Month: August 2024

In a significant political development ahead of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections, Haji Farooq Ahmad, the Vice-Chairman of the District Development Council (DDC) Kupwara, announced his resignation from the Jammu Kashmir Peoples Conference (JKPC) on Sunday. A close associate of Haji Farooq, who was elected as the VC of DDC Kupwara in 2020, confirmed to The Kashmiriyat that Farooq has stepped down due to dissatisfaction with the party's conduct. Addressing speculation on social media that his resignation was linked to being denied a ticket for the upcoming elections, the associate clarified, "The resignation has nothing to do with ticket allocation. The party has not even announced its candidates yet. Claims suggesting his decision was seat-related are entirely baseless and serv...

On Friday, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) announced the attachment of property linked to a Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) terror associate in connection with the targeted killing of a Sarpanch in South Kashmir's Shopian district. In a statement, the NIA detailed that it has attached the property of Nasir Rashid Bhat, an overground worker (OGW) for the terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen, under section 33 (1) of the UA(P) Act, 1947. The property, a residential house located in Tengpora village, Shopian, was seized on the orders of the NIA Special Judge, Jammu. According to the NIA, Bhat and other HM members were involved in the killing of the Adoora-Kulgam Sarpanch on March 11, 2022. The NIA described the attack as an effort to spread terror among the local population. The agency's...

Shah Basit Heavy rains triggered flash floods in Ganderbal district on Saturday morning. In Ganderbal, the downpour caused significant waterlogging, particularly in the Kangan area, where roads and several localities were inundated. The floodwaters entered the village, affecting several residential houses, but the water level has since begun to recede. The Meteorological Centre in Srinagar has warned of more intense showers and heavy rainfall over the next three days, particularly in the Jammu division. These conditions could result in flash floods, landslides, mudslides, and shooting stones in vulnerable areas of J&K. From August 18th to 20th, a brief spell of rain and thundershowers is expected in some areas during the daytime, with light to moderate rain predicted for...

In a landmark event for District Shopian, journalists have elected their inaugural office bearers through a democratic process, marking a significant milestone for the local media community. The election, conducted under rigorous oversight, was supervised by an esteemed panel including Election Commissioner Malik Irshad, Election Observers Magray Mansoor and Mitha Gattoo from the Shopian Civil Society, RO Shah Irshad of Gulistan, and Sheikh Hilal, who served as the Election Supervisor. Gulzar Habib was elected unopposed as the President of the newly formed body. Ajaz Dar and Shahid Tak were elected as Spokesperson and Treasurer, respectively, each securing 24 votes. The election ceremony was honored by the presence of Mr. Assadullah, Secretary of MC Shopian, who attended as the Ch...

Suhail Dar With the announcement of elections in Jammu and Kashmir after a decade, a significant shift is unfolding across the region. Numerous leaders have renounced their affiliations with established parties and are joining new ones. Earlier on Saturday, Taj Mohiuddin, a key ally of Ghulam Nabi Azad and a founding member of the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP), left the party to join the Indian National Congress. While switching sides close to elections is a common occurrence in Kashmir’s politics, these recent defections could significantly impact the region's political landscape. In the recent past, Noor Mohammad Sheikh, a former legislator who joined the Apni Party after leaving the Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP), has become the third legislator to...

A day after the announcement of assembly elections, the Jammu Kashmir National Conference (NC) has ruled out any possibility of forming an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the state assembly. Advocate Hashim Peerzada, senior leader of Anantnag NC and the son of senior NC leader Peerzada Mohammed Hussain, firmly denied any possibility of an alliance with the BJP. In an interview with The Kashmiriyat, Hashim stated, "There is not even the slightest possibility of joining hands with the BJP. Our party will decide whether we will enter into a pre-poll alliance with Congress or PDP, but it is clear that there will be no coalition with the BJP." He added that the party is confident in its ability to form the government in the region independently. "People have come to rec...