Srinagar, Dec 31 (Reporter) Advisor to the Chief Minister, Nasir Aslam Wani on Saturday said that December 5, the birth anniversary of Sheikh Abdullah, the founder of the National Conference, will be observed as a public holiday in Jammu and Kashmir next year. “There is no need to be depressed, next year before the 5 December the birthday of Sheikh Abdullah would be declared a holiday in Jammu and Kashmir”, Wani told reporters on Tuesday. The exclusion of holidays commemorating Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah's birthday and Martyrs' Day from Jammu and Kashmir's official list of holidays for 2025 has drawn sharp criticism from the ruling National Conference (NC) and other political parties in Jammu and Kashmir. The list of holidays was issued by Commissioner-Secretary GAD, by the orders of J&K Lt Governor and as per notification the Union Territory will observe 28 public holidays in 2025. However, the list of holidays does not include the birth anniversary of the NC founder Sheikh Abdullah, popularly known as Sher-e-Kashmir, on December 5 and “Martyrs' Day” on July 13. The ruling NC government had even submitted a proposal to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, urging the reinstatement of the December 5 holiday...////...