Kargil imbroglio worries Shah
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR June 14 — Expressing concern over the Kargil situation, separatist leader, Shabir Ahmad Shah said here today that all efforts to normalise relations between India and Pakistan were futile "without resolving the Kashmir issue."

We had earlier welcomed the Vajpayee-Nawaz bus diplomacy and Lahore Declaration because we wish these two neighbours to be good friends. However, time has proved once again that without resolving the Kashmir issue, no agreement between these two countries can bear fruit", Shabir Shah, president of the Jammu Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party said.

Addressing a press conference here today he sought the two countries to resolve all issues peacefully, for the existence of Jammu and Kashmir.

Reiterating his stand on "complete freedom" for Jammu and Kashmir and resolving the "issue through tripartite talks Shabir Shan said it was not a "territorial dispute'. "It is the question of life and death for more than 12 million persons", he stated. He added his party appreciated "those Indians who have time and again rendered us their moral support and we also are highly thankful to the people of Pakistan for their moral backing during all these 50 years. We also appreciate the Pakistan government as it has not been rigid like India on the "Kashmir issue and instead has always supported our right to self-determination. I have always stood for friendly relations between these two countries but this all is futile until both treat Kashmir as a pure human issue and search for a just and realistic solution", Shabir Shah stated.

Elaborating on the tripartite talks to "resolve the Kashmir Issue", Shabir Shah said for finding representatives of Kashmir, "elections be conducted in all parts of undivided Jammu and Kashmir under the supervision of some impartial body. Those elected should be accepted as representatives and involved in tripartite talks," the separatist leader said.

Referring to the election in the state, he said his party had nothing to do with the process, as these were a "fraud and condemnable". He alleged that people were being coerced and forced "so that these people can show to the world that everything is well here".

Fernandes warns infiltrators
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, June 14 — The Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes, today said that Pakistani infiltrators and soldiers, occupying the Indian territory in the Kargil-Dras belt, had only two alternatives either to vacate the grabbed area or face bullets.

Speaking on the birth centenary celebrations of Brig Rajinder Singh, saviour of Kashmir during the Pak tribal invasion in 1947, here the Defence Minister said: "Our troops are marching ahead and in the past 30 days several posts and positions in the Kargil area have been regained by them."

Mr Fernandes said while India was keen to promote peace in the region and friendship with Pakistan, Islamabad launched an aggression in Kargil and occupied some area belonging to India.

Talking to newsmen he said India would be able to regain its territory in Kargil as early as possible. Asked why did he look pensive, Mr George Fernandes shot back "there is no occasion for celebrations."

He said there could not be any timeframe for throwing out the infiltrators but he was confident that the Indian soldiers would soon recapture the areas the Pak troops had usurped.

Euologising the role of Brig Rajinder Singh the Defence Minister said two other personalities had played a key role in saving Kashmir for India, they were Sheikh Abdullah and Brigadier Usman.

Mr Fernandes praised 500 youths of Jammu who had volunteered to donate blood for the soldiers wounded in Kargil.

4 killed in encounter
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, June 14 — At least four persons, including two militants and two securitymen, were killed and five soldiers injured in an encounter near here last night, while the security forces apprehended six suspects from different places in the Kashmir valley since yesterday.

A police spokesman said here today that two militants, a security forces officer and a jawan were killed in an encounter at Khulmullah, Ganderbal, about 30 km from here last night. Five jawans were also injured in the night-long encounter, while one house was gutted in the exchange of fire. Two AK rifles and two magazines were seized, the police said.

The dead officer had beed identified as Assistant Commander of the BSF A.S. Salal.

Giving details of the encounter, the spokesman said the security forces cordoned off Khulmullah village last night on the specific information that some militants were hiding there. The hiding militants opened fire at the search party which led to an encounter killing four persons and injuring five soldiers. The killed militants had been identified as Mushtaq Ahmed Hura of Khimber, Hazratbal, Srinagar and Mohammad Akram from Pakistan.

The house of Ghulam Rasool Mir was damaged in Patushai, Lolab village in Kupwara district due to an explosion yesterday night. No one was injured in the explosion, police said.

Four suspected militants were apprehended by the Special Operation Group (SOG) of the state police from Neewa in Pulwama district. They are being questioned, the police said. However, the identity of those apprehended was not disclosed.

Two other suspects were also apprehended from Bandipore in Baramula district. One AK rifle, a pistol, one wireless set and 128 rounds of ammunition were recovered from them.

The police recovered the body of Jamaat Hussain, (a special police officer) from Sadi Khoja in Poonch district. He had been kidnapped along with his brother by suspected militants from the house of Sher Mohammad at Lower Mandi during the preceding night. Jammat Hussain, and his brother from Sadi Chauhan had gone to Lower Mandi to attend a marriage.