3 militants killed in Kashmir
SRINAGAR, Oct 8 — At least 14 persons were injured when unidentified militants hurled three hand grenades at a marriage party while the security forces killed three militants, including two foreigners, in the valley during the past 24 hours.

Reshuffle in J&K Cabinet likely
JAMMU, Oct 8 — Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah has decided to carry out a major reshuffle in his 30-member Council of Ministers. One Cabinet berth has fallen vacant following the election of Revenue Minister, Ali Mohd Naik, to the Lok Sabha from the Anantnag constituency.

Army’s dual-track policy bears fruit
JAMMU, Oct 8 — The additional forces of the Army, which have been deployed for counter insurgency operations in interior areas of Poonch, Rajouri and Udhampur districts since October last, have eliminated more than 250 foreign mercenaries during extensive seek and destroy operations.

Elaborate security for Navratras
JAMMU, Oct 8 — The police has made elaborate security arrangements during Navratras at the Vaishno Devi shrine and Bahu Fort Temple, Jammu.

‘Municipal helpline’ launched
JAMMU, Oct 8 — The Jammu Municipality has launched "municipal helpline" to enable residents to register their complaints on the telephone in order to get quick response, according to the Administrator Municipal, Mr K.B. Jandial.

J&K foodgrain quota increased
JAMMU, Oct 8 — The Centre has increased the monthly allocation of foodgrains to J&K from 32,000 metric tonnes to 40,000 metric tonnes. Besides, the supply of rice from Punjab has been stopped as it contains increased percentage of discoloured rice not acceptable to the people of the Kashmir valley.

3 militants killed in Kashmir

SRINAGAR, Oct 8 (UNI) — At least 14 persons were injured when unidentified militants hurled three hand grenades at a marriage party while the security forces killed three militants, including two foreigners, in the valley during the past 24 hours.

The security forces arrested a militant while another surrendered along with arms and ammunition in the valley during the period, an official spokesman said.

Unidentified persons hurled three hand grenades in the house of Mohammad Shafi at Balgarden last evening during the marriage ceremony of his daughter.

Fourteen persons were injured when two grenades exploded in the compound. Three was another grenade which did not explode and was later defused.

The security forces killed two foreign militants during a search operation at Lal Dharman village last evening. Two AK rifles, one wireless set, a grenade, 500 grams of RDX and 95 rounds were seized from the slain militants.

An encounter took place between militants and the security forces at Peth-Wanigam in Baramula district last evening during which militant Abdul Ahad Bhat was killed. Two civilians were injured in the shootout. An AK rifle, two magazines, 19 rounds and one grenade were seized near the encounter site.

However, villager who took to streets alleged that Abdul Ahad Bhat was a civilian. They said Ahad was killed by the forces after militants managed to escape.

The spokesman said two persons were injured when militants detonated a mine. This was followed by firing on a security forces vehicle at Kreeri Pattan last evening.

Militants shot at and wounded a surrendered militant Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat at Bijbehara in Anantnag last night, the spokesman added.

JAMMU (PTI): The security forces shot dead four top militants, including a Pakistani national, in separate encounters in Doda and Banihal areas of Jammu division on Thursday, a defence spokesman said here on Friday.

The spokesman said Rashtriya Rifles troops along with the special task force of the state police launched a major offensive in Gundama, Bagla and Dal Draman areas of Doda after receiving complaints by locals that a group of foreign militants were engaged in excesses there.

During the operation, the troops shot dead one dreaded local militant Mohd Shafi in Dal Draman forests early on Thursday, he said. Others, who managed to escape, were chased and two of them were gunned down following an encounter later in the evening.

One of the slain militants was identified as Aslam Mohammad of Pakistan, the spokesman said, adding that the seizures included two AK-56 rifles, seven hand grenades and one radio set.

In yet another incident, Rashtriya Rifles troops shot dead another foreign militant in Sarkunj Dhar area in Banihal town of Doda.

Reshuffle in J&K Cabinet likely
From M. L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Oct 8 — Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah has decided to carry out a major reshuffle in his 30-member Council of Ministers. One Cabinet berth has fallen vacant following the election of Revenue Minister, Ali Mohd Naik, to the Lok Sabha from the Anantnag constituency.

Sources close to Dr Abdullah said the Chief Minister would reshuffle his Cabinet after returning from his trip to the USA by month-end. The Chief Minister is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly session where he would counter the Pak propaganda against India on Kashmir.

Dr Abdullah, according to these sources, had earlier decided to reshuffle his Cabinet somewhere in July-August but the Lok Sabha elections forced him to change the plan. Since the autumn session of the state assembly is to begin in Srinagar from Monday, the Chief Minister has decided not to change the structure of the Council of Ministers as his Cabinet colleagues have to reply questions and supplementaries in the House.

Inside reports said the Chief Minister was being advised to bring back Mr Abdul Ahad Vakil, Speaker of the Assembly, as Revenue Minister. Mr Vakil was the Revenue Minister when Dr Abdullah formed his Cabinet in October 1996. Later differences between the two led to Mr Vakil's resignation. He, however, was rehabilitated by installing him as Speaker of the state assembly.

Earlier, the Chief Minister had decided to carry out major reshuffle in the portfolios of the ministers. Now that the Lok Sabha elections results have established his leadership by ensuring four seats for the National Conference, Dr Abdullah may drop three to four ministers against whom he has received complaints from bureaucracy and people. He may induct Mr Dilawar Mir, who had joined the National Conference four months ago. His role in helping the party candidate to win from the Baramula constituency has been appreciated by Dr Abdullah.

There are indications that he may reduce the size of the ministry and carry out cabinet expansion in phases to check any dissensions.

The party's performance in the Lok Sabha elections has forced the dissidents to remain on the defensive.

Reports said the Chief Minister is not averse to his son Omar Abdullah joining the central council of ministers. Sources said Mr Vajpayee was inclined to make Mr Omar Abdullah a deputy minister last time, but Dr Abdullah had expected a Cabinet post for his son.

According to these sources, Mr Vajpayee has decided to give representation to MPs from Jammu and Kashmir. Prof Chaman Lal Gupta, who had won the Lok Sabha poll for the third successive time may be inducted in the Central Cabinet.

Vaid Vishnu Dutt (BJP), who has been re-elected to the Lok Sabha from Jammu, has also staked his claim for berth in the Union Council of Ministers.

Yasin Malik’s balancing act
From M. L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Oct 8 — When the JKLF supremo, Amanullah Khan, announced his plan of crossing the LoC on October 4, it did not cause any excitement among the JKLF leaders and supporters in the Kashmir valley. It was so because the JKLF unit in Jammu and Kashmir is no longer a constituent of the JKLF headed by Amanullah Khan.

During the past three years, the Front unit operating in Kashmir had severed its links with Amanullah Khan as the group led by Mohd Yasin Mailk had raised doubts about Amanullah Khan’ bona fides. This led to the split in the JKLF in Kashmir and Yasin Malik received support from all influential Front leaders in the valley. The faction led by Shabir Siddiqui, who was killed in security operations, continued to support Amanullah Khan. However, after the elimination of Siddiqui, this faction has almost ceased to exist in Kashmir allowing Yasin Malik to dominate the show.

The JKLF headed by Yasin Mailk has witnessed a sea change since 1990 when it was in the forefront of the liberation struggle. The JKLF virtually heralded militancy in Kashmir with a bang with bomb explosions and killings. The agencies across the border trusted the JKLF for less than three years. Later on these agencies floated different militant outfits, which was followed by the formation of the All-Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) in 1994.

When the Hurriyat Conference was formed, the JKLF was not among its, founder members. It was so because the ideology of the Front clashed with the principles of the Hurriyat Conference. While the JKLF has been for an independent Kashmir, the Hurriyat Conference, in the initial stages, has been for the valley’s incorporation with Pakistan.

After 1992, the JKLF suffered heavy losses when scores of its activists, including those who had founded the liberation struggle, were eliminated in various operations launched by the security forces. A stage came when the JKLF leadership was isolated.

Agencies across the border realised that any struggle without the support of the JKLF will lack teeth. These agencies had to reverse their plan under which material and moral aid had been stopped to the JKLF.

When Yasin Mailk came under the umbrella of the Hurriyat Conference, it was simply an alliance of convenience. He has so far not altered his ideology favouring total independence for Kashmir. He joined the Hurriyat conference because he thought that under the Hurriyat umbrella he would be able to fight India.

"We have to fight a common enemy and the finer details must, therefore, wait," is the policy of Yasin Mailk. His stand on independent Kashmir finds favour with Abdul Gani Lone, Chairman, People’s Conference and a member of the Hurriyat Conference, and Shabir Ahmed Shah, Chairman, JK People’s Democratic Party. While Lone and Malik have, intriguingly, remained associated with the Hurriyat Conference despite their aspiration for an independent Kashmir, Shabir Shah snapped ties with the Hurriyat Conference two years ago as he found it difficult to align his independence ideology with pro-Pak policy.

However, Yasin Mailk, as shrewd political leader, has been doing a "balancing act" inside the Huriyat Conference. As far as the JKLF is concerned it has not made any major deviation from its old ideology of an independent Kashmir. Finding that the ongoing liberation struggle in Jammu and Kashmir could be sustained only because of "moral, material and ideological support" provided by Pakistan, the JKLF has continued to work under the umbrella of the APHC. In fact it has come as pleasing news to the Front leaders that two senior leaders of Hurriyat, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, and Abdul Gani Lone, in recent statements, have suggested to Pakistan to leave them alone and allow people of the valley to decide their future. Pakistan’s Kargil misadventure is said to have widened the distance between the Hurriyat leaders and Islamabad.

Though this distancing act performed by the Hurriyat leaders is said to be a part of the Hurriyat’s plan of appeasing US leaders, the JKLF has started feeling that its stand on Kashmir has been vindicated. In addition to this the snapping of ties between Amanullah Khan and the JKLF is the result of two factors. The JKLF in the valley doubts the bona fide of Amanullah Khan and some activists of the JKLF have dubbed him "an agent" of Pakistan and India. Secondly, the Amanullah Khan’s JKLF is dominated by non-Kashmiri-speaking people which is not acceptable to "Kashmir Gandhi", as Yasin Mailk is called at times.

Hitherto, the JKLF has never supported Pakistan’s claim on Kashmir.

Army’s dual-track policy bears fruit
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 8 — The additional forces of the Army, which have been deployed for counter insurgency (CI) operations in interior areas of Poonch, Rajouri and Udhampur districts since October last, have eliminated more than 250 foreign mercenaries during extensive seek and destroy operations.

Major-Gen G.S. Negi, GOC of the formation responsible for CI operations in these areas, while spelling out the "dual track policy" followed by the troops operating in the area informed that it entailed an "iron-fist" towards the militants and "velvet-glove" for the locals. He said this policy had brought about a change in people’s attitude in terms of confidence-building and rendering willing support to the security forces in their mission to eliminate militancy.

Apart from fighting militancy and achieving excellent results, the formation has undertaken various developmental projects in these areas. The positive results of projects like the Operation Sadhbhavana launched by the Army are now beginning to show, Major General Negi said.

An amount of approximately Rs 21 lakh had been spent for the water supply schemes at 12 locations, solar lighting at 15 locations, passenger sheds at four places, public utility services like "sulabh shauchalaya" at 48 places, renovation of school buildings and improvement of schools at five locations. Besides, the formation had also improved children’s parks at two locations and had opened stitching centres at vocational training centre in Darhal, he added.

Elaborate security for Navratras
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 8 — The police has made elaborate security arrangements during Navratras at the Vaishno Devi shrine and Bahu Fort Temple, Jammu.

According to the police the devotees have been prohibited to carry coconuts for offering cameras, cellular phones, ladies purses, bags, wall clocks, or polythene bags inside both temples.

The vehicles of the yatris will be parked in parking places only at Katra and Bahu Fort and the yatris shall get their belongings checked through security checking gates. The police has also advised the pilgrims not to touch the unclaimed goods.

Meanwhile, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, Katra, will be the co-sponsor of the ensuing Navratra festival being organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department at Katra from October 10 to 18,

According to the Director, Tourism, Mr S.S.Bhalla, there will be first three prizes of Rs 10,000, Rs 8,000 and Rs 6,000, respectively, for the songs to be adjudged best during the competition.

Similarly, the winners of first three positions during the competition will be eligible to contest the final competition at Katra on October 18. The cash prizes of Rs 20,000, Rs 16,000 and Rs 12,000 will be awarded to first three winners of the final contest.

The competition from October 10 to 13 will be held at Bahu Temple Jammu, and from October 14 to 17 at Katra.

‘Municipal helpline’ launched
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 8 — The Jammu Municipality has launched "municipal helpline" to enable residents to register their complaints on the telephone in order to get quick response, according to the Administrator Municipal, Mr K.B. Jandial.

He said this was just an effort to improve sanitation and check encroachments.

Mr Jandial said a special team would be deployed to remove the menace of congress grass from the city.

J&K foodgrain quota increased
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 8 — The Centre has increased the monthly allocation of foodgrains to J&K from 32,000 metric tonnes to 40,000 metric tonnes. Besides, the supply of rice from Punjab has been stopped as it contains increased percentage of discoloured rice not acceptable to the people of the Kashmir valley.

The Food and Supplies Minister, Mr Ajay Sadhotra, said the state government was not going to accept sub standard rice. He said the FCI should ensure that only good quality was supplied to the state. He also asked officers of the Food and Supplies Department to ensure that the food grains coming from rest of the country to the valley were unloaded quickly without hampering the movement of trucks.