There recent decision by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to honour the decision of Supreme Court of Turkey for conversion of portion of Hagia Sophia Museum into a Mosque was criticized by many world leaders and nations. The case was pending before Turkey’s highest court for one and a half decade to ascertain future of the Hagia Sophia museum in Istanbul; if the site was personal property of Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II, who conquered the city in 1453 and built Mosque, and that a 1934 decision to turn the building into a secular museum should be annulled. The evidences placed before the court revealed that the site was personal property of Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II, who conquered the city in 1453, and decision to turn the building into a secular museum should be left up to the government if it allows it to be turned back into a Mosque. President Erdogan converted a portion of museum into mosque and rest remained as museum. Christians consider it cathedral of Hagia Sophia and a symbol of interfaith and intercultural dialogue.  It is being discussed that with the Turkish presidential decision, Turkey's relations with the EU, US, Greece, Russia and UNESCO would suffer badly.

Before we finally comment reconversion of Hagia Sophia Museum in Istanbul or the UNESCO listed Hagia Sophia (Divine Wisdom), known in Turkey as “Ayasofya-i Kebir Camii Serifi” into a Mosque, we have to understand that the Coptic Christians of Turkey, Middle East and Africa are different from rest of Christians. They believe in monotheism, pray five times a day, women usually wear headscarves as a sign of honor and purity, and both men and women remove their shoes before entering the sanctuary of the Church. Coptic considers same sex activities and relations outside the marriage as unpardonable great sin. In fact, since the times of Last Prophet of Islam Muhammad Alhe Salam (Sal Allah Ho Alhe Wasalam) Coptic were following the true path and were never converted or asked not to follow their religion. There are numerous verses in holy Al Quran which allow Muslims to inter-dine and inter-marry with followers of Judaism and Christianity (Coptic), who believe in monotheism and last day of Judgment.

The Christian community in Turkey is led by the Coptic. Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitri Bartholomew claims to be 270th Patriarch of Constantinople and direct successor of the Christian’s Apostle Andrew and the spiritual head of Christians worldwide. The Turkish government does not recognize the title Ecumenical Patriarch, or Bartholomew's role as an international religious leader as he is officially viewed as a local bishop who leads around 3,000 Greek citizens in Turkey. Even if the Turkish government recognize him successor of the Christian’s Apostle Andrew, Bartholomew seems to be the last Patriarch of Constantinople as he is the only Turkish national Patriarch while others are not Turkish nationals and law require patriarch to be a Turkish citizen. So with a hope that Turkish government will allow Turkish citizenship to Orthodox archbishops overseas a few archbishops have applied but their cases are pending. Regarding the conversion of Sofia Museum into Mosque, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew said in a statement, “The conversion of Hagia Sophia into a Mosque will disappoint millions of Christians around the world.” Other Christian leaders were more or less holder of similar opinion.

Coptic are very particular about the character of their archbishops. If we recall, a week ago, Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria and Patriarch of St. Mark Diocese announced defrockment of priest Rewiess Aziz Khalil on 18 July 2020, following allegations of sexual abuse of children. A resident of North America, Rewiess Aziz Khalil was a priest of the Diocese of Minya and Abu Qurqas. He was stripped of his title in February 2014 and returned him to his pre-ordination name Yousef Aziz Khalil. In the present letter Pope Tawadros II  directed Egypt and in the United States of America to revoke any recognition of Yousef Aziz Khalil as a priest of the Coptic Orthodox Church. In other words this clarifies that Christians of Turkey (Coptic) and Muslims coexist and the recent decision of Supreme Court of Turkey will not cause too much impact of the Turkish minorities.  

The relationship between the Ottomans and the Christians did not evolve hostility and conflict, as is generally assumed. History is witness that there was very cordial relation between the Christian and Ottoman Muslims even before Muslims took over of Constantinople in 1453. Ottoman Emperor Murad II married a Byzantine Princess while Hass Murad Pasha (died 1468) and his younger brother Mesih Pasha (died 1501) were nephews of the last Byzantine Emperor Constantine XI Paleologos (1404–1453).  If we recall, John VII Palaeogus died childless in 1448, a dispute erupted between Constantine XI Palaeologus (1404 - 1453) and his brother Demetrios Palaiologos over the throne. Demetrios drew support for his opposition to the union between the Orthodox and Catholic churches. The Empress Helena, acting as regent, supported Constantine. They appealed to the Ottoman Sultan Murad II to arbitrate the disagreement. Murad decided in favor of Constantine and on 6 January 1449 Constantine was crowned in the cathedral at Mistra by the local bishop. 

                Similarly, Sultan Mehmed II (1432 – 1481) in order to repopulate the Istanbul, deported Muslim and Christian groups in Anatolia and the Balkans and forced them to settle in Constantinople. He restored the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in 1454 and established a Jewish Grand Rabbi and an Armenian Patriarch in the city.  There were many Christian princesses from Royal family who married Ottomans. Anna Hatun, the daughter of Trabzon Greek Emperor David Komnenos and Helena Kantakuzenos was married to Zognush Pasha Ottoman military commander in 1461.

The Halki seminary, located in Forest land, educated future Greek Orthodox bishops, theologians and patriarchs for more than a century but the Turkish Supreme Court ordered its closure in 1971. Since then, it's remained unoccupied. Theological School of Halki was founded outside Istanbul in 1844. In March 2012, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s announced decision to open Halki Seminary for which evenUS President Barck Obama appreciated Turkish President for his efforts to protect religious minorities. In the same regard, Turkey’s Council of Foundations returned 190 hectares of forestland to the Theological School of Halki through Greek Orthodox foundation in January 2013. Government of Turkey also allowed the liturgical celebration by the Ecumenical Patriarch at the historic Sumela Monastery and the return of the former Greek Orphanage on Buyukada Island to the Ecumenical Patriarchate. In addition, Coptic Monastery of Mor Augin, also known as the Monastery of St. Augin was reopened in 2010.

In the recent past, Turkey reopened the iconic Bulgarian St Stephen's Church in  Balat, Istanbul  in January 2018 after seven years of restoration as its original wooden structure was destroyed in a fire. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım attended the opening ceremony of the Church built in 1898. Erdogan said reopening of the Iron Church was an important message for the international community. He said, "I believe it is the responsibility of the state to ensure everyone can worship freely," adding that Turkey has supported the restoration of more than 5,000 artifacts in the past 15 years.

In the latest development, after Turkish President Erdogan Sofia Museum as Mosque and held Jumma prayers on Friday, around 350,000 Muslims offered their Friday's prayer in the Mosque. The President also announced appointment of Mehmet Boynukalin, a professor of Islamic law at Istanbul's Marmara University, and Ferruh Mustuer and Bunjamin Topcuoglu, the Imams of two other Istanbul mosques. There is no doubt, the Turkish President Erdogan has done for the minorities in Turkey, especially the Christians is worth appreciation. One wonders should we forget good things about the Ottoman Empire as well as present Turkish Muslims what they did for the Christian and Jews or we should follow the band wagon of media in a critical mode. If Christians really consider cathedral of Hagia Sophia as a symbol of interfaith and intercultural dialogue so this is the high time to respect Turkish highest court’s verdict. It is high time that Christians must unite under Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitri Bartholomew for the union between the Orthodox, Catholic and Protestants churches. This would allow the Muslims and the Coptic to clear their apprehensions and joint work for the development of Turkey.

WASHINGTON, 28 July 2020, TON:  The United States has doubled its allocation to American firm Moderna, around US $1 billion to expedite development of a potential COVID-19 vaccine. The final stage of clinical trials has already started from Monday.

The Moderna biotechnology company has confirmed about the latest development on Monday. Moderna representative said that in the Phase clinical trial of a potential vaccine is to include 30,000 participants who will be given a 100-microgram dose of the vaccine, while the rest will be given a placebo.

Moderna, which has been working with US health authorities, said it expects to be able to produce 500 million doses a year -- and potentially up to 1 billion -- starting in 2021.

Meanwhile, last week, the American-German BioNTech/Pfizer pharmaceutical alliance announced that the US government had committed $1.95 billion to procure 100 million doses of its eventual vaccine.

KABUL. 27 July 2020,TON: The Qatar-based faction of Taliban say they are ready for talks with Afghanistan’s political leadership after Eid ul Adha holidays in August 2020, by that time when all the Taliban prisoners would be free.

The Taliban’s political spokesman Suhail Shaheen  said in a statement on Sunday offer made by Taliban’s political spokesman Suhail Shaheen in a tweet late Thursday follows one of the most significant shakeups in the Taliban in years.

Meanwhile, the High Council for National Reconciliation confirmed that they are still working through the Taliban’s prisoner list. As per the Afghan national security sources, remaining around 500 Taliban prisoners in the release list have been convicted of serious crimes by the Courts. Hence Afghan government is hesitant to release them without other assurances.

Negotiation were held for the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners held by the Afghan government and 1,000 Afghan personnel and security personnel held by Taliban custody Meanwhile, the faction has finalized its 20-member negotiating team, which includes 13 members of the Taliban’s leadership council under Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar.

SHOPIAN, 27 July 2020, TON: As per the details, a team headed by Tehsildar, Shopian conducted the drive in Palpora, Kaprin and Rai villages of Shopian, during which 55 kanals of Kahcharia and state land were retrieved, besides 16 upcoming shops along with two complexes, that were at plinth level, were also demolished at Palpora. The witnessed said that they were the occupants of the land and doing business but their land has been forcibly taken away on the grounds that the owners were militants and their property was confiscated. It was also revealed that some of the land was actually encroached and belonged to the State which was illegally taken over illegally by some of the occupants.

Meanwhile, anti-encroachment drive in the tehsil Shopian and other districts is in the full swing and Kashmiris are being deprived from their ancestral lands. The official statement said that in the last two months more than 400 kanals of Kahcharai and state land has been retrieved from encroachers in the tehsil along with demolition of a number of structures.

The India security forces and the Police have launched side by side operations against the Kashmiris so as to avoid law and order situation due to forcibly taken away the lands from some the genuine holders. Police said, they carred out search and cordon operation in Zainapora area of Shopian district and discovered a hideout of militants which was busted. The Army troops, personnel of 44 Rashtriya Rifles   (RR) and 178 BN Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Police participated in the operation.

MECCA. 27 July 2020, TON: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced on Saturday the arrival of pilgrims to the new King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah from the country’s five cities for the annual Hajj. The cities included Madina, Riyadh, Abha, Tabuk and Jazan. Priority was given to non-Saudis who do not have any pre-existing health conditions and have not previously performed the Hajj pilgrimage.

Meanwhile, the Hajis have started visiting Kaaba and offering their prayers and other Ibadat. The people attending the Hajj were satisfied with the arrangements and tanked the Kingdom for making arrangements and looking after them.

According to the Hajj and Umrah Ministry due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Kingdom has decided to limit the current Hajj season to domestic pilgrims. Saudi Minister Dr. Muhammad Saleh bin Taher Banten commented in a statement, “This selection was not a human selection, but it was Allah’s selection to choose this person to be one of the limited number of people to perform Hajj.”

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has implemented strict precautionary measures at the hotel to maintain the safety of the pilgrims including providing a separate room and hand sanitizers for each person. Those who live close enough to Mecca are not required to stay in the hotel.

MECCA, 21 July 2020, TON: The moon-sighting committees of Saudi Arabia was constituted to determine the 1^st or beginning of the 12th month of the Islamic calendar. The committees gave a unanimous decision that Wednesday, 22 July   will mark the first of Zul Hijjah and the 10th day of Zul Hijjah will be 31 July 2020. Hence, 31 July will be celebrated as first day of Eid Al Adha.

As per the details, the committees confirmed that the crescent of Zul Hijjah was not visible on Monday, 20 July  and will be clearly visible after the sunset of on Tuesday 21 July, which means that Wednesday, 22 July will be the first of Zul Hijjah that marks the start of this year’s Hajj. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has organized the Hajj with usual high level of arrangements but has limited to only 10,000 pilgrims from within the Kingdom due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

JAMMU, 21 July 2020. TON: Government of Jammu and Kashmir has announced transfer of services of Sajad Hussain Mufti, presently attached with Chief Conservator of Forests, Jammu to Ladakh government, until further orders or till allocation by the Centre.

As per the details officers working in the office of the principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) were asked by New Delhi to appoint new Range Officers (ROs) and Divisional Forest Officers (DFOs) and those already posted there to be posted to other locations. When Chief Conservator of Forests, Jammu refused to honour certain requests, his services have been discontinued and transferred elsewhere.

Other details revealed that there were serious issues of large land transfer of the land belong to the Forest Department. In the recent past, there were issues of the transfer of land including land encroachment. The government also accorded sanction to the constitution of the Committee headed by the Chief Conservator of Forests for delineation of forest land based on the complaint that forest land has been encroached in Sunjwan,Bathindi,Raika and Sidhra areas in district Jammu. In another case transfer of State land measuring 796 kanals and 9 marlas within 200 meters periphery of Dal Lake was reported.
The transfers of land measuring 125.5 kanals at Khonmoh, Panthachowk and 60 Kanals at Sempora Srinagar in favour of Industries and Commerce Department for establishment of Industrial Estate and construction of Degree College at Allochibagh Srinagar have raised serious concerns. In another issue, thousands of acres of forest land in the lower Shivalik range here, Jammu and Kashmir government has set up a demarcation committee for retrieving 14,345 hectares of forest land had been encroached upon with 9,463.39 hectares in Jammu and 4877.62 hectares in Kashmir.

WASHINGTON, 20 July 2020, TON: The Trump administration has warned that he wants fair and transparent upcoming White House election and the acceptance of the results would depend on transparency. He said, faked results are being aired just like these were done in 2016. He said, “First of all, I’m not losing because those are fake polls. He added, “They were fake in 2016 and now they’re even more fake.”

President Trump has rightly contended that a series of polls that show his popularity eroding and Biden holding an advantage are faulty. The fact cannot be denied that major media house intentionally did not air views of Republican voters and were underrepresented in such surveys.

As per the Trump followers and the many American taxpayers, beside Trump own dynamic leadership qualities, he is surrounded by experienced and effective leaders to guide his decisions.  They were of the opinion that Trump is likely to win the elections this time too.

SRINAGAR, 20 July 2020, TON: When Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that electricity distribution companies in Union Territories (UTs) will be privatized, no one had an idea that disputed State of Jammu and Kashmir would be hit too. Kashmiri leadership including Syed Ali Geelani and other top leadership of All Parties Hurryiat Conference (APHC) strongly protested Indian interference in the ibnternal affairs of Jammu and Kashmir. They warned that if the decision is not taken back Kashmiris would come to the streets against Indianhanding over of the projects to private companies of India, US, Israel and Iran.

The Jammu and Kashmir Electricity Act 2003 provided state must have a State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC) but after the 5 August 2019 announcement of amalgamation of Jammu and Kashmir State as Indian Union Territory, the Indian leadership is up to privatize the power sector. This privatization of power distribution companies (Discoms) in the Union Territories is being carried out under the Aatam Nirbhar Bharat. Article 85 of the Jammu and Kashmir Re-Organisation Act, 2019 provides that the Centre may establish Advisory Committees for apportionment of assets, rights, and liabilities of the companies and corporations s relating to the continuance of arrangements in regard to generation and supply of electric power and supply of water.

The J&K Power Development Department (JKPDD) handles transmission and distribution of electric power in the state, power generation is looked after by J&K State Power Development Corporation Limited (JKSPDC), commercial aspects of power purchase are handled by J&K State Power Trading Company (JKSPTC) while J&K State Power Development Corporation Limited (JKSPDCL) is a power generating utility having 21 hydro projects across J&K. Their territorial jurisdiction comprises of entire Jammu and Kashmir State.
The government is currently spending about Rs 21 crore per day on power purchases from power corporations to meet the power demand in Jammu and Kashmir. NHPC gives 12% free power
as royalty to Jammu and Kashmir since the hydro resources of the state are utilized for power generation. In addition, Jammu and Kashmir has a share of 25% in 600 MW Ranjit Sagar Dam project and the power is supplied at the generation cost.  

The estimated hydropower potential of Jammu and Kashmir is 20,000 Megawatts (MW), of which about 16475 MW have been identified out of which only 3263 MW has been exploited. This comprises of 1211.96 MW in the state sector, 2009 MW in the central sector and 42.5 MW in the private sector. Similarly, 168 MW Shahpur Kandi project on Ravi is another joint sector hydro project with Punjab where Jammu and Kashmir has 25% share.

SRINAGAR, 17 July 2020, TON: In district jail Anantnag, where there are 192 prisoners as on15 July 96 have been declared COVID 19 positive. Zahoor Bhat, brother of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front founder Maqbool Bhat was declared positive for COVID 19.

The Kupwara Court in a judgment found improper treatment being give to COVID 19 patients in several quarantine centres and ordered constitution of Special Investigation team (SIT) to probe alleged negligence by the authorities. SIT is bound by the Court to submit the report within seven days.

A court in Kupwara on Thursday took cognizance of “improper treatment” given to COVID19 patients in several quarantine centres in the district and ordered constitution of Special Investigation team (SIT) to probe alleged negligence by the authorities.

The court of sub-judge Kupwara Javeed Alam, after hearing the case, directed SSP Kupwara to constitute the SIT for investigating the matter without any delay and submit the report within seven days.

The Court has further ordered District Development Commissioner Kupwara being head of the District Disaster Management to ensure that the COVID19 patients are given proper treatment and proper food and medicines as prescribed under guidelines.

It has been generally noted that Kashmiris, who are opposing Indian government for their illegal occupation of disputed Jammu and Kashmir State and extrajudicial killings of Kashmiris in fake encounters by Indian security forces, are victim of COVID-19 and are quarantined at various hospitals and centers in Jammu and Kashmir State. As per  Dr Mehraj Ahmed Sofi, Medical Officer at Ganderbal the rate of recovery of the COVID19 patients was less tha 50%.

Meanwhile, the genocide of Kashmiris is in full swing through COVID cum military operations against the Kashmiris. This Friday, Indian security forces claimed that three militants killed in the gunfight with the security forces in Nagnad Chimmer area of Kulgam district. This month and last month saw atleast 2/3 Kashmiris either killed in a fake encounter or found missing. The death toll due to COVID-19 is in addition to this.