Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Kashmir’s chief Muslim cleric and chairman of his faction of the separatist Hurriyat Conference alliance, on Friday urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, to pledge a “meaningful course” towards resolution of Kashmir issue during his forthcoming visit to the state, instead of announcing any economic package or incentives.

Jammu and Kashmir government has formulated a Rs 375-crore plan for the development and revival of saffron cultivation in the state. The plan is expected to be submitted to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his scheduled visit to the state in June, it was announced here on Thursday.

The security forces on Wednesday killed a divisional commander of frontline indigenous Kashmiri militant outfit Hizb-ul-Mujahideen with two others in a gunfight in southern Pulwama district.

Two persons, including a senior government official and a tourist from Bengalaru, have been killed and scores of civilians were injured when caught in a massive snow avalanches and landslides near the 17,350-feet-high Chang La (pass) in eastern Ladakh.

Two persons, including a senior government official and a tourist from Bengalaru, have been killed and scores of civilians were injured when caught in a massive snow avalanches and landslides near the 17,350-feet-high Chang La (pass) in eastern Ladakh.

Starving for issues to raise or speak about in public to disparage the government or, as their critics have alleged, to justify their very existence, the Kashmiri separatists are out to sound alarm bells about the “real motive” behind holding the Census in the restive state.

A multi-cordon security blanket will be thrown to thwart any terrorist plot during the two-month-long Amarnath yatra beginning July 1.

In a new strategy to combat stone pelting menace, the Jammu and Kashmir police is wooing the separatist-backed misguided youth and even made some of them Special Police Officers to take on their forme