Army troops were on alert, waiting for any JKLF activists trying to sneak in. The strategy was to first display banners, then fire warning shots in the air and if the need arose, to target the men among the rallyists. But nothing happened here or in the other vulnerable areas of the Krishna Ghat sector, including Balnoi, 50 km east of Poonch, and Salotrai, just below the Nagi Tekri post. The JKLF had, no doubt, tried to make its presence felt in Madarpur. From here, one could see banners which had been put up two days ago reading, ``No India, No Pakistan -- JKLF.''

Some Congress and BJP activists from Poonch gathered at Jalas to oppose the JKLF march.

Reports reaching here said that after Pakistani police dispersed the groupof about 2,000 activists, about 40 of them quietly moved towards Bela Chinar, opposite the Nangi Tekri post, and managed to reach Dharmsal where they were seen raising slogans. They, however, showed no intention of crossing the LoC.

All across the Krishna Ghat sector -- which was expected to be the scene of JKLF action -- troops were on high alert. Peeved at a foreign TV channel's report that JKLF had crossed LoC, Army took pains to show that the claims were hollow.

Besides their vigil, they said, the activists would have had a trying time crossing the terrain. ``While they will have to ferry across the Poonch river if they want to come from either Bela Chenar, Mandol or from Madarpur, they would have to cross Pakistani posts if they wanted to enter Poonch via Tetri and Kot. And then there is Rangad nalla to cross'', said Brigadier Vinodh Maini, Commander, 10 Infantry Brigade.

ENS adds from Islamabad: Pak police fought pitched battles and opened fire to stop the march by hundreds of Jammu andKashmir Liberation Front activists. Eight were wounded. Witnesses said that despite a security crackdown, JKLF supporters gathered at Hajira, 12 km west of the LoC. ``We want freedom, freedom is our right,'' the crowd chanted as they broke through the police cordon near Madarpur village. Demonstrators pelted several hundred police with stones, before the police opened fire with tear gas and then with bullets. The activists scurried for cover. Within minutes several of them ran from behind buildings to hit police with bricks and rocks. Some policemen were seen picking up rocks and throwing them at the demonstrators.

Police and activists also clashed in nearby Rawalakot town, some 80 km northeast of Islamabad, after JKLF chairman Amanullah Khan emerged from three days of hiding to march towards Hajira with several hundred supporters. His supporters carried him on their shoulders shouting anti-Pakistan and anti-Indian slogans.