Srinagar's Lal Chowk illuminated with Tricolour lights ahead of 75th Independence Day

Ahead of the Independence Day celebrations, Srinagar's iconic clock tower has been illuminated with the lights of the tricolour on Friday. Tweeting the pictures of the illuminated clock tower, Srinagar Mayor Junaid Mattu informed that new clocks were being fitted. India will be celebrating its 75 years of Independence on August 15.

Srinagar Clock Tower illuminated with Tricolour

Opposition to visit Kashmir

Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament is likely to be on a five-day trip to Kashmir and Ladakh in August, sources said on Friday. -Public Accounts Committee of Parliament chaired by Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury is likely to visit Kashmir and Ladakh from August 14 to 18 and will examine high-altitude clothing and food provided to the defence personnel, they said. -Members of the PAC will visit Srinagar, Drass, Kargil and Leh during the trip. They will visit Kargil on August 15 and celebrate Independence Day by hoisting the national flag, sources said.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs, chaired by Congress leader Anand Sharma, is scheduled to visit Kashmir and Leh starting August 17. -As per the agenda of the visit, this panel plans to examine the administration and development of the region and review the working conditions of central police forces. The visit by the two parliamentary panels come nearly two months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the top leaders of Jammu and Kashmir on June 24.

On Wednesday, the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) described BJP's 'Naya Kashmir' slogan as a "joke" and stated that the meeting with PM Modi had borne no fruits on ground. The alliance said that neither had political prisoners been released, nor was the siege which has been in Kashmir since 2019 ended.  The PAGD reiterated its commitment to fight together to reverse the unconstitutional and unacceptable changes foisted on the people of J&K on 5th August 2019 using all constitutional, legal and political means at its disposal.

It added, "As far as the restoration of statehood is concerned, it has been BJP's commitment on the floor of the Parliament & they must honour their word. So any assembly election must be held only after the restoration of full statehood for J&K. To this end the PAGD has decided to reach out to other political parties in J&K with a view to take a common position on the issue". Two years have passed since Parliament revoked J&K's special status and bifurcated it into two UTs - Jammu-Kashmir and Ladakh.