Tag: Jammu and Kashmir

Abrogation that led to integration
17Aug By Stuart WhiteNo Comments
Opinion

Abrogation that led to integration

It’s officially been a year since the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) was stripped of its special status and bifurcated into two union territories. The abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A on August 5, 2019 was one of the most talked about legislations of the 21st century across the globe, with every big player in the global state of affairs expressing concerns about the emerging situation in J&K, post abrogation.The move was highlighted by every big media house in the world. Reporters and media houses were trying to get information from the ground in J&K, but the information blockade controlled the outflow of information from the region.The media blackout, which was considered as a violation of human rights including the right to information, basically acted as a damp
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How erstwhile J&K discriminated between Muslims, non-Muslims
17Aug By Stuart WhiteNo Comments
Opinion

How erstwhile J&K discriminated between Muslims, non-Muslims

In the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Hindu and Sikh refugees arriving in the valley from Pakistan during India-Pakistan partition were always considered outsiders and were not given the status of "Permanent Residents" under the J&K state legislature. However, the same legislature enabled the Muslims to return from Pakistan and become permanent residents.Enabling Muslims and disabling non-Muslims can thus be a correct summing up of the intent of successive state governments. Under these laws, contained in Part III (Sections 6 to 10) of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir Constitution, there were provisions enabling Muslims to return from Pakistan and obtain the status of being a permanent resident (PR).It can be said that the definitions of PRs were meant to welcome those Muslims wh...
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Those who lived in J&K but were never considered citizens
17Aug By Stuart WhiteNo Comments
Opinion

Those who lived in J&K but were never considered citizens

Hindu and Sikh refugees living near India-Pakistan borders, better known as West Pakistan Refugees (WPRs) left their homes in Pakistan decades back during the 1947 partition. However, the word Pakistan never stopped chasing them.Generally, domicile is understood as the status of being a lawful permanent resident in a particular jurisdiction. A person can remain domiciled in a jurisdiction even after he has left it, if he maintains sufficient links with it. Now, apply this definition to Hindu and Sikh refugees who crossed over into areas in Jammu from adjacent areas of Sialkot and other areas which became Pakistan.These refugees had entered Jammu, which became a part of India, in 1947. They didn't maintain any links whatsoever with Pakistan, from where they had barely escaped. They thus los...
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22-Year-Old Kashmiri Man develops low-cost Ventilator out of waste
15Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

22-Year-Old Kashmiri Man develops low-cost Ventilator out of waste

Waseem Ahmad Nadaf, popularly known as 'Unique Waseem' has developed a small-sized ventilator from scrap which he says will prove handy in providing life support to the poor and underprivileged in times of crisisWith 32 innovations under his belt already, Nadaf, 22, said that he was mulling over developing a device to battle the coronavirus pandemic since its outbreak."Ever since the coronavirus pandemic broke out, I was thinking of developing something like this. Solutions can come from anywhere but the most important thing is that you have to be efficient and cost-effective, because poor people living in the slums cannot afford conventional ventilators. So, I collected scrap available at home, observed it and utilized it into developing this model, which can be used as a prototype and la...
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Re-construction of battered wooden footbridge in J&K’s Baramulla all set to complete
15Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

Re-construction of battered wooden footbridge in J&K’s Baramulla all set to complete

Jammu and Kashmir’s status change into a Union Territory has proved to be a game changer with many development projects, which were nowhere near completion for years, being finished within months.One of the projects is an extremely important footbridge connecting Old Town and New Town in the Baramulla district of North Kashmir. "Earlier the footbridge connecting Old Town and New Town was made of wood and was in very bad shape. With Jammu and Kashmir getting UT status, the work to construct a proper bridge commenced and now is going to be completed," said Abid Salaam, Corporator of Municipal Council Baramulla.In 2014, the wooden footbridge --- lifeline of the residents of the Old Town --- was damaged due to the floods. People used to travel across by boats as most of the big business establ
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Three terrorist associates arrested in J-K’s Bandipora
15Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

Three terrorist associates arrested in J-K’s Bandipora

In Jammu and Kashmir’s Bandipora, three terrorist associates have been arrested and incriminating material has been seized from their possession, Bandipora Police said on July 29.Identified as Abrar Gulzar, Mohammad Waqar and Muneer Ahmad Sheikh, the trio are residents of Bandipora, Chittay Banday and Quil Muqam Bandipora respectively, police said in a press statement.The three were arrested under various sections of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and 7/27 IA act.According to police, the trio was involved in various subversive activities besides providing logistic support and assistance to terrorist operating in district Bandipora."Incriminating material has been recovered from the possession of the accused persons and further investigation of the case is going on," the police said.
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LED Street lights installed in Srinagar under ‘Smart Cities’ mission
12Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

LED Street lights installed in Srinagar under ‘Smart Cities’ mission

Taking advantage of the COVID-19 induced lockdown, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has taken the initiative to install LED street lights in Srinagar under the Smart Cities mission.Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, District Magistrate, Srinagar said the work of installing LED street lights were done for the last five to six months. "The work to install LED street lights was going on in the city for the last five to six months. The old and dysfunctional lights in the market areas across the city were removed and new LED lights have been installed," said Choudhary.Prior to the project completion, locals and business community were facing issues during late hours in the markets. After the installation of the LED lights, locals have now demanded that these lights should be installed in their loca...
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A year after Article 370, Kashmir valley voter turnout a big number to watch
12Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia, Opinion

A year after Article 370, Kashmir valley voter turnout a big number to watch

Last year, on August 5, the Narendra Modi government in the Center effectively revoked Article 370 that conferred special status on Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and bifurcated the state into two Union territories – Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.Now, a year has passed and still there is little convergence of views on the move. While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continues to assert that the decision was in the interest of Kashmir and the nation at large, mainstream political actors in Kashmir continue to oppose it.In an opinion piece, former chief minister Omar Abdullah wrote that unless the central government restores statehood to J&K, he will not participate in elections.In making this threat, Abdullah is raising a metric which has often been seen as the most important measure of de
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Success story: There is a reduction in terrorist recruits after Article 370 abrogation
11Aug By Stuart WhiteNo Comments
Opinion

Success story: There is a reduction in terrorist recruits after Article 370 abrogation

Shopian district in South Kashmir has been home to a number of terrorists over the years and Tariq Mohand, a carpenter from village Heff in Shopian district was one of the victims of the terrorists who abducted him the evening of July 8, 2018, tortured through the night and killed him.His body was recovered from a nearby village next morning.Tariq was the cousin of a terrorist named Bilal Mohand who was killed in an encounter in May 2018. He was buried in a normal graveyard in his village. Villagers had huge resentment against the gruesome act and the terrorists were condemned unequivocally.Two days after killing him, the terrorists labelled Tariq as a “martyr”. His body was exhumed four days after the murder and buried in the “martyrs’ graveyard” of the village. His family, including his
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Separatist leaders signed ‘good behaviour bond’ before release from detention: J&K Police Chief
11Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

Separatist leaders signed ‘good behaviour bond’ before release from detention: J&K Police Chief

Around 504 separatist leaders, who had been detained in light of the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, were released after they signed a 'good behaviour' bond, Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Police chief Dilbag Singh said.He said that out of 350 separatists who were sent to jail, only 50-60 are still behind bars even as others were released."A total of 504 separatist leaders belonging to Hurriyat Conference and Jamaat-e-Islami (JK) and others have been released so far after they signed good behaviour bond," Singh said.Over 5,500 youth were detained by the security forces on August 5, 2019, after the abrogation of Article 370, but were let off after few days of counselling. “Cases were filed against 1200 for indulging in violent acts,” Singh said."We will review the cases of other 50-60 peopl
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