Kashmir Reader

JAMMU:The Northern Army Commander, Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma, on Friday visited the Basantgarh hills in Jammu and Kashmirs Udhampur district to review the prevailing security situation and ongoing counter-terrorist operations in the militancy-affected mountainous belt. During the visit, the Army commander was also briefed on the intelligence grid and enhanced security measures in the region. []

Jammu: In a tragic incident, a head constable of Jammu and Kashmir Police and his wife were killed, while his two children were injured in a road accident near Basti village in Bhaderwah area of Doda district. Officials said that an Alto car lost control near Basti village and rolled into the river. In the []

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday night spoke to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian over the phone and discussed the serious situation in West Asia. Modi expressed deep concern over the escalation of tensions in the region and the loss of civilian lives as well as damage to civilian infrastructure. The prime minister told []

Opposition blames revocation of statehood New Delhi: The assassination bid on former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah figured in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, with opposition parties blaming revocation of statehood for the incident, while the Centre promised a comprehensive investigation. Leader of the Opposition in the Upper House, Mallikarjun Kharge, raised the []

Assures thorough investigation into attack Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday spoke to former chief minister Farooq Abdullah following the attack on him at a wedding function and assured him that a thorough investigation would be conducted. Abdullah (88) had a narrow escape when a gunman opened fire at him from []

Party passes resolution condemning attack, demands impartial probe Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Thursday held an emergency meeting at the party headquarters to strongly protest and condemn the assassination attempt on party president Dr Farooq Abdullah, terming the incident a grave and alarming attack on democratic values. The meeting was chaired by the []

Those who seek to destroy peace will find no place to hide Jammu: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday said that the peace we enjoy today, the peace that lets families gather, athletes compete, and communities thrive, did not come without a price. This peace was secured through the sacrifices of the J&K Police, the []

Emphasizes faster fund utilization, timely completion of projects Jammu: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday chaired a meeting to review the progress of projects under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) scheme. The review focused on the progress of works, reforms and opportunities, covering a wide spectrum of projects being executed by []

Jammu: Minister for Education, Social Welfare, Health and Medical Education, Sakeena Itoo on Thursday remarked that the government is committed to strengthen higher education sector in Jammu and Kashmir, asserting thatt our vision is to position J&K as a hub of quality higher education and research excellence. The Minister made these remarks while chairing a []

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday granted bail to Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Ahmed Shah in a terror funding case, in which he was arrested by the National Investigation Agency on June 4, 2019. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta said a detailed order will follow with some stringent bail conditions []

Srinagar: Jumat-ul-Vida, the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan, will be observed across Jammu and Kashmir on Friday. Grand Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam, per news agencyKashmir News Observer (KNO), said Jumat-ul-Vida will fall on March 13 this year, as the following Friday may coincide with Eid-ul-Fitr. Meanwhile, Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid held a meeting chaired []

Jammu: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday extended warm greetings to the people of Jammu and Kashmir on the auspicious occasion of Jumat-ul-Vida. In his message, the Chief Minister emphasized the profound spiritual significance of Jumat-ul-Vida, the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan, which holds special importance for []

Srinagar:The Government on Thursday preponed the holiday on account of Jumat-ul-Vida to March 13 (Friday) instead of the earlier notified date of March 20. According to Government Order, the decision has been taken in partial modification of Government Order No. 1894-JK(GAD) of 2025 and Government Order No. 1895-JK(GAD) of 2025, both issued on December []

Srinagar: A Srinagar court on Thursday issued a non-bailable warrant against National Conference president Farooq Abdullah after rejecting his plea seeking exemption from personal appearance in the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) scam case. The order, as learnt was passed by the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Srinagar, during a hearing on the framing of []

NEW DELHI:The House functions strictly according to rules and no member has the privilege to speak at any time and on any subject, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla asserted on Thursday, a day after a resolution seeking his removal from office was defeated. Birla said the Chair does not belong to any individual, but is []

NEW DELHI:The assassination bid on former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah figured in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, with opposition parties blaming revocation of statehood for the incident, while the Centre promised a comprehensive investigation. Leader of the Opposition in the Upper House, Mallikarjun Kharge, raised the issue when the House met for []

Srinagar: The first batch of Indian students has left from Iran as repatriation process began in a phased manner amid the ongoing war in the Middle East. The students will be repatriated from war-hit Iran via Armenia and Azerbaijan borders. Indian students studying in various Iranian medical universities have started travelling by buses towards border []

Jammu; A day after escaping an assassination attempt, National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah Thursday said he was saved by God and that he doesnt know the attacker. The former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister escaped unhurt after a man attempted to open fire at him at a wedding ceremony in Jammu last night. Speaking []

JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir Congress on Thursday strongly condemned the murderous attack on former chief minister Farooq Abdullah in Jammu and said those entrusted with maintaining law and order must be held accountable. Abdullah had a narrow escape when a gunman allegedly opened fire at him from behind while he was leaving a marriage []

Srinagar:The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) Kashmir of Crime Branch J&K has produced a chargesheet in case FIR No. 07/2013 before the Honble Court of Special Anti-Corruption Judge Baramulla against seventeen (17) accused persons for offences punishable under Sections 420, 467, 468, 471, 120-B and 201 RPC read with Section 5(2) PC Act. In a []

JAMMU: Police have initiated a detailed probe into the antecedents of Kamal Singh Jamwal, the man who allegedly attempted to assassinate former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah at a marriage function here, officials said on Thursday. Police are examining the 63-year-old Jamwals background, including his personal, social and possible organisational links, to ascertain []

Says India has already earned a position in the global ski map New Delhi : Two-time Olympian Arif Mohammad Khan has urged the Union sports ministry to enable at least one proper infrastructure on the slopes of Gulmarg to prepare Indian athletes for global events. A full season of at least five months till April-end []

PARIS:President Donald Trump says his administration will tap the United States Strategic Petroleum Reserve to try and reduce gasoline prices that have risen due to the Iran war. During an interview Wednesday with WKRC Local 12 in Cincinnati, Trump was asked about tapping the reserve and said, Well, well do that and then well fill []

JAMMU:An attempt on the life of former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah while he was attending a marriage ceremony here has been thwarted, police said. An attempt was made on the life of Farooq Abdullah when he was attending a marriage ceremony at the Royal Park in Greater Kailash, Jammu. The security deployed []

Srinagar: Hotels and restaurants across Kashmir are sitting on just eight to ten days of commercial LPG stock, with fresh supplies uncertain after the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas issued an advisory on March 9 prioritising domestic consumers. The concerns come amid rising global tensions triggered by the escalating conflict involving Iran, which []

Tehran: Irans military command said on Wednesday the world should be prepared for oil to hit $200 a barrel, as three more ships came under attack in the blockaded Gulf. Get ready for oil to be $200 a barrel, because the oil price depends on regional security which you have destabilised, Ebrahim Zolfaqari, spokesperson for []

Jammu: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary escaped unhurt in an attack by a gunman outside a marriage hall in the outskirts of Jammu on Wednesday night, officials said. The accused, Kamal Singh Jamwal, a resident of Purani Mandi, was overpowered by security guards and was whisked []

Calls for depiction of cultural identity in new infrastructure New Delhi: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday reviewed plans to establish new JK Houses in Dwarka in the national capital and Mumbai and to revamp existing government properties across several states and Union Territories to strengthen Jammu and Kashmirs presence nationwide. The review meeting was []

Srinagar: Kashmir Zone IGP V K Birdi on Wednesday reviewed the security situation in the Valley in view of the upcoming festivals, including Eid al-Fitr and Navratri scheduled later this month. Birdi chaired a security review meeting at the PCR Kashmir to evaluate and finalise the security arrangements for the upcoming festivals in Kashmir, a []

Hajin: A sensitisation and awareness programme for senior citizens under the Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVAY) was organised by the Social Welfare Department Bandipora at Town Hall MC Hajin on Wednesday. The programme was chaired by Tehsil Social Welfare Officer Sumbal, Fayaz Ahmad Lone. Officials from J&K Bank, including Rameez Ahmad and Ghulam Hassan, []

TIRUCHIRAPPALLI; Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate, dedicate to the nation and lay the foundation stone for multiple development projects worth about Rs 5,650 crore here on Wednesday. He would later address the NDA rally at around 6.30 pm during his brief visit to the state. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, PMK leader Anbumani []

DUBAI: US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday would be the most intense day yet of US strikes inside Iran. The Islamic Republic, its firepower diminished, vowed to fight on. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the wars aim is a popular overthrow of Irans government, and we are breaking their bones. White House press []

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday met some top ministers and asked them to work together to ensure Indian consumers do not suffer from the impact of the West Asia conflict on the supply and price of petroleum products, sources said. Amid rising tensions in West Asia ever since the United States and []

New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on his birthday on Tuesday and wished him a long life and wonderful health. Former union minister Abdullah, the two-time chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, turned 56 on Tuesday. According to officials, the President spoke to []

Conveys solidarity with Iranian people New Delhi: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah Tuesday visited the Embassy of the Iran in New Delhi and signed the condolence book to express profound grief over the martyrdom of Syed Ali Khamenei, the Spiritual and Supreme Leader of Iran. On the occasion, Dr Farooq []

Srinagar: A few areas in the higher reaches of Kashmir received snowfall on Tuesday while the plains were lashed by rains, ending the prolonged dry spell in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said. Gurez in north Kashmir and Sonamarg-Zojila axis in central Kashmir were among the higher reaches that received overnight snowfall, while rains continued to []

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir government has dismissed three workers of the Jal Shakti department over their alleged involvement in anti-national and subversive activities, officials said on Tuesday. Among the three workers, two hailed from Kishtwar district in Jammu, while one belonged to south Kashmirs Anantnag district. They were identified as Liyaqat Ali Bhagwan, a resident []

Jammu: A total of 40,661 posts are currently vacant in government departments across Jammu and Kashmir, Commissioner Secretary, General Administration Department (GAD), M Raju said on Tuesday. The vacancies include 3,808 gazetted posts, 24,507 non-gazetted posts, and 12,351 multi-tasking staff (MTS) posts. Raju shared the information at a meeting convened by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo []

Jammu: Minister for Social Welfare, Education, Health and Medical Education, Sakeena Itoo on Tuesday chaired a comprehensive review meeting to discuss various proposals focusing on enhanced convergence of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) framework with Education, Health, and other allied departments to further strengthen the early learning ecosystem at Anganwadi Centres across Jammu and []

Many booked tickets on own; embassy to facilitate entry; first batch likely to reach Delhi on Mar 15 Srinagar: Indian medical students stranded in Iran, including dozens from Jammu and Kashmir, are preparing to return home through a complicated Armenia route after the Indian Embassy in Tehran declined to announce a formal evacuation plan, leaving []

JAMMU:AAP leader Manish Sisodia on Tuesday emphasised the need to continue the fight against dictatorship and alleged that the Narendra Modi-led government has created a situation where anyone raising their voice against it is being falsely implicated and sent to jail. Sisodia further demanded that the prime minister clarify how the United States was portraying []

KOLKATA: Asserting that no eligible voters name would be removed from the electoral rolls in West Bengal, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Tuesday said the ECs priority was to ensure free, fair and peaceful polls in the state as it stepped up preparations for the upcoming assembly elections, amid a charged political atmosphere. Addressing []

Baramulla: Authorities in Baramulla have imposed restrictions in Mirgund and Mirchimar villages of Singhpora area ahead of the 21st Ramzan, citing concerns over potential law and order issues. According to an order, a long-standing dispute between two rival Shia factions over the observance of religious functions and control of Imam []

Srinagar: The Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden in Srinagar-Asias largest-will open for visitors on March 16 (Monday), officials said on Tuesday. Director Floriculture Kashmir, Mathoora Masoom, said that with the tulips now in bloom, the department has decided to open the garden for the season on Monday. Located on the foothills of the Zabarwan Range []

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Jal Shakti Department has ordered the immediate disengagement of three workers over their alleged involvement in anti-national and subversive activities. According to seperate orders, Kousar Hussain Bhagwan (NBCL) and Liyaqat Ali Bhagwan (NBCL), involved in FIR No. 230/2019 under UAPA Sections 13, 18, 19, 38, 39, and Showkat Ahmad Zargar []

JOHANNESBURG:India has a major role to play in the remaking of the post-World War II world order, which is on the brink of collapse, South African Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Zuko Godlimpi told a gathering of captains of industry, academics and policy makers in Pretoria on Monday. The minister was delivering the keynote []

DUBAI: Oil prices surged and markets slid on Monday after hard-line Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei was chosen to succeed his late father as Irans supreme leader, signalling that Iran was digging in 10 days into the war launched by the United States and Israel. Oil prices later fell, and the US stock market closed higher, amid []

DUBAI: US President Donald Trump had a call on Monday with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the war in Iran and other issues, which according to the Kremlin was a frank and businesslike conversation that lasted about an hour. 1. Heavy US and Israeli bombardment of Iran has been going on for more []

Classes 912 had resumed Feb 23; colleges reopened Feb 16 Srinagar: All educational institutions in Kashmir valley resumed academic activities on Monday. The schools upto 8th standard in Kashmir region reopened nearly after more than two months of winter vacation. However, the reopening of the establishments upto 8th standard was delayed by a week as []

Raises students issue New Delhi: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Monday visited the Iranian Embassy and Cultural Centre in New Delhi and expressed condolences over the death of Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, while also raising concerns about Kashmiri students stranded in the country amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia. The []