REGIONAL

A Delhi court is set to hear a bail application on August 28 filed by Lok Sabha MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid, also known as Engineer Rashid, who has been in jail since 2019 in connection with a 2017 Jammu Kashmir terror funding case. Rashid, who defeated former Chief Minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls from the Baramulla constituency, is seeking regular bail. The court, presided by Additional Sessions Judge Chander Jit Singh, issued a notice to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on August 20, directing the agency to respond to Rashid's plea by August 28. Rashid had earlier been granted custody parole to take his oath of office on July 5. Rashid has been incarcerated under charges filed by the NIA under the Unlawful Activities (Preventio...

Former Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) Mayor Junaid Azim Mattu has resigned from the Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party, citing a divergence in his personal convictions from the party's ideology. In a heartfelt statement, Mattu expressed his gratitude to the party's president, Syed Muhammad Altaf Bukhari, and his colleagues, while emphasizing the importance of remaining true to his principles. "During my Hajj pilgrimage earlier this year, I made a solemn pledge to pursue politics guided by my own principles and a clear sense of right and wrong," Mattu stated. He noted that extensive consultations with his workers and supporters over the past five days led him to this decision. Mattu expressed deep respect for Altaf Bukhari, referring to him as an elder brother, but underscored that...

A Delhi court has ordered the release of Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah in a money laundering case linked to terror funding. The order was issued by Additional Sessions Judge Dheeraj Mor of Patiala House Courts after observing that Shah has already served the maximum sentence of seven years under Section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The court noted that Shah had been in continuous custody since July 26, 2017, amounting to over seven years of imprisonment. “Accordingly, in view of proviso to Section 436A CrPC, he is entitled to be released in this case. Therefore, he is directed to be released from judicial custody in this case. Release warrants be issued. He be released forthwith, if not required in any other case,” the court stated. The cas...

In a major success, Anantnag Police, in coordination with the Army and CRPF, arrested three militant associates. "A substantial cache of arms and ammunition was also recovered during the operation," a police spokesman said in a statement issued to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO). The arrests were made during a joint naka checking at Wopzan Trijunction, where security forces arrested three persons including Umaiq Mushtaq Zargar, S/O Mushtaq Ahmad Zargar, R/O Karewa Colony Bijbehara, Ishfaq Ahmad Dar, S/O Mohd Yaqoob Dar, R/O Dar Mohalla Arwani and Shahid Ahmad Gadhanji, S/O Sonaullah Gadhanji, R/O Dar Mohalla Arwani. The statement reads that several items were seized from the suspects, which include one pistol, 2 pistol magazines, 23 pistol rounds and 2 grenades. Pre...

The relatives of dialysis and cancer patients staged a protest at Sher-e-Kashmir Park, Srinagar, against the disruption of “Golden Card” services, without which they say their kin can’t get proper treatment, Kashmir Bulletin reported. The protesters speaking to the news agency—Kashmir Bulletin (KB) said, they had availed of the benefits of the card but were now deprived of services from dialysis centers lately. They quoted the centers having said that the dues due from the government were causing financial distress and disruption of services. “Care in Golden Card services is the lifeline for many patients,” said a protester, adding we appeal to the administration to take immediate action. In the meanwhile, demonstrators also focused on the fact that after taking care of the patien...

Shah Basit Omar Abdullah, the former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, has been officially nominated by the Jammu Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) to contest from the Ganderbal constituency in the upcoming assembly polls. The JKNC has announced a comprehensive list of candidates for various key constituencies in central Kashmir and other regions. Ali Mohammad Sagar will be contesting from Khanyar, while Salman Ali Sagar has been nominated for Hazratbal. Mian Mehar Ali will represent the party in Kangan (ST), and Shameema Firdous will contest from Habba Kadal. Ahsan Pardesi has been chosen for the Lal Chowk constituency, and Mushtaq Guroo will run for the Chanapora seat. In Zadibal, Tanvir Sadiq has been nominated, and Mubarak Gul will be the candidate for Eidgah. In the Khan ...

Two bodies, including that of a 12-year-old boy, were recovered on Tuesday as rescue operation continued in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ramban district to trace five other missing people following a cloudburst, officials said. The cloudburst occurred in Panchayats Kumate, Dhraman and Halla in Rajgarh tehsil late Monday afternoon, causing flash floods in Tanger and Dadi streams, they said. Seven people of three different families were reported missing in the flash floods, Tehsildar Rajgarh Major Singh told PTI. Despite the inclement weather, the rescue team has so far managed to retrieve bodies of two persons — Yasir Ahmad (20) of Gadgram and Khalid Ahmed Parihar (12) of Suli-Kumate, Singh, who is supervising the rescue operation, said. He said efforts are underway to locate the remaini...

After Sarjan Barkati, the brother of late Mohammed Afzal Guru has announced that he will contest the assembly polls in Jammu Kashmir. Named Aijaz Ahmed Guru, he will contest the assembly polls from north Kashmir. Jammu Kashmir is preparing for its first assembly elections in a decade, with voting scheduled to take place in three phases from September 18 to October 1, 2024. Ajaz Ahmad Guru is the  brother of Mohammad Afzal Guru, who was executed in 2013 for his involvement in the 2001 Parliament attack. This development marks a significant shift in the political landscape of Jammu Kashmir, as former militants and separatists seek to re-enter society through the democratic process.

The National Conference (NC) and Congress have officially formed a pre-poll alliance for the upcoming Jammu Kashmir Assembly elections, agreeing to a seat-sharing arrangement across the 90 assembly segments. Under this alliance, the NC will field candidates in 51 constituencies, while Congress will contest 32 seats. Additionally, Congress has agreed to leave two of its seats for the CPI (M) and Panthers Party. This collaboration is aimed at consolidating their respective strengths and countering other political forces in the region. As part of this alliance, the two parties have divided the 24 assembly segments that will go to the polls in the first phase on September 18. The NC has announced candidates for 18 of these constituencies, while the remaining six will be contested by Congr...

Senior BJP leader Devender Singh Rana asserted on Saturday that his party is committed to safeguarding the reservations granted to backward classes following the abrogation of Article 370. He accused the Congress-National Conference alliance of planning to deprive these communities of their rights. Rana made these remarks during a roadshow and rally organized by the BJP in the Chanapora constituency of Srinagar in early May 2024, where the party encouraged support for non-JKNC and non-PDP candidates. Rana strongly opposed any attempts to rename Shankaracharya Hill as "Takht-e-Suleiman" and Hari Parbat as "Koh-e-Maran," stating that these locations are sacred and significant to the faith of many. This comes as National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah announced a pre-poll alliance ...