Heightened security, Amarnath advisory spark talk of trifurcation of J&K

After the intelligence agencies provided strong inputs about the possibility of an attack on Amarnath Yatra, the security forces took enhanced measures to foil any such attempt in the Valley. “On the Amarnath Yatra route, while the road till Chandanwari and Baltal were covered by road opening parties, special focus was placed on the foot tracks. The search and anti-sabotage checks on the track itself, including checking the ponies, were done by the Central Armed Police Force deployed there,” sources said on Saturday. The search operation in areas parallel to the track was carried out by the units of the Indian Army deployed specifically for protection duty under Op Shiva, they said. While the northern axis of the Yatra route was covered by 3 Sector RR, the Southern Sector was covered by 1 Sector RT (both units are part Of the Rashtriya Rifles’ Victor Force). During the search, one M24 rifle and an anti-personnel land mine with markings of POF (Pakistan Ordnance Factory) were recovered along the Northern route about 1.5 km south-west of the Sangam Top. Kashmir on edge as admin calls off Amarnath yatra due to terror threat .While on the southern flank, an IED was recovered 1.2 km north-east of Sheshnag. The M24 rifle is a sniper weapon in service being used by the US Army. There is a possibility that this weapon might have been brought in from Afghanistan where it might have been looted by the Taliban. Along with this, reports of Ibrahim Azhar, JeM chief Masood Azhar’s brother, resurfacing in PoK, came alongside further intercepts that confirmed that a group of 15 trained JeM cadres had reached its camps in Markaz, Sanan Bin Salma, Tarnab Farm, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Inputs have suggested that after completing their ‘Askari’ training camps in Jamrud area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan, all 15 of these terrorists are being prepared for infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir. On Friday, Chinar Corps Commander Lt Gen KJS Dhillon while addressing a press conference, had said: “We had achieved major successes. An M24 American sniper rifle with a telescope and a landmine with Pakistan Ordnance Factory markings have been recovered. The route of the Amarnath Yatra was sanitised for three days.”

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Anything that will happen in J&K will come to Parliament: Governor

SRINAGAR: Amidst heightened speculation that the Centre is planning something big in Jammu and Kashmir, state governor Satyapal Malik on Saturday said that neither the Prime Minister nor the home minister has hinted anything about any action in the state, though he hinted that something could happen in Parliament next week. “Parliament is in session. It is to meet for 3-4 days. So, whatever will happen will not happen secretly. It will come to parliament and will be discussed. Wait till Monday or Tuesday. “Till today, I have no inclination, no information. I have talked to everybody in Delhi and nobody has given me any hint that they will do this or that. Somebody says it is trifurcation, Article 35A, 370. Nobody has discussed these with me, neither Prime Minister nor Home Minister,” he told. The governors’ remarks assume significance in the backdrop of swirling rumours or speculation that the Centre could alter the provisions that gloves special status to Jammu and Kashmir including on buying land and employment, its trifurcation and delimitation. Friday’s decision by the state government to call off the Amarnath Yatra on security concerns added fuel to the fire with the Yatris and tourist in the Valley told to leave the state immediately following intelligence inputs that Pakistan army was planning to target the Yatra through terror attacks. Malik also said the government was not planning to take any “drastic” step concerning Jammu and Kashmir and blamed “some political parties” for unnecessarily creating panic. “As far as my knowledge, there is no inclination that something is going to happen here. Everything is normal. Unnecessary panic is being created by people with vested interest and especially by some political parties. Nothing drastic is going to happen,” Malik told here. He appealed to the residents of the state to stay calm and not worry. The governor said that the advisory to tourist, which fuelled fears in the Valley, could have been avoided. He said: “We could have done it without the advisory. But it is our responsibility to ensure the security and safety of the tourists. You have seen the Pakistani weapons have been recovered.” Malik further said that Valley is reeling under the possibility of a suicide attack by the terrorists who are sitting on the Pakistani side of the line of control to across over in the state. “Lot of terrorists are sitting across the line (of control) to cross over and they are fidayeen (suicide bombers). If something happens, that will have repercussions all over the country. We wanted to avoid that,” he said. He also assured that the holy mace of Amarnath Yatra will reach to the holy shrine as per the plan. “Chhadi Mubarak (holy mace) will go. Every ritual will take place as planned,” he said. On Friday, General Officer Commanding (GoC) of Army’s 15 Corps Lt General K J S Dhillon told media that in the last three to four days, Army had received specific reports of Pakistan terrorists plotting to carry out an attack on the ongoing Amarnath Yatra. Displaying pictures of a land mine having a Pakistan stamp, Dhillon said combined teams of the Army, CRPF and Jammu and Kashmir Police have been carrying out searches for the last few days. The government’s advisory to call off Amarnath Yatra came right after the Army’s press conference.

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J&K Cong seeks clarification from Centre to end ‘uncertainty’ in valley

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) on Saturday expressed concern over the situation in the state and sought clarification from the Centre to end the “uncertainty” in the valley. “We are concerned about the situation. No one knows what is happening. There is uncertainty. We are seeing this type of situation for the first time and it has raised questions. We want the Centre as well as the state government to clarify what is going on,” JKPCC president G A Mir told reporters here. Mir said the deployment of additional forces, orders by different departments and an advisory asking tourist and Amarnath yatris to leave the valley have created panic here. “All this leads to speculation that something is happening behind the curtains. We want to know what is going on. We want the Centre and the state to tell the people what is happening so that the uncertainty here ends,” he said. The JKPCC chief said his party would raise the issue in Parliament on Monday and seek clarification from the central government. He said Article 35A and Article 370 are the “strongest bridges” between the state and the Centre and the party supports these constitutional guarantees. These two articles give special status and privileges to the state.

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Desist from any ‘political adventurism’: CPM to Centre on J&K situation

NEW DELHI: The CPM said on Saturday that the government should desist from any “political adventurism ” in Jammu and Kashmir  that will have grave consequences for the country and demanded explanation on steps being taken in the state. The party’s politburo in a statement said the “unprecedented” cancellation of the Amarnath Yatra has heightened tensions and anxieties among the people of the state. “A serious situation has developed in Jammu & Kashmir as a consequence of the recent steps taken by the Central government. The deployment of an additional contingent of paramilitary forces – amounting to 35,000 troops – has raised questions about their intended purpose. “The unprecedented cancellation of the Amarnath Yatra mid-way and the instructions to tourists to leave the valley forthwith have heightened tensions and anxieties among the people,” the statement said. It said although Parliament is in session, the government has given no statement whatsoever on these measures. “Nor have the political parties in the state been taken into confidence,” it said. “All this has fuelled apprehensions among the people that some drastic measures affecting the Constitutional status of Jammu & Kashmir are being contemplated with reference to Article 35A and Article 370,” it added. The politburo demanded that the government provide full explanation for the steps being taken in the state and desist from any “political adventurism”. “The government should implement its promise to initiate a dialogue with all concerned political forces in the state,” the statement said.