Jammu And Kasmir - Printable Version

Jammu And Kasmir - Printable Version

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Jammu And Kasmir - Guest - 10-20-2005

QUOTESubversives Trying to Score Political Points over Earth-quack in Kashmir
Brig. Usman Khalid calls for Care lest the Freedom Struggle in Kashmir is compromisedÂ 
A PTI news report has appeared in the Hindustan Times (16 October) that uses Dr. Shabbir Chaudhry based in London (claiming to represent the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front) as a source and alleges that the real reason for Pakistan refusing to accept Indian offer of helicopters was that it would have revealed the presence of âterror campsâ in Pakistan. But the leader of JKLF in IOK (Indian Occupied Kashmir) â Yasin Malik â is now in Pakistan making the opposite point. He says the Indian Army as the âchief impedimentâ in the way of international relief in IOK. India has refused access to quack hit areas not just to one country but to the entire world. Only vetted reported (who are often Hindu) who make sanitised reports approved by the Indian military are allowed into the IOK. Not only the International Press but the International Aid Agencies are also refused access to quack hit areas in IOK. In contrast, MQM, a subversive group that toes the Indian line on all matters political and non-political, is operating freely in Azad Kashmir.Â

There is no evidence of any country other than India to have sought to make political capital out of the crisis in Kashmir and the people of Pakistan have united in their zeal to help the victims. But the subversive groups like IKA and MQM have been trying to score political points. Pakistan should learn from the experience and keep all except friendly nations out of the Reconstruction phase. The Peoples Republic of China is the most suitable partner of Pakistan in the Reconstruction Phase. While technology and financial assistance is welcome from all the friendly countries, the contracts for reconstruction should be given only to Pakistani and Chinese contractors. In the strategically sensitive area of Jammu & Kashmir, Pakistan must act carefully lest it compromise the struggle for freedom that has been going on since 1989 and is now close to being successful.Â Â

Jammu And Kasmir - Guest - 10-20-2005

Another from idiot but i have removed his regular nonsense, only last para is interesting to read.
QUOTEThe Kashmiri struggle for liberation entered a military phase in 1989 when it became apparent that India has no intention of honouring its pledge to the world to let the Kashmiris decide their political future in a plebiscite. Pakistan helped but has since withdrawn its support under US pressure. But the Kashmiris are not subject to pressures that are exerted on Pakistan or India. They will carry on their struggle with whatever help and means are available. By declaring those fighting liberation war in Kashmir as terrorists, USA reveals the truth about itself. It is not a champion of democracy or self-determination; these are the cover for its pursuit of hegemony and control. I do not know aboutÂ Tariq Ali but Arundhati Roy and Hugo Chavez are the only voices (albeit feeble) that are still willing to call a spade a spade.Â And the role of Dr Gul Agha is to sing praise of America and decry those who fight for self-determination and stand up against the bullies â India, Israel and America.Â

Brigadier (retd) Usman Khalid
Director London Institute of South Asia

Jammu And Kasmir - Guest - 10-22-2005

Hizbul commander among three killed in J&KQUOTEA self-styled tehsil commander of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit and a jawan were among three persons killed in separate incidents in Doda and Poonch districts on Friday, official sources said.
On specific information, security forces launched an operation in Panjosh village of Banihal area in the wee hours, they said, adding in the ensuing three hours-long encounter, the HM tehsil commander identified as Abdul Hamid was gunned down.

Jammu And Kasmir - Guest - 10-24-2005

31 Hindus flee Rajouri after militants' threat

Jammu And Kasmir - Guest - 10-25-2005

Forcing Hindus into exile - BY Geoffrey Clarfield (National Post Canada)

QUOTEOctober 25, 2005

On Oct. 10, just two days after an earthquake killed tens of thousands in South Asia, Islamist terrorists belonging to Hizb ul-Mujahideen and Lashkar e-Tolba killed 10 Hindu civilians in the Rajouri district of Indian-controlled Kashmir. The attacks were part of an orchestrated campaign designed to cleanse Kashmir of its indigenous Hindus and bring the area entirely under Muslim governance -- either through a union with Pakistan, or as an independent, Sharia-based Islamic state. Apparently, not even the massive devastation wrought by mother nature has slowed the terrorists' murderous campaign.

Kashmir is the only state of India -- there are 27 states and seven union territories in the nation -- where the majority of inhabitants are Muslim. Indian law prohibits migration of Indians from other states into Kashmir, in order to preserve its Muslim character. In 1947 and 1948, when Hindus and Muslims were slaughtering each other on either side of the Punjab, Kashmir was remarkably peaceful, its Hindu minority lived without fear and the Kashmiris welcomed the Indian army, which protected the population from invading Pakistani tribes.

How was this spirit of tolerance created? The answer lies in the nature of Kashmiri Islam.

Islam came to the Kashmir valley during the late middle ages. Some scholars argue that the slow and gradual conversion of the inhabitants was the result of an indigenous version of Islam promulgated by local mystics, or Sufis, called Rishis. (Aurangzeb Anyone?)

Rishis were celibate and pacifist mystics. Like the Kashmiri Yogis and Buddhists who may have been their models, they were tolerant of non-Islamic faiths such as that practised by the indigenous Hindus of Kashmir, the Pandits, whose most famous son, Jawaharlal Nehru, founded the modern state of India.

Rishis established centres of pilgrimage graced by beautiful buildings called Ziarat. Many of these places were honoured by Hindus, and many Rishi saints were venerated by Muslim and Hindu worshippers alike. Until the early 1980s, the Hindu Pandits of the Kashmir valley generally lived peaceably with their neighbours of the Muslim majority.

The basis of this mutual toleration is called Kashmiriat. Roughly translated into English, it means "the Kashmiri style or way of life." Unlike the Salafist or Wahhabi Islam of Osama Bin Laden and his followers, Kashmiriat versions of Islam tolerate dance and music. (The Kashmiri musical tradition has more than 180 local ragas and myriads of dances that local musicologists are trying to record and disseminate.) For those looking to reconcile Islam and democracy, Kashmiriat provides an example of how a tolerant Islamic religious and cultural tradition can lay the groundwork for secular democracy.

But during the 1980s, Kashmiriat was dealt a blow from which it may never recover. Moderate Kashmiri Muslims woke up to find that their mosques had new preachers, many of whom had been trained outside of the country. They preached against the old versions of Islam and insisted that their intolerant Wahhabi strain must be adopted by all Kashmiris. Women were to adopt the veil and music was proscribed.

They also preached that indigenous Hindus should be forced to leave, so that Kashmir could become a land reserved for Muslims. No doubt, they were inspired by the world's silence following the near total expulsion of the 50,000-strong Hindu community of Kabul after its conquest by the Taliban.

After a decade of preaching and fulmination, words led to action.

In 1990, the local Urdu-language press in Srinagar, the capital of Indian Kashmir, published a press release from Hizb ul-Mujahideen demanding that the Pandits of Kashmir leave so that Kashmir could join Pakistan. A poster campaign followed demanding that Kashmiris obey an "Islamic" dress code and that video parlours and cinemas be banned.

Shops, businesses and homes of Kashmiri Pandits were marked out, and notices were placed on their doors demanding that they leave. In villages throughout the region, hit lists of Kashmiri Pandits were distributed. Within a short period, gangs of young men carrying Kalashnikovs began random and indiscriminate killings of Pandit families and any Kashmiri notable who opposed the terror.

The state government of Kashmir collapsed, the Chief Minister went into hiding, and both the regional and national security forces sat idle while a flood of Pandit Hindus were driven out (Like in Pre-Partition Punjab, Bengal, -- - Sri Lanka and later, Bangladesh). On Sept. 12, 2004, The Times of India put the case mildly when it ran a story under the headline "Hindu population in decline in Kashmir."

The American and British governments have confirmed that more than a quarter of a million Pandit refugees have been driven out of Kashmir into neighbouring states during the last 15 years. Yet the Indian government has yet to call these people what they are: victims of terror. As a matter of political convenience, it has labelled them "migrants." They languish in refugee camps, in squalor and disease -- people who were once famous for their pacifist version of Saivite Hinduism and who were once an inspiration to Mahatma Gandhi.

Meanwhile, the new Chief Minister of Kashmir has asked the Pandits to return. But each time such announcements are made, there is another terrorist attack against the remaining Hindu stragglers in Kashmir. The Oct. 10 attack was of this type.

Pakistan was created as an Islamic state. India was created as a secular democracy. Although Hindus outnumber Muslims in India by 10 to 1, the media and the government have always been fastidious in ensuring that their rights are honoured and protected. Allowing the expulsion of a quarter of a million indigenous Hindus from their ancestral homeland in Kashmir is not only a hateful, collective crime -- it is also a betrayal of the tolerant creed that has allowed Muslims themselves to prosper. Qudsia Shah, former president of the College for Women in Srinagar put it bluntly: "The exodus of Hindus is not good for Kashmir. We Muslims are the losers."

The Indian government must first recognize the Pandits as legitimate victims of terror in Kashmir. They must then give them back their stolen property and they must win the war on terror in Kashmir. By doing so, they will also allow the moderate Islam of Kashmir to return to that once fabled Himalayan paradise. Kashmiriat is good for democracy.

Â© National Post 2005

Overall Very Good Article, saying many things that the Mainstream Indian Media does not.

Yet, no comment on Canada's collusion with Pakis, Unkil and Poodle to foment Sikh terror in Punjab.

Can't win 'em all I guess.

Thanks to JRJ for posting in BR.

Jammu And Kasmir - Guest - 10-25-2005

Truly a good find.. But then you show this to DDM-types and start counting the number of seconds before they start shouting "hindu-fanatic" !! <!--emo&

--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rolleyes.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='rolleyes.gif' />

Jammu And Kasmir - Guest - 10-28-2005

Infantry Day in Jammu

The 27th October is one of the most historic days for the Indian Army, as on this day in 1947, it undertook the first military operation in J&K and prevented Pak raiders from capturing the Kashmir Valley.

Infantry Day is celebrated to commemorate this glorious action of Indian Infantry Post Independence era. It was on this day that first Battalion , the Sikh Regiment landed at Srinagar Air Field . Tiger Division celebrated the Infantry Day with paying of tributes to the brave soldiers who have fought gallantry and made the supreme sacrifice, with defending the unity and integrity of the country.

At the War Memorial at Jammu,serving and retired officers, JCOs and Jawans paid homage to the brave soldiers who laid down their lives for the country. The ceremony began with GOC Tiger Division, Major General Jasbir Singh, laying wreaths at Amar Jawan Jyoti and followed by other serving, retired and civil officials. The ceremony revived the memories of the supreme sacrifices of gallant Infantry soldiers,who have valiantly fought the external aggressors and the militants to safeguard the integrity and unity of the country.

The War memorial ceremony was followed by Barakhana in various cantonments and units where all ex-servicemen from Infantry were invited. The retired officers , JCOs and other ranks were impressed with the hospitability and honour given to them. In the evening a social evening was organised by Tiger Division for all serving and retired infantry officers and distinguished guests.

The Infantryman has come a long way and his fearless gallantry, dedication and devotion to duty has made the entire nation proud. Be it Saichen Glacier or the burning deserts of Rajasthan or dense jungles of Northern Eastern, the Infantrymen has defended the nationâs territorial integrity and won accolades from all.

Jammu And Kasmir - acharya - 11-02-2005

Check this out

QUOTEÂ Rising Leaders Kashmir Day

by Faqir Naqvi
New York: -- On October 27, 2005, Rising Leaders marked the 58th Anniversary of Kashmir Black Day in Rayburn House Office Building. Students, legislative staffers, and young professionals, Pakistanis and non-Pakistanis alike, attended the event to promote understanding and awareness about an issue that is too often neglected by the international community. Although October 27 is traditionally a day of recognition for the Kashmiri struggle and the plight of a people divided, Kashmir Day 2005 also focused on the devastation of the October 8th earthquake that literally shook northern Pakistan and Kashmir.

Fauzia Tariq, Executive Director of Rising Leaders, opened up the program by welcoming the guests and speakers and reminiscing over the beginnings of this now rapidly growing organization. She spoke of the concept of a politically informed and active Pakistani-American community as a dream for a few exceptional students and young professionals based in Washington and how this dream has manifested into a nationwide reality in merely a year with the birth of Rising Leaders. Furhan Shah and Azmat Khan, who are currently interning with Rising Leaders, also expanded on the mission of the organization and its current fundraising activities, which have raised over $175,000 dollars for the President's Earthquake Relief Fund. This is the largest amount raised by any community organization for the President's Relief Fund.

The first speaker for the evening was Osman Ashai, a sophomore at Georgetown University who was born in Srinagar, Kashmir. Through a collection of pictures taken from a recent trip to Kashmir, Osman was able to carry the audience across the Atlantic to the land that will forever be known as Paradise on Earth. By relating personal accounts and encounters, he was able to tell the story of a peace-loving people in a land of turmoil. Osman emphasized that although the people appeared simple and humble, Kashmir boasts one of the highest literacy rates in South Asia.

Osman really brought the Kashmiri struggle home when he told the audience that his own family is divided between Azad Kashmir and Indian occupied Kashmir. Osman's candid presentation left the audience with the image of a beautiful land and humble people that is rarely portrayed in mainstream media.

The second presentation was by Sadia Sindhu, who is currently a freshman at Georgetown University. Sadia spoke on the recent quake that shook her hometown of Muzaffarabad and left behind over 50,000 dead and millions homeless. Sadia photographic montage displayed images of the destruction, pain, and helplessness that were experienced by people all over Kashmir and Pakistan. The images provided the visuals that were needed to close the gap of understanding and realize the gravity of this tragedy. Sadia also spoke of her own family's devastating experience with the earthquake.

The Keynote speaker, Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai, President of the Kashmiri-American Council, closed the evening with remarks on the historical struggle of Kashmir and the most recent adversity it has had to face. Dr. Fai stated that although the damage caused by the earthquake is unimaginable, the Government of Pakistan, with the support of Pakistanis worldwide, has been a blessing for the people of Kashmir.

Dr. Fai reminded the audience that Kashmir Black Day, October 27, is the day that marks the start of the Kashmiri struggle; it is the day that the Indian forces invaded Kashmir. He spoke of U.N. resolutions that recognize that Kashmir was a disputed territory and should be resolved according to the wishes of the Kashmiri people. Dr. Fai stated that although the peace process and bus service from Muzaffarabad to Srinagar is a dream come true for many divided Kashmiri families, it should not mask the fact that thousands have already lost their lives and are still dying because the Kashmir issue has yet to be resolved.

Dr. Fai concluded the evening by thanking Rising Leaders and all those in attendance. He encouraged the audience to donate to earthquake relief efforts and to advocate for a more aggressive peace process in Kashmir.

Jammu And Kasmir - Guest - 11-02-2005

QUOTECar bomb blast in Srinagar, 6 killedÂ 
Agencies / Srinagar
A suicide bomber on Wednesday blew up an explosive-laden car on the outskirts of the city killing six persons, including himself, and injuring 18 others, hours before the swearing-in of Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.

The bomber, belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammed, blew the vehicle up at about 15-km from the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre, the venue of the swearing-in ceremony, and near the private residence of outgoing Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed when challenged by security forces during a random search.

The militant refused to stop the vehicle and as a constable tried to block his way, he blew up the car at around 11.10 AM.

Besides the militant, the constable Nisar Ahmed and four civilians-- Saleema Akhtar of Gulshan Nagar, Mohammed Iqbal Wani of Kanipora, 12-year-old Irshad Ahmad Dar and a yet to be identified person, were killed in the attack, senior Superintendent of Police Munir Khan said.

The condition of eight of the injured was stated to be serious. Among them were three traffic police constables, hospital sources said.

"The car bomb is our first gift to Ghulam Nabi Azad," a man, identifying himself as Abu Quduma and claiming to be a spokesman of Jaish-e-Mohammad told a local news agency.

He identified the bomber as Mohammed Mubashir Hussain, a resident of Abbaspora village in Rawalakot in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.

Jammu And Kasmir - Guest - 11-02-2005

QUOTEDr. Fai stated that although the damage caused by the earthquake is unimaginable, the Government of Pakistan, with the support of Pakistanis worldwide, has been a blessing for the people of Kashmir.
Finally, POK may see some infrastructure and Mushy can complete his unfinished job of 80s by moving Punjabis to POK.

Jammu And Kasmir - acharya - 11-03-2005

Dr. Fai stated that although the damage caused by the earthquake is unimaginable, the Government of Pakistan, with the support of Pakistanis worldwide, has been a blessing for the people of Kashmir.

Jammu And Kasmir - Guest - 11-03-2005

Car-bomb gift for Azad Alert cop averts carnage and dieshttp://www.telegraphindia.com/1051103/asp/frontpage/story_5431579.asp
QUOTEA bomber in a car packed with explosives tried to drive through a checkpost on the busy Srinagar-Muzaffarabad highway â the road the peace bus takes â not far from the house of outgoing chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, hours before the Congress leader was sworn in.

Police constable Nissar Ahmad signalled to the militant to stop at the Nowgam checkpost in the city, but he did not. âConstable Nissar not only chased the car, but also fired several gunshots at it from his rifle. Probably one of the gunshots hit the explosives inside the vehicle and it exploded,â said Javaid Mukhdoomi, inspector-general of police, Kashmir range.

Nissar, three civilians and the bomber were killed in the blast at 10.15 am.

Jammu And Kasmir - Guest - 11-06-2005

Gangraped by foreign ultras, schoolgirl commits suicideQUOTEJAMMU: Foreign mercenaries gangraped a girl who, shattered by the traumatic experience, committed suicide in a village in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir recently, a defence spokesman said here on Saturday.

A group of ultras, speaking foreign dialect, barged into a house in Muradpur village on the night of October two and demanded food. Later, they mercilessly beat up two men, tied a woman occupant of the house to a cot and criminally assaulted a schoolgirl, the spokesman said.

Unable to bear the humiliation, the girl ended her life by consuming a bottle of pesticide, he said.

Jammu And Kasmir - Bharatvarsh - 11-13-2005

QUOTEPress Trust of India

Posted online: Monday , October 24, 2005 at 0240 hours IST

Jammu, October 23: AS many as 31 Hindus from seven families today fled their mountainous hamlet in Rajouri district after militants threatened to kill them, official sources said.

The minority community members decided to leave their remote village after a group of militants headed by deserted Special Police Officer-turned-ultra Ayoub entered into the house of one Ravinder Singh in Khah village in Rajouri district last night, they told here. They looted Rs 50,000 from the house.

On hearing the commotion, Village Defence Committe member Rattan took out his gun and fired at them, they said. After a brief gunbattle the ultras escaped with the looted money from the house. However, the militants threatened to come back in a large group and kill the Hindu families the way 10 members of the community were killed in Budhal on October 10.

Following the incident, the seven families left for Rajouri town. Forty-seven Hindus have already migrated to safer areas in Sunder town of Rajouri district from Budhal after the massacre. 
Where are our seculars?, seems like only Muslim lives matter to them.

Jammu And Kasmir - Guest - 11-16-2005

Get offensive 
The terrorists are gaining an upper hand on us again.QUOTEMehbooba Mufti, Muftiâs dynamic daughter, and the PDP leader, is right in one sense, she says violence in Kashmir never makes the same kind of impact as violence in the National Capital Region. This is true of the Delhi blasts as well. This needs a mindset change, violence in J and K must return to the priority it had in the mid-Nineties, which is why security measures were so effective, and Srinagar had been sanitised. But there is second element to this, and the key to it all, which is that the terrorists and terrorist leaders must face reprisals for their terrorism within India. The reprisal could be against the state of Pakistan, or it could hand pick the terrorist leaders and groups.

It is time prime minister Manmohan Singh authorised the agencies for all out retaliatory action.

Jammu And Kasmir - Guest - 11-16-2005

Blast near J&K bank kills 3, injures 35

Jammu And Kasmir - Guest - 11-29-2005

QUOTEUS Congressmen meet Kashmiris: Closed-door talks
By Jawed Naqvi
http://www.dawn.com/2005/11/29/top7.htm

NEW DELHI, Nov 28: Senior US Congressmen held a rare closed-door meeting with Kashmiri representatives and high-ranking Indian government officials on Monday and promised to urge Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to allow a greater involvement of Kashmiris in the peace process with Pakistan.

Informed sources told Dawn that the meeting which was led by Republican Congressman Dan Burton was being kept low profile. In fact there was no information till late in the night about a meeting the Congressmen were to have with Dr Singh later on Monday.

According to the sources, the Kashmiri representatives at the meeting included pro-India leader Omar Abdullah and the head of Hurriyat Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.

Indian officials included Mr Wajahat Habibullah, seen as a strong advocate of transparency and human rights in Kashmir. He is also considered to be influential with Indiaâs ruling United Progressive Alliance.

According to the sources, both Mr Abdullah and the Mirwaiz spoke for a greater role for Kashmiris in the peace talks with Pakistan. Mr Abdullah said the Kashmir issue was not an administrative matter but one that had to be resolved politically.

American representatives mostly expressed their sympathy with the Kashmiris but some senior members also promised to take up the matter of their representation in the peace talks in a proposed meeting with the Indian prime minister.

Mr Burton is known for his strong advocacy for the Kashmiri and Sikh diaspora in the United States. In the absence of US ambassador David Mulford, who is away, his deputy Robert Blake hosted a dinner for the US visitors and their guests from Kashmir.

Kashmiri analysts say the US team has been keen on Pakistan President Pervez Musharrafâs televised proposals about the resolution of the Kashmir issue. Hurriyat leaders last week held a meeting in Srinagar to discuss the visit of US Congressmen.

They had agreed to put forward their demand for self governance and demilitarisation.

Jammu And Kasmir - Guest - 11-30-2005

QUOTEwww.outlookindia
"Self-governance" idea in line with UN resolutions: Pak 
K J M VARMA ISLAMABAD, NOV 28 (PTI)
Despite India rejecting its "so-called self-governance" idea, Pakistan today said efforts to find a solution to Kashmir issue through self-governance and demilitarisation was in line with Islamabad's stand on the UN resolutions. "The proposals to find a solution to the Kashmir dispute according to the aspirations and wishes of the Kashmiris was not contradictory to the UN resolutions on this issue," Foreign Office Spokesperson Tasnim Aslam told reporters in a weekly briefing here.

Replying to a question, she said right of self- determination was directly linked to the wishes and aspirations of Kashmiris. Pakistan's proposals of demilitarisation and self-government in Kashmir are also part of the solution of the issue in accordance with the aspirations and wishes of the Kashmiris, she said. India last week had rejected Pakistan's idea of "so- called self-governance" in Jammu and Kashmir, saying people of the state already enjoyed autonomy and popular democratic rights which residents of the state's parts under Pakistan's occupation were deprived of. External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna had said this in response to an earlier statement by Aslam that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had made the proposal for self-governance and demilitarisation in J and K during his meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Dhaka on the sidelines of the SAARC Summit on November 13.

During the meeting, Sarna said, Aziz had "conveyed that in seeking a resolution to the J and K issue, the two countries could inter alia explore ideas such as self-governance and demilitarisation," adding it was mentioned in "passing." About the five crossing points opened at Line of Control for movement of Kashmiris, Aslam said Pakistan wanted that these points should be opened daily for long-term interaction instead of once a week as of now. She said crossing from five points across the LoC was of a different nature as it was on permit and not a routine travel between the sovereign countries which required documents. She said these crossings would not affect the LoC status. Aslam said any solution to Kashmir would be with the involvement of the Kashmiris living across the LoC.

Refuting assertions by India on the continuing cross-border terrorism, she quoted statements of Indian Army Chief J.J. Singh who had said that cross border infiltration was not a problem for India now.

"We condemn terrorism and reject it. We ourselves are victims of it," she said.

Referring to the proposal of trade across LoC, she said it was different from the trade between Pakistan and India. She explained that the two countries have been working on SAFTA to make the free trade area.

"You should not link India-Pak trade with intra-Kashmir trade. That (intra Kashmir trade) is totally different category. That is not trade between India and Pakistan.

Jammu And Kasmir - Guest - 11-30-2005

QUOTEBurtonâs J&K meet attended by Wajahat 
New Delhi, Nov. 29: Central information commissioner Wajahat Habibullah, the governmentâs pointperson for Kashmir, was present at a closed-door meeting organised by the US embassy with Kashmiri leaders, including All-Parties Hurriyat Conference chairperson Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, on self-governance for Jammu and Kashmir. The meeting held for India-baiter Dan Burton and a group of visiting US Congressmen also discussed the issue of demilitarisation.

The meeting, which was confined to just a few leaders from Jammu and Kashmir, included Mr Habibullah, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah and the Mirwaiz. Peopleâs Democratic Party leader Mehbooba Mufti was invited but did not attend. Social activist Madhu Kishwar was present. The US Congressmen were interested in eliciting responses on Pakistan President Gen. Pervez Musharrafâs proposal for âself-governanceâ which closely resembles the proposal recently forwarded by the US-based Kashmir Study Group. The proposal is for Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to be divided into regions, each to be demilitarised and then allowed self-governance with its own flag, constitution and elected representatives.

The American Congressmen made it apparent that their primary interest during this visit to India, and later Pakistan, was to seek a resolution of the Kashmir issue. They met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh late on Monday night after the closed-door meeting with the Kashmiri leaders. The Indian government continues to officially insist that it has not received any proposal on self-governance although the APHC recently held a long meeting on self-governance and came out in full support of this as well as demilitarisation.

In fact, the Mirwaiz said at Monday eveningâs meeting that demilitarisation would be a major first step and maintained that this would not increase terrorism in the State. Mr Omar Abdullah pulled out his partyâs old autonomy report, pointing out the similarities between this and the self-governance proposal. He said that the government had shown no interest in this report at all despite some promises to discuss it.

The Mirwaiz also said that after the September meeting with the government, there had been no follow-up action, with New Delhi refusing to release political prisoners. The impression after the meeting was that the US Congressmen had been fully briefed about the governmentâs reluctance to proceed towards a resolution of the Kashmir issue, and that most of the political parties in the Valley were totally supportive of the Musharraf-KSG proposal. The US Congressmen reportedly assured the Kashmiri leaders that they would raise the issue of their greater participation in talks at their meeting with the Prime Minister.

Ms Mehbooba Mufti stayed away, as she usually does from meetings convened by foreign diplomats. She has also refused invitations to visit the United States and some other countries, preferring to keep her demands within national parameters. She has been supportive of more autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir, and has spoken several times in favour of demilitarisation. It is not clear, however, whether she supports the idea of self-governance and the division of Jammu and Kashmir into separate entities.

Sources here apprehend strong pressure now from the West on self-governance, with Pakistan keeping the spotlight on this particular issue. The Pakistan foreign office has now claimed that the proposal has the full backing of the Kashmiri leadership on both sides of the Line of Control. The Pakistani argument, although not stated in so many words, is that the self-governance proposal has the support of Kashmiris and Pakistan, and it is now for New Delhi to fall in line. The Pakistan foreign office spokesperson claimed âthat any proposal, any idea that emanates from the government of Pakistan, it is consultation with and endorsement of the Kashmiri leadership on both sides of the Line of Control.â

Mr Burton opened the meeting with a few remarks asking for suggestions on what could be done to resolve the Kashmir issue and bring peace to the region. Mr Burton, incidentally, is well known in official circles as a strong critic of Indiaâs position on Jammu and Kashmir, having participated in conventions and meetings on alleged human rights violations in the state. He had earlier also taken an active and keen interest in the idea of âKhalistan,â supporting Sikh groups demanding a separate State.

Jammu And Kasmir - Guest - 11-30-2005

Mirwaiz to attend OIC meeting at Mecca, then visit PoK QUOTEThe two-day special summit in Mecca on December 7-8, called by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, will discuss challenges, including divisions in the Muslim world, the Iraq war and alleged European defamation of Islam. 

The summit would discuss ways and means of strengthening of Islamic unity and solidarity for an effective response to the multiple challenges facing the Muslims in the 21st century.

The extraordinary summit would be preceded by a preparatory meeting of OIC ministers of Foreign Affairs on December 6.

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf will also participate in the meeting.

The Hurriyat Conference enjoys an observer status at the OIC meetings.

The Mirwaiz is also expected to visit Istanbul, Turkey.

The sources said Mirwaiz Farooq will return here on December 8.

After his return, the Hurriyat delegation would leave for PoK with relief material, they added.

While 12 Hurriyat leaders will cross the Line of Control (LoC) via the Aman setu (Peace Bridge) from Uri, three others, including the Mirwaiz, Bilal Gani Lone and Fazal Haq Qureshi, will travel by air to Pakistan as they possess valid passports.