Mufti hails meeting of Vajpayee, Sharif
Tribune News Service and PTI

SRINAGAR, Feb 18 — Senior Congress leader and MP, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed here today welcomed the scheduled meeting between Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif, and described it as an indication of "a pleasant atmosphere outside Kashmir".

Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, however, sought the two Prime Ministers to "look inwards" instead of looking outwards for strengthening relations between the two countries. "While Mr Vajpayee and Mr Sharif meet, they are scheduled to talk about Kashmir.... I want to tell them that instead of looking outwards they should look inwards", Mufti Mohammad Sayeed said, while addressing reporters at his Nowgam residence here this morning.

"Kashmir have faced a lot of difficulties during the last one decade", Mufti Mohammad Sayeed said. He added it was a good development that the two Prime Ministers are meeting through Wagah border for the first time in the post-independence era. Mufti said that due to these talks the two countries would come closer adding that its impact was yet to be seen.

Reiterating his party's stand on initiating a dialogue with the people of Kashmir, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed said that there was no other alternative but to talk to the people of Kashmir. "I would like that the basic strategy on Kashmir be changed", Mufti Mohammad Sayeed said while referring to the Central government's role in handling the situation in Kashmir. "People are disillusioned. For the past 11 years Kashmiris are facing bullets from both sides ... it is difficult to control the minds of the people", Mufti Sayeed said.

"If Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee goes to Pakistan to talk to the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, why not talk to the people of Kashmir", the former Union Home Minister said. He added that All-Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) was one such institution among others to whom the Centre should initiate talks for the maintenance of peace in the valley.

The former Union Home Minister expressed concern over the financial constraints of Jammu and Kashmir and sought the Centre to come to the rescue of the State government so that the urges and aspirations of the people falling victim to militancy get a healing touch. In this connection Mufti Mohammad Sayeed said that he had taken up the issue of financial constraints with the Standing Committee of the Union Home Ministry, early this month.

Referring to the security scenario in Kashmir, the former Union Home Minister said that the elected government of the National Conference had "left it to the Army". He added that the State government was indifferent while it had more responsibilities. Mufti Mohammad Sayeed added that Army's role was on the increase. "Excesses are bound to happen", Mufti Sayeed said.

The Centre is engaged in talks with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) but the door had been shut for talks with Kashmiris, he alleged, and said the government had to change this policy so that minds and hearts of the Kashmiris changed.

The Mufti, who visited parts of the valley for the past four days, alleged there was an increase in custodial deaths. "Kashmir is bleeding and there is no accountability as people continue to die and even FIRs are not being filed."

"There appears (to be) no difference between the present popular government and that of Governor’s rule in the state," he said.

He alleged earlier people used to make a hue and cry for excesses of militants but the situation had changed and now people raised their voices against the excesses of security forces and task forces.

Mufti contested the government claim that the situation had improved and Army was in full control of the situation, and asked, "why Army and paramilitary forces are not withdrawn if the situation has improved?"

"Instead, more and more troops are being pumped to deal with the situation. Two division troops have been pumped into Poonch recently," he said.

The Mufti said he would consult his party colleagues in the state to prepare a programme to force the Centre to initiate a dialogue with separatists in order to buy peace.

Four militants shot dead

SRINAGAR, Feb 18 (PTI) — Eight persons, including four militants, were killed and three policemen injured in various encounters in Jammu and Kashmir since last evening.

The security forces arrested a militant and seized arms and ammunition in the state during the period, an official spokesman said here today.

Three foreign mercenaries, two of them identified as Khalid Bhai and Kounsar of occupied Kashmir, were killed in an encounter with the Special Operations Group in Poonch district last night.

Three policemen sustained injuries and a residential house was gutted completely.

Troops gunned down a militant of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen, Javid Ahmad Alai, in a clash in Achabal area of Anantnag district last night.

He said two civilians were killed in the cross-fire between militants and security forces in two encounters at Chak Mahni in Dharamshala in Rajouri and Geroan jungle in Doda, respectively.

Militants shot dead a counter-insurgent of the Ikhwan outfit, Raj Mohammad Ganchoo, at the outskirts of Srinagar last night. Militants also shot dead a bus driver near Suliman complex at Dal Gate in the city today.

Border Security Force personnel arrested a suspected militant, Bilal Ahmad, here. A large quantity of arms and ammunition were seized in search operations in Anantnag and Kupwara districts.

JAMMU (UNI): The BSF has arrested 28 Bangladeshis from the Indo-Pakistan border in Samba Sector of Jammu region.

A spokesman said here today that 28 Bangladeshis, including four women and three children, were arrested on Wednesday night when they were trying to cross over from the Indian territory. No objectionable material was recovered from their possession.

The Bangladeshis had been handed over to the local police. They had been brought by touts on the promise of work in India and Pakistan, but were left to their fate and were asked to cross over to the Pakistani side on their own.

They were being interrogated by the police.

CPI men held, released

SRINAGAR, Feb 18 (PTI) — At least 30 activists of the CPI, including Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council member Abdul Rehman Takroo, were taken into "preventive custody" by the police today for violating prohibitory orders in force in the city.

Mr Takroo, along with his party activists, were taken into custody soon after they tried to take out a procession from the Sher-e-Kashmir park here to protest against the recent hike in prices of essential commodities distributed through the public distribution system and LPG cylinders and urea by the Centre, official sources said.

Mr Takroo said his party had planned to take out a peaceful protest march from the park to the office of the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, at Tankpora but were not allowed to do so by the authorities.

He condemned the action and termed it as "undemocratic".

The arrested CPI activists were taken to the Kothibagh police station and were released immediately.

Earlier, the party activists led by Mr Takroo staged a peaceful dharna inside the Sher-e-Kashmir park against what they termed as "anti-people policies of the state and central governments".