Islamabad, September 22

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Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday expressed “disappointment” at India’s response calling it “arrogant and negative” after New Delhi called off talks between the foreign ministers of the two countries, blaming Islamabad for glorifying terrorism.

“Disappointed at the arrogant and negative response by India to my call for resumption of the peace dialogue,” tweeted Khan.

“However, all my life I have come across small men occupying big offices who do not have the vision to see the larger picture.” Indian External Affairs Ministers Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi were set to meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York next week, that could have marked the first thaw in bilateral ties that have steadily deteriorated.

The Indian government said on Friday that it cancelled talks with Pakistan following two “deeply disturbing” developments that led to Islamabad’s “evil agenda” being exposed.

In one incident, terrorists abducted and gunned down three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir, marking a sharp escalation in militancy in the state which India says is backed by Pakistan.

Also, Islamabad had issued postage stamps in memory of Burhan Wani, a Hizbul Mujahideen leader who was shot dead by Indian security forces in July 2016, sparking widespread street protests.

Qureshi had called the development “unfortunate” and claimed that the decision was taken by New Delhi “under internal pressure”.

“The reasons cited by the Indian side for the decision to cancel the foreign ministers’ meeting, within 24 hours of its public confirmation, are entirely unconvincing,” the Pakistan Foreign Ministry had said in a statement. — IANS

NEW DELHI: The Indian Army top brass has come to an agreement that there is a need to transform the army into a more agile fighting force to meet current and future threats. There was a consensus in trimming down the main headquarters by merging certain departments and creating verticals for dealing with operational, procurement and logistical matters for faster decision making.

This comes in the backdrop of reports claiming that the army as part of its restructuring is mulling 1.5 lak ..

Chandigarh, September 11

Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Tuesday paid tributes to the heroes of the historic Saragarhi battle, while exhorting the youth to imbibe the values of courage and valour in themselves.

The Chief Minister, who had authored and launched a book, “The 36th Sikhs in the Tirah Campaign 1897-98 – Saragarhi and the defence of the Samana forts”, to mark the battle’s 120th anniversary last year, said the sacrifice of the soldiers of 36th Sikhs will always remain etched as an iconic moment in the history of this infantry regiment of the Indian Army.

He said his government had already announced a series of initiatives as a mark of homage to the valiant soldiers, besides the incorporation of the battle information in school history books. It is important to encourage the youngsters to know about the historic event, which is an ode to the courage and grit of the 22 men who chose death over surrender, he added. — TNS

Dinesh Manhotra

Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 11

Lieutenant Neeru Sambyal is a proud woman today, her resilience having helped her fight all odds and overcome the toughest phase of her life.

Hailing from Samba  in  Jammu and Kashmir, the Army officer has set an example for those trying to pick up the threads of life. Her message: “Never give up”. “On May 2, 2015, when I lost my husband, I lost everything and slipped into depression. But my two-year-old daughter gave me motivation to come out of hopelessness. I succeeded after several attempts,” says Lt Sambyal.

A ‘C’ certificate holder of the National Cadet Corps, Lt Sambyal was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Army Ordnance Corps on September 9. She joined the Army in 2017 and graduated as an officer after undergoing a one-year training at the Officers Training Academy, Chennai.

Lt Sambyal lost her husband Rifleman Ravinder Sambyal after three years of their marriage. He passed away while attending a drill in his regiment.

“I belong to a Rajput family  where lot of social stigma is attached to widows. As such, joining the Army would never have been easy… I reluctantly shared the idea with my father-in-law who not only supported it but went out of the way to help me realise my dream,” says Lt Sambyal, her voice choking with emotions.

Lt Sambyal’s brother Varinder Singh Slathia, who is serving in the Air Force, also encouraged her to translate her “bold” decision into reality. Her parents belong to Gurha-Slathia village in Samba district, which is known for producing valiant soldiers. She was married in Baada village in the same district.

“I understand the trauma and agony faced by widows in our conservative society. I was able to take this decision only with the support of my in-laws and brother,” the officer says. Having cracked the SSB exam in the first attempt, Lt Sambyal says her father-in-law and brother’s encouragement were enough for her to fight the odds. “I was least bothered what people would think after my family openly backed me,” she says, adding she now would serve the nation with the same zeal as her late husband did.

Our Correspondent

Anantnag, September 9

The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Sunday retrieved the bodies of two trekkers killed during an expedition to Kolhai glacier in Pahalgam and airlifted them to Srinagar.

The deceased include a Kashmir Administrative Services (KAS) officer, Naveed Jeelani, and another trekker Adil Shah of the Alpine Group (a trekking planner based in Srinagar), both residents of Srinagar.

The two trekkers were killed and another was injured after they fell into a crevice at 4,500-metre-high Kolhai Galcier on Friday.

Following the incident, a rescue operation was launched by the police and the State Disaster Response Force. Also, the divisional commissioner had asked the IAF to intervene, following which two helicopters were ready to be pressed in service.

Inclement weather, however, did not permit the flying of helicopters for the whole day on Saturday. The machines flew on Sunday morning and retrieved the bodies of the two deceased.

The bodies have been handed over to the families for the last rites.

Jeelani was a 2015 batch KAS officer and alumnus of the National Institute of Technology in Srinagar. He was presently serving as the excise and taxation officer in the state government.

Shah was a BTech graduate from the Islamic University of Science and Technology and had passed out in 2016.

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 2

Close on the heels of the announcement of panchayat polls in Jammu and Kashmir, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Army Chief General Bipin Rawat arrived in Srinagar on Sunday to discuss internal and external security situation with newly appointed Governor Satya Pal Malik.

It was their first meeting together since the new Governor assumed office.

“They discussed several important issues concerning effective management of internal and external security, particularly in the context of increasing attempts at infiltration and the ongoing anti-terrorist operations,” an official spokesman said.

The two held discussions on the urban local bodies and panchayat elections to be held in October-December.

The meeting comes at a time when terror group Hizbul Mujaideen has issued an open threat to those contesting the polls. “People who want to participate in polls should keep their shroud ready,” Hizbul chief operations commander Riyaz Naikoo said in an audio message. J&K Police chief Shesh Paul Vaid on Sunday said they were prepared for the elections.

The state has already retained over 15,000 Central Armed Police Force personnel deployed for the Amarnath Yatra. However, the situation on the ground is quite difficult, especially in south Kashmir, which continues to remain on the edge.

Militant attacks on policemen have risen sharply in recent months. On Eid, three off-duty cops were shot dead and days later, four more were killed. For the first time in decades of insurgency in Kashmir, militants abducted 10 family members of policemen from south Kashmir in retaliation to the detention of militants’ family members. Though they were later released, it is a cause for concern for the police.

The forces, on the other hand, have intensified anti-militancy operations and killed at least 28 militants along the Line of Control or hinterland since August.

Militants are continuously making attempts to infiltrate into Kashmir. On Saturday, three suspected Pakistan militants were killed in Bandipore.

The militant recruitment this year has overtaken the number of local youth who joined militant ranks in 2017. The spike has set alarm bells ringing for the security forces.

Visits Kupwara forward posts

Accompanied by Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman visited forward posts in Kupwara on Sunday. She was briefed by commanders about the operational preparedness and counter-infiltration grid, said an Army statement.

New York, September 29

The Trump administration has reiterated its support for India’s bid for a permanent seat on a reformed UN Security Council, a senior US official said, emphasizing that the two “global partners” shared a commitment to work together on global challenges like denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of South and Central Asia Region Alice Wells said US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale met Indian Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale at the beginning of the week of the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly to build on the momentum of the first 2+2 meeting between the US and India in New Delhi as well as to reaffirm the strategic convergence that Washington saw in the bilateral ties.

“We really are global partners and the meeting (between Hale and Gokhale) reaffirmed our shared commitment to working together on international challenges–from a denuclearised Korean Peninsula to a peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan,” Wells told reporters on Friday during a briefing on US priorities in the South and Central Asia Region.The American diplomat said the US reiterated its support for India’s role in a reformed UN Security Council.

The New York meeting was a continuation of the discussion at the 2+2 meeting.

“It’s a conversation that really covers the map in terms of how we can work together in Afghanistan, what we are doing to promote free and open Indo-Pacific and also in particular, how we are both very supportive of the democratic developments that we see transpiring in the Maldives,” she said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called Maldives President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and congratulated him.

The US, too, congratulated the people of the Maldives, saying they had peacefully raised their voices to determine the future of their country.

During Modi’s visit to Washington in June last year, Trump had supported India’s bid for a permanent seat in a reformed UNSC and in other multilateral institutions such as the Nuclear Suppliers Group.

“As global non-proliferation partners, the United States expressed strong support for India’s early membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the Wassenaar Arrangement, and the Australia Group,” a joint statement issued after the meeting between Modi and Trump had said. PTI

In response to a question on whether there is a need for one more surgical strike, General Bipin Rawat responded saying yes.

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat said he fully backs another surgical strike across the LoC

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Attari, September 25

Watching the 25-minute Retreat ceremony at the Attari-Wagah Joint check-post (JPC) will be a different experience from Wednesday onwards.

The Director General, BSF, KK Sharma, will inaugurate the expanded version of the spectators’ gallery at the Attari-Wagah JPC on Wednesday.

The revamped gallery offers a comfortable view with its enhanced seating arrangement in a horseshoe shape.

Recently, new gates were installed on both sides of the border to enable the viewers to have a clear glimpse of the ceremony.

Now, the 80-ft Swarn Jyanti Dwar welcomes the visitors. A milestone has been placed near it with “Pakistan Next Step” written on it.

Looking at the ever-growing number of visitors, the Ministry of Home Affairs had sanctioned this project in 2015. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had laid its foundation stone on March 22, 2015, coinciding with the golden jubilee celebrations of the raising of the BSF.

BSF DIG JS Oberoi said earlier, the capacity of the visitors’ gallery was just 5,000 whereas over 10,000 people used to gather on a daily basis. “On special days or weekends, the numbers used to shoot up to 15,000-18,000 and it was difficult for us to accommodate them. So the leftover crowd had to contend by just watching the ceremony on giant screens installed outside. Now, at least 20,000 persons can be accommodated at ease,” he added.

Former Superintending Engineer of the CPWD Nand Lal, under whose supervision the new gallery came up, said it cost around Rs 37 crore, including the new gate. He said It included a conference hall with the latest equipment, lounges, dining space, suites, medical room, public conveniences for men, women and disabled, ample parking area and a control room, along with a sound system, for proper acoustics and a network of CCTV cameras.

“The project has been carried out in five phases and completed in three years and four months despite several constraints. It is a tall and vast structure having fort like architectural features designed by an in-house CPWD team. Even the gate was designed by our team. The sitting steps have been provided flooring with the combination of traditional red and dholepur sand stones. We have also provided a provision for rainwater harvesting, besides a dedicated substation with power back up, audio-video conferencing system, automatic fire alarm and fire-fighting system and energy efficient LED lights,” he added.  Another added attraction is a museum parallel to the gallery.