Jammu and Kashmir Archives - Page 7 of 10 - Lokmarg

Seminar Of Shia Muslims In Kargil Hails India

By LokMarg 17th October 2022

A seminar titled “Imam Khomeini the Pivot of the World Unity” was organised by the JK People’s Justice Front of Srinagar at the Syed Mehdi Auditorium, Kargil, which was attended by prominent personalities from Kargil and Kashmir valley.

A variety of audiences took part in the programme from different backgrounds and beliefs. Also, several college and Higher Secondary School students also attended the seminar.
While speaking at the event, Chairman JK People’s Justice Front Aga Syed Abass Rizvi called India as a “mother” and attacked Pakistan for targeted killings in the country.

“India is like a mother where different religions are flourishing together, whereas on the other hand in Pakistan target killing of minorities is common, specifically of Shia Muslims. The Shia community forms only 20 per cent of the total Pakistani population. They are also followers of Islam, but still, the Shia community doesn’t hold the status of equality in the state of Pakistan,” he said.

Chief Coordinator JK People’s Justice Front Syed Mubashir Kazimi also criticised Pakistan for attacks on holy sites saying, “There is no record of blasts in the holy places of minorities in India whereas it is common in Pakistan.”

“Any kind of intoxication is Haram in Islam, but Pakistan makes all-out efforts to push drugs into our society and drugs are ruining the younger generation and we all have to come together and unitedly fight this evil,” said another prominent personality Sheikh Abdullah Jaleeli.

Sheikh Muhammad Hussain Lutfi of Imam Khomeini Memorial Trust Kargil stressed the India-Iran relations saying, “India-Iran relationship has always been strong since time unknown and it should further be strengthened.”

He also said that other diplomats holding charge of religion, culture and education shall visit Kargil and Kashmir valley to further strengthen the Indo-Iranian relationship.

Syed Mohammad Kazim Sabiri, the Chief Guest of the seminar called India is the most trusted friend of Iran.

“India supplied technology to Iran when it was in most need and India had always been a trusted friend to Iran and its masses, so that friendship should be continued and expanded, at any cost,” he said.

Aqleemah Banoo, a religious scholar and a teacher in a local Maktab also addressed the audience and stressed that more opportunities must be made available to the girls to prove to the world that the Shia community is a progressive community, unlike what’s happening in our neighbourhood.

Several other speakers including Syed Tayyeb Rizvi of Anjumane Sahib Zaman, Moulana Zahid Hussain representing Anjumane Sufi Noorbakshia, Sajjad Hussain Kargil, a prominent social activist, and Mohammad Sajjad Khan, a public speaker took part in the programme. (ANI)

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J-K: Civilian Shot Dead By Terrorist In Shopian

By LokMarg 15th October 2022

A civilian succumbed to his injuries after terrorists opened fire at Chowdari Gund in Shopian on Saturday.

The deceased has been identified as Puran Krishan Bhat, a Kashmiri Pandit.
The injured was shifted to the hospital where he was declared dead.

“Terrorists fired upon a civilian (minority) Puran Krishan Bhat while he was on his way to an orchard in Chowdari Gund, Shopian. He was immediately shifted to hospital for treatment where he succumbed,” the Jammu Kashmir police said.

The area has been cordoned off and a search was in progress, the police further said.

Most details are awaited. (ANI)

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J-K: IED Spotted In Bandipora; Bomb Disposal Squad Called

By LokMarg 15th October 2022

Vehicular movement on the Bandipora-Sopore road between Badyara and Kanbathi villages in Jammu and Kashmir’s Bandipora district has been halted after security forces detected an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), officials said on Saturday.

Bomb Disposal Squad has been called in and vehicular movement has been halted as a precautionary measure, they said.
Further details are awaited.

Earlier on October 8, the security forces foiled an attempt by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists as they recovered three Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and sticky bombs from the Billawer area of the Kathua district.

According to the police, the recovery was made on the disclosure of a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorist arrested from Kathua on October 2.

While addressing media persons, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Kathua, RC Kotwal said, “On the tight interrogation and disclosure of arrested former terrorist Zakir Hussain Bhat, resident of Malad Billawer, Kathua has recovered the high explosive as three Sticky Bomb, three detonators, a remote control, and allied material used for explosive which was packed in a bag and hidden in a hideout in Malad area of Billawer.”

Kathua SSP further said that the police have averted a major tragedy that could be happened if such materials were not recovered.

“As the festival season is going and the explosive could be used anywhere,” he said.

He said Zakir was arrested on October 2 from the Billawer area and police had also recovered a sticky bomb and Rs 20000 from his procession.

“After hard interrogation police succeed in higher recovery. Pakistan wants to activate the former terrorists to revive the militancy in a peaceful area,” said the SSP.

He said further interrogation is going on to get disclosure from arrested terrorists. (ANI)

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Under Modi, India More Likely To Respond Militarily: US Intel

We Want Normal Relations With Pakistan, But…: MEA

By LokMarg 14th October 2022

India on Friday said that it favoured normal relations with Pakistan provided the atmosphere should be conducive and free from terrorism.

During a weekly presser, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “We want normal relations with Pakistan, is a statement that we have always said. But it has to be in an atmosphere that is conducive and free from terrorism. I think that part is pretty well-known. I really don’t need to get into details.”
Commenting on a question about Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi slamming Pakistan for speaking on the Kashmir issue at the CICA summit, Bagchi said that her intervention has been made public and he won’t make any further comment on that as India has made its position clear on terrorism emanating from Pakistan.

Yesterday during the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) summit, MoS Lekhi slammed Pakistan and said that Islamabad has misused the platform for propagating its false and malicious propaganda against India and advised the neighbouring country to set its house in order instead of lecturing the global community.

“It is unfortunate that Pakistan has chosen to once again misuse the CICA platform to propagate false and malicious propaganda against my country and distract from the theme and focus of today’s discussions and cooperation among the member states. The union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have been and will remain an integral part of India. Pakistan has no locus standing to comment on India’s internal affairs,” MoS Lekhi said at the CICA Summit in Astana.

“Pakistan’s remarks today constitute gross interference in India’s internal affairs, sovereignty, and territorial integrity which is inconsistent with the CICA declaration on the principles guiding relations between the CICA member states of September 1999,” she added.

Underlining that Pakistan remains the global epicentre of terrorism, Lekhi said it should cease cross-border terrorism against India.

“Pakistan is the global epicentre of terrorism and continues to be the source of terrorist activities including in India. Pakistan continues to make no investment in human development but provides their resources for creating and sustaining the infrastructure of terrorism,” she said.

“Pakistan must immediately cease anti-India cross-border terrorism and shut down its infrastructure of terrorism. It will do well to stop the grave and persistent human rights violations in Pakistan-occupied Jammu, Kashmir & Ladakh (PoJKL); refrain from effecting any further material changes in the status of PoJKL, and vacate the Indian territories that are under its illegal and forcible occupation”, the minister added.

Earlier, while addressing the sixth CICA summit, Pakistan’s PM mentioned Jammu and Kashmir and said that the onus remains on India to take necessary steps to engage towards result-oriented solutions.

The 6th Summit meeting of the Conference of Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) is being held at Astana.

As one of the founding members of CICA, India has supported CICA’s initiatives and participated in various CICA activities.

India has close and friendly ties with Kazakhstan underpinned by cultural and historical linkages. Lekhi’s visit comes at an opportune time as the two countries observe the 30th anniversary of establishing diplomatic ties. The visit will further reinforce the momentum in India’s bilateral relations with countries in the region.

CICA is a multi-national forum for enhancing cooperation toward promoting peace, security, and stability in Asia.

It is a forum based on the recognition that there is a close link between peace, security, and stability in Asia and the rest of the world. (ANI)

4 Kashmiri Athletes Bag Medals At Kalarippayattu C’ship: Kerala

By LokMarg 14th October 2022

Achieving success in national and international level competitions, the youth of Jammu and Kashmir are now showing their talent in the field of sports.

These young athletes have proved that they are second to none if they are given the right training and platform. These young athletes who have stamped their success at national and international levels are now becoming an inspiration for other youngsters.
Four young athletes from central Kashmir’s Budgam district won two silver and two bronze medals in the 14th National Kalarippayattu Championship held in Kerala recently.

The championship was held between October 8-10. Aqib Yusuf, who won a silver medal in this championship, said that he had earlier won gold medals in the state-level championship in Jammu. After this, he was selected for the National Kalaripayattu Championship held in Kerala.

Of the 60 competitors from Jammu and Kashmir who participated in the National Kalaripayattu Championship, only four players won medals, including two silver and two bronze medals.

The medal winners said that they belong to the Budgam district and are getting training from ‘Dynamic Sports Academy.

In the National Kalaripayattu Championship, Danish Ali bagged a silver medal in the 65 kg senior high-kicking category while Javed Ahmed Malik won a bronze medal in the under 70 kg senior category. Arizo Mushtaq won a bronze medal in the 60 kg senior women fighting category. (ANI)

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Pak Misused CICA Must Shut Down Terror Infra: Lekhi

By LokMarg 13th October 2022

In a stern response to Pakistan, India said on Thursday that Islamabad has misused the CICA platform for propagating its false and malicious propaganda against India and advised the neighbouring country to set its house in order instead of lecturing the global community.
“It is unfortunate that Pakistan has chosen to once again misuse the CICA platform to propagate false and malicious propaganda against my country and distract from the theme and focus of today’s discussions and cooperation among the member states. The union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have been and will remain an integral part of India. Pakistan has no locus standing to comment on India’s internal affairs,” Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi said at the CICA Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan.

“Pakistan’s remarks today constitute gross interference in India’s internal affairs, sovereignty and territorial integrity which is inconsistent with the CICA declaration on the principles guiding relations between the CICA member states of September 1999,” she added.

Underlining that Pakistan remains the global epicentre of terrorism, Lekhi said it should cease cross-border terrorism against India.

Lekhi said India desires normal relations with all its neighbours, including Pakistan.

“Pakistan is thereby advised to walk the talk by creating a conducive atmosphere, including by taking credible, verifiable and irreversible actions to not allow any territory under its control to be used for cross-border terrorism against India in any manner,” she said, adding that such measures will enable the two countries to engage and address issues bilaterally rather than distract this important international forum from its agenda of cooperation.

The 6th Summit meeting of the Conference of Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) is being held at Astana.

As one of the founding members of CICA, India has supported CICA’s initiatives and participated in various CICA activities.

On the sidelines of the CICA Summit, the Minister will also have some bilateral meetings with senior dignitaries and ministers from other participating countries, including Kazakhstan.

India has close and friendly ties with Kazakhstan underpinned by cultural and historical linkages. Lekhi’s visit comes at an opportune time as two countries observe the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties. The visit will further reinforce the momentum in India’s bilateral relations with countries in the region.

CICA is a multi-national forum for enhancing cooperation towards promoting peace, security and stability in Asia.

It is a forum based on the recognition that there is a close link between peace, security and stability in Asia and the rest of the world.

The member states, while affirming their commitment to the UN Charter, believe that peace and security in Asia can be achieved through dialogue and cooperation leading to a common indivisible area of security in Asia where all states co-exist peacefully and their peoples live in peace, freedom and prosperity.

With 27 member states and about half the world’s population, CICA is the largest regional intergovernmental forum in Asia for enhancing cooperation towards promoting, peace, security and stability in Asia. (ANI)

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India Slams Pak’s Remarks On Kashmir At UNGA Vote On Russia

By LokMarg 13th October 2022

India on Wednesday gave a befitting response to Pakistan after it raked up the Kashmir issue during the United Nations General Assembly debate on Russia.

In his explanation of the vote at the UNGA concerning the Russia-Ukraine war, Pakistani diplomat Munir Akram brought up the issue of Kashmir, in an attempt to draw parallels between the two situations.
In a strongly worded response, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj said, “We have witnessed, unsurprisingly, yet again, an attempt by one delegation to misuse this forum and make frivolous and pointless remarks against my country.”

The Indian diplomat said such a statement deserves collective contempt from a mindset that repeatedly utters falsehoods.

To set the record straight, Kamboj said, “entire territory of Jammu and Kashmir is and will always be an integral part of India… We call on Pakistan to stop cross-border terrorism so our citizens can enjoy their right to life and liberty.”

Earlier, the UNGA adopted a resolution condemning the Russian annexation of the four Ukrainian regions. 143 members voted in favor of the resolution while five voted against it. A total of 35 countries abstained from the resolution, including India.

After abstaining on the UNGA resolution condemning Russia, India on Wednesday expressed deep concern at the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine, including the targeting of civilian infrastructure and deaths of civilians.

The latest resolution, which comes after Russia vetoed a similar proposal in Security Council, condemns Russia’s “attempted illegal annexations” of the four Ukrainian regions following “so-called referendums”.

Delivering her explanation of the vote before the member states, ambassador Kamboj said India has consistently advocated that no solution can be reached at human cost and escalation of hostilities is in no one’s interest.

“We have urged that all efforts be made for an immediate cessation of hostilities and an urgent return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy,” she said. (ANI)

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Path To Peace, Reconciliation Lies In Reclaiming Kashmir’s Cosmopolitan Histories

By LokMarg 11th October 2022

There is a knowledge vacuum regarding the connected histories of Kashmir since the 2000 years of its formative history. There has been systematic academic neglect which gave rise to a host of misconceptions and misrepresentations due to the rush towards separatist politics, said a press release.

There has been a deliberate silence on Kashmir’s historical identity to suit the separatist political agendas across the globe. This systematic erasure of Kashmir’s history from living local memory is the root of the disinformation and conflict in the valley and has led to the irreparable loss of life, generational trauma, and grief, as per the press release.
According to historian and Associate Professor Dr. Shonaleeka Kaul’s seminal work ‘The Making of Early Kashmir: Landscape and identity in the Rajtarangini’, Kashmir emerged in a network of shaped interactions with the Indic subcontinent or supra region, not in isolation or insularity, as per the statement.

She maps out detailed connections and centrality of Kashmir to the imagination, participation, and subscription to all pan-Indian beliefs and practices before the closed, exclusionist character of separatist politics denied it in service of conflict, resulting in the disintegrating of both Muslim and Pandit communities. This deracination (uprooting of one from their natural geographical, social, and cultural environment) was done by propping up a fundamentalist narrative and agenda to develop a false narrative that Kashmir was hermetically sealed off from India.

In a five-part series in The New Indian Express, Dr. Kaul goes on to systematically prove that Kashmir was open, cosmopolitan, and Indic in her genesis and epitomized the Indic for two millennia. She uses not only historical geography, archaeology, linguistics, and belief systems to prove her thesis but also testimonies of ancient and medieval observers outside of Kashmir, the evolution of the Kashmiri script, matrimonial alliances with various kingdoms of India, art, philosophy, and migration patterns across the two pan-Indic routes of trade and communication, namely the Uttarapath from Peshawar to Bengal and the Dakshinapath from Bihar to peninsular and coastal India.

The identity of a community or region forms organically over a long duration with a network of shaped interactions with other regions or a supra region as mentioned above. Hence Kashmir could not have developed a unique and insular one, considering how it was part of the pan-Indian political formations and a part of trans-regional Indic kingdoms.

If we are to redress this knowledge vacuum, the fallacies regarding Kashmir’s social and cultural interconnectedness must be distanced from the exclusionist and separatist status that has been pushed forward to service conflict by vested interests, not just domestically but internationally too. Yes, Kashmir does display a distinct regional self-awareness from the accounts that have come down to us, emphasising Kashmir’s overarching adherence to all Indian beliefs and practices; proving yet again that there was no conflict between the local and pan-Indic affiliations and Kashmir was always crucial to the subcontinent’s affairs.

If anyone is looking for a path to peace and reconciliation, it can only lie in reclaiming Kashmir’s plural, open and cosmopolitan histories, and the acceptance that its genesis was Indic in nature. Then only can people heal through reversing the epistemic violence done to them by taking pride in their history and cultural, social, and political connectedness to the subcontinent.

Epistemic violence is the consequence of epistemic injustice (the injustice of dismissing the knowledge of Kashmir’s connected past with the subcontinent and diminishing the validation of evidence proving these shared histories), in Kashmir’s case, the global anti-India machinery and the ‘Atlantic Gang’ has constantly pushed this epistemic injustice with well-funded disinformation and conflict toolkits. The marginalization of the voices from the minority Pandit community as well as the victims of terrorists from the majority Muslim community is proof of this epistemic violence.

Foreign powers, and their allies in keeping a region down geopolitically, through means of conflict, and anarchic narratives which disrupt the social fabric of a subcontinent that has developed cohesion over centuries, despite repeated invasions, plunder, and eventual partitioning of two separate countries, cannot be allowed to manipulate the internal workings of a population that has chosen violence to redress their traditional political grievances by ethnically cleansing a community. There is no ethical, moral, or political basis for the regressive aspirations of a separate homeland only on the basis of religion. (ANI)

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Vanquishing Difficulties Women In Kashmir Now Follow Dreams

By LokMarg 11th October 2022

Women in Jammu and Kashmir strive and proved their mettle as they continue to thrive to establish their identity by overcoming every possible obstacle as they follow their dreams.

One such passionate and dedicated woman is a lawyer-turned-entrepreneur Malika Shah, who founded her own natural skincare and beauty startup MaSha in Kashmir, the Research Centre Global Order reported.
The MaSha founder narrates her journey from being a “very academically oriented” lawyer to a businesswoman, where she has recreated the traditional recipes of her grandmother and heirloom.

As per the Research Centre Global Order, Shah faced various challenges while establishing herself, including the internet shutdowns, lack of knowledge to run a business (during her initial days) and funding, and limited resources but she eventually turned into what she wanted as her family extended her support at every step.

“My family has always been supportive of it, they don’t really ask me to do this or that, they let me do whatever I think is right and I really feel that if I want to get back to the law, I can do that it’s just that this is something that I have found was interesting because I am creative and I thought this gave me an opportunity to create things,” Global Order quoted Malika Shah as saying as she doesn’t feel the ‘drift in her career as a change of profession.

Masha, a natural skincare and beauty company that was established out of a hobby has now developed into a brand, which works closely with local farmers to procure the required ingredients and does not involve middlemen.

It further generates employment as it hires local Kashmiri women for the procurement production and logistic process.

Emphasizing everyone to follow their passion, the founder of the skincare brand in Kashmir further expressed before the Research centre that one should not just be academically oriented but should also be intellectual and passionate. (ANI)

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8,820 Fruit-Laden Trucks Allowed Passage On Srinagar-Jammu Highway

By LokMarg 10th October 2022

Over 10,000 heavy motor vehicles including 8820 fruit-laden trucks have been released through Navyug and Jawahar Tunnels during the past 24 hours.

“Over 10000 HMVs including 8820 fruit-laden trucks released through Navyug and Jawahar Tunnels during the past 24 hours. Chief Secretary compliments all functionaries and asks them to keep up the momentum”, Jammu and Kashmir Information Department said in a tweet.
For the first time after three decades, a Union Minister went to Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir to hold a rally.

On October 5, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a rally in Baramulla. Sources said Shah’s rally got a phenomenal response from the people of the district.

As per the sources present in the rally, the highest cheering was witnessed when the Home Minister spoke about the availability of free gas cylinders for women. It is also reported that in the hilly areas of the Union Territory, women registered to get the Ujjwala scheme benefit and got two cylinders instead of one.

“The development of Jammu and Kashmir is the prime agenda of the PM Modi government at the Centre. BJP does not wish to ally with any of the regional players in J-K,” a top BJP source told ANI.

Another source told ANI that, “the briefing given to the security agencies in the region is to ensure complete wipe out of terrorism and its supporters.”

The changing face of Jammu and Kashmir was evident because crowds turned up in huge numbers and it was a responsive gathering.

The Home Minister launched and laid the foundation stones of projects worth Rs 2000 crore in Kashmir and Rs 1900 crore in the Jammu region.

Shah sent a clear message that J-K is a priority for the Centre and leaders of three political parties, who ruled J-K for 70 years, can no longer dictate terms to New Delhi, nor can they hoodwink the gullible people of J-K as the times have changed.

He termed the turning of Kashmir from a “terrorist spot” into a “tourist spot” as one of the major achievements of the PM Modi-led regime and assured the people that J&K will keep on flourishing under PM Modi’s leadership.

The Union Home Minister had come to Jammu and Kashmir to tell the people that the government is aware of their needs and stands by them in all their endeavors.

His assertion that laptops have replaced stones and strike culture has ended in Kashmir was a snub to all such leaders, who used to claim that Kashmir would burn once Article 370–a temporary provision in the Constitution–is scrapped.

Shah reaching out to all the communities was an indication that the Government of India believes in equality for all and that no one will be left out. (ANI)

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