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| Srinagar awaits last laugh! | | | | ZAFAR CHOUDHARY
Jammu, Dec 23: Besides once lost turf of its Ganderbal backyard, Srinagar City is as important to National Conference as Jamia Masjid may be to Mirwaiz Farooq. Tomorrow’s polling will determine strength and relevance of political philosophy of National Conference as its 8 candidates face 143 candidates in term of votes and Peoples Democratic Party in terms of challenge to the political philosophy.
In 2002, when National Conference President and its Chief Ministerial candidate Omar Abdullah lost to a little known fellow called as Qazi Mohammad Afzal of PDP, the result was not even in wildest of the imaginations of poll watchers. Mirwaiz Omar Farooq had then aptly described, “Omar’s defeat at Ganderbal is like me being thrown out of Jamia Masjid”. This is the only statement any separatist leader had made on 2002 elections.
A nearly guaranteed ruler of Srinagar City, National Conference lost three seats to rebels in 2002 elections. It was taken easily as they were “own men gone angry” as later the party leaders described. However, two years later when PDP made in... | |
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FRONT PAGE STORIES |
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| Tight security in Srinagar | | | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, Dec 23: Tight security arrangements have been made for the seventh and final phase of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
Polling will take place in 11 assembly segments of Jammu district, two assembly constituencies of Samba district and eight constituencies of Srinagar district on Wednesday.
Over 21,000 security personnel have been deployed to ensure smooth and fair elections in Jammu and Samba districts.
Twenty companies of para-military forces comprising 1280 personnel have been pressed into service, while 11 companies with 704 men have been deputed in strong rooms.
Around 9.06 lakh voters are expected to decide the fate of 241 candidates.
Over ... | |
| | | | Army Chief flies to Siachen | | | | Agencies
New Delhi, Dec 23: In view of the heightening tension with Pakistan, Government on Tuesday rushed Army chief General Deepak Kapoor to Siachen Glacier and forward areas of Jammu and Kashmir to check the operational preparedness of the troops.
Government sources said that Gen. Kapoor left for Siachen Glacier on Tuesday morning and will be there for a day to interact with the unit commanders and senior officers, before returning to the Capital after taking stock of the situation.
Gen Kapoor would also visit some of the remote areas in J&K along the borders with Pakistan to interact with the troops posted there, the sources said.
His sudden trip to the forward areas comes at a time... | |
| | | | Nothing Wrong with 'Hindu Terror': Thackeray | | | | Agencies
Mumbai, Dec 23: Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on Tuesday said he would welcome emergence of "Hindu terrorists".
"If they (Hindu terrorists) are (behind the September 29 Malegaon blast), I would be glad. Terrorists should be born among Hindus, I have begun to feel," he said in a interview given to his party's mouthpiece 'Samaana'.
"Sadhvi Pragya Singh, Lt Col PS Purohit (arrested in connection with the Malegaon blast) have been victimised...What was their fault? Something might have been done to take on fanatic Muslims..." he said.
Talking about those who lit candles in front of Taj Hotel after the last month's terror attacks, he said, "Those who party at the Taj have lost their... | |
| | | | POLLING ENDS WITH LAST PHASE TODAY | | Stakes high for PDP, NC in Srinagar; BJP, Congress in Jammu, Samba | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 23: Former Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah and at least 14 former Ministers –most of them members of erstwhile coalition cabinet –are among 393 candidates to try their fate as three districts go to polls tomorrow in last phase of the staggered seven-phased Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly elections.
Stakes are high for National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party in Srinagar and for BJP and Congress in Jammu and Samba districts. BJP State president Ashok Khajuria, former Union Minister Chaman Lal Gupta, former Finance Minister Tariq Hameed Karra, former Deputy Chief Minister Mangat Ram Sharma and Panthers Party chief Bhim Singh are among the pr... | |
| | | | PM rules out war but keeps options open | | | | Agencies
New Delhi, Dec 23: Reacting to Pakistan’s war rhetoric, the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said that India did not want a war with Pakistan, even though he did not explicitly rule out the possibility, saying that “all options were open”.
"The issue is not war. The issue is that the Pakistani territory is used to aid and abet terror," Manmohan Singh told reporters outside parliament.
"We want Pakistan to make an objective effort to dismantle the terror machine. The government of Pakistan knows what it implies," the Prime Minister stressed when asked about India's options in the face of repeated denials by Pakistan of any complicity in the Mumbai attacks.
"We expect... | |
| | | | Will respond within minutes: Kayani | | | | Agencies
Islamabad, Dec 23: Pakistan's armed forces will mount an equal response "within minutes" if India carries out any surgical strike inside the country, Army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has reportedly assured the nation's leadership.
Pak Defence Minister During a meeting at the presidency here yesterday, Kayani informed President Asif Ali Zardari about the operational preparedness of the military in the face of mounting tensions with India in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks.
The armed forces were "fully prepared to meet any "eventuality" and the "men are ready to (make a) sacrifice for their country", Kayani was quoted as saying by pro-establishment The News daily.
The... | |
| | | | Jan to be acting chairman of PSC | | | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, DEC 23: The Governor in exercise of the powers vested in him by section 134 of the constitution of Jammu and Kashmir has appointed Dr. Nissar Ahmad Jan, Member of the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission to perform the duties of the Chairman during the absence of Shri Mr. M. S. Pandit, Chairman of the Commission with effect from 1.12.2008 till Mr. M. S. Pandit resumes his duties.
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| | | | EVIDENCE CLOSER HOME | | Pak based terrorists were on Marriot type bombing job in Jammu: DGP | | | Early times Report
Jammu, Dec 23: With the arrest of three suspects from a City hotel and their interrogation revealing a larger terror plot in Jammu, the state Police today claimed to have averted an “Islamabad’s Marriot hotel type” bombing where terrorist had stormed into a hotel with an explosive laden truck killing several hundred people. However, the fear is still not over. The arrested terrorists have told Police that they were part of a seven member team and the Police are on look for the remaining four. The intended target of their attack in Jammu is yet to be ascertained.
Director General of Police Kuldeep Khoda told reporters here today that two of the arrested terrorists belon... | |
| | | | Air force stations in ready alert | | | | Agencies
Chandigarh, Dec 22: Chandigarh-based 12 Wing of the Air Force Station has witnessed hectic activity of late, putting personnel at "cockpit ready alert", a situation sources said was "hardly routine".
An IL-76 transport aircraft flew twice between 3 am to 7 am on Sunday from Chandigarh for operational preparedness "in case of any conflict".
The aircraft is the largest the IAF has. Importantly, it made two sorties for J&K despite heavy fog. Taking off first at 3.15 am and then at 6.15 am, the aircraft flew at a time when domestic planes at the Chandigarh airport were not allowed to take off because of low visibility, at just 300 meters. The airport and air force share a common a... | |
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