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--- South Asian News, October 3, 2002 --- (International)

In continuing poll-related violence in Indian Kashmir, 12 people are killed in separate incidents; eight militants are killed while trying to cross into Indian Kashmir from Pakistani-held territory. Following these latest attacks, the Indian Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha warns that India would be forced to retaliate if Islamabad does nothing to stop 'cross-border terrorism'. Meanwhile, Nawaz Sharif, former Pakistani Prime Minister, claims that he has rejected a rapprochement deal from Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.

Africa


* 10 die as Kashmir polls stoke more violence (Independent Online) (News 24)
* Gandhi's state torn apart (News 24)

Americas


* Indian army kills 8 suspected Islamic militants who came from Pakistan (Canada.com)
* Militant attacks plague Kashmir vote (The News Mexico)

Asia-Pacific


* 25 killed in India-controlled Kashmir (Xinhuanet) (Malaya Star) (Australian Broadcasting) (East Day)
* India kills 8 suspected militants (Japan Today)
* New Delhi warns of war with Pakistan as Kashmir violence continues (Channel News Asia)
* Sri Lankan minister seeks Japan ODA hike (Japan Times)
* Troops kill 12 Maoist rebels in Nepal (Japan Today)

Europe


* Upsurge in Kashmir violence (BBC) (Swiss Info) (Guardian) (Independent) (Financial Times) (Reuters) (Times Online)
* Former Pakistani PM 'rejects deal' (BBC)
* Sri Lanka asks Japan for reconstruction aid (Financial Times)
* Religious clash erupts in Gujarat (BBC)
* Bengal Communists die in 'revenge attacks' (BBC)

Middle East


* Militants, Indian forces fighting in Hiranagar area in J&K (IRNA)
* India doesn't rule out war (Arab News)
* Benazir party victory in polls predicted (Gulf News)
* Hung parliament likely to emerge (Gulf News)
* Ousted Pakistan PM to oppose Musharraf government (IRNA)
* Shahid Karimullah new chief of Pak Navy (IRNA)

Editorial/Opinion


* Pakistan democracy borders on oligarchy (Gulf News)

Business/Technology


* Indian oil sell-off hits choppy water (BBC)


Africa


* 10 die as Kashmir polls stoke more violence

Srinagar, India -- Suspected Muslim separatists renewed bloody assaults in Indian-occupied Kashmir on Wednesday as India pressed ahead with controversial state elections that had triggered violence. After a third phase of voting on Tuesday - in which 18 people died in the bloodiest polling day since the elections began - 10 people died in attacks on Wednesdy. A further four alleged infiltrators were shot dead by Indian troops on the border on Wednesday. Two people were killed and at least 20 others wounded, many of them badly burned, when militants bombed a bus carrying Hindu pilgrims in Jammu on Wednesday.

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=126&art_id=ctK560837&set_id=1
http://www.news24.com/News24/World/Asia/0,1113,2-10-20_1265870,00.html

* Gandhi's state torn apart

Ahmedabad, India -- About 20 people were injured on Wednesday in Hindu-Muslim clashes in the riot-torn western Indian state of Gujarat, where policed fire to break up rival mobs. A police spokesperson said Hindu and Muslim crowds lobbed stones at one another after a dispute "over a small matter" in Bhavnagar district, some 300km north of the state's commercial capital Ahmedabad. Police fired more than 25 rounds and several tear-gas shells to control the crowd, injuring four people, police said. The clashes came on the 133rd birth anniversay of the Gujarat-born apostle of peace and communal harmony Mahatma Gandhi, who led the non-violent movement that ended British colonial rule in 1947.

http://www.news24.com/News24/World/Asia/0,1113,2-10-20_1266124,00.html

Americas


* Indian army kills 8 suspected Islamic militants who came from Pakistan

Jammu, India -- The army killed eight suspected Islamic militants Thursday after they crossed over to Indian-controlled Kashmir from Pakistani territory, a police spokesman said. The Indian soldiers challenged and killed the intruders in Nanjot sector along the Line of Control dividing Kashmir between India and Pakistan, the spokesman said on condition of anonymity. Elsewhere, at least one suspected Islamic militant and a police officer were killed overnight during an attack on a district prison, police said.

http://www.canada.com/search/site/story.asp?id=8AAA2D61-320B-4BB6-B704-2EE3D9ABAD6C

* Militant attacks plague Kashmir vote

Srinagar, India -- Militants struck polling stations, set off explosions and fired on security forces in Indian Kashmir on Tuesday, killing at least 15 people in the third and most violent round of balloting for the state legislature. Wednesday brought more violence, and at least 10 deaths in three separate attacks. On Wednesday, a bus filled with Hindu pilgrims was bombed near Jammu, the state's winter capital, killing at least two passengers and injuring 22 others, officials said. Hours later, five paramilitary soldiers were killed in an explosion as they checked a road for land mines in Pashtoon, a village about 40 miles south of Srinagar, a police official said speaking on condition of anonymity. Elsewhere, suspected guerrillas shot and killed three activists with India's ruling party in the small town of Haihama, about 65 miles north of Srinagar, the official said.

http://www.thenewsmexico.com/noticia.asp?id=36643

Asia-Pacific


* 25 killed in India-controlled Kashmir

Twenty-five people have been killed and 54 others injured in a fresh bout of violence in India-controlled Kashmir since Tuesday night, the Press Trust of India (PTI) reported. on Wednesday. Two passengers were killed and 21 others injured in a powerful explosion inside a bus at 06:25 a.m. (0005 GMT), 10 minutes after it left Jammu, a major city in south Kashmir. At 8:00 a.m. local time (0230 GMT) on Wednesday, militants triggered an improved explosive device near Tral town in Pulwama district, killing five soldiers of India Border Security Force on the spot and wounding another, the spokesman said. In another incident, three workers of the ruling National Conference party in Indian-controlled Kashmir were killed allegedly by Islamic militants in a village in Kupwara late on Tuesday night.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2002-10/03/content_583545.htm
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2002/10/3/asia/assalt&sec=asia
http://abc.net.au/asiapacific/news/GoAsiaPacificBNA_692007.htm
http://english.eastday.com/epublish/gb/paper1/681/class000100003/hwz88725.htm

* India kills 8 suspected militants

The army killed eight suspected Islamic militants Thursday after they crossed over to Indian-controlled Kashmir from Pakistani territory, a police spokesman said. The Indian soldiers challenged and killed the intruders in Nanjot sector along the Line of Control dividing Kashmir between India and Pakistan, the spokesman said on condition of anonymity. The army has taken possession of the bodies, the spokesman said. Elsewhere, at least two suspected Islamic militants and a police officer were killed overnight during an attack on a district prison, police said.

http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=news&cat=7&id=232856

* New Delhi warns of war with Pakistan as Kashmir violence continues

New Delhi has warned that it does not rule out war with Pakistan as more violence rocked Indian-Kashmir. Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha said that while war is the last option, India would be forced to act if Islamabad does nothing to stop what New Delhi calls 'cross-border terrorism'. His remarks came after more bloody attacks by separatists. Militants have vowed to derail the Kashmir polls which sees a fourth and final round taking place next week.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/southasia/view/20701/1/.html

* Sri Lankan minister seeks Japan ODA hike

The Sri Lankan government's top negotiator in peace talks with the Tamil Tiger rebels urged Japan on Wednesday to boost its official development assistance to Sri Lanka, pointing out that the two sides have stopped fighting and are working to rehabilitate and reconstruct the island's war-ravaged north and northeast. Constitutional Affairs Minister G. L. Peiris, who led a government delegation to anng round of peace talks with the rebels in Thailand in September, told reporters at the Japan National Press Club he would be seeking "enhanced ODA assistance" from Japan in a meeting with Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi later in the day.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?nn20021003a7.htm

* Troops kill 12 Maoist rebels in Nepal

Kathmandu -- Soldiers shot dead 12 guerrillas of the Nepal Communist Party (Maoist) in separate encounters Tuesday in four Nepalese districts, the Defense Ministry said Wednesday. Nine rebels were shot during battles in three different places in the Okhuldhunga district in east Nepal, the ministry said, adding the skirmishes broke out after security forces raided rebel shelters and hideouts.

http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=news&cat=7&id=232802

Europe


* Upsurge in Kashmir violence

At least 12 people have been killed in fresh violence in Indian-administered Kashmir just a day after 10 people were killed in a series of attacks. The Indian army says it has killed eight militants who tried to cross into Indian Kashmir from Pakistani-held territory - an army officer also died in the incident. Three others - a police officer and two suspected militants - were killed in a gun battle in a southern district of the state. The upsurge in violence comes even as elections to the state legislative assembly are being held in the disputed state. Voting, which has been staggered for security reasons, is due to end next week.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/2294801.stm
http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/Swissinfo.html?siteSect=143&sid=1374679
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-2060536,00.html
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/asia_china/story.jsp?story=338995
http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=&p=
http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml;jsessionid=QQITAX5QVATLOCRBAEZSFEY?type=search&StoryID=1528824
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/section/0,,3,00.html

* Former Pakistani PM 'rejects deal'

October 2 -- The former prime minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif has disclosed that he turned down the offer a deal from the Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf. In an exclusive interview with the BBC Urdu service, Mr Sharif, who went into exile in Saudi Arabia two years ago, said he would continue his fight against what he called the dictatorship of General Musharraf. Mr Sharif alleged that the Pakistani leader sent Majid Nizami, a newspaper group owner and friend of the Sharif family, with specific proposals for apolitical rapprochement. Mr Sharif turned down the offer, but did not explain what specific proposals were brought to him.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/2293331.stm

* Sri Lanka asks Japan for reconstruction aid

Sri Lanka has asked Japan, its biggest donor, to host a conference on the country's reconstruction similar to the one Tokyo held earlier this year on Afghanistan, as well as to co-ordinate foreign efforts to help rebuild the north and east of the war-ravaged country. In talks in Tokyo yesterday with Yoriko Kawaguchi, Japan's foreign minister, G.L. Peiris, Sri Lanka's chief government negotiator with the Tamil Tiger rebels, urged Japan to boost its assistance to Sri Lanka in its effort to recover from years of civil war. In February the government in Colombo signed a ceasefire accord with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Japan said it would consider hosting a reconstruction conference but would need to consult other countries, including Norway.

http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=&p=

* Religious clash erupts in Gujarat

October 2 -- The authorities in the western Indian state of Gujarat have imposed a curfew after violence between Hindus and Muslims in the city of Bhavnagar. Police said at least six people were injured after members of the two communities pelted stones at each other in the Prabhudastalao district of the city. They said a crowd set fire to some houses and shops and police fired into the air to disperse them. Police say the trouble began after a fight between a Hindu and Muslim man, leading to clashes in the Mamakotha and Ranika districts of the city, which have now been cordoned off.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/2292829.stm

* Bengal Communists die in 'revenge attacks'

Five supporters of two leftist parties have died in clashes in the Indian state of West Bengal since fighting between the two erupted on Wednesday. The clashes began in the Kultoli region of the Sundarban mangrove delta south of Calcutta. Two supporters of the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI(M) party were killed in clashes on Thursday. This followed the deaths of three supporters of the Socialist Unity Centre of India (Suci), another leftwing organisation, on Wednesday. Suci members say their colleagues were killed in attacks by alleged CPI(M) supporters.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/2295367.stm

Middle East


* Militants, Indian forces fighting in Hiranagar area in J&K

Indian forces and militants are fighting in the Hiranagar sector of Jammu region since last night, sources said. Indian forces are fighting the militants and firing is still continuing on Thursday. Forces have cordoned off entire Hiranagar area. Special Operation Group and SP (Operation) SP Kathua are overseeing the entire operation. One militant had been killed by forces so far, sources said, adding they are about 2-3 militants. Militants are retaliating the Indian Army attack who, they say, carry large quantity of ammunition.

http://www.irna.com/en/world/.ewo.shtml

* India doesn't rule out war

Bloodbath continued in Kashmir yesterday as India said it was not ruling out war against Pakistan. Secessionists killed 15 people while security forces also shot dead seven militants, the day after a bloody third round of voting for the Indian-administered state's assembly. Separatists are boycotting the elections. Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha warned that India viewed war as a possibility to stop the alleged flow of militants from Pakistani to the Indian zones of the Himalayan province. "War is the last option after we exercise and exhaust all other diplomatic options," Sinha told reporters in Ranchi, capital of the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand.

http://www.arabnews.com/Article.asp?ID=19133

* Benazir party victory in polls predicted

A poll of almost 3,000 Pakistani voters suggests the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) of banned ex-premier Benazir Bhutto will score the largest vote in elections next week, but a pro-government politician is still expected to be the country's next prime minister. The poll, commissioned by the BBC's Urdu-language website BBCUrdu.com and conducted by Oasis International Pakistan, interviewed 2,827 eligible voters in 99 cities and towns and 100 villages in late September. Around 27 per cent of respondents predicted the PPP would win, while 24 per cent anticipated victory for the main pro-government party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), according to the website. PML-Q leader Mian Azhar, was tipped as the most likely new prime minister, followed by the PPP's chief candidate Makhdoom Amin Fahim.

http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/news.asp?ArticleID=64674

* Hung parliament likely to emerge

The Pakistan Muslim League, Quaid-e-Azam (PML-QA) is likely to acquire the largest number of seats in the National Assembly elected after the October 10 polls, but only by a narrow margin, with a hung parliament emerging at the end of the process. According to a report appearing in the English-language weekly, The Independent, survey reports compiled by at least three government agencies and forwarded to the federal government so it can gain a picture of the potential scene after October 10, suggest that the officially backed PML-QA will gain 104 out of 342 National Assembly seats.

http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/news.asp?ArticleID=64671

* Ousted Pakistan PM to oppose Musharraf government

October 2 -- Former prime minister of Pakistan, Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif while ruling out the possibility of any deal with President General Musharraf has said that resistance will continue till the end of his government. In an interview with BBC Urdu service in Saudi Arabia, Sharif maintained that President Musharraf had sent a Pakistani newspaper editor with some proposals but he rejected the same. Sharif has been living in exile in the Kingdom for two years. "Musharraf has dishonored the oath he took and the Constitution of the country," Sharif said. Nawaz Sharif termed the Army intervention in civil affairs a curse and vowed to continue struggle against the undemocratic forces along with pro-democratic forces in the shape of Benazir Bhutto.

http://www.irna.com/en/world/.ewo.shtml

* 300 Muslim protesters court arrest in Delhi

Some 300 Muslim activists courted arrest here yesterday to protest large-scale atrocities being committed against Indian Muslims, particularly during the Gujarat carnage early this year. The symbolic move was part of a nationwide campaign initiated by Jamiat-ul-Ulama-e-Hind to awaken the Indian consciousness about the plight of Muslims in independent India, despite their having played a crucial role in the country's freedom struggle. The drive will be marked by hundreds of Muslims courting arrests daily until Oct. 15.

http://www.arabnews.com/Article.asp?ID=19119

* Shahid Karimullah new chief of Pak Navy

Pakistan Navy's Vice-Admiral Shahid Karimullah has been appointed new chief of the Naval Staff on Thursday. The sitting chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Abdul Aziz will retire on October 7 (Monday), relinquishing the command of Pakistan Navy after completion of his tenure. Vice-Admiral Shahid Karimullah joined Pakistan Navy in the Operations Branch in 1965. He is a communication specialist, a graduate of US War College and Armed Forces War Course from National Defense College. He has a number of distinguished assignments to his credit both ashore and afloat. He commanded two destroyers, a major training establishment, the 25th Destroyer Squadron and the Fleet.

http://www.irna.com/en/world/.ewo.shtml

Editorial/Opinion


* Pakistan democracy borders on oligarchy

General Pervez Musharraf wants international observers monitoring the October 10 parliamentary elections to avoid making comments about the political environment in Pakistan. His remarks, and those of his henchmen, are aimed at intimidating the election observers. Musharraf learnt a lesson about election irregularities during last April's farcical presidential referendum. Then, the stuffing of ballot boxes in full view of foreign journalists exposed the regime's contempt for democracy. For parliamentary elections, the government's strategy has been to rig the political environment and avoid, to the best extent possible, blatant irregularities on polling day.

http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/opinion.asp?ArticleID=64650

Business/Technology


* Indian oil sell-off hits choppy water

October 2 -- Indian Petroleum Minister Ram Naik has shrugged off heavy falls in Indian oil refinery stocks following a government decision to postpone sector privatisation plans. Less than a month ago, on 7 September, Mr Naik - together with Defence Minister George Fernandes - forced through a three-month delay on selling strategic stakes in Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum. The move triggered a sell-off of shares in the two companies, driving their market value down by 30%. Standard & Poor's downgraded the firms' India's rupee-denominated bonds to junk levels. But the slide has not perturbed Mr Naik, who told reporters he still felt there was a debate to be had over the security implications of the sell-off.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/2293755.stm

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