News Kashmir Magazine

Peace…The only way forward!!!
Owais Ahmad Shah

The four wheel trolley owner and an astute businessmen Mam Kak emanated anger.Is everything all right, asked my friend Raza.Glory to be God, I am fine.What would you like to have today.he replied. Our all time favorite “Hot Pakkodas”.I said.In extreme fury and rage,he shouted at his counterpart.Hell with you.I told you early in the morning to fry pakodas,but you got it in one ear and got it out of the other. Relax Mam kak,put this down to his work,a man learns from his mistakes.Another customer in a friendly mood said.No…no…no…I am here in this market for almost fifteen years but I have had never any compromise with my work.I have attracted customers only because of my hardwork.When these young people are advised anything, they only have habit of arguing.Here all have become masters.Mam Kak drawing a breath.I casted my look at a gathering. Cricket lovers clustered around the radio. A young enthusiastic cricket lover angrily asked another boy to increase the volume of radio.The commentator exuding excitement “Look at this,batsman struck the ball,up in the air and its gone all the way for six”. Just he was about to finish his sentence, young and old all jumped into the air.Everyone does have his own business. The conductors shouting names of different places in same breath. I and Raza,we had to board different buses.I sat next to an age old man,reading newspaper.I also thumbed through the headline which read” Govt desperate for dialogue. Saying no to violence can pave our way to peace”.It almost looked a distant dream. Another young boy rattling on with his beloved on his phone and a school kid shoveling popcorns down into his mouth.It almost looked a colorful bus.Variety is the spice of life.Passengers trickled into the bus and the bus filled to gills.The bus driver jumped onto his seat.About to leave,horn blowing and passengers happy.At a very slow speed but accelerated and we drove past other bus.I peeped through the window. Nearby an army camp.A huge board standing read “Jawan aur Awaam sab saath saath”. Barricades and the concertina wire fencing off the camp.The driver controlled his speed and the passengers gossiping continued. The one question that was preying on my mind” Here all have become masters”.Mam Kaks sage advice ringed on.All are running the show.I alighted out of the bus. Moved forward and reached near an old styled Panchyat.This building almost built 20 years ago received all public grievances. From lovers tiff to Old man’s impudent son.It enjoyed the business.I saw an old woman wailing outside.The only sentence she would repeat”Whom will you leave us”.Another woman consoled her.I had this urge to know about what is wrong.The woman next to her said that she has her only son married few months ago.Before marriage they lived life of dignity but after they lost all attachment.Having heard such stories often,I was no stranger to this one. The woman also added that yesterday grandfather in law and bride fought with each other. And the girl hurled a steel jug on his face,which almost resulted in his nose bleeding.Oh God!!! I almost taken aback.Now the village dignitaries have brought this case to panchayat.we were continuing our talk,a young girl accompanied by another of same age stepped out of the door,shouted “Who the hell is he”.in a fit of apoplexy,the bride looked daggers at her mother in law.I guessed she was talking about her grandfather in law.The woman in front of me whispered “Here she is”.I walked by and the panchayat continued.Almost tired of days work.I threw my clothes willynilly.All mess and my room had turned into a veritable jungle.After eating food,I nestled myself against the pillow and the buzz that I saw today dominated my mind. The only question that threw me off balance” Leadership crisis”.Everyone is master of his own world.Mam Kaks wisdom permeated through my mind and the old woman sobbing drove me over the edge.I took a nap.Late in the evening, I switched on TV.A heated debate and a volatile argument had set news studio on fire.Stonewalling continued and the people shouted,always about to hurl abuses. India and Pakistan abused each other.The one panelist saying”Pakistan Occupied Kashmir “and the other ” Indian Occupied Kashmir “.None would say we shall achieve Peace. The germ that cropped up in my mind altruistic and puritanical. Had this Channel devoted some space to poverty,drug abuse,rape etc.But it doesn’t like that.To increase TRP’s it is fond of drama.The conflict continued and the people bore brunt of it. No leadership but hawkishness overriding over every concern.The tailored suggestion of a common man and the complex argument of politician both seemed two sides of the same coin.

Oops..!following CELEBRITIES :an ERROR*
Umar Bashir

Airbrushed photographs of celebrities with perfectly preened bodies staged in exotic locations are all over social media, but such flawless images have been described as damaging for the way they pressurise young people to meet unobtainable body-image standards.
Everyone of all ages is effected by celebrities, but often teenagers are the ones who are the most impacted. Being an adolescent can be tough, and it’s reassuring to have someone to look up to and follow in their footsteps. Many teens choose celebrities as their role models. This can be a positive or negative choice, depending on the celebrity. There are many stars in the media that tend to maintain a good reputation but there are an equal amount of stars that make parents shake their heads and hope their kids don’t idolize them , but there siblings Do and follow them too ….

In Reality television or either smart phone proves to be a factor that contributes to how teenagers think they should behave. “According to a study conducted by Huston and Wright at the University of Kansas, the only thing that kids spend more time doing than sleeping is watching tv or on smart phone to see shows” (Teens and Celebrities). But every time you turn on the TV or social media , it’s hard to find a television show that isn’t about celebrities. In reality television shows, smart phone clicks were celebrities are displayed in a negative manner, often shown doing drugs, partying, fighting, and engaging in sexual activities. Teenagers who are exposed to this believe that’s the proper way to act and start taking part in those activities themselves. They also start to form false ideals. For example, “one Australian study revealed that children who watched reality programming were significantly more likely to associate wealth, popularity and beauty as factors that contribute to happiness” (Bliss).

Lots of parents try to keep their kids from watching those shows and teaching their kids the right ways to act, but “in fact, some teens are more likely to listen to the words of their favorite celebrities than their own parents , , instead of teens learning from their parents how to be kind to others or how to do the dishes, teens are learning from stars how to throw a tantrum and how to get drunk.

Celebrities have a hurtful effect on the self esteem of teenagers. Celebrities are commonly associated with beauty and “perfect” bodies, and when teenagers see that, they want to look like them. It’s not uncommon that so many female teens have developed eating disorders while trying to attain a skinny body. “In a recent study by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), as many as 10 in 100 young women suffer from an eating disorder” (Chen). The media puts permanent reminders in our minds that we have to achieve the celebrities’ beauty and bodies. Headlines are plastered all over magazines with headlines like, “Get Kim Kardashion’s Bikini Bod!” or “How To Get Jennifer Lopez’s Flawless Makeup Look!” It’s no wonder why teenagers are so desperate to be like celebrities. Those articles make teenagers insecure about their looks. For example, “According to the National Eating Disorder Association, 42 percent of first- through third-grade girls say they want to be thinner, and 81 percent of 10 year olds are afraid of being fat. Even at very young ages, children get influenced by celebrities” (Chen). What teenagers don’t know when they see “perfect” stars on magazines is that those stars have been through hours of makeup, hair styling, clothes fittings, spray tans, and photoshop. Teenagers are trying to achieve a form of “beauty” that doesn’t even exist.
Celebrities are very popular and they could choose to help the world and make a difference. They have an option to choose to be a good role model for people of all ages. Unfortunately, many celebrities decide to do the exact opposite, and let themselves be displayed as fake and bad role models. Teenagers are vulnerable to their influences and can be lead down the wrong path. We can only hope that those celebrities will take a moment to stop caring about fame and think about the people they are leaving a mark on.

“”Drug addiction: is it a disease or is it based on choice:”””
Umar Bashir

A disorder of choice, Gene Heyman surveys a broad array of evidence—historical, anthropological, survey, clinical, and laboratory-based to build an argument about the role of basic choice processes in the phenomena that comprise drug addiction. He makes a compelling, multifaceted argument that conceptualizing drug addiction as a chronic disease (like schizophrenia or diabetes) is both misleading and erroneous. In developing his argument, he points out that the best survey data available indicate that most drug addicts quit their addiction, a fact inconsistent with a chronic-disease model. He illustrates how basic, normal choice processes can lead to addiction, arguing that people do not choose to be addicts, but that normal choice dynamics can lead them to that condition. He points to a variety of factors that keep most from becoming addicted, with a focus on the role of choice governed by choice-by-choice contingencies versus choice governed by the outcome of sequences of choices, a difference in an under-described activity called framing. His view is consistent with the most effective treatments currently available, and provides a basis for continued basic research on choice as well as research on treatment and prevention.

A disorder of choice Gene Heyman makes a case for drug addiction to be a result of natural processes involving voluntary (i.e., operant) behavior, specifically choice. This approach stands in stark contrast to the current received view, at least as promulgated by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), that drug abuse is a disease, specifically, “Addiction is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease…similar to other chronic, relapsing diseases, such as diabetes, asthma, or heart disease….” . Over the course of seven chapters Heyman makes his case by describing the history of drug abuse and addiction, societal responses to it, case histories from addicts, the epidemiology of drug addiction, “rational” and “irrational” choice, brain–behavior relationships, and approaches to treatment of drug addiction. These descriptions provide the bases for the focal points made, which are that normal, apparently rational choice processes can lead to poor long-term outcomes (e.g., addiction), and that an understanding of such processes offers a viable approach to the prevention and treatment of drug addiction. Of particular interest to readers of this journal is that the behavioral processes involved have been studied and characterized to a considerable degree by those who investigate operant choice. In addition, scattered throughout the exposition is a litany of evidence making the view that drug addiction is a disease, at least in the normal sense of that word, difficult to defend. In this review I endeavor to describe briefly and evaluate some of the key points made by Heyman about how normal choice processes play a role in drug addiction and to highlight his arguments countering the “addiction is a brain disease”.

India vs Pakistan…A must watch for Kashmiris!!!
Owais Ahmad Shah

The arch rivals are always at each other’s throat.The high-voltage atmosphere between two countries is always mawing in people but Kashmiris are at the first place.The recent imbroglio between the two existed in the month of February when a fidayeen attack carried out at Lethpora in Pulwama claimed lives of more than forty CRPF men.The brutal attack sent shockwaves across region and set the scene for an acute political disorder.The conditions went out of control and ultra-nationalists stooped to beating Kashmiris,threatening and sending in numbers back home.
With no Govt in power,the Kashmiri voice almost seemed drowned out and the unabated assaults continued.Following up the attacks,India claimed to have carried out a surgical strike on the Jaish outfit in Pakistan.Media declaiming the attack and an announcement was made in the Home ministry about killing more than 300 Jaish militants.Pakistan threw a fit at India for overstepping the mark at LOC and Gung-ho-istic approach from both the sides set in trouble but Kashmiris always at first for being at the receiving end.
What calmed both sides was a pilot,Abhinandan who was captured by Pakistan and Imran Khan’s peace gesture put the whole house in order.
The World Cup was in the pipeline and the fixture read India vs Pakistan to be played in the grand events.India pulled back at this and went to forfeiting the match but later calmed down.
What was interesting more is the Kashmiri desire for watching the match.This is not only a cricket match but a matter of pride for country and Kashmiri needle always swings between the two.
The bilateral series between the two have been played a dot years ago.The 2008 Mumbai attacks almost ruined the relationship between the two and cricket was shutdown.
So the world Cup stared and the match played.India won and it’s grip continued on Pakistan in World Cup matches.
In the subcontinent,this cricket match is seen widely but Kashmir is always at first place for the political disturbance in the region.People of Kashmir see this as a beginning for a comprehensive dialogue but the tension exacerbates and Kashmiris bear brunt of the turmoil.
The time for shrugging-off anger is imperative and the amiable relationship is must for India Pakistan to decide the issue of Kashmir.The disturbed region is not on the table but at the menu.Its high time for both sides to place the recipe on table.

“Teenage Suicide…… Today’s Grave Problem”
Showkat Ahmad Dar and Engineer Firdous Nazir
Suicide is the act or an instance of taking one’s own life voluntarily and intentionally. Teenage is the transition of one’s life. It’s that time period when an individual witnesses the
physical and psychological changes and it difficult for the young innocent minds to acclimatize to these changes. Over the years teenage suicide has become of the major cause of worry for our society.
The teenage live in their own world of dream and fantasies that is completely is different from ground realities. The harsh
realities of life hit them hard. They have high expectations and aspirations in regard to their personal and professional lives, which if are not fulfilled lead to disappointment,
resentment and ultimately suicide. A lot of hormonal changes became difficult for the teenagers to handle these changes resulting in stress and Frustration in their lives.
The teenagers are under constant pressure to meet their expectations of their parents. Some parents are in a habit to compare their children with their siblings and friends, who are better than them in their different spheres. This creates a sense of inferiority complex among these children. The teenagers who are unable to handle the pressure are haunted by suicidal thoughts as they are guilt ridden and consider their life worthless.
Teenagers often cannot cope up with the increasing pressure in their educational life. Thus schools appointed counselors to take the problem. Education experts so much pressure on
them, that during board examinations some students commit suicide. Suicide in Kota also justify this pressure theory. Kota is a major hub of the country for competitive exams preparations and has a number of engineering and medical coaching institutes.
The social media and dating websites have became quite popular among teenagers. Sometimes due to peer pressure and sometime by choice they get involved in the relationships.
But that fact is that they are not mature enough to handle the pressure of relationships. Unwanted teenage pregnancies failed relationships and rejection are the major causes of depression which instigate an adolescent to commit suicide.
In order to cope with the stress they resort to means such a alcohol drugs and smoking The end result of all these means is depression the than suicide. This all needs to comfort them by providing them emotional support.
The teenagers need to be taught that failures and rejections
are a part of life. The parents and teachers needs to teach the children the basic of sex education. Teenagers need to be taught the importance of life. Children should join yoga and
meditation classes which promote the well being of an individual.

Each individual is unique and has his own weakness and strengths. It is imperative for the parents and
teachers and family to understand this fact. The innocent minds of the teenagers need to be cushioned
with the love and care of the elders. This will help the teenagers to handle the tricky situations of life successfully and emerge as stronger human beings.

Poem on Smoking
By Gowher Bhat
To buy cigarettes to abed their habit. So you can see now how addictive nicotine could be, but most people don’t think of it that way, smoking is part of their life and daily routine.
So my plea is to the lawmakers, please put an age limit on cigarettes, have the shopkeepers post signs that people under the age of 18 years of age can not purchase them and enforce the law. This may detour our future youths not to begin smoking and assure them to have a healthier future. This issue has inspired me to write a poem about smoking.

If You Smoke

If you smoke your money is drained,
making your family members pained.

If you smoke it ruins your health,
which is more precious than wealth.

If you smoke it reduces your age,
the verdict with every doctor and sage.

If you smoke you face premature death,
almost denying you of your last breath.

If you smoke your children will imitate,
who may be doomed by a similar fate.

If you smoke you are downgraded,
rebukes and warning are traded.

If you smoke you pollute the air,
by spreading toxins here and there.

By quitting smoking you will lead an enriched life,
And also bring joy to people who are near and dear to you.