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IN an interview with The Tribune’s Smita Sharma, Pakistan former Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri recalls Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s impact on ties. Excerpts:Your view on Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s contribution to India-Pakistan ties?I knew Vajpayee not just as Foreign Minister, but also as Member of Parliament. When he visited Lahore on his bus yatra, I was present at the government house where he made a very moving speech. He came across as a man of peace. He made an interesting remark which left a positive impact on those of us present. When I was Foreign Minister, SAARC, as usual, was hostage to India-Pak relations. The summit was held in January 2004 and we were not sure if any substantive talks between the two countries would take place. We thought there would only be a courtesy call. It was decided that Vajpayee and Musharraf should meet and modalities were settled one day earlier by two Foreign Ministers Yashwant Sinha and me. Next day, the meeting took place at the President’s House. We were very happy that President Musharraf and PM Vajpayee arrived at a solution in the January 6 joint declaration. That set into motion possibly the most successful peace process since 1947 although it did not substantially materialise during Vajpayee’s time. What do you see as the India-Pak future given non-state actors to wheels within wheels remain?War is not possible. We have been near nine war situations. The two countries realise that whether it is nuclear, conventional or sub-conventional level, they have reached almost parity. Not an inch of territory can pass from one to another… everything has been tried. When you talk about non-state actors, Pakistan complains about Indian activities in Balochistan that was mentioned in Sharmal Sheikh declaration. PM Manmohan Singh faced flak for it in India. This was akin to what Nawaz Sharif faced because of lack of Kashmir in the Ufa declaration. You cannot duck anymore… we have to face facts about what India alleges and you cannot just live with the situation in Kashmir.Can PMs Imran Khan and Narendra Modi make a difference? Is the Pakistan army on board?The beginnings have not been bad. Imran Khan has a good reputation as a popular figure in India also. The fact that PM Modi rang him was well received in Pakistan. The cricket bat sent through the High Commissioner sends a message. It will be unfortunate if we have to wait till 2019 Indian elections to find solutions. Solution on Kashmir framework would be impossible without Pakistan army and ISI supporting it. Pakistan military is not averse to peace but wants a just, negotiated settlement on honourable terms.Will SAARC summit be revived?I believe strongly in regional cooperation. Now we are ready to meet each other in SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) but not in SAARC which is our home ground. We don’t want to kill SAARC which has a lot of hidden advantages.

War is not possible. We have been near nine war situations. The two countries realise that whether it is nuclear, conventional or sub-conventional level, they have reached almost parity. Not an inch of territory can pass from one to another.Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, Pakistan Former foreign minister

300 Army personnel move SC against prosecution – Today’s Paper – The Hindu

300 Army personnel move SC against prosecution – Today’s Paper – The Hindu

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 7

Four soldiers, including a gallantry award winning Major, were killed in a fierce encounter with infiltrators close to the Line of Control in Gurez sector of north Kashmir’s Bandipore district on Tuesday. Two unidentified militants were also killed.This is the first major infiltration bid and encounter along the LoC in Kashmir after the conclusion of parliamentary elections in Pakistan and comes just days ahead of Imran Khan being sworn in as Prime Minister.While the massive counter-infiltration operation is still under way at Bakhtoor, Gurez, 170 km from Srinagar, the Army suspects more militants may be hiding in the area. It has pressed into service a team of specialised forces to search for militants in the dense forest area. The Lashkar-e-Toiba claimed its men were involved.The slain soldiers were identified as Major Kaustubh Prakash Kumar Rane, 29, of Thane, Maharashtra; Grenadier Vikramjeet Singh, 25, of Ambala, Haryana; Rifleman Mandeep Singh Rawat, 26, of Kotdwar, Uttarakhand, and Rifleman Hameer Singh, 28, of Dunda, Uttarakhand.Major Rane, who was attached with 36 RR, was recently promoted and awarded the Sena Medal in May 2017 for his role in the same sector.Vikramjeet Singh, a resident of Ambala’s Tepla village, had tied the knot a few months ago. The gunfight began around 1 am when an Army patrol noticed the movement of at least eight heavily-armed militants and challenged them near Army’s Panth post at Bakhtoor.“They fired at the soldiers and in the intense gunfight, a Major and three soldiers of 36 RR were killed,” a source said, adding that two militants were also shot dead in the gunfight.Sources said at least four militants managed to return to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. “However, we suspect two militants are still hiding in the area and the operation is under way,” the source said.Srinagar-based defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said the infiltration bid was foiled in Gurez by the Army. Gurez is among the toughest routes to sneak into the Valley along the 350-km-long LoC in the region. In the past, militants have waded through the Kishanganga river to infiltrate into Gurez.In May, PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the 330-MW Kishanganga Hydroelectric Project in Gurez. Pakistan had objected to the project.

133 crossover bids

• 133 infiltration bids up to June this year, 69 successful
• Six militants killed in Gurez sector in three different operations last year
• Three militants killed in lastoperation in Gurez on July 27

Rajouri, August 5

To develop cordial relations between students, staff and parents, the management of Army Goodwill Public School organised an ‘Autumn Fete’ here on Saturday.The function, inaugurated by Maj Gen MV Suchindra, General Officer Commanding, Infantry Division, was attended by more than 600 students, staff and parents. They enjoyed various games organised by the school on the campus.Maj General Suchindra also inaugurated a plantation drive under which more than 1,000 saplings were planted by the students, parents and the staff.“The school also moved a step forward in the direction of digitisation and academic excellence by inaugurating ‘Gramonnati Centre e-Pathshala’ with facilities of tablets, laptops and accessories for the students between Class VI and VIII, especially for hostel inmates,” said a senior Army officer.He said Bansal coaching classes with an e-pathsala facility had been launched so that Class IX to XII students could prepare for the board and competitive exams.“To make the Autumn Fete more interesting, educative and successful, the students of the school also organised a cultural show for the audience,” said a school spokesman. — OC

Our Correspondent

Palampur, July 31

The DAH Division of the Army organised a defence pension adalat at its station headquarters in Palampur on Tuesday. The event was held in continuation with its effort to reach out to veterans and resolve their problems pertaining to pension and their welfare issues.The meet was also aimed at addressing issue pertaining to the ESM (ex-servicemen) and acquaint them with various schemes and programmes for enhancing quality of life of the veterans. The meet was another step towards helping the veterans and Veer Naris register themselves for the preparation of the ECHS smart cards.Brig Charandeep Singh, Station Commander, apprised the ex-servicemen that the application cum-registration facilitation centre, had been made operational at the ECHS Cell, Palampur, and the ECHS Polyclinic, Mandi.He also encouraged the veterans, Veer Naris and widows to get themselves registered on the Indian Army veteran’s portal. During the meet, the veterans were also apprised that 2018 would be celebrated as the year of disabled soldiers. The veterans were intimated to forward the details of disable soldiers and Veer Naris residing in their native areas to the Veterans Sahayta Kendra, Palampur. The meet was attended by a large number of ex-servicemen and Veer Naris, who came from different parts of Kangra and Mandi District.A talk on welfare schemes was also given by Brig SK Verma (Retd), Director, Sainik Welfare, Government of HP, Hamirpur. During the event, the DPDO, Palampur, resolved most of the grievances pertaining to the pension of veterans on the spot.

Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 30

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur urged NCC officers to join hands with the state government in checking drug abuse, afforestation programme and making the state polythene-free. Efforts will be made to ensure that there are NCC teachers in all schools and colleges having the NCC wing, he added.Interacting with Additional Director General, NCC directorate of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh, Major General RS Maan, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was giving special thrust on expanding and strengthening the NCC activities in the country.He said at present, there were 16 lakh NCC cadets in the country and efforts were being made to increase their number to 19 lakh. He said Himachal had 23,000 NCC cadets.Major General RS Maan apprised him of various activities being undertaken by the NCC in the state. He also urged the Chief Minister for enhancing the budget for the NCC.

Jammu, July 27

To honour the sacrifices of brave soldiers who laid down their lives during the 1999 Kargil war, the 19th anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas was observed on Thursday at Shradhanjali Park, Udhampur, with solemnity and dignity.Lt Gen Paramjit Singh, Chief of Staff, Headquarters, Northern Command, along with a large number of personnel andcivil officials, paid homage to the martyrs by lighting candles.The day is a special occasion for the Army as it is the anniversary of the rarest battle which was fought and won in the most adverse and challenging conditions.Observing Vijay Diwas was a humble tribute to the martyrs and an acknowledgement of their valour andsacrifice, a Northern Command spokesperson said

Jammu, July 28

Amid a spike in terror attacks on security forces in Kashmir, the police are set to purchase 50 bullet-resistant bunker (BRB) vehicles with a higher level of protection from gunfire.The J&K Police have recently floated tenders for the purchase of the 50 BRB 4X4 vehicles with NIJ-III level protection that would shield them against fire from self-loading rifles (SLRs) and AK-47 rifles.The NIJ-III level is a standard set by the US-based National Institute of Justice (NIJ) for body armour.Hundred militants and 43 security personnel were killed in Jammu and Kashmir in the first six months of this year, the government informed the Rajya Sabha recently.Sixteen civilians were also killed during this period, which saw 256 incidents of violence.The police will get 50 bullet-proof bunker vehicles for protection of security personnel against terror attacks in insurgency-hit areas of Kashmir, a senior police official said on Saturday.The BRB vehicles should have specifications to give protection against fire from SLRs and AK-47 rifles on four sides at 90 degree angle of attack from 10 metre and roof at 45 degree of the attack from 10 metre, the official said.The NIJ standard “Ballistic Resistance of Body Armour” is a minimum performance standard developed in collaboration with the Office of Law Enforcement Standards (OLES) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).The NIJ level-III protection is tested to stop 7.62mm full metal jacket lead core rifle ammunition.The bullet resistant glasses should have the required thickness with finest optical quality minimum distortion to be used as transparent armours, which must be capable of withstanding NIJ level-III protection, he said.The official said the vehicle must give protection against 8 kg of TNT and equivalent and its underbelly shall be protected against blasts of two hand grenades.The vehicle must be able to accommodate 10 people in a bullet-proof single cabin, the official said.As per the specifications, the fuel tanks of the vehicles should also be bullet-proof.When Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Jammu and Kashmir last year, he had announced a package of Rs 500 crore for the modernisation of the Jammu and Kashmir Police under the PM Development Programme and that is under procurement.Union Minister Hansraj Gangaram Ahir recently said in the Rajya Sabha that in 2017, 342 incidents of “violence” were reported in Jammu and Kashmir, in which 213 militants were killed. A total of 80 security personnel and 40 civilians were killed last year, Ahir said. — PTI