Month: January 2016

Zojila, Z-Morh tunnels will boost adventure tourism: ATOAK

Editor

Kashmir-based Adventure Tour Operators Association or ATOAK has welcomed the union government decision to speed up the process for constructing Zojila tunnel on Srinagar-Kargil-Leh highway. President ATOAK Rauf Tramboo said the project is already too late. “The tunnel should have been there in mid 80s or even much earlier when adventure tourism started booming in the world and was all time high in Kashmir.” “Sind Valley including Sonamarg is a prime attraction for round the year adventure related activities but due to non availability of road connectivity in winters this…

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Mourning Mehbooba refuses to take oath

Editor

Madhav meets PDP chief, discusses Govt formation  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President, Mehbooba Mufti Friday refused to take oath as the new chief minister of the State stating that even her religion allows her three days of mourning after her father’s death. Amid speculations and hectic consultations among the PDP and BJP leaders, Mehbooba was persuaded by her party leaders including her maternal uncle Sartaj Madani and the rightwing Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) leaders to take oath as the new CM but she categorically refused saying that she was still…

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Clashes, shutdown paralyze life on 9th day post Memorial Row in Pulwama

Editor

Life in this south Kashmir town remained paralyzed for the ninth consecutive day on Friday as youth remained adamant to set up a memorial for militants, who have died in gunfight with forces. However, Police are not allowing youth to erect the memorial in the town. Amid a complete strike youth took to the streets this afternoon and tried staging demonstrations but force personnel who were deployed in strength in the area used force to quell the angry demonstrators, who retaliated with stones triggering massive clashes in which scores of…

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Why saffron party may support Mehbooba despite reservations

Editor

Apart from ‘sentiments’, there are many reasons why the BJP may back Mehbooba Mufti despite her perceived soft stance towards separatists — a position which does not suit the saffron party. Apparently, several state BJP leaders have expressed reservations on supporting her, one because of her lack of experience and two, the perceived stance. According to party sources, Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a relationship of mutual respect with her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, who also enjoyed immense goodwill within the party. It so appears that the Chief Minister had…

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Mehbooba set to be next CM – Know more about first female CM of J&K

Editor

After her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s demise on Thursday, Mehbooba Mufti is set to take charge of the country’s only Muslim-majority state. The Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party on Thursday urged the governor to let Mehbooba Mufti become the 13th and the first woman chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir. Senior PDP leader Muzaffar Hussain Beigh and Altaf Bukhari yesterday submitted a letter to Governor NN Vohra nominating Mehbooba Mufti as the leader of their legislature party — which would entitle her to assume charge as the new chief minister…

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Protest in Nowhatta, IS flags waved

Editor

Protesters waved Pakistani and Palestinian flags and later clashed with the police after Friday’s congregational prayer outside Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta locality of the old city here. Eyewitnesses said the demonstrators waved Pakistani and Palestinian flags and the pictures of Jamaat-ud-Dawa leader Hafiz Sayeed and Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Maulana Masood Azhar during the protest at Nowhatta. Protest after mid-day congregational prayers on Friday has become a routine now as youngsters and teenagers gather outside the Jamia Masjid and clash with the police and paramilitary personnel. In recent months, the protesters have…

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Traditional copper utensils moving out of Kashmiri kitchen

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The use of exquisite and traditional copper utensils, which have been part of Kashmir’s culture for a long time, is declining as it faces challenge from cheaper ceramic and modern cookware. The artisans linked to the trade said the use of plain copper utensils had become obsolete and the sale recorded a considerable drop over the years. “Since past few decades we are observing a decline in the sale of copperware, but the reduction has not been more than 15 per cent,” said Sheikh Muzaffer, a city-based trader, who has…

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Jammu must get to lead state for 3 yrs: Hari Om

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Former political adviser to state BJP president Prof Hari Om today termed as unfortunate the decision of the BJP to continue alliance with the pro-self-rule and Valley-centric Peoples Democratic Party. He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national president Amit Shah to ensure that Jammu also led the state for at least three years and obtained an equal share in the Council of Ministers and the state Cabinet. “The BJP-plus and the PDP have the equal number of legislators in the Legislative Assembly. The people of Jammu had voted…

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Governor asks PDP, BJP to clear stand on govt formation

Editor

Moves for new government formation in Jammu and Kashmir gathered momentum today with Governor NN Vohra asking PDP president Mehbooba Mufti and state BJP chief to make their position clear on the issue. As the state was in mourning following the demise of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Mehbooba was reluctant to be sworn-in at least till the fourth day of the mourning, allies PDP and BJP held discussions on the way forward. Raj Bhavan sources said the Governor has written to Mehbooba and state BJP chief Sat Pal…

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NC in wait-and-watch mode ahead of succession

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The opposition National Conference is watching the political developments in the aftermath of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s death. Senior party leaders have decided to keep quiet over the issue of succession within the Peoples Democratic Party. Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed breathed his last at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi on Thursday. Working president of the National Conference and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is reported to have told his party men to maintain silence over the succession issue and not utter a word…

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