NEWS PANORAMA OF J & K

GREATER KASHMIR

An army soldier was killed in sniper fire from Pakistan near the LoC in Nowgam sector of Kupwara district on Tuesday. An official said that the soldier, belonging to 17 Infantry Brigade, was hit by sniper fire while he was on duty at Sangam post.

J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday said that her party wanted to form an advisory committee that will work for promotion of tourism on both sides of Kashmir which will comprise members of both sides of Kashmir. The committee, will promote tourism and find modalities for allowing student visits on both sides of Kashmir.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today waived the condition of a letter from Pakistan's Foreign Adviser Sartaj Aziz for an ailing PaK resident Osama Ali, a 24-year old resident of Rawalkot in PaK diagnosed with a tumour in his liver to get a visa and said he would be allowed to come here. "PaK is an integral part of India. Pakistan has illegally occupied it. We are giving him visa. No letter required," Swaraj tweeted.

Two civilians were killed and 13 others wounded in firing by Indian side along the LoC in Pakistan-administered Kashmir while a soldier was killed in a sniper fire by Pakistan army at Nowgam area of Kupwara district this afternoon, officials in the two countries said. Another soldier was killed in Pakistani firing in Noushehra area of Rajouri, a defence spokesman said.

Army on Tuesday claimed to have foiled an infiltration bid in Gurez Valley in Bandipora district by killing two militants. An Army official said a group of six militants tried to sneak into this side of LoC near Bagtore area of Gurez last night. “Army personnel of 13 Sikh regiment noticed the movement of militants and challenged them. The militants fired at them, which was retaliated to, triggering a gunfight,” he said.

Family members of Rayees Ahmad Bhat, who was killed during a shootout in Bulbul Nowgam village in Anantnag district last evening, said on Tuesday that the deceased was neither involved nor wanted in any militancy related case. However, the police maintained Rayees was a LeT militant. Rayees was driving the Maruti car with two Let militants—Showkat and Mudasir—on board when army and police ambushed them near Sheikh Mohalla, Nowgam. The trio was killed in the ensuing five-minute shootout.

RISING KASHMIR

The Government of India Tuesday informed Lok Sabha that 376 security were killed in militancy violence in Jammu and Kashmir since 2010 and disclosed that 8932 civilians were injured during unrest in Valley last year.

 A 60-year-old civilian, Mohammad Abdullah Ganai, succumbed to his injuries at SKIMS Soura Tuesday afternoon. Ganaie was injured after Army men allegedly opened fire in Bijbehara town on Monday afternoon during an altercation between the locals and army men.

KASHMIR MONITOR

The ‘law and order’ situation in Jammu and Kashmir is improving according to a written statement recorded by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in Lok Sabha on Tuesday. According to the MHA, 583 cases have been registered this year against 2897 cases last year. The incidents of stone pelting that rocked the Kashmir valley last year have also, the statement claims, reduced in 2017.

KASHMIR OBSERVER

In a fresh warning to India on Tuesday, Chinese state media said that China can go on an “all out” confrontation along the entire around 4000-km LAC that spreads from Ladakh to Kashmir in North to Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim in the East.

National Conference on Tuesday expressed serious concern over the decision of the Central Government to not file a written response to the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in the Supreme Court challenging Article 35-A of the Constitution of India.

KASHMIR READER

A former Panchayat member was shot at inside his home in Panzath area of Qazigund early Tuesday morning. As per police reports, two armed men barged into the house of Nazir Ahmad Shah, a former Panchayat member associated with the NC.

Chairman Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Geelani on Tuesday denied the role of ISIS and Al-Qaeda in the state and said the peaceful solution to Kashmir issue “is our foremost motive”.