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In August 2016, during unrest the sound of a blast threw Arshad Ahmad Wani off balance from the roof of his house on to boulders in the backyard and badly injured his spine, disabling him waist down.
After spending two months in hospitals, Wani, 34, was wheelchair bound and distraught.
“I thought I would never be back on my feet and worried how I could be able to feed my family,” Wani, a resident of Litter village outside Pulwama town said.
He suffered bouts of depression for first few months but soon overcame and decided not to give up.
“I resolved to fight back and not to let my wheelchair come in the way of my life.”
Wani, a carpenter soon began thinking of setting up a woodwork unit.
Beset with financial troubles, one day in 2018, Wani dropped in on the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Pulwama to avail a loan.
“The Deputy Commissioner not only liked my idea but also guided me,” Wani said, adding that he was sent to the District Industries and Commerece Department (DIC) where a loan of Rs 712,000 was granted to him.
In April, 2019 he erected a tin shed alongside his modest house and set up a bandsaw unit.
“I already knew the job having worked at such units. I was good at making cabinets, doors and windows,” Wani said.
Barely two months down the line he has four fulltime employees working at his unit, earning Rs 10-12 thousand per month and paying his employees between Rs 18000 and 7500 per month.
“Apart from making different designs of doors and windows, we also do some latticework.”
Wani, however, says he is unable to make his own wooden items because he cannot afford to buy wood so he could make some more profit.
“I am not able to purchase the wood from market. I only work on the wood customers bring.”
Wani is now looking to the government for providing subsidized timber to him hoping to do better.
“He did not let his disability cripple his or his family’s life. It is his dogged determination that brought him back on his feet economically,” said his neighbour Shabir Ahmad in appreciation.

The Story Was Published In Kashmir Ink (A Greater Kashmir Publication)

Srinagar, Jul 10: Summer vacations in all government and private educational institutions upto higher secondary level is likely to be observed from July 15 to July 24, officials in Directorate of School Education, Kashmir, said.

A senior official told Kashmir News Service (KNS) that from July 15-24, summer vacations will be observed upto higher secondary school level and the orders will be issued within few days.

The official said that all schools will reopen on July 25. (KNS)

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New Delhi: As many as 93 militants have been neutralised by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir since the Pulwama terror attack, Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

The minister said as compared to the corresponding period of 2018, the first half of this year has witnessed a reduction in militants initiated incidents by 28 per cent, reduction in net infiltration by 43 per cent and increase in neutralisation of militants by 22 per cent.

“Till date, 93 militants have been neutralised by the security forces since Pulwama attack,” he said in a written reply.

Reddy said investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the attack so far has resulted in the identification of the conspirators, the suicide attacker and the vehicle provider.

“The operations on ground have resulted in neutralisation of the conspirator, his associate and the vehicle owner,” he said.

Forty CRPF personnel were killed when a suicide bomber driving a van rammed into a CRPF convoy at Pulwama on February 14.

Al Qaeda’s chief Ayman Al-Zawahiri has released a 14 minute long speech focussing on Kashmir and other issues including Pakistan.

Zawahiri in his speech calls Muslims around the world to “strongly empathise” with the cause – Jihad for the implementation of Shariah – of Kashmir. He also asks Muslims to express sympathies and extend support to the people living in the valley.

The speech comes in the wake of killing of ISJK militant Adil Ahmad Dass who was allegedlly killed by Hizbul Mujahideen.

The Al Qaeda chief asserts that the Pakistan government & army cannot be trusted vis-a-vis ‘liberation of Kashmir’. “When it comes to defending Muslims, Pakistan army possesses a very dark history…,” he argues and cites Dhaka surrender, Balochistan, Waziristan & Swat as examples.

In a series of suggestions to Kashmir militants, he says “the first vital step is to turn the Jihad in Kashmir into Jihad for the sake of Allah…to liberate Kashmir jihad from the clutches of Pakistan intelligence agencies.”

In his speech, the Al Qaeda chief calls on militants in Kashmir to “single-mindedly focus on inflicting unrelenting blows on the Indian army and government so as to bleed their economy…make India suffer sustained losses in manpower & equipment”.
Zawahiri also urges militants in Kashmir to forge ties with jihadists across the world and open their channels with them.

The Al-Qaeda chief in his speech criticises Pakistani state, it’s army by calling them“toadies of United States of America” who according to Zawahiri, “were in lying in wait” for Arab militants, wanting to head to Kashmir after “expelling” Soviets from Afghanistan.

Directorate of school education kashmir has not taken any decision in regard of summer vacations in kashmir Director of School Education said that “we will take decision in couple of days, but till now no decision is taken”