All Hurriyat members receive invitation
Aziz to meet separatists’ joint delegation

NEW DELHI, Nov 21: In a sign of rapprochement between warring Kashmiri separatist groups, a joint delegation of their leaders, including those from the Hurriyat Conference, will meet Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz during his two-day India visit from November 23 to discuss President Pervez Musharraf’s recent Kashmir proposal.

All the members of the former Hurriyat Conference Executive Council have been invited by the Pakistan High Commission to meet Mr Aziz on November 23, highly placed sources said .

"All the members have received the invitation and have accepted it. They are likely to arrive here on Monday," they said.

The separatists include moderate Hurriyat leaders Mirwaiz Omar Farooq, Prof Abdul Ghani Bhat, Bilal Lone, Maulana Abbas Ansari, hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Democratic Freedom Party chief Shabir Shah and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front’s Yaseen Malik.

Pakistan has been making efforts to unite the warring separatist groups in Kashmir.

As part of these "intense" efforts, senior Pakistani officials, including Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri and Foreign Secretary Riaz Khokhar, have been meeting the separatists during their visits to India.

In September, the Mirwaiz met Gen Musharraf in Amsterdam.

The meeting with Mr Aziz assumes significance in the backdrop of the heightened rhetoric by Islamabad on New Delhi’s rejection of the General’s proposal to resolve the vexed issue.

The sources said Mr Aziz, who is visiting India in the capacity of the outgoing SAARC Chairman, will explain the modalities of the proposal to the separatists.

The Pakistan Prime Minister will also convey Gen Musharraf’s message to the various groups to set aside their differences in the larger interest of the "Kashmir cause".

Yesterday, the Pakistan President said the immediate inclusion of the Hurriyat Conference in the dialogue with India was a must if the issue were to be settled amicably and peacefully.

Gen Musharraf had recently suggested that Jammu and Kashmir should be divided into seven regions and each given an option to join either Pakistan or India, or remain separate under UN supervision.

On November 17, during his maiden visit to the State, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh rejected the proposal outright, saying redrawing of international borders and another division of the country on religious lines was not acceptable to India. Pakistan has expressed disappointment at this, saying redrawing the borders is not a closed question, as the two countries have agreed to explore all options for peaceful solution of the Jammu and Kashmir issue.

Gen Musharraf, while inaugurating the fourth SAFMA conference in Lahore yesterday, said, "vibes from India to settle all bilateral disputes are not encouraging".

He expressed his country’s readiness to move beyond its stated position on Kashmir despite extremist views back home, provided India does so.

"The problem is from the Indian side. We are ready to leave our stated position on Kashmir and move forward only if India is willing to do so," Gen Musharraf said.

"We will go half way and not full way to meet India. We will not compromise with Pakistan’s supreme national interest. We are ready to move forward despite extremist views in the country," the General said.

He said it was necessary that both the confidence building measures and the dialogue process continue simultaneously for a lasting solution to the issue.

The Pakistan President said he had deliberately mooted the proposal just before the next round of composite dialogue with India, since Mr Aziz is visiting India from Tuesday. Confirming the hardline faction’s participation in the meeting, Mr Geelani said the resolution of the Kashmir issue will be discussed with the Pakistan Prime Minister.

The Mirwaiz, the founding chairman of the separatist amalgam, said, "we will be discussing all the issues with him....We expect that Mr Aziz will discuss with us the recent proposal made by the Pakistan President on Kashmir," he said.

"Probably they wanted to discuss this issue with us before presenting it formally to the Indian Government," he added.

The Hurriyat’s moderate faction has held two rounds of talks with the previous NDA Government. The amalgam had set the pre-condition of visiting Pakistan before the third round of parleys with the Congress-led UPA Government.

As part of his vision for a "new Kashmir", Dr Singh had extended an open invitation for talks to all groups which can contribute to peace regardless of political affiliations.

"I invite anyone who desires peace in the State. Anybody is welcome to come to the table without imposing any pre-conditions and start a process of dialogue. Imposing pre-conditions is not the way ahead for a sincere and honest process of dialogue."

Mr Geelani rejected the Prime Minister’s offer, saying he favoured tripartite dialogue involving India, Pakistan and the people of the restive State.

"Lasting peace in the sub-continent was possible only after addressing the basic Kashmir issue."

On the other hand, the moderate leaders said their insistence on the Pakistan visit was not a pre-condition and would continue the dialogue with the Centre if these are unconditional, Kashmir-centric and having the scope of involving Pakistan.

"We are awaiting a formal proposal," they said.

The Mirwaiz said the Hurriyat leaders were also ready to travel as "citizens of India".

"We are for adopting a triangular approach to this issue. Bilateralism has failed and there is a need to involve all the parties to find a durable solution to the Kashmir issue," he added. (UNI)

Fear psychosis in rural belt following reduction of troops

By Dinesh Manhotra

SUNDERBANI (Rajouri Sector), Nov 21: Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s decision to reduce troops in Jammu and Kashmir has sent a wave of fear psychosis in the rural areas where threat of the militants especially the foreign mercenaries still looms large.

Inhabitants of militancy plagued areas not only airing apprehension of threats to their lives, they are also concerned about "how to earn their livelihood after de-induction of troops from their respective areas"

"I am earning my bread and butter all due to the Army persons. We will face starvation after de-induction of troops", rued Trilok Chand, a roadside Dhabewalla, who runs a Dhaba on Jammu-Poonch Highway.

Fear very much visible on the face of Hakim Din-a Gujjar of Kalakote area, who had come to Sunderbani for a family function. Hakim Din along with other Gujjars of the area, have been providing information to the security forces. It was all due to their vital clues, forces achieved success in eliminating some terrorists.

Pointing towards convoy of the Army vehicles which were moving towards Jammu from Rajouri, Hakim Din said, "we have already been dubbed as ‘informers’ by the terrorists. It is not possible for us to protect lives of our families after de-induction of troops from our areas. We will be left with no option but to migrate".

Though the Defence authorities have immediately obliged the Prime Minister by withdrawing troops first from Anantnag the day Dr Singh visited the Kashmir valley during his maiden visit and subsequently from two border districts of Rajouri and Poonch, the operational commanders of Army as well as senior police officers are worried as to how to meet the requirement of security forces in the rural areas.

Pleading anonymity for security reasons, a senior police officer posted in Rajouri district admitted that the decision to cut troops is not going to augur well.

"What was required was deployment of additional troops in Pir Panjal range especially in Surankote, Mandi and Darhal areas where the foreign mercenaries of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) were reported to have established concrete bunkers. However, what has been done is just reverse", he regretted.

"Army authorities had repeatedly been maintaining that there has been no reduction in the militancy. Then, how suddenly they decided to withdraw the troops", the police officer asked.

Quoting Intelligence reports, he said there were atleast 200 to 230 militants, 80 per cent of whom were the foreigners, operating in Poonch and Rajouri districts.

Only on Friday afternoon, a day before the withdrawal of troops from Rajouri district, the militants detonated a powerful IED with a remote control killing three Army personnel including a Major and injuring a Captain.

"What is the guarantee of the civilians’ safety in such a situation"? the officer asked saying he had been receiving numerous representations from the people in far off areas of Darhal, Budhal and Mendhar demanding deployment of more troops in their areas to ward off any possibility of a militant attack. The people had been sounding police about increased presence of militants in the hilly areas.

Local people are also skeptical about the withdrawal of Army from the militancy dominated areas. "This is an unexpected decision. This shouldn’t have been done at this stage", observed Ram Kumar Verma, a trader in Sunderbani town from where 3,000 troops were pulled out on Saturday.

"We are spending sleepless nights for the fear of the militants while our Government, unmindful of the threat to our lives, is pulling out the troops", Verma lamented.

A local youth, Shiv Kumar, asserted that infiltration of the militants was also going on unabated from Sunderbani sector, a traditional infiltration route of the militants. "Such a decision (reduction of troops) shouldn’t have been taken till Pakistan completely stopped infiltration", he said.

Worthwhile to mention here that the Army has not only inculcated sense of security and confidence among inhabitants of twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri, economy of the this belt was also boosted during the presence of troops. Not only this, the defence authorities, through its Operation Sadhbhawana, have also accelerated development process in these two backward districts.

Engineers, influential persons involved: CB
Land scam worth crores unearthed

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 21: Crime Bra-nch, Jammu has unearthed a land scam worth crores of rupees at Dream City near Muthi in which several Government engineers and other influential persons were involved. The engineers have been called for questioning.

DIG Crime and Railways Gulzar Singh Slathia said the preliminary investigations revealed that a group of property dealers under the banner of "M/s Rama Krishana Housing Corporation" developed a housing colony at Dharmal, Muthi. The housing colony was named as Dream City, Muthi.

Since the colony was developed at a prime location, the property dealers with the active connivance of several Executive Engineers, Assistant Executive Engineers, Revenue Officials and officers of Irrigation and Flood Control department encroached upon the State land of Irrigation and Flood Control department situated at Dharmal, Muthi at Khasra No. 111 on the left bank of Ranbir canal valuing crores of rupees, Mr Slathia said.

He said the Crime Branch has learnt that several Executive Engineers, AEEs, Revenue officers and Irrigation and Flood Control officers were "hand in glove" with the land grabbers. The officers had even issued no objection certificate in their favour for development of the residential colony without taking into consideration the fact that the state land had been grabbed by them.

Some officers/officials of Irrigation and Flood Control department even helped the land grabbers to raise cost of the grabbed land manifold by permitting the property dealers and other accused persons to raise a bridge over Ranbir canal adjacent to the grabbed state land, the DIG Crime Branch said.

"Since the issue is of serious nature as it involved grabbing of the state land at prime location and involvement of the engineers and other officers, posted at top posts, besides the property dealers, the Crime Branch has summoned all the accused including the Government officers to find out the nexus", Mr Slathia said.

Efforts are on to work out details of the exact amount earned by the property dealers and the corruption paid to the senior officers and the engineers in facilitating encroachment of the state land, he added.

After investigations, responsibility of the engineers will be fixed and they would be arrested along with other accused, he said, adding the investigations have been handed over to a special team of the Crime Branch, Jammu.

Detection of the land scam is another significant case of corruption at higher level which has been exposed by the Crime Branch, Jammu in a short span of about one and a half month.

More autonomy be discussed for J&K: Patil

NEW DELHI, Nov 21: The issue of granting more autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir should be "reviewed and discussed" and the dialogue process carried forward on "sustained basis" with all groups abjuring violence, Home Minister Shivraj Patil has recommended in a report to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

"The Centre is committed to carry forward the dialogue with all groups and with different shades of opinion in J and K on sustained basis," he said listing a multi-pronged strategy to bring peace in the State in the report based on his visit to Kashmir valley, Jammu and Leh earlier this month.

The Government, he said, has repeatedly stated its willingness to hold talks on wide-ranging issues with all groups, leaders, intelligentsia, mediapersons and elected representatives.

Efforts should be continued to bring Hurriyat Conference to the table for talks, Patil said, noting emphasis should also be on strengthening the mainstream political parties.

On the issue of security cover of the Chief Minister and top politicians in J and K, he said it should be upgraded on the lines of Prime Minister’s elite Special Protection Group (SPG).

The VIP security apparatus should be synergised by bringing a senior and experienced office of SPG in consultation with the state Chief Minister, Patil said in the 70-page report presented to Singh last week.

The Home Minister was of the view that there should be augmentation of security cover for visible targets and senior politicians like Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, his daughter Mehbooba Mufti, former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, his son and NC president Omar Abdullah, Deputy Chief Minister Mangat Ram Sharma and some other ministers and leaders.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is from J and K, should be given security cover of Paramilitary ITBP, said Patil, maintaining that security arrangements for visits of senior Union Ministers to J and K should be reviewed and upgraded.

The suggestion to augment VIP security apparently comes in the wake of recent assassination attempts on top Kashmiri leaders including the Abdullahs.

Informed sources said the recommendations of the Home Minister may require clearances from the Union Cabinet, Parliament and J and K Government.

Patil further said the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Northern Command of the Army should be made the Principal Advisor of the Unified Headquarters, set up by the Government in 1996.

To bring about synergies in efforts of security forces and intelligence agencies, there should be more frequent meetings of the Unified Headquarters, headed by the Chief Minister, he said.

The report said roads between Jammu and Sialkot in Pakistan, Srinagar and Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Kargil and Skardu in northern areas administered by Islamabad should be opened to enhance people-to-people contacts.

In a bid to provide employment opportunities to jobless youths in the State, the Home Minister suggested that nine India reserve battalions and one CRPF should be raised.

Giving details of the points of action, Patil said all possible help should be rendered by the State Government to hold elections to Municipal Corporations and district bodies, the Panchayats and Cooperatives to bring about a sense of normalcy and people’s participation.

Observing that "good actionable" intelligence is key to success of counter-terrorism operations, he said that it was important to have improved coordination between security forces and intelligence agencies. This, he said, would be useful when public meetings are addressed by political leaders.

The intelligence agencies and security forces should be equipped with the latest communication equipment and gadgets and provided better training and skills to match the sophisticated devices and modern equipment used by the terrorists, he said.

To provide protection of remote villages with scattered dwellings in mountainous areas, local villagers should be encouraged to form Village Defence Committees (VCDs), he said, noting that adequate protection should be given to informers.

Outlining the successes in targeting terrorist leadership, Patil said a total of 58 important leaders including 10 chief and deputy chief Commanders and 28 district commanders have been eliminated this year.

More than 850 hideouts have been destroyed resulting in recovery of 280 weapons besides large quantum of ammunition and explosives.

In a bid to win the hearts and minds of people along with countering "nefarious propaganda" of Pakistan media, the Home Minister said the Centre should fund 1,000 mini-hydel projects which could be undertaken by the Army in border areas.

The report also said the State Government should review and discuss the demands for formation of new blocks, sub-divisions, constituencies and delimitation of constituencies particularly in Leh and Kargil to give representation to far-flung hamlets.

On boosting tourism, one of the mainstays of the State’s economy, the report said banks should provide increased soft loans to hotels and houseboats.

Security forces, who should be people-friendly, should reduce their visibility from tourist areas, it said.

Referring to the issue of migrants, it said while genuine demands of Kashmiri migrants, border migrants and migrants from PoK should be addressed and redressed, the J and K Government may be requested to provide "state subject status" to west Pakistan refugees, who came to J and K after partition.

On the demand of local producers, media federation and writers conference, it said the possibility of shifting the Kashmir channel of Doordarshan to Srinagar or opening of a facilitation counter there should be explored.

During his three-day visit to J and K, Patil was accompanied by Ministers of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal and S Regupathy. (PTI)

Youth shot dead in Surankote

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 21: A youth was shot dead by the militants in the house of his in-laws at village Snehi in Surankote tehsil in Poonch district last night while a former Special Police Officer (SPO) was critically injured by the ultras in Doda. A suspected militant was arrested by Army in Kot Dhara, Rajouri.

Official sources said five militants entered into the house of 30 year old Abarat Hussain Shah’s in-laws at Snehi in Surankote at 18.15 pm last night when the family was preparing to sleep. While three militants forced their entry inside the house, two others kept guard outside.

The militants wanted to kidnap Abarat Hussain Shah son of Rafiq Hussain Shah, a resident of Snehi but his in-laws resisted the militants’ attempt for about 15 minutes.

Later, the militants dragged out Abarat and pumped a volley of shots on his person outside the house killing him on spot, the sources said, adding all five militants escaped after the killing.

According to sources, the militants told Abarat’s in-laws that he was working for the Special Operations Group (SOG). Abarat had earlier been posted as SPO but had later resigned from the job.

Security forces and police rushed to the spot and launched a search operation for the militants. As per the eye-witness account given by the family members, three militants were suspected to be the foreign mercenaries while two others were believed to be the locals. All of them were equipped with assault rifles.

Body of Abarat Hussain was sent for post-mortem this morning and was later handed over to his family for questioning.

In another incident, the militants kidnapped a former Special Police Officer Noor Mohd, 25, son of Abdul Karim Gujjar, a resident of Mukhyars Chilly in Gandoh area of Doda district, from Malat nullah when he was going to meet his relatives at village Jouri.

He was taken to a surrounding forest area by the militants where he was subjected to sustained interrogation. Later, the militants tried to slit his throat but the former SPO managed to escape in an injured condition.

Noor Mohd reached village Batholi in an injured condition were he was spotted by the local people. He was shifted to Sub District Hospital (SDH) Gandoh for treatment.

The former SPO told police that the two militants had kidnapped him and both of them were locals.

Army last night arrested a suspected militant Hussain Mohd son of Ghulam Mohd, a resident of Mohar in Kot Dhara area of Rajouri district where he was moving under mysterious circumstances.

After questioning, Army handed over Hussain Mohd to local police, the sources said.

PM dismisses Musharraf’s remarks

IMPHAL, Nov 21: Reacting coolly to Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s fulmination on Kashmir, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today dismissed the General’s remarks that India was not showing flexibility in resolving outstanding issues.

"On the basis of stray words, we cannot say that there is no flexibility. On both sides we should move forward with sincerity", he told reporters who sought his reaction on Musharraf’s statement yesterday that India should show flexibility in resolving problems and that troops reduction in Kashmir was a cosmetic move.

The Prime Minister said India was very serious about the composite dialogue and wanted it to progress and "progress well".

Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz would be coming to Delhi shortly and "we will have fruitful discussions. I am confident that we can solve all outstanding issues and problems through purposeful negotiations." (PTI)

No quick results expected: Natwar

NEW DELHI, Nov 21: In an apparent reference to Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s sharp comments against India, External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh today said the problems between the two countries were old and results could not be expected in a day or two.

"It’s an old question (problems). It’s not an event. It’s not possible that results will come in a day or two," he told reporters here, a day after Musharraf expressed unhappiness that the vibes emanating from India are not good and that India should show flexibility to solve the Kashmir issue.

Singh said India wanted the composite dialogue process to move forward which Musharraf and Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri also wanted. He was hopeful that the process would move forward when Pakistan Premier Shaukat Aziz talks to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here in the next few days.

Natwar Singh said that for India the dialogue was a process in whose outcome it was interested. (PTI)

Slow pace of Indo-Pak talks crux of SAFMA declaration

LAHORE, Nov 21: Taking note of the slow pace of negotiations between India and Pakistan and simultaneously asking the interlocutors to avoid beating about the bush , the South Asia Free Media Association today expressed consensus that Kashmiri interests and aspirations needed to be addressed by both Governments.

The Lahore declaration adopted at the end of the fourth SAFMA meet on Media and Reconciliation in South Asia said the representatives of Kashmiris from both parts should be consulted so that a viable solution from which all parties felt they had gained could emerge .

The declaration said as Indo-Pak composite dialogue enters its second phase, it was essential to outlive the habit of perpetuating stalemate and the belligerent tendency of not making any concession or compromise, and the need to be more flexible, creative, adjustable and pragmatic in a spirit of give and take .

As nuclear powers, putting at risk the entire region, India and Pakistan must respect the desire for peace of their peoples and not let them down by slipping back into their old official postures it would require approaching the outstanding issues with flexibility of approach and innovation, especially with regard to Jammu and Kashmir the ancillary disputes should be quickly resolved to create an environment favorable to the resolution of perennial dispute , it added.

The declaration with a 12-point preamble and a 15-point resolution was adopted in the penultimate session of the two-day meet after much debate, particularly with regard to the points about India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

At the outset, the declaration noted the slow pace of negotiations, between India and Pakistan, suspension of ongoing negotiation process, between Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE, failure to initiate reconciliation in Nepal, and inability of New Delhi and Dhaka to put together a comprehensive negotiation framework to iron out differences and find mutually beneficial solutions to the disputes is causing anxiety among the people.

It said all reconciliation processes and negotiations have to be even-handed, attuned to the priorities of the parties to the conflict, balanced, productive and mutually beneficial, and need to be framed and phased in a manner that the interlocutors continue to mutually benefit from the process and are able to move forward .

The meet was inaugurated by Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and also addressed by Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri, and the delegates were hosted for cultural evenings by Punjab Governor Lt Gen Khalid Maqbool, Chief Minister Pervaiz Ilahi, and Culture Minister Mohammed Ali Durrani.

About 250 delegates from Pakistan, SAARC member nations and other countries attended the two-day meet. These included SAFMA president M Ziauddin, secretary general Imtiaz Alam, SAFMA (India) president and general secretary K K Katyal and Vinod Sharma respectively, and the heads of SAFMA chapters in Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka, World Editors Forum president Bertrand Pecquerie, International Federation of Journalists president Christopher Warren, International Federation of Human Rights Director Christine Habbard, and UNDP resident representative Onder Yucer.

The declaration noted that a new regional understanding of the riparian issues is essential to resolve Indo-Nepal, Indo-Bangladesh and Indo-Pak water disputes since regional riparian statutes are obligatory under statute model respecting Helsinki convention that envisages 8k upstream and downstream rights .

SAFMA appealed to the South Asian media fraternity to join hands in reinforcing the values of sanity, sobriety, objectivity, neutrality and independence of their profession to strengthen the reconciliation processes in South Asia, encouraging open debate and dialogue to create room for flexibility and compromise, rather than becoming instrumental in the hands of officialdoms or a prisoner of respective rigid national standpoints. (UNI)

24 Maoists, 3 Nepal soldiers killed

KATHMANDU, Nov 21: In the fiercest battle between Maoists and Nepalese forces in months, at least 24 rebels and three security personnel were killed even as life came to a standstill in central parts of the Himalayan Kingdom following a two-day road block called by the ultras.

Security forces gunned down at least 16 armed Maoists at Pandaun area of Kailali district, 650 km west of Kathmandu, today, Nepalese Army officials said. They were killed during a massive operation launched by the security forces in Western Nepal using helicopters backed by ground forces.

More Maoists might have been killed during the gunbattle that started last mid-night and continued till today, but only 16 dead bodies have so far been recovered, an Army official said. Meanwhile, life was crippled in Dhading, Chitawan and Nuwakot districts in Central Nepal during the 48 hour road blockade called by the Maoists starting today.

Also, one rebel each were killed in Solukhumbu, Rautahat, Bardia, Dhanusha and Dhading districts in separate encounters, the Army headquarters said.

In Lekhnath municipality of Kaski district three Maoist rebels were killed in the ambush trap they themselves had laid targeting security personnel, Army sources said.

Two Army personnel were killed in the ambush triggered by the Maoists at Ghariban area of Surkhet district and in a separate incident the Maoists shot dead a soldier at Bakular area of Chitawan district, they said.

Two Maoist cadres, who sustained injuries at Solukhumbu district today were carried away by their comrades. The security forces have recovered arms and ammunition from the sites.

The clash was the fiercest since the ending on October 28 of a nine-day temporary truce between Maoist and Government forces to allow people to celebrate the festival of Dashain. (PTI)

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