Jammu, Aug 31: The Meteorological (MeT) department on Wednesday forecast mainly clear to partly cloudy weather in Jammu and Kashmir during the next 24 hours.

The weather was mainly clear in the union territory on Tuesday.

“Mainly clear to partly cloudy weather is likely in J&K during the next 24 hours”, an official of the MeT department said.

Meanwhile, Srinagar recorded 16.6 degrees Celsius, Pahalgam 10.4 and Gulmarg 9.5 degrees Celsius as the minimum temperature this morning.

Drass town in Ladakh had 7.3 degrees, Leh 10.1 and Kargil 16 as the minimum temperature.

Jammu had 25.8 degrees, Katra 23.2, Batote 18.1, Banihal and Bhaderwah registered 15 and 17 degrees respectively.

Jaipur, Aug 31: Two residents of Jammu and Kashmir were caught in a restricted area in Jaisalmer district and are being interrogated jointly, police said on Tuesday.
Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Premshankar said on the information of the Border Security Force (BSF), a police team caught Mohammad Abbas (23) and Mumtaz Ahmed (25), residents of Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir.
They were roaming in the restricted area of the district on Monday.
Both the suspects are being jointly interrogated by intelligence agencies, he added. (Agencies)

JAMMU, Aug 30: Jammu and Kashmir Congress president Vikar Rasool Wani on Tuesday played down chain of resignations in the party and said “cowards” run away during difficult times as the state unit held a show of strength rally here.
He said the new leadership will strive hard to make the Congress “number one” party in the Union territory.
Wani, the newly appointed Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) chief, arrived here on Tuesday, with party leaders and workers lining up on both sides of the road to welcome him. He was accompanied by AICC in-charge J-K and MP Rajani Patil.
“We will fight the BJP as well as those selfish people who have left the party. We will make the party number one in Jammu and Kashmir,” Wani told reporters.
Dubbing those who left the Congress as “loyalists of Azad”, he said only cowards run away during difficult times.
“Those who are loyal to (Ghulam Nabi) Azad will leave the party but there are thousands who are loyal to congress and they will stay in the party.”
He said leaving of some people will not matter much to the party. “There will not be any major loss to the Congress,” Wani added.
As many as 64 senior Congress leaders, including former deputy chief minister Tara Chand, resigned from the party in support of Ghulam Nabi Azad here on Tuesday, asserting that Azad’s vision will shape a new and bright future for Jammu and Kashmir. Azad, 73, former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, quit the Congress on Friday.
The JKPCC chief was received by senior leaders Raman Bhalla and Yogesh Sawhney amid pro-Congress and Pro-Rahul Gandhi slogans. The Congress cavalcade of vehicles and motorcycles then moved in the city.
Amid drum beating, Congress workers lined up on two sides of the road and showered flowers upon the newly announced leadership of the J-K Congress.
“Those interested to leave the party and want to go with Azad can leave.The party only wants loyalists who stand with the idealogy of party and its leadership,” Bhalla said.
Pointing towards the huge number of Congress activists, he said, “This is the proof of loyalty. We don’t want disloyal and selfish people who after enjoying power for years leave the party in its difficult times.” (Agencies)

NEW DELHI, Aug 30: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between NHLML (National Highways Logistics Management Limited ) and Katra Development Authority in presence of Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of State Gen VK Singh, L.G., Jammu & Kashmir Manoj Sinha and Central & State Officials.
As part of the initiative, Inter Modal Station is being developed in Katra to improve the travelling experience of Pilgrims who are visiting Mata Vaishno Devi Temple. Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is developing Inter Modal Stations across the country for improving passenger infrastructure development across the Nation.

SRINAGAR, Aug 30: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah says restoration of Article 370 and 35A to the erstwhile state is not easy unless all political parties and people unite to fight for it.
“It is not easy to get the Article 370 and 35A restored to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. We have already approached the Supreme Court and are waiting for the day when they will constitute a bench and hear the petition,” Abdullah said in an interview with a media channel on Tuesday.
He said: “The restoration of Article 370 and 35 A will not come from the sky…we all have to struggle for that together. I hope the day will come and Article 370 will be restored again with dignity and honor.”
He alleged that the central government has unconstitutionally turned a state into a union territory without approaching the people here.
“Bharatiya Janata Party is attempting to get two-third majority in the elections when they are held in Jammu and Kashmir which will enable them to pass the resolution in the Assembly and then request the Supreme Court to constitute the bench which will give a decision in their favour,” he added.
The former Chief Minister wished the apex court would soon constitute the bench as early as possible and start hearing on Article 370.
Regarding delaying Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the NC chief said “I cannot say anything about it. It is the Election Commission which has to take a call.”
He said they often say that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir has improved…”if it has improved why are they not conducting elections. There should be a reason,” he questioned. The delimitation process has been done and now electoral rolls…the process should be completed, he added.
He said there are apprehensions among the people about new the 25 lakh outsider voters being inducted in the voters list of Jammu and Kashmir, as has been announced by the Chief Electoral Officer recently.
“I doubt these are being registered to bring BJP to power in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said raising concerns.
In a question about what effect it would have on political parties if former senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad is forming his own political party, the 84-year-old said “I am happy he is going to form a national level party…let us see it is just a beginning ,time will tell..”
When asked why the Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) does not exist in the minds of the people, he said that everybody has his own opinion and I cannot say anything to them.
“The parties who are constituents of PAGD have their own manifesto and ideas. It is an amalgam of the parties made for a particular cause. Whatever people are saying about the PAGD is their own point of view and opinion …I cannot tell them anything.”
He said that “time will tell PAGD was formed for the benefit of the people of Jammu and Kashmir…It would be premature to say what PAGD can do…that time will tell. Our enemies are hell bent to see that PAGD should disband ”. (Agencies)