“Development has to go hand in hand with the concerns that people have. Whatever routes are selected for roads and railways, efforts should be made to use only non-productive lands,” Omar said during a press interaction in Srinagar.

The Chief Minister revealed that a delegation from Pulwama had approached him earlier to express concerns over land acquisition for the project.

“The delegation told me that their almond orchards are spread across the land being acquired for the proposed NIT,” he said.

Omar assured that the government would respect the wishes of the people in the area.

“If people there don’t want an NIT, we will shift it somewhere else where it is welcomed. If the people in Pulwama and Pampore collectively oppose the NIT, we will find an alternate place,” he added.

Highlighting the willingness of other regions to host the project, Omar said: “There are other districts that will welcome the NIT with open arms. Not everyone is opposed to development here. If we can locate a Central University and AIIMS, why not an NIT?”

Without naming individuals, Omar disclosed that an MLA from an opposition party had contacted him to offer land for the institution.

“An MLA of a party not associated with the government called me and said they will provide land for the NIT,” he revealed.

The Jammu and Kashmir government has initiated the transfer of 4,834 kanals and 19 marlas of state land in Newa, Pulwama, for establishing a new campus of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) in south Kashmir.

However, residents of the area have urged the government to reconsider the decision, citing concerns that the proposed land acquisition will displace apple and almond orchards, which are vital to their livelihoods.

MLA Pulwama and PDP youth leader, Waheed Ur Rehman Para has urged the PM Modi not to use the land and instead shift the campus to Tral.

“Prime Minister @narendramodi Ji Newa Pulwama’s Kherwa land, a vital almond-producing area sustaining thousands of livelihoods, must not be used for the proposed NIT. We urge its relocation to Shal Dramun, Chetergam, Tral—6,000 kanals near a scenic hill, better suited for the project,” Waheed Para said in a post on ‘X’.

Earlier, MLA Pulwama Waheed-ur-Rehman Para took to X and wrote :“Pulwama welcomes the establishment of an NIT, but seizing 5000 kanals of land is unacceptable. Without fair compensation and guaranteed jobs for locals, this project will face strong resistance.”

The post Jammu and Kashmir govt open to relocating NIT if Pulwama opposes it: Omar Abdullah appeared first on Greater Kashmir.

Almost all residential areas, and business spaces were filled with water, inflicting immense damage to the economy. The streets and roads turned into waterways.

The people were cut off from each other, the government was clueless, and it was a battle for existence at the level of an individual and the family, with no means to connect to the outer world for any rescue.

That was the time when a man came forward and did something extraordinary to restore the devastated. Justice M M Kumar (Retd), then Chief Justice of J&K, passed unprecedented orders that went a long way in helping businesses and households to compensate for the loss.

D A Rashid and Wahid Bukhari of Greater Kashmir bring alive the memories of the event by interacting with the man himself, Justice M M Kumar (Retd). 

Q: How did your journey begin in the legal profession?

Justice Kumar: Well, my journey is long. Right from my middle classes, my father was very keen that I should join the legal profession. Even at that stage, he asked me to pursue Urdu classes to have familiarisation with the language because most of the documents in Punjab used to be in Urdu.

After doing my LLB from Punjabi University Patiala, I started my practice in the trial court in district Sangrur and for two years I practiced there. As the dream of my father was to see me very high in the profession, he planned my career abroad. My brother, Dr J M Kumar, was a neurosurgeon in England and he organised my Masters degree there.

In 1979, I went to the UK for higher studies. In 1981, I came back and joined the chamber of a very eminent lawyer at that time, Mr Kuldip Singh who later became the judge of the Supreme Court directly from the Bar, a rare distinction for a lawyer.

In 1984 I was offered a guest faculty job at the University of Punjab, Department of Law and I started there as a part-time teacher. For six years, I taught there and practiced along. So I picked very good practice and became vice president of the Bar Association in 1991. In 1995 I was appointed as additional advocate general of Punjab and then the journey continued. In 2001, I was elevated as judge of Punjab and Haryana High Court and in 2012, I was recommended to be the chief justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court and took oath as Chief Justice on 8th of June 2012.

Q: In 2014, a devastating flood ravaged Kashmir and you were J&K’s Chief Justice. Can you share your experience of the time, and the event?

Justice Kumar: Well, the experiences during the flood time were full of surprises. There was a big challenge because on early morning of September 8, 2014, the flood engulfed the whole Srinagar and there was hue and cry everywhere. Everyone was taken by surprise as to how it happened. So people were taking shelter on the top of the roofs and it was a very dreadful situation; everyone apprehended that many people would die, but with the grace of God the loss of life was very little, almost negligible.

The High Court was under water to about 8-9 ft. The record was damaged. The Chief Justice’s house was also under water to 7-8ft. I cannot forget the early morning of the 7th of September. Jhelum was overflowing. But nobody imagined that the flood could be of such a magnitude that the houses like Chief Justice’s House will come under water up to 7-8ft and it was just short of touching the roof. And early morning, it was around 2 am when debate was going on between the officials of the High Court and the local administration whether I should shift to Hari Niwas or I should continue to stay in the house. Mr Akhoon, who was my personal secretary at that time, ultimately suggested that there was no harm in going to Hari Niwas. So we decided to pack, and by that time the flood had reached Badami Bagh, very close to the Chief Justice’s house.

In Sonawar Chowk, one could see flood waters flowing. By the morning the Chief Justice house was under 6-ft water and by evening it was 7-8ft. Our four employees were also trapped there and they took shelter on top of the wall adjoining the mosque and by great effort they were rescued and brought to Hari Niwas. The then Governor Mr N N Vohra played a vital role in rescuing the workers and later saving my belongings from the Chief Justice’s House.

After coming to Hari Niwas, there was no clear picture emerging as to what was going to happen next and for how long the situation was going to be like that. So the next question was what to do in this situation. I drafted letter, hand-written by my daughter Dr Nisha, and it was sent to the Governor House which was adjacent to Hari Niwas. So the letter reached Mr Vohra and he in a message said kindly come over.

And we in the evening went to his house and discussed the entire situation and then I requested him that a building may be provided for running the Court. My request through a letter was forwarded to the administration and the Chief Minister held a cabinet meeting in Hari Niwas, and they did not find any solution to my problem and they eventually showed their helplessness.

And ultimately the Governor conveyed to me that they were finding it difficult to find a place. Since I was determined, I told my Registrar General, and after discussion, we found that M-6 Gupkar house was allotted to one Judge who had not occupied it. So I took the tentative decision and took it to the Full Court and all the Hon’ble Judges agreed that let the High Court work from M-6 Gupkar Road.

We informed the Governor that the transit High Court would be M-6 Gupkar road and consulted the members and the president of the High Court Bar Association, and they agreed happily. As the situation was chaotic, I thought a number of petitions would be filed seeking relief and exactly the same thing happened. There was no telephone working and the governor sent me a satellite phone and arranged various types of facilities like temporary washrooms, sitting rooms and tents for lawyers in the lawns of the M-6 Gupkar Road and within two days it was made functional. Interestingly, the Supreme Court had laid down the principle that all the admissions to MBBS, engineering colleges etc.,

should be completed by the end of September. So I had to constitute a special bench to finish those cases as otherwise students could lose their career dream of entering MBBS, MD, engineering colleges or any other profession. I constituted a special bench so that all cases concerning admission were taken care of.

Then a very interesting petition related to insurance claims came and I was informed that people were suffering. Subsequently, thirty more petitions were filed, if I remember correctly. Somebody had insured a house, someone commercial enterprise or shops for fifty lakh, one crore, two crores etc. The insurance companies were right in arguing that unless there was a survey conducted and a report by surveyor submitted, they would not be able to assess the loss and they would not be able to pay. Since the cases were many, they thought it would take two years to settle the claims.

So I told them that the purpose of necessity of having insurance would be defeated. I had the reports that people from Polo View, Lal Chowk and other areas were in deep problems and the Division Bench decided that during pendency of the petition and pendency of report by surveyors, 50% of the insured amount be disbursed. If a commercial establishment was insured for Rs 1 crore, the establishment was directed to be paid Rs fifty lakh immediately so that some relief was given to it.

I had reports that a chemist had thrown all the medicine on the road, likewise cloth merchants; provision store owners were dumping every item on the road. So, when the judgment was delivered, naturally there was some criticism because it was deviating from well settled law that unless there was report from surveyor certifying the loss, no insurance amount could be disbursed. I said extraordinary situation needs extra extraordinary remedy, and therefore I granted this.

Q: Was it difficult to ensure insurance companies comply with the order? Was this a big challenge?

Justice Kumar: This was an extra-ordinary order and there was no doubt about it, and the insurance companies did not keep quite. The then Attorney General of India, Mr Rohatgi appeared and interestingly, the then Chief Justice of India Mr H L Dattu had visited the Kashmir Valley himself.

He had seen the makeshift court. He had seen district court at Lal Chowk in 18-ft water. So he had seen everything, the deluge, the type of sludge which was there in the High court. When the matter was listed before the Supreme Court and the Attorney General argued on the basis of the law, the Chief Justice said that see the house of the Chief Justice of J&K, the plight of the people there, and dismissed the appeal.

After the dismissal, there was no doubt left that the order had to be implemented and with the teeth of contempt, the insurance companies could not have violated the directions. So I issued directions, giving them a week or ten days. So the cheques started pouring in and I could see relief on the faces of people when they were given the cheques.

Even many lawyers whose houses were under water, got the cheques. So I felt very happy that at least they had some interim relief and could be rehabilitated. And shops and commercial establishments could be refurbished. For example, a shop at Lal Chowk had 4-5 floors and at least five people working there and in this way 25 individuals were dependent on one shop. So, look at the type of relief they got. It was a slightly technical way of granting the relief and it was extraordinary to meet the requirement of justice, I think the order was required and it served very well.

Secondly, when you look at the data, if earlier in J&K there were ten people going for insurance, now it is ten times because people now have confidence and now they believe the High Court is there to give them their money. The system has proven right that your insurance is not going to be wasted.

Q: Was the order regarding 50% of payment release an instantaneous thought, or there was any precedence?

Justice Kumar: There was no precedent and there was one policy for small shopkeepers that if an establishment was insured for Rs 10 lakh, Rs 5 lakh had to be paid during the times of flood or fire. So I picked up that policy and expanded it. The Supreme Court was happy to accept this theory which I devised and later on this judgment was followed by other High Courts where floods occurred to enable immediate relief. This is the beauty of the whole thing. The revenue has not suffered but it has gained as the number of insurance cover has increased; more people are opting for it.

Q: How was this directive seen by people, especially the business community?

Justice Kumar: Well, some office bearers of confederation of industry had initially approached me and they approached me later also in the month of November, December and in January 2015. I had to demit office, so I told them that judges do not accept any award, or anything.

The people were very happy and feeling very good and relieved. A number of businessmen wanted to meet me. Then in 2018, I met a few of them and recently they welcomed and hosted me and all this data on manifold increase in insurance cover in Kashmir valley was given to me by Confederation.

Q: Does it all give satisfaction, some pleasure to know that people are happy?

Justice Kumar: I had the satisfaction of doing the job to rescue the people from crises. Another aspect, when I and my wife and daughter were rescued from Chief Justice’s House, they were with me and we came to know about the plight of the people in various camps. My wife is running an NGO and she thought we can disburse some cash but people refused to take cash because people said that they cannot buy anything.

They wanted food, clothes etc., and she gave a call to all the NGOs in Punjab and they got trucks of food, clothes and many other items of day to day use. So the satisfaction. Even the High Court staff disbursed the food and pulses so that people don’t sleep empty stomach. Every effort was made on humanitarian grounds that the people were served to the extent we could. When the Supreme Court upheld my order, it was a great satisfaction that something which I had done was liked by the Apex Court, although it was not strictly in accordance with the law. But the Supreme Court thought it was befitting order in the circumstances to meet ends of justice and equity.

The insurance companies had to shell out hundreds of crores but they got it back and it must be manifold than what they disbursed at that time. That is the beauty of the system and the system has run fully. This is what I liked about it.

Q: You could have worked from Jammu till the flood threat was over?

Justice Kumar: Had I stayed in Jammu, all these things, meeting the Governor, informing him about day to day problems and his conveying it to the Chief Minister and Chief Minister taking the decision could not have happened. Then my meeting the members of the Bar and talking to Judges that the transit court was the need of the hour and everybody agreeing and cooperating would also not have happened.

Given the response filed by authorities to the PIL regarding the post flood scenario, do you see differences then and now, especially in disaster management?

Well, I came recently to Srinagar and on the way, I saw Jhelum. I could see the earth and it means the Jhelum is full of sand and the water intake capacity of Jhelum continues to be the same. It has not improved. I do not know why some measures about de-silting are not taken. It is an expert’s job and it has to be done in an expert manner. It has to be done in a manner that the whole Jhelum is completely de-silted.

It is not the first time that Valley is facing this type of problem, and like world over these problems have been there. Dredging, and de-silting process has to be carried.

Q: Every time it rains for a few days, there is a threat of floods. What is to be done in such a situation?

Justice Kumar: I think somebody has to take a call on emergent basis. You can see what is happening in New Delhi due to heavy rains, completely ravaged, and the water in buildings is 6-ft, with basements completely filled with water. Offices working from basements devastated. So with these management techniques, drainage has to be kept clean. Responsibility has to be fixed and the public has to have civic sense. This is lacking in our country.

Q: When you were Chief Justice of J&K High Court, several PILs had been filed. Your views over implementation of orders?

Justice Kumar: As far as my period is concerned, a large number of PILs came to be filed and orders passed thereon were implemented. There was a chairman of BOPEE against whom one PIL came to be filed, and this matter was taken to logical end, ending up in his sentencing. It was an eye-opener.

The students who were scoring 80%, 90% were not securing admission in the MBBS colleges. The students with lesser marks were admitted and when they failed in their first semester, the people realised what was happening. So Chairman BOPEE, on the directions of the High Court, was arrested and it was a very successful PIL.

I also mention that senior advocate B A Bashir, who was appointed as amicus curiae, did a good job and with Justice Attar, who was my bench partner, we were able to steer through. Then other PIL during my time was hotels discharging waste directly into water bodies; I gave a deadline to hotels to have STPs and refuse must be treated. I realised nobody was taking these directions seriously and I ordered sealing of hotels across the state—Katra, Srinagar, Gulmarg, Pahalgam etc., for not installing STPs; hotels were releasing refuse directly into water bodies and there was likelihood of people falling sick. It was also a successful PIL.

Q: There is a general perception, a PIL is misused. How can this menace be stopped?

Justice Kumar: There is an inbuilt mechanism and there is a committee constituted by the Chief Justice to scan and scrutinise it. Yes, a PIL is also being misused and that misuse has to be stopped. I have no hesitation in saying that even some lawyers misuse the platform to advance the interests of private persons, and the Supreme Court has come down heavily on such practices. There is a duty cast on the high court that if the government fails to do governmental function, like no road connectivity to some village despite the government having knowledge, the High Court’s intervention is must.

The post On this day, exactly a decade before… appeared first on Greater Kashmir.

Ms Shah, joined by Mir Manal and Arman Nasir, has brought the rich cultural heritage of Kashmir to the forefront in an unprecedented manner.

The trio presented a collection crafted entirely from waste materials. Their innovative use of disposable glasses, umbrellas, ropes, foam, keys, and other discarded items set them apart from the typical ethnic and designer wear showcased at the event.

Their showcase was not just a collection but a performance art piece, delivering a powerful message on environmental sustainability.

“Our outfits are not daily wear products but conceptual art designed to convey that Kashmiris are creative and capable of innovation at par with renowned designers like Manish Malhotra,” Ms Shah told Greater Kashmir, in an exclusive chat. “We want to establish ourselves in the fashion industry first and then bring the traditional Tilla and Sozni work to a broader audience.”

Inspired by the avant-garde styles of Instagram influencer Urfi Javed, the designers pushed the boundaries of conventional fashion. Despite facing initial resistance from family and community members, who often conflated fashion designing with modeling or tailoring, they persevered. “Fashion designing is a completely different discipline,” explained Ms Shah. “When I opted for fashion designing, many people (in the family) voiced their opposition. Because people don’t understand that fashion designing is not modelling. It is not tailoring. It is a completely different thing. If you can understand people like Manish Malhotra why not us? Why do you consider us models or tailors?”

The preparation for the Times Fashion Week was meticulous and demanding.

The designers, who are currently pursuing their degree in fashion designing at SSMD, said it took them five months to find and source the materials. The tailoring and stitching of these materials required a tremendous amount of effort. Throughout this process, our college, especially our Head of the Department, Insha Qazi, provided immense help, they said.

The showstopper, actress Anupriya Goenka, wore a dress made from real leaves and branches sourced from Kashmir, symbolizing Mother Earth and garnering widespread appreciation.

To avoid surprise among the audiences, Ms Shah said they had distributed concept notes in advance. “This was not a collection but a performance art which we presented. Our performance literally infused life into the audience,” she said, adding that they have also received positive feedback from the people in Kashmir.

Ms Shah said they don’t necessarily want people to wear such outfits. “This was an attempt to spread an eco-friendly message, and we took to such designs to gain attraction and to convey our message that we ‘Kashmiris are creative and we can do it too’,” she said.

Their participation marks the first time Kashmiri designers have featured in the prestigious fashion week, breaking away from the traditional Tilla and Sozni embroidery that usually represents the region. By doing so, they have set a new benchmark for Kashmiri fashion, aiming to create a name synonymous with luxury and innovation.

The post Kashmiri designers make waves at Times Fashion Week with eco-conscious creations appeared first on Greater Kashmir.

The pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of California, Los Angeles, grew in recent days, drawing increased vocal and visible counter-protesters. However, tensions escalated on Sunday when some demonstrators breached a barrier erected by the school to separate the opposing groups, according to Mary Osako, UCLA’s vice chancellor for strategic communications.

Altercations ensued as members from both factions shoved, shouted insults, and traded punches. Although campus police intervened with batons to separate the groups, the situation remained tense, reported Reuters news agency.

Osako expressed disappointment over the violence, stating, “UCLA has a long history of peaceful protest.”

Following the disturbance, chanting subsided, and pro-Palestinian protesters returned to their encampment.

Despite the incident, the Los Angeles police did not intervene, and no arrests were reported.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden reiterated his stance on the potential invasion of Rafah, Gaza, during a conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The demonstrations at UCLA involved participants from outside the university, with two groups allowed to express their views on campus. The Harriet Tubman Center for Social Justice supported students’ right to protest, while Stand in Support of Jewish Students, in collaboration with the Israeli-American Council, aimed to counter hatred and antisemitism.

Nationwide, pro-Palestinian protests have gained momentum, sparked by the mass arrest of over 100 individuals at Columbia University. Hundreds of protesters across the U.S. have been arrested as they emulate the encampments used by Columbia students to highlight the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Administrators, including those at Columbia, have criticized the protests for violating school rules, disrupting learning, and fostering harassment and antisemitism. Protesters are calling for a ceasefire in the conflict with Hamas, divestment from companies linked to the Israeli military, and an end to U.S. military aid to Israel.

While acknowledging isolated incidents of antisemitism and harassment, student leaders attribute them to external agitators attempting to co-opt the movement.

The nationwide protests have drawn attention from President Biden, who recognizes the strong sentiments surrounding the Gaza conflict. White House national security spokesman John Kirby affirmed the right to peaceful protest but condemned antisemitism and hate speech.

At USC, the administration cancelled the main commencement ceremony after cancelling a Muslim student’s valedictorian speech in response to allegations of anti-Palestinian bias.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass defended the cancellation, citing concerns over safety for the expected 65,000 attendees.

The post Pro-Palestinians protesters, Israel supporters clash at UCLA appeared first on Greater Kashmir.

According to the RTI filed with the Registrar of Births and Deaths in Srinagar, Aga Ruhullah Mehdi’s birth date is recorded as August 11, 1982, at Gupkar Nursing Home. However, all of his election affidavits since his first election in 2002 have stated his year of birth as 1977.

Sources familiar with the matter highlighted concerns over this discrepancy, particularly referencing a previous legal case in 2002 where his uncle, Aga Syed Mehmood, accused him of altering his birth year. Although the case was dismissed due to insufficient evidence at the time, the recent RTI findings have revived scrutiny over the issue.

It has also come to light that Aga Ruhullah Mehdi’s passport lists his year of birth as 1982, contradicting the information provided in his election affidavits. Allegations suggest that his birth year may have been altered in 2002 to enable him to contest elections at a younger age.

Potential consequences for Aga Ruhullah Mehdi include retrospective disqualification from previous terms as an MLA and potential jail time under Section 125-A of the Representation of People’s Act. If convicted, he could face a ban from contesting elections for up to 15 years and may be required to reimburse all previous remuneration received as a Member of the Legislative Assembly.

In response to these developments, the NC leadership has reportedly nominated Salman Ali Sagar, the son of its General Secretary, as a backup candidate for Aga Ruhullah Mehdi. (KNS)

The post Birth year controversy surrounds NC candidate Aga Ruhullah’s candidature appeared first on Greater Kashmir.

In a post on X, Tech Star Shahrukh explained the process of locating his lost smartphones, an Apple iPhone 13 and a Xiaomi Civi 2, due to technological safeguards, reported India Today.

In a series of posts, Shahrukh recounts the entire situation, which he calls “A story of hope, patience and a little bit of luck.”

He wrote, “On 15th April 2023, me and my wife went to Jama Masjid for iftar. There was too much crowd due to the month of Ramadan. We had 3 Phones with us – Apple iPhone 13, Xiaomi Civi 2, Redmi K50 Ultra – I kept all these phones in my side bag not knowing a disaster was going to happen.”

Later, he discovered that the compartment in his bag containing the iPhone and the Xiaomi was tampered with, and the devices were missing. “While exiting Jama Masjid gate no. 1, I noticed my side bag chain was opened.”

“When I checked, two of my phones were stolen. Apple iPhone 13 and Xiaomi CIVI 3 were both gone in a moment,” he said in his post.

Shahrukh made an effort to notify bystanders, saying, “I shouted ‘thieves, someone took my phone’.”

He also informed the authorities, who told him that nothing could be done, saying,”We were making announcements for people like you. But you guys never listen.”

When he tried calling his iPhone number, it was switched off. However, luckily, the Xiaomi Civi 2 was operational.

Thanks to its “Shutdown Confirmation” feature. The feature mandates a password for the device’s shutdown which played a pivotal role in retrieving it.

Using the “Find My Device” function on the Xiaomi website, Shahrukh was able to locate the missing phone, which indicated that the device was still inside Jama Masjid.

“After tapping on Play Sound. The Xiaomi CIVI 2 successfully started sounding. The thieves can’t silence them no matter what,” Shahrukh said.

As the phone began ringing audibly, and he was also calling on that number simultaneously. A man named Saurav Srivastav finally received his call. He asked Shahrukh to take his phone near gate no 2 of Jama Masjid.

“When I met him, he returned both of my phones. Civi 2 as well as iPhone 13. Civi 2 was still sounding the alarm. He told me that he found my phone somewhere on the ground. I took my phone and thanked him and didn’t question him much,” Shahrukh added.

Soon after the phones were recovered, Shahrukh highlighted several other things that the thieves could have adopted to hinder the recovery efforts. They could have removed the SIM card from the lost phones. “But luckily, they didn’t,” Shahrukh exclaimed in a moment of relief.

Reflecting on the incident, Shahrukh shared his sentiments, saying, “Even though we got our phones back. That day still haunts us. It was pure horror. With some luck, so quick thinking, some patience and the help of Allah, we were able to get it back. If the thieves were more intelligent, we would have lost it,” Shahrukh wrote on X.

Since being shared on X, Shahrukh’s post has garnered over 2 million views on X. People shared their thoughts in the comments section of the post.

Speaking about Shahrukh’s post, a person said, “I liked the whole thriller, but this last thing must be removed so that thieves remain unaware about this trick.” Another person agreed with this opinion and said, “Don’t give ideas to thieves”.

The post How ‘shutdown confirmation feature’ helped tech influencer to retrieve lost smartphones in Jama Masjid appeared first on Greater Kashmir.

The traffic movement on the Zojila Pass (Sgr-Leh) highway was earlier temporarily suspended after a fresh spell of snow on Tuesday.

“Due to improvement in weather conditions across Zojila, traffic has now been released from Minamarg towards Srinagar,” Kargil police said.

The post Traffic movement restored on Srinagar-Leh highway after brief closure appeared first on Greater Kashmir.

Muthair Dar, son of Abdul Rashid Dar, a resident of Mahoo Banihal was arrested by Srinagar police after his video went viral on social media against some spiritual places in Kashmir, reported news agency KDC.

A complaint was lodged at police station Shergari and subsequently Srinagar police swung into action and arrested the person from Banihal, it said.

A police officer confirmed and said Muthair Dar has been booked under FIR no 45 under section 153-A and 295 of Indian Penal code at PS Shergari and further investigation is on.

The post Srinagar Police arrest youth for allegedly promoting enmity, insulting religion appeared first on Greater Kashmir.

The Hazratbal Shrine in Srinagar witnessed the largest congregation, followed by Chrari Sharief in Budgam and various Eidgahs in different districts, where prayers concluded peacefully, according to officials.

The revered Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar was a sight to behold as worshipers, dressed in traditional attire, flocked to the premises from early morning, united in prayer and seeking blessings on Eid-ul-Adha. Similarly, Chrari Sharief in Budgam and other Eidgahs throughout Jammu and Kashmir echoed with the resounding prayers of the faithful, with people from diverse backgrounds coming together to celebrate the auspicious occasion.

In Jammu, the largest congregation took place at Eidgah Jammu, where devotees gathered to offer prayers and seek blessings. The venue reverberated with the beautiful recitation of prayers and the heartfelt supplications of the worshipers.

Local authorities and the administration made meticulous arrangements to ensure the smooth conduct of prayers and to ensure the comfort and safety of the worshipers. Adequate security measures were implemented to maintain a peaceful environment. The Eid prayers concluded on a peaceful note, further reinforcing the spirit of harmony and unity. (With inputs from KNS)

The post Eid-ul-Adha prayers draw massive gatherings across J&K appeared first on Greater Kashmir.

A: I accepted this challenge in 2016 when I was in central Waqf Council. After spending six years there, I have been assigned the charge of J&K Waqf Board. Every other job is challenging. It is not only Waqf that is challenging. This job is challenging because people have this notion that the assets of Waqf don’t belong to anyone and that they can grab it. These lands that were donated by these people for the sake of Islam and Muslims, but people have deemed them as their assets and occupied illegally. People need to understand that the concept for Waqf was not introduced by any politician, but by our saints and that we have to preserve them. We will not tolerate any illegal occupation of these assets. We will fight against mafias and recover the assets they have illegally occupied.

Q: Are you planning to introduce a new management to run the daily affairs of Waqf?

A: Waqf Board has been working here for decades. The properties of Waqf were being taken care of, either through Muslim Waqf Board in Kashmir and the Council in Jammu. Nobody will come from outside to teach us how to take care of Waqf. Now this is only being organized and only the name has changed from Muslim Waqf Board to J&K Waqf Board. But the work hasn’t changed. The main aim is that the management of these shrines should be run by worthy and competent persons. The complaints we are receiving, we have to resolve those issues. Many people have pain in their hearts but they don’t speak up for the fear of getting politicians and management angry. I visited the shrine of Syed Sahab (RA) and got the Safes opened and I want media which is a third eye to accompany us in these visits. So that transparency is established in the work and people get to know that their money is in right hands. Our concept of a cancer hospital, weddings of poor girls and taking care of orphans are put to action.

Q: Vaishno Devi Shrine Board has been engaged in all the good works like establishment of universities and hospitals in Jammu. Why wasn’t Waqf despite all its riches able to get involved in asset building?

A: I want to inform the people that Waqf Board has donated 11 crore rupees and 200-kanal land for the establishment of IUST Awantipora. But it is surprising and unfortunate that this is not mentioned anywhere. Not even the name of Waqf Board is not mentioned anywhere in the university. Did the then government not know that this land belonged to Waqf? Did the rulers not know that we have poor kids who need support in education? We need a share in the University because we have donated land and the 11-crore donated then are worth 1100 crore now. We will investigate why was it kept hidden from people when it helped IUST with 200 kanal land and 11 crore rupees. People need to know this. We are not here to dig up old things, but now there is accountability. Construction work is going on at several places. Scholarships are being given to students. Issues like addressing suicide cases need to be dealt with. Elderly people are being forced out of their homes and we recently heard about the murder of a man by his sons. They even dumped his body in a lake. We want to work on these issues.

A: There is a general feeling that there is utter mismanagement of Waqf assets. How would you like to respond?

A: Waqf owns a hotel by the name of ‘Hotel Gulmarg’ on the Boulevard but it is closed in view of a court case filed by somebody. When we went there to review the property, it looked like a ghost house. The manager of the hotel in connivance with the said person has led to the closure of the hotel for the past eight years. I don’t know the politics behind the issue, but we will recover the losses from the person. This money belongs to our nation. How can a person mismanage the money of God and his messenger and use those assets for his own gain.

Q: Going forward, how do you plan to rent out Waqf assets?

Whoever has occupied our shops and other assets and are paying meager rents of Rs 5. I want to tell that this is not an era of 5 rupees or 500 rupees. They have to pay Rs 50000 and only then they will be allowed to use those shops. It is a matter of lease and this property doesn’t belong to you or me. This is a property of the nation and only those who respect it will be allowed to use it. This is not anybody’s inheritance. Now is the time to take account of these properties. Whatever time we have her we will utilize it to work honestly. Some people are saying that Dr Andrabi has warned of using bulldozers. I want to tell people that somebody has to come forward to remove the tyrants who have illegally occupied these properties. To achieve that, we will go to any length.

Q: Are you planning to hold fresh auctions?

A: If you have taken a shop on rent for five rupees, it was fine at that time. But now there would be a fresh auction and shops will be provided on rent or lease as per current market rates. This is not a matter of inheritance. As per the act, we can provide assets on 3-year lease and 11-month deed, and we would charge six-monthly or yearly rent as per the market rates. The property will never be registered in the name of the tenants. It will always stay with the Waqf.

Q: There are allegations that Waqf employees are not paid their salaries on time.

A: Whole income from the Waqf is spent on the board employees and no work isbeing done. They are a burden on the board. None of them is educated. Who are these people, why they are there and who brought them there – nobody knows. This is not a government department, this is people’s department

I have received many applications from youth who want to work like me 24/7 without salary.

Q: What is the logic behind inviting online donations?

A: We are making it digital so it will be easy for us to use the money. This will also bring transparency in the accounts. Nobody will harbor these doubts that money taken out of the chests has been stolen.

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