REGIONAL

One unidentified militant has been killed in an overnight gunfight in Lolab Forests in North Kashmir's Kupwara district on Wednesday. Official sources told GNS that one militant has been killed in an operation which commenced yesterday late evening. The operation in the area is still underway. On Tuesday late evening, a joint team of police and army launched a cordon and search operation in Lolab Forests after receiving a specific input about presence of some militants.(GNS)

As Jammu Kashmir’s legislative assembly enters its third day on Wednesday, a contentious debate is anticipated. The National Conference (NC) is likely to seek the restoration of Article 370 and assembly powers, while the BJP has said that it would oppose any bill regarding 370. Tanvir Sadiq, the chief spokesperson of the Jammu Kashmir National Conference, has indicated that the party plans to introduce a resolution regarding Article 370 in a "well-mannered way." He criticized PDP MLA Waheed ur Rehman Para’s recent actions as “out of the rule and merely a gimmick for the cameras.” Sadiq stated, “The party is committed to bring a resolution and discuss it in the house on Wednesday.” Senior National Conference leader and MLA Aijaz Ahmed Jan also expressed that his party's is commi...

An unidentified militant was killed, while two government force personnel were injured during an ongoing encounter in the Ketsun Forest area of North Kashmir’s Bandipora. A top police officer told NVI that one unidentified terrorist had been killed, and two security personnel were injured in Ketsun Forest. He said the incident began when a joint team of security forces intensified searches around a suspected location, leading to an exchange of gunfire as the hiding terrorist opened fire on the forces, triggering the gunfight.—(News Vibes of India)

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha issued a strong warning against militancy, stating that any home found to be sheltering militants will face demolition. Speaking at an event in Baramulla, Sinha emphasized a zero-tolerance approach, calling on citizens to join in eradicating militancy from the region within the next year. Sinha claimed that government forces would target only those involved in militants, sparing innocent lives, but made it clear that those aiding terrorists would face severe consequences. Addressing concerns that demolishing such homes could be seen as harsh, he insisted, "This is not an atrocity but a demand for justice, and justice will continue." The Lieutenant Governor further pointed out that while neighboring countries attempt to destabilize the region, the...

An unidentified Militant has been killed in an ongoing operation in Ketsun area of North Kashmir's Bandipora district on Tuesday. Sources told GNS that in initial exchange of fire one militant has been killed. His identity will be ascertained once encounter is over. A joint team of Police and army had launched cordon and search operation in the Bandipora after receiving a specific input. More details awaited.(GNS)

An exchange of gunfire has been  reported between militants and government forces in the Ketsun forest area of Bandipora, North Kashmir. Earlier last week, suspected militants attacked an army camp in Pannar area of Bandipora, following which a massive search operation was launched in the forest area. The search was called off stating that the militants managed to escape from the spot. The encounter comes days after the encounter in Khanyar in Srinagar where one militant Usman Bhai was killed.

The JK Peace Forum, a prominent organization representing Kashmiri Pandits, has once again urged for the restoration of Article 370, highlighting its significance in safeguarding Jammu and Kashmir’s cultural heritage and autonomy. Forum President Satish Mahaldar voiced disappointment at the limited support the resolution on Article 370 received in the Jammu Kashmir Assembly. "This is not just a political demand, but a call for justice, rooted in the deep concerns and aspirations of the people," he told Kashmir News Trust. Mahaldar emphasized that the Forum's call for restoration stems from longstanding public concerns, stressing that "only a handful of lawmakers backed the resolution, which is a disappointment given the stakes for the people." He reiterated that the JK Peace Fo...

The National Conference legislator from South Kashmir, Bashir Ahmad Veeri, paid tribute to former legislator Syed Ali Geelani while reading obituary references in the assembly. "Speaker sahab, main Syed Ali Shah Geelani sahab ko kharaji aqeedat pesh karta houn woh iss aiwaan ke muazaz member rahe hain" ("Mr. Speaker, I pay tribute to Syed Ali Shah Geelani. He has been a respected member of the house"), Veeri said. Geelani, who served as a member of the legislative assembly three times from Sopore—winning in 1972, 1977, and 1987—later joined the separatist camp following the eruption of militancy in 1989. He boycotted subsequent elections and continued his stance until his passing in 2021.

Senior BJP leader and MLA Udhampur-East, R S Pathania, sparked a debate in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly by questioning the widespread media coverage of a resolution on Article 370, submitted by PDP MLA Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra. Pathania's inquiry came during an obituary reference in the House, where he paid tribute to lawmakers who passed away in the last decade. Pathania's concern centered around the fact that the resolution's copy hadn't reached the Speaker, yet it received extensive media coverage. He asked, "Speaker Sir, how can the media cover this resolution when it hasn't even reached your desk? Isn't this contempt of the House?" Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather intervened, directing Pathania to focus on the obituary references, as no other business was scheduled for the day. ...

Two fathers from Kashmir are urgently appealing for public assistance as they search for their missing daughters in Jammu. Nissar Ahmed, father of 15-year-old Arbina from Shopian, and Abdul Salam, father of 25-year-old Bismah Jan from Pulwama, reported that their daughters left home on October 21, 2024, and have not returned since. According to Ahmed, both young women were last seen near Banihal tunnel, but no further information has surfaced regarding their location. Following reports from the families, the police have registered separate FIRs at Police Stations Keller and Pulwama. A search operation is currently underway, with police focusing on areas along the National Highway and around the Bus Stand in Jammu, though no leads have emerged. Ahmed and Salam are appealing t...