Talks with Hurriyat, other Kashmiri groups soon, says Advani

quot;We are not talking to them yet. If they want to talk, they are welcome,quot; Advani said in a reply marred by a walkout by Congress and Left party members, who took exception to the Home Minister describing Kargil victory as the greatest military and diplomatic achievement8217; by India even more than India8217;s triumph in 1947, 8217;65 and 8217;71 wars over Pakistan.

Advani, however, sidestepped a demand made by Kuldip Nayyar Nom for dissolution of the state assembly and holding of fresh elections. Nayyar8217;s demand was strongly challenged by National Conference member Sharief-ud-din Shariq, who took exception to demands for holding of talks with militants involved in killings and kidnappings.

Advani said the Government had taken a decision not to hold talks with Pakistan unless Islamabad gave up its quot;confrontational attitudequot; towards New Delhi.

He accused Islamabad of intensifying proxy war against New Delhi after the Kargil war and asserted that the Government should tackle with toughness any move to step up infiltration of mercenary groups across the Line of Control LoC in Jammu and Kashmir.

quot;We remain committed to initiating a dialogue with alienated sections of the society, specially the misguided youth. But no quarter will be given to Pakistani-sponsored mercenary bands,quot; he said.

Advani did not agree with contentions of some members of elections in Jammu and Kashmir not being fair except those held in 1977. quot;The turnout percentage has been increasing in successive elections from 1991 onwards,quot; he added.

The Minister took strong exception to aspersions sought to be cast on security forces while conducting operations in the state. quot;I don8217;t see the army of any other country fighting a war situation under such constraints,quot; he said.

He gave statistics of 94 soldiers having being jailed and 42 being dismissed after investigations of Human Rights violations.

Meanwhile in Srinagar, security forces foiled an attempt by Pakistan to push armed militants into Jammu and Kashmir. The Pakistani attempt to push in heavily-armed militants was foiled in Poonch sector of Jammu region last night when forces observed militants trying to cross over to India from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir PoK through Dabsi Balakot area, an official spokesman told PTI.

He said the intruders were signalled to stop and asked to lay down their arms. However, they resorted to firing forcing the troops to retaliate, killing three Pakistani infiltrators.

A report from Jammu said the terrorists were identified as Abu Hamza, Abu Musana and Abu Zai alias Abdul Mazid, all residents of PoK.

A self-styled battalion commander of banned Hizbul Mujahideen identified as Mushtaq Ahmad Parray was killed in an encounter with the Special Operations Group of local police in the heart of Srinagar today, the spokesman said.

The deceased militant was a close associate of divisionalcommander of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, Pupa Lone and was involved in several militancy-related incidents including killing of five police personnel in Batamaloo area and murder of four National Conference activists including a block president, he said.