Category: Today

Security tightened across J&K, Mobile Network, Internet services snapped in Kashmir ahead of Republic Day Function

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Jammu and Kashmir has been put on a high alert and extra security has been deployed in sensitive towns and cities following intelligence inputs that terrorists may strike in a big way on Republic Day on Friday. The security has been tightened, particularly in Srinagar and Jammu, where the main functions will be held. Guard has also been upped near Army camps, vital installations and highways. Separatists have given a call for a shutdown and protests for Friday. Reviewing the security, Director General of Police SP Vaid said all necessary…

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Teenage, Two militants killed, scores injured in Shopian Gunfight

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Two militants were gunned down in an ongoing gunfight with security forces while a teenage boy was killed and two young girls were critically injured as security forces allegedly opened fire at protesters near the encounter site in Shopian district of south Kashmir. The injured girls have bullet wounds on their heads and are critical, as per health officials. The encounter raged in Chaigund village of Shopian district, some 50 km south of the summer capital. The slain teenager has been identified as Shakir Mir, son of Mohammad Yousuf Mir,…

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No mediation on Kashmir unless both parties agree: UN Chief Antonio Guterres

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chief Antonio Guterres has ruled out any mediation to resolve the Kashmir issue unless all parties agree to it and asked India and Pakistan to address their outstanding issues through talks amidst heightened tensions along the border. The U.N. Secretary-General’s spokesman Stephane Dujarric said that in principle good offices of the U.N. chief are always available for mediation, but everyone needs to agree on involving the world body. Asked about escalating tensions between India and Pakistan due to ongoing skirmishes and firing along the border, Mr. Dujarric said, “We’re obviously…

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Two troopers, Two civilians killed in Pak firing along LoC, Villagers flee as Pak rains mortars

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Govt closes all schools close to border, LoC Only three bullet-proof vehicles to evacuate 15,000 residents in Kathua An army man, a border guard and two civilians were were killed and 26 others injured in cross border firing along the International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu province on Friday. The cross-border firing started mid night and it again resumed during early morning along the IB in Arnia and R S Pura sectors. Later, Hiranagar and Samba sectors also witnessed intense cross-border firing and shelling. “The firing…

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Govt ends Haj subsidy, says decision taken to empower minorities

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Minority affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the Saudi Arabian government has in principle agreed to allow Haj journey from India by ships and officials of the two countries will sit together to finalise modalities. There will be no subsidy for Haj pilgrims from this year, minority affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said Tuesday. Naqvi told reporters that despite the subsidy withdrawal, a record number of 1.75 lakh Muslims will undertake the pilgrimage this year from India. Naqvi also said the Saudi Arabian government has in principle agreed to allow…

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Kashmir suffering due to bitter relations between two neighboring countries, must shun ‘Tit for Tat’ policy: Mehbooba Mufti

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Batting for resumption of dialogue between India and Pakistan, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today said the confrontation between the two countries was the biggest challenge for the people of J&K who had been the worst victims of their bitter relations. She, however, hoped that the two countries would stop their “tit for tat” policy and go back to the days of friendship, amity and reconciliation witnessed during the regime of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. “The biggest challenge for the people of the state is the confrontation between the…

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Govt rolls out populist Budget, Highlights

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Finance Minister terms it a potential game-changer I Rs80,213 cr to be spent in next fiscal Non-commercial vehicles not to pay toll at Lakhanpur,  Tax on commodities up by 25%; 12 specific items exempted In its first post-GST Budget, the PDP-BJP government today focused on populism and rolled out several welfare measures “to change the lives of people, especially of the most vulnerable and marginalised”. Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu, while presenting his fourth Budget in the Mehbooba Mufti-led government, termed it a ‘Budget of conscience’ and ‘potential game-changer’ in the…

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Valley shivers at -6.2°C, water bodies freeze, No Rain, Snow till January 14

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The weather in the summer capital continued to remain below -6°C for the third consecutive day, giving a tough time to residents. Though the weather is predicted to remain dry for the week, the mercury further dropped in Srinagar. Officials said the weather would remain dry till January 11 as the cloud cover had disappeared from the sky. The night temperature in the city settled at the season’s lowest of -6.2°C which was the coldest in the season so far — marginally down from -6.1°C recorded the previous night. Many…

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Ruckus marks start of Budget session, Govt faces Opposition heat over civilian killings

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The budget session of the legislature began on a stormy note on Tuesday, with opposition parties interrupting the governor NN Vohra’s address to the joint sitting of legislators and also staging a walkout against civilian killings and “mis-governance” in the state. As the governor was about to start his address on the opening day of the budget session, the National Conference and Congress legislators stood up from their seats and raised anti-government slogans over civilian killings by government forces in Kashmir and the “governance-deficit” in the state. While National Conference…

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Tassaduq takes oath as minister, ‘Will try to fulfill my father’s dreams’

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Tassaduq Hussain Mufti, brother of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, took oath as a Cabinet minister at a ceremony held at Raj Bhawan here on Thursday morning. A three-time MLA and former minister Javaid Mustafa Mir was also re-inducted as a Cabinet minister along with Tassaduq. In a simple and brief swearing-in ceremony, Governor NN Vohra administered the oath of office and secrecy to the newly inducted ministers on the Raj Bhawan lawns this morning. Javaid followed by Tassaduq took oath in English. Tassaduq has been given the tourism portfolio while…

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