SRINAGAR: The army on Tuesday shot dead a 45-year-old man who was moving in a high security locality area here, barely 100 metres away from Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah’s house, official sources said.

The man identified as Abdul Reshi, a resident of Pahalgam, was moving around at Gupkar locality at about 10pm when the army personnel on duty confronted him, they said.

The man tried to escape when the army officers opened fire killing him on the spot, sources said quoting army officials.

We have put entire area under cordon and choked their supplies,” a senior Army officer of 16 Corps said.  “Let us see how long they can survive without food and water. They will be forced to come out and fight or surrender,” he said.  Owing to the heavy winter fog, thick vegetation and difficult terrain conditions, the operation is being undertaken with due care and precautions, he said, adding “we do not want to have any casualty on our side at all.” Reports available with the security forces suggested that there were about seven militants trapped in the area out of which four have been killed, he said. Three security force personnel have also laid down their lives.  The ravine-like terrain along with several natural caves are providing cover for the ultras, he said, denying presence of any fortified bunkers in the area.

“The militants have reportedly stored food. We got some literature and provisions from those places. They (terrorists) had a tin sheet and covered it with earth to convert it into a shelter. Because of these ravines and dense forests, it is a difficult operation and the poor visibility is causing hindrance,” said Poonch range DIG Kamal Saini.

AJK Constituent Assembly is in session with the Speaker, Ghulam Quadir in chair. Muslim Conference (Forward Block) president, Raja Faruque Haider presented the no confidence motion against the prime minister, which is under heated discussions presently. Sardar Yaqub’s name has been suggested for the new leader of the House.

AJK Prime Minister, Sardar Aitque and members supporting him are not present in the meeting. The law minister has blamed the Speaker for being partial.

Omar was invited by the state Governor, N N Vohra, last night to form the government in the state. The invitation followed NC chief’s meeting with the Governor to formally stake claim to form the government.

Reports said that Omar’s will be a six-member ministry and without a Deputy Chief Minister from the Congress. The NC leader’s swearing-in ceremony is expected to take place at 1.30 pm at General Zorawar Singh Stadium in Jammu University. Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi amongst others will be present during the oath-taking ceremony.

The proposed six-member ministry is expected to have three members each from the two coalition partners, who have joined hands to stitch an alliance after a gap of two decades.

Thirty-eight-year-old Omar will be the state’s youngest Chief Minister and the eleventh after he was unanimously elected as the leader of the NC Legislature Party at its meeting on Sunday. Omar’s name was proposed by his father and former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah and seconded unanimously by the remaining 25 Legislators.

“I am confident to deliver in the state and come up to the expectation of the people of the state”, said Omar who got a rapturous welcome on reaching the border state’s winter capital yesterday.

On the eve of the new government assuming office, PDP pulled out of the ruling Congress-led UPA coalition with party president Mehmooba Mufti writing a letter to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

Besides Omar, his party colleagues — A R Rather and Surjeet Salathia — are also expected to take oath. Tara Chand (Jammu region), Taj Mohideen (Kashmir Valley) and Nawang Rigzin Jora (Ladakh) are Congress’ front-runners for a berth in the ministry.

Congress sources said a Deputy Chief Minister, who will be from the party, is unlikely to be inducted today. The induction is likely to be done after Lok Sabha elections.

Attique supported Musharraf’s formula, saying there should be a phased withdrawal of the Indian Army from Jammu and Kashmir and a simultaneous withdrawal of the Pakistan Army from POK.

He said local defence forces should replace the armies of India and Pakistan in both parts of Kashmir.

Attique said the joint supervision mechanism in Kashmir involving India, Pakistan and Jammu and Kashmir was an interim strategy.

The Daily Times quoted Attique as saying that the UN troops should take over security in Kashmir after Pakistan and India withdraw their troops. (ANI)

It was on January 5 in 1949 that the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution, which recognized the right to self-determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir but despite lapse of 60 years the resolution could not be implemented.

Kashmiris living abroad would present memorandums to Indian and Pakistani observers in United Nations in which they would ask to ensure implementation on UN resolutions.

It was officially declared by the forward bloc, which also enjoyed full support and backing of all the 14 assembly members of the opposition parties, including the PPP-AJK, the People’s Muslim League, the MQM and the AJK-PP, in the latter’s no-trust motion against Prime Minister Attique for bringing about the in-house change of the leader of the house.

The resolution of the no-trust motion, also signed by 16 members of the opposition parties and the forward bloc, was submitted by Raja Muhammad Farooq Haider Khan, member assembly belonging to the forward bloc and president of his own faction of the ruling Muslim Conference, in the AJK Assembly Secretariat on Saturday.

Besides Raja Farooq Haider Khan, signatories to the resolution include Abdul Majid Khan, Mahmood Riaz, Ch Muhammad Aziz, Col (retd) Raja Muhammad Nasim Khan, Noureen Arif, Syed Shoukat Ali Shah, Raja Muhammad Siddique, Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan, Raja Nisar Ahmed Khan, Muhammad Salim Butt, Ch Latif Akber, Muhammad Hanif Awan, Muhammad Tahir Khokher, Abdul Waheed, Ghulam Muhi-ud-din Dewan and Ghulam Sadiq Khan.

The resolution contained allegations of massive corruption and malpractices, besides unconstitutional, unlawful and immoral activities and steps, massive irregularities and indiscipline committed by the Attique government.

Mumtaz Alvi adds: The assembly speaker, Shah Ghulam Qadir, summoned the house on January 6 (Tuesday) for voting and, apparently, the sitting prime minister would be voted out easily.

The forward bloc and opposition parties claimed to have the support of 30 legislators in the 49-member house.

Two army soldiers, one policeman and four rebels died in fighting in a forested area of Poonch region, 270 kilometres west of the state’s winter capital Jammu, defence spokesman Colonel SM Acharya said.

“The gunbattle began on Thursday night after militants opened fire on a joint army and police team which was carrying out search operations in the forests following information that rebels were hiding there,” Acharya said.

In another clash in the Sopore district in northern Kashmir, two militants belonging to the Jaish-e-Mohammed were killed Friday evening.

Police said one of the rebels was a Pakistani national identified as Abu Bakhti. Two automatic rifles and ammunition were recovered from the scene.

The disputed Kashmir region is divided into two parts, one administered by India the other by Pakistan. The two countries have fought two wars over the disputed region.

More than 45,000 people have died in violence since violent secessionist militant movement emerged in the 1980s.

India has repeatedly accused Pakistan of aiding Kashmiri militants. Islamabad has denied the charge, calling the insurgents freedom fighters. (dpa)

This demand was made by the Jamaat’s apex policy-making body in a resolution adopted unanimously on Friday. The meeting, held with JI ameer Qazi Hussain Ahmad in the chair, called upon the nation to express solidarity with Kashmir brethren on Feb 5. “This will send a very strong message to Kashmiris making them feel that they are not “alone in this hour of need.

The resolution lauded the heroic role of APHC veteran leader Syed Ali Gillani and assured Kashmir’s full support to Pakistani people and the JI for their just cause. The JI shoora took strong exception to the U-turn on Kashmir policy taken during the rule of former General Pervez Musharraf. This, it said, gave New Delhi a new vigor to quell the Kashmir struggle with unprecedented use of force. Top-ranking Kashmir leaders like Sheikh Abdul Aziz were assassinated in target killings and the entire Kashmiris were left at the mercy of India. Such cowardly policy maintained by Islamabad emboldened the Indian army to unleash fresh reign of terror against the Kashmiris. The JI shoora said India was now flexing her muscle to attack Pakistan and the region was brought on the verge of war. In this backdrop, the JI shoora urged the government to bring about change in the defeated policy towards Kashmir issue.

After a meeting with Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi, Omar told reporters that such power sharing created uncertainties and inconsistency in the governance as was observed in the last PDP-Congress government in the state.

“I recommended six year policy for the Cong-NC govt to provide it ample time to work on its policies,” said Omar, the next J&K CM in waiting. He further thanked the Congress chief, who, Omar said well received his point.

Reportedly, both Congress and NC have reached an understanding on the same.

Omar Abdullah, will be taking oath as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir on 5th of this month, also said a clear no to any pre-conditions.

Omar also added that the Deputy Chief Minister would be from Congress.

According to sources, Congress may opt for the Deputy Chief Minister post and the name will be decided by the party itself.

On January 5th, three NC politicians and three Congress men are slated to be sworn in along with Omar.

Sonia Gandhi will also be attending the swearing-in ceremony on Monday along with others.

The polls in the restive state produced a fractured verdict with no party surfacing with a clear majority. The NC emerged as the single largest party and will form the next state government with Congress support.

In Srinagar, residents expressed faith in Omar’’s leadership saying he would surely work for the development of the region.

“We are sure he will work for the development of people and solve our problems. All the pending problems will be dealt by him,” said Janak Singh, a resident.

Some others, bitter about performance of past governments, said that they would watch how far Omar would succeed in fulfilling his promises.

“All politicians make big promises but it needs to be seen what their agenda is. All of them make big promises and then vanish after that. Let’’s see whether he fulfils his promises or not,” said Sajad Hussain, another resident.

In Jammu, residents expressed joy at Omar’’s selection as the chief in the new government.

“It is a thing of great joy that he is to head the state. He is young and understands the political and economical situation in the region, but he will only be successful if he works for the people at the grass root level and does not confine himself to the betterment of only few chosen class,” said Kamal Sangra, a resident. (ANI)

“It is for the first time in the history of Jammu and Kashmir that not even a single KP candidate could occupy a berth in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly,” all party migrant coordination committee (APMCC) Chairman Vinood Pandit said.

Former Industries minister in the previous Congress-PDP coalition government, Raman Mattoo, lost to Shimeema Firdos of National Conference in Habbakadal assembly seat. In 2002, Mattoo had defeated Firdos from the same constituency. Out of the total 47 KP candidates in fray, 43 contested unsuccessfully in 20 assembly constituencies in Kashmir while four lost from three seats in the Jammu region.

Habbakadal seat saw the highest number of 12 contestants from the community in fray followed by three each in Amirakadal, Devsar and Wachi constituencies. While the Congress, BJP, Samajwadi Party, Lok Janshakti Party, JKNPP and Jammu Kashmir Democratic Party gave tickets to KP aspirants, no one from the community was fielded by NC and PDP in the seven-phased assembly elections.

His remarks assume significance in the wake of his statement last night that he would like to be the Chief Minister which created confusion. 38-year-old Omar, on his part, said he will be guided by his father.

Omar further said informal contacts have been established with the Congress and that he would now go to Delhi and talk to Congress leaders in seeking their help to form a government.

The conflicts should be resolved through dialogues. He said, “If both the countries go on war, then it would be catastrophic for both of them and urged them on focusing the real issue, which is Kashmir.”

Addressing a news conference here, B R Sharma, Chief Electoral Officer of Jammu and Kashmir expressed satisfaction at the peaceful conclusion of the polls.

“I feel very happy that the people could exercise their universal franchise freely and faithfully. Elections have gone completely peacefully. The biggest satisfaction is that the turnout of the voters has been unprecedented,” he added.

“People have to be given full credit, administrative arrangements are made for the people, and they use their solidarity to the system of democracy and democratic values,” he said.

In the final phase of Assembly polls, over 56 per cent voting was recorded. The poll percentage in 13 assembly segments of Jammu and Samba districts was 70 per cent.

Over 63 per cent polling was recorded in the sixth phase, which spread in the districts of Doda, Ramban and Kishtwar in Jammu Division and Anantnag and Kulgam districts in Kashmir.

Approximately 57 per cent voters exercised their franchise in the fifth phase on Saturday. Polling took place in eleven constituencies in the districts of Kathua, Shopian and Pulwama.

An estimated 55 per cent of the 14 lakh electorate exercised their franchise in the fourth phase of polling on December 7.

Despite the call by separatists for boycott of elections, 64 per cent participated in the first phase.

At least 65 per cent voting was recorded during the second phase of polling.

In the first four phases, the number of candidates showed a marked increase this time as compared to 2002. In the Kashmir division the number has gone up to more than double.

The results will be declared on December 28. (ANI)

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in a statement issued in Srinagar said that polls were invalid under the international laws and regulations as the territory is disputed. Polls are null and void unless the Kashmir dispute is not resolved according to aspirations of its people,” he added, a Kashmir-based newspaper reported.

The APHC Chairman said, “Imposing undeclared curfews and simultaneously conducting polls is a big joke and a slap on the so?called Indian democracy.”

He urged people to follow the scheduled programme of the Coordination Committee, which was spearheading the present peaceful resistance movement in the occupied territory.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said that in the disguise of maintaining law and order, the Indian troopers had turned the Srinagar city into a garrison. “The troopers outnumber the people and had spread a reign of terror by detaining many youth.

Meanwhile, senior Kashmiri Hurriyet leader, Seyd Syed Ali Gilani has said that elections in Srinagar were being conducted amidst huge presence of troops to allow bogus voting.

In a statement issued here Syed Ali Gilani termed the last phase of assembly polls as final scene of staged Indian drama. He said the huge presence of army would provide cover to pro?India political parties to push workers and hire voters to cast votes.

The incidents occurred when supporters of freedom groups attempted to take out march in violation of prohibitory orders forcing the police to resort to cane charge and lob teargas shells at many places, officials said. A group of people, shouting pro-freedom and anti-election slogans, tried to take out a march at Tankipora in the city but were intercepted by security personnel, the sources said.

The protesters resorted to stone-pelting and in retaliation security personnel used batons and lobbed teargas shells to disperse them, the sources said, adding in the ensuing clash nine persons, including a photo-journalist, were injured. The condition of the photo journalist identified as Abid Bhat of Srinagar-based Political and Business Daily was stated to be serious, they said.

The officials said security forces also used force and lobbed tear shells at Natipora locality of uptown city where a group of youth tried to take out a march. Similar reports were received from over one dozen places, including Nowhatta, Bemina, Lalbazar in the city.

Indian authorities have deployed troops in Srinagar to prevent protests against polls.

Restrictions on pedestrian and vehicular movement were strictly enforced in Srinagar and adjoining areas from Tuesday, which are the last of eight constituencies to vote.

Thousands of Indian paramilitary troops and police carrying automatic weapons have been deployed, and Srinagar’s 1.2 million people have been confined to their homes.

“The city has been turned into a garrison ahead of the polls. Elections are a meaningless exercise and without wasting further time, India should initiate steps to resolve the issue separatist leader, Mirwaiz Moulvi Umar Farooq, said in a statement.

Separatist leaders, who have already been detained, have called for an anti-poll march to be followed by a sit-in at the historic city center, Lal Chowk.

As many as 393 candidates are contesting in 21 constituencies of Srinagar, Samba and Jammu districts in the last phase of the Held Kashmir polls.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in a statement issued in Srinagar maintained that the right of self-determination is an inalienable right of Kashmiris and so-called elections can’t be substitute to it.

“Even India’s first Prime Minister, Jawahar Lal Nehru had promised to give the right of self-determination to Kashmiris. Since 1947 Kashmiris have been offering sacrifices for attaining the right,” he said.

Mirwaiz said that the United Nations Secretary General, Ban-Ki Moon recently stressed that until India and Pakistan address the Kashmir dispute, the tension will hamper the relations between the two countries.

The APHC Chairman pointed out that New Delhi is using cheap tactics to suppress Kashmiris’ liberation struggle.
“Government of India has left no stone unturned to muzzle the voice of Kashmiris. However, we will carry on the movement until resolution of Kashmir according to aspirations of its people,” he said.

Urging people to make the Lal Chowk March successful, Mirwaiz said, “I appeal people to assemble at Lal Chowk on December 24 and march towards the UN Observers’ Office at Sonawar to submit a memorandum for resolution of the Kashmir dispute.”

He stated that it is the responsibility of UN to ensure implementation of its resolutions, adding, “We expect the UN Secretary General, Ban-Ki Moon to push for permanent settlement of the dispute to ensure peace in South Asia.”