JKLF-sponsored strike hits life
SRINAGAR, Feb 11 — The police lobbed tear-gas shells and lathi-charged a group of demonstrators in the Lal Chowk area here this morning who were taking out a procession from Maisuma towards the office of the UN Military Observers Group on the occasion of the 15th death anniversary of Mohammad Maqbool Bhat,

Main hideout of militants smashed
SRINAGAR, Feb 11 — Pro-Pakistan militants operating in border areas of Poonch in Jammu region suffered a severe jolt today when their main hideout was smashed by the security forces, an official spokesman said here.

9 weighbridges to be computerised
JAMMU, Feb 11 — Several measures were discussed for minimising the detention period of vehicles at the Lakhanpur check post at a high-level meeting held under the chairmanship of the Finance Minister, Mr Mohammad Shafi, here yesterday.

• Blackmarketeers' gang busted
• Shabir Shah

JKLF-sponsored strike hits life
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Feb 11 — The police lobbed tear-gas shells and lathi-charged a group of demonstrators in the Lal Chowk area here this morning who were taking out a procession from Maisuma towards the office of the UN Military Observers Group (UNMOG) on the occasion of the 15th death anniversary of Mohammad Maqbool Bhat, founder leader of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF).

The chairman of the JKLF Mohammad Yasin Malik and nearly six of his supporters were detained by the police, preventing them from proceeding towards the UNMOG at Sonwar.

Normal life was also affected here in response to the JKLF-sponsored call to commemorate Bhat, who was hanged in Tihar Jail on this day in 1984. Shops and business establishments were closed and attendance in the government offices were thin. A number of banks also remained closed. Few vehicles plied on the city routes, the police said.

Separatist leader, Shabir Ahmad Shah, chief of the Jammu Kashmir People Democratic Front was kept under house arrest, preventing him from joining the demonstration.

The police was deployed outside the office of the All-Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) and the Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Front at Kursoo Raj Bagh here. However, no untoward incident was reported.

About 200 demonstrators engaged the police in a ding-dong battle at Maisuma here this morning, where the JKLF chairman, Mohammad Yasin Malik, appeared. The demonstrators pelted stones on the police. The police lathi-charged the demonstrators. This, however, failed to quell the demonstrators. Later the police lobbed tear-gas shells, dispersing the processionists.

Main hideout of militants smashed

SRINAGAR, Feb 11 (PTI) — Pro-Pakistan militants operating in border areas of Poonch in Jammu region suffered a severe jolt today when their main hideout was smashed by the security forces, an official spokesman said here.

He said 18 kg of research development explosive (RDX), 14 rocket projectile guns, 20 hand grenades, six boxes of remote control devices, six boxes of battery, one belt of universal machine gun containing 100 rounds, 15 magazines, two combats, 595 rounds of assorted ammunition and four gunny bags were seized from the hideout at Danna Dharn jungle in the Surankote area of Poonch district.

Security forces also seized four hand grenades, four rifle grenades, 14 detonators, a remote charger and some quantity of ammunition and explosive from a militant hideout in frontier district of Kupwara in Kashmir, he said.

He said a security jawan was critically wounded in exchange of fire with militants at Sehpora near Ganderbal on the outskirts of Srinagar last evening.

The police arrested a self-styled company commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit from Rainawari area of the city today, identified as Bashir Ahmad Bhat. An AK-56 rifle, its one magazine and 20 rounds were seized from him.

2 BSF men hurt in border firing

JAMMU, Feb 11 (UNI) — Two BSF men and a woman were injured in unprovoked firing by Pakistani Rangers in the Sunderbani area and Samba sector of Jammu region last night.

A BSF spokesman told UNI here today that two BSF men Sub-Inspector Bishan Singh and constable Atar Singh, sustained bullet injuries, when Pak Rangers opened fire in the Sunderbani area on the line of control. They were admitted to hospital.

The spokesman said heavy firing from across the border continued throughout the night in the Chak Fakira area of Samba sector, injuring a 30-year-old woman, Neemu Devi. She was shifted to a nearby hospital. BSF jawans returned the fire, he added.

The firing from the Pak side resumed after a gap of about three months. In November an agreement was reached in Lahore between the BSF and Pak Rangers for a ceasefire on the Indo-Pak border, he said.

NC against minority status for Pandits
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Feb 11 — The National Conference is opposed to the recommendations of the National Minority Commission that Pandits be granted minority status in Jammu and Kashmir.

Reports said National Conference leaders were not willing to accord the minority status to Hindus in Jammu and Kashmir as it would result in disaffection and regional tension. Instead the ruling party is in favour of removing regional imbalances which could promote better coordination between the Muslim-dominated Kashmir valley and the Hindu-dominated Jammu region.

Mr G.K. Mujoo a Pandit leader, had sent a series of communications to the National Minority Commission and in response to these communications the chairman of the commission, Mr Tahri Mehmood, had written to the state government that Pandits deserved to be granted the minority status. In fact the commission had recommended minority status for the Hindus in six states in the country.

The National Conference Government under the Chief Ministership of Dr Farooq Abdullah had adopted a Bill in the state legislature in 1982 under which a minority commission was to be set up in the state. At that time the government had also announced the name of the chairman of the proposed commission.

The Bill was later repealed by the government headed by Mr G.M. Shah in 1984-85. Since then there has been no move to readopt the Bill regarding the setting up of the minority commission.

Since 1996, when the National Conference regained power, suggestions had been given to the government to move the Bill regarding the setting up of the commission in the state legislature. Several ministers and legislators belonging to the National Conference are said to have opposed the move.

Several leaders of the Kashmiri displaced families are equally cool to the suggestion for granting minority status to them. These leaders want safe return to the valley where they could lead an honourable living and are of the view that they should enjoy political, economic and religious rights. They do not find that by bagging minority status they would be spared of the hardships and humiliation they have been suffering in the past nine years. Panun Kashmir leaders attach more importance to homeland for the Pandits than the minority status.

9 weighbridges to be computerised
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 11 — Several measures were discussed for minimising the detention period of vehicles at the Lakhanpur check post at a high-level meeting held under the chairmanship of the Finance Minister, Mr Mohammad Shafi, here yesterday.

The minister said nine computerised weighbridges would be installed at Lakhanpur for speedy clearance of vehicles. Out of these three weighbridges were already functioning while three others would be made operational by the 15th of next month.

The minister stressed the need for conducting a thorough and scientific analysis on weekly basis, both during the peak season and lean period, to assess the flow of traffic at Lakhanpur and suggest ways to ensure early clearance of vehicles. He said possibilities should be explored for introducing joint checking of vehicles by the forest, sales tax and excise authorities along with the police and other agencies at a single point for smooth flow of traffic.

Mr Shafi exhorted the authorities to remove encroachments, improve sanitation and make proper parking arrangements at the check post.

Blackmarketeers' gang busted

JAMMU, Feb 11 (PTI) — The police yesterday claimed to have busted an inter-state gang involved in the blackmarketing of kerosene oil with the arrest of two persons from Uttar Pradesh and seizure of about 20,000 litres of kerosene.

Senior Superintendent of Police, Jammu, Ashok Gupta said the police intercepted a tanker carrying 20,000 litres of illicit kerosene at Kalucheck near here yesterday and arrested its driver and conductor who hailed from Uttar Pradesh.

Mr Gupta said the two had confessed their clandestine dealing with a local dealer who was absconding.

Mr Gupta said investigations were on to trace the links of the arrested in Delhi and other states.

Shabir Shah

SRINAGAR, Feb 11 (PTI) — The President of the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (JKDFP), Mr Shabir Ahmad Shah, has been placed under "house arrest" since last night, the police and party sources said today.

A posse of gun-wielding police and paramilitary forces was deployed in and around the residential house of Mr Shah since last night and "he is not being allowed to come out", the party sources said.