Tuesday, February 25News and updates from Kashmir

Month: January 2023

Centre declares Dr Asif Maqbool as militant under UAPA

Centre declares Dr Asif Maqbool as militant under UAPA

REGIONAL
The Union Home Ministry on Saturday declared Dr. Asif Maqbool, who is based in Saudi Arabia, as terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention Act)-1967. In a notification, a copy of which is in possession of news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the MHA said that Dr. Asif Maqbool, who is resident of Bandey Payeen, Wagoora, Baramulla, presently based at Daman, Ash Sharqiyah, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, is associated with Hizb-Ul- Muhahideen. “The said Dr. Asif Maqbool Dar is in involved in instigating or provoking the youth of Kashmir Valley for terrorist activities by using social media platforms,” reads the notification. According to the MHA,Dr. Asif Maqbool Dar is one of the leading radical voices on social media and is involved in nefariously influencing Kashmiri youth to t...

JK Bank prohibits entry with Pheran at Sopore branch, cites security reasons

REGIONAL
Jammu Kashmir Bank branch Achabal in the Sopore area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district has prohibited the entry of people with Pherans citing security reasons, even as the branch head denied issuing any such order. In a circular, which has gone viral on social media platforms, the bank branch has asked people with Pherans not to enter the bank premises. "Persons with Pheran are not allowed to enter inside the office/hall. For security reasons,” it reads. Meanwhile, talking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), branch head Anayat Ahmad said there was no such order from the bank unit. “The poster that has gone viral seems to have been pasted by some miscreants and it has nothing to do with the bank circular,” he said. He added for security reasons there is alread...

Surge in respiratory infections during winter linked to spike in heart attacks, strokes: DAK

REGIONAL
Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Saturday said the surge in respiratory infections during winter puts people at higher risk of heart attacks and strokes. “If you catch the respiratory infection, you are at increased risk of having a heart attack or stroke,” said DAK President and Influenza expert Dr Nisar-ul-Hassan in a statement to GNS. Dr Hassan said as winter sets in, cases of respiratory infections increase. The surge in respiratory infections has been linked to spike in heart attacks and strokes during winter months. He said a study conducted at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine has found strong evidence that recent respiratory infections increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes. The researchers found that the risk of both heart attack and stroke dou...

Kulgam youth selected for annual St. Andrews scholarship in UK

REGIONAL
Danishwar Hameed A youth from south Kashmir's Kulgam district has been selected by the University of Saint Andrews United Kingdom. Shahid Fayaz Saqi from Mohahmmedpora Kulgam who is an author based in London has been selected by the University of St Andrews in the United Kingdom to study English Literature. The Kulgam-born youth has also been offered a fully paid scholarship to study the course. Every year University of Saint Andrews, UK offers two scholarships to international applicants. This year along with Shahid, another applicant from Australia has made it to the final list. Shahid speaking to The Kashmiriyat said that Kashmir has immense potential and is a land of brilliance. "We (Kashmiris) have made immense contributions to the fields of science, literature, medi...

Night temperature increases above normal as JK braces for wet spell

REGIONAL
The minimum temperature recorded a considerable increase on Saturday as Jammu Kashmir braces for nearly weeklong cloudy and wet weather in wake of two back-to-back western disturbances. A meteorological department official told GNS that Srinagar recorded a low of minus 1.4°C against last night’s minus 5.5°C which was the coldest for the season so far. Today’s minimum temperature was 0.5°C above normal, he said. Qazigund, he said, recorded a low of minus 1.6°C against minus 5.6°C. Today’s minimum temperature was 1.5°C above normal, he said. Pahalgam, he said, recorded a low of minus 2.8°C against minus 8.6°C on the previous night. Today’s minimum temperature was 4.2°C above normal for the place, he said. The coldest night recorded this season in the famous tourist resort in south K...

SIA seizes more property in south Kashmir

REGIONAL
Thet State Investigation Agency (SIA) on Saturday attached more properties at various locations in South Kashmir. An official quoted by local news agency —Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that SIA attached the properties in Sirhama, Viddy Srigufwara, Arwani in Anantnag district and in main town Kulgam. He said the properties include a double-storied house, along with 7 Marla of land, 56 kanal agriculture land, 02 Kanal 7 Marla land, 3 Kanal 4 Marla land and 1.5 Kanal land. The official said the properties were seized in connection with an investigation of a case by the SIA—(KNO)

Hotel gutted in nocturnal blaze in Ganderbal

REGIONAL
A hotel was gutted on the Srinagar-Sonmarg highway in Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district on Saturday morning, officials said.T They said that a fire broke out in Hotel Himalaya located in Kulan Gund area of Kangan during the wee hours of Saturday. Firefighters and police with the help of locals doused the flames, however, a major portion of the hotel suffered damages due to the fire incident. Police have registered a case to ascertain the cause of the fire. [KNT]

After TRF, MHA bans People’s Anti Facist Front militant outfit

REGIONAL
A day after militant outfit The Resistance Front(TRF) was declared as terrorist organization, the ministry of home affairs (MHA) banned the People’s Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF), an offshoot of militant outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed, under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for carrying out terror activities in Kashmir. "PAFF is a proxy outfit of Maulana Masood Azhar-led Jaish-e-Mohammed and was involved in terror acts and issuing threats to Indian security forces, political leaders, civilians in J&K, and other states," MHA said in an notification a copy of which lies with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) and The MHA said that the outfit had emerged in the year 2019 as a proxy outfit of Jaish-e-Mohammed, a proscribed militant organisation listed at serial number 6 of...

Muslims of Kashmir should not lose hope in times of despair, Shaykh Eşref Efendi at Jamia Masjid Anantnag

INDIA
Suhail Dar Sheikh Eşref Efendi, founder and spiritual head of the Sufi Centre Rabbaniyya in Berlin Germany today called upon Muslims of Kashmir, India and Myanmar to not lose hope. Sheikh was addressing a Friday congregation in Jamia Masjid of Anantnag, attended by thousands of people from south Kashmir. The 16th century mosque, one of the most prominent mosques of the valley, hosted the Germany based muslim scholar. "Muslims of Kashmir, Myanmar and India should not lose hope in these times of oppression and injustice, in fact, it is during the hardships that one's faith is tested," he said, while addressing the massive Friday gathering. He said that Muslims are facing despair here in Kashmir, but they should not stop praying or seeking from Allah, he will certainly hear th...

Admin orders major reshuffle in police, 74 cops transferred

REGIONAL
The admin on Friday ordered a major reshuffle in police with 74 officers transferred in the interest of the administration with immediate effect. According to an admin order, a copy of which lies with GNS, Garib Dass, IPS (AGMUT: 1997), Commissioner Civil Military Liaison, holding additional charge of Director SKPA, has been transferred and posted as Director SKPA, Udhampur, against an available vacancy. Vivek Gupta, IPS (AGMUT: 2007), DIG Traffic, Jammu, holding additional Charge of DIG Jammu-Samba-Kathua Range, has been transferred and posted as DIG North Kashmir Range, Baramulla, vice Udayabhaskar Billa (AGMUT: 2008), IPS, who has been relieved with immediate effect to join his new assignment at the Centre as Deputy Inspector General in Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), on depu...