Month: November 2024

Former Jammu Kashmir interlocutor Radha Kumar expressed surprise over criticism from various political parties regarding the Legislative Assembly’s resolution on special status. Kumar emphasized that now is the right time for like-minded parties to form a consensus and initiate dialogue with national opposition parties. “Instead of criticizing each other, J-K parties should unite and engage with both the Centre and opposition parties,” Kumar told the news agency Kashmir News Trust. She highlighted statehood as the primary demand, urging parties to join forces and pressure the central government. Kumar also emphasized the importance of addressing the erosion of federal powers, calling on opposition parties to speak out on this issue. By forming a united front, J-K parties can ef...

Mushaal Hussein Mullick, the wife of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) leader Yasin Malik, who has been imprisoned for years, has written to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, urging him to raise her husband's case in Parliament, Press Trust of India reported. She asserts that Yasin Malik could play a pivotal role in bringing lasting peace to Jammu and Kashmir. In her letter, Mullick highlighted the ongoing legal battle surrounding her husband's trial, which stems from a sedition case that dates back over three decades. She emphasized that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has sought the death penalty for Malik in connection with the case. Yasin Malik is also challenging an NIA appeal for the death sentence in a terror funding case at the Delhi High Court. The NIA filed charg...

The Speaker Legislative Assembly Abdur Rahim Rather Thursday adjourned the House till tomorrow as the opposition refused to settle down. The BJP is demanding roll back of the special status resolution brought by the government yesterday that was passed as well. Soon after the House met, the BJP leaders were up on their toes demanding scrapping the resolution passed on the special status in the House yesterday. They were, however, countered by the leaders from the Treasury benches, especially those from Jammu. Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary accused BJP of “double standards” and ruining J&K over the past ten years. “You sold Jammu land, you sold everything in Jammu, you are responsible for mess in Jammu,” Choudhary shouted as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO). ...

Amid a prolonged dry spell, the water levels in major reservoirs have significantly decreased, raising concerns about water supply stability and an increased risk of forest fires in the Kashmir. Weather experts have, however, warned that the water levels may fall further owing to the dry spell, which is expected to continue till November 10. Sources in the Jal Shakti (PHE) department, speaking with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said the dry weather has caused the water level in reservoirs to drop, and it is expected to rise and improve as the weather changes. They added that the decline in water supply from reservoirs has caused the water supply to fall very low and be insufficient at many places. When contacted, the officials in the Jal Shakti (PHE) Department t...

In the aftermath of a gunfight in Bandipora district, where security forces gunned down a Pakistani militant, a major security operation is now underway following the discovery of an improvised explosive device (IED) along the Bandipora-Srinagar highway at Nadihal. The IED was found early this morning, just hours after the militant’s death during an encounter with security forces in the same region, officials told The Kashmiriyat. The area has been immediately cordoned off by joint teams of the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and CRPF personnel. Security forces are now securing the location, while a bomb disposal squad has been dispatched to safely defuse the device. More details are awaited as the situation develops.

Police on Tuesday said that in a decisive step against narcotics trafficking, Police have attached the property of a known drug trafficker, under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district. In a handout to GNS, the police said that Mohammad Ashraf Dar, son of Jalal-Ud-Din and resident of Tulkhan Bijbehara, has a history of offenses under the NDPS Act, with several cases involving the trafficking of substances like Codeine Phosphate, Charas, and Spasmo Proxyvan Plus. His most recent offense was on April 4, 2021, when a major drug haul was seized, including 70 bottles of Codeine Phosphate, 34.7 kg of Charas powder, and 4,320 capsules of Spasmo Proxyvan Plus. According to police spokesman, further investigations revealed that his tw...

Sajad Lone, the leader of the Jammu Kashmir Peoples Conference (JKPC), expressed his satisfaction after the Legislative Assembly passed a resolution condemning the actions taken on August 5, 2019, the day when Article 370 was revoked. Speaking to Kashmir News Service (KNS), Lone said, “Today is a moment of great satisfaction for me. In this first session of the Assembly, it has been officially acknowledged that the events of August 5, 2019, were wrong, both morally and constitutionally. This moment will be remembered in history as a clear rejection of those actions.” A staunch critic of the revocation of Article 370, Lone had earlier called for the suspension of the Assembly proceedings to emphasize the significance of the issue. He welcomed the resolution, highlighting its import...

The pristine rivers of Kashmir, including Doodh Ganga and Mamath Kull, continue to suffer from severe pollution, prompting the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to issue a final warning to the municipal authorities of Chadoora, Budgam, and Srinagar. These municipalities are facing allegations for discharging untreated sewage and mishandling waste disposal, with the NGT now demanding an immediate response. During a recent hearing, counsel G.M. Kawoosa requested a four-week extension to prepare a comprehensive reply, which was granted under the condition that each municipality deposits Rs 10,000 with the Registrar General within a week. This move follows previous fines imposed by the NGT, including a hefty penalty of Rs 41.47 crore on Srinagar Municipal Corporation for discharging untre...