Kashmir.Watch

Category: Union Territory

  • Imran Khan has accepted J-K as integral part of India: Muzaffar Baig

    Srinagar: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and US President Donald Trump had accepted that the Valley is an integral part of India due to which they seek autonomy of the region, said PDP leader Muzaffar Hussain Baig, who was honoured with the Padma Bhushan on 71st Republic Day.

    “Pakistan PM Imran Khan and the US president are asking for autonomy to J&K. It means they’ve accepted that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. We demand that J&K should be given what the Constitution gives us,” Baig was quoted as saying by PTI.

    Baig, a former Lok Sabha member, hails from north Kashmir and is also an advocate.

    He has been critical of former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti after she took over the reins of the party and the alliance government with the BJP. He was among the few politicians from Kashmir who met Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) who had travelled to the valley last year.

  • Mobile services to be barred from 6 Am on Jan 26

    Srinagar, Jan 25: In wake of the Republic Day, mobile phone services will be barred across Kashmir on Sunday as part of the precautionary measure, top officials said.

    According to the wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), officials said that “Mobile phone services on all platforms will be suspended and if all goes well, services will be restored by afternoon,” the official said. “We will review the situation by 12 noon and if all remains peaceful, services will be restored by 1 O clock.”

    He, however said that the step was a precautionary security measure. (KNO)

  • 2G mobile Net restored in J&K

    Srinagar: After over five-month communication blockade, the authorities on Friday allowed restoration of 2G mobile Internet services across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir from January 25. The 2G Internet services will work, though with several restrictions, on postpaid mobiles and only on those prepaid mobile SIM cardholders whose credentials have been verified by the security agencies.

    “I hereby direct that mobile data service and internet access through fixed line shall be allowed across UT of J&K,” read a late evening order issued by Principal Secretary, Home, Shalin Kabra. However, the authorities have put a ban on use of social media websites. Kabra said directions would be effective from January 25 and remain in force up to January 31 unless modified earlier.

  • If extension of Article 371 gives same guarantees as were in article 370, it will be a big relief for people: Muzafar Beigh

    Srinagar, Jan 22: Former Deputy Chief Minister Muzafar Hussain Beigh today said that if constitutional guarantees which were part of Article 370 is given to people in the form of article 371, it will be a big relief for people of J&K.

    He also clarified that there cannot be any future strategy from them, unless GOI releases all political leaders including three former Chief Ministers.

    “Then only we evolve a joint consensus on future strategy,” he said.

    He also said if Apex court upholds decision of center in abrogation of Article 370, then “we should seek extension of Article 371. They say article 370 was temporary, that is true in written language, but not practically.

  • Class 12th results likely on Thurs or Friday

    Srinagar, Jan 21 (KNO): The results of 12th class regular examinations would likely be declared on Thursday or Friday, officials in Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (BOSE) said.

    According to the wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), officials said that the result compilation process has been completed while preparation of gazettes is underway.

    Notably, in wake of the internet gag in the Valley, the BOSE has switched to the manual procedure and has been declaring the results through gazettes.

    Officials told KNO that 48000 students appeared in the recently conducted class 12th examinations at more than 400 exam centers across Kashmir.

    The examinations started in last week of October and culminated on last week of November.

    Officials said preparation of gazettes is underway, adding that once the gazettes are printed, the formal announcement will be made accordingly.

    “It is expected that the results would be declared wither on Thursday or Friday,” they said. (KNO)

  • No one died after the abrogation of Article 370 in J&K

    Syed Altaf Bukhari, Former J&K Finance Minister and PDP leader: No one died after the abrogation of Article 370 in J&K, for this the credit goes to the government as well as to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. I want to congratulate both of them. (ANI)

  • Snow, rain likely in Valley from today

    A fresh spell of precipitation, including snowfall, is likely in the Kashmir valley and is expected to last two days from Tuesday, according to the Weather Department forecast.

    In Pahalgam,moderate snow likely today

    The forecast released by the Indian Meteorological Department said the spell of precipitation was expected over the next two days across the Kashmir valley.

    In the southern tourist resort of Pahalgam, the department said there was a likelihood of moderate snow on Tuesday followed by rain or snow on the next day.

    The snowfall and rain are expected in the region and their intensity is likely to vary from place to place.

    The forecast released by the Indian Meteorological Department said the spell of precipitation was expected over the next two days across the Kashmir valley.

    In Srinagar city, where the overnight temperature had dropped to -3.4°C, the forecast suggested the possibility of moderate rain and generally cloudy sky tomorrow followed by the possibility of rain or snow on Wednesday.

    In the southern tourist resort of Pahalgam, the department said there was a likelihood of moderate snow tomorrow followed by rain or snow on the next day.

    In Gulmarg resort of north Kashmir, there was a possibility of rain and thunderstorm tomorrow followed by light snow on Wednesday, the department said. There was also a possibility of downpour and snow in remote Ladakh where temperatures had fallen to extreme freezing levels. Leh town of Ladakh recorded the minimum temperature of -18°C overnight, the department said.

  • South Kashmir: 3 Militants Killed In Shopian Gunfight

    SRINAGAR – Three Hizbul Mujahideen militants , including a police deserter, were killed in an encounter with state forces in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, police said.

    State forces launched a cordon and search operation in Wacchi area of Shopian district following information about presence of militants there, a police official said.

    He said the militants were asked to surrender but they opened fire towards security forces’ positions.

    “In the ensuing encounter, three militants of Hizbul Mujahideen were killed,” the official said.

    One of the slain militants was been identified as Adil Ahmad, a special police officer who had deserted the force in 2018 and decamped with seven AK assault rifles from the official residence of then MLA Wacchi Aijaz Ahmad Mir from Jawahar Nagar area of the city, the official said.

    The identification of the other two tmilitants is being ascertained, he added.

  • Protection Of Land And Jobs For J-K Locals Would Be Ensured: LG

    JAMMU – Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu on Friday said protection of land and jobs for the locals would be ensured keeping in view the interest of the Union Territory.Interacting with the councillors of Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) here, he also said the non-implementation of 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments was hampering the complete empowerment of panchayati raj institutions (PRIs) and urban local bodies (ULBs) in the UT.Replying to a query on domicile rights, the Lt Governor observed that the protection of land and jobs for the locals of J&K would be ensured subject to certain exceptions keeping in view the interest of the UT.He reiterated that the government is resolute to implement the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments that would provide solutions to many problems and would serve as powerful tool for a true self-government.“J&K has a Municipal Corporation Act 2000 but no rules have been framed under the said Act despite the lapse of so much time; this shows the lackadaisical approach on the part of the previous regimes,”he added.The Lt Governor assured the councillors that the government is working on granting the warrant of precedence on the lines of BDCs to the councillors of municipal corporations.The Lt Governor asked the JMC functionaries to develop an innovative revenue generation model for the corporation.The Councillors apprised the Lt Governor about a wide range of developmental issues of their respective wards including maintenance of roads, parks, play grounds, sanitation etc.They also raised the demands pertaining to establishment of more Solid Waste Management plants, promotion of tourism sector, construction of flyovers at the busy roads like Talab Tillo & Amphalla-Janipur road to reduce the traffic congestion etc.The Lt Governor advised the Councillors to reach out to the people and sensitise them about sanitation and maintain cleanliness around their surroundings.

  • Prepaid Mobile Connections Restored In J-K

    JAMMU – Prepaid mobile connections were restored in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday and 2G services resumed in two districts of the valley after being disconnected in August last year, official said here.

    Voice and SMS facilities were restored for all local prepaid mobile phones across the Union territory.

    Rohit Kansal, the principal secretary to the administration of Jammu and Kashmir said the order will come into effect from Saturday.

    In order to consider giving mobile Internet connectivity on such SIM cards, the telecom service providers will have to verify the credentials of the subscribers, he said.

    Internet service providers have been asked to provide fixed line Internet connectivity in all the 10 districts of Jammu region and two districts, Kupwara and Bandipora, in North Kashmir.

    Telecom services were shut in the entire Jammu and Kashmir on August 5 when the Centre abrogated special status to the erstwhile state and also bifurcated it into two Union Territories.

    However, the Supreme Court came down heavily on the UT administration last week for arbitrarily shutting down the Internet, the facility described as the fundamental right by the apex court.