Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ashish Sareen on Wednesday said that announcing special package for the West Pakistan Refugees in the state of Jammu and Kashmir was the first step towards granting them permanent residence. “The state and central government in collaboration have formulated policies to rehabilitate West Pakistan Refugees in Kashmir,” Sareen, who is part of the BJP’s Delhi team, said on the sidelines of the BJP’s first-ever torch rally in Srinagar. “We have announced a special package for them. This is first step towards granting them permanent…
Read MoreMonth: January 2017
Resistance Group calls for protests on Friday against attacks on Muslims in Kathua
‘Our communal harmony, brotherhood shouldn’t be mistaken as our weakness’ The united separatist leadership Wednesday strongly condemning the attack on Muslims in Kathua and appealed people to stage peaceful protests after Friday prayers on January 13 as a mark of solidarity with the victims of vandalism and highhandedness of fascist forces in Jammu. In a joint statement, Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik said the Muslims are living under the stigma of fear psychosis for the last 70 years as their ancestors have been “butchered mercilessly”…
Read MoreUsman Majeed abducted me twice during Ikhwan days: MLA Noor Muhammad
Member Legislative Assembly (MLA) Batamaloo and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader, Noor Muhammad Sheikh on Wednesday told the House the that he was abducted by Usman Majeed who according to him was was Deputy Commander of the Kuka Parray-led Ikhwan group. During the question hour session, which was already disrupted by the opposition party members, MLA Batamaloo stood up with point of information for the House and said Congress MLA from Bandipora Usmaan Majeed threatened to “kill me once I come out of the House”. He said, I fear for…
Read MoreSPs will head district level SITs to probe Civilian Killings during 2016 Unrest
The government on Wednesday revealed the Deputy and Additional Superintendent of Police will head the district level Special Investigation Teams (SIT) for carrying out the “time bound” investigation in civilian killings during 2016 uprising. This was revealed in a written reply by the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to a query raised by MLA Muhammad Shafi during the question hour session in the Legislative Assembly. Shafi had sought whether any inquiry was ordered by government to probe the excessive use of force during the 2016 uprising in Kashmir. In its written…
Read MoreNothing to beat unrest blues, rues Kashmir Inc
The Budget 2017-18 announced by Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu today failed to impress Valley-based businessmen and tourism stakeholders. Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) president Mushtaq Ahmad Wani said there was nothing much for the handicrafts, tourism and horticulture sector. “There is nothing for Kashmir economy’s main sectors like handicrafts, tourism and horticulture. For long, we have been demanding that the tourism sector should get industry sector benefits. However, our demand has not been incorporated in the budget,” said Wani, who is also a hotelier. He said the tourism…
Read MoreOpposition walks out seeking judicial probe in killings, Ruling asks? will Omar own responsibility of 2010 killings
“Why the Government is running away from holding the probe? Why are they shielding killers?” asked the opposition lawmakers. Will Omar also own responsibility for 79, 87, 96 too like 2010 killings: PDP MLA Day after the PDP-BJP Government defeated a Motion seeking judicial probe into civilian killings of summer 2016 uprising in Kashmir, the opposition National Conference and Congress on Wednesday staged walkout from the House over Government’s refusal to order the probe. As soon as Question Hour began, MLAs from Opposition National Conference and Congress stood up from…
Read MoreMore Rains, Snowfall expected from Friday
Cold wave tightened its grip further in Kashmir even as weatherman has predicted another spell of snowfall and rains from Friday evening. MeT officials said that Mercury went further down the freezing point at several in places in Kashmir and Ladakh that subsequently resulting in the coldest night of the season so far. “There will be another spell of rains and snow from Friday evening. It will be light and will continue during the night,” Director MeT, Sonam Lotus, told Kashmir Post Wednesday evening. Officials said that Gulmarg in north…
Read MoreArticle 370 is bridge, not obstacle, for integration: Mehbooba Mufti
A day after lambasting Pakistan and separatists for sabotaging peace process, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today made a veiled attack on the coalition partner — BJP — for repeatedly raising the demand of the abrogation of Article 370 for the “technical integration” of J&K with India. Winding up the debate on the Governor’s address in the Legislative Assembly this evening, Mehbooba said Article 370 was not an obstacle but a bridge between J&K and India to strengthen the Central-state relations. In her 28-minute address, Mehbooba defended Article 370 nearly ten…
Read MoreEncroachment on tawi to be taken seriously: Govt
The government today announced that the encroachments around the Tawi river bank will be cleared to make way for an ambitious lake project. Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh said this in the Legislative Council while responding to a supplementary question asked by PDP MLC Surinder Choudhary. “National Conference and Congress people (leaders) are responsible for the filth (referring to encroachments) on the Tawi riverbed. They facilitated the encroachments along the riverbed which have severely affected the Tawi beautification and preservation project,” said Choudhary, demanding a strict action against the land…
Read MoreState lost 16,000 Cr during 5 month Unrest : Govt Survey
Jammu and Kashmir has suffered a colossal loss of Rs 16,000 crore during the five months of shutdown and curfew in the Kashmir valley following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces on July 8 last year. The cost of security-related expenditure is “over and above” the losses caused due to the unrest of 2016 in the state. The industry and tourism sectors were the worst affected as nearly 64 per cent of the tourist and working season was lost while the industry…
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