Month: October 2020

Kashmiri Muslims fear planned demographic change as fewer locals got key administrative posts

Editor

Of the 66 top bureaucrats in Muslim-majority J&K at this time, 38 are from other states. Of the 12 sitting judges at the high court, only two are Muslim. And there is not a single Muslim officer in the LG’s secretariat. Irfan Amin Malik An officer of the Kashmir Administrative Service (KAS) has alleged that Kashmiri and Muslim officers have been deliberately sidelined or kept away from key positions since June 2018, when Mehbooba Mufti, the last chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, lost power. “This process picked up pace…

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Experience Kashmiri’s new Wazwan

Editor

Missing it for past 6 years, thanks to my studies, I had almost forgotten the taste of wazwan, and I was desperately waiting to end this break. The wait finally ended a few days back when I was invited to my cousin’s marriage. The thoughts of old delightful memories wherein I & my tramimates would engage in dog fights for getting the best meat piece, or enthusiastically waiting for gushtaba, and cutting it into four pieces, swirling in my mind. After a long journey which got more longer as my…

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Kashmir sees rise in militancy as well repression post revocation of its autonomy

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SRINAGAR, India—In July, I joined a group of young men plodding glumly through verdant paddy fields in Bijbehara, a picturesque town tucked inside a network of lofty mountains in the Kashmir Valley. It was the middle of the monsoon season. One of the men was recounting a midnight raid conducted by the Indian Army in a nearby village, Arwani, in August last year. “They were bloodthirsty,” he said, in a wobbling voice. “We live in the shadow of violence,” another man replied. There have been similar raids recently, he said.…

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Development Scenario in J&K is very depressing: Farooq Abdullah

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National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on Monday said the objectives of peace, economic progress and development in Jammu and Kashmir cannot be achieved unless the Centre reverses all the decisions taken on August 5 last year. Mr Abdullah, who is also the MP from the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency, made these comments at a private function. The central government had on August 5, 2019 abrogated Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir. It also bifurcated the erstwhile state into union territories — Jammu and Kashmir, and…

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Submit winter traffic management plan to keep Srinagar-Jammu highway open: J&K admin to NHAI

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The J&K administration Monday directed the National Highways Authority of India to submit a traffic management plan of agencies to ensure a hassle-free movement on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway during the ensuing winter season. It asked the NHAI to detail an action plan on how the construction agencies will clear landslides, snow and deal with any other emergency to make sure the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country remains open during the coming winter. The direction was passed by Public Works Department Principal Secretary Shailender…

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Hathras Case: UP govt calls for court-monitored probe by CBI in Supreme Court

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Uttar Pradesh has asked the Supreme Court to order a court-monitored probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the Hathras gang-rape case, which has triggered protests across the country, in an affidavit filed before the top court. The state government has already recommended a probe by the central agency. The state government also said in the affidavit, which was filed on Monday, that the body of the 19-year-old Dalit woman was cremated at night to avoid law and order problems. The government has blamed political parties and civil…

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World is living in ‘Shadow of Nuclear Catastrophe’: Antonio Guterres

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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned Friday that the world is living in the shadow of nuclear catastrophe, fuelled by growing distrust and tensions between the nuclear powers. The UN chief told a high-level meeting to commemorate the recent International Day for Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons that progress on ridding the world of nuclear weapons has stalled and is at risk of backsliding.”And he said strains between countries that possess nuclear weapons have increased nuclear risks. As examples, Guterres has expressed deep concern at the escalating disputes between the Trump…

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Bollywood making a comeback in Kashmir Valley

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Even as life is gradually limping back to normal amid the Covid threat, a Punjabi song was shot in the Valley that was once considered the second home of Bollywood. Impressed with the locales, the crew urged the Bollywood and Punjabi film industry to renew their Kashmir connection. “This is the most beautiful place I have ever seen in my life and I would love to visit the Valley for shootings in future as well. Kashmir is the perfect place for film shootings and I want that more Bollywood and…

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As new traffic rules come into effect across J&K, No need to carry physical copies of Licence, RC, Insurance

Editor

The new traffic rules came into effect from today in Jammu and Kashmir. Under the rules, no physical copies of documents like driving licence, registration certificate or insurance are required to be carried along if you show digitally prescribed form. Regional Transport Officer, Iqramulla Tak told Kashmir InFocus that the amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act, 1989, came into force from Thursday and major changes include no physical verification of documents. According to the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), changes have been done for better implementation of…

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Kashmir eServices – By Javid Amin

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Javid Amin A young entrepreneur from Kashmir, a personality of multi-talents and being among the pioneers of bringing the Core Information Technology world especially Web Development related paradigms to Kashmir. Hailing from a middle-class family, his inclination towards technology started in his teenage. Not born with a silver spoon in his mouth but has earned everything with his hard work and diligence. He founded Kashmir eServices an information technology company providing information technology and allied services to Kashmir Valley in particular and across the globe in general. The company was…

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