News Kashmir Exclusive
Food insecurity fears are once again marring the masses of Kashmir courtesy a recent CAPD order to limit the supply of ration.
Protest, anger, dismay is brewing in entire Kashmir valley against the Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD) department at several places for issuing a circular that five kg ration will be provided to each family member each month in the state. The Srinagar city summer capital of the state was rocked with protests against this order at several places like at Gawkadal, Nawa Bazar,Karanagar etc.
Eyewitnesses accounts stated that the large number of disturbed people while staging recently a protest outside Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Department locked the main gate of the office building. The protesters did not allow any employee or even the Director to enter into the office.
It is worth mentioning out here that the Consumer affairs & Public Distribution Department, Jammu and Kashmir, is entrusted with the responsibility of providing direct supply of essential commodities like Rice, Sugar, and Kerosene to consumers and ensure smooth supply of cooking gas to the consumers.
Astonishingly enough, there are also lot of discrepancies in the Fresh Forms provided by CAPD to check defects in the consumer database. It was disgusting feeling for many consumers to see that the basic details like photograph, name, parentage and address, which happen to be incorrect, are already been printed on the forms, without any mandatory blank space for making correction in those fields.
Masses are also totally shocked and angry with the order. Sheikh Sameer, a consumer states –“ The CAPD department by announcing five kg ration per head has made the common man very angry and thus forced all of us to raise voices against the department as the same amount of rice is not sufficient for us and we need to bear in mind that we are a place that heavily depends upon the ration . CAPD Should have also designed effective forms as in the wake of the discrepancies, CAPD should have come up with new forms designed in accordance with the necessities of making corrections. ”
On the otherhand, the Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, Choudhary Zulfkar Ali described the move aimed by opposition to launch misinformation campaign on this issue.
In an official handout issued to press, Ali said some political parties have launched a misinformation campaign on NFSA to mislead the people and bar them from taking benefit of this historic scheme.
“The people should not fall prey to any propaganda and should try to take benefit of this revolutionary scheme,” he said, adding “as the implementation of NFSA would go a long way in plugging the pilferages in the existing public distribution system, the elements who were thriving on the loopholes in the system are also responsible for spreading canards regarding the scheme.”
Traffic Jams in Kashmir
Despite Kashmir roads once known for having very less congestion are now a story of jams, jams and more jams. The traffic on frequent roads of Kashmir gets now locked for hours and as a result commuters, critical patients face lot of problems. This traffic jams in Kashmir cause many delays to masses to reach to their respective destinations. We are also very well aware that our traffic department is facing dearth of human resource and are not able to properly look after this jam problem as a result this has become a menace.
As we are very well aware that traffic jam has become one of the major problems in our state and residents now spend hours stuck in traffic in the srinagar like city . Traffic congestion in many places of the state is also becoming severe with every passing day . One possible solution to this grave problem is to impose heavy taxes on car drivers and use this money to make public transport better
The sane voices are calling upon the government to frame a strategy so as to counter the frequent occurrence of traffic jams does not put them to more troubles .The realities call that time is ripe to address this grave traffic jam problem before it gets out of hand and public begins to lose its patience.
Halt Hartal!
News Kashmir Exclusive
The debate with full vigor is on in Kashmir Polity especially among pro-freedom circles on efficacy of Hartals as many believe that Hartal as a strategy has outlived its significance as a resistance tool . While striking the chords in this regard , People’s Political Party Chairman, Engineer Hilal Ahmed War, has appealed the resistance leadership to refrain from giving frequent strike calls as it amounts to “violation of human rights. Speaking at a human rights seminar organized by APHC, War said that regular strikes have crippled the economy of the Kashmiris, which can prove gravely detrimental to the movement in the long run.
Hartal in our region as its own history .Hartal (pronounced [həɽt̪aːl]) is a term in many South Asian languages for strike action, first used during the Indian Independence Movement. It is mass protest often involving a total shutdown of workplaces, offices, shops, courts of law as a form of civil disobedience. In addition to being a general strike, it involves the voluntary closing of schools and places of business. It is a mode of appealing to the sympathies of a government to change an unpopular or unacceptable decision. A Hartal is often used for political reasons, for example by an opposition political party protesting against a government policy or action.
Over the past 27 years of violent conflict of Kashmir this word Hartal has echoed almost billions of times in the hearts and minds of Kashmir to register their protest and anger against killings , unaddressed political aspirations and atrocities with about two thousand strikes observed in past 25 years in Kashmir.
While talking to The News Kashmir, Engineer Hilal War states – “We definitely need to revisit the strategy of Hartals. I have impressed upon the leadership to formulate a concrete strategy as an alternative to strikes which have yielded nothing except pushing people further away from the movement.We need to bear in mind that When people are deprived of their basic needs, while the leadership has an affluent lifestyle, it doesn’t do any good to the movement. It is a serious issue and should be addressed at the earliest. “
On the otherhand it is not just the single statement of Engineer Hilal War that profreedom leaders are beginning to feel the inadequacy of hartals as on ground since considerable time the Hartal as a strategy employed by profreedom polity is failing to garner impressive response. The representatives of Hurriyat Conference, an amalgam of different separatist parties in Kashmir recently decided to brainstorm at Mirwaiz Manzil in Srinagar to think of “alternate means” of protest. Feedback from online platforms like twitter is being asked from youth to suggest alternative to hartals.
Manzoor Ahmad, a commoner states – “ The rampant strike calls have more often than not hurt the poor people of Kashmir and now from every political sense it looks that Hartal as a strategy employed by resistance leadership should be provided with alternative .After observing thousands of Hartals in Past 26 years there is feeling of tiredness about this method. Hartals now seem clearly losing their relevance.”
With the sentiment brewing that Political leaders in Kashmir have been highly abusing tactic of shutdowns and strikes undoubtedly the dire need to going beyond Hartal politics is being felt not just by people but by pro-freedom polity.
India- Pakistan Renewed Dialogue
The all important India- Pakistan relations which have been witnessing downslide for long time seem to be witnessing some optimism since past few days.
The recent visit of Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj to Pakistan to attend the Heart of Asia conference on Afghanistan issue also saw India –Pakistan breaking the ice and atleast beginning to talk.
Swaraj announced certain key things and stated that efforts by both nations to improve ties are on . The discussions will encompass a wide range of issues from counter-terrorism to economic cooperation, but the cricketing ties between the two nations is yet to get the green signal.
“India and Pakistan are ready for talks. How this dialogue can be taken forward – the schedule and modalities will be decided in due course,” Sushma Swaraj said after meeting Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Foreign Affairs Adviser Mr Sartaj Aziz.
“The discussions will involve “peace and security, CBMs, Jammu & Kashmir, Siachen… Economic and Commercial Cooperation, Counter-Terrorism.. Humanitarian Issues, People to People exchanges and religious tourism,” said a joint statement.
“The Indian side was assured of the steps being taken to expedite the early conclusion of the Mumbai trial,” the joint statement read.
“The NSAs will continue to address all issues connected to terrorism,” the joint statement also said.
One hopes that this time around a comprehensive and broadbased dialogue on key issues between India and Pakistan would be kick started and peace process gets a new lease of life. Peace and talks are only means for civillised nations.
Waiting for Mufti’s Mercy
News Kashmir Analysis
Kashmir more than year ago suffered devastating floods. Pertinently, In September 2014, the Kashmir region suffered disastrous floods across many of its districts caused by torrential rainfall. Kashmir valley saw huge devastation on account of floods and scores of precious lives were lost. Throughout length and breadth of Valley flood created havoc and destroyed the business centers of Srinagar as well.
Devastating floods in Jammu and Kashmir had caused an immediate loss of Rs. 5,400-5,700 crore to the state’s economy, with heavy damages to trade, hotels, restaurants, horticulture and handicraft, according to the initial estimates of industry body Assocham.
Despite all talks of packages, relief and assistance most of the flood victims from South to North Kashmir to Capital are raising hue and cry on account of inadequate help. Even traders are furious over the performance of Government to deal with relief and rehabilitation efforts of flood victims .
In this regard recently while terming the government package of Rs. 2,000 crore for rehabilitation as ‘adding insult to injury,” Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation president Haji Mohammed Yasin Khan said: “By not pleading the case for a Rs. 44,000-crore package, as was sought by the then government, the PDP has served the interests of their RSS masters in Nagpur.”
Even elected representatives are furious about the letting down of flood affected masses of Kashmir. MLA Langate Engineer Rashid also recently demanded immediate rehabilitation of flood victims of Sonawari and alleged that the battle of egos and interests between the local MLA and MLC has made the flood victims, victim of politics and exploitation.
Ajaz War, a flood hit victim from Maisuma states- “ Government has so far failed to give any real and concrete package to Flood affected people of Kashmir and most of the victims of flood feel dejected at the overall pace of relief and rehabilitation process. Me and my brothers lost three houses among them two completely ruined but we have been paid peanuts. The overall compensation that we have received so far hardly compensates our five percent loss whileas Ninty five percent has been left unaddressed. In an age when a basic plinth of house costs more than three lakh rupees these small amount sanctions that too marred by inefficiency will not help in any way the flood affected masses of Kashmir. Government should show efficiency, mercy, compassion and above all prove its viability by rendering a real helping hand to flood victims of Kashmir.”
The pulse on ground is that government is making tall claims of package but the overall paradigm expectations based on track record is very low.
But there is a silver lining in the dark clouds, Jammu and Kashmir minister of PHE, irrigation and flood control Sukhnandan Chaudhary has few days back said the amount of Rs 10,000 crore sanctioned as a flood relief for the state will be brought in use in another 15 days.
One hopes that after much dilly dally tactics the government will with much efficiency try to solve the pain and distress of flood hit victims in Kashmir and provide them the much deserved rehabilitation that they have been craving for.
Hanging Peshawar School tormentors
Pakistan in a major development has hanged four convicts involved in dastardly Peshawar School Massacre. On 16 December 2014, seven gunmen affiliated with the Tehrik-i-Taliban(TTP) conducted a terrorist attack on the Army Public School in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar. The militants, all of whom were foreign nationals, included one Chechen, three Arabs and two Afghans. Their accomplices were many Pakistani Nationals.They entered the school and opened fire on school staff and children, killing 141 people, including 132 schoolchildren, ranging between eight and eighteen years of age. A rescue operation was launched by the Pakistan Army’sSpecial Services Group (SSG) special forces, who killed all seven terrorists and rescued 960 people. On 02 December, 2015 Pakistan hanged four militants involved in the Peshawar massacre.
This was the most horrible terrorist attack ever to occur in Pakistan, surpassing the2007 Karachi bombing.
The attackers were handed the death sentence for their respective roles in the massacre.Maulvi Salam was convicted of harbouring suicide bombers who attacked the Peshawar school, killing 144 people, a majority of them children. The ISPR claimed that he had confessed to his crime and that he was also involved in the killing of two colonels and a senior official of the National Development Complex.
Pertinently, Hazrat Ali was convicted of raising funds for the APS attack and involvement in the killing of 23 Levies Force personnel after their kidnapping.Sabeel was found guilty of being involved in an attack on the Pakistan Air Force’s Peshawar base in 2012 and transporting 10 suicide bombers and of abetment in the APS attack.
Meanwhile, Mujeebur Rehman was convicted of transporting 10 suicide bombers for the attack on the PAF base, being involved in assaults on personnel of law enforcement agencies and abetment in the APS attack.
Certainly,Pakistan has sent a strong message to extremists post Peshawar School Massacre.
Package Politics
News Kashmir Analysis
Jammu and Kashmir is a mountainous state built from three primary regions: Jammu (the winter capital), the Kashmir Valley and Ladakh; its capital in the summer is called Srinagar.
The tough terrain aided by political turmoil has ensured Jammu & Kashmir especially the Kashmir Valley remains backward in terms of overall developmental scenario. The successive central governments at New Delhi have found answers in announcing the packages to deal with the developmental issues and also try to address political aspirations via these packages.
During his recent visit to Kashmir,Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a Rs 80,000 crore package for Jammu and Kashmir and said it should be used to transform the state, devastated by floods last year, into a modern, progressive and prosperous one. Prime Minister added –“There would be no dearth of money for the state’s development, the Prime Minister promised, saying, “This Rs 80,000 crore is not a full stop. It’s only the beginning…Not only is Delhi’s treasury for you but so is its heart.”
However , even this much of package failed to douse the grievances and anger. Just days after the announcement of this package while commenting on the government plan of giving mere Rs 2000 crores rehabilitation package as “insult to the injury” of flood-hit people of valley of Kashmir, the Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation President Haji Mohammed Yasin Khan recently stated “PDP befooled people only to come to power, and to be in power.”
“What we have learnt is that Rs 800 crore are for affected shopkeepers and Rs 1200 Cr for damaged houses. What will each of the flood hit get when the total number of affected families is 15 lakhs?” Khan questioned, in a statement.
In a related development just on the heels of PM Narendra Modi’s announcement of a Rs 80,000 crore package for Jammu & Kashmir, the Union Cabinet few days back cleared a proposal to provide 3,000 state government jobs and 6,000 transit accommodations in Kashmir for the rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants at a cost of Rs 2,000 crore.
While talking to News Kashmir, R K Bhat, organization of Kashmiri Pandits Youth All India Kashmiri Samaj stated- “ These packages just represent politics and in actual paradigms and lag the vision to rehabilitate the Pandits back in their native places. The real stakeholders are not taken into consideration while framing the packages for Pandits community as a result nothing much is achieved. We were few years back when we returned as employees back to our native land promised lot but nothing concrete was done as a result many left the job. The burning veracity is that the government couldn’t even rehabilitate 2000 KP youths during the last 8 years who had volunteered to serve in Kashmir valley which means not even 5 percent of the whole package has been implemented so far.”
On the otherhand due to lack of holistic vision the demand for more packages continues to be raised now just days back Fruit Growers cum Traders Union (FGTCU) demanded Rs 2890 core compensation for horticulture.
Addressing media persons FGTCU president Bashir Ahmad Bashir said t devastated floods in September 2014 hit the horticulture industry very badly.
“Every stock of fruit stored in godowns, shops, residential house and other places got destroyed. Even the trucks loaded with fruits could not reach to desired destination as roads were blocked by flood waters,” he said.
Be it package with reference to development of Kashmir or Concerning Pandit rehabilitation and return to their native land the ground pulse is that there is more rhetoric and politics in packages than addressing the serious concerns.
In Search of Alternative to Hartals
Hartal (pronounced [həɽt̪aːl]) is a term in many South Asian languages for strike action, first used during the Indian Independence Movement. It is mass protest often involving a total shutdown of workplaces, offices, shops, courts of law as a form of civil disobedience. In addition to being a general strike, it involves the voluntary closing of schools and places of business. It is a mode of appealing to the sympathies of a government to change an unpopular or unacceptable decision. A Hartal is often used for political reasons, for example by an opposition political party protesting against a government policy or action.
Over the past 27 years of violent conflict of Kashmir this word Hartal has echoed almost billions of times in the hearts and minds of Kashmir to register their protest and anger against killings , unaddressed political aspirations and atrocities with about two thousand strikes observed in past 25 years in Kashmir.
But since few time the Hartal as a strategy employed by profreedom polity is failing to garner impressive response. The representatives of Hurriyat Conference, an amalgam of different separatist parties in Kashmir recently decided to brainstorm at Mirwaiz Manzil in Srinagar last week to think of “alternate means” of protest. Feedback from online platforms like twitter is being asked from youth to suggest alternative to hartals.
Will the anniversary hartals and failed chalos lead us to freedom?” a student asked Mirwaiz, the head priest of Kashmir who leads Friday congregational prayers at the historic Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, to which he replied, “At times, hartal becomes the only option, but I agree we have to look for alternative means of protest.”
People have been asking and questioning both on ground and online media to profreedom leaders to find an alternative to these strikes .Will the alternative come remains to be seen.
Back To Dark Ages
News Kashmir Exclusive
Kashmir possesses huge capacity to harness hydro-electricity and does produce an impressive amount of electricity. But, inspite of these very facts the power situation deteriorates as soon as winter sets in, and most of the areas of Kashmir are thrown into darkness with never ending load shedding.
As a matter of fact, the power generation in Kashmir, which is said to be capable of generating more than 20000 MW power, seems by and large a Delhi-controlled affair as State government has failed to bring back the ownership of several power projects .
Students are undoubtedly the most terribly affected by this unbridled load shedding, which have brought exam preparations to a near standstill. The negative impacts of load shedding are beyond description – From Housewife to students, Doctor to Technocrat ,Professional to Labourer everyone seems to be badly hit by the current spell of never ending load shedding throughout the length and breadth of the valley . Pertinently, the load shedding is more badly affecting those students who are either attaining online education or depend upon online mediums for their education.
With these unabated power cuts the resentment and anger is also growing among masses of Kashmir from North to South. Be it Downtown and uptown areas of Sumer capital Srinagar the power crisis is deepening. Recently, the people of Maisuma, Gaw Kadal, Basant Bagh and other adjoining areas staged protests in heart of the City and blocked vehicular movement at Budshah Chowk. The protesters, mostly women, said that the PDD is resorting to ‘unnecessary load-shedding’ of power which causing lot of problems to them. Pertinently, Protests also broke out at Koil village of Pulwama district in south Kashmir against unscheduled power curtailment.
Power protests have even history of turning violent and claiming precious lives. A class 12 student was killed and two persons injured when Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel guarding National Hydroelectric Power Corporation projects in Kashmir had opened fire on people protesting against power shortage in Boniyar area of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district at the start of year 2012 . The CISF personnel at that juncture had opened fire, killing Altaf Ahmad Sood (18) son of Bashir Ahmad of Barnait, Boniyar on the spot. Parvaiz Ahmad son of Ghulam Hassan and Abdul Majid son of Wali Muhammad, both of Boniyar, were injured in that firing incident .
While talking to News Kashmir Magazine Beenish Parray, a Writer States – ” As soon as long spell of winter dawns on Kashmir power cuts become a norm. Be it downtown, uptown areas of Srinagar or for that matter rural areas the power crisis makes life terrible for the masses especially students undergoing different exams .Government should immediately revisit the policy of long and unscheduled power cuts as it is making life difficult for masses. Power is one of the most basic necessities in our age and we should be provided with regular electricity.”
Without ambiguity the nutshell analysis is that Kitchens, IT Centers, Study Rooms, Industrial sectors , Prayer Places all other significant spheres of life are getting adversely hit by the peril of sustained load shedding and the problem demands instantaneous action otherwise the lava of anger generated would not have good consequences. Government should take necessary steps to curb load shedding before this problem goes out of hand and people are forced to protest aggressively.
Refugee pain
Currently world over due to Civil Wars and foreign interventions the people of many countries especially countries of Middle East such as Syria, Iraq , Libya and Yemen are forced to leave and become refugees.
A refugee, according to the Geneva Convention on Refugees is a person who is outside their country of citizenship because they have well-founded grounds for fear of persecution because of their race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, and is unable to obtain sanctuary from their home country or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail themselves of the protection of that country; or in the case of not having a nationality and being outside their country of former habitual residence as a result of such event, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to their country of former habitual residence. Such a person may be called an “asylum seeker” until considered with the status of “refugee” by the Contracting State where they formally make a claim for sanctuary or right of asylum.
As a matter of fact many refugees are dying while undertaking dangerous sea journeys towards Europe. The world is witnessing the largest refugee crisis since the horrors of World War II.
Today there are close to 60 million war refugees, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)—“an all-time high as violence and persecution” around the world are on the rise.
It is high time world wakes to the refugee pain and root causes of all conflicts are addressed .