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Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday reported 666 fresh COVID-19 cases and nine more deaths due to the infection.

Now, the union territory’s COVID-19 caseload has reached 32,647 and the death toll mounted to 617.

The Kashmir Valley recorded 540 fresh cases and the Jammu region 126 in the past 24 hours till 5.00 pm on Sunday, an official said.

The Srinagar district recorded 258 of the fresh coronavirus cases, followed by Jammu (60), he said. This is for the third straight day that Srinagar has recorded more than 200 fresh cases of COVID-19.

So far, Srinagar district has recorded the maximum number of COVID-19 cases at 8,075, which is nearly 25 per cent of the total infections in the union territory.

The union territory’s summer capital has also reported the highest 195 COVID related fatalities so far, which is 31 per cent of the total deaths due to the disease.

As on Sunday, more than 80 per cent of the infected persons in the city have recovered and there are only 1,366 active cases.

Of the nine new deaths, seven were reported from Srinagar and two from Jammu.

Jammu and Kashmir has 7,198 active cases of the coronavirus disease (COVD-19), while 24,832 patients have recovered so far, they said.

Srinagar: The Kashmir Trade Alliance (KTA) on Sunday said the five -month-long lockdown had dented the Valley’s economy by Rs 21,000 crore and the total loss for the last one year to be Rs 45,000 crore, according to an online report released by the Trade Alliance on Sunday.

Trade in the Valley have suffered a total loss of Rs 21,320.64 crore in the last five months as a result of the lockdown caused by the Corona virus in the Valley since March 18. The Alliance says the final report will be released after the lockdown ends. The interim report was compiled after covering the daily trade, business and gross domestic product (GDP) for 2017-18 and the economic outlook.

According to statement issued to KNS reads, According to the report, the agriculture, horticulture, floriculture and agriculture sector suffered a loss of Rs 942.4 crore during the five months of the catastrophic downpour, as a result of which the sector was hit hard in 2019. livestock suffered a loss of Rs. 2234 crore, 40 lakhs. Lockdown proved to be the last nail in the coffin of an already dying Production industry. In total, the sector incurred a loss of Rs. 3161 crore, 60 lakhs during the lockdown period. According to a report released by the Trade Alliance, the lockdown brought construction activities to a standstill, leaving 500,000 people jobless. Construction activities and projects were hit by Rs 2,214.64 crore. Trade Alliance said thousands of people lost their jobs, hotels looked deserted, houseboats were locked and shikara and other tourist activities ceased. Tourist traders were waiting for tourists in 2020, but the lockdown and the situation have dashed their hopes, and in the last five months alone, the sector has lost Rs 1,292 crore, while the hotel and Restaurants also suffered a loss of Rs 760 crore.

A report released by Kashmir Trade Alliance President Ajaz Shahdhar said that the wheels of passenger vehicles have been jammed in the valley for the last five months, while an estimated 60,000 passenger vehicles have been stranded in the valley. There are vehicles, including 32,000 Texis,cabs 6,000 Tata vehicles or minibuses, 12,000 auto rickshaws and buses, a total of 200,000 families dependent on transport. The financial condition of the Drivers and conductors is very dilapidated. The sector has suffered losses of Rs 2888 crore as a result of the lockdown in the last 5 months.

There are millions of shopkeepers in the valley, while in the big shops there are also an average of 2 to 3 salesmen. As a result of shutter down, most of the goods in the shops . they are neither in a position to repay the debt, nor in the position to pay the interest. The shopkeepers lost Rs. 4104 crore during the lockdown. Handicrafts sector has incurred a total loss of Rs. 760 crore during the last 5 months. real estate sector has been affected as 2280 crore loses, while the services sector incurred a loss of Rs. 608 crore.

According to the report, the education sector has so far suffered a loss of Rs. 76 crore.

Rs. 1000 crore has been incurred during the last 3 Eids.The average daily trade in the valley is Rs 140 crore, however, the economy of the valley has reached the brink of collapse as a result of the Corona Lockdown. The business community also suffered irreparable losses during the catastrophic floods of 2014, the same total losses were around Rs one lakh crore, after which the situation broke the backs of Kashmiri traders, leaving millions of people stranded. The closure of this highway for about 35 days resulted in losses of about Rs 3,000 crore to the business community. (KNS)

The monthly bill has been generated by the Power Development Department (PDD) in Jammu and Kashmir Government and handed over to the consumer namely the 181 Battalion, CRPF.

India Today

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Kashmir Valley has gone into a tizzy after one of their Battalion camping in Charare-Sharief has got an electricity bill of a whopping Rs 1.5 crore for the month of July. The monthly bill has been generated by the Power Development Department (PDD) in Jammu and Kashmir Government and handed over to the consumer namely the 181 Battalion, CRPF.

Though the bill is paid by the Jammu and Kashmir Police, it has become a matter of grave concern. ADG of CRPF Zulfiquar Hasan said, “This seems to be a case of a clerical error. We tried to contact the PDD department for an explanation but they are closed over the weekend.”

The Rs 1.5 crore electricity bill. (Photo: India Today)

The hard copy of the bill states that the sanctioned load of 181 Battalion deployed in Budgam district is only 50 KW, with fixed charges as Rs 1500 only. The bill further states that it was generated on August 10 and is payable by August 27. Till then, the CRPF says the matter should be resolved.

With inputs the India Today

Srinagar: Peoples Democratic Front (PDF) Chairman Hakeem Mohammad Yasin on Sunday clarified that whosoever will work for bringing Article 370 and 35(A) back will get my support unconditionally and said those who will oppose it are not “well-wisher” of people of J&K.

Talking to Kashmir News Service (KNS), PDF Chairman said Article 370 & 35(A) was given by Constitution but unfortunately was snatched from us through an “illegal” move. He clarified that whosoever will work for bringing back Article 370 & 35(A) will get my “unconditional” support and whosoever will oppose the special status to J&K, is not a well-wisher of the people.

He was replying to an appeal made by senior Congress leader Prof. Saif-ud-din Soz who urged those mainstream politicians who are still not part of Gupkar Declaration, to join the forum to fighting for Article 370 & 35(A).

PDF Chairman said, “I was not part of Gupkar Declaration earlier but maintained now few leaders have called him to join it but it is possible only after discussing the matter with senior party leaders.

“I have been called few signatories of Gupkar Declaration to join the collective fight but I will clarify here that I will take up the matter with party leaders and soon come up with the opinion”, Hakeem Yasin said.

He maintained that political leaders should come clear and people of J&K should be given concrete program regarding retrieval of special status of J&K under Article 370 and 35(A).

“People should not be kept in dark. They should be given clear and concrete program how to bring special status of J&K back? Political parties should also clear confusions whether they will fight elections in absence of Article 370 & 35(A) or not?, Hakeem Yasin said. (KNS) 

China reiterated that Kashmir is a dispute left over from history between India and Pakistan, and opposed any unilateral actions that complicate the situation.

The Print

Beijing: The foreign ministers of China and Pakistan held their 2nd annual strategic dialogue on Friday during which they discussed ways to enhance their all-weather bilateral ties, the Kashmir issue, progress on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and the Afghan peace process.

Billed as highly relevant and very important by both the countries ahead of the meeting held in the southern Chinese island resort of Hainan, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi discussed a host of bilateral, regional and international issues.

A joint statement issued at the end of the meeting said that both sides underlined that a peaceful, stable, cooperative and prosperous South Asia was in common interest of all parties. Parties need to settle disputes and issues in the region through dialogue on the basis of equality and mutual respect .

The Pakistani side briefed the Chinese side on the situation in Jammu & Kashmir, including its concerns, position and current urgent issues , it said.

The Chinese side reiterated that the Kashmir issue is a dispute left over from history between India and Pakistan, which is an objective fact, and that the dispute should be resolved peacefully and properly through the UN Charter, relevant Security Council resolutions and bilateral agreements. China opposes any unilateral actions that complicate the situation , the joint press release said.

India has been maintaining that China has no locus stand in commenting on Jammu and Kashmir.

New Delhi has previously told Beijing that the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir “has been, is and shall continue to be an integral part of India.”

Earlier this month, the Ministry of External Affairs said that the issues pertaining to the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir were solely an internal matter of India.

“As on such previous occasions, this attempt too met with little support from the international community. We firmly reject China’s interference in our internal affairs and urge it to draw proper conclusions from such infructuous attempts,” the MEA said in a statement in New Delhi after China initiated a discussion in the UN Security Council on Jammu and Kashmir.

Ahead of the meeting between Wang and Qureshi, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, Zhao Lijian told the media here on Thursday that this time the strategic dialogue is highly relevant and the two sides will take the opportunity to discuss anti-epidemic cooperation, bilateral ties and the regional and international issues of mutual interest.

Before leaving for Hainan, Qureshi told the media in Islamabad that “I am leaving on a very important visit to China. I had a discussion with the prime minister regarding this visit yesterday. My delegation will represent the stance of the political and military leadership of the country .

The meeting took place amid reports of crisis in Pakistan-Saudi Arabia relations which were regarded as the bedrock of Islamabad’s foreign policy for decades.

Qureshi left for Hainan after the return of Pakistan Army chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa from Saudi Arabia, where he held talks with senior officials on the state of relations between Riyadh and Islamabad.

Pakistan Imran Khan said in an interview on Aug 19 that Pakistan’s future was linked to China as Beijing defended Pakistan in all difficult times. He said Chinese President Xi Jinping would visit Pakistan in the winter.

Wang and Qureshi reiterated that the enduring China-Pakistan all-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership is beneficial to international and regional peace and stability, and serves the mutual security and development interests of both countries as well as of international community and regional countries.

On Afghanistan, the joint statement said both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation on the Afghan issue and appreciated the efforts made by Afghan government and the Taliban to initiate the Intra-Afghan Negotiations.

China appreciated Pakistan’s positive contribution to the Afghan peace process and efforts for promoting peace and stability in the region and beyond , it said.

Both sides agreed on continuing their firm support on issues concerning each other’s core national interests.

The Chinese side reiterated that Pakistan and China are iron brothers and Pakistan remains China’s staunchest partner in the region and that China firmly supports Pakistan in safeguarding its territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence.”

Beijing also said it supported Islamabad independently choosing a development path based on its national conditions, striving for a better external security environment and playing a more constructive role on international and regional affairs, the release said.

The Pakistani side appreciated China for standing together with Pakistan in safeguarding its national security and sovereignty, and reaffirmed its firm support to China on affairs concerning China’s core interests and issues of major concern, such as those related to Taiwan, Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong , it said.

On the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) both sides have underscored that it has entered the new phase of high-quality development, and has played and will continue to play an important role in supporting Pakistan to overcome the impact of COVID-19 and achieve greater development.

The two sides will continue to firmly advance the construction of the CPEC, ensure in-time completion of those projects under construction, focus on economic and social development, job creation and improvement of people’s livelihood, and further strengthen cooperation in Specialised Economic Zones, industrial relocation, science and technology, medical and health, human resources training, poverty alleviation, and agriculture etc, it said.

India has protested to China over the CPEC as it is being laid through Pakistan occupied Kashmir.

With inputs from The Print

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Kashmir Today staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)