4 killed, 20 injured in Mahore accident
*10 serious airlifted to GMC

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Apr 13: Four persons were killed and 20 others received injuries, 10 of them critically, when a mini-bus carrying them plunged into 300 feet deep Palsoo nullah in Mahore tehsil of Reasi district this morning.

All the 10 critically injured persons were airlifted here for specialised treatment in Government Medical College and Hospital and their condition was stated to be serious when reports last came in.

The ill-fated mini-bus bearing registration number JK02-8184 was on its way from Reasi to Mahore when at Palsoo nullah the driver could not negotiate a sharp curve resulting into vehicle plunging into 300 feet deep gorge.

Before landing at the bottom of gorge, the vehicle collided with several rocks thereby severely wounding all the passengers including two children, driver and conductor.

On getting information about the accident, troops of 54 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and police personnel from Mahore rushed to the spot and started rescue operation with the assistance of local people.

After hectic efforts, the passengers were brought out of the badly damaged vehicle and then rushed to Sub-District Hospital, Reasi in Army and police vehicles.

Of the 24 occupants of the vehicle, two were pronounced as brought dead by the doctors in SDH Reasi. Keeping in view the critical condition of 12 persons, the Army authorities arranged chopper service and airlifted them to Government Medical College and Hospital. However, two of them succumbed to injuries while being shifted to Jammu raising the toll in the accident to four.

The deceased have been identified as Mohd Iqbal, son of Ismail of Sajroo, Fatto Bi, wife of Maqbool Ahmed of Shadool, Rubia, daughter of Farooq Mir of Mahore and Abdul Rehman, son of Mohamdoo of Sangalkote.

The injured airlifted to Jammu have been identified as Mohd Hussain, son of Saki Mohd of Bathoie, Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din, son of Gulzar of Badder, Rajo Begum, wife of Bashir Ahmed of Baddar, Zulaf, son of Bashir Ahmed of Baddar, Irshad, son of Bashir Ahmed, Mohd Maqbool, son of Gul Mohd of Shadole, Bashir Ahmed, son of Mohd Gulzar of Baddar, Naresh Kumar alias Bittu (driver of the vehicle), son of Rajinder Kumar of Talwara, Gulzar Ahmed, son of Habib of Sarh and Sharifa Begum, wife of Mohd Mir of Sarh.

Those getting treatment in Sub-District Hospital, Reasi have been identified as Ramnek Singh, son of Krishan Singh, Krishan, son of Amar Singh, Bikram Singh, son of Dhani Ram, all the residents of Chamakotli, Ghulam Mohd, son of Bashir Ahmed of Sandhool, Sunil Singh, son of Dhoulat Singh of Talwara, Mohd Iqbal, son of Ghulam Nabi of Reasi, Ghulam Ahmed, son of Mohd Din of Sandhool, Hari Ram, son of Laxman Singh, Baldev Singh, son of Mirchand and Shiv Ram, son of Moti Ram, all the residents of Chamakotli.

Their condition was stated to be out of danger when reports last came in.

Azad can't abuse Kashmiris for corruption in his Govt'
Omar holds 8,000-strong rally in Geelani village

From Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SOPORE, Apr 13: Attempting to take advantage of depleting militancy and the fast changing political scenario in Kashmir valley, National Conference (NC) president Omar Abdullah today organised a thick rally of his followers in Sopore area which has remained out-of-bounds for his mainstream political party due to high concentration of militants in the last 19 years. More significantly, venue of the rally was yards away from residences of the senior separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Congress party's MLA, Haji Abdur Rasheed, in Dangarpora village.

NC's rally in Dooru-Dangarpora, in which nearly 8,000 people participated, came a day after the PDP chief, Mehbooba Mufti, addressed a workers convention at Dak Bungalow in Sopore and in days of Geelani launching his anti-election campaign from a mosque in the apple-town. Even as MLA Haji Rasheed has been extensively touring his constituency since beginning of March, Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad's scheduled programme of addressing a rally in Dangarpora had been cancelled due to "security reasons" over a year ago. Last fortnight, however, Azad made it to Sopore, mainly to inaugurate OPD Block of the new Sub District Hospital. In his speech to a gathering at Dak Bungalow, he said that he was visiting Sopore inspite of "aar paar ki sazishein" aimed at preventing him from holding a rally in the separatist fortress.

While Azad was escorted by his party's top leadership in Sopore---Ghulam Rasool Kar, Abdul Gani Vakil and Haji Abdur Rasheed---Omar was accompanied today by firebrand colleagues like Ali Mohammad Sagar and Dr Mehboob Baig besides Irfan Shah and local organiser Haji Mohammad Ashraf who has emerged as a strong contender for the party's ticket in the forthcoming Assembly elections against Ghulam Nabi Khan. Over a year ago, Khan had become president of the traders' federation, while defeating a candidate who enjoyed support of a strong pro-Pakistan constituency. He was heard vowing today that he would soon organise a 20,000-strong rally in Sopore and get NC's mandate at any cost.

In the adjoining constituency of Rafiabad, two of the ruling coalition Ministers---Mohammad Dilawar Mir of PDP and Abdul Gani Vakil of Congress---have generated unprecedented political heat while holding rallies, separately, day in and day out. In the last one month, both have spent more time in Sopore-Rafiabad belt than in the winter capital of Jammu. Last week, Vakil had organised a 4,000-strong rally in Reban, close to his residential village of Nawpora Kalan, which was today venue of the PDP rebel Javed Dar's rally. Though still in PDP, Dar has been holding his rallies independently and targeting his party colleague, Dilawar Mir, more than his rivals in NC and Congress.

At NC's rally, between Geelani's and Haji Rasheed's residences, Ali Mohammad Sagar today introduced Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah's Plebiscite Front days popular slogan "jis Kashmir ko khoon se seencha, who Kashmir hamara hai". Remarkably, however, Sagar steered clear of the nascent competition between Omar and Mehbooba, who have both been trying to encroach upon the Hurriyat domain of Azadi, including appeasement of militants and Pakistan. "20 years of gun culture have given us nothing but destruction, ignominy and humiliation of our mothers and sisters. That's exactly what Dr Sahab (Farooq Abdullah) had apprehended while addressing a rally at Hazratbal in 1989", Sagar told an enthusiastic audience.

It was perhaps for the first time in the last 20 years that the youth accounted for more than 70 percent of the participation in a mainstream political rally in Kashmir. Thousands of the participants in early 20s were seen wearing NC's red-colour head-bands---a symbol of 'infidelity' which would attract a bullet in the head on sight until yesterday.

Much more than anything, Omar targeted the coalition Government's policies regarding the youth and employment. He asserted that Mufti's and Azad's Governments had cracked joke after joke with the State's unemployed youth for the last five years and now begun preparations for "backdoor appointment" of 70,000 people through hand-picked officials. "Had this Government been honest and sincere in it, this process of recruitment would have been assigned to SSRB and PSC. There's going to be no transparency or accountability in the whole exercise", Omar alleged and dismissed the new policy of recruitment as a "pre-election bungling". He said that, if voted to power, NC would formulate and implement a youth-friendly employment package.

With reference to safe passage of the Kashmiri youth in PoK, Omar said that PDP was shedding "crocodile tears" as it was this party which had failed Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami's resolution in Legislative Assembly in April 2006. He said that no Government would be in a position to investigate the truth behind the reported surfacing of 1,000 unnamed graves in Uri until a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, headed by people acceptable to India and Pakistan, was constituted as he had been stressing since last year. He said that support from Pakistan in this regard was a must.

Omar also assailed Chief Minister Azad for his recent speech in Ganderbal and said: "Most of the Kashmiris are honest and God fearing. Mr Azad needs to purge the corrupt in his Council of Ministers rather than abuse the Kashmiris. How can he abuse the Kashmiris for the corruption which is rampant in his Cabinet and Government?" Omar asked.

Budget session resumes tomorrow
Price rise to figure prominently

NEW DELHI, Apr 13: The issue of price rise is expected to figure prominently in the second phase of Budget session of Parliament beginning Tuesday with the Opposition parties and the Left deciding to corner the Government on it.

Deputy Leader of the BJP in Lok Sabha V K Malhotra said the party would move an adjournment motion and if the Government did not relent on a special discussion on the issue, it would stall the proceedings.

Similar plans were there in the Samajwadi Party, which also said it would bring an adjournment motion on inflation on the first day itself in the Lok Sabha.

Senior party leader Mohan Singh said his party would be aggressive on the issue in Parliament from day one with inflation reaching a 41-month high.

"We plan to go ahead with the adjournment motion. It is for others to decide which course of action they want to take," he said when asked whether it would work together with Left parties on the issue.

He said the Left parties needed to take a "firm stand" against the Government on the issue if "they don’t want to be left out" in the next elections.

"The policy of attacking the Government in the media but supporting it in Parliament will not do," he said.

Opposition leaders said that with Assembly polls in Karnataka due next month, the session is bound to be dominated by issues like price rise.

The situation arising out of the Supreme Court judgement on the OBC quota issue is another issue expected to be discussed and debated extensively in the month-long session.

A section in the ruling alliance including DMK, RJD, PMK and LJP are upset over the exclusion of creamy layer while the CPI-M, a key outside supporter, has been a consistent votary of such exclusion.

Deputy Leader of the CPI-M in the Lok Sabha Mohd Salim expects the House to take up a special discussion on price rise on the first day itself.

He said the debate on price rise has been pending after a calling attention motion in the matter was converted into a short duration discussion by the Chair sometime back.

Parliament sources said the discussion for which notices have been given by Left members, including Gurudas Dasgupta and Basudev Acharia, will be taken up on the first day of the second phase of the session on April 15.

Salim alleged that there was no letup in the agrarian crisis despite the loan waiver while Mohan Singh said the "jugglery" of the Government on the issue has not helped the farmer.

The Left parties are also favouring the Government to bring forward the Women’s Reservation Bill envisaging 33 per cent reservation in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies in the current session itself.

Salim said that Government should not delay in bringing the bill on the pretext of evolving consensus. (PTI)

Shamim Thool's close associate held in Doda

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Apr 13: Police today arrested a top Hizbul Mujahideen militant, who was a close associate of recently killed ‘divisional commander’ of the outfit, Shamim Thool, from Burmi Top a village Challer under the jurisdiction of Gandoh police station in Doda district.

The arrested militant has been identified as Mohd Ismayil (code name Qari Usmaan) son of Ghulam Qadir Gorsi, a resident of Manothal Patnazi in Kishtwar district.

Official sources said a Doda police station team led by SHO Inspector Chanchal Singh and Sub Inspector Rajinder Sharma under the supervision of SSP Doda Manohar Singh and SP Operations Randeep Kumar launched a search operation in Gandoh area after developing an information that Shamim Thool’s close associate Mohd Ismayil was shifting his hide-out from Kither to Gandoh after the killing of Thool in an encounter with police in Gandoh four days back.

The police party intercepted the militant at Burmi Top late last evening and asked him to surrender. However, he fled deep into the forests. He was chased and apprehended after a brief exchange of firing.

One Chinese pistol with one loaded magazine, eight rounds and one walkie-talkie set were recovered from the possession of arrested militant, police said.

The militant was brought to Doda police station this morning where he was subjected to sustained questioning.

During interrogation, he disclosed that he along with his another associate Mohd Amin son of Mohd Sarwar R/o Bankoot, Banihal were arrested by police at Lakhanpur in Kathua district in 2003 when they were smuggling Rs 8.5 lakh worth hawala money from New Delhi to Doda.

They were bailed out in 2004.

After lying low for a couple of years, Mohd Ismayil had again joined Hizbul Mujahideen outfit and started working with Shamim Thool. He participated in several subversive activities in Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts.

However, after the killing of Shamim Thool few days back, he was in search of a safe hide-out as all other hide-outs of Thool had been exposed from the documents recovered from his possession.

He was shifting the hide-out when he was trapped and captured, police said.

He was being sent to Joint Interrogation Centre (JIC) for sustained questioning to ascertain more hide-outs of the militants.

Police said some more arrests and recoveries were expected at his disclosures.

Nitish inducts 19 Ministers

PATNA, Apr 13: Bihar Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar today expanded his 28-month-long Ministry inducting 19 new faces after he dropped ten of his Ministerial colleagues —eight of JD(U) and two of BJP.

Seventeen Ministers of Cabinet rank and two of the State rank were administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor R S Gavai at Rajbhavan.

Earlier during the day, 15 Cabinet and 10 Ministers of State with independent charge resigned ostensibly to give Kumar a free hand in choosing his new Council of Ministers.

The dropped BJP Ministers were Health Minister Chandra Mohan Rai and Arts and Culture Minister Janardan Singh Sirgriwal.

The eight JD(U) Ministers were dropped mostly for unsatisfactory performance, a senior party functionary said.

Of the 17 Cabinet Ministers sworn-in, Renu Devi, Giriraj Singh, Bhola Prasad Singh, Ramnarayan Mandal and Awadhesh Narain Singh are from BJP, while Nagmani, Jitan Ram Manjhi, Chedi Paswan, Dinesh Prasad, Damodar Rawat, Ramanandan Singh, Harinarayan Singh, Shahid Ali Khan, Bhagwan Singh Kushwaha, Dinesh Chandra Yadav, Rampravesh Rai and Hari Prasad Rao from JD(U).

Jamshed Ashraf of JD(U) and Vyasdeo Prasad of BJP took oath as Ministers of State.

The BJP Ministers who were dropped were Health Minister Chandra Mohan Rai and Arts and Culture Minister Janardan Singh Sirgriwal, the sources said.

The resignations of Building Construction Minister Monazir Hasan, Social Welfare Minister Rameshwar Paswan, Rural Development Minister Baijnath Prasad Mahto, Minister of State for Information and Public Relations Department Arjun Rai, Minor Irrigation Minister Vishwamohan Kumar, Transport Minister Ajit Kumar, Minority Development Minister Manzar Alam and Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Suchitra Sinha (all from JD-U) have been accepted by the Governor. (PTI)

Pak Govt working plan to re-instate sacked Judges

ISLAMABAD, Apr 13: Pakistan’s ruling coalition’s major components are expected to approve a plan this week for reinstating judges deposed by President Pervez Musharraf through an executive order immediately after the National Assembly passes a resolution in this regard.

PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and Awami National Party leader Asfandyar Wali Khan are expected to meet on Wednesday to finalise modalities for the reinstatement of the judges, sacked during the emergency rule last year by Musharraf, after considering various suggestions from political parties and the legal community.

According to one proposal, all deposed Judges of the Supreme Court, including former Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, will be asked to be available in Islamabad on the day the resolution is tabled in the National Assembly, lower House of Parliament, so that they can immediately take up their professional duties, sources said.

"Soon after the executive order, the Islamabad administration will facilitate the Chief Justice and other deposed Judges of the Supreme Court to either assemble inside the Supreme Court building or at the present Chief Justice’s residence," the Dawn newspaper quoted a draft proposal as saying.

The draft mentioned there is a possibility that soon after their reinstatement, the Judges might take suo moto notice on steps taken by Musharraf during the emergency. An interim order will also be issued by the Government to facilitate reinstatement of Judges of the superior courts to the position held by them before the imposition of emergency on November 3 last year.

However, the draft said that Judges who reached the age of retirement during the intervening period and those who joined another office of profit will not be reinstated.

The ruling coalition is also considering a suggestion to declare as unconstitutional all judicial appointments made after the emergency. The draft proposed to declare the establishment of the Islamabad High Court as unconstitutional.

Meanwhile, a resolution that the PML-N plans to move in the National Assembly to get the Judges reinstated disputes the validity given by the post-emergency Supreme Court to all orders passed and actions taken by Musharraf as none of them has been ratified by Parliament.

This resolution will also be discussed by PML-N chief Sharif during his meeting with Zardari and other coalition leaders. If the draft resolution is adopted, it will reopen several issues which Musharraf and the apex court think as settled.

The new development came after differences emerged between the PPP and PML-N on linking the reinstatement of the Judges to a constitutional package aimed at ensuring the independence of the judiciary.

Besides opposing the Constitutional package, the PML-N had rejected PPP leader and Law Minister Faooq Naek’s proposal that a Parliamentary committee should be formed for finalising modalities for the reinstatement of the deposed judges. Sources said the PPP and PML-N have now agreed to form a Cabinet committee to finalise issues connected with the reinstatement of the Judges.

The Cabinet committee, which will be headed by Naek, will sort out issues like the status of the present judges and judgements given by them during and after the emergency. (PTI)

Oppn, ruling leaders seek review
5 lakh unemployed youths de-barred from Govt jobs

By Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, Apr 13: More than five lakh unemployed youths across the State have been debarred from applying for any Government job following fixation of minimum qualification for Class-IV posts as Matric. The Government decision has also triggered a debate among the political parties with National Conference saying it will scrap the order if it was voted to power while all other Opposition parties demanding its withdrawal. Even some ruling party MLAs have urged the Government to review the decision.

Official sources have confirmed that an estimated five lakh youths in the State were Middle to 9th pass, who were earlier eligible to apply for Class-IV vacancies for which minimum qualification was fixed at Middle pass. Recently, the Government has issued a fresh order fixing minimum qualification for Class-IV posts as Matric.

This was done to minimise the number of applicants for about 4000 Class-IV posts. Previously, the Deputy Commissioners, who were authorised to fill the vacancies, were unable to do so as nearly four lakh unemployed youths including Graduates and Post Graduates had applied for 4000 jobs. Majority of four lakh applicants were, however, Middle to 12th pass, sources said.

According to sources, there were an estimated five lakh unemployed youths, who had qualification of 8th to 9th. All of them have now been debarred from applying for Class-IV vacancies once and for all with the latest Government order coming into force.

Sources confirmed that minimum qualification for Class-IV vacancies in all Central Government departments as well as majority of other States remained Middle pass. J&K has become a rare State to keep qualification of Class-IV employees as Matric.

According to sources, the youths from rural areas will be worst affected by the Government decision as majority of them, in the absence of adequate educational avenues, were unable to pass Matric and had only one option of applying for Class-IV jobs. This option too has been closed.

"The Government decision is ridiculous. With one stroke, the Government has closed the doors of employment for thousands of youths", NC leader Ajay Sadhotra said, adding the NC if voted to power in coming Assembly elections will scrap the order and restore Middle qualification for Class-IV posts.

Former Minister and Panthers Party leader Harshdev Singh wondered that how the Legislature has been bypassed by the State Government in taking such an important decision. "Supersession of all previous laws to fix minimum qualification as Matric is not only arbitrary but also a gross irregularity which will deprive thousands of youth from even applying for any Government vacancy", Mr Singh regretted.

Even Congress MLA from City, Yogesh Sawhney has urged the Government to reconsider the decision and restore Middle pass qualification for Class-IV vacancies. He admitted that the Government order will badly hit the youths of rural areas. Another Congress MLA and party chief whip in Assembly, Prem Sagar Aziz demanded that Middle pass youths should be recruited as Permanent Daily Wagers and regularised after 7 years.

PDP general secretary quits

SRINAGAR, Apr 13: The People’s Democratic Party today received a big jolt ahead of upcoming Assembly elections with its general secretary Sanaullah Dar announcing his decision to quit the party.

"I have decided to quit the party and will announce my future course of action within a week. I have received invitations from both National Conference and Congress," Dar said, addressing his supporters at his Pulwama residence in south Kashmir.

He claimed that the main purpose for his quitting the party was that the PDP leadership shields corrupt Ministers instead of taking action against them.

"The party is pursuing family rule and lacks advisory council," he said.

Dar is the fourth top leader to part ways with the party ahead of elections in the State. Earlier former Minister Sadiq Ali and Srinagar district president Sheikh Abdul Rehman deserted the party and joined opposition National Conference last month.

The PDP has expelled its former Minister and founder member of the party Ghulam Hassan Mir from the organisation.

Referring to the party’s demand of reduction of troops, Dar alleged the demand is nothing but strengthening of the vote bank.

Taking a dig at hardline separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelani, he said that exercising one’s franchise was a basic and democratic right of every citizen. (PTI)

Another leopard killed by mob

SRINAGAR, Apr 13: In a second such incident within 10 days, a mob has killed a leopard in Anantnag district, official sources said today.

The leopard was killed after it ventured into Paibugh village in the temple town of Mattan, 68 kms from here, from a nearby forest and attacked villagers in panic last evening, the sources said.

Six villagers were injured in the attack by the wild beast which was chased and finally killed by a mob equipped with lathis and sharp edged weapons, sources said.

Abid Ahmad Wagay, one of the injured, fought the leopard with bare hands to save his mother who was attacked by the beast while working in the fields, the sources said.

Wild Life Department officials rushed to the scene on hearing about the leopard and rescued the animal in a serious condition. However, the leopard died while being evacuated.(PTI)

Old couple looted by gangsters

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Apr 13: An old couple from Jaipur on their way to holy cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi ji from Katra was looted by some unidentified gangsters of "Zahar Khurani Gang’’.

The victims have been identified as 65-year old Ram Lal and his 55-year-old wife Ganpati Devi, residents of Jaipur. They were on their way to holy shrine in Katra when they were befriended by some unidentified persons of the gang last night, police said.

The couple was offered tea by the boys and fell unconscious soon after its consumption, adding that the boys looted the duo of cash, gold ornaments and baggages.

Some devotees saw them unconscious enroute and informed the police, who shifted them to the hospital.

A case has been registered and investigations were on, police said.

A number of people have been robbed of their belongings by the gang members in trains and rest houses after offering them poison laced biscuits and tea which render them unconscious.

Some members of the gang have been arrested by the police but, according to sources, number of the gang members keep on increasing.

434-km long Srinagar-Leh highway to reopen tomorrow after winter

SRINAGAR, Apr The 434-km long Srinagar-Leh National Highway will be put through tomorrow after remaining closed for the winter months due to five feet to 40 feet of snowfall , a senior BEACON official said.

However, the normal vehicular traffic would be allowed only from April 16, BEACON Chief Engineer A K Botaney told UNI this afternoon.

There was fresh one feet to two feet of snowfall on the Highway last week, Mr Botaney said.

However, he said, the snow was immediately cleared and repair work was undertaken on the Highway, linking Drass, the second coldest place in the world, Kargil and Leh with the rest of the country.

He said the road would be declared open tomorrow and the traffic would be allowed .

About the threat of shooting of stones and snow avalanches on the Highway, he said some of the areas were being properly maintained.

Mr Botaney said project BEACON had undertaken repair work of the road.

He added about 250 workers of BEACON were working round the clock to reopen the Highway, more than a month before schedules this time.

The highway remained closed for winter months from November every year due to heavy snowfall at Zojila, Captain Morh and Zero line.

"We have to remove six feet to 40 feet of snow which had accumulated on the road by pressing into service more than 20 snow cutters and other sophsticated machine from both sides of the Zojila," the Chief Engineer said, giving credit to his men for early reopening of the Highway.

He said at Captain Morh and adjacent areas there was more than 40 feet of snow on the road.

Mr Botaney also mentioned there was, however, no casualty or damage to the machinery during the snow clearance operation this year, despite snow avalanches and shooting of stones at some places.

He said the 80-km long Srinagar-Sonmarg highway was declared open last week after BEACON and the civil authorities put a joint effort.

This was for the first time that the road was reopened a month before the scheduled date. A large number of tourists visited the tourist resort of Sonmarg and the local population, including pony walls, who had left in November last year, returning there. (UNI)