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  • Amid pandemic, Urs of Sheikh-ul-Aalam (RA) observed with religious fervor

    Budgam: The annual Urs of Sheikh-ul-Aalam (RA) was on Wednesday observed with religious fervor at Charar-e-Sharief in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district.

    According to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the day is being observed as death anniversary of the holy saint.

    “Nund Reshi, the patron saint in Kashmir, is highly revered by both Muslims and Hindus. Thousands of devotees from across the Valley thronged at Chrar-e-Sharief shrine where special prayers, salutations and supplications were held with proper SOPs and guidelines.

    Religious Scholars and preachers while paying rich tributes to the saint appealed people to follow the teachings of Sheikh-ul-Aalam (RA) in letter and spirit.

    They said that Sheikh-ul-Aalam (RA) was a true teacher, leader, saint, a religious poet and a devoted personality, who taught everyone the perfect way of life.

    On the occasion, religious scholars threw light on the life, religious services, teachings and spiritual strength of the saint who had devoted his life to the preaching of Islam.

    An NGO (Team Abroo) helped the Wakf authorities on voluntary basis for smooth conduct of annual Urs, who were checking the temperature of people, providing masks to people and sanitizing the shrine area—(KNO)

  • 4 held in Jammu in attempt-to-murder case

    PTI

    Jammu: Four people were arrested on Wednesday for their alleged involvement in an attempt-to-murder case here, police said.

    Vishav Singh was attacked with sharp-edged weapons at Indira theatre canal road on Tuesday, causing serious injuries to him, a police official said.

    A case was registered, special teams were formed and CCTV footage was examined. Raids were conducted at several places and four suspects were arrested. They have been identified as Vicky Kumar, Mohit Kumar, Shalo Ram and Mukul Kalotra, police said.

    “Vicky and Mukul were also involved in another assault case registered at Bakshi Nagar police station,” the spokesperson said, adding that an investigation was on.

    (This story has not been edited by Kashmir Today staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

  • Rollback ‘archaic, arbitrary’ property tax in J&K: Apni Party

    Srinagar: Apni Party General Secretary Rafi Ahmad Mir on Wednesday strongly opposed the imposition of property tax in Jammu and Kashmir terming it arbitrary and dictatorial in nature.

    Talking to a few media persons on the sidelines of a joining ceremony at Party office at The Bund in Lal Chowk Srinagar, Mir as per a statement issued to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) remarked that J&K is already reeling under a severe economic depression and levying property tax amid such a scenario is a deliberate attempt to bully its residents.

    “Almost every sphere of public life has been hit hard in J&K during the last three decades of conflict. Now last year’s unprecedented political developments coupled with the current COVID pandemic have crumbled their economic conditions. I don’t see a proper application of mind behind this arbitrary taxation decision which is being thrust upon the people of J&K,” he opined.

    Mir said that instead of addressing the economic slowdown, soaring unemployment rate and the lack of avenues for a dignified livelihood for the people of J&K, it is highly unfortunate that the union government seems adding insult to the injury by frequently coming up with random and tyrannical moves to inflict more sufferings on the people.

    “Lakhs of people have lost their jobs since August last year; small as well as big businesses have crumbled, and the industrial sector is shut and so are the agricultural and horticultural sectors in J&K. Now levying property taxes from people means you want to bankrupt the whole population,” Mir observed.

    He termed this decision anti-people and a grave injustice and demanded its immediate rollback by the union government. “All such revenue generation measures must be left to a democratically elected government in J&K. Such hasty decisions are otherwise bound to create further alienation among people and it may compel all of us to come to streets to agitate this matter,” Mir added.

    Meanwhile, the prominent political activists of Budgam district who joined Apni Party along with their workers today included Peoples Conference District President Budgam Firdous Ahmad Farash and Peoples Conference head Constituency Chadoora Javid Ahmad Wani.

    Senior Vice President Ghulam Hassan Mir, Vice President Aijaz Ahmad Khan, General Secretary Rafi Ahmad Mir, Provincial President Mohammad Ashraf Mir, state secretary Muntazir Mohi-u-Din, district president Srinagar Noor Mohammad Sheikh, Syed Farooq Andrabi, incharge Zadibal constituency Irfan Naqeeb and Irfan Matoo were also present on this occasion—(KNO)

  • Mehbooba Mufti says, ‘none of us can forget the robbery, insult committed on August 5’

    Srinagar: In an audio clip posted on twitter, Former Chief Minister after being released from 14 months detention said “none of us can forget the robbery and insult committed on August 5”.

    In the video message she said: “I have been set free after more than a year today.” “All this while the dark day of August 5, 2019 and the decisions taken on this day kept troubling me heart within hearts.

    I fully realise that the same feeling would have been that of all the people of Jammu and Kashmir. None of us can forget the robbery and insult committed on that day (August 5, 2019) and now we all must firmly decide that what was snatched away in an unconstitutional and undemocratic manner would be restored,” Mufti said.

    “Besides we need to strive for Kashmir issue for which thousands of people have lost their lives. I agree this path would not be an easy one but I am hopeful that our zest and strong belief will help us reach to cross our goal. Today when I have been released, I would like that all those persons from Jammu and Kashmir detained in various jails of the country must be immediately released,” Mufti said.

    Meanwhile, Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah welcomed Mufti’s release. “I’m pleased to hear that @MehboobaMufti Sahiba has been released after more than a year in detention. Her continued detention was a travesty & was against the basic tenets of democracy. Welcome out Mehbooba,” wrote Omar on Twitter.(KINS)

  • “Together we can bring changes”, Mebooba tweets

    Srinagar: PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said that “together we can change things for the better”.

    Mehbooba, who was replying to NC vice-president Omar Abdullah’s tweet in which he had said that PDP chief accepted the invitation by Dr Farooq about Gupkar Declaration meet that is scheduled to be held tomorrow.

    “It was nice of you (Omar) & Farooq sahib to come home. It gave me courage listening to him. I’m sure together we all can change things for the better”, Mehbooba tweeted. (KINS)

  • Foiled suspected BAT action from Pak side in J&K: Army

    Srinagar,: The Army on Wednesday said it has foiled suspected BAT action from Pakistani side along the Line of Control in Tangdhar sector of Jammu and Kashmir.

    “Suspected BAT (Border Action Team) action bid foiled in Tangdhar. Today early morning, suspicious activity was observed of 3-4 intruders by alert troops, close to forward post along LoC,” the Srinagar-based Chinar Corps said in a tweet as per news agency KINS.

    It said timely action by alert troops averted the infiltration bid. “Area search and surveillance (is) under progress,” it added. (KINS)

  • ‘Mehbooba accepted invitation to join a meeting of the Gupkar Declaration’ says Omar Abdullah

    Srinagar: National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah said that PDP chief has accepted the invitation of joining Gupkar Declaration meet that is scheduled to be held on Thursday.

    NC vice-president and former CM of J&K Omar Abdullah on a micro-blogging site twitter said, “My father & I called on @MehboobaMufti Sahiba this afternoon to enquire about her well-being after her release from detention. She has kindly accepted Farooq Sb’s invitation to join a meeting of the Gupkar Declaration signatories tomorrow afternoon”.

    Earlier National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah and her son Omar Abdullah visited the residence of Mehbooba and enquired about her well-being after her release from detention.
    “Besides health condition of PDP chief was enquired, political situation across Jammu and Kashmir was taken up during the short meeting”, sources said.

    PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti who was released on Tuesday late night after J&K authorities revoked her PSA detention was detained on the intervening night of 4 and 5 August 2019, hours before New Delhi abolished special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and revoked regions decade-old limited autonomy. She was later on slapped with draconian law Public Safety Act (PSA).(KINS)

  • Finance Ministry allows 20 states to raise over Rs 68,000 Cr through open market borrowings

    Srinagar: The Department of Expenditure in the Ministry of Finance on Tuesday granted permission to 20 States to raise an additional amount of 68 thousand 8 hundred 25 crore rupees through open market borrowings.

    The Ministry of Finance said, additional borrowing permission has been granted at 0.50 per cent of the Gross State Domestic Product, GSDP to those States who have opted for Option- 1 out of the two options suggested by the Ministry to meet the shortfall arising out of GST implementation.

    In the meeting of GST Council held on 27th August this year, these two options were put forward and were subsequently communicated to the States on 29th August. Twenty States have given their preferences for Option-1.

    These States are – Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand . Eight States are yet to exercise an option.

    The facilities available to the States who choose Option-1 include a special borrowing window, coordinated by the Ministry of Finance to borrow the amount of shortfall in revenue through issue of debt.

    The total shortfall in the revenue of the States on this account has been estimated at around 1.1 lakh crore rupees. Permission to borrow the final installment of 0.5 per cent of GSDP out of the 2 per cent additional borrowings permitted by the Government of India in view of the COVID pandemic, waiving the reforms condition.

    The Department of Expenditure, on 17th May this year, had provided an additional borrowing limit of upto 2 per cent of GSDP to the States. The final installment of 0.5 per cent out of this 2 per cent limit was linked to carrying out at least three out of four reforms stipulated by the Government of India.

    However, in case of States who have exercised Option-1, to meet the shortfall arising out of GST implementation, the condition of carrying out the reforms to avail the final installment of 0.5 per cent of GSDP has been waived. The 20 States, who have exercised Option-1, have become eligible to raise an amount of 68 thousand 8 hundred 25 crore rupees through open market borrowings. The Ministry of Finance said, action on the special borrowing window is being taken separately.(KINS)

  • 2 militants killed in South Kashmir Gunfight

    Srinagar: Two militants were killed in a brief Gunfight in Chakoora area of South Kashmir’s Shopian district on Wednesday.

    Reports reaching to news agency KINS said that two militants were killed in an exchange of firing when militants tried to break the cordon.
    Earlier an official said that a joint team of Security forces launched Cardon and Search operation (CASO) in Chakoora Village after getting the specific information about the presence of militants in the area.

    He said as the joint team of forces encircled the suspected spot the hiding militants fired upon them which was retailed by force’s and in exchange of Gunfire two unidentified militants were killed.

    He said that the identification of the slain is being ascertained.

    When this report was filled the Search operation in the area was going on (KINS)

  • Pak trying to promote militancy in J&K in every possible way, says DGP Dilbag Singh

    Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir DGP (director general of police) Dilbag Singh on Tuesday accused Pakistan of trying to infiltrate militancy in J&K.

    The DGP also said that Pakistan is trying to promote militancy in Jammu and Kashmir by providing support to outfits.

    “Pakistan is trying to promote militancy in every possible way in Jammu & Kashmir by providing all support to different groups. We will deal with drug smugglers strictly,” Jammu and Kashmir DGP Dilbag Singh said.

    DGP Dilbag Singh also claimed Pakistan’s involvement in funding.

    Singh said that Pakistan is trying to disturb peace in Jammu and Kashmir and dropping weapons through drones. “Pakistan is trying to disturb peace in J&K by using drones to drop weapons. They are also trying to infiltrate militants ” he said.

    The DGP of Jammu and Kashmir assured that forces have been able to take swift actions against Pakistan’s attempts to sneak in arms.

    “Dropping of weapons by drone is challenging but we have been able to restrict such acts & have got some success”. (PTK)