General News Archives | Page 305 of 362

ISIS, Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan don’t represent Islam: Geelani

January 8, 2016 Editor

Hardline Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani has denounced the ISIS against the backdrop of repeated display of its flag in Kashmir, saying it is a terrorist organisation which does not represent Islam. “ISIS, Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and other like groups does not represent Islam. Daesh (alternate name of ISIS) is a terrorist organisation which is killing innocent people and the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan is weakening Pakistan internally,” the Kashmiri separatist leader has said. His remarks came against the backdrop of repeated display of ISIS flag by some youth during protests in…

Mufti’s second term marked by four major controversies

January 8, 2016 Editor

Like most of his political career spanning nearly 67 years, the second stint of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, which turned out to be his last, was marked by four major controversies, which saw the PDP at loggerheads with the BJP, its coalition partner. It took nearly two months of hectic back-channel negotiations to cobble together a coalition of the PDP and BJP, parties with divergent views on Kashmir and its special relationship with the Union. In fact, emerging after a 90-minute meeting with Prime…

Mufti Muhammad Sayeed (1936-2016)

January 8, 2016 Editor

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed—a strong votary of Indo-Pak dialogue on Kashmir resolution and the man close to New Delhi—breathed his last at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences New Delhi on Thursday morning. He was 79. Known as a suave politician who rose from a lawyer to first Muslim Home Minister of India and two-time Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mufti passed away at the AIIMS where he was being treated for sepsis and pneumonia since December 24, at 7.30 am. Sayeed, who took…

Mehbooba likely to be sworn in as CM today

January 8, 2016 Editor

Nirmal Singh to be her deputy, rest of the cabinet to be sworn in after Mufti’s chaharum Following the death of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, the process for elevation of his daughter Mehbooba Mufti to the top post has already started and she is likely to be sworn in as the next CM on Friday. According to sources, Mehbooba is likely to take oath as chief minister on Friday at around 4 pm to 5 pm while senior BJP leader, Nirmal Singh would take oath as the deputy chief…

Beigh, Bukhari to support Mehbooba as CM, BJP says it will go by PDP’s choice

January 7, 2016 Editor

Senior Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders Muzaffar Hussain Beigh and Altaf Bukhari on Thursday left for Raj Bhavan to hand over a letter of support to Governor backing Mehbooba Mufti as the next chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir. A senior PDP leader said that the leaders will meet the governor NN Vohra and apprise him about the nomination of Mehbooba as their leader after the demise of Mufti Muhammad Sayeed. Both the PDP and BJP are understood to have decided on the nomination of Mehbooba as the next chief…

Mufti Mohammad Sayeed dead, daughter Mehbooba set to be J&K CM

January 7, 2016 Editor

The stage could be set for PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti to be the next chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir with the party and its ally BJP reaching a consensus over the matter following the sudden death of her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. Sayeed passed away at New Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Thursday morning. Though no decision has been taken as of now, his daughter Mehbooba is seen as the “logical choice” as his successor, said senior BJP sources. With a session of the assembly…

Recruitment records of 32 years destroyed in 2014 floods: JKPSC

January 6, 2016 Editor

The Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) has said the entire official record for 32 years pertaining to the direct recruitment section was destroyed beyond recognition due to floods in September 2014. “Due to the devastating floods, the old record at the JKPSC office in Polo Ground/Solina got submerged in the floodwaters and remained submerged for more than three weeks. The entire old record pertaining to the direct recruitment section from 1980 to 2012 was destroyed or damaged beyond recognition,” said Shakeel-ul-Rehman, Secretary, JKPSC, in a notification. The issue…

Despite UJC taking responsibility, Intel points to Jaish

January 6, 2016 Editor

Hours before the militant assault on the Pathankot airbase, the Jammu and Kashmir Police had received an intelligence input about an “imminent attack” by a six-member fidayeen squad, sources said. The police sources said the intelligence input about an imminent attack was received six or seven hours before the militants attacked the Pathankot airbase. The input was shared with other security and intelligence agencies, the sources said. The intelligence received on Friday evening had clearly indicated that six Jaish-e-Mohammad militants had infiltrated and were ready to launch an attack, “most…

Durbar Move weighs heavily on state’s coffers

January 6, 2016 Editor

The bi-annual Durbar Move continues to affect the state’s economy badly as every year more than Rs 36 crore is being spent on the movement of civil secretariat employees alone. Overall, Rs 100 crore is being spent on the annual Durbar Move, including employees of other offices outside the secretariat, who are part of the move. In the cash-starved state, where not many steps are being taken to give a lift to the economy, such a huge expenditure becomes a burden for the state. Now, the employees are demanding to…

J&K’s special status unquestionable, says senior PDP leader

January 5, 2016 Editor

Senior leader of the ruling PDP in Jammu and Kashmir Tariq Hamid Karra today said the special status of the state and its flag was unquestionable and beyond adjudication by the judiciary as it has been guaranteed by the Constitution of India and ratified by Parliament. “J&K’s special status, including the status of the state flag, is unquestionable and beyond the adjudication of the judiciary as the same has been guaranteed by the Constitution of India and ratified by Parliament and the state’s Constituent Assembly,” Karra said in a statement…