SRINAGAR: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will visit Kashmir for two days from June 25, Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Prof Saifuddin Soz said today.
A statement issued here this afternoon by the PCC office said Prof Soz called on Dr Singh at New Delhi today and discussed many subjects of mutual interest.
The social and political situation in Jammu and Kashmir also came up for discussion, Prof Soz said. He said the Prime Minister's proposed visit to Kashmir on June 25 and 26 was also discussed.
The PCC chief...
Posted 2 days ago.
SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah says his party - the National Conference - will secure an overwhelming victory to form the government in the 2014 Assembly elections.
Presently the NC rules in coalition with the Congress party.
"We will win the election next year based on our performance. Our actions will speak loudly for us," Omar said at a public gathering in Shopian area of south Kashmir.
Referring to the boycott of assembly proceedings by Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during...
Posted 2 days ago.
JAMMU: Panic gripped the border areas of Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district after land mines exploded due to forest fire in the area.
The incident happened in Balakote sub sector of Mendhar tehsil.
"A devastating fire broke out last night from PoK side and then engulfed several areas on this side from Balakote to Dabbi along the Line of Control," official sources said.
The LoC divides the state between India and Pakistan.
Several landmines, planted along the dividing line to prevent infiltration of militans,...
Posted 2 days ago.
SRINAGAR: Hundreds of vehicles, including those carrying tourists, were stranded on famous Mughal garden Nishat road on the bank of Dal Lake, where people were protesting against the hike in power tariff by the Power Development Department (PDD).
Raising slogans against the government and PDD, the agitators blocked the main road near the garden and did not even allow security force and school vehicles.
They alleged that the government has increased power traffic several times during the past few years when the supply...
Posted 2 days ago.
Local legend has it that Kashmiri shawls came to Europe after French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte presented one to his wife Josephine more than two centuries ago.
Kainaat Mushtaq
SRINAGAR: They sell for thousands of dollars, grace the shoulders of celebrities and are coveted by women the world over, but the future of the famous pashmina shawl is tangled due to neglect and cheap copies.
For centuries,...
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SRINAGAR: A meeting was held in Ganderbal district of Kashmir Tuesday to review the arrangements for celebrating Mela Kheer Bhawani at Tullamulla on June 17.
An official said the meeting was chaired by Deputy Commissioner, Ganderbal and was attended by the officials of various departments, including Public Health Engineering (PHE), Power Development Department (PDD), Police, Education, Municipal, Tourism, Medical, Fire and Emergency Services.
“Threadbare discussions were held pertaining to establishment of medical...
Posted 2 days ago.
SRINAGAR: The two-week-long search and combing operation along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Kupwara sector was called off after the Army failed to trace the militants who were believed to have infiltrated into Kashmir from Pakistan.
“The search operation that was launched along the LoC on May 7 was called off on Monday,” said a senior police officer in north Kashmir. “No contact could be established with the militants who were first spotted at Budnambal in Chowkibal forests,” he added.
Sources, however,...
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SRINAGAR: Police in Kashmir have arrested a fake dervish who allegedly raped young girls on the pretext of 'purifying' them, sources say.
Gulzar Ahmed Bhat, who went by the name 'Syed Gulzar', ran a residential institution for girls which offered a two-months course in Islamic studies in Khansahib area of Budgam district.
Sources say four students, all aged under 18, complained to the police that he indulged in sexual activities with them at the hostel.
According to...
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SRINAGAR: After remaining on strike for 44 days, revenue officials (Patwaris) in Jammu and Kashmir Tuesday called off their strike after the government accepted their demands including removal of pay anamolies.
“All the patwaris would resume their work from Wednesday,” a delegation of Patwar Association headed by its President told a local news agency KNS.
The Association said that the revenue officials would work in double shift to clear the back log.
The Cabinet today approved unification in the pay scale of...
Posted 2 days ago.
SRINAGAR: At least one youth has been critically wounded after police and paramilitaries fired their pellet guns at stone throwing protesters in Kashmir, sources say.
Sohail Majeed Khan, 19, has received pellets all over the body. He is battling for life at the Medical Institute in Srinagar.
Khan was wounded at Bohri Kadal area of old Srinagar city where angry youth threw stones at police and paramilitaries who in turn used force to disperse them.
Similar clashes were are also reported from nearby Rajouri Kadal...
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