Category: Union Territory

Srinagar, Sep 20: Restrictions will be imposed in Old City of Srinagar and parts of the uptown here on Friday to prevent traditional Ashura procession that remains banned since the onset of militancy in the state in early 90’s.

Official sources told news gathering agency Global News Service that fearing law and order situation in view of two important religious ceremonies—Ashura and congregational Friday prayers—in the volatile old city, the district authorities have decided to impose restrictions under section 144 Cr PC in the areas falling under the jurisdiction of Police Stations Nowhatta, Maharaj Gunj, Safa Kadal, Rainawari and Khanyar

Similarly, curbs will also be imposed in areas falling under the jurisdiction of Police Stations Shaheed Gunj, Batmaloo, Sher Gari, Karan Nagar, Kothibagh, Maisuma, Kral Khud, and R M Bagh to prevent the Ashura procession.

“Section 144 is already in place across the district. However, tomorrow restrictions will be imposed to restrict the movement of people,” official sources told GNS.

The two major processions of 8th and 10th Muharram were banned in 1989 by the then Governor Jagmohan after an armed rebellion broke out in Kashmir against the Indian rule. Only small mourning rallies and processions are allowed in a few areas with sizeable Shia population. Authorities fear the processions could be used by resistance groups to stoke anti-India sentiments.

Ashura that marks the martyrdom of Prophet Muhammad’s (SAW) grandson, Imam Hussein (AS) and his faithful companion in the battle of Karbala nearly 1400 years ago is commemorated on the 10th day of the holy month of Muharram across the Muslim world.

In Valley, the Shia Muslims used to take out processions from several parts of uptown Srinagar on 8th and 10th Muharram that culminated at Dalgate and the historic Zadibal Imam Bara. However, after the onset of the anti-India insurgency, the religious processions were banned by the government.

If sources are to be believed, the district administration and top police brass today held a series of meeting to chalk out the strategy to deal with tomorrow’s situation.

“Maintaining law and order and at the same time ensuring smooth conduct of religious ceremonies is our challenge for tomorrow,” a top police officer wishing not to be named told GNS. (GNS)

Srinagar: All schools and Collages Will Remain Closed Tommorow in Srinagar, said an official.

He said the authorities have decided to close schools and colleges in the district as a “precautionary measure”.

Earlier, authorities said that restrictions will be imposed in parts of the capital city to prevent Muharram processions which remain banned in the area since 1989.

A police official said that restrictions will be imposed in areas falling under the jurisdiction of Shaheed Gunj, Batamaloo, Shergari, Kothibagh, Ram Munshi Bagh, Maisuma, and Kral Khud police stations.

He said the restrictions will be imposed as a preventive measure in view of eighth day of Muharram to maintain law and order.

The traditional Muharram procession used to pass through these areas, but have been banned since eruption of militancy in 1989.

Says violence level has gone down considerably

Srinagar: Stating that being the local of Jammu and Kashmir state he always wanted to bring an end to the cycle of violence, the outgoing Director General of Police (DGP) Dr S P Vaid has said that the killings have always pained him.

SRINAGAR: The J&K Board of School Education (JKBOSE) to hold the class 10th and 12th annual regular examinations from second week of October.

Sources told Press Trust of Kashmir that the Board is likely to release the class 12 and class 10 date sheet in the next week.

When contacted Incharge Joint Secretary, Examinations Syed Abdul Rouf he told Press Trust of Kashmir that the class 12th and 10th examinations are scheduled from 2nd week of October. (PTK)

SRINAGAR — The Jammu and Kashmir government has directed traditional ‘wazwaan cooks’ to get themselves registered with food safety authority of the state.

Issuing an advisory, commissioner food safety has asked the cooks to declare their location premises and get registered.

It also asked people to not allow cooks to use any artificial colorants in preparations.

“Consumers are advised to encourage use of safe and natural colour extracts like Cocks comb, sundried red chillies both at home and functions and festivals by traditional cooks,” it added

Srinagar: BJP National Vice President youth and in charge West Bengal Engineer Aijaz Hussain Tuesday said there is need to modify Article 35A. He claimed that under this Article women are being discriminated.

Hussain who hails from Balhama locality said more and more people from Kashmir are joining BJP as they feel this is the only party that is not run by any dynasty.

He said BJP is not a party for Hindus only but Muslims are also part of it. He said a campaign is being run by Opposition parties claiming that Muslims have no role in BJP.

He lamented that some sections of people are defaming people of Kashmir outside Jammu and Kashmir. “It is the result of vicious propaganda that youth of Kashmir outside Jammu and Kashmir are being labeled as terrorists and anti-national. There is dire need to portray Kashmir in a positive way,” Hussain said.

Srinagar: Even as the Valley witnessed a total shutdown on Thursday over apprehensions that Article 35A of the Constitution may be tinkered with, Jammu & Kashmir’s new governor Satya Pal Malik said the state administration will file a plea in the Supreme Court seeking a deferral of the hearing into the contentious law.
In an interview to Hindustan Times, Malik — who is the administrative head of the state which has been under Governor’s Rule since the fall of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government in June — said the administration would tell the top court that the views of the state’s people can only be represented by an elected government.
The state administration has twice, on August 3, and August 29, written to the Supreme Court seeking a deferral, on both occasions citing the preparations for the forthcoming local elections.
“How can we take a decision? As we are not an elected government, we cannot speak on behalf of the people (in the court). Thus, we feel the decision should be deferred till there is an elected government here. Our stand is clear and we will soon make an appeal before the apex court (seeking a deferral),” Malik said in the interview.
He was appointed on August 21 to replace NN Vohra, and as a former member of Parliament, is seen as the first political appointment to the post since Karan Singh between 1965 and 1967.
Malik’s statement comes at a time when the state continues to be roiled by protests related to the court’s hearing of the article of the Constitution that restricts property ownership and government jobs to permanent residents of Jammu & Kashmir. The fear is that Article 35A could be scrapped after the legal challenge in the apex court.
The Supreme Court is to hear the case on Friday. On Thursday, shops, businesses, and schools and colleges in the state were closed, and roads bore a deserted look with few venturing out. Even government offices saw thin attendance. The protest, called for by separatists, is to continue on Friday. This is the fourth day in August that the state has seen a complete shutdown on account of protests related to the court hearing.
Malik said that even in the case of Article 370 of the Constitution which gives significant autonomy of the state “there are sentiments involved and I think a decision on such issues could be best deferred”.
Since August 1, there have been intermittent protests in the state against any change in Article 35A and Article 370 with the state’s main regional mainstream parties such as the National Conference and the PDP also hitting the streets and warning of a deterioration of the situation in the state if any changes are made to either article. Senior Congress leaders in the state have also warned of a massive agitation if Article 35A is altered in any way.
Separatist leaders Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik, who, under the banner of the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), gave the call for the two-day shutdown blaming the “Bharatiya Janata Party and the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh of attempts to change the demography” of the state through the legal route have warned of a “mass agitation of hitting and occupying streets” if any change is made in the act.
“Despite curbs, curfews, house arrests complete strike across J&K as people express their strong resentment &protest against the nefarious design of tinkering with state subject laws. No amount of coercion will deter people from fighting this assault with all our might & conviction,” Mirwaiz Umar Farooq tweeted on Thursday.
The Supreme Court will on August 31 hear a bunch of petitions against the Article 35A of the Constitution filed by NGOs and individuals.
Jammu and Kashmir has been on the boil for the past couple of years due to a spurt in local militancy and mounting deaths in security operations — the latter being an issue that was seen as a factor behind the split between the BJP and the PDP. HT

Srinagar: When Iram Habib, who belongs to old Srinagar city, expressed her wish to join the aviation sector after Class XII, she met with a lot of discouragement. She was told that a Kashmiri girl can never become a pilot.
It took her six years to convince her parents to allow her to join the aviation sector as they thought commercial flying wasn’t meant for women living in the conflict-torn Kashmir.

Iram pursued her bachelors in forestry from Dehradun and postgraduation in forestry from the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir. Though she studied forestry, she did not let her dream die.
“Somehow, the dream to fly an aircraft was in me all through while I studied forestry,” says Iram (30), the daughter of a businessman.
While Iram’s family wanted her to pursue PhD in forestry and get a government job, she kept looking for options to train as a pilot.
“I pursued PhD for one and a half years but left it and went to a US flight school,” she says. “I looked for things on my own and kept my dream alive.”
Iram completed her training from Miami in the US in 2016 and returned to India to get a commercial pilot licence, but the journey was not easy.
“I had to study hard and pass exams. In the US, I had 260 hours of flying experience which is important for the licence. I got a commercial pilot licence in the US and Canada on the basis of my flying hours but I wanted to work in India,” she says.
She says though her father supported her, her relatives and friends would always tell her that a girl from Kashmir would never get a job as a pilot.
Iram says that it is difficult for her relatives even now to believe that she flies an aircraft. “They still can’t believe I chose this profession and got a job too,” Iram says, adding she had also trained in Bahrain and Dubai in Airbus 320.
The 30-year-old has two job offers in India at the moment.
“During my training and exams everyone would be surprised to see a woman from Kashmir as a pilot, but there was no discrimination. I worked hard and got a job offer from IndiGo and GoAir. I am set to join as a first officer in IndiGo next month,” says Iram.

Not an easy journey

Iram Habib, 30, who belongs to old Srinagar city, had expressed her wish to join the aviation sector after Class XII, but met with a lot of discouragement
Iram completed her flight training from Miami in the US in 2016 and returned to India to get a commercial pilot licence, but the journey was not easy
She has got a job offer from IndiGo and GoAir

Reported The Tribune