• Editorial page: FRANKLY SPEAKING
  Lahore runs in our Punjabi blood!
  by Hari Jaisingh
  

2 civilians die in Jammu blast
Jammu, January 17
Two civilians were killed and eight others were wounded in an IED blast that rocked the busy Kanak Mandi here this evening. According to the police, 10 persons were wounded when the IED, planted in a drain, exploded. One of them died while being taken to hospital. 

12 Pak UAVs moved out of Mianwali
Jammu, January 17
Pakistan has moved 12 of its 24 Chinese-made unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) out of the Mianwali airbase in Sialkot to an undisclosed destination to avoid detection by spy satellites and instead ferried in F-7 planes loaded with airborne warning and control systems (AWACS) during the past 72 hours.

Pak troops reduce firing along LoC
Jammu, January 17
Firing and shelling by Pakistani troops have considerably reduced along the Line of Control and international border in Jammu and Kashmir in the past two days, defence sources said here today.

J&K video:  Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah says that the terrorist attacks have come down since Musharraf's speech. (28k, 56k)

Jammu-Srinagar road reopened
Heavy snowfall in Kashmir valley
Srinagar, January 17
Heavy snowfall continued in many parts of Kashmir valley triggering avalanches even as one-way traffic was restored on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, which remained closed for the past two days, official sources said today.

’84 riots: Tytler ‘led’ mob
New Delhi, January 17
Senior Congress leader Jagdish Tytler had led a mob that killed two Sikhs at a gurdwara in the walled city and also burnt the shrine during the 1984 riots, an eyewitness told the Justice Nanavati Commission today.

BJP drops 41 sitting MLAs
Releases lists for UP, Uttaranchal
New Delhi, January 17
In an all-out effort to retain power in the biggest state, the BJP today released the list of candidates for Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal dropping 41 sitting MLAs, including three of its own ministers.

Cong manifesto woos farmers Promises 24-hour power to villages New Delhi, January 17 The rural population and farmers are the main focus of the Congress poll manifesto in Punjab with the party also promising some sops for the urbanites. The manifesto, which has been submitted to the Congress high-command for final approval, will be released in the next few days.