Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah will contest election from the Baramulla constituency in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the party announced on Friday.

National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah, while speaking to reporters, said that Omar Abdullah is the party’s candidate from north Kashmir’s Baramulla Lok Sabha seat.

The National Conference president also informed that the firebrand Shia leader Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi would contest from central Kashmir’s Srinagar constituency, which has been an NC bastion.

On contesting the General election from Baramulla, Omar said that it’s a challenge, every election is a challenge but it’s a challenge that he is looking forward to. As he said earlier, his fight is not against an individual, it is against the skullduggery, treachery, the political machinations of the BJP, he asserted.

The former Chief Minister said the way in which BJP is trying to create alternatives to parties like the National Conference, the way in which they are conspiring to try and bring their associate parties together on one stage and therefore he sees this as an opportunity to take the fight directly to the BJP and to the Centre, he added.

Speaking to a reporter, he said that this time, his fight is not against any individual. In North Kashmir, his fight is not against any candidate instead his fight is with those powers which are behind that candidate. It has been decided that he will be contesting from North Kashmir because BJP is focusing a lot on North Kashmir, Omar added. He said he wants that these powers should be defeated in North Kashmir.

Regarding the BJP, the NC leader wondered if what PM Modi is saying is correct then why are his candidates not in the field? Why is the BJP not contesting South, Central and North Kashmir, he asked.

On being asked if he would leave politics if the BJP wins a single seat, he said to let the BJP announce their candidates. He will also see if they are able to get a single seat in J&K or not, he said while speaking to a reporter.

According to the Election Commission of India, polling in Baramulla will be held on May 20.

Ghulam Hassan Bhat, a retired Inspector General of Police with Jammu and Kashmir paid last tribute to his son Humayun Muzamil Bhat, a deputy superintendent who was killed in an encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Wednesday.   

The retired Police Officer walked towards Himayun’s body and laid a wreath on it, which was a heartwrenching moment. This is the toughest time for a father to pay the last tribute to his son. Bhat’s composure and his heavy steps for the last time at his departed son have shattered hearts.

Himayun Bhat, a deputy superintendent with Jammu and Kashmir Police along with Colonel Manpreet Singh and Major Ashish Dhonack were killed in a gunfight with terrorists in Anantnag, a southern sector of Jehlum Valley in Kashmir.

According to reports, Himayun lost his life due to heavy injuries that led to heavy blood loss in a fight with terrorists.

The last rites were held in Budgam where Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Police Chief Dilbag Singh paid tribute to the police officer. A large number of people also gathered at the rites spot.

On behalf of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, DGP J&K Sh Dilbag Singh has condoled the martyrdom of the braveheart officers of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and Army in an encounter at Gadool, Kokernag, Anantnag.

The DGP has said in his message that he is deeply saddened by the terrible loss of three young bravehearts Col. Manpreet Singh, Major Ashish Dhonack of 19 RR and Deputy SP Humayun Muzamil Bhat son of retired IG of Jammu and Kashmir Police Ghulam Hassan Bhat.

The DGP has said that every loss of life is unfortunate adding that, perpetrators of the criminal act would be brought to justice soon. The DGP extended his sympathies with the bereaved families and said the whole of J&K Police Force is at the beck and call of the next of keen of martyrs.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) attached three immovable properties of Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district on June 12, in a terror funding case.

As per the report, officials said lands were seized in the morning on June 12 by a team of NIA at Baghatpora in Handwara tehsil of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district. The NIA put out a notice of attachment near the land and informing people not to enter into any kind of deal on the attached properties.

In May, the NIA had attached Watali’s house in the posh Baghat area of Srinagar following the orders by the special NIA court, Patiala House, New Delhi
Watali was arrested by the team of NIA in 2017 in an alleged connection with terror, later he was moved out of jail on the medical grounds and put under house arrest to facilitate treatment for a terminal disease in last year February.

Earlier, Supreme Court ruled out the Delhi High Court order in which Watali was granted bail. The Supreme Court found that an ample of material has been collected which shows the linkages between the Hurriyat leaders of the Jammu and Kashmir and terrorist organisations and their continuous activities to wage war against Government of India.

Watali was earlier arrested on the suspicion of acting as a channel for the illegal remittance of funds to secessionists, terrorists and stone-pelters in 1990. He was taken into custody along with JKLF chief Yasin Malik and others when some anti-national activists were found at his house in Baghat, Srinagar and was jailed for eight months in Jammu.

The recent action taken by the NIA in attaching his properties serves as another significant development in the ongoing investigation into the terror-funding case.

Last year in May, a trial court framed charges against Watali and other individuals involved in a case of terrorism and secessionist activities in Jammu and Kashmir in 2017.  Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali was arrested by the NIA in 2017 and was charged under various sections of the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.