Category: Kashmir

Kashmir

Protests over beef ban in Valley refuse to die down

Editor

Clashes erupted in old Srinagar city and many parts of Anantnag town in south Kashmir after the Friday prayers against the recent beef ban order of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court. The ban has divided the region on communal lines. While one section (Hindus) of society is seeking a ban on the sale of beef and bovine slaughter for it being ‘sacred’, the other (Muslims) are opposing the ban, arguing ‘no court could ban food permitted by Allah’. Meanwhile, one person was injured during protests in the Nowhatta area…

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Ulema ask people to defy beef ban on Eid-ul-Adha

Editor

Upping the ante on the controversial beef ban issue, Ulema (religious scholars) from Kashmir Thursday passed a resolution asking Muslims across the State to defy the ban on Eid-ul-Adha. They also threatened to launch mass agitation “if the Government interferes in our religious affairs.” The resolution was passed during a daylong session of Muttaheda-Majlis-e-Ulema chaired by its head, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, at Mirwaiz Manzil here. “The recent order declaring ban on beef is a direct interference in religious affairs of Muslims. Muslims of Kashmir have to put forward a united…

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This Kashmiri journalist feels Amarnath temple is a ‘phallic block of ice’

Editor

An article in the United States’ Foreign Affairs Journal has brazenly stated that the sacred Hindu shrine, Amarnath temple in Jammu and Kashmir, is a large, ‘phallic block of ice’ inside the cave and is being used as pilgrimage to assert Indian government’s political control over the region. The article named ‘A Political Pilgrimage in Kashmir’ further says that in recent years the shrine has become a political flashpoint between Hindus and Muslims. Quoting excerpt from Professor Ian Reader’s book ‘Pilgrimage in the Marketplace’, the article also suggests that pilgrimage…

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Train Services in to Remain Suspended For 2 Days During Eid

Editor

Train services in Kashmir Valley will remain suspended for two days- September 26 and 27- on the occasion of Eid as part of precautionary measures to prevent any untoward incident. In a meeting with government officials on July 25, Railways had decided to “temporarily suspend train services between Banihal and Baramulla apprehending untoward incidents on the occasion of the Eid-ul-Azha on September 26 and 27”, a Railways spokesman said. He said that on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr in July, “incidents of vandalism and obstruction to train crew” had affected train…

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Violence rises again in Valley, in mysterious, unusual patterns

Editor

A series of incidents in recent months, most of them leaving a trail of questions and confounding serious observers of conflicts, is dragging the Kashmir Valley back into chaos. The overall improvement of the security scene under way for many years has been stalled in these months, as several mysterious killings, repeated attacks on mobile networks, weapon snatching and other alleged militant activities change the very nature of the over 25-year-old Kashmir militancy. The lowest number of militancy-related incidents, 113, was reported in 2013, but climbed to 155 in 2014.…

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“Geelani completed 150 days under the house detention”

Editor

Appealing for impartial investigation by independent international agency into the Pattan killings: Hurriyat Chairman All Parties Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Geelani has completed 150 days under the house detention while as senior Hurriyat Conference leaders Shabir Ahmad Shah, Nayeem Ahmad Khan and Sayed Agha Hassan has also been imprisoned in their homes and they are not been allowed to move out. While strongly condemning the government action, Hurriyat Conference said that Jammu & Kashmir is practically ruled by the army and police and the state law and constitution has been…

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Roadshow held in city to create awareness about drug menace

Editor

Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Asgar Hassan Samoon today flagged off a roadshow to sensitise people about devastating effects of drug addiction and other social evils. The show was organised by the Shehr-i-Khaas Welfare Coordination Committee, an official said. The roadshow started from the Nowhatta Chowk and concluded at Auqaf Market, Tujgari Mohalla, Nowahata. A large number of senior citizens, shopkeepers, women, students and people from different walks of life participated in the event. The Divisional Commissioner said drug addiction and existence of other social evils were like a black spot on…

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Makhdoom Sahib cable car grounded for five months

Editor

The ropeway that was started two years ago on the foothills of Hari Parbat in old city of Srinagar up to Sufi shrine of Makhdoom Sahib (RA) has been lying defunct for the past five months giving a tough time to devotees. The ropeway was inaugurated in December 2013 by the then ministers, Ali Mohammad Sagar and GA Mir. The project was constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 6.5 crore. The 550-metre ropeway has been built by the Jammu and Kashmir Cable Car Corporation (JKCCC) through Kolkata-based Ropeway and…

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Killed youngsters belonged to Hizb: Syed Salahuddin

Editor

The Hizbul Mujahideen has confirmed that the three youngsters whose bullet-riddled bodies found in the Baramullah district on Monday belonged to the outlawed militant outfit. It also accused police of killing them while they were in custody. “Amir Reshi, Ashiq Ahmad and Naveed were activists of Hizbul Mujahideen and had joined the outfit recently,” said outfit’s PoK-based head Syed Salahuddin told its members. The bodies were found at an orchard in Pattan, 30 kilometres from Srinagar. They are also believed to bear signs of torture. The discovery lead top clashes…

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Geelani, Malik call for state- wide shutdown on Wednesday

Editor

Terming the death of three youths in Pattan area of Barramulla district as ‘cold blooded murder’, chairman Hurriyat Conference (G) Syed Ali Geelani has called for complete state-wide shutdown on Wednesday (September-16). Meanwhile, in a separate press release, JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik has also called for a shutdown tomorrow against the “cold-blooded murder” of three youths in Pattan area and one in Tengmarg area in Baramulah district. Malik appealed for a complete shutdown in the valley to condemn the deaths of four youth, whose bodies were found at two…

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