Latest on Kashmir situation: 4 IAF Aircrafts fly 387 passengers out of Srinagar

Srinagar, Aug 03: Tension gripped Jammu and Kashmir following the curtailment of Amarnath Yatra and deployment of 10,000 troops dispatched the week before.

Hectic political activities are happening in the state. While there have been speculations that Article 35A and Article 370 could be removed, Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik has maintained that political parties are creating unnecessary panic in the valley. Malik yesterday said security was beefed up as precautionary measure.

Here are the latest Kashmir related developments:

The PDP on Saturday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure that no unilateral decision is taken at any level that impinges upon the current constitutional arrangement and complexion of Jammu and Kashmir with the union of India.

"6126 passengers reported at Srinagar Airport today for travelling out of valley. Out of this, 5829 passengers travelled by 32 scheduled flights. Remaining 387 passengers accommodated in 4 IAF Aircraft and flown to destinations like Jammu, Pathankot and Hindon," Airports Authority of India (AAI) said.

In the last 36 hours, Indian Army has foiled an infiltration attempt by a Pakistani BAT (Border Action Team) squad in Keran Sector. 5-7 Pakistani army regulars/terrorists eliminated, their bodies are lying on the LoC, not retrieved yet due to heavy firing, reports ANI.

Hurriyat conference leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, speaking at the historic Jama Masjid in Srinagar, said Article 35A is an article of faith. "Speculations are rife about the possibility of Article of 35 A being revoked to change the demography of the state and its Muslim majority character. For the past three years there has been a great push towards it. Many PILs have been filed in the Supreme Court to challenge it. Leadership and people have to be ready to resist every attempt to undo it," Greater Kashmir quoted him as saying.

"We are concerned about the situation. No one knows what is happening. There is uncertainty. We are seeing this type of situation for the first time and it has raised questions. We want the Centre as well as the state government to clarify what is going on," says Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president GA Mir.

PDP leaders held a meeting over the prevailing situation in Kashmir earlier today.

"It is normal. Only rumour mongering is going on. It's a very routine thing here. If you sneeze at Lal Chowk, it becomes an explosion when it comes here. Unnecessary panic is being created by vested interests, specially some political parties," said Satya Pal Malik.

"It is our responsibility to see safety of pilgrims and tourists. Lot of terrorists are sitting across the Line to cross here and most of them are suicide bombers. If something happens, that will have repercussions all over country. We wanted to avoid that," Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik.

"Workers of all political parties should come together so that a message can be given to Centre that they can't toy with Jammu and Kashmir's special position.Recent developments in Jamme and Kashmir have created fear among people and it is unfortunate that Centre is not issuing a clear statement," PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said.

Congress demands statement on Kashmir situation by PM Modi:

"The advisory that was issued by Home Ministry yesterday is worrisome and people of the entire nation as well as of Jammu and Kashmir are scared. No govt has ever asked tourists to go back. Such thing has never happened," Ghulam Nabi Azad of the Congress said.

"The Prime Minister should make statements in both houses of Parliament on current situation in Jammu and Kashmir. It's his duty," Azad said.

He also said that the government should clarify why additional paramilitary forces were sent to the state.

This is what happened earlier:

Jammu and Kashmir former chief minister Omar Adbullah said that the Governor Satya Pal Malik has assured them that the Article 35A won't be touched. Panic has gripped Jammu and Kashmir as speculations grew in the Valley about some possible major decisions regarding the state's special status.

"We have no idea what is happening. So a delegation in which I was there too met the governor and we asked him why this is happening. We also asked him about rumours of Article 35A and Article 370 being removed... to which he assured that no such thing is happening," Omar Abdullah said after the meeting.

"Governor is not the final word on Jammu and Kashmir. The final word on J&K is the Government of India.Therefore, more than what Governor tells us publicly, I definitely would like to hear from Govt of India publicly that there is nothing people have to worry about," he said.

"On Monday, when Parliament starts functioning, Centre should give a statement on what was the need for the order to end yatra and evacuate tourists. We want to hear it from the Parliament that there is no need for people to be afraid," he added.

Abdullah's meeting with the governor comes a day after an unprecedented advisory was issued by the Jammu and Kashmir state government, asking Amarnath Yatra pilgrims and tourists to "immediately" cut short their stay in the Kashmir Valley and leave the state.