Year: 2016

Harvest set ablaze by forces in Budgam, Anantnag areas, say local residents

Editor

The government forces have set ablaze rice crop and grass stacks on fire in four villages of Budgam district, the local villagers said. The villagers said the forces, whom they said were police, paramilitary troopers and soldiers, fired incendiary projectiles into the harvested rice crop that had been left to dry in sun in Budran, Aadina, Kanihama and Mazhama villages. “There was no clash or stone pelting. They burned the crop only to punish us,” said Bashir Ahmad, a victim. He said the forces have also damaged the standing paddy…

Read More

Shutdown, Protests continue for 81st Day, 30 Injured in force’s action, 1 Critical

Editor

Girl killed, sister injured after being hit by a vehicle during stone pelting at Parimpora: Police Cops foil pro-freedom rally in Kanelwan, damage 5 transformers, injure 12 Kanelwan residents accuse forces of damaging harvest Panchayat house gutted in Kulgam village Women stage protest rallies at many places Clashes in downtown 51 arrested in 24 hours: Police The life in Valley remained crippled for 81st consecutive day on Tuesday while protests continued unabated and forces fired pellets and tear gas shells to foil a pro-freedom rally in Kanelwan area of South…

Read More

Forces raid Samboora, Fire Shells, Pellets injuring scores of civilians

Editor

10 Injured in clashes; 2 referred to Srinagar In a surprise raid Samboora populace, forces injured scores of civilians on Tuesday. Local sources said that Army, CRPF and police raided the area in Pulwama district around 5:10PM today. “People were in their fields busy with harvesting,” an eye witness said, “only elderly and children were home when forces came in almost 30 vehicles.” The eye witness said that forces resorted to tear gas shelling and fired pellets as well as bullets. “We were caught unawares,” a local said, “although, we saw…

Read More

Clashes in Bijbehara as forces foil Pro-Freedom Rally; Batamaloo, Sopore witness Women Freedom Congregations

Editor

Shutdown, restrictions continue across Kashmir on 81 day  Normal life remained paralysed in Kashmir for the consecutive 81st day on Tuesday due to a shutdown called by separatists and restrictions imposed by the authorities. No area in Kashmir is under curfew today, but restrictions on the assembly of people are in place in many parts of the Valley as a precautionary measure, a police official told PTI news agency. He said there has been a considerable improvement in the overall situation in the Valley. There was no untoward incident yesterday and…

Read More

Kashmiris want peace more than anybody else: Geelani

Editor

‘Poverty in India will be eradicated if Kashmir is resolved’ While commenting on Indian Prime Minister Narinder Modi’s statement that “Kashmiris want peace”, Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman, Syed Ali Geelani said once again they agree with Indian Prime Minister, that there is no doubt that Kashmiris were peaceful in the past and at present and are in need of peace more than anybody else. In a statement issued here, Geelani advised India rulers to go through the history. “When India got its independence from British rule, whole sub-continent was up…

Read More

Kashmiri youth vent their rage, usher in hope through art

Editor

Canvas means of expression for the traumatised Caught in their homes for more than two months now, the youth in Kashmir are taking to art to express internal frustration, rage, anguish and trauma of living in a conflict. Maria Shahmiri, 23, who studies bachelors in applied arts course at the University of Kashmir, said while growing up in Kashmir, she always expected an uncertain breakout of conflict. “Current literature emerging on this issue underscores that Kashmir remains a battlefield between militants and security forces with its people experiencing traumatic violence.…

Read More

Kashmir’s High Price for Demanding Independence

Editor

Tariq Mir At his home in Baramulla, in Indian-administered Kashmir, my father tuned his old Philips radio to Radio Pakistan. The people of Kashmir turn to the station in moments of despair or distress, of which there is no shortage. It was early July, and a gentle voice came on: the crescent moon had been seen and therefore the festival of Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan, would be celebrated in Pakistan on Wednesday, July 6. Across the eastern border in India, no one had caught sight of the…

Read More

Unrest mars harvesting season; No truckers for Kashmir apple

Editor

Apple growers are grappling with lack of labour and transport this season. The Army says it is facilitating movement of 1,500 trucks out of the Valley every day. While people across rural Kashmir get busy collecting apple, this season, growers are facing problems never seen before. The apple industry is the mainstay of the rural economy. The state produces around 18 to 22 lakh metric tonnes of varieties of fruit, with 80% comprising apple. “The apple crop is ready. I am afraid to collect it as the unrest has hit…

Read More

Valley Shuts for 80th Day, Forces continue to foil Pro-Freedom Rallies

Editor

Protests, clashes at many places; 2 injured by pellets in Sopore Elderly Hurriyat activist detained in Hajin Protests in Sekidafar over Imam’s arrest Evening clashes throughout Srinagar 55 youth held in 24 hours Kashmir continued to observe complete shutdown for 80th consecutive day on Monday while forces foiled several pro-freedom rallies by firing teargas and pellets at various places. In the 80-day long unrest, at least 88 people including two cops have been killed while over 13000 people have been injured. Pertinently, Srinagar saw movement of private transport while public…

Read More

Gov’s rule chorus is just hot air, Mehbooba is here to stay; 102 more companies of CRPF sent to quell unrest

Editor

Contrary to the growing chorus in a section of the media that J&K is headed for governor’s rule, the reality is the exact opposite: Mehbooba Mufti government is here to stay. And it is not only because the PDP-BJP alliance’s leaders in Srinagar and Delhi say it, on and off the record, but also because of compelling political realities. One such overriding reality is that the PDP-BJP alliance is the most ideal ruling dispensation J&K could have under the circumstances. And far from being a bar to the hardening security…

Read More