PM Manmohan Singh: Unprovoked firing by Pak troops worrisome; UJC ruled out any cease fire by militants in near future; Abdullah calls for autonomy to be restored in J&K
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  • For the second time in less than a week, Pakistani troops opened unprovoked fire on an Indian border post at Tangdhar in Northern Kashmir in a development which was described as ‘worrisome’ by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Dr. Singh expressed concern over the firing while talking to reporters on the sidelines of the Defence Investiture Ceremony in New Delhi on May 14. Reports noted that the Pakistani troops used heavy machine guns and mortars. This was the first major violation of the ceasefire in force since December 2003 by the Pakistani troops on the LoC, which has been in force since December 20031.

    Meanwhile, Syed Salahudin, the chairman of the United Jehad Council (UJC) has ruled out any cease fire by militants in near future. In an interview to the local news agency KNS on May 14, Syed charged that the Government of India was not sincere in resolving the Kashmir issue2.

    Former J&K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah has called on the Government of India to restore autonomy to J and K as in his opinion that was the only viable solution to the Kashmir imbroglio. Addressing public meetings in Rajouri on May 17, Abdullah noted that almost all the road maps given by some think tanks and political parties revolved around the autonomy question3.

    Meanwhile, as may as six Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) militants were killed in an 18-hour long gunbattle with the security forces in the hilly terrain of Laru Jageer in Tral of South Kashmi on May 17. Militants killed in the gunbattle included the self-styled District Commander of JeM, Waseem Hassan Ahanger alias Qari Asif4.

    Elsewhere, the Doda police on May 15 arrested eight persons including two Special Police Officers (SPOs) for their links with militants of the LeT and HM. Police suspected that the arrested persons were helping the militants to carry out their activities by transporting arms, ammunition and explosives for them, besides providing food, shelter, items of daily use and important information about movement of militants and security forces5.

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