JAMMU: Pakistani security forces on Oct.26 fired teargas shells to thwart the final attempt by Kashmiri marchers intelligence sources said.

At Darwandi about eight km from the LoC near Rawalakot hundreds of JKDA activists including their leaders Sardar Khalid Tbrahim and Maj Gen Hayat Khan (Retd) were rounded up.

The Line of Control (LoC) and the international border with Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir remained quiet as no altempt was made to cross it on Monday an official spokesman said. There was no movement within an area of 10km in the Pakistani side as their troops were ordered not to allow anyone near the LoC.

The march was the third attempt in the year by the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Alliance (JKDA) which started on Saturday from three different cities in the PoK. A group which started from Mirpur was stopped the same evening Another group which started from the PoK capital Muzaffarabad led by JKDA leaders Sultan Mehnood Choudhary and Amanullah Than JKLF chief was stopped about 12 km from the border on Sunday.

The JKDA called off the march as the JKLF leader Amanullah Khan and several others were arrested by Pakistani forces that opened fire on the marchers killing one Kashmiri youth and injuring about three dozen of them.

The Indian troops and the BSF were fully prepared to meet any eventuality in Sunderbani Akhroor Nowshera Rajouri and Poonh on Saturday

The Pakistani authorities had also taken ample measures to prevent the marchers by deploying additional troop’s barbed fences and putting boulders on the approach roads.

RAWALAKOT: Officials confirming the casualties said the police fired in self defence after some marches attacked them with automatic weapons. Those injured in tear gassing and police firing included Khawaja Farooq general secretary of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation League a JKDA component.

Some 3000 marchers were stopped by troops about 10 km from the LoC Negotiations were continuing between Army Commander and March leader Khalid Ibrahim and Haya Khan JKDA.

Reports quoting eyewitness said troops robbed teargas shells at Naili on about 5000 marchers from Muzaffarabad who had halted overnight.

At that point Amanullan Khan and Sultan Chaudhry were holding talks with the Area Commander Maj Gen Farig Parvez who was attempting to persuade the leader to call off their program to cross the LoC.

Article extracted from this publication >> November 6, 1992