Disappearance of 2 sons leaves father at others’ mercy
Mir TariqSumlar (Bandipora), Nov 26: Unable to move properly, 86-year-old, Kalm-u-din Bajard of Sumlar, Bandipora remains sitting near the window of his house overlooking the nearby forests where his two sons were taken after being picked up from their home in March 1999 by a group of masked men in uniform. They are missing since then.Bajard’s two sons Farooq, 36, and Latief, 23, were both labourers.Over the years, while moving from pillar to post to ascertain the whereabouts of his sons, Bajard developed ophthalmic and orthopaedic ailments. Recalling the incident, Bajard said, "We tried to snatch them from kidnappers, but they beat us and forcibly took them with themselves. They are missing since then," said Bajard, adding, "I even didn't have any photograph of my sons which created so many difficulties for me while I searched for them.”“Bajard's sons were innocent and hardworking," said Nazir Ahmed, Bajard’s neighbour, adding, "Their father became the victim of administrative and police tyranny who only wasted his time without doing any help to ascertain the whereabouts of his sons as he failed to grease their palms."Without any photograph, Bajard is imagining his sons in clothes which he had bought for them just a day before their disappearance.“I remember them by kissing their clothes which they wore in front of me a day before their abduction and disappearance.""My life is useless as my sons have been snatched from me," said Bajard amid sobs."I approached every office and officer to help me trace my missing sons but all in vain as I am poor and failed to grease their palms,” he said, adding, "Official apathy compelled me to indulge in begging which I had never even thought of."Bajard said the local police station didn't lodge any compliant or FIR as they also sought a photograph of his sons"I have never been helped by anybody expect local Auqaf Committee. Even the department of Social Welfare didn’t help me as they also sought picture of my sons," he said."There is no one to earn for his family now. He was forced to beg, but keeping in view his deteriorating health, local Auqaf Committee is looking after his needs and he always remains sitting on the window looking towards forests and waiting for his disappeared sons to return," said Muhammad Ramzan who is deputed by Auqaf to look for him.
Fierce gunfight on in Sumlar
3 militants killed, 3 houses gutted
Mir TariqBandipora, Nov 27: Three militants were killed and three houses damaged in a fierce gunfight at Sumlar area in this newly created district, which went to polls in the first phase on November 19.Police sources said on specific information 14 RR and police personnel laid siege around Sheikh Baba area in Sumlar on Wednesday evening. “At around 11 pm, the militants hiding in the area fired from sophisticated weapons towards the soldiers, who had earlier asked to surrender and lay down the weapons. The troopers took defensive positions and returned the fire,” they said.The sources said that heavy exchange of fire between the holed-up militants and the troopers continued throughout the night. “Additional troops were rushed to the area in the day and they tightened the siege around the area to prevent militants from escaping from the area,” they said.Three militants were killed in the gunfight, which continued till 6 pm. “At 6 pm the operation was suspended and will be resumed early Friday morning,” SP Bandipora, Sheikh Junaid told Rising Kashmir. Police sources said that three residential houses and two cowsheds were damaged during the exchange of fire. “The houses belonged to Latif Khan, Bashir Khan and Qasim Khan. More than 30 cattle have died in the gunfight,” they said.The residents said that army used heavy mortar shells to overcome the resistance offered by militants during the gunfight. “This was one of the longest gunfights in the area in the 20 year old turmoil,” they said.A top official of Army’s 8 mountain brigade told Rising Kashmir that three militants have been killed so far. “We have so far shot dead three militants but we don’t know the exact number of militants present in the area. The operation, which was suspended after the sunset, will be resumed in the wee hours of Friday,” he said. He said that the identity of the slain militants and the outfit to which they owe allegiance could not be ascertained yet.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Kupwara’s sole KP family votes for ‘change’
Mir TariqKupwara: The only Pandit Kashmiri family residing in Kupwara casted vote here on Sunday for redressal of their problems and for helping the return of displaced Kashmiri Pandit families to Kashmir.Sandeep Kumar, 32, is one of the nine members of the family. "It is my first vote and I am looking for change," Kumar said.Kumar took his whole family along to Boys Higher Secondary, Kupwara for casting their vote.In the queue along with other residents, Virender Kumar, student of 12th standard said, "We are following our Muslim brothers. We need good governance which our Muslim brothers also ask for."Commenting on the boycott call given by separatists, another family member, Sunny (24) said, "Everything has its importance and hence every political stand has its consequences. We are with development and prosperity and not against anybody."Commenting on the political stand of migrant Pandits, Kumar said, "Kashmiri migrant Pandits are following different politics. In Kashmir, we are under the influence of politics prevailing in this region.”On the recent unrest in the valley following the Amarnath land transfer controversy and the subsequent anti-election call, the Pandits voters said, "Everything in Kashmir is not long lasting. What we are noticing here today may not be there tomorrow."
NC, PDP workers clash again
Mir Tariq 29 NovDevar Lolab (Kupwara)Voting remained suspended for an hour at a polling booth in Devar, Lolab when the National Conference (NC) candidate for the constituency, Qaiser Jamsheed Lone was allegedly attacked by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) workers on Sunday during the third phase of assembly elections.
Three political workers were also injured in the incident They include: Manzoor Ahmed and Mushtaq Ahmed of NC, supervisory agent of Panthers Party, Showket Ahmed.Alleging police of assisting PDP workers, Lone told Rising Kashmir, "PDP workers tried to take me and other fellow NC workers hostage and also attempted to capture poling stations in Devar. They also damaged my car.”"They are being assisted by the police who instead of maintaining law and order situation harass NC workers inside poling stations" Lone added.PDP representative, Abdul Haq Khan denied the NC allegations."I am the local resident and people were coming out in huge numbers to cast their votes in my favour. Fearing high voter turnout in my favour, Lone tried to disrupt the brisk polling," he said.An eyewitness, Ghulam Hassan said, "Lone entered the poling booth where a women was about to cast her vote. He was guiding her to vote in his favour which annoyed the nearby agents of other parties. They thrashed Lone out of the booth.""Later NC workers started raising slogans and cursing workers of opposition party after which police intervened and pacified the workers," he added.Police resorted to aerial firing to disperse the voters who were seen cursing each other.Some people also alleged that Lone’s security guards opened fire creating disturbance in the area.
Mir TariqKupwara: The only Pandit Kashmiri family residing in Kupwara casted vote here on Sunday for redressal of their problems and for helping the return of displaced Kashmiri Pandit families to Kashmir.Sandeep Kumar, 32, is one of the nine members of the family. "It is my first vote and I am looking for change," Kumar said.Kumar took his whole family along to Boys Higher Secondary, Kupwara for casting their vote.In the queue along with other residents, Virender Kumar, student of 12th standard said, "We are following our Muslim brothers. We need good governance which our Muslim brothers also ask for."Commenting on the boycott call given by separatists, another family member, Sunny (24) said, "Everything has its importance and hence every political stand has its consequences. We are with development and prosperity and not against anybody."Commenting on the political stand of migrant Pandits, Kumar said, "Kashmiri migrant Pandits are following different politics. In Kashmir, we are under the influence of politics prevailing in this region.”On the recent unrest in the valley following the Amarnath land transfer controversy and the subsequent anti-election call, the Pandits voters said, "Everything in Kashmir is not long lasting. What we are noticing here today may not be there tomorrow."
NC, PDP workers clash again
Mir Tariq 29 NovDevar Lolab (Kupwara)Voting remained suspended for an hour at a polling booth in Devar, Lolab when the National Conference (NC) candidate for the constituency, Qaiser Jamsheed Lone was allegedly attacked by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) workers on Sunday during the third phase of assembly elections.
Three political workers were also injured in the incident They include: Manzoor Ahmed and Mushtaq Ahmed of NC, supervisory agent of Panthers Party, Showket Ahmed.Alleging police of assisting PDP workers, Lone told Rising Kashmir, "PDP workers tried to take me and other fellow NC workers hostage and also attempted to capture poling stations in Devar. They also damaged my car.”"They are being assisted by the police who instead of maintaining law and order situation harass NC workers inside poling stations" Lone added.PDP representative, Abdul Haq Khan denied the NC allegations."I am the local resident and people were coming out in huge numbers to cast their votes in my favour. Fearing high voter turnout in my favour, Lone tried to disrupt the brisk polling," he said.An eyewitness, Ghulam Hassan said, "Lone entered the poling booth where a women was about to cast her vote. He was guiding her to vote in his favour which annoyed the nearby agents of other parties. They thrashed Lone out of the booth.""Later NC workers started raising slogans and cursing workers of opposition party after which police intervened and pacified the workers," he added.Police resorted to aerial firing to disperse the voters who were seen cursing each other.Some people also alleged that Lone’s security guards opened fire creating disturbance in the area.
Tihar prisoner to fight elections from Bandipora
‘He will contest polls to prove himself innocent’
Mir Tariq Bandipora, Oct 31: An under trial prisoner languishing in Tihar Jail, New Delhi will contest the forthcoming assembly elections from Bandipora constituency in this newly created district.Iqbal Jan, a student turned businessman of Sonarwani Bandipora is languishing in Tihar Jail from November 16, 2006. He was arrested by Delhi police on the charges of acting as a conduit for militants. The charges have been termed fabricated by Iqbal and his family members and they are fighting the legal battle to seek his release.
Jan's sister, Shameema told Rising Kashmir that he will contest the assembly elections from Bandipora constituency as Panthers Party (PP) candidate. "We sent the papers to him in Tihar Jail where he filled the documents. These were also sent to party president Bhim Singn and after his clearance the nomination paper were filed,” she said.Returning Officer Bandipora, Ali Muhammad Dar confirmed that they had received the nomination paper from Iqbal Jan as Panther’s Party candidate in accordance with ECI rules and regulations. Iqbal’s sister said that his brother was framed by Delhi Police to seek reward and promotions. “We approached the chief minister and higher-ups in Law and Justice Ministry, Government of India but nobody helped us and our innocent brother continues to be languishing in jail. We also wrote to Indian president and other Indian ministers but of no avail”.Shaheena said that her brother has decided to fight elections to prove himself innocent. “All of us (five sisters) will campaign for him in the hamlet. We will be visiting every household in Bandipora constituency and seek votes for him to ensure Iqbal’s victory,” she said. “If he wins, we will fight for the Kashmiris, who have been framed and are languishing in jails outside State,” said Salma on behalf of his brother. The Panthers Party Kashmir president, Farooq Ahmed said that Iqbal Jan is innocent and the party will fight for the victimized people.
‘He will contest polls to prove himself innocent’
Mir Tariq Bandipora, Oct 31: An under trial prisoner languishing in Tihar Jail, New Delhi will contest the forthcoming assembly elections from Bandipora constituency in this newly created district.Iqbal Jan, a student turned businessman of Sonarwani Bandipora is languishing in Tihar Jail from November 16, 2006. He was arrested by Delhi police on the charges of acting as a conduit for militants. The charges have been termed fabricated by Iqbal and his family members and they are fighting the legal battle to seek his release.
Jan's sister, Shameema told Rising Kashmir that he will contest the assembly elections from Bandipora constituency as Panthers Party (PP) candidate. "We sent the papers to him in Tihar Jail where he filled the documents. These were also sent to party president Bhim Singn and after his clearance the nomination paper were filed,” she said.Returning Officer Bandipora, Ali Muhammad Dar confirmed that they had received the nomination paper from Iqbal Jan as Panther’s Party candidate in accordance with ECI rules and regulations. Iqbal’s sister said that his brother was framed by Delhi Police to seek reward and promotions. “We approached the chief minister and higher-ups in Law and Justice Ministry, Government of India but nobody helped us and our innocent brother continues to be languishing in jail. We also wrote to Indian president and other Indian ministers but of no avail”.Shaheena said that her brother has decided to fight elections to prove himself innocent. “All of us (five sisters) will campaign for him in the hamlet. We will be visiting every household in Bandipora constituency and seek votes for him to ensure Iqbal’s victory,” she said. “If he wins, we will fight for the Kashmiris, who have been framed and are languishing in jails outside State,” said Salma on behalf of his brother. The Panthers Party Kashmir president, Farooq Ahmed said that Iqbal Jan is innocent and the party will fight for the victimized people.
Politicians campaign from Govt buildings in Bandipora
Mir TariqBandipora, Oct 29: The mainstream political parties in this newly created district are not adhering to the directions of administration and using government buildings for their election campaigns. After Governor's rule was imposed in the State, the district administration issued directions to the political leaders asking them to vacate the buildings occupied by them and their party workers.
Official sources said that ex MLA Usman Majid is running his election campaign from the residential quarter of Assistant Engineer R&B while PDP MLC Nizam-ud-Din Bhat has ‘occupied’ BDO's quarter along with his office. They said that NC block president Ghulam Muhammad Malik has occupied Irrigation hut nine years back and is using it as his main office for election campaign. With the mainstream politicians taking over the buildings, the functioning in government departments has been affected with employees unable to discharge their duties efficiently. Sources said that the three politicians are not depositing the rent to the government. “They have been occupying the buildings when the NC and coalition government came in power in the State,” they said.The officers and employees of the departments, whose buildings have been ‘occupied’ by the politicians have demanded immediate evacuation of the building for running the affairs smoothly.''Political workers make all kind of noises. We cannot concentrate on our work and this has badly affected the functioning of some departments,” confided a woman employee, who wished not to be named. Talking to Rising Kashmir, ex-MLA Usman Majeed said that he has been in the possession of the government building long before. “I have prepared the document and these are pending in R&B department. The building was vacant and I used it after the consent from then Chef engineer R&B." He, however, was quick to add that the building will be evacuated sooner or later for the befit of the employees and general public.A top official said, pleading anonymity, said, “In May 2008 Chief Engineer R&B wrote to DC Bandipora and urged him to get the building vacated from the possession of politicians and political workers. However, Chief engineer’s pleas were not taken serious”. Executive Engineer R&B Ghulam Qadir Pintoo and Assistant District Development Commissioner (ADDC) Bandipora Bashir Ahmed Bhat admitted that the ‘political occupants’ don’t have permission from the government to use the buildings.Bhat told Rising Kashmir that they are holding dialogue with the politicians to get the buildings vacated. “We have also to keep the security concern of the political leaders in view before getting the buildings evacuated," he added.
Mir TariqBandipora, Oct 29: The mainstream political parties in this newly created district are not adhering to the directions of administration and using government buildings for their election campaigns. After Governor's rule was imposed in the State, the district administration issued directions to the political leaders asking them to vacate the buildings occupied by them and their party workers.
Official sources said that ex MLA Usman Majid is running his election campaign from the residential quarter of Assistant Engineer R&B while PDP MLC Nizam-ud-Din Bhat has ‘occupied’ BDO's quarter along with his office. They said that NC block president Ghulam Muhammad Malik has occupied Irrigation hut nine years back and is using it as his main office for election campaign. With the mainstream politicians taking over the buildings, the functioning in government departments has been affected with employees unable to discharge their duties efficiently. Sources said that the three politicians are not depositing the rent to the government. “They have been occupying the buildings when the NC and coalition government came in power in the State,” they said.The officers and employees of the departments, whose buildings have been ‘occupied’ by the politicians have demanded immediate evacuation of the building for running the affairs smoothly.''Political workers make all kind of noises. We cannot concentrate on our work and this has badly affected the functioning of some departments,” confided a woman employee, who wished not to be named. Talking to Rising Kashmir, ex-MLA Usman Majeed said that he has been in the possession of the government building long before. “I have prepared the document and these are pending in R&B department. The building was vacant and I used it after the consent from then Chef engineer R&B." He, however, was quick to add that the building will be evacuated sooner or later for the befit of the employees and general public.A top official said, pleading anonymity, said, “In May 2008 Chief Engineer R&B wrote to DC Bandipora and urged him to get the building vacated from the possession of politicians and political workers. However, Chief engineer’s pleas were not taken serious”. Executive Engineer R&B Ghulam Qadir Pintoo and Assistant District Development Commissioner (ADDC) Bandipora Bashir Ahmed Bhat admitted that the ‘political occupants’ don’t have permission from the government to use the buildings.Bhat told Rising Kashmir that they are holding dialogue with the politicians to get the buildings vacated. “We have also to keep the security concern of the political leaders in view before getting the buildings evacuated," he added.
BJP holds election rally in Bandipora
Mir Tariq Bandipora, Oct 29: Amid tight security Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) held first public election rally here in this newly created district.Dozens of BJP loyalists and workers marched from Kaloosa to SK Stadium amidst chanting of pro Islamic slogans.BJP is the first pro India party that openly initiated election campaign after recent non violent pro freedom uprising while other parties confined their campaign to party offices in Bandipora.The BJP nominee for the constituency Shamus ud-Din Gojjar was the first candidate to submit nomination papers before Returning Officer Bandipora. Accompanied by BJP State President Sofi Nazir, Altaf Riana and Charan Singh Khalasa, Gojjar said, “We will fight the coming State Assembly polls on the agenda of growing unemployment, lack of basic amenities, poverty and illiteracy in the constituency.” "We will not charge electricity bills to people living below poverty line and will give free ration which they getting at Rs 17/per Kg," Gojjar said.BJP State President Nazir said "We will work for the betterment of downtrodden people in the constituency, and will work on the agenda of former PM of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee."Polling in Bandipora is going to take place on November 17. So far no party has come up with election agenda, except BJP, in this constituency.
Mir Tariq Bandipora, Oct 29: Amid tight security Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) held first public election rally here in this newly created district.Dozens of BJP loyalists and workers marched from Kaloosa to SK Stadium amidst chanting of pro Islamic slogans.BJP is the first pro India party that openly initiated election campaign after recent non violent pro freedom uprising while other parties confined their campaign to party offices in Bandipora.The BJP nominee for the constituency Shamus ud-Din Gojjar was the first candidate to submit nomination papers before Returning Officer Bandipora. Accompanied by BJP State President Sofi Nazir, Altaf Riana and Charan Singh Khalasa, Gojjar said, “We will fight the coming State Assembly polls on the agenda of growing unemployment, lack of basic amenities, poverty and illiteracy in the constituency.” "We will not charge electricity bills to people living below poverty line and will give free ration which they getting at Rs 17/per Kg," Gojjar said.BJP State President Nazir said "We will work for the betterment of downtrodden people in the constituency, and will work on the agenda of former PM of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee."Polling in Bandipora is going to take place on November 17. So far no party has come up with election agenda, except BJP, in this constituency.
Monday, October 13, 2008
800 take DOEAC annual Diploma exams
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MIR TARIQ OCT 12
Bandipora: 800 Information Technology (IT) Students appeared in the Annual examinations today in Bandipora conducted by NCPUL and DOAEC at the recognized centre of Bandipora College of Information technology. DOEAC and Ministry Of Human Resources Development (HRD) New Delhi and NCPUL conducted the exam, which continue till 18th of this month.
Students came from as far off as Gurez, Uri, Lolab, Tulalil, Poonch, Havelli, Karna, Spore and other remote villages of Bandipora to appear for the exam. Talking to Rising Kashmir, Nazir Ahmed from Arin said the exam was easy and on expected lines and we appreciate the DOEAC administration for conduct of the exams. Candidates and their parents, however, cribbed about the postponement of the test earlier due to the disturbance in state. The entrance exam was conducted today after much confusion and delay. Earlier, the exams were scheduled to be conducted on July 8 but due to the disturbance in the State, date of exam was changed. Director BCIT Fayaz Ahmed Fayaz constituted vigilance committees to ensure transparency in the examination centres. Moreover, the college has announced that the admissions in new Courses which include ‘A' and ‘O’ Level course in Information technology, Language Courses, Hardware Software courses and Other IT allied courses would commence from October 15 to November 15. Meanwhile, the collage has invited applications for Various Scholarships for regular candidates for the year 2008-09. The desiring candidates can collect and submit scholarship forms at the office of PRO BCIT after having attested them by concerned department chairman by October 30.
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MIR TARIQ OCT 12
Bandipora: 800 Information Technology (IT) Students appeared in the Annual examinations today in Bandipora conducted by NCPUL and DOAEC at the recognized centre of Bandipora College of Information technology. DOEAC and Ministry Of Human Resources Development (HRD) New Delhi and NCPUL conducted the exam, which continue till 18th of this month.
Students came from as far off as Gurez, Uri, Lolab, Tulalil, Poonch, Havelli, Karna, Spore and other remote villages of Bandipora to appear for the exam. Talking to Rising Kashmir, Nazir Ahmed from Arin said the exam was easy and on expected lines and we appreciate the DOEAC administration for conduct of the exams. Candidates and their parents, however, cribbed about the postponement of the test earlier due to the disturbance in state. The entrance exam was conducted today after much confusion and delay. Earlier, the exams were scheduled to be conducted on July 8 but due to the disturbance in the State, date of exam was changed. Director BCIT Fayaz Ahmed Fayaz constituted vigilance committees to ensure transparency in the examination centres. Moreover, the college has announced that the admissions in new Courses which include ‘A' and ‘O’ Level course in Information technology, Language Courses, Hardware Software courses and Other IT allied courses would commence from October 15 to November 15. Meanwhile, the collage has invited applications for Various Scholarships for regular candidates for the year 2008-09. The desiring candidates can collect and submit scholarship forms at the office of PRO BCIT after having attested them by concerned department chairman by October 30.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Gurez: Far away from the madding crowd
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Gurez Valley retains her old-world charm; and this charm becomes even more perceptible during the approaching wintry days, Mir Tariq guides us through this beautiful valley Gurez- a beautiful valley located on the banks of River Neelam besides pleasing its visitors makes them acutely interested into the life and desires of young women who work for their families while men remain busy in playing cards and singing traditional songs inside their homes.
On its rise, the sun peeps through the grim layer of black clouds giving little warmth to the people who are waiting for its rays in cold days. After October every year the sun starts playing hide and seek while people always remain waiting for warmth. Gurez Valley, 153 Km from Srinagar remains cut off from the rest of the valley due to heavy snowfall as the only Bandipora-Gurez road remains closed from November to May, every year. One has to cross the coldest and dangerous peak Razdan located 16,000 feet above sea level, to reach the valley. One faces various hardships while visiting this beautiful valley of Gurez like one has to get a Pass issued by SSP Police which an ordinary man can hardly get. Photography is not allowed in the area; however one can take snaps after getting permission from Army officers and the most disturbing problem is the fast digestion of food. This because of the smell that emanates from wild herbs know to be highly digestive like Artimesia, Belladona, Kuth, Banwnagon, Zerra and Murin etc. After reaching Gurez a group of children greets us with smiles that are no less warm than sunshine. "Oh! You have come to visit our homes in our village?" they quip. Our "No" does not dampen their spirits a wee bit. Unlike most of the city kids, they are in no hurry. School can wait when it's wedding season in a village. The sun was battling with the clouds to give warmth to this cold valley. We were moving along while shivering with clod; meantime sun, after valiant efforts, find its space in the sky and people start coming out of wooden homes n order bask in its shine. We keeping moving; moving past a herd of animals, even as an old woman and her young companions look indulgently at the herd. "It's cold and it needs a protective covering. But thank God, the sun is showing," says the woman. After sun stays there for a while, a few old men and women are getting the best of the sun on the roadside that overlooks a potato field. Frost has stamped its mark on the crops — the leaves are wilting badly. To get the warmth in the cold women and men were sitting in semi-circle; actuate into homely discussions in the Shina language. When we reached near the discussion circle, without seeking an introduction, they welcome us. Hospitality of villagers is not a myth but very real. After serving spicy food and corn slices, our host seek introduction from us."A village life is different. There is no hurry as things amble along. The winter sun makes us all sit together and forget our worries," says Abdul Jabber Lone, a villager, while his friends nod in agreement. All through the visit, we hardly notice any young one in the vally. Gurez valley constitutes population of 30,000 besides 60,000 troops who are guarding the borderline touching the other side-Pakistan. One thing is interesting about Gurez; most of the population depends on the Army, as this is the only economy and administration of the area."We have lost the count of youngsters who left the village to try their luck abroad. Every time, we grapple with loneliness. And it's community life that sustains us," says another villager Muhammad Yaseen lone, retired Zonal Education Officer. Gurez have given birth to many IAS and KAS officer who are serving the sate in different departments. As we go a little further, groups of women greet us with stacks of timber tightened to their bodies. Though it is very cold, women folk always visit forests and get wood and timber for the chulas for making daily meals.For those who think that rural women are all for home and hearth, there is a pleasant surprise — a surprise that is enough to scotch stereotypes. We see a small shop offering biscuits, toffees and other knick-knacks being run by a young woman. And she doesn't make much ado about it. "You live life. Why waste time thinking it out?" she throws her question at us. It is an answer to our question. As we drive on, scenes flit across our eyes in quick succession — women trudging along with sacks full of fodder, children romping back home from school, girls sewing clothes in the open, men playing cards, dogs yawning lazily and bellowing a random bark at strangers they don't fancy and football-shaped water tanks dwarfing the houses. The sun is already getting a shade weaker. And as we leave Tulial for other nearby villages, the vast fields, and the narrow, cobbled lanes, and men and women who live in sync with the cycles of nature leave us rather enamoured of the village life! Feedback
tariqmir45@gmail.com
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Gurez Valley retains her old-world charm; and this charm becomes even more perceptible during the approaching wintry days, Mir Tariq guides us through this beautiful valley Gurez- a beautiful valley located on the banks of River Neelam besides pleasing its visitors makes them acutely interested into the life and desires of young women who work for their families while men remain busy in playing cards and singing traditional songs inside their homes.
On its rise, the sun peeps through the grim layer of black clouds giving little warmth to the people who are waiting for its rays in cold days. After October every year the sun starts playing hide and seek while people always remain waiting for warmth. Gurez Valley, 153 Km from Srinagar remains cut off from the rest of the valley due to heavy snowfall as the only Bandipora-Gurez road remains closed from November to May, every year. One has to cross the coldest and dangerous peak Razdan located 16,000 feet above sea level, to reach the valley. One faces various hardships while visiting this beautiful valley of Gurez like one has to get a Pass issued by SSP Police which an ordinary man can hardly get. Photography is not allowed in the area; however one can take snaps after getting permission from Army officers and the most disturbing problem is the fast digestion of food. This because of the smell that emanates from wild herbs know to be highly digestive like Artimesia, Belladona, Kuth, Banwnagon, Zerra and Murin etc. After reaching Gurez a group of children greets us with smiles that are no less warm than sunshine. "Oh! You have come to visit our homes in our village?" they quip. Our "No" does not dampen their spirits a wee bit. Unlike most of the city kids, they are in no hurry. School can wait when it's wedding season in a village. The sun was battling with the clouds to give warmth to this cold valley. We were moving along while shivering with clod; meantime sun, after valiant efforts, find its space in the sky and people start coming out of wooden homes n order bask in its shine. We keeping moving; moving past a herd of animals, even as an old woman and her young companions look indulgently at the herd. "It's cold and it needs a protective covering. But thank God, the sun is showing," says the woman. After sun stays there for a while, a few old men and women are getting the best of the sun on the roadside that overlooks a potato field. Frost has stamped its mark on the crops — the leaves are wilting badly. To get the warmth in the cold women and men were sitting in semi-circle; actuate into homely discussions in the Shina language. When we reached near the discussion circle, without seeking an introduction, they welcome us. Hospitality of villagers is not a myth but very real. After serving spicy food and corn slices, our host seek introduction from us."A village life is different. There is no hurry as things amble along. The winter sun makes us all sit together and forget our worries," says Abdul Jabber Lone, a villager, while his friends nod in agreement. All through the visit, we hardly notice any young one in the vally. Gurez valley constitutes population of 30,000 besides 60,000 troops who are guarding the borderline touching the other side-Pakistan. One thing is interesting about Gurez; most of the population depends on the Army, as this is the only economy and administration of the area."We have lost the count of youngsters who left the village to try their luck abroad. Every time, we grapple with loneliness. And it's community life that sustains us," says another villager Muhammad Yaseen lone, retired Zonal Education Officer. Gurez have given birth to many IAS and KAS officer who are serving the sate in different departments. As we go a little further, groups of women greet us with stacks of timber tightened to their bodies. Though it is very cold, women folk always visit forests and get wood and timber for the chulas for making daily meals.For those who think that rural women are all for home and hearth, there is a pleasant surprise — a surprise that is enough to scotch stereotypes. We see a small shop offering biscuits, toffees and other knick-knacks being run by a young woman. And she doesn't make much ado about it. "You live life. Why waste time thinking it out?" she throws her question at us. It is an answer to our question. As we drive on, scenes flit across our eyes in quick succession — women trudging along with sacks full of fodder, children romping back home from school, girls sewing clothes in the open, men playing cards, dogs yawning lazily and bellowing a random bark at strangers they don't fancy and football-shaped water tanks dwarfing the houses. The sun is already getting a shade weaker. And as we leave Tulial for other nearby villages, the vast fields, and the narrow, cobbled lanes, and men and women who live in sync with the cycles of nature leave us rather enamoured of the village life! Feedback
tariqmir45@gmail.com
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
WILDLIFE WEEK
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Wildlife Conservation: Invoking ethical teachings
Unless humans become conscious about the importance of wildlife and it becomes firmly rooted in their hearts and minds, celebrating occasion may prove little beneficial; need of the hour is to change the mind-set of people, and for that invocation of moral and ethical teachings can be highly effective, suggests Mir Tariq Rasool
Nature; we live with it, in it, and by it. Some of us take deep delight in hiking through the woods in groups or solitary walks along vast beaches, others enjoy weekend bird watching events and some of us are employed to take accurate counts of wildlife and to protect it. There are still others who see nature in an entirely different way; to them, nature is to be dominated and exploited. Entire species of animal and plant life have been destroyed, and continue to be destroyed, by humans who hunt them to extinction or have obliterated the habitats that allowed them to thrive. If man originally hunted to survive, now the profit motive is often the ultimate reason for these acts of destruction. Others simply seem to derive some satisfaction from the very act of destruction. Humankind has altered the environment around the globe and has been responsible for both deliberate and unintentional acts of destruction including the destruction of wild life habitat.
However, humans have also known that nature, in both its obvious details and the mysterious "laws of nature" that man has always struggled to comprehend, is vital to our survival — as individuals and as a species.Trees are being chopped and put up for sale, the fishes are killed in the lakes by water pollution, the skins and bones of tiger are exchanged in the border areas and the rare migratory birds are captured and sold in the black markets around the world. Yet, every year around this time, (October 2 to 8) governments, environmentalists, and activists to accelerate the awareness of wildlife conservation among people, observe Wildlife Week. NGOs or self-claimed conservationists can be seen busy in sponsoring the Wildlife Week celebrations and papers are full with the write-ups on wildlife conservation, but all with insufficient results. Why government is not able to curb the growing extinction of wild species and destruction of habitat thereof? It needs to be analyzed. The mandate to conserve the wild species is given to the NGOs or self-claimed conservationists, who have only financial and materialistic benefits in handling the projects of wildlife conservation; columnists are just exercising their word gymnastics by writing on the issue. It needs deep change of mind-set of the people while dealing with the problem and this job can be done at a popular level by spreading the basic moral and ethical teachings. With a growing urge among the Muslims for a better understanding of the ideal, but practicable, way of life, the study and relevance of such teachings has added importance. The environment is central in Islam. Due to the growing impact of deforestation, continuous efforts are being made by some anxious animal lovers to protect the endangered species of wildlife as well as those that are on the verge of extinction. Wildlife is important for four main reasons. Beauty: By their unique way of existence, wild creatures enhance the natural beauty of the earth.Economic value: The financial value of wild species is important to the economies of several nations, as it provides many valuable substances like wood and other plant products, fibres, meat and other foods, and skins and furs.Scientific value: By studying wildlife, scientists have gained valuable knowledge about various life processes and discovered important medical product. Survival value: Wildlife helps in maintaining the balanced living systems of earth, which consequently ensures survival of life. All these four main reasons are encompassed in the ethical and moral teachings. Take for example teh behaviour of Zoo officials; they keep animals confined in limited space do not consider the 'agony 'of the animal. Now a clue can be taken from this prophetic message' it is a great sin for man to imprison those animals which are in his power'. Even non-Muslim environmental ethicists like, R.P Misra adhere to the Islamic bio ethical theme and states that justice, indeed is one of the corner-stones of the Muslim religion. Since environmental abuse or destruction is more often a form of injustice, the grand principle of Justice can be invoked to ensure that environment and wildlife is not subjected to any kind of abuse. To promote environmental, especially wildlife awareness among the people, the Indian government has started various natural projects and programs such as Project Tiger (formed in 1972 and launched on the 1st April 1973 at Corbett National Park), Project Elephant (a centrally sponsored scheme, was launched in February 1992 to provide financial and technical support to major elephant bearing states in India for protection of elephants, their habitats and corridors). Besides this, there are also various NGOs working on wildlife conservation in India, how much these Projects and NGO's are successful in protecting the wild life can be notices by the fact that between a quarter and a third of the world's wildlife has been lost since 1970, according to data compiled by the Zoological Society of London; populations of land-based species fell by 25%, marine by 28% and freshwater by 29%, it says. Humans are wiping out about 1% of all other species every year, and one of the "great extinction episodes" in the Earth's history is under way, it says. Pollution, farming and urban expansion, over-fishing and hunting are blamed. In India where Wildlife Week is celebrated with great pomp and show, the National Animal (Tiger) and National Bird (Peacock) is on the verge of extinction. Moreover, other animals such as elephants, musk deer, Tibetan antelope, rhinoceros, red panda, Ganges river dolphin, etc., without getting proper care are getting endangered. In these circumstances when so-called conservationists and NGOs keep eye on their own benefits rather than conserving the wildlife, then the moral and religious applications become more meaningful and needed. When the mass awareness programmes and observance of days and weeks in the name conserving the natural and wild life prove ineffective, an alternate way of convincing the hearts and minds becomes a necessary imperative. It is the need of time to underline the religious and bio-ethical teachings of conserving the wildlife rather than solely insisting on using conventional and unplanned methods, which have proved, and are proving ineffectual, as surveyed by the international and national wildlife forums and societies. If people are to awaken to the challenges of preserving the wildlife and its habitat, modern wildlife conservationists and scholars must illuminate the ecological and wildlife conservative principles embedded in moral themes as they apply to contemporary environmental and wildlife issues. The world now is undoubtedly more complex than it was a thousand years ago when the industrial revolution had not taken place and the earth's resources had not been strained. For example the wildlife consciousness in Islam is reflected in one of the familiar instances of life of the Prophet when, during a journey, one of companions removed a baby pigeon from a nest. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) confronted and gently returned the bird to its nest. "For charity shown to each creature with a wet heart, there is a reward," the Prophet declared. Let us hope a day will dawn when we shall see the start of a new era; when man accorded to wild life the respect and status they deserved and for so long have been denied. Feedback
tariqmir45@gmail.com
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Wildlife Conservation: Invoking ethical teachings
Unless humans become conscious about the importance of wildlife and it becomes firmly rooted in their hearts and minds, celebrating occasion may prove little beneficial; need of the hour is to change the mind-set of people, and for that invocation of moral and ethical teachings can be highly effective, suggests Mir Tariq Rasool
Nature; we live with it, in it, and by it. Some of us take deep delight in hiking through the woods in groups or solitary walks along vast beaches, others enjoy weekend bird watching events and some of us are employed to take accurate counts of wildlife and to protect it. There are still others who see nature in an entirely different way; to them, nature is to be dominated and exploited. Entire species of animal and plant life have been destroyed, and continue to be destroyed, by humans who hunt them to extinction or have obliterated the habitats that allowed them to thrive. If man originally hunted to survive, now the profit motive is often the ultimate reason for these acts of destruction. Others simply seem to derive some satisfaction from the very act of destruction. Humankind has altered the environment around the globe and has been responsible for both deliberate and unintentional acts of destruction including the destruction of wild life habitat.
However, humans have also known that nature, in both its obvious details and the mysterious "laws of nature" that man has always struggled to comprehend, is vital to our survival — as individuals and as a species.Trees are being chopped and put up for sale, the fishes are killed in the lakes by water pollution, the skins and bones of tiger are exchanged in the border areas and the rare migratory birds are captured and sold in the black markets around the world. Yet, every year around this time, (October 2 to 8) governments, environmentalists, and activists to accelerate the awareness of wildlife conservation among people, observe Wildlife Week. NGOs or self-claimed conservationists can be seen busy in sponsoring the Wildlife Week celebrations and papers are full with the write-ups on wildlife conservation, but all with insufficient results. Why government is not able to curb the growing extinction of wild species and destruction of habitat thereof? It needs to be analyzed. The mandate to conserve the wild species is given to the NGOs or self-claimed conservationists, who have only financial and materialistic benefits in handling the projects of wildlife conservation; columnists are just exercising their word gymnastics by writing on the issue. It needs deep change of mind-set of the people while dealing with the problem and this job can be done at a popular level by spreading the basic moral and ethical teachings. With a growing urge among the Muslims for a better understanding of the ideal, but practicable, way of life, the study and relevance of such teachings has added importance. The environment is central in Islam. Due to the growing impact of deforestation, continuous efforts are being made by some anxious animal lovers to protect the endangered species of wildlife as well as those that are on the verge of extinction. Wildlife is important for four main reasons. Beauty: By their unique way of existence, wild creatures enhance the natural beauty of the earth.Economic value: The financial value of wild species is important to the economies of several nations, as it provides many valuable substances like wood and other plant products, fibres, meat and other foods, and skins and furs.Scientific value: By studying wildlife, scientists have gained valuable knowledge about various life processes and discovered important medical product. Survival value: Wildlife helps in maintaining the balanced living systems of earth, which consequently ensures survival of life. All these four main reasons are encompassed in the ethical and moral teachings. Take for example teh behaviour of Zoo officials; they keep animals confined in limited space do not consider the 'agony 'of the animal. Now a clue can be taken from this prophetic message' it is a great sin for man to imprison those animals which are in his power'. Even non-Muslim environmental ethicists like, R.P Misra adhere to the Islamic bio ethical theme and states that justice, indeed is one of the corner-stones of the Muslim religion. Since environmental abuse or destruction is more often a form of injustice, the grand principle of Justice can be invoked to ensure that environment and wildlife is not subjected to any kind of abuse. To promote environmental, especially wildlife awareness among the people, the Indian government has started various natural projects and programs such as Project Tiger (formed in 1972 and launched on the 1st April 1973 at Corbett National Park), Project Elephant (a centrally sponsored scheme, was launched in February 1992 to provide financial and technical support to major elephant bearing states in India for protection of elephants, their habitats and corridors). Besides this, there are also various NGOs working on wildlife conservation in India, how much these Projects and NGO's are successful in protecting the wild life can be notices by the fact that between a quarter and a third of the world's wildlife has been lost since 1970, according to data compiled by the Zoological Society of London; populations of land-based species fell by 25%, marine by 28% and freshwater by 29%, it says. Humans are wiping out about 1% of all other species every year, and one of the "great extinction episodes" in the Earth's history is under way, it says. Pollution, farming and urban expansion, over-fishing and hunting are blamed. In India where Wildlife Week is celebrated with great pomp and show, the National Animal (Tiger) and National Bird (Peacock) is on the verge of extinction. Moreover, other animals such as elephants, musk deer, Tibetan antelope, rhinoceros, red panda, Ganges river dolphin, etc., without getting proper care are getting endangered. In these circumstances when so-called conservationists and NGOs keep eye on their own benefits rather than conserving the wildlife, then the moral and religious applications become more meaningful and needed. When the mass awareness programmes and observance of days and weeks in the name conserving the natural and wild life prove ineffective, an alternate way of convincing the hearts and minds becomes a necessary imperative. It is the need of time to underline the religious and bio-ethical teachings of conserving the wildlife rather than solely insisting on using conventional and unplanned methods, which have proved, and are proving ineffectual, as surveyed by the international and national wildlife forums and societies. If people are to awaken to the challenges of preserving the wildlife and its habitat, modern wildlife conservationists and scholars must illuminate the ecological and wildlife conservative principles embedded in moral themes as they apply to contemporary environmental and wildlife issues. The world now is undoubtedly more complex than it was a thousand years ago when the industrial revolution had not taken place and the earth's resources had not been strained. For example the wildlife consciousness in Islam is reflected in one of the familiar instances of life of the Prophet when, during a journey, one of companions removed a baby pigeon from a nest. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) confronted and gently returned the bird to its nest. "For charity shown to each creature with a wet heart, there is a reward," the Prophet declared. Let us hope a day will dawn when we shall see the start of a new era; when man accorded to wild life the respect and status they deserved and for so long have been denied. Feedback
tariqmir45@gmail.com
Monday, October 6, 2008
ISLAM STRESSES WILDLIFE CONSERVATION
BY
MIR TARIQ RASOOL
Nature, We live with it, in it, around it. Some of us take deep delight in hiking through the woods with others or solitary walks along deserted beaches. Others enjoy weekend bird watching events and some of us are employed to take accurate counts of wildlife and to protect it. Others see nature in an entirely different way. To them, nature is to be dominated and exploited. Entire species of animal and plant life have been destroyed, and continue to be destroyed, by humans who hunt them to extinction or have obliterated the habitats that allowed them to thrive. If man originally hunted to survive, now the profit motive is often the ultimate reason for these acts of destruction. Others simply seem to derive some satisfaction from the very act of destruction. Humankind has altered the environment around the globe and has been responsible for both deliberate and unintentional acts of destruction including the destruction of wild life Habitat.
However, humans have also known that nature, in both its obvious details and the mysterious “laws of nature” that man has always struggled to comprehend, are vital to our survival — as individuals and as a species.
Trees are being chopped and put up for sale, the fishes are killed in the lakes by water pollution, the skins and bones of tiger are exchanged in the border area and rare migratory birds are captured and sold in the black markets around the world. Yet, every year around this time, (October 2 to 8) governments, environmentalists, activists to accelerate the awareness of wildlife conservation among people, observe Wildlife Week. NGOs or self-claimed conservationists can be seen busy in sponsoring the Wildlife week celebrations and papers are full with the write-ups of wildlife conservation, but all with insufficient results. Why government is not able to curb the growing extinction of Wild Species and destruction of habitat thereof? It needs to be analyzed. The mandate to conserve the wild species is given to the NGOs or self-claimed conservationists, who have only financial and materialistic benefits in handling the projects of Wildlife conservation, columnists and article writers, are just exercising their word gymnastics by writing on the issue. it needs deep change of mind set of the people while dealing with the problem and this job can eased by various methods which includes a cheap, easy comprehendible Islamic methodology of conserving Wild life.
With a growing urge among the Muslims for a better understanding the basic outlines of an ideal but practicable Islamic way of life, the study and relevance of Quran Seerat-un-Nabi has acquired added importance. The environment is central in Islam. Many Islamic concepts or principles in the Quran and in the words and actions of the Prophet, such as Tawheed (Unity of God), Khilafah (vicegerency), Umma (community), Adl (justice), Ihsan (kindness), Hikma (wisdom) and Tawadu (modesty), carry substantive implications concerning the relationship between humankind and the natural environment. Due to the growing impact of deforestation, continuous efforts are being made by some anxious animal lovers to protect the endangered species of wildlife as well as those that are on the verge of extinction and thus save the world from running out its green heritage. Wildlife is important for four main reasons: (1) Beauty: By their unique way of existence, wild creatures exaggerate the natural beauty of the earth.(2)Economic value: The financial value of wild species is important to the economies of several nations, as it provides many valuable substances like wood and other plant products, fibers, meat and other foods, and skins and furs.(3)Scientific value: By studying wildlife, scientists have gained valuable knowledge about various life processes and discovered important medical product (4) Survival value: Wildlife helps in maintaining the balanced living systems of earth, which consequently ensures survival of life. All these four main reasons are encompassed in the environmental teachings of Islam to preserve and boost up the Wild Life population in the universe. Almighty Allah has created the universe and beautified it with the Mountains peaks and forests then make the same the habitat of wild animals. The Qur'an states that man has dominion over animals: "He (God) it is Who made you vicegerents on earth." (Qur'an 35:39), but makes clear that this responsibility is not unconditional and states what happens to those who misuse their freedom of choice and fail to conform to the conditions that limit this responsibility: "then We reduce him (to the status of) the lowest of the low." (Qur'an 95:4, 5) "…they are those whom Allah has rejected and whom He has condemned….because they served evil" (Qur'an 5:63). "…they have hearts wherewith they fail to comprehend, and eyes wherewith they fail to see, and ears wherewith they fail to hear….Such (humans) is far astray from the right path. (Qur'an 7:179).So the Quran allowed man to be benefited economically from the animals but under limits and according to Quranic orders. Zoo officials who keep animals confined in limited space do not consider the ‘agony ‘of the animal. A clue can be taken from this prophetic message’ it is a great sin for man to imprison those animals which are in his power’ (Muslim).Even non-Muslim environmental ethicists like, R.P Misra adheres the Islamic bio ethical theme and states that justice, indeed is one of the corner stones of the Muslim religion, since environmental abuse or destruction is more often a form of injustice. Since Islam stresses the moral importance of knowledge no less than justice, being truly elements of the environmental ethics with universal implications, Islamic methods to conserve wildlife are fruitful and sustainable as evident from the glimpses of Islamic history
To promote environmental especially wildlife awareness among the people, the Indian government has started various natural projects and programs such as Project Tiger (formed in 1972 and launched on the 1st April 1973 at Corbett National Park), Project Elephant (a centrally sponsored scheme, was launched in February 1992 to provide financial and technical support to major elephant bearing states in India for protection of elephants, their habitats and corridors),Besides this ,there are also various NGOs working on wildlife conservation in India, how much these Projects and NGO’s are successful in protecting the Wild life can be notices by the fact that between a quarter and a third of the world's wildlife has been lost since 1970, according to data compiled by the Zoological Society of London Populations of land-based species fell by 25%, marine by 28% and freshwater by 29%, it says. Humans are wiping out about 1% of all other species every year, and one of the "great extinction episodes" in the Earth's history is under way, it says. Pollution, farming and urban expansion, over-fishing and hunting are blamed. In India where Wild Life week is celebrated by high pomp and show, the National Animal ‘Tiger’ and National Bird ‘Peacock’ is on the verge of extinction,moreover other animals such as elephants, musk deer, Tibetan antelope, rhinoceros, red panda, Ganges river dolphin, etc., without getting proper care are getting endangered.
In these circumstances when so-called conservationists and self-centered NGo’s keep there eye on their own benefits rather than conserving the Wild Life in actuality, then the moral and religious application are meaningful. when the mass awareness programmes and observance of days and weeks in the name conserving the natural and wild life gets useless then the Natural, religious ways and methods becomes the only viable and feasible option to conserve the same, which proved, proves and is proving useful and effective. It is the need of time to prefer Religious and Bio-ethical methods of conserving the natural wild life rather than using conventional and unplanned methods, which proved, and are proving ineffectual as surveyed by the international and nation wild life Forums and Societies. If people are to awaken to the challenges of preserving the wild life and its habitat, modern wild life conservationists and scholars must illuminate the ecological and wild life conservative principles of the Qur'an as they apply to contemporary environmental and wild life related issues. The world now is undoubtedly more complex than it was a thousand years ago when the industrial revolution had not taken place and the earth's resources had not been strained. The point, however, is that human laws are time bound, while divine guidance is timeless. "Corruption has appeared on land and sea as an outcome of what men's hands have wrought: and so He will let them taste the evil of some of their doings, so that they might return to the right path. " states a Quranic verse (30:4 1), implying that destruction of the natural environment follows from immoral and unethical use of natural resources, which can only be addressed by natural and bio-ethical methods laid down by Islam. The wild Life consciousness and care in Islam is reflected from One of the familiar instances of life of the Prophet when, during a journey, one of companions (SUHABA) removed a baby pigeon from a nest. Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) confronted and gently returned the bird to its nest. "For charity shown to each creature with a wet heart, there is a reward," the Prophet declared. Let us hope a day will dawn of the great religious teachings may begin, when we shall see the start of a new era, when man accords to wild life the respect and status they deserve and for so long have been denied.
Feedback: Tariqmir45@gmail.com
BY
MIR TARIQ RASOOL
Nature, We live with it, in it, around it. Some of us take deep delight in hiking through the woods with others or solitary walks along deserted beaches. Others enjoy weekend bird watching events and some of us are employed to take accurate counts of wildlife and to protect it. Others see nature in an entirely different way. To them, nature is to be dominated and exploited. Entire species of animal and plant life have been destroyed, and continue to be destroyed, by humans who hunt them to extinction or have obliterated the habitats that allowed them to thrive. If man originally hunted to survive, now the profit motive is often the ultimate reason for these acts of destruction. Others simply seem to derive some satisfaction from the very act of destruction. Humankind has altered the environment around the globe and has been responsible for both deliberate and unintentional acts of destruction including the destruction of wild life Habitat.
However, humans have also known that nature, in both its obvious details and the mysterious “laws of nature” that man has always struggled to comprehend, are vital to our survival — as individuals and as a species.
Trees are being chopped and put up for sale, the fishes are killed in the lakes by water pollution, the skins and bones of tiger are exchanged in the border area and rare migratory birds are captured and sold in the black markets around the world. Yet, every year around this time, (October 2 to 8) governments, environmentalists, activists to accelerate the awareness of wildlife conservation among people, observe Wildlife Week. NGOs or self-claimed conservationists can be seen busy in sponsoring the Wildlife week celebrations and papers are full with the write-ups of wildlife conservation, but all with insufficient results. Why government is not able to curb the growing extinction of Wild Species and destruction of habitat thereof? It needs to be analyzed. The mandate to conserve the wild species is given to the NGOs or self-claimed conservationists, who have only financial and materialistic benefits in handling the projects of Wildlife conservation, columnists and article writers, are just exercising their word gymnastics by writing on the issue. it needs deep change of mind set of the people while dealing with the problem and this job can eased by various methods which includes a cheap, easy comprehendible Islamic methodology of conserving Wild life.
With a growing urge among the Muslims for a better understanding the basic outlines of an ideal but practicable Islamic way of life, the study and relevance of Quran Seerat-un-Nabi has acquired added importance. The environment is central in Islam. Many Islamic concepts or principles in the Quran and in the words and actions of the Prophet, such as Tawheed (Unity of God), Khilafah (vicegerency), Umma (community), Adl (justice), Ihsan (kindness), Hikma (wisdom) and Tawadu (modesty), carry substantive implications concerning the relationship between humankind and the natural environment. Due to the growing impact of deforestation, continuous efforts are being made by some anxious animal lovers to protect the endangered species of wildlife as well as those that are on the verge of extinction and thus save the world from running out its green heritage. Wildlife is important for four main reasons: (1) Beauty: By their unique way of existence, wild creatures exaggerate the natural beauty of the earth.(2)Economic value: The financial value of wild species is important to the economies of several nations, as it provides many valuable substances like wood and other plant products, fibers, meat and other foods, and skins and furs.(3)Scientific value: By studying wildlife, scientists have gained valuable knowledge about various life processes and discovered important medical product (4) Survival value: Wildlife helps in maintaining the balanced living systems of earth, which consequently ensures survival of life. All these four main reasons are encompassed in the environmental teachings of Islam to preserve and boost up the Wild Life population in the universe. Almighty Allah has created the universe and beautified it with the Mountains peaks and forests then make the same the habitat of wild animals. The Qur'an states that man has dominion over animals: "He (God) it is Who made you vicegerents on earth." (Qur'an 35:39), but makes clear that this responsibility is not unconditional and states what happens to those who misuse their freedom of choice and fail to conform to the conditions that limit this responsibility: "then We reduce him (to the status of) the lowest of the low." (Qur'an 95:4, 5) "…they are those whom Allah has rejected and whom He has condemned….because they served evil" (Qur'an 5:63). "…they have hearts wherewith they fail to comprehend, and eyes wherewith they fail to see, and ears wherewith they fail to hear….Such (humans) is far astray from the right path. (Qur'an 7:179).So the Quran allowed man to be benefited economically from the animals but under limits and according to Quranic orders. Zoo officials who keep animals confined in limited space do not consider the ‘agony ‘of the animal. A clue can be taken from this prophetic message’ it is a great sin for man to imprison those animals which are in his power’ (Muslim).Even non-Muslim environmental ethicists like, R.P Misra adheres the Islamic bio ethical theme and states that justice, indeed is one of the corner stones of the Muslim religion, since environmental abuse or destruction is more often a form of injustice. Since Islam stresses the moral importance of knowledge no less than justice, being truly elements of the environmental ethics with universal implications, Islamic methods to conserve wildlife are fruitful and sustainable as evident from the glimpses of Islamic history
To promote environmental especially wildlife awareness among the people, the Indian government has started various natural projects and programs such as Project Tiger (formed in 1972 and launched on the 1st April 1973 at Corbett National Park), Project Elephant (a centrally sponsored scheme, was launched in February 1992 to provide financial and technical support to major elephant bearing states in India for protection of elephants, their habitats and corridors),Besides this ,there are also various NGOs working on wildlife conservation in India, how much these Projects and NGO’s are successful in protecting the Wild life can be notices by the fact that between a quarter and a third of the world's wildlife has been lost since 1970, according to data compiled by the Zoological Society of London Populations of land-based species fell by 25%, marine by 28% and freshwater by 29%, it says. Humans are wiping out about 1% of all other species every year, and one of the "great extinction episodes" in the Earth's history is under way, it says. Pollution, farming and urban expansion, over-fishing and hunting are blamed. In India where Wild Life week is celebrated by high pomp and show, the National Animal ‘Tiger’ and National Bird ‘Peacock’ is on the verge of extinction,moreover other animals such as elephants, musk deer, Tibetan antelope, rhinoceros, red panda, Ganges river dolphin, etc., without getting proper care are getting endangered.
In these circumstances when so-called conservationists and self-centered NGo’s keep there eye on their own benefits rather than conserving the Wild Life in actuality, then the moral and religious application are meaningful. when the mass awareness programmes and observance of days and weeks in the name conserving the natural and wild life gets useless then the Natural, religious ways and methods becomes the only viable and feasible option to conserve the same, which proved, proves and is proving useful and effective. It is the need of time to prefer Religious and Bio-ethical methods of conserving the natural wild life rather than using conventional and unplanned methods, which proved, and are proving ineffectual as surveyed by the international and nation wild life Forums and Societies. If people are to awaken to the challenges of preserving the wild life and its habitat, modern wild life conservationists and scholars must illuminate the ecological and wild life conservative principles of the Qur'an as they apply to contemporary environmental and wild life related issues. The world now is undoubtedly more complex than it was a thousand years ago when the industrial revolution had not taken place and the earth's resources had not been strained. The point, however, is that human laws are time bound, while divine guidance is timeless. "Corruption has appeared on land and sea as an outcome of what men's hands have wrought: and so He will let them taste the evil of some of their doings, so that they might return to the right path. " states a Quranic verse (30:4 1), implying that destruction of the natural environment follows from immoral and unethical use of natural resources, which can only be addressed by natural and bio-ethical methods laid down by Islam. The wild Life consciousness and care in Islam is reflected from One of the familiar instances of life of the Prophet when, during a journey, one of companions (SUHABA) removed a baby pigeon from a nest. Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) confronted and gently returned the bird to its nest. "For charity shown to each creature with a wet heart, there is a reward," the Prophet declared. Let us hope a day will dawn of the great religious teachings may begin, when we shall see the start of a new era, when man accords to wild life the respect and status they deserve and for so long have been denied.
Feedback: Tariqmir45@gmail.com
Crescent sighting turns into freedom procession
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Mir TariqBandipora, Oct 03: Hundreds of people on the eve of Eid took to streets on the sighting of Shawl crescent in this north Kashmir’s district, which then turned into freedom procession.After sighting of Shawal 1, 1429 people took to roads with the drums and blowing up crackers to celebrate the ‘crescent night' which turned into freedom procession with people raising pro-freedom slogans.People with green flags in their hands, raised pro-freedom slogans and marched along various streets and concluded their procession at Bandipora graveyard were they paid tribute to martyrs."This Eid will be lucky for Kashmiris, we want to aware our enemies that our zeal for freedom is now refreshed due to fasting," said a local youth Muhammad Zahid, adding, "We will make every effort to get the freedom from the yolk of forced imperialism."Another protestor Saleem Ahmad said, “We are now preparing for the Freedom–processions and this is the first day of series of new processions,” said Ahmad.
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Mir TariqBandipora, Oct 03: Hundreds of people on the eve of Eid took to streets on the sighting of Shawl crescent in this north Kashmir’s district, which then turned into freedom procession.After sighting of Shawal 1, 1429 people took to roads with the drums and blowing up crackers to celebrate the ‘crescent night' which turned into freedom procession with people raising pro-freedom slogans.People with green flags in their hands, raised pro-freedom slogans and marched along various streets and concluded their procession at Bandipora graveyard were they paid tribute to martyrs."This Eid will be lucky for Kashmiris, we want to aware our enemies that our zeal for freedom is now refreshed due to fasting," said a local youth Muhammad Zahid, adding, "We will make every effort to get the freedom from the yolk of forced imperialism."Another protestor Saleem Ahmad said, “We are now preparing for the Freedom–processions and this is the first day of series of new processions,” said Ahmad.
Bandipora erupts over alleged use of Quranic pages in crackers
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Mir Tariq Bandipora, Oct 03: Hundreds of people protested against the alleged use of Quranic pages in firecrackers here in north Kashmir district of Bandipora on Friday. The protestors were demanding stern action against the manufacturing companies of the said crackers.Hundreds of people took to roads in Kenusha, Ashtangoo and Aloosa villages of Bandipora when the news spread that Quranic pages were found wrapped on firecrackers. Accusing the manufacturing company of hurting the religious sentiments of Muslims by “desecrating” the Quran, the protesters demanded stern action against the companies: Coronation Fire Works, 112 East Car Street, Sivakasi and Ariyammal Fire Works Sivaksi located in Virudhunagar district of State Tamil Nadu.Police resorted to cane charge and fired tear smoke shells to disperse the protestors who blocked the traffic on Sopore –Bandipora highway for hours together."I saw Quranic verses written on the paper of an exploded cracker, " said Khurseehd Ahmed.“I checked with the shopkeepers and found Quranic verses written on the paper used in other unused crackers as well," he added.The agitated locals told Rising Kashmir that Police has seized all such crackers on which Quranic verses were written.Traders Federation of Bandipora has urged shopkeepers not to sell the crackers, terming the use of Quran pages in the crackers as a conspiracy to hurt the religious sentiments of Muslim community in India."We are being victimized in many ways and using of Quranic pages in manufacturing crackers is one of the ways to victimize Muslims in India," said Ghulam Muhammad Kucahay, member of the Traders Federation, adding, “We should act against this conspiracy by avoiding the trade of crackers."
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Mir Tariq Bandipora, Oct 03: Hundreds of people protested against the alleged use of Quranic pages in firecrackers here in north Kashmir district of Bandipora on Friday. The protestors were demanding stern action against the manufacturing companies of the said crackers.Hundreds of people took to roads in Kenusha, Ashtangoo and Aloosa villages of Bandipora when the news spread that Quranic pages were found wrapped on firecrackers. Accusing the manufacturing company of hurting the religious sentiments of Muslims by “desecrating” the Quran, the protesters demanded stern action against the companies: Coronation Fire Works, 112 East Car Street, Sivakasi and Ariyammal Fire Works Sivaksi located in Virudhunagar district of State Tamil Nadu.Police resorted to cane charge and fired tear smoke shells to disperse the protestors who blocked the traffic on Sopore –Bandipora highway for hours together."I saw Quranic verses written on the paper of an exploded cracker, " said Khurseehd Ahmed.“I checked with the shopkeepers and found Quranic verses written on the paper used in other unused crackers as well," he added.The agitated locals told Rising Kashmir that Police has seized all such crackers on which Quranic verses were written.Traders Federation of Bandipora has urged shopkeepers not to sell the crackers, terming the use of Quran pages in the crackers as a conspiracy to hurt the religious sentiments of Muslim community in India."We are being victimized in many ways and using of Quranic pages in manufacturing crackers is one of the ways to victimize Muslims in India," said Ghulam Muhammad Kucahay, member of the Traders Federation, adding, “We should act against this conspiracy by avoiding the trade of crackers."
Eid-ul-Fitr: Meaning and Celebration
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Mir Tariq Rasool
Festival represents the cultural and civilizational aspect of a particular nation or religion. In this world of nationalistic diversity, every nation or religion has it own particular festival celebrated on a particular day and date in a particular context, with happiness and ecstasy.
There is specific historicity behind every festival celebrated in this diverse world.
In this post-modernistic world, these reformative, lessoned and enlightening festivals are now confined to carnality, voluptuousness and hilarity. People are celebrating these festivals in such a manner that every body fails to get the essence of a particular Festival, self development. People have distorted the real illustration of the things. Be it Eid or Christmis, Dewali or Ram Navami; all these and other festivals have lost the real sprit which needs immediate attention. There is specific mode of celebrating a particular festival in the religion of Islam, which is beyond human distortions, carnality, voluptuousness and hilarity; therefore one feels real happiness while celebrating a festival according to demands of Islam. Muslims have two important and main festivals Eid-Ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azaha.
Festivals usually commemorate some famous event (some religious personality's birth or some victory they achieved over their opponents) but the celebration at 'Id-ul-Fitr does not commemorate any such event. We celebrate our own achievement during the previous month of Ramadaan. It is actually Ramadaan which marks a famous event, that of the beginning of the revelation of the Holy Quran to the Holy Prophet.
Eid-Ul-Fitr is celebrated at the end of the Ramadaan, which is the most important month in Islamic Calendar. Allah's words were revealed to Prophet Muhammad (SAW) through the angel during the month of Ramadaan, and the words were written down to form the Holy Qur'an. Prophet Muhammad declared the last day of Ramzan to celebrate Eid ul Fitr and strengthening the feeling of brotherhood.
These Islamic festivals have some distinguished peculiarities, like religious and congregational consciousness along with nationalistic virtuosity. Islam encompasses everything related to the day to day life and demands absolute and unconditional devotion to Almighty Allah in all aspects of life including celebrating twin Islamic festivals. There is no place for emulating other religions, cultures of civilizations or nations; Islam has its unique culture and civilization, which is weakening day by day due to the incomprehension among the Muslim Community. Islamic has its peculiar point of view about life and its activities. The way of Islam encompasses all aspects of human life is its peculiarity. Our twin Islamic festivals are no more now Islamic but people are emulating things from outside and have distorted the festivities by intermixing Western and European cultural elements with these festivals, with out knowing the ill effects of this mixing. Islam has its own unique culture and one should not follow un-Islamic patterns while celebrating festivals, instead should adhere to the ways that are taught by Islamic culture.
Today in this Post-Modernistic wolrd, the Muslim community instead of preferring the Islamic teachings in celebrating festivities is feeling proud to follow outside cultures from Western and European world. Almighty Allaha has bestowed Muslim Ummah (brethren) with tow gifts - the Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azaha, so we should take utmost care and follow Islamic teachings while celebrating this festival. Instead of indulging in carnality, voluptuousness and hilarity, we should stress on religious and collective consciousness. It is tragic that without trying to know the real sprit of Eid the Muslim community in the world remains busy in an unending feast from dawn to dusk, even the preparations for the grand day begin days in advance which indicates that the people have linked Eid day inextricably with feasts which is totally against the very spirit of the day. The essence of Eid is to develop unity among the Ummah, but in contemporary materialistic world we are going after our own instincts and keep the Quran and Sunnah aside. We prefer and are proud to be the followers of so called modernized cultures and never try to think about following Islamic Culture; instead, we are modernizing, and Westernizing the same. We are individualizing the congregational happiness rather than sharing our happiness within Muslim brethren.
We should wipe out all the religious, sectarian or social inequalities. Let us start from this Eid and let us celebrate it with the consciousness of beig a part of a bigger entity. We should prefer Islamic teachings over our instincts. Eid demands from us the creation of united, peaceful and humanistic society. We should celebrate Eid in way that bring us closer to it, so that we can benefit our society. It is tragic that Muslim community is celebrating, with great amount of enthusiasm festivals that are no part of our history and cultural identity and about their own cultural events they are not very much conscious.
Another disturbing thing about our ways of celebration is that we are given to much mundane activities and fun and hardly visit our neighbors, relatives and friends who may require us on the day of celebration. We never share our joys with the larger fraternity and remain confined to our own selves. We make no attempt to get closer to our neighbors, friends and relatives on this day. One can not get the happiness of Eid until he helps the needy in his society who are not able to celebrate the day as they have no money to buy some good food and fresh clothing. One should make it a point to find out if any of the neighbors, friends and relatives required some help.
Eid must remind us of our cultural moorings and moral values. One should not neglect fundamental principles of our religion, prime values and central beliefs in this modernistic world. We should revitalize the old memories when Eid was celebrated with simplicity, and with the element of pomp and show. When people never left their elders in solitude, when neighbors would sharing the joy with Eid with each other, when rich people would feel happy about visiting a poor family; when eid was a collective affair rather that highly individualistic.
Let us celibate today's Eid without indulging in pompous ways, which is creating distances among our own people. Let us retrieve our lost Islamic values and traditions by celebrating the Eid according to Islamic traditions. Let us celebrate it the way it should be celebrated.
Feedback at tariqmir45@gmail.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Listen To Article Save Article Print Article
Send Article To Friend Write To Editor Comment On Article
Mir Tariq Rasool
Festival represents the cultural and civilizational aspect of a particular nation or religion. In this world of nationalistic diversity, every nation or religion has it own particular festival celebrated on a particular day and date in a particular context, with happiness and ecstasy.
There is specific historicity behind every festival celebrated in this diverse world.
In this post-modernistic world, these reformative, lessoned and enlightening festivals are now confined to carnality, voluptuousness and hilarity. People are celebrating these festivals in such a manner that every body fails to get the essence of a particular Festival, self development. People have distorted the real illustration of the things. Be it Eid or Christmis, Dewali or Ram Navami; all these and other festivals have lost the real sprit which needs immediate attention. There is specific mode of celebrating a particular festival in the religion of Islam, which is beyond human distortions, carnality, voluptuousness and hilarity; therefore one feels real happiness while celebrating a festival according to demands of Islam. Muslims have two important and main festivals Eid-Ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azaha.
Festivals usually commemorate some famous event (some religious personality's birth or some victory they achieved over their opponents) but the celebration at 'Id-ul-Fitr does not commemorate any such event. We celebrate our own achievement during the previous month of Ramadaan. It is actually Ramadaan which marks a famous event, that of the beginning of the revelation of the Holy Quran to the Holy Prophet.
Eid-Ul-Fitr is celebrated at the end of the Ramadaan, which is the most important month in Islamic Calendar. Allah's words were revealed to Prophet Muhammad (SAW) through the angel during the month of Ramadaan, and the words were written down to form the Holy Qur'an. Prophet Muhammad declared the last day of Ramzan to celebrate Eid ul Fitr and strengthening the feeling of brotherhood.
These Islamic festivals have some distinguished peculiarities, like religious and congregational consciousness along with nationalistic virtuosity. Islam encompasses everything related to the day to day life and demands absolute and unconditional devotion to Almighty Allah in all aspects of life including celebrating twin Islamic festivals. There is no place for emulating other religions, cultures of civilizations or nations; Islam has its unique culture and civilization, which is weakening day by day due to the incomprehension among the Muslim Community. Islamic has its peculiar point of view about life and its activities. The way of Islam encompasses all aspects of human life is its peculiarity. Our twin Islamic festivals are no more now Islamic but people are emulating things from outside and have distorted the festivities by intermixing Western and European cultural elements with these festivals, with out knowing the ill effects of this mixing. Islam has its own unique culture and one should not follow un-Islamic patterns while celebrating festivals, instead should adhere to the ways that are taught by Islamic culture.
Today in this Post-Modernistic wolrd, the Muslim community instead of preferring the Islamic teachings in celebrating festivities is feeling proud to follow outside cultures from Western and European world. Almighty Allaha has bestowed Muslim Ummah (brethren) with tow gifts - the Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azaha, so we should take utmost care and follow Islamic teachings while celebrating this festival. Instead of indulging in carnality, voluptuousness and hilarity, we should stress on religious and collective consciousness. It is tragic that without trying to know the real sprit of Eid the Muslim community in the world remains busy in an unending feast from dawn to dusk, even the preparations for the grand day begin days in advance which indicates that the people have linked Eid day inextricably with feasts which is totally against the very spirit of the day. The essence of Eid is to develop unity among the Ummah, but in contemporary materialistic world we are going after our own instincts and keep the Quran and Sunnah aside. We prefer and are proud to be the followers of so called modernized cultures and never try to think about following Islamic Culture; instead, we are modernizing, and Westernizing the same. We are individualizing the congregational happiness rather than sharing our happiness within Muslim brethren.
We should wipe out all the religious, sectarian or social inequalities. Let us start from this Eid and let us celebrate it with the consciousness of beig a part of a bigger entity. We should prefer Islamic teachings over our instincts. Eid demands from us the creation of united, peaceful and humanistic society. We should celebrate Eid in way that bring us closer to it, so that we can benefit our society. It is tragic that Muslim community is celebrating, with great amount of enthusiasm festivals that are no part of our history and cultural identity and about their own cultural events they are not very much conscious.
Another disturbing thing about our ways of celebration is that we are given to much mundane activities and fun and hardly visit our neighbors, relatives and friends who may require us on the day of celebration. We never share our joys with the larger fraternity and remain confined to our own selves. We make no attempt to get closer to our neighbors, friends and relatives on this day. One can not get the happiness of Eid until he helps the needy in his society who are not able to celebrate the day as they have no money to buy some good food and fresh clothing. One should make it a point to find out if any of the neighbors, friends and relatives required some help.
Eid must remind us of our cultural moorings and moral values. One should not neglect fundamental principles of our religion, prime values and central beliefs in this modernistic world. We should revitalize the old memories when Eid was celebrated with simplicity, and with the element of pomp and show. When people never left their elders in solitude, when neighbors would sharing the joy with Eid with each other, when rich people would feel happy about visiting a poor family; when eid was a collective affair rather that highly individualistic.
Let us celibate today's Eid without indulging in pompous ways, which is creating distances among our own people. Let us retrieve our lost Islamic values and traditions by celebrating the Eid according to Islamic traditions. Let us celebrate it the way it should be celebrated.
Feedback at tariqmir45@gmail.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Friday, September 26, 2008
Kashmir and politics of statements
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When presidents, prime ministers, chairmen and secretary generals all over globe make pointed statements over Kashmir they never mean what they say. Kashmir only provides them a tool using which they score points over their adversaries, cautions Mir Tariq Rasool In the midst of statements by international leaders, the enthusiasm of people here in Kashmir gets intensified. Whenever any ‘conscientious leader’ here in India, Pakistan or in any other part of world makes any statement regarding the resolution of long awaiting Kashmir issue, people here in strife torn Kashmir start expecting big things without going deep into the reality of things.
Our ‘sympathizers’ in India or Pakistan or elsewhere in the world have proved themselves as prevaricated rhetoricians rather than problem solvers, for which Kashmiris are waiting from decades. After 9/11, huge statements came from the leaders all over the globe, especially from America, Pakistan and India, who time to time make such interested and attractive statements that the people here in Kashmir feel that the issue was now heading to its ultimate settlement. Kashmiris should know that every utterance regarding the Kashmir from outside the world has nothing to do with the settlement of Kashmir issue, these statement are being crafted out to get political, ideological or tactical mileage. One should know that the Jammu and Kashmir has an immense importance in Indian as well as Pakistani politics as the countries like America, Russia and China are politically making use of Kashmir issue to fulfil their strategic goals at international level.On both sides (Indo-Pak), there are strong vested interests that are busy in not normalizing the relations. Both the countries have a political compulsion, which halts the settlement of Kashmir issue. While addressing the Kashmir issue in relation with indo-Pak an Indian author and social activist Arundhati Roy, known for her radical political stances, on 14 August 2003 in Pakistan said that …..Both Indian and Pakistani governments used the Kashmir issue to deflect attention from domestic concerns. "When we talk about the indo-Pakistan Kashmir problem, we are assuming they are problems, we are assuming they are problems and that people are searching for solution', she said."I don't think this is the case. I think that for the governments of both Pakistan and India, Kashmir is the solution –it is the rabbit they pull of the hat every time they face domestic problems”. People, including pro-freedom leaders, here in Jammu and Kashmir should act realistically and should approach realistically the statements made by leaders in Indian Sub-continent or elsewhere in the world regarding the Kashmir issue. Kashmir is the rabbit and it will remain so until people in Indo-Pak, especially Jammu and Kashmir grow mature enough to see that it is the rabbit. Leaders from both India and Pakistan have always taken recourse to rhetoric from early times. On January 13, 2002 in a televised address to the Pakistani nation ex-president of Pakistan General Pervaiz Mushraf said "As the president of Pakistan, I want to convey a message to Prime Minister Vajpayee: If we want to normalize relations between Pakistan and India and bring harmony to the region, the Kashmir dispute will have to be resolved peacefully through a dialogue on the basis of the aspirations of the Kashmiri people”. Different from earlier statement, On 21 May 2005, Pervaiz Mushrraf, while addressing South Asian Parliamentary Forum in Islamabad said that the resolution of the long-standing Kashmir dispute could not be awaited indefinitely, to identify a region, allow maximum self-governance to the people, de-militarize and take some actions to make borders irrelevant. In his statement he further says that he is confident that a solution could be reached at on Kashmir that satisfied India, Pakistan and people of Kashmir. He said, "A solution has to be found from within the stand of India's insistence of no re-drawing of borders, Pakistan' stand of LOC cannot be a permanent border and boundaries becoming irrelevant”. The Prime Minister India, Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, known for his personal mission to improve relations with Pakistan, always stressed bilateral negotiations to solve the Kashmir issue. On May 29 2003, Vajpayee while addressing the Kashmir issue said that the resolution of the Kashmir problem would require "serious compromises", and he is prepared to negotiate with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf. On the same day in an interview with widely circulated German daily Der Spiegel, he said that he will "retire" if his third and last peace initiative with Pakistan fails. In October 2003 Russian president Vladimir Putin says that he will take up Kashmir issue with Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. After the end of 10th OIC meet Mr. Putin said: "We have discussed the situation in Kashmir and now I have better information to relate on behalf of President Musharraf to our Indian colleague." OIC, an international organization of Islamic Countries, while addressing Kashmir issue supported Kashmiris' right to self-determination and urged India to allow its delegation to inspect situation in occupied Kashmir during the 10th Summit in 2003. In the last fifty years, the United States has applied different labels to the Kashmir issue from 'self- determination' to 'aspiration of the Kashmiri people' to being 'a nuclear flash-point' endangering international security'. The constantly changing stand of the United States is reflective of the fact that the United States stand on the Kashmir issue is flexible and dependent on two factors at a given point in time: (1) Tenor of India-United States relations and; (2) The strategic utility of Pakistan for any intended United States strategic moves in South West Asia. Kashmir or the Kashmir issue, therefore is of no concern to the United States, but only an expedient strategic tool for the region. I remember the day May 18, 2008 when US President George Bush during an hour-long meeting with Pak Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani. said that "Kashmir issue is ripe for solution" and he saw major and significant developments in Pakistan-India relations. The President in his statement said that he was happy to note that the two sides had made a lot of progress in their talks on Kashmir and for comprehensive peace in the region. As a co-chairman of PPP, in a major shift in Pakistan's long-standing position, Asif Ali Zardari, whose party was set to take reins of the country on those days, expressed that he is ready to set aside the Kashmir issue in order to focus on other aspects for improving relations with India. He emphasized that the relations between India and Pakistan should not be held 'hostage' to the Kashmir issue and that the two countries 'can wait' for future generations to resolve the dispute in a mature manner in an atmosphere of 'trust'. Zardiari's statement was a shock to Kashmir as he was set to take reins of the Pakistan and Kashmiris always see Pakistani rulers as their well-wishers, whether they are actually the same is debatable. Now when Asif Ali Zardairi becomes President of Pakistan, he makes a statement totally different from his earlier statement, immediately after the statement of Hafiz Muhammad Saeed a militant ideologue who is the founder of the Lashker-e-Toiba and heads the Jamiat-ud-Dawah in which he said that Pakistan will be in “great trouble” if newly elected President Asif Ali Zardari does not make changes in the policies of his predecessor Pervez Musharraf, which have "derailed the Kashmir issue". Kashmir issue has been confined to rhetoric by "conscientious leadership" both in India and Pakistan. Thousands of statements have been issued regarding the settlement of Kashmir Issue without nay outcome. Recently Zardari maintained this tradition of rhetoric by saying that "Insha Allah, we will have some good news" on Kashmir before the general elections in India. In this age old fashion of prevaricated rhetoric Kashmiri should not expect big things from their " sympathizers" instead should continue the ongoing movement without being influenced by the statements crafted out to get political or tactical benefits. Feedback at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ' ); //-->">
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tariqmir45@gmail.com
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what about this area
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When presidents, prime ministers, chairmen and secretary generals all over globe make pointed statements over Kashmir they never mean what they say. Kashmir only provides them a tool using which they score points over their adversaries, cautions Mir Tariq Rasool In the midst of statements by international leaders, the enthusiasm of people here in Kashmir gets intensified. Whenever any ‘conscientious leader’ here in India, Pakistan or in any other part of world makes any statement regarding the resolution of long awaiting Kashmir issue, people here in strife torn Kashmir start expecting big things without going deep into the reality of things.
Our ‘sympathizers’ in India or Pakistan or elsewhere in the world have proved themselves as prevaricated rhetoricians rather than problem solvers, for which Kashmiris are waiting from decades. After 9/11, huge statements came from the leaders all over the globe, especially from America, Pakistan and India, who time to time make such interested and attractive statements that the people here in Kashmir feel that the issue was now heading to its ultimate settlement. Kashmiris should know that every utterance regarding the Kashmir from outside the world has nothing to do with the settlement of Kashmir issue, these statement are being crafted out to get political, ideological or tactical mileage. One should know that the Jammu and Kashmir has an immense importance in Indian as well as Pakistani politics as the countries like America, Russia and China are politically making use of Kashmir issue to fulfil their strategic goals at international level.On both sides (Indo-Pak), there are strong vested interests that are busy in not normalizing the relations. Both the countries have a political compulsion, which halts the settlement of Kashmir issue. While addressing the Kashmir issue in relation with indo-Pak an Indian author and social activist Arundhati Roy, known for her radical political stances, on 14 August 2003 in Pakistan said that …..Both Indian and Pakistani governments used the Kashmir issue to deflect attention from domestic concerns. "When we talk about the indo-Pakistan Kashmir problem, we are assuming they are problems, we are assuming they are problems and that people are searching for solution', she said."I don't think this is the case. I think that for the governments of both Pakistan and India, Kashmir is the solution –it is the rabbit they pull of the hat every time they face domestic problems”. People, including pro-freedom leaders, here in Jammu and Kashmir should act realistically and should approach realistically the statements made by leaders in Indian Sub-continent or elsewhere in the world regarding the Kashmir issue. Kashmir is the rabbit and it will remain so until people in Indo-Pak, especially Jammu and Kashmir grow mature enough to see that it is the rabbit. Leaders from both India and Pakistan have always taken recourse to rhetoric from early times. On January 13, 2002 in a televised address to the Pakistani nation ex-president of Pakistan General Pervaiz Mushraf said "As the president of Pakistan, I want to convey a message to Prime Minister Vajpayee: If we want to normalize relations between Pakistan and India and bring harmony to the region, the Kashmir dispute will have to be resolved peacefully through a dialogue on the basis of the aspirations of the Kashmiri people”. Different from earlier statement, On 21 May 2005, Pervaiz Mushrraf, while addressing South Asian Parliamentary Forum in Islamabad said that the resolution of the long-standing Kashmir dispute could not be awaited indefinitely, to identify a region, allow maximum self-governance to the people, de-militarize and take some actions to make borders irrelevant. In his statement he further says that he is confident that a solution could be reached at on Kashmir that satisfied India, Pakistan and people of Kashmir. He said, "A solution has to be found from within the stand of India's insistence of no re-drawing of borders, Pakistan' stand of LOC cannot be a permanent border and boundaries becoming irrelevant”. The Prime Minister India, Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, known for his personal mission to improve relations with Pakistan, always stressed bilateral negotiations to solve the Kashmir issue. On May 29 2003, Vajpayee while addressing the Kashmir issue said that the resolution of the Kashmir problem would require "serious compromises", and he is prepared to negotiate with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf. On the same day in an interview with widely circulated German daily Der Spiegel, he said that he will "retire" if his third and last peace initiative with Pakistan fails. In October 2003 Russian president Vladimir Putin says that he will take up Kashmir issue with Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. After the end of 10th OIC meet Mr. Putin said: "We have discussed the situation in Kashmir and now I have better information to relate on behalf of President Musharraf to our Indian colleague." OIC, an international organization of Islamic Countries, while addressing Kashmir issue supported Kashmiris' right to self-determination and urged India to allow its delegation to inspect situation in occupied Kashmir during the 10th Summit in 2003. In the last fifty years, the United States has applied different labels to the Kashmir issue from 'self- determination' to 'aspiration of the Kashmiri people' to being 'a nuclear flash-point' endangering international security'. The constantly changing stand of the United States is reflective of the fact that the United States stand on the Kashmir issue is flexible and dependent on two factors at a given point in time: (1) Tenor of India-United States relations and; (2) The strategic utility of Pakistan for any intended United States strategic moves in South West Asia. Kashmir or the Kashmir issue, therefore is of no concern to the United States, but only an expedient strategic tool for the region. I remember the day May 18, 2008 when US President George Bush during an hour-long meeting with Pak Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani. said that "Kashmir issue is ripe for solution" and he saw major and significant developments in Pakistan-India relations. The President in his statement said that he was happy to note that the two sides had made a lot of progress in their talks on Kashmir and for comprehensive peace in the region. As a co-chairman of PPP, in a major shift in Pakistan's long-standing position, Asif Ali Zardari, whose party was set to take reins of the country on those days, expressed that he is ready to set aside the Kashmir issue in order to focus on other aspects for improving relations with India. He emphasized that the relations between India and Pakistan should not be held 'hostage' to the Kashmir issue and that the two countries 'can wait' for future generations to resolve the dispute in a mature manner in an atmosphere of 'trust'. Zardiari's statement was a shock to Kashmir as he was set to take reins of the Pakistan and Kashmiris always see Pakistani rulers as their well-wishers, whether they are actually the same is debatable. Now when Asif Ali Zardairi becomes President of Pakistan, he makes a statement totally different from his earlier statement, immediately after the statement of Hafiz Muhammad Saeed a militant ideologue who is the founder of the Lashker-e-Toiba and heads the Jamiat-ud-Dawah in which he said that Pakistan will be in “great trouble” if newly elected President Asif Ali Zardari does not make changes in the policies of his predecessor Pervez Musharraf, which have "derailed the Kashmir issue". Kashmir issue has been confined to rhetoric by "conscientious leadership" both in India and Pakistan. Thousands of statements have been issued regarding the settlement of Kashmir Issue without nay outcome. Recently Zardari maintained this tradition of rhetoric by saying that "Insha Allah, we will have some good news" on Kashmir before the general elections in India. In this age old fashion of prevaricated rhetoric Kashmiri should not expect big things from their " sympathizers" instead should continue the ongoing movement without being influenced by the statements crafted out to get political or tactical benefits. Feedback at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ' ); //-->">
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tariqmir45@gmail.com
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Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Kashmir Uprising BANDIPORA
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Bandipora
Woman among 7 killed, 186 injured in troopers action16 children rendered orphans, three persons lose limbs
Mir TariqBandipora, Sept 22: After the eruption of the mass uprising in the Valley, at least seven persons including a woman were killed while 186 others injured in police and troopers action in this newly created North Kashmir district. At least 16 children were rendered orphans while three persons lost their limbs in the trooper’s action.On August 11, army and paramilitary CRPF personnel fired on unarmed protesters at Paribal, Sopore. The protestors, who belonged to Ashtagoo, Khenusa and Aloosa villages were marching towards Bandipora when they were fired on by the troopers.
Three protestors Ali Muhammad Khanday, Muhammad Shafi Ganai and Mumtaz Ahmed Bhat of Aloosa were killed on spot while Merahjudin Khan of Aloosa died after para-military CRPF personnel fired on the ambulance carrying him to hospital at Parimpora.Eyewitnesses said that one among them, Mumtaz Ahmad was a lineman of Power Development Department (PDD). “He was killed by troopers in Bandipora while he was rectifying a fault in an electricity pole. The troopers killed him on the suspicion of being a protestor. He was not a protestor but was repairing fault on electricity pole. The protestors were marching through the area and the troopers fired indiscriminately on the PDD lineman killing him on spot,” they saidOn August 25, two persons including a woman were killed during a day-long protests in Hajin, Sonawari when police and CRPF men fired indiscriminately on unarmed protestors, who defied the curfew restrictions. The unarmed protestors tried to march towards Lal Chowk, Srinagar.One of the protestors Javeed Ahmed PAhloo of Saderkoot was shot on forehead when he was trying to pacify the protestors. Two persons Bashir Ahmed Bhar and Naseema Begum of Hajin received critical bullet firing in the CRPF action and succumbed to injuries a day later at SHMS, Srinagar.Sixteen children were rendered orphans as they lost one of their parents during the firing in Bandipora.More than 186 persons including 11 women, nine policemen and three minors were injured in various clashes between cops and protesters in Bandipora district during the agitation and curfew days. Among the injured women, Saleema Begum, 50 and Rifat Ara, 39 are still battling for life in SMHS Srinagar."Police and CRPF troopers showered bullets on a group of women, who were looking for injured persons on roads in Hajin," said an eyewitness.Officials in District Hospital Bandipora told Rising Kashmir that 67 injured were treated in the hospital.A doctor pleading anonymity said that the doctors in the hospital treated injured persons, who were hit by bullets on abdomen or legs. "Few injured had received bullets on shoulders and backside. Legs of three of the injured were amputated,” he said.Locals alleged that during the curfew days 29 shops were looted and three mosques desecrated by the CRPF troopers in Hajin and Aloosa areas. “23 shops were looted in Khwaja market Hajin by the troopers when people were facing bullets. The cops also barged into Jamia Masjid and broke loud speakers and stabilizers and threw matting out of the mosque,” said a shopkeeper, Ghulam Nabi.He further alleged that four shops were looted in Aloosa while the troopers smashed window panes of 30 houses in ward 2 Gousia Mohalla, Bandipora.An elderly person Ghulam Hassan Bhat said, “I have not seen such brutality in my life. The troopers used brutal force to quell peaceful demonstrations. They fired indiscriminately on unarmed men, women and children during protest demonstrations.”
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Bandipora
Woman among 7 killed, 186 injured in troopers action16 children rendered orphans, three persons lose limbs
Mir TariqBandipora, Sept 22: After the eruption of the mass uprising in the Valley, at least seven persons including a woman were killed while 186 others injured in police and troopers action in this newly created North Kashmir district. At least 16 children were rendered orphans while three persons lost their limbs in the trooper’s action.On August 11, army and paramilitary CRPF personnel fired on unarmed protesters at Paribal, Sopore. The protestors, who belonged to Ashtagoo, Khenusa and Aloosa villages were marching towards Bandipora when they were fired on by the troopers.
Three protestors Ali Muhammad Khanday, Muhammad Shafi Ganai and Mumtaz Ahmed Bhat of Aloosa were killed on spot while Merahjudin Khan of Aloosa died after para-military CRPF personnel fired on the ambulance carrying him to hospital at Parimpora.Eyewitnesses said that one among them, Mumtaz Ahmad was a lineman of Power Development Department (PDD). “He was killed by troopers in Bandipora while he was rectifying a fault in an electricity pole. The troopers killed him on the suspicion of being a protestor. He was not a protestor but was repairing fault on electricity pole. The protestors were marching through the area and the troopers fired indiscriminately on the PDD lineman killing him on spot,” they saidOn August 25, two persons including a woman were killed during a day-long protests in Hajin, Sonawari when police and CRPF men fired indiscriminately on unarmed protestors, who defied the curfew restrictions. The unarmed protestors tried to march towards Lal Chowk, Srinagar.One of the protestors Javeed Ahmed PAhloo of Saderkoot was shot on forehead when he was trying to pacify the protestors. Two persons Bashir Ahmed Bhar and Naseema Begum of Hajin received critical bullet firing in the CRPF action and succumbed to injuries a day later at SHMS, Srinagar.Sixteen children were rendered orphans as they lost one of their parents during the firing in Bandipora.More than 186 persons including 11 women, nine policemen and three minors were injured in various clashes between cops and protesters in Bandipora district during the agitation and curfew days. Among the injured women, Saleema Begum, 50 and Rifat Ara, 39 are still battling for life in SMHS Srinagar."Police and CRPF troopers showered bullets on a group of women, who were looking for injured persons on roads in Hajin," said an eyewitness.Officials in District Hospital Bandipora told Rising Kashmir that 67 injured were treated in the hospital.A doctor pleading anonymity said that the doctors in the hospital treated injured persons, who were hit by bullets on abdomen or legs. "Few injured had received bullets on shoulders and backside. Legs of three of the injured were amputated,” he said.Locals alleged that during the curfew days 29 shops were looted and three mosques desecrated by the CRPF troopers in Hajin and Aloosa areas. “23 shops were looted in Khwaja market Hajin by the troopers when people were facing bullets. The cops also barged into Jamia Masjid and broke loud speakers and stabilizers and threw matting out of the mosque,” said a shopkeeper, Ghulam Nabi.He further alleged that four shops were looted in Aloosa while the troopers smashed window panes of 30 houses in ward 2 Gousia Mohalla, Bandipora.An elderly person Ghulam Hassan Bhat said, “I have not seen such brutality in my life. The troopers used brutal force to quell peaceful demonstrations. They fired indiscriminately on unarmed men, women and children during protest demonstrations.”
2 LeT cdrs killed in Sumbal gunfight: Police
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Soldier hangs self to death in ,
Mir Tariq SrinagarSep 23: Police on Tuesday claimed killing two top Lashkar-e-Toiba commanders in a gunfight at Sumbal in north Kashmir.A police spokesman said that on specific information, a joint party of Sumbal Police, 45 bn CRPF and 13 RR personnel laid a naka on the old bridge Sumbal. “They challenged two persons, who fired towards the party. The troopers returned, killing the two militants identified as Tahir Pathan alias Abu Tahir and Abdullah alias Abu Maaz,” he said.
The spokesman claimed that both militants belonged to Lashkar-e-Toiba and were believed to be Pakistani nationals. Two AK 47 rifles and arms ammunition were recovered from the slain militants.“Tahir alias Abu Tahir was functioning as Lashkar’s Divisional Commander while Abdullah alias Abu Maaz was acting as District Commander, Pattan. Tahir was involved in various militancy activities in the valley including the killing of Commanding Officer of 29 RR Col Gurbir Singh at Chak Behrampora in 2006. He had managed to escape from the spot. It is also believed that he was also involved in Narbal IED blast in which 10 army personnel were killed on July 19 ,2008,” he further claimed .The residents of the area observed shutdown to protest against what they termed the “fake encounter”.“Police started firing at 3 am without facing any retaliation. It raises doubts in our minds," said Mushtaq Ahmed (name changed).Another resident said, “We believe today's encounter was fake encounter. Police brought two bodies from somewhere and pumped bullets on them near old Bridge Sumbal and declare them as Pakistani militants”.The residents demanded a high level probe into the encounter.Meanwhile, DSP Sumbal Dr Harmeet Singh said that the deceased were top militants and were involved in many militancy related incidentsMeanwhile, an army soldier committed suicide by reportedly hanging himself at Nowshera area of Rajouri district.Lance Hawaldar Raj Kumar Yadav, 32, of 64 Field Artillery Regiment was found hanging in his barrack at Nowshera in Rajouri district. “His colleagues shifted him to hospital where doctors declared him brought dead,” sources said.Defence PRO Lt Col SD Goswami confirmed that the deceased soldier was found hanging inside his barrack.He said that Court of Inquiry has been ordered into the incident to ascertain the facts.
JCO ‘injured’ in PaK firing, army deniesJammu, Sept 23: A Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of army was critically injured when Pakistani troops allegedly fired on India's forward Victory post in Krishna Ghati area of Poonch district late last night.Army sources reported that a JCO sustained bullet injury when Pakistani troops fired at their post in Krishna-Gathi sector of Poonch last night.“The bullets were fired at our posts from Khatoon and Begum Posts in Pakistan on this side of LoC,” they said and identified the injured JCO as Naib Subedar B B Rana of 2/8 GR. “The bullet hit him on head and was hospitalized,” they said.When contacted Brig Ravi Krishan Murli, BGS information based in Udhampur denied the report of any injury. However, he confirmed the firing incident along LoC in Krishna Gathi sector of Poonch. “There were few rounds of fire from across the border but no injury was caused to our jawans,” he said.Meanwhile, a wire news agency, PTI quoting a senior army officer of 16 Corps said, “There was no firing from Pakistani side or exchange of fire between Indian and Pakistani troops in Krishna Ghati area of Poonch district last evening. No armyman was injured,"He ruled out any firing on Victor post from the Pakistani side.He, however, said that one jawan was injured in the eye when he slipped and got trapped in the border fencing during patrolling in Mandi area of the district. “The soldier has reported back to the unit after first aid,” he added.
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Soldier hangs self to death in ,
Mir Tariq SrinagarSep 23: Police on Tuesday claimed killing two top Lashkar-e-Toiba commanders in a gunfight at Sumbal in north Kashmir.A police spokesman said that on specific information, a joint party of Sumbal Police, 45 bn CRPF and 13 RR personnel laid a naka on the old bridge Sumbal. “They challenged two persons, who fired towards the party. The troopers returned, killing the two militants identified as Tahir Pathan alias Abu Tahir and Abdullah alias Abu Maaz,” he said.
The spokesman claimed that both militants belonged to Lashkar-e-Toiba and were believed to be Pakistani nationals. Two AK 47 rifles and arms ammunition were recovered from the slain militants.“Tahir alias Abu Tahir was functioning as Lashkar’s Divisional Commander while Abdullah alias Abu Maaz was acting as District Commander, Pattan. Tahir was involved in various militancy activities in the valley including the killing of Commanding Officer of 29 RR Col Gurbir Singh at Chak Behrampora in 2006. He had managed to escape from the spot. It is also believed that he was also involved in Narbal IED blast in which 10 army personnel were killed on July 19 ,2008,” he further claimed .The residents of the area observed shutdown to protest against what they termed the “fake encounter”.“Police started firing at 3 am without facing any retaliation. It raises doubts in our minds," said Mushtaq Ahmed (name changed).Another resident said, “We believe today's encounter was fake encounter. Police brought two bodies from somewhere and pumped bullets on them near old Bridge Sumbal and declare them as Pakistani militants”.The residents demanded a high level probe into the encounter.Meanwhile, DSP Sumbal Dr Harmeet Singh said that the deceased were top militants and were involved in many militancy related incidentsMeanwhile, an army soldier committed suicide by reportedly hanging himself at Nowshera area of Rajouri district.Lance Hawaldar Raj Kumar Yadav, 32, of 64 Field Artillery Regiment was found hanging in his barrack at Nowshera in Rajouri district. “His colleagues shifted him to hospital where doctors declared him brought dead,” sources said.Defence PRO Lt Col SD Goswami confirmed that the deceased soldier was found hanging inside his barrack.He said that Court of Inquiry has been ordered into the incident to ascertain the facts.
JCO ‘injured’ in PaK firing, army deniesJammu, Sept 23: A Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of army was critically injured when Pakistani troops allegedly fired on India's forward Victory post in Krishna Ghati area of Poonch district late last night.Army sources reported that a JCO sustained bullet injury when Pakistani troops fired at their post in Krishna-Gathi sector of Poonch last night.“The bullets were fired at our posts from Khatoon and Begum Posts in Pakistan on this side of LoC,” they said and identified the injured JCO as Naib Subedar B B Rana of 2/8 GR. “The bullet hit him on head and was hospitalized,” they said.When contacted Brig Ravi Krishan Murli, BGS information based in Udhampur denied the report of any injury. However, he confirmed the firing incident along LoC in Krishna Gathi sector of Poonch. “There were few rounds of fire from across the border but no injury was caused to our jawans,” he said.Meanwhile, a wire news agency, PTI quoting a senior army officer of 16 Corps said, “There was no firing from Pakistani side or exchange of fire between Indian and Pakistani troops in Krishna Ghati area of Poonch district last evening. No armyman was injured,"He ruled out any firing on Victor post from the Pakistani side.He, however, said that one jawan was injured in the eye when he slipped and got trapped in the border fencing during patrolling in Mandi area of the district. “The soldier has reported back to the unit after first aid,” he added.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Why Gurez could not march for freedom?
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30,000 civilians live amidst 60,000 troops
Mir TariqGurez (Bandipora), Sep 21: When entire Kashmir and parts of Jammu were witnessing mass uprising, the population of 30,000 in Gurez – a heavily fortified Northern region that borders LoC and remains cut off for at least six months – did not witness any procession. Reason: the locals say the presence of around 60 thousand troops deterred the inhabitants to display their solidarity with their Kashmiri brethren.
"We cannot bring out freedom processions here in Gurez as we are surrounded by Army from all sides," said Aijaz Ahmed a resident of Gurez. "Few people tried to march towards Eidgah on August 22 when they were informed about the situation in rest of Valley. They left for Bandipora wherefrom they joined the freedom march."Three brigades of army camp in Gurez which includes around 60,000 troops.Since mass uprising against transfer of State land to the controversial Amarnath shrine board, there have been no protests in Gurez.Ghulam Hassan Lone, an elderly person said: "It is hard to take out freedom procession in Gurez as we are dominated by army."Locals said that they have a grudge against pro-freedom leadership. They said except late Abdul Gani Lone, no one among Hurriyat leaders ever visited Gurez during the last two decades of armed rebellion.Inhabited by tribal Dards who were sometimes called war-like people by historians like Herodotus (4th century BC), Strabo (64 BC to AD 23) and Pliny (AD 23 to AD 79), most residents of Gurez are still unaware about the ongoing movement and protests throughout Kashmir valley in which over 50 people were killed and hundreds sustained injuries since August 11.This is due to the absence of proper communication."We always remain unaware about daily incidents of the State due to lack of communication. So we are unable to flow to our Kashmiri brothers who are facing brutalities in the Valley," said a resident of Dawer Gurez, Muhammad Saidullah Lone. "The only source of information is Radio Kashmir Srinagar but we never rely on it as it always carries biased news."Besides lack of communication, the business relations with huge surrounding army is also the cause that people in Gurez did not follow the voice of Valley."Besides having business relations, mostly the population here in Gurez is fed up of the surrounding army men," said Muhammad Subhan. "People get essential commodities like rice, flour, kerosene oil, petrol from the army. Even electricity is also supplied by army."Many residents of Gurez have qualified as KAS and IAS officers as they have Scheduled Tribe status.Gurez is a beautiful valley situated at an altitude of about 8,000 ft above sea level. The valley is rich with natural beauty, diverse fauna and wildlife. Kishan Ganga River flows through the valley. The road to Gurez Valley leads from north Kashmir’s Bandipore district.
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30,000 civilians live amidst 60,000 troops
Mir TariqGurez (Bandipora), Sep 21: When entire Kashmir and parts of Jammu were witnessing mass uprising, the population of 30,000 in Gurez – a heavily fortified Northern region that borders LoC and remains cut off for at least six months – did not witness any procession. Reason: the locals say the presence of around 60 thousand troops deterred the inhabitants to display their solidarity with their Kashmiri brethren.
"We cannot bring out freedom processions here in Gurez as we are surrounded by Army from all sides," said Aijaz Ahmed a resident of Gurez. "Few people tried to march towards Eidgah on August 22 when they were informed about the situation in rest of Valley. They left for Bandipora wherefrom they joined the freedom march."Three brigades of army camp in Gurez which includes around 60,000 troops.Since mass uprising against transfer of State land to the controversial Amarnath shrine board, there have been no protests in Gurez.Ghulam Hassan Lone, an elderly person said: "It is hard to take out freedom procession in Gurez as we are dominated by army."Locals said that they have a grudge against pro-freedom leadership. They said except late Abdul Gani Lone, no one among Hurriyat leaders ever visited Gurez during the last two decades of armed rebellion.Inhabited by tribal Dards who were sometimes called war-like people by historians like Herodotus (4th century BC), Strabo (64 BC to AD 23) and Pliny (AD 23 to AD 79), most residents of Gurez are still unaware about the ongoing movement and protests throughout Kashmir valley in which over 50 people were killed and hundreds sustained injuries since August 11.This is due to the absence of proper communication."We always remain unaware about daily incidents of the State due to lack of communication. So we are unable to flow to our Kashmiri brothers who are facing brutalities in the Valley," said a resident of Dawer Gurez, Muhammad Saidullah Lone. "The only source of information is Radio Kashmir Srinagar but we never rely on it as it always carries biased news."Besides lack of communication, the business relations with huge surrounding army is also the cause that people in Gurez did not follow the voice of Valley."Besides having business relations, mostly the population here in Gurez is fed up of the surrounding army men," said Muhammad Subhan. "People get essential commodities like rice, flour, kerosene oil, petrol from the army. Even electricity is also supplied by army."Many residents of Gurez have qualified as KAS and IAS officers as they have Scheduled Tribe status.Gurez is a beautiful valley situated at an altitude of about 8,000 ft above sea level. The valley is rich with natural beauty, diverse fauna and wildlife. Kishan Ganga River flows through the valley. The road to Gurez Valley leads from north Kashmir’s Bandipore district.
House gutted in Bandipora
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Mir TariqBandipora, Sep 21: A three-storey building was gutted in a fire accident here in Bandipora on Sunday evening.A three-storied house of one Ghulam Ahmed Malik of Khayar village of Bandipora was gutted after fire broke out from the lower story of the house. No loss of life was reported in the incident. However, the loss of property, in the blaze thought to be caused due to leakage of gas from a cylinder, was stated to be around Rs 12 lakh, officials told Rising Kashmir.
"The immediate arrival and action by Fire Service personnel prevented spreading of fire to adjoining houses," locals said.District Officer, Fire and Emergency, Muhammed Afzal has requested people of the area to dump the gas cylinders under the earth in order to avoid fire accidents."People should take enough care in handling the LPG gas cylinders as it is highly inflammable and the fire caught due to the gas is difficult to control," Afzal said.
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Mir TariqBandipora, Sep 21: A three-storey building was gutted in a fire accident here in Bandipora on Sunday evening.A three-storied house of one Ghulam Ahmed Malik of Khayar village of Bandipora was gutted after fire broke out from the lower story of the house. No loss of life was reported in the incident. However, the loss of property, in the blaze thought to be caused due to leakage of gas from a cylinder, was stated to be around Rs 12 lakh, officials told Rising Kashmir.
"The immediate arrival and action by Fire Service personnel prevented spreading of fire to adjoining houses," locals said.District Officer, Fire and Emergency, Muhammed Afzal has requested people of the area to dump the gas cylinders under the earth in order to avoid fire accidents."People should take enough care in handling the LPG gas cylinders as it is highly inflammable and the fire caught due to the gas is difficult to control," Afzal said.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
B’pora gets power cuts at Iftar, Sehari
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Mir TariqBandipora, Sep 20: Residents of Bandipora on Saturday alleged that they are facing frequent power cuts during Sehari and Iftar time and if it continues they won’t pay electric bills. With the power supply playing hide and seek, the residents in Nathpora, Aloosa, Ongam, Ashtangoo, Aythmulla, Arin and ward no 1-7 are facing hardships during Sehari and Iftar time with the Power Development Department (PDD) authorities preferring to look the other way."We are daily forced to spend dark nights as the power supply is withdrawn exactly on Iftar time and restored only at 8:00 am in the morning. It is condition of main town you can imagine of what happens in far flung areas," said a local youth Mubashir Ahmed.Hundreds of consumers in these localities threatened of not paying bills, if their demand for regular power supply was not met in coming days"We will not pay any bill to department if our demand of regular power supply is not fulfilled," locals said.Residents alleged that even as the unscheduled power cuts during this Holy month had made their lives miserable, repeated representations to the board has fallen on deaf ears. “Our complaints are not being heard by the department, there was nobody to attend to the complaints in the office for past four days,” allege residents.Consumers say that when they enquired about the matter from the authorities, they expressed their utter helplessness in this regard. “PDD says the cut is from Amargrah Electric Grid station we can do nothing,” allege residents.While talking to Rising Kashmir Executive PDD engineer Bandipora Bashir Ahmed Wani said, "We have 40 megawatts load and only 6 Megawatt has been registered but the load is exceeding more than the input of 40 Megawatts, because people are using excess load."He said: "People will face irregular power cuts until the new electric grid Station comes up in Bandipora. Department is searching a way out to maintain the regular power supply in Ramdhan."
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Mir TariqBandipora, Sep 20: Residents of Bandipora on Saturday alleged that they are facing frequent power cuts during Sehari and Iftar time and if it continues they won’t pay electric bills. With the power supply playing hide and seek, the residents in Nathpora, Aloosa, Ongam, Ashtangoo, Aythmulla, Arin and ward no 1-7 are facing hardships during Sehari and Iftar time with the Power Development Department (PDD) authorities preferring to look the other way."We are daily forced to spend dark nights as the power supply is withdrawn exactly on Iftar time and restored only at 8:00 am in the morning. It is condition of main town you can imagine of what happens in far flung areas," said a local youth Mubashir Ahmed.Hundreds of consumers in these localities threatened of not paying bills, if their demand for regular power supply was not met in coming days"We will not pay any bill to department if our demand of regular power supply is not fulfilled," locals said.Residents alleged that even as the unscheduled power cuts during this Holy month had made their lives miserable, repeated representations to the board has fallen on deaf ears. “Our complaints are not being heard by the department, there was nobody to attend to the complaints in the office for past four days,” allege residents.Consumers say that when they enquired about the matter from the authorities, they expressed their utter helplessness in this regard. “PDD says the cut is from Amargrah Electric Grid station we can do nothing,” allege residents.While talking to Rising Kashmir Executive PDD engineer Bandipora Bashir Ahmed Wani said, "We have 40 megawatts load and only 6 Megawatt has been registered but the load is exceeding more than the input of 40 Megawatts, because people are using excess load."He said: "People will face irregular power cuts until the new electric grid Station comes up in Bandipora. Department is searching a way out to maintain the regular power supply in Ramdhan."
Increase local production to achieve self-sufficiency: Geelani to farmers
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Mir Tariq
Bandipora, Sep 19: Hurriyat (G) Chairman, Syed Ali Geelani Friday called on people to remain steadfast to accomplish the “mission of freedom” and stressed on importance of self-sufficient economy.
Geelani was delivering a telephonic address to thousands of people who had gathered at Jamia Masjid, Bandipora after Friday prayers.
“Freedom is not far if a nation remains steadfast and continues the mission peacefully,” he said.
Still under house arrest at his Srinagar residence, Geelani in his telephonic message appealed people to continue with the “mission of freedom” steadfastly and peacefully in the light of teachings of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and Quran.
The Hurriyat leader’s address was keenly heard by the people who raised pro-frredom, anti Indian and pro-Islamic slogans during his address.
"We are taking forward the unfulfilled mission of thousands of martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the noble cause of freedom," Geelani said, adding, "We are under the occupation of India from the last 62 years during which thousands of people have been killed and property worth millions destroyed."
Urging people to remain peaceful, he said, "We should never give any opportunity to our enemies so that they can use force on our youths who are heading the mission. We should remain conscious about the conspiracies of India and should never bow down before injustice."
“I compassionately appeal youths to follow Quran and Prophet Muhammad (SAW) who is our Role Model,” he said, adding, "I assure you that if the nation remains steadfast and continue the mission of freedom peacefully, we will reach our goal."
About the economic blockade, Geelani stressed on the importance of self-sufficient economy and urged people to increase the home production.
"We have large number of resources and should produce things in our own valley so that we don’t become victims of any blockade.
While concluding his address, Geelani appealed people to take care of orphans, widows and families of “martyrs who have sacrificed their lives for the sake of freedom.”
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Mir Tariq
Bandipora, Sep 19: Hurriyat (G) Chairman, Syed Ali Geelani Friday called on people to remain steadfast to accomplish the “mission of freedom” and stressed on importance of self-sufficient economy.
Geelani was delivering a telephonic address to thousands of people who had gathered at Jamia Masjid, Bandipora after Friday prayers.
“Freedom is not far if a nation remains steadfast and continues the mission peacefully,” he said.
Still under house arrest at his Srinagar residence, Geelani in his telephonic message appealed people to continue with the “mission of freedom” steadfastly and peacefully in the light of teachings of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and Quran.
The Hurriyat leader’s address was keenly heard by the people who raised pro-frredom, anti Indian and pro-Islamic slogans during his address.
"We are taking forward the unfulfilled mission of thousands of martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the noble cause of freedom," Geelani said, adding, "We are under the occupation of India from the last 62 years during which thousands of people have been killed and property worth millions destroyed."
Urging people to remain peaceful, he said, "We should never give any opportunity to our enemies so that they can use force on our youths who are heading the mission. We should remain conscious about the conspiracies of India and should never bow down before injustice."
“I compassionately appeal youths to follow Quran and Prophet Muhammad (SAW) who is our Role Model,” he said, adding, "I assure you that if the nation remains steadfast and continue the mission of freedom peacefully, we will reach our goal."
About the economic blockade, Geelani stressed on the importance of self-sufficient economy and urged people to increase the home production.
"We have large number of resources and should produce things in our own valley so that we don’t become victims of any blockade.
While concluding his address, Geelani appealed people to take care of orphans, widows and families of “martyrs who have sacrificed their lives for the sake of freedom.”
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