J&K ultras transiting via Nepal: book
JAMMU, Oct 25 — Nepal, which shares a long porous border with India, is being used by Kashmiri militants for their transit to and from Pakistan, says a new book titled "Kashmir underground".

Anti-terrorism operations intensified
SRINAGAR, Oct 25 — With days of the formation of a new government in New Delhi, the security forces have intensified anti-terrorist operations in the mountainous parts of Jammu and Kashmir, killing more than 40 guerrillas in the past week.

J&K move on employment corpn
SRINAGAR, Oct 25 — Jammu and Kashmir Works Minister Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Shah today informed the Legislative Council that efforts were afoot to set up an overseas employment corporation in the state to provide jobs to the unemployed youth.

Bid to blow up Secretariat

SRINAGAR, Oct 25 (PTI) — Militants’ plan to blow up the heavily guarded Civil Secretariat, seat of Jammu and Kashmir Government, was foiled today with timely detection of a powerful bomb, while the police said they arrested four of the five top militants involved in last month’s bombing of the multi-storeyed building here.

The bomb, planted by militants was noticed lying along the fencing wall of the Secretariat, opposite Accountant General’s Office, on the main road near the Batmaloo area of central Srinagar, official sources said.

A mobile squad of the police control room detected the device. Later, the device was taken to the outskirts of Bemina locality of the city and exploded, the sources said.

Meanwhile, the police claimed to have solved the case of attack on Civil Secretariat and killing of a police constable in the Batmaloo area on September 29 last.

Four top militants of the banned Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, including a driver of Fire Services Department, have been arrested, a police spokesman said.

The arrested militants were identified as Ishfaq Ahmad Beigh, Mohammad Sidiq, Farooq Ahmad Dhobi and Shakeel Ahmad Gandroo, alias Naseem alias Shabeer (all residents of Srinagar city). The fifth militant Merajuddin is absconding, he said.

One AK assault rifle and other ammunition were recovered from their possession and the van used by the militants to target the civil secretariat had also been seized, he said.

The owner of the seized Maruti van had not lodged a missing report to the police on that day and his involvement in the attack would be probed, he said adding the arrested militants were travelling in the van for carrying out attack.

Shakeel Ahmad, a driver in Fire Service Department and posted at Syed Hamidpora Fire Station alongwith Farooq Ahmad Dhobi, had surveyed the area on a bicycle a week before the attack on the secretariat on September 29.

After that they had assembled near Zampa Kadal in Civil Lines, Srinagar and headed towards the secretariat on that day. As soon as they reached the crossing near exhibition ground, Shakeel, who was driving the van, took a tactical turn and Merajuddin fired six grenades in quick succession towards the secretariat, the spokesman said.

He said one of the militants saw a police constable noticing them hurling the grenade towards the secretariat and asked his associate to fire. However, he did not succeed and another opened fire and killed constable Bashir Ahmad.

Later, they fled the scene and reached Batmaloo and fanned into different directions. All four were arrested from different places and interrogated for a week, he said.

An elderly person, working as a watchman of a mosque, had also been arrested for keeping the rifle of Shakeel, he said.

Meanwhile, Director Fire Services, placed Shakeel under suspension on October 16. Sources in the fire services said Shakeel was arrested on the night of October 14 and 15.

Meanwhile, four militants of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen were killed and a civilian injured in a fierce encounter at Ashmuqam in Anantnag district of south Kashmir last evening, an official spokesman said here today.

The encounter broke out at Chandrigam village in Ashmuqam when the Rashtriya Rifles troops laid a cordon around the village following information about presence of militants there, he said.

The spokesman said militants ambushed the search parties in an attempt to escape from the security cordon. The troops fired back and in the ensuing encounter four local militants identified as Tariq Qazi, Mohammad Yousuf Shah, Nazir Ahmad Wani and Shabir Ahmad Shah were killed.

A civilian, Ghulam Mohammad Malik injured in the shootout was shifted to hospital, the spokesman said.

A big cache of arms and ammunition, including three AK-47 rifles, a pistol, nine hand grenades, three RPG rounds, two improvised explosive devices, a wireless set and four magazines with 30 rounds of ammunition were seized from the possession of the slain militants, the spokesman said.

USA for independent status for J & K: experts
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Oct 25 — Notwithstanding dim prospects of immediate resumption of Indo-Pakistan talks for resolving bilateral problems including the core issue of Kashmir, several senior diplomats belonging to more than five countries including Canada, Italy, Finland and Sweden have reached Srinagar with the aim of assessing the situation and people’s response to a couple of possible solutions to the main issue of Kashmir.

These diplomats have separately met a cross section of people including journalists, professors, political leaders. They will meet more persons and their trip is expected to conclude after they have meeting with senior bureaucrats including the Director-General Police and the Chief Secretary.

Inside reports said that some of the diplomats have arrived in Kashmir to get the feedback on a solution that they have in mind. According to these reports, those diplomats favour greater autonomy to the Kashmir valley and the territory occupied by Pakistan. Once it materialised it should be followed by dilution or deescalation of tension along the Line of Control so that a free passage was guaranteed to the people living in Kashmir and "Azad" Kashmir.

Others are examining the security scenario with reference to alleged human rights violations. Since the Home Commissioner is organising the tour programme of these diplomats it is evident that they have not travelled to Kashmir as tourists but after seeking proper permission from the Government of India.

When at a meeting with a couple of intellectuals the Canadian diplomat was informed that grant of greater autonomy to the two Kashmirs and a free passage for the people living on either side of the LoC could not be a lasting solution the envoy is said to have said that at least it may be the base for the final solution.

Kashmir experts are of the opinion that the new solution being sold by some foreign countries would ultimately result in the fruition of the American dream of securing for Jammu and Kashmir an independent status wherein neither India nor Pakistan could have political and military control over the state.

Reports said that after these diplomats assessed the people’s reaction to the solution being circulated at present could form the foundation for Indo-Pakistan talks whenever they are held.

Reports said that Pakistan’s military "ruler", General Pervaiz Musharraf, seems to be keen to resume talks with India in order to keep the US Government in good humour and thus ward off pressure for restoration of civilian rule in Pakistan. In order to see New Delhi agree to resume bilateral talks General Pervaiz has ordered partial withdrawal of troops from the border.

However, Defence Ministry sources said that withdrawal of those battalions of troops that had been posted on the border in the wake of Kargil conflict had no meaning for India. The sources said that even after thinning of Pakistani troops in some sectors across the LoC there has been neither any let up in cross border firing and shelling nor any reduction in the rate of infiltration from across Kupwara, Poonch and Rajouri.

The sources said that as far as the deployment of Indian troops on the border was concerned there was no possibility of any reduction in the light of reports that large groups of militants including foreign mercenaries had been brought close to the LoC and the IB across Kupwara, Keran, Karnah, Uri, Poonch, Rajouri, Akhnoor, R.S. Pora and Samba sectors. These groups of rebels were waiting for proper opportunity for sneaking into Jammu and Kashmir.

The sources have appreciated India’s stand that talks could be resumed only after infiltration from across the border was stopped and Pakistan suspended its moral and material assistance to the insurgents operating in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Defence experts here hold the view that resuming talks with Pakistan without ensuring stoppage of aid to militants would be another blunder after the Lahore declaration because when Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, had reached Lahore by bus Pakistani infiltrators and troops had already fortified their positions on the Indian posts on the icy heights of Kargil and Dras.

J&K ultras transiting via Nepal: book

JAMMU, Oct 25 (PTI) — Nepal, which shares a long porous border with India, is being used by Kashmiri militants for their transit to and from Pakistan, says a new book titled "Kashmir underground".

Since Indian nationals do not require a passport to enter Nepal, the ultras faced no problems as their fake travel documents were prepared by the Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) operatives, says the book authored by journalist and former Director-General, Information and Public Relations, J and K, Sati Sahni.

The book says the militants could travel to any country from Kathmandu and return the same way.

As far back as 1992, the ISI decided to use Nepal as a transit base for the Kashmiri ultras since their movement across the Line of Control (LoC) was becoming more and more difficult, especially for top militants, it says.

The modus operandi was simple as militants travelled to Nepal on a Pakistani passport and then entered India from Nepal as Indian nationals.

The Pakistan Embassy in Kathmandu is allegedly being used by the ISI operatives as a convenient place of work, Sahni says. Though the ISI made Kathmandu a base in 1992, the author says, it took time to have basic structure readied for its operations.

"Many hideouts were decided upon, some local contacts were cultivated, communication channels set up, locations for crossing the Indo-Nepalese border charted and dependable operatives recruited and tested," Sahni said.

Next couple of years were used for "dry runs" through the transit routes to provide confidence to the Kashmiri ultras to visit Pakistan, the book says, adding it provided a safe haven to the militants returning after their operations in India. The year 1997 saw Kathmandu being used frequently by the militants.

Every major Kashmiri militant outfit had positioned a senior and reliable representative at Kathmandu who was in contact with the ISI operatives and some selected officials in the Pakistan embassy, the book claims.

The author mentions the names of several ultras stationed at Kathmandu, their visits to India, and subsequent arrests in Delhi and Nepal.

India shares nearly a 1,850-km border with Nepal which is by and large porous with not many manned check-posts.

Traditionally, there has been no strict enforcement of immigration law and travel from one country to the other for Indian and Nepalese nationals is without restrictions.

Besides, Pakistan enjoys good diplomatic ties with Nepal and maintains the second largest embassy at Kathmandu, next only to India, says the book.

Pakistan’s Habib Bank is also a partner in Nepal’s Himalayan Bank, it says, adding three air services operate a week between Kathmandu and Karachi.

The author further says that it is not difficult to get a genuine Nepalese passport and all that is required is a citizenship certificate which can be issued by any of the 75 chief district officers in that country.

He says the ISI concentrated its attention on Nepal’s southern parts which have a common border with Gorakhpur division in eastern Uttar Pradesh and northeastern Bihar.

In the past five years, there has been a spurt in fundamentalist activities on both sides of Indo-Nepal border and reports allege that mosques and ‘madarsas’ numbering over 300 receive financial assistance from outside, Sahni says.

The ISI reportedly managed to recruit many operatives from Muslim-dominated areas in Nepal, he says.

Smuggling of arms, narcotics and electronic items takes place on a large-scale, but the police is unable to do much as the smugglers enjoy considerable patronage of political parties in both the countries, the author adds.

New Delhi has repeatedly conveyed its concern to Kathmandu about the militants using Nepalese hospitality for their objectionable activities in India, Sahni says.

Anti-terrorism operations intensified

SRINAGAR, Oct 25 (IANS) — With days of the formation of a new government in New Delhi, the security forces have intensified anti-terrorist operations in the mountainous parts of Jammu and Kashmir, killing more than 40 guerrillas in the past week.

The Army, paramilitary forces and the state police have joined hands to conduct operations against insurgents in the Kashmir valley and the hill districts of Udhampur, Doda, Rajouri and Poonch. The Army alone has killed 30 insurgents during the past three days in the valley as well as Doda and Poonch district of the Jammu region.

Fifteen extremists were killed in Poonch district during the past three days in encounters at Loren Mandi, Solina and Surankote. The operations were jointly conducted by the Army and the police.

Mr K. Rajendra, dgp Rajouri-Poonch range, told IANS that the operations were a "great success". He attributed the success to more information coming about the presence of militants as the locals are unhappy with militants."

The Army killed 15 extremists in the Kashmir valley in three different encounters in as many days. Six insurgents were killed in Ganderbal on Saturday and four each in Kupwara and Anantnag on Friday and Sunday, respectively. Police and Army sources say the operations will continue. Mr Rajendra said the successes had come at this point of time because the tall maize crop had been harvested and the temperature had begun to dip rapidly in the mountains. Insurgents have been staying put in the mountains, taking shelter in the caves and huts built by nomadic tribes.

The tall maize crop helped insurgents take cover, greatly hindering security operations. The extremists would dart into maize fields after exploding landmines or ambushing army patrols. Maize is grown in the hill areas of Jammu and Kashmir, where the absence of irrigation facilities prevents farmers from growing rice or wheat in terraced fields.

In July and August, insurgents had launched a major offensive against the Indian security forces in Kupwara and Baramula in the Kashmir valley and Rajouri and Poonch in the Jammu region, killing more than 24 officers and soldiers. Those attacks, combined with frequent blasts and killing of political activists, had scared voters in the state in the run-up to the parliamentary elections. As a result, just about 20 per cent of the electorate cast its vote this time.

Maj-Gen P.P.S Bindra, Major-General, General Staff (MGGS), Northern Command, had explained that the attacks on security personnel were the outcome of the disturbance in the counter-insurgency security grid with the shifting of troops to the borders following the Kargil conflict".

Army officers said the security grid had put restrictions on the movement of insurgents and that was why the current offensive against the extremists was yielding results.

J&K move on employment corpn

SRINAGAR, Oct 25 (UNI) — Jammu and Kashmir Works Minister Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Shah today informed the Legislative Council that efforts were afoot to set up an overseas employment corporation in the state to provide jobs to the unemployed youth.

Replying to supplementaries on a question by Mr Mohammad Sadiq Malik, he said the delay had been caused by the unavailability of technical specialists.

Earlier, Mr Shah said the state government had examined the issue and found that the 11 overseas employment corporations working in the country had failed to meet the purpose for which they were set up.

The state government believes that a private placement agency could play a better role.