The city markets are abuzz with activity as locals are geared up for the Christmas celebrations tomorrow. The churches can be seen decked up with colorful lights and flowers. Even the Christian families have decorated their houses. Meanwhile, groups of youths dressed as Santa Claus can be seen distributing gifts among the children while several churches have organised carol-singing competitions. On Friday, a religious procession was also taken out in the city in which about 1,500 people took part. “The festival is not confined to the Christian community only, it…
Read MoreYear: 2017
Separatists cry foul, center ‘Threatening’ us to talk to its envoy
The fresh summon to NaseemGeelani, the son of Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Geelani, by the national investigation agency is an “act of vengeance and harassment”, the joint resistance leadership (JRL) said on Sunday, and condemned the move. In a statement, the JRL comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik said: “Summoning Naseem to Delhi again is an intimidation. New Delhi is using the NIA (against the resistance leadership).” The JRL said that the enforcement directorate (ED) has time and again summoned hundreds including both sons of…
Read MorePakistan violates ceasefire along LoC in Poonch, 4 Indian soldiers killed in firing
At least four Indian soldiers were killed Dec. 23 in Pakistani firing along the highly militarized de facto border that divides the disputed region of Kashmir between the nuclear-armed rivals, Indian officials said. Pakistani soldiers violated the 2003 cease-fire accord by targeting Indian posts in Rajouri sector, the Indian army said in a statement. It called the firing an “unprovoked cease-fire violation.” The statement said that the dead include an army officer and that Indian soldiers retaliated “strongly and effectively.” There was no immediate reaction from Pakistan. Following the incident,…
Read MoreBurhan Factor? Spurt in young Kashmiris joining militancy in 2017
The spurt in locals joining militancy began after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terror group’s poster boy Burhan Wani in an encounter in south Kashmir on July 8 last year. The number of young Kashmiris joining militant groups has witnessed a sharp spike and crossed 100 for the first time since such data started being collated in 2010, officials said on Sunday. By the end of November this year, 117 youths had joined militancy as compared to 88 in the whole of 2016.South Kashmir emerged as the main hub that…
Read MoreKashmir Valley ‘Most expensive’, As retail inflation touches 8.61% in November
Against the national retail inflation of 4.88 percent, the cost of living in Jammu and Kashmir has almost doubled as average prices have recorded year-on-year increase of 8.61 percent for the month of November, according to recently released consumer price index (CPI). The CPI figures released by the ministry of statistics and programme implementation (MOSPI) reveal that J&K has emerged as one of the most expensive states in the country due to high inflation rate. J&K has recorded inflation of 8.61 percent for November, followed by Kerala with 8.1 percent,…
Read MoreAt 12.13% J&K has highest unemployment rate in India: Report
At 12.13 percent, J&K had the highest unemployment rate in India in 2017, says the data compiled by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy in collaboration with Bombay Stock Exchange. The other states with high unemployment rates are Kerala (9.60 percent), Assam (8.60), Chandigarh (8.05) and Haryana (7.16). The national unemployment average is 4.7 percent. According to the BSE, the unemployment rate is the sum of the number of unemployed persons as a percentage of the labour force, where the latter consists of the unemployed plus those in paid or…
Read MoreWe’ll talk peace with Pakistan only when it stops supporting terror: General Bipin Rawat
Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat on Friday said peace talks with Pakistan can take place only when it stops supporting terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir. Given its actions, it doesn’t appear that Pakistan really wants peace, the Army chief added. He was in the western sector, close to the India-Pakistan border, to witness the ‘Hamesha Vijayee’ exercise conducted by the Southern Command in Thar desert. Rawat said Pakistan should stop supporting terrorists. “Only then can we say that peace talks should take place,” he told reporters in the exercise…
Read MoreCold wave grips Kashmir, At -9.1°C, Ladakh coldest in state, highway open for 1 way traffic
Kashmir continued to remain in the grip of intense cold wave on Friday, even as the Srinagar-Jammu highway was open for one-way traffic, officials said. A meteorological department official said that thick fog enveloped most parts of Kashmir on Friday, making minimum temperatures touch several notches below freezing point due to clear overnight sky. Because of the fog, people began their day a little late as the weather condition caused inconvenience to motorists and other commuters, according to several reports and witnesses. There was no fog, however, around the Srinagar…
Read MoreInterlocutor Dineshwar Sharma’s third visit begins on Monday
The Centre’s representative on Kashmir, Dineshwar Sharma, will arrive here on Monday on his third visit to the state for holding talks with all stakeholders and to find ways for restoration of peace in the trouble-torn region. The interlocutor told Kashmir Post over phone from New Delhi that he would be arriving in the summer capital to meet various delegations. The groups scheduled to meet him, however, are yet to be finalised. Sharma had met people from a cross-section of society in both Kashmir and Jammu divisions during his two…
Read MoreGov nominates Tassaduq Mufti as MLC, enters council on seat vacated by Vikramaditya
In exercise of powers Governor NN Vohra, exercising powers vested in him under sub-section (6) of Section 50 of the J&K Constitution, has nominated Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s brother Tassaduq Hussain Mufti as a Member of the state Legislative Council against the seat available in the Upper House. Tassaduq is nominated on the seat vacated by Vikramaditya Singh, who had resigned as MLC in protest against the state government for not declaring a holiday on last Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh’s birth anniversary. With his nomination as member of the…
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