Days after the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Ladakh unit declared Sankoo an organisational district, Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Friday announced the creation of Sankoo district in the Union Territory.“In line with the ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ vision of Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi ji and Hon’ble HM Shri Amit Shah ji, I am pleased to announce the creation of Sankoo District,” the Lieutenant Governor’s official handle posted on X.Saxena described the decision as the culmination of the long-standing aspiration of the people of the area.He said the move had been made possible by the constructive approach of Anjuman-e-Sahib Zaman, under the leadership of its chief patron, Syed Mohammad Razvi, and chairman Sheikh Sadiq Balaghi. He also acknowledged the contributions of Dr Jaffar Akhoon, Chief Executive Councillor of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Kargil; Haneefa Jan, MP from Ladakh; and Tashi Gyalson, former CEC of Leh.“Heartiest congratulations to everyone who worked towards this goal,” he said.The announcement comes days after the BJP’s Ladakh unit declared Sankoo an organisational district, describing it as a milestone towards securing full-fledged district status for the area. The party had said it would stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the people of Sankoo until the demand was fulfilled.Last month, Jamiat Ul Ulama Isna Asharia, an influential religious and social organisation in the Kargil region, had written to the Ladakh administration seeking the creation of a Kargil division and district status for Sankoo and Shakar Chiktan.The organisation’s president said the demands were rooted in long-standing public aspirations and justified by factors including population, geography, administrative accessibility, development needs and the strategic importance of the Kargil region.Ladakh currently has seven districts, including five created earlier this year. With the addition of Sankoo, the Union Territory will have eight districts.