Kashmir minister uses militants' name for Anantnag

Jammu, March 20: Jammu and Kashmir's Law and Parliamentary Affairs and Rural Development Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar Saturday referred to Anantnag district in south Kashmir as Islamabad - a name made mandatory by the militants in 1990.

While replying on grants of departments under him in the state legislative assembly, Sagar called Anantnag "Islamabad" while naming all the districts where the rural development department has done exemplary work in the past one year.

"We have spent Rs.139 crore in the rural development works in the far-flung areas of Kupwara, Kulgam, Islamabad," he said.

Anantnag, located 52 km south of Srinagar, was called Islamabad by a section of people in the Valley but militants made the name mandatory.

Anantnag is a Sanskrit word, which means plenty of springs. It has, among others, Verinag - the source of river Jhelum. There are springs in Mattan, Kokkernag, and Acchabal, which are tourist spots.

The town itself has number of springs, Nagbal, Sher Bagh and Malak Nag.