Year: 2015

Woman killed as heavy firing by Pak continues in Poonch, toll rises to six

Editor

A woman was killed in heavy firing and mortar bomb shelling by Pakistani troops at several Indian posts and civilian areas on Sunday, raising the death toll to six in multiple ceasefire violations along the LoC in Poonch district overnight. Army retaliated effectively and heavy exchanges are going on. Today is the eight day of continuous ceasefire violations by Pakistan, which has resorted to firing and mortar shelling along the LoC in Poonch district since August 9. Pakistani Army resorted to heavy firing and mortar shelling on forward posts and…

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Pakistan trying to destabilise BJP-PDP govt: Nirmal Singh

Editor

Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh on Saturday unfurled the tricolour here and hit out at Pakistan for trying “every trick to destabilise” the BJP-PDP coalition government. Singh took the salute at the official Independence Day celebrations at Parade ground here. Addressing the gathering, Singh alleged that “Pakistan is to destabilise the BJP-PDP coalition government in the state, because it is baffled by the alliance of the PDP and BJP”. “It is very unfortunate. Pakistan is unable to digest that the BJP has formed government with the PDP…

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First batch of Haj pilgrims to leave for Medina today

Editor

The first batch of Haj pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir will leave from here directly to the holy city of Medina in Saudi Arabia from August 17, officials said on Wednesday. The flights for Hajj pilgrims from Srinagar to Saudi Arabia will operate from August 17. All arrangements have been finalized, an official spokesman said here after Hajj and?Auqaf Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri chaired a meeting to take stock of the arrangements. The minister was informed that while two daily flights will operate between Srinagar and Medina from August 17 to 21,?a single flight will operate on a…

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Buddha Amarnath Yatra to commence from today in Poonch hills

Editor

The annual pilgrimage to holy shrine of Buddha Amarnath in Mandi hills of the border district of Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir will commence from August 17 this year. “The annual Buddha Amarnath yatra will commence from August 17 from Jammu. The first batch of pilgrims will leave for Poonch on the same day,” Deputy Commissioner, Poonch, Nisar Ahmed Wani said today. “Chhari Mubarak”, the holy mace of Lord Shiva, will be taken from Shree Dashami Akhara Mandir Poonch towards Himalayan shrine in Mandi Tehsil of Poonch district. Convening a meeting of…

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Why Kashmir’s Lal Chowk is an eyewitness to wretched political history since 1947

Editor

The Ghanta Ghar located in the city centre is also a witness to a lot of bloodshed and violence for the past 26 years. Many historians agree that Kashmir’s Lal Chowk (Red Square) was named after the renowned Red Square of Moscow by a Sikh leftist intellectual BPL Bedi, the author of Naya Kashmir. Bedi, father of famous Indian film actor Kabir Bedi, was Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah’s close confidant. And Naya Kashmir was an important constitutional framework for Jammu and Kashmir under autocratic Dogra Maharaja Hari Singh’s rule. Those days,…

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Article 35A is beyond challenge

Editor

Article 371A of the Constitution of India clearly says: “ Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, – ( a) no Act of Parliament in respect of – ( i) religion or social practices of the Nagas, ( ii) Naga customary law and procedure, ( iii) administration of civil and criminal justice involving decisions according to Naga customary law, ( iv) ownership and transfer of land and its resources, shall apply to the State of Nagaland unless the legislative Assembly of Nagaland by a resolution so decides.” This provision inserted in 1962…

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3 Boys Slapped with PSA; Half a Dozen Detained in Last Fortnight : Shopian

Editor

In South Kashmir’s Shopian, which is on edge at the moment, three boys were slapped with controversial public safety act (PSA) in one last fortnight. Among the trio, interestingly, one is Sarpanch. One among the other two is the brother of the Hizb commander whose house was attacked with a grenade early Thursday morning. Notably, some unidentified men lobbed a grenade on Hizb’s district commander, Waseem Ahmed Malla’s house Thursday morning, which didn’t explode and was later diffused by a police team. Malla’s brother Saboor Ahmed Malla along with Mohammad…

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Critical Care ambulances remain elusive in accident prone Kashmir

Editor

As the state is witnessing an increase in the number of accidents, violent incidents and medical emergencies, the absence of Critical Care Ambulances is proving fatal for victims. The state has failed to provide these Life Support System fitted ambulances at the hospitals, despite promises. The government on Wednesday flagged off 70 ambulances procured through the funds of National Health Mission ( NHM). However, none of these vehicles have been fitted with the equipment for life support systems rendering these ambulances no better than regular transport vehicles. Even of the…

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Govt to Send ‘Power Thieves’ to Jail

Editor

In a move that could trigger a public outcry, the PDP-BJP government in Jammu and Kashmir is filing cases with police against consumers resorting to power theft while “earmarking” two full-fledged police stations in Srinagar and Jammu for the purpose. In a high-level meeting chaired by J&K’s Chief Vigilance Commissioner Kuldeep Khoda here, the Power Development Department was asked to register FIRs in all cases of electricity theft or illegal power connections that come to the fore and monitor the progress of investigation and trial thereof. The meeting was attended…

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Srinagarities face inconvenience ahead of August 15

Editor

People – mostly inhabitants in downtown area in summer capital Srinagar said that they were facing inconvenience due to the “high security” arrangements put across ahead of August 15 celebrations. Locals said they were irked by “unnecessary” accosting by the police and paramilitary forces. We received scores of complaints from last few days about “unnecessary accosting” by the police, who even “don’t leave small children and women for frisking”. Wednesday evening was a very tough time for the residents living around Bakhshi Stadium and Amar Singh College when the people returning…

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