10 killed in suicide attack on Pak army bus

ISLAMABAD, Feb 4: Pakistan’s military was again targeted by militants when a suicide bomber today rammed his motorcycle into a minibus carrying Medical Corps Staff, killing at least 10 people and injuring 30 others, near the army headquarters in Rawalpindi.

The explosion occurred at 7.15 am outside the gate of the Army’s National Logistics Cell on a road connecting the Royal Artillery Bazar to the general headquarters in the nearby Garrison city.

At least 10 people died in the attack, Geo news channel reported. A statement from the army confirmed the death of four security forces personnel but did not mention civilian casualties in the bombing, the first such attack since the Dec 27 killing of former Premier Benazir Bhutto during an election rally in the city. Reports said a major was among the dead.

"It was a suicide attack... A man on a motorcycle rammed into the bus," a military official said.

The powerful blast completely destroyed the bus carrying trainee doctors from the Army Medical College to the combined military hospital and some other vehicles, turning them into a mangled heap of metal.

Officials said the death toll could rise as several of the injured were in a serious condition.

It is the seventh suicide attack to rock Rawalpindi in the last six months.

A red alert was sounded across Punjab province following the blast, which came a day after security agencies directed police in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi to tighten security.

The order was issued following reports that militants were planning to target the airport, military installations, political leaders and foreigners in retaliation for the anti-terror operations in Swat and south Waziristan.

At least two more vehicles and several motorcycles were damaged, eyewitnesses said. It was not immediately known if the persons in the two other cars were injured.

Rescue workers and ambulances rushed to the site soon after the blast, and the army sealed off the area.

A Tarpaulin was put up around the burnt out skeleton of the bus before it was taken away from the site. Journalists and passers-by were sent away from the site as investigators scoured the area for clues.

Officials said the death toll could rise as several of the 30 injured were in a serious condition.

Police said the bomb used by the suicide attacker had about six to seven kilograms of explosives and a large amount of pellets.

Besides the combined military hospital, several other key army installations are located in the area around the general headquarters, which is passed in the morning by scores of security personnel going to work.

The same area had witnessed two bomb attacks, including a suicide bombing on military bus, on September 4 last year. Nearly 30 people died in those attacks.

Seven people were killed in another suicide attack near President Pervez Musharraf’s military office on October 30.

Two suicide bombings targeted a bus of intelligence employees and an army checkpoint on Nov 24 that killed up to 35 people.

Meanwhile, a senior Pakistani official said an alert had been sounded across the Punjab province following reports that four suicide bombers had entered the region to attack targets in the provincial capital of Lahore and other areas. (PTI)

Sagar calls ruling coalition as 'Govt of scams and inquiries'
NC-PDP workers clash over Rather-Baig tug-of-war

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Feb 4: The tug-of-war over the charges and counter-charges of corruption between the senior National Conference (NC) leader, Abdul Rahim Rather, and his equivalent in the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP), Muzaffar Hussain Baig, shifted to the Ground Zero in Kashmir valley today when followers of the two political parties staged a no-holds-barred in Chadoura township in Budgam district.

Abdul Rahim Rather, who has held key positions in all NC Governments in the last about 30 years and is representing Chrar-e-Sharief for the fifth consecutive term in the State Assembly, is understood to have stayed back in Jammu but directed his dedicated followers to send a "befitting answer" to Mr Baig from Chadoura. Last week, Baig had publicly charged Rather with having indulged in corruption and purchased over 400 kanals of land in Nagam, Chadoura. Even as Baig today sought to clarify in a Radio Kashmir programme that he had "simply referred to complaints received by the Government against Mr Rather" , it is first time in the NC leader's 30-year-long political career that anybody has levelled or "referred" to charges of corruption against him.

Rather has been repeatedly saying since last week that he would be filing a defamation suit against Baig in the State High Court, if the latter failed to substantiate the charges of corruption against him. His deadline of two days has since elapsed. Interestingly, Rather and Baig are equals in their respective political parties, apart from the fact that one has won all the elections he contested and another has lost all but one. Both have held the key Finance portfolio in their respective Governments and have been holding second most important position in NC and PDP respectively. Again, both are known for their honesty and integrity in the State's political establishment.

While NC's Ali Mohammad Sagar, Shameema Firdaus and the top man in Chadoura, Ali Mohammad Dar, were mobilizing the party's supporters for a public rally at Chadoura, rival groups had a bitter clash at Nagam, on Chadoura-Chrar-e-Sharief Road. Eyewitnesses said that the local supports of the PDP leader (Chairman of Legislative Council) Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjoora and those of the Chrar-e-Sharief MLA traded not only slogans and abuses but also Kangris and brickbats. They insisted that over a dozen supporters of the two parties sustained injuries.

SSP Budgam, Syed Ashiq Hussain Bukhari, said that it was "not a major clash" but confirmed that two of three persons were seen bleeding after the Police restored order. He said that some 2,000 people gathered at Chadoura and the main rally passed off peacefully. Others insisted that about 3,000 people participated in the NC rally. They said that the NC activists shouted slogans against PDP, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Mr Baig and also set on fire Mr Baig's effigy.

Addressing the gathering after Dar and Shameema Firdaus, Sagar dismissed the ruling coalition as "Government of scandals and inquiries". He told his audience that venom against Sher-e-Kashmir (NC's founder, late Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah) and "Kashmir's dignity" was the only binding force between the coalition partners, who were otherwise at "daggers drawn" with one another. He said that the Government had failed on all fronts, development had taken the backseat, unemployment had spiraled up and the only remarkable growth rate was in corruption, which, according to him, was the highest in the country.

Sagar justified NC's campaign against the two PDP Ministers---Qazi Mohammad Afzal and Tariq Hameed Qarra---with the claim that Kundal Committee report had mentioned at 24 places that the said Ministers were involved in 20 major scandals in Forest Department. He disputed Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad's logic of "no punishment before a hearing" and asked how Mr Azad had taken resignation from his own Cabinet colleague, Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, without a hearing in the Assembly. He asserted that NC had no role in the Kundal Inquiry which had been ordered by Chief Minister and conducted by the Chief Secretary.

"It's no fault of our party if as many as 19 Ministers, MLAs, MLCs and former legislators of the ruling coalition are involved in one or the other scandal. When I asked this question in Assembly, I did not ask for the party affiliations. But, when the Government itself replied that a total of 22 legislators and ex-legislators had one or the other case against them in State Accountability Commission, State Vigilance Organisation and Crime Branch, 19 of the list turned out to be leaders of the ruling coalition", Sagar said.

Sagar and his party colleagues declared that NC's campaign against the two PDP Ministers would continue until they were dismissed or tendered their resignation. They said that the issues directly concerning the poor people of the State, like corruption and lack of accountability in Government offices, poor development, rising unemployment, favouritism and nepotism would be the main issues to be highlighted by their party before and during the forthcoming Assembly elections.

Scorpio of Jharkhand CM’s PS seized
Several stolen cars sold to Kashmir militants

By Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, Feb 4: Special Operations Group (SOG) has come across a nexus between an inter-state car lifters gang and the militants of Kashmir, who had been purchasing the cars to use them in subversive activities including car bombs.

Official sources told the Excelsior that SOG has so far arrested two Kashmiri suspects and was hunting their kingpin, also a Kashmiri, who had links with the militants.

Among the cars seized include a Scorpio of Jharkhand Chief Minister’s Principal Secretary and a senior IAS officer, J S Burjia. Sources said a newly launched website www. stolenvehicles.com and National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB), Data Bank, New Delhi have played a major role in busting the car lifters’ racket

With the help of website, out of 80 stolen vehicles lying in District Police Lines (DPL) for past several years, 15 have been disposed of on a single day.

Two car lifters, arrested by the SOG, have been identified as Shakeel Ahmed Dar alias Pappu son of Ghulam Qadir R/o Lal Bazar, Srinagar and Khurshid Ahmed War son of Mohd Jamaal R/o Hardoona, Handwara.

Their kingpin, who was linked with the militants and was absconding, has been identified as Murtaza Ahmed Bawa son of Ghulam Ahmed Bawa R/o Watlab, Sopore.

Murtaza Bawa, according to sources, had connections with Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) outfit and used to supply them vehicles which were used by the ultras for transporting consignments of weapons and using them in triggering blasts.

SOG has alert their counterparts in Kashmir to apprehend Bawa, who was main car lifter of Northern India.

IAS officer J S Burjia’s Scorpio was stolen by the car lifters from Chandigarh when the officer had come to his house on a private trip. The Scorpio was seized by the police from Jewel Chowk and handed over to Burjia’s daughter this morning.

Five other cars stolen from the racketeers include three Santro, one Wagon R and one Hyundai Accent. Three of them had been carrying number plates as 1018 HR26W, 168 HR38M and 8516 HR26M. The numbers could be fake, sources said, adding all three cars had been lifted from Malviya Nagar and Krishna Nagar in New Delhi and Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh. Two other cars were without number plate.

More than a dozen cars had been stolen by the gang from different areas of Northern India during past few months. The cars were stolen mainly from new Delhi, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon and parts of Haryana and Punjab and were sold in Jammu and Kashmir. Many stolen vehicles have landed in the hands of militants, sources said.

A total of 80 stolen cars were lying in the DPL Jammu but with the help of www. stolenvehicles. com, SOG and police were able to trace owners of 15 of them in different States and the vehicles were restored to them in one day.

The NCRB Data Bank has also provided useful information to police about the stolen vehicles, sources said.

The vehicle lifters had adopted a unique modus operandi to steal the cars. They used to replace lock of car’s dickey by removing its screws. A duplicate lock was fitted on the dickey. From the original lock, they used to make keys of the car by applying a specially made wax. This way, they used to lift the car at an opportune time.

The gang was in operation for last couple of years, source said.

Arrests were made by a SOG team headed by SP Operations Mubassar Lateefi under the supervision of DIG Jammu range Lalat Indu Mohanty and SSP Jammu Parminder Singh.

900 trucks, passenger vehicles remain stranded
Traffic partially allowed on highway

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 4: After remaining suspended due to heavy snowfall and landslides since last evening, the traffic was partially allowed on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway this afternoon and majority of the stranded passenger vehicles were allowed to proceed towards their respective destinations.

Senior Superintendent of Traffic Police, National Highway, Danish Rana said that overnight heavy snowfall had badly blocked the highway at Jawahar Tunnel and Patnitop and in the morning Border Roads Organisation (BRO) pressed its men and machinery into service to clear the road of accumulated snow.

Despite inhospitable weather conditions, the BRO personnel continued to work on the highway till 3.30 pm when the green signal was given to the Traffic Police for plying of only light motor vehicles.

"We allowed stranded passenger vehicles from both sides and majority of them were cleared till this evening when the highway was again officially closed keeping in view slippery conditions", he said, adding though directions were given to the Traffic Police personnel at Jammu not to allow fresh vehicles yet large number of passenger vehicles were allowed to proceed on the highway creating traffic jams at several places.

All these passenger vehicles got stranded at different places as highway was officially declared closed at around 6.30 pm and they will be cleared tomorrow, Mr Rana said.

He further said that about 650 trucks carrying essential commodities for Kashmir valley have been stranded at different points on the highway while 150 Jammu-bound trucks were stranded at Qazigund. "These vehicles will be allowed to proceed towards respective destinations only after the BRO clears all the accumulated snow", he added.

The decision to allow traffic on the highway tomorrow will be taken only in the morning after receiving reports from BRO and traffic police officials posted at different points on the road, the SSP Traffic National Highway said.

Due to the closure of the highway, a large number of Srinagar-bound passengers, including tourists have been stranded at General Bus Stand here and spending nights there in severe cold wave.

Resolve Kashmir through sincerity, flexibility: Musharraf

ISLAMABAD, Feb 4: Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf today advocated the need for creating an "enabling environment" for the success of the Indo-Pak peace process and said the Kashmir issue could be resolved through "sincerity, courage and flexibility".

In a message on the eve of the "Kashmir solidarity day" to be observed tomorrow across Pakistan, Musharraf said, "we firmly believe that an enabling environment is necessary for the success of the peace process."

"We remain engaged in a sincere, sustained and purposeful dialogue with India on Kashmir. We believe that with sincerity, courage and flexibility, we can achieve a solution to the long-standing Kashmir dispute," he said.

Referring to his four-point proposal aimed at breaking the decades-old deadlock, he said this demonstrated Pakistan’s "readiness to work constructively to find a solution acceptable to all parties, especially the Kashmiris".

The proposal envisages the demilitarisation of Kashmir and joint control of region by India and Pakistan.

Several Kashmir-related Confidence Building Measures initiated by Pakistan had brought "some relief" to Kashmiris living on both sides of the Line of Control, he said.

Pakistan always stressed the need to end violence and human rights abuses in the Indian part of Kashmir, he added.

Musharraf reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to extend moral, political and diplomatic support for a "just and peaceful settlement of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people".

Musharraf noted that the Kashmir issue remained on the agenda of the United Nations as "an unfulfilled obligation". Musharraf said, "Pakistan stands in solidarity with our Kashmiri brothers and sisters and assures them of our full support in their just struggle for self-determination."

Pakistan has observed the Kashmir solidarity day since 1990, when the insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir backed by Islamabad was at its peak.

In a separate message, caretaker Prime Minister Muhammedmian Soomro said lasting peace in the region could be achieved only if the world community and India honoured "the pledge made to Kashmiri people for their right to self-determination".

"The right of Kashmiri people to self-determination was amongst the first to be recognised by the UN. Nearly six decades later, this commitment by the international community remains unfulfilled," he said.

"We are pursuing a sustained dialogue with India for a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people," he remarked.

The flexibility shown by Pakistan was "reflective of its sincere desire to build an environment of peace and to ameliorate the sufferings of Kashmiris", Soomro said. (PTI)

Manpower shortage leads to compromise on quality
Shortfall of 1288 health centres in J&K

By Mohinder Verma

JAMMU, Feb 4: Despite much emphasis on the health care services there has been a shortfall of 1288 health centres across the State making accessibility to the health care facilities difficult.

As per latest document of Finance Department, though there has been a steady increase in health care infrastructure available since independence, the infrastructure in the shape of buildings, machinery and equipment has not been able to keep pace with the expansion in the recent plans.

The health infrastructure in the State at all levels suffers from shortages that are both qualitative and quantitative in nature, the document indicated and stressed the need for major investment for building infrastructure.

Notwithstanding the fact that health centres in the State are in surplus as against the existing norms, in view of the low density of population in some of the districts, difficult terrain, militancy etc the accessibility of health care facilities become more difficult.

"To increase the accessibility to heath care facilities across the State particularly in the far off areas, the Government has projected the additional requirement of 1288 institutions of various categories", the document said.

As per the official figures, there has been a total requirement of 3989 health centres which include 3360 Sub-Centres, 503 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and 126 Community Health Centres (CHCs).

As against these requirements, the State has total 2701 health centres at present which include 2211 Sub-Centres, 410 PHCs and 80 Community Health Centres. There has been a gap of 1288 health centres in the requirement and existing infrastructure, the figures further indicated and said of 1288 shortfall in health centres, 1149 are Sub-Centres, 93 Primary Health Centres and 46 Community Health Centres.

Even Task Force on development of the State constituted by the Prime Minister under the chairmanship of Dr C Rangarajan has remarked that in J&K the availability of public health care was critical as a large proportion of population relies on Government health care system which are in deficit both by way of manpower and equipment.

Not only the shortfall of health care centres, the official document of the Government has also termed acute manpower shortage in the health sector ranging from midwives, Health Assistants, Lab Technicians and Pharmacists to doctors and specialists as an area of serious concern. "These shortages severely compromise quality of health services available to the rural populace", the document said.

The document revealed that to strengthen the existing health institutions, a project for infrastructure development of health units at a cost of Rs 1051.57 crore has been forwarded to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India for approval.

The project envisages construction of 612 health institutions functioning in private rented buildings and addition/alteration and repair of 348 health buildings. Rs 933.18 crores have been projected for construction, repair and renovation and Rs 118.39 crores for purchase of regulation of machinery equipment.

In order to make up the shortage of manpower, engagement of 2922 MBBS doctors, ISM doctors and paramedical staff has been proposed in the Project Implementation Plan for the year 2007-08 under NRHM.

Big B arrives in Pink city

JAIPUR, Feb 4: The attack on his house in Mumbai notwithstanding, bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan, along with his family members, arrived here today to celebrate the birthday of his son-actor Abhishek, who is here for the shoot of a film, tomorrow.

The Big B, his daughter-in-law Aishwarya wife Jaya and friend Amar Singh, reached here in the afternoon by different flights from Mumbai and Delhi and went straight to a five star hotel.

The Bachchan family is likely to visit Sambhar village in Nagaur district where Abhishek Bachchan is staying for the shoot of Rakyesh Omprakash Mehra-directed film "Dilli 6".

The Bachchan family is likely to take part in the birthday bash of Abhishek who will celebrate his B’day tommorow, a hotel source said.

Earlier in the day, the Bachchans’ house in Mumbai was targeted by Vandals in the backdrop of breakaway Shiv Sena leader Raj Thackeray’s charging the actor with being more loyal to his home State Uttar Pradesh than Maharashtra.(PTI)

Situation peaceful in J&K: Antony

NEW DELHI, Feb 4: Government today ruled out deployment of Army to contain rising naxal violence in the country, saying the forces’ hands were already full.

"I am totally opposed to Army being moved against naxal elements", Defence Minister A K Antony said, adding "Army cannot be used against everything....The forces are already coming in aid of civil authorities".

"Army should be called in only as a last resort", the Minister said in reply to questions on a sidelines of a Defence Financial Controllers’ conference here.

However, Antony said the forces would not shy away in containing the menace and were already providing logistic support and training to police forces of naxal-affected States.

"Taking on the naxalites is the role of the police forces and whenever need arises para-military forces can be deployed", the Defence Minister said.

On recurring mishaps involving naval warships and submarines, Antony said "naval authorities had been asked to take necessary precautions to ensure that accidents do not happen as weapon platform come at a premium price tag".

He described the deaths of sailors on board the Navy’s latest acquisition INS Jalashwa as "tragic and sad".

"Though preliminary reports suggest that the deaths occurred due to gas leaks", the Minister said investigations were on to unravel the cause of the mishap.

Asked about the reasons behind the recent spate of accidents involving naval warships - sinking of INS Prahar off the Goa coast and recent collision between the kilo class submarine and a merchant ship off Mumbai coast, the Defence Minister said these were all being probed.

He said recently navy had initiated a programme to upgrade the technical skills of its personnel in view of the top grade technology being inducted as part of its modernisation drive.

Turning to cross-border infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir, he said there was not much variation in the situation on the borders. "The situation by and large is peaceful and well under control".

On suicides and cases of fratricides in the armed forces, the minister said "there have been some visible improvements, though one should not expect miracles to happen in a short time".

"Our counselling efforts and other moves seems to be having an effect", the minister added. (PTI)

Two overstaying PoK citizens repatriated

Excelsior Correspondent

POONCH, Feb 4: Two Pakistani nationals, who were illegally staying with their relatives in village Sagra, Mendhar, were repatriated to Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) via Chakkan-Da-Bagh trans-border point in the district.

Official sources said that 45-year old Zaman Ali Shah alongwith his wife Zainab Bibi came to Poonch on January 7 after boarding the Poonch-Rawalakot bus to meet their relatives in village Sagra, Mendhar.

Though they were to leave on January 28 yet they kept on staying with their relatives illegally. They were even declared missing when police could not found them at the residence of their relatives.

Today, Police traced them and brought them to Chakkan-Da-Bagh trans-border point to repatriate them to Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir. DySP DAR Poonch Rajinder Singh, who was accompanying the over-staying Pakistan nationals, contacted Designated Authority of Kotli Hajeera Guftar Choudhary to pave the way for repatriation of the couple.

At around 1 pm, the trans-border point was opened and the couple was handed over to Pakistani rangers.

GAD for action against late comers

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 4: The General Administration Department (GAD) today called upon Administrative Departments to ensure punctuality of employees in Civil Secretariat and regretted "slackness" on their part.

In an order circulated to all Administrative Secretaries, the GAD said they had been asked through previous circulars to designate a senior officer to check attendance register of officials daily at 9.45 am in the Secretariat to monitor punctuality. They were asked to maintain record of late attendance of the employees and make appropriate debit to their leave account after suitable intervals besides initiating disciplinary action, wherever necessary, particularly against the habitual late comers.

The circular reminded Administrative Secretaries that they had been requested to send fortnightly reports on Ist and 16th of every month to the GAD indicating names of the officials who had attended office after 9.45 am more than three times in the fortnight and action taken by the Department against such employees.

"It has been observed that there is slackness on part of Administrative Departments to ensure punctuality of employees and furnishing of fortnightly reports on this account to the GAD", the circular said.

It impressed upon all Administrative Secretaries to personally look into the matter and take all necessary steps to ensure punctuality of their employees and ensure that their staff don’t loiter around in the corridors during working hours.

Hike in petrol prices this week

NEW DELHI, Feb 4: Government may raise petrol price by Rs 2 a litre and diesel by Re one a litre this week, but a duty rejig to minimise impact of high international crude oil prices looks unlikely.

"The proposal to the Cabinet will be for a Rs 2 per litre hike in petrol and Re one per litre hike in diesel prices," a Petroleum Ministry official, who wished not to be identified, told reporters here.

The decision on the quantum of increase will be taken by the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, possibly later this week.

"Earlier, we were given an indication of a Cabinet meeting this (February 4) afternoon, but it is not happening today... Hope the meeting takes place soon," he said.

The official said state-run Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum are together projected to lose over Rs 71,000 crore on sale of petrol, diesel, domestic LPG and PDS kerosene this fiscal as the Government has capped retail prices.

"We wanted a cut in customs duty on the products as well as crude oil and also a Re one a litre reduction in excise duty on petrol and diesel. But, I don’t think that is happening just now," the official said.

The state-run firms lose Rs 10.57 per litre on petrol, Rs 11.56 on diesel, Rs 19.89 on kerosene and Rs 331 on each LPG cylinder.

Last week, a Group of Ministers headed by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee had left a decision on fuel prices to the Cabinet after the panel was split right in the middle on the issue. Petroleum Minister Murli Deora insisted on a duty cut rather than price hike, while Finance Minister P Chidambaram was of the opinion that it cannot be just one way street.

Petrol and diesel prices were last raised in June 2006 when crude oil was at 67 dollars a barrel. It is at 92 dollars a barrel this year. LPG prices were last raised by Rs 20 per cylinder in November 2004 when crude was at 34 dollars a barrel. Kerosene prices have not been changed since 2002 when crude was at 23 dollars per barrel.

A Re one per litre increase in petrol price would give Rs 90 crore a month additional revenue to public sector oil companies. A similar hike in diesel would fetch Rs 360 crore a month. A Rs 10 per cylinder increase in LPG prices would result in Rs 58 crore additional revenues every month.

Going by the present formula of Government oil bonds meeting 42.7 per cent of the under-realisation on petrol, diesel, LPG and kerosene and 33 per cent coming from upstream firms, Rs 17,000 crore deficit has to be bridged, the official said. (PTI)