Musharraf says Kashmir resolution essential for durable peace

Islamabad, Jan 16, 2007. Pakistan President General Pervez

Musharraf today said resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir

issue was essential for achieving a durable peace in the region.
He said this while briefing his top military commanders on the
ongoing peace process with India.
President Musharraf also expressed optimism and hope in the
peace process, while chairing the conference, which began in the
garrison town of Rawalpindi, two days after Indian External Affairs
Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s visit to Pakistan.
The two countries took a number of important decisions during
Mr Mukherjee’s visit to address outstanding problems and agreed to
launch the fourth round of the composite dialogue in March.
President Musharraf also expressed satisfaction on the progress
achieved during the composite dialogue for solution of the Sir Creek
and Siachen issues.
Indian and Pakistani hydrographers and defence officials yesterday
began the joint survey to demarcate boundary between their countries
in Sir Creek areas.
The commanders also had a comprehensive discussion on the
situation along the Pakistan-Afghan border.
”The President briefed the participants on decisions taken to
control illegal cross-border movements, repatriation of over three
million Afghan refugees and to root out terrorism from the country
in general and the tribal areas in particular,” said a statement
issued by the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR).
The President also rejected the statements emanating from various
quarters, saying Pakistan was not fighting terrorism under any
pressure.
”Terrorism is a threat to our national security which will be
eliminated at all costs and Pakistan will not allow anyone to use
its soil for terrorist activities,” the President stressed.

SC declines interim order for 37 breakaway BSP MLAs

New Delhi, Jan 16, 2007. The Supreme Court today declilned to pass

an interim order for the 37 breakaway BSP MLAs for the forthcoming

session of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly called on January 18.

Though the MLAs have been permitted to act as a separate
independent group under the banner of Bahujan Loktantrik Dal (BLD),
they wanted clarification from the court about their political
status during the session.
They also sought to know whether they will be permitted to caste
their votes as Chief Minister Mulayam Singh has to prove his
majority on the floor of the House.

Army to de-mine border areas for cultivation in J and K

Gigrial, on line of Control, Jan 16, 2007. The Army has agreed to

the de-mining of border areas and purchase the land occupied by it in

Jammu and Kashmir, and will pay the rent to the landowners from the

date of occupation, Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad informed here

this evening.

Addressing a public rally at this bordering village in Akhnoor
tehsil, he said the army authorities in a meeting with the top
administrative official at Kachrial gate army base had agreed on
three points whereby the army will clear all the landmines from the
fields at border areas where agricultural activities are possible.
”De-mining operation of the feasible border land in Khour border
area would be completed in about 20 days. I will myself lead the
farmers to launch agriculture operation very soon.” Mr Azad said.
The Chief Minister said the army also have agreed to purchase
the occupied fields from the land owners and now the those farmers
whose land was occupied by army could get compensation.
About the third point, he said the army would also pay the rent
of the land to their owners from the date of its occupation and
mining. ”wherever de-mining is not possible rent and, if required,
compensation to the farmers would be paid,” he added.
The government had started free-ration for border people during
tensions at the borders, as they were deprived of farming due to the
shelling from pakistan as well as mining in their fields.
The Chief Minister said the state government had decided to stop
providing free ration to the border residents who have been getting
free ration during tensions at the borders, as they were deprived of
farming due to the shelling from Pakistani as well as mining in
their fields.
The state government will now provide all agricultural assistance
to the farmers, the Chief Minister said adding that the farmers
would be provided free fertilisers and seeds to restart cultivation
in their fields.
The Chief Minister mentioned Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee s
visit to Pakistan and his interaction with Pak leaders in which many
positive developments with regard to strengthening of confidence
building measures are sure to emerge by the continuation of dialogue
process between the two nations.
Mr Azad said in next two to three months many meetings between
the leadership of two countries have been scheduled, which he
declared a most significant development in the peace process.
”The people living in border areas are directly affected by the
tension at the borders where every activity gets marred by such
tensions,” the Chief Minister said.

CM teaches lesson to Speaker about importance of Assembly session

Gigrial, on Line of Control, Jan 16, 2007. Jammu and Kashmir Chief

Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today taught the lesson of importance and

sanctity of Legislative Assembly and its session to its Speaker Tara

Chand in a public rally here this evening.

The Chief Minister and the Speaker, who was local MLA (member of
legislative assembly), were invited to address the people in public
rally at Gigrial in Khod constituency.
Addressing the rally, Mr Chand presented a charter of the demands
of the local population and sought the Chief Minister’s quick
declaration.
He also requested for CM’s intervention in speedy resolution of
the problems faced by the people of the border areas.
The Speaker appreciating the working style of Mr Azad brought
people’s demands to his notice with regard to construction of
communication links, power and drinking water supply, employment to
youth, agriculture and horticulture development and said these
sectors required focus of attention for speedy development of border
areas.
”Mr Azad, People of Khod today want some thing from you and I
hope you would made some announcement here for development of this
backward area,” the Speaker said.
In his speech the Chief Minster said that he cannot declare any
thing because the budged session is still on progress.
”The importance and sanctity of Legislative Assembly does not
allow me to make any declaration outside the house,” Mr Azad added.
”Being Chairman of Legislative Assembly Speaker can understand
my helplessness,” he said. The Chief Minister, however, added that
at the end of the budget session he shall made some announcement
about Khod.

Govt to perform ‘Bhooyagnam’ to retrieve lands from rich: CM

Hyderabad, Jan 16, 2007. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara
Reddy today said the government would perform ”Bhooyagnam” to
retrieve lands illegally held by rich people for distribution to
poor, even as the Opposition alleged that the government had turned
itself into a realtor acquiring land from poor at a cheap price and
selling them to the rich.
Speaking after taking part in a series of functions in Anantapur
district, Dr Reddy said, ”My Government will perform Bhooyagnam on
the lines of the ‘Jalayagnam’ to take back all lands illegally held
by influential people and distribute the same to the poor.”
The Congress Government had already distributed 4.50 lakh acres
of land to the poor in the last 2.5 years, he added.
Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly
N Chandrababu Naidu, after interacting with farmers from
Medak district who had been served with notice for auctioning of
”assigned lands” purchased by them, alleged that the government
was seizing ”assigned lands” of the poor, depriving them of
their livelihood.
Mr Naidu wanted the Government not to go ahead with auctioning of
224 acres of land of the dalits in Tellapur village.
Taking up cudgels for the peasants, TRS supremo and former Union
Labour Minister K Chandrasekara Rao today warned that his party
would launch a massive agitation for the protection of the
properties in the Telangana region.
”The Government has turned itself into a realtor acquiring lands
of the poor at cheap rate and selling them to rich people,” he
charged.
Meanwhile, BJP State President and former Union Minister B
Dattatreya demanded that while regularising ”assigned lands”
purchased by the poor and the middle class, the Government must
confiscate lands purchased by the rich and distribute them to the
poor.
In another letter to the Chief Minister, he alleged that the
government while sparing the rich was confiscating the lands of the
poor and the middle class. While 25 lakh acres of assigned lands had
been alienated, not even one per cent of such lands were recovered,
he contended.

Three killed in road accident.

Mysore, Jan 16, 2007 Three motorcyclists were killed on the spot
when a Government bus collided with their vehicles near Keregud in
neighbouring Mandya district of Karnataka, today.
Police said the accident occurred when the bus dashed a motorcycle
with two riders, who in turn hit another two-wheeler, killing that
rider also.
The victims were identified as Madhu and Manu, both executives of
Udayavani Kannada newspapers, and Suresh.
The bus driver was absconding.

Six elephant poachers arrested

Bangalore, January 16, 2007. Six elephant poachers, including one from
neighbouring Tamil Nadu, have been nabbed near Doddanne in
Karnataka.
In a joint operation carried out by the Deputy Conservators of
Forests, Kollegal division and Cauvery WL division in Kanakapura,
Belluli Madaiah, Suntari Madaiah and Karna from Ramegowdanahalli,
Kumara of Billigundlu in Tamil Nadu, Shivanna and Butta of
Bidarahalli were nabbed. However, another accused Kencha was
absconding, an official release here said today.
The arrested were remanded in judicial custody on January 14, the
release added.
Three tuskers were poached around Ponnachi in December last and
one tusker near Doddanne in March 2005.
Efforts were being made to strengthen the protection force to
avoid future poaching in these areas, the Principal Chief
Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Bangalore, said.

Marquis show Romanian Andreescu the door

Kolkata, January 16, 2007Mumbai lad Christopher Marquis played a match
of lifetime to beat Romanian Cosmin Christian Andreescu in 125
minutes at the ONGC-ITF juniors 2007 being played at the DKS Sports
Complex here.
Andreescu ran through the first set in 25 minutes breaking Marquis
in the first, third and seventh games. Andreescu served one ace and
one double fault while Marquis served two double faults. The second
set had a total of six breaks. Marquis broke Andreescu in the first,
third, seventh and ninth and got broken in the second and eighth
games.
Marquis took the second set at 6-3. Andreescu served four double
faults while Marquis served one ace. In the final set Andreescu
broke Marquis in the seventh game and retained his serve in the
eighth to go up 5-3.
Marquis then took the next three games breaking Andreescu in the
tenth game to come back into the match. The tie break went with
serves till 9-9. Marquis took the next two points to seal the match
in his favour.
In the other big match of the day top seed Rifat Biktyakov of
Uzbekistan ran through Harshvardhan Thirani in little less than an
hour 6-0, 6-3. The youngster showed a wide array of strokes as he
dropped only three games on way to take home the first match.
Thirani showed a semblence of resistence in the second set, but it
was not good enough.
In the girl’s singles Jessy Rompies lived up to her top billing
defeating Arushi Sharma 6-0, 6-1, while eighth seed Sweta Solanki
beat Wild card Nupur Kaul 6-2, 6-0.
RESULTS OF MATCHES PLAYED TODAY:

Boys’ First Round : Rifat Biktyakov (1)(Uzb)(113) beat
Harshvardhan Thirani (WC)(1428) 6-0,6-3; Christopher Marquis
(Q)(787) beat Cosmin Christian Andreescu (Rom)(320)
1-6,6-3,7-6(11-9); Sudhanwa Sitaram (Q)(545) beat Vishesh Bhatia
(298) 4-6,6-2,6-4; Varun Gunaseelan (Q)(711) beat Palash Tiwari
(Q)(818) 6-4,6-2.
Girls’ Singles First Round : Jessy Rompies (1)(Ina)(135) beat
Arushi Sharma (Q) 6-0,6-1; Olga Makhova (Rus)(520) beat Garima
Vatwani (Q)(1448) 6-2,6-1; Sweta Solanki (8)(234) beat Nupur Kaul
(Q)(1151) 6-2,6-0; Ashwarya Srivastava (Q)(879) beat Regina
Shtyagina (Rus)(973) 6-3,1-6,6-1; Prerna Bhambri (WC)(748) beat
Polina Dzyuba (Rus)(494) 4-6,7-6(7-4),6-1; Deepna Vazirani (914)
beat Mohana Chintala (484) 7-6(7-3),4-6,6-2.
Boys’ Doubles First Round : Rifat Biktyakov (Uzb) & Timur Kamilov
(Uzb)(1) beat Sitaram Sudhanwa & Christopher Marquis 5-7,6-2,6-3;
Agnel Gladwin Peter & Vladimir Lyashchenko (Rus) beat Palash Tiwari
& V. Sudarshan 0-6,7-5,6-2; B. Vikram Reddy & Sriram Balaji
Narayanswamy beat Kittiphong Wachiramanowong (Tha) & Khunpol Issara
(Tha)(3) 6-4,6-7(9-11),6-2;Yuki Bhambri & Karunuday Singh beat Parul
Verma & Harshvardhan Thirani 6-2,6-2; Sameer Paranjpe & Mansingh
Athare (WC) beat Shiva Sangwan & Navinder Pal Singh 6-2,7-6(7-3);
Ronak Manuja & Vishesh Bhatia (4) beat Lakshit Sood & Chandril Sood
(WC) 7-5,6-3.
Girls’ Doubles First Round : Beatrice Gumulya (Ina) & Jessy
Rompies (Ina)(1) beat Shahin Ansari & Kesika Jayapalan 6-0,6-0; Olga
Makhova (Rus) & Nanuli Pipiya (Rus) beat Deepna Vazirani & Richa
Valechha 6-2,6-1; Alyona Sotnikova (Ukr) & Regina Shtyagina (Rus)
beat Dipti Srivastava & Treta Bhattacharyya (WC) 6-0,6-3; Nicha
Lertpitaksinchai (Tha) & Khunpak Issara (Tha)(3) beat Kyra Shroff &
Ashwarya Srivastava 6-4,6-0.

Nat Billiards: Advani gets cracking, Kothari surprises Md.Asim

Bangalore, January 16, 2007. Asian Games gold medallist Pankaj Advani
began with a bang by brushing aside the challenge from S Simhachalam
572-271, while Saurav Kothari surprised third seed Md. Asim in the
billiards main draw of the Senior National Billiards and Snooker
Championship, which began at KSBA hall here today.
The 21-year-old Pankaj, representing PSPB, warmed up straight
away to crack breaks of 128 and 105 to wallop the Railways player in
the 90-minute Group ‘F’ tie at 572-271.
In Group ‘C’, qualifier Saurav Kothari came up with useful breaks
of 56 and 59 in the right time to ward off seasoned Md.Asim to win
at 339-256.
Defending champion Devendra Joshi was also in superb form winning
both the matches he played today. The PSPB star first crushed Rafat
Habib of Tamil Nadu 600-298 and later effortlessly beat Ravnaq
Vazirani of Gujarat 788-198.
The other winners of the day included former world champion Geet
Sethi, representing Gujarat, who defeated Varun Taneja 513-290, Alok
Kumar of PSPB beat Shyamal Sharma of Bihar 695-200 and veteran
Arvind Savur of Karnataka overpowered Md. Akram Khan of West Bengal
618-265.

Results (Group league): Group A: Devendra Joshi (PSPB) bt Rafat

Habib 600-298; Lucky Vatnani (A) bt S Mumtaz Ali (Jhar) 340-330;

Ravnaq Vazirani (Guj) W/o from Nitin Agarwal (MP); Rafat Habib bt S

Mumtaz Ali 443-324; Lucky Vatnani W/o Nitin Agarwal (MP); Devendra

Joshi bt Ravnaq Vazirani 788-198.

Group B: Dhruv Sitwala (PSPB) BT Shyam Jagtiani 302-234; Nitin

Kohli (UP) bt D Raj Kumar (Kar) 427-329; Ahsan Ul Haque (Ori) bt

Sandeep Gulati (Del) 333-332; Nitin Kohli (UP) bt Shyam Jagtiani

331-267; D Raj Kumar (Kar) bt Ahsan Ul Haque (Ori) 503-322; Dhruv

Sitwala (PSPB) bt SAndeep Gulati (Del) 680-154.

Group C: Saurav Kothari bt Md Asim (Rly) 339-256; Arvind Savur

(Kar) bt Md Akram Khan (WB) 618-265; Tarun Chandra SAraf (Bih) bt

Praveen Kumar (TN) 387-378.

Group D: Rupesh Shah (Guj) bt Shravan Mohta (Mah) 406-281; K

Venkatesham (Rly) bt Omar Balsara (Mah) 431-337; Anish Parekh (Jhr)

bt I V Rajiv (TN) 409-321.

Group E: B Bhaskar (Kar) bt Yogesh Rai (Rly) 371-249; R Prabhakar

(TN) bt Chetan Chabra (Har) 530-219.

Group F: Pankaj Advani (PSPB) bt S Simhachalam (Rly) 572-271;

Shakil Ahmed (WB) bt Rahul Bhargava (RJ) 595-129; Siddharth Parikh

(Rly) bt Subrat Das (Ori) 449-247.

Group G: Geet Sethi (Guj) bt Varun Taneja (Rly) 513-290; Arun

Agarwal (Mah) Raghoo Sinha (UP) 465-463; Sonam Bhutia (WB) bt Aman

Goyal (Har) 341-228.

Group H: Prem Prakash (TN) bt A Satish Kumar (Kar) 764-223; Alok

Kumar (PSPB) bt Shyamal Sharma (Bih) 695-200 and Antim singhi (Rly)

bt Rajul Agarwal (MP) 396-244.

Orissa Stealers scrapes through

Chennai, January 16, 2007.  In a scrappy encounter, Orissa Stealers scored
a solitary goal win against Hyderabad Sultans in the BSNL Premier
Hockey League (PHL) here today.

International Dilip Tirky converted a penalty corner in the 69th
minute to account for the only goal in the match. The match, in
which both the teams came up with a poor display and failed to
create chances, was also marred by rough play. Both the teams forced
two penalty corners each. The Hyderabad team failed to convert both.
Orissa stealers, however, had the consolation of chalking up their
third win in the first phase.