Tourism properties, resorts ‘No-polythene zones’: Director Tourism Mehmood Shah

Use of polythene and disposable plastic at tourist destinations and properties in Jammu and Kashmir can now lead to cancellation of a violating operator’s license. A ban ordered by the government (No PLN/171/DTK/2660-69) directs tourism operators and stakeholders to stop use of non-biodegradable plastic in their properties failing which certificates of registration issued to them by the tourism department would be cancelled. “It shall be the duty of hotel keeper, houseboat owners, travel agents, shikara walas and tourist unit holders to ensure that polythene and disposable plastic is not allowed…

Read More

Shift India’s capital abroad to hear PM Modi speak about country’s problems: Shiv Sena

Modi, who is currently in London, had spoken about the brutal rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua at an interaction with audience there. In a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Shiv Sena on Friday said that the capital of India should be shifted outside the country, so that the PM makes statements on important issues. An editorial in the Sena mouthpiece ‘Saamana’, the party said that PM Modi becomes a “mauni baba” when he is in India but speaks up on…

Read More

Reopen all rape, murder cases in Kashmir since 1990: Mirwaiz Umar Farooq

Demanding exemplary punishment to the culprits in the gruesome rape and murder case of a minor girl of Kathua, chairman APHC Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Friday said all the rape cases reported in Kashmir during past three decades including the mass rape of Kunan-Poshpora should be reopened and reinvestigated so that the guilty “roaming free” are brought to book. Addressing the Friday congregational gathering at the historic Jamia Masjid, here, the Mirwaiz urged the world human rights bodies to raise their voice against the brutal rapes and murders of Kashmiri women…

Read More

India seems like nothing but a country of Crimes & Rapes: Bombay High Court

The bench was hearing a bunch of petitions concerning investigation into murders of rationalist Dr Narendra Dabholkar and Kolhapur-based communist leader Govind Pansare. At a time when people across India are protesting against rapes in Kathua in Jammu and Unnao in Uttar Pradesh, the Bombay high court (HC) on Thursday said “India seems to be nothing but a country of crimes and rapes.” “Today, when senior-most executives of the country go abroad, they are confronted with questions as to whether like-minded, liberal thinking, secular individuals are safe in India,” said…

Read More

Forest Deptt raids medicinal plant factories belonging to close aides, relatives of BJP MLA Lal Singh

Former Minister gave licenses of factories to kith and kin A joint team of Forest Department and Police on Friday carried out surprise raids on the medicinal plant factories which belonged to former Minister and BJP MLA, Lal Singh’s, relatives and close aides. The Forest teams conducted raids on the medicinal plant factories in Kathua district. Sources told Kashmir Post that forest department employees were called on duty at Bahu Forest department’s office at 7 AM. “The mobile phones of the Forest Department employees were seized and they were sent…

Read More

Snow, Rain in Kashmir bring back wintry cold

One of the heaviest spells of rain in the recent months along with snowfall in the higher reaches on Friday brought back wintry cold to the Kashmir valley and inundated roads in the summer capital. The rainfall began late Thursday night and continued throughout the day on Friday. The intensity of rainfall increased significantly in the afternoon hours and forced residents to rush to their homes. The region’s higher reaches, including Gulmarg in north Kashmir and Sonamarg in central Kashmir, also received light snowfall. The downpour is one of the…

Read More

Omar Abdullah heckled in Berkeley, called ‘Criminal’

Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was heckled and called “criminal” at the University of California, Berkeley, where he was invited for a conversation on Thursday to share his perspective on possible solutions to the Kashmir issue. Omar, who is in the US to attend the event organised by the Institute of South Asia Studies of the University of California Berkeley, faced a tough time as he was confronted with a protest by Kashmiri-Americans. “I want to take you to the International Criminal Court,” one of the woman protesters shouted at…

Read More

Internet Ban in Srinagar ahead of ahead cricketer Shahid Afridi’s address

The authorities in Srinagar snapped the mobile internet services in the area ahead of Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi’s address. The cricketer is scheduled to address the gathering at Kashmir’s grand mosque. The sources told Mirror that in view of the rumours on different social networking sites that Pakistan-based cricketer Shahid Afridi will address a public gathering at Jama Masjid located in old city Srinagar, the authorities curbed the mobile internet services. Afridi was scheduled to address the gathering last week, however, due to the restrictions and no prayers in grand…

Read More

Why parents are letting sons join militant ranks in Kashmir?

A phone conversation between a father and his son has become a rallying cry for Kashmiri separatists. Aetimad Hussain had joined a terror group and was in the middle of a fierce gun battle in south Kashmir’s Shopian. He figured this was going to be his last. His friend had already been shot and this was his goodbye call to his parents. In the conversation, Aetimad Hussain is heard telling his father that he was trapped and there was no way to get out. “Look, I cannot tell you to…

Read More

Rains lash Valley, Fresh snow in Gulmarg, higher reaches

Gulmarg and other areas in the higher reaches of Kashmir received fresh snow on Friday, while the plains in the valley, including the summer capital Srinagar, were lashed by rain. Fresh snow has been recorded in Gulmarg–the famous ski-resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, an official of the Meteorological Department here said. He said there are reports of snow in other areas in the higher reaches of the valley, including in Zojila Pass, near Amarnath Cave and Drass. The plain areas in the valley were lashed by rain which has…

Read More