UN says India’s ‘Excessive Force’ caused unlawful killings in its first report on abuses in Kashmir

Indian security forces used “excessive force” resulting in unlawful killings and a high number of injuries during widespread demonstrations in the Kashmir region that began in 2016, the United Nations said in a report released Thursday. The report was the first by the United Nations to spotlight human rights abuses in the Himalayan territory disputed by India and Pakistan, which U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad al-Hussein called “a conflict that has robbed millions of their basic human rights, and continues to this day to inflict untold suffering.”…

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Untold story of Kashmiri Pheran and its place in Kashmir’s History

Someone, who might have been fond of inertia, invented this garment in praise of the laziness and handed it over to Kashmiris who are loving it. There are many myths around the Kashmiri pheran. While some believe it was Mughal emperor Akbar who introduced the long garment in the Kashmir Vallery, others believe pheran came from the Persian travelers who invented the garment to protect themselves from the freezing cold during winters. But the popular belief is that Akbar introduced the garment to tame the brave Kashmiris and make them…

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Govt asks officials to take action against radio stations dishing vulgarity, turning stations into political platforms

The government Thursday asked Deputy Commissioners (DC) of Srinagar and Jammu to take “necessary action” against FM stations for turning into “political platforms” and dishing out “vulgarity” in the name of entertainment. The Directorate of Information today issued an order asking the DC Srinagar and the DC Jammu to take action against the FM stations in the light of guidelines framed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. In a letter to the DCs, the Director Information and Public Relations, Tariq Ahmed Zargar said FM stations had become “political podium”…

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Why Kashmiris are sharing photos of ‘Pheran’ traditional dress?

Officials in Indian-administered Kashmir have reversed an education department ban on employees wearing traditional dress to work, following an outcry on social media. “All officials visiting the office are advised to visit in proper dress code during any official visit. It is recommended that no official will visit this office wearing pheran, traditional trousers and slipper/plastic shoes,” an 11 December circular said. In response, Kashmiri social media users protested by sharing images of themselves wearing the pheran – a traditional long coat or cloak worn by both men and women.…

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‘Chillai Kalan’ 40 day harsh winter begins in Kashmir

Amid biting cold, the 40-day-long period of harsh winter ‘Chillai Kalan’ began in the Valley. The ‘Chillai Kalan’ sets each year on December 21 and ends on January 30. The ‘Chillai Kalan’ is the harshest period of winter in the Valley and is followed by 20-day long ‘Chillai-Khurd’ (small cold) and 10-day long ‘Chillai Bachha’ (baby cold). Last year, Valley did not experience any snowfall during the 40-day period of Chillai Kalan. The Meteorological Department has predicted that the first 10 days of Chillai Kalan this year would remain dry.…

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