Shimla, June 7

The two women trekkers who were stuck in Dhanrash area in Dodra Kuar sub-division were rescued by an IAF helicopter on Friday.

Sudha Bhattacharjee and Supriya are residents of Delhi.

They were stranded there since Thursday because of knee injury and hypothermia, said Dodra Kuar SDM Ratti Ram.

He said they were airlifted from the Highland trek by an IAF chopper and flown to Annandale in Shimla.

They were admitted at the military hospital at Jatog.

Bhattacharjee is the wife of an army officer, said Praveen Kumar, an army spokesperson here.

Both are under treatment and out of danger.

There were 10 trekkers on their way from Rupin Pass to Sangla when the two women failed to trek further, sources said.

Srinagar, June 8

A Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militant was killed on Saturday in a gunfight with the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district, police said.

According to police sources, the slain militant has been identified as Iqbal Ahmad of Anantnag’s Dooru area. The gunfight took place in Nowgam village of Verinag area.

“The militant’s body has been recovered. Search operation is still going on in the area,” sources said.

The gunfight occurred after the militants fired at the security forces who were carrying out a search and cordon operation in the area.

“Reinforcements have been rushed to the area to trace the militants,” police sources said.Mobile Internet facility has been suspended in Anantnag as a precautionary measure. IANS

Missing IAF aircraft, Missing IAF An 32 aircraft, AN 32 upgradation, AN 32 missing craft search operations, SOS Signal Unit, Randeep Singh Surjewala, Congress attacks defence ministry, India news,

he blast took place during handling of explosives. Tribune file

Jammu, May 22

An Army man was killed and seven others were injured in a blast during a “training activity” along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district on Wednesday, officials said.

“On Wednesday at 0915 hours, during a training activity on a military post in Mendhar sector, one soldier was critically injured and later succumbed to injuries”, a Defence public relation officer said.

Seven others suffered minor injuries and two of them were taken to the nearest military hospital. Their condition is stable, the officials said.

The incident took place at the Dhera Dabsi forward post of the 12 Madras Regiment, they said. PTI

New Delhi, May 3

INS Ranjit, an Indian navy destroyer built by erstwhile USSR, will be decommissioned on May 6, officials said on Friday.

The third of the five Kashin-class destroyers, it was commissioned in 1983 and has rendered service to the Navy for over 36 years.

“On May 6, a glorious era of INS Ranjit, being the frontline missile destroyer of the Indian Navy, is going to end,” the Navy said in a statement.

The ship will be decommissioned at a solemn ceremony at the Naval dockyard in Visakhapatnam.

The ceremony will be attended by personnel who have served onboard the INS Ranjit in the past, and officers and sailors from the commissioning crew, it said.

The chief guest for the ceremony would be Lieutenant Governor Andaman and Nicobar Islands Admiral (retired) Devendra Kumar Joshi.

“INS Ranjit was constructed as Yard 2203 in the 61 Communards shipyard in the town of Nikolev in present day Ukraine. The keel of the ship was laid on June 29, 1977, and she was launched on June 16, 1979,” the statement said.

The ship was given its Russian name ‘Lovkly’, which means agile, and was commissioned as INS Ranjit on September 15, 1983, with Captain Vishnu Bhagwat at the helm, it said.

The officer went on to serve as the chief of naval staff during the period 1996 to 1998.

In her maiden sortie, the destroyer traversed through the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea and Arabian Sea, the statement said.

The ship has the distinction of serving in both the western and eastern seaboard and has been the Flag Ship of both the western and eastern fleets.

INS Ranjit took part in PASSEX with the US Navy in 1991-92 which was a precursor to the Malabar series of exercises with the US Navy.It also took part in the first INDRA (India-Russia) exercise with the Russian Navy in 2003, according to the statement.

The ship also participated in the first ever SAREX with the PLA Navy in November 2003.

The ship in 2007 took part in the first ever Malabar exercise in the Pacific Ocean as well as the first ever INDRA series of exercises in Russian waters, the statement said.

The ship was actively deployed as part of the Navy’s relief operations post the 2004 tsunami and cyclone Hud-Hud in 2014.

In recognition to her service to the nation, the ship was awarded the Unit citation in 2003-04 and 2009-10, the statement said.

“As the sun sets on May 6, the Naval Ensign and the commissioning pennant will be lowered for the last time onboard INS Ranjit, symbolising the end of the Ranjit era in the Indian Navy,” it said. PTI

File photo of Imran Khan. Reuters

Beijing, April 27

Pakistan’s relationship with India remains the “only problem” for peace and stability in the region, Prime Minister Imran Khan has said and expressed hope of establishing a “civilised relationship” with New Delhi after the Lok Sabha elections are over.

Unless there is peace and stability in region, economic prosperity is difficult for Pakistan, and that is what right now the Pakistan government is working on, Khan who is in China to take part in the 2^nd Belt and Road Forum, (BRF) said while addressing the China International Cultural Communication Centre here on Friday.

Khan said Pakistan hopes that the political solution in Afghanistan will succeed and the war-ravaged country attains stability.

“Whatever happens in Afghanistan affects the Pakistan’s bordering areas. So, we are working for a peaceful region. We have decent relationship with Iran and we are trying to strengthen them,” he was quoted as saying by state-run APP news agency.

“The only problem right now is our relationship with India. But we are hoping that after the Indian elections, we will again hope to have a civilised relationship with India too,” he said.

Since his arrival here on April 25 to take part in the BRF meeting which concluded on Saturday, the Cricketer-turned-politician refrained from speaking on India-Pakistan ties which in the last two months have experienced severe strains following the February 14 Pulwama terror attack carried out by the Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e Mohammed which killed 40 CRPF personnel.

His emphasis during the visit appears to be firming up more projects for the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the flagship project of China’s ambitious trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

The BRI is Chinese President Xi Jinping’s signature global infrastructure policy. First announced in 2013, the project promises to build ports, roads and railways to revive the ancient Silk Road and create new trade corridors linking China to Asia, Africa and Europe.

The BRF forum aims to showcase the progress of the BRI since it began in 2013. The CPEC is opposed by India as it is being laid through the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

In his address at the roundtable meeting of the BRF forum presided by Chinese President Xi Jinping, Khan termed the CPEC as a transformational project which would play an important role in boosting connectivity between the Gwadar Port in Pakistan and Xinjiang region of China.

He also underscored the importance of greater connectivity among the BRI participating countries and proposed four specific areas for particular focus, including digital connectivity, mobility of labour, cultural connectivity and sharing best practices in knowledge and innovation.

To advance these proposals, among other things, Khan also suggested setting up of BRI Tourism Corridor to improve labour skills and mobility and creating multi-lingual digital platforms.

He also mooted cooperation among the BRI countries for poverty alleviation and campaign against corruption. In his speech at the cultural centre, Khan said the BRI had come as a blessing for Pakistan.

“Belt and Road Initiative has given us an opportunity to catch up with other nations. CPEC has provided an opportunity for Pakistan to attract investment not just from China, which is the fastest growing economy in the world now. So obviously, China is a main home from where we hope to invite investors,” he said.

Khan also met Managing Director of International Monetary Fund Christine Lagarde on the sidelines of the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing and reportedly discussed the bailout package.

Pakistan is currently undergoing a severe balance of payment crisis, despite large infusion of investments from China, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

The meeting reviewed the relationship between Pakistan and the IMF.

Khan identified the areas of reform and initiatives being undertaken by his government to stabilise the economy, control inflation and achieve fiscal balance, the APP report said.

The two leaders agreed on the importance of the IMF programme and to work towards an agreement for which a fund’s delegation is coming to Islamabad.

The two sides agreed on the need for a social safety net for the vulnerable groups of the society. PTI

Kaveesha Kohli
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, April 12

Even though it was 20 years ago that Major Harminder Pal Singh had laid down his life protecting the nation during the Kargil conflict, he continues to live on in his family’s memories. Major Singh was shot by the enemy in Baramulla district of north Kashmir on April 13, 1999.

He was posthumously awarded the Shaurya Chakra for his service to the nation.

A student of Khalsa Senior Secondary School, Kharar, and Government College, Mohali, it was always his dream to join the armed forces.

His father Harpal Singh had retired as a Captain from the Army. The family lives in Sector 70, Mohali.

“He had joined the NCC. I think he was also inspired by the fact that I was in the armed forces,” recalls Capt Harpal Singh (retd), proudly.

Major Singh had first cleared the exam to become a pilot in the Indian Air Force, but did not meet the medical requirements. Dedicated to the cause of serving the nation, he later got commissioned in the 18 Grenadiers.

On the fateful day, Major Singh was engaged in an “eyeball-to-eyeball encounter” with three militants in a remote region of north Kashmir. He was shot through the temple by the third militant, but only after he had shot the other two.

The Major led the commando platoon of his battalion, in what was subsequently described as a “dare-devil” operation in Sadurkotbala village in Manasbal.

The family received the news of his martyrdom around 7.30 pm on April 13, 1999. Major Singh’s son Navteshwar Singh, who is now a student of Punjab Engineering College, was only three months old then.

“At that time, thousands of Sikhs had gathered at Anandpur Sahib on Baisakhi. The then CM of Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal, got the news of my son’s demise at Anandpur Sahib where he expressed his condolences,” recalls Capt Harpal Singh. He said the government had been supportive of the family since his son’s martyrdom.

Major Singh’s wife was awarded a job in the office of the District Food and Supplies Controller, Punjab.

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Former Air Force chief NC Suri told India Today that he had not signed any such letter. In fact, Air Marshall Suri has written another letter to the President’s office clarifying his stance. General SF Rodrigues said he had no idea about the letter and called it fake.

Former Air Force chief NC Suri and former Army chief General SF Rodrigues have denied signing a letter supposedly written by military veterans to President Ram Nath Kovind urging him to stop politicians from using the defence forces for political purpose.

Suri told India Today that he had not signed any such letter. In fact, Air Marshall Suri has written another letter to the President’s office clarifying his stance. General SF Rodrigues said he had no idea about the letter and called it fake.

“Don’t know what it (letter) is all about. All my life, we have been apolitical. After 42 years as an officer, it’s a little late to change. Always put India first. Don’t know who these people are, but this is a classic manifestation of fake news,” said General SF Rodrigues (retired).

The controversial letter which was made public on Thursday urged Kovind to “take all necessary steps to urgently direct all political parties that they must forthwith desist from using the military, military uniforms or symbols, and any actions by military formations or personnel, for political purposes or to further their political agendas”.