Category: Union Territory

Midnight CASO launched by Army in Kharwara village of South Kashmir’s Shopian district is still in progress

Forces have inputs of presence of militants in the area

Srinagar: A 90-year-old man from Kulgam district of south Kashmir on Tuesday became another victim of novel coronavirus, taking the overall death toll due to the disease to 24 in Jammu and Kashmir. Also 34 fresh cases of the virus were reported, taking the tally of patients to 1702.

A resident of Khaloora Kulgam, the nonagenarian was referred to SKIMS Soura from GMC Anantnag yesterday and breathed his last around 5:45 a.m. today, officials said.

“The patient was suffering from pneumonia with chief complaints of fever and breathlessness,” Professor Farooq Jan, Medical Superintendent of the tertiary care hospital, told GNS.
He said that his sampling was done at around 6:30 p.m. on Monday and it came out to be positive at 9:08 p.m. same day

“The patient was then shifted to Isolation facility where he died this morning,” Professor Jan added.

With the fatality, the death toll due to the virus has gone upto 4 in Kulgam and overall 24 in J&K. So far Srinagar district has highest number of the fatalities—6 followed by Anantnag, Baramulla and Kulgam with four deaths each while Budgam and Jammu have two each and one death each has been reported from Bandipora and Udhampur.

Meanwhile, J&K reported 34 more positive cases and the results were confirmed at army’s command hospital in Udhampur, taking the overall count of the positive cases so far to 1702, official sources said.(GNS)

PTI

Jammu: The son and wife of an advisor to the Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governor have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, officials said on Monday.
The advisor to Lt Governor G C Murmu has gone into self-quarantine at the super-specialty hospital in Reasi district where his son and wife are being kept at an isolation ward, they said.

The officials said the advisor’s wife and son had returned from Delhi a few days back and were staying at a guest house.

The results of their samples came on Sunday night and they had tested positive for the disease, theys said.

The encounter took place at Khud village in Hanjipora area, a police spokesman said

The Jammu and Kashmir police on Monday said it killed two militants in an operation in south Kashmir’s Kulgam.

“Two unidentified terrorists were killed in an encounter at Khud village in Hanjipora area of Kulgam,” a police spokesman said.

Incriminating materials, including arms and ammunition, were recovered at the site of encounter, the police said.

Mobile internet was snapped in Kulgam as a precautionary measure, officials said.

With inputs from The Hindu

Srinagar: Apni Party president Syed Altaf Bukhari on Sunday dismissed t rumours of him taking oath as the first Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir Union Territory, saying “it is a good joke.”

“It is a good joke….,” Bukhari told news agency—Kashmir News Observer in an exclusive chat, when asked whether he would be administered oath as first Chief Minister of J&K UT.

Officials in Jammu & Kashmir government told KNO that there is no legal provision for formation of interim government under any law in India. “The Government of Union Territories Act-1963 is not applicable to Jammu and Kashmir.

Nor this law provides for formation of an interim government,” they said, adding that legislative framework for J&K is defined under the J&K Re-organisation Act.

They also disclosed that there is no question of appointment of any politician as advisor or Chief Advisor to Lieutenant Governor—(KNO)

The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee has announced that the Shawwal moon has been sighted, therefore, Eid in Pakistan will be observed tomorrow (Sunday).

The committee’s session to sight the Shawwal moon was held in Karachi with Mufti Muneeb ur Rehman in the chair.

Meetings of the zonal committees took place at their respective provincial headquarters. The Pakistan Meteorological Department experts were also a part of the session.

Referring to science minister Fawad Chaudhry — who had already predicted Eid in Pakistan on Sunday — the mufti said that the minister “has no real authority” to decide over such matters.

Taking exception to his announcement in advance, Mufti Muneeb said that the minister “should not interfere in religious matters”.

“We demand that the prime minister prevent him from interfering in religious matters,” he said.

“We condemn his interference,” said Mufti Muneeb, to chants of approval and endorsement in the background.

He denied that there was any “government pressure” to make the announcement.

‘Central committee to make final decision’

Earlier, in Quetta, the province’s zonal committee announced that it has received a few testimonies from Pasni and Ormara. “We have informed the Central committee of this,” said Qari Abdul Rasheed.

The zonal committee said the final decision will be made by the Central committee.

Mufti Muneeb, addressing the media, had said that “when the final decision will be made, it will be announced before the media”. He said it was “not appropriate” to speculate at this time.

Religious affairs minister Pir Noorul Haq Qadri, in a conversation with Geo News, said that the committee will be the one to make the final decision about the observance of Eid.

“The matter is a religious one, which needs religious expertise,” he said.

He said input from science “will never be turned away and can be used” but it is “unacceptable” to declare the moon sighted in advance without  eyewitness testimony.

Qibla Ayaz of the Islamic Council of Ideology said that if Badin and other cities of Sindh provide testimony, there will be greater chances that Eid will be held tomorrow. He said that word from these cities is being awaited.

Speaking of technology, he said that ulema do not oppose science but “the tradition of Ruet must be kept alive”.

Eid in other parts of the world

India has declared it will celebrate Eid on Monday.

#EidUlFitr to be celebrated on May 25 as moon could not be sighted today. It's important that we take precautions and maintain social distancing. We should stay away from shaking hands and hugging: Delhi's Jama Masjid's Shahi Imam, Syed Ahmed Bukhari (ANI) pic.twitter.com/nJVpQXmDyp

— NDTV (@ndtv) May 23, 2020

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr on Sunday as the moon was not sighted on Friday.

The Jeddah-based Okaz paper reported that the moon-sighting committee had said that Saturday, May 23, would be the last day of Ramadan, while Sunday, May 24, would be the first day of Eid — Shawwal 1, 1441.

The UAE will also celebrate Eid on Sunday as the moon-sighting committee set up by the justice ministry announced that the moon was not sighted and Shawwal 1 would fall on Sunday, May 24.

The newspaper also reported that Indonesia, Turkey, Indonesia, and Qatar would also observe Eid on Sunday.

Eid-ul-Fitr to be celebrated on May 24 in Pakistan: Fawad Chaudhry

Earlier this week, Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry had claimed that Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated on May 24 (Sunday) in many countries, including Pakistan.

Speaking during a TV programme, Chaudhry said that according to the calendar prepared by the science ministry, this year Eid will be celebrated across the country on May 24.

The minister had said the interesting thing is that the festival will be celebrated on the same day in almost all parts of the world along with Pakistan, including Indonesia, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.

Pakistan, like all Muslim countries, is gearing up to mark Eid-ul-Fitr amid the coronavirus pandemic, which has taken more than 1,000 lives in the country.

The country started observing Eid holidays from May 22 and will continue to do so till May 27, a notification from the interior ministry said on Saturday.

How to Lead your Family and friends in Eid Prayer at Home – A Step by Step guide:

Watch Video:

The Eid prayer has two raka’at performed in the normal way, with the only addition of six Takbirs, three of them in the beginning of the first raka’ah, and three of them just before ruku’ in the second raka’ah.

The detailed way of performing the Eid prayer is as follows:

The Imam will begin the prayer without Adhan or iqamah. He will begin the prayer by reciting Takbir of Tahrimah (Allahu Akbar). You should raise your hands up to the ears, and after reciting the Takbir, you should set your hands on your navel. The Imam will give a little pause during which you should recite Thana’ (Subhanakallahumma…)

After the completion of Thana’, the Imam will recite Takbir (Allahu Akbar) three times. At the first two calls of Takbir you should raise your hands up to the ears, and after reciting Takbir (Allahu Akbar) in a low voice, should bring your hands down and leave them earthwards. But, after the third Takbir, you should set them on your navel as you do in the normal prayers.

After these three Takbirs, the Imam will recite the Holy Qur’an, which you should listen calmly and quietly. The rest of the raka’ah will be performed in the normal way.

After rising for the second raka’ah, the Imam will begin the recitations from the Holy Qur’an during which you should remain calm and quiet. When the Imam finishes his recitation, he will recite three Takbirs once again, but this time it will be just before bowing down for ruku’. At each Takbir you should raise your hands up to the ears, and after saying ‘Allahu Akbar’, bring them down and leave them earthwards. After these three takbirs have been called and completed, the Imam will say another takbir for bowing down into the ruku’ position. At this takbir you need not raise your hands. You just bow down for your ruku’ saying, ‘Allahu Akbar’. The rest of the salah will be performed in its usual way.

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Srinagar: Amid Covid-19 lockdown, a top cop posted in traffic department has come out to the rescue of needy people by providing essentials and medicines at their door steps.

Sheikh Adil Mushtaq, a 2015 batch Jammu and Kashmir Police Service (JKPS) officer from Baramulla district, who is posted as Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) traffic police in Srinagar has started a chain on volunteer contribution across the Kashmir valley by delivery the lifesaving drugs and essential food items at the door steps of needy people.

Talking exclusively to news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) Sheikh Adil said that the volunteer work of home delivery of lifesaving drugs started from day one when the lockdown was announced.

“But with time the chain got expanded and people with various needs reached to us and around 800 callers have been facilitated till date with free food and medicines.”

He said that initially commenced with delivery of medicines only but it was learnt that there are people who are on life saving drugs and those are the people who are going to suffer the most.

“We use motorcyclists of traffic department to deliver the medicines at the door steps but there were people who were running out of money due to the lockdown. So we started to deliver free medicines to those in need,” he said.

He said that they started free medicine delivery in Srinagar which was supported by deputy commissioner, Dr Shahid Iqbal Chaudhary. “The delivery was done voluntarily by our cops including me and many of the times we drove to south and north Kashmir to deliver the medicines especially for those who couldn’t afford. I myself visited many parts of north Kashmir to deliver essentials and medicines.”

He also said that they have created four WhatsApp groups and he was in touch with medical partners who provided medicines on 20% discount.

“We have established a store where all the items are stocked up and dispatched to the places by concerned volunteer. But so far we haven’t delivered any medicine without the valid prescription slip. Because most of the times people showed some fake prescription, however, and they were not entertained.”

He said that not even a single call has got unanswered and the whole process was self-funded. “I don’t ask for donations nor have I collected any donation so far. My friends have contributed generously and for Eid we have ensured the home delivery of essential food kits as well.”

Talking about the team, he said at present there are only 20 people mostly friends who are involved in the activities and they don’t belong to his department—(KNO)

Srinagar: Two bakers from Pulwama district were among 40 fresh cases of the COVID-19 infection in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, taking the overall tally closer to 1500.

Official sources told GNS that 16 of these cases, all from Shopian district, were confirmed at viral diagnostic lab at SKIMS Bemina, ten at viral diagnostic laboratory at SKIMS Soura, seven at Microbiology Lab of CD Hospital and remaining at Jammu and private labs. (GNS)

Srinagar: The mobile internet services, shut in Srinagar from last four consecutive days, is being restored very shortly, a senior police officer told GNS on Friday evening.

“The internet services will resume very shortly,” he said.
The internet and voice calling services were suspended at around dawn on May 19 when a gunfight erupted in Nawa Kadal area of Srinagar which eventually culminated in the killing of two Hizb-ul-Muajhideen militants, one of them Junaid Sehrai, youngest son of Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai, the chairman of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat. Junaid, an MBA pass out, had joined Hizb in March 2018. The other militant killed in the gunfight was identified as Tariq Ahmad Sheikh of Pulwama and he had as per officials joined the militant ranks two months ago.

The voicing calling services were restored next day while internet services, already reduced to 2G speed across Valley from last more than nine months, remained suspended hitherto. (GNS)