Monthly Archives: August 2018

Jammu, November 14
Short of field firing ranges, the Army is likely to get back the Kalith field firing ranges in Akhnoor subdivision of Jammu district soon.
The Army has run short of field firing ranges in J&K, which shares its borders with China and Pakistan, as re-notification of 10 field firing ranges remained pending with the state government.
“At the civil-military liaison meeting last month, the state government had assured to look into the issue. Consequently, the government has made up its mind to re-notify Kalith firing ranges,” said official sources.
In this direction, the state government has sent a file to the Defence Ministry, which in turn will pave the way for the re-notification of the Kalith firing ranges to the Army, they added.
The state government had asked the Army to vacate land from at least 15 places.
As a result, the Army, in a bid to keep its troops “battle-ready”, has been sending them to field firing ranges in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
The 50-year lease period of firing ranges to the Army had ended in November last year.
In the case of the Kalith ranges, the re-notification has been pending since August 14 last year. — TNS

ਅਰਾਕੋਨਮ (ਤਾਮਿਲ ਨਾਡੂ), 13 ਨਵੰਬਰ
ਸਾਬਕਾ ਫ਼ੌਜੀਆਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਮੈਡਲ ਸਾਡ਼ਨ ਦੀਅਾਂ ਘਟਨਾਵਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਰਾਸ਼ਟਰ ਅਤੇ ਹਥਿਆਰਬੰਦ ਬਲਾਂ ਦੇ ਨਾਮ ’ਤੇ ਧੱਬਾ ਕਰਾਰ ਦਿੰਦਿਆਂ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਮਨੋਹਰ ਪਰੀਕਰ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਹੁਣ ਸਾਬਕਾ ਫ਼ੌਜੀਆਂ ਨੇ ਸਾਬਿਤ ਕਰਨਾ ਹੈ ਕਿ ੳੁਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੇ ਇਕ ਰੈਂਕ ਇਕ ਪੈਨਸ਼ਨ (ਓਆਰਓਪੀ) ਲੲੀ ਚਲ ਰਹੇ ਅੰਦੋਲਨ ਪਿੱਛੇ ਕੋੲੀ ਸਿਆਸੀ ੳੁਦੇਸ਼ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੈ। ਪੱਤਰਕਾਰਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਗੱਲਬਾਤ ਕਰਦਿਆਂ ੳੁਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਕਿਹਾ,‘‘ਜੇਕਰ ਮੈਂ ਕੁਝ ਆਖਿਅ ਤਾਂ ਇਹ ਦੋਸ਼ ਲੱਗ ਜਾਏਗਾ ਪਰ ੳੁਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਸਾਬਿਤ ਕਰਨ ਦਿੳੁ ਕਿ ਇਹ ਸਿਆਸੀ ਅੰਦੋਲਨ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੈ।’’ ੳੁਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਇਕ ਰੈਂਕ ਇਕ ਪੈਨਸ਼ਨ ਲਾਗੂ ਕਰਨਾ ਭਾਜਪਾ ਦਾ ਚੋਣ ਵਾਅਦਾ ਸੀ ਜਿਸ ਨੂੰ ੳੁਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਪੂਰਾ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਹੈ।
ਰੱਖਿਆ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਨੂੰ ਪੱਤਰਕਾਰ ਨੇ ਸਵਾਲ ਕੀਤਾ ਸੀ ਕਿ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਓਆਰਓਪੀ ਬਾਰੇ ਨੋਟੀਫਿਕੇਸ਼ਨ ਜਾਰੀ ਕਰਨ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਅਦ ਵੀ ਸਾਬਕਾ ਫ਼ੌਜੀਆਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਪ੍ਰਦਰਸ਼ਨ ਜਾਰੀ ਰੱਖੇ ਜਾਣ ’ਤੇ ਇਸ ’ਚ ਕੋੲੀ ਸਿਆਸੀ ਚਾਲ ਨਜ਼ਰ ਆੳੁਂਦੀ ਹੈ।
ਇਕ ਹੋਰ ਸਵਾਲ ਦੇ ਜਵਾਬ ’ਚ ੳੁਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਹਥਿਆਰਬੰਦ ਬਲਾਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਦਿੱਤੀ ਜਾਂਦੀ ਕੁਰਬਾਨੀ ਲੲੀ ਦੇਸ਼ ਵੱਲੋਂ ੳੁਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਮੈਡਲ ਦੇ ਕੇ ਸਨਮਾਨਿਆ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ। ੳੁਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਮੈਡਲਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਸਾਡ਼ਨਾ ਜਾਂ ਮੋਡ਼ਨਾ ਦੇਸ਼ ਅਤੇ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਬਲਾਂ ਦੀ ਬੇਇੱਜ਼ਤੀ ਹੈ।
ਸਾਬਕਾ ਫ਼ੌਜੀਆਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਮੰਗਾਂ ਪੂਰੀਆਂ ਨਾ ਮੰਨੇ ਜਾਣ ਬਾਰੇ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਪਰੀਕਰ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ੳੁਹ ਜੁਡੀਸ਼ਲ ਕਮੇਟੀ ਆਪਣਾ ਪੱਖ ਰੱਖ ਸਕਦੇ ਹਨ ਅਤੇ ੳੁਹ ਇਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦਾ ਨਿਵਾਰਣ ਕਰ ਸਕਦੀ ਹੈ।
ਫ਼ਰੀਦਾਬਾਦ, 13 ਨਵੰਬਰ (ਪੱਤਰ ਪ੍ਰੇਰਕ ): ਇਕ ਰੈਂਕ ਇਕ ਪੈਨਸ਼ਨ ਦੇ ਮੁੱਦੇ ’ਤੇ ਸਾਬਕਾ ਫ਼ੌਜੀਆਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਤਗਮੇ ਮੋੜਨ ਅਤੇ ਸਾਡ਼ਨ ਦਾ ਕੲੀ ਸਾਬਕਾ ਫ਼ੌਜੀਆਂ ਨੇ ਵਿਰੋਧ ਕੀਤਾ ਹੈ। ਇਸ ਕਾਰਵਾਈ ਦੇ ਵਿਰੋਧ ’ਚ ਫ਼ਰੀਦਾਬਾਦ ’ਚ ਸਾਬਕਾ ਫ਼ੌਜੀਆਂ ਨੇ ਬੈਠਕ ਕੀਤੀ। ਸੇਵਾਮੁਕਤ ਲੈਫਟੀਨੇਂਟ ਕਰਨਲ ਸੁਮੇਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਤਗਮੇ ਮੋਡ਼ ਕੇ ਵਿਰੋਧ ਜਤਾੳੁਣਾ ਠੀਕ ਨਹੀਂ। ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਜਿਹਡ਼ੀਆਂ ਮੰਗਾਂ ਰਹਿ ਗੲੀਆਂ ਹਨ, ੳੁਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਨਾਲ ਗੱਲ ਕਰ ਕੇ ਹੱਲ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਾ ਸਕਦਾ ਹੈ। ਸਾਬਕਾ ਮੇਜਰ ਅਸ਼ੋਕ ਨੇ ਵੀ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਤਗਮੇ ਮੋੜਨਾ ਤੇ ਸਾੜਨਾ ਦੇਸ਼ ਲਈ ਅਪਮਾਨ ਦੀ ਗੱਲ ਹੈ।

Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, November 13
Sending a two-way diplomatic hint, India has indicated that it will continue to simultaneously engage militarily with Japan and China. On Monday, Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag will be in Japan on a four-day visit even as a high-level Chinese military delegation will be in India to hold talks.
General Suhag’s visit comes seven months after Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar visited Japan and spoke about broad-basing military ties and said both countries want to make the area of defence equipment and technology a key pillar of bilateral defence relations. Last month, Japanese warships joined Indian and US warships for ‘submarine hunting’ exercise in the Bay of Bengal.
During the time when the India-US-Japan exercise was on in the Bay of Bengal, a team of the Indian Army was exercising with their Chinese counterparts in Kunming China.
China, has not appreciated the recent military overtures between New Delhi and Tokyo. In August, Lu Yaodong, Director of the China’s state-run Institute of Japanese Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, wrote an article, “Indo-Japanese military cooperation dangerous for Asia”, arguing India and Japan have been getting closer faster as they are eyeing China collectively.
Part of China’s fear could be historic due to Japanese imperial forces having attacked China in the 1930s, while India’s concerns are largely of maintaining equity in waters of the South China Sea and also the Indian Ocean, said a senior functionary in India.
Beijing often asks “outside powers” — read that as India US and Japan — to stay out of the South China Sea dispute. A large volume of India’s east going trade passes through these waters.
A 26-member Chinese delegation led by General Fan Changlong, who is Vice-Chairman of the all-powerful Central Military Commission, will be in India from November 15 to 17.
This is being seen as the highest-level People’s Liberation Army delegation to visit India. The visit could set the agenda for border talks.

LONDON: Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured a delegation of British Sikhs that he would personally ensure abolishing the so-called ‘blacklist’ of overseas Sikhs who were unable to visit India, and said he agreed in principle to release political prisoners who had served their terms.
Delighted with the meeting, Jasdev Singh Rai, director of the Sikh Human Rights Group and a leading interlocutor, told Hindustan Times that it was a “turning point” in the fractious relationship between overseas Sikhs and the Indian state since Operation Bluestar in 1984.
National security adviser Ajit Doval was asked to open dialogue with Sikhs in India and overseas to take the issues further, while Modi assured the delegation that he would look into all issues related to Sikhs.The so-called ‘blacklist’ reportedly includes individuals involved in the Khalistan movement who are unable to get visas to visit India.
“It is a major breakthrough after a 31-year standoff (between overseas Sikhs and the Indian state). He said he would personally take up the issue of abolishing the blacklist. He said he shared the pain of Sikhs and that the community will soon get justice for the 1984 riots,” Rai said.
Besides Rai, the 30-member Sikh delegation included representatives from other Sikh groups based in Britain. The meeting was held as several pro-Khalistan Sikhs protested against Modi outside 10 Downing Street.

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, November 12
For cancellation of confirmed railway tickets 48 hours before the scheduled time of the train, people will have to pay double the amount as cancellation charges from today as compared to the earlier rates.
The Union Railway Ministry has amended the refund rules and has notified it under the title Railway Passengers (cancellation of ticket and refund of fare) Rules, 2015.
To get a ticket cancelled before 48 hours for first class AC/executive class, passengers will have to pay Rs 240, which was Rs 120 earlier.
Similar is the case with other categories. Even for the unreserved and waiting list tickets, the cost will be double than the earlier charges.
For second class unreserved, Rs 30 will be the cancellation fee, which was Rs 15 earlier.
Officials of the Railways said keeping in view the problem of touts indulging in black marketing of tickets, which came to light in the recent past at few stations, the norms were amended by the ministry.
The objectives of the new changes in the refund rules are to plug the scope of misuse, facilitate passengers on mobile ticketing, propose paperless ticketing and discourage agents on black marketing of tickets.
Under the revised rules, an additional facility has been made available for the passengers, which is automatic refund of fare on e-tickets in case of cancellation of trains for the convenience of the passengers.

Tribune News Service
Panchkula, November 10

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar (second from left) interacts with family members of Capt Rohit Kaushal at Jalauli near Panchkula on Tuesday. Lt Gen KJ Singh, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, is also seen. A tribune photograph

Haryana Chief Minister Manhoar Lal Khattar paid tributes to Capt Rohit Kaushal on his 20th martyrdom day at his native Jalauli village near here today. Captain Kaushal had sacrificed his life in an encounter with Afghan militants in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir on November 11, 1995.
He was decorated posthumously with the Shaurya Chakra for gallantry. A memorial located on the Panchkula–Barwala Road, has been raised in his memory by the Haryana Government. It is located about 18 km from Panchkula.The Chief Minister said that the country and its people were proud of its heroes who had made the supreme sacrifices for the unity and integrity of the nation. SS Kaushal, Rohit’s father, said, “I am a proud father. My son gave his life for the Nation.” Veena Kaushal, Rohit’s Mother, said “My son always wanted to be an Army officer and was very committed to serve the Nation. Whenever we talked about his marriage, he would say that he was already married to his unit.”Besides Rohit’s family members and relatives, Lt Gen KJ Singh, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, Major General Kamaljit Singh, Brig Vinod Sandhu, Subedar Gurmail Singh from 18 Punjab Regiment, secretary district Sainik Board Col Naresh, soldiers of 18 Punjab Battalion and 12 Rashtriya Rifles Battalion, the local MLA Gian Chand Gupta, Mayor Upender Kaur Ahluwalia, Senior Deputy Mayor SS Nanda, Police Commissioner OP Singh, Deputy Commissioner Vivek Attray and other Army personnel, civilians from neighbouring villages also paid tributes at the

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, November 8
The State Ex-Servicemen Welfare Association (SEWA), Punjab, in its emergency meeting held today “out-rightly” rejected the notification on ‘one rank, one pension’ (OROP) formula issued by the central government on Saturday and decided to carry on its agitation.
Pointing out that the pension will be fixed for all pensioners on the basis of average of minimum and maximum pension drawn by the personnel retired during calendar year 2013 with the same rank and same number of years of service, Col Kuldip Singh Grewal (Retd), the association’s president said this had defied the very concept of OROP as accepted by Parliament during the tenure of two different governments.
He said leave aside other pensioners even those who retired in 2013 will get different pensions. Those who picked up the rank earlier with the same service will get more pension than those who picked up rank later. Under this clause most of the ex-servicemen will not get any benefit, he added.
Members of the association said personnel who opted to get discharge on their own request will not get any benefit of OROP. This clause will change the very structure of armed forces as the government wanted to keep the Army young. Consequent to implementation of this cause, soldiers will retire with full service and at much older age to get the future benefits of OROP.
Some ex-servicemen also contended that soldiers could resort to litigation as to why should they not be retired on a par with other government employees. As on today, retirees at early age have more chances of getting employment in the civilian sector and retiring at older ages would increase unemployment among them.
They added that the appointment of a judicial committee to look into anomalies would be of no use as representatives of stake holders are not a part of it and a lawman may not be familiar with military culture and intrinsic military matters.

ਨਵੀਂ ਦਿੱਲੀ, 7 ਨਵੰਬਰ
ਕੇਂਦਰ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਨੇ ਇੱਕ ਰੈਂਕ ਇੱਕ ਪੈਨਸ਼ਨ ਦੀ ਮੰਗ ਦੀ ਪੂਰਤੀ ਲੲੀ ਨੋਟੀਫਿਕੇਸ਼ਨ ਜਾਰੀ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਹੇੈ, ਜੋ ਅੱਜ ਰਾਤ ਤੋਂ ਲਾਗੂ ਹੋ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ। ਸਰਕਾਰ ਦੇ ਦਾਅਵਿਆਂ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ ਇਸ ਨਾਲ 25 ਲੱਖ ਤੋਂ ਵੱਧ ਸੈਨਿਕਾਂ ਅਤੇ ਮਰਹੁਮ ਜਾਂ ਸ਼ਹੀਦ ਸੈਨਿਕਾਂ ਦੀਅਾਂ ਪਤਨੀਅਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਲਾਭ ਮਿਲੇਗਾ। ਇਹ ਫੈਸਲਾ 1 ਜੁਲਾੲੀ 2014 ਤੋਂ ਲਾਗੂ ਹੋਵੇਗਾ। ਦੂਜੇ ਪਾਸੇ ਇੰਡੀਅਨ ਅੇੈਕਸ ਸਰਵਿਸਮੇੈਨ ਮੂਵਮੈਂਟ ਦੇ ਚੇਅਰਮੈਨ ਮੇਜਰ ਜਨਰਲ (ਸੇਵਾਮੁਕਤ) ਸਤਿਬੀਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਨੇ ਇਸ ਨੂੰ ਰੱਦ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਹੈ। ਨੋਟੀਫਿਕੇਸ਼ਨ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ ਸੇਵਾਮੁਕਤ ਫੌਜੀਆਂ ਨੂੰ 2013 ਵਿੱਚ ਸੇਵਾਮੁਕਤ ਹੋਏ ਫੌਜੀਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਆਧਾਰ ਮੰਨ ਕੇ ਪੈਨਸ਼ਨ ਨਿਰਧਾਰਤ ਕੀਤੀ ਜਾਵੇਗੀ। ਭਵਿੱਖ ਵਿੱਚ ਪੈਨਸ਼ਨ ਹਰ ਪੰਜ ਸਾਲਾਂ ਬਾਅਦ ਨਿਰਧਾਰਤ ਕੀਤੀ ਜਾਵੇਗੀ। ਸਵੈਇੱਛਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਪੈਨਸ਼ਨ ਲੈਣ ਵਾਲੇ ਫੌਜੀਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਇੱਕ ਰੇੈਂਕ ਇੱਕ ਪੈਨਸ਼ਨ ਦਾ ਲਾਭ ਨਹੀ ਮਿਲੇਗਾ। ਸਰਕਾਰ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਜਾਰੀ ਨੋਟੀਫਿਕੇਸ਼ਨ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ ਇੱਕ ਰੇੈਂਕ ਇੱਕ ਪੇੈਨਸ਼ਨ ਦਾ ਲਾਭ ਸਾਬਕਾ ਫੌਜੀਆਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਵਿਧਵਾਵਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਵੀ ਮਿਲੇਗਾ। ਸਰਕਾਰ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਨਵੇਂ ਪੈਨਸ਼ਨ ਫਾਰਮੂਲੇ ਤਹਿਤ ਸਾਲ 2013 ਵਿੱਚ ਮਿਲਦੀ ਪੈਨਸ਼ਨ ਦੀ ਅੌਸਤ ਕੱਢਕੇ ਨਵਾਂ ਫਾਰਮੂਲਾ ਤਿਆਰ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਾਵੇਗਾ। ਰੱਖਿਆ ਮੰਤਰਾਲੇ ਦੇ ਬੁਲਾਰੇ ਸਿਤਾਂਸ਼ੂਕਾਰ ਨੇ ਟਵੀਟ ਕੀਤਾ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਨੋਟੀਫਿਕੇਸ਼ਨ ਨੂੰ ਹਾਂਪੱਖੀ ਤਰੀਕੇ ਨਾਲ ਲਾਗੂ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਾਵੇਗਾ।
ਦੌਜੇ ਪਾਸੇ ਸਾਬਕਾ ਫੌਜੀਆਂ ਨੇ ਇਸ ਨੋਟੀਫਿਕੇਸ਼ਨ ਨੂੰ ਰੱਦ ਕਰਦਿਆਂ ਕਿਹਾ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਪੈਨਸ਼ਨ ਦਾ ਆਧਾਰ ਕੈਲੰਡਰ ਸਾਲ 2013 ਦੀ ਥਾਂ ਵਿਤੀ ਸਾਲ 2013 ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ। ੳੁਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਇਹ ਇੱਕ ਰੈਂਕ ਇੱਕ ਪੈਨਸ਼ਨ ਦੀ ਥਾਂ ਇੱਕ ਰੈਂਕ ਪੰਜ ਪੈਨਸ਼ਨਾਂ ਹੋ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ। ਇਸ ਤੋਂ ਇਲਾਵਾ ੳੁਹ ਇਸ ਇੱਕ ਜੁਲਾੲੀ ਤੋਂ ਲਾਗੂ ਕਰਨ ਦੀ ਥਾਂ ਇੱਕ ਅਪਰੈਲ ਤੋਂ ਲਾਗੂ ਕਰਵਾੳੁਣਾ ਚਾਹੁੰਦੇ ਹਨ।
-ਪੀਟੀਆੲੀ

FAROOQ ADDS TO PoK REMARK CONTROVERSY

The only solution is talks (with Pakistan), but it will not happen because of terrorists, who may kill me for saying it but I am not afraid of death and will continue to say so.
FAROOQ ABDULLAH, National Conference president
AMMU: A day after drawing criticism for saying that Pakistanoccupied Kashmir (PoK) will remain with Pakistan, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah went a step further on Saturday to say that even if all of India’s armed forces were deployed in the state, they still could not stop terrorism.
Addressing a function here, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said, “The only solution is talks (with Pakistan), but it will not happen because of terrorists, who may kill me for saying it but I am not afraid of death and will continue to say so.”
Abdullah recollected how terrorists tried to derail the peace process initiated by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee by killing 20 Hindus in Rajouri district a day before he was to embark on a bus trip to Lahore in 1999.
He said the real power in Pakistan was vested in its army and not Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who could be disposed of in minutes if the army so desired.
“The Pakistan army continues to tell its people that it alone could save them from Hindu India,” he added.
Abdullah also took the opportunity to defend his comment on PoK remaining with Pakistan.
“A lot has been made out of my remarks, saying it’s against the resolution made in the Parliament. How many UN resolutions have been made about J&K, what happened to them? Things cannot improve unless Pakistan realises and understands that it can’t take away this part (Indian part) of J&K,” he said.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on the other hand, reacted sharply to his comment.

“He should not make such remarks and we demand that he take back his statement. PoK is a part of India and is in the illegal clutches of Pakistan… He is insulting India and the Parliament,” BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said.

‘INDIA’S FAUJ CAN’T STOP TERROR’

The only solution is talks (with Pakistan), but it will not happen because of terrorists, who may kill me for saying it but I am not afraid of death and will continue to say so.
FAROOQ ABDULLAH, National Conference president
JAMMU: A day after drawing criticism for saying that Pakistanoccupied Kashmir (PoK) will remain with Pakistan, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah went a step further on Saturday to say that even if all of India’s armed forces were deployed in the state, they still could not stop terrorism.
Addressing a function here, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said, “The only solution is talks (with Pakistan), but it will not happen because of terrorists, who may kill me for saying it but I am not afraid of death and will continue to say so.”
Abdullah recollected how terrorists tried to derail the peace process initiated by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee by killing 20 Hindus in Rajouri district a day before he was to embark on a bus trip to Lahore in 1999.
He said the real power in Pakistan was vested in its army and not Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who could be disposed of in minutes if the army so desired.
“The Pakistan army continues to tell its people that it alone could save them from Hindu India,” he added.
Abdullah also took the opportunity to defend his comment on PoK remaining with Pakistan.
“A lot has been made out of my remarks, saying it’s against the resolution made in the Parliament. How many UN resolutions have been made about J&K, what happened to them? Things cannot improve unless Pakistan realises and understands that it can’t take away this part (Indian part) of J&K,” he said.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on the other hand, reacted sharply to his comment.

“He should not make such remarks and we demand that he take back his statement. PoK is a part of India and is in the illegal clutches of Pakistan… He is insulting India and the Parliament,” BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said.

JAMMU: New and advanced weaponry will be deployed along the Line of Control once they are tested, a senior Army commander today said here.

“At the moment, they (new and modern weapons) are in the nascent stage… there are various upgradation and whether you call them remotely controlled (guns) or you can say upgradation of various technologies, they are in the nascent stage.

“We are trying them and if they are successful we will deploy them,” General officer Commanding of the 16 corps of the army Lt Gen RR Nimbhorkar said during a function in Akhnoor today.

“See, on the LoC, we have to be always evolving. There is no one methodology and equipments we put on the LoC. (Whenever) We find it needs to be changed, (we change it). We do innovation and that is the ongoing process,” Lt Gen Nimbhorkar said.

He was replying to a question about the Army’s plan to deploy remote-controlled guns on the LoC to check infiltration from the Pakistani side.

“So, in this process, there are things which we have thought off– which we are practicing and when they are fully functional then we will deploy them,” he added.

He said that the militants were present in various training camps across the border and they were waiting for an opportunity to sneak in.

“There is no doubt that they are there. They are in various camps and obliviously if they are there, they are there to come to this side so they will try to infiltrate.

“Now, where will they infiltrate, that one cannot say. What is in our hand is to be alert and foil their plans for any infiltration,” he said.

Asked about the non-availability of the firing ranges for the army in Jammu and Kashmir, he said that it was an issue of concern for the army.

Lt Gen Nimbhorkar said that the need of the firing range “is there so we are facing problems”.

“However, this issue has been addressed by the civil government and they are quite helpful in their attitude towards us and I think this problem will be sorted out,” he said.

On the martyrdom of Col Santosh Mahadik who made the supreme sacrifice while fighting militants in the forests of Kupwara in North Kashmir, Lt Gen Nimbhorkar said that to lead from the front was the ethos of the army.

“I knew Col Santosh personally, he was one of the best officers I have ever seen, always willing to do anything for the motherland and he was very fond of his troops.

“I am quite certain that when he had gone and carried out the operation himself as Commanding Officer of the unit he led troops from the front and doing his duty he attained martyrdom,” he said.