Category: Community

How BJP was outsmarted in Kashmir

Editor

‘Although the tactical move to outflank the BJP fell through with New Delhi’s decisive intervention and eventual dissolution of the state assembly, the PDP, NC and the Congress appeared to be more than satisfied.’ ‘They see the assembly dissolution as their ‘great achievement’.’ ‘If one were to believe what they say, this was also their main objective,’ reveals Mohammad Sayeed Malik, the doyen of Kashmiri commentators. For once — just once — in Kashmir history, it was the tail that wagged the proverbial dog to re-set the balance of forces on…

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Hizbul meet held in Srinagar; Alert sounded across city post major security breach

Editor

In a massive security breach, terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen reportedly held a meeting at the heart of Srinagar city, at Hazratbal Shrine on Tuesday. Terrorists from Hizbul, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror groups participated in the meeting, as claimed by Hizbul in a letter. In light of the recent developments, security forces have reportedly sounded an alert in the city. In fact, a photograph of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Umar alias Hanzalla posing in front of Ghanta Ghar at Lal Chowk in Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar surfaced on Thursday, with…

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Raj bhawan’s fax becomes a butt of ridicule

Editor

The fax machine in Governor Satya Pal Malik’s office became a butt of ridicule with National Conference (NC) Vice President and former chief minister Omar Abdullah Thursday holding it responsible for the “death of democracy” in the State. Addressing a news conference, a sarcastic Omar said there should be an investigation why the fax machine in the Governor’s office was not able to receive a fax from PDP chief and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti staking claim to form the government, but was able to send a communique about the…

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For the Authorities there are no civilians in Shopian, only militants

Editor

As the security situation in the Valley remains precarious, restive Shopian in south Kashmir is fast turning into a war zone with nearly 40 militants and at least a dozen civilians killed in the district by government forces this year alone. In the latest counter insurgency operation in the district’s Nadigam village, four militants, all of them local youths affiliated with the proscribed Hizbul Mujahideen outfit, were gunned down by security forces in an encounter in the small hours of yesterday. An army Para commando was also killed while two…

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Omar tweets, Mehbooba likes – In thank you note to rival Omar, Mehbooba stinging jibe at BJP

Editor

An indication of a new bonhomie between arch-rivals Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti was witnessed on microblogging site Twitter when the latter liked a tweet by the former immediately after the confirmation of alliance between the two parties. Omar, who is the working president of the National Conference (NC), tweeted: “Whoever said ‘may you live in interesting times’ knew what they were talking about.” Mehbooba, president of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was quick to ‘like’ Omar’s tweet — a virtual confirmation that the two former Chief Ministers of the…

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What compelled rival parties in J&K to foster alliance

Editor

Two arch-rivals in Kashmir politics — National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party — had come under intense pressure from their MLAs to form government in Jammu and Kashmir as it was feared that continuing political hostility would pave way for the success of “BJP’s machinations” to break these groups. The decision on the alliance came before the annoucement of the dissolution of the Assembly and sought to utilise the remaining period of more than two years of the six-year term of the Assemblyto unite all for “Kashmir’s special status”. It…

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Mourning as well fear across valley after rebels abducted, executes civilians

Editor

After spending four harrowing hours in the custody of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) militants at an unidentified location, Farooq Ahmed Thokar and Shahid Ganai found themselves blindfolded, standing on what they could tell was a macadamised road somewhere in south Kashmir. They were accompanied by two militants, who had just interrogated them. Thokar and Ganai were asked to turn their backs towards the car that had been used as transportation. “[Then] they removed our blindfolds. A voice came from behind and told us that we were free to go. One of…

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Strange tale of ‘Zakir Musa’ Al Qaeda’s chief in Kashmir

Editor

In the summer of 2017, Zakir Musa, the Hizbul Mujahideen’s 23 year old commander, broke ranks with Kashmir’s most influential insurgent group to establish the Ansar Ghawzat-Ul-Hind. Few had heard of the fledgling new outfit, but the Ansar’s parent organisation was instantly recognisable — Al Qaeda. Yet the news, which ought to have rung alarm bells in the Indian security establishment, passed largely unremarked upon. In the 18 months since it was formed, the Ansar Ghawzat-Ul-Hind is yet to be associated with a single encounter with Indian security forces. Yet…

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After performing poll duty promised one month salary still awaited

Editor

Over one lakh government employees, who had discharged duties in the just-concluded urban local bodies elections, feel cheated as the much-publicised promise of giving them one-month additional salary as “election duty incentive” is unlikely to be fulfilled. Instead of releasing the additional salary, an amount of Rs 1,200 has been sanctioned in favour of some employees who were engaged in the civic elections in Kathua district as an “election duty incentive”. Sources said the authorities had sanctioned Rs 1,200 in favour of presiding officers and Rs 750 for polling officers.…

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Huge Gas, Oil reserves in state: Study by Italian firm

Editor

A comprehensive scientific paper has revealed a strong possibility of finding gas and petroleum in Jammu and Kashmir and has sought access to oil companies and researchers to carry out an exploration in the state. A decade-long study commissioned by Ente Nazionale Idrocarburi (National Hydrocarbons Authority), an Italian oil giant, was completed recently to expand the understanding of hydrocarbon occurrences in the northwestern Himalayas of India and Pakistan. The published study, ‘Petroleum systems and hydrocarbon potential of the North-West Himalayas of India and Pakistan’, involved collaboration of researchers from India,…

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