Kashmir.Watch

Category: Union Territory

  • Pulwama encounter : One militant killed, amid rattling exchange of gunfire protesters clash with forces

    Pulwama, February 06: One militant has been killed in the ongoing gunfight between militants and government forces in Chakoora village of Pulwama while massive clashes are underway as well. A police source told KNO that one militant has been killed so far in the gunfight.

    “Identification will be done once we retrieve the body from the spot,” he said .
    Amid raging gunfight in Chakoora area of Pulwama district of South Kashmir, massive protesters erupted in the area which has been tear gassed.

    Reports reaching KNO said that protesters clashed with forces conducting the operation in the area, trying to help holed militants escape. “Youth pelted stones on the forces who in retaliation have tear gassed the area,” locals told KNO.

    They said the clashes were going on amid heavy exchange of gunfire.
    Earlier gunfight between militants and forces erupted in the area, as police sources said, that the joint forces party was fired upon by the militants hiding there that lead to gunfight.(KNO)

  • Decline in Militancy, Stone Pelting Good Sign For Polling: Police

    Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Police Tuesday termed the news reports that 191 youth joined militancy in Kashmir in 2018 as far from the reality stating that the decline in militancy and the stone pelting incidents was the ground reality and a good sign ahead of polls.

    A media report Monday said 191 local boys joined various militant organisations in 2018 against 126 in 2017. “The figure is far from the reality. It’s not true that 191 youth joined militant ranks in 2018″, he said.

    He said the fact is that militancy sustained a major ever jolt in Kashmir in 2018 as 250 militants were killed. “As far as the recruitment of local boys into various armed groups is concerned in year 2018, not more than 80 to 90 youth joined of whom majority got killed,” the officer said on condition of anonymity.

    He said the fact remains that in 2018, the stone pelting incidents witnessed all time low, law and order situation improved, and the militant recruitment also went down considerable which is a good sign.

    “Now that we are in an election year, improvement in situation is a good sign as that can help in creating a peaceful atmosphere for the polls,” he said.

    Kashmir is all set to witness two crucial polls this year, the Assembly polls and the Lok Sabha polls with political parties already in poll mode to garner as much as possible support to win maximum seats.

  • Army detains three RR men over killing of soldier Aurangzeb

    Reached for comment, Defence spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia told that “details are being ascertained” about the incident.

    Three personnel of the 44 Rashtriya Rifles have been detained by the Army and are being questioned for their alleged involvement in the abduction and killing of fellow soldier Aurangzeb by militants in June last year. Sources said it is suspected that the three RR soldiers shared information about Rifleman Aurangzeb who was abducted after he set out from the camp for his home in Poonch.
    His killing led to outrage across the country. He was conferred the Shaurya Chakra posthumously on Independence Day last year. Two days ago, his father joined the BJP in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a rally in Vijaypur, Jammu. On Monday, 27 year-old Tawseef Ahmad, brother of Abid Wani, one of the three soldiers detained, was taken to hospital with multiple bruises after being assaulted, allegedly by RR personnel.

    Reached for comment, Defence spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia told The Indian Express that “details are being ascertained” about the incident. Ahmad was first taken to the Pulwama district hospital from where he was referred to Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital in Srinagar. Doctors said his condition was stable.

    PDP leader and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who visited the Srinagar hospital Tuesday to inquire about Ahmad’s condition, said: “I will talk to the Corps Commander regarding the matter. I am sure Governor Sahib will take note of this matter… his brother is also missing, his whereabouts are not known.”

    Sources said detained RR personnel Abid Wani, Tajamul Ahmad and Adil Wani are facing an inquiry for allegedly sharing information about Aurangzeb. “Two are from Pulwama and one is from Kulgam. Their role came up during the investigation into the killing of Aurangzeb,” sources said.

    Ahmad’s family members said he was called to the RR camp in Pulwama where was beaten. “When he came out of the camp, he was spotted by a local resident and taken to hospital,” one of his cousins said. Dr Abdul Rashid Parra, medical superintendent of Pulwama district hospital, said: “We received a patient on Monday evening. He reported to the hospital with an alleged history of beating. The patient had multiple bruises. His whole body was bruised. He was then referred to a Srinagar hospital for further treatment.”

    Dr Saleem Tak, medical superintendent of SMHS Hospital, said: “The patient’s condition is stable and he is currently under observation at the hospital. The patient has soft tissue injuries.”

    The Indian Express

  • Shah Faesal’s resignation not yet accepted by govt

    Shah Faesal had submitted his resignation on January 4

    Jammu: The government has not accepted the resignation of IAS officer Shah Faesal even after more than a month since he quit the civil services to join politics, according to highly placed sources in the government.

    Faesal, the 2010 IAS topper, had submitted his resignation on January 4 without detailing the reasons.

    The J&K Government’s website carrying the details of the in-service IAS officers lists Faesal at No. 49 (as on February 5), showing him as “pursuing a mid-career master’s programme in public administration at Edward S Mason Harvard University”.

    In the normal course, his resignation should have been accepted by now as he has declared himself unshackled by the service rules that could have prevented him from airing his views, but there is no word about his resignation having been accepted.

    Sources in the government said they had no problems in his joining the politics as it was his wish.

    Faesal had announced his plunge into the politics on January 9, claiming that he was doing so to protest the “unabated killings in Kashmir, marginalisation of Muslims in India and the undermining of the institutions like NIA, CBI and RBI”.

    In his media interviews and an aggressive campaign on the social media, he came out as a critical voice against the system. One of his salvos fired on January 28 was that the “time has come for the Kashmir resolution”.

    A highly placed source said the delay in acceptance of his resignation could be because an inquiry was going on against him for his unacceptable remarks made on the social media a few months ago. It is because, the source said, if his resignation was accepted, he would be off the hook and no action could be taken against him.

    The politically savvy class, however, said the government would prefer not to take any action against Faesal to avoid precipitating the matter and make him a hero. A top source in the government told The Tribune that his resignation would be accepted and remarked: “If someone wants to become a leader, why should we stop him (from doing so).” TNS

  • Kashmir’s young film actress, Zaira Wasim wins ‘YONO SBI 20 Under Twenty’ title

    Srinagar, Feb 05: State Bank of India, country’s largest lender celebrated the talent of young superstars who are transforming society with their skills and expertise with ‘YONO SBI 20 Under Twenty’ awards.
    16-years-old girl, Zaira Wasim-Film Actress who hail from the summer capital of the State, Srinagar emerged winner of this title.
    The Kashmiri beauty made her acting debut with the biographical sports drama ‘Dangal’ where her acclaimed portrayal of an Indian sportswoman Geeta Phogat won her the National Film Award for the Best Supporting Actress.
    Zaira also won the Filmfare Critics Award for the Best Actress for her role of a headstrong aspiring singer in the musical drama ‘Secret Superstar’.
    According to KNS, she was honoured with National Child Award for Exceptional Achievement by Hon’ble President Ram Nath Kovind.
    Currently, she is busy working on Shonali Bose’s film ‘The Sky is Pink’ alongside Priyanka Chopra and Farhan Akhtar. Before spellbinding her audiences on the silver screen, Zaira featured in 2 television commercials for Microsoft Lumia and Tata Sky.
    The winners were chosen through public voting that counted to more than 1.7 lakh in 10 diverse categories such as sustainability, performing arts, acting, entrepreneurship or innovation, sports, global Indian, disability champion among others.
    The nominations were shortlisted by an esteemed jury panel of 8 eminent personalities including bollywood actress Dia Mirza, Sports journalist and author Boria Majumdar, Sashi Sreedharan, MD, Microsoft India, Dilip Asbe, MD & CEO, NPCI, Mallika Dua, Social Media Influencer, among others.

  • World must respond to wake-up call by Kashmiris: Pak FM Qureshi

    ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said the situation in Kashmir is grave which warrants the world to take notice of the “worst kind of human rights violations” by the Indian forces, DawnNews reported on Monday.
    Talking to the media after his arrival in London on Sunday, the foreign minister regretted the silence of the world on “unabated incidents of torture and aggression, indiscriminate use of pellet guns by the Indian forces and rape and killing spree of innocent Kashmiris”.
    He said that during a visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Kashmir, there was a complete strike in Srinagar. The Kashmiris were expressing their resentment and had taken practical steps, he said, regretting the “oppressive” measures taken in the world’s highly militarised area in the wake of Modi’s visit.
    “Whether such grave human rights violations were allowed in any civilised society of the world,” he wondered and urged India to realise the seriousness of the situation in the valley.
    Qureshi, who arrived in London to attend events in connection with the Kashmir Solidarity Day, asked why India had clamped down on social and print media and disrupted the internet service. It was a kind of media gag, he said and asked the world media to highlight the situation in Kashmir.
    He said that certain incidents often made headlines in the international media, but in Kashmir, “grave human rights violations were being committed by the Indian occupation forces on a daily basis”.
    In reply to a question, the foreign minister said there was complete national consensus on the Kashmir issue in Pakistan. He said the conference in the UK would deliberate on the Kashmir situation where he would reiterate Pakistan’s stance.
    Qureshi said the UK parliament and UN rights body had also released their reports on the “gross human rights violations” in “India-held” Kashmir.
    —Agencies

  • PM Modi Should Learn From Afghanistan: PDP

    Shun muscular approach, initiate dialogue on Kashmir

    SRINAGAR : Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday asked the Government of India to learn from the situation emerging in Afghanistan and initiate a comprehensive dialogue process over Kashmir without delay.

    Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech he made in Srinagar on Sunday, PDP’s senior leader and former minister Naeem Akhtar cautioned the Prime Minister that muscular approach vis-a-vis Kashmir is bound to fail and yield any positive outcome.

    Modi had stated that his government will continue to adopt tough approach in crushing the militancy in Valley.

    However, according to Akhtar, such approach has never worked in Kashmir. “This has been repeated numerous times but nothing was achieved and nothing will be achieved because this is not the world where you can rely only on force,” Akhtar said, adding that even the top Army Generals have publicly cautioned against unifocal policy based on use of force.

    “We have to learn from what is happening around the world including Afghanistan where there is a thrust on dialogue and Pakistan has been counted as a major partner. Dialogue is the only way forward and it is only through non-confrontational approach that we will be able to give our coming generations a safer and tranquil place to live. Making peace of graveyard prevalent and never worked and will never work,” Akhtar said.

    Akhtar said that if the government of India continues with its iron-fist policy, the space for politics, diplomacy, and dialogue will get further squeezed and youngsters will continue to be forced into the destructive violence.

    He said that on one side Prime Minister Modi is making tall claims of keeping the legacy of Atal Bihari Vajpayee alive and on the other hand is not even allowing a 22-year-old boy, who comes from the other side of LOC, to meet his ailing grandmother under valid permission. “Trade and travel across the LOC is the essence of what late Vajpayee and Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had achieved. It is ironic that the boy was prevented from meeting his ailing grandmother on a day when Prime Minister Modi was sermonising us on Vajpayee’s legacy in Srinagar,” Akhtar said.

    He added that the day coalition government in the state fell, PDP President Mehbooba Mufti had cautioned against the adoption of muscular approach for Kashmir. However, said Akhtar, it looks like that there is only muscular policy and no other policy that has been pressed into service for the state and especially for Kashmir.

    “Kashmir is a political issue which needs a political solution. Announcing mega developmental projects has never and will never help us achieve any progress on ground vis-a-vis making peace state’s permanent feature,” said the PDP leader.

    He added that the projects that were inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi in Srinagar on Sunday too are questionable in nature as nothing has moved forward in the state during the past six months. “Contrary to what Mr Modi claimed, even the ongoing centrally funded projects in the state have been shut and while leaving the state in lurch on developmental front, the Prime Minister goes further in announcing the Kamar tod policy for Kashmir.

  • Joined politics to represent those laying sacrifices for Kashmir cause : Shah Faesal

    Kupwara, February 04: The record maker IAS topper, Shah Faisal on Monday said that one of the reasons behind joining politics is to represent those who lay down their lives for Kashmir cause.

    In his maiden public meeting in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district today, Faisal said that Kashmiris are ‘putting sacrifices for Kashmir cause and they need to be represented’.

    According to KNO correspondent, Faisal was received amid sloganeering in the area. “There are people who are being martyred including PhD scholars and people of the Kashmir are giving all the sacrifices for it. There is none to represent them,” he told a mammoth gathering that assembled to hear to him.

    Faisal while castigating the government said that people at the helm of affairs enjoy their perks while people in general suffer in their cozy rooms. “I have experience of being an officer, people suffer due to lackadaisical approach of people in power,” he said, while adding that corruption and loot has eaten the system from inside.

    He told the gathering that he has headed power development corporation and resources of valley are being exploited that needs to be stopped.

    “I know in this I will be facing many hardships and I may fail in polls but I will endure all the problems for the people,” he said, while claiming that he had left valley for America after being disappointed at the pathetic state of affairs in the state but his ‘conscience brought him back’.

    Faisal said that people that will join him will work for the betterment of people selflessly. “My politics will be that to Imran Khan and Arvind kejriwal,” he said.

    Faisal on Monday held a maiden public meeting in TRC ground Kupwara his home district. “ I was not expecting such a great crowd but this has shown like in other ways that people have supported me,” he said, claiming that while in services he was like in ‘cage’ and could not speak for people.(KNO)

  • BJP can make movies to lure voters, but it can’t befool people of Kashmir: JRL

    SRINAGAR, FEB 04: Joint Resistance Leadership comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik Said that the threatening speech of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Kashmiri’s struggling for achievement of right to self-determination is a reflection of extreme arrogance of power and electoral opportunism. JRL said that the Indian state is immorally and illegal holding on to Jammu and Kashmir without ascertaining the will of its people by blocking the holding of UN backed referendum.

    It is ruling the state by sheer military might resulting in extreme repression and human rights abuses. Instead of addressing the globally acknowledged dispute lingering for the past 71 years and working towards its resolution in a democratic manner which it claims to be a champion of , the head of this huge country stoops to threats and warnings on the back of its huge military apparatus spread across the length and breadth of J&K. JRL said the young and educated boys killed each day by this vast web of military might with vengeance are not some hard core members of terrorist cartels but young idealists driven by passion for freedom and resistance to oppression, paying the price of the non-resolution of an essentially human and political dispute being dealt militarily by GOI. JRL said that while there are 8 lakh Indian forces manning this land and as per GOI own admission only 300 armed youth are fighting them most of who are untrained and novices driven only by passion. what’s there to boast in this most disproportionate equation.

    JRL said for the last 30 years in particular people of J&K at all levels and fronts are bearing the brunt of being under arbitrary and forcible control more than two lakh Kashmiri’s have been killed and all forms of torture and harassment resulting in severe human right violations borne. Yet the nation is unrelenting and unwavering on its goal to self- determination. it is no small feat that a small nation like ours is giving such a tough fight to a mighty and resourceful adversary. JRL said it must be reminding the Indian state of its own freedom struggle against the might British empire on whom the “sun never set. “ But one day the sun did set on them as in a fight between might and truth , truth always prevails. The Leadership said that no nation can be enslaved for a long period by banking on military might as the recent example was well before the world as to how the US was forced to acknowledge the facts and ground realities in Afghanistan and today is talking about engagement and looking beyond military options.

    JRL said the exemplary strike and unconcerned population on Indian PM”s visit should serve as eye opener for Indian rulers. They said that in India people throng in large numbers to greet their political leaders, shower petals and express their happiness and jubilation, but the response from the population in this forcibly occupied land is enough to convey a clear and loud message.

    The Leadership said that the slogan raised by the Indian PM –Insaniyat, Jhamooriyat aur Kasmiriyat was nothing but a farce to befool the world community as the reality is that oppression touched new heights in Kashmir. Reacting to the Indian PM’s claims of giving electricity to every household, the JRL said that Kashmiri people have never gone with a begging bowl before New Delhi over electricity as the reality is that some vested interests and greedy politicians who sold their conscience handed over the state’s power resources to New Delhi and deprived the people of Kashmir from their own power resources. The JRL said that they want return of all the power projects being handed over to the Indian executing agencies.

    The JRL said that Kashmiri Pandits were the part and parcel of Kashmir’s age-old culture and ethos and they have always been urging them to return to their homes in a dignified manner but separate colonies and transit camps were highly objectionable and not acceptable.

    The Leadership also said that by blowing the trumpet of surgical strikes everytime BJP can make movies to lure voters, but it can’t befool people of Kashmir who are engaged a sacred and genuine struggle that has priceless sacrifices at its back and that the movement to achieve the final goal will be further intensified.

  • ‘191 Local Youth Joined Militancy In 2018’

    JAMMU — As many as 191 local youth joined various militant outfits in Jammu and Kashmir in 2018, 65 more than 2017, a senor Army official said Monday.

    The new recruits mostly hailed from the restive south Kashmir region, he added.

    “As many as 191 Kashmiri youths joined militancy in 2018,” the official told PTI.

    In 2017, 126 locals had joined militant ranks, he said.

    South Kashmir districts — Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam and Anantnag — have become a breeding ground for militants with many youths joining their rank and file, the officer said.

    Outfits like the Hizbul Mujahideen and the Lashker-e- Taiba find more recruits, he said.

    The official said out of the 191 recruits in 2018, 139 alone hailed from south Kashmir. The highest — 59 — was from Pulwama, he added.

    In 2016, the official said, 88 Kashmiri youths had joined militancy.

    Since 2016, there has been a constant rise in the number of youths joining militancy, he added.

    As many as 66 youths joined militancy in Kashmir in 2015 and 53 in 2014.

    In 2010, 54 youths had joined militancy, while in 2011 the number came down to 23. It further dipped to 21 in 2012 and 16 in 2013, the official said.

    The data is based on technical and human intelligence, besides interrogation reports of militants arrested during various counter-insurgency operations in the valley, he added.

    Although more youths were attracted towards militancy in 2018, state forces killed 257 militants this year.

    As many as 257 militants were killed across Jammu and Kashmir in 2018, Director General of Police Dilbagh Singh had said last month, asserting that counter-insurgency operations would continue in 2019 with major focus on strengthening border and hinterland security.