REGIONAL

Kashmir Peace Forum, an organization of Kashmiri Pandits has condemned the banning of Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid Srinagar. On Friday morning, Jamia Masjid's Awqaf committee said that the district administration of Srinagar had sealed the gates of the mosque on the occasion of Jumat ul vida. Peace Forum chairman, Satish Mahaldar in a statement issued to The Kashmiriyat condemned the restriction of Friday congregation prayers at the historical mosque and said the prohibition of prayers is highly unjustified. "it is unfortunate for a secular country to ban Jumatul Vida congregational prayers. There cannot be a prohibition for any religious prayers by the District administration or police authorities. it is highly condemnable," the chairman said in a statement.

Amid forecast for wet spell after April 15, night temperature recorded a rise on Friday, officials said. A meteorological department official here told GNS that Srinagar recorded a low of 9.0°C against 7.2°C on the previous night and it was 1.4°C above normal for the summer capital. Qazigund, he said, recorded a low of 6.0°C, the same as on the previous night and it was 0.5°C below normal for the gateway town of Kashmir. Pahalgam, he said, recorded a low of 3.6°C against 3.2°C on the previous night and it was 0.8°C above normal for the famous tourist resort in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district. Kokernag recorded a low of 9.4°C against 9.1°C on the previous night and it was 3.3°C above normal for the place, the officials said. Gulmarg recorded a low of 5.4°C against 4.4°C on ...

The managing body of the Jama Masjid here on Friday said that the authorities have disallowed “Jummat-ul-vida” congregational prayers at the historic mosque. “District magistrate and police officials visited jama Masjid in the morning at 9.30 am and asked the management to lock the gates of the Masjid as administration had decided that jummat-ul-vida prayers will not be allowed at the Masjid,” Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid said in a statement to GNS. “Anjuman strongly resents this move of the authorities causing great distress to lakhs of Muslims who traditionally come from all parts of the valley to offer prayers on the last and greatly blessed Friday of Ramzan in Jamia Masjid where offering prayers on last Friday has great significance,” the statement added. (GNS)

The residents of Sheikh Dawood (SD) Colony here in the Batamaloo area of Srinagar city on Thursday staged a protest against the PHE Department for failing to ensure a regular supply of potable water to the area during the holy month of Ramadan. The female protesters displaying empty buckets and pitchers blocked the road and disrupted traffic to attract the attention of the concerned authorities. One of the female protesters told the news agency Kashmir News Trust that the scarcity of water in the area is making it difficult for them to get on with their life. She pointed out that they had submitted numerous appeals in black and white, to no avail. “It is the heart of the city and still we have been reeling under acute shortage of water,” the protesters said adding that the concern...

Kashmiri journalist Fahad Shah's Public Safety Act has been quashed by Jammu Kashmir High Court on Thursday. Fahad is currently lodged at Kot Balwal jail of Jammu, where he has been lodged since June 2022, a prison nearly 300 kilometers away from his residence in Srinagar’s Soura. Several organizations including the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) had called upon the Indian Government to release the incarcerated journalist, however, despite a year having passed since his arrest the journalist continues to remain under detention. Pertinently, on February 04 2022, Pulwama Police arrested him for social media posts “tantamount to glorifying the terrorist activities and causing dent to the image of law enforcing agencies besides causing ill-will & disaffection against the c...

At least sixteen women were injured after a house collapsed in Khanetar village of Poonch district on Thursday. An official told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that incident happened when people had assembled in the house of Zakir Hussain Shah of Khanetar village to mourn death of a family member. He said that due to heavy load amid large presence of mourners, roof of the house collapsed, resulting in injuries to 16 women. The injured have been rushed to a hospital for treatment, he said—(KNO)

Meer Irfan Unknown miscreants set ablaze a private apple storage shed in the Khawajapora area of Shopian's Zainapora belt. Locals told The Kashmiriyat that on Wednesday the apple storage shed of one local caught fire around 10 PM and later spread to the nearby orchard. During the fire incident, 1300 crates meant for apples, two dozen apple trees were damaged one power weeder, they said. The shed belonged to one Ghulam Ahmed Dar son of Ali Mohammed Dar, a resident of the same village. A Police complaint has been filed by the victim after which Police have launched an investigation into the matter.

Mainly dry weather is expected to continue in Jammu Kashmir till April 15 even as the minimum temperature recorded an increase at most places on Thursday, officials said. A meteorological department official here told GNS from April 16-17, generally cloudy weather with intermittent light rain and thunderstorm or lightning at scattered to fairly widespread places was expected in J&K. From April 18-19, he said, the weather is likely to be generally cloudy with intermittent light to moderate rain (light snow over higher reaches)/thunderstorm/lightning at fairly widespread places of Kashmir division and few places of Jammu division. From April 20-21st, he said, generally cloudy weather with intermittent Light rain, thunderstorm or lightning at few places was expected. “From April ...

Following a brief exchange of gunfire, militants managed to give slip to government forces in Chakoora area of south Kashmir’s Shopian district. A Police official said that there was a brief exchange of firing between militants and Government forces on Wednesday evening. As the firing stopped, searches were intensified at the suspected spot, where no militant was found. They might have escaped taking advantage of darkness, the officer added. Earlier police in a tweet reported a gunfight between militants and security forces in Chakoora area of Shopian.

The Government forces have installed lights and cordon has also been tightened in Chakoora village of south Kashmir’s Shopian district where an encounter is underway. An official told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that encounter broke out in the village this evening. He said that after initial exchange of fire between militants and security forces, no fresh contact has been established. “Lights have no been installed lights while cordon has been also tightened to ensure militants don’t flee,” he said. The official said searches are going on in the area and chances of militants escaping from the spot can't be ruled out—(KNO)