G M Shah joins hands with Azam Inquilabi
SRINAGAR, Oct 18 — Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Ghulam Mohammad Shah here today joined hands with pro-independence Qaumi Mushawarati Council or the National Advisory Council headed by Azam Inquilabi, seeking a final solution to the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan.

Press Council reprimands J&K cops
NEW DELHI, Oct 18 — The Press Council of India has reprimanded two officials of the Jammu and Kashmir police for preventing the reporter and photographer of a local daily The Kashmir Times from covering police action on a group of people who were watching the shooting of a Telugu film in the valley.

NDA govt won’t last long: Karan Singh
JAMMU, Oct 18 — Holding a hope for the Congress in Jammu and Kashmir, Dr Karan Singh, a former Union Minister who lost to Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee in the Lucknow Lok Sabha constituency, claimed here today that the NDA government would not last long.

"Militants feel short of funds"
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Oct 18 — Troops have launched major anti-insurgency operations in the hilly belts of Kupwara district, Poonch and Rajouri and during the past four days more than 20 rebels, most of them foreign mercenaries have been killed.

Official sources said that soon after General Parvez Musharraf, Army Chief, took over power in Pakistan additional troops were sent to the border to prevent Pakistani soldiers from committing any mischief of the Kargil type. Besides mounting vigil on the border the troops were directed to flush militants out from safe hide-outs of Rajwar, Ramhal, Magaan Naar, Mawar and other adjoining areas in Kupwara district.

The sources said that these operations have been one of the factors for large number of foreign mercenaries crossing back to Pakistan in recent days. Under the new strategy the troops have launched multi-directional operations. In several cases they succeeded in cordoning off the hide-outs of rebels and in upper reaches of Poonch more than six rebels were killed in the past 24 hours.

These operations were ordered after the Army authorities received reports that scores of foreign mercenaries had deserted their hide-outs to go back to Pakistan. As such the Indian troops have, so far not faced any major problem in smashing up some of the hide-outs which had been built during the past several years.

Several groups of militants have conveyed to their patrons across the border to send rebels in very small numbers because during the past one month scores of insurgents, especially foreign mercenaries, had been killed by the Indian troops. In addition to this frantic messages have been sent to Pakistani agencies requesting them to send funds as all militant outfits have exhausted their money.

The agencies across the border have been informed that since militants had been directed to procure foodgrains and other necessaries of life through cash payment they needed funds to sustain themselves. Besides this, money was needed to fund overground activists who were to carry out bomb explosions and lay IED explosives.

Sources said that in the past several areas rebels from Afghanistan and Pakistan had established "free zones" in the hilly belts of Kupwara, Baramula, Poonch, Doda and Rajouri. The biggest concentration of foreign mercenaries had been reported from Rajwar, Ramphal, Lolab, Mawar areas. The operations against them had not been carried out as the security forces feared heavy casualty. Since additional troops have been deployed in these areas the multidirectional operations troops had become possible.

Official sources said that the Union Home Ministry and the experts of the Defence Ministry have suggested to the field commanders that under the pro-active policy all militant hide-out and camps in the alpine forest belts be destroyed before the areas were buried under snow. These experts have conveyed to the sector commanders the need for smashing these hide-outs so that fresh infiltrators had no safe shelter to hide. Once these infiltrators were exposed operations against them could be easy.

Sources said that in the past one month these operations will continue till 60 per cent of the militant bases were demolished.

G. M. Shah joins hands with Azam Inquilabi
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Oct 18 — Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Ghulam Mohammad Shah here today joined hands with pro-independence Qaumi Mushawarati Council (QMC) or the National Advisory Council headed by Azam Inquilabi, seeking a final solution to the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan.

The two leaders, Ghulam Mohammad Shah, president of the Awami National Conference (ANC) and chairman of the QMC, Azam Inquilabi, announced the decision at a joint press conference here today. The two leaders stressed uniting of both parts of Kashmir before any final settlement, as the reunion would lead to proper understanding of the leaders of the entire Kashmir on both the sides.There are already 12 organisations as units of the Jammu and Kashmir, National Advisory Council, Azam Inquilabi disclosed. He said that there was an appeal to all "like-minded" parties to join the council.

Replying questions at G.M. Shah's residence the two leaders also appealed for a ceasefire between the militants and the security forces in Kashmir. That would help in the understanding of problem of the 50-year long dispute between India and Pakistan which had been endangering peace in the subcontinent. Mr Azam Inquilabi held that the Army coup in Pakistan was a setback to the issue. "Even the Army rulers have offered talks with India", to resolve all issues including Kashmir, the QMC chairman said.

Announcing his association with the QMC, the former Chief Minister and president of the Awami National Conference said that his party was aware of the fact that "there were different parties outside the Hurriyat Conference having similarity in their ideas and goal". ANC leader said that his party would have preferred to remain with the Hurriyat Conference, but for the breaking away of groups from it, the ANC did not associate with the Hurriyat Conference. The Mahaz-e-Azadi or Freedom Front, formerly headed by the QMC chief, Azam Inquilabi was also one of the groups that disassociated from the Hurriyat Conference. Other groups that dissociated from the Hurriyat included that led by senior separatist leader, Shabir Ahmad Shah.

The former Chief Minister and president of the Awami National Conference said that the gun was no solution to Kashmir problem but it had highlighted the issue in the international fora. He added that final solution was in trilateral talks between India and Pakistan and the "real representatives" of Jammu and Kashmir.

In his three-page statement Azam Inquilabi stated that the QMC, an alliance of pro-independence organisations demanded that both India and Pakistan withdraw their forces from the State and allow the people to decide their future, "after fifteen years, whether they would like to retain their independence or opt for some sort of administrative relationship with India or Pakistan". He stated a two-phase package plan and that Jammu and Kashmir was a single entity as a nation, "and national independence is our objective".

Azam Inquilabi further stated: "In the first phase, disturbed areas, which constitute the Kashmir valley should be allowed to reunite. Let the foreign forces be withdrawn from the united Kashmir valley so that elections are held there to instal duly elected government under the auspices of UNO. It is the duly elected government of united Kashmir valley which will determine the nature of relations with India and Pakistan for the interim period of 15 years. It is the same government, which in the second phase of peace process, will start negotiations with the neighbouring countries for the future dispensation of the disputed peaceful zone of JK State.

Govt rigged poll in J and K: Mufti

NEW DELHI, Oct 18 (PTI) — Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party chief Mufti Mohammed Sayeed and former union minister today accused the Farooq Abdullah government of resorting to "wanton" rigging in the recently held Lok Sabha elections in the state and demanded setting up of a high-level commission to go into the entire poll process.

"The so-called verdict handed down in the name of Kashmiris by the Election Commission in collusion with the state government represents a perversion of public opinion and a fact-finding team comprising intellectuals and human right groups should visit the state to verify the allegations of rigging," the Mufti said at a press conference here.

The Mufti, who unsuccessfully contested from the Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency, said, if 1987 marked a "dubious" watershed in the history of elections in the state, the Lok Sabha elections of 1999 provided a convincing evidence that the Farooq Abdullah government had "perfected the art of wanton rigging".

Accusing the Election Commission of actively conniving with the state administration, the Mufti said repeated request by his party before and during elections for ensuring free and fair polling went "unheeded" and both — the state administration and the election commission — "barely spared a thought" for the fears expressed by them.

Press Council reprimands J&K cops

NEW DELHI, Oct 18 (UNI) — The Press Council of India has reprimanded two officials of the Jammu and Kashmir police for preventing the reporter and photographer of a local daily The Kashmir Times from covering police action on a group of people who were watching the shooting of a Telugu film in the valley.

The council also reprimanded the Haryana Public Health and Housing Minister, Mr Satya Narayan Lathar, for threatening the Chief Editor of a local daily for publishing a report against the minister.

It also directed the Haryana Chief Secretary to provide protection to a correspondent of The Dainik Jagran (Ambala) who was reportedly threatened by the Speaker, Mr Fakir Chand Aggarwal and his sons.

At a meeting held in Bhopal under the chairmanship of Justice P.B. Sawant, the Press Council reprimanded Mr Sajjad Ahmed, Inspector Security Lines, J and K Police, Srinagar, and Ghulam Nabi Dar, SHO of Nishat police station, Srinagar, for preventing Ishfaq-ul-Hassan reporter, and Abdul Qayoom, photographer, of The Kashmir Times from covering the police assault on a group of people who were watching a film being shot.

NDA govt won’t last long: Karan Singh
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Oct 18 — Holding a hope for the Congress in Jammu and Kashmir, Dr Karan Singh, a former Union Minister who lost to Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee in the Lucknow Lok Sabha constituency, claimed here today that the NDA government would not last long.

Addressing a public meeting during his first visit to the city today, Dr Karan Singh said the future of the Congress in India was safe, adding it would be back in power within a year.

He said he had rejoined the Congress to strengthen the nationalist organisation.

Welcoming Dr Karan Singh several state unit Congress leaders, including the PCC chief, Mr Mohd Aslam , Thakur Diwakar Singh, Mr Gulchain Singh Charak said by rejoining the Congress the former Union Minister would revitalise the organisation not only in Jammu and Kashmir but in other parts of the country.

Indications are that after rejoining the party Dr Karan Singh would be given a free hand in the reorganisation of the Congress in Jammu and Kashmir which has been rocked by infighting.

Already several senior party leaders opposed to AICC General Secretary, Ghulam Nabi Azad, have conveyed to the party high command that Dr Karan Singh be given powers to reorganise the party.