Kashmiris brave unusually harsh winter Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar

Kashmiris brave unusually harsh winter
Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar

January 15, 2011 01:03 IST

Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar

In contrast to past many years, the Kashmir Valley has been in the throes of a severe winter this season.

While local Kashmiris are busy working out ways and means to brave the harsh winter with night temperatures falling to minus 6.6 degrees Celsius in Srinagar city and minus 9.0 degrees in the foothill villages of north and south Kashmir areas, scientists are engaged in a hot debate about the real causes for the present harsh winter in the region.

Scientists attribute the present harsh winter conditions to many global phenomena.

The current phase of severe cold is not unique to Kashmir. The protagonists of anthropogenically-induced (caused by humans) global warming/climate change would, as usual, like to describe the current phase of severe cold to high carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere. Scientific facts are, however, different.

"First, it is winter in the northern hemisphere and then the equatorial Pacific Ocean is in La Nina phase. It is the latter that has given an extra bite to usual winter chill this season. La Nina is a coupled ocean-atmosphere weather phenomenon that causes greater upwelling of deeper, cold waters along eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean," explains eminent geologist Dr M I Bhat.

The upwelling of cold waters reduces sea surface temperatures (usually by 3-5 degrees Celsius), which, in turn, affect global temperatures.

"La Nina is opposite of El Nino. During El Nino phase -- as was the case during 2009-2010 when we had a rather warm winter in Kashmir -- sea surface temperatures in equatorial Pacific rise above normal, resulting in higher than normal global temperatures. Most computer models predict La Nina to last until Spring; a few predict, it could extend until summer," he added.


While it remains a subject of scientific interpretation by the academicians and research scholars as to what causes the present severe winter conditions here, locals are busy trying all the traditional grandmother recipes out in the Valley to keep body and soul together as the temperature dropped to a bone chilling minus 6.6 degrees Celsius recently.

One of the most favoured of these recipes is the Shabdeg (duck cooked with turnips over the simmering fire in a sealed earthen vessel for the entire night).

"The cooking of the Shabdeg has been a tradition, which imparted cohesion and commonality to the extended family system of Kashmir," says Abdul Quyoom.

Besides the Shabdeg, smoked fish dish called 'Fary Gad' and dried fish dish called 'Hukh Gad' have also been traditionally used by the locals during the winter months to provide additional calories needed in the chilly weather that continues in the Valley from middle of December to the end of February each year.

Vegetables would be collected and dried during the plentiful summer months and preserved to support the families during the winter months when all road links between the Valley and the rest of the World would usually snap down.

Markets are, these days, flooded with dried vegetables and smoked fish for those who have not heeded the grandmother's advice to prepare for the harsh winters.

"Another high calorie dish, which is famous here is the 'Harisa'. It consists of minced and beaten mutton that is mixed with some cooked rice and spices in a huge vessel, which is constantly stirred and kept on simmering flame for the night," says Mohammad Afzal, a schoolteacher.

"The Harisa is eaten early in the morning during with the local Tandoori bread in winter to provide additional calories to the locals for the chilly winter days," he adds.

Meanwhile, fresh snowfall lashed Kashmir again on Friday closing the Valley's only road link with rest of the country.

A white blanket of snow covered the Valley on Friday evening as snowfall intensified.

Playing nationalism to public gallery

Playing nationalism to public gallery

Updated on Sunday, January 30, 2011, 16:50

http://www.zeenews.com/blog/66/blog487.html

In a meek surrender to separatists, Omar Abdullah-led Jammu and Kashmir government succeeded in foiling BJP’s effort to hoist the Tricolour at Lal Chowk on Republic Day 2011.

It was for the second consecutive time in the last two decades, the Jammu and Kashmir government broke a convention trying to unfurl the national flag at Lal Chowk.

In 1991-92 then BJP president Murli Manohar Joshi took out the Rastriya Ekta Yatra from Kanyakumari to Srinagar. Breaking the separatist writ, he hoisted the Tricolour on January 26, 1992 for the first time ever at Lal Chowk amidst rocket attacks by militants. Remember, the flag hosting ceremony lasted precisely 13 minutes, surrounded by 80 yatri s and conducted under the chill gaze of an estimated 1000 security men. It was Narasimha Rao-led Congress government at the Centre that provided security for the historic flag hosting ceremony during the height of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir. Since then, the security forces had been hoisting the national flag on Republic Day and Independence Day at the clock tower till 2009.

Much has changed. Last year, the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre was a mute spectator to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s move to suspend the unfurling of Tricolour by security forces at Lal Chowk. This time the Congress-led Union government went a step ahead and threw its weight behind Omar Abdullah government in foiling BJP’s proposed program to hoist the Tricolour at Lal Chowk.

BJP’s march to unfurl the Tricolour at Lal Chowk was part of its Rashtriya Ekta Yatra launched by party’s youth wing Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM). It was a sequel of the same yatra undertaken by Murli Manohar Joshi in 1991-92. This time Anurag Thakur, the president of BJYM, was spearheading the second edition of the Ekta Yatra.

“Kashmir belongs to India and the whole India belongs to Kashmiris. The pain of Kashmir is the pain of India. We need to feel it,” Anurag said in an exclusive chat with this writer in New Delhi before he left for Kolkata to kick start the Ekta Yatra.

But what prompted the saffron party to replay the Ekta Yatra amidst opposition demand for JPC on 2G scam. Perhaps the present row over Kashmir is the best answer for this. The yatra was launched at a time when anti-national forces are openly endorsing the idea of disintegrating Kashmir from the rest of India. The likes of Arundhati Roy and Syed Ali Geelani continue to make seditious speeches on Kashmir and thoroughly use the right to freedom of expression against the country. And when the secessionists make merry, the Congress-led UPA government is napping. At that point in time BJYM’s Rastriya Ekta Yatra and its proposed flag hoisting program at Lal Chowk was indeed a challenge to the separatist forces.

Rastriya Ekta Yatra-II was flagged off on National Youth Day in Kolkata, the birthplace of legendry Syama Prasad Mookerjee. The two-week long yatra covered 3037 kilometres and traversed through nine states. It was peaceful from the beginning to the end. The yatra was supposed to culminate at Mookherjee’s martyr place Srinagar where BJYM had plans to hoist Tricolour at Lal Chowk. But the yatris were stopped on their way to Srinagar at Punjab-Jammu boarder of Lakhanpur and arrested under Section 144 of IPC by J&K Police for defying the “prohibitory orders” imposed by the state government. The result: Flag was not hoisted at Lal Chowk this year keeping with the writ of the separatists.

It would however be unfair not to see the context. J&K has been passing through a very tumultuous time recently. Looking at the present situation, the flip side of the argument is that would it be correct to rock the J&K boat? Those who believe in that line argue that BJP’s programme could have an adverse impact on the peace of the Valley which has seen an upsurge in violence recently.

Having stated that, we must also remember that last year separatists had flown the Pakistani flag atop Lal Chowk. The Omar Abdullah government was a silent observer to those anti-national crescendos. The state government also preferred to remain mum when Tricolour was burnt in full public display on a number of occasions.

Rashtriya Ekta Yatra has brought the other side of the Kashmir story to the limelight. There is no denial that Kashmir problem is the result of historic blunder committed during the early days of post independence era.

Those in know of political history of Kashmir must be aware of the fact that Kashmir was never under direct British rule. It was a princely state which acceded to India by virtue of a constitutional document called ‘Instrument of Accession’ under the Indian Independence Act, 1947.

Maharaja Hari Singh, then supreme ruler of Jammu and Kashmir signed the Instrument of Succession on October 26, 1947. Though the format of the Instrument of Accession applied to Jammu and Kashmir was the same as was executed for other princely states, then interim Indian government led by Jawaharlal Nehru agreed that ‘final decision’ with regard to the accession would be taken by the Constituent Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir and in the intervening period ‘a temporary provision’ was made in the Constitution of India.

BJP was possibly the first party to voice the national perspective on Kashmir. it. The party is a descendant of erstwhile Bharatiya Jana Sangh founded by Syama Prasad Mookerjee. It was Mookerjee who scripted an uprising with his famous slogan on Kashmir-- Ek desh mein do Pradhan, do Vidhan, do Nishan nahi chalegi, nahi chalegi (The country will never accept a system which allows two Prime Ministers, two Constitutions and two National flags). He went to Kashmir as an Indian citizen but was arrested and jailed in a dilapidated house. He died while in custody.

But when BJP was in power, did the party really remember the sacrifice of Mookerjee from whom it takes inspiration from? Do not forget, it was BJP which backtracked on its ‘commitment’ to abolish the Article 370 with an excuse of ‘compulsion of coalition politics’.

Now, out of power the saffron party sees the need to pick up the issue of abrogation of Article 370.Perhaps of late, the saffron party has realised its mistake of not going with the majority sentiments of Jammu and Kashmir after reeling under two successive Lok Sabha poll defeats. But is BJP really committed to its demand on Article 370?

BJYM’s Rashtriya Ekta Yatra has no doubt made it to the headlines. But will it be able to contribute in real terms to bringing peace, wiping out the tears of the hundreds of thousands voiceless of the Valley or promoting national integration?
(The views expressed by the author in the blog are his/her own)


india`s majority community has to act soon as possible or else india will lose kashmir to pakistan as half of the kashmir has already been lost. india`s majority community (hindus) are not violent unless they are forced to be so, for example, burning the people alive in train in godhra can make any hindu angry, and as a matter of fact, over this kind of matter any community should feel angry, the only people who dont feel angry are cowards who like to put a sticker of gandhism on their forehead, but they forget that tomorrow it might be their turn to be burnt alive). nobody talks about the people who died there in the burning train. india`s youth has to act now. india has been always polite to the minority community since times immemorial, but does being polite means giving up your rights? does it mean letting someone else take over your land and resources? it does not, being polite to minority community simply means live and let live. what troubles me most is why our muslim brothers never showed any anger about the flag hoisting issue in kashmir, why they never said go ahead, let the indian flag honor the land. i never hated muslim, i dont hate muslims, but please my muslim brothers, just help me not hate you. you are also humans, you have family, wife, sister, children. you live in india, then why support these congress who did so many scams and willing to support the political party in kashmir who wants pakistan to take over kashmir. why???? and please keep in mind, i might sound like i am pleading for peace, and i might be. but i wont pleade for my life, it will be someone else, who will be pleading for life. stop making us mad, support india, support the tricolor, hell with religions, think about nation. wake up people, wake up.

Bhupendra Patel - USA

very good blog.

congress along with omar is trying to appease the minority community in evry possible way.

tricolour was burnt and there was no action frm omar`s govt. however he acts so swiftly to avoid unfurling of the tricolour at lalchowk!!

Anand - Bengaluru

i am happy after seeing so my -ve critism in the media some one have come with the +ve sentiments for the support of ekta yatra. i believe those who oppose these kind on national movement should be labelled as anti-national and thrown out of country

Vinamp - Pune

the indians are living in denial about kashmir.it is in india`s interest to let the kashmiris decide their future. india won the battle but unfortunately lost the war in kashmir. india instead of fighting for the kashmiris fought the kashmiris who were caught in the midst of the proxy war between the two nuclear armed neighbours.for the last over 60 years, india`s policy of imposing it`s puppets to govern the kashmiris remotely has backfired. india nominated governors to kashmir like jagmohan and gen. sk sinha who are virulently anti muslim and anti kashmiri. india has lost kashmir forever. hoisting the indian flag on every chowk or even every house in kashmir will not help.

shiraz - Kashmir

brilliant blog.appreciate the pertinent points raised by the author.the ruling upa is guilty of collaborating with the anti- india conglomerate. its a dangerous mindset that needs to be defeated.yes, the bjp`s the then explanation of ``coalition compulsion`` concerning article 370 was simply a facade.the party simply did not try.however, its present effort to hoist the national flag is timely.kashmir is integral to india.the upa just cant force another partition of our country via its dubious brand of politics.lets fight back.wont mind a war even.

Kuna Kayasth - Bhubaneswar

Sandwiched between two guns, Kashmiris continue to die @ www.punjabnewsline.com

Sandwiched between two guns, Kashmiris continue to die @ www.punjabnewsline.com

Sandwiched between two guns, Kashmiris continue to die

Punjab Newsline Network
Friday, 11 February 2011
By Bashir Assad

SRINAGAR: If the attack on civilians at Pulawama in South Kashmir and Sopore in North after the killing of two sisters by unidentified gunmen is an indication, more civilians killings by the militants in the coming months cannot be ruled out.

Trapped in a bloody conflict and caught between the two guns of diametrically opposite forces, Kashmir has been witnessing a killing spree since 1990. Many killings are condemned while many get little attention. Political parties also in many cases condemn the killings with cautiously written statements. Many leaders selectively condemn some killings while choose to remain silent on others.

“The death of two young sisters, Arifa and Akhtar, in Sopore at the hands of unidentified gunmen, has shaken the common man, yet it has not stopped politicians from drawing mileage from the incident” said Wasim Manhas a journalist.

“Reasons, whatsoever, the cold blooded murder of two teenaged sisters is one of the most heinous incidents reported from the Valley. Imagine how the Valley would have responded, if there had been the slightest indication that they were victims of police highhandedness. Human life is precious and if any innocent person is killed, it is a matter of great sorrow, not only for the family concerned but for the whole society. That is why when Kashmiris protested against the killing of 112 people — young and old — in a series of incidents over a few months last year, it evoked widespread sympathy in the rest of the country” Wasim added.

Anyway, the process of condemnation by way of issuing press notes has been turned into a ridiculous ritualistic exercise. Equally condemnable are the double standards employed while reacting to killings at the hands of security forces and by the militants. It is not the first time that the militants have targeted girls. Last year they killed four women in South Kashmir’s Keller village. But such killings are always treated differently.


But, for, Kashmir watchers, condemning the incident with riders, is in itself an alarm rather prediction that more civilians deaths will follow in the coming months more so when the state government has decided to hold Panchayat Elections in the state in the month of April. Compromising the basic standards of human dignity and honour, the vested interests in Kashmir have two yard sticks when it comes to the human rights violations perpetrated by militants and the security forces.

No one seems to be genuinely interested in stopping the deaths of the civilians. Human right violations provide separatists the raw material to keep the conflict alive. Likewise, civilians killed by militants offer the government an opportunity to describe the separatist agitation as a terrorist movement. For a commoner, the death of a civilian is painful; it is more distressing when a common man is unable to distinguish who killed whom and why?
.
“We have to understand that it is a Kashmiri who is being killed. Everybody is free to hold his opinion and if we go on suppressing the opposite voices, it goes against the basic freedom. If we cannot let this freedom prevail then we have no right to ask for freedom for ourselves” said a journalist wishing anonymity.

He said that hundreds of civilians have died in the last two decades, consigned to the ugly dark corner of the unidentified gunmen. ‘People continue to die, courtesy the double standards of all concerned. It took the separatists 24 hours to condemn the killing, and that too only after they were taunted by chief minister Omar Abdullah’ he added.

“But what was more shocking was the silence of PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on the gruesome incident. She, being a women and mother of two daughters should have been the first to condemn this dastard act” said Muzafer Ahmad of Sopore. Muzafer added when she would shed crocodile tears over the rape and murder of two innocent girls at Shopaian in 2009, what made her to maintain criminal silence over the killing of two sisters in Sopore. “One can understand the separatists maintaining silence over the incident, but Mehbooba’s double standards are beyond comprehension. In 2009, Mehbooba was able to create mayhem in the aftermath of the gruesome double rape and murder of Asia and Neelofer but this time the incident of same magnitude could not impress PDP firebrand who chose to remain totally silent on killing of Akhtar and Arifa” added Muzafer.

However, the shootout at Sopore the other day and firing on National Conference activist at Koil Pulwama and reported intimidation threats to mainstream political activists in Bijbehara town has raised many questions on safety and security of innocent people in Kashmir.

Centre being persuaded for fresh approach on Kashmir @ www.punjabnewsline.com

Centre being persuaded for fresh approach on Kashmir @ www.punjabnewsline.com

Centre being persuaded for fresh approach on Kashmir

Punjab Newsline Network
Thursday, 24 February 2011
By Bashir Assad

NEW DELHI: Pressure is being built on UPA government at Centre for persuading the ruling National Conference and opposition Peoples Democratic Party for facilitating a barrier free dialogue between the separatists and the centre rather than to suggest their own roadmaps for the resolution of the problem.

Sources close to North Block maintain that the Home Minister P Chidambaram is not happy with the outcome of appointment of non-political Interlocutors as they could not cajole the separatist camp in Kashmir to enter into a dialogue.

Sources also said that Prime Minister Dr. Man Mohan Sigh’s fresh offer of dialogue to all sections in Jammu and Kashmir can culminate into a formal invitation to the Separatists for dialogue at highest political level. Sources also maintain that ace opinion makers proactive on Kashmir have suggested that the regional mainstream political parties in Kashmir should be prevailed upon to play their role as facilitators for dialogue between separatists and the government of India instead of pressing for their own roadmaps on Jammu and Kashmir problem.

“ opinion makers have suggested that a space should be created for Kashmiri nationalists and that is only possible when the regional mainstream political parties in Kashmir play their role as facilitators for dialogue instead of becoming part of the problem” sources said adding that some people in New Delhi think that space occupied by the nationalists in Kashmir is squeezing due to pro-active policy on Kashmir by mainstream regional parties including ruling National Conference and opposition Peoples Democratic Party.

Meanwhile Prime Minister Thursday underscored that it was an "obligation" of all the political parties not to do anything which will disturb the peaceful atmosphere that now prevails in Jammu and Kashmir. Sources said that Prime Minister’s assertion was in the backdrop of a report furnished by the intelligence agencies that forces other than the separatists were fishing in the troubled waters and that they may leave no stone unturned to repeat the 2010 summer unrest for their partisan interests.


However, Prime Minister did not elaborate but was clearly referring to the months of unrest in Kashmir valley, involving stone-pelting, which led to a cycle of violence resulting in death of over 100 people.

"Since then the situation has improved. But we keep our fingers crossed. Come this summer, I hope we will be vigilant enough to ensure that the unfortunate events that took place in the last summer in parts of Jammu and Kashmir do not take place," the prime minister said.

Meanwhile, Director, Centre for Policy Analysis, a Delhi-based think tank, Seema Mustafa criticized the UPA government for its insensitivity to the Kashmir problem. While talking to this correspondent, Seema said that UPA government at centre lacks vision on Kashmir and is insensitive to the horrible consequences of state of denial being pursued by it.

Seema who is also a senior journalist said that the government of India has to come out with a concrete Kashmir policy to take on board all the opinions in Jammu and Kashmir for a lasting peace in the region.

Interlocutors finally invite separatists for talks @ www.punjabnewsline.com

Interlocutors finally invite separatists for talks @ www.punjabnewsline.com

Interlocutors finally invite separatists for talks

Punjab Newsline Network
Sunday, 20 February 2011
By Bashir Assad

SRINAGAR: Srinagar/Feb19; the Interlocutors on Jammu and Kashmir have finally invited the Kashmiri Separatist leaders to talks, the invitations have been sent to the leaders both online and through especial branch of Jammu and Kashmir police.

In a fresh attempt to reach out to the separatist camp in Jammu and Kashmir, the Interlocutors headed by Dilip Padgoanker have sent invitations to Sayed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Shabir Ahmad Shah, Naeem Ahmad Khan, Sajad Gani Lone and others.

Dilip Padgaonkar, sent the invitation to Geelani via email. “We want to hear from you and discuss Kashmir problem with you. You are free to decide the venue and the time,” the invitation read.

Geelani has been told in the invitation that even if he isn’t ready to meet the interlocutors, he can send his views in a written note. “Even if you don’t want to meet us, we are eager to hear from you and you can send your proposal to us in a written format,” it added.

Confirming the invitation, a Hurriyat (G) leader said that decision over it would be taken once Geelani is back from New Delhi. “Geelani sahib is coming back from New Delhi on February 22 and after that we will take a decision on interlocutors’ invitation.”

Radha Kumar, one of the interlocutors said that besides Geelani invitation has been sent to Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chairman, Mohammad Yasin Malik, Hurriyat (M) chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Peoples Conference leader, Sajjad Lone. “ I believe the invitations have been sent to these leaders but I don’t know whether the list of the invitees has been broadened as I had requested Dilip to invite the all the concerned” Radha told this correspondent over phone from Delhi.


Sources said that interlocutors have urged New Delhi to listen to separatists which would carry forward the dialogue process. “The interlocutors in their final report to the union home ministry have urged New Delhi to revoke Armed Forced Special Powers Act from certain areas of J&K, releasing political prisoners and inviting separatists for dialogue. They have also advised New Delhi that unless some Confidence Building Measures aren’t taken,” they said.

Meanwhile Shabir Ahmad Shah also confirmed that the Interlocutors have sent them an invitation letter. “ Yes, I received the letter only today which was handed over to me personally by SP Special Branch Abid Qadoos this afternoon” Shabir told this correspondent telephonically.

JKLF Chief, Yasin Malik, when contacted said that he is not in a position to comment on this issue today but will definitely talk about it tomorrow.

Naeem Khan, however, said that he has not received the invitation.

The interlocutors – Padgaonkar, academician Radha Kumar and economist, M M Ansari – were appointed in October last year after the summer unrest in the Kashmir Valley in which over 100 people were killed. So far, the separatists have refused to talk to the interlocutors.

Sandwiched between two guns, Kashmiris continue to die @ www.punjabnewsline.com

Sandwiched between two guns, Kashmiris continue to die @ www.punjabnewsline.com

Sandwiched between two guns, Kashmiris continue to die

Punjab Newsline Network
Friday, 11 February 2011
By Bashir Assad

SRINAGAR: If the attack on civilians at Pulawama in South Kashmir and Sopore in North after the killing of two sisters by unidentified gunmen is an indication, more civilians killings by the militants in the coming months cannot be ruled out.

Trapped in a bloody conflict and caught between the two guns of diametrically opposite forces, Kashmir has been witnessing a killing spree since 1990. Many killings are condemned while many get little attention. Political parties also in many cases condemn the killings with cautiously written statements. Many leaders selectively condemn some killings while choose to remain silent on others.

“The death of two young sisters, Arifa and Akhtar, in Sopore at the hands of unidentified gunmen, has shaken the common man, yet it has not stopped politicians from drawing mileage from the incident” said Wasim Manhas a journalist.

“Reasons, whatsoever, the cold blooded murder of two teenaged sisters is one of the most heinous incidents reported from the Valley. Imagine how the Valley would have responded, if there had been the slightest indication that they were victims of police highhandedness. Human life is precious and if any innocent person is killed, it is a matter of great sorrow, not only for the family concerned but for the whole society. That is why when Kashmiris protested against the killing of 112 people — young and old — in a series of incidents over a few months last year, it evoked widespread sympathy in the rest of the country” Wasim added.

Anyway, the process of condemnation by way of issuing press notes has been turned into a ridiculous ritualistic exercise. Equally condemnable are the double standards employed while reacting to killings at the hands of security forces and by the militants. It is not the first time that the militants have targeted girls. Last year they killed four women in South Kashmir’s Keller village. But such killings are always treated differently.


But, for, Kashmir watchers, condemning the incident with riders, is in itself an alarm rather prediction that more civilians deaths will follow in the coming months more so when the state government has decided to hold Panchayat Elections in the state in the month of April. Compromising the basic standards of human dignity and honour, the vested interests in Kashmir have two yard sticks when it comes to the human rights violations perpetrated by militants and the security forces.

No one seems to be genuinely interested in stopping the deaths of the civilians. Human right violations provide separatists the raw material to keep the conflict alive. Likewise, civilians killed by militants offer the government an opportunity to describe the separatist agitation as a terrorist movement. For a commoner, the death of a civilian is painful; it is more distressing when a common man is unable to distinguish who killed whom and why?
.
“We have to understand that it is a Kashmiri who is being killed. Everybody is free to hold his opinion and if we go on suppressing the opposite voices, it goes against the basic freedom. If we cannot let this freedom prevail then we have no right to ask for freedom for ourselves” said a journalist wishing anonymity.

He said that hundreds of civilians have died in the last two decades, consigned to the ugly dark corner of the unidentified gunmen. ‘People continue to die, courtesy the double standards of all concerned. It took the separatists 24 hours to condemn the killing, and that too only after they were taunted by chief minister Omar Abdullah’ he added.

“But what was more shocking was the silence of PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on the gruesome incident. She, being a women and mother of two daughters should have been the first to condemn this dastard act” said Muzafer Ahmad of Sopore. Muzafer added when she would shed crocodile tears over the rape and murder of two innocent girls at Shopaian in 2009, what made her to maintain criminal silence over the killing of two sisters in Sopore. “One can understand the separatists maintaining silence over the incident, but Mehbooba’s double standards are beyond comprehension. In 2009, Mehbooba was able to create mayhem in the aftermath of the gruesome double rape and murder of Asia and Neelofer but this time the incident of same magnitude could not impress PDP firebrand who chose to remain totally silent on killing of Akhtar and Arifa” added Muzafer.

However, the shootout at Sopore the other day and firing on National Conference activist at Koil Pulwama and reported intimidation threats to mainstream political activists in Bijbehara town has raised many questions on safety and security of innocent people in Kashmir.

Centre being persuaded for fresh approach on Kashmir @ www.punjabnewsline.com

Centre being persuaded for fresh approach on Kashmir @ www.punjabnewsline.com

Centre being persuaded for fresh approach on Kashmir

Punjab Newsline Network
Thursday, 24 February 2011
By Bashir Assad

NEW DELHI: Pressure is being built on UPA government at Centre for persuading the ruling National Conference and opposition Peoples Democratic Party for facilitating a barrier free dialogue between the separatists and the centre rather than to suggest their own roadmaps for the resolution of the problem.

Sources close to North Block maintain that the Home Minister P Chidambaram is not happy with the outcome of appointment of non-political Interlocutors as they could not cajole the separatist camp in Kashmir to enter into a dialogue.

Sources also said that Prime Minister Dr. Man Mohan Sigh’s fresh offer of dialogue to all sections in Jammu and Kashmir can culminate into a formal invitation to the Separatists for dialogue at highest political level. Sources also maintain that ace opinion makers proactive on Kashmir have suggested that the regional mainstream political parties in Kashmir should be prevailed upon to play their role as facilitators for dialogue between separatists and the government of India instead of pressing for their own roadmaps on Jammu and Kashmir problem.

“ opinion makers have suggested that a space should be created for Kashmiri nationalists and that is only possible when the regional mainstream political parties in Kashmir play their role as facilitators for dialogue instead of becoming part of the problem” sources said adding that some people in New Delhi think that space occupied by the nationalists in Kashmir is squeezing due to pro-active policy on Kashmir by mainstream regional parties including ruling National Conference and opposition Peoples Democratic Party.

Meanwhile Prime Minister Thursday underscored that it was an "obligation" of all the political parties not to do anything which will disturb the peaceful atmosphere that now prevails in Jammu and Kashmir. Sources said that Prime Minister’s assertion was in the backdrop of a report furnished by the intelligence agencies that forces other than the separatists were fishing in the troubled waters and that they may leave no stone unturned to repeat the 2010 summer unrest for their partisan interests.


However, Prime Minister did not elaborate but was clearly referring to the months of unrest in Kashmir valley, involving stone-pelting, which led to a cycle of violence resulting in death of over 100 people.

"Since then the situation has improved. But we keep our fingers crossed. Come this summer, I hope we will be vigilant enough to ensure that the unfortunate events that took place in the last summer in parts of Jammu and Kashmir do not take place," the prime minister said.

Meanwhile, Director, Centre for Policy Analysis, a Delhi-based think tank, Seema Mustafa criticized the UPA government for its insensitivity to the Kashmir problem. While talking to this correspondent, Seema said that UPA government at centre lacks vision on Kashmir and is insensitive to the horrible consequences of state of denial being pursued by it.

Seema who is also a senior journalist said that the government of India has to come out with a concrete Kashmir policy to take on board all the opinions in Jammu and Kashmir for a lasting peace in the region.