Thousands of tourists have begun leaving Kashmir after a terror attack in Pahalgam killed 26 people, prompting authorities to arrange for their safe return. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed concern over the exodus, while the Civil Aviation Ministry has ordered airlines to ensure there are no fare hikes and to offer extra flights from Srinagar. While many tourists are leaving, some are choosing to stay, citing the presence of security forces and their feeling of safety.
Reacting to Omar Abdullah's stand against hanging of death row convict Afzal Guru, families of the 2001 Parliament attack victims on Thursday accused the Jammu and Kashmir chief minister of being "insensitive" and demanded setting up of a special court to fast-track terror cases.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday submitted his resignation to Governor N N Vohra.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday welcomed the statement by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram seeking dialogue 'with the representatives of all shades of opinion in the state'.Omar said that there was also a need to resume the Indo-Pak dialogue which has been stalled since the terror attack on Mumbai last November.Opposition Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti, in a statement, described the development as 'a breath of fresh air'.
Heavy rain triggered flash floods in Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir, killing three people and prompting the rescue of over 100 others. The floods also caused landslides and mudslides, disrupting traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway. Rescue operations are ongoing, and the situation is being monitored by authorities.
Heavy rains across India have led to widespread flooding, causing damage to infrastructure, displacement of residents, and disruption of normal life. Rescue efforts are underway in affected areas.
Jammu and Kashmir government is contemplating to put in place a more concrete mechanism to check inflow of foreign funds to protestors in the state, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on Saturday as he met Home Minister P Chidambaram in New Delhi.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said there was no battle going on between him and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on security for sarpanches and empowering of panchayats.
Results for assembly polls in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir were declared on Tuesday, with the Bharatiya Janata Party scoring a hat-trick in Haryana while the National Conference-Congress alliance emerged victorious in J-K. Here's how some big names fared.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday assured the state assembly that the recent report of the Amnesty International on human rights situation in the state would be given 'due consideration and suggestions made in the report viewed seriously.'
Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday asked border villages residents, who were evacuated to safer places in view of cross border shelling by Pakistan, not to rush back to homes as they are yet to sanitise and clear these areas of any unexplored shells.
Local body elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be held as per schedule in October and the state government will make every effort to reduce the "influence of the gun", Chief Minister Omar Abdullah told an all-party meeting to discuss the situation in the state. During the meeting called by Omar yesterday, leaders of various political parties expressed their support to the Chief Minister in restoring peace in the Valley, sources said.
'Anybody who says one critical word can be branded as somebody who's glorifying terrorism.'
Following a spate of resignations by the panches and sarpanches, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday ordered security cover for them in vulnerable areas.
Jammu and Kashmir is facing a severe water crisis this year due to a massive rainfall deficit. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has expressed concern about the situation and called for a proactive approach towards water management and conservation. The state has witnessed an 80% deficit in rainfall this year, raising the possibility of drought in the valley this summer. Several water bodies are flowing below the zero level mark, and some springs in south Kashmir have dried up completely. The water level in Jhelum and other major streams is alarmingly low.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday expressed concern over the increased ceasefire violations by Pakistan but said they should not be allowed to hijack the Indo-Pak dialogue process.
The apology came close on the heels of Omar complaining to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about Army's public criticism of the state governemnt's policies to deal with militancy.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has expressed dismay and anguish over speculation in the media about his private life and the status of his marriage. In a message on social networking site Twitter, Abdullah said, "Have seen with dismay and anguish the growing tide of speculation in the media about my private life and the status of my marriage. While it's true that my wife and I have separated, speculation about the motives and my future actions are unfounded"
Asking Bharatiya Janata Party to drop its plan to hoist the national flag at Lal Chowk in Srinagar on Republic Day, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday warned the party that it would be responsible for "any repercussions" in the Valley.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's "make-up kit" remark on Friday led to a protest by state's women panchayat members, who termed the statement as an "insult" to women.
The meeting with the Prime Minister comes a day after Omar had discussions with Defence Minister A K Antony and Army Chief V K Singh to press for early removal of the Act from certain parts of the state.
'Dr Abdullah is fine and in good spirits,' says National Conference Lok Sabha MP Mohammad Akbar Lone.
Ridiculing separatist leader Asiya Andrabi who is seeking Indian passport for her son's studies in Malaysia, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday termed it as "sheer hypocrisy", which shows the gulf between what separatists say and what they do.
Asserting that Pakistan cannot dictate terms to India for resuming bilateral dialogue, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said Islamabad must address India's concerns about taking concrete action against those behind the Mumbai attacks.
National Conference president Omar Abdullah is all set to become the next chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir with his father Farooq Abdullah and the party clearing his name to head a coalition with the Congress after a night of confusion. 38-year-old Omar, whose father and party patron Farooq was projected as the chief ministerial candidate during campaigning, will travel to New Delhi for talks with Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Tuesday asserted that his party would continue its alliance with the Congress party.
Ahead of a crucial meeting of the Centre on Kashmir, state Chief Minister Omar Abdullah met Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Defence Minister A K Antony to seek their support on the partial withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act from the state. Sources said Omar had met Mukherjee late on Wednesday night at the latter's residence for about half-an-hour, during which the chief minister presented his case for withdrawal of the AFSPA.
The magisterial probe ordered by the Jammu and Kashmir government into the death of the prominent ruling National Conference worker Haji Mohammad Yusuf has exonerated state Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, holding that 'Haji had died of natural death'.
Law Minister Salman Khurshid on Friday dismissed reports of a tiff between Rahul Gandhi and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah over empowering sarpanches in the state but insisted that they should be given power across the country "without any exception".
Earlier in the day, Omar accused PDP leader Mufti Mohammad Sayeed of 'shutting his eyes' to the sex scandal when it first surfaced in 2006 as his own people were involved.
"The proof of the pudding is in the eating," Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on Sunday, emphasizing that he would love to see what Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will do to improve ties with India.
Mehbooba Mufti said she will not contest the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, pointing out that she would not be able to fulfil her party's agenda in the union territory set up even if she were to become the chief minister.
The attack, which took place near a heavily guarded complex housing All India Radio and Doordarshan Kendra near the Tourist Reception Centre, comes a day after security forces eliminated a top Pakistani commander of Lashkar-e-Tayiba in the Khanyar locality of downtown Srinagar.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has not threatened to resign over the repealing of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in the state. Reacting to a rediff.com report -- that quoted sources as saying that Abdullah had threatened to resign over the all-party meeting on Kashmir on Wednesday -- the CM's office got in touch with this correspondent.
As the crisis that rocked the Kashmir valley shows signs of easing, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday advocated a dialogue between the Centre and "everybody" in the state "who is willing to talk".
Commenting on state Congress president Saifuddin Soz's statement, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said he will hold talks with the alliance party over plans to withdraw the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act. Soz had slammed Abdullah for not consulting the Congress or the home minister on the AFSPA issue. "I am not going to react to what Professor Saifuddin Soz has said. As a chief minister, I am well aware of my responsibilities," said Omar.
'The BJP has killed public anger. They have killed people's self-respect.'
Political parties, cutting across affiliations and ideologies, Friday welcomed the Kashmir rail link inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, hoping for a boost in trade and tourism in the valley.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said that Centre's course of action regarding cases similar to Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru will determine whether Guru's hanging was "selective and political".
