Bandh on Saturday if taxes not rolled back : Trade bodies

Entertainment duty of Rs.50/- per connection on satellite and cable TV which will directly affect the common man. Various trade bodies on Saturday urged the business establishments to down their shutters on Saturday, June 4 to protest against the budget proposals in case government failed to roll back the taxes. A Joint meeting of The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCC&I), Kashmir Economic Alliance(KEA), Kashmir Traders & Manufacturers Federation(KTMF), Federation Chamber of Industries Kashmir (FCIK) was held today to discuss the 2016-17 State budget presented by the Finance Minister.…

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Mehbooba Mufti touches National Conference’s raw nerve again

• Cites its role in 1987 rigged elections, alliance with BJP • ‘Geelani, Lone chose separate path because NC dishonored people’s mandate in 1987’ Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti Tuesday accused National Conference leaders of bartering away Jammu and Kashmir’s interests for power. “When Omar Abdullah became the Minister of State for External Affairs, what was his agenda? You joined hands with BJP and what did you get in return. You gave away the power projects in lieu of power and chair. You should tell this House why you joined hands…

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‘Cat and pigeon’ analogy distorted: Chief Minister on Pandits

Kashmiri Pandits will have to be housed in “inclusive” transit camps in the Valley till they get the confidence to return to their native places without security, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said on Tuesday while accusing the opposition and media of distorting her “cat and pigeon” analogy. “My remarks were distorted by the opposition and media to project as if every Kashmiri is a militant. Kashmiri Muslims are fed up of violence. Kashmiri Pandits are not afraid of Kashmiri Muslims. They are afraid of those who perpetrated Wandhama Massacre,” she…

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Nashri Chenani tunnel likely to miss July deadline

”13% work pending, safety checks to take one month’ The Chenani-Nashri tunnel, the passageway connecting Udhampur district with Ramban district on Jammu- Srinagar highway is likely to miss the July deadline as only 87 percent of works have been completed on the project so far. Pertinently, the deadline for the 9 kilometer tunnel starting from 89 kilometers in Udhampur district to 130 Kilometers in Ramban district was initially set as May 2016, which was extended twice first up to June and then to July 16. Sources informed that after completing…

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Alliance with BJP a ‘challenge’ but necessary for taking J&K out of morass: Mehbooba

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday described PDP’s alliance with BJP and the common minimum programme between the two parties as a “challenge” but said it was necessary for bringing out the state from the “morass”. She told the Assembly that PDP had entered into an alliance with BJP to seek national reconciliation on political and economic challenges confronting the state amid her hopes that “leaders at the Centre have understood the ground realities in J&K and they want to improve the situation”, including in the context…

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Petrol price up by Rs 2.58, diesel by Rs 2.26

Petrol price was on Tuesday hiked by Rs 2.58 a litre and diesel by Rs 2.26 per litre, the second increase in rates this month. Petrol will cost Rs 65.60 per litre in Delhi after the increase while diesel will cost Rs 53.93/litre. Prices were last hiked on May 17. “The current level of international product prices of petrol and diesel and INR-USD exchange rate warrant increase in price of petrol and diesel, the impact of which is being passed on to the consumers with this price revision,” said Indian…

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Chief Minister takes on separatists over stone throwing Fridays

For the first time after becoming Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti lashed out at separatists today and accused them of disturbing peace on Fridays. Without naming any separatist leader, Mehbooba said they had turned blessed Friday into a stone-throwing day. “Friday was a blessed day and it was blessed because people would assemble at one place to offer prayers together, discuss issues of society and try to prevent whatever wrong was happening in society. Those who taunt me and accuse me of being anti-Muslim have turned blessed Friday into a stone-throwing…

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Kashmiri Pandit family returns home, rejects township plan

A Pandit family on Tuesday visited their ancestral house at Lolab in north-Kashmir’s Kupwara district and condemned “agencies for conspiracies to create communal disharmony” in the state. Jaggar Nath Raina (80) putting up at Jagti Migrant Camp in Nagrota area of Jammu region since the breakout of turmoil in 90’s has finally taken a stride forward to return his homeland after a gap of almost twenty-six years. The family has been one among the many who aspire to “revisit and revive their bond with the Muslim brethren in Kashmir”. Raina…

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NHPC raises relief amount for Kishanganga Project

The National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) has granted much higher compensation than the market rate to those families whose land was acquired for constructing run of the Kishanganga project in Gurez area of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district as part of its “commitment to serve the state and its people”, according to sources. Official sources told Kashmir POST that the NHPC had given between Rs 60 lakh and Rs 70 lakh to each family for the land acquired for the project to help them seek alternative places of rehabilitation. “This amount…

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Hurriyet leadership jointly calls for protests on Friday

Top Hurriyet leaders, Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik, have called for peaceful protests on Friday against India’s anti-Kashmir designs. The leaders in a joint programme issued after consultation called for hoisting of black flags after Juma prayers to protest against Indian plans of to construct separate colonies for retired Indian soldiers and Kashmiri Pandits, harassment of Jammu Muslims and Delhi’s so-called Industrial Policy in Kashmir. They have appealed to the people to make the protest programme a success. Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and…

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