Valley wide protests, curfew continue

Srinagar, Aug 19:: One person was shot at and more than a dozen were injured in police and CRPF action as authority clamped curfew in Srinagar and major towns of Kashmir to foil the protests against the killings in the Valley. The recent unrest marked by almost continuous shutdown across the valley completed 69 days on Wednesday.

Kashmir Martyrs’ Day

This day reminds us of 23 Kashmiri martyrs who had laid down their lives fighting the Dogra rule to keep the torch of freedom alight. It was, indeed, due to this movement that British government had appointed Glancy Commission to investigate into the atrocities committed by the Maharaja. It was as a result of the above episode that Kashmiri leadership realized the need to build up an organization with a view to waging struggle for their freedom. In 1934, State’s first elections were held, and the Muslim Conference won 21 out of 16 seats. After two years in 1936, it succeeded in getting 19 out of 21 seats. Congress was upset with these results, and tried to create division in the ranks of Kashmiri leadership. In 1937, a meeting was arranged between Jawahar Lal Nehru and Sheikh Abdullah and the latter agreed to convert Muslim Conference into National Conference. When Chaudhry Ghulam Abbas and his colleagues realized that Sheikh Abdullah was toeing Nehru’s line, they revived the Muslim Conference. Anyhow, Kashmiris have passed through the longest ordeal, and faced repression, death and destruction even before the partition.

Friday prayers disallowed at Jamia Masjid, Dargah

Srinagar, Fri, 9 Jul 2010 : : Police did not allow people to offer Friday congregational prayers at historic Jamia Masjid in old city and Dargah Sharief Hazratbal on city outskirts.All the roads leading to Jamia Masjid were sealed. Policemen and paramilitary CRPF troopers asked people to stay away from Masjid, locals told media men on Phone,

INSECURITY INCREASING IN KASHMIR

By Tuba Naqash--- Human rights violations are found so common in present times. We go out carrying a fear in our heart n mind about will we reach home safely without meeting anything wrong? Its because everywhere in Kashmir after every step we find troopers, the men in uniform. No place is free of their presence. Kashmir is highly militarized. And the most worrying thing that every mind is carrying presently is what they will do with us next. We have no guarantee of our lives, guarantee about what’s going to come to us next, guarantee about will we get to see our loved one again after he/she is out. Tortures, sexual assaults, killings are found so common presently. Troopers go for anything at anytime and there seems to be none to question them about their doings. Everyone is involved in this absurd process. A single case receives no justice and goes on moving from one place to the other.

India's Pakistan-centric calculus!

April 5, 2010 The Nation KHALID IQBAL An objective analysis of India's national security policy leads us to the conclusion that the assumptions underwriting the policy are predominantly focused on Pakistan. Especially the military component of national security apparatus perpetually spews out a stream of Pakistan phobia. The phenomenon has historic and cultural groundings, so strongly perpetuated by myths that rhetoric, more than often, supersedes the logic. Rationality is submerged into an ocean of irrationality when isolated and at times minor incidents are hyped to justify declaration of final and conclusive war on Pakistan, with a presupposed victory.

Talks with India

April 5, 2010 The Nation INDIA is ready to have a further round of talks at the level of Foreign Secretaries, as a follow-up to the talks on February 25. This has been indicated by the Indian Foreign Office during a briefing on the Indian Foreign Minister's visit to China. However, the Indian Foreign Office feels that Pakistan must respond to the Indian invitation.

Resolution of Kashmir dispute

News & Views Pak Observer Mohammad Jamil The US and Britain often express concern over the looming threat of war between two nuclear states - India and Pakistan. Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s statement that the solution of the Kashmir issue is vital for world stability is indeed encouraging. But he should take initiative and persuade international community to help resolve the dispute, as it is unfinished part of the partition of the subcontinent. President Obama has many a time expressed his desire that the dispute between India and Pakistan should be resolved but short of playing an active role in resolving the dispute. If the world powers including US and Britain take due interest in the matter and ensure implementation of the UN resolutions on this issue, the oppressed millions in Jammu and Kashmir would get their basic rights, and would also strengthen world peace and stability, as it is a major flashpoint in the world. On 5th February 2010, British Labour Member of the Parliament Sir Gerald Kaufman in his address at Kashmir Solidarity Day seminar held in London had said that the issue of Kashmir will be on top of the agenda in his meeting with Prime Minister Gordon Brown, which was scheduled to be held after one week ie mid-February. But what transpired in the meeting is not known. He said that UK and US are concerned with the situation particularly for its bearings on stability and economy of Pakistan, which was essential for the peace of entire region. He asserted that UN resolutions on Kashmir remain valid and peaceful resolution of the issue was possible only through the implementation of these resolutions. Sir Gerald Kaufmann also shared his painful experiences of his visits to Kashmir where he was able to observe worst kind of violations of rights of people. He is perhaps the only British MP who believes that UN resolutions are still valid. Anyhow, after that he did not speak on the subject as to what transpired in his meeting with Prime Minister Gordon Brown. It has to be said that the Kashmir Dispute owes its origin to machinations of then governor general Lord Moutbatten, and it is the responsibility of Britain to help resolve this issue.