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Srinagar, Jan 14: Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid Srinagar said that today again the authorities, while demonstrating their dictatorship and arbitrariness, hurt the people’s sentiments by preventing them from fulfilling their religious obligation of praying at the J&K’s largest spiritual centre and place of worship – the historic Jama Masjid Srinagar.

In a statement, the Anjuman said it is the 24th consecutive Friday when the pulpit and mihrabs of the Jama Masjid were kept silent and also the religious obligation like Jummah prayers could not be performed.

The Anjuman termed it highly unfortunate that while Friday prayers are allowed in all mosques, Khanqahs and imambarahs Jama Masjid continues to be selectively targeted while barring Juma Pearys’ which is a tragedy.
This double standard of the rulers is beyond the comprehension of the people, it added.

Expressing strong resentment over the continuous incarceration of its head and the topmost leader of the people, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq who is under house arrest since 5 August 2019, the Anjuman said such an act is not only a gross violation of human rights but also an extreme lawlessness.

The Anjuman has appealed to all civilized nations to use their influence to pressurize the Government of India to open the Jama Masjid of Kashmir for Friday prayers and to ensure the release of Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir. (KNT)

Srinagar, Jan 14: With Omicron driven third Covid wave raging in Kashmir,” Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Friday said the actual number of Covid positive cases in the valley is higher than what is being reported.

“The official count is an underestimate as many Covid cases go unreported,” said DAK President and Influenza expert Dr Nisar ul Hassan.

Dr Hassan said use of home test kits and rapid antigen test kits has seen a massive jump since the Omicron surge began.

“While many people test positive by these kits, they do not report to the authorities,” he said.

“Many people also do not get tested worrying that they will be taken to the Covid camps,” he added.

The DAK President said even though RT-PCR test is the gold standard for detecting Covid-19 and its variants, a negative test does not exclude the possibility of infection as the test can miss more than 30 percent of positive cases.

“We see many patients who test negative on RT-PCR test, but show CT features consistent with Covid-19, and they are not reported,” he said.

“Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in its new guidelines has waived off testing requirement for many categories including contacts of confirmed Covid positive cases, unless they are in the high risk categories,” said Dr Nisar.

“Besides, it has also exempted asymptomatic patients undergoing surgical or non-surgical invasive procedures including pregnant women hospitalized for delivery unless warranted or symptoms develop,” he said.

“When testing is curtailed, we won’t know the exact burden of the disease in the community,” he said.

General Secretary DAK Dr Arshad Ali said accurate data is critically important for appropriate response which holds key to mitigate further disaster.

“To deal with the problem, we must understand how bad it is,” he said.

Spokesperson DAK Dr Riyaz Ahmad Dagga said poor quality data equals poor decision which in turn leads to lost opportunity to improve population health in a crisis.

“Without accurate tallies, response won’t be enough to defeat the outbreak,” he said.

Bag has pressure cooker fitted with wires, checking whether it is IED: police

Srinagar, Jan 14: A suspicious bag with pressure cooker fitted with wires was detected at Khawjabazar area of Nowhatta area of Srinagar on Friday after which Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) was called to the spot.

Officials told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that panic gripped the Khawjabazar, Nowhatta area of City after a supicious bag with pressure cooker fitted with wires was detected.

A top police offical told KNO that a suspicious bag containing pressure cooker with some wires coming out from the bag is lying at Khwaja Bazar Chowk. Pertinently routine deployment in view of Friday is a practice. BDS informed. Checking whether it’s IED or not,” he said—(KNO)

Kulgam, Jan 14: A lineman, working on daily-wages in Power Development Department, succumbed to injuries which he had sustained after falling from an electric pole in Bogund in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district.

Reports reaching to GNS said that the lineman namely Shabir Ahmad Dar son of Mohammad Ismail Dar was repairing electric line when he fell from the electric pole at his native village Bogund on January 9.

He was shifted to district hospital Kulgam from where he was referred to Srinagar hospital for advanced treatment. However, he succumbed to his injuries this morning, an official here said. (GNS)

There are around 4 to 5 Western Disturbances expected during the next 17 days. However, none of them seem to be strong enough to bring heavy snowfall in plains.

The first Western Disturbance is expected around 16 January. It won’t be an active one, mostly cloudy weather is expected along with light rain/snow at a few places in higher reaches.

It may be followed by one or two active Western Disturbances. Light to moderate rain/snow is expected at most places. Chances of heavy snowfall in plains look bleak.

Although it is too early to predict clearly and further watch will be kept regarding any changes, however looking at previous many model runs, no hope for heavy snow in plains is there.

Regards: Kashmir Weather

Once delta variant will be replaced by Omicron, COVID will reach to endemic: Dr Nisar Ul Hassan

Srinagar, Jan 13: Omicron is the most infectious variant of the Covid-19 so far which has triggered a surge in cases in the rest of the world along with Jammu and Kashmir, experts said on Thursday.

Renowned Gastroenterologist and Chairman Covid Advisory Committee Jammu and Kashmir Dr M S Khuroo told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that Omicron is four times more infectious than Delta and has potential to infect persons who have either recovered from Covid-19 or have taken both sides of vaccine.

Khuroo said that Omicron has a shorter incubation period and infects the upper respiratory tract that is the nose and lungs, however, disease behaves milder and chances of death are less than Delta.

Dr Nisar Ul Hassan, President Doctors Association of Kashmir and flu expert while talking with KNO said that Omicron is the most infectious variant of Covid-19 found so far and once any variant is so infectious it spreads swiftly and involves a large section of the population in a week or few days.

“Covid-19 behaves differently at different places and in different individuals. We are still learning about this and we have to see how it behaves in elderly and Immunocompromised people besides that in the unvaccinated section of people that are children below 15,” he said.

“Omicron is so infectious that it won’t spare anybody and we should presume that it will infect everybody but the good thing is it has a mild impact among around 95 percent of the people infected,” Hassan said.

“Most people have hardly any symptoms or mild symptoms,otherwise the positivity rate at this stage will be more as compared to the official figures,” he said.

Hassan said then when a mild variant is replacing the one which was causing severity, “it may change Covid-19 from pandemic zone to endemic zone.”

Hassan said that the third wave has erupted and being more infectious we will have a peak, plateau and decline in just a few weeks time unlike delta which took time in reaching peak and then decline.

He said that symptoms of Omicron include fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat congestion or runny nose nausea or vomiting, diarrhoea, hoarse voice and even laryngitis.

“People must continue with CAB, and go for vaccination and booster doses,” he said—(KNO)

Jammu, Jan 13 : Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh led senior officers of Jammu and Kashmir Police, family members, relatives and friends in paying floral tribute to the slain SgCt Rohit Chib and attended his funeral at Jogi Gate cremation ground here on Thursday.

Senior officers ADGP Jammu Mukesh Singh, SSP PCR Jammu Dr Haseeb Mughal, SSP Jammu Chandan Kohli, SSP Mubassir Latifi, SSP Kulbir Singh, other Police and civil administration officers and large number of people paid their tributes to Rohit Chib, who was killed yesterday in an encounter at Pariwan area of District Kulgam while evacuating the civilians from the encounter site to safer places.

Rohit Chib had joined the J&K Police as constable in the year 2011 and was promoted to the next rank for his dedication and devotion towards duties in the year 2017.

According to a statement issued to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the DGP and ADGP on behalf of JK Police conveyed heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the family of the slain.

Speaking to the media persons, DGP said that J&K Police along with other security forces are fighting against militants and their supporters with firm determination.

He said that a good number of militants were killed in the beginning of 2022 and people have sighed relief after their killings.

He said that in the coming days, more stringent actions will be taken against militants and with the support of people more and a peaceful environment will prevail soon.

The DGP said that it has become a trend of Pakistani based agencies and militants to attack on forces and disturb peace and order while using civilians as shields. “Efforts and precautions are being taken to save the lives of civilians during encounters,” he added.

He said that efforts are being made to infiltrate militants here. He said that forces on the border and hinterland are protecting with utmost dedication and every effort of infiltration will be thwarted—(KNO)

Srinagar, Jan 13: National Conference President and Member of Parliament from Srinagar Dr Farooq Abdullah on Thursday expressed outrage over the incendiary remarks and genocidal threats against Muslims and other minority groups and demanded stern action against those spewing venom at hate speech conclaves across the country.

Voicing concern over the inflammatory and provocative speeches against Muslims at an event in Haridwar and other such hate speech conclaves of right wing groups, Dr Farooq Abdullah said, “The nature of speeches delivered in Haridwar between 17 and 19 December 2021, and other such hate speech conclaves across the country is deplorable. Recurring such open seditious and genocidal calls in the country are deeply disturbing,” he said in a statement to GNS.

Censuring the government of turning a blind eye to the hate speeches against the Muslim community, Dr Farooq said the criminal hush in government circles raises a question mark that begs to be answered.

He said that India being a signatory to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (CPPCG) under Article 3 C which clearly criminalizes ‘Direct and public incitement to commit genocide’ – should act firmly against such groups and individuals that call for genocide of country’s Muslims. “These hate speech conclaves also fit a variety of crimes under Indian laws and are antagonistic to national integrity and peace.

The prevailing blanket silence of the country’s head and absence of any punitive action has emboldened such hate mongers,” he said adding, “I will be grateful if action is taken against those who have violated the Genocide convention. Urgent action is needed otherwise it will embolden those who spread hatred thereby vitiating the atmosphere. It will inevitably result in further alienation of the minorities which is not in the interest of India.”

He demanded that the groups and individuals spewing hate be taken to task. “It is high time that the government stops emboldening these hatemongers with its inaction and establishes rule of law,” he said. (GNS)

Sopore : The residents of north Kashmir’s Sopore on Thursday woke up with a very sad and shocking news as a young MBBS student died of heart attack.

Reports reaching Kashmir Despatch said a 28-year-old Mohammad Rashid son of Ghulam Qadir Ahnager, a resident of Model Town Sopore has reportedly died of heart attack at SMHS in Srinagar on Thursday morning.

This is second such incident in Kashmir valley since last 24 hours.
Earlier on Wednesday, a Kashmiri girl student from central Kashmir’s Budgam district allegedly died of cardiac arrest in Bangladesh.

Seema Zehra daughter of Ghulam Mohammad a resident of Zaber Mohalla in Budgam reportedly died of a cardiac arrest.

She was pursuing Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) at AD Din Sakina Medical College Jessore in Bangladesh.