Year: 2018

Permanent Residency Rules in J&K being changed by Governor: Political Parties

Editor

Political parties in the Kashmir Valley are up in arms over what they say are Governor Satyapal Malik’s efforts to change the process of granting Permanent Resident Certificate or PRC in the state – a very sensitive issue in Kashmir Valley. Sources said that there are efforts to simplify the rules to grant Permanent Residency and the Governor has written to administrative officials seeking their input. The Permanent Residency Status is linked to the Constitution’s Article 35A — which grants the state its special status and has been challenged in…

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Train to Kupwara: Credit war after Centre approves railway link to Kupwara

Editor

Mehbooba Mufti’s Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Sajad Gani Lone’s Peoples Conference and governor Satya Pal Malik’s administration on Thursday claimed credit after the Centre approved the extension of Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link up to Kupwara. PDP tweeted “Railway connectivity to Kupwara will soon be a reality. Thank you for your efforts @MehboobaMufti @MirMohdFayaz”. Soon, Lone tweeted obliquely targeting the PDP for taking credit. “Railway line a reality and now parties who call us agents of Delhi want to take credit for it. Hilarious,” wrote Sajad. Omar Abdullah also took to Twitter, saying,…

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Kashmir on Norway’s peace engagements, advocates for Tri-Party Dialogue

Editor

A sudden change of heart of New Delhi to allow the former prime minister of Norway, Kjell Magne Bondevik to visit Kashmir has come as a surprise to many but at the same time has rekindled a new hope toward bringing peace in the Valley. On November 23, Bondevik, who was Norway’s Prime Minister until 2005, on his maiden visit to the Valley met Hurriyat leaders Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. The former Norwegian PM, who is also the president of Oslo Centre for Peace and Human Rights,…

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Like the Zojila Tunnel, Train to Ladakh is another empty promise

Editor

Every national media house has carried recent news about the railways getting to Ladakh. The announcements read that the line would stretch to 465 kilometers and would be one of a kind, comparable only to the Qinghai-Tibet Railway Line in China. According to reports, the track would include 74 tunnels, 124 major bridges, and 396 minor bridges. As fascinating as this development may sound, the same cannot be accepted by the people of Ladakh without a pinch of salt. To many people, these announcements are a part of the usual…

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Dissident BJP MLA challenges dissolution of Assembly in Supreme Court

Editor

The BJP hailed Governor Satya Pal Malik’s decision to dissolve the Legislative Assembly recently, but a sulking leader of the party, who is the former MLA from RS Pura, Gagan Bhagat, has challenged the decision in the Supreme Court. “I filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court on Thursday, challenging the decision of the Governor to dissolve the Assembly. My writ has been admitted in the court,” Bhagat told Kashmir Post. “In my writ, I have challenged the illegal action of the Governor,” he said. Bhagat hoped that the…

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There can’t be a military solution on Kashmir: Imran Khan ready for talks with Modi

Editor

Making peace overtures, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan Thursday said he was ready to hold talks with his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, as he conceded that it was not in Islamabad’s interest to allow the use of its territory for “terror activities” outside the country. Khan was apparently referring to India’s stance that terrorism and talks cannot go together and Pakistan must take effective and credible action to stop providing shelter and support to cross-border terrorism from territories under its control. “It is not in our interest to allow the…

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Army can carry out drone strikes in J&K if there is no backlash: General Bipin Rawat

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The Indian Army is capable of using weaponized drones in Jammu and Kashmir and can deploy them if the country accepts the consequences of such actions, General Bipin Rawat has said, The Wire reported on Thursday. The Army chief made the comments during a question and answer session at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses after delivering the ninth YB Chavan Memorial Lecture in Delhi on Wednesday. “In our country, the way things are moving, it is very nice to say we need these drones,” he said when asked…

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November bloodiest month in Kashmir, 37 rebels including 9 top commanders killed

Editor

With 37 militants killed in encounters across Kashmir, November has been the bloodiest month of this year for the insurgents. Among the militants killed this month, nine were top commanders, including Lashkar-e-Taiba’s face Naveed Jatt, who was shot dead on Wednesday in Budgam district. As per official figures, 227 militants have been killed in different parts of Kashmir so far this year. While they belonged to different organizations, the Lashkar and Hizbul Mujahideen suffered major losses this month as both groups lost some of their top commanders, especially in south…

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UN urged to stop rights violations in Kashmir

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The Jammu and Kashmir Socio-Economic Coordination Committee (JKSECC), an amalgam of several business organizations and civil society formations, on Thursday sought UN intervention to stop human rights violations in the Valley. “We appeal to the UN Secretary-General, and the conscientious powers of the world, who uphold international law, to prevail upon India to desist from trampling down on human rights, demilitarise Kashmir, revoke the Armed Forces Special Powers Act and let people of Kashmir live a dignified peaceful life as guaranteed by international covenants and the constitution,” said Jammu and…

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J&K govt announces vacations for winter zone

Editor

The Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday announced winter vacations in Kashmir division and winter zone of Jammu division. According to an order issued today, winter vacations for classes up to eighth standard shall be observed from December 6, 2018 to 2nd March 2019. “Winter vacations for classes from 9th standard on wards shall be observed from 17 December 2018 to 23 February 2019,” said the order.

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