The state government has declared the Border Security Force (BSF) camp inside Pari Mahal as “un-authorized occupation” and asserted that the camp would be reallocated soon. A meeting held under the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir to discuss “unauthorized occupation” of Pari Mahal by BSF, a nationally protected monument, stated that presence of BSF camp has been hampering the renovation work of the monument. According to the senior archaeologist and conservation assistant GRI, Archaeological Survey of India (Srinagar Circle), Pari Mahal is under “severe threat. The senior archaeologist informed the meeting that…
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I felt safer in Srinagar than South Africa: Chantelle Flores
When Chantelle Flores, an internationally-acclaimed photographer from South Africa decided to visit Kashmir, she had certain apprehensions due to “negative publicity” of the Valley. However, all her fears vanished when she landed in Srinagar. “I did not face any problems during my stay in Kashmir. I hail from South Africa and have been a victim of ‘gun crime’ on numerous occasions during the years I have lived there. I felt safer in Srinagar despite the overwhelming military presence, and the (negative) news reports about Kashmir,” Flores told Kashmir Post. “In…
Read MoreEmbattled fruit growers buried by wild weather
November is the peak wedding season in India’s Kashmir region. But Riyaz Dar’s sister didn’t get married last month, as planned. Unusually early and heavy snowfall split the trunks of 60 of Dar’s 100 apple trees in November, leading to huge apple—and financial—losses just before the harvest in Shopian, a region known as Kashmir’s apple bowl. “Even if the climate remains favorable in the years to come, I will get only 40 percent (of the apples) I used to harvest,” lamented the farmer from the village of Hirpora. The snow…
Read MoreGoI facing powerful people’s movement in Kashmir: Syed Ali Geelani
Claiming that India was facing a powerful people’s political movement for the right to self-determination in Kashmir, Chairman of his own faction of Hurriyat, Syed Ali Geelani, in a press release issued here, said that the ‘suppression and repression’ in Jammu and Kashmir had failed to yield anything for India. Geelani was addressing, telephonically, the mourners of the Adnan Ahmad Lone of Bandna, the press release said adding that the leader hailed the sacrifices of people, particularly youth, and stressed that ‘when more than 6 lakh people had been martyred…
Read MoreTrain to Kupwara: Credit war after Centre approves railway link to Kupwara
Mehbooba Mufti’s Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Sajad Gani Lone’s Peoples Conference and governor Satya Pal Malik’s administration on Thursday claimed credit after the Centre approved the extension of Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link up to Kupwara. PDP tweeted “Railway connectivity to Kupwara will soon be a reality. Thank you for your efforts @MehboobaMufti @MirMohdFayaz”. Soon, Lone tweeted obliquely targeting the PDP for taking credit. “Railway line a reality and now parties who call us agents of Delhi want to take credit for it. Hilarious,” wrote Sajad. Omar Abdullah also took to Twitter, saying,…
Read MoreThe rise of Sajad Lone and how split in PDP played a key role
On May 20, a day after the BJP pulled out from the alliance with PDP in Jammu and Kashmir, the editor of an Urdu newspaper in Srinagar told his reporters that a new government will be formed soon. It was hard to swallow for the newsroom that Sajad Lone—separatist-turned-mainstream-politician, who was a minister in the PDP-BJP alliance, will be heading the new coalition. Son of Abdul Gani Lone who was killed by unidentified gunmen in 2002, Sajad has called Prime Minister, Narendra Modi his elder brother and doesn’t shy away…
Read More‘Final resolution to Kashmir Issue’ Bollywood has a proposal
Even as several Bollywood movies dealing with the political issues surrounding the Valley have been made in the past, makers of an upcoming film on Monday said they would provide the “final resolution” to the Kashmir problem. Shot extensively in Kashmir, director of ‘Kashmir: The Final Resolution’ Yuvraj Kumar said the movie “revisits” Kashmir’s history and would also attempt to “solve the problem”. “The story revolves around a Kashmiri Pandit family that has migrated to Canada. The main lead of the film, who is a Kashmir Pandit, travels to Srinagar…
Read MoreVulgarity being dished by FM channels for infotainment
Even though the introduction of FM radio channels have brought a variety of options of songs for listeners to entertain themselves, at the same time majority of people are complaining about the “vulgarity” being dashed out in the name of infotainment. Many listeners alleged that the FM stations have become a platform where young boys and girls declare their love, exchange vulgar pleasantries, and dedicate songs to their “soul-mates” without any consideration for social, cultural or religious ethos that runs deep in Kashmir region. Currently, there are three prominent private…
Read MoreWas Hiba a Terrorist, Stone Pelter or a Protester questions JRL, to ‘Fix Responsibility’ Govt orders inquiry into pellet firing
Strongly condemning the grave pellet injury to the 19-month-old Hiba of Shopian district, Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik Tuesday asked what was the fault of the little angel that her eye-sight was snatched. Meanwhile, JRL leaders and activists staged a protest against the “killing spree” stating that people are giving priceless sacrifices for the only cause of right to self determination. In a statement here, the JRL said that was the 19-month-old Hiba carrying any gun or stone that she…
Read MoreThis year forty-four rebels killed cross Shopian
At least 44 militants were killed in southern Shopian district this year, according to official figures. Among these, 42 were local militants while two were foreigners, the figures suggest. Shopian emerged on the radar of security forces immediately after the killing of popular Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani in 2016. In the protests that followed Burhan’s killing, districts in southern Kashmir remained out of bounds for days together, with militants seen moving around unhindered and posting their videos as well. Before Shopian, Tral area in Pulwama district and Sopore…
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