Posts by Editor | Kashmir POST

High alert sounded in Delhi after intel flashes Jaish threat

November 17, 2018 Editor

The national Capital has been put on the high alert after intelligence agencies were made aware of a message on a WhatsApp group, believed to be run by Jaish-e-Mohammed, which said that the militant outfit plans to strike sensitive locations in Delhi to avenge the killing of its commander in Jammu and Kashmir last month. The Intelligence Bureau on Tuesday circulated a letter, dated November 13, asking the intelligence wings of security forces to maintain “high priority alert” and “activate intelligence” in light of the message. Hindustan Times has a…

India lower than Bangladesh, Nepal on World Bank’s 1st Human Capital Index; Finance Ministry rejects report

November 17, 2018 Editor

The World Bank on Thursday released its first report on Human Capital Index (HCI), which placed India at the 115th position, lower than Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Bangladesh. Singapore topped the poll after it was highly rated for its universal healthcare system, education exams results and life expectancy figures, as per the HCI released by the World Bank. It is followed by South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and Finland. The report ranked 157 economies on parameters like child mortality, health and education. In a statement, the Finance Ministry said…

J&K Govt seeks to push through development agenda

November 17, 2018 Editor

The Jammu and Kashmir government is set to approach the government of India for “special consideration” of some major administrative and developmental matters, including construction of a tunnel on the Mughal Road as well as restoration of induction quota for local civil servants in central services, in its bid to “accelerate the governance agenda” in the restive state. A top source said the governor’s administration has finalised a “list of matters”— pending approval from the central government for the past many years—to be taken up at various top levels in…

Strange tale of ‘Zakir Musa’ Al Qaeda’s chief in Kashmir

November 17, 2018November 17, 2018 Editor

In the summer of 2017, Zakir Musa, the Hizbul Mujahideen’s 23 year old commander, broke ranks with Kashmir’s most influential insurgent group to establish the Ansar Ghawzat-Ul-Hind. Few had heard of the fledgling new outfit, but the Ansar’s parent organisation was instantly recognisable — Al Qaeda. Yet the news, which ought to have rung alarm bells in the Indian security establishment, passed largely unremarked upon. In the 18 months since it was formed, the Ansar Ghawzat-Ul-Hind is yet to be associated with a single encounter with Indian security forces. Yet…

After performing poll duty promised one month salary still awaited

November 17, 2018 Editor

Over one lakh government employees, who had discharged duties in the just-concluded urban local bodies elections, feel cheated as the much-publicised promise of giving them one-month additional salary as “election duty incentive” is unlikely to be fulfilled. Instead of releasing the additional salary, an amount of Rs 1,200 has been sanctioned in favour of some employees who were engaged in the civic elections in Kathua district as an “election duty incentive”. Sources said the authorities had sanctioned Rs 1,200 in favour of presiding officers and Rs 750 for polling officers.…

Lawyer Deepika Rajawat dropped by Kathua rape and murder victim’s family

November 16, 2018 Editor

The family of the eight-year-old Kathua rape and murder victim has decided to drop their lawyer Deepika Rajawat as she has “barely been available at the court hearings”, the victim’s father has said. Those close to the family said he has moved an application in the Pathankot court in Punjab, where the case was earlier shifted. It said that Rajawat shall not represent them and the power of attorney was being withdrawn. The father told reporters on Wednesday here that so far the case has been heard 100 times by…

Nine phase panchayat elections from tomorrow, Little buzz across Valley, poll activity minimal

November 16, 2018 Editor

Against the backdrop of boycott call by separatists, terror threats and major logistical challenges in snowbound areas, J&K is set to go for the nine-phase panchayat poll from Saturday amid tight security arrangements. The panchayat elections are being held in J&K after a gap of seven years. The last elections were conducted in 2011 and the panchayats had completed their five-year term in 2016. “As many as 47 blocks — 26 in the Kashmir division and 21 in the Jammu division — mainly in snowbound parts of the state will…

Blow for BJP as Ladakh MP Thupstan Chhewang quits party, Parliament

November 16, 2018 Editor

In a major setback to the BJP in the Ladakh region ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for next year, the party’s lone Lok Sabha member and its tallest leader Thupstan Chhewang on Thursday resigned from both the primary membership of the saffron party and as Member of Parliament. The BJP, however, claimed that he had resigned from active politics because he wanted to join spiritualism. In his resignation letter, widely circulated on the social media, addressed to state BJP president Ravinder Raina, Chhewang said he was resigning from the…

Huge Gas, Oil reserves in state: Study by Italian firm

November 16, 2018 Editor

A comprehensive scientific paper has revealed a strong possibility of finding gas and petroleum in Jammu and Kashmir and has sought access to oil companies and researchers to carry out an exploration in the state. A decade-long study commissioned by Ente Nazionale Idrocarburi (National Hydrocarbons Authority), an Italian oil giant, was completed recently to expand the understanding of hydrocarbon occurrences in the northwestern Himalayas of India and Pakistan. The published study, ‘Petroleum systems and hydrocarbon potential of the North-West Himalayas of India and Pakistan’, involved collaboration of researchers from India,…