The much-awaited mobile services in Jammu and Kashmir were launched on Wednesday with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee receiving the first call from the state chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in Srinagar.
Rehman had suggested that the Simla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration could be the basis for normalisation of Indo-Pak ties.
United Progressive Alliance chairperson and Congress president Sonia Gandhi will join Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on April 7 in Kashmir when he flags off the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service.
The chief minister said Vohras appointment as interlocutor would 'provide a good opportunity' for a meaningful dialogue with the elected representatives and other sections in the state.
Not everyone in Jammu and Kashmir is optimistic about the alliance between the Peoples Democratic Party and Bhartaiya Janata Party. Upasna Pandey/Rediff.com spoke to Kashmiri pandit organisations to find out how they view the new coalition politics in the valley.
The yatra would now be on for 45 days from the existing 30 days.
An interview with former J&K chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed
A car bomb ripped through Srinagar, killing six.
Congress sources say this has become necessary in view of the reports originating from the valley that Mufti Mohammad Sayeed may refuse to hand over the chief minister's post
In Kerala and Jammu and Kashmir, however, Eid will be celebrated on Wednesday.
If granted permission, he would be travelling by the June 15 bus along with the visiting Kashmiri separatist leaders, who are scheduled to return the same day after their visit to Pakistan.
Highly-placed sources said an invitation will be sent as soon as Hurriyat leaders agree to hold talks with Patil.
This is the first attempt by the separatists to reach out to the mainstream parties.
The encounter took place when the troops of Rashtriya Rifles and Special Operations Group of J&K Police launched a joint cordon and search operation at Dhari Gote Urarbagi in Desa forest belt, some 55 km from Doda town, late Monday evening, the officials said.
Allies Peoples Democratic Party and Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday dismissed speculation about any differences or new conditions between them over formation of new government in Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of death of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.
A PDP leader said a final decision on the formation of the government in the state is expected after Mehbooba takes the opinion of the legislators.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed is likely to resign on October 27 to enable Union Urban Development Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad take over the reins of the state administration on November 2.
The new PDP chief will have to work hard to keep everyone in the state happy.
The 56-year-old leader, daughter of PDP founder Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, will take oath of office at Raj Bhawan in Jammu on Monday at 11.00 am.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has announced the setting up of a Rs 100-crore (Rs 1 billion) multi-purpose shopping arcade in Srinagar.
People had lined up on the either side of the road to greet the President, who drove to the circuit house from the airport.
The BJP has emerged the second largest party by winning 29 constituencies in the maiden assembly polls post abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, improving its all-time high tally of 25 seats recorded in 2014 elections.
Political parties and leaders wait with bated breath for the Haryana and Jammu-Kashmir assembly poll results on Tuesday.
Ten new faces, four of them belonging to Congress, were inducted taking the strength of the ministry to 39.
A court in Gujarat's Junagadh district on Wednesday granted bail to Islamic preacher Mufti Salman Azhari and two others in connection with a 'hate speech' case registered against them.
'Abrogation of Article 370 is not legal because it is the legal basis of Kashmir's accession to India.'
Dulat, who was advisor on Jammu and Kashmir to the central government during the tenure of former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, also advocated the need for starting a dialogue with Pakistan.
'Sheikh Abdullah ruled the state with secular values. Post 1953, when he was sacked, corruption took over governance.'
