Kashmir under Siege

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News Kashmir Exclusive

Kashmir is witnessing unprecedented suffocation, siege in the current wave of 2016 agitation that erupted after killing of Burhan Wani, Hizb Commander. From North to South, Central to remote parts life is paralyzed in Kashmir since more than  one month now.

Downtown areas of Srinagar city also known as the old city areas and entire South Kashmir belt from Kakapora to Qazigund are under virtual siege . In North Kashmir, Frontier District of Kupwara is most volatile. Protests, curfews, arrests, blinding and maiming on account of pellet guns is the only news emanating currently from Kashmir .

 

Tempers are running high in each and every part of Kashmir valley especially after the killing spree of civilians . Just a few days back,  a guard at an ATM booth was found dead, with hundreds of pellets fired from close range, officials and residents said.

 

The cause of Riyaz Ahmad Shah’s death was confirmed by an autopsy report. Official sources revealed  that doctors who performed the post-mortem found over 300 pellets in his abdomen. The volunteers working in hospitals are revealing the horror that the Kashmir is witness to with the breakdown of state machinery looking imminent.

Muhammad Tauseef Mir , President Youth Council and one who has worked closely these days in hospitals while talking to News Kashmir states – “ I have seen the enormous brutality witnessed by Kashmir since past few weeks. Felt heart wrenched recently  to discover a young brother from Pulwama who was earlier discharged from the hospital whom I had seen nearly 20 days back at the ophthalmology ward with pellet injuries in one of his eyes admitted at the hospital yet again. He was among the first lot of pellet (eye) victims admitted at the SMHS. Upon my enquiry he told me that since day first he had been played upon; with his surgery delayed every day. Many a times including few days he was made to wait at the Operation theatre and later sent back to the ward without being operated upon. Hope he is attended by the Doctors soon before his other eye also gets involved. There are similar other stories too.

With all this happening and over the days of my work at SMHS hospital Srinagar I have discovered a hybrid of suppression and pretence being employed by the state and its functionaries to deal hidden blows to the browbeaten people:

1: As per our informal conversations with some staff members, the hospital claims to have operated about 206 pellet (eye)patients out of 262 admitted there so far. Out of this 3 have been rendered fully blind and 3 happen to have lost one eye. But the fact is many of the patients like the above mentioned case were sent home after a superficial treatment of a few days and with pellets still stuck in their eyes to be called for follow-up after a few weeks, just to not let the people and media know how many are being blinded by the state. Moreover, the initial eyewash and first-aid of the eye is being counted as surgery to inflate the figure of surgeries performed like above, whereas the most of the patients who are returned home have hardly regained their vision. In a way the state is actualizing its blinding campaign in ways more than one; some hidden and some manifest.

2: Now if the family wants to have a second opinion elsewhere, or get the patient treated outside the hospital does not give the medical records of the patients. The patients as such are discharged without any medical documents, which the hospital denies the patients. It anyways creates a major hindrance in the cure and treatment of the patients.

3: Many of the family members of the patients have been complaining of regular calls from police to enquire about the patient, just to further mentally suppress and harass them and bundle up the patient as soon as he is out of the hospital in a stable condition.

4: The patients and their attendants are given medicine, food and other stuff by voluntary organizations belying the tall claims of the government that they are providing the stuff. For instance one of the camps that I have been volunteering with has a daily consumption of about 4 and half quintals of rice (approx 5000 plates), around 20Kg mutton for soup, tea and bread worth 15000 bucks approx, etc. and there are many other camps working on similar scale and lines….similarly many other medicinal camps distribute medicine worth lakhs daily, and the government is literally nowhere in doing its bit unlike its claims.

As such all the claims are mere eyewash, everything is done by the people further consolidating the fact that we are worth independence.”

 

Unambiguously, Kashmir is under complete suffocating siege currently.

An Appeal to Conscience of India

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Rameez Makhdoomi

Rape victims, pellet victims, unmarked graves, fake encounters, tortures, killed protesters, gagging internet, snapping communication, peace of graveyards ,useless inquiries have defined handling of Kashmir conflict .As Kashmir is witnessing another round of unprecedented unrest and suppression in wake of scores of deaths and blinding of protesters post the killing of Burhan Wani, militant commander I as a student of history and humanity would like to state some facts and appeal to all humans of India . It has become a habit of so called mainstream media and their anchors in cozy studios with illiterate panelists to resort to hurling abuses on Kashmir. But we are also aware that pain, torment of Kashmir has given rise to conscience class in India who not only emphasize with Kashmir but also speak vocally against these atrocities. Here is what first Prime Minister of India stated on the issue . “It [Kashmir] belongs to the Kashmiri people. When Kashmir acceded to India, we made it clear to the leaders of the Kashmiri people that we would ultimately abide by the verdict of their Plebiscite. If they tell us to walk out, I would have no hesitation in quitting. We have taken the issue to United Nations and given our word of honour for a peaceful solution. As a great nation we cannot go back on it. We have left the question for final solution to the people of Kashmir and we are determined to abide by their decision.” (2nd January 1952, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Prime Minister of India). Spreading hate and venom is no answer to political issue of Kashmir.A question to these media channels: Have they ever run their shows on this pragmatic point? Gandhiji has also felt sorry for those nations which treat their news outlets as Bible and then generate dishonest opinion based on that content. This, too, is pertinent for supposed experts who opine on the basis of such fascist content. Debate on pellet gun which is wreacking havoc on eyes of Kashmiris and turning the Kashmir valley into valley of blinds. You have a political dispute at hand admit and crushing people making them blind is no answer. Confusing Kashmir with illogical and unrelated voter turnouts which even by stand of pro-Indian parties are just for governance, high tourist arrivals are no paradigms to settle Kashmir issue.  Pertinently, you tried to confuse Kashmir issue with youth here getting selected in competitive exams like IAS, IPS look what the Kashmir’s First IAS topper and BDirector Education, Shah Faesal has written via a facebook post. He writes – “By juxtaposing my photos with the images of a slain militant commander, a section of national media has once again fallen back upon its conventional savagery that cashes on falsehoods, divides people and creates more hatred,” reads Faesal’s Facebook post. “At a moment when Kashmir is mourning its dead, the propaganda and provocation being dished out from red and blue newsrooms is breeding more alienation and anger in Kashmir than what Indian state can manage.” As a matter of fact hailing from a remote village in Kupwara district, Faesal became the first Kashmiri ever to top the coveted IAS exam He adds -“Personal vulnerability apart, the very fact of becoming a part of a ridiculous debate is something which has disturbed me very much. Have I joined IAS to do a job or to become a part of your sadistic propaganda machine? In fact when I qualified this exam I never thought of spending my whole life scratching the desk and if this nonsense around me continues, I might prefer to resign sooner than later,” he added.  All these realities  suggests the State and government doesn’t want to learn from its past mistakes that beastly use of force and impunity to the alleged perpetrators of human rights violations that include the men in uniform doesn’t help in making Kashmiris obedient by assassinating their genuine political aspirations but is followed by unrest and more unrest. It is high time all in India rise above jingoistic nationalism and for the sake of blinded, annihilated, tormented, shattered Kashmir impresses upon its media to act sanely and also on for government to intimate civilized means to settle the Kashmir issue.

The writer is freelance journalist and can be reached at rameezh3@gmail.com

Kashmir Crisis

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Kashmir unrest, protests and agitation has completed more than three weeks. Agitation was stoked after killing of HM Commander Burhan Wani in an encounter at Kokernag, South Kashmir .The situation seems to be getting from bad to worse, pellet injuries are growing, number of blinded people is rising and above all the death count is also increasing with every passing day. Thousands have been injured.

The government reaction has been crippling curfew and restrictions. Curfew continues  in Southern Kasmir areas of Anantnag, Kulgam and Pulwama districts. Restrictions are been imposed in Shopian, Srinagar, Budgam Kupwara and Sopore towns etc.

Resistance leadership is being caged. To foil the resistance camp’s Chalo calls the  government responds with detentions and strict curfew while on the day of these calls the  senior resistance leaders Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq are  detained after they try to defy the curbs and lead a march towards the  respective  towns and districts . TWhileas, he JKLF chief Muhammad Yasin Malik, who was also supposed to lead the march to Kulgam, however continues to remain lodged in police station Kothibagh since July 9.

The internet gag on mobile phones continue which has resulted in more than 99 percent of internet users without internet facility.

Sane voices are calling for the government at state and central level to start taking pragmatic steps to end Kashmir crisis and start a political process. Otherwise, Kashmir scenario is heading from bad to worse.

Blinded Forever

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Farzana Mumtaz

Pellet Gun has come to symbolize  new face of tyranny  in Kashmir over the past few years. Loss of Vision, terrible injuries and often fatalities have been aftermath of deadly pellets fired from  pellet guns on humans of Kashmir. Pertinently, a pellet is a non-spherical projectile designed to be fired from an air gun. Air gun pellets differ from bullets and shot used in fire arms because of the pressures encountered: airguns operate at pressures as low as 50 atmospheres, while firearms operate at thousands of atmospheres.

Even during the current wave of unrest, the indiscriminate use of pellet gun is giving nightmare to people of Kashmir with analysis emerging that-“Pellet Guns Are Giving Kashmir’s Young & Restless A Dark Future”. Pellets impact on vision of Kashmiris has been devastating

The brutal pellets have in this current wave of unrest destroyed vision of scores of boys and girls in kashmir.

. Ninth class student Insha Malik  resembles the brutalism inflicted by pellets as she has lost vision in her left eye that was pierced by pellets fired by forces, and doctors say there are “zero chances” of the teenager regaining vision in her right eye, also badly damaged by the pellets. Her case has gained worldwide attention owing to media coverage.

 

14-year old Insha, one of more than 100 pellet victims, few days back was  lying unconscious in the Surgical ICU of general specialty SMHS hospital here. Her face and neck resemble a wire-mesh with dozens of holes made by pellets therein.

Pertinently, Out of the thousands injured are 180 protesters including children and women who were hit by pellets. Reportedly more than 40 have lost their eyesight.

“The pellets have ruptured her right eye and it has come out. The left eye is lacerated with zero chance of recovery,” said a doctor attending to her. Insha hails from Sedow village of south Kashmir’s Shopian.

The doctor added: “She does not even have perception of light in the eye that she is left with.”

The book by Mannan Bukhari titled scars of pellets released last year that depicted pain of pellet victims documents 2010 SKIMS study which shows that from June 2010 to September 2010 alone, 198 patients were identified who had sustained pellet gun-fire wounds with patients ranging from minor age of 6, elder ones being 54. Most of the patients suffer multiple wounds and at instances even 70 to 80 wounds.

 

Bilal Bashir Bhat, a journalist and one who has covered pellet victims states -” Pellet is yet another horrible weapon used against the browbeaten nation of Kashmir as since six years of its inception it has devastated vision of many Kashmiris and Pellet is a round ball loaded with lead. If it penetrates the eye, which is a water ball, damage is done. In this agitation it has been used brutally by government forces to smash the vision of Kashmiris and this pellet represents a blot on the so called democratic credentials of India. It is shame that the authorities are still adamant not to replace this weapon of tyranny. It is high time for conscience voices to impress upon the government to ensure its ban .”

Undoubtedly, Pellet is shattering many a dreams in Kashmir and making people blind forever.

Caged, Gagged Kashmir

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News Kashmir Exclusive

Kashmir is current bruised, caged, gagged and suffocated as the continuous unrest has killed scores and blinded , wounded many. As a matter of fact, Rape victims, pellet victims, unmarked graves, fake encounters, tortures, killed protesters, gagging internet, snapping communication, peace of graveyards ,useless inquiries have defined handling of Kashmir conflict.

All the voices of sanity are expressing deep angst over the gloomy state of affairs.

 

Advocate Babar Jan Qadri , President Lawyers Club states – “ Indian integrity in Kashmir is exposed to the hilt as Indian state had to show its control over Kashmir through media gag , brutal use of force and even killing Kashmiris . Indian democracy and civility is now under question at international level . Gandhi’s Indian principles will have no takers and Indian state can’t use Gandhi as currency to buy UN permanent seat. Indian Prime Minister Modi who is already exposed in Gujarat will have lot  to answer about Kashmir killings too . By Media Gag Indian state has shown it’s feeble character as no democratic system strangulates it’s so called 4th limb. In totality we can define Indian state as a political opportunist who wants to earn political space by inviting world economic powers to her home .”

Many a voices on ground feel that Indian state has failed to meet the aspirations of Kashmiris and no sense and logic has been applied to solve Kashmir issue.

While talking to News Kashmir , Senior Advocate and Spokesperson Lawyers Club , Iftikhar Ahmad states -” Kashmir is being brutally caged and suppressed .Indian or pro-indian politicians have started the old game of deception technology, time buying technology and sabotage of popular mass movement.

They are again talking of healing touch , autonomy , azaadi means different to different people in kashmir , sky is the moon , art. 370 should not be fiddled, jobs to youth ,economic development , tourism all party delegation should go to kashmir and put balm on the wounds of people , no harm in talking to hurriat , militants , mis-guided youth. , elections were rigged , they are our own people , Indian did not own kashmiri people , we coudnt keep our promise , alienation,  children education etc

GOI and collaborators are talking these niceties while killing people , blinding youth , disabling people , arresting youth ,By keeping people of Kashmir under the siege.
By talking autonomy and then dispatching autonomy report to dustbin.
By appointing interlocutors and then sending their reports to shit-bin
By changing the demography of the State.
By holding  jammu and Kashmir by adding more and more troops to  eight lakh troops ,already most militarized territory in the world.

By blaming each move on Pakistan while gagging mobile service,telephony , internet , cable and even print media.
By explaining which weapon is more lethal to crush the people of Kashmir .

By promising the Moon and settling for bullets , and pellet terrorism.”

On ground definitely the caging and gagging of Kashmir has failed to curb the sentiments of masses .

 

Democratize Kashmir

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Pain in Kashmir has crossed all limits owing to violence occurred on account of lingering political conflict. Kashmir continues to burn in flames. For more than seven decades Kashmir, or Paradise on Earth as it is called, has suffered at length due to the extremely brutal  violence used  to quell the sentiment of masses for seeking a just solution to their centuries old conflict.

 

India  has time and again stated that it is the World’ biggest Democracy. But this assertion goes on much beyond mere size to a direct claim to be also the most moral democracy. How correct is this claim Of course, this unbelievable claim rests entirely upon the gross lack of knowledge and false pride of the Indian masses, who have been indoctrinated to make only an adoration of democracy and not seek its practical application on ground zero. Certainly, Kashmir nullifies this towering claim from every angle .Now, even sane Indian voices state that Kashmir is a “big blot on India’s democracy”.

 

Since 1988 over one lace civilians including women and children have died and many are opining that steps should be taken to address this bloodshed.

Democracy implies respecting the human rights of masses and allowing them to democratically vote to seek solution to their conflict, which in case of Kashmir is the democratically implied solution. Kashmir needs true democracy to mitigate its sufferings and pain

 

Media fraternity protest Media gag

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n Friday midnight, after the death toll of civilians killed by forces touched 40, police raided the corporate office of Greater Kashmir—in first raid of its kind—and seized not only printed copies of Kashmir Uzma, but arrested three employees at the Printing Press as well.
More than 50,000 copies of Kashmir Uzma were seized by the cops who also misbehaved with the staff after threatening them with dire consequences.
According to reports, other newspaper printing presses were also raided, leading to forced suspension of newspapers’ publication.
On Saturday, owners and editors of several Kashmir-based newspapers held a sit-in at Press Enclave here, condemning in strong words what they called the imposition of “Press Emergency.”
Holding placards, the participant editors, reporters said: “An emergency meeting of Kashmir-based newspaper editors/owners was held on Saturday afternoon in which the situation arising out of the police raids on all the printing presses was discussed threadbare”
They strongly condemned the action of the government which has resulted in breakdown of circulation of newspapers.
The participants termed it as an attack on freedom of press and vowed to “fight it back at all costs”.
A joint statement from editors/owners later said: “A government spokesperson when contacted during the meeting conveyed that ‘in view of apprehensions of serious trouble in Kashmir Valley in next three days aimed at subverting peace, strict curfew will be imposed and movement of newspaper staff and distribution of newspapers will not be possible’.”
Taking the government’s statement into consideration, the meeting felt that it is not possible to publish the newspapers in such a situation, the statement read.
The editors apologized to the readers for the breakdown of newspaper publications which is beyond their control.
The meeting strongly condemned the formal ban, saying “it is not only reprehensible but also against the norms of a democratic set up.”
The editors assured the readers that as soon as the government lifts the “press emergency”, “we will resume our publications”.

Brutal Pellet Gun

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Pellet Gun has symbolized new face of oppression in Kashmir over the past few years. Loss of Vision, terrible injuries and often fatalities have been aftermath of deadly pellets fired from  pellet guns on humans of Kashmir.As a matter of fact, a pellet is a non-spherical projectile designed to be fired from an air gun. Air gun pellets differ from bullets and shot used in firearmsbecause of the pressures encountered: airguns operate at pressures as low as 50 atmospheres, while firearms operate at thousands of atmospheres.

Even during the current wave of unrest, the indiscriminate use of pellet gun is giving nightmare to people of Kashmir with analysis emerging that-“Pellet Guns Are Giving Kashmir’s Young & Restless A Dark Future”.

 

On the otherhand,Indian state proudly states  that it is the biggest democracy of  the world . But in Kashmir the behavior of state seems brutally unexplainable and this has turned Kashmir into a painful Concentration camp. We all know that Eyesight is the most precious gift bestowed to mankind from God but for people who have no sight or limited sight because of a birth defect, disease, or an accident, all of life’s experiences are dimmed and virtually meaningless. But in Kashmir the new method of torture invented has been shattering and destroying  eyesight via pellet guns thus ruining their entire world.

It is high time that voices of conscience in India wake up from the slumber and force their government to stop the use of brutal pellet gun in Kashmir.

Humanity Murdered

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News Kashmir Analysis

 

The age in which we live can only be characterized as one of barbarism. Our civilization is in the process not only of being militarized, but also being brutalized———Alva Myrdal

The above quote sums up the current heart wrenching situation of Kashmir .

The fires of political unrest have engulfed Kashmir once again, with 40 death and thousands injured  and the situation in Kashmir looks to be heading from bad to worse with every passing day. Killing of unarmed protesters, impairing vision via indiscriminate use of pellet guns, ruthless beating of protesters suggest that humanity is being murdered in Kashmir. About a 100 people have also been reported to have lost their vision completely.

 

All this started with the killing of popular militant commander Burhan Wani. As a matter of fact, Burhan Wani’s funeral was attended by lacs of people, and despite tough restrictions, the funeral venue was so crowded there was virtually no space to conduct funeral prayers.

Wani, 22, is largely accredited with reviving and legitimising the image of militancy in  Kashmir via the social networking skills he had.

Humanity looks to have taken the worst hit in Kashmir during the previous and current upheaveals.

Mushtaq ul Haq Sikander, a political analyst stated – “The brutal face of Indian state has once again been unveiled before the whole world, as they have once again started killing innocent protestors. Humanity, non violence, Gandhism, and Democratic values that India boasts about have all been proving an ugly hoax in Kashmir since 1947. The brutal Hindutva and dictatorial stance of India has been completely exposed in the present mass protests in Kashmir. The humanity, has died in India but is alive and thriving in Kashmir as we are serving the amarnath pilgrims, attending to the injured and upholding our Rishi tradition. Our humanity is alive, but it seems to be dead in the land of Ram and Gandhi.”

 

 

Even the voices among mainstream polity are aghast .MLA Langate Er Rasheed , while talking to News Kashmir Magazine on the situation stated that  “While from US State Department to UN Secretary General everybody is showing its concern and seeks peaceful resolution to the Kashmir dispute, New Delhi is busy in finding excuses to justify its terror on streets of Kashmir. It is unfortunate that not only PM Narendar Modi but all political parties including Congress, are running away from the problem and are not only trying to present J&K issue as a law and order problem but are busy in scoring political points over each other. However they know better, whether it is armed struggle of 1989, Amarnath land row of 2008, situation after the rape and murder of Asia and Neelofar in 2009, unrest of 2010 or now the killing of Burhan Wani and other incidents from time to time,  all these incidents do just act like triggers to give an outburst to the anti-India and pro-Aazadi sentiments among masses. Rather blaming Pakistan, GOI should understand that world community doesn’t need India’s or Pakistan’s permission to speak for the sufferings of Kashmiri people and sooner or later world community will have to force and facilitate a peaceful settlement. ”

In nutshell, Humanity in kashmir has been brutalized to large extent by the nature of atrocities committed against masses.

Our foremost objective is to sustain international personality of the Kashmir issue: Sardar Khalid Ibrahim Khan

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Sardar Khalid Ibrahim Khan (born November 5, 1948) is a Kashmiri politician in Pakistan.

He is President of Pakistan Administered Kashmir’s political party Jammu Kashmir Peoples Party. He is the son of Pakistan Administered Kashmir’s ‘founder’, Sardar Muhammad Ibrahim Khan. Sardar Khalid Ibrahim was born in Rawalakot, but his roots go back to the Kashmiri Sudhans(or Sudhanzai) tribe, who claim mixed descent from the Afghan Sadozais and local indigenous tribes of the area. The Sudhanzai is the single largest tribe(1.2 million) of the Pakistan Administered  Kashmir. He resigned from the Legislative Assembly of Azad Kashmir on two occasions.

In  an exclusive interview with The News Kashmir Sardar Khalid Ibrahim Khan, talks to Editor-in-Chief Farzana Mumtaz

 

  1. How do you analyze the upcoming Pakistan administered Kashmir polls?

In India-Pakistan context upcoming polls are of great importance. The ruling party in Pakistan is also contesting these elections, what mandate Pakistan Muslim League (N) secures is important. Future dialogue process between India –Pakistan depends on elections results in Azad Kashmir.

  1. India says these elections have no credibility. Your take?

India-Pakistan both trade allegations whenever elections are held in either part of Jammu and Kashmir but because of their continuity, Azad Kashmir elections have a better international credibility.

  1. What are prospects of your party in these elections?

Jammu Kashmir Peoples Party is contesting elections in alliance with Pakistan Muslim league (N) therefore chances of forming a coalition Government are bright.

  1. Do you agree politicians in your part are less qualified?

Of all the princely states of the sub-continent, Jammu and Kashmir is the only state which assumed international Personality, which was result of decisions made by Azad Kashmir’s Leadership. With the passage of time people have changed their priorities and prefer to choose more accessible politicians rather than qualified.

  1. Pakistan has neglected Pakistan Administered Kashmir in terms of Development. Your take?

Azad Kashmir has come a long way as for as development is concerned especially in education and communication sector. Rate of literacy was gone up from 4 % in1947 to 68% in 2016, road network (metalled) was 125 km which now is 4000 km, with more planning; funds provided by Pakistan government could have been better utilized.

  1. What is main manifesto of your party?

Our foremost objective is to sustain international personality of the Kashmir issue and seeking solution of the problem in light of UNCIP resolutions.  Secondly, achieving self-reliance economically is also one of our top priorities.

  1. Is Pakistan failing to win war against extremism?

Pakistan a front line state against terrorism has rendered immense sacrifices and has established writ in areas where extremism had made in roads earlier.

Fight against extremism is a long draw process; politically speaking there is very little space for extremism in Pakistan society. We are sure that time is not far away where moderate forces would thrive.

  1. Your view on Gilgit demand of separate state?

Gilgit-Baltistan is part and parcel of Jammu And Kashmir State and would decide its future with union of state in accordance with UNCIP resolutions.

  1. Your message?

People should rise above their personal considerations and vote for the right people for the right job.