Tag: Jammu and Kashmir

Gilgit-Baltistan will grow if it physically integrates with Ladakh: Senge Sering
31Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments

Gilgit-Baltistan will grow if it physically integrates with Ladakh: Senge Sering

The region under Pakistani occupation will grow significantly if it gets integrated with Union Territory of Ladakh, according to a political activist from Gilgit Baltistan, Senge H. Sering.“We firmly believe that we were the part of Jammu and Kashmir. In 1947, Maharaja (Hari Singh) was our legal heir, the whole region (of Jammu & Kashmir) belonged to him and he acceded to India following a legal path and it was not some kind of abrupt or arbitrary decision as it was all done as per the British law”, said Senge, director of the Washington-based Institute of Gilgit Baltistan Studies.“Till August 5 (2019), we were an integral part of Jammu & Kashmir but after the amendment was done in Article 370 and the state was bifurcated into two union territories, so, now we are the part of Ladak
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India must balance soft-power, hard-power to deal with China: GKPD
28Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments

India must balance soft-power, hard-power to deal with China: GKPD

To deal with China’s expansionist policies, the Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora (GKPD) has suggested that India should use a balanced combination of soft power and hard power.The virtual panel discussion titled — ‘Kashmir Today: Geopolitical, International and National Aspects’ — discussed the state of the exiled Kashmiri Hindu, Sikh and Tibetan Buddhist communities and the geopolitical dimensions of the human problem in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.Rajiv Malhotra, one of the panelists of the discussion and a renowned Indian-born American, urged India to balance the use of soft power by exercising hard-power, especially in the case of China.“India’s attempts to use soft-power must be balanced by the exercise of hard-power. This needs to be done especially in the case of China, whose record ov
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Social media outburst against former Malaysian PM Mahathir for targeting Kashmir
28Aug By Nectar GanNo Comments

Social media outburst against former Malaysian PM Mahathir for targeting Kashmir

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad faced heat on Twitter after he raised the issue of Kashmir in one of his tweets."Now that I am no more the Prime Minister, I take it that I can now speak without restrain and address the Kashmir issue without threats of boycotts and such. At Kashmir's one year lockdown since 5th August,” he said in a tweet.On his comments, Twitterati lashed out at him for not speaking about human rights violations against Uyghur Muslims. They also accused him of not raising global concerns over Pakistan sponsored terrorism and human rights violations in Balochistan, Singh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.Shoaib Wani said, "Now I can speak freely! if you really mean what you say, can you raise your voice against Uyghur Muslims in China? CCP suppressing our fellow Musli
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New China-Pakistan relationship undermines U.S. in Afghanistan
28Aug By Grace TsoiNo Comments

New China-Pakistan relationship undermines U.S. in Afghanistan

In an attempt to secure Beijing's influence in Afghanistan, China and Pakistan have begun an unprecedented intelligence-sharing arrangement, designed to help China exploit its economic investments in Afghanistan while also stifling outcry over its persecution of the Uighur population near China's western border with Afghanistan and Pakistan.The timing of the new relationship has become disturbing as President Donald Trump decides to pull out U.S. forces from Afghanistan. Now, American intelligence officials, who believe China will capitalize on ongoing problems in the administration's effort to secure a peace deal with the Taliban, says that Beijing will further expand its influence into other contested parts of the region."The reality is now dawning within the intelligence community," say...
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Why India revoked Kashmir’s special status one-year ago
28Aug By Stuart WhiteNo Comments

Why India revoked Kashmir’s special status one-year ago

A year ago, on August 5, Indian President Ram Nath Kovind revoked Article 370 of the Indian constitution which protected Kashmir’s special status and in order to dissuade protests, Indian security forces imposed a curfew on Kashmir.Both Pakistan and many human rights groups reacted with outrage. Electronic billboards in Islamabad ticked off the days, hours, and minutes since India had imposed a curfew, never mind the hypocrisy of Pakistan as it did the same to Gilgit-Baltistan. Meanwhile, human rights groups’ consistent refusal to recognize that an end to terrorism is a precursor to rights improvement blunted their moral authority.Prior to India’s decision to change Kashmir’s status, Pakistan-based terrorists regularly crossed into Kashmir and India, more broadly, to attack both security a
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Construction of roads under development scheme in full swing in J&K’s Baramulla
26Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments

Construction of roads under development scheme in full swing in J&K’s Baramulla

After a brief halt due to the coronavirus induced lockdown, construction of roads in Jammu and Kashmir’s (J&K) is back on track.Under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) – launched by the Indian government to provide good all-weather road connectivity to unconnected villages across the nation – the government has approved up-gradation of the 5.25-kilometre road from NH1A 46th Delina to Singhpora in Baramulla at the cost of Rs 443.65 lakhs.Local residents were facing many problems due to the bad condition of this road. Many of them now feel that various developmental works have started and going on at a great pace after Jammu and Kashmir became a Union territory in 2019 after the government abrogated Article 370."We were waiting for the construction of the road in our area for
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How abrogation of Article 370 reduced stone-pelting in Kashmir
24Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments

How abrogation of Article 370 reduced stone-pelting in Kashmir

After the abrogation of Article 370 last year and the bifurcation of the Jammu and Kashmir state into two Union Territories, peace has finally returned to the valley and life is getting back to as one normally knows it.Sitting peacefully and looking at the dark blue sky, Mohammed Yousuf says all the protests and stone-pelting incidents that we used to see every day no longer takes place after the nullification of Article 370 in August last year.The youth here has become prudent. The game that few people played with the youth of Kashmir has stopped. Today’s youth is focused on their studies.Stone pelting refers to assault by throwing stones, by a section of Kashmiri youth on security forces, deployed for crowd control. The deadly attacks had become a routine form of protest in the streets o
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Visitors flock to J&K’s Bangus Valley to beat COVID blues
23Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments

Visitors flock to J&K’s Bangus Valley to beat COVID blues

Jammu and Kashmir’s Bangus valley has become the favourite getaway for people who have been feeling down being under lockdown for months due to surging coronavirus cases in the country.Surrounded by Shamsbery ranges and Leepa valley, Bangus valley is a unique ecological combination comprising a mountain biome, which includes grassland biome with flora at lower altitudes and coniferous forests."Since the lockdown, this place has seen a rush in visitors. People don't want to be in the city because the number of COVID-19 cases is rising and it is far away from nature. Here, the air is fresh and cool, the water is sweet and we are free of the Coronavirus," Hafiz Manzoor, a frequent traveller to Bangus Valley said.The valley, often known as the hidden paradise amongst locals, lies at an altitud
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Abrogating Article 370 empowered Kashmiris: Member of European Parliament
22Aug By Grace TsoiNo Comments

Abrogating Article 370 empowered Kashmiris: Member of European Parliament

A Member of European Parliament (MEP), who visited Kashmir last year, said that revocation of Article 370, under which Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) enjoyed a special status, has empowered Kashmiris in multiple ways and has initiated a process of “healing and homecoming”.Maxette Pirbakas, sharing her experience about closely witnessing and monitoring Kashmir since after August 5, 2019, said, “It (revocation of Article 370) has lifted the artificial barrier that has dwelled in the minds of two generations of Kashmiris on the absence of their links to India and initiated a process of healing and homecoming.”Maxette was among a group of Members of European Parliament who visited Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 and interacted with the local people.“The precious hours which I spent in
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Article 370 abrogation is brightest light of hope for PoK, Gilgit Baltistan: Activist
22Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments

Article 370 abrogation is brightest light of hope for PoK, Gilgit Baltistan: Activist

The revocation of Article 370 offered the brightest light of hope for people in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Gilgit Baltistan ever since the occupation of their land by the Pakistani military in 1947, said Dr Amjad Ayub Mirza, a political activist hailing from POK region.“It has broken the chain of violence which started on October 22, 1947 and continued right up to 2019. Cross border infiltration, violence against Kashmiri Pandits, target killings, drug smuggling under the guise of independence movement all came to an abrupt halt on August 5, 2019 with the abrogation of Article 370,” activist Mirza said.He believes that there is a significant decline in violence across the Valley, no protests on July 13 which was falsely hailed as a Kashmir Martyrs Day, the pending bloodshed that P
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