mr Mir said the Amarnath yatra continued for more than two months without any incident and concluded peacefully.

He said domestic tourists are also coming in good numbers to the Valley. It is evident from the fact that last year only 190,000 visited the Valley while this year it touched 334,000 visitors.

"We are confident that the figure will touch more than four lakhs. Daily hundreds of tourists are visiting Kashmir. A group of Malaysian tourist also came this month.

He said the State Government had asked the Centre to take up with the respective countries the issue of revoking travel advisories.

To a question, the minister said the State had adequate infrastructure to accommodate a large number of tourists.

Akash missile with live warhead test fired

BALASORE, Nov 30: India today for the first time used a live warhead in the test-launch of the surface-to-air ‘Akash’ missile, which soared into the skies from the integrated test range at Chandipur-on-sea and successfully hit a moving target, a day after Pakistan launched its medium range nuclear capable Ghaznavi missile.

The warhead, carrying 60 kg of explosives, hit the target as programmed, Defence sources said.

The sleek missile fired from a mobile launcher hit the target attached to an unmanned aircraft Lakshya, flying at an altitude of 4.5 km, they said.

"This is a milestone in the history of India’s Defence Research and Development", Dr Prahalada, Programme Director of the Nodal Development Laboratory at Hyderabad, told PTI by the telephone.

Never before had Defence scientists in India used a live warhead in test launching any missile, he said.

"The experiment was a 100 per cent success", he said.

Lakshya, the Pilotless Training Aircraft (PTA) took off at 1132 hours while the missile, weighing 700 kg, was fired at the target at 1157 hours, sources at the ITR said.

The missile, which has a range of 27 km, uses an integral Ramjet rocket propulsion system and has a low reaction time.

With a 700 kg launch weight, Akash can carry a warhead of 60 kg and operates in conjunction with ‘Rajendra Surveillance and Engagement Radar’ being developed by the Electronic Research and Development Establishment (ERDE).(PTI)

Dixit, Aziz to meet in Amritsar

ISLAMABAD, Nov 30: India’s National Security Adviser J N Dixit and his Pakistani counterpart Tariq Aziz, who have been actively involved in back-channel diplomacy, will meet in Amritsar later this week to discuss the latest developments in bilateral ties, a Pakistani newspaper today said.

Dawn quoted sources as saying that the meeting which will take place ahead of the next round of Indo-Pakistan composite dialogue in December acquires special significance against the backdrop of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz’s visit to India last week.

It is believed that Mr Dixit, a close confidant of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Mr Tariq Aziz, secretary Pakistans National Security Council and a trusted aide of President Pervez Musharraf will look at ways enabling the two countries to move ahead on substantive issues including Jammu and Kashmir.

The nuclear as well as conventional CBMs and the Indian proposal of starting a Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service will be on the agenda of the upcoming Dixit-Aziz meeting, sources said.

It is learnt that some agreement may be reached on the travel document issue that is seen as a roadblock in establishing the Kashmir bus link.

On the proposed Kashmir bus service, Indian External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh was quoted last week as saying that New Delhi was hopeful of working out all technicalities, and the two countries were very near a solution.

There is intense pressure on both the Governments from the Kashmiri leaders as well as the international community to get the bus service rolling, the newspaper claimed, saying the bus link would facilitate interaction between the Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control and reunite many divided families.

The two-day politico-technical level talks on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service are scheduled for December seven.

Mr Dixit and Mr Aziz are also likely to take up the issue of the controversial Baglihar hydro-electric dam ahead of the final round of crucial talks on it next week.

This will be the second Dixit-Aziz meeting in Amritsar this year. They have met a couple of times in Dubai as well as in Delhi before the New York meeting between President Musharraf and Prime Minister Singh at an undisclosed location. (UNI)

Stress management centre for jawans

TANGHDHAR (J&K), Nov 30: As the ceasefire between India and Pakistan along the Line of Control continues, the army has taken up a stress management programme for jawans deployed at border posts here.

Jawans at the posts are allowed to spend upto a week at a stress management centre ‘Gulchain’ where they participate in several recreational and sports activities.

"We have started the Centre so that the jawans can take up activities which normally they would not be able to do as they are posted on mountainous posts. The activities act as stress busters for the jawans and they return to the posts rejuvenated", a senior army officer, whose unit runs the centre, said.

The Centre was established much before the ceasefire between India and Pakistan began on November 26 last year but it could function properly only after the two countries agreed to stop cross-border shelling, he said.

He said the jawans are brought to the Centre on a rotational basis for four to six days and allowed to take up activities like badminton, carrom, computer games, typing and various exercises at the gymnasium.

"We have also set up a dedicated STD telephone line so that they can talk to their families", the officer said.

"It (Centre) was there before the ceasefire but the troops were constantly busy with other activities like shelling from across the border and preventing infiltration. With the LoC fencing complete, infiltration in this sector is negligible", the officer said.

The jawans, who have benefited from the Centre, said it had done wonders for their psyche.

"We come here on a rotational basis every three or four months. It is an ideal place to release the tension accrued being up there (on the post) with four or five men for such long durations. Here, we are able to meet other people and contact our families also", one of the jawans, who was about to go back to his post, said.

Another place which jawans and officers are said to visit to take a break is the ‘Nasta Chun’ pass, also known as ‘Sadhna’ following a visit by the famous actress of yesteryear. (PTI)

306 killed in Philippines floods

QUEZON PROVINCE, PHILIPPINES, Nov 30: More than 300 people died after flash floods and landslides devastated three coastal towns and left swathes of the Northern Philippines under water today.

The death toll was expected to rise as rescuers were unable to reach areas cut off by huge mudslides and fast-moving floodwater in the wake of tropical depression winnie and as the country braced for another powerful storm.

At least 306 people died in the towns of Real, Infanta and General Nakar in Quezon province, about 80 km east of Manila, Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman told television.

Soliman said 150 people were still missing in Real, where witnesses said a torrent of logs and mud had swept down from the Sierra Madre Mountains during last night’s downpour.

Rampant illegal logging has been blamed for leaving towns vulnerable to landslides, a factor in several disasters in recent years.

"We think that illegal logging can be one of the main reasons why floods affected those towns," said Jayjay Suarez, Vice Governor of Quezon province.

The National Disaster Coordinating Committee said at least 21 people were killed in other provinces in the main Northern Island of Luzon.

Armand Balilo, a spokesman for the Coastguard, said that 12 people rescued from Real were in critical condition.

"The critically wounded had fractured legs, with pieces of wood piercing their legs. Some had lacerations on their bodies," he said.

A spokesman for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said she would return early from a summit of Southeast Asian nations in Laos tonight to help coordinate the rescue operations.

The floods came just a week after storms left about 160 dead or missing, stretching the country’s poorly equipped rescue services and military.

Winnie moved into the South China sea, but a more powerful storm was on course to hit the country on Thursday and was gathering strength as it approached the East Coast.

"A new typhoon is headed in our direction," Defence Secretary Avelino Cruz told reporters, referring to tropical storm Nanmadol. "This one is much stronger and has a wider coverage than the one that hit Quezon province." (AGENCIES)

Former AHD Director sentenced

RANCHI, Nov 30: Former Animal Husbandry Department Director Kashinath Singh was today sentenced to five years’ rigorous imprisonment by a CBI special court in connection with a disproportionate assets case.

Convicting Singh in the 1/2000 DA case here, CBI special judge Satish Chandra Singh also fined him Rs two lakh or extension of the rigorous imprisonment by six more months.

Singh, who was serving as the Director in Hazaribag, was found guilty of having more money than his known source of income.

The special court, however, acquitted Singh’s wife Tapeswari Devi and son Sanjay Kumar, both accused in the same case, for want of evidence.

Singh, who is the son-in-law of former Union Minister Ram Lakhan Singh Yadav, is slapped with five more cases in the multi crore fodder scam. (PTI)

A girl's journey to IAF top echelons

BANGALORE, Nov 30: As a young girl with a "very conservative Iyer background" as she puts it, Padma knew nothing about the armed forces in the early 1960s.

But the Chinese aggression of 1962 changed all that.

"It was a massacre of young people....Who were all my friends...They were not there the next day. That situation made me seriously contemplate the armed forces...That’s the area", she says.

Subsequently, she joined the Armed Forces Medical College. "That was an opening for me to join the armed forces".

Four decades later, the decision has more than paid off. Padma Bandopadhyay became the first lady Air Marshal of the Indian Air Force and of all the air forces of the world.

"During my intermediate (pre-medical), I really did not know anything about armed forces", Bandopadhyay recalled in a conversation with a PTI correspondent.

".....Very conservative Iyer background...Knew nothing about it. But the 1962 war changed a lot. A lot of young lives were lost", she said.

Born in the temple town of Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh in 1944, Bandopadhyay says success is not an individual story. "It’s a total commitment of everybody... The home front, as well as the office".

Categorically stating that there is no gender bias in the IAF, she says if one is professionally competent, the sky is the limit.

"No difference, being a male or a female. The IAF has nothing against ladies. Women are not there in big numbers in the IAF because there is no permanent service commissioning for them (now they are taken on short service commissioning of 14 years), barring the Armed Forces Medical College".

"I do not call it (IAF) male-dominated. Women never entered it!", she says. "Lack of permanent commissioning for women means they cannot aspire for higher ranks".

On the personal front, the fact that her husband is also from the IAF — Wg Cdr (Dr) S N Bandopadhyay — helped her in no small measure. Her husband comes on top of her list of people who helped her become what she is today. (PTI)

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