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  • Lockdown has pushed them to starvation: KCCI President Sheikh Ashiq

    Srinagar, May 7 : Stating that the fresh lockdown has pushed people who survive on daily earnings to starvation in Jammu and Kashmir, the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KCCI), President, Sheikh Ashiq has appealed the Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha to announce “financial sustenance package” for the affected.

    In a statement issued, Ashiq said: “While the business community was still struggling to revive after the unprecedented developments since August 2019, the fresh spell of lockdown has created havoc for many of the families, which survive on daily earnings.”

    From the transporters to Shikara Walas to small shopkeepers, people from various walks of life including local labourers and street vendors have not been able to earn even a penny,” the KCCI president said.

    One can only imagine the plight of families who have not been able to earn anything in the given conditions,” he added.

    He said given the fact the several states have already announced special financial packages for affected people, it was the responsibility of Raj Bhawan to announce similar or even magnanimous packages for the affected in Jammu and Kashmir.

    Ashiq said in the absence of a “democratically elected government”, all hopes are pinned on Raj Bhawan for providing succour to the people in these testing times.

    He said the Raj Bhawan should also start free meals for the Covid patients and their attendants undergoing treatment at government facilities.

    The KCCI also sought public cooperation in making the fight against Covid19 a success.

    “Every effort in these testing times have to be collective and Raj Bhawan will have to take a lead on this for a collective response to the crises which has befallen on Jammu and Kashmir,” the Kashmir Inc President said.

    The KCCI also sought improvement in the distribution of oxygen to the affected families.

    Ashiq also appealed to the people to refrain from any hoarding of life-support systems like oxygen concentrators once the patient recovers.

    Ashiq hailed the humanitarian groups, which have been working day and night to provide assistance to the affected.

  • Pakistan PM Imran Khan leaves for Saudi Arabia on three-day visit

    Islamabad, May 7: Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday left for Saudi Arabia for a three-day visit to discuss bilateral relations between the countries.

    According to Dawn, it is expected that Khan’s visit will serve to improve “strained” relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia that were shaken in the recent past due to several reasons.

    The Prime Minister Office said, “Imran Khan, is visiting Saudi Arabia on the invitation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who struck a conciliatory tone towards the kingdom’s arch-nemesis Iran last week, saying he sought good relations after the rivals held secret talks in Baghdad. Iran welcomed Saudi Arabia’s change of tone.”

    Prime Minister Khan is accompanied by a delegation, including the foreign minister and other members of his cabinet.

    The Prime Minister’s consultations with the Saudi leadership will cover all areas of bilateral cooperation, including economics, trade, investment, energy, job opportunities for the Pakistani workforce, and welfare of the Pakistani diaspora in the kingdom. The two sides will also exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest, reported Dawn.

    During the visit, the Prime Minister will also meet the Secretary-General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Yousef Al-Othaimeen, Secretary-General of the World Muslim League Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa and the Imams of the Two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madina. Khan will also interact with members of the Pakistani diaspora in Jeddah. He will also raise the issue of Islamophobia in the West, including a recent resolution of the European Parliament that called for the withdrawal of GSP plus status of Pakistan.

    The PMO’s press release further said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had long-standing and historic fraternal relations, rooted deep in common faith, shared history, and mutual support. “The people of Pakistan hold the custodian of the Two Holy Mosques in the highest esteem. The relationship is marked by close cooperation in all fields and mutual collaboration on regional and international issues, in particular those faced by the Muslim Ummah. Saudi Arabia is a member of the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir,” it added as per the Dawn.

    According to a Pakistani local media report, “Pakistani-Saudi relations have been complex all along but since 2015, when the Pakistani parliament restricted the military from participating in the war in Yemen, its relations with Saudi Arabia have soured. Military conflict in Yemen is said to be one of the reasons behind strained relations between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.”

    Last year Pakistan had expected Riyadh to support it in dealing with India over the Kashmir issue. In particular, Pakistan had sought a supportive meeting with the Council of Foreign Ministers of the OIC. After Saudi Arabia turned down the request, Pakistan repeated its demand, which in turn resulted in Riyadh calling for repayment of a 1 billion USD loan. Consequently, Pakistan repaid the loan while using the amount obtained under a new loan this time from China.—(ANI)

  • 16-years old teen arrested for allegedly raping 14-years-old girl in North Kashmir

    Baramulla: Police in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district arrested a rape accused.

    The accused has alleged raped a minor girl.
    Police sources told news agency Kashmir News Trust that a written compliant was received from a resident of Udina village of Baramulla, stating that his 14 year-old minor daughter (name withheld) was raped by one namely Asif Hussain Bhat, a 16-year old teen from the same village.

    According police station Pattan registered an FIR vide number 102/2021 under section 376 and 4 POSCO and launched a manhunt to nab the accused.

    “The accused was well aware about his act and was trying to evade his arrest. Police party from Police Post Mirgund acted swiftly and arrested the accused.”

    The investigation of the matter is going on, police said. (KNT)

  • Muslim ambulance driver cremates Hindu woman died of Covid-19

    Poonch, May 7: Setting a unique example of communal harmony, a Muslim driver cremated a Covid-19 infected Hindu woman after her death in Mendhar area of Poonch district in Jammu Division.

    Local sources told news agency Kashmir News Trust that a mentally unsound Hindu woman died of Covid-19 at Sub-District Hospital Mendhar. They said homeless Hindu woman was living with a mental disability.

    A Muslim ambulance driver identified as Mir Ahmed stepped in despite warned by people and cremated the body of the woman.

    They said that people refused to touch the body of the woman for fear of Coronavirus, but the Muslim driver while setting the example of communal harmony cremated the body without any fear.

    The driver is an employee of Jammu and Kashmir Health and Family Welfare Department. (KNT)

  • COVID situation going from bad to worse; PM, health min refuse to own responsibility: Chidambaram

    Asserting that the COVID-19 pandemic situation is going from bad to worse, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Friday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Health Minister Harsh Vardhan are refusing to own responsibility and are making a “mockery of democratic principles”.

    His remarks came after the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday showed a record 4,14,188 new coronavirus infections being reported in a day in India, raising the country’s tally to 2,14,91,598. The active cases have crossed the 36-lakh mark.

    “The pandemic situation is going from bad to worse. The insufficient supply of vaccines is a hard, bitter truth, but the government is in denial,” Chidambaram tweeted.

    “In Tamil Nadu, not all among 45 plus are getting the first dose and a small number the second dose. Nobody between 18 and 44 is getting the vaccine,” he claimed.

    The situation in other states is not very different, Chidambaram added.

    “The PM and the Health Minister refuse to own responsibility and are making a mockery of democratic principles,” the former Union minister alleged.

    PTI

  • Govt’s failures have made another national lockdown inevitable: Rahul Gandhi to PM

    PTI

    Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said the government’s alleged failures have made another devastating national lockdown almost inevitable, and called for providing financial and food support to the most vulnerable.

    In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he suggested that the government should not be concerned about the economic impact of the lockdown as the human cost of the spread of of the virus would have tragic consequences for the people.

    “Your government’s lack of a clear and coherent Covid and vaccination strategy, as well as its hubris in declaring premature victory as the virus was exponentially spreading, has placed India in a highly dangerous position: today the disease is growing explosively.

    “It is currently on the verge of overwhelming all of our systems. GOI’s failures have made another devastating national lockdown almost inevitable,” he told the prime minister.

    India has seen a record number of 4.14 lakh fresh Covid cases and around 4000 deaths in the last 24 hours.

    Gandhi said it is critical that our people are prepared for such an eventuality of a lockdown. He has been demanding that the government provides Rs 6000 in the accounts to each poor family to tide over the crisis.

    “To prevent a repeat of the manifold suffering caused by last year’s lockdown, the government must act with compassion and provide critical financial and food support to our most vulnerable people,” he said, adding that it must be also ready with a transportation strategy for those who will require it.

    The former Congress chief said that when the COVID-19 tsunami continues to ravage our country unabated, the people of India must be your foremost priority in such an unprecedented crisis.

    “I urge you to do everything in your power to stop the needless suffering that our people are going through,” he said.

    Gandhi also called for rapidly vaccinating the entire population and dynamically assess the efficacy of all vaccines against all new mutations as they are identified.

    He also called for scientifically tracking the virus and its mutations across the country using genome sequencing as well as its disease patterns.

    Gandhi also urged the government to be transparent and keep the rest of the world informed about our findings.

    1. “I am aware that you are concerned about the economic impact of a lockdown. Inside and outside India, the human cost of allowing this virus to continue its march unimpeded will result in many more tragic consequences for our people than any purely economic calculations your advisors are suggesting,” he said in his letter to PM.

  • Aga Hassan expressed solidarity with People of Palestine

    Srinagar: J&K Anjuman Sharie Shian’s president Aga Syed Hassan Mosavi called on Muslims all over the world to unite in solidarity with the Palestinians against the Zionist, colonial entity of Israel.
    Aga Hassan said, “the Zionist script, is an extension of colonialism and Apartheid, never see in the history of human kind. It set out to viciously and violently occupy all of Palestine, by changing its demographics through ethnic cleansing, terrorism and genocide. The first wave of expulsion in 1948 was followed by many more; all intended for the establishment and implementation of this evil system. The definitive target is to Judaize the city of Al Quds by removing the Islamic, Arabic and Christian characters of the city. Its policy remains inflammatory.”
    He said, “Israel’s strategy in Al-Quds is a clear violation of international law, numerous resolutions of the Security Council and the UN General Assembly, concerning the rights of the Palestinian people and for the past half a century or more, the Arab world has been in a vicious cycle and its people have been suffering from a state of imbalance and an uncertain future.”
    Aga Hassan further said, “this is the doing of their leaders, who have bargained with the Palestinian cause. Their leadership positions took precedence over the Palestinian resistance to the illegal occupation. They believed that the cause is the price to be paid in exchange for maintaining their oppressive, political leadership positions. Hence, these Arab leaders have become the guards for Israel’s “borders” and its agents in the region, governing in accordance with what is dictated to them. They seek to normalise political and economic relations with the Zionist state and foster military partnerships with it. They are also moving towards forming an Arab axis consisting of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, along with Israel, in order to confront Iran, their “perceived” common enemy.”

    Aga Syed Hassan retreated that the Kashmir issue is a reality. Peace and development cannot be established in the regions without the resolution of the Kashmir issue.
    He said that it was incumbent upon the leadership of both Delhi and Islamabad to start an initiative over Kashmir as strained relations between them are of “NO”help

  • Covid-19 2nd wave Forecast: Peak expected in coming two to three weeks: Experts

    ‘Next 15-20 days very critical, people must restrict their movement’

    Srinagar, May 05: Experts on Wednesday said that the peak of the second wave of Covid-19 is yet to come in Jammu and Kashmir and it is expected to hit the region in coming two to three weeks.

    Former director SKIMS, Chairman Covid Advisory Committee and renowned Gastroenterologist Dr Mohammed Sultan Khuroo while talking exclusively with—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that peak of second wave of Covid-19 is expected in next three weeks, till then cases of Covid-19 will surge further.

    He said that the fight against COVID needs to be intensified and it shall take more efforts from the administration and public to control the surge given the pathogen which is more infectious and can evade and cause breakthrough infections.

    “Travel discipline to J&K needs to be implemented and all travelers who board a plane or a train/bus to visit/travel J&K must have a prior RT-PCR negative certificate,” Khuroo said.

    “The test needs to be repeated at the entry point, at least by a rapid antigen test. Those who are positive must be quarantined strictly to avoid the spread of infection,” he said.

    Khuroo said that testing and tracing policy should be intensified and made more realistic.

    “Rapid testing should be limited to specific circumstances and the RT-PCR facility must be made more available and quicker,” he said. “Vaccine hesitancy needs to be fought and the vaccination program must be strengthened. This shall reduce infections and further mutations.”.

    Doctors Association President and flu expert Dr Nisar Ul Hassan while talking with KNO said that at that estimate the peak of the second wave is about to come in the next 15 days.

    He said at least 3 percent patients tested positive for Covid-19 need hospitalisation and oxygen support.

    “And if the cases continue to surge with the current speed our hospitals won’t be able to cope up and in order to break the chain there is need to continue restrictions for these three months,” Hassan said.

    “There is need to remain further cautious and not to lower the guard even if cases start declining,” he said, adding that fresh waves can come anytime and could be more deadly as most of the population is yet to be vaccinated.

    Hassan said that the virus is behaving differently and the only predictability about this virus is that it is unpredictable.

    Renowned Pulmonologist Dr Khursheed while talking with KNO said that situation is very severe and beds at most of the leading hospitals including CD hospital are full, while peak of the wave is expected in next three weeks.

    “The need of the hour is that people must impose self lockdown and don’t wait for government lockdown so that we can make the chain weak,” Dr Khursheed said.

    Khursheed said that it is community transmission and there are hardly few households who are yet to contract the virus and people must keep their movement restricted to their lawns.

    “People must remain extra cautious and anyone having symptoms must get tested and there is no need to rush to the hospital if anyone comes positive as around 85 positive patients need mild treatment and good hydration,” he said—(KNO)

  • Saudi Arabia considers barring overseas haj pilgrims for second year, sources say

    Saudi Arabia is considering barring overseas pilgrims from the annual haj for the second year running as COVID-19 cases rise globally and worries grow about the emergence of new variants, two sources familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

    Such a move would restrict the pilgrimage to Mecca, a once in a lifetime duty for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it, to Saudi nationals and residents of the kingdom who were vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19 at least months prior to attending.

    While discussions about a possible ban have taken place, there has been no final decision on whether to pursue it, they said.

    Before the pandemic enforced social distancing globally, some 2.5 million pilgrims used to visit the holiest sites of Islam in Mecca and Medina for the week-long haj, and the lesser, year-round umrah pilgrimage, which altogether earned the kingdom about $12 billion a year, according to official data.

    As part of economic reform plans pursued by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom was hoping to raise the number of umrah and haj pilgrims to 15 million and 5 million respectively by 2020, and aimed to double the umrah number again to 30 million by 2030. It aims to earn 50 billion riyals ($13.32 billion) of revenues from the haj alone by 2030.

    Two sources familiar with the matter said authorities have suspended earlier plans to host pilgrims from overseas, and will only allow domestic pilgrims who have been vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19 at least six months before the pilgrimage.

    Restrictions will be applied on the age of participants as well, one of the sources said.

    A second source said the plans were initially to allow some numbers of vaccinated pilgrims from abroad, but confusion over types of vaccines, their efficacy and the emergence of new variants has pushed officials to reconsider.

    The government media office did not respond to a request for comment.

    Saudi Arabia, which stakes its reputation on its guardianship of Islam’s holiest sites in Mecca and Medina, barred foreigners from the haj last year due to the pandemic for the first time in the kingdom’s modern history, allowing it only to a limited number of Saudi citizens and residents.

    COVID-19 infections are still rising in 35 countries globally. There have been at least 153,508,000 reported infections and 3,351,000 reported deaths caused by the new coronavirus so far.

    India leads the world in the daily average number of new deaths reported, accounting for one in every four deaths reported worldwide each day.

    Crowds of millions of pilgrims from around the world could be a hotbed for virus transmission, and in the past some worshippers have returned to their countries with respiratory and other diseases.

    In February, the government suspended entry to the kingdom from 20 countries, with the exception of diplomats, Saudi citizens, medical practitioners and their families, to help curb the spread of the new coronavirus.

    The ban, which is still in place to date, includes people arriving from the United Arab Emirates, Germany, the United States, Britain, South Africa, France, Egypt, Lebanon, India and Pakistan.

  • No Jummatul Vida, Shab-e Qadr prayers at Jamia Masjid: Anjuman Auqaf

    Srinagar, May 6: Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid announced that Jummatul Vida and Shab e Qadr programmes at the grand masjid stand cancelled due to exponential rise in COVID-19 cases and lockdown which has been imposed in the wake of the second wave of coronavirus.

    The Anjuman in a statement, stresses upon the people to spend these holy occasions especially the last 10 days of Ramazan at their homes by holding special prayers, dhikr-o-adhkaar and manaajaat besides praying to Almighty Allah to grant us complete refuge from the deadly virus.

    The Anjuman stressed upon the people to religiously follow the COVID-19 SOPs and guidelines saying the priority must be to save lives and prevent the virus from spreading. The best way to do that right now is to stay indoors. It also reiterated its appeal to people to get administered with Covid vaccine.