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Srinagar: The Jammu Kashmir Nationalist People’s Front (JKNPF), while condemning the killing of a Kashmiri Pandit employee, said this is a cowardly act and killing innocent people has no justification.

Sanjay Kumar Sharma, 40, a Kashmiri pandith by profession and bank guard from Achan in Litter village, had stepped out of his home to buy groceries when terrorists fired at him. He was taken to the district hospital, but he died on the way. He is survived by his wife, Sunita Sharma, 38.

The JKNPF leadership said that Pakistan’s infected minds didn’t like the selfless and honest work that Kashmiri pandits are doing, and by targeting the minority community with such dastardly and heinous acts, Pakistan itself is exposing they are the enemies of peaceful atmosphere of Kaahmir.

Condemning the incident, Shri Sanjay Kumar, a party patron, said: “It was a desperate attempt by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists to fail the ongoing peace process in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

He said the killing of an innocent Kashmiri pandit in Pulwama was barbaric. “It’s nothing but an act of frustration and has let down the head of Kashmiriyat in shame,” he added.

Party president Shiekh Muzafar said, “It is a conspiracy of Pakistani terrorists and their followers to turn the Kashmir valley into a graveyard, but our police, paramilitary forces, and the Army are determined to root out terrorism and bring peace to the valley.”

While expressing her deepest condolences to the bereaved family and solidarity with them at this time of grief,

Violence in any of its manifestations is unacceptable and will yield nothing except death and destruction.

Waris Fayaz

Sopore, Feb 27: The unavailability of doctors at Mother and Child Hospital in Sopore area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district has triggered a protest as patients face inconveniences.

Reports reaching the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said patients held a protest against hospital authorities, as no doctor was present there to attend them.

They said the protesters had blocked the road near the hospital for hours, halting traffic for hours together and was later cleared after police intervention.

Meanwhile, one of the patients alleged they have been waiting since 8 am and no doctor is available at the hospital.

“It is not the first time, we have been always witnessing such incidents here. The concerned authorities don’t even bother to address this grave issue,” he said.

Meanwhile, an official said they have arranged a doctor as the doctor who was supposed to be there was on some training—(KNO)

According to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Director of School Education Jammu (DSEJ) said that those teachers are termination from services on basis of qualification certificates acquired from Un-recognized Boards.

The official communique in this regard reads, “A committee was constituted to review the pending regularization cases of RETs.”

“The committee member in meeting held on February-07-2023, observed that 23 RETs of different districts of Jammu Division have acquired their qualification from the Boards which have not been granted equivalence by the J&K Board of School Education, Jammu as these boards have not been recognized by the Council of Boards of School Education (COBSE) in India,” it reads.

The communique further reads that the committee has recommended the termination of services twenty three RETs as per immediately as they do not possess the requisite qualification certificates.

“Now, therefore in view of the recominendations of the committee, the concerned Chief Education Officers are directed to disengage the services of those twenty three RETs as per immediately,” DSEJ said—(KNO)

Feb 26 (KNO): Jammu and Kashmir police Sunday said that terrorists involved in the killing of a Kashmiri Pandit Bank guard in Achan area of Litter hamlet of South Kashmir will be tracked down and neutralized soon.

Talking to reporters, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, South Kashmir range, Rayees Muhammad Bhat said unknown terrorists fired at a bank security guard from Pandit community at Achan area of Litter. “We are acting swiftly and investigating the matter. The terrorists involved in this heinous crime will be tracked down and neutralized soon,” Bhat as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO)

The slain was identified as Sanjay Pandith son of Kashi Nath Pandit of Achan area of Litter, Pulwama district. Meanwhile, Kashmiri Pandit Sangarsh Samiti (KPSS) in a tweet said: “Govt and BJP4India canot handle 75 lakh Kashmiri Population and want to control PoK and Balochistan. Kashmiri Pandits are killed like dogs in Kashmir and @HMO India and @office of LG J&K sensor the information that Kashmir most dangerous place for KPs in this world.”—(KNO)

Waris Fayaz

Srinagar, Feb 24 : The Jammu and Kashmir police here on Friday said that in a major breakthrough against drug suppliers in Kupwara district, two hardcore narcotic smugglers were arrested, while as around 4.5kg of heroin like substance were recovered from their possession, even as the officials said, both the smugglers were having close contact with handlers across the LoC in this illicit trade.

A senior police official said that based on specific inputs generated by them, five packets of heroin-like narcotics weighing around 4.588 Kilograms were recovered in two separate cases from Karnah area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara.

He said, that one suspect namely Farooq Ahmad Shah son of Raqeeb Hussain Shah a resident of Panjatara Karnah was picked up for questioning in a case FIR No.17/2023 U/S 8/21-29 NDPS Act registered in Police Station Karnah and based on his due confession, Kupwara Police along with Army’s 06 JAK Rifles recovered three packets of heroin like narcotics substance weighing 2.674 Kgs from a hiding place, which was searched in presence of the Executive Magistrate.

Similarly, Raja Aftab Alias Babu son of Raja Ghulam Akbar of Teethwal, another suspect in a case FIR No. 18/2023 U/S 8/21-29 NDPS Act of PS Karnah was detained for questioning upon his confession, two packets of heroin-like narcotics substance weighing about 1.914 kgs were recovered.

Officials told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that both the persons are hardcore narcotic smugglers and had received these consignments from across the Line of Control (LoC) to promote drug addiction to earn quick money and to further the cause of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.

Babu’s one of the brothers is already facing trials in a narcotic smuggling case filed at Nagrota police station in Jammu in the year 2018. We suspect his brother Zahoor Ahmed who is currently residing in Pak occupied Jammu Kashmir after crossing the LoC illegally supplying narcotics to Aftab alias Babu, he said.

Both the arrested smugglers were in close contact with the handlers across the Line of Control (LoC) and were involved in this illicit trade, officials added. “We are investigating the cases and more arrests are likely”, they said—(KNO)

Anantnag, Feb 24 : For the very first time, a known cricket manufacturing company from South Kashmir’s Anantnag district has taken an initiative to provide a platform to talented cricketers of Kashmir to reach international level.

Gr8 Sports, a bat manufacturing company from Halmulla Anantnag, has signed MoU with various international cricket boards and leagues to vanguard the talent from Kashmir.

Owner of the company Fawzul Kabiir while talking to news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that he has witnessed that cricket players in Kashmir are very much talented but they lack the platform to reach to the mega stages.

“We have taken up initiative to provide them a platform so that they get an opportunity to reach to international level and prove their mettle,” he said.

Any professional cricketer below 36 years of age can make videos of his signature shots and upload them while tagging Gr8 Sports on social media, he said, adding that every video of batting, bowling or wicket keeping will be analyzed by experts and management companies and shortlist players.

Kabiir said that every year shortlisted players will undergo trials before selection committee members of international cricket boards and International league franchisees, who will select them for different leagues.

“Every year around 100 batsmen, 100 bowlers and around 50 wicket keepers will be shortlisted who will have to undergo trials and can reach international level as selection will be done on spot in Kashmir,” he said.

“Our aim behind this initiative is just to promote local talent and we have signed MoU with at least 10 cricket playing nations and if our players will be able to showcase talent, they can reach international leagues like Carabian League, BPL,” he added.

Let players play their normal cricket and make videos and upload them while tagging us and Mobica-our talent management company will access and on that basis screening will be done and players will be shortlisted.

After shortlisting, international coaches of franchises and international boards will be brought here one by one and will select players from shortlists on the basis of data base uploaded and trials, he said.

He said that even children have exposure to leather ball cricket and he is hopeful that local cricket players will be able to showcase their talent anywhere in the world.

“It will be a big opportunity for talented youth to make their career besides that it will help in keeping youth away from social evils and generate income as well,” he said.

When asked why he is sponsoring players, he said that mostly sponsored players are being used as advertising agents only and they don’t get proper opportunity as we want to make stars not marketing agents.

“The Company has also decided to start a monthly show that will be live on social media platforms where queries of players will be answered besides that international players will guide talented players as well,” he said.

“We want to provide talented players every opportunity to groom them into stars and this program will be started from March 2023,” he said.

Interested players can tag us on Facebook @gr8sports.biz, Twitter @gr8sports_ltd, Website https://gr8sports.org—(KNO)

Waris Fayaz

Handwara, Feb 24 : Lack of adequate healthcare facilities at New Type Primary Health Centre (NTPHC) at Ashpora in Block Langate of Handwara is causing immense problems to the people with locals demanding round-the-clock facilities.

The decades-old Health Centre has been consecutively overlooked by the previous governments as well as the present dispensation, with the healthcare facilities below par, locals alleged.

Talking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), they said that the lack of staff and proper healthcare facilities in the PHC is forcing them to shift patients to Handwara or Baramulla hospitals even for minor issues. “It becomes very difficult for them to move to other facilities particularly in case of emergencies, as the NTPHC has no ambulance facility,” locals added.

“Authorities have kept the NTPHC only on papers, as it has a building with no laboratory and other basic facilities,” said Irshad Ahmed, a local. He said that the facility lacks gynecologists, X-ray and ECG.

He said that the PHC has its own ambulance but is of no use in absence of a driver post. “We have to call the 108 service in case of emergencies, but by the time the service reaches them, the patient has to go through the immense hardships”.

Despite several appeals to the higher-ups, nothing has been done so far in this regard, residents said while appealing to the LG administration to look into the grievance at the earliest.

Block Medical Officer (BMO) Langate Dr Gowher told KNO that they have been taken up with the issue with the higher ups from time to time, and they are working on it to resolve the genuine demands of people.

“We have an ambulance in NTPHC but the driver attained superannuation. It’s not in our domain to appoint a new driver”, BMO said.

He said that the NTPHC has no technician posts for X-Ray and laboratory.

He said that the centre is functioning 24×7 and they have deputed extra staff there—(KNO)

Jammu, Feb 24: Jammu and Kashmir’s Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Friday said that in the UT, people use internet data, buy I-phones and pay to play videos he wonders why there was a hue and cry over imposition of nominal property tax. He was quick to add that the money collected from property tax will be used to development and welfare of the people.

Addressing a function at Jammu where LG extended Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana ( PMFBY) to the farmers of all 20 districts of J&K, the LG as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said that the administration hardly gets the power tariff and water bills paid by the people. “In J&K, people pay to use internet data, buy I-phones and play videos, I wonder why there is hue and cry over imposition of property tax,” the LG said, adding that there will be a push to the GDP in J&K once property tax will be collected.

The LG said that SAKUST-Kashmir and Jammu will be made of international standards while food security will comprise proteins as well. On February 22, Jammu and Kashmir administration ordered the imposition of property tax from April 1. In exercise of the power conferred by section 71A of the Jammu and Kashmir Municipal Act, 2000, the government hereby notifies the rules for levy, assessment and collection of property tax in the municipalities and municipal councils of the UT, housing and urban development department principal secretary H Rajesh Prasad had said in a notification. The tax rates will be 5% of taxable annual value (TAV) for residential properties and 6% for commercial properties, it stated. In another announcement, the government said that small houses were exempted from the tax and the amount fixed for commercial buildings was nominal. The government announcement, however, evoked sharp criticism from almost all the political parties who termed the move as unjustified—(KNO)

Waris Fayaz

Sopore, Feb 24 : A massive fire broke out in the forest area of Rampura, Rajpora in Sopore area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Friday while as the teams have been deputed to douse off the flames.

An official told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that a fire broke out in Wastung compartment of Rampura Rajpora, upper belt of Sopore.

He said that soon after the fire broke out in the area, the teams from Fire and Emergency department, Forest department including Forest Protection Force are on the job to douse the flames.

The officer said that the cause of the fire will be ascertained after the flames are brought under control—(KNO)

Waris Fayaz

Sopore, Feb 24 : A 56-year-old man allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in Noorbagh locality of Sopore town in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Friday.

Officials told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the man hanged himself to death at his residence in Noorbagh.

They said that he was rushed to SDH Sopore where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival.

They said police have taken cognizance of the incident and started the further investigations—(KNO)