Dialogue process won't be affected by polls: Menon

KARACHI, Jan 29: Maintaining that the coming general elections would not affect the composite dialogue to be initiated next month with Pakistan, India today said if the process is to be sustained progress has to be made on ensuring that terror and violence are eliminated.

India is committed to process of composite dialogue beginning next month with Pakistan and it would not be affected by the general elections as there is a broad consensus in India in favour of the peace process, Indian High Commissioner Shivshankar Menon said, addressing the English Speakers Union here.

He said the January six Joint Press Statement (JPS) issued after the meeting between Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf showed the way forward for both the countries to continue the dialogue process to settle the complex issues like Jammu and Kashmir.

"The JPS shows us the way forward. If the process is to be sustained, we need to make progress on ensuring that terror and violence are eliminated. We must also make progress in addressing bilateral issues, including Jammu and Kashmir, to the satisfaction of both sides," he said.

Menon also cautioned that the peace process, however, faced considerable challenges ahead. "We recognise that there will be considerable challenges in the days ahead. To stay on course we require sincerity and stamina, facing the opponents of peace and the instruments of terror and overcoming the bitter legacy of our history."

At the same time, while starting the complex composite dialogue process next month, India and Pakistan should continue to move forward on normalisation measures because the chances of settling the complex and contentious issues were higher if a friendly atmosphere prevailed, Menon said.

"Our chances of resolving the most contentious issues are higher when we tackle them in a warm, friendly supportive environment. If India and Pakistan nurture the ties of kinship, commerce and culture, if we emphasise (on) all that we have in common, we will be able to smoothen the fault lines in our relationship," he said.

Menon said the two countries should also be careful about generating too many expectations. "We begin a complex process, where expectations must not run ahead of reality. We will not reach solutions overnight. What we can and should do is to stay engaged. India intends to."

Explaining the reasons for India’s consistent attempts to improve relations with Pakistan, Menon said Vajpayee came to Lahore in February 1999 and sought to "resuscitate" the peace process in Agra in July 2001 followed by present initiative because "peace with Pakistan has been an abiding goal and is part of a broader Indian vision. India has a vision for our region, the world and ourselves."

Vajpayee’s peace moves in April last year led to several confidence building measures between the two countries, including the resumption of rail, road and air links and initiatives to run bus services between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad as well as Khokrapar and Munabao and a ferry service between Karachi and Mumbai, he said. (PTI)

Cabinet meeting tomorrow
Finance Commission formation likely

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 29: The State Cabinet, which was scheduled to meet here tomorrow, has been postponed for a day and will now take place on January 31.

The decision to hold the Cabinet meeting tomorrow was taken on January 25 meeting when Deputy Chief Minister Mangat Ram Sharma had walked out of the meeting over the issue of postings of KB Pillai and Jalil Ahmad Khan as Chairmen of Public Service Commission (PSC) and Electricity Regulatory Authority respectively.

As the issue could not be settled due to certain objections raised by Housing and Urban Development Minister Ghulam Hassan Mir, forcing Mr Mangat Ram Sharma to stage a walkout, the Chief Minister, Mufti Mohd Sayeed had directed the Chief Secretary to convene the meeting on January 30.

The meeting has been again postponed for a day. However, it has been learnt that the issue of postings of Mr Pillai and Mr Khan will not figure in January 31 meeting. Instead, the Cabinet will finalise the framing of Finance Commission for the State that day, informed sources told the EXCELSIOR.

They said that the development of dropping postings of Mr Pillai and Mr Khan from the agenda took place in the afternoon of January 26, when Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed left for Saudi Arabia as the leader of the Indian Haj delegation.

Before leaving for Saudia, Mufti Sayeed had a meeting with Pradesh Congress Committee president Ghulam Nabi Azad at New Delhi, wherein both discussed the developments that led Mr Mangat Ram Sharma to stage a walkout from the Cabinet meeting, the sources said.

They said that following the meeting with Mufti Sayeed, Mr Azad talked to Deputy Chief Minister and conveyed to him that the issue involving Mr Pillai and Mr Khan’s posing will be taken in the other Cabinet meeting after the return of Chief Minister from abroad.

The sources said that it was conveyed to Mr Sharma that instead of taking up the issue of postings, the Cabinet will place on agenda the formation of Finance Commission on January 31 meeting.

Meanwhile, authoritative sources told the EXCELSIOR that Mr Mangat Ram Sharma, who will be heading January 31 meeting, has conveyed it in clear terms that in case Finance Commission formation was not on the agenda, he will not attend to the Cabinet meeting that day.

As formation of Finance Commission, implementation of Wazir Commission and delimitation of Assembly segments are the three main issues in the Common Minimum Programme of the coalition Government, Mr Sharma has conveyed that atleast to set the process into motion, the Government should frame Finance Commission and okay the same in next Cabinet meeting. The step will be the beginning of the implementation of CMP and other issues will follow, Mr Sharma is reported to have conveyed his feelings, the sources added.

Opinion Poll
Survey predicts sweep for NDA

NEW DELHI, Jan 29: A "mood of the nation" poll conducted for India Today by Org-Marg has predicted a sweep for BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the coming Lok Sabha elections giving the ruling coalition 330 to 340 seats in the 545-member House.

The poll conducted in January before BJP tied up with AIADMK in Tamil Nadu forecast a slide for Congress and its allies who are expected likely to get 105 to 115 seats, 30 less than its tally in the last election. "Others" including the Left front, AIADMK, SP and BSP have been projected to get between 95 and 105 seats.

The NDA had secured 304 seats in the 1999 elections.

The poll says the Congress is expected to reach its lowest level, 4 per cent below that of the BJP. Ever since India Today began the ‘mood of the nation" poll with the exception of January 2001 (the first survey), the percentage vote of the Congress was always a few points above the BJP.

Under normal circumstances, it said, the votes of the opposition move up on the eve of the polls suggesting an anti-incumbancy wave.

On the eve of the coming Lok Sabha elections, the votes of the Congress have sunk below that of the ruling party indicating an incumbancy advantage for the NDA.

The opinion poll covered 17,649 voters in 98 parliamentary constituencies. In each constituency the poll sampled three Assembly segments based on random sampling. The sample was representative of urban and rural areas, men and women and all age groups. The sampling was done between January 9 and 17.

Giving a regional breakup, the poll predicts that BJP and its allies will get 95 and 105 seats in the north against Congress’ 10-20 and "others" 30-40.

In the south, BJP and its allies are set to win 52-62 seats against Congress’ 40-50 and "others" 25-35. The figures for east and west are BJP and allies 83-93 and 85-95 respectively, Congress and its allies 18-28 and 18-28 respectively and "others" 27-37 and 0-10 respectively.

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s high popularity rating compared with that of Congress president Sonia Gandhi is NDA’s biggest advantage over the Congress-led alliance. That the popularity show increasing divergence as the elections approach is bad news for the Congress, the poll found out.

Other leaders had very low popularity ratings with Mulayam Singh Yadav scoring three and L K Advani only two while 47 preferred Vajpayee as the Prime Minister. Twentythree preferred Sonia Gandhi.

Sonia Gandhi’s biggest handicap in becoming the Prime Minister, according to the poll, includes her foreign origin, political inexperience and lack of support from within her party. (PTI)

India can't be dictated by any country: CM

Excelsior Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, Jan 29: Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed sees a great hope of a lasting peace in Jammu and Kashmir.

Mufti Sayeed, who is leading Indian official Haj delegation, appeared confident about it at a press conference in Jeddah yesterday.

‘After 56 years, people of both India and Pakistan have realised that enmity has not paid dividends and have been clamouring for peace’. They know that they live in a globalised world and that realities on the ground are very different. The ‘hand of friendship extended by India’ had also made a difference, resulting in the present thaw in the situation.

‘God has made our State beautiful. For us, it’s a return to paradise with the healing touch policy’, Mufti Sayeed said, referring to the decade and a half of strife that had ruined the state’s economy and social fabric. The will of the people has finally prevailed, he said, and they want to live in peace with dignity.

‘People are now confident and are busy conducting winter sports like ice hockey. It’s all a change of scenario, with Kashmir becoming a destination for all seasons’, he added.

The Chief Minister attributed the sea change to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s peace process for promoting friendship with neighbours and good neighbourly relations.

‘When you start a process and negotiate all the matters, including Kashmir, one has to be realistic and patient for things to move ahead and concretise, saying that wind of friendship is already sweeping the region. In fact, people of Jammu and Kashmir have already developed contacts with Kashmiris across the border’.

Mufti Sayeed rejected the idea that the ceasefire in the State was done at the behest of a superpower. ‘India is itself a country of a billion people and it cannot be dictated by any other country. India itself is now a great power’, he asserted.

On the issue of the abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian constitution, which has given special status to the only Muslim majority State of the country, Mufti Sayeed said that the BJP which leads the ruling National Democracy Alliance Government may have talked about its abrogation but the NDA Government has never said so.

‘We have been given certain guarantees. The NDA Government is considerate towards our problems and endorses our policies, especially the healing touch’, he said, adding that Kashmiri Pandits, who are miniscule minority of two per cent of the valley’s population and migrated due to militancy, would certainly return back. ‘Their return is on the cards’, he said optimistically.

Tourism has bounced back and many visitors are coming to the State throughout the year, Mufti Sayeed said, adding that various festivals are once again being celebrated in the State.

Haj arrangements for Indian pilgrims are excellent, the Chief Minister said, although there was always scope for further improvement. For the past six months, Indian Consulate General has made good efforts that have resulted in providing accommodation to our pilgrims close to the holy Haram, he maintained.

About 1.20 lakh pilgrims have arrived from India and are now in Mecca.

Hurriyat constituents endorse talks with Centre

SRINAGAR, Jan 29: Constituents of the Hurriyat Conference led by Maulana Abbas Ansari today endorsed the negotiations with the Centre and welcomed a step-by-step approach for resolution of the Kashmir issue, top amalgam leader Abdul Gani Bhat said.

"We apprised the members of the Hurriyat Conference what happened in Delhi during the meetings with Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani and Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The House endorsed the talks and was happy for the step-by-step approach for resolution of the Kashmir issue," Bhat told reporters after nearly three-hour joint meeting of the executive council, working committee and general council of the organisation.

Three of its constituents—JKLF, Jamaat-e-Islami and Peoples League—were not invited for today’s meeting as they had not responded to the amalgam’s invitation for discussions prior to the departure of its five-member delegation to Delhi for talks with the Centre.

Bhat said the meeting the Hurriyat delegation had with the Deputy Prime Minister was "much lengthier than we expected. We spoke freely and fearlesslly and the DPM also spoke frankly."

Asked whether they discussed Kashmir or related issues, he said "we need not have to jump or leap. We agreed on a step-by-step approach to address all the issues and this has a reference in the joint statement."

Bhat said "we, the APHC members, as a matter of fact the people of Jammu and Kashmir are inseparable part of the process set afloat across the sub-continent. This is a process which seeks to address all issues between India and Pakistan." Asked what he meant by step-by-step-approach, Bhat said "we need not have to jump and leap into conclusions. This process means give and take...Give something and take something."

Replying to a question whether Hurriyat has dropped the idea of going to Pakistan, he said "we have not dropped the idea of going to Pakistan. India and Pakistan are coming closer to each other and we will do so at an appropriate time."

On ceasefire in Kashmir, Bhat said the Deputy Prime Minister remained non-commital on the issue. "He said neither yes or no to the proposal. Centre had in the past announced ceasefire which failed and they do not want to take any step which is not reciprocated. However, they have assured that they will consider the proposal."

Asked why senior separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah, who has all along been advocating for a dialogue to resolve the Kashmir issue, was not invited for talks by the Centre, Bhat said the Centre invited Hurriyat Conference. Since Shah was not in Hurriyat he was not invited.

He said they also discussed the issues regarding withdrawal of disturbed areas act, POTA and similar acts, release of detenue, stopping of human rights violations and withdrawal of cases against Kashmiris lodged in different jails at the meeting with the DPM. (PTI)

Mehbooba blames NC for Aug 2000 ceasefire failure

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Jan 29: Accusing National Conference (NC) leaders of changing colours to serve their self interests, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti today said the dialogue process initiated by the Centre with Pakistan and the separatists will "definitely bear fruit".

"The NC is responsible for the failure of the unilateral ceasefire offered by the Centre in 2000," Ms Mufti said in a statement here.

She said the peace process initiated by the Centre with Pakistan and the Hurriyat Conference will succeed and normalcy would return to Kashmir again.

Ms Mufti, daughter of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, said things would have been much better by now had the then NC Government extended its cooperation to the Centre.

Instead of helping the Centre to open a dialogue with the separatists so that peace could be restored, the NC Government sabotaged the peace moves initiated by the Centre from time to time, she said and recalled the statement of then Director General of Police that Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajapyee’s unilateral ceasefire in 2000 was not applicable to Jammu and Kashmir.

Ms Mufti said whenever the Centre wanted to hold talks with the separatists on Kashmir, the then Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah opposed it and even threatened to pull out of the NDA.

The NC had been advocating bombing Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir areas, used POTA and other laws to book separatist leaders and gave full authority to the Special Operation Group of the Jammu and Kashmir Police (now disbanded) to commit attrocities on Kashmiris, she said, adding now out of power the NC suddenly wanted the Centre to talk to Pakistan, separatist leaders and the militants.

She said the NC’s demand of greater autnomy was just a political gimmick to mislead the people. "Gone are the days when the people of Jammu and Kashmir were being emotionally exploited by the NC leaders who gave up the 22-year-long plebiscite demand for just a Chief Ministership in 1975," Ms Mufti said.

If the NC was sincere about the autonomy why it failed to implement it when the party was enjoying two-third majority in the State Assembly? she asked.

The PDP chief further accused the NC of having suported the anti-Muslim policies of the Sangh Parivar and even the Narinder Modi Government in Gujarat after "Muslims were massacred there."

‘Pak moved militant camps to Gilgit- Baltistan’

NEW DELHI, Jan 29: After assurance to India that it will not allow its soil to be used as "terrorist" breeding ground, Pakistan has, under US pressure, shifted all militant camps to Gilgit where no ordinary Kashmiri had any access, claims a Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) leader.

"Pakistan establishment has merged several of these camps and moved them away from periphery of Muzzafarabad and other areas in PoK," says Shazia Ghulam Din, daughter-in-law of JKLF founder Maqbool Bhatt.

Shazia, whose husband Showkat Bhat formed an all parties national alliance, said the militant camps located in PoK had been moved away right now under United States pressure.

"I think they have been shifted to Gilgit and Baltistan areas and no Kashmiri or ordinary Pakistani has the right to visit these places," Shazia, who is in the capital now, said.

She said the large presence of foreign mercenaries in PoK had created major social problems for the locals and the world community would come to know about the real situation there once the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service is launched.

Terming the ‘Jehadis’ as ‘Fasadis’ (trouble-mongers), Shazia said "large number of mercenaries from Afghanistan, Pakistan and other Muslim countries have invaded the rich cultural heritage and history of Kashmir in PoK."

Shazia, who was here in connection with the world social forum meet, told PTI that "if the bus service between Srinagar and Muzzafarabad is launched, it would be an eye-opener for the people in PoK."

"There is a general perception that large scale human rights violation is taking place in Jammu and Kashmir. But unfortunately, no one talks about violations in PoK, where people are deprived of even basic right to live," Shazia, who leads Jammu and Kashmir National Liberation Front, said.

She said Pakistan was giving an impression of PoK as being "Azad Kashmir" but in real terms it was "Ghulam (slave) Kashmir."

Shazia, who maintained that she had been constantly facing threats from the "establishment" in PoK, said she regretted the day when Kashmiris took up the gun to fight for their cause.

"They picked up the gun under the influence of ISI without realising that the bullet will only kill a Kashmiri and no one else," she said and recited a couplet "Lamhon Ne Khata Ki, Sadiyon Ne Saza Payi" (momentary mistake led to sufferings of centuries).

Though she refused to comment on the ongoing Centre and Hurriyat dialogue, Shazia questioned their representative character and accused their wing in PoK of "selling Kashmiris and their rights for their petty gains."

In an indirect reference to JKLF chief Yaseen Malik, Shazia said that her aim was to carry forward the name of her father-in-law’s party which was being misutilised by "some people as of now." (PTI)

Kawoosa, Bali attached by Govt

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 29: The State Government today ordered attachment of two senior Forest officers following registration of First Information Reports (FIRs) against them.

The officers—M A Kawoosa, Project chief IWDP and S S Bali, Director SFRI—have been attached with the Financial Commissioner/Secretary Forests.

In view of the attachments, the Government has also ordered a minor shake-up in the Forest department.

R D Tiwari has been posted as project chief IWDP while S K Khajuria has been posted as Chief Conservator of Forests (Projects). Lal Chand has been posted as Director SFRI, Abhai Kumar as Secretary (Technical), A K Singh as Chief Conservator of Forests (Central) and S M Khan as Member Secretary PCB.

Forest Minister Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Sofi has said that severe action would be taken against the erring officers as per law.

Bird flu: Govt bans import of poultry food

NEW DELHI, Jan 29: Government today banned the import of livestock and livestock products from bird flu-hit Pakistan and some South-East Asian countries and declared a red alert to prevent spread of the disease.

It has also decided to itensify vigil over passengers of Samjhauta Express from Pakistan.

Health Minister Sushma Swaraj made public these decisions after the first high-level coordination meeting of Ministries of Health and Agriculture.

The products banned include domestic and wild birds, day-old birds, Turkey Poultry and other new hatched Avian species, Semen and fresh meat of domestic and wild birds, products of animal origin (from birds) intended for animal feeding or agriculture or industrial use and pathological material and biological products from birds which have not been processed to ensure the destruction of the highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus (fowl plague). The ban will be efffective for six months and will cover imports from countries other than Pakistan like Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and Japan where bird flu has been reported.

"More attention is being paid on border states like Rajasthan, Gujarat and Punjab, where a red alert has been declared", she told reporters after a meeting which was attended by Agriculture Minister Rajnath Singh and representatives of WHO and FAO.

This follows reports of bird flu cases in Pakistan, she said.

Swaraj said no case of bird flu has been reported in the country till now and state governments had been asked to report to the Centre about reports of mass death of chickens or poultry birds. "The situation is fully under control", she said. (PTI)

New CJ to take oath on Feb 4

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 29: Justice Sachchidanand Jha, a senior Judge of the Patna High Court will take oath as Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir at Raj Bhawan here on February 4.

Governor Lt Gen (Retd) SK Sinha will administer oath of office to Justice Jha.

Registrar General of the State High Court, Vinod Gupta has received the warrant of elevation of Justice Jha as Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir.

Justice Jha was appointed Chief Justice of J&K High Court by President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam yesterday.

The State High Court is presently having Acting Chief Justice Mr VK Jhanji for the last 10 months. During this period, Justice Jhanji delivered number of landmark judgments and took up various Public Interest Litigations (PILs).

He headed the Bench that passed a landmark judgment in Permanent Resident Certificate issue for women of the State, who were earlier losing the status of being the resident of J&K after their marriage to a non-State Subject.

Magistrate suspended for issuing warrants

AHMEDABAD, Jan 29: The Gujarat High Court today suspended Ahmedabad Metropolitan Magistrate M S Brahm Bhatt for allegedly issuing bailable warrants against the President, Chief Justice of India, a sitting judge of the Supreme Court and a former president of its Bar Association.

The decision to suspend Brahm Bhatt came after a high-level meeting by senior judicial officers of the Gujarat High Court a day after all the papers of the case were seized as per the Supreme Court directives yesterday.

The Magistrate had allegedly issued bailable warrants against President A P J Abdul Kalam, Chief Justice V N Khare Justice B P Singh and former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association R K Jain in connivance with three lawyers, that was actually a sting operation carried by a television channel to expose corruption in lower courts.

Meanwhile, several journalists including those from electronic media were roughed up by advocates at the metropolitan court compound this evening.

Zee TV cameraman Subodh Vyas, who received serious injuries in the attack on metropolitical court compound, was admitted to a local hospital.

Earlier, the Supreme Court ordered a CBI probe into the allegations of bribery and issuance of bailable warrants by the Metropolitan Magistrate.

A bench comprising Chief Justice V N Khare, Justice S B Sinha and Justice S H Kapadia, which had yesterday directed the Gujarat High Court Registrar General to immediately seize and send the relevant records of the Metropolitan Magistrate court to it, ordered this after persuing the files and the English translation.

The documents were submitted by senior counsel Harish Salve on behalf of private TV journalist Vijay Shekhar who conducted a sting operation to expose corruption in subordinate judiciary in Gujarat.

Journalists of ‘Zee News’ and ‘Aaj Tak’lodged an FIR with Meghaninagar Police on the attack that took place in the court compound.

The equipment of the TV journalists was damaged in the attack by advocates who went on a rampage after cameramen arrived at the court following the ‘suspension’ of the Magistrate.

The Ahmedabad Criminal Court Bar Association strongly condemned the alleged involvement of Haresh Bhawaniwala, its recently elected president, in the case as his name cropped up as one of the three lawyers who allegedly ‘paid’ the magistrate for the bailable warrant. (PTI)

10 killed in suicide attack

JERUSALEM, Jan 29: A suicide bomber blew up on a bus in Jerusalem today, killing at least 10 bystanders and wounding about 30 in an attack outside Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s official residence, police and paramedics said. The Prime Minister wasn’t in the area.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility. The explosion coincided with a German-brokered prisoner swap between Israel and the Lebanese guerrilla group Hezbollah. It was not clear whether there was a connection.

The explosion went off just before 9 am. (1230 IST) in the Rehavia district in downtown Jerusalem, just 15 meters from Sharon’s official residence. Sharon was at his farm in southern Israel at the time, his aides said.

Eli Beer, a paramedic, said victims had been scattered over a wide area.

The bomber was in the back of the bus when he detonated the explosives, said Jerusalem Police Chief Mickey Levy.

"It was a very serious attack on a bus packed with passengers," Levy said at the scene. "According to what we know at the moment ... We’re talking about a suicide bomber."

The green egged bus was charred, with wires dangling everywhere. One side of the bus had been blown out and the back half of the roof was blown off.

Police investigators with sniffer dogs searched the bus. Palestinian authority officials condemned the bombing.

Sharon’s spokesman, Raanan Gissin, said the attack illustrated why Israel is building a contentious separation barrier in the West Bank. (AP)

Forget past, says Karamat

NEW DELHI, Jan 29: India and Pakistan should forget the past and cooperate to tackle issues facing South-East Asia, former chief of the Pakistan Army Gen Jehangir Karamat today said,

"This cooperation could extend to more and more areas as relations improve," he told UNI here after the closing of the 6th Asian Security Conference.

Welcoming Defence Minister George Fernandes’ contention that there was a change in the mindset of the Pakistani military, Gen Karamat remarked that mistrust had always been endemic between both countries, but now was starting to dispel.

Mr Fernandes had told mediapersons after the valedictory session of the conference that India had "reason to believe" that there was a change in the mindset of the Pakistani military and leaders as evinced by recent events.

"Nevertheless, it (the mistrust) will take time to fully dispel," Gen Karamat said, repeating his assertion to newspersons at the start of the conference that Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf had gone as far as any Pakistani leader could have, in declaring that Pakistan would not allow its territory to be used for terrorist actions against any neighbour, including India.

He said it was imperative that both countries should stop "dredging up the past," and move forward.

"We must refrain from taking up issues which happend in different contexts and times,’ Gen Karamat pointed out, and hoped that when the dialogue becomes institutionalised and "hang-ups are jettisoned", both countries will cooperate in some specific areas as a prelude to "all across the board."

"The problems of drugs, weapons proliferation and so on are some of the areas where both countries can cooperate," he said, adding that more areas can be added as relations improve further.

Gen Karamat, considered one of the most professional soldiers to head the Pakistani Army, was Army chief before General Musharraf. He put in his papers, just a few months before his retirement, after a tiff with the then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. (UNI)

Nine officers transferred

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 29: The Government has ordered transfers of nine officers in the administration.

K. L. Khajuria, awaiting orders of adjustment in the Rural Development Department, has been posted as General Manager, District Industries Centre, Doda, against an available vacancy; S. M. Sahni, Deputy Director, Estates, Jammu will be Deputy Director, Tourism, Jammu against KAS Cadre post.

D. R. Sharma, Principal Cooperative Training School, Jammu has been posted as Deputy Director, Estates, Jammu while A. R. Dar, Deputy Labour Commissioner, Kashmir has been transferred and posted as Joint Registrar, Cooperatives, Kashmir. M. Y. Akhoon, Deputy Director, Employment, Anantnag, has been transferred and posted as Deputy Labour Commissioner, Kashmir.

Ghulam Hassan Wani, Under Secretary to Government, Tourism Department, has been posted as Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Shopian in his own pay and grade, while R. C. Sharma, Under Secretary to Government, Information Department will be Deputy Director Employment, Rajouri in his own pay and grade.

Meanwhile Ghulam Rasool Mir, posted as PRO to IGP, Jammu has been transferred and posted as Project Officer, DRDA, Doda on ex-cadre basis in his own pay and grade.

R. S. Mehta has been asked to report to General Administration Department for further posting.
 
 
 

 

 

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