A US-based Kashmiri organisation reminded India on the country’s Republic Day, which was observed on Tuesday, that Kashmir was a disputed territory as recognised by the United Nations and its obduracy to accept the ground realities were a major hurdle in peace in the region. “For Kashmiris this is not a day to celebrate but a day of mourning, a day of catastrophe when their power of self-determination was taken from them by the occupiers,” Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai, Secretary-General World Kashmir Awareness, said in a statement issued in Washington.…
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Kashmir
Mehbooba, Omar attend R-Day function in Srinagar
Amid tight security arrangements, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti and former chief minister Omar Abdullah attended the Republic Day function at Bakhshi Stadium, the venue of main function in Kashmir valley here today. Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Asghar H Samoon was the chief guest at the Bakshi stadium, who unfurled the national flag. He took salute at the parade of the contingents of various wings of J&K Police, Fire Services, CRPF, BSF and school children. Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah, both attired in the traditional Kashmir ‘pherans’ with Mehbooba wearing a headscarf…
Read MoreSteps to augment water transport in Kashmir
Authorities in Kashmir are mulling to use the large number of water bodies for transport purposes in order to ease vehicular pressure on roads of the Valley and also attract more tourists. Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Asghar Hassan Samoon chaired a meeting yesterday in which he asked various departments to take necessary steps to start water transport in River Jhelum, Dal, Wullar and other lakes for the benefit of locals as well as tourists, an official spokesman said. Samoon had convened the meeting to review the modalities for water transport in…
Read MoreWeatherman predicts rain, snowfall in Valley
The prevalent dry weather in Kashmir is likely to end as the Meteorological Department here has predicted rain or snowfall for few days in the coming week. There are chances of isolated rains in the Valley over two days from January 26, while there is possibility of scattered to widespread rainfall or snowfall over three days from January 28, an official of the Meteorological department here said. He said there is a chance of snowfall in the region especially in the higher reaches of the Valley during this period especially…
Read MoreKashmir Valley locked down at Republic Day eve
In the run-up to India’s Republic Day on Jan. 26, the Jammu Kashmir region has become dotted with makeshift bunkers, checkpoints and barricades. Thousands of Indian soldiers have been deployed on the roads, where they carry out exhaustive searches of vehicles and their passengers. Regional capital Srinagar, meanwhile, now looks like an army garrison. “It’s always like this in Kashmir ahead of India’s Independence Day or Republic Day, or when their prime minister visits. And we have to suffer this harassment,” Shahnawaz Rashid, a 34-year-old employee of a pharmaceutical company,…
Read MoreKashmiri Muslims a misunderstood lot
In the first place, let it be clear to everyone that Kashmiri Muslims are a vibrant community. The community has its own unique geographical and ethnic identity, which is as troubled and torn as that of Kashmiri Hindus or Sikhs. The difference between these communities is that Kashmiri Muslims are demonised as some of them picked up guns and led the community and the place to the path of self-destruction. The place has been brutalised and the Kashmiri Muslims are caught in a pincer that comes with possession of bombs…
Read MoreKashmiri resistance leaders reject Daesh claims of influence
If Daesh was what it claimed to be, its first priority would be liberation of Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque, Kashmiri pro-independence leader asserts Following recent assertions by Daesh that militants in Indian-held Jammu Kashmir had given the group their allegiance, Kashmiri pro-independence leaders have rebutted the claims. Earlier this week, in its online “Dabiq” magazine, Daesh alleged that militants fighting Indian rule in Jammu Kashmir had “pledged allegiance” to their group in their ongoing fight against “cow-worshipping Hindus”. Daesh’s self-styled “Emir of Khorasan”, Hafiz Saeed, made the claims in an interview…
Read MoreMonths after biometrics, Srinagarites await Aadhaar
Despite completion of biometric process several months ago, people in Srinagar are yet to receive Aadhaar cards. After data collection, authorities started the biometrics- under which the finger prints, eye scan and photograph- of individuals were taken. The process of biometrics was outsourced to Chinar Group of Companies which claims that the company has completed the process and it were the other offices who have failed to deliver the cards to individuals. Pertinently, the central government has made it mandatory for people to have Aadhaar cards— replaced by National Population…
Read MoreNew Delhi wants to ‘eliminate Geelani on Yasir Arafat-pattern’: Hurriyat (G)
The Hurriyat Conference (G) Chairman Syed Ali Geelani—who continues to be under house detention—was again barred from offering Friday prayers, a party spokesman said. “GeelaniSahaib, despite being unwell, continued to remain under house detention and was once again unable to offer the Friday prayers. The process of his illegal house detention started in 2010 and continues till date. The government is silent as to how long will this extraordinary imprisonment continue,” the Hurriyat (G) spokesman Ayaz Akbar said in a statement. He said the main reason of Geelani’s ill-health is…
Read MoreAnnual Urs observed at Dastageer Saheb Shrine
The annual urs of 11th century Sufi saint Shaikh Syed Abdul Qadir Jeelani, known as Peer Dastageer Saheb by devotees, was observed with religious fervour today. Devotees thronged the shrines of the revered saint in the Khanyar and Sarai Bala areas of the city and offered prayers. A caretaker of the Dastageer Saheb shrine at Sarai Bala said nightlong prayers were held at the shrine and there was no let up in the rush of devotees throughout the course of the day today. He said ‘Qaseeda Gousia’ was recited in…
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