Holistic approach to bring normalcy
Various CBMs being taken in J&K: President

NEW DELHI, Feb 25: The Government is focusing on confidence building in all sections of society in Jammu and Kashmir by ensuring easier travel across the Line of Control and meeting the aspirations of the people to foster peace and normalcy, President Pratibha Patil said today.

She said a holistic approach was being adopted to bring normalcy to the militancy-affected State and deliberations reflecting a wide-ranging civic and political consensus have been held.

"Government is working on a holistic approach aimed at confidence-building amongst all sections of society, easier travel across the Line of Control, better governance and closer attention to the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir," Patil said addressing the Joint Sitting of Parliament on the first day of the budget session.

She said the Centre, working with the State Government, is pursuing a multi-pronged strategy to ensure peace, normalcy and development in Jammu and Kashmir.

Patil said the Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Plan is being implemented vigorously with focus on improving connectivity and infrastructure, including power, and generating employment.

As part of this plan, a housing project for Kashmiri migrants, is under implementation in the state, she said.

"You are aware that my Government had held a series of Round Table Conferences with all segments of population in Jammu and Kashmir," Patil said, adding these deliberations reflect a wide-ranging civic and political consensus on political and developmental issues.

Patil expressed the hope that the UPA Government would be able to implement the nuclear deal with the United States and said the dialogue process with Pakistan would be resumed "when conditions permit."

"It is our hope that civil nuclear cooperation with the USA and other friendly countries will become possible," Ms Patil said.

The President’s remarks assume significance as India begins today its fifth and final round of safeguards talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) amid reports that the deal would be clinched by early next month.

In her 55-minute address, the printed text of which ran into 19 pages divided into 68 paragraphs, Ms Patil said India was committed to peace, friendship and good neighbourly relations with Pakistan. A stable and prosperous Pakistan, at peace with itself, was in the interests of the entire region.

"When conditions permit we will resume our dialogue process with Pakistan, aimed at building mutual confidence and resolving outstanding issues, premised on an atmosphere free from terror and violence."

The President assured Parliament that the UPA Government would sustain the economic growth rate at 9 per cent, while keeping the prices of essential commodities under check and remaining fully alive to the threat of terrorism and extremism.

The continued endeavour of "my Government" would be to "sustain growth while keeping prices under check" and ensure that the economic development was "socially inclusive, regionally balanced and environmentally sustainable," she said.

Presenting a long list of the achievements of the nearly four-year-old Government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the President said the overall internal security situation remained under control.

"My Government is fully alive to the threat of terrorism and Left-wing extremism. The entire nation stood as one in condemning inhuman acts of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Assam," she said.

Further, the Government would remain "ever vigilant" against the machinations of any anti-social and anti-national groups seeking to disrupt law and order, communal harmony and the unity and integrity of the country, she said without referring to the recent violence in Maharashtra against migrants from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

Also, there was no reference in her address to the proposal for providing reservation for women in Parliament and state legislatures. "Women hold up half the sky," she said, asserting that empowerment of women through female literacy was the single biggest challenge of the Government in the social sector.

Touching upon the sensitive issue of Special Economic Zones (SEZs), she said SEZs had already provided direct employment to about 100,000 persons, with indirect employment estimated at twice as much. "They have attracted investment of over Rs 50,000 crore, and are expected to generate exports of Rs 67,000 crore this year."

She said the Government will step up priority sector lending to minority communities and locate certain proportion of development projects in minority concentration areas.

Patil laid special focus on ensuring that the benefits of development programmes flow equitably to the minorities.

The President took pride in the fact that the Indian economy for the first time in the history has grown at close to nine per cent per annum for four years in a row.

"This performance is all the more creditable against the background of high international oil prices and rising commodity prices, including for food."

Patil said it would be the endeavour of the Government to insulate Indian consumers from these global inflationary trends. "World crude oil prices have almost doubled in the past two years to reach an all-time high of US 100 dollars per barrel, yet my Government has managed to moderate the impact on the domestic consumer," she said.

Touching on various issues which focused on ‘aam aadmi’ (common man), the President said the Government has taken several steps to mitigate the plight of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and workers in the unorganised sector.

Recalling that Prime Minister’s new 15-point programme for development of minorities aimed at ensuring that benefits flowed equitably to them, Patil said "the proportion of priority sector lending going to minority communities will be stepped up from the present nine per cent to 15 per cent."

Certain proportion of development projects would be located in minority concentration areas and, wherever possible, 15 per cent of targets and outlays under various schemes would be earmarked for the minorities, she said.

The President said to improve the economic and educational status of the minorities, several programmes have been launched based on the recommendations of the Sachar Committee report.

She said the 11th Plan provides Rs 800 crore for merit- cum-means based scholarship for professional courses, nearly Rs 3,300 crore for post and pre-matric scholarship programmes for minority students and Rs 3,780 crore for the development of 90 minority concentration districts. (Agencies)

Terrorism un-Islamic: Muslim Groups

DEOBAND (UP), Feb 25: Denouncing terrorism in all its manifestations, top Muslim groups in India today adopted a declaration calling it "un-Islamic" and terming it against the Islamic principle of "peace".

The declaration adopted by the organizations at a meeting here today, however, also criticized attempts to malign Muslims and madrassas.

The anti-terrorism conference organised by Islamic seminary Darul Uloom in Uttar Pradesh’s Deoband town was attended by clerics, scholars and religious leaders from several sects and groups across the country.

"Islam is a religion of mercy for all humanity. Islam sternly condemns all kinds of oppression, violence and terrorism. It has regarded oppression, mischief, rioting and murder among severest sins and crimes," said the declaration, adopted by over 10,000 participants.

"Islam prohibits killing of innocent people," it said.

The conference, however, expressed its deep concern and agony on the present global condition in which most of the nations are adopting an adverse attitude towards Muslims.

"It is a matter of greater concern that the internal and external policies of a country are getting heavily influenced by these forces," it said.

The gathering also condemned attempts to implicate Muslims and particularly religious institutions for terrorist acts.

"The disease (terrorism) has been diagnosed in a wrong way. Whenever there is any incident of terrorism, every possible attempt is made to link it to Muslims and particularly who have studied in madrassas and some religious institutions. This is totally wrong," said Adil Siddiqui, public relations officer of Darul Uloom.

"The real disease should be diagnosed. Only then is the cure possible," Siddiqui said, pointing out some recent instances where innocent people have been implicated in terrorist incidents.

The declaration lamented that a countless number of innocent Muslims were spending their lives behind the bars for no fault of theirs.

"And those spreading terror, attacking police stations, killing the police in broad daylight and having illegal arms are roaming about freely with no effective and preventive steps being taken by the Government to check their acts of terrorism and violence," it said.

"This partial attitude has put a big question mark on the secular character of the Government, posing great threats to the country," the declaration said.

The conference strongly demanded that the Government should take steps to prevent maligning of the image of madrassas and Muslims. "The administrative machinery should be asked to conduct impartial investigation in activities disturbing public peace in the country and to punish only those found guilty," the declaration said.

Over 6,000 madrassa representatives from across the country participated in the conference, which was the first of its kind in the Asia.(PTI)

Tehsildar’s more assets including plot, cash unearthed
Another officer’s property worth Rs 1.5 cr detected

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 25: The State Vigilance Organisation (SVO) today detected more assets of Tehsildar (Recovery) Jammu Janak Singh during continued searches in his and his relatives’ residential and business premises and scrutiny of documents.

Official sources said the SVO sleuths today found another plot of one kanal (No. 222) in posh Shastri Nagar locality in the possession of Janak Singh, who was arrested by the anti-corruption body on Saturday after his assets worth more than Rs 3 crore were unearthed during raids on his office, residential and business premises.

Besides one kanal plot, the Vigilance team also detected another bank account of a petrol pump of Janak Singh, which had a balance of over Rs 10 lakh. His two bank accounts on the names of his two sons, which were detected during Saturday’s raids, were found having over Rs 22 lakh balance.

As already reported, Janak Singh was in possession of two houses at Shastri Nagar, a petrol pump and several kanals of land at different places besides bank balance, FDRs, gold and cars. As already reported, he had kept some of the property on the name of his brother-in-law, Raghubir Singh, who was staying with him for past quite sometime.

Janak Singh today spent third day in police custody. He was yesterday taken on four days remand.

Meanwhile, the SVO today unearthed assets worth Rs 1.5 crore of another official, Abdul Rahim Shah, Scientific Assistant in Directorate of Environment, Ecology and Remote Sensing during raids conducted in his residential premises at Lalded Colony, Rawalpora in Srinagar.

His assets include a three storeyed fully furnished palatial bungalow on three kanals 13 marlas of land at Lalded Colony fitted with modern household gadgets having marble flooring on all three stories. The house had seven bathroom and its exterior was decorated with ‘bhuch’ tiles and had complete brick walling of the complex. He had insured the house for Rs 1.10 crore.

He had a double storey houses in the same compound, six sheds made of steel and fiber glass being used for garage etc worth Rs one lakh, one green house on steel structure worth Rs 60,000, a new Alto car worth Rs 2.5 lakh, three shops at Yamberzal Mall in the name of wife and close relatives worth about Rs 39 lakhs, five LIC policies with annual premium of Rs 75,000 and gold ornaments worth Rs 3.5 lakh, sources said.

They said the documents recovered from Shah’s house revealed his bank accounts in several branches. Bank balance is being ascertained from the concerned branches, they added.

A case against Shah, who originally hailed from Maheshpora, Kellar, Pulwama, has been registered for further investigations.

Historic temple’s Mahant murdered

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 25: A Mahant of a Shiva temple was brutally murdered by some unidentified miscreants inside the temple premises at Akalpur Chowk under the jurisdiction of Domana police station in early hours of this morning.

Head of the Mahant identified as Mahavir Dass, a resident of Orissa but settled here for last more than one decade, had severely been crushed with heavy rods leading to his on spot death, police said.

The attack on Mahant, which sent shock waves not only in Domana-Kanachak belt but among several religious organisations, reportedly took place between 4 am to 5 am.

Early morning visitors to temple noticed body of the Mahant lying in a pool of blood and soon a number of people gathered in the temple. Police parties led by Additional SP Jammu Shakti Pathak also rushed to the spot and shifted the body to Medical College hospital for on spot investigations.

Mr Pathak said the Mahant had been repeatedly hit on his head by heavy sticks or rods by the assailants which led to his killing.

Nearly 60 years old Mahant, who was priest of historic Lord Shiva temple, constructed during Maharaja Ranbir Singh’s time at Akalpur, for last seven years, had resisted the attempts to kill him. He had tried to uproot sticks of small trees to save himself from the sticks which was evident from the marks on his hands.

However, since the assailants appeared to be two or three in number, the Mahant couldn’t fight and was killed.

Everything inside the temple including offerings and idols were intact, which indicated that dacoity was not the motive of killers, Mr Pathak said, adding that police was working on some other anglers to work out the killing.

Presently, it appeared to be a blind murder, the Additional SP Jammu said, adding several clues were being pursued and opinion of many Akharas was being obtained to reach to the accused.

Body of the Mahant has been handed over to his ‘Vaishnav Sampardaya’ Akhara for last rites.

A murder case has been registered at Domana police station for further investigations.

Sources said Mahant Mahavir Dass, originally hailed from Orissa, but had settled here for last more than a decade during which he had served as Mahant of Muthi, Poonch and Akhnoor temples before he was appointed Mahant of historic Lord Shiva temple at Akalpur.

Disciplinary proceedings against HoD ordered
HC quashes seniority list of Asstt
Professors Pharmacology

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 25: Justice Nirmal Singh of State High Court today quashed the seniority list of Assistant Professors Pharmacology, Government Medical College, Jammu and directed the Government to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Head of the Department for allowing a doctor to rejoin duties illegally after remaining absent for more than two years instead of reporting the matter to the Administrative Department.

The seniority list issued vide Government Order No. 283-HME of 2007 dated April 20, 2007 was challenged by Dr Zahid Hussain Gillani on the ground that private respondent has been shown senior to him in the Pharmacology Department of Government Medical College Jammu despite the fact that the private respondent left the services and remained unauthorised absent before the completion of his probation period against the post of Lecturer.

The petitioner also sought directions to the State respondents to initiate enquiry against private respondent and restraining the official respondents from filling up the post of Professor in the Department on the basis of the impugned seniority list.

In an approved for reporting judgment after hearing Advocate Nirmal Kotwal appearing for the petitioner and Deputy AG Shaista Hakim appearing for the Medical Department, Justice Nirmal Singh observed that the services of the private respondent Dr V S Chopra, who was still on probation, by no stretch of imagination can be termed as satisfactory and authority concerned should have not allowed him to rejoin after he remained unauthorizedly absent for a long period not once but twice.

The authority concerned while treating the period of absence of private respondent as dies-non and granting him further benefit of promotion has over-looked the rule and regulations, the Court further observed and said that even the then HoD has not cared to refer the matter to the Administrative Department and allowed the private respondent to rejoin for the reasons best known to him.

"The act of the then HoD concerned is itself a misconduct because he has shown favour to the private respondent", the Court further observed and said "the Court is fully agreed with the submissions made by Advocate Nirmal Kotwal that the private respondent be deemed to have foregone his right to appointment against the post of lecturer as he has not completed the probation period and remained on unauthorized absence. However, if the authorities concerned are much interested to keep the private respondent No 4 in service then his appointment should be deemed to be a fresh appointment from the date he was allowed to rejoin".

While disposing of the petition, Justice Nirmal Singh said that in case the authority concerned has to retain private respondent in service, then, the seniority in the discipline of pharmacological GMC Jammu shall be determined afresh by taking the date of appointment of Dr V S Chopra as March 9, 1995 against the post of lecturer and thereafter further promotion if any, shall be made strictly in terms of fresh seniority position in the said discipline.

Three girls involved in drugs smuggling
Punjab Police raids in Batote, Ramban

By Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, Feb 25: A well knit gang of drug smugglers including cocaine was operating in Batote, Ramban and Kishtwar belt having links in Punjab, which was supplying drugs to some high profile project officials in Chanderkoot area of Ramban district. The gang comprised three young girls.

Existence of such a gang has surfaced during arrest and subsequent questioning of some gang members in Punjab. Yesterday, Punjab Police carried out raids at Batote and Chanderkoot in search of a noted narcotics smuggler, Parvez Ahmed at Chanderkoot, who reportedly slipped away during arrest of his associates in Amritsar recently.

Parvez Ahmed’s house at Chanderkoot and other suspected hide-outs were raided by a team of Punjab Police yesterday but no clue could be gathered about him. His family was reported to have told the cops that Parvez was missing from the house for last 10 days.

Other noted drug smugglers, identified by Punjab Police during interrogation of arrested smugglers, including Mushtaq Ahmed, Shifayat Ahmed and Raheem, all residents of Ramban district.

Information shared by Punjab Police with their counterparts in Batote and Ramban revealed that the drug smugglers used to transport some drugs from Kashmir to Punjab and New Delhi. In return, they brought cocaine from New Delhi which they used to supply to some high profile persons in Amritsar and Pathankote in Punjab and project officials in Chanderkoot.

The smugglers were reported to have developed their links in New Delhi and Punjab with narcotics smugglers as well as the drug users.

Sources said Punjab Police was also looking for three young girls, who were also stated to be part of narcotics smugglers rackets. Two of them hailed from Chanderkoot and Kishtwar and one from Punjab. Their identity has been kept a secret by police as they have not been arrested so far.

Sources said the only task of the girls was to deliver small drug packets from one place to another for which they were being paid handsomely.

According to sources, Punjab Police first wanted Parvez Ahmed to be arrested before launching a hunt for the girls. Parvez was smuggling a consignment of drugs along with his three associates when they were trapped by Punjab Police at Amritsar. While three others were arrested, Parvez Ahmed managed to give a slip to the cops. Searches conducted at different places for him yielded no results.

His arrest, according to sources, could lead to more arrests of narcotics smugglers in Punjab, New Delhi and Ramban.

It may be recalled here that a constable of Jammu Police identified as Sajid Mehmood had also recently been arrested by Punjab Police in Amritsar along with a consignment of narcotics.

State Cabinet meets today

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 25: The State Cabinet is meeting here at 4 pm tomorrow with proposed approval to 6711 Anganwari centres in Social Welfare Department on agenda.

To be chaired by Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad after his return from Reasi where he is scheduled to address a public meeting besides other functions tomorrow, the Cabinet will take a proposal to create 6711 new Anganwari centres across the State.

If the proposal is approved, it will lead to creation of 13,422 vacancies, sources said.

The Cabinet is likely to change the recruitment policy for Anganwari centres. According to new proposed policy, the selections will be made by Village and Panchayat level committees.

The Cabinet is also scheduled to fill the vacancies in higher echelons of State administration including Financial Commissioner, Home and Revenue, Secretary Sheep Husbandry etc. Besides some changes in Police, Housing and Forest Department were also expected, sources said. It may be mentioned here that several posts in police including that of districts SPs are lying vacant for past five to six months.

JU gets CMS, GPRC

By Devender Padha

JAMMU, Feb 25: The Jammu University (JU) Council has paved the way for the establishment of Centre for Media Studies (CMS), Gojri and Pahari Research Centre(GPRC), in its meeting held today.

Several other landmark decisions were also taken during the meeting, which included transfer of 32 kanals of land (lying between MAM College and Bikram Chowk) from Mechanical Stores Department (MSD) to the university for further expansion, establishment of Centre for Cross Cultural Management and hefty grants to all the university campuses.

Talking to EXCELSIOR, Vice Chancellor Prof. Amitabh Mattoo apprised that Council passed the proposal for the establishment of Centre for Media Studies and State Government has agreed for its complete funding. The grants for CMS will include immediate capital grant of Rs. one crore and Rs. 20 lakh as recurring grant. Similarly, Government will also take up the entire funding of Gojri and Pahari Research Centre, he added.

He further informed that grant of Rs. five crore each was also extended to Poonch and Bhaderwah campuses while recurring grant of Rs.one crore each was sanctioned for all the four university campuses viz. Udhampur, Bhaderwah, Poonch and Kathua. Generous funding for all the satellite campuses was also assured in the meeting.

In another significant decision, the council have decided to add the responsibility of strategic planning to Centre for Quality Assurance, as it would now be called as Centre for Quality Assurance and Strategic Planning. The centre headed by Dr. Meenakshi Kilam will now frame strategies for both upcoming and existing campuses.

Council has also decided to enhance the scholarship amount of research scholars. Both M.Phil and Ph.D will now get a scholarship amount of Rs. 2500 per month in place of existing Rs. 1500, Prof. Mattoo further said.

Meanwhile, decks have also been cleared for the inductions of more faculty members to cater the need of ever increasing campuses and other centres of the university.

Earlier in the meeting,the Governor Lt Gen (Retd) S.K. Sinha, who chaired the meeting in the capacity of Chancellor of the University, congratulated Professor Amitabh Mattoo, Vice Chancellor for being honoured with Padma Shree and Professor Riyaz Punjabi, Vice Chancellor of Kashmir University for his international recognition as Honorary Professor of the International University, Vienna.

The Chief Minister, while appreciating the progress achieved by the University of Jammu, hoped that the University of Kashmir too will achieve highest pinnacles in academics. He recalled the glorious academic record of KU, saying that it used to be one of the premier institutions offering variety of courses. ‘Efforts will have to be redoubled to make it an institution of excellence of repute’, he added.

Unfolding his vision for Jammu University, Professor Mattoo reiterated that it is going to be a vibrant hub of academics as also cultural and sporting activities.

The VC announced that Zorawar Singh auditorium will become self-reliant soon while elaborate lodging has been made available as transit for visiting academicians. He said that the Department of Management Studies has been rechristened as Business School, which has been adjudged as one of the ten best in the country. Similarly, Bio-Tech complex ranks sixth in the country. He said that an International Resource Cell has been established in collaboration with British Council while research projects to the tune of Rs 10 crores have also been formulated.

The University is introducing such courses, particularly in its extended campuses, that will not only add to knowledge economy but will also have a ready job market, the VC said, adding that Jammu and Kashmir has to be a part of knowledge evolution taking place around the country.

The Council had a detailed discussion on various agenda points dwelling on further improving the academics and ensuring faster infrastructure development in the main campus and its extended campuses.

Minister for Higher Education, Gulchain Singh Charak, Vice Chancellor, University of Kashmir, Professor Riyaz Punjabi, Principal Secretary to Governor, Dr Arun Kumar, Commissioner/Secretary, Higher Education, Pramod Jain, Commissioner/Secretary, Finance, B B Vyas and Registrar of Jammu University, Prof. G S Samyal besides other members of the council were present in the apex level meeting of the University.

LG Bhardwaj new GOC-in-C NC

Excelsior Correspondent

NEW DELHI, Feb 25: Lt Gen P C Bhardwaj, presently GOC 14 Corps has been promoted as Army Commander and posted as GOC-in-C Northern Command replacing Lt Gen H S Panag who has been posted as GOC-in-C Central Command.

According to Ministry of Defence press release, Lt Gen Panag replaces Lt Gen O P Nandrajog who retires on February 29.

Lt Gen V K Singh, presently GOC 2 Corps has been promoted as Army Commander and posted as GOC-in-C Eastern Command. He replaces Lt Gen K S Jamwal who is also retiring on February 29.

All the Army Commanders will assume their new assignments from March 1, 2008.

As for other appointments on promotion, Maj Gen J P Singh, presently the Deputy Commandant of Armoured School and Centre is to be the GOC of 2 Corps, while Maj Gen V K Ahluwalia, presently the Additional Director General of Military Training is to be the GOC of 14 Corps.

124 cross Chakkan-Da Bagh

Excelsior Correspondent

POONCH, Feb 25: One hundred and twenty four civilians today crossed Line of Control (LoC) at Chakkan-Da-Bagh on Poonch-Rawlakote bus service in this district.

While 65 persons crossed LoC from Poonch to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), 59 travelled to Poonch from PoK, official sources said.

Of 65 visitors to PoK, 23 were first timers visiting from here to PoK to meet their divided families while 42 were PoK citizens who returned to their houses after spending nearly a month with their relatives in this part of the State.

Out of 59 persons, who crossed over to Poonch from PoK, 36 were first timers from PoK visiting this side to meet their relatives while 23 were J&K citizens who returned home after meeting their relatives in PoK.

Matloob Khan, GM DIC and Rajinder Singh, DySP DAR were present at LoC from this side while Gaffar Choudhary, ACR PoK and Parvez Yaqub, SDM Hajeera were present from PoK side.

Top Pak Army Gen among 8 killed

ISLAMABAD, Feb 25: A senior General of the Pakistan army and seven other persons were killed and nearly 30 injured when a suicide bomber blew himself up near the military officer’s vehicle in the garrison city of Rawalpindi today, the second such attack on Defence Medical Staff (DMS) this month.

The teenage attacker detonated his explosives near the staff car of Lt Gen Mushtaq Ahmed Baig, the director general of medical services, on Mall road, a busy commercial area located close to the Army’s General headquarters, at 2.55 pm.

Baig, his driver and a guard were killed instantly when the bomber blew himself up after the General’s car stopped at a traffic light, Interior Ministry spokesman Javed Iqbal Cheema said.

"The suicide bomber was waiting on the footpath next to the (traffic) signal. He came closer to the vehicle (after the) traffic had stopped and exploded himself near the General’s car," Cheema said.

Some eyewitnesses said the bomber was disguised as a beggar and had been seen loitering on the footpath minutes before the blast. Cheema said investigators had found some of the remains of the bomber, including his legs, and it was believed he was about 15 to 18 years old.

Baig, the army’s senior-most medical officer, was the highest ranking security forces personnel to be killed in a wave of deadly suicide attacks that have targeted the armed forces.

This is the second attack targeting army medical personnel in Rawalpindi this month.

A suicide bomber had on February 4 rammed his motorcycle into a minibus carrying medical corps staff, killing at least 10 people and injuring 30 others.

Today’s attack also shattered the calm that had followed last week’s crucial Parliamentary polls which were swept by the opposition PML-N and PPP.

PML-N spokesman Ahsan Iqbal said President Pervez Musharraf should own responsibility for his "flawed" policy for tackling terrorism and step down.

This would allow the newly elected Government to "rethink the entire strategy to combat terrorism" so that Pakistan remained safe, he said.

In a separate attack on security forces in the restive southwestern Baluchistan province, three Pakistani soldiers were killed and four others wounded when suspected Baloch rebels triggered a blast targeting an army vehicle.

The explosion took place in Lehri town in Dera Bugti district of the province.

Baloch rebels in the resource-rich province have been fighting for autonomy and greater share in royalties from the natural gas fields in the region. (PTI)