The Hindu : Masood Azhar's entry into PoK banned

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 15, 2003

Front Page

Front Page

Masood Azhar's entry into PoK banned

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD May 14. In a move that could have a bearing on the latest India-Pakistan peace initiative, the Government of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) today indefinitely banned Maulana Masood Azhar, leader of the banned Jaish-e-Mohammed militant outfit, from entering the province.

A private Pakistani TV channel reported today that the PoK Home Secretary in an administrative order had banned Masood Azhar from entering the province specially to attend a meeting in connection with the Milad-un-Nabi celebrations tomorrow.

Of course it is not the first time that Maulana Azar has been debarred from entering a particular territory in Pakistan or the territory under its control. Even before the Jaish was declared a banned outfit, Maulana Azar, known for his oratorical skills, had been banned from entering specific districts in Sindh.

It is not clear if the PoK Government was acting on its own or under orders from the Pakistan Government. After the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, imposed a ban on the outfit in his much-publicised January 12, 2002, address to the nation, the Jaish is believed to have been largely operating from PoK. There were local media reports suggesting that the Jaish and other proscribed outfits in Pakistan had changed their names and were operating clandestinely.

The day the Pakistan Prime Minister, Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, called up his Indian counterpart, Atal Behari Vajpayee, to appreciate his Srinagar initiative, the Interior Minister, Faisal Saleh Hayat, issued a warning that the Government would not allow banned outfits to operate under changed names.

Mr. Azhar, who had been released from prison recently, was to address a meeting in Kotli town of PoK tomorrow.

Today's administrative order by the PoK Home Secretary said Masood Azhar should not allowed to enter the province. It also asked the law enforcement agencies to set up pickets in the province to prevent him from violating the order.

`Move to appease India'

AFP reports:

Azhar, speaking from his Bahawalpur home in Pakistan's central Punjab province, said the move was aimed at appeasing India. New Delhi has demanded Islamabad to stop incursions into Kashmir by militants.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page

Stories in this Section

Masood Azhar's entry into PoK banned

`Bush for broadening ties with India'

Ariel Sharon's visit in offing?

No meter to measure U.S. pressure on Pak.: Sinha

NHRC seeks details on missing Kashmiris

Clearance for raising Narmada dam height

Cyclone weakens

Judge hurt in blast

Riyadh blasts toll 34

Allowed to go abroad

20 killed in suicide attack