Nominees’ selection hard task
SRINAGAR, Aug 5 — Three main political rivals in Kashmir, including the ruling National Conference, the Congress and the recently constituted Peoples’ Democratic Party of the former Union Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, are in the process of selection of candidates to the three constituencies in the Kashmir valley and one in Ladakh.

APHC begins drive against poll
SRINAGAR, Aug 5 — Separatist All-Party Hurriyat Conference today formally launched its anti-election campaign "educating people against the practice of elections" which, according to it, did not solve the "Kashmir issue".

Mufti's PDP to contest all 6 seats in J&K
JAMMU, Aug 5 — The Peoples' Democratic Party chief, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed said that his party had decided to contest all six seats in the state. He was addressing first party convention here today.

J&K Govt seeks more troops
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Aug 5 — The Jammu and Kashmir Government has sought more troops from the Centre after 58 battalions of the Army were withdrawn from various parts of the state for reinforcement in Kargil sector. Out of these only 30 battalions of the paramilitary troops have been replaced while the state requires more forces in view of the coming general election.

The Army reinforcements made along the LoC in Kargil may not return to the militancy infested areas within the State, the counter-insurgency operations having already been handed over to the Rashtriya Rifles (RR). "We have asked for more troops.... but there are no indications of more replacements", said Mr Gurbachan Jagat, Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police. While security forces are now engaged in Amarnath Yatra and the ID preparations, these troops may further have to be deployed for election process.The state needs more troops to thwart the designs of the separatist militants to create disturbances during the Independence Day celebrations and the general election ahead, opines the DG Police, Mr Jagat.

Over 1000 militants have sneaked into the state from across the border during the recent months, while the Army was also engaged in Kargil operations, and foiling a number of infiltration bids along the LoC in various sectors of the valley, and Rajouri and Poonch sectors. More than 2000 militants are waiting to cross over to this side of the LoC before the passes are blocked due to heavy snow, said Mr Jagat. There have been reports of infiltration of militants in Baramula and Kupwara districts of the valley and Rajouri and Poonch districts in Jammu region, reports suggested here.

The withdrawal of Army from militancy infested areas of the valley and parts of Jammu region, had its direct impact on the situation. At least five massacres had taken place last month. Moreover, in two separate incidents at least 11 militants were killed in Kupwara while eight others were killed in Baramula sector in Kashmir. Things have stabilised after the Kargil operation started. Earlier militants managed to strike but now the situation has been contained, said Mr Jagat. "Now security forces have the upper hand", he adds.

The Jammu and Kashmir police is also very active in the law and order maintenance. The entire route of the Amarnath Yatra from Jammu to Pahalgam, Chandanwari to the holy cave shrine of Amarnath, is manned by the J&K Police assisted by Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel. The Rashtriya Rifles (RR) of the Army provide a security cover along the yatra route, from Anantnag to the holy cave shrine of Amarnath.

The preparations for the coming Independence Day are going on smoothly. Security forces have foilded a major attempt of the militants to disturb the preparations, by recovering over 12 IEDs from Anchar Lake on the outskirts of the city here recently. Security forces have already started sanitising the areas around the venues of the ID celebrations, particularly the Bakshi Stadium, where the main function of the I Day would be held. The sanitisation includes checking of vehicles and frisking of passengers who are subjected to identification parades in surprise checkings. While the routine cordon and search operations in the localities around Bakshi stadium have been abandoned for the past three years, house to house checking and identification of the members in each house around the Bakshi stadium are confirmed.

In order to gear up security for the Lok Sabha elections being held in three phases in Jammu and Kashmir next month, the authorities are going to mobilise all resources of the security forces to ensure smooth conduct of the elections. Shifting after the ID preparations, followed by Amarnath Yatra culminating on August 27, the resources mobilisation is to be exclusively made for the smooth conduct of the elections next month.

4 ultras killed, jawan hurt in encounters

SRINAGAR, Aug 5 (PTI) — Four militants were killed and a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan was injured in two separate encounters in the Kashmir valley since last evening, an official spokesman said here today.

The security forces launched combing operations in Achabal area of Anantnag district and Yamlar village of Handwara in Kupwara district late last night following information on the presence of militants, the spokesman said.

As the security forces were conducting house-to-house searches, militants fired at search parties at both places.

The troops retaliated killing three militants in Achabal area of Anantnag. Another fell to the bullets in Yamlar village today. A CRPF jawan was injured in the Yamlar encounter.

Militants ambushed a patrol party at Nunar in Ganderbal area on the outskirts of Srinagar last evening. The security forces returned the fire. There was no casualty on either side. The militants escaped.

A big cache of arms was seized in the frontier district of Kupwara.

Acting on a tip-off, the special operations group of the local police assited by Rashtriya Rifles launched a search in Rangtop forest and unearthed a well-fortified militant hideout.

The joint team seized 21 rocket missiles with 21 boosters, 32 hand grenades, six boxes filled with rifle ammunition and a large quantity of explosives.

Nominees’ selection hard task
From Ehsan Fazili
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Aug 5 — Three main political rivals in Kashmir, including the ruling National Conference, the Congress and the recently constituted Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) of the former Union Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, are in the process of selection of candidates to the three constituencies in the Kashmir valley and one in Ladakh.

The exercise is rigorous in view of the changed political scenario.

Even as none of the parties have come out with a final list of candidates, clearance has been made in favour of some. The National Conference is certain to field Mr Umar Abdullah, Youth NC President and son of Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah from Srinagar. He held the seat in the 12th Lok Sabha.

Sources in the party revealed that two other ministers in the Farooq Cabinet, Mr Mohammad Shafi, Finance Minister, and Mr Ali Mohammad Naik, Revenue Minister, would be fielded from Baramula and Anantnag, respectively. Both, according to the sources, are reluctant to contest for reasons unknown.

But there seems to be little choice before the NC leadership, particularly in Baramula, after the life-term explusion of Prof Saifuddin Soz. Prof Soz had held his home constituency of Baramula since 1977.

Prof Soz has already announced he will contest as an Independent from Baramula. He will be facing the National Conference candidate, Mr Muzaffar Hussain Beigh of the Peoples’ Democratic Party of Mufti, and the Congress candidate. (Sources say the Congress is likely to support Mr Beigh). Mr Beigh had given a tough fight to the NC candidate (Prof Soz) in the 1998 Lok Sabha elections. The seat was bagged by Mr Ghulam Rasool Kar, a former PCC chief in the 1996 elections when the NC did not participate in the elections. Mr Kar, according to the sources, is reluctant to contest under the "circumstances" from his home constituency.

The Congress, the National Conference and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) are set for a tough triangular fight in the Anantnag constituency. The seat was bagged for the first time in the 1998 General Election by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed of the Congress. It had gone to Mr Mohammad Maqbool Dar of the Janata Dal in 1996 who defeated the Congress candidate. The NC did not contest. Mufti Mohammad Sayeed is understood to have decided to contest from Anantnag. He will be opposed to Dr Mehboob Beigh of the Congress and Mr Ali Mohammad Naik of the National Conference.

The Mufti’s PDP is yet to decide on the candidate from the Srinagar constituency. He had earlier indicated to field Prof Soz following his decision to join the party. But Prof Soz, having opted out and to contest from Baramula as an Independent has placed the Mufti in a problem. The former CLP leader and Mufti’s daughter, Ms Mehbooba Mufti, may be the sole choice for the seat. However, it is yet to give the final nod to her candidature.

The Congress is planning to field Mr Agha Syed Mehdi from Srinagar from where he unsuccessfully contested the 1998 Lok Sabha elections.

The Congress has made it clear it will field Mr Thupstan Chhewang from Ladakh. Mr Chhewang is the Chairman of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC). A Congress stronghold, Ladakh, comprising Leh and Kargil districts, was bagged by Mr Agha Hassan of the NC last year. The NC is again fielding him this time. The PDP of the Mufti is yet to decide on the candidature from Ladakh. It has declared to contest all six Lok Sabha constituencies in the state.

Apart from the three main rivals, other parties, including the BJP and those of former militants like the Awami League of Kukka Parray and Ikhwan of Hilal Hyder from North and South Kashmir, respectively, may also join the fray.

The NC is banking on its old votebank across the valley and other pockets in Jammu and Ladakh. The Mufti is optimistic of getting considerable support from among the Congress cadres. But the Congress maintains that many of their members who had joined the Mufti camp are "returning back". Substantiating the claim, Mr Taj Mohiuddin of the PCC told TNS that eight candidates out of the 10 Assembly segments from Anantnag district were with the Congress. Three out of four from Pulwama district in the Anantnag constituency were also with the Congress.

While the NC has already launched its campaign, though covertly, Mufti’s PDP is organising a public meeting at Chrar-e-Sharief on Sunday. The Pradesh Congress Committee is organising a convention of workers from all six districts of the valley at Sher-e-Kashmir Park here next week.

APHC begins drive against poll
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Aug 5 — Separatist All-Party Hurriyat Conference today formally launched its anti-election campaign "educating people against the practice of elections" which, according to it, did not solve the "Kashmir issue".

Over a hundred activists of the APHC led by Mr Javed Ahmad Mir, Dr G.M. Hubbi and Mr Shahid-ul-Islam went on a door-to-door campaign at Abi-Guzar locality in Lal Chowk area here this morning. Raising separatist slogans, the activists asked the residents not to cast their vote.

They also mentioned the futility of the Lok Sabha elections in May, 1996 the Assembly elections In September, 1996, and again the Lok Sabha elections in 1998.

The APHC members also urged world bodies to "intervene for a final solution to the Kashmir issue" where the "farce of elections" had been going on since 1947.

The APHC plans to continue such campaign till the elections throughout the valley. Senior leaders, including its Chairman, Mr Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mr Abdul Ghani Lone and Mr Mohammad Yaseen Malki, will participate in the campaign.

The hurriyat has already made it clear that it will oppose the elections. Several such campaigns have been launched across the valley during the past three years.

The police did not interfere in today’s anti-election campaign of the APHC.

Mufti's PDP to contest all 6 seats in J&K
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Aug 5 — The Peoples' Democratic Party chief, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed said that his party had decided to contest all six seats in the state. He was addressing first party convention here today. He warned the National Conference against any attempt at rigging the poll and reminded that rigging in 1987 Assembly elections had been the main cause for the rise of militancy in the Kashmir valley.

The PDP chief said that the Centre had to change its policy towards the people of Jammu and Kashmir as there was need to stop the bloodshed. He said as a result of wrong policies of the state and the central governments that over 25,000 Kashmiri youths had been killed during the last over 10 years. The bloodshed has to be stopped and an era of peace has to be ensured, "he said adding that whichever party assumed power in the Centre had to hold talks with militants and with people of the state for finding an amicable solution to the turmoil.

He said when the Centre had now reservation in holding talks with the Mizo or Naga rebels why should it shy away from initiating a dialogue with the rebels in Kashmir.

He made it clear that floating the Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) was not aimed at safeguarding his personal interest but to provide a platform for those who had nothing but anger against the National Conference.