Month: September 2017

Release separatists so that they can speak to Rajnath: Farooq Abdullah

Editor

Farooq Abdullah alleged that senior journalist Gauri Lankesh was killed because she wrote about how the RSS was weakening the country. Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah said on Friday that the NIA should release the separatist leaders so that they can tell Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh what they want during his forthcoming visit to the state. Speaking to the media here on the sidelines of a function to remember his father and founder of National Conference, late Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah on his death anniversary, Abdullah alleged…

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Gunfight rages in Sopore; Clashes erupt near gunfight, Internet suspended, Schools closed

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Gunfight broke out in Reban village of Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Saturday morning, police said. An official said that a search operation was launched in the area following inputs about the presence of militants around 3 am. “As the forces approached towards the suspected spot around 8 am, militants opened fire,” said the official, adding that the forces retaliated, triggering a gunfight. Meanwhile Internet services have been suspended and schools closed in Sopore town “as a precautionary measure”. Clashes erupted between protesters and government forces near the…

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67% literacy rate in J&K, Govt taking steps for 100% literacy: Edu Secretary

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Secretary School Education, Farooq Ahmed Shah, on Friday said 67 percent of Jammu and Kashmir’s population is presently literate and the government has taken “all adequate steps” to upgrade the education standard to further increase the literacy rate. Shah said the government’s mission is to achieve 100 percent literacy in the state. He was speaking at a function organized at Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Kothibagh, to celebrate 51st International Literacy Day (ILD) as Saakshar Bharat Mission (SBM). The function’s special emphasis was on ‘Adult Education in J&K’. It was…

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Amid reshuffle talk BJP brass calls RSS leader to Delhi

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Amid rumours of reshuffle in the ministers from the BJP quota, top Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader of J&K Ramesh Pappa has reached New Delhi as the party leadership wants to take him into confidence before taking any step. “RSS prant pracharak Ramesh Pappa, who was in Srinagar for organisational work, has air-dashed to New Delhi for an unscheduled visit as the BJP leadership is mulling some changes in the Council of Ministers,” a source told Kashmir Post, adding that, “the high command wants to take the Sangh Parivar on…

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Army’s Warfare School coming up without permission in Sonamarg

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Jammu and Kashmir government on Friday informed the High Court that a High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) is being set up by Army without permission in tourist resort Sonamarg even as the Court directed the Army to produce the permission documents before it on September 11. While chief executive officer Sonamarg Development Authority told a division bench of Chief Justice Badar Durrez Ahmed and Justice Ali Muhammad Magrey that the Army is raising constriction of HAWS unauthorisedly and without permission from BOCA at Neelgrath in Sonamarg, assistant solicitor general Tahir…

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Let youth create a Jantar Mantar in Kashmir (Open space for debate): Mirwaiz Umar Farooq

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Even as the unrest in Kashmir continues, the Hurriyat Conference is facing challenges from two sides. On one side the National Investigation Agency is probing Hurriyat leaders for alleged money laundering. On the other side, renegade Hizbul Mujahideen commander and presently the head of an Al Qaeda affiliate, Zakir Musa, is presenting the struggle in Kashmir as a religious war. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq discusses these challenges as well as the ongoing unrest in Kashmir, in a conversation. Q. Are you happy with the new state of affairs in Kashmir and…

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DGCA, Air India pass the buck on Hajj flight mess, Chief Minister asks Chief Secretary to take up the matter

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While the failure of authorities to facilitate landing of flights carrying Hajj pilgrims at the Srinagar airport on Thursday put the state government in an embarrassing situation, the directorate general of civil aviation and Air India are passing buck over the issue. The Air India has blamed the DGCA for denying them the landing permission while the DGCA has in turn blamed the airline for being late. On Thursday, the Srinagar airport authorities returned an Air India A1-5102 flight carrying Haj pilgrims to Kashmir from Jeddah while another Hajj flight…

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27 RR disallows officials, locals to look for missing person inside the camp

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The 27 RR stationed at Devar area in North Kashmir’s Kupwara district allegedly disallowed government officials and locals to look inside the camp where the missing person Manzoor Ahmad Khan was allegedly tortured. Apart from the missing person Manzoor Ahmad Khan, another man who was allegedly beaten ruthlessly by army was identified as Nasrullah Khan. Pertinent to mention here, the incident took place on evening of 31st of August. Human rights activist and chairman of International Forum for Justice, Ahsan Untoo Friday alleged that the police officials and locals were…

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Farooq Abdullah again warns against any assault on J&K Status

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National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Friday warned against any attempt at abrogating Article 35-A which would be treated as an assault on “our soul and identity”. “The assault on the state’s special status should unite everyone who is sincere towards the people and is committed to defending the state’s unique political and cultural identity,” Farooq said while addressing a commemoration event in the city here. Farooq, also a parliamentarian from the Srinagar constituency, said he would acknowledge the NIA probe into separatist funding “only if they bring any results”.…

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J&K erupts against ‘Genocide’ of Rohingya Muslims, 6 Cops, 4 locals hurt during clashes

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An armoured vehicle of the police was set ablaze during protests that erupted in south Kashmir’s Anantnag town on Friday against the killing of Rohingya Muslims in Burma. Demonstrations were also held at several places in the Kashmir valley. Six policemen and four civilians were injured during the protests that took place after the midday congregational prayers in Anantnag town. The injured included two officers of the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police and Sub-Inspector, police officers said. However, a police spokesman said only two policemen were injured in the…

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