Category: Union Territory

In May 2017 when Mehbooba Mufti was the chief minister and the chief of the Unified Command, top army officials flew from New Delhi to Srinagar to participate in a crucial security meeting where top officials of various security agencies also participated. The meeting was held in highly fortified army’s 15 Corps Badamibagh Headquarters where it was unanimously decided to roll out “Operation All-out” in a bid to wipe out new age militancy born after the killing of young HizbulMujahideen commander BurhanWani on July 8, 2016.
From May to December 2017, 215 militants were killed including top commanders of HizbulMujahideen, Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Muhammad. Top security experts opine that after sustaining back to back jolts in 2017, Jaish-e-Muhammad militants, especially those who managed to infiltrate from PirPanjal range, carried out at least three major suicide attacks—two of them in Pulwama district. “The attacks were a message to Hizb and Lashkar to take a back seat for re-grouping and saving commanders who were on the government forces’ radar.”
The top security officials believe that the winter months of 2017-2018 were utilized by the Hizb and Lashkar militants to “re-organise themselves and to re-group as well” and to some extent they succeeded. However, the forces changed their strategy by deciding to target top militant leadership and a hit-list was prepared. Police believes that top commanders were mainly responsible for the recruitment of local youth into militancy.
The list of 25 commanders of Hizb, Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jaish, Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen and the Ansaar-Gazwatul Hind prepared by the forces went viral on various social networking sites. Though earlier it seemed difficult for the forces to catch the big fish, but according to police officers, on the basis of “renewed human intelligence supported by the technical intelligence” they gradually started zeroing-in on the top commanders who started falling one after another in the encounters, most of whom took placed in the restive Southern Kashmir.
Director General of Police Dilbagh Singh said that many militant commanders had a habit of uploading videos and photographs on the social sites to lure the youth into militancy fold, but “the same also helps the forces to track the militants.”
According to police, 2018 saw the killing of 240 militants, the highest ever since 2007, including 18 top commanders of Hizb, Lashkar, Jaish and AnsaarGazwatul Hind. Among the slain commanders were most wanted faces— SadaamPaddar, Sameer Tiger, AltafKachroo, Towseef Sheikh and Umar Ganai. But for the forces, the major success of the year was the killing of top most commander of Lashkar-e-ToibaNaveedJatt alias Abu Hanzallah, who escaped from police custody in February this year after killing two policemen who were accompanying him from Central Jail Srinagar to SMHS Hospital where he was brought for a check-up. Naveed, according to police records, had infiltrated from Kupwara sector in October 2012 when he was only 15. He remained active for two years and was arrested and lodged in Central Jail Srinagar. However, he managed to escape from SMHS Hospital. His successful bid to flee from the hospital triggered suspension of the then Director General of Prisons and the SSP also. Besides, the then DGP S P Vaid also issued directions barring medical check-up of prisoners in State-run hospital and instead made it obligatory that non-local or local militants in need of medical check-up be brought to police hospital only.” Naveed’s escape also resulted in the shifting of all non-local and local militants lodged in Central Jail to Jammu prisons.
Now police, army and the CRPF have decided to track the movement of remaining seven top militants including three top most commanders, ReyazNaikoo, the chief operational commander of Hizb, Zeenatul Islam, who took over the reins of Al-Badr, and ZakirMoosa, the chief of AnsarulGazwatul Hind.
While addressing the press men after the killing of top Lashkar commander Naveed at police control room (PCR) Srinagar, DGP Dilbagh Singh said that 240 militants were killed till November 15 this year while 250 were still active. DGP’s revelation about the number of active militants signifies that the security agencies had been earlier downplaying the number of active militants. If one goes by figures shared last winter, 300 militants were active. As many as 240 were killed this year, then there should have been just 60 militants active at present.
A top police officer revealed to the Kashmir Ink that though 240 militants have been killed and that 250 more are active signifies that the there has been successful infiltration attempts and also some silent recruitment of militants. “Successful infiltration is possible given the terrain and dense forest cover along the LoC stretch in Kashmir’s Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara districts,” he said.
However, DGP Dilbagh Singh said that there was zero militant recruitment since October this year. “Not a single case of militant recruitment was witnessed from October this year. Recruitment has gone down, stone pelting incidents too are down and there is a lot of improvement in law and order situation,” he said. “We will see a better tomorrow.”
Now that the police assert no militant recruitment has taken place since October 2018, it indicates that before October there has been a militant recruitment “at a good pace” given the number of active militants at present. A police officer while replying to a query whether militancy would be wiped out from Kashmir given the pace forces are killing militants, said: “As long as infiltration continues, militancy can’t be done away with.” He also said that killing militants “was no solution” and “ultimately political handle is highly inevitable for the long lasting peace in the region.”
Almost similar statement was echoed by the general officer commanding (GoC) of Srinagar-based 15 Corps, Lieutenant General AK Bhat, who stated that the military can only create conditions of normalcy. “Beyond that, the initiatives have to be at levels of good governance, politically talking to people. During the Vajpayee era, it has happened, and similar initiatives the government will take at the right moment. I am sure they will,” Bhat told a newspaper in an interview. He said one of the main things was to find the methods and means to convince the youth that the path of violence will not deliver anything.
“And second, more importantly, is to work in the psychological space with the populace of Kashmir, to tell them that their future is far better in India than in Pakistan… that they are only being used as tools by the Jama’at, by the separatists and Pakistan,” he said. “Army’s role was to ensure that peace is maintained. Of course long-term solutions, the government have to look at them.”
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function at Kapurthala, Punjab, recently, northern army commander Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh said that that initiatives taken by the government and forces had resulted in a decline in militancy as well as a drop in the number of “local youths being radicalised” in Kashmir.
“Our operations are carried out in a very professional manner,” Singh said. “More importantly these successful operations are possible only because information regarding the movement of militants is now coming from local population, which is a very positive sign and indicates the decline of militancy. More than the number of militants killed, information from locals is a much encouraging and positive sign.”

The Story Was First Published On Kashmir Ink (A Greater Kashmir Publication)

Poonch: A woman in Jammu and Kashmir has joined the league of the oldest mothers in the world after she gave birth at the age of 65.

The woman, from Sailan, Surankote in Poonch district, gave birth to a healthy baby girl at a local hospital.

Reports reaching GNS said the woman was admitted in the district hospital Poonch Wednesday morning after she developed the labour pain.

In the late afternoon, she gave birth to her second child, they said, adding her first delivery (a boy) was around 8 to 10 years ago.

Her husband Hakim Din, 80, while talking to GNS thanked Almighty Allah for blessing them with this “precious gift”.

He appealed the administration to provide all possible help in feeding their child properly and also in her studies in the future.

Dr Shahnaza, the gynecologist at the hospital, said the condition of the mother as well as the baby is stable. Both are healthy, she added.

The chief medical officer (CMO) Poonch Dr Mumtaz Bhatti told GNS that the 65-year-old woman gave birth to the baby girl.

The CMO assured help regarding treatment and other healthcare needs.

The Medical Superintendent of Valley’s premier maternity hospital Lal Ded, Dr Shabir Sidiqui, termed the case as the rarest of rare.

“Usually menopause sets in on an average at the age of 47 years in India. Once it sets in, there is no possibility (of giving birth). But this is a rare one,” Dr Shabir told GNS. (GNS)

O President of India Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday issued a proclamation by virtue of which Jammu and Kashmir has come under his rule.
President’s rule has been imposed in Jammu and Kashmir after the expiry of six-months of Governor’s rule on December 19.

The decision was taken after Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik sent a report to the central government recommending imposition of President’s rule in the state, officials said.
The union cabinet had cleared the proposal to impose President’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir from December 19, reports said on Wednesday.
A communication from the governor’s office was sent to the Union Home Ministry which moved the union cabinet with the proposal for its nod.
The state plunged into a political crisis in June this year after the Mehbooba Mufti-led coalition government was reduced to minority following withdrawal of support by the 25-member BJP in the state.
Since the state has a separate Constitution, in such cases, six months of governor’s rule is compulsory under Article 92 of the Jammu and Kashmir Constitution, under which all the legislature powers are vested with the governor.
The governor has to dissolve the Legislative Assembly after the tenure of six months is over and the state will directly come under the President’s rule for following six months during which elections have to be declared in state.

SRINAGAR: Srinagar Deputy Mayor Shiekh Imran Wednesday while condemning the killings of civilians in Pulwama said that the Government of India has held elections in Jammu and Kashmir for development and peace. But, unfortunately, civilians are killed on a daily basis. “The life of 25-year-old MBA graduate, who has an Indonesian wife, is snuffed and his wife turned a widow. Are Kashmiris born to get killed like this, he questioned.

“I appeal to the chairman of the Pulwama town committee and other district towns of south Kashmir like Shopian and Kulgam to intervene and meet people and give them a healing touch. They should also meet the Army and discuss with them why are people taking up arms in the first place.”

Deputy Mayor further said the Government of India has set up all kind of military machinery in J&K but there is no machine which can return the lives of these people and make them sit at a dialogue table. “There is no machine or mechanism in place to attract youth towards peace,” he said.

He further maintained the Army argues it kills militants because it’s terrorism and their presence poses a threat to civilian lives. But, at the same time, how do the Army justify killing of very civilians they are suppose to safeguard. GGGG

“This year so many civilians have been killed during the operations carried out by the Army. A probe should be initiated in a time-bound manner and all local representatives should be part of it. It should not be the probe to hoodwink people,” Sheikh Imran said.

He said that the killing of civilians is crime and no force can afford to go berserk against civilian population. “We, as elected representatives, besides the development want to understand the aspirations of people too. The ongoing CASOs are only leading to civilian casualties and nothing positive is coming out of it,” he added.

Baramulla: The traditional Kashmiri attire, Pheran, became a centre of controversy after an official of Education department in north Kashmir ordered employees not to wear Pheran on duty. The order was revoked after facing backlash on social media Tuesday.
Chief among the critics of the order was former chief minister Omar Abdullah, who questioned the rationale of the order and said employees should be allowed to wear Pheran anywhere.
Last week the Zonal Education Officer (ZEO) Langate (Kupwara) issued an order asking employees to wear proper dress and not to wear traditional Pheran in offices.
“I fail to understand why pherans should be banned!” Omar Abdullah wrote on twitter. “This is a regressive order that makes no sense at all. Pherans are a very practical way of keeping warm during the cold winter aside from being part of our identity. This order should be withdrawn.”
“My father & I have worn pherans to official functions many times over the years & will continue to do so, silly government orders notwithstanding,” Omar added
ZEO Langate Abdul Rashid told Kashmir Reader that he passed the order after he found most of the people coming to duties wearing Pheran and plastic shoes.
“I passed the orders and inform all the employees to wear a proper dress, however my senior officials forced me and I revoked my orders,” Rashid said.
“I thought it is not good in education department, however by the orders of my senior officials I revoked the order.”
However some people supported the ZEO stating that while Pheran was a traditional winter dress in Kashmir, but was not good for any teacher or officials wear it in office.

United Nation: The United Nations General Assembly on Monday unanimously passed a Pakistan-sponsored resolution reaffirming people’s right to self-determination and calling on countries to immediately cease their foreign military intervention in and occupation of foreign countries and territories, as well as acts of repression, discrimination and maltreatment.
The resolution, co-sponsored by a record number of 83 countries, was recommended by the 193-member Assembly’s Third Committee, which deals with social, humanitarian and cultural issues.
“The resolution reaffirms the inviolability of the right to self-determination for all peoples without exception, including, of course, the people of occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Palestine,” Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UN, Dr Maleeha Lodhi said.
Under the terms of the text, the General Assembly reaffirmed the universal realisation of the rights of all peoples, including those under colonial, foreign and alien domination, to self-determination as a fundamental condition for the effective guarantee and observance of human rights.
“Pakistan has historically been a proud champion of self-determination,” Ambassador Lodhi said. “Our support for the right of people to self-determination against alien domination and foreign occupation remains undiminished.”
The resolution declared the General Assembly’s firm opposition to acts of foreign military intervention, aggression and occupation, since these have resulted in suppression of the right of people to self-determination and other human rights in certain parts of the world.
The Assembly deplored the plight of millions of refugees and displaced persons who have been uprooted as a result of these acts and reaffirmed their right to return to their homes voluntarily with safety and honour.
It also requested the Human Rights Council to give special attention to the violation of human rights, especially the right to self-determination, resulting from foreign military intervention, aggression or occupation.
It also requested the Secretary General to report to the next Session of the General Assembly on this question.

SRINAGAR: School education department came under severe criticism by the people of Kashmir after an order issued in which they reads banned the traditional Kashmiri pheran.

“All the officials visiting this office are advised to visit with proper dress code during any official visit. It is recommended that no official will visit this office wearing ‘Feran’, traditional trousers and sleeper/Plastic shoes (sic),” the order reads.

The reaction came from none other than the former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National conference Vice President Omar Abdullah. He urged school education department to withdraw its order asking officials to refrain from wearing the Pheran.

Meanwhile Omar Abdullah wrote on twitter “I fail to understand why pherans should be banned! This is a regressive order that makes no sense at all. Pherans are a very practical way of keeping warm during the cold winter aside from being part of our identity. This order should be withdrawn.”

He added, “My father & I have worn pherans to official functions many times over the years & will continue to do so, silly government orders notwithstanding.”

Congress leader Salman Nizami wrote on twitter “Pharan is our cultural identity. What’s the governor’s agenda? Its just a cloth which keeps us warm in winters. By banning pharans what’s the govt trying to prove? They will get another egg on their face! Revoke this order @jandkgovernor #SayNoToPharanBan”.

The order has come under attack from commoners as well Sajad Ahmed one of the twitter user write “What the non sense people are running our kashmir but remember this policy nowom wards is not applicable to make kashmiris servants of india again because the real stars of kashmir are using this tradition even in foreign countris”.

Another twitter user Dr Sheikh Aamina “Not only Kashmiri’s wear it with pride…. Bihar CM @NitishKumar Dons ‘Pheran’ during winters in Bihar hence ‘pheran’ should be given international recognition”.

Kamaljit sandhu another user “Pheran was not allowed for security reasons, esp in highly sensitive zones. But perhaps Pheran for all its usefulness is not seen as a formal ware. CM’s n political heads can’t be told what to n not to wear”. It’s because of bending over backwards by Kashmiri pro Indian leaders that u have reached this impasse. u will have to demand your rights like every other Indian does. Omar you have to remember you are a Kashmiri leader , you represent Kashmir , stop being more loyal than king”.

Another user Pt. Lalit Pandey “I too, who is not aware of cultural connection of Pheran – do agree that Pheran is very good tool for fighting cold of J&K. But, may be misuse would have led to such thinking of banning.

And I don’t think Pheran shd not be linked with Muslim religion, but with J&K cold”.

Politicians, both from the resistance as well as the pro-India camp, also have Pherans in their styles. The Abdullahas are usually seen in them, and from last year, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq too joined the style in public appearances. Yaseen too used to wear them in winters.

According to oral historian Zareef Ahmad Zareef, Pheran existed in Kashmir long before it was opened to Central Asian influence in the 14th century.

According to Zareef, the early Pheran was called Loach, which used to be two pieces of cloth held together with a unique stitching and worn all year in different fabrics. Then, as he told Kashmir Reader, it was mixed with the Paerahan, the Persian upper clothing, which gave it the present shape of Pheran. It also survived various trends of modern western style over the last three decades, but today it is signature wear in both casual and formal settings, a significant change that has not taken place once in all its existance, he added.

Pheran, is a traditional long robe worn by Kashmiris since ages. According to some historians, it dates back to the Mughal Period, while some say it is even older than that and derived its name from a Greek word, Apron. Pheran is an integral part of the cultural heritage of Kashmir and also is one of the most common robes used during the winters to beat the chill. (PTK)

Srinagar: The results for the recently concluded examinations for class 10th and 12th will be declared in the last week of December. An official of Board of School Education (BOSE) told KNO that the results for the examination held in recently for class 10th and 12th would probably be declared in between last week of December to 1st week of January.(KNO)

SRINAGAR: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) media in charge Manzoor Bhat said PDP is responsible for the current situation of Kashmir valley.

While speaking to News agency Press Trust of Kashmir said, he said that during the coalition BJP tried best to make peace in Kashmir but PDP was not in mood to make a smooth and creative atmosphere in Kashmir valley”. He added that during the month of Ramzan Mehbooba Mufti demanded cease fire and till that situation was normal in Kashmir but after the cease fire the situation was totally different”.

“The current situation in Kashmir is political benefit for Mehbooba Mufti for the election purpose. “Mehbooba always play with people of Kashmir sometimes she wants vote for civilian killings sometimes other issues”, he said.

“Mehbooba Mufti is already exposed in front of people as she was not able to control the situation of Kashmir. The agenda of BJP was development but whatever is happening now days in Kashmir is because of PDP” he added.

“Unrest was started from South Kashmir where from Mehbooba Mufti was elected and all this is happening because of her wrong policies. Now government of India is trying its best to control the current situation of Kashmir” he said. (PTK)

SRINAGAR: Senior BJP leader and former Jammu and Kashmir deputy chief minister Kavinder Gupta reacting over the statement of PDP in which they said that BJP is trying to create 2008 like situation in in Kashmir, Gupta said “nobody create situation like 2008 in Kashmir”.

While speaking to News agency Press Trust of Kashmir Gupta said, “People killed in Pulwama encounter were trying to run away with rifles of the cops that is why they go killed”.

He added, “Force are doing their work properly. They were people was not involved in stone pelting but they were trying to walk away with the rifles of forces and got killed by our forces”. (PTK)