Bodies of two Hizbul Mujahideen militants killed during an encounter in Shopian, Jammu and Kashmir. ANI photo

Srinagar, April 7

Two top Hizbul Mujahideen militants, including a former policeman, were killed on Thursday in a gunbattle with security forces in Shopian district of south Kashmir.

An encounter broke out between security forces and militants in Vehil village of Shopian, 55 km from here, after the troops of 62 Rashtriya Rifles launched a search operation in the area, an Army official said.

Two militants were killed in the encounter, he said, adding that two weapons were recovered from them.

The dead militants have been identified as Naseer Ahmad Pandit and Inamul Haq, alias Waseem Malla, both wanted militants of the Hizbul Mujahideen, the official said.

Pandit had joined militant ranks after deserting police force last year. He was posted on security duty at the residence of PDP MLA and then Works Minister Altaf Bukhari at the time of quitting the force. — PTI

Best friends forever: The China-Pakistan ties have no parallel in the world.

PRIME Minister Nawaz Sharif described his country’s relations with China as: “Sweeter than the sweetest honey”. Pakistan’s ambassador to China gushingly described the Sino-Pakistan relationship as: “Deeper than the ocean, higher than the mountains and stronger than steel”. In the meantime, we are learning more about the real implications of this relationship, which is based on “strategic containment” of India.  The China-Pakistan relationship has no parallel anywhere in the world, as nowhere has any country transferred nuclear weapons designs, nuclear enrichment and reprocessing capabilities, ballistic missile designs and manufacturing facilities, as China has done to Pakistan. These details have been described in the book authored by the Washington-based scholar, Andrew Small, titled: “The China-Pakistan Axis: Asia’s New Geopolitics”.The recent revelations of those involved in holding “offshore” accounts in Panama brought out the names of relatives of both Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and of Xi Jinping, China’s all-powerful President, who is also head of the Communist Party’s apex Military Commission. Following domestic political pressure, evidently backed by army chief Raheel Sharif, Nawaz Sharif’s influence has been further eroded. He has, however, hit back at the army, drawing attention to the protection from prosecution it has provided to General Musharraf who has acquired valuable properties in London and Dubai. The Panama revelations have also drawn attention to offshore accounts of the family/relatives of  Xi Jinping and of other top Chinese leaders. At least eight current and former members of the standing committee of the Communist Party politburo find distinguished mention in the Panama documents, as does Deng Jingui, who is President Xi’s brother-in-law. Deng has reportedly set up two companies in the British Virgin Islands. While Sharif is showing signs that he is feeling the heat, President Xi has reacted defiantly, enhancing his already extensive powers. He is the first leader since Deng Xiaoping to head the party’s powerful Military Commission. He has gone a step further by nominating himself as the commander-in-chief of the country’s armed forces, while unprecedentedly clad in army camouflage uniform. This has predictably led to speculation of President Xi wanting to make sure that the army remains directly under his command. While Xi has taken a tough posture against corruption, it is well known that members of his family/relatives have wide-ranging business connections and interests.  It was also no secret that family members of former Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, led by his mother, had business assets exceeding $2 billion.All this is occurring when China is going through a painful economic transition. Its export-driven economic growth over the past three decades has been unparalleled in contemporary history, with growth rates of around 10 per cent over the past two decades. While its present growth rates of around 6.9 per cent may appear problematic for China, it is still around the highest in the world. But the days of China being the sole exporting hub for manufactured goods are slowly declining. As China moves towards becoming a consumption-based economy, huge capacities built for manufacturing will have to be shut down, though some relief can be obtained from supplies to ventures abroad like its Silk Road economic belt and the Maritime Silk Road. With the prospects of growing unemployment, as surplus capacities in manufacturing are shut down, one will likely be staring at the face of a jingoistic China ready to divert attention by becoming more aggressive on its maritime and land border claims. While China would remain primarily focused on its maritime boundaries, it will also be unlikely to agree on issues like demarcating the Line of Actual Control along its borders with India.  But both countries will gain by moving ahead with confidence-building measures and better communications between the border forces. Xi Jinping has restructured the command of the PLA along borders with India, with a unified command now established in Chengdu. China appears unlikely to embark on a large-scale military adventure, though pressures will be maintained for keeping us unsettled along our borders. Nothing, however, can be taken for granted. New Delhi would be well advised to hasten the establishment of a Mountain Strike Corps and modernisation of its air power. Beijing’s “one belt one road” initiative across Pakistan, involving an investment of $46 billion, and its virtual takeover of the Gwadar Port in Baluchistan will require new initiatives by India, involving regional and extra-regional powers, to balance Chinese maritime power across the sea lanes of the Indian Ocean, which will be reinforced by continuing supplies of submarines and frigates to Pakistan.We should have no illusions of how China views India. Beijing has built Pakistan’s nuclear, missile and conventional arsenals. It welcomes political leaders and visitors from POK and Gilgit-Baluchistan, while treating visitors from J&K on an entirely different footing. It denies normal visas to Indian nationals from Arunachal Pradesh. Beijing aids and trains members of Northeastern insurgent groups like ULFA, along the Myanmar-China border. It seeks to constantly undermine Indian influence and promotes anti-Indian forces in all our SAARC neighbours. It blocks India’s membership in multilateral forums like the Nuclear Suppliers Group. It protects Pakistan-based terrorist groups like the LeT and JeM from international sanctions in the UN. Given China’s domestic economic and political problems and its aggressiveness with neighbours, there has to be a sustained dialogue to address tensions that will arise periodically along the Sino-Indian border. The trade, economic and investment relationship with China should be expanded. New Delhi should continue cooperation with China in forums like BRICS, the Asian Infrastructure Bank and G20. China’s policies of undermining India’s relations with its South Asian neighbours should be countered by a robust relationship with China’s maritime neighbours like Vietnam, Japan and the Philippines. Military exercises with the US, Japan, Australia and Indonesia in the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean should be expanded.  Military cooperation with Vietnam must include supplies of Brahmos Cruise missiles, which will serve as a deterrent to Chinese maritime adventurism. Given China’s links with armed separatist groups in the Northeast, India need not be apologetic about the Dalai Lama’s presence in India, or about the carefully nuanced support for democratic and religious freedoms. India must adopt a policy of cooperation combined with containment, in partnership with like-minded powers, in dealing with China.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar. — PTI file

Beijing, April 6

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar will visit China later this month to strengthen military ties despite strains in bilateral relations over Beijing’s move to block India’s attempts in the UN to clamp a ban on Pakistan-based terror group JeM chief Masood Azhar.Parrikar, the first Indian defence minister to visit China since 2013, will pay a three-day visit starting from April 18 during which he is expected to hold talks with top Chinese political and defence leaders, official sources here said.His predecessor AK Antony visited China in 2013.No agreements were expected during Parrikar’s visit which is being regarded as bilateral visit aimed at firming up ties, officials said.His trip follows high-level visits by top Chinese defence officials, including Central Military Commission (CMC) Vice-Chairman General Fan Changlong, to India last year.CMC headed by President Xi Jinping is the highest commanding authority of the 2.3-million strong People’s Liberation Army.While the two sides had set up a dialogue mechanism under Special Representatives of both the countries to find a solution to the vexed boundary dispute spanning 3,488 km, they also operationalised a Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination to address tensions arising out of aggressive patrolling of the disputed boundary.The Special Representatives have held 18 rounds of talks so far. The two sides also opened more border points for regular interactions between their officers and men to build friendly rapport between them.Chinese officials say the border situation is generally stable and the two militaries should take concrete actions to implement the consensus reached by their leaders on the issue.Parrikar’s visit also comes as concerns were rising in India about China’s move to block its bid to have JeM chief Azhar designated as terrorist by the UN in the aftermath of the terror attack on an air base in Pathankot in January.While Indian officials say that strains resulting out of this controversy will not affect Parrikar’s visit as both sides attached importance to improving military ties, reports say India mulled to re-clamp security checks on Chinese firms investing in India to show its concern over the issue.India is also concerned by reports of presence of Chinese troops in the forward positions in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.China has termed such reports as baseless. — PTI

Aurangabad ::    23 Medium Regt  Celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of The Battle Honour “AD TECLESAN “bestowed for Battle in 1941 in Eretrea, Ethiopia.
Above is picture of Mobile War Memorial Trophy installed in the Unit Yesterday.
Besides, Regiment also has another Battle Honour ” OP Hill ” for 1965 War in Balnoi, J&K.

War Veterans of 1971 got together in the Regiment to commemorate Platinum Jubilee of ” AD TECLESAN ” Battle Honour.
From Lt to Rt:-
Col RS Dhidsa, Col Bahadur Singh, Brig NK Hegde, Maj Uday Sathe VrC, Col Kewal Puri, Col VK Datta, (whose father Raised J& K Bty & his Uncle Capt KK Datta attained martyrdom in 1944), Col Ajit Singh Gularia, Col Swarajinder Singh, 2nd Generation in the Regiment.

Recieved From,Col Bhadur Singh+919316555794

BRIEF

The Regiment of Artillery is an operational arm (a regiment/corps) of the Indian Army. Today it is the second largest arm of the Indian Army, and with its guns, mortars, rocket launchers, unarmed aerial vehicles, surveillance systems and missiles, artillery fire-power, constitutes almost one-sixth of its total strength.

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Three students of a Delhi madarasa have been beaten up for refusing to chant the slogan “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”, prescribed lately as a test of patriotism by the BJP. A political resolution to this effect was passed by the party’s National Executive meeting recently. One can take precautions to stay out of trouble like avoiding a scuffle with a gangster or an argument with someone irrational or fundamentalist. But there is no choice when hoodlums force one to do or say something against one’s wish. Again, this is a small, isolated incident and Prime Minister Modi is not supposed to react. Nor is RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat expected to rein in his soldiers.  In these days of intolerance limitations on freedom of speech are imposed not only on the streets, even universities are not spared. Zealots are taking charge of the university arena and muzzling dissent or a free exchange of ideas. It seems the ideological transformation of universities is being carried out successfully through a pliable HRD Minister. JNU’s students are not the only sufferers of bigotry (Kanhaiya Kumar has been forced to cancel his AMU visit); its teachers too are suspected of running nurseries for anti-nationals. It is evident from what has happened in Jharkhand’s Central University, where a teacher has been suspended just because she invited a JNU professor of “doubtful credentials” to a function associated with Sardar Patel. Have the university rules been amended to include such grounds for suspension?  When RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat called upon everyone to chant “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”, Owaisi, a Muslim leader, defied him. His party MLA was suspended from the Maharashtra Assembly for the same reason. They maintained that they could not be forced to say anything against their will. Now that Mohan Bhagwat too says the same thing, his U-turn has left the BJP wondering what to do with its political resolution. Arun Jaitley has already claimed a victory in some kind of “ideological battle”. The BJP-RSS combine is just shrinking India’s space for dissent and democracy, and it runs away from taking responsibility for what its foot soldiers do in the country.http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/editorials/the-bharat-mata-test/215715.html

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 29India today rejected as tutored a video released by Pakistan purportedly showing its arrested former Navy officer Kulbhushan Yadav “confessing to his involvement in subversive activities in Balochistan”.In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said the six-minute video that purportedly showed Yadav’s “confession” was tutored and had been prepared under pressure.“The video shows this individual making statements that have no basis. That the individual claims to be making these statements out of his own free will not only challenges credulity, but also clearly indicates tutoring,” the ministry said.The ministry said the government “categorically rejects allegations that this individual was involved in subversive activities in Pakistan at our behest”. Sources in the government said it was yet another attempt by Pakistan to deflect attention when an investigation was going on into the Pathankot terror attacks. The ministry said the man’s presence in Pakistan raised the “possibility of his abduction from Iran.”The ministry said despite several requests, Pakistan had failed to provide consular access to Yadav, who was arrested last week.

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 28

The state police today effected a major reshuffle, a first in the five-month-old tenure of DGP Suresh Arora. At least 52 officers, including newly promoted DGPs and Commissioners and 13 SSPs, have been transferred.Among the recently promoted DGPs, Mohd Mustafa has been posted as DG, Punjab Human Rights Commission; Hardeep Dhillon, DGP (Law and Order); and RP Singh, Managing Director, Punjab Police Housing Corporation.ADGP MK Tiwari has been appointed ADGP (Prisons), against a post vacant. BK Uppal on promotion appointed ADGP, Human Resource Development, with additional charge of ADGP, Welfare and Litigation. BK Bawa is ADGP, Security, and BK Garg, ADGP, Powercom.Other main postings include that of Patiala IG Naunihal Singh who has been appointed IG (Law and Order) and Paramraj Umranangal, IG, Patiala.Amar Singh Chahal is Commissioner of Police, Amritsar, Jatinder Aulakh Ludhiana and Arpit Shukla Jalandhar.The SSPs have got the following new postings: Sukhwinder Singh Mann, Faridkot; Narinder Bhargav, Fazilka; Gurpreet Singh Gill, Muktsar; Kuldeep Singh,  Hoshiarpur; Jagdeep Singh, Gurdaspur; Gurpreet Singh Toor, Barnala; Rakesh Kaushal, Pathankot; Opinderjit Singh Ghuman, Jagraon;  Jaspreet Singh, Fardikot; Satinder Singh, Khanna; Harcharan Singh Bhullar, Fatehgarh Sahib; HS Pannu, Moga; and Mukhwinder Singh, Mansa.

Photo source: Thinkstock

New Delhi, March 18

In a move that will hit the common man, the government on Friday slashed interest rates payable on small savings, including PPF and Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP), in a bid to align them closer to market rates.

As a part of its February 16 decision to revise interest rates on small savings every quarter, the interest rate on Public Provident Fund (PPF) scheme will be cut to 8.1 per cent for the period April 1 to June 30, from 8.7 per cent, at present.

Similarly, the interest rate on KVP will be cut to 7.8 per cent from 8.7 per cent, according to a Finance Ministry order.

While the interest rate on post office savings has been retained at 4 per cent, the same for term deposits of one to five years has been cut.

The popular five-year National Savings Certificates will earn an interest rate of 8.1 per cent from April 1 as against 8.5 per cent, at present.

A five-year Monthly Income Account will fetch 7.8 per cent as opposed to 8.4 per cent now. Girl-child saving scheme, Sukanya Samriddhi Account will see interest rate of 8.6 per cent as against 9.2 per cent.

Senior citizen savings scheme of five-year would earn 8.6 per cent interest compared with 9.3 per cent.

“On the basis of the decisions of the government, interest rates for small savings schemes are to be notified on quarterly basis,” the order said announcing the rates for the first quarter of fiscal 2016-17.

Post Office term deposits of one, two and three years command an interest rate of 8.4 per cent but from April 1, a 1-year Time Deposit will get 7.1 per cent, 2-year Time Deposit will earn 7.2 per cent and 3-Year Time Deposit will attract interest of 7.4 per cent.

Five-year Time Deposit will fetch 7.9 per cent interest in the first quarter as against 8.5 per cent, while the same on five-year recurring deposit has been slashed to 7.4 per cent from 8.4 per cent.

The government had on February 16 announced moving small saving interest rates closer to market rates. On that day, rates on short-term post office deposits was cut by 0.25 per cent but long-term instruments such as MIS, PPF, senior citizen and girl child schemes were left untouched. – PTI