After <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/javed-akhtar-slams-shahid-afridi-on-indian-occupied-kashmir-comment-128282">Shahid Afridi's controversial comment on Jammu and Kashmir</a>, former Pakistani cricketer&nbsp;Shoaib Akhtar has also commented on the state.

Akhtar said that lives have been lost on both sides and the government's of the two countries need to talk about the issue.

He said " Both the governments need to talk about the issue, till when will we live in bloodshed? Do we want our children to live in such a situation? It has been 70 years, lives are being lost on both sides".&nbsp;"The problem is that the youth of India and Pakistan, besides hating each other, they are not talking about resolving the issues. Who is going to talk about unresolved issues those have been pending from last 70 years".

On April 3, Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi tweeted&nbsp;"Appalling and worrisome situation ongoing in the Indian Occupied Kashmir. Innocents being shot down by oppressive regime to clamp voice of self determination & independence. Wonder where is the @UN & other int bodies & why aren't they making efforts to stop this bloodshed?" &nbsp;

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Both the governments need to talk about the issue, till when will we live in bloodshed? Do we want our children to live in such a situation? It has been 70 years, lives are being lost on both sides: Shoaib Akhtar to ANI on Kashmir. (File Pic) <a href="https://t.co/u5a2UkZgzh">pic.twitter.com/u5a2UkZgzh</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/982605239487524864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Appalling and worrisome situation ongoing in the Indian Occupied Kashmir.Innocents being shot down by oppressive regime to clamp voice of self determination & independence. Wonder where is the <a href="https://twitter.com/UN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UN</a> & other int bodies & why aren't they making efforts to stop this bloodshed?
— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/SAfridiOfficial/status/981084208369192961?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
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His comments had invited wide criticism on the social media. <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/now-virat-kohli-kapil-dev-slam-shahid-afridi-for-kashmir-comment-128337">Cricketers Virat Kohli, Gautam Gambhir and Kapil Dev also slammed him</a> for his remarks on Jammu and Kashmir.

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Akhtar said that lives have been lost on both sides and the government's of the two countries need to talk about the issue

After Shahid Afridi's controversial comment on Jammu and Kashmir, former Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Akhtar has also commented on the state. Akhtar said that lives have been lost on both sides and the government's of the two countries need to talk about the issue. He said " Both the governments need to talk about the issue, till when will we live in bloodshed? Do we want our children to live in such a situation? It has been 70 years, lives are being lost on both sides". "The problem is that the youth of India and Pakistan, besides hating each other, they are not talking about resolving the issues. Who is going to talk about unresolved issues those have been pending from last 70 years". On April 3, Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi tweeted "Appalling and worrisome situation ongoing in the Indian Occupied Kashmir. Innocents being shot down by oppressive regime to clamp voice of self determination & independence. Wonder where is the @UN & other int bodies & why aren't they making efforts to stop this bloodshed?" Both the governments need to talk about the issue, till when will we live in bloodshed? Do we want our children to live in such a situation? It has been 70 years, lives are being lost on both sides: Shoaib Akhtar to ANI on Kashmir. (File Pic) pic.twitter.com/u5a2UkZgzh — ANI (@ANI) April 7, 2018 × Appalling and worrisome situation ongoing in the Indian Occupied Kashmir.Innocents being shot down by oppressive regime to clamp voice of self determination & independence. Wonder where is the @UN & other int bodies & why aren't they making efforts to stop this bloodshed? — Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) April 3, 2018 × His comments had invited wide criticism on the social media. Cricketers Virat Kohli, Gautam Gambhir and Kapil Dev also slammed him for his remarks on Jammu and Kashmir.

After Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Akhtar comments on Jammu and Kashmir

The Supreme Court said on Tuesday said&nbsp;the issue of Article 370 had already been settled and did not need any consideration, however, it gave the government three weeks to challenge the validity of Article 370.

Article 370 in the Indian constitution gives "autonomous status" to Jammu and Kashmir which is "temporary and transitional" in nature.

However, justices AK Goel and Rohinton Nariman said that a 2017 judgement had held that Article 370 wasn't temporary, implying it cannot be abrogated.&nbsp;

The apex court said that in its earlier verdict of 2017 in the SARFESI case, it has been already held that Article 370 was "not a temporary provision".

"The issue concerned is covered by the judgement of this court in the 2017 SARFAESI matter, where we have held that despite the headnote of Article 370, it is not a temporary provision," a bench of justices A K Goel and R F Nariman said.

“The issue is already decided in our judgment where we have said that despite the fact the head note says it’s a temporary provision, it’s not,” Justice Nariman told the petitioner.

During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appearing for the Centre said that the matter be heard after some time as similar matters are pending before the court and are to be listed shortly.

Senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan and advocate Shoeb Alam appearing for the Jammu and Kashmir government clarified that other matters which are pending before the apex court relates to Article 35 A of the Constitution and not Article 370 as submitted by the ASG.

“Despite the fact that it is, therefore, stated to be temporary in nature, sub- clause (3) of Article 370 makes it clear that this article shall cease to be operative only from such date as the President may by public notification declare. And this cannot be done under the proviso to Article 370 (3) unless there is a recommendation of the Constituent Assembly of the State so to do,” the Bench declared.

The petitioner Kumari Vijayalakshmi Jha had sought a declaration that Article 370 was temporary in nature due to the dissolution of the J&K Assembly in January 1957.&nbsp;

Article 370 has acquired political colour with the BJP in favour of scrapping the Article although the NDA alliance is in no hurry to go ahead.

The Centre said it would study the 2017 judgment in State Bank of India vs Santosh Gupta case and respond to the Supreme Court's view on the matter.

Article 370 has acquired political colour with the BJP in favour of scrapping the Article

The Supreme Court said on Tuesday said the issue of Article 370 had already been settled and did not need any consideration, however, it gave the government three weeks to challenge the validity of Article 370. Article 370 in the Indian constitution gives "autonomous status" to Jammu and Kashmir which is "temporary and transitional" in nature. However, justices AK Goel and Rohinton Nariman said that a 2017 judgement had held that Article 370 wasn't temporary, implying it cannot be abrogated. The apex court said that in its earlier verdict of 2017 in the SARFESI case, it has been already held that Article 370 was "not a temporary provision". "The issue concerned is covered by the judgement of this court in the 2017 SARFAESI matter, where we have held that despite the headnote of Article 370, it is not a temporary provision," a bench of justices A K Goel and R F Nariman said. “The issue is already decided in our judgment where we have said that despite the fact the head note says it’s a temporary provision, it’s not,” Justice Nariman told the petitioner. During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appearing for the Centre said that the matter be heard after some time as similar matters are pending before the court and are to be listed shortly. Senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan and advocate Shoeb Alam appearing for the Jammu and Kashmir government clarified that other matters which are pending before the apex court relates to Article 35 A of the Constitution and not Article 370 as submitted by the ASG. “Despite the fact that it is, therefore, stated to be temporary in nature, sub- clause (3) of Article 370 makes it clear that this article shall cease to be operative only from such date as the President may by public notification declare. And this cannot be done under the proviso to Article 370 (3) unless there is a recommendation of the Constituent Assembly of the State so to do,” the Bench declared. The petitioner Kumari Vijayalakshmi Jha had sought a declaration that Article 370 was temporary in nature due to the dissolution of the J&K Assembly in January 1957. Article 370 has acquired political colour with the BJP in favour of scrapping the Article although the NDA alliance is in no hurry to go ahead. The Centre said it would study the 2017 judgment in State Bank of India vs Santosh Gupta case and respond to the Supreme Court's view on the matter.

Article 370 on status of J&K not a temporary provision: Supreme Court

An Indian Army personnel injured during the ceasefire violation initiated by Pakistan succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday.

20-year-old, Sepoy Mustapure Shubham Suryakant hailed from Maharashtra's Konerwadi village and is survived by his mother.

Apart from this, the condition of one of the three people injured during the incident is critical.

Pakistan Army on Tuesday restored to incessant and indiscriminate firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Krishna Ghati sector in Jammu and Kashmir using small arms, automatics, and mortars.

The firing began at around 7 am in the morning.

Indian Army retaliated strongly, effectively and proportionately to the unprovoked ceasefire violation.

Last month, five civilians were killed and two were injured after Pakistan violated ceasefire along the LoC in Balakote sector.&nbsp;

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20-year-old, Sepoy Mustapure Shubham Suryakant hailed from Maharashtra's Konerwadi village and is survived by his mother

An Indian Army personnel injured during the ceasefire violation initiated by Pakistan succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday. 20-year-old, Sepoy Mustapure Shubham Suryakant hailed from Maharashtra's Konerwadi village and is survived by his mother. Apart from this, the condition of one of the three people injured during the incident is critical. Pakistan Army on Tuesday restored to incessant and indiscriminate firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Krishna Ghati sector in Jammu and Kashmir using small arms, automatics, and mortars. The firing began at around 7 am in the morning. Indian Army retaliated strongly, effectively and proportionately to the unprovoked ceasefire violation. Last month, five civilians were killed and two were injured after Pakistan violated ceasefire along the LoC in Balakote sector.

Soldier killed in Krishna Ghati ceasefire violation in J&K

The Mughal road was opened to the public over the weekend after being closed for four months due to heavy snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir.

Traders in Rajouri and Poonch began their business operations in earnest as the road which connects J&K with Shopian and Poonch and Rajouri districts was thrown open to one-way traffic on Saturday.

The Srinagar-Leh national highway was closed in December last year due to heavy snowfall.

The Mughal Road which is the main artery of trade and commerce in the region connects remote areas in J&K with those in Line of Control(LoC), including Gurez and Bandipora.

However, only one-way traffic has been allowed with light vehicles given the green light on the Rajouri-Poonch-Shopian section. The service was possible after heavy snowfall was cleared.

Traffic on the national highway, connecting Ladakh region with Kashmir, remained suspended.

Traffic on the national highway, connecting Ladakh region with Kashmir, remained suspended.

The Mughal road was opened to the public over the weekend after being closed for four months due to heavy snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir. Traders in Rajouri and Poonch began their business operations in earnest as the road which connects J&K with Shopian and Poonch and Rajouri districts was thrown open to one-way traffic on Saturday. The Srinagar-Leh national highway was closed in December last year due to heavy snowfall. The Mughal Road which is the main artery of trade and commerce in the region connects remote areas in J&K with those in Line of Control(LoC), including Gurez and Bandipora. However, only one-way traffic has been allowed with light vehicles given the green light on the Rajouri-Poonch-Shopian section. The service was possible after heavy snowfall was cleared. Traffic on the national highway, connecting Ladakh region with Kashmir, remained suspended.

Mughal road reopened after snow clears in J&K

Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) Shesh Paul Vaid on Sunday informed that the Shopian encounter has ended and added that&nbsp;a total of 13 terrorists were neutralised out of which one was caught alive.

Three soldiers were martyred and four civilians lost their lives, he added.

He had earlier informed that seven terrorists killed in the encounter with the security forces in Shopian's Dragad were locals.

Terror groups in the Valley suffered a major setback as 11 terrorists were gunned down in counter-insurgency operations in three different areas in South Kashmir in which three Army jawans and two civilians were also killed.

The DGP said that a huge cache of weapons were also recovered from the killed terrorists.'

Moreover, mobile and internet services were suspended on Sunday as a precautionary measure following the killing of 11 militants in South Kashmir.&nbsp;

According to primary information the decision to snap internet services was taken to prevent mischievous elements from creating law and order problems in the Valley.

The terrorists were killed in three different encounters over two days.

In Anantnag the encounter ended on March 31, and today two separate encounters took place in the morning, the first one being in Shopian`s Dragad and another one in Kachdoora, which is still underway.

Three Army personnel Gunner Arvinder Kumar, Gunner Nilesh Singh and Sepoy Hetram lost their lives in the Anantnag and Shopian encounters.

Terror groups in the Valley suffered a major setback as 11 terrorists were gunned down in counter-insurgency operations in three different areas in South Kashmir in which three Army jawans and two civilians were also killed

Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) Shesh Paul Vaid on Sunday informed that the Shopian encounter has ended and added that a total of 13 terrorists were neutralised out of which one was caught alive. Three soldiers were martyred and four civilians lost their lives, he added. He had earlier informed that seven terrorists killed in the encounter with the security forces in Shopian's Dragad were locals. Terror groups in the Valley suffered a major setback as 11 terrorists were gunned down in counter-insurgency operations in three different areas in South Kashmir in which three Army jawans and two civilians were also killed. The DGP said that a huge cache of weapons were also recovered from the killed terrorists.' Moreover, mobile and internet services were suspended on Sunday as a precautionary measure following the killing of 11 militants in South Kashmir. According to primary information the decision to snap internet services was taken to prevent mischievous elements from creating law and order problems in the Valley. The terrorists were killed in three different encounters over two days. In Anantnag the encounter ended on March 31, and today two separate encounters took place in the morning, the first one being in Shopian`s Dragad and another one in Kachdoora, which is still underway. Three Army personnel Gunner Arvinder Kumar, Gunner Nilesh Singh and Sepoy Hetram lost their lives in the Anantnag and Shopian encounters.

Shopian encounter ended, 13 terrorists neutralised: SP Vaid

Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) Shesh Paul Vaid on Sunday said all the seven terrorists killed in an encounter with the security forces in Shopian's Dragad were locals.

Terror groups in the Valley suffered a major setback as 11 terrorists were gunned down in counter-insurgency operations in three different areas in South Kashmir in which three Army jawans and two civilians were also killed.

Addressing a press briefing, Vaid said, "All seven terrorists killed in Shopian's Dragad have been identified as locals and their bodies have been claimed by their kin."

The DGP said that a huge cache of weapons were also recovered from the killed terrorists.

He further said, "Two army jawans lost their lives in an encounter in Shopian. We caught one terrorist alive and one was killed, in Anantnag. Two army jawans lost their lives in the ongoing operation. Few J-K police, the CRPF, and the Army personnel have suffered injuries."

Talking about the terrorist who was killed, Vaid revealed that Anantnag's Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) made efforts to convince him to shun violence, but to no avail.

"Anantnag SSP made a special effort. He spoke to his family members to convince him to leave the path of violence, but the terrorist did not listen," he said.

The operations by security forces rendered a severe dent to militant groups such as the Hizbul Mujahideen and the Lashker-e-Taiba, officials said.

Three army jawans have lost their lives in the operations at Kachdooru in Shopian, officials said, adding three bodies of militants have been recovered from the debris so far.

The operation has been called off at Kachdooru and the security personnel will search&nbspthe debris tomorrow again, the officials said.

The DGP said that a huge cache of weapons were also recovered from the killed terrorists

Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) Shesh Paul Vaid on Sunday said all the seven terrorists killed in an encounter with the security forces in Shopian's Dragad were locals. Terror groups in the Valley suffered a major setback as 11 terrorists were gunned down in counter-insurgency operations in three different areas in South Kashmir in which three Army jawans and two civilians were also killed. Addressing a press briefing, Vaid said, "All seven terrorists killed in Shopian's Dragad have been identified as locals and their bodies have been claimed by their kin." The DGP said that a huge cache of weapons were also recovered from the killed terrorists. He further said, "Two army jawans lost their lives in an encounter in Shopian. We caught one terrorist alive and one was killed, in Anantnag. Two army jawans lost their lives in the ongoing operation. Few J-K police, the CRPF, and the Army personnel have suffered injuries." Talking about the terrorist who was killed, Vaid revealed that Anantnag's Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) made efforts to convince him to shun violence, but to no avail. "Anantnag SSP made a special effort. He spoke to his family members to convince him to leave the path of violence, but the terrorist did not listen," he said. The operations by security forces rendered a severe dent to militant groups such as the Hizbul Mujahideen and the Lashker-e-Taiba, officials said. Three army jawans have lost their lives in the operations at Kachdooru in Shopian, officials said, adding three bodies of militants have been recovered from the debris so far. The operation has been called off at Kachdooru and the security personnel will search&nbspthe debris tomorrow again, the officials said.

Terrorists killed in Shopian encounter were locals:  Shesh Paul Vaid

A Hizbul Mujahideen militant, who was involved in a shoot-out with the Army in Shopian district, has surfaced in SKIMS Hospital here in an injured condition, police said.

"Asif Ashraf Malik, an active militant of outlawed Hizbul Mujahideen outfit has been admitted with a bullet injury at SKIMS hospital here," a police spokesman said.

He said a preliminary investigation suggests that he was injured at Ahgam in Shopian district last night when militants, travelling in a car, opened fire on an Army patrol.

Malik, a resident of Krawoora in Shopian, has been active as a militant since October last year.

Militants last night opened fire on an Army patrol at Ahgam in Shopian last night, drawing retaliatory fire from security forces. 
The car in which the militants were travelling at the time of the incident had veered off the road and hit a tree.

Security forces had launched a search operation in the area but the militants managed to escape and Malik managed to travel a distance of more than 50 kilometres to reach the SKIMS Hospital here for treatment.

The spokesman said police is investigating the matter.

Malik, a resident of Krawoora in Shopian, has been active as a militant since October last year

A Hizbul Mujahideen militant, who was involved in a shoot-out with the Army in Shopian district, has surfaced in SKIMS Hospital here in an injured condition, police said. "Asif Ashraf Malik, an active militant of outlawed Hizbul Mujahideen outfit has been admitted with a bullet injury at SKIMS hospital here," a police spokesman said. He said a preliminary investigation suggests that he was injured at Ahgam in Shopian district last night when militants, travelling in a car, opened fire on an Army patrol. Malik, a resident of Krawoora in Shopian, has been active as a militant since October last year. Militants last night opened fire on an Army patrol at Ahgam in Shopian last night, drawing retaliatory fire from security forces. The car in which the militants were travelling at the time of the incident had veered off the road and hit a tree. Security forces had launched a search operation in the area but the militants managed to escape and Malik managed to travel a distance of more than 50 kilometres to reach the SKIMS Hospital here for treatment. The spokesman said police is investigating the matter.

Shopian shoot-out: Injured militant in hospital

In a sign <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/india-to-build-3-dams-on-chenab-pm-modi-reviews-indus-treaty-with-pakistan-6811">of renewed reengagement</a> amid tensions on the border, Pakistan today&nbsp;sought permission from India to undertake inspection of Indian projects on&nbsp;the Indus river basin.

Newswire PTI quoting&nbsp;<a 560="" href="<iframe width=">sources said that India will</a> likely arrange a tour by the&nbsp;Pakistani delegation in accordance to the provisions of the Indus Waters Treaty(IWT).

India had allowed Pak officials to visit its side of the Indus river basin four years ago in Pakal Dul and Lower Kalnai. Pakistan this time has requested for a general tour of various Indian projects on the Indus river basin.&nbsp;

Pakistan maintains that India's designs of Pakal Dul (1000 MW) and Lower Kalnai (48 MW) located in the Chenab basin in J&K violates the IWT agreement signed in 1960.&nbsp;

India, however, disagrees with Pakistan asserting that it is being done in line with the provisions of the water sharing pact.

Pakistan's latest move comes after a two-day meeting with India's Indus water commissioner P K Saxena, technical experts and a representative of the Ministry of External Affairs.

PTI reported that India offered the Pakistan delegation discussion on Ratle located in J&K which was being objected by Islamabad earlier. The Pakistan delegation declined the offer, saying the issue is already being discussed at&nbsp;the secretary-level.

The Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) is an established mechanism under the IWT, which mandates it to establish and maintain cooperative arrangements for the implementation of the water distribution pact and to promote cooperation between the two sides in the development of the Indus water systems.

The IWT covers the water distribution and sharing rights of six rivers - Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum.

The treaty specifies that waters from the three western rivers - Indus, Jhelum and Chenab - be reserved for Pakistan, while waters from eastern rivers - Ravi, Sutlej and Beas - are reserved for India.

The meeting of the PIC is held alternately in India and Pakistan at least once every year as mandated by the treaty.

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The IWT covers the water distribution and sharing rights of six rivers - Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum.

In a sign of renewed reengagement amid tensions on the border, Pakistan today sought permission from India to undertake inspection of Indian projects on the Indus river basin. Newswire PTI quoting sources said that India will likely arrange a tour by the Pakistani delegation in accordance to the provisions of the Indus Waters Treaty(IWT). India had allowed Pak officials to visit its side of the Indus river basin four years ago in Pakal Dul and Lower Kalnai. Pakistan this time has requested for a general tour of various Indian projects on the Indus river basin. Pakistan maintains that India's designs of Pakal Dul (1000 MW) and Lower Kalnai (48 MW) located in the Chenab basin in J&K violates the IWT agreement signed in 1960. India, however, disagrees with Pakistan asserting that it is being done in line with the provisions of the water sharing pact. Pakistan's latest move comes after a two-day meeting with India's Indus water commissioner P K Saxena, technical experts and a representative of the Ministry of External Affairs. PTI reported that India offered the Pakistan delegation discussion on Ratle located in J&K which was being objected by Islamabad earlier. The Pakistan delegation declined the offer, saying the issue is already being discussed at the secretary-level. The Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) is an established mechanism under the IWT, which mandates it to establish and maintain cooperative arrangements for the implementation of the water distribution pact and to promote cooperation between the two sides in the development of the Indus water systems. The IWT covers the water distribution and sharing rights of six rivers - Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum. The treaty specifies that waters from the three western rivers - Indus, Jhelum and Chenab - be reserved for Pakistan, while waters from eastern rivers - Ravi, Sutlej and Beas - are reserved for India. The meeting of the PIC is held alternately in India and Pakistan at least once every year as mandated by the treaty.

Pakistan seeks inspection of India's Indus river basin projects

Terrorists today opened fire on a patrolling party at Shopian district in J&K, reports said.

The soldiers belonged to the 44 RR regiment who were on the lookout in Ahgam village.

Reports said the terrorists fired upon Special Police Officer, Mushtaq Ahmed Sheikh, at his house in Bijbehara.

Authorities immediately made arrangements for Ahmed Sheikh's treatment, however, he died on the way to the hospital.

The soldiers belonged to the 44 RR regiment who were on the lookout in Ahgam village

Terrorists today opened fire on a patrolling party at Shopian district in J&K, reports said. The soldiers belonged to the 44 RR regiment who were on the lookout in Ahgam village. Reports said the terrorists fired upon Special Police Officer, Mushtaq Ahmed Sheikh, at his house in Bijbehara. Authorities immediately made arrangements for Ahmed Sheikh's treatment, however, he died on the way to the hospital.

J&K: Terrorists open fire on security forces in Shopian, 1 policeman killed

Four terrorists have been gunned down by security forces in Sunderbani area of Rajouri district in J&K.

The fidayeen, or suicide attackers, had infiltrated into the Indian territory from across the Line of Control (LoC) about four-five days ago, prompting security forces to launch a search operation in the area.

Authorities had ordered the closure of educational institutions in the Sunderbani tehsil in view of the search operation.

This is the second major terror incident in the Jammu region this year.

"Security forces today eliminated a group of four fidayeen in the Sunderbani area in a well-coordinated day-long operation," Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Rajouri, Yougal Manhas told PTI.

"Four terrorists have been killed in the encounter," J&K's Director General of Police (DGP) S P Vaid confirmed.

No injury was reported to anyone in the gunfight with the terrorists, he said.

The encounter broke out in the Nowshera-Sunderbani belt after the group of infiltrating terrorists was intercepted by the security forces early today, the DGP said.

The SSP said the search operation in the villages of Sunderbani had been going on for four days. Last night, a joint column of police, Army and BSF launched a search in the Rawariya Talla area near a security establishment on the basis of a strong input.?

"Today morning, the terrorists, who were hiding in the bushes, fired at a search party, following which the police, Army and BSF cordoned off the entire area. Reinforcements were rushed to the spot and a fierce gunfight started," Manhas said.

In the day-long operation, four terrorists of a fidayeen group were gunned down. Their identities are yet to be ascertained, the officer said.

Four terrorists have been gunned down by security forces in Sunderbani area of Rajouri district in J&K. The fidayeen, or suicide attackers, had infiltrated into the Indian territory from across the Line of Control (LoC) about four-five days ago, prompting security forces to launch a search operation in the area. Authorities had ordered the closure of educational institutions in the Sunderbani tehsil in view of the search operation. This is the second major terror incident in the Jammu region this year. "Security forces today eliminated a group of four fidayeen in the Sunderbani area in a well-coordinated day-long operation," Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Rajouri, Yougal Manhas told PTI. "Four terrorists have been killed in the encounter," J&K's Director General of Police (DGP) S P Vaid confirmed. No injury was reported to anyone in the gunfight with the terrorists, he said. The encounter broke out in the Nowshera-Sunderbani belt after the group of infiltrating terrorists was intercepted by the security forces early today, the DGP said. The SSP said the search operation in the villages of Sunderbani had been going on for four days. Last night, a joint column of police, Army and BSF launched a search in the Rawariya Talla area near a security establishment on the basis of a strong input.? "Today morning, the terrorists, who were hiding in the bushes, fired at a search party, following which the police, Army and BSF cordoned off the entire area. Reinforcements were rushed to the spot and a fierce gunfight started," Manhas said. In the day-long operation, four terrorists of a fidayeen group were gunned down. Their identities are yet to be ascertained, the officer said.

J&K: 4 terrorists killed in Rajouri encounter

In yet another incident of ceasefire violation, Pakistani troops on Wednesday resorted to unprovoked mortar shelling along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district.

A Defence Ministry official said the Pakistan army started shelling and firing at Indian positions in Khari Karmara area of the LoC in Poonch district.

"Pakistan firing started at 8.30 pm yesterday (Tuesday) and continued for nearly half an hour. Our troops retaliated effectively and strongly", the official said.

There have been more than 300 incidents of ceasefire violations along the border between India and Pakistan during in last one year so far, resulting in the death of many people, including soldiers and injuries to many others.

A Defence Ministry official said the Pakistan army started shelling and firing at Indian positions in Khari Karmara area of the LoC in Poonch district.

In yet another incident of ceasefire violation, Pakistani troops on Wednesday resorted to unprovoked mortar shelling along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district. A Defence Ministry official said the Pakistan army started shelling and firing at Indian positions in Khari Karmara area of the LoC in Poonch district. "Pakistan firing started at 8.30 pm yesterday (Tuesday) and continued for nearly half an hour. Our troops retaliated effectively and strongly", the official said. There have been more than 300 incidents of ceasefire violations along the border between India and Pakistan during in last one year so far, resulting in the death of many people, including soldiers and injuries to many others.

Pakistan violates ceasefire along LoC in Poonch district of J&K

The Jammu and Kashmir police have confirmed that the two terrorists killed in an encounter in Anantnag&#39;s Dooru&nbsp;were from Pakistan.&nbsp;

The police&nbsp;confirmation is based on the preliminary investigation conducted after the encounter.

The police had recovered&nbsp;AK47s, pistols, grenades and other arms ammunition in the encounter.

According to police, the seizures collected were part of JeM outfit.&nbsp;

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Preliminary investigation suggests that both the killed terrorists are from Pakistan. Based on seizures made from the spot &amp; other incriminating materials collected so far confirmedthey were a part of outlawed JeM outfit: Police on Anantnag&#39;s Dooru encounter <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JammuAndKashmir?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JammuAndKashmir</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/977459414516031488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Two terrorists were killed in an encounter between security personnel and terrorists at&nbsp;Anantnag&#39;s district Dooru in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday.&nbsp;

The encounter between the two groups started on Friday night after the terrorists opened fire on the security forces.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The police confirmation is based on the preliminary investigation conducted after the encounter.

The Jammu and Kashmir police have confirmed that the two terrorists killed in an encounter in Anantnag's Dooru were from Pakistan. The police confirmation is based on the preliminary investigation conducted after the encounter. The police had recovered AK47s, pistols, grenades and other arms ammunition in the encounter. According to police, the seizures collected were part of JeM outfit. Preliminary investigation suggests that both the killed terrorists are from Pakistan. Based on seizures made from the spot & other incriminating materials collected so far confirmedthey were a part of outlawed JeM outfit: Police on Anantnag's Dooru encounter #JammuAndKashmir — ANI (@ANI) March 24, 2018 × Two terrorists were killed in an encounter between security personnel and terrorists at Anantnag's district Dooru in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday. The encounter between the two groups started on Friday night after the terrorists opened fire on the security forces.

J&K: Terrorists killed in Anantnag's Dooru belong to Pakistan, say police

Two terrorists were killed in an encounter between security personnel and terrorists at&nbsp;Anantnag&#39;s district Dooru in Jammu and Kashmir.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The encounter between the two groups started on Friday night after the terrorists opened fire on the security forces.&nbsp;

Reports stated that the security forces had launched a cordon and search operation in a village of Dooru district late Friday after it received inputs about the presence of terrorists there.

The police have also recovered arms and ammunition from the terrorists.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JammuAndKashmir?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JammuAndKashmir</a>: 2 terrorists gunned down in encounter between security personnel &amp; terrorists in Anantnag&#39;s Dooru area that started last night. Arms &amp; ammunition also recovered, encounter over. <a href="https://t.co/ULZtiWd28V">pic.twitter.com/ULZtiWd28V</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/977373860285878272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;In an encounter in Shishitergam Police station Dooru Anantnag; today morning two bodies of terrorists have been recovered along with two AK47s, pistols, grenades and arms and ammunition.Efforts are on to identify the bodies. Operation concluded&quot;, tweets J&amp;K DGP SP Vaid(File pic) <a href="https://t.co/bHQRuthCht">pic.twitter.com/bHQRuthCht</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/977406580445667329?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

The encounter between the two groups started on Friday night after the terrorists opened fire on the security forces

Two terrorists were killed in an encounter between security personnel and terrorists at Anantnag's district Dooru in Jammu and Kashmir. The encounter between the two groups started on Friday night after the terrorists opened fire on the security forces. Reports stated that the security forces had launched a cordon and search operation in a village of Dooru district late Friday after it received inputs about the presence of terrorists there. The police have also recovered arms and ammunition from the terrorists. #JammuAndKashmir: 2 terrorists gunned down in encounter between security personnel & terrorists in Anantnag's Dooru area that started last night. Arms & ammunition also recovered, encounter over. pic.twitter.com/ULZtiWd28V — ANI (@ANI) March 24, 2018 × "In an encounter in Shishitergam Police station Dooru Anantnag; today morning two bodies of terrorists have been recovered along with two AK47s, pistols, grenades and arms and ammunition.Efforts are on to identify the bodies. Operation concluded", tweets J&K DGP SP Vaid(File pic) pic.twitter.com/bHQRuthCht — ANI (@ANI) March 24, 2018 ×

Jammu and Kashmir: 2 terrorists killed in encounter in Anantnag's Dooru

Two policemen were killed as terrorists opened fire in Kupwara&#39;s Halmatpora district in Jammu and Kashmir.

Reports say search operations are underway. Four terrorists were killed during the encounter on Tuesday night.

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&quot;4th dead body of terrorist recovered from encounter site of Kupwara, firing still continues, unfortunately 2 brave hearts of J&amp;K Police martyred &amp; one of TA&quot;, tweets Shesh Paul Vaid, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JammuAndKashmir?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JammuAndKashmir</a> DGP (File pic) <a href="https://t.co/ZRjUEI3FpQ">pic.twitter.com/ZRjUEI3FpQ</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/976432137753780225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The wounded personnel is undergoing treatment at a hospital. His condition is stated to be stable, a police spokesperson said.

An encounter broke out in the Arampora area of the district after security forces launched an operation in the wake of militants opening fire at an Army patrol party.

The spokesperson said the anti-militancy operation, which continued overnight, was going on when reports last came in.

Four unidentified militants were killed in the operation yesterday.

Reports say search operations are underway.

Two policemen were killed as terrorists opened fire in Kupwara's Halmatpora district in Jammu and Kashmir. Reports say search operations are underway. Four terrorists were killed during the encounter on Tuesday night. "4th dead body of terrorist recovered from encounter site of Kupwara, firing still continues, unfortunately 2 brave hearts of J&K Police martyred & one of TA", tweets Shesh Paul Vaid, #JammuAndKashmir DGP (File pic) pic.twitter.com/ZRjUEI3FpQ — ANI (@ANI) March 21, 2018 × The wounded personnel is undergoing treatment at a hospital. His condition is stated to be stable, a police spokesperson said. An encounter broke out in the Arampora area of the district after security forces launched an operation in the wake of militants opening fire at an Army patrol party. The spokesperson said the anti-militancy operation, which continued overnight, was going on when reports last came in. Four unidentified militants were killed in the operation yesterday.

J&K: 2 policemen killed as terrorists open fire in Kupwara's Halmatpora district

The nearly 48-hour gunbattle in the dense Kupwara forest in north Kashmir ended on Wednesday, with five security personnel, including three Army soldiers and two policemen, dead and an equal number of terrorists killed, police said.

Giving details of the incident, a police spokesman said that the encounter broke out in the Halmatpora area, at least 8 kms from the Line of Control (LoC), after a police party intercepted the terrorists.

A joint team of the Kupwara police along with companies of the Army, the Territorial Army (TA) and the CRPF were engaged in the operations which began last morning.

The encounter has brought to light gaps in the Army&#39;s vigil along the LoC as the group of terrorists had managed to sneak in nearly 8 kms after crossing two ridges of the Shamsabari mountain range.

The terrorists had met their &quot;reception party&quot; (overground workers and militants already present in the Valley) after crossing the LoC and were proceeding towards Kupwara town when they were spotted by police personnel, officials said.

The terrorists, who were hiding inside a mosque, started running towards the forest, but not before four of them were killed by the security forces yesterday.

The fifth terrorist, who had hid himself at a height and was firing on the approaching security forces, was killed this evening, they said.

The police spokesman also said in the encounter, five terrorists&nbsp;were neutralised and added that all are believed to be foreign terrorists and part of a group that had freshly infiltrated the LoC.

In the encounter, two policemen Deepak Thusoo and SPO Mohd Yousuf, two army personnel Sepoy Ashraf Rather of 160 TA and Naik Ranjeet Kholka of 5 Bihar lost their lives, the spokesman said.

Earlier in the exchange of fire, SPO Javaid Ahmad was injured. He was shifted to a hospital and his condition is stable, he said.

&quot;Owing to the thick vegetation and low visibility, the security forces are mopping the area with due caution,&quot; the spokesman said.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti paid tributes to the security forces&#39; personnel killed in the encounter.

A joint team of the Kupwara police along with companies of the Army, the Territorial Army and the CRPF were engaged in the operations

The nearly 48-hour gunbattle in the dense Kupwara forest in north Kashmir ended on Wednesday, with five security personnel, including three Army soldiers and two policemen, dead and an equal number of terrorists killed, police said. Giving details of the incident, a police spokesman said that the encounter broke out in the Halmatpora area, at least 8 kms from the Line of Control (LoC), after a police party intercepted the terrorists. A joint team of the Kupwara police along with companies of the Army, the Territorial Army (TA) and the CRPF were engaged in the operations which began last morning. The encounter has brought to light gaps in the Army's vigil along the LoC as the group of terrorists had managed to sneak in nearly 8 kms after crossing two ridges of the Shamsabari mountain range. The terrorists had met their "reception party" (overground workers and militants already present in the Valley) after crossing the LoC and were proceeding towards Kupwara town when they were spotted by police personnel, officials said. The terrorists, who were hiding inside a mosque, started running towards the forest, but not before four of them were killed by the security forces yesterday. The fifth terrorist, who had hid himself at a height and was firing on the approaching security forces, was killed this evening, they said. The police spokesman also said in the encounter, five terrorists were neutralised and added that all are believed to be foreign terrorists and part of a group that had freshly infiltrated the LoC. In the encounter, two policemen Deepak Thusoo and SPO Mohd Yousuf, two army personnel Sepoy Ashraf Rather of 160 TA and Naik Ranjeet Kholka of 5 Bihar lost their lives, the spokesman said. Earlier in the exchange of fire, SPO Javaid Ahmad was injured. He was shifted to a hospital and his condition is stable, he said. "Owing to the thick vegetation and low visibility, the security forces are mopping the area with due caution," the spokesman said. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti paid tributes to the security forces' personnel killed in the encounter.

Kupwara gunbattle: 3 soldiers, 2 cops killed; 5 terrorists shot

At least two terrorists have been killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir&#39;s&nbsp;Pulwama district.

The firing <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/jk-terrorists-who-attacked-bjp-leader-killed-35976">occurred after the terrorists</a> reportedly tried to snatch a weapon of a security personnel of a BJP leader.

&quot;Bodies of two militants have been recovered so far. Their identities are being ascertained,&quot; a police spokesman said.

The terrorists on Thursday had tried to snatch the rifle of a constable who is the PSO of BJP leader Anwar Khan&nbsp;at Balhama in Pulwama district.

The police personnel accompanying BJP leader foiled the attempt, during which he&nbsp;received a bullet injury.

Searches are going on at the encounter site as authorities suspect a&nbsp;third terrorist is also roaming around in the area.

Searches are going on at the encounter site as authorities suspect a third terrorist is also roaming around in the area.

At least two terrorists have been killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district. The firing occurred after the terrorists reportedly tried to snatch a weapon of a security personnel of a BJP leader. "Bodies of two militants have been recovered so far. Their identities are being ascertained," a police spokesman said. The terrorists on Thursday had tried to snatch the rifle of a constable who is the PSO of BJP leader Anwar Khan at Balhama in Pulwama district. The police personnel accompanying BJP leader foiled the attempt, during which he received a bullet injury. Searches are going on at the encounter site as authorities suspect a third terrorist is also roaming around in the area.

J&K: Security forces open fire on terrorists in Pulwama after weapon snatching incident, 2 killed

After reports emerged of India&#39;s Army vice-chief Lt-General Sarath Chand informing the parliamentary committee on defence that he was disappointed with the &quot;marginal&quot; increase in the defense budget, S Raut, member of standing committee on defense said if the PM, defence minister&nbsp;Nirmala Sitharaman and finance minister Jaitley don&#39;t take it seriously it would be a &quot;betrayal&quot; with&nbsp;the nation.

&quot;Defence funds are insufficient. Army vice chief said 70 per cent of arms with Army are fit to be kept in museum,&quot; Raut quoted the vice-army chief informing the standing commitee on defense.

&quot;It in itself speaks volumes. If the PM, defence minister and the finance minister don&#39;t take it seriously it&#39;s betrayal with nation,&quot; Raut said.

Raut, a member of standing committee on defense hit out against PM Modi

After reports emerged of India's Army vice-chief Lt-General Sarath Chand informing the parliamentary committee on defence that he was disappointed with the "marginal" increase in the defense budget, S Raut, member of standing committee on defense said if the PM, defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman and finance minister Jaitley don't take it seriously it would be a "betrayal" with the nation. "Defence funds are insufficient. Army vice chief said 70 per cent of arms with Army are fit to be kept in museum," Raut quoted the vice-army chief informing the standing commitee on defense. "It in itself speaks volumes. If the PM, defence minister and the finance minister don't take it seriously it's betrayal with nation," Raut said.

Army vice chief said 70 per cent of arms are fit to be kept in museum: Raut, member of standing committee on defense

Senior PDP leader Haseeb Drabu said on Tuesday said J&amp;K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti&#39;s decision to sack him as the state&#39;s finance minister came as a surprise to him and added the manner in which he was informed about it was shocking.

Drabu said he got no chance to explain his side and learnt the party&#39;s decision through the media. The senior, however, added that he bore ill will against no one.

&quot;The decision to drop me did come as a surprise but what was shocking was the manner and method of communicating it,&quot; Drabu, seen as the architect of the ruling PDP-BJP alliance in Jammu and Kashmir, said in a statement here.

Drabu, &nbsp;the co-author of Agenda of Alliance between the two parties, was dropped from the council of ministers yesterday following his remarks that Kashmir was not a political issue.

The former finance minister said he understood and accepted the party&#39;s decision to drop him but it was painful that it was through media that he came to know about. &nbsp;

&quot;While I understand and accept the decision of the party, to talk to media before talking to me, was painful. I was not accorded the opportunity to explain the context and the content of my speech,&quot; he said.

Drabu, who was considered close to the BJP leadership, expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Mufti for giving him the opportunity to contribute towards accomplishing the PDP mission.

&quot;Notwithstanding this, I am very grateful to Mufti (Mohammad Sayeed) Sahib and Mehbooba ji to have been given the opportunity to contribute in whatever small way I could in accomplishing the party patron&#39;s vision of addressing the distressing situation in and around Jammu and Kashmir which has jeopardised the security, peace and prosperity of the people of the state and imperilled stability in the subcontinent,&quot; he said.

My association with PDP dates back to those years when I wasn&#39;t even formally into politics, he reminisced. The rapport I enjoyed with its late founder and patron is something that I would cherish all my life, Drabu added. &nbsp;

He said the &quot;unflinching confidence&quot; that Mufti (Mohammad Sayeed) always reposed in him and the relationship of trust that &quot;we shared, is my source of strength&quot; to endure this situation.

&quot;Not for nothing did he entrust me with the task of negotiating with the BJP and make me the pointsman for the alliance which was later continued by Mehbooba ji. Every single meeting, discussion and negotiations were done with the knowledge and consent of the patron and the (party) president,&quot; he said. &nbsp;Drabu assured people of his constituency, Rajpora, in Pulwama district that he will continue to work for them.

&quot;I am very grateful to them for their love and affection. I must thank Mehbooba ji for reposing trust in me which helped this government to set off so many pioneering initiatives in the specific area of public expenditure management and generally in the fronts of economic development. &nbsp;I bear no ill will against anyone. That&#39;s simply not my way of being,&quot; he added.

Drabu, the co-author of Agenda of Alliance between the two parties, was dropped from the council of ministers yesterday following his remarks that Kashmir was not a political issue

Senior PDP leader Haseeb Drabu said on Tuesday said J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's decision to sack him as the state's finance minister came as a surprise to him and added the manner in which he was informed about it was shocking. Drabu said he got no chance to explain his side and learnt the party's decision through the media. The senior, however, added that he bore ill will against no one. "The decision to drop me did come as a surprise but what was shocking was the manner and method of communicating it," Drabu, seen as the architect of the ruling PDP-BJP alliance in Jammu and Kashmir, said in a statement here. Drabu, the co-author of Agenda of Alliance between the two parties, was dropped from the council of ministers yesterday following his remarks that Kashmir was not a political issue. The former finance minister said he understood and accepted the party's decision to drop him but it was painful that it was through media that he came to know about. "While I understand and accept the decision of the party, to talk to media before talking to me, was painful. I was not accorded the opportunity to explain the context and the content of my speech," he said. Drabu, who was considered close to the BJP leadership, expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Mufti for giving him the opportunity to contribute towards accomplishing the PDP mission. "Notwithstanding this, I am very grateful to Mufti (Mohammad Sayeed) Sahib and Mehbooba ji to have been given the opportunity to contribute in whatever small way I could in accomplishing the party patron's vision of addressing the distressing situation in and around Jammu and Kashmir which has jeopardised the security, peace and prosperity of the people of the state and imperilled stability in the subcontinent," he said. My association with PDP dates back to those years when I wasn't even formally into politics, he reminisced. The rapport I enjoyed with its late founder and patron is something that I would cherish all my life, Drabu added. He said the "unflinching confidence" that Mufti (Mohammad Sayeed) always reposed in him and the relationship of trust that "we shared, is my source of strength" to endure this situation. "Not for nothing did he entrust me with the task of negotiating with the BJP and make me the pointsman for the alliance which was later continued by Mehbooba ji. Every single meeting, discussion and negotiations were done with the knowledge and consent of the patron and the (party) president," he said. Drabu assured people of his constituency, Rajpora, in Pulwama district that he will continue to work for them. "I am very grateful to them for their love and affection. I must thank Mehbooba ji for reposing trust in me which helped this government to set off so many pioneering initiatives in the specific area of public expenditure management and generally in the fronts of economic development. I bear no ill will against anyone. That's simply not my way of being," he added.

Decision to drop me came as a surprise, manner in which it was conveyed shocking, says Haseeb Drabu

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday sacked Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu from the cabinet after a political storm over his controversial remarks that the Kashmir issue should be seen as a social and not a political problem.

One of the architects of the PDP-BJP alliance in the state was unceremoniously removed from the council of ministers by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti over his remarks that the Kashmir issue was not a political one, officials said.

The chief minister, who returned from the national capital to Jammu, shot off a letter to the state Governor N N Vohra requesting him to drop Drabu from her council of ministers with immediate effect, PDP sources said.

The Governor, after examining the letter, wrote back to the chief minister conveying his nod to her request to drop the 57-year-old Drabu from her council of ministers, officials said.

Since yesterday, pressure was mounting on Drabu, who played a key role in stitching an alliance with the BJP during Mufti Mohammed Sayeed&#39;s tenure earlier and again when Mehbooba Mufti became the chief minister, after newspapers published his remarks that people were &quot;barking up the wrong tree&quot; as the Kashmir issue was not a political issue.

&quot;It (JK) is not a political issue as far as I can see. They have been barking up the wrong tree for the last 50 or 70 years by talking about the politics of it; that the political situation has never improved. We seriously need to look at in terms of how it is a society that is in search for itself,&quot; Drabu had said at an event organised by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry in New Delhi on Friday.

Following the sudden development, the state cabinet meeting scheduled tomorrow was deferred by a week.

&quot;JK State Cabinet meeting which was scheduled to be held tomorrow at 12.30 pm has been postponed. It will be now be held on 20, March 2018 at 11 am,&quot; J&amp;K&#39;s Department of Information and Public Relations tweeted.

Drabu, a former Business Standard editor, was known to be close to late Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed, father of Mehbooba Mufti.

He plunged into politics in 2014 when he joined the PDP and successfully contested the Assembly elections from his home constituency Rajpora in south Kashmir`s Pulwama district.

He was the chairman and CEO of the Jammu &amp; Kashmir Bank from 2005 to 2010.

He was the economic advisor to the state during the PDP-Congress coalition that came to power after the 2002 elections.

Drabu began his economist career in 1990 when he was appointed with the Perspective Planning Division of the Planning Commission. He was also a consultant to the Economic Advisory Council of the Prime Minister and finally with the 10th Finance Commission.

He also served as a consultant to the Asian Development Bank.

Drabu had earlier too been caught up in controversy when in March 2014 JKLF leader Yaseen Malik, a militant-turned-separatist politician, said the economist was an advisor to his group in the early 1990s when it started an insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir.

(With the inputs from Agencies) 
&nbsp;

J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti sacked senior PDP leader and state finance minister Haseeb Drabu, days after he remarked that the situation in the state shouldn't be seen as a political problem

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday sacked Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu from the cabinet after a political storm over his controversial remarks that the Kashmir issue should be seen as a social and not a political problem. One of the architects of the PDP-BJP alliance in the state was unceremoniously removed from the council of ministers by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti over his remarks that the Kashmir issue was not a political one, officials said. The chief minister, who returned from the national capital to Jammu, shot off a letter to the state Governor N N Vohra requesting him to drop Drabu from her council of ministers with immediate effect, PDP sources said. The Governor, after examining the letter, wrote back to the chief minister conveying his nod to her request to drop the 57-year-old Drabu from her council of ministers, officials said. Since yesterday, pressure was mounting on Drabu, who played a key role in stitching an alliance with the BJP during Mufti Mohammed Sayeed's tenure earlier and again when Mehbooba Mufti became the chief minister, after newspapers published his remarks that people were "barking up the wrong tree" as the Kashmir issue was not a political issue. "It (JK) is not a political issue as far as I can see. They have been barking up the wrong tree for the last 50 or 70 years by talking about the politics of it; that the political situation has never improved. We seriously need to look at in terms of how it is a society that is in search for itself," Drabu had said at an event organised by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry in New Delhi on Friday. Following the sudden development, the state cabinet meeting scheduled tomorrow was deferred by a week. "JK State Cabinet meeting which was scheduled to be held tomorrow at 12.30 pm has been postponed. It will be now be held on 20, March 2018 at 11 am," J&K's Department of Information and Public Relations tweeted. Drabu, a former Business Standard editor, was known to be close to late Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed, father of Mehbooba Mufti. He plunged into politics in 2014 when he joined the PDP and successfully contested the Assembly elections from his home constituency Rajpora in south Kashmir`s Pulwama district. He was the chairman and CEO of the Jammu & Kashmir Bank from 2005 to 2010. He was the economic advisor to the state during the PDP-Congress coalition that came to power after the 2002 elections. Drabu began his economist career in 1990 when he was appointed with the Perspective Planning Division of the Planning Commission. He was also a consultant to the Economic Advisory Council of the Prime Minister and finally with the 10th Finance Commission. He also served as a consultant to the Asian Development Bank. Drabu had earlier too been caught up in controversy when in March 2014 JKLF leader Yaseen Malik, a militant-turned-separatist politician, said the economist was an advisor to his group in the early 1990s when it started an insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir. (With the inputs from Agencies)

J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti sacks finance minister Haseeb Drabu over controversial remarks

By Khalid Shah

At a time when the state of Jammu and Kashmir is under the grip of gun and violence, a whiff of fresh air is flowing on the secluded Rugby ground of Srinagar. Young girls are coming out on the field to play one of the most dangerous games.&nbsp;

The young players strike like a thunder, dodging and tackling to reach the finish line. There are not many onlookers, not many cheerleaders either but for these young girls every moment, every critique is a test of their passion and their spirit.

Undaunted they sprint towards the next milestone. Many of them have skipped classes in school to steal 60 minutes for this practice session.&nbsp;

Here are&nbsp;the girls from the Rugby team of Kashmir valley.

&quot;In 2013 I,&nbsp;Irfan Aziz Bhutta and our chief coach of JK Rubgy&nbsp;saw some senior from school playing this sport. I was really inspired by this game because I am very well adapted to this game, my nature suits the game so well. So I joined the game. Since then I have played national tournaments, participated in many states and have been runners-up. Recently played snow rugby nationals in Gulmarg and we won a gold medal&quot;.

These girls are looking to make a career in the game of Rugby but they lack avenues and resources. A separate rugby ground was designated for this sport, but these girls say that is not enough. Sometimes the negative approach of society becomes a dampener. On many occasions, the street protests and violence have kept them away from the field. But they are unstoppable.

&quot;Sometimes we get negativity from the society. Sometimes people come and comment negatively so it becomes difficult to continue our practice. Like in Ramzan we were practising in the ground, few people came and said we will throw you out of the ground, why are you girls playing in shorts throwing the balls here and there. Just all those negative comments. Since then we think people don&rsquo;t really approve when girls go on the ground to prove themselves they don&rsquo;t really tolerate it.&quot;

&quot;Sometimes there is unrest and we can&rsquo;t come on the field to practice. Tackling all those difficulties we manage and cooperate to be on the ground. To all those girls when they see me they get inspired. I have gained self-confidence, vigour and strength by this game. They see me as an idol.&quot;

There are around 300 girls playing Rugby in the Kashmir valley. Every Sunday they come out and spend hours practising on the field. Recently the team won a gold medal in a national level snow rugby championship. Players say their skills make them stand out in the game.

So when we go for nationals, everyone from other teams, we have skills, we have tackling techniques, so these are the things that work for us. They only have running skills. They are fit, they know how to go through the game. We have tackling skills. That makes us stand out.

After unlocking many achievements on the field some of these girls go on to become trainers. One such trainer has played for over a decade and is now on the forefront of training newcomers in the game. She trains not just female participants but also the men.

I started from past two three years, I trained both boys and girls in Kashmir university. I started from there.

That is a wonderful experience to coach the boys, they are very cooperative for it. They can excel in this game. They ask me every day to give them training so I go voluntarily and impart training to them.

The young players strike like a thunder, dodging and tackling to reach the finish line. There are not many onlookers, not many cheerleaders either but for these young girls every moment, every critique is a test of their passion and their spirit

By Khalid Shah At a time when the state of Jammu and Kashmir is under the grip of gun and violence, a whiff of fresh air is flowing on the secluded Rugby ground of Srinagar. Young girls are coming out on the field to play one of the most dangerous games. The young players strike like a thunder, dodging and tackling to reach the finish line. There are not many onlookers, not many cheerleaders either but for these young girls every moment, every critique is a test of their passion and their spirit. Undaunted they sprint towards the next milestone. Many of them have skipped classes in school to steal 60 minutes for this practice session. Here are the girls from the Rugby team of Kashmir valley. "In 2013 I, Irfan Aziz Bhutta and our chief coach of JK Rubgy saw some senior from school playing this sport. I was really inspired by this game because I am very well adapted to this game, my nature suits the game so well. So I joined the game. Since then I have played national tournaments, participated in many states and have been runners-up. Recently played snow rugby nationals in Gulmarg and we won a gold medal". These girls are looking to make a career in the game of Rugby but they lack avenues and resources. A separate rugby ground was designated for this sport, but these girls say that is not enough. Sometimes the negative approach of society becomes a dampener. On many occasions, the street protests and violence have kept them away from the field. But they are unstoppable. "Sometimes we get negativity from the society. Sometimes people come and comment negatively so it becomes difficult to continue our practice. Like in Ramzan we were practising in the ground, few people came and said we will throw you out of the ground, why are you girls playing in shorts throwing the balls here and there. Just all those negative comments. Since then we think people don’t really approve when girls go on the ground to prove themselves they don’t really tolerate it." "Sometimes there is unrest and we can’t come on the field to practice. Tackling all those difficulties we manage and cooperate to be on the ground. To all those girls when they see me they get inspired. I have gained self-confidence, vigour and strength by this game. They see me as an idol." There are around 300 girls playing Rugby in the Kashmir valley. Every Sunday they come out and spend hours practising on the field. Recently the team won a gold medal in a national level snow rugby championship. Players say their skills make them stand out in the game. So when we go for nationals, everyone from other teams, we have skills, we have tackling techniques, so these are the things that work for us. They only have running skills. They are fit, they know how to go through the game. We have tackling skills. That makes us stand out. After unlocking many achievements on the field some of these girls go on to become trainers. One such trainer has played for over a decade and is now on the forefront of training newcomers in the game. She trains not just female participants but also the men. I started from past two three years, I trained both boys and girls in Kashmir university. I started from there. That is a wonderful experience to coach the boys, they are very cooperative for it. They can excel in this game. They ask me every day to give them training so I go voluntarily and impart training to them.

Kashmiri girls tackling their way to Rugby field

An earthquake measuring 4.5 on the Richter scale struck Jammu and Kashmir in the morning hours of Saturday.&nbsp;

There was no&nbsp;information on damages or casualties although&nbsp;many residents were seen running out of their homes in different cities.&nbsp;

According to Indian Meteorological Department, the earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometres and the resulting jolt was felt for a few seconds across most parts of the state.&nbsp;

The IMD has classified the intensity of the quake as &#39;slight&#39;.

In December, a medium intensity earthquake measuring 4.5 on the Richter Scale hit Jammu and Kashmir, the IMD had said

Further details are awaited.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The IMD has classified the intensity of the quake as 'slight'

An earthquake measuring 4.5 on the Richter scale struck Jammu and Kashmir in the morning hours of Saturday. There was no information on damages or casualties although many residents were seen running out of their homes in different cities. According to Indian Meteorological Department, the earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometres and the resulting jolt was felt for a few seconds across most parts of the state. The IMD has classified the intensity of the quake as 'slight'. In December, a medium intensity earthquake measuring 4.5 on the Richter Scale hit Jammu and Kashmir, the IMD had said Further details are awaited.

Earthquake measuring 4.5 on Richter scale hits Jammu and Kashmir

Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir(J&amp;K) have <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/jk-1-militant-3-accomplices-killed-in-firing-in-shopian-34654">directed telecom companies</a> to suspend mobile Internet service across the Kashmir Valley after the Shopian attack on Sunday in which one militant was killed.

On Sunday, a militant and &quot;three accomplices&quot; were killed after security forces opened fire after terrorists attacked a mobile vehicle checkpost near Pohan area.

The Army said that three people killed were &quot;accomplices&quot; in the car, who were accompanying the terrorists. &nbsp;

The security forces immediately began a search and cordon operation, as a result early today the government decided to suspend mobile Internet in the valley in order to deter further attacks.

The Army said that three people killed were over "accomplices" in the car, who were accompanying the terrorists

Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir(J&K) have directed telecom companies to suspend mobile Internet service across the Kashmir Valley after the Shopian attack on Sunday in which one militant was killed. On Sunday, a militant and "three accomplices" were killed after security forces opened fire after terrorists attacked a mobile vehicle checkpost near Pohan area. The Army said that three people killed were "accomplices" in the car, who were accompanying the terrorists. The security forces immediately began a search and cordon operation, as a result early today the government decided to suspend mobile Internet in the valley in order to deter further attacks.

Mobile Internet services to be suspended in Kashmir Valley after Shopian attack

Pakistan today summoned <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-why-india-used-light-artillery-guns-against-pakistan-along-the-loc-34427">India&#39;s deputy high commissioner J P Singh</a> for the second consecutive day over &nbsp;&quot;unprovoked firing by Indian troops&quot; along the Line of Control(LoC).

The situation on the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/jk-pakistans-bat-team-targets-indian-army-along-loc-33825">border continued to be tense</a> on Friday as schools in Poonch in J&amp;K remained closed due to cross-border firing.&nbsp;

Amid the tensions, Director General (South Asia &amp; SAARC) Mohammad Faisal summoned Singh and condemned the &quot;unprovoked ceasefire violations&quot; by the Indian forces along the LoC on March 1 in Bhimber/Samahini sectors.

Faisal said despite calls for restraint, &quot;India continues to indulge in ceasefire violations.&quot;

He said this &quot;unprecedented escalation in ceasefire violations by India is continuing from the year 2017 when the Indian forces committed 1970 ceasefire violations.&quot;

&quot;The deliberate targeting of civilian populated areas is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian laws. The ceasefire violations by India are a threat to regional peace and security and may lead to a strategic miscalculation,&quot; said Faisal.

Last month, the Indian deputy high commissioner was summoned on&nbsp;February 5, 15, 20, 22, 24 and 27.

 
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The situation on the border continued to be tense on Friday as schools in Poonch in J&K remained closed due to cross-border firing

Pakistan today summoned India's deputy high commissioner J P Singh for the second consecutive day over "unprovoked firing by Indian troops" along the Line of Control(LoC). The situation on the border continued to be tense on Friday as schools in Poonch in J&K remained closed due to cross-border firing. Amid the tensions, Director General (South Asia & SAARC) Mohammad Faisal summoned Singh and condemned the "unprovoked ceasefire violations" by the Indian forces along the LoC on March 1 in Bhimber/Samahini sectors. Faisal said despite calls for restraint, "India continues to indulge in ceasefire violations." He said this "unprecedented escalation in ceasefire violations by India is continuing from the year 2017 when the Indian forces committed 1970 ceasefire violations." "The deliberate targeting of civilian populated areas is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian laws. The ceasefire violations by India are a threat to regional peace and security and may lead to a strategic miscalculation," said Faisal. Last month, the Indian deputy high commissioner was summoned on February 5, 15, 20, 22, 24 and 27.

Amid cross-border firing, Pakistan summons India's deputy high commissioner

More needed to be done to manage the perception about the Army among the people of Jammu and Kashmir to counter the negative influences being spread in the Valley, former senior officers of the armed forces have said.

Lt Gen. (retd) Syed Ata Hasnain has said efforts were made to reach out to and connect with the people of Jammu and Kashmir in the past.

&quot;There is the Operation Sadbhavna. It has transformed the situation largely. Then there is the Army Goodwill School. We even started the Kashmir Premier League, so that the youth could be engaged in sports and kept away from the elements of radicalisation,&quot; he said.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/kashmir-militant-returns-home-after-mother-asks-him-to-34488" target="_blank">Militant returns home after mother asks him to</a>

Hasnain, who was posted in the Valley as the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 21 Corps, said mass communication strategies should be used effectively to manage the perception about the Army among the people of Jammu and Kashmir and counter the negative influences being spread.

He was yesterday speaking at the Annual Army Seminar on &quot;Contribution of the Army Towards Nation Building&quot; at the Manekshaw Centre here.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/in-and-a-difficult-out-of-south-kashmir-3206" target="_blank">In and a difficult out of South Kashmir</a>

Former GOC-in-C, Northern Command, Lt Gen. (retd) K T Patnaik said, &quot;A perception management strategy is needed to curb the nefarious elements. 
 
&quot;There are those in the Valley, who are spreading a negative perception about the Army. There are elements who are promoting radicalisation among the youth, spreading anti-army and anti-India feelings. We need to counter all that.&quot;&nbsp;

The comment was made by Lt Gen (retd) Syed Ata Hasnain, who was at one time the seniormost Indian Army officer in Kashmir

More needed to be done to manage the perception about the Army among the people of Jammu and Kashmir to counter the negative influences being spread in the Valley, former senior officers of the armed forces have said. Lt Gen. (retd) Syed Ata Hasnain has said efforts were made to reach out to and connect with the people of Jammu and Kashmir in the past. "There is the Operation Sadbhavna. It has transformed the situation largely. Then there is the Army Goodwill School. We even started the Kashmir Premier League, so that the youth could be engaged in sports and kept away from the elements of radicalisation," he said. Also read: Militant returns home after mother asks him to Hasnain, who was posted in the Valley as the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 21 Corps, said mass communication strategies should be used effectively to manage the perception about the Army among the people of Jammu and Kashmir and counter the negative influences being spread. He was yesterday speaking at the Annual Army Seminar on "Contribution of the Army Towards Nation Building" at the Manekshaw Centre here. Also read: In and a difficult out of South Kashmir Former GOC-in-C, Northern Command, Lt Gen. (retd) K T Patnaik said, "A perception management strategy is needed to curb the nefarious elements. "There are those in the Valley, who are spreading a negative perception about the Army. There are elements who are promoting radicalisation among the youth, spreading anti-army and anti-India feelings. We need to counter all that."

'More needs to be done to manage perception about Army in JK'

A boy, who joined militancy in Kashmir, has returned home today following an appeal by his mother, a senior police official said.

&quot;Another young boy responding to the appeals of crying mother returned to the fold of family leaving path of violence in the valley&quot;, DGP S P Vaid said in a tweet today.&nbsp;

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Another young boy responding to the appeals of crying mother returned to the fold of family leaving path of violence in the valley. I wish the family happy re- union.
&mdash; Shesh Paul Vaid (@spvaid) <a href="https://twitter.com/spvaid/status/969448877916073984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The DGP also wished a happy reunion to the family in his tweet.

&quot;I wish the family happy re-union&quot;, he said.

The age of the boy has not been disclosed.

Four Kashmiri youths, who had taken to militancy, shunned the path of violence and returned to the mainstream in 2017.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/kashmir-burhan-wanis-successor-asks-pandits-to-return-says-militants-planning-sikh-outfit-7706" target="_blank">Burhan Wani&#39;s &#39;successor&#39; asks Pandits to return</a>

Notably, last month, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, in a written reply to a question of BJP MLC Vikram Randhawa in the Legislative Council, said that four misguided youths shunned the path of violence and returned to the mainstream.

&quot;Efforts are being made to counsel the families of militants to convince their wards to give up violence&quot;, she said.

The chief minister said her government had taken a number of states to contain radicalisation and extremism, and undertaken youth engagement activities, such as cricket tournaments.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/in-and-a-difficult-out-of-south-kashmir-3206" target="_blank">In and a difficult out of South Kashmir</a>

Mufti said youth clubs had been set up at the police station level to train them in information technology and indoor games.

Also, she mentioned about the surveillance on social media, which she said had been enhanced as the Internet plays a major role in radicalisation of the youth.&nbsp;

The age of the boy has not been disclosed. Last year too, four boys who had joined the militants had returned home

A boy, who joined militancy in Kashmir, has returned home today following an appeal by his mother, a senior police official said. "Another young boy responding to the appeals of crying mother returned to the fold of family leaving path of violence in the valley", DGP S P Vaid said in a tweet today. Another young boy responding to the appeals of crying mother returned to the fold of family leaving path of violence in the valley. I wish the family happy re- union. — Shesh Paul Vaid (@spvaid) March 2, 2018 × The DGP also wished a happy reunion to the family in his tweet. "I wish the family happy re-union", he said. The age of the boy has not been disclosed. Four Kashmiri youths, who had taken to militancy, shunned the path of violence and returned to the mainstream in 2017. Also read: Burhan Wani's 'successor' asks Pandits to return Notably, last month, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, in a written reply to a question of BJP MLC Vikram Randhawa in the Legislative Council, said that four misguided youths shunned the path of violence and returned to the mainstream. "Efforts are being made to counsel the families of militants to convince their wards to give up violence", she said. The chief minister said her government had taken a number of states to contain radicalisation and extremism, and undertaken youth engagement activities, such as cricket tournaments. Also read: In and a difficult out of South Kashmir Mufti said youth clubs had been set up at the police station level to train them in information technology and indoor games. Also, she mentioned about the surveillance on social media, which she said had been enhanced as the Internet plays a major role in radicalisation of the youth.

Kashmir: Militant returns home after mother asks him to

To expedite the process of disposal of cases, courts in Jammu and Kashmir have been connected with jails through video-conferencing.

The facility was inaugurated by Jammu and Kashmir High Court justices Alok Aradhe and Ali Muhammad Magrey from the district court complexes in Jammu and Srinagar respectively.

Aradhe is the chairperson of the computer and e-courts (e-governance) committee while Magrey is the panel&#39;s member.

The inauguration was attended by DGP (Prisons) Dilbagh Singh, Commissioner Secretary Home R K Goyal, Secretary Information Technology Saughat Biswas, and other officers of the state administration, prisons department and judiciary.

Highlighting its importance, Aradhe said it will minimise the security risk attached with the production of accused before courts.

Video-conferencing will be used in recording statements of witnesses during the trial who have difficulty in attending the courts, he said.

Terming it an important step in the speedy delivery of justice, Magrey said that video-conferencing will be used for extending judicial remands of accused before or during trial without producing the under trial prisoners before courts.

This will not only save time of courts but it will also save resources of the state which are being spent in producing an accused or under-trial prisoners before courts, he said during an interaction with jail authorities and judicial officers of Srinagar and Jammu.

He said the judiciary in the state is fast adopting information technology in judicial processes to provide cost-effective and expeditious services to litigants.&nbsp;Magrey said stakeholders will be able to avail services such as case status, details and list, and short orders through internet or through information kiosks.

The kiosks have been set up in various courts across the state.

He also said that that video-conferencing facility will also be used in recording statements of specialist witnesses like doctors, forensic experts and others.

The facility was inaugurated by Jammu and Kashmir High Court justices Alok Aradhe and Ali Muhammad Magrey

To expedite the process of disposal of cases, courts in Jammu and Kashmir have been connected with jails through video-conferencing. The facility was inaugurated by Jammu and Kashmir High Court justices Alok Aradhe and Ali Muhammad Magrey from the district court complexes in Jammu and Srinagar respectively. Aradhe is the chairperson of the computer and e-courts (e-governance) committee while Magrey is the panel's member. The inauguration was attended by DGP (Prisons) Dilbagh Singh, Commissioner Secretary Home R K Goyal, Secretary Information Technology Saughat Biswas, and other officers of the state administration, prisons department and judiciary. Highlighting its importance, Aradhe said it will minimise the security risk attached with the production of accused before courts. Video-conferencing will be used in recording statements of witnesses during the trial who have difficulty in attending the courts, he said. Terming it an important step in the speedy delivery of justice, Magrey said that video-conferencing will be used for extending judicial remands of accused before or during trial without producing the under trial prisoners before courts. This will not only save time of courts but it will also save resources of the state which are being spent in producing an accused or under-trial prisoners before courts, he said during an interaction with jail authorities and judicial officers of Srinagar and Jammu. He said the judiciary in the state is fast adopting information technology in judicial processes to provide cost-effective and expeditious services to litigants. Magrey said stakeholders will be able to avail services such as case status, details and list, and short orders through internet or through information kiosks. The kiosks have been set up in various courts across the state. He also said that that video-conferencing facility will also be used in recording statements of specialist witnesses like doctors, forensic experts and others.

J&K courts connected to prisons through video conferencing

One terrorist has been killed in an encounter with security forces in Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir.

The incident took place in Hajin area of the district.

Acting on specific intelligence input about the presence of the militant in Hajin area, security forces launched a search operation in the area, police said. As the forces were conducting the search operation, the hiding militant opened fire on them. In the ensuing encounter, the militant was killed, a police official said.

The identity and group affiliation of the militant is not immediately known.

J&amp;K DGP SP Vaid tweeted: &quot;One terrorist of LET (Lashkar-e-Taiba) apparently FT (foreign terrorist) killed in an encounter in Hajin Bandipore today morning in a joint operation of J&amp;K Police/Army/ CRPF.&quot;

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One terrorist of LET apparently FT killed in an encounter in Hajin Bandipore today morning in a joint operation of J&amp;K Police/Army/ CRPF.
&mdash; Shesh Paul Vaid (@spvaid) <a href="https://twitter.com/spvaid/status/969037631999881217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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As the forces were conducting the search operation, the hiding militant opened fire on them

One terrorist has been killed in an encounter with security forces in Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir. The incident took place in Hajin area of the district. Acting on specific intelligence input about the presence of the militant in Hajin area, security forces launched a search operation in the area, police said. As the forces were conducting the search operation, the hiding militant opened fire on them. In the ensuing encounter, the militant was killed, a police official said. The identity and group affiliation of the militant is not immediately known. J&K DGP SP Vaid tweeted: "One terrorist of LET (Lashkar-e-Taiba) apparently FT (foreign terrorist) killed in an encounter in Hajin Bandipore today morning in a joint operation of J&K Police/Army/ CRPF." One terrorist of LET apparently FT killed in an encounter in Hajin Bandipore today morning in a joint operation of J&K Police/Army/ CRPF. — Shesh Paul Vaid (@spvaid) March 1, 2018 ×

Terrorist killed in encounter in J&K's Bandipora district

A Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council panel Tuesday suggested creation of separate police range for Ladakh region and a women police station for Kargil district, after reviewing the functioning of the home department.

The department-related Standing Committee, which met here under the chairmanship of MLC Surinder Kumar Choudhary, also directed removal of encroachment on government land located around police and security installations, an official spokesman said.

He said the committee held detailed discussion on the functioning of various wings of the police department, pin-pointed certain gaps and called for addressing them to further improve functioning.

It observed that in view of a vast catchment area, there should be a separate police range for Ladakh region to ensure efficiency in the system, the spokesman said.

He said the committee also suggested creation of a women police station for Kargil district of Ladakh region.

The issues related to the encroachment on government land located around police and security installations at various places also figured prominently and the committee directed that necessary steps be taken to clear the same, the spokesman said.

He said modernisation of police department, building of infrastructure, creation of more manpower, policy of transfer and posting of police personnel in Ladakh region and creation of more executive police posts in Ladakh region were also discussed during the meeting.

The committee also directed removal of encroachment on government land

A Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council panel Tuesday suggested creation of separate police range for Ladakh region and a women police station for Kargil district, after reviewing the functioning of the home department. The department-related Standing Committee, which met here under the chairmanship of MLC Surinder Kumar Choudhary, also directed removal of encroachment on government land located around police and security installations, an official spokesman said. He said the committee held detailed discussion on the functioning of various wings of the police department, pin-pointed certain gaps and called for addressing them to further improve functioning. It observed that in view of a vast catchment area, there should be a separate police range for Ladakh region to ensure efficiency in the system, the spokesman said. He said the committee also suggested creation of a women police station for Kargil district of Ladakh region. The issues related to the encroachment on government land located around police and security installations at various places also figured prominently and the committee directed that necessary steps be taken to clear the same, the spokesman said. He said modernisation of police department, building of infrastructure, creation of more manpower, policy of transfer and posting of police personnel in Ladakh region and creation of more executive police posts in Ladakh region were also discussed during the meeting.

J&K panel suggests creation of separate police range for Ladakh

Indian ministry of home affairs has said it will reimburse all funds spent by the Jammu and Kashmir government which it paid as compensation for damages and losses to the victims of cross-border firing.

In the last two months, there has been a string of cross-border firing in Poonch, Uri,&nbsp;&nbsp;Bandipora and other areas leading to the deaths of several civilians.

Due to the constant border firing, the houses of several villagers were damaged.

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Due to the constant border firing, the houses of several villagers were damaged

Indian ministry of home affairs has said it will reimburse all funds spent by the Jammu and Kashmir government which it paid as compensation for damages and losses to the victims of cross-border firing. In the last two months, there has been a string of cross-border firing in Poonch, Uri, Bandipora and other areas leading to the deaths of several civilians. Due to the constant border firing, the houses of several villagers were damaged.

Home ministry to reimburse J&K govt over funds spent on border attack victims

A grenade was thrown Monday at a police station in Jammu and Kashmir&#39;s Pulwama district. A constable was injured in the attack.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Visuals?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Visuals</a> Terrorists hurled grenade on a police station in Pulwama district. A Constable, Mehrajuddin injured. <a href="https://t.co/haseiNR48A">pic.twitter.com/haseiNR48A</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/968033911178588160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2018</a></blockquote>
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A terrorist, Mushtaq Ahmad Chopan, was killed trying to escape during the grenade attack.

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A terrorist Mushtaq Ahmad Chopan was killed in the grenade attack on a Police station in Pulwama while trying to escape(from police custody) dressed up as a woman <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JammuAndKashmir?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JammuAndKashmir</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/968033150625566721?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pakistan-violates-ceasefire-in-jks-nowshera-rajouri-34074">Ceasefire violated in Nowshera and Rajouri, suspicious movement </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pakistan-violates-ceasefire-in-jks-nowshera-rajouri-34074">seen</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pakistan-violates-ceasefire-in-jks-nowshera-rajouri-34074"> along IB</a>

Further details are awaited.

&nbsp;Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/jk-terrorists-kill-2-policemen-in-two-separate-incidents-34012">Terrorists kill 2 policemen in two separate incidents</a>

There have been a number of terrorist attacks in Kashmir in recent months.&nbsp;

On Sunday, police constable Farooq Ahmed was killed in a terrorist attack at the Srinagar home of Hurriyat leader Fazal Haq Qureshi.&nbsp;

A grenade was thrown Monday at a police station in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district. A constable was injured in the attack. #Visuals Terrorists hurled grenade on a police station in Pulwama district. A Constable, Mehrajuddin injured. pic.twitter.com/haseiNR48A — ANI (@ANI) February 26, 2018 × A terrorist, Mushtaq Ahmad Chopan, was killed trying to escape during the grenade attack. A terrorist Mushtaq Ahmad Chopan was killed in the grenade attack on a Police station in Pulwama while trying to escape(from police custody) dressed up as a woman #JammuAndKashmir — ANI (@ANI) February 26, 2018 × Also read: Ceasefire violated in Nowshera and Rajouri, suspicious movement seen along IB Further details are awaited. Also read: Terrorists kill 2 policemen in two separate incidents There have been a number of terrorist attacks in Kashmir in recent months. On Sunday, police constable Farooq Ahmed was killed in a terrorist attack at the Srinagar home of Hurriyat leader Fazal Haq Qureshi.

J&K: Grenade thrown at police station, terrorist killed trying to escape

The Pakistan army violated the ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Uri sector and has now carried on to Anwas Bhandar, Lam in Nowshera sector of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday.&nbsp;

Some livestock has been&nbsp;killed during the firing, however, no loss of life has yet been reported.&nbsp;

The Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing on Indian posts along the LoC in the Baramulla district of north Kashmir around 11.50 am, an Army official said.

Heavy firings are still underway. No casualties have been reported so far. More details are awaited.&nbsp;

On February 22, the Border Security Force (BSF) said that Pakistan restores to incessant firing across the border because they don&#39;t want India to have a peaceful atmosphere.

&quot;Pakistan doesn&#39;t want India to have a peaceful atmosphere. This is why they do such violations. There was a ceasefire violation yesterday too,&quot; Sonali Mishra, Inspector General of BSF said.

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The firing started around noon and the Indian army soon retaliated

The Pakistan army violated the ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Uri sector and has now carried on to Anwas Bhandar, Lam in Nowshera sector of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday. Some livestock has been killed during the firing, however, no loss of life has yet been reported. The Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing on Indian posts along the LoC in the Baramulla district of north Kashmir around 11.50 am, an Army official said. Heavy firings are still underway. No casualties have been reported so far. More details are awaited. On February 22, the Border Security Force (BSF) said that Pakistan restores to incessant firing across the border because they don't want India to have a peaceful atmosphere. "Pakistan doesn't want India to have a peaceful atmosphere. This is why they do such violations. There was a ceasefire violation yesterday too," Sonali Mishra, Inspector General of BSF said.

J&K: Pakistan violates ceasefire in Uri, no casualties so far

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