Major Kamlesh Pandey and jawan Tanzin Chhultim. Image credit: Army

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 3

An Army Major and a jawan were killed while two others were injured in an overnight gunfight in south Kashmir’s volatile Shopian district, the police said.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)The militants attacked an Army patrol at Zadipora  Shopian, some 55 kms from Srinagar when joint teams of  forces were laying a cordon in the area at around 2 am following an input about militant presence.”Four Army men, including a Major, were injured in the attack. The injured Army men were shifted to 92 Base Hospital in Srinagar, where the officer and another jawan succumbed to injuries. The condition of the other injured is also stated to be critical,” sources said.SP Shopian, A S Dinkar, confirmed two Army fatalities.Soon after the attack, forces launched an operation in the area. The anti-militancy operation is still underway in the village bordering Shopian and Kulgam. However, sources said the militants managed to escape taking advantage of the darkness.Meanwhile, two militants were killed in an overnight gunfight at Gopalpora Kulgam, over 75 km from Srinagar.Police sources said that the gunfight broke when militants were challenged by joint teams of forces when they were moving in area.”The militant opened fire triggering a gunfight which ended with the killing of two militants,” sources said, adding two AK 47 rifles were also recovered from the encounter site.A police spokesman in Srinagar said that one of the slain militant was involved in killing of five policemen and guards of bank van at Pambay Kulgam in May.

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Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, July 27

Three unidentified militants were killed in a gunfight as the Army foiled an infiltration bid at Gurez in north Kashmir’s Bandipore district this morning.The Army said a group of militants was intercepted by soldiers right on the LoC when they were trying to sneak into the Valley.“When the group was challenged, they opened fire, triggering a gunfight. So far three terrorists have been killed in the gunfight,” said Srinagar-based defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia.The identity and the group affiliation of the slain militants could not be established. It is, however, suspected that all three are non-locals. Colonel Kalia said the counter-infiltration operation in the Gurez sector, 180 km from here, was still in progress.This is the second infiltration bid that has been foiled in the Gurez sector in the last 10 days. On July 18, two unidentified militants were killed in a gunfight in the sector.Gurez is the toughest route to sneak into the Valley. In the Gurez sector, militants mostly sneak through Kanzalwan and Nowshewra ridges before entering Bandipore. The mountains ranges in the Gurez sector touch 14,000 feet.This year 42 militants have been killed along the LoC while infiltrating into the Valley. The Army claims that at least 20 infiltration attempts have been foiled this year.

Kargil martyr Pawan Kumar’s kin felicitated

BPCL felicitates Pawan Kumar’s kin on Kargil Vijay Diwas.

Jammu, July 27

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) today remembered the sacrifice of Pawan Kumar who got martyred during the Kargil war in 1999 by felicitating the customers and family members of the braveheart.BPCL in 2002 had commissioned a retail outlet in Kathua by awarding the dealership to Pawan Kumar’s widow Reeta Kumari under the corpus scheme. While the customers at the retail outlet expressed their trust in the business acumen of the dealer, even BPCL did not keep any stone unturned and renovated the retail outlet recently by upgrading its facilities.In order to pay a tribute to the brave martyr, BPCL conducted a small get-together at the petrol pump and felicitated prominent customers along with the family of the martyr.Rajesh Sharma, Territory Manager (retail), J&K, expressed his gratitude towards the Army’s welfare department, which was specially invited on the occasion. — TNS

After the five-judge Bench declared Nawaz Sharif disqualified for office, forcing the Pakistan Prime Minister to step down, it might seem an end of the Sharif era in Pakistan. However, one cannot dismiss the wily political strategist who would have become the first Pakistan Prime Minister to complete a full five-year term.

End of the road? Nawaz Sharif cannot be counted out of Pakistan poiitics.

Supporters of Nawaz Sharif react after the Supreme Court’s decision to disqualify him, in Lahore. The military establishment too wanted to target him. REUTERS

Victory: Activists of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party celebrate. AFP

THE judgement announced by a five-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Azmat Saeed Khosa, declared Mohammad Nawaz Sharif, the Prime Minister of Pakistan as disqualified (NAAHEL) for the post of the Prime Minister of Pakistan. The order of the bench, which consisted of Justice Gulzar Ahmed, Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed and Justice Ajazul Ahsan ended the era of the Sharif family in Pakistan politics.  The bench not only disqualified the Prime Minister, but also asked the NAB (National Accountability Bureau)   to decide the serious charges of corruption and money laundering against Nawaz Sharif, his brother Shahbaz Sharif, the Chief Minister of Punjab Province of Pakistan, Ishaq Dar  Finance Minister, Nawaz’s two sons and daughter Maryam Safder in six months.Nawaz Sharif was born on September 25, 1949, in the house of Mohammad Sharif and lived in the Akbari  area of Lahore. His family was  of Kashmiri Brahmin origin and had migrated from Anantnag to Amritsar in 1870.  His grandfather Ramzan Sharif started living in village Jati Umra  in Tarntaran district of Punjab in India. Nawaz Sharif studied in Saint Anthony’s Convent School in Lahore and he did his Masters in economics from Government College, Lahore, in 1971— the year in which he  married Kulsoom Nawaz. Nawaz Sharif joined Tehriq-e-Istaq lal founded by Air Marshal Asghar Khan in 1972 and later joined the Muslim League in 1977. He was introduced to General Zia-ul Haq by the then Governor of Punjab Lt Gen Ghulam Jilani Khan, who was in a way his mentor and godfather in politics. Nawaz was inducted into the Punjab cabinet by Gen Jilani  as the Finance Minister in May, 1982. He became the Chief Minister of Punjab in the partyless election held under the dictatorship of General Zia-ul Haq in 1985. Nawaz Sharif, after the death of General Zia-ul Haq on August 17, 1988 formed the Muslim League and led an  alliance  of opposition parties and was defeated at the hands of Benazir Bhutto of the Pakistan Peoples Party in November, 1988. The government of  Benazir Bhutto was  toppled by President  Ghulam Ishaq Khan on August 3, 1990, which led to the Pakistan Muslim League of Nawaz Sharif winning in elections  held in November, 1990. That was the time when his party had winning leaders like Shujjat Hussain,  Parvez Illahi, Hamid Nasir Chatha. Nawaz Sharif came into power in November 1990 and was asked to resign in June 1993. He again became the Prime Minister in January 1997, after toppling Benazir Bhutto’s government. He soon had a confronation with the then Army Chief General Jahagir Karamat, who was forced to resign. In his place, he choose CORP Commander Mangla Lt Gen Pervez Musharraf.  Nawaz Sharif  very stoically and confidently did atomic explosions in May, 1998. Later, he started  mending  fences with India which led to his first meeting with  the then Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee on  the sidelines of the  UN session in New York in September,  1998. This led to the starting of the Lahore- Delhi Bus service and also the visit by   Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee to Lahore in February, 1999. The Kargil War started by Musharraf put a damp squib on the bilateral ties and the relations became sour in May-June 1999. The ending of the war led to anger, nay venom, against Nawaz Sharif and he was arrested on October 12, 1999, in a  bloodless coup after a failed hijacking, for which he was tried and sentenced to death. Unlike Bhutto, he was a dexterous politician and gave it in writing to Musharraf that he would not take part in politics for 10 years and would also not come back to Pakistan for a decade. The pressure put by the then US President Bill Clinton worked and his life was saved.   He left for Saudi Arabia in November 2000. Pakistan was ruled by Musharraf through a martial law  for the next seven years.   It was a period  of peace and turmoil. Musharraf faced a vaulting agitation by lawyers throughout the country when he removed Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhary in the first week of March, 2007. Musharraf had to announce the election for February 2008 and allowed Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif to come back to Pakistan from Dubai and Saudi Arabia in November-December 2007. Benazir was assassinated on December 27, 2007 in Rawalpindi and Pakistan Peoples Party came to power in February 2008. Asif Ali Zardari became President and Yousuf Raza Gilani became the Prime Minister. They faced problems and agitations from Nawaz Sharif, who was ruling Punjab and was a force to reckon with. In the  elections held in May, 2013, Nawaz Sharif came back to power with a two-third majority and winning 90 per cent seats in Punjab for the National Assembly. But then his brother Shahbaz Sharif was the Chief Minister of Punjab for the fourth term.  It is pertinent to mention that Nawaz Sharif annoyed the establishment (Army and ISI) and they were looking for a chance to hit him. The cricketer-turned-politician  Imran Khan bitterly opposed Nawaz Sharif with various allegations. Finally, the Panamagate stuck in April 2016, leading to the end of era for Nawaz Sharif  on July 28, 2017.  It would not be out of tune to mention the Quran, which says, “God has his own ways of delivering justice and God gives severe  punishments.”The writer is an IAS officer of the Punjab Cadre

The report further claimed that the government used delaying tactics to save government’s money not to pay arrears of allowances on the pretext of formation of ‘Committee on Allowances’.

New Delhi, July 23: The Union Government recently accepted recommendations on higher allowances under 7th Pay Commission after which a large number of Central Government employees got hiked salaries. But some reports suggest that the government saved Rs 40,000 crore by the delay in the implementation of allowances.

According to The Sen Times, the delay in the implementation of allowances is chiefly because of the financial gains of the government while financial condition of the government is very sound. The report further said that the delay in the implementation of allowances has saved Rs 40,000 crore of Union Government.

The report further claimed that the government used delaying tactics to save government’s money not to pay arrears of allowances on the pretext of formation of ‘Committee on Allowances’ in June 2016, for examination of allowances as the 7th Pay Commission had the recommended abolition of 51 allowances and subsuming 37 other allowances out of 196. Also Read – 7th CPC (Pay Commission) Latest News: Delay in Allowances Affects 48 Lakh Government Employees As Many Unable to Pay House Rents, Insurance Premiums, Vehicle Loans, Tuition Fees of Children on Time

The Union Government last month accepted few of the demands of Central Government employees over hike in allowance under the 7th Pay Commission but some reports suggest that a large fraction of employees are unhappy with the centre’s decision.

The employees union said that there is a widespread resentment against the “meagre” allowances hike implemented under the 7th Pay Commission and not get the arrears of the allowances. The Sen Times report further said that the government employees are annoyed with PM Modi government as a large number of central government employees were eagerly waiting for their allowances since last 18 months but they got deeply annoyed when they saw a little hike without any arrears.

Last month Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and the Union Cabinet stuck with the 7th Pay Commission’s recommendations on allowances and gave nod accordingly. The Narendra Modi government’s major contention is on the House Rent Allowance (HRA), which the unions demanded at the rate of 30 per cent, 20 per cent and 10 per cent of basic pay with arrears.

The ‘Committee on Allowances’ headed by Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa submitted its final report to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on April 27 and the Union Cabinet approved the recommendation on June 28, which came into effect from this month.

The committee led by Justice AK Mathur on 7th Pay Commission had submitted its report to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in November 2015.

New Delhi, July 20

The Navy has asked six international submarine makers to submit their bids to produce the next lot of undersea vessels. India is looking to make six submarines as follow-on to the six Scorpene-class subs already being manufactured jointly by French company DCNS and Mazagon Docks Limited, Mumbai.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Called Project 75 (I), the six vessels would be an upgrade over Scorpene. The Navy last night issued a request for information to six foreign original equipment manufacturers for the approximately $10 billion project. Among the six firms are Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Russia’s Rosoboronexport Rubin Design Bureau, France’s Naval Group, Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, Spain’s Navantia and Sweden’s Saab.The selected firm will have to make vessels in India in collaboration with an Indian partner and is also transfer technology as part of Delhi’s new defence policy. — TNSStop firing at schoolkids, Pak told Director General of Military Operations Lt Gen AK Bhatt on Thursday spoke to his Pakistani counterpart Maj Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza and asked Pakistan not to target civilians. Lt Gen Bhatt reminded Maj Gen Mirza that the act of firing at schoolchildren at LoC did not behove an Army. 

The committee, headed by Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, called the alleged irregularities in the management of defence land a “monumental failure” at all levels of governance.

New Delhi: A parliamentary panel on Tuesday expressed “shock” over the defence ministry’s “failure” to punish those involved in the Adarsh Housing Society scam in Mumbai and asked it to award “exemplary punishment” to the erring officials.

In a scathing report tabled in the Lok Sabha, the public accounts committee said certain officials holding key posts committed “unpardonable irregularities” under the ruse of welfare of servicemen and that they must be punished.It asked the ministry to apprise the committee within four months about the punishment meted out to the officials involved in the scam.

The committee, headed by Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, called the alleged irregularities in the management of defence land a “monumental failure” at all levels of governance.

It said public servants entrusted with the responsibility of safeguarding public trust had “brazenly betrayed” it by acting against all norms of public interest and probity.

The Adarsh scam related to apartments in a tony part of town in Mumbai which were meant for the families of Kargil heroes. But army officers, politicians and bureaucrats were allegedly alloted flats in violation of the rules.

Seen as a symbol of corruption, the scam had kicked up a huge political storm after it surfaced in 2010, leading to the resignation of then Congress chief minister Ashok Chavan.

A high-level inquiry committee appointed by the defence ministry had named former Army chiefs, Gen. N C Vij and Gen. Deepak Kapoor, and several other retired military officials for their alleged complicity in the scam. The CBI is also carrying out a probe into the scam.

The parliamentary committee was severely critical of the defence ministry’s “action taken note” to a previous report by the panel.

“The committee is shocked to note that the action taken note of the ministry is silent about action initiated against a group of officials holding key posts in the ministry who violated rules and regulations and committed unpardonable irregularities under the ruse of welfare of servicemen, war widows and children,” it said.

A parliament official said the recommendation of the panel is not binding on the government.

The PAC also slammed the defence ministry for failing to carry out a physical survey and verification of its entire land pool and said it left scope for the “alienation” of its land in an “arbitrary and collusive manner”.

The committee also urged the ministry to set up a monitoring cell to fast track pending cases of mutation of defence land and complete the process in a time bound manner.

The panel also desired that the environment ministry take action against officials of the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority who failed to detect violations in the construction of the high-rise housing complex.

The body of Sepoy Jaspreet Singh being brought to his native Talwandi Mallian village in Moga district on Wednesday evening. Tribune Photo

Moga, July 19

The body of Sepoy Jaspreet Singh, who was killed in Pakistani firing in the Naushera sector of Jammu and Kashmir, was consigned to flames with state honours at his native Talwandi Mallian village in Dharamkot subdivision of Moga today.Jaspreet (24) was killed during a ceasefire violation by the Pakistan Army in Rajouri district on Tuesday night. He belonged to the 8 Sikh Light Infantry Regiment and was attached with the Rashtriya Rifles at the time of his death.State Congress president Sunil Jakhar, local MLAs Kaka Sukhjit Singh Lohgarh, Darshan Singh Brar, Harjot Kamal, District Magistrate Dilraj Singh Sandhawalia, SSP Raj Jit Singh Hundal, besides civil and military officials paid floral tributes to the martyr. Jaspreet’s father Sarwan Singh lit the pyre.Earlier, a pall of gloom descended on Talwandi Mallian vllage when Jaspreet’s body was brought there. His younger brother Kuldeep Singh said Jaspreet was planning to come home on July 29. — TNS

Rs 10 lakh, job for martyr’s kinChandigarh: Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Wednesday announced Rs 10 lakh compensation for the family and a police job for the younger brother of martyr Jaspreet Singh. An official spokesperson said the CM had sanctioned Rs 5 lakh as battle casualty compensation and another Rs 5 lakh as general compensation to the family of the martyr, along with a job for his younger brother in the state police. Jaspreet, a native of Moga, is survived by two brothers and two sisters. The spokesperson said besides Rs 10 lakh (ex gratia and payment in lieu of a plot), Rs 25,000 had been given to the family for the cremation of the martyr. tns

11 students were taken by their teacher to her house in Namb village in Nowshera sector along LoC after shelling by Pak army.

Tribune News Service

Srinagar/Rajouri, July 18

Two soldiers were killed in the Pakistan army fire even as 217 students were evacuated from schools following heavy shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in border districts of Jammu and Kashmir today. The security forces, meanwhile, thwarted an infiltration bid by gunning down two militants in Bandipore’s Gurez.A soldier was killed in Pakistan sniper fire in Nowgam sector of Kupwara district, 120 km northwest of Srinagar, this afternoon. “The soldier was critically wounded  and succumbed to injuries later,” a source said. His identity could not be established.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)One more soldier, Jaspreet Singh of Moga district in Punjab, was killed, while another got injured in heavy shelling by the Pakistan army in the Rajouri sector.A “war-like situation” prevailed along the LoC as the Pakistan army resorted to heavy shelling in the Bhimber Gali and Poonch sectors and Nowshera sector of Rajouri district.An Army spokesperson claimed the Pakistan army was using small arms, automatic weapons and 120 mm mortars to target civilian areas. At least 217 students were trapped in the “danger zone” along the LoC in the Nowshera sector when Pakistani troops resorted to heavy shelling in the area this afternoon. The district administration later evacuated them along with 15 teachers to safer places.At least 55 students belonging to Government Middle School, Sehar, had a miraculous escape when shells landed on a school building while they were being rescued. Around 150 students and staff of Government High School, Bhawani, were shifted to migrant camps, while the rest were handed over to parents.“Heavy mortar shelling in Nowshera, students trapped in two schools, Kadali and Sehar. Rescue operation launched,” Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri, tweeted earlier in the day.Around 10,000 people in Nowshera and Rajouri sectors were still trapped inside their homes as the administration was unable to evacuate them.In north Kashmir’s Gurez, the Army foiled an infiltration bid by killing two unidentified militants in a gunfight. A group of militants was intercepted by soldiers near Kanzalwan, close to the Line of Control in Gurez sector, 180 km from Srinagar. “On being challenged, the militants opened fire, triggering a gunfight. Two militants have been killed. A combing operation is on,” a defence source said, adding three weapons were recovered from the scene. Defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said two militants had been killed and the operation was under way.