Category: Community

Why Muslims fast and mourn on Ashoura

Editor

The day commemorates the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad who died at the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD. Ashoura is marked on the 10th day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar, by all Muslims. It marks the day Nuh (Noah) left the Ark and the day Musa (Moses) was saved from the Pharaoh of Egypt by God. The Prophet Muhammad used to fast on Ashoura in Mecca, where it became a common tradition for the early Muslims. Ashoura this year will be marked in most places…

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Jammu-Srinagar national highway remains closed for third straight day

Editor

The 270 km long Jammu-Srinagar national highway, the all weather surface link with Kashmir, remained snapped for the third straight day on Thursday as heavy rains lashed Ramban district triggering landslides in Panthial, Mompassi and Marog. After a brief lull late Wednesday, moderate to heavy rains lashed the Jammu region early on Thursday. Dalwas portion of the national highway, washed away by a mudslide, has also not been restored because of the incessant rains, said an official. The men and machines of the NHAI are on standby but heavy rains…

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How the world’s longest internet shutdown has failed to counter extremism in Kashmir

Editor

The repeal of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and its conversion into two union territories in August 2019 was accompanied by an unprecedented security lockdown that disempowered the population. Even as the goal of legally and politically integrating the region with the rest of India was achieved, the hard security measures have alienated the population of the erstwhile state. Among the harsh measures imposed by the government since 5 August 2019 is a near complete internet shutdown, which has affected all in Jammu & Kashmir. Initially, a complete…

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Congregational Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid and other shrines held after 21 weeks

Editor

After remaining closed for more than 21 weeks following the COVID-19 pandemic, congregational Friday prayers were held first time at Jamia Masjid, Dargah Hazratbal, Charar-e-Sharief and other shrines in the Valley. The religious places across Jammu Kashmir reopened on August 18 after a gap of five months to contain the spread of COVID-19. The administration had urged devotees to follow proper guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOPs). For the ease of those coming for prayers, the Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid had put in place all the SOPs and other preventive…

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Over 500 vehicles stranded as Jammu-Srinagar highway closed for traffic due to multiple landslides

Editor

The Jammu and Srinagar National Highway on Thursday was closed for traffic following multiple landslides on the Ramban-Banihal stretch in Ramban district due to heavy rainfall, leaving over 500 vehicles stranded. According to the officials, the highway was closed for traffic around 8:30 am after multiple landslides took place at Marog, Monkey Morh, Battery Chashma, Panthial and Trishul Morh areas. “The clearance wok is yet to be undertaken as it was raining heavily in the area. Over 500 vehicles have been stranded at different places due to blockades,” said the…

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1442 Hijri, Islamic New Year begins today

Editor

The Hijri New Year 1442 begins on Friday, 21 August 2020, J&K Grand Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam announced today. The Grand Mufti confirmed the sighting of the moon and announced that 21 August would be the first day of Muharram. He said ample number of testimonies were received from various districts about the sighting of Muharram moon and Friday will mark the first day of the first month of the Islamic calendar. The Youm-e-Ashur would be observed on August 30. Imarat-e-Sharia Hind announced the sighting of Muharram moon on Thursday evening.Chairman Central…

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Kashmiri’s in Limbo and Lockdown since past 12 months

Editor

On 5 August 2019, the Indian government stripped Kashmir of its constitutionally guaranteed special status and split the region into two federally-run territories. A stringent curfew was imposed and thousands detained along with a communications black-out. The lockdown began to be eased in March, but was then re-imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It has been a year of shutdowns, anger and fear. The BBC spoke to 12 different Kashmiris, to find out what their lives have been like during this year. Sanna Irshad Mattoo, 26“In our line of work,…

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India’s new domicile law in Kashmir amplifies demographic fears

Editor

For almost a century, no outsider was allowed to buy land and property in Indian-controlled Kashmir. That changed Aug. 5 last year when India’s Hindu nationalist government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi stripped the Himalayan state’s semi-autonomous powers and downgraded it to a federally governed territory. It also annulled the long-held hereditary special rights its natives had over the disputed region’s land ownership and jobs. Since then, India has brought in a slew of changes through new laws. They are often drafted by bureaucrats without any democratic bearings and…

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In one year, BJP’s political project sees J&K’s regional symbols vanishing

Editor

The symbols promote a sort of collective sentiment of a distinct history and memory, says political expert If not fully meeting the agenda of development and progress, the political project of the BJP has seen most of the regional symbols vanishing in the past one year in J&K, which is bereft of any special status now, a political expert has said. “All the moves made [post August 5] were in line with what the BJP has been claiming that Kashmir needs to be fully integrated. Given the history of these…

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One year post Article 370 revocation from a Kashmiri’s prospective

Editor

Nazir Masoodi It was the most tense and uncertain night of our life. Troops were in every nook and cranny to impose a tough curfew. Before midnight, a complete communication blockade was enforced. Mobile phones, the internet and even landlines were snapped. Ahead of that historic August 5 decision, all the security measures were in place to quell any public revolt. A massive troop buildup, contingency orders, the evacuation of non-locals, tourists and Amarnath pilgrims – for us locals, these were ominous signs. The worst fear was that the centre…

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