J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

PDF disturbed over defections
Jammu, July 30
The Peoples Democratic Front and the Panthers Party are perturbed over the five Independent MLAs, three of them ministers, joining the Congress and have described this as a violation of the anti-defection law.

Yatra suspended for two days
Jammu, July 30
The Amarnath Yatra has been suspended for two days because of bad weather and rains. The pilgrims, scheduled to leave for the Amarnath cave shrine from here this morning, could not proceed because of a heavy rain.

Militants kill couple
Jammu, July 30
Militants killed Bashir Ahmad and his wife, Bilques Begum, in the Bufliaz area of Poonch today. Their son, Basharat Hussain, was critically injured as the terrorists fired indiscriminately.

PDF disturbed over defections
Tribune News Service

Jammu, July 30
The Peoples Democratic Front (PDF) and the Panthers Party are perturbed over the five Independent MLAs, three of them ministers, joining the Congress and have described this as a violation of the anti-defection law.

The PDF, which was constituted by the Independents following the Assembly elections, was a partner in the Mufti-led coalition government.

The PDF members are worried as the Congress and the PDP while trying to consolidate their position are trying to woo their members.

The ministers who joined the Congress yesterday are Mr Majid Wani, Mr Aizaz Ahmed Khan and Mr Puran Singh. The two MLAs who also joined the party are Mr Manohar Lal Sharma and Maulvi Abdul Rashid.

Mr Babu Singh, Minister of State for Finance, had earlier joined the Congress and another minister, Manjeet Singh, had joined the PDP.

The chairman of the PDF, Mr Hakim Yaseen, who is the Revenue Minister, has threatened to approach the election commission as the development was covered under the anti-defection law.

Mr Bhim Singh, chairman of the Panthers Party, has described this as a betrayal of the common minimum programme of the coalition government.

He said the joining of the Congress by the six Independent legislators was infringement of the Anti-defection law and they should be disqualified.

Mr Wani and Maulvi Abdul Rashid, who have joined the Congress, were earlier in the National Conference (NC) and had contested the last Assembly election as rebels.

With the six Independents joining the Congress, the strength of the party that was reduced to 18 in the House of 87 following election of two MLAs to the Lok Sabha has increased to 24. But the NC continues to be the single largest party with 27 members.

The ruling PDP has 16 seats, PDF 4, CPM 2, Jammu State Morcha and BJP (one each), and Independents 4.

Yatra suspended for two days
Tribune News Service

Jammu, July 30
The Amarnath Yatra has been suspended for two days because of bad weather and rains.

The pilgrims, scheduled to leave for the Amarnath cave shrine from here this morning, could not proceed because of a heavy rain.

The authorities have announced that the pilgrimage would remain suspended tomorrow. The Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, said that a large number of pilgrims were still thronging here from across the country for paying their obeisance at the holy cave shrine of Amarnath and need to be accommodated in various identified lodging centres where elaborate arrangements had been made for these stranded devotees.

While having a detailed discussion for providing board and lodging and other facilities to the pilgrims presently putting up at MAM Stadium, the meeting also identified some more places in the city to accommodate the pilgrims which include M&M College, Girls Higher Secondary School, Jumbo Lochan Community Hall, Brahman Sabha, Mahajan Sabha and Gandhi Bhavan.

The Deputy Commissioner asked the officers concerned to provide the necessary facilities to the pilgrims so that they might not remain unattended. He along with a team of officers visited the already identified places and took stock of the arrangements made for the pilgrims.

Militants kill couple

Jammu, July 30
Militants killed Bashir Ahmad and his wife, Bilques Begum, in the Bufliaz area of Poonch today. Their son, Basharat Hussain, was critically injured as the terrorists fired indiscriminately.

Two terrorists forcibly entered their house and shot dead the couple. Basharat Hussain has been shifted to Military Hospital for treatment. — TNS