Promoting Universal Brotherhood : Mother HelpAge Distributed Lotus Stem, Walnuts on Shivratri

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Renowned Humanitarian organization Mother HelpAge in a shinning effort to nourish the brotherhood and amity in the state of Jammu and Kashmir has today on the occasion of Shivratri distributed walnuts & Lotus stem among the kashmir Pandit brethren at Jagti Nagrota Jammu.
Pertinently , the main motto of the project was to promote Universal brotherhood & Peace among all the communities .
Mother HelpAge spokesperson stated -” Allhamidullah we have received a warm welcome from our kashmiri pandit brothers.And we vow to lend all efforts to promote humanity , brotherhood and coexistence via our works.”

Embracing Death

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Farzana Mumtaz

Since past few weeks the graph of violence in Kashmir is once again going up with deadly clashes taking place regularly.  During last week alone in encounter incidents in the State  at least eight militants, six soldiers, including a Major, and two civilians have been killed in the space of just three days. About a dozen security personnel, including a CRPF commandant and a Major, have been injured.

Words like killings, deaths, attacks, encounters are back haunting the people of Kashmir .Post the 2008, 2010, 2016 agitations  a  new breed of militants is rising in Kashmir — young, educated, tech-savvy and mostly fearless . On the otherhand as soon as encounter erupts in Kashmir the local population since past few months have reached to almost every encounter site in support of militants and pelted stones on security forces

As a matter of fact, hundreds of mainly angry youth have converged in recent months on the scene of gunbattles that regularly erupt between security  forces and militants opposed to Indian rule.

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Post the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani which gave rise to 2016 civil uprising which resulted in death of about 100 civilians and thousands wounded we have witnessed boys aged as small as  ten  to 15 took over the streets and were unafraid of walking up to armed garrisons that dot the landscape of a Valley.

Security analysts have maintained that efforts of locals to help militants — by putting themselves in harm’s way — is a worrying recent development in the decades-long militancy .

 

To compound the matters further in Kashmir valley, tensions between nuclear rivals Pakistan and India have mounted in recent  months especially after URI attack thus making matters difficult for people.

Casualty and death word have continued to remain relevant in Kashmir especially since past three decades . According to Sumantra Bose in his book, Kashmir: Roots of Conflict, Paths to Peace, around 40000 (Indian estimates) to 80000 (Hurriyat estimates) civilians, separatist guerilla fighters and Indian security personnel died from the time period of 1989 to 2002 in both Kashmir Valley and Jammu .

Army Chief Bipin Rawat  statement that People creating hurdles during anti-militancy operations in Jammu and Kashmir will be dealt as anti-nationals and will face “harsh” actions, has added fuel to fire. National Conference  expressed disappointment and dismay over the “belligerent” remarks of the Army Chief about dealing “mercilessly” with the isolated and alienated youth of Kashmir and said such posturing would compound the situation and increase the hostility in the Valley.

” The unsettled Kashmir Political Dispute has taken a huge toll on Kashmir and especially the younger generation has risen above fear to seek justice and solution and thus embracing death .It is high time that Indian state leaves harsh attitude and adopts a pragmatic path to settle Kashmir dispute Democratically so as to put an end to painful cycle of never ending violence in Kashmir, states Bilal Bashir Bhat, Journalist While taking to News Kashmir.

 

 

Water Scarcity- Mother HelpAge showing way in Kashmir

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Farzana Mumtaz/ Rameez Makhdoomi

 

As 1.2 billion people live in areas of water scarcity, Inhabitants of several areas of Kashmir  are facing acute water shortage from past several years now . Pertinently, once water resource rich Kashmir owing to depleting resources due to havoc played with environment and other factors has to now crave for a drop of water especially during summers.

But Kashmir’s own organization Mother HelpAge is coming to rescue and showing the way in this regard. Over the past few years the organization has made tremendous strides to help people in water scarce areas by digging wells for them and imbibing in them water saving skills.

As a matter of fact, Mother Helpage was established in 1994, after the death of Mrs Jamilah Gul Nasti, the mother of Dr. Sohail Nasti (the founder of Mother Helpage Worldwide). During its early years, the foundation operated in Indian administered Kashmir where from the Nasti family originally belongs.

Coming back to topic the Mother Helpage under its project Safe Water  has been able to set up to supply safe water in Kashmir and Jammu by supplying safe water filters in community centres, delivering 16,000 litres of safe water via tankers, and installing wells which can cater for a full village of 100 families.

In support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals , Mother HelpAge aims to install 3,000 wells at the end of 2020, providing clean and safe drinking water thus to over 650,000 populace in Jammu and Kashmir.

Considering the fact that Groundwater is a very vital source of water for the people worldwide. According to the statistics, listed on the website of the Central ground water board, J&K has 2.70 BCM(Billion Cubic Meters). And the net Annual Ground Water Availability is 2.43 BCM. The rational voices are calling on Government all stake holders to tap this vital groundwater potential and have in this regard lauded Mother HelpAge in helping constructing wells.

Statistics speak for themselves . In 2016 alone Mother HelpAge got 7 Borewells, 80 Community Wells and 492 Tubewells installed.

Ali Mohammad, a farmer said, “It is a well known fact that water is life. Groundwater is used for drinking water by more than 50 percent of the people in the globe, including almost everyone who lives in rural areas. We applaud Mother Helpage for not only providing filters in number of areas but also constructing hundreds of wells so that people get reprieve. It has been a evolutionary step from the organization.”

Certainly, Mother Helpage is leading the way to safeguard Kashmir from scarcity of water in present and  future.

Highway of Death

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News Kashmir Desk

Jammu-Srinagar highway has become pragmatically a highway of death on account of frequent traffic accidents, and this coupled with frequent closures of this highway due to rains and snowfalls is adding to miseries of commuters plying on this road  .

 

Heart-rending accidents have become a norm on highway . On February 7, a vehicle on way to Jammu plunged into a 500ft gorge and landed at the banks of Bishlari nallah near Digdol – 12 kms from Ramban – resulting into on spot death of four commuters . To add to woes , few days back, highway  opened  after a four-day blockade caused by heavy snowfall

Pertinently, the highway is the only road linking the Kashmir valley with the rest of the country and prices of essential commodities in Kashmir inflate once this road link gets closed. It is a known fact that the closure of the highway always results in scarcity of essentials for the landlocked Kashmir Valley.

Manzoor Ahmad, a driver stated – “The Jammu – Srinagar National Highway is since long demanding attention as it has wrecked havoc and is by all means a death trap. Steps should be taken to improve the status of this all important route so that frequent blockades do not occur and precious lives are saved. Alternatives should also be thought out and a mechanism devised to sort out this problem of frequent deadly traffic accidents and closures of highway.”

What had complicated matters further this year especially was that recently, when road was closed for several days the airfares skyrocketed. A  check of airfares of different airlines from Srinagar to Delhi suggested that the spot fare was hovering around Rs 16,000 to RS 1800 . Normal fare between the two destinations is around Rs 3500 to 5,000.

On an optimistic note though, after seven years of work, the Chenani-Nashri tunnel on Srinagar-Jammu highway is finally heading towards its completion, with testing and other construction works likely to finish by the end of this month. This tunnel will not only cut the distance but reduces travel through risky portions. Although now voices are calling to revamp Banihal to Ramban road so that real headway is achieved.

 

 

Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir government is trying to use the state-of-the-art 11 km-long railway tunnel between Banihal and Qazigund for vehicular traffic, in case the stretch of the Jammu-Srinagar highway between the two towns needs to be closed. This part of the highway is the most prone to landslides and shooting stones during bad weather.

Considering the prevalent ground realities Jammu- Srinagar Highway is still highway of death and this calls from brainstorming effective steps by concerned authorities in this regard.

 

Internet Shutdowns and Kashmir

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Internet is the lifeline of every society owing to its multi- dimensional uses. In Kashmir valley a decade back the real internet boom ushered and people of Kashmir started its use for carrying out business, social networking and other activities.

Unfortunately, due to ongoing political upheavals the medium of internet has been biggest causality .

As a matter of fact,Jammu and Kashmir has experienced 27 Internet shutdowns since 2012, highest for any other Indian state, with nine such incidents reported in 2016, data by legal service organisation SFLC revealed. On the otherhand, as a standard procedure, mobile services and mobile internet is snapped in Kashmir valley on Indian Republic and Independence days, with an exception on this year’s Republic Day.

The data released few days back  provided by Software Freedom Law Centre (SFLC) reflects that since 2012 there have been 62 incidents of Internet shutdowns across various regions in 12 states in the country, with 30 being reported in 2016 itself, and four instances in the first month of 2017.

Last year for many months internet was shutdown affecting life adversely in Kashmir valley. Pertinently, after Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani was killed on July 8, 2016, mobile internet services were snapped by the authorities citing security reasons. The services were restored on November 19 for post-paid connections and on January 27, 2017 for pre-paid connections.

One hopes there will be end to this frequent internet shutdowns in Kashmir.

Stormy Assembly Session

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News Kashmir Desk

The recently concluded Winter Assembly Session of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly at Winter capital Jammu witnessed much uproar and disruptions coupled with controversies and heated exchanges between members.

At the very start of session, With the Governor NN Vohra address to  the joint session of both the houses of state legislators  scenes of uproar and disruption were  witnessed inside the central hall of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly , all the legislators from opposition National Conference, Congress supported by others stood up and raised anti-government slogans. The opposition shouted slogans like , “PDP ka badlav kya , boli sai nahi goli sai”.

During the session, another controversy erupted when The Jammu and Kashmir assembly was adjourned amid opposition protests after Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti blamed the National Conference for rigging elections and giving birth to militancy.”People who sowed seeds of secession by demanding plebiscite in the state also rigged elections in 1987 to give birth to militancy,” the Chief Minister told the house.NC reacted sharply. Pertinently, the National Conference members took strong exception to the remarks and started raising their voice.

In another related development that caught attention and  headlines , National Conference MLC Shauqat Hussain Ganai described in the Legislative Council the slain Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani as a “martyr”, triggering protests from the ruling PDP and BJP.

Although, in an optimistic development on the 27th anniversary of migration of Pandits on 19th January ,2017  the Jammu and Kashmir government today passed a resolution in the state assembly for the return of Kashmiri migrants to the Valley.”A good conducive atmosphere should be created for their safe return to the valley, “J&K Assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta, announced in the house, during the ongoing winter session.

The real drama was witnessed when on 31 January the Jammu and Kashmir  Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti took a strong stand on article 370.The very next day the Assembly witnessed violent protests on the remarks on Article 370 by the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, forcing Speaker Kavinder Gupta to surprisingly and unexpectedly adjourn Assembly sine die.

As a matter of fact,  BJP MLA Rajiv Jasrotia had  took strong exception to Mehbooba’s remarks in Assembly  in which she had called those opposing Article 370 as “anti-national”.

 

Ajaz  War, a Journalist states -“Assembly session was marred by controversies .This Assembly session was  one of the major acid tests for the coalition partners BJP and PDP as the state is once again witnessing heated polity in wake of politics surrounding 2016 killings, refugee , separate settlements for Pandits. But, overall what one could mostly see in this session was ugly politics, aggressive behavior and mudslinging on one another. With the session ending prematurely showed that this was quiet stormy one .”

Political analysts have termed the recently concluded session as one of the stormy assembly sessions in state legislature history.

 

Weather Vagaries

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News Kashmir Desk

 

Weather vagaries have become order of day in Kashmir over the past few decades. Few weeks back the valley of Kashmir was reeling under one of the prolonged dry spells and now from past two to three weeks the snowfall is happening nonstop giving rise to avalanches and frequent blockade of road and air links to the Valley of Kashmir.

Especially, the second spell of continuous heavy snowfall in Kashmir has brought the life in Valley to standstill and most of the mountainous areas remain cut off. Statistics say it all –  Gulmarg received 5.6 feet, Tangmarg 3 feet, Baba Reshi 4 feet, Kunzar 2 feet, Pattan 10 inches, Chandoosa 2.9 feet, Boniyar 2 feet, Baramulla 21inches, Macchil 3 feet, Z-Gali 3.6 feet, Keran 2.6 feet, Furkiyan 3.6 feet, Karah one feet, Sadna 3.6 feet, Kupwara 2 feet, Lalpora 2.6 feet, Sogam 2.6 feet, Kralpora2 feet, Handwara 1.6 feet, Zachaldara 2.6 feet, Wudar Bala 3 feet, Kalamabad 2 feet, Mawar 3.6 feet, Nowgam 4 feet, Bangus 10 feet,

Pertinently, the summer 2014 saw Kashmir witnessing one of the horrible floods in its history. As a matter of fact, In September 2014, the Kashmir region suffered disastrous floods across many of its districts caused by torrential rainfall. The Jammu and Kashmir state and adjoining areas received heavy rainfall from 2 September 2014 onwards, during last stage of monsoon in India. This triggered flooding and landslides in India and the adjoining areas of Pakistan. On 5 September, the Jhelum River in Srinagar was reported to be flowing at 22.40 feet (6.83 m) which was 4.40 feet (1.34 m) above the danger mark and at 33 feet (10 m) at Sangam in Anantnag district above the danger mark. The discharge rate in the river was recorded as 70000 m3/s against the normal discharge of 25000 m3/s.

On the otherhand, the grave scenario with reference of climate has hit us hard at a time when in Kashmir the overall paradigms are quiet terrible with reference to ecological balance as we have lost several valuable environmental resources especially waterbodies and forest cover.

Over the past few decades, we have lost a bulk of wetlands and lakes. The phenomenon of deforestation has increased. Many are opining that as we have lent a great blow to our natural resources and thus the abnormal climate patterns like increased rainfall, flooding, high temperatures have augmented.

Bilal Bashir Bhat, a Journalist while talking to News Kashmir on the topic of weather vagaries and Kashmir states – “ Over the past few decades we have seen Kashmir losing forest cover at alarming pace due to multiple reasons; water bodies have dwindled and constructions have boomed in fragile environmental zones . I believe we are losing our ecological balance and that finally results into weather vagaries . Noted reports are already pointing towards looming dangers. There is also global warming on global level that impacts every region. We need to increase our forest cover coupled with conserving water bodies and other natural resources to avoid fury of nature in form  of weather vagaries and other disasters. “

 

Undoubtedly, weather vagaries are becoming a frequent occurrence in ecologically fragile beautiful valley of Kashmir.

There are no boundaries to humanitarian work: Dr. Sohail Nasti

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Having travelled, served in more than 150 countries Dr. Sohail Nasti , doctor turned pilot  and eminent philanthropist is a personality of great caliber, dynamic nature who has made Kashmir proud .Pertinently, one among the world’s highest paid professionals.

In an exclusive interview with the News Kashmir, Dr. Sohail Nasti talks to Rameez Makhdoomi and Farzana Mumtaz .

 

Tell us a bit about your early life and especially childhood days and academic life?

 

As a child I was a kind of naughty kid.  We have a highly educated family with 30 Doctors in family. My parents are quite knowledgable so competition was always high and we have had quite a vibrant literary atmosphere at home.

 

So we can say that your bright child?

The words like bright come into picture once you grow up especially after teenage, so I would say that I was under kind of good guidance of my parents and excelled well in studies.

 

How did the transition happened from Doctor profession to pilot, which seems quite interesting?

Well at my time I was the only rheumatologist  outhere in Kashmir. My post graduation research topic happened to be “ Post Trauma related bone inflammatory diseases” and this took me to conflict zones like  Iraq, Afghanistan. What happens in a conflict zone is that tremendous amount of stress leads to bone decay and after witnessing this much of pain and trauma I began to take interest in aviation and became a rescue pilot for UN related missions and US army at a time when world was stigmatizing Muslims as terrorists post 9-11 attacks. I took the challenge and considering my Disaster specialty I made the decision to train as a pilot.

 

Where from philanthropy idea came ?

Basically, I had since teenage this inception to mitigate the human sufferings and be an agent of positive change for humanity .I joined bigger platforms so that I could do it in a better way .

 

So, what motivated you to start Motherage Helpage  ?

I started this after I lost my mother and took a pledge to do something good for suffering humans and accordingly it  evolved as we currently work in more than 20 countries to help people in need via different projects.

 

You have also met the legend of humanitarian aid Abdul Sattar Edhi, share that experience with us?

I was invited by Imran Khan to visit Pakistan  .Imran Khan has been my mentor apart from his political career  .And when I was in Pakistan I was  invited   to Karachi  by late Edhi sahib after hearing about my passion towards philanthropy; so I visited Karachi  where I met great Abdul Satar Edhi, May Allah flourish his eternal journey.  I was 20 years old when I met him. He advised me to be humanitarian worker from  conscience and never keep money a concern  and his acknowledgment of my aspirations  was great boost for me.

 

As an analyst what have you found is ailing the Middle East ?

I would like to say based on my personal experience that present day Muslims are more emotional than being clinical and we are divided. It is easy to manipulate us  via propping up of sectarian differences. From Iraq to Yemen, Palestine to Egypt Middle East is burning due to these facts . Also, big powers rather than investing on positive things like human index development, innovations .property development are investing in drugs and weapons.

The playground of these activities unfortunately happens to be mostly Muslim lands and with ever increasing  greed of bigger powers to extract gold, minerals and other natural resources the Muslim lands became more vulnerable .Until we don’t understand our duties and take a wisdomful path we will continue to suffer.

 

You come from South Kashmir and since you have study, vision on narcotics and drugs how big is the problem there?

The narcotics and drug related problem is huge in South Kashmir as it is pinnacle of the narcotic supply  . The problem is cultivation is happening there and youth are acting as courier of these illicit substances. I have spoken to the Police department  and we are launching narcotics unit there. Different unpleasant, harmful  substances are used by youth as drugs there .South Kashmir has bore huge brunt of conflict so accordingly drug issue has augmented .

 

What are the main projects of mother helpage going on ?

We are focusing on youth development initiative and provide them means of education, sports so that to bring them out of stress. In this regard, we have development projects with education ministry like school refurbishment, safe drinking water and work on narcotics and drug issue.

Overall, we want to work on community development and not going into that whatever political problems,  future we have .We as motherhelpage are determined  to work for community development in the state.

 

Do you believe we in Kashmir are just after constructing palatial houses and not travelling much?

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has taught us to travel so in order to learn. We in Kashmir and some other areas of world are having this drawback of falling to trap of false ego and not evolving due to lack of travel. Travel shapes our personality positively and even at larger level due to concentrating less on travel, knowledge and research we Muslims since hundreds of years have not produced a quality scientist, researcher or historian  .

 

You also provide assistance to Rohignya refugees ?

Yes we have supported  them since last five years in Jammu and provided them relief especially in winters – on and off basis .We also provide relief to poor Pandit families, Hindus  in Jammu .There are no boundaries to humanitarian work and I work, reach to people  irrespective of religion and race.

 

Has Kashmiri Diaspora failed in its duty towards Kashmir?

Yes overall Kashmiri Diaspora has failed and limited itself to tokenism and as a person who has travelled more than 150 countries I have found Kashmiri diaspora has limited itself to mere photo sessions and not given back much to its land.

 

 

 

 

Mashhad, Amman , Kampala named cultural capitals of Muslim world

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The holy city of Mashhad in northeastern Iran has been officially introduced as the “cultural capital of the Muslim world” for the Asia region for 2017.

In 2011, the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), which is associated with the Organization of Islamic Conference, launched the initiative for three cities to be named each year as such capitals throughout the countries in Asia, the Arab region, and the African region, which house considerable Muslim populations.

On Tuesday, Mashhad was awarded the title by Deputy Director General of the ISESCO Amina al-Hajri at a ceremony attended by ranking Iranian officials and 250 cultural and political figures from 51 world countries.

The other cities bearing the title this year are the Jordanian capital of Amman for the Arab region and the Ugandan capital of Kampala for Africa.

“This is an important day for Mashhad, Islamic Iran, and the world of Islam,” Iran’s Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Reza Salehi Amiri said, addressing the event. “Mashhad can be the focal point for attracting scholars and thinkers and artists.”Iran’s Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Reza Salehi Amiri addresses the official event to introduce the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad as the cultural capital of the Islamic world for the Asia region, January 24, 2017.

Muslims, he said, believed in the same theoretical basics, had one Holy Book, and one Prophet (PBUH).

“We have common enemies inside the world of Islam. They have their own reactionary understanding and perception of this holy religion. They want to portray the religion as a violent one,” the Iranian minister said. “And at the same time, we have external foes, namely the Zionist entity (Israel), which plays a key role in creating disunity in the world of Islam.”

The official concluded by urging unity and convergence toward successfully confronting the sources of enmity to the Islamic world.

Inefficient WAKF

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Farzana Mumtaz

Kashmir is the known globally as being land of great Saints, Sufis. It is bestowed with great religious wealth in the form of abundant shrines and places of worship enjoying reverence and allegiance from people professing different faiths.

 

It is a known fact that the beautiful valley of Kashmir with the inception of Islam did undergo reformative changes at all levels and strata of society. The imprints which Islam left on Kashmiris have been aptly put  by the noted historian Prem Nath Bazaz “Politics had dehumanized the Kashmiris; Islam made them men again. Just as the Muslim rule was established in Kashmir without much bloodshed, so was Islam spread throughout the length and breadth of the valley by peaceful preaching and lucid persuasions of Mir Sayyid Ali Hamdani(RA) and hundreds of the Sayyid Missionaries who came from Hamadan and other parts of Persia.

In this regard, Muslim Wakf Board, which has the unique distinction of being second largest asset rich body in Jammu and Kashmir after the State government is the custodian of these 47 holy shrines in the Kashmir Valley.

But, over the decades WAKF has failed to perform effectively and has been in news for all the wrong reasons. Recently, scores  of shopkeepers and traders under the banner of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KCCI) and Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation (KTMF) staged protest against what they termed as “arbitrary and unjustified” hike of rentals of shops leased out by Wakf Board.

On their part,  traders have alleged  Wakf Board has “cheated” them by engaging them into negotiations and on the other side sending officials for recovery of rents at hiked rates.

KCCI President Mushtaq Ahmad Wani and Secretary General KTMF Bashir Ahmad Kongposh, who were leading the demonstration, said, “the token protest was held to remind the concerned authorities that the traders’ fraternity has not forgotten the ultimatum given to the government.”

“We will resist such sinister moves of the government tooth and nail,” said KTMF President Haji Muhammed Yasin Khan.

“State government and the Wakf board authorities are dancing to the tunes of rightwing fanatics. The Wakf board authorities are behaving like RSS bhakts and it seems they have been guided to do so. We will give a befitting a reply soon which will surely shake the corridors of power,” Khan said.

On the other hand of the spectrum, despite generating tremendous income one fails to witness any impressive work done by the WAKF Board. Even many of the shrines lack proper facilities, management. A visit to many shrines under its management reveals this negative  veracity. At many points, even the staircases leading to this famous Shrines are in shambles and the bathrooms, rooms constructed for devotees are also highly unhygienic. This is despite of the fact that shrines  gets huge donations from devotees.

 

WAKF has also failed to lend any notable contribution to health and education sector. Parents spend several hours of their precious time in quest to just owe a single admission form of the reputed Christian missionary schools whileas no such things are witnessed in case of schools owned by the  WAKF Board.

While talking to News Kashmir, Advocate Iftikhar Ahmad states – “WAKF Board has more or less been a failure as it has not lend any notable contributions to the society. WAKF Board has also not made any mark in the all important education and health sector as it has failed to construct hospitals for the poor masses of Kashmir which otherwise should have been done by the WAKF Board years back  considering its impressive economic strength. Overall, WAKF has disappointed the people of Kashmiris via its inefficiency .”

In nutshell, WAKF performance is quiet dismal according to voices on ground.