REGIONAL

People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday expressed concerns suggesting that the recent actions of the Jammu and Kashmir administration indicate an imminent Supreme Court verdict on petitions related to Article 370. Mufti remarked that this potential decision might not align with the country’s interests. “Since Friday night, we are witnessing lists containing names of workers from various parties, especially the PDP, being processed through police stations. It seems an unfavourable decision for the country and Jammu and Kashmir is imminent, serving only to advance the BJP’s agenda. Consequently, precautionary measures are being taken, which is unfortunate,” Mufti said to reporters in Anantnag. She emphasised the Supreme Court’s duty to safeguard the country...

The residents of Shopian district have urged the authorities to construct a maternity hospital at Old Fruit Mandi site Arhama in the town. Inhabitants while talking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) expecting mothers have to travel to Srinagar for maternity services. A dedicated facility in the district would not only cater to the immediate needs of pregnant women but also contribute to the overall improvement of maternal and child health in the region, the residents said. Ehsan Ahmad, a local, said that they have already submitted a plea with the government for construction of the hospital. According to him, there is a piece of land available where fruit mandi existed and has been shifted to Aglar now. The construction of maternity hospitals will have a positiv...

Anjuman Auqaf has termed the disallowing of prayers for the 9th consecutive Friday at Jama Masjid Srinagar and the continuous detention of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq as unjustified. Auqaf in a statement said today they were informed to close all doors of the mosque for Friday prayers. It also expressed resentment against placing Mirwaiz under house detention for the 9th consecutive Friday, saying such restrictions are not only unjustified but there is also no reason for such an arbitrary act. "Such acts by the administration are not only tantamount to interference in religious affairs but also seriously hurt the feelings and sentiments of the people," the Auqaf said. It said people have a deep religious and emotional attachment to the Jama Masjid Srinagar and Mirwaiz, and disallowing pra...

Srinagar Court has issued directions to the Police to register an FIR in alleged forgery case and take up the investigation. The directions came after the complainant Sabha Sheikh of Rajbagh Srinagar alleged that some of her family members have forged her signatures for various property transactions and thus making fraudulent transactions on her name. According to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the Court of City Magistrate, Srinagar, presided over by Fozia Paul directed the Economic Offence Wing Srinagar to file the case against all accused in the case. In her complaint, Sabha Sheikh has alleged that her some family members have forged her signatures and also availed loan from bank after mortgaging her share in property to the bank. The complainant also alleged th...

Mughal road, connecting Kashmir Valley's Shopian district with twin districts of Rajouri and Poonch, reopened on Sunday for one-way traffic after remaining closed due to fresh snowfall, officials said. The thoroughfare was closed due to snowfall at several places along the road including 'Pir Ki Gali' on November 30. DTI Mughal Road Kapil Manhas confirmed to GNS that traffic has been opened towards Shopian end. Earlier this year, the road, considered as alternative to Jammu-Srinagar Highway, was closed on several occasions due to snowfall, particularly in 'Pir KiGali’ and its adjoining areas. (GNS)

The security forces on Sunday claimed to have arrested three TRF militant associates in the Kalgai area of north Kashmir's Baramulla district and recovered arms and ammunition from their possession. In a statement issued to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), a police spokesperson said that on November 25, during joint Naka checking and patrolling security forces intercepted two suspected persons coming from Kamalkote towards the national highway carrying bags who were identified as Zameer Ahmad Khanday son of Azeem Khanday and Mohammad Naseem Khanday son of Abdul Majeed Khanday - both resident of Kamalkote. The statement reads that during the search, 3 Chinese grenades, and 2.5 lakh cash were recovered from them, following which a case FIR under relevant sections of law was...

Peoples Democratic Party president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday said that the ruling BJP led government has made life of people in Kashmir very difficult in the name of militancy. She said arrests are being made on a daily basis, monitoring and surveillance continues while none is allowed to talk. Talking to reporters, as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), after addressing party workers in Larnoo Kokernag, she questioned the government’s claim of curbing militancy in the face of the killing of four soldiers in Rajouri. Reacting to reports that Jamaat-e-Islami was behind the creation of PDP, Mehboba said that Jamaat-e-Islami has suffered a lot and it was doing great welfare work by running schools with low fee and quality education. "When Mufti ...

Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) Thursday deplored the Rajouri attack, in no uncertain terms, in which four soldiers lost their lives. “Violence only exacerbates the issues rather than resolving them,” PAGD said in a statement issued to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO). The conglomerate said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have borne the brunt of violence over the past more than 30 years. “They have a long-standing experience of violence, spurring total devastation and adding more to their problems,” PAGD said. PAGD expressed solidarity with families of soldiers, who made supreme sacrifices in the line of duty—(KNO)