Greater Kashmir:FrontPage

Avalanche hits HAWS camp

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 18:33:44 GMT

Varmul, Feb 8: At least 18 army troopers, including an officer, lost their lives and 15 others were injured when a massive avalanche smashed into the army’s high altitude warfare camp at Khilanmarg in the upper reaches of the world famous tourist resort of Gulmarg.
The avalanche struck at about 11 am Monday when about 350 soldiers of the High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS), Gulmarg were on their way to the training camp.
The dead included an officer, Lt Prateek, and

CM grieved

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 18:33:44 GMT

Jammu, Feb 8: Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah has expressed grief over the deaths that occurred at Khilanmarg-Gulmarg due to the snow avalanche that swept the area early this morning.
Immediately after learning about the incident, the Chief Minister deputed Minister of State for Tourism, Nasir Aslam Wani to Gulmarg to personally supervise the relief and rescue operations. He directed the Divisional Administration, Kashmir to pace up the rescue operations to rescue the trapped soldiers.<

ARMY DEFIES WARNING

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 18:33:44 GMT

Srinagar, Feb 8: Army had not adhered to its own warning regarding avalanches in Gulmarg and other high altitude areas of the Valley, official sources said.
Army’s Chandigarh-based Snow Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE) had issued an avalanche warning last evening and advised people living in high altitude areas not to venture out in the avalanche-prone areas of the State.
“Avalanche warning exists in the high altitude areas for the next 24 hours. People living in

Div Comm records statements

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 18:33:44 GMT

Srinagar, Feb 8: Several eyewitnesses Monday recorded their statements before the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir.
The Government has appointed Divisional Commissioner as inquiry officer of the killing of Zahid Farooq. The inquiry officer has to complete the investigation within a week and submit the report to the Government.
Sources said number of persons, eyewitness to the gruesome incident approached the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir who started the probe Monday, to depose

Govt thwarts Hurriyat’s UNMOG march

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 18:33:44 GMT

Srinagar, Feb 8: Authorities Monday reinforced the undeclared curfew across the summer capital to foil Hurriyat Conference’s proposed march to the United Nation’s Military Observers Group at Sonwar, even as several leaders of the conglomerate were put under house arrest.
andnbsp;Heavy deployment of police and CRPF troopers was made outside the Nigeen residence of Hurriyat Conference (M), chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who continues to be under house arrest since Thursday

GOVT SCARED: UMAR

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 18:33:44 GMT

Srinagar, Feb 8: Strongly condemning the crackdown on the pro-freedom camp, Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq Monday said the government was “afraid of allowing any procession after 2008 agitation.”
Talking to Greater Kashmir, Mirwaiz said, the restrictions and crackdown were uncalled for as “only the Hurriyat leadership was going to march to UNMOG.”
“It was not a call for the public but it seems the government is too scared to allow

No restrictions today: DM

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 18:33:44 GMT

Srinagar, Feb 8: Government is likely to lift the restrictions on civilian movement from Tuesday.
District Magistrate, Srinagar, Me’raj Ahmad Kakroo told Greater Kashmir that there would be no restrictions on civilian movement in any part of the city.
“There won’t be any restrictions. But section 144 of CrPC would continue to be in force,” he said, adding that no protest rally or procession would be allowed in any part of the city.
The district administration

Heavy snowfall, incessant rains inundate Kashmir

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 18:33:44 GMT

Srinagar, Feb 8: For the fourth consecutive day Monday, the upper reaches across the Kashmir valley received heavy snowfall while the plains were lashed by incessant rains resulting in a further dip in temperature.
The meteorological department officials said the ski-resort of Gulmarg received 180 centimetres of snow while Qazigund received 7.2 mm, Pahalgam 4.2 mm, Kupwara 31.8 mm and Kokernag 6.1mm of rain and snow on Monday.
They said rain and snowfall would occur at

Highway closed on day-3

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 18:33:44 GMT

Banihal/Jammu, Feb 8: Thousands of people stranded at various places along the Jammu-Srinagar Highway were waiting for government attention as the road remained out of bounds for the vehicular movement on the third consecutive day Monday due to intense rain and snowfall.
Official sources said that hundreds of passengers were stranded at Jammu, Udhampur, Kud, Batote, Ramban and Banihal as the continuous snow and rainfall forced the closure of the highway for vehicular movement on

'Pak to talk Kashmir'

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 18:33:44 GMT

Islamabad, Feb 8: Pakistan says it wants to discuss Kashmir and other unresolved issues with India when the foreign secretaries of the two countries meet, possibly later this month.
Pakistan had a “strong case” on several outstanding issues, including Kashmir and the sharing of river waters, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said at a gathering in his hometown Multan Sunday.
At the same time, Qureshi took a hard line, pointing out that Pakistan had not knelt before

Mirwaiz reaches out to world, online

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 18:33:44 GMT

Srinagar, Feb 8: Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has adopted novel way to garner public support against the killings in the Valley by launching a website through his I-phone.
Placed under house arrest, Mirwaiz couldn’t march to the United Nations Military Observers Group here to register protest against the recent killings.
The tech-savy pro-freedom leader and cleric launched a website with his pre-recorded video-messages in English and Kashmiri tracing the history