REGIONAL

Two teenage boys were killed and four injured in a collision between a car and a motorcycle in Jammu Kashmir's Rajouri district, officials said on Sunday. The driver of the car, which was ferrying a group of students, lost control and hit a tree and a boulder before hitting the motorcycle approaching from the opposite direction at Nagrota on the Rajouri-Kotranka Road on Saturday, the officials said. Sameer Ahmad (17), a Class 12 student, was declared brought dead in a hospital while motorcyclist Khuda Baksh (19) succumbed to his injuries at the Government Medical College in Rajouri late on Saturday. Four students injured in the accident are undergoing treatment in the hospital, the officials said.(PTI)

As Jammu Kashmir heads into the first two phases of its highly anticipated assembly elections, a remarkable surge in independent candidates has emerged in Jammu and Kashmir. With 44% of the total candidates running as independents, they are all set to play a crucial role as potential kingmakers in a post-poll scenario. According to the details gathered by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), a total of 214 independent candidates have opted to fight from different assembly segments across Jammu and Kashmir in phase-I and phase-II. The independent candidates include those associated with the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) led by jailed Member of Parliament Engineer Abdul Rashid Sheikh. Notably, AIP has fielded 26 candidates in the first two phases of assembly elections from di...

Awami Ittihaad Party on Saturday announced list of candidates for remaining seats for the upcoming assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir. According to the list, a copy of which lies with news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Khursheed Ahmad Sheikh, brother of jailed AIP supremo Er Rasheed, to contest from Langate seat. Per list, advocate Mursaleen will contest from Sopore, Er Muneer Khan from Uri, Mohammad Muzaffar Dar from Rafiabad, Adil Nazir Khan from Gulmarg, Peerzada Firdous from Kupwara, Er Jahengeer Khan for Khansahib, Abdul Majid Banday for Handwara and Ashok Kumar Raina for Chamb—(KNO)

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has summoned former MLA Watchi Aijaz Ahmad Mir to appear before NIA court in Jammu on 11 September as a witness in Aadil Bashir Sheikh case, Kashmir News Observer reported. "The NIA vs Aadil Bashir Sheikh and others case is fixed for prosecution evidence of Special Judge, NIA J&K at Jammu on 11-09-24 and your statement is required to be recorded on the said date of hearing," reads the notice of Special Public Prosecutor NIA J&K at Jammu, a copy of which lies with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) "You are as such requested to cause your appearance before the Hon'ble Court on 11-09-24 at 10:00 AM sharp without fail. In case you fail to appear before the court without just cause, appropriate action will be taken to compel your a...

The third month of the Islamic lunar calendar, Rabi ul Awal, which marks the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), is being celebrated with devotion and enthusiasm across the Kashmir valley. On Saturday, religious gatherings took place in Srinagar's prominent shrines such as Makhdoom Sahab, Dastgeer Sahab, and several mosques, drawing hundreds of worshippers. In Shopian, large crowds gathered at Pinjoora's grand mosque, where Quranic recitations were held, and preachers reflected on the life and teachings of the Prophet. Similar gatherings were observed in Shopian town, Keller, and other nearby areas. The celebrations extended to Pulwama, Kulgam, Anantnag, and districts in north Kashmir, where Muslims across diverse backgrounds united to commemorate Eid Milad un Nabi with rem...

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has released its 25-point manifesto for the upcoming Jammu Kashmir Legislative Assembly elections, outlining an ambitious plan aimed at fostering development, generating employment, and enhancing social welfare across the region. The manifesto, of which a copy is available with The Kashmiriyat, seeks to eliminate terrorism and separatism, promises to make Jammu Kashmir a leader in national progress under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a "new India." One of the central themes of the manifesto is employment generation, with the BJP pledging to create 5 lakh new jobs through the Pandit Prem Nath Dogra Rozgar Yojana (PPNDRY). The initiative aims to open up new opportunities for the youth of Jammu and Kashmir, further backed by policies to pro...

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Friday said the BJP has succeeded in reducing the resolution of the Kashmir issue to the conduct of Assembly polls. “The BJP has succeeded in reducing the Kashmir issue — for which thousands have died, thousands were orphaned and we suffered losses of billions — to Article 370 and reduced Article 370 to the restoration of statehood and statehood has been reduced to polls,” Mufti told reporters at the PDP office here. The former chief minister was commenting on the growing chorus of political parties for the restoration of statehood to Jammu Kashmir after the Assembly elections are over. “Some parties are rejoicing that elections are taking place and talk about restoration of statehood. It is akin to looking for shoes after amputating the feet. Kashmir is ...

A total of 14 Kashmiri Pandits have filed nominations for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, aiming to champion the return and rehabilitation of their community, which numbers around 300,000. Habba Kadal, a constituency in Srinagar, has become a focal point, with six Kashmiri Pandits entering the fray. Of these, five are running under recognized political parties, while two are contesting as independents. Ashok Kumar Bhat (BJP), Sanjay Saraf (Lok Jan Shakti Party), and Santosh Labroo (All Alliance Democratic Party) are among the notable candidates. Saraf, a seasoned candidate, aims to foster communal harmony and facilitate the return of Kashmiri Pandits with respect and security. The community is relying heavily on the 25,000-strong migrant vote bank in Habba...

Prominent Kashmiri separatist and religious cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was placed under house arrest on Friday ahead of his scheduled sermon at the Srinagar's Jamia Masjid. According to the Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid, which oversees the mosque's affairs, the authorities informed Mirwaiz Umar that he would not be allowed to attend the congregational prayers. The Anjuman claimed that no official reason was provided for his detention. Mirwaiz has been frequently placed under house arrest since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has faced a wave of resignations from its Chanapora constituency team after the party's decision to field Hilal Ahmad Wani, a Congress defector, as its candidate. This move has sparked significant discontent among long-serving BJP workers in the region. Altaf Ahmad Pandit, the BJP’s constituency president for Channapora, along with 40 team members, including constituency secretary Mir Mehraj, youth president Suhail Ahmad Bhat, and vice-president Parvaiz Ahmad, submitted their resignations in protest. In a letter to BJP state president Ravinder Raina, Pandit expressed his frustration, stating, “For the last six years, we gave everything to the party, building a strong team and receiving leadership's appreciation. Now, we’ve been sidelined, and the t...