News Kashmir Magazine

News Kashmir Exclusive

 

In a development that has disappointed many the Jammu and Kashmir government has asked cable television operators in Srinagar, the state’s summer capital, to stop airing 30 channels broadcasting programmes based on news and religion. It said the move was necessary for the “maintenance of peace and tranquillity” in the region. As a matter of fact , Most of the channels are based in Pakistan, Iran,   and Saudi Arabia. J&K has been under Governor’s Rule since June 20 following the resignation of chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, who quit after her People’s Democratic Party-led government collapsed after losing  the support of its alliance partner, the Bharatiya Janata Party

“It has become necessary and expedient in the larger interest of public and maintenance of peace and tranquility to prohibit you from transmitting non-permitted TV channels (which are not permitted by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India),” Srinagar’s additional district magistrate said in an order passed on July 12 in response to a communication from the state’s home department.

On the otherhand,  magistrate issued notices to cable networks SEN Digital Network and K9, quoting the department as saying that they were telecasting “unpermitted or banned” private satellite channels within the jurisdiction of the district.

Cable Tv operators haveen asked to close around 30 channels including Geo, ARY, QTV, Hadi TV, Karbala, Paigam, Peace TV Urdu, Noor, Sehar, Madani, Saudi Quran, Saudi Sunah and many other religious channels.

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Cable TV operators and masses have criticized the decision and termed it as a move aimed at choking them.“More than business loss, this ban will curb viewers’ choice. People will question our credibility once the Islamic channels go off-air especially since Hajj  is approaching fast. On one side we face the government directive and on other hand  strong public demand for these channels puts us in a catch-22 situation” said Amjad Noor, president of Cable operators association adding that thousands of people are associated with the cable TV business in the Valley.

Pertinently, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq-led Hurriyat Conference also criticized   government for imposing a ban on the transmission of 30 channels operating through cable saying this diktat to cable operators is nothing but a move to block information and keep people of Kashmir away from the day to day happenings across the globe.

“It is surprising to see that even religious and sports channels have been banned and one would ask as to how such channels can pose a ‘threat to peace’ in Kashmir,” a spokesperson of the amalgam said in a statement.

He said in the present times of globalisation and the age of technology and social media, such gags and bans to block information are bound to fail and only reflects the “myopic and dictatorial” approach of authorities.

Definitely the decision to ban these channels is evoking criticism and negative reactions from several quarters.

News Kashmir Exclusive

 

Life is a very very valuable endowment given to a living thing by god and all the sane voices have from time to time have stated that we need to value life. The overall contours of human life is to ensure that it creates a better world for all , and in a creative,  fearless manner think, exist and contribute .

 

Unfortunately over the past three decades of violent turmoil In Jammu and Kashmir especially in the Kashmir Valley, the life has simply lost its meaning. Deaths, killings, arrests, injuries, blinding have become ugly realities of life in the valley.  One cycle of death has been followed with other cycle of death . Fear has completely taken over the logic and reasoning.

In the year 2018 too we witnessed that the growing insurgency and mayhem  in violence –ravaged  Jammu and Kashmir state is exhibiting the ugliness and shrill  as of 90s decade when spilling of human blood was order of the day. Now every day we hear series of tragic news updates .

The level of destruction that we are in can be gauged from the  data published by a local English daily ‘Rising Kashmir’ on its 30th June issue which reads, “in first half of 2018, at least 192 people including civilians, militants, policemen and army men were killed in violence in the Valley.”

 

 

 

Jaffar Ahmad Allie , an educationist states – “ It is a grave tragedy that life is losing its meaning and essence in Kashmir to huge bouts of violence . History bear testimony to the basic reality that violent conflict wherever takes roots in the world it brings with it mayhem and destruction and frequently results in the loss of precious human lives.

Enough is enough and we all need to brainstorm how to restore back the value of life despite all odds .In the current times we need to formulate an effective strategy for saving the precious human lives and ensure eyes are saved  from blinding. Every sane human in pain hit Kashmir wants to live   a life of dignity and we plead, urge with utmost great concern to all the stakeholders of the conflict to ensure speedy peaceful conflict resolution.”

Undoubtedly it is high time that bloodshed is put to an end in Kashmir and value of human life not just restored in Kashmir but respected as tragically currently the urge and phenomenon of death is ruling roost over urge to live.

News Kashmir Exclusive

 

 

 

Cracks in the prominent political party of the Jammu and Kashmir state especially the Kashmir valley the People’s Democratic Party are with every passing moment getting more bigger and entire party looks in utter disarray.

From one top leader to the other we are now coming across frequent statements from the PDP leaders expressing displeasure over the manner party was being run and also expressing anger towards former  Chief Minister and Party head  Mehbooba Mufti.

 

 

‘The storm was kicked by senior leader and former minister Imran Raza Ansari who has almost  existed  the party.

“I have been telling Mehbooba Mufti for a while that I feel suffocated in this party. From the time she has joined PDP, she keeps thinking about benefits of her relatives. Nepotism has destroyed this party and the entire Kashmir,” Former minister and PDP leader Imran Raza Ansari told media here.

“I told Mehbooba Mufti some time ago that ‘humne aapko khuda-hafiz kar diya hai’. We are stuck for now as we are MLAs, but we are ready for elections. We want to work for public even if we have to change 50 parties for this purpose,” Imran Raza added.

 

His thoughts were echoed by People’s Democratic Party MLA Gulmarg Muhammad Abbas who  said on Monday he would follow in the footsteps of his party colleague Imran Raza Ansari who has openly criticisedMehbooba Mufti and her policies.

Abbas told a local news agency that he endorsed Ansari’s statement against the party leadership and blamed “a few” for hijacking the party.

Nasir Khuehami,  a young journalist reflecting on the issue of Cracks in PDP,  while talking to the News Kashmir stated :” We are certainly and surely seeing many cracks in the People’s Democratic Party which was just few weeks back the ruling party. Many are saying that nobody wants to be part of the sinking ship as we live in day and age when political opportunism rules the roost. It looks divisions and cracks in coming days will get widened and the rebellious elements from PDP might come handy to BJP in its dream of forming the government on its own .The biggest loser at this juncture of time seems to be PDP which seems to be with every day shrinking with its top leaders clearly expressing the dissent and dismay. Next few weeks would be thus also crucial to know as to whether we are heading for another unique government formation or we are heading for the elections. How far will the anti defection related things come into play would also be an interesting point to note,  but one thing is clear that cracks in PDP are now clearly far and wide. ”

Several other senior leaders too have joined the rebellious tone and definitely PDP looks a house totally out of order.

News Kashmir Exclusive

 

 

On June 14, the Office of the United Nations’ High Commissioner for Human Rights released a first of its kind report documenting alleged human rights violations in Kashmir.

The 49-page report has strongly recommended UN-supervised inquiry commission to probe into the alleged atrocities against civilians by both Indian armed personnel and the militants.

 

 

 

Eminent Human Rights Activist Mir Imran, while talking to the News Kashmir stated : “The Indian state  is in denial about the civilians it’s killing in Kashmir. Civilians have been killed on a horrific scale. The report of UNHRC sheds light on how Indian security forces are responding to demonstrations that started in July 2016. It says, “Indian security forces used excessive force that led to unlawful killings and a very high number of injuries. Civil society estimates are that 130 to 145 civilians were killed by security forces between mid-July 2016 and end of March 2018, and 16 to 20 civilians were killed by armed groups in the same period. One of most dangerous weapons used against protesters during the unrest in 2016 was the pellet-firing shotgun.” Under international law, States must investigate and prosecute gross violations of international human rights law and serious violations of international humanitarian law. People in Kashmir are made to suffer and hope ‘UNHRC’ will use its good office and influence to persuade all the parties of the conflict to solve Kashmir issue once for all. The welfare of the people of Jammu & Kashmir should be overriding interest and all the parties of the conflict should respect the views and opinions of the people.

 

The political dimension of Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan has long been at the centre stage, but this is not a conflict frozen in time, Commissioner of the United Nations’ Human Rights Zaid Ra’ad Zedi Al Hassan told a press briefing in Geneva after the launch of UNHRC’s first-ever report on politico-military situation in both parts of Kashmir administered by India and Pakistan.

Recalling recent incidents of protests crushed under security jeeps, Zaid said, “Given all that we have learned, the current serious tensions including those stemming from a series of recent incidents in Srinagar, I urge the  security forces to exercise maximum restraint, and strictly abide by international standards governing the use of force, when dealing with the future protests.”

NEWS KASHMIR EXCLUSIVE

This week was quite dramatic, unpredictable, sensational  for the Jammu and Kashmir State .Nobody had thought that PDP BJP Government would end in such a quick manner . ON 19 JUNE 2018,  Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) decided to pull out of the alliance with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). Described by the political pundits as  The ‘unholy’ alliance was formed on 1st March 2015 led by Late Mufti Muhammad Sayeed. On January 2016, following the demise of Mufti her daughter Mehbooba Mufti took charge of the first woman Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.

With this development , the Jammu and Kashmir state seems to have gone back to square one with governor rule being imposed  . Many say the state will now have to start once again from the blank slate.

After BJP ended its alliance with PDP and chief minister Mehbooba Mufti resigned, President Ram Nath Kovind has imposed the Governor’s Rule in the state. This is the eighth time the state has been put under the Governor’s Rule.

In an interesting  development in this context, Former Chief Minister and Vice President of National Conference (NC) Omar Abdullah  termed the breakup of the PDP-BJP alliance was a “well-planned game”.

Taking on social media site twitter Omar shared a clip from the 1977 political satire movie ‘Kissa Kursi Ka’.and wrote The PDP & BJP have been watching Bollywood movies for political strategy. This is how they have crafted their “divorce”. Brilliant fixed match, scripted to perfection except the audience aren’t fools & neither are the rest of us

The former chief minister called for immediate dissolution of the state assembly, saying keeping it in suspended animation encourages ‘dalals’ (brokers).

PDP’ Srinagar District President and MLC Mohammad Khurshid Alam said the reasons that the BJP gave for pulling out of the support from the PDP are worth to hail and that the party feels proud for such reasons.

 

“The reasons are demands made by Mehbooba Mufti for talks with Pakistan and separatists, withdrawal of the cases against the stone pelters, implementation of the ceasefire on ground and measures to be taken for successful dialogue and reconciliation,” Alam said.

 

He stated that since assuming office in the state, Mehbooba Mufti as the chief minister remained in the forefront to ensure in every way that the people of Kashmir are accorded due rights and a dignified living. He added that from protecting the state subject law to punishing the rapists of Kuthua, Mehbooba Mufti remained as a wall to protect people of Kashmir from the insurmountable predicament and the conspiracies being hatched against them far from the state.

 

On the otherhand, asking NC and PDP to show even a single achievement on political or human rights front since 1996, AIP Supremo and MLA Langate Er. Rasheed has said that both the parties have given New Delhi a free hand from time to time to bulldoze the sentiments, rights and aspirations of people of Jammu & Kashmir and it is obvious that they have a silent understanding while compromising everything. Addressing an overcrowded press conference in Srinagar Er. Rasheed  reiterated that no doubt end of collation is victory of people’s resistance but the way BJP took everyone especially PDP by surprise is not less than a slap on the face of regional parties who have been making tall but false claims of fighting for protecting the special status and other interests of state

Whatever be the political rhetoric, the state of Jammu and Kashmir with this development seems to have slided once again backwards and one hopes the situation does not get uglier.

Horror at Home

News Kashmir Exclusive

The monster of domestic violence against women in Kashmir has been constantly growing over the past few decades in entire valley of Kashmir. In past few years, even the Urban Police Stations have registered hundreds of cases of domestic violence showing the grim nature of the issue. Sometime back the Data compiled by the Jammu & Kashmir Police Crime Branch revealed  that in the past two years, it had registered over 4,000 cases of crimes against women.

In a latest unfortunate case it is learnt that Mehnaz Siddiqui came to Kashmir from Karachi, Pakistan, in July 2009 when she married Abdullah Danish Shervani, whom she met on social networking site Orkut. She was 25 at the time. Nine years later, she has publicly alleged that her Kashmiri husband has “assaulted and tortured” her, since right after marriage.

The said case has generated serious debate in Kashmir in both online and real world. On the larger paradigm the issue of domestic violence has remained a serious issue in our part of the world.

The Former President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee presented Nari Shakti Puruskars for the year 2015 at a function held at Rashtrapati Bhavan  (March 8, 2016) on the occasion of International Women’s Day had aptly highlighted the grave nature of this serious issue.

Speaking on the occasion, the former President had said we must remind ourselves most emphatically and as often as we can, that every member of our society male or female has, equally, the right to live in security, peace and dignity. It is intolerable that in this day and age, women are still being exposed to barbaric brutality and violence because they are women. Violence or fear of violence reduces the freedom and development of everyone, particularly our women and children. But more than that, it diminishes our society when it allows such inhuman treatment of its women rather than guarantee their safety, security and equal rights. On this day, let us all, Government, civil society and public at large, pledge to work together for developing relevant legal, administrative and other measures to ensure the safety and security of our mothers and sisters

The expert pulse on the ground is that Women can no longer be driven like cattle; hence they are termed rebellious and responsible for breaking up the family. Women must sacrifice; kill their dignity and ego to save the family, as if men are not part of a family. For patriarchal Muslims women must undertake every obligation, duty and hardship but men should enjoy every right and authority. They stress on shunning such outdated mentality.

Way Ahead

As the number of silent sufferers of  Domestic violence goes up, it becomes increasingly difficult to track the problem. Strengthening  the Women Commission, increasing awareness in women to resist the menace of domestic violence are the some steps to be taken immediately to wipe out the menace of domestic violence.

The authorities need to act soon and book all the culprits responsible for the monstrous crimes like Domestic violence.

News Kashmir Exclusive

With the holy month of Ramadan about to end series of festivals are dawning the most important being the Eid al-Fitr which  is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting (sawm). This religious Eid (Muslim religious festival) is the first and only day in the month of Shawwal during which Muslims are not permitted to fast. The holiday celebrates the conclusion of the 29 or 30 days of dawn-to-sunset fasting during the entire month of Ramadan. The day of Eid, therefore, falls on the first day of the month of Shawwal.

In Kashmir the festivals come in backdrop of pain and violence hit background. At least 114 people, including 53 militants, 34 civilians and 27 security personnel, have lost their lives in militancy-related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir in the first four months of year . A ray of hope  is the Ramzan ceasefire announced by the Indian government on May 16, 2018, comes after a period of heightened armed violence and killings in Kashmir and as a result the death count in the holy month of Ramadan has come down.

 

The realities also call us on to remind the issues of orphans and widows, half-widows.

Due to violence of three decades in Kashmir the number of orphans has risen sharply after the cycles of violence clamed thousands of lives  , mostly young men, many of them fathers.The UK-based NGO Save the Children sometime back  put the number of orphans in Kashmir at 214,000 , 37 percent of whom have been ‘orphaned’ – either directly, due to their parents’ death, or indirectly, through poverty – by the conflict. The orphanages spread across the Kashmir Valley are full of children who still have one parent – mostly mothers – but have been driven by destitution into state-funded homes.

Issues faced by disappeared person families and half widows are also many.

While authorities estimate the missing to number approx 4,000, the Association of Disappeared Persons (APDP) estimates there are actually between 8,000 and 10,000 missing people in the region. The number of publicly announced and reported half-widows in the Kashmir valley is between 2,000 and 2,500..

Nasir  Khuehami

 

, a young journalist states -” The pain hit atmosphere of Kashmir and tragedies urge on all of us to celebrate the festivals no doubt with fervour and zest but maintain utmost austerity. We should contribute our bit to uplift the poor and downtrodden and help the orphans and heal the miseries of half widows. Let us take a pledge on the eve of these sacred festivals to make Kashmir a very best place to live for one and all. We also pray that conflict is resolved so that violence comes to an end. The need of the hour is to defnitely remember those in grief and visit them and also provide solace to victims of violence. “

NEWS KASHMIR EXCLUSIVE

Hydro-electricity or commonly known as the hydropower is the leading source of renewable energy. It provides more than 97% of all electricity generated by renewable sources. The main advantage of hydro systems is elimination of the cost of fuel. Hydropower on a small-scale is in most cases “run-of-river”, with no dam or water storage, and is one of the most cost-effective and environmentally benign energy technologies to be considered both for rural electrification in less developed countries and further hydro developments in developed countries.

In our part of the world, the hydro-electricity potential is quiet rich. Despite about 20,000 MW of the Hydro Electric Power potential of the State, only a small fraction of it has been harnessed so far. J&K State is one of the potential regions for generation of power through Hydro electric rotor, significant river basins of State having large potential of power generations of power include Indus and its tributaries, Jhelum and its tributaries, Chenab and its tributaries; as well as Tawi and other  water resources.

The another grave issue is that Kashmir according to voices has got just peanut share from the power projects as every time the state government  has raised the demand for the return of the power projects from the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation, it has got a snub from the government of India. The successive union power ministers have openly talked against the return of the projects, as agreed upon by ruling the PDP and BJP, in their Agenda of Alliance. Voices have also stated that  the projects undertaken by NHPC have significantly longer project execution period which depresses the equity returns during the construction period. The longer execution period coupled with regulated tariff for all the projects limits the potential upside on equity and  possibly lead to increase in project costs and tariff from these projects. Even top NHPC officials have in the past talked against the idea to give back the projects.

 

Advocate Nazir Malik, while talking toNews Kashmir  stated – “State especially the valley of Kashmir has got peanut share from the power projects generated from its  water resources .Take example of recent Kishengaga project which got Constructed at the cost of Rs 4,000 crore, the project that began in 2009, The HCC constructed this project on behalf of National Hydro Power Corporation. The memorandum of understanding was brazenly violated as the promised development of roads, giving public health care institutes to Bandipora was never implemented and the local populace just got peanuts. On environmental side, one is already aware that HCC has been no less than a catastrophe for the serenity of Bandipore. It is a well-known veracity that HCC diverted the chemically polluted water into the nearby beautiful and important streams of the area thus polluting Madhumati River, which is the main water source for whole Bandipore Township, and adjoining villages and all this has continuously made local population horrified. The lush green forest cover to was vandalized . The compensation that company had to ensure in lieu of this disaster has never been given

The realities call for the government to ensure state gets due share of its power projects .

 

News Kashmir Exclusive

 

The tense situation on India- Pakistan borders is giving much cause to worry as situation on borders and line of control continues to remain grim. Borders and line of control between India and Pakistan have been volatile since long affecting adversely thousands of inhabitants in both the countries . Almost now on daily basis the innocent civilians have to pay heavy price of belligerent attitude of both countries as death count and injuries of civilians are high from both sides. The soldiers also lose their  precious lives due to these violent skirmishes on borders.

Due to continuous border shelling and firing traded by armies of two countries several heartrending incidents have occurred this year alone. On March 18, five members of a family were killed and two others injured when a mortar shell fired from across the LoC by Pakistan army hit a residential house in Balakote sector of Poonch district.  An army  porter was killed on 16 April  in cross-border shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Uri area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district. Khursheed Ahmad (37) son of Mohammad Shareif of Nawa Runda who was working as a porter with army 4 madras unit, received a bullet injury in the neck and some grenade splinters in both legs near Chaukas fired by the Pakistani army.

In the just recent days, Five civilians were killed and nine others injured today in heavy mortar shelling and firing by Pakistani troops at Indian villages and border outposts along the International Border in Jammu, Kathua and Samba districts. For over a week, there has been continuous firing and shelling by Pakistani Rangers along the International Border and Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.

Few months back Chief Miister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti had reminded Pakistan about the promise its former president Pervez Musharraf had made to former prime minister AB Vajpayee to maintain peace along the borders and sought its help in ending the bloodshed in the state.

 

She had also appealed to India to give up confrontation with Pakistan, saying it was the people of the state who were suffering due to the animosity between the two nations.

 

“We have to restart the reconciliation process with Pakistan and you (India) have a bigger role in the process in Jammu and Kashmir,”  Mehbooba Mufti had stated .

Mir Imran, Human Rights Defender, while talking to the News Kashmir  stated – “ The heartrending incidents occurring daily on borders and at line of control resulting in loss of precious human lives should end. Both India and Pakistan should address their burning issues via dialogue and for the sake of innocently civilians on both sides obey the border ceasefire. Escalation, violence and bloodshed will destroy both countries. War is not solution but talks and dialogue is the only way ahead.”

Undoubtedly, the increasing hostility at borders of India and Pakistan is in no way going to benefit anyone but only create havoc .

Farzana Mumtaz

In a big step forward the government of India announcing Ramadan ceasefire on the beginning of this holy  month of fasting the pain hit  people of Kashmir have expressed hope that the move of central government will bring calm, peace and prosperity in region.

 

Pertinently, the central government on Wednesday asked  security  forces not to launch operations in Jammu & Kashmir during the holy month of Ramzan. “The Centre asks Security Forces not to launch operations in Jammu & Kashmir during the holy month of Ramzan. Decision taken to help the peace loving Muslims observes Ramzan in a peaceful environment. HM Shri @rajnathsingh has informed the Chief Minister, J&K of Centre’s decision,” Tweeted Home Ministry of India, however, made it clear security Forces to reserve the right to retaliate if attacked or if essential to protect the lives of innocent people

Majority of the voices in unison are applauding the move and hoping that ugly cycle of bloodshed and violence that has badly impacted Kashmir will come top end.

While applauding the ceasefire move of Centre the PDP senior leader Sartaj Madni has appreciated the move as historic and called on all parties to honour.

While talking to the News Kashmir, he stated -” Holy month of Ramadan is month of blessings and mercy. We hope for constructive progress achieved via this historic annoucement. We have seen enough of bloodshed and destruction and this is welcome breather for all of us. ”

Sartaj Madni hoped that this ceasefire will set a constructive precdence and be a good omen for one and all.

He stated that such steps prove conducive for peace building.

Inam un Nabi, Political analyst while talking to the News Kashmir started – “On Face value the offer of truce and ceasefire looks quite good and will offer some reprieve from bloodshed but we needed to have a far better ground work in order to have more far reaching and positive impacts and effects out of ceasefire, the absence of same Is making many say that this is half hearted and cosmetic measure. We all pray for peace and end to bloodshed but for that to happen effective ground work and series of confidence building measures to address the political issue of Kashmir need to be taken not just token measures.”

On the otherhand, the decision is also seen as an important victory of efforts of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. CM Tweeted “I wholeheartedly welcome the Ramadan ceasefire & would like to thank @narendramodi ji & @rajnathsingh ji for their personal intervention. My gratitude also to the leaders & parties who participated in the All Party Meeting & helped build consensus towards this announcement.”

With fingers crossed all rational voices are hoping that ceasefire holds and becomes harbinger of peace and prosperity in troubled Kashmir valley.