Day: June 26, 2020

Amid pandemic horrified drug abuse goes unabated in Srinagar, Anantnag

Editor

A first of its kind study has found around 2 percent prevalence of substance abuse, majorly opioids, in two districts of Kashmir. The percentage translates into Rs 3.7 crore being spent every day on drugs of abuse by 17000 people in the two districts. Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (IMHANS) has carried out a pilot study to find the contours of substance abuse in Srinagar and Anantnag commissioned by World Vision India. The study is titled “Pattern and prevalence of substance use and dependence in Kashmir: Special focus on…

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Calls grow for the Organization of Islamic Conference to refashion its Kashmir Policy

Editor

Besieged Kashmiris and regional experts want the Muslim bloc to take a proactive role in resolving one of the oldest disputes since World War II. The Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), a 57-member bloc envisioned for the empowerment of majority-Muslim countries, has earned the reputation of being a “toothless tiger” or a “tiger unable to hunt.” Its statements are rejected by non-members without consequences, while its members have been slammed for undermining its foundations. It recently waded in on the Kashmir dispute, but it served to once again shine a spotlight on its…

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Joe Biden seeks restoration of peoples rights in Kashmir; Disappointed with CAA, NRC

Editor

Joe Biden has been disappointed by the measures that the government of India has taken with the implementation and aftermath of the NRC in Assam and the passage of the CAA into law, a policy paper said. Democratic presidential nominee and former U.S. vice president Joe Biden wants India to take necessary steps to restore the rights of Kashmiris and has expressed disappointment over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the implementation of the NRC in Assam. According to a policy paper —‘Joe Biden’s agenda for Muslim American community’ — posted recently on his…

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After China, Pakistan, Nepal now Bhutan started hassling India

Editor

After China, Pakistan and Nepal, now Bhutan has also started hassling India. Thimphu has stopped releasing channel water for irrigation along its border with India near Assam, affecting thousands of farmers in 25 villages of the region. Since the pushback from India to the Chinese aggression in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh, where 20 Indian soldiers and an unknown number of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) troops were killed in a violent faceoff on June 15, Beijing has been using its diplomatic heft through its regional allies to put pressure on…

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US shifting military to face Chinese threat to India and Southeast Asia: Mike Pompeo

Editor

The Chinese threat to India and Southeast Asia is one of the reasons the United States is reducing its troop presence in Europe, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Thursday in response to a question at the Brussels Forum virtual conference. Pompeo was asked why the US had reduced the number of troops it has based in Germany. The US Secretary of State said that if US troops were no longer there, it was because they were being moved to face other places. The actions of the Chinese Communist…

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Navin Kumar Choudhary, senior IAS officer among 25000 people granted domicile certificates in JK

Editor

In Jammu, the highest number of domicile certificates—8,500—have been issued in Doda, Rajouri 6,214, Poonch 6,123, and Jammu 2,820. In Kashmir, the highest number of domicile certificates have been issued in Pulwama (153), followed by Anantnag (106), Kulgam (90), Baramulla (39), Shopian (20), Bandipora (10), Kupwara (10), Budgam (09), Ganderbal (1) and Srinagar (0). Navin Kumar Choudhary, a senior J&K cadre IAS officer from Bihar, is among the nearly 25,000 people who have been granted a domicile certificate—which allows people non-locals to get a residency certificate for education, employment and…

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