Jammu & Kashmir

Srinagar, Nov 18 : Putting speculations and rumours to rest, National Conference (NC) president Dr Farooq Abdullah on Friday said that he has not stepped down from the post and that he will continue to hold the office.

Talking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Dr Farooq said he continues to hold the post of president as he has not resigned yet. “I am still the party chief till elections and till someone else is ready to the responsibilities of this post,” he added.

Earlier, reports have been doing rounds that Dr Farooq Abdullah has resigned from the post of president citing several reasons including health issue as one.

Meanwhile, NC chief spokesperson, Tanvir Sadiq also cleared the air and told KNO that Dr Farooq continues to be the party president.

“Some people have spread speculations about his resignation which is not true. He continues to be party chief till election notification is issued for the post,” he added—(KNO)

Srinagar, Nov 15: Chairman of Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Conference Sajad Gani Lone on Wednesday said the dacoits of 1987 are responsible for filling graveyards in Kashmir.

Addressing a delegate session of Peoples Conference here, Lone said those who rigged 1987 assembly polls in J&K are responsible for bloodshed and violence in Kashmir.

“The dacoits of 1987 are the main culprits. They are responsible for filling graveyards in Kashmir. Our hundreds of workers were jailed and booked under PSA in 1987,”Lone said, as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO)

Lone, who was administered oath of office as PC president, said those who sent youngsters to Kathua and Hira Nagar jails cannot represent Kashmiris.

“Farooq Abdullah made his son Omar Abdullah Chief Minister but sent another Kashmiri Yasin Malik to jail in 1987 for being associated with Muslim United Front. Farooq Abdullah registered nine FIRs against Yasin Malik and sent him to jail. He is still in jail,”he said.

Lone said those who question National Conference are being labelled as agents of New Delhi.

“When my father, Jamaat-e-Islamia and Muslim United Front questioned them, they were dubbed as agents of New Delhi. Those who were labelled as agents of New Delhi remained in jails for rest of their lives ,” he said.

“9 FIRs registered against Yasin Malik for supporting MUF”

Lone said that leadership in the present “challenging times means rising up to the occasion and rescuing the Kashmiris.”

The function was attended by PC workers from different areas of Kashmir—(KNO)

In a tragic incident, at least eight persons including four women are feared dead after a vehicle they were travelling in fell into a Nallah near Rachal area of Marwah in Kishtwar district on Wednesday.

An official told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that a passenger vehicle fell into a Nallah near Rachal area this evening.

He said that in the incident, at least eight persons including four women are feared dead even as a rescue operation has been launched.

Meanwhile, deputy commissioner Kishtwar Dr Devansh Yadav told KNO that 5-8 persons are feared dead, while exact details were being collected.

He added that teams of police, army and health department were present on the spot for rescue operation—(KNO)

Today CCIK President along with Office Bearers held a press conference regrading the PDD order of recent power curtailment schedule. The CCIK requested the honourable LG and Chief Engineer PDD to roll back the press order of power curtailment in winters immediately. President CCIK said that the tourism, education, and health sectors will be the most negatively impacted by the power curtailment schedule. CCIK said that traders, industrialists and hoteliers are unable to run their businesses on gen sets as business is very slow at present and the fuel costs have reached sky high. Also to promote winter tourism electricity plays a key role. CCIK stated that since the government has scheduled exams for March, the education sector will be the most severely impacted by the power outage.

CCIK also said that it’s very important to bring into the kind notice of honourable LG that people need more health care as respiratory diseases become prominent during winters especially for children and elderly people who are dependent on oxygen concentrators and other medical gadgets which cannot function without electricity.

CCIK requested that the power curtailment schedule should be minimised to 2 hrs for metered areas and maximum to 3 hrs for non metered areas so that people can spend the harsh winter comfortably.

Waris Fayaz

Sopore, Nov 16 : Transporters including registered Sumo unions in Sopore town of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Wednesday went on an indefinite strike against administration’s move of accommodating “illegal” sumos in general bus stand.

The transporters demand immediate rollback of the decision, stating the move will affect them.

Reports reaching to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that transporters assembled at general bus stand, to hold protest against administration’s move.

Chairman graduate mini bus owners, Sajad Ahmed said said that it was unanimously decided in the meeting that all the transport vehicles will remain off the roads from today, till their are met.

The transporters demanded that the order be revoked immediately in the interest of transporters and public at large.

On Monday, a formal order was issued after a review meeting to streamline traffic in the town, to accommodate “illegal” sumos in general bus stand Sopore.

Meanwhile, additional deputy commissioner Sopore, Parveez Sajad told KNO that the order would be implemented and won’t be revoked—(KNO)

Waris Fayaz

Sopore, Nov 15 : Sopore town in Baramulla district, which is considered as the second largest town in the Valley, is witnessing heavy traffic jams but the lack of traffic cops to regulate vehicular traffic worsens the situation.

A group of commuters comprising employees and students told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that authorities had assured vehicular traffic will be regulated in the town. The situation worsens during peak morning and evening hours and not a single traffic cop is deployed to clear traffic, they said.

They said that on the one hand shopkeepers, street vendors have encroached upon footpaths and roads while the authorities allow heavy vehicles to ply through the main town, leading to traffic jams for hours.

Earlier, the administration banned plying traditional horse-carts (Tongas) within the municipality limits of Sopore but the order was not followed later, said a local Ayaz Ahmed. It would ease the traffic mess to some extent, he added.

Another local Suhail Ahmad said that the road alongside Jamia Masjid Sopore is fully occupied by shopkeepers and pedestrians find it challenging to walk, said Suhail Ahmed—(KNO)

Srinagar, Nov 15 : Unidentified body seemingly of a non-local was found lying on road in Soura area of Srinagar, police said here on Tuesday evening.

Srinagar police, in a Tweet, as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), informed that prima facie it seems a case of unnatural death.

It said that inquest proceedings have been started in this regard.

“One unidentified dead body seemingly of a non-local was found lying on road in soura area of Srinagar. Prima facie seems unnatural death. Inquest proceedings started under CrPC 174. Body sent for post-mortem. Public is requested to inform Soura PS for identification of deceased,” police tweeted—(KNO)

Waris Fayaz

Sopore, Nov 15 : Transporters including Sumo unions in Sopore town of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Tuesday threatened to go on an indefinite strike against administration’s move of accomidating illegal sumo’s in general bus stand.

President graduate mini bus owners, Abdul Hameed while talking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said that the move administration of rehabilitating 400-500 illegal sumo’s in general bus stand Sopore is totally unacceptable.

“Will go to any extent, but will not allow administration to do this, as this move will affect us,” he said.

Transporters say that this is not possible to have three stands in the same location, while Municipal council and local administration is playing with them.

“We were not taken on board, this is not an acceptable move. The move may have every apprehension of internal clashes between the transporters,” said Abdul Majeed, president Sumo stand union.

Similarly, traders federation Sopore have also opposed the move of accommodating illegal sumos in the bus stand.

Meanwhile, the transporters demanded that the order should be immediately revoked and they should also be taken on board.

On Monday, administration issued a formal order after a review meeting to streamline traffic in the town, rehabilitating all types of vehicles—(KNO)