Early Times: Leading Newspaper Jammu Kashmir, Latest News about Jammu & Kashmir

FRONT PAGE STORIES

Panchayat polls, budget session on mind, NC working Committee to discuss strategy

Review of report sought from district, zonal presidents

2/19/2011 12:25:17 AM

Early Times Report Jammu, Feb 18: Even as the ruling National Conference is terming convening of its Working Committee meeting as a matter of routine to take assessment of certain key issues in the state, the timing chosen by the High Command to call this meetings is certainly indicative of many things beyond routine. Ensuing budget session and the Panchayat polls on mind the Working Committee which has senior most members on board, will discuss the strategies to be adopted by the party in both the vital political matters. According to sources the Working Committee meeting has been convened by the High Command in order to have threadbare discussion on these issues and elicit viewpoint ,...

Third killing of NC workers in Speaker’s segment since 2009

Gunmen spill blood in Kukka Parray’s hometown

2/19/2011 12:24:31 AM

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz SRINAGAR, Feb 18: Unidentified gunmen tonight killed an activist of the ruling National Conference (NC) at Hajjan---hometown of once the dreaded Ikhwan-ul-Muslimoon supremo Kukka Parray---in the Legislative Assembly Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone’s constituency in North Kashmir. This is the third assassination of an NC worker at Hajjan since OmarAbdullah took over as head of the coalition government in Jammu & Kashmir in January 2009. Deputy Superintendent of Police, Sumbal, Tahir Geelani, told Early Times that 50-year-old Ghulam Hassan Dar S/o Ghulam Mohammad Dar R/o Dangar Mohalla, Hajjan, was targeted by an unidentified gunman at the main market in Hajjan at 8.00 ...

Hefty pay, perks for no qualification Matriculates, HSS pass dominate lower house

2/19/2011 12:23:35 AM

KUNAL SHRIVATSA EARLY TIMES REPORT JAMMU, Feb 18: ‘Padoge-Likhoge Banoge Nawab, Kheloge Koodoge Hoge Kharab’ roughly means ‘Education would bring success and too much of sports spoil one’s career prospectus.’ Perhaps this oft repeated saying has no bearing on the fortunes of about one-fifth of our legislators in the Lower House of the State Legislature as they never attended college but still enjoying every privilege of life. Out of total 87 MLAs in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, not to talk of higher qualification a good number of MLAs do not have a graduation degree. Seven legislators in the House have attained qualification upto the level of higher secondary, eight o...

Antony asks army to keep watchful eye on developments in neighbourhood

2/19/2011 12:23:17 AM

NAGALAND, Feb 18: Defence minister A K Antony today asked army to keep a watchful eye on the smallest developments in the neighbourhood. Addressing a sainik sammelan at 3 corps headquarters at Ranga Pahar in Nagaland, he said though maintaining peace and tranquility along the border was crucial, it was to be ensured that troops' operational preparedness was of the highest level. Army chief, Gen V K Singh, defence secretary Pradeep Kumar, eastern army commander, Lt Gen Bikram Singh and GOC 3 corps, Lt Gen N K Singh were among those present on the occasion. Antony asked the military personnel to establish a healthy relationship with the local populace, win their hearts and minds a...

AFSPA will have to go: Mehbooba

PDP Chief responds to Antony’s statement

2/19/2011 12:22:54 AM

Early Times Report Srinagar, Feb 18: Terming the latest statement of Defence Minister A K Antony dismissing revocation of AFSPA as unfortunate, Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti today said the people of the state can’t be held hostage to unilateral opinion of security agencies. Antony had yesterday rejected any concession on the law that was enacted at a time when the state was bristling with armed fighters whereas all government agencies are now unanimous that only a few hundred militants are operating in the state. Mehbooba said of particular concern was the remark of the defence minister that “he did not want any public debate” on the subject. She reminded Antony of ...

Why does Govt expect agitation in summer?

2/19/2011 12:22:26 AM

Early Times Report Jammu, Feb 18: The Director General of Police (DGP) chaired a meeting here today and urged the police to take stern action against unscrupulous elements “likely to create trouble in summer”. The National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) shall be discussing future strategy tomorrow (February 19). Both these parties are expected to discuss the ‘forthcoming’ summer agitation as well. How do they know that Kashmir is going to witness trouble yet again this summer? Surprisingly the separatists seem least bothered about the agitation that the government expects in summer. The Mirwaiz led Hurriyat issued a statement this evening and made no mention of the ...

IAF airlifts 500 odd stranded passengers

2/19/2011 12:22:12 AM

JAMMU, Feb 18: Nearly 500 passengers, who were stranded in Ladakh and Gurez areas which remained cut off from the rest of the state due to snow in winters, were today airlifted by IAF. The IAF deployed two AN-32 aircrafts to airlift 370 passengers between Zanskar, Leh, Kargil, Jammu and Srinagar, coordinator in Kashmir divisional commissioner's office, Aamir Ali said. While 54 passengers were airlifted from Kargil to Jammu, 118 passengers were airlifted from Jammu to Kargil, he added."While 50 passengers were airlifted from Kargil to Srinagar and 98 passengers from Srinagar to Kargil, 32 were airlifted from Leh to Padum and 18 passengers were airlifted on the return sortie," Ali inf...

Yatra to begin on June 29

SASB astutely curtails Amarnath Yatra duration

2/19/2011 12:21:59 AM

Syed Junaid Hashmi Early Times Report JAMMU, Feb 18: Shri Amarnath Shrine Board has kicked up another controversy by wisely curtailing duration of Amarnath yatra from two months to 45 days. Yatra would begin on June 29 and conclude on August 13, 2011. Decision to this affect was taken during 20th meeting of the board held here today. Though the move is bound to generate heat in Jammu and elsewhere in the country, board has cited late snow clearance and falling of Shravan Purnima (Raksha Bandhan) on August 13 this year instead of August 24 for curtailing duration of Yatra. Referring to the 2010 experience, SASB has said that despite vigorous efforts to carry out snow clearance operati...

Track II or Bartering J&K -- III

Enemy within more dangerous than Pakistan, China

2/19/2011 12:21:27 AM

STARK REALITY RUSTAM EARLY TIMES REPORT JAMMU, Feb 18: On February 14 & 15, the Centre for Dialogue and Re-conciliation arranged in New Delhi a discussion on the subject " Common Interests, Common Future: Dialogue Across the LoC.” The outcome of this meeting, which was participated in by the “track II” operatives from India, Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Jammu and Kashmir, was no different. People talked about self-rule, autonomy, independence, demilitarization, open borders, alienation, need for the resolution of the so-called Kashmir problem and need for harmonizing Indo-Pak relations, all at the cost of India and Indian sovereignty. Everyone in conference emphasized the need to end...

Kashmiri leadership acts, Jammu’s reacts

2/19/2011 12:18:41 AM

MINCING NO WORDS NEHA EARLY TIMES REPORT JAMMU, Feb 18: Kashmiri leaders are not only speaking but they are also acting. They are acting to the extent that the authorities in New Delhi are left with no other option but to contemplate measures aimed at addressing the issues the Kashmiri leaders have been raking up and articulating. New Delhi has gone to the extent of appointing interlocutors to find ways and means which could address the issues being raked up by the Kashmiri leaders. The issues being raked up and articulated by Kashmiri leaders range from autonomy to self-rule to freedom to what not. New Delhi has been left with no other choice but to find ways and means which could ge...