Jammu region declared disturbed area

By Shujaat Bukhari

SRINAGAR, AUG. 9. The Jammu and Kashmir Government today formally decided to declare six districts of the Jammu region as disturbed areas. The announcement to this effect was made after a high- level meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday.

A special meeting of the State Cabinet chaired by the Chief Minister, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, here this evening, discussed the situation in the State in the backdrop of recent massacres. The Cabinet then passed a resolution on declaring the districts of Jammu, Kathua, Udhampur, Doda, Rajouri and Poonch as disturbed areas under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1990, and sent it to the Governor, Mr. G. C. Saxena, for approval. All six districts of the Kashmir Valley have already been declared disturbed areas.

After the meeting, Dr. Abdullah said the Cabinet decision would strengthen the hands of the security forces in the fight against the militants, who had stepped up violence after the Agra summit.

The Chief Minister, who arrived here from a meeting of senior citizens and leaders of political parties in Jammu, urged the people to maintain communal harmony. Militancy would be tackled at all levels, he added.

An Army jawan, Mr. A. S. Rai, and Ms. Harnam Kour of Samba, who were wounded in Tuesday's shootout at the Jammu railway station, died in the Jammu civil hospital today taking the toll to 13. After being assured of full cooperation by senior citizens at an all-party meeting in the town, the authorities lifted the curfew restrictions in Jammu, Bhaderwah and Doda till further orders. However, strict vigil would continue in sensitive areas.

Meanwhile, activists of the Shiv Sena and some other groups took to the streets in Jammu raising slogans against the Government and burning effigies of the Pakistan President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf. They also pelted stones at police at several places. However, they were dispersed by police who used a lathicharge and burst teargas shells. No untoward incident was reported from the Muslim-majority localities.

APHC to resume stir

PTI reports:

A day after the Centre decided to give enhanced powers to the security forces to combat militancy in the Jammu region, the All- Party Hurriyat Conference today termed the measure ``draconian'' and decided to resume its agitation, suspended a few days before the Agra summit.

``The people at mohalla, village, town and city levels have been sounded to remain in preparedness for a call from the Hurriyat to come on to the streets to say goodbye to the `suppression' for ever,'' a statement issued by the 23-party conglomerate said. However, no date was fixed for resumption of the agitation.

Reacting sharply to the decision to extend the Disturbed Areas Act to the entire Jammu region, the statement said this ``cannot change the realities''. Accusing the Centre of resorting to ``oppressive'' measures, it said the Government's decision ``has proved that it is bent on indulging in bloodshed and violation of human rights.''

Bandh in Ahmedabad

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