The security forces’ “core group” met here on Saturday to discuss key issues concerning the maintenance of law and order, the tourist season which is underway and the coming Amarnath pilgrimage during which more than half-a-million devotees are expected to turn up at the shrine.
The meeting was co-chaired by Lt. Gen. Syed Atta Hasnain, GOC of Srinagar-based 15 Army (Chinar) Corps who is also the security adviser to the government, with DG Police Kuldeep Khoda. Senior officers of Army, police, CRPF, BSF, intelligence agencies and civil administration also attended the meeting. Lt. Gen. Hasnain while speaking on the occasion complimented the gathering on the high-level of synergy that exists between all stake holders in addressing the security concerns of the Valley.
“The meeting deliberated on the initiatives being undertaken and carried out a holistic introspection of the way ahead,” a defence spokesperson here said. He added that numerous security issues also came up for threadbare discussions and that the meeting also “took an overall view of the prevailing external and internal environment.”
Meanwhile, Army claim-ed busting a militant hideout, suspected to be of LeT in Mahore area of Reasi district. It said the jawans of 61 Rashtriya Rifles and police launched joint search operation in Saad forest area of Mahore.
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Salman bashir is new pak envoy to india
Age Correspondent
NEW DELHI, APRIL 14
A formal announcement on the appointment of former Pakistan foreign secretary Salman Bashir as the new envoy to India was made in Islamabad on Saturday. Mr Bashir has been part of the India-Pak dialogue process after the Mumbai attacks. Mr Bashir’s appointment has been formally been accepted by India.
Earlier, while announcing his name as the next envoy to India, Pak Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani had asked him to pay special attention to improving ties with India and to seek resolution of outstanding issues, like Kashmir.
Mr Bashir will be coming to New Delhi at an important stage in the thawing of India-Pak ties. Less than a week ago, the country’s President, Mr Asif Ali Zardari, met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi in what was seen as forward movement in bilateral relations between the two neighbours after 26/11.
As New Delhi continues to press Pakistan to act against non-state actors who have been carrying out terror attacks against India, Mr Bashir will have to deal with this issue. Incidentally, as his country’s foreign secretary, he had described the dossier given by India on the 26/11 accused as “a piece of literature”.