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Misuse of I-cards by militants, OGWs comes under scanner

Abhishek — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 16:50:38 +0000

Jammu, Apr 16-Misuse of identity cards of various political parties has been cited as a major risk by security forces engaged in fighting the militants but despite the deep concern nothing has been done in this regard.
However, lax government attitude as well the negligence of some political parties allowed the militants to plan a major assault, which could result in an attack on none other than the Chief Minister of the state during a rally at Ramban.
In a startling revelation, it has been revealed that the accused Farooq Ahmed and his wife, who had been tasked to take a LeT Fidayeen near the stage where CM was to address the rally had managed to enter the venue with the help of a fake I-card.
The identity card appears to be issued by Vikar Rasool, vice president, J&K Pradesh Youth Congress and president, Banihal Municipal Committee as it carries his seal and signature.
In order to give the I-card an authentic look, photographs of CM Ghulam Nabi Azad and Sonia Gandhi has been pasted on the top.
According to security agencies, it is with the help of these identity cards the militants, particularly the over ground workers operate in their clandestine activities freely.
They further reveal that another fake card had been issued to Divisional commander of a terror outfit namely Abdul Hameed son of Subhan Naik resident of Thachi, Banihal code named Ashaq under the fictitious name of Mohd Sharief son of Mohd Abdullah Naik resident of Gangana, Banihal under card no 389/BYCC showing designation as active worker.
This divisional commander was killed in an encounter between militants and security forces on October 21 at Khari Banihal. During the search of the militant the fake identity card was recovered from his body.
Sources have revealed that hundreds of such fake identity card are floating in the militant infested areas and they are also being used by one and all.
While civilians use them to throw weight with the security forces and administration by flaunting their contacts, the militants and over ground workers use the same to escape identification and for free movement.
Meanwhile, vehicular movement on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was disrupted for more than an hour as people hold a strong protest at Banihal town of Ramban district against the arrest of four persons by Jammu and Kashmir Police.
The arrests were made by police last week claiming that the accused, including a couple, were part of a conspiracy hatched by Lashker-e-Toiba militants to attack chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad during a public rally at Ramban town. Police had claimed to have foiled plot to target a joint public rally of Chief Minister Gulam Nabi Azad and Agriculture Minister and PDP legislative party leader, Abdul Aziz Zargar at Ramban on April 12 and arrested four persons including a couple - Farooq and his wife Haseena - in this connection.

Sixty-year PoK visitor dances to Dhol this Baisakhi

Abhishek — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 12:50:18 +0000

Poonch, Jammu, April 15-For sixty year old Abdul Majid Durrani, a resident of Hajira, in what is now Pakistan occupied Kashmir and hundreds of revelers at Nangali Sahib gurudwara, this Baisakhi would always remain etched in their minds and souls forever.
Durrani, who is on a visit to meet relatives in Poonch, relived his past when all of a sudden, he started dancing to the beats of Dhol at the holy Nanagali Sahib Gurudwara, where a huge congregation had gathered to celebrate Baisakhi.
The unabashed joy with which the visitor from PoK danced mandated the crowd to join him and thus began a celebration which can be described as nothing else but a salute to spirit of secularism practiced by the people of Poonch and upheld by the Indian nation.
Reliving the old days, a visibly shaken Durrani, said that what he did today reminded him of his childhood days, when visited Nangali Sahib with his friends and danced the entire day on Baisakhi.
With tears in his eyes but smile on his face,
he greatly appreciated the fact that Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims are celebrating Baisakhi together and this he said was the victory of human values.
‘The secularism which is being practiced by the people of Poonch and all the Indians is exemplary and this brotherhood sets an example to the whole world’, add the visitor from PoK.
‘Jo bat Hindustan main hai who wahan nahi. Jis tarha se log aaja mere sath nache aur unhon ne mujhe jo pyar diya who main Kabhi bhula nahi sakta’, said Durrani.

It is only here that one can see people from all religions living together peacefully, he said ruing that this was not the case with PoK or entire Pakistan. In Pakistan people do not enjoy so much religious camaraderie and togetherness, he added.
Telling about himself, Durrani revealed that he left Poonch for Paksitan occupied Kashmir in 1947, when he was just 16-year old.
‘I settled in Hajira and started living there after the partition but there was always an longing to visit Poonch, especially Nangali Sahib, of which I have fond memories’, he added.
Meanwhile, the people, who were present at Nangali Sahib hailed the decision of government in opening the borders as a result of which long lost relatives have been able to cross iron fences.
‘We are a secular citizens of a secular city and a secular country and we live here in peace irrespective of caste, colour and creed’, and people will see that one day Pakistan will also appreciate and emulate our values, is the punch line of young Ranjit Singh, who was among the people dancing with the PoK visitors.

Hill Kaka warriors feel orphaned, rue decision to fight terrorists

Abhishek — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 12:02:53 +0000

Poonch, Jammu,India Apr 13-They defeated the nefarious designs of the terrorists in Hill Kaka and fought neck and neck with the Indian Army during the operation Sarp Vinash but now they are feeling orphaned.

The people of Kalali, Do Phalli, Chapra and Telgi Katha-all villages enroute Hill Kaka are ruing their decision to fight the highly trained terrorists enconsced there. The reason for the desolation of these people is the reported movement of the troops from these villages, where army pickets had been set up to provide security to people since 2003.

According to sources, !6 Rastriya Rifles which was posted in the area has been shifted and as a result the villagers have been left to fend for themselves. Perturbed over the shifting of Army pickets from the area, around 120 Village Defence Committee members, who took an active part in anti-insurgency operations allege that they are being treated as cannon fodder by the government. ‘We fought against the terrorists alongside the security forces and because of our support terrorists were crushed in the area’, they said in unison, adding that they have become easy targets as army has left the area.

‘We fear a Kalakote like massacre in the area as the army has moved out like it happened there’, they assert. Most vulnerable among these villagers are the 20 women VDC members, who are trained in handling and using the weapons. These women feel that absence of army will definitely give an upper hand to the militants and allow them to set up base here.

A resident of Dophalli, Razia Begum said ‘I have fought against terrorists when I should have been tending the family and the household all because we had faith in the Indian establishment’, adding ‘we feel orphaned in the manner we have been left at the mercy of terrorists’.

During the crucial fight in Hill Kaka it was our men and women, who provided crucial information to security men, which led to a resounding victory for the Indian Army. The residents of the area warn that the absence of armed forces in the area could be very dangerous not only for the people but strategically as well. ‘If the terrorists return, they will hit us hard’, said an angry Imtiaz Ahmed, a VDC member, who has worked extensively against the terrorists.

Listening to the fears of these people, it can be safely assumed that if the faith of these people is lost than India will be losing their most strategic asset and best friends which she got in the militancy infested country.