Kashmir

Font size: Agencies New Delhi, November 9 (Agencies): With Jammu & Kashmir Government expressing its displeasure over banning of pre-paid mobile phones, Centre today said the move was temporary and the operations would be restored once the safety mechanism was in place. Home Ministry officials said the government understands the problem being faced by the 38 lakh pre-paid SIM card holders in the state but it cannot undermine the security risk involved with the process and hence the decision to impose the ban. “We know that 92% of all SIM cards used in Jammu & Kashmir are pre-paid. We are not for a blanket ... Read Full Story

Hundreds of activists from Indian Kashmir's main opposition protested on Friday against New Delhi's decision to ban pre-paid mobile connections in the revolt-hit region. The Indian government announced the ban on pre-paid connections last weekend, citing concerns that militants were using them to trigger bombs in Kashmir, the scene of a deadly 20-year-old insurgency against New Delhi's rule. Carrying placards reading: "Stop suspecting Kashmiris," protesters from the pro-India People's Democratic Party (PDP) marched through the streets of the state's summer capital Srinagar. They were led by party chief Mehbooba Mufti who called the ban a "manifestation of India's discriminatory policies in Kashmir." She demanded ... Read Full Story

Saffron spice cultivation should be a growth industry for Indian Kashmir as it begins to recover from decades of unrest, but drought, pollution and corruption are threatening its future. Kashmir is famous for its crocus flowers and their fragrant reddish-orange stamens which are plucked, then dried, before being used in cooking the world over to add taste and colour. It's a niche industry with potentially high returns: the spice is the world's most expensive by weight and sells for more than 5,000 dollars a kilogram (2.2 pounds) in India alone. All is not well, however, with local farmers struggling to make ends meet at ... Read Full Story

Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, who is battling a political crisis, visited the revered cave shrine of Vaishno Devi in Jammu and Kashmir and offered prayers. Yeddyurappa was at the shrine Saturday in the Trikuta hills, about 5,500 feet above sea level, for more than an hour. His visit comes after he shed tears publicly for being forced to ditch his close aides - bowing to the demands of his detractors. Those who he was forced to ditch are his principal secretary, senior Indian Administrative Service officer V.P. Baligar, and his confidante and lone woman minister in the cabinet, Shobha Karnadlaje, who held the ... Read Full Story

Tourists are now going bear-spotting on wildlife safaris in a scenic wilderness where Kashmiri rebels and Indian troops used to exchange deadly gunfire. The start of safaris in Dachigam National Park follows a big drop in insurgency-related violence in the spectacularly beautiful region of grasslands and rocky outcrops, wildlife officials say. The safari trips through dense forest -- the scene of intense gunbattles in the past -- in eco-friendly battery-driven cars give visitors a chance to observe nature close-up. "We spotted a bear basking in the sun. I'll always remember that," said Mukesh Kumar, a tourist from India's commercial hub Mumbai. "It's a lifetime ... Read Full Story

Activists of the People’’s Democratic Party (PDP) led by chief Mehbooba Mufti, staged a peaceful march in Srinagar on Friday to protest against the ban on prepaid mobile phone connections in the State. Earlier, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had decided not to issue fresh pre-paid mobile connections in Jammu and Kashmir on account of security concerns. And as per the policy the existing pre-paid SIM cards were banned in the State on November 1. Mehbooba Mufti said that the decision has resulted in complete chaos, as thousands of people who were associated with recharge kiosks in the State have been rendered ... Read Full Story

Rajouri (Jammu and Kashmir), Nov 8(ANI): A Border Security Force (BSF) constable and his wife were shot dead by unidentified militants in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district on Sunday.... read full » Read Full Story