Year: 2016

Non-performer PDP ashamed of forming govt: NC

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The National Conference today said the PDP was reluctant to form the government as it was ashamed that it had done “absolutely nothing” in the past 10 months. “The PDP is feeling the pulse of the people and are ashamed to form the government as they know that have done absolutely nothing for 10 months,” Tanvir Sadiq, NC leader and political secretary to former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, said while addressing a youth convention in downtown Hawal, Zadibal. In a statement issued later, the NC claimed that the PDP was…

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Buddhist Mahakumbh at 12,000ft in July 2016

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Ladakh to host two-day event at Hemis, the biggest monastery in the region Ladakh — the land of high passes — will host the two-day “Mahakumbh of the Himalayas” on July 14 and 15 this year. The event is expected to be attended by thousands of local and foreign visitors. The “Mahakumbh” will be organised at Hemis, the biggest monastery in Ladakh. It will be an extended rendition of the annual Hemis festival observed at the monastery, marking celebration of the birth anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava (8th century Buddhist master).…

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Dry winter spells doom for summer

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With the 40-day coldest spell of winter (Chilai Kalaan) nearing its end on a dry note in Kashmir, experts have warned of serious consequences for tourism, power generation, water supply, health, agriculture and allied sectors. Tourism sector has been badly hit for the lack of snow at Kashmir’s twin ski resorts- Gulmarg and Pahalgam. The chances of snowfall are usually most during ‘Chillai Kalan’, which began on December 21 and ends on January 31. However, with ‘Chillai Kalan’ in its fag end, Kashmir continues to experience dry weather. Except for…

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Will fight Sang Parivar, its proxies with full might: Er. Rashid

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Not scared of fake FIRs’  President Awami Ittihad Party (AIP) and MLA Langate Er Rashid Saturday while reacting to lodging of an FIR against him by police at Pulwama, reiterated that such ‘tricks’ will not stop him from fighting for the rights of people of Jammu and Kashmir. He accused New Delhi of forcing J&K police to ‘curb the voice and rights of Kashmiris at all levels, as Delhi and its proxies have very weak arguments to defend its failures and atrocities in J&K.’ Interacting with various sections of society…

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70% wheat crop in JK hit by dry spell

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Scientists blame climate change, suggest adaptation The food crisis in Jammu and Kashmir is likely to worsen as nearly 70 per cent of this year’s wheat crop has already been damaged due to an unprecedented dry spell at crown root initiation (CRI) stage of rabi crop. According to scientists, this dry spell is a result of climate change. With the wheat crop in the non-irrigated ‘kandi’ belt already damaged, the Agriculture Department has pressed the panic button by asking the Irrigation Department not to close the gates of Ranbir Canal…

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Kashmir tour operators explore attracting Arab nationals for Sufi circuits

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To launch marketing campaign in Arab Travel Mart In the event of steep downfall of leisure tourism in Kashmir, travel agents are exploring religious tourism to market Valley’s prime religious sites in the Muslim majority cities in India and abroad, Nasir Shah of CNE Luxury Holidays, Sheikh Ashiq of Asia Pearl Tourism LLC, Dubai and Musadiq Shah of Pride of Kashmir Dubai have started a market campaign of Kashmir’s Sufi sites to Indians living abroad and to Arab nationals of UAE. “Most of people here are not aware huge Sufi…

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Kashmir Valley locked down at Republic Day eve

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In the run-up to India’s Republic Day on Jan. 26, the Jammu Kashmir region has become dotted with makeshift bunkers, checkpoints and barricades. Thousands of Indian soldiers have been deployed on the roads, where they carry out exhaustive searches of vehicles and their passengers. Regional capital Srinagar, meanwhile, now looks like an army garrison. “It’s always like this in Kashmir ahead of India’s Independence Day or Republic Day, or when their prime minister visits. And we have to suffer this harassment,” Shahnawaz Rashid, a 34-year-old employee of a pharmaceutical company,…

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Hold elections to elect new assembly: Hari Om

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Describing as a very positive development the failure of PDP and BJP to re-stitch an alliance to form coalition government in the sensitive border State of J&K, Prof Hari Om on Sunday urged the State Governor to dissolve forthwith the Assembly and take steps calculated to giving the people an opportunity to elect a new assembly. “The failure of the PDP and the BJP leadership to break the deadlock over government formation even after two weeks of Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed’s demise is a positive development. The alliance between PDP…

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Kashmiri Muslims a misunderstood lot

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In the first place, let it be clear to everyone that Kashmiri Muslims are a vibrant community. The community has its own unique geographical and ethnic identity, which is as troubled and torn as that of Kashmiri Hindus or Sikhs. The difference between these communities is that Kashmiri Muslims are demonised as some of them picked up guns and led the community and the place to the path of self-destruction. The place has been brutalised and the Kashmiri Muslims are caught in a pincer that comes with possession of bombs…

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Kashmiri resistance leaders reject Daesh claims of influence

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If Daesh was what it claimed to be, its first priority would be liberation of Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque, Kashmiri pro-independence leader asserts Following recent assertions by Daesh that militants in Indian-held Jammu Kashmir had given the group their allegiance, Kashmiri pro-independence leaders have rebutted the claims. Earlier this week, in its online “Dabiq” magazine, Daesh alleged that militants fighting Indian rule in Jammu Kashmir had “pledged allegiance” to their group in their ongoing fight against “cow-worshipping Hindus”. Daesh’s self-styled “Emir of Khorasan”, Hafiz Saeed, made the claims in an interview…

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