I would like to talk to everyone across Kashmir: Dineshwar Sharma

Hope we will together bring peace in Kashmir The clock has turned full circle for former IB chief Dineshwar Sharma, who was appointed the Government of India (GoI’s) special representative in Kashmir, 25 years after his first posting for the bureau in the Valley. It was May 1992. Militancy was at its peak and Sharma, then 36, arrived in Srinagar after completing a year of customary training at the Intelligence Bureau headquarters in New Delhi. The Kerala-cadre officer, who was posted as assistant director between 1992 to 1994, went on…

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City residents perform rituals to get rid of Braid-chopping fear

At a time when the “braid-chopping” scare has led to mass hysteria in the Kashmir valley with many innocents facing mob fury, people in Jammu preferred to go for religious rituals to come out of the fear psychosis. Sheela Devi, 45, a native of Deoli village in Bishnah, whose braid was allegedly chopped in September, is regularly performing religious rituals to get rid of the fear. Instead of raising a hue and cry over the incident, the alleged victim has been quietly performing rituals along with her family. Sheela Devi…

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Despite offensive, Kashmir sees rise in locals joining militancy

94 youths turned militants this year, the highest in last seven years The security forces have launched a massive offensive against militants, but apparently that has failed to dissuade local youth from joining militancy. This year so far nearly 100 Kashmiri youths have joined militancy, the highest in the last seven years. A senior police officer said 94 local youth had joined militancy this year and a majority of them belonged to four districts of south Kashmir – Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian —- which have remained on the edge…

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Kashmir Valley’s political class faces rising militant ire

Militants either lobbed grenades at residences of politicians or masked gunmen barged into houses and ransacked them and also threatened the inhabitants. Suspected militants attacked eight houses of political workers in south Kashmir in the past one week — from October 16-22 — with observers saying the sudden spike indicates the failure of security apparatus in the state. Though such attacks by insurgents on political workers, perceived to be “pro-india”, have been occurring sporadically in the Valley for a long time now, the current spate has caught attention because of…

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Fed up with corruption in RTO, Govt outsourcing issuance of driving license

In a bid to tame corruption and reform the system at Regional Transport Office, the state government has decided to outsource issuance of driving licenses to third party. Moreover registration certificate of new vehicles will be issued by dealerships from November with a view to discourage agents who were charging hefty sums from applicants. The decision, as per sources in the Transport department, was taken after complaints of rampant corruption and hijacking of RTO’s functioning by agents. Officials privy to the development informed Kashmir Post that government is finalizing a…

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New initiative brings new hope: Dialogue on Kashmir

A fresh initiative attempting peace through dialogue has been brought into sight by the Centre when it was needed the most to deliver tangible results to uplift the mood in Kashmir. The appointment of former Intelligence Bureau chief Dineshwar Sharma is a substantive action to find a way out to resolve the vexed Kashmir problem that has caused a huge crisis for the state and embarrassed the country at the international level. This has the obvious imprint of Narendra Modi who had been seeking to resolve the Kashmir problem since…

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Center opens door for dialogue on Kashmir

Appoints former IB director Dineshwar Sharma as interlocutor Special representative to hold talks with all sections of people and organisations He will initiate sustained dialogue to understand legitimate aspirations of people In a fresh move for peace in Jammu and Kashmir, the Government of India (GoI) Monday announced a “sustained dialogue” process with all stakeholders in the Valley and appointed a former Intelligence Bureau director as its special representative. Dineshwar Sharma would hold talks with all sections of people and organisations, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said at a hurriedly…

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PDP, NC MLA’s urge police to refrain from attacking militant families

The PDP and NC MLAs have urged on the Police to desist from attacking the families of the militants stating that this was risking the lives of the workers in the militancy infested areas of South Kashmir. A number of PDP workers that Kashmir Post spoke to said that they were apprehensive about the lives of their families MLA Tral, Mushtaq Ahmed Shah, said the security forces should “stop harassing the families of militants. “It has only landed poor workers in trouble. When you ransack their houses, they (militants) will…

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GST, demonetisation may impact wedding season: ASSOCHAM

The upcoming wedding season starting in November may be impacted by 10-15 per cent particularly wedding services like marriage garden/marriage hall booking, tent booking, confectionery services, photography and more, reveals by industry chamber ASSOCHAM. Demonetisation and Goods and Services Tax (GST) are likely to impact the upcoming wedding season in India as people will have to shell out more on buying jewellery and apparels, at salons and beauty parlours, photography, even for hiring venues like hotels/marriage palaces, courier and other related services, reveals the ASSOCHAM It is being estimated that…

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Thundershowers, Isolated rain likely over J&K in next 24 hours

Isolated rain and thundershowers are expected over the parts of Jammu and Kashmir during the next 24 hours, Skymetweather.com reported on Monday. The weather portal reported that presently, a ‘feeble Western Disturbance is seen over northern parts of Jammu and Kashmir.’ “Due to this weather system, isolated rain and thundershowers are expected over northern districts of Jammu and Kashmir region during the next 24 hours,” the report said. It said places such as Kupwara, Srinagar, Baramulla, Kargil will witness scattered rains within the span of next 24 hours. “After 24…

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