Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah addressing people after inaugurating Madre-Meharban bridge at Poonch on Monday.

Farooq optimistic of early Indo-Pak dialogue
Economically wreck Pak may lay hands off Kashmir

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 11: Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah today expressed optimism for early Indo-Pak dialogue to sort out mutual issues saying that the two neighbours are steadily heading for normalisation of relations. ‘Silencing of guns in the aftermath of Prime Minister’s peace initiative is an indicator of the coming events’, the Chief Minister said in Poonch, a few kilometers away from the LoC, this morning after inaugurating 487-meter span Madr-e-Mehrban bridge over Betar Nallah.....more

Militants asked to give positive response
Mercenaries will have to leave Kashmir: Lone

NEW DELHI, Dec 11: Senior Hurriyat leader Abdul Gani Lone today made clear that all mercenaries would have to leave Kashmir once a political dialogue started and asked all militant outfits to give a positive response to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s unilateral ceasefire......more

Hurriyat leaders’ intentions are not suspect: Hizb
Lone’s spokesman asks Geelani to shut up

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Dec 11: Senior Hurriyat leader Abdul Gani Lone’s Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Conference (JKPC) has taken strong exception to the former Hurriyat chairman and prominant Jamaat-e-Islami leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s remarks that the former was ‘inconsistent and unrealistic’. .....more

21 officials held in Rs 50-Cr Dal Development scam
CM’s kin among 2 Xens arrested by Vigilance

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Dec 11: Sleuths of the Vigilance Organisation Kashmir (VOK) today arrested two more Executive Engineers — Khursheed Ahmed Shahdad and Mohammad Ramzan Bhat — in the infamous Rs 50 Crore scandal of irregularities in Lakes and Waterways Development Agency (LAWDA). With this, a total of 21 officials have been arrested till date........more

36 police stations regularised
17 promoted as DySps

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 11: The State Government today ordered promotions of 17 Inspectors as Deputy Superintendents of Police (DySPs). An order to this effect was issued this afternoon by Home Department vide its order No. 530.....more

Two Pakistani ultras captured from bus

Excelsior Correspondent

RAJOURI, Dec 11: Two Pakistani militants were captured by police and Intelligence sleuths from a passenger bus in Bhimber Gali (BG) area of Mendhar tehsil in Poonch district this evening. They were activists of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen outfit and were on way to Mendhar from Rajouri.. ....more

Cong on associate of BJP: Yadav

BHOPAL, Dec 11: Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav today described the Congress as an ‘associate of the BJP’ and said the Third Front can become effective only if it included political parties totally opposed to both of them. ....more

V P demands scrapping of statute review panel ....

HC allows women to work in night shifts ....

HC suspends Munsiff ...