The United Nations’ human rights chief is appealing to India and Pakistan to grant his office access to Kashmir amid “grave concerns” over alleged rights violations. The UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein said Wednesday he has been working to get observers to the parts of the disputed Himalayan region the two countries control since violence flared last month. Zeid called it “unfortunate” access hasn’t been granted yet considering “the seriousness of the allegations of the use of excessive force, allegations of state sponsorship of violence, as…
Read MoreCategory: General News
General News
Why the Kashmir protests in 2010 and 2016 are different
Summer had arrived in Kashmir, tourists were coming in droves and India’s ‘paradise’ was in business. One day — July 8 — was all it took to shatter that picture postcard. In the 40 days since that day, when security forces killed Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, the Valley has become a ghost town, an extended curfew barely keeping a fragile peace. Shattered glass, stones and bricks on the streets speak of the clashes that erupted in protest against the killing of Wani, the 22-year-old local who had become the…
Read MoreTo end Unrest, Opposition insists on dialogue
Prepares memorandum of demands, wants to apprise President of ground situation The mainstream Opposition parties and legislators gathered on a single stage on Wednesday to discuss and seek a way out from the ongoing unrest in the Kashmir valley, sparked by killing of a militant commander, and appealed to the Union Government to initiate a dialogue to address it. Senior leaders and legislators of several Opposition parties, including the National Conference, Congress, CPM, People’s Democratic Front, Awami Ittehad Party and the Democratic Party Nationalist, met at the residence of former…
Read MoreNational flag falls off post as CM Mehbooba Mufti started to unfurls it
Mehbooba, who was hoisting the national flag as Chief Minister for the first time, pulled the string attached to the post only to see the tricolor fall from the post and land on the ground. In a deeply embarrassing moment for Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, the national tricolor fell off the post as she hoisted it at Bakshi stadium in Srinagar where the main Independence Day function of the state was held. Mehbooba, who was hoisting the national flag as Chief Minister for the first time, pulled…
Read MoreAhead of Friday’s all-party meet on Kashmir, here’s a look at where different parties stand
After an almost eight-hour-long discussion in the Rajya Sabha on the unrest in Jammu and Kashmir, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday accepted the demand of the Opposition for an all-party meeting on the issue. The meeting will take place on Friday at around 12 pm. It will be attended by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Responding to demands for initiating a political process in Kashmir, the home minister said the government is ready to have talks with mainstream parties, moderates and others. “We are ready. I will ask the chief…
Read MorePakistan Zindabad slogans in Kashmir won’t be tolerated: Rajnath
Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday told Rajya Sabha that slogans like “Pakistan Zindabad” that are chanted in the valley “won’t be tolerated” on Indian territory and appealed to Kashmiris to stop such elements. Lashing out at Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s comment on Kashmir, Rajnath said that no power on earth can separate Jammu & Kashmir from India. “Kashmir is an inseparable part of India. No power on earth can separate it from India,” Singh said while replying to a debate in the Rajya Sabha on the current situation…
Read MoreKashmir is our problem, stop blaming Pakistan: Aiyar to PM
Mani Shankar Aiyar criticised Prime Minister Modi over his assertion that his government would take Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s path on Kashmir. Congress veteran Mani Shankar Aiyar on Wednesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government to stop blaming Pakistan for Kashmir unrest as it is India’s problem and advised the ruling dispensation to initiate a parallel dialogue with both Pakistan and the separatist leaders. “Kashmir is our problem, we cannot keep saying Pakistan is causing it. They will keep doing what they are doing with regard to Kashmir. The talks should…
Read MoreRajya Sabha to debate Kashmir today as Oppn ups the ante over Civilian Killings
Stop use of pellet guns, hold all-party meeting, send parliamentary delegation to Valley: Oppn members tell Govt ‘Situation has worsened due to mismanagement by govt’ HM seeks support from all sections to resolve ‘complicated’ issue Following persistent demand by a united Opposition, the government has agreed to have a debate on the prevailing Kashmir situation in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday with Home Minister Rajnath Singh seeking support from all sections to resolve the “complicated” issue. Opposition leaders, including those of Congress, CPI(M), SP and JD(U), also expressed serious concern…
Read MoreFew misguided people hurting Kashmir’s great tradition: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that the central government is finding solution to all problems in Kashmir through development. “Whether it is the J&K Govt under Mehbooba ji or the Central Govt, we are finding a solution to all problems through development. Kashmir wants peace. Whatever Kashmiris want for betterment of their livelihood, the Centre will help. We want development for J&K,” said Modi. However, the prime minister didn’t talk about the civilian killings in Kashmir. 55 civilians have died in forces’ action on protests that erupted after the killing…
Read MoreTough tactics to tame Kashmir Violence
The Centre plans no political outreach to dissolve the violent clot in Kashmir. It prefers, instead, for the Mehbooba Mufti government to keep up the security heat to subdue the Valley-wide upsurge. “This is a law-and-order situation and that is how the elected state government should treat it and deal with it,” a Kashmir-watcher and policy adviser has told . “This isn’t the first time such violence has erupted, it can be subjugated. We’ll establish control.” This newspaper has been given to understand by those close to formulating the strategy…
Read More
