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  • Lok Sabha polls: ECI apprehensive about holding polls for 3 Kashmir seats

    May go ahead with Jammu, Ladakh; Final announcement soon, security situation in Valley cited as reason for delay

    Srinagar, February 20: As the security situation in Kashmir worsens after deadly Lethpora suicide attack on a CRPF the Election Commission of India is seriously mulling to go for parliamentary elections in Jammu and Ladakh region along with the general Lok Sabha elections in India while three parliamentary seats of Kashmir won’t witness polls and would be merged with the elections for Assembly seats.

    Reliable sources told KNO that the after taking feedback from security and other top officials of the administration in the State, the ECI has agreed in principle to go for simultaneous Lok Sabha polls in the country along with Jammu and Ladakh region but not in Kashmir that has three Lok Sabha seats.

    “Because of the security atmosphere, it is not feasible to hold elections in Kashmir for three Lok Sabha seats. The plan is to club parliamentary seats of Kashmir with the Assembly elections,” a top official revealed to KNO, wishing not to be named.

    He said that in Kashmir of late, the security scenario has worsened in the wake of deadliest ever fidayeen attack on the CRPF convoy that resulted in the killing of 40 CRPF men and injuries to some two dozen paramilitary troopers.

    In Jammu there are two Parliamentary seats Jammu- Samba and Udhampur-Doda while Ladakh has one. Kashmir has three seats—Srinagar-Budgam, Baramulla-Kupwara and Anantnag-Kulgam. In 2014 elections, BJP had won three seats, two in Jammu and one in Ladakh while PDP had bagged all three seats of Kashmir.

    However, when PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti took over the reins of the State as the chief minister after her father’s death, the Anantnag-Kulgam parliamentary seat fell vacant and didn’t witness elections due to the “highest level of security concerns vis-à-vis rising number of local militants.”

    A source revealed to KNO that in the recent review by ECI where in top security officials from the State participated in New Delhi, it was decided in principle that elections for three Lok Sabha seats of Kashmir will be put on hold and held along with the Assembly polls later.

    “There are genuine security concerns as far as holding parliamentary elections in Kashmir is concerned. So the plan is to hold polls for Jammu and Ladakh Lok Sabha seats along with the country-wide polls,” he said. However, the final announcement about the decision would be made by the ECI after some time.

    At present the J&K State is under president’s rule as the Governor S P Malik ended after six-month stint. The State plunged into the Governor’s rule after the BJP withdrew the support from the PDP. Elections in the State are due this year.(KNO)

  • Attack on Pakistan will be biggest mistake of Modi’s life: Parvez Musharraf

    SRINAGAR, FEB 20: Former Pakistan president General Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday said that Narendra Modi, did not have any “real emotion” for the CRPF personnel killed in the Pulwama attack.

    During interview with Aaj Tak President Pervez Musharraf said if Pakistan was attacked then it would be the biggest mistake of Modi’s life. Musharraf said stop threatening Pakistan. You can not teach us a lesson.

    Musharraf added, “I don’t think Imran Khan should or will have any sympathy for Jaish. And I don’t believe Pakistan government was involved in it.” (PTK)

  • Watch Exclusive Interview Of National Conference Senior Leader Nasir Sogami At 9:00 Pm

    Watch #Exclusive Interview Of National Conference Senior Leader & Close Aide Of Omar Abdullah #Nasir_Sogami With #Sheikh_Danish Tonight At 9 Pm On Kashmir Today

  • Pulwama attack: Pakistani prisoner lynched in Jaipur jail, say reports

    Srinagar: A Pakistani prisoner has been lynched in a Jaipur jail, media reports said on Wednesday.

    The violence comes days after 14 February 2019 Pulwama attack in which 49 CRPF personnel were killed when a Jaish e Mohammed militant rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into a bus of the paramilitary forces’ convoy.

    The identity of the deceased was yet to be confirmed by the time this report was published. Senior prison administration officials have rushed to the spot to probe the incident, Times Now reported.

    Preliminary probe, as cited in TV reports, has found that the Pakistani national was beaten to death by inmates, who were furious over the Pulwama attack.

  • Kashmiris banned entry into Agra hotels, ‘ban to continue till slain CRPF men served justice’

    Srinagar: Amid the ongoing incidents of harassment of Kashmiri students and businessmen in various parts of mainland India after the Pulwama attack, hotel owners in Agra have put up pamphlet, asking Kashmiri tourists to remain away.

    The hotel owners said that the local population of Kashmir is supportive of militants despite “our security men being killed”, reported The Times of India.

    Quoting Rajjab Ali, manager of Kishan tourist lodge, the report said, “Our 46 forces personnel and officers have been killed in various activities post February 14 in Kashmir, but still local residents support militants instead of paying homage to slain soldiers. It needs to stop or we will not allow them in our hotels.”

    He added, “The ban will continue in the hotel until our martyrs are not served justice. We need double heads of Pakistani soldiers who often kill our men in ceasefire violations.”

    Rohit, manager of Hotel Riz said, “As an Indian I support Indian defence forces unlike Kashmiri who see our soldiers as enemies. We won’t allow any Kashmiri resident to stay in our hotel until they don’t stop engaging in stone-pelting against our forces and target them.”

    Ramesh Wadhwa, president of Agra hotel association said, “We don’t support such protest against Kashmiri nationals, as they too are Indians. Every Kashmiri tourist or resident can fearlessly travel and stay in our hotels.”

  • Kashmiri girl missing in Jammu

    A 17-year-old Kashmiri girl has been missing from Bahu Fort area here since last Friday.


    As per police, family of the missing girl claimed that their daughter went to nearby shop to buy detergent powder and since then she has not returned.

    Station House Officer (SHO) Bagh-e-Bahu Sunil Kumar Sharma told Greater Kashmir that they have received a complaint in this regard and investigation has been taken up in right direction. “The missing girl doesn’t use any phone or technical gadgets but our team has got important leads and we will trace her soon,” the SHO said.
    Ruling out any linkage of missing girl with violence in Jammu, the SHO said “The girl reportedly went missing around 10.00 am while the violence in Gujjar Nagar started in the afternoon and strict curfew was imposed after that.”
    Cautioning rumors mongers, he asked them not to create unnecessary panic as they are not aware about the case.

  • Shahid Afridi’s reaction on Pulwama attack statement

    SRINAGAR: Following the attack in Pulwama, many Indian cricketers have asked India to boycott playing Pakistan in the upcoming World Cup in England.

    Pakistani renowned cricketer Shahid Afridi shared his opinion on Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s video that Pakistan had no role to play in the attack.

    Afridi shared Imran Khan’s video on Twitter and captioned “Absolutely crystal&Clear.”

  • Those attacking Kashmiris are biggest terrorists: Sajad Lone.

    Srinagar, Feb 20: Peoples Conference chairman Sajad Gani Lone on Wednesday said those who attacked and intimidated Kashmiris are the biggest terrorists.
    “The goons who attacked the Kashmiris are the biggest terrorists. And they are cowards,” Lone tweeted.
    He said these goons are thrashing helpless Kashmiris.
    Lone had also flayed state authorities for being lenient on mobsters in Jammu.
    “If PSA is slapped on stone-pelters in Kashmir, why it is not being used in Jammu against those pelting stones on Kashmiris,” he had said.
    Lone himself had been at forefront of ensuring safety and security of students studying outside JK.

  • In an audio release, Riyaz Naikoo warns of suicide attacks, says, ‘we prefer to die than surrender’

    Srinagar: Militant organisation Hizbul Mujahideen has warned of fidayeen (suicide) attacks by young boys “as it has become a do-or-die situation for them”.

    The warning comes five days after a suicide bomber of JeM rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into a bus in a CRPF convoy on Srinagar-Jammu highway at Lethpora, Pulwama, killing at least 40 troopers.

    In a 17-minute audio message released on social media groups, Hizbul Mujahideen operational commander Riyaz Naikoo said whatever was happening in Kashmir was the result of atrocities committed on the people, Hindustan Times reported.

    “You will have to cry till the time you are here. The coffins of your soldiers will continue to fill till your army is here. We are ready to die but won’t allow you to live as well,’’ Naikoo, according to the report, said.

    Naikoo said freedom was a passion for Kashmiri youths. “We will keep on sacrificing our lives. We prefer to die than surrender. The day is not far when our 15-year-old children will strap explosives on their bodies and barge into your army vehicles. We prefer death over slavery,” he said.

    One of the most wanted militants currently operating in the valley, Naikoo blamed the Indian government for not fulfilling promises made to the people of Kashmir. “The person responsible for the fidayeen attack on forces was a Kashmiri and the atrocities committed on him by the army forced him to carry out the attack. No power in the world can stop this type of attacks.

    The attacks will continue till Indian forces remain in Kashmir,” he added.

  • Pakistan government mother of terrorists says Ravinder Raina

    JAMMU: Instead of giving proof to Pakistan, India will give a befitting reply, chief of J&K BJP Ravinder Raina Tuesday said.

    The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader accused Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan of “shedding crocodile tears” over the deaths of 40 CRPF men who died in the attack carried out by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).

    “Pakistan government is the mother of terrorists,” he said. (PTK)