Farooq firm on support
JAMMU, April 16 — The 54-day-long budget session of the state assembly ended here today with the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, expressing the hope that the Vajpayee-led government in the Centre would survive the vote of confidence.

Panel for district councils
JAMMU, April 16 — The three-member regional autonomy committee has, in its 25-paged report, recommended establishment of regional, provincial or district councils as these alone could ensure decentralisation of political and economic power.

Infiltration in J&K still on: Gen Malik
SRINAGAR, April 16 — The infiltration of militants in Jammu and Kashmir has not changed even after the Lahore declaration, Gen Ved Prakash Malik, Chief of Army Staff said here during his five-day visit to the Northern Command. He also mentioned killings of two Pakistan armymen in Poonch in a mine explosion last week.

SI, mercenary killed in Jammu
JAMMU, April 16 — Three persons including a foreign mercenary and a cop, were killed in separate militancy-related incidents in Rajouri district since yesterday, an official spokesman said here today.

Farooq firm on support

JAMMU, April 16 — The 54-day-long budget session of the state assembly ended here today with the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, expressing the hope that the Vajpayee-led government in the Centre would survive the vote of confidence.

Making a statement on the floor of the House to mark the end of the budget session the Chief Minister said "Alah karey yeh sarkar bach jayey" (let the government survive with the grace of God) so that it could fulfil the promises it had made to Jammu and Kashmir.

Dr Abdullah reiterated his party's support to the BJP-led government and said he did not change his loyalty from one party to the other. He said whatever was happening in Delhi was not good. Because a strong Centre was needed for a strong nation and hoped that the BJP government would survive.

He said the BJP was being dubbed as a communal party. It had been described as communal on the charge of having demolished Babri Masjid. He, however, wanted to know what did the then government at the Centre, meaning the Congress, did to prevent the BJP from demolishing the mosque?

The Chief Minister cautioned the legislators against the machinations of Pakistan. He wanted them to go to their respective constituencies and interact with people to ensure their problems were redressed. He said security situation in the state was fast improving but "we cannot ignore the activities of our enemy." "The enemy is not silent" he said, adding "we have to be careful so that the Pak plan is foiled."

He said he favoured strengthening the democratic temper within and outside the assembly and suggested to the Opposition to behave in a decent way. He reminded them that since the National Conference had a two-third majority in the House it could bulldoze through any legislation but it accommodated the viewpoint of the Opposition. The Opposition members were given ample time to speak on various issues in the House.

The Chief Minister wanted all political leaders and party members to read thoroughly the report of the Regional Autonomy Committee and debate the recommendations and not agitate. He said a special session of the state legislature would be convened to finalise the state government's stand. He said he was for the decentralisation of powers so that aspirations of the people of each region were satisfied.

The Speaker, Mr Abdul Ahad Vakil, said as many as 1295 questions were admitted in the House and 875 supplementaries had been raised by the members during the budget session. As many as 375 call attention motions were tabled and the government replied all these motions.

He had a dig at the members on the ground that they did not spend time in reading books that were in the assembly library. He said during a recent checkup he found there were 44,000 books in the library which had been purchased over the years at a cost of over Rs 1.25 crore. He wanted the ministers to avail of this facility to increase their general knowledge and get acquainted with the parliamentary procedures and practices.

On the last day of the session the assembly adopted a Bill relating to the establishment of Mata Vaishno Devi University. The Bill, had been adopted in the last year's session but the Governor had returned the Bill with certain remarks. Mr Harsh Dev Singh, Panthers Party, had moved some amendments but when he refused to withdraw those proposed amendment the Speaker put it to vote and Hars Dev lost his case.

Some of the members expressed fears that the government could interfere in the activities of the proposed university but the Law Minister, Mr P.L. Handoo, allayed the fears of the members. However, the Opposition members staged a walkout when the Bill was taken for adoption. The Bill was passed by voice vote.

Another Bill regarding an amendment in the taxation laws, moved by Finance Minister was adopted. The Bill proposed an increase in penalty against those who delayed payment of sales tax, excise, toll and entertainment tax.

In reply to a call attention motion moved by Mr Mubarik Gul of the NC and Mr M. Y. Tarigami of the CPM, the government said the life of Banihal tunnel was over 100 years. It said necessary repair work was on and renovation at several places had been completed. It said the statement given by DG ITBP that the tunnel was unsafe and could be a death trap was "unwarranted" and at the same time the Centre was being asked to take in hand measures that were needed to improve the condition of the tunnel.

Panel for district councils
From M.L. Kak
Tribune New Service

JAMMU, April 16 — The three-member regional autonomy committee has, in its 25-paged report, recommended establishment of regional, provincial or district councils as these alone could ensure decentralisation of political and economic power.

It has recommended that the councils be elected the same way the state legislature was elected. Each council should have 25 per cent reservation for women. The head of the council should be designated as Chief Executive Councillor who should have the status of Minister of State.

The regional councils, as per the report, shall in no way effect the in situations of the state, including the governor, chief minister, his Cabinet, the legislative assembly and judiciary.

The committee has suggested that in case of any hitch in sitting up the councils, the government may consider establishing district councils which like regional councils should be allowed to enjoy executive powers.

A committee of experts be constituted to evolve a mechanism for allocation of funds and taxation.

Realising that the establishment of regional or district councils, or both, would have an impact on the existing administrative structure in the state, the committee has suggested that a finance commission for the state be constituted to recommend methods for raising funds,allocating funds to different organs and providing norms for transfers from the consolidated fund of the state to regional or district council.

Two things have surprised political observers here. First, while classifying the regions in the state, the committee has made charges in Jammu region alone Dhader the new classification, the committee has proposed establishment of Chenab valley region comprising the district of Doda, including Mahore tehsil in Udhampur district. This region will consist of 17 tehsils.

Observers opine that since Mahore tehsil is a muslim-dominated area, it has been linked with Muslim-dominated Doda.

The Jammu region, per the recommendations of the committee, shall comprise three districts — Jammu, Udhampur and Kathua. At present the state has three principal regions — Kashmir, Ladakh and Jammu. Against this, the committee has suggested eight regions, three each in Jammu and Kashmir provinces and two in Ladakh.

Another intriguing part of the exercise is that the name of Mr Palraj Puri, who worked as working chairman of the regional autonomy Committee, has been deleted from the signatories to the report. Those who have signed the report are the finance minister, Mr Mohd. Shafi, Mr Amubarik Gul and Syed Mushtaq Bukhari (both NC KLAs).

The report, in fact, is based on the analysis made by Mr Puri in his two reports which he submitted to the Chief Minister in June last. Mr Puri was removed from the committee and since then he has not succeeded in meeting the Chief Minister.

Father kills twins
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, April 16 — In two separate gory incidents, new-born twins were killed by their father while a woman killed her husband in Anantnag and Pulwama districts of South Kashmir last month.

Mohammad Shaban Bhat (36) of Aglar village in the Shopian area of Pulwama district was killed by his wife Raja Begum on the intervening night of March 25 and 26.

Bhat was reportedly hacked to death while asleep. Later, parts of his body were chopped off and buried at separate places in the house. Raja Begum has been booked under Section 302, Cr PC. Some of her relatives have been taken into custody for questioning.

Raja had strained relations with her husband. She had been residing with her parents since January. She is reported to have accused her husband of not giving due attention to her and their children. Raja had returned home only last month.

The killing of Bhat came a week after Bashir Ahmad Hakeem, a medical assistant of Beijbehara in Anantnag district, killed his new-born twins on March 17. The police arrested Hakeem Ghulam Nabi Wani and his son on March 18 after the parents of Nageena, Hakeems wife, lodged a report with the police.

Hakeem was allegedly involved with a young medico in his neighbourhood.

2 jawans among 6 killed

SRINAGAR, April 16 (PTI) — At least six persons, including two militants and as many jawans, were killed and two women wounded in separate militancy-related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir since yesterday, an official spokesman said today.

Security forces smashed a militants’ hideout, arrested four militants and seized a large quantity of arms and ammunition during the period.

Army jawan, Ghulam Mohammad was killed when militants fired rockets at Wavoora village in frontier district of Kupwara last evening.

The rocket was aimed at blowing up a police post. But missed its target and hit a house, killing Ghulam Mohammad on the spot. Mohammad’s two family members, Zaiba and Shabeena Bano, were seriously wounded in the attack.

In another incident, one unidentified militant was killed in an encounter with security forces at Mathyani Gala in Dharamshal area of Rajouri district last night.

Militants kidnapped police Sub-Inspector Faqir Hussain from his house at Baglan village in Thanamandi area of the district yesterday and killed him.

Arms and ammunition were recovered from the slain militant, who is believed to be a foreign mercenary.

Army troops killed another militant during an encounter in Kalakote area of Rajouri district and Army jawan lost his life during the clash.

The troops also detected and defused one improvised explosive device on a road. About 300 metres from Dal Bungalow in Surankote area during the period.

The security forces seized two mobile rocket launchers from a militant hide-out at Gujjar Pati forest in Kupwara last night.

The police arrested two militants, one each of banned Harkat-ul-Mujahideen and Tehreeki Jehadi Islami outfit during search operations at Baghiyas-Chattabal and Shah Colony-Fruit Mandi areas Srinagar last evening.

A large quantity of ammunition, including several pistols, were seized from them.

The Security forces also nabbed two militants of Al-Fateh force during security checks at Barpora and shalidhara in Pulwama district yesterday, he said, adding that the two were identified as Abdul Qayoom Dar, alias Major Qayoom, and Parvez Ahmad Ganai.

The Security forces seized an improvised explosive device fitted in a gas pipe at Shah Colony in the Fruit Mandi area of Srinagar last night, the spokesman said.

Another IED planted by militants at the Buzla bridge in Banihal area on Srinagar-Jammu national highway was detected and defused.

The security forces conducted searches at Naseerba in Sopore and Saderkote in the Sumbal areas of Baramula district last evening and seized some explosives.

Infiltration in J&K still on: Gen Malik
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, April 16 — The infiltration of militants in Jammu and Kashmir has not changed even after the Lahore declaration, Gen Ved Prakash Malik, Chief of Army Staff said here during his five-day visit to the Northern Command. He also mentioned killings of two Pakistan armymen in Poonch in a mine explosion last week.

Gen Malik rattled off statistics to suggest that the Army was having upper hand in anti-insurgency operations in the state.

Lt Gen Krishan Pal, GOC 15 Corps, in charge of Kashmir and Ladakh divisions holds that money offered for local recruits had increased manifold hinting that the local support to militancy had waned. There was more cooperation from locals to security forces. Parents were approaching the Army for rescuing their wards from the vice-like grip of militancy.

The Army has eliminated at least 23 important militant leaders in Kashmir this winter. They belonged to the Al-Badr, Lashkar-e-Toiba, Tehreek-e-Jehad-e-Islami, Harkatul Mujahideen, Harkat-ul-Ansar and Hizbul Mujahideen.

SI, mercenary killed in Jammu

JAMMU, April 16 (PTI) — Three persons including a foreign mercenary and a cop, were killed in separate militancy-related incidents in Rajouri district since yesterday, an official spokesman said here today.

Police Sub-Inspector Faqir Hussain was shot dead by militants after being kidnapped from his house at Baglan village in the Thanamandi area of the district yesterday, he said.

In another incident, Army troops killed one militant during an encounter in the Kalakote area and an Army jawan lost his life during the encounter, he said.

Arms and ammunition were seized from the slain militant, who is believed to be foreign mercenary, the spokesman said.

Quoting reports from Doda, he said that one woman was injured when some militants fired at Dedeni village. The woman, Mursa Begum, was later rushed to hospital for treatment.