"After receiving MHA's order, NIA has re-registered this case as RC no 01/2020/NIA and started the investigation," a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/nia-to-take-over-jk-police-officers-arrest-case-as-investigation-reveals-new-findings-274013">press release by the NIA </a>on Friday read.

The press release added that a case in connection with the incident had been lodged in Qazigund police station by the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/recommending-jk-officer-davinder-singhs-sacking-to-government-dgp-274485">Jammu and Kashmir police</a>. The NIA, therefore, re-registered the case to begin its investigations.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/jk-dsp-davinder-singh-under-police-scanner-after-caught-with-3-terrorists-273820">J&amp;K: DSP Davinder Singh under police scanner after caught with 3 terrorists</a>

"Three Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists and One DySP of J-K Police were arrested along with arms and ammunition while they were travelling in a car, near Qazigund on the national highway.

In this regard, a case was registered in PS Qazigund as FIR No. 05/2020 dated January 11, 2020," the release read. Earlier, the Jammu and Kashmir <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/congress-deserves-a-democratic-surgical-strike-sambit-patra-274196">administration stripped Davinder Singh</a> of the Sher-e-Kashmir police medal for gallantry awarded in 2018.

Singh along with top Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists was arrested while they were travelling together on Sunday.

"After receiving MHA's order, NIA has re-registered this case as RC no 01/2020/NIA and started the investigation," a press release by the NIA on Friday read. The press release added that a case in connection with the incident had been lodged in Qazigund police station by the Jammu and Kashmir police.

"After receiving MHA's order, NIA has re-registered this case as RC no 01/2020/NIA and started the investigation," a press release by the NIA on Friday read. The press release added that a case in connection with the incident had been lodged in Qazigund police station by the Jammu and Kashmir police. The NIA, therefore, re-registered the case to begin its investigations. Also Read: J&K: DSP Davinder Singh under police scanner after caught with 3 terrorists "Three Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists and One DySP of J-K Police were arrested along with arms and ammunition while they were travelling in a car, near Qazigund on the national highway. In this regard, a case was registered in PS Qazigund as FIR No. 05/2020 dated January 11, 2020," the release read. Earlier, the Jammu and Kashmir administration stripped Davinder Singh of the Sher-e-Kashmir police medal for gallantry awarded in 2018. Singh along with top Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists was arrested while they were travelling together on Sunday.

National Investigation Agency begins investigating J&K cop Davinder Singh

Welcoming <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/from-nda-to-defence-chiefs-common-connection-between-all-three-heads-of-indian-armed-forces-271742">General MM Naravane's</a> remark over <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/will-take-action-to-reclaim-pok-if-ordered-says-army-chief-273589">Pakistan Occupied Kashmir</a> (PoK), <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/shiv-sena-extends-support-to-bharat-bandh-call-by-trade-unions-272886">Shiv Sena</a> said that Army Chief said nothing wrong as PoK is an integral part of India and urged the Centre to not get back on the issue as this will be the best way to teach "Tukde-Tukde gang" a lesson. 
 
"The new Indian Army Chief General Naravane has shown Marathi pride soon after taking charge. General Naravane has said it in clear terms that PoK is ours...if Centre gives orders, then we will capture PoK," Shiv Sena said in its mouthpiece Saamna. 
 
"The General said nothing wrong. Most of the terror training camps are running in PoK and these terror camps are run with the support of Pakistani Army and ISI," it added. 
 
Referring to the surgical strike conducted by India in the same region, the Saamna editorial said Pakistan's habits have not changed even after that. 
 
The editorial while referring to the killing of soldiers in Valley, said that the Kashmir issue comes to the fore only for political and electoral purposes. 
 
"That is why we welcome General Naravane's new policy. General Naravane's says Indian parliament had in February 1994 had passed a resolution that entire <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/jammu-and-kashmir-decorated-police-officer-caught-with-three-terrorists-in-kulgam-273765">Jammu and Kashmir</a>, including PoK, is an inseparable part of India," it said. 
 
Asserting that General Naravane is asking for orders from Centre, the editorial said, "Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/opposition-playing-political-games-over-citizenship-amendment-act-says-prime-minister-narendra-modi-273683">Narendra Modi</a> will give such orders...this is what the country wishes." 
 
Hailing Home Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/jnu-jamia-students-need-our-support-says-cong-leader-shashi-tharoor-273821">Amit Shah</a> for the abrogation of Article 370, "Now as soon as General Naravane gets orders from Modi-Shah, PoK will be ours and Veer Savarkar will be garlanded with flowers of Akhand Bharat." 
 
The editorial urged the Centre to not get back on the issue saying that this will be the best way to teach "Tukde-Tukde gang" a lesson.l said that the PoK is an integral part of Jammu and Kashmir. '

Watch:&nbsp;'Pok will belong to India as soon as we get orders,' says Indian Army Chief

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Army Chief General <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/will-take-action-to-reclaim-pok-if-ordered-says-army-chief-273589">Manoj Mukund Naravane</a> had on Saturday said that if Indian Army gets an order then it will take appropriate action to reclaim PoK. 
 
He had pointed out that a Parliamentary resolution states that the entire Jammu and Kashmir region is a part of India. 
 
"There is a parliamentary resolution, that entire Jammu and Kashmir region is a part of India. If Parliament wants it, then that area (PoK) also should belong to us. When we get orders to that effect, we will take appropriate action," the Army chief had said while speaking to the media in Delhi.

Welcoming General MM Naravane's remark over Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK), Shiv Sena said that Army Chief said nothing wrong as PoK is an integral part of India and urged the Centre to not get back on the issue as this will be the best way to teach "Tukde-Tukde gang" a lesson.

Welcoming General MM Naravane's remark over Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK), Shiv Sena said that Army Chief said nothing wrong as PoK is an integral part of India and urged the Centre to not get back on the issue as this will be the best way to teach "Tukde-Tukde gang" a lesson. "The new Indian Army Chief General Naravane has shown Marathi pride soon after taking charge. General Naravane has said it in clear terms that PoK is ours...if Centre gives orders, then we will capture PoK," Shiv Sena said in its mouthpiece Saamna. "The General said nothing wrong. Most of the terror training camps are running in PoK and these terror camps are run with the support of Pakistani Army and ISI," it added. Referring to the surgical strike conducted by India in the same region, the Saamna editorial said Pakistan's habits have not changed even after that. The editorial while referring to the killing of soldiers in Valley, said that the Kashmir issue comes to the fore only for political and electoral purposes. "That is why we welcome General Naravane's new policy. General Naravane's says Indian parliament had in February 1994 had passed a resolution that entire Jammu and Kashmir, including PoK, is an inseparable part of India," it said. Asserting that General Naravane is asking for orders from Centre, the editorial said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi will give such orders...this is what the country wishes." Hailing Home Minister Amit Shah for the abrogation of Article 370, "Now as soon as General Naravane gets orders from Modi-Shah, PoK will be ours and Veer Savarkar will be garlanded with flowers of Akhand Bharat." The editorial urged the Centre to not get back on the issue saying that this will be the best way to teach "Tukde-Tukde gang" a lesson.l said that the PoK is an integral part of Jammu and Kashmir. ' Watch: 'Pok will belong to India as soon as we get orders,' says Indian Army Chief × Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane had on Saturday said that if Indian Army gets an order then it will take appropriate action to reclaim PoK. He had pointed out that a Parliamentary resolution states that the entire Jammu and Kashmir region is a part of India. "There is a parliamentary resolution, that entire Jammu and Kashmir region is a part of India. If Parliament wants it, then that area (PoK) also should belong to us. When we get orders to that effect, we will take appropriate action," the Army chief had said while speaking to the media in Delhi.

Shiv Sena welcomes Army Chief MM Naravane's remark over PoK, urges Centre to move ahead

By Syed Khalid Hussain Three Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terrorists were killed following an encounter with the police and the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday.

By Syed Khalid Hussain Three Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terrorists were killed following an encounter with the police and the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday. Following a tip-off, a cordon and search operation was launched jointly by police and security forces in Gujar Basti Gulshanpora area of Tral Awantipora. During the search operation, the hiding terrorists fired on the search party. The fire was retaliated leading to an encounter. In the ensuing encounter, three terrorists were killed and the bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter. The killed terrorists have been identified as Umer Fayaz Lone alias Hamad Khan resident of Seer Tral, Faizan Hamid resident of Mandoora Tral and Adil Bashir Mir alias Abu Dujana resident of Monghama Tral. The killed terrorists as per police records were affiliated with proscribed terror outfit of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and were wanted for their complicity in terror crimes including attack on security establishments and civilian atrocities. According to the Police records, Umer Fayaz Lone had a long history of terror crime records since 2016 and was involved in planning and executing several terror attacks in the area. He was part of groups responsible for carrying out a series of terror attacks and many other civilian atrocities besides the killing of policeman Haleem Kohli of Gutroo Bangdar Tral. Incriminating material including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter. All these materials have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other terror crimes.

3 Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terrorists killed in encounter in Jammu and Kashmir 

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Tuesday informed the Lok Sabha that terrorist incidents have declined in Jammu and Kashmir but there is an increase in the number of infiltration attempts from across the border after the government abrogated Article 370 in August this year.

"Incidents of terrorist violence declined after 5th August. From 5th August 2019-27th November 2019, there have been 88 such incidents as compared to 106 such incidents from 12 April 2019-4 Aug 2019," the MHA stated in its reply in the Lower House on infiltration and attacks after removal of Article 370 in Kashmir.

"There has been an increase in the number of infiltration attempts from across the border. During the 88 day period from 5th August 2019 - 31st October 2019 there have been 84 such attempts as against 53 such attempts from 9th May 2019 - 4th August 2019," the ministry said.

In August this year, the government revoked Article 370 that gave special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Parliament also passed a bill bifurcating the region into two union territories- Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, which officially came into existence from October 31.&nbsp;

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Tuesday informed the Lok Sabha that terrorist incidents have declined in Jammu and Kashmir but there is an increase in the number of infiltration attempts from across the border after the government abrogated Article 370 in August this year.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Tuesday informed the Lok Sabha that terrorist incidents have declined in Jammu and Kashmir but there is an increase in the number of infiltration attempts from across the border after the government abrogated Article 370 in August this year. "Incidents of terrorist violence declined after 5th August. From 5th August 2019-27th November 2019, there have been 88 such incidents as compared to 106 such incidents from 12 April 2019-4 Aug 2019," the MHA stated in its reply in the Lower House on infiltration and attacks after removal of Article 370 in Kashmir. "There has been an increase in the number of infiltration attempts from across the border. During the 88 day period from 5th August 2019 - 31st October 2019 there have been 84 such attempts as against 53 such attempts from 9th May 2019 - 4th August 2019," the ministry said. In August this year, the government revoked Article 370 that gave special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. Parliament also passed a bill bifurcating the region into two union territories- Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, which officially came into existence from October 31.

Terror incidents down in Kashmir, infiltrations spike after Article 370 abrogation

India hit out at Pakistan`s ''juvenile propaganda'' over the Supreme Court`s historic verdict on Ayodhya land dispute and Kashmir's transformation into union territories, saying the 'fabricated lies is interference in India's internal affairs'.&nbsp;

Ananya Agarwal, who was leading the Indian delegation did not mince her words when India exercised its right to reply.

"Mr President, we take this chair to refute Pakistan`s juvenile propaganda to malign India through fabricated lies, full of deceit and deception. We condemn the unwarranted comments made by Pakistan on the judgment made by the Supreme Court of India. The judgment is about the rule of law, equal respect for all faiths, concepts that are alien to Pakistan and its ethos," she said while addressing the 40th UNESCO General Conference - General Policy Debate in Paris.

"So, while Pakistan's lack of comprehension is not surprising their pathological compulsion to comment on our internal affairs with the obvious interest of spreading hatred is condemnable. Pakistan's intervention is interference in India`s internal affairs. It is unacceptable and rejected," she added.&nbsp;

Speaking at the world body the Indian diplomat said that the cash-strapped nation itself is "DNA of terrorism".

For most nations, global bodies like the UNESCO are platforms to raise important issues and foster cooperation but Pakistan is not like most nations, she added.

The remarks came after Pakistan`s Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood commented on the Indian Supreme Court`s decision on Ayodhya, which he said was not in line with UNESCO's values of religious freedom.

India hit out at Pakistan`s ''juvenile propaganda'' over the Supreme Court`s historic verdict on Ayodhya land dispute and Kashmir's transformation into union territories, saying the 'fabricated lies is interference in India's internal affairs'.

India hit out at Pakistan`s ''juvenile propaganda'' over the Supreme Court`s historic verdict on Ayodhya land dispute and Kashmir's transformation into union territories, saying the 'fabricated lies is interference in India's internal affairs'. Ananya Agarwal, who was leading the Indian delegation did not mince her words when India exercised its right to reply. "Mr President, we take this chair to refute Pakistan`s juvenile propaganda to malign India through fabricated lies, full of deceit and deception. We condemn the unwarranted comments made by Pakistan on the judgment made by the Supreme Court of India. The judgment is about the rule of law, equal respect for all faiths, concepts that are alien to Pakistan and its ethos," she said while addressing the 40th UNESCO General Conference - General Policy Debate in Paris. "So, while Pakistan's lack of comprehension is not surprising their pathological compulsion to comment on our internal affairs with the obvious interest of spreading hatred is condemnable. Pakistan's intervention is interference in India`s internal affairs. It is unacceptable and rejected," she added. Speaking at the world body the Indian diplomat said that the cash-strapped nation itself is "DNA of terrorism". For most nations, global bodies like the UNESCO are platforms to raise important issues and foster cooperation but Pakistan is not like most nations, she added. The remarks came after Pakistan`s Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood commented on the Indian Supreme Court`s decision on Ayodhya, which he said was not in line with UNESCO's values of religious freedom.

Pakistan has 'DNA of terrorism': India responds to Pakistan's propaganda on Jammu and Kashmir at UNESCO

One terrorist has been killed in an ongoing encounter with the security forces in central Kashmir's Gandarbal district following a search operation in the area after inputs about their presence in the Gund area.

One terrorist has been killed in an ongoing encounter with the security forces in central Kashmir's Gandarbal district following a search operation in the area after inputs about their presence in the Gund area. Sources told WION that after the operation was launched, the terrorists opened on the joint forces of the Indian army and J&K police triggering a gunfight. "One terrorist has been eliminated and the operation is in progress," defence PRO, based in Srinagar told. Security forces had inputs about the presence of two to three in the Gund area following which the operation was launched. Otherwise considered a "militancy free," the district is witnessing a second encounter after the abrogation of J&K special status. In September, the Indian army had launched a massive operation in the mountains of Gandarbal, killing two terrorists and arresting two over-ground workers, who according to police sources guides of the terrorists killed. Yesterday, two terrorists, including one of Pakistan origin Lashkar-e-Toiba commander identified as Abu Talha was killed in an encounter in north Kashmir's Bandipora district. Sources said that the terrorist was active since last thee years in the valley and was behind several attacks. The operation in Gandarbal was going on in the area till the last report came in.

Terrorist killed in ongoing encounter in Kashmir 

One terrorist killed has been killed in an ongoing encounter with security forces in Gund area of Jammu & Kashmir, reported news agency ANI. The encounter still underway, according to the report.

One terrorist killed has been killed in an ongoing encounter with security forces in Gund area of Jammu & Kashmir, reported news agency ANI. The encounter still underway, according to the report. #TerrorismFreeKashmir. ONE TERRORIST eliminated in an encounter near Gund, #Ganderbal. Operation in progress#JihadNahiJahalat #CommonCausePeace @adgpi @NorthernComd_IA @Tiny_Dhillon @KashmirPolice @crpf_srinagar @Whiteknight_IA @DDKashirChannel @airnewsalerts @DDNewsLive — Chinar Corps - Indian Army (@ChinarcorpsIA) November 12, 2019 × "#TerrorismFreeKashmir. One terrorist eliminated in an encounter near Gund, #Ganderbal. Operation in progress," said Chinar Corps - Indian Army. The development comes after two terrorists, tied to Lashkar-e-Taiba, were neutralised in an encounter with security forces in Bandipora on Monday. Arms and ammunition were recovered from their possession.

One terrorist killed in encounter with security forces in Jammu & Kashmir 

The Jammu and Kashmir meteorological department has predicted widespread moderate to heavy snowfall in the union territory from Wednesday this week, making the beginning of winter in Kashmir.&nbsp;

As per MeT, an active western disturbance and its interaction with cyclone MAHA, which is currently lying over the East-central Arabian sea, is most likely to cause rain and snow in the Himalayan area. The disturbance will also be expected to cause a temporary disruption on surface transportation.

"This weather system is most likely to cause temporary disruptions on surface transportation especially overpasses like Zojila, Srinagar -Jammu, Leh-Manali Highway, Mughal Road, and other important passes," said a MeT official.&nbsp;

This spell is also expected to bring temperatures down in Ladakh and Kashmir valley. Located at 11,575 feet high Zojila pass has already received snowfall but the heavy snowfall every year closed the 434-km Srinagar-Leh national highway for almost 4-5 months and disconnects Ladakh from rest of the world through road.&nbsp;

The Jammu and Kashmir meteorological department has predicted widespread moderate to heavy snowfall in the union territory from Wednesday this week, making the beginning of winter in Kashmir.

The Jammu and Kashmir meteorological department has predicted widespread moderate to heavy snowfall in the union territory from Wednesday this week, making the beginning of winter in Kashmir. As per MeT, an active western disturbance and its interaction with cyclone MAHA, which is currently lying over the East-central Arabian sea, is most likely to cause rain and snow in the Himalayan area. The disturbance will also be expected to cause a temporary disruption on surface transportation. "This weather system is most likely to cause temporary disruptions on surface transportation especially overpasses like Zojila, Srinagar -Jammu, Leh-Manali Highway, Mughal Road, and other important passes," said a MeT official. This spell is also expected to bring temperatures down in Ladakh and Kashmir valley. Located at 11,575 feet high Zojila pass has already received snowfall but the heavy snowfall every year closed the 434-km Srinagar-Leh national highway for almost 4-5 months and disconnects Ladakh from rest of the world through road.

Weathermen predict heavy to moderate snowfall in J&K, Ladakh as cyclone Maha approaches India

A US Congressman on Thursday heaped praises on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for revoking Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, saying the move is good for the long-term stability of the region and such steps should be applauded.

George Holding, a Representative for North Carolina`s second congressional district, said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir deserve better and the region should have peace and stability in order for it to flourish in the long-run while highlighting the actions made by Pakistan-based terror groups to disrupt the normal lives of the people.

"As we all have seen, the Indian parliament passed legislation last month changing the status of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. They modified provisions that were an obstacle to economic development and promoted a sense of separatism," he said in a written submission from the record of the House of Representatives` proceedings.

"Up until recently, Kashmir had been governed by Article 370, which was an outdated provision of law that the Indian constitution recognised as `temporary`. Article 370 might have worked well for those with political connections, but it denied economic opportunities for the people," Holding said.

The US Congressman underlined that the special provision created a polarising environment that was exploited politically.

"During the past decades, thousands of people lost their lives due to terrorist attacks. Several groups based in Pakistan were able to conduct cross-border terrorism that wreaked havoc on individuals and families, and led to a morbid economy," Holding said.

He underlined that the Modi government had to make a decision on whether to continue with the old policy or to pursue progress by changing the region`s legal status in order to address the situation.

"The people of Jammu and Kashmir deserve better and Prime Minister Modi was right to take bold steps to address this situation. Changes to the status of Jammu and Kashmir passed Parliament by a two-thirds majority, which highlights the consensus on the need for this reform,"&nbsp; 
Holding remarked.

He said that despite the abrogation of Article 370, those seeking to cause disruption have continued to promote violence in the region.

"Pakistan-based terror groups have recently floated posters warning common citizens against venturing out, going to work, and visiting public places. The groups have continued to engage in cross-border terrorism and have attacked civilians and children," Holding said.

He noted that the terrorist groups have also attacked migrant workers and those who are involved in the apple business, which is the chief crop of Kashmir.

 
&nbsp;

A US Congressman on Thursday heaped praises on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for revoking Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, saying the move is good for the long-term stability of the region and such steps should be applauded.

A US Congressman on Thursday heaped praises on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for revoking Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, saying the move is good for the long-term stability of the region and such steps should be applauded. George Holding, a Representative for North Carolina`s second congressional district, said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir deserve better and the region should have peace and stability in order for it to flourish in the long-run while highlighting the actions made by Pakistan-based terror groups to disrupt the normal lives of the people. "As we all have seen, the Indian parliament passed legislation last month changing the status of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. They modified provisions that were an obstacle to economic development and promoted a sense of separatism," he said in a written submission from the record of the House of Representatives` proceedings. "Up until recently, Kashmir had been governed by Article 370, which was an outdated provision of law that the Indian constitution recognised as `temporary`. Article 370 might have worked well for those with political connections, but it denied economic opportunities for the people," Holding said. The US Congressman underlined that the special provision created a polarising environment that was exploited politically. "During the past decades, thousands of people lost their lives due to terrorist attacks. Several groups based in Pakistan were able to conduct cross-border terrorism that wreaked havoc on individuals and families, and led to a morbid economy," Holding said. He underlined that the Modi government had to make a decision on whether to continue with the old policy or to pursue progress by changing the region`s legal status in order to address the situation. "The people of Jammu and Kashmir deserve better and Prime Minister Modi was right to take bold steps to address this situation. Changes to the status of Jammu and Kashmir passed Parliament by a two-thirds majority, which highlights the consensus on the need for this reform," Holding remarked. He said that despite the abrogation of Article 370, those seeking to cause disruption have continued to promote violence in the region. "Pakistan-based terror groups have recently floated posters warning common citizens against venturing out, going to work, and visiting public places. The groups have continued to engage in cross-border terrorism and have attacked civilians and children," Holding said. He noted that the terrorist groups have also attacked migrant workers and those who are involved in the apple business, which is the chief crop of Kashmir.

US Congressman lauds PM Modi for Article 370 move, says J&K should have long-term peace

India on Friday slammed statements made by Turkey and Malaysia at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) last week on Jammu and Kashmir. While regretting the developments, New Delhi said, the statements by Ankara and Kuala Lumpur are not based on facts.

Responding to a WION's question during weekly MEA presser on Turkey said, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, "Deeply regret that since 6th of August there have been repeated statements by the Turkish government on a matter which is completely internal to India. These statements are factually incorrect, biased and unwarranted."

"We call on govt of turkey to get a proper understanding of the situation on the ground before they make any further statements," he added.&nbsp;

Turkish President Erdogan in New York last week said, "Despite the resolutions adopted by the UNSC, Kashmir is still besieged and eight million people are still stuck in Kashmir"

On Malaysia, MEA said, "We have had traditionally, good and friendly ties with Malaysia. We were quite surprised and deeply regret the comments made by PM of Malaysia. It not based on facts" and asked the country to "desist from making such statements"

Last week, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad accused India of "invading and occupying" Jammu and Kashmir in New York.

Stating India's position, MEA reminded that the "state of J&amp;K signed the instrument of accession" like all other princely states after British left the subcontinent and Pakistan "invaded &amp; occupied" parts of J&amp;K, a fact "recognised by United Nations". It also reiterated that the current development of removing the special status for the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir is a "purely internal matter of India."

Only 3 countries--Malaysia, Turkey and China raised Kashmir at UNGA in New York last week, with India reacting to all three. All three countries have close ties with Islamabad, with China building a massive infrastructure project China Pakistan economic corridor that passes through the South Asian country.&nbsp;

India has also slammed China for raising Kashmir at UNGA, saying that the China Pakistan economic corridor is changing the status quo of Pakistan occupied Kashmir.

India on Friday slammed statements made by Turkey and Malaysia at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) last week on Jammu and Kashmir. While regretting the developments, New Delhi said, the statements by Ankara and Kuala Lumpur are not based on facts.

India on Friday slammed statements made by Turkey and Malaysia at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) last week on Jammu and Kashmir. While regretting the developments, New Delhi said, the statements by Ankara and Kuala Lumpur are not based on facts. Responding to a WION's question during weekly MEA presser on Turkey said, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, "Deeply regret that since 6th of August there have been repeated statements by the Turkish government on a matter which is completely internal to India. These statements are factually incorrect, biased and unwarranted." "We call on govt of turkey to get a proper understanding of the situation on the ground before they make any further statements," he added. Turkish President Erdogan in New York last week said, "Despite the resolutions adopted by the UNSC, Kashmir is still besieged and eight million people are still stuck in Kashmir" On Malaysia, MEA said, "We have had traditionally, good and friendly ties with Malaysia. We were quite surprised and deeply regret the comments made by PM of Malaysia. It not based on facts" and asked the country to "desist from making such statements" Last week, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad accused India of "invading and occupying" Jammu and Kashmir in New York. Stating India's position, MEA reminded that the "state of J&K signed the instrument of accession" like all other princely states after British left the subcontinent and Pakistan "invaded & occupied" parts of J&K, a fact "recognised by United Nations". It also reiterated that the current development of removing the special status for the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir is a "purely internal matter of India." Only 3 countries--Malaysia, Turkey and China raised Kashmir at UNGA in New York last week, with India reacting to all three. All three countries have close ties with Islamabad, with China building a massive infrastructure project China Pakistan economic corridor that passes through the South Asian country. India has also slammed China for raising Kashmir at UNGA, saying that the China Pakistan economic corridor is changing the status quo of Pakistan occupied Kashmir.

India slams Turkey, Malaysia for raising Kashmir issue at United Nations

In yet another blow to Pakistan's efforts to spread hate against India abroad, Iranian officials forcibly removed anti-India banners from Pakistan's consulate in the Iranian city of Mashhad.

The incident took place on August 15.&nbsp;

Tehran termed the action 'undiplomatic ' warning Islamabad to refrain from spreading hate against any third country from its soil. However, Pakistan remained defiant saying the country was within rights to display the messages.

Pakistan's deputy envoy in Iran raised the matter with Iran Foreign Ministry Mohammad Javad Zarif via note verbale. Iran also added that while Pakistan is a brotherly country, India is not enemy either.

Anti-India protests have been on the rise in Iran ever since the abrogation of Article 370 which stripped the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir of its special status as Pakistan missions and diaspora continue to organise them without any permission.

This comes after the massive vandalisation of the Indian high commission in London by Pakistani diaspora and Khalistan supporters.

Global protests also took place outside Indian missions in Washington, South Korea and Germany by several Pakistani groups.

As Pakistan receives another setback, the question remains that when will Pakistan stop its petty bid to garner global support against India?

Pakistan had observed the so-called 'Kashmir solidarity day' on August 15 to protest against the abrogation of article 370.

In yet another blow to Pakistan's efforts to spread hate against India abroad, Iranian officials forcibly removed anti-India banners from Pakistan's consulate in the Iranian city of Mashhad.

In yet another blow to Pakistan's efforts to spread hate against India abroad, Iranian officials forcibly removed anti-India banners from Pakistan's consulate in the Iranian city of Mashhad. The incident took place on August 15. Tehran termed the action 'undiplomatic ' warning Islamabad to refrain from spreading hate against any third country from its soil. However, Pakistan remained defiant saying the country was within rights to display the messages. Pakistan's deputy envoy in Iran raised the matter with Iran Foreign Ministry Mohammad Javad Zarif via note verbale. Iran also added that while Pakistan is a brotherly country, India is not enemy either. Anti-India protests have been on the rise in Iran ever since the abrogation of Article 370 which stripped the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir of its special status as Pakistan missions and diaspora continue to organise them without any permission. This comes after the massive vandalisation of the Indian high commission in London by Pakistani diaspora and Khalistan supporters. Global protests also took place outside Indian missions in Washington, South Korea and Germany by several Pakistani groups. As Pakistan receives another setback, the question remains that when will Pakistan stop its petty bid to garner global support against India? Pakistan had observed the so-called 'Kashmir solidarity day' on August 15 to protest against the abrogation of article 370.

Anti-India banners forcibly removed from Pakistan consulate in Iran

The Supreme Court said on Thursday it will hear petitions against alleged media and communication restrictions in Jammu and Kashmir on September 16. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi declined to pass any order and said, "We will hear all the petitions on September 16.

The Supreme Court said on Thursday it will hear petitions against alleged media and communication restrictions in Jammu and Kashmir on September 16. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi declined to pass any order and said, "We will hear all the petitions on September 16." Lawyer Vrinda Grover, who appeared for Kashmir Times Executive Editor Anuradha Bhasin, submitted, "There could be a humanitarian crisis as per a video of a doctor."She said, "There are parts where journalists cannot enter. Media is there to report things...The situation is not good there, in my opinion." Solicitor General Tushar Mehta opposed the arguments of Grover and said that a large number of newspapers are being published in the region. Bhasin chose not to publish the newspaper from Srinagar, Mehta contended. Attorney General KK Venugopal said the situation has improved in the region and more than 80 per cent landline connections have been restored. There is no truth in the petitioner`s allegations that people do not have access to hospitals, he said, adding nearly 7 lakh patients attended OPD, over 4,000 underwent major surgeries and 40,000 had minor surgeries in the Valley since the revocation of the special status to J-K last month. On August 28, the apex court had issued notice to the Centre on Bhasin`s petition, which challenged the alleged restrictions on journalists in the Valley. She filed an additional affidavit in the court on Wednesday, saying the movement of journalists continues to be restricted in Srinagar. On August 13, Bhasin had moved the plea, claiming Kashmir Times was not published owing to the curbs on communication services and movement. She had alleged that a bar was put on journalists` rights provided under the different provisions of the Constitution. Last month, Parliament had passed the Jammu and Kashmir (Reorganization) Act, 2019, bifurcating the state into two Union Territories -- Jammu and Kashmir with legislature and Ladakh without it.

Supreme Court to hear on September 16 petitions against media restrictions in J&K

A day after Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam announced measures to ease restrictions in valley, 2G mobile internet services have been restored in Jammu, Reasi, Samba, Kathua and Udhampur, reported news agency ANI.

A day after Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam announced measures to ease restrictions in valley, 2G mobile internet services have been restored in Jammu, Reasi, Samba, Kathua and Udhampur, reported news agency ANI. Subrahmanyam said that schools and offices will resume from Monday while government offices have already been made operational from Friday. He also talked about the resumption of telephone lines in phases. The announcement on restoring 2G mobile internet comes four days after the Supreme Court said it will wait for the normalcy to return. Centre, last week, abolished Article 370 and moved a separate bill to bifurcate the state into two separate union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. Since then, the state had been under lockdown and security forces were put on maximum alert to "pre-empt" and "prevent" any breach of security.

2G mobile internet restored in some parts of Jammu and Kashmir

Perhaps for the first time, the flag-hoisting on Independence Day at the historic Rashtrapati Nivas, formerly Viceregal Lodge, Shimla, reverberated with cries of not just of “Jai Hind” but also of “Bharat Mata ki Jai.” It was a moving and memorable occasion, especially for me, who hoisted the tricolour as Director of the Indian Institute of Advanced Study. It was our second President, Dr S Radhakrishnan who donated part of the presidential estate to start this Institute in 1965. The flag-hoisting this year was even more special because the national anthem was played by the bagpipers of the 22nd Rajputs, stationed in Jutogh Cantonment.&nbsp;

India celebrates many festivals throughout the year. Earlier this week, we observed Eid-ul-Zuha or Eid-ul-Adha, better known as Bakrid. This year, August 15 also coincided with Raksha Bandhan. But of all these festivals, Bharat Parva or Independence Day is perhaps the most important. That is because, after centuries of slavery, we became free. It was one of the greatest struggles in human history against what was possibly the world’s most powerful empire. The deeper significance of birthdays was explained by Mira Alfassa, better known as the Mother in Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Puducherry. “Yes, it is truly a special day,” she remarked to a sadhak (spiritual practitioner) who had gone to receive her blessings on the occasion, “It is one of those days in the year when the Supreme descends into us…when our soul comes in contact with the eternal….” For India, what does August 15, which was our nation’s 73rd birthday, signify?

As it happens, it was also the birthday of Sri Aurobindo. In his famous Independence Day speech, broadcast on &nbsp;August 14, 1947 from All India Radio, Thiruchirapalli, Sri Aurobindo outlined his “five dreams.” Two of these, “a revolutionary movement which would create a free and united India” and “the resurgence and liberation of the peoples of Asia and her return to her great role in the progress of human civilisation” were already accomplished, albeit in part. As Aurobindo himself noted, “India today is free but she has not achieved unity… But by whatever means, in whatever way, the division must go; unity must and will be achieved, for it is necessary for the greatness of India’s future.”&nbsp;

“A world-union forming the outer basis of a fairer, brighter and nobler life for all mankind” was his third dream. Finally, Sri Aurobindo wanted “the spiritual gift of India” to spread all over the world, a process he believed had “already begun.” His final dream “was a step in evolution which would raise man to a higher and larger consciousness and begin the solution of the problems which have perplexed and vexed him since he first began to think and to dream of individual perfection and a perfect society.” This is the most profound, demanding, and testing of the five dreams. We must transform ourselves — or face mass extinction.&nbsp;

When we look at independent India’s report card, it becomes increasingly obvious that a massive and magnificent spiritual resurgence was the moving force behind the country’s freedom struggle that ultimately led to our independence. Writing some 125 years ago, Swami Vivekananda explained this hidden truth quite succinctly: “Here in this blessed land, the foundation, the backbone, the life-centre is religion and religion alone. In India, religious life forms the centre, the keynote of the whole music of the nation.” Similarly, Sri Aurobindo summed up the importance of dharma in our lives: “When it is said that India shall be great, it is the Sanatan Dharma that shall be great.

… It is for the Dharma and by the Dharma that India exists.” Of course, it needs to be stressed that by Sanatan Dharma, Sri Aurobindo meant the eternal, universal religion, not any particular sect or creed: “If a religion is not universal, it cannot be eternal. A narrow religion can live only for a limited time and a limited purpose.” &nbsp;

The “naked fakir,” whose 150th anniversary we are also commemorating, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, also said that “the dream of every Indian...should be...to spiritualise the political life of the country and the political institutions of the country.” In today’s times, unity, strength, and integral progress should be our national priorities. Under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, India has a unique and unprecedented opportunity to realise its deepest civilisational and spiritual goals, as also play its destined role on the world stage. As Swami Vivekananda reminded us, “The Indian nation cannot be killed. Deathless it stands, and it will stand so long as … her people do not give up their spirituality.” Which is why the flag-hoisting this year concluded with cheers of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai.”

(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-spiritual-significance-of-independence-day-2782389">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Perhaps for the first time, the flag-hoisting on Independence Day at the historic Rashtrapati Nivas, formerly Viceregal Lodge, Shimla, reverberated with cries of not just of “Jai Hind” but also of “Bharat Mata ki Jai.

Perhaps for the first time, the flag-hoisting on Independence Day at the historic Rashtrapati Nivas, formerly Viceregal Lodge, Shimla, reverberated with cries of not just of “Jai Hind” but also of “Bharat Mata ki Jai.” It was a moving and memorable occasion, especially for me, who hoisted the tricolour as Director of the Indian Institute of Advanced Study. It was our second President, Dr S Radhakrishnan who donated part of the presidential estate to start this Institute in 1965. The flag-hoisting this year was even more special because the national anthem was played by the bagpipers of the 22nd Rajputs, stationed in Jutogh Cantonment. India celebrates many festivals throughout the year. Earlier this week, we observed Eid-ul-Zuha or Eid-ul-Adha, better known as Bakrid. This year, August 15 also coincided with Raksha Bandhan. But of all these festivals, Bharat Parva or Independence Day is perhaps the most important. That is because, after centuries of slavery, we became free. It was one of the greatest struggles in human history against what was possibly the world’s most powerful empire. The deeper significance of birthdays was explained by Mira Alfassa, better known as the Mother in Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Puducherry. “Yes, it is truly a special day,” she remarked to a sadhak (spiritual practitioner) who had gone to receive her blessings on the occasion, “It is one of those days in the year when the Supreme descends into us…when our soul comes in contact with the eternal….” For India, what does August 15, which was our nation’s 73rd birthday, signify? As it happens, it was also the birthday of Sri Aurobindo. In his famous Independence Day speech, broadcast on August 14, 1947 from All India Radio, Thiruchirapalli, Sri Aurobindo outlined his “five dreams.” Two of these, “a revolutionary movement which would create a free and united India” and “the resurgence and liberation of the peoples of Asia and her return to her great role in the progress of human civilisation” were already accomplished, albeit in part. As Aurobindo himself noted, “India today is free but she has not achieved unity… But by whatever means, in whatever way, the division must go; unity must and will be achieved, for it is necessary for the greatness of India’s future.” “A world-union forming the outer basis of a fairer, brighter and nobler life for all mankind” was his third dream. Finally, Sri Aurobindo wanted “the spiritual gift of India” to spread all over the world, a process he believed had “already begun.” His final dream “was a step in evolution which would raise man to a higher and larger consciousness and begin the solution of the problems which have perplexed and vexed him since he first began to think and to dream of individual perfection and a perfect society.” This is the most profound, demanding, and testing of the five dreams. We must transform ourselves — or face mass extinction. When we look at independent India’s report card, it becomes increasingly obvious that a massive and magnificent spiritual resurgence was the moving force behind the country’s freedom struggle that ultimately led to our independence. Writing some 125 years ago, Swami Vivekananda explained this hidden truth quite succinctly: “Here in this blessed land, the foundation, the backbone, the life-centre is religion and religion alone. In India, religious life forms the centre, the keynote of the whole music of the nation.” Similarly, Sri Aurobindo summed up the importance of dharma in our lives: “When it is said that India shall be great, it is the Sanatan Dharma that shall be great. … It is for the Dharma and by the Dharma that India exists.” Of course, it needs to be stressed that by Sanatan Dharma, Sri Aurobindo meant the eternal, universal religion, not any particular sect or creed: “If a religion is not universal, it cannot be eternal. A narrow religion can live only for a limited time and a limited purpose.” The “naked fakir,” whose 150th anniversary we are also commemorating, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, also said that “the dream of every Indian...should be...to spiritualise the political life of the country and the political institutions of the country.” In today’s times, unity, strength, and integral progress should be our national priorities. Under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, India has a unique and unprecedented opportunity to realise its deepest civilisational and spiritual goals, as also play its destined role on the world stage. As Swami Vivekananda reminded us, “The Indian nation cannot be killed. Deathless it stands, and it will stand so long as … her people do not give up their spirituality.” Which is why the flag-hoisting this year concluded with cheers of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai.” (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Spiritual significance of Independence Day

Pakistan media reports said on Thursday that the Imran Khan government had suspended Samjhauta Express services with India.

Pakistan had earlier suspended the service in the wake of air strikes by Indian jets at Balakot in February after&nbsp;the Pulwama terror attack in which over 40 CRPF personnel were killed.

The service was restarted after Pakistan decided to release Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman who was taken into custody after his fighter aircraft was shot down by Pakistan forces.

The train service was finally started again on March 4 after Wing Commander Abhinandan arrived in India safely as&nbsp;both countries decided to pushback after the Balakot strikes.&nbsp;

On the Indian side, the train runs from Delhi to Attari and from Lahore to Wagah on the Pakistan side.

The train service was started on July 22, 1976 under the Shimla Agreement that settled the 1971 war between the two nations. It is named after the Hindi word for "agreement", comprises six sleeper coaches and an AC 3-tier coach.&nbsp;

From Lahore, the train departs on Monday and Thursday. The train operates from Delhi on every Wednesday and Sunday.

Pakistan media reports said on Thursday that the Imran Khan government had suspended Samjhauta Express services with India. Pakistan had earlier suspended the service in the wake of air strikes by Indian jets at Balakot in February after the Pulwama terror attack in which over 40 CRPF personnel were killed.

Pakistan media reports said on Thursday that the Imran Khan government had suspended Samjhauta Express services with India. Pakistan had earlier suspended the service in the wake of air strikes by Indian jets at Balakot in February after the Pulwama terror attack in which over 40 CRPF personnel were killed. The service was restarted after Pakistan decided to release Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman who was taken into custody after his fighter aircraft was shot down by Pakistan forces. The train service was finally started again on March 4 after Wing Commander Abhinandan arrived in India safely as both countries decided to pushback after the Balakot strikes. On the Indian side, the train runs from Delhi to Attari and from Lahore to Wagah on the Pakistan side. The train service was started on July 22, 1976 under the Shimla Agreement that settled the 1971 war between the two nations. It is named after the Hindi word for "agreement", comprises six sleeper coaches and an AC 3-tier coach. From Lahore, the train departs on Monday and Thursday. The train operates from Delhi on every Wednesday and Sunday.

Pakistan suspends Samjhauta Express services: Report

The Indian high commission has asked Pakistani authorities to beef up security around its premises in the backdrop of abrogation of Article 370 that stripped Jammu and Kashmir of special status.&nbsp;The fear is elements in Pakistani might try to create ruckus around high commission.

A note verbale was sent regarding this to Pakistani foreign ministry on Monday evening.&nbsp;

Indian diplomats and officials in Islamabad in the past have been facing harassment. On first June, guests and Indian diplomats faced a lot of harassment at the iftar hosted by Indian high commissioner.&nbsp;India had then strongly protested against the harassment &amp; asked the Pakistani govt to investigate "ugly" incident. But despite Indian request, there were six cases of harassment reported of Indian diplomats.&nbsp;

Harassment of Indian Diplomats in Pakistan have been reported since December of 2018. Incidents range from cutting off lights in winters to aggressive chasing of cars of Indian diplomats including the Indian high commissioner Ajay Bisaria.

The Indian high commission has asked Pakistani authorities to beef up security around its premises in the backdrop of abrogation of Article 370 that stripped Jammu and Kashmir of special status.

The Indian high commission has asked Pakistani authorities to beef up security around its premises in the backdrop of abrogation of Article 370 that stripped Jammu and Kashmir of special status. The fear is elements in Pakistani might try to create ruckus around high commission. A note verbale was sent regarding this to Pakistani foreign ministry on Monday evening. Indian diplomats and officials in Islamabad in the past have been facing harassment. On first June, guests and Indian diplomats faced a lot of harassment at the iftar hosted by Indian high commissioner. India had then strongly protested against the harassment & asked the Pakistani govt to investigate "ugly" incident. But despite Indian request, there were six cases of harassment reported of Indian diplomats. Harassment of Indian Diplomats in Pakistan have been reported since December of 2018. Incidents range from cutting off lights in winters to aggressive chasing of cars of Indian diplomats including the Indian high commissioner Ajay Bisaria.

Indian High Commission asks Pakistan to beef up security amid Article 370 revocation

The trigger for this essay comes from the mounting protests in Hong Kong; an advanced society in the throes of street turbulence. Sooner than later China may throw caution to the winds and send in the People’s Liberation Army to take over the territory and quell democracy. But my focus is elsewhere, on home territory, Kashmir. Having faced street protests there for many years it’s a different ballgame to Hong Kong. I am drawn back to it because of the rumours in the air of impending changes that could act as triggers.

Kashmir usually sits on the edge and street violence, for the last ten years, has been a norm. Will we see it implode again as it did in 2008 with the Amarnath Shrine Board agitation, in 2009 with rumours connected to the Shopian rape case, in 2010 with the Machil and Tufail Mattoo incidents and in 2016 with the killing of Burhan Wani? I am not examining here anything remotely related to the merits and demerits of Article 35A, the abrogation of which is being assessed as a likely trigger.

The power of the street was realised by the separatists in 2008 taking inspiration from the Palestinian Intifada. Little known but the other inspiration for Kashmir’s street turbulence was a book called ‘From Dictatorship to Democracy’ by an American scholar called Gene Sharpe. The latter is considered the father of modern revolutions and his chapter — ‘98 Ways of Non-Violent Action’ has inspired many of them. Syed Ali Shah Geelani is known to have read it and been inspired by it.

In Aug 2008 when we faced the murderous one lakh strong mob which attempted to march from Sopore to Uri, there was no social media. Yet thousands of people poured into the streets. None of us, the army, intelligence services or JK Police were prepared for it. &nbsp;Thereafter, seasoned commanders of anti-terrorist operations were taken aback by the vehemence and passion in the streets. They had little idea about dealing with such protests.

Many a time women led the front pushing even children ahead. Over a period of time, the art of street violence was near perfected by the Kashmiri protestors no doubt with some guidance from across the LoC. Social media expansion became the means of rallying protestors, taking inspiration from Tahrir Square, the Lotus Revolution and many other such protests of the Arab Spring. As the age of the street protestor became younger we witnessed 11 and 12-year-olds take to the streets. From 2014 an innovation entered into the methods with protestors rallying in support of terrorists cornered in houses through intelligence-driven cordons. This proved a major challenge for the security forces (SF) and led to more civilian casualties. The notion that separatists support nonviolent ways of protest has been a misnomer successfully fed to human rights organisations. &nbsp;In 2008-10 two recalls are of significance. First, the Army held a moral sway; its young company commanders had the networking skills and courage to walk up to leaders of protesting mobs and dissuade them many times to put an end to the protest in their area. Secondly, while the police had the most uncomfortable and challenging job the protestors mastered ways of breaking up police squads, attracting them into by lanes and then targeting them, forcing them to fire and cause civilian casualties.&nbsp;

The ecosystem of J&amp;K, of which much is being written and spoken about today, has been the core centre of the organisational capability to run the agitation which at one time came to be termed as ‘agitational terror’ for various reasons. Protest without money power would have ground to a halt. In the town of Baramula from where the protests really began and spread there were fixed rates for each stone thrower. Stones were ‘imported’ by vehicles and stone-throwers came from other towns so that identification of leaders was difficult. The rallying of mobs was done by a large network of over ground workers (OGWs) armed with an information system multiplied many times over today due to social media. Manipulated video clips and rumours form the focus of the information system which the government establishment has a little answer for except the shutting down of the internet. Civilian casualties draw mass response at funerals and increase alienation manifold. The local media with more publications than found in Delhi or Mumbai has rarely found itself under control except during periods when curfew restricted the movement of its workers.

No one is saying that we are heading towards a period of street protests but it’s always good to be wary and cautious when attempts are being to change the tack of the strategy and campaign in J&amp;K. The SF’s identified weakness is what the separatists consider their strength. That is the lack of a professional way of tackling mass protests. We cannot sit on a moral high horse and claim the use of minimum force when the international community throws such things in our face. Also, let us not gloat over our capability to resist international pressure. China may get away with treatment of Uyghur in Xinjiang and possibly even with handing over of Hong Kong to the PLA; that is because China does not claim democratic norms of functioning. Yet, even as Government of India is getting down to tackle issues which have never been tackled in the past it should ensure none of this is done in an unsmart way. It has done well to go after the ecosystem but the same is so strongly entrenched that it will take time. The money conduits and information system which help the separatists run the power of the streets must be legitimately choked completely. Let there be more transparency about this.&nbsp;

No doubt this seems an appropriate time to tackle the separatists when Pakistan too is under pressure and attention is more on Afghanistan. Kashmir’s stamina for resistance is also low notwithstanding formation of joint resistance committees by the separatists. There are far more smart, legitimate and humane ways of controlling violence in the streets than by just pumping in a hundred companies of armed police forces. May be good to take a cue from what the Indian Army does before it sends any troops to conflict zones. It trains them for the situation and threat that they are likely to meet. Untrained soldiers or armed policemen can be a greater liability than can be imagined. Lastly, where is our information system to counter the separatist misinformation? Rumour mongering isn’t the best way of tackling such situations.

(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-taking-to-the-jk-streets-2778405">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp;

The trigger for this essay comes from the mounting protests in Hong Kong; an advanced society in the throes of street turbulence. Sooner than later China may throw caution to the winds and send in the People’s Liberation Army to take over the territory and quell democracy.

The trigger for this essay comes from the mounting protests in Hong Kong; an advanced society in the throes of street turbulence. Sooner than later China may throw caution to the winds and send in the People’s Liberation Army to take over the territory and quell democracy. But my focus is elsewhere, on home territory, Kashmir. Having faced street protests there for many years it’s a different ballgame to Hong Kong. I am drawn back to it because of the rumours in the air of impending changes that could act as triggers. Kashmir usually sits on the edge and street violence, for the last ten years, has been a norm. Will we see it implode again as it did in 2008 with the Amarnath Shrine Board agitation, in 2009 with rumours connected to the Shopian rape case, in 2010 with the Machil and Tufail Mattoo incidents and in 2016 with the killing of Burhan Wani? I am not examining here anything remotely related to the merits and demerits of Article 35A, the abrogation of which is being assessed as a likely trigger. The power of the street was realised by the separatists in 2008 taking inspiration from the Palestinian Intifada. Little known but the other inspiration for Kashmir’s street turbulence was a book called ‘From Dictatorship to Democracy’ by an American scholar called Gene Sharpe. The latter is considered the father of modern revolutions and his chapter — ‘98 Ways of Non-Violent Action’ has inspired many of them. Syed Ali Shah Geelani is known to have read it and been inspired by it. In Aug 2008 when we faced the murderous one lakh strong mob which attempted to march from Sopore to Uri, there was no social media. Yet thousands of people poured into the streets. None of us, the army, intelligence services or JK Police were prepared for it. Thereafter, seasoned commanders of anti-terrorist operations were taken aback by the vehemence and passion in the streets. They had little idea about dealing with such protests. Many a time women led the front pushing even children ahead. Over a period of time, the art of street violence was near perfected by the Kashmiri protestors no doubt with some guidance from across the LoC. Social media expansion became the means of rallying protestors, taking inspiration from Tahrir Square, the Lotus Revolution and many other such protests of the Arab Spring. As the age of the street protestor became younger we witnessed 11 and 12-year-olds take to the streets. From 2014 an innovation entered into the methods with protestors rallying in support of terrorists cornered in houses through intelligence-driven cordons. This proved a major challenge for the security forces (SF) and led to more civilian casualties. The notion that separatists support nonviolent ways of protest has been a misnomer successfully fed to human rights organisations. In 2008-10 two recalls are of significance. First, the Army held a moral sway; its young company commanders had the networking skills and courage to walk up to leaders of protesting mobs and dissuade them many times to put an end to the protest in their area. Secondly, while the police had the most uncomfortable and challenging job the protestors mastered ways of breaking up police squads, attracting them into by lanes and then targeting them, forcing them to fire and cause civilian casualties. The ecosystem of J&K, of which much is being written and spoken about today, has been the core centre of the organisational capability to run the agitation which at one time came to be termed as ‘agitational terror’ for various reasons. Protest without money power would have ground to a halt. In the town of Baramula from where the protests really began and spread there were fixed rates for each stone thrower. Stones were ‘imported’ by vehicles and stone-throwers came from other towns so that identification of leaders was difficult. The rallying of mobs was done by a large network of over ground workers (OGWs) armed with an information system multiplied many times over today due to social media. Manipulated video clips and rumours form the focus of the information system which the government establishment has a little answer for except the shutting down of the internet. Civilian casualties draw mass response at funerals and increase alienation manifold. The local media with more publications than found in Delhi or Mumbai has rarely found itself under control except during periods when curfew restricted the movement of its workers. No one is saying that we are heading towards a period of street protests but it’s always good to be wary and cautious when attempts are being to change the tack of the strategy and campaign in J&K. The SF’s identified weakness is what the separatists consider their strength. That is the lack of a professional way of tackling mass protests. We cannot sit on a moral high horse and claim the use of minimum force when the international community throws such things in our face. Also, let us not gloat over our capability to resist international pressure. China may get away with treatment of Uyghur in Xinjiang and possibly even with handing over of Hong Kong to the PLA; that is because China does not claim democratic norms of functioning. Yet, even as Government of India is getting down to tackle issues which have never been tackled in the past it should ensure none of this is done in an unsmart way. It has done well to go after the ecosystem but the same is so strongly entrenched that it will take time. The money conduits and information system which help the separatists run the power of the streets must be legitimately choked completely. Let there be more transparency about this. No doubt this seems an appropriate time to tackle the separatists when Pakistan too is under pressure and attention is more on Afghanistan. Kashmir’s stamina for resistance is also low notwithstanding formation of joint resistance committees by the separatists. There are far more smart, legitimate and humane ways of controlling violence in the streets than by just pumping in a hundred companies of armed police forces. May be good to take a cue from what the Indian Army does before it sends any troops to conflict zones. It trains them for the situation and threat that they are likely to meet. Untrained soldiers or armed policemen can be a greater liability than can be imagined. Lastly, where is our information system to counter the separatist misinformation? Rumour mongering isn’t the best way of tackling such situations. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Taking to the J&K streets

The Indian government`s decision to curtail the ongoing Amarnath Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir came after a series of intelligence inputs were received by security agencies warning of multiple terror attacks by Pakistan based Jaish-e-Mohammad.&nbsp;

These plots were in their final stages of planning before crucial intelligence inputs were received by the Indian security establishment that resulted in the quick mobilisation of troops for counter-insurgency operations.

According to latest reports, three JeM operatives were positioned in terror launch pads in the Nezapir sector of PoK, opposite the Indian post of Shahpur sector in Poonch.&nbsp;

This group had the direct operational backing of Pakistani SSG commandos deployed in this area and had planned to conduct a BAT (Border Action Team) operation against Indian troops along forwards posts of Barood, Sher, Shakti and Kaiyaan.

The report also suggested that an IED attack was being planned on convoys of security forces along the Srinagar-Baramulla-Uri National highway shortly, with materials to fabricate the IED already smuggled into the Valley.

An earlier tranche of intel briefs also informed authorities that Ibrahim Azhar, JeM Chief Masood Azhar`s brother, had resurfaced in PoK and was tasked to oversee operations of the banned terror organization.

The appearance of a high ranked JeM operative triggered warnings that a major terror attack was imminent which further resulted in the escalation of Indian troops in the valley.

Reports of Ibrahim Azhar resurfacing in PoK came alongside further intercepts that confirmed that a group of 15 trained JeM cadres had reached JeM camps in Markaz, Sanan Bin Salma, Tarnab Farm, Peshawar and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after completing their `Askari` training camps in the Jamrud area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan.&nbsp;

The `Askari` training is part of JeM`s fundamental `Literature and Weaponry` course imparted to its cadres. It is believed that all 15 of these terrorists are being prepped for infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir.

On Friday evening and early on Saturday, leaders across the political spectrum in Kashmir met with Governor Satyapal Malik to raise concern over mass hysteria in the state over the recent troop induction.&nbsp;

The Governor informed the delegations which included PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti and National Conference`s Omar Abdullah, that immediate action was required to deal with the security situation in the state.&nbsp;

The Governor informed the delegations that the Amarnath Yatra was a target and going by the lethality of the weapons recovered from neutralized terrorists and constant shelling from Pakistan on the border, counter-insurgency operations had to be escalated.

Governor Malik also requested political leaders to ask their supporters to maintain calm and not believe in exaggerated and unfounded rumours that had begun circulating on social media.&nbsp;

The Indian government`s decision to curtail the ongoing Amarnath Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir came after a series of intelligence inputs were received by security agencies warning of multiple terror attacks by Pakistan based Jaish-e-Mohammad.

The Indian government`s decision to curtail the ongoing Amarnath Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir came after a series of intelligence inputs were received by security agencies warning of multiple terror attacks by Pakistan based Jaish-e-Mohammad. These plots were in their final stages of planning before crucial intelligence inputs were received by the Indian security establishment that resulted in the quick mobilisation of troops for counter-insurgency operations. According to latest reports, three JeM operatives were positioned in terror launch pads in the Nezapir sector of PoK, opposite the Indian post of Shahpur sector in Poonch. This group had the direct operational backing of Pakistani SSG commandos deployed in this area and had planned to conduct a BAT (Border Action Team) operation against Indian troops along forwards posts of Barood, Sher, Shakti and Kaiyaan. The report also suggested that an IED attack was being planned on convoys of security forces along the Srinagar-Baramulla-Uri National highway shortly, with materials to fabricate the IED already smuggled into the Valley. An earlier tranche of intel briefs also informed authorities that Ibrahim Azhar, JeM Chief Masood Azhar`s brother, had resurfaced in PoK and was tasked to oversee operations of the banned terror organization. The appearance of a high ranked JeM operative triggered warnings that a major terror attack was imminent which further resulted in the escalation of Indian troops in the valley. Reports of Ibrahim Azhar resurfacing in PoK came alongside further intercepts that confirmed that a group of 15 trained JeM cadres had reached JeM camps in Markaz, Sanan Bin Salma, Tarnab Farm, Peshawar and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after completing their `Askari` training camps in the Jamrud area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan. The `Askari` training is part of JeM`s fundamental `Literature and Weaponry` course imparted to its cadres. It is believed that all 15 of these terrorists are being prepped for infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir. On Friday evening and early on Saturday, leaders across the political spectrum in Kashmir met with Governor Satyapal Malik to raise concern over mass hysteria in the state over the recent troop induction. The Governor informed the delegations which included PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti and National Conference`s Omar Abdullah, that immediate action was required to deal with the security situation in the state. The Governor informed the delegations that the Amarnath Yatra was a target and going by the lethality of the weapons recovered from neutralized terrorists and constant shelling from Pakistan on the border, counter-insurgency operations had to be escalated. Governor Malik also requested political leaders to ask their supporters to maintain calm and not believe in exaggerated and unfounded rumours that had begun circulating on social media.

Intel report warning of imminent terror attack in J&K behind recent troop buildup

Pakistani officials evacuated more than <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pakistan-violates-ceasefire-in-jammu-and-kashmirs-rajouri-district-one-woman-succumbs-to-injuries-239656">50 Chinese nationals</a> working near the Kashmir frontier, authorities said Wednesday, after a strong response from the Indian Army to its unprovoked and indiscriminate firing.&nbsp;

The Chinese were working on a dam being constructed along the confluence of the Neelam and Jhelum rivers when firing pushed authorities to move the workers late on Tuesday, news agency AFP said quoting Akhtar Ayub from the local disaster management authority.

The Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district.

&nbsp;An Indian woman died following the exchange along the Line of Control (LoC) in Gurez sector.

On Sunday, three civilians including a 10-day-old baby sustained injuries in the ceasefire violation by Pakistan. The baby later succumbed to the injuries. 
&nbsp; 
This is the fourth consecutive day of firing and shelling by the Pakistan Army targeting civilian areas along the LoC.

Pakistani officials evacuated more than 50 Chinese nationals working near the Kashmir frontier, authorities said Wednesday, after a strong response from the Indian Army to its unprovoked and indiscriminate firing.

Pakistani officials evacuated more than 50 Chinese nationals working near the Kashmir frontier, authorities said Wednesday, after a strong response from the Indian Army to its unprovoked and indiscriminate firing. The Chinese were working on a dam being constructed along the confluence of the Neelam and Jhelum rivers when firing pushed authorities to move the workers late on Tuesday, news agency AFP said quoting Akhtar Ayub from the local disaster management authority. The Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district. An Indian woman died following the exchange along the Line of Control (LoC) in Gurez sector. On Sunday, three civilians including a 10-day-old baby sustained injuries in the ceasefire violation by Pakistan. The baby later succumbed to the injuries. This is the fourth consecutive day of firing and shelling by the Pakistan Army targeting civilian areas along the LoC.

Ceasefire violation in Jammu and Kashmir: Pakistan evacuates 50 Chinese nationals

In a move to strengthen anti-terrorist operations, the Government of India has decided to move over 10,000&nbsp;troops to Jammu and Kashmir.

The state already has a deployment of over 40,000 paramilitary personnel.

The announcement&nbsp;comes after&nbsp;National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval returned from&nbsp;two-day visit to the valley.

At least 100 companies of Indian paramilitary forces will be deployed to the valley to be precise, report said.

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This comes in addition to the 40,000 troops that are already stationed in the valley&nbsp;for Amarnath Yatra security.

Reports say troops are being airlifted from various parts of the country to Jammu and Kashmir.

An order issued by the Home Ministry said the additional forces are being deployed to strengthen "counter insurgent grid" as well as maintaining law and order situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

In a move to strengthen anti-terrorist operations, the Government of India has decided to move over 10,000 troops to Jammu and Kashmir. The state already has a deployment of over 40,000 paramilitary personnel.

In a move to strengthen anti-terrorist operations, the Government of India has decided to move over 10,000 troops to Jammu and Kashmir. The state already has a deployment of over 40,000 paramilitary personnel. The announcement comes after National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval returned from two-day visit to the valley. At least 100 companies of Indian paramilitary forces will be deployed to the valley to be precise, report said. × This comes in addition to the 40,000 troops that are already stationed in the valley for Amarnath Yatra security. Reports say troops are being airlifted from various parts of the country to Jammu and Kashmir. An order issued by the Home Ministry said the additional forces are being deployed to strengthen "counter insurgent grid" as well as maintaining law and order situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

Centre moves 10,000 troops to Jammu and Kashmir after Ajit Doval's visit

Terrorists shot at a civilian in the Chandhara area in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/jk-terrorists-attack-police-station-in-pulwama-civilians-injured-228416">Awantipora</a> here on Monday evening.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-based-terrorists-joining-hands-with-afghan-outfits-after-balakot-strike-sources-233866">Terrorists</a> fired on a civilian identified as Mohammad Rafiq Rather, son of Ghulam Mohammad resident of Chandhara.

He received gunshot injuries in this incident and was evacuated to the hospital for medical treatment.

Police have registered a case.

Officers from the local police unit arrived at the spot and are investigating the circumstances of this terror crime. 
&nbsp;

Terrorists shot at a civilian in the Chandhara area in Awantipora here on Monday evening. Terrorists fired on a civilian identified as Mohammad Rafiq Rather, son of Ghulam Mohammad resident of Chandhara.

Terrorists shot at a civilian in the Chandhara area in Awantipora here on Monday evening. Terrorists fired on a civilian identified as Mohammad Rafiq Rather, son of Ghulam Mohammad resident of Chandhara. He received gunshot injuries in this incident and was evacuated to the hospital for medical treatment. Police have registered a case. Officers from the local police unit arrived at the spot and are investigating the circumstances of this terror crime.

Civilian shot at by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir

India has won a diplomatic victory by having JeM chief Masood Azhar proscribed by the UN Security Council. Its direct, on-ground effect may be marginal, but the connected effect with many other factors could still be a significant contributor especially towards influencing the future situation in J&amp;K. While the internal situation in Pakistan is at a new low due to the serious financial crisis being suffered and it is under all kinds of pressures internationally to stop its sponsorship of terror, there can be no certainty that this is going to have any impact. The Pakistan military leadership seems to have suddenly imposed on Prime Minister Imran Khan the very same set of advisors as were available to Parvez Musharraf in his heyday.&nbsp;

Three months after Pulwama, the situation in Kashmir is currently stable with violence at a lower level, no reports of any major infiltration and the LoC relatively quiet after high energy duels which followed Pulwama and then Balakot. Is Pakistan going to sit easy after a bit of chastising or will it up the ante once again through proxies, after the Indian general elections? This needs serious pondering but on one basic presumption; irrespective of who forms the next government in India, Pakistan’s attitude is unlikely to change. Imran Khan’s statement that chances of an agreement on J&amp;K would be highest if Narendra Modi returns to power, does not have much meaning considering the deep state’s attitude towards the Modi government remained intensely negative even when genuine attempts were being made by India to create the right environment for initiatives in 2015.&nbsp;

For sure the Pakistan Army is not going to turn angelic with any sense of regret. Its perception is that it handled the post-Pulwama situation with no trepidation and does not seem to be unnerved by the flurry of support India received. Sources state that perception seems to prevail that below the threshold of conventional conflict where Pakistan repeatedly engages India, it can match it incident to incident and response to a response. &nbsp;Abdication of J&amp;K would mean a waste of investment of 70 years of general effort and 30 years of focused one.

There is a likelihood that it will perceive an advantage in a switch off for tactical purposes with a comeback adopting a new strategy. What could embolden it to follow such a policy is the fact that the international strategic environment may be temporarily not in its favour but there is no permanence to such situations. &nbsp; It may, therefore, be willing to bide its time before returning with vengeance. Besides that, there is the entire issue of the ‘friendly’ terror groups. Kept restrained they are likely to implode internally causing a problem for the government and the Pakistan Army. Fighting them in the heartland areas of Punjab is going to be much more challenging, unlike the last time when the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had to be neutralised closer to the border areas under Operation Zarb-e-Azb and there was unrestricted use of heavy firepower.&nbsp;

If Pakistan, therefore, decides to take a tactical break as it probably did in 2011-12, then it is likely to come back with a fresh strategy. The revival of militancy or terror to levels of the early 2000s is near impossible as neither the numbers nor the finances are going to permit that. An intelligence appreciation reveals that more than just militancy and terror, the most effective way the proxy war in Kashmir has caused problems for India has been through the agitation mode (once called ‘agitational terror’ by the Indian Army). Mass agitation was a means of resistance in the Nineties too but the one which commenced in 2008 from my doorstep at Baramula was far more lethal. By that time the separatists under full guidance from across had set up effective networks for finance, drugs, media and legal coverage, besides information and psychological outreach. Hurriyat leader SAS Geelani had apparently taken a leaf from the essay of the American author Gene Sharp, ‘198 Ways of Non-Violent Revolution’, which also inspired the Arab Spring. &nbsp;The agitation converted mere street protest to stone throwing, unnerving the security forces (SF), who anywhere in the world are comfortable handling terrorists but never stone throwers; Israel has the same dilemma although it uses far more force to neutralise agitators. There is a manifold difference between just terror or criminal acts in terms of effectiveness and impact. Firstly, alienation runs much higher when people are at the forefront and mob control, not being among our strengths, the probability of creating ‘martyrs’ is always high; it helps the separatist cause. Secondly, everything for the separatists and the deep state is within manageable proportions with no possibility of triggers that may invite strong Indian retaliation. Within that threshold maximum traction is gained by the involvement of the public; especially when it reaches a stage where women and children get involved. Kashmir could sustain 2008, 2009 and 2010 before a ‘rest period’ was mandated.&nbsp;

It’s a challenge for the police as well as the Army, which cannot absolve itself of responsibility being the element of last resort. It is a domain no SF wishes to tackle because either way blame always comes on it. Unfortunately, perception prevails among those who have never witnessed street turbulence of this nature that these are protests akin to those seen in some of the metros; actually, these mobs are murderous with intent to kill and maim security personnel. Insufficient public and media sensitisation has led to this perception but equally not enough research has been done to specifically handle such mobs while minimising own casualties and those of civilians.&nbsp;

So while things may be quiet in Kashmir, the situation should be monitored carefully. Post election, things are likely to change. Simultaneous with everything we do it is important to revisit the long pending issue of developing better information handling capability. It’s something inexplicable why India does not invest in something which has paid such high dividends to our adversaries. More on that later.

(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-fighting-pak-s-jk-strategy-2748011">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp;

India has won a diplomatic victory by having JeM chief Masood Azhar proscribed by the UN Security Council. Its direct, on-ground effect may be marginal, but the connected effect with many other factors could still be a significant contributor especially towards influencing the future situation in J&K.

India has won a diplomatic victory by having JeM chief Masood Azhar proscribed by the UN Security Council. Its direct, on-ground effect may be marginal, but the connected effect with many other factors could still be a significant contributor especially towards influencing the future situation in J&K. While the internal situation in Pakistan is at a new low due to the serious financial crisis being suffered and it is under all kinds of pressures internationally to stop its sponsorship of terror, there can be no certainty that this is going to have any impact. The Pakistan military leadership seems to have suddenly imposed on Prime Minister Imran Khan the very same set of advisors as were available to Parvez Musharraf in his heyday. Three months after Pulwama, the situation in Kashmir is currently stable with violence at a lower level, no reports of any major infiltration and the LoC relatively quiet after high energy duels which followed Pulwama and then Balakot. Is Pakistan going to sit easy after a bit of chastising or will it up the ante once again through proxies, after the Indian general elections? This needs serious pondering but on one basic presumption; irrespective of who forms the next government in India, Pakistan’s attitude is unlikely to change. Imran Khan’s statement that chances of an agreement on J&K would be highest if Narendra Modi returns to power, does not have much meaning considering the deep state’s attitude towards the Modi government remained intensely negative even when genuine attempts were being made by India to create the right environment for initiatives in 2015. For sure the Pakistan Army is not going to turn angelic with any sense of regret. Its perception is that it handled the post-Pulwama situation with no trepidation and does not seem to be unnerved by the flurry of support India received. Sources state that perception seems to prevail that below the threshold of conventional conflict where Pakistan repeatedly engages India, it can match it incident to incident and response to a response. Abdication of J&K would mean a waste of investment of 70 years of general effort and 30 years of focused one. There is a likelihood that it will perceive an advantage in a switch off for tactical purposes with a comeback adopting a new strategy. What could embolden it to follow such a policy is the fact that the international strategic environment may be temporarily not in its favour but there is no permanence to such situations. It may, therefore, be willing to bide its time before returning with vengeance. Besides that, there is the entire issue of the ‘friendly’ terror groups. Kept restrained they are likely to implode internally causing a problem for the government and the Pakistan Army. Fighting them in the heartland areas of Punjab is going to be much more challenging, unlike the last time when the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had to be neutralised closer to the border areas under Operation Zarb-e-Azb and there was unrestricted use of heavy firepower. If Pakistan, therefore, decides to take a tactical break as it probably did in 2011-12, then it is likely to come back with a fresh strategy. The revival of militancy or terror to levels of the early 2000s is near impossible as neither the numbers nor the finances are going to permit that. An intelligence appreciation reveals that more than just militancy and terror, the most effective way the proxy war in Kashmir has caused problems for India has been through the agitation mode (once called ‘agitational terror’ by the Indian Army). Mass agitation was a means of resistance in the Nineties too but the one which commenced in 2008 from my doorstep at Baramula was far more lethal. By that time the separatists under full guidance from across had set up effective networks for finance, drugs, media and legal coverage, besides information and psychological outreach. Hurriyat leader SAS Geelani had apparently taken a leaf from the essay of the American author Gene Sharp, ‘198 Ways of Non-Violent Revolution’, which also inspired the Arab Spring. The agitation converted mere street protest to stone throwing, unnerving the security forces (SF), who anywhere in the world are comfortable handling terrorists but never stone throwers; Israel has the same dilemma although it uses far more force to neutralise agitators. There is a manifold difference between just terror or criminal acts in terms of effectiveness and impact. Firstly, alienation runs much higher when people are at the forefront and mob control, not being among our strengths, the probability of creating ‘martyrs’ is always high; it helps the separatist cause. Secondly, everything for the separatists and the deep state is within manageable proportions with no possibility of triggers that may invite strong Indian retaliation. Within that threshold maximum traction is gained by the involvement of the public; especially when it reaches a stage where women and children get involved. Kashmir could sustain 2008, 2009 and 2010 before a ‘rest period’ was mandated. It’s a challenge for the police as well as the Army, which cannot absolve itself of responsibility being the element of last resort. It is a domain no SF wishes to tackle because either way blame always comes on it. Unfortunately, perception prevails among those who have never witnessed street turbulence of this nature that these are protests akin to those seen in some of the metros; actually, these mobs are murderous with intent to kill and maim security personnel. Insufficient public and media sensitisation has led to this perception but equally not enough research has been done to specifically handle such mobs while minimising own casualties and those of civilians. So while things may be quiet in Kashmir, the situation should be monitored carefully. Post election, things are likely to change. Simultaneous with everything we do it is important to revisit the long pending issue of developing better information handling capability. It’s something inexplicable why India does not invest in something which has paid such high dividends to our adversaries. More on that later. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Fighting Pak’s J&K strategy: Islamabad will continue to pursue its designs

BJP president Amit Shah on Saturday said that Article 370 will be withdrawn from Jammu and Kashmir, if the saffron party is voted to power again.

"We will remove Article 370 if you make Narendra Modi the prime minister again," Shah said at a public rally here in Palamau district in Jharkhand.

Shah said during the Congress-led UPA government, terror groups from Pakistan used to target India continuously.

Jawans were beheaded by terrorists also, Shah&nbsp;said.

"We cannot compromise with the security of the nation. Pakistan wants to separate Kashmir from India. We will not allow it.

"Pakistan se goli aayegi to yahan se gola jayaga (if a bullet comes here, a shell lands there)," the BJP president said.

Launching a scathing attack on National conference leader Omar Abdullah for his remarks on having a separate prime minister for Kashmir, the BJP president said Kashmir is an inseparable part of India.

"Should there be two prime ministers for one country?" Shah asked the people.

The BJP has given the nation Modi as prime minister and the security of the country has been strengthened ever since, he said.

"When the nation rejoiced with sweets following the February 26 Balakot air strike, a pall of gloom descended on the Congress and Pakistan," Shah said.

He ridiculed Congress leader Sam Pitroda for saying that "some boys" had committed mistake and dropped bombs, and there should be talks.&nbsp;

BJP president Amit Shah on Saturday said that Article 370 will be withdrawn from Jammu and Kashmir, if the saffron party is voted to power again. "We will remove Article 370 if you make Narendra Modi the prime minister again," Shah said at a public rally here in Palamau district in Jharkhand.

BJP president Amit Shah on Saturday said that Article 370 will be withdrawn from Jammu and Kashmir, if the saffron party is voted to power again. "We will remove Article 370 if you make Narendra Modi the prime minister again," Shah said at a public rally here in Palamau district in Jharkhand. Shah said during the Congress-led UPA government, terror groups from Pakistan used to target India continuously. Jawans were beheaded by terrorists also, Shah said. "We cannot compromise with the security of the nation. Pakistan wants to separate Kashmir from India. We will not allow it. "Pakistan se goli aayegi to yahan se gola jayaga (if a bullet comes here, a shell lands there)," the BJP president said. Launching a scathing attack on National conference leader Omar Abdullah for his remarks on having a separate prime minister for Kashmir, the BJP president said Kashmir is an inseparable part of India. "Should there be two prime ministers for one country?" Shah asked the people. The BJP has given the nation Modi as prime minister and the security of the country has been strengthened ever since, he said. "When the nation rejoiced with sweets following the February 26 Balakot air strike, a pall of gloom descended on the Congress and Pakistan," Shah said. He ridiculed Congress leader Sam Pitroda for saying that "some boys" had committed mistake and dropped bombs, and there should be talks.

Article 370 to be withdrawn from J&K if voted to power: Amit Shah

Jammu and Kashmir government on Saturday relaxed the restrictions imposed on civilian movement on the National Highway (NH-44).&nbsp;

"The restriction on civilian movement between Srinagar and Baramulla on NH-44 would now be limited only to Sunday. There will be no prohibition on civilian traffic on Wednesday," reported news agency ANI quoting a statement from the Jammu and Kashmir government.

However, the restrictions would continue between Srinagar and Udhampur on NH-44 as earlier, the statement added.

The statement said that the government will keep reviewing the restrictions from time-to-time to strike a balance between the needs of the security forces and inconvenience caused to Jammu citizens.

"The Government is monitoring the needs of security forces on a real-time basis and making all attempts to minimize public inconvenience. For example, no restrictions were imposed on April 17, although it was a convoy day (Wednesday) as there was no need for movement of the security forces," said the statement.&nbsp;

A complete review of restrictions on the highway will be done after the last phase of elections in the state on May 6 to examine the need for continuing with them, the government statement added.

Earlier this month, the government had imposed restrictions on civilian movement on the National Highway (NH-44) connecting Jammu to Srinagar, in order to ensure adequate security to the movement of security forces.

Jammu and Kashmir government on Saturday relaxed the restrictions imposed on civilian movement on the National Highway (NH-44). "The restriction on civilian movement between Srinagar and Baramulla on NH-44 would now be limited only to Sunday.

Jammu and Kashmir government on Saturday relaxed the restrictions imposed on civilian movement on the National Highway (NH-44). "The restriction on civilian movement between Srinagar and Baramulla on NH-44 would now be limited only to Sunday. There will be no prohibition on civilian traffic on Wednesday," reported news agency ANI quoting a statement from the Jammu and Kashmir government. However, the restrictions would continue between Srinagar and Udhampur on NH-44 as earlier, the statement added. The statement said that the government will keep reviewing the restrictions from time-to-time to strike a balance between the needs of the security forces and inconvenience caused to Jammu citizens. "The Government is monitoring the needs of security forces on a real-time basis and making all attempts to minimize public inconvenience. For example, no restrictions were imposed on April 17, although it was a convoy day (Wednesday) as there was no need for movement of the security forces," said the statement. A complete review of restrictions on the highway will be done after the last phase of elections in the state on May 6 to examine the need for continuing with them, the government statement added. Earlier this month, the government had imposed restrictions on civilian movement on the National Highway (NH-44) connecting Jammu to Srinagar, in order to ensure adequate security to the movement of security forces.

Jammu and Kashmir govt relaxes restrictions on civilian movement on NH-44

Jammu and Kashmir Thursday recorded an overall turnout of over 55 per cent in the Jammu and Baramulla constituencies in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections, even as there were protests over defective EVMs in some areas.&nbsp;

The two constituencies house over 33 lakh electorate.

The overall turnout was 55-56 per cent, with the Jammu Lok Sabha constituency recording 72.19 per cent polling and Baramulla registering 35.01 per cent, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Officer Shaliendra Kumar told reporters. &nbsp; &nbsp;

Congress candidate from Jammu, Raman Bhalla, who cast his vote in Jammu, had alleged large scale EVM malfunction in Poonch and Mendhar belt of the constituency.&nbsp;

Another Congress spokesman had claimed that in the EVMs, button number four of the Congress was not functioning and complaints were lodged with poll officials.

While polling was underway, the National Conference and the PDP had alleged that uniformed personnel "coerced" had people to vote for the BJP.

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti tweeted a video showing voters raising anti-BJP slogans after they were allegedly "roughed up" by BSF jawans for not voting for the saffron party.

"A voter at polling booth in Jammu was manhandled by the BSF because he refused to cast his vote for BJP. Using armed forces at polling stations to coerce people to vote for the BJP shows their desperation and hunger to usurp power by hook or crook," she said in her tweet.

To this, the chief electoral officer said a BSF assistant commandant and a few other personnel were replaced following the incident over dereliction of duty as they were unable to handle the situation.

He, however, counselled politicians to verify facts before putting them in the public domain as he said BSF personnel were not involved in beating the people.

While Jammu district recorded 72.19 per cent polling, Samba registered the highest turnout of 73.8 per cent, followed by Rajouri district with 65.7 per cent and Poonch with 68 per cent, they said.

In the Baramulla seat, Kupwara district registered the highest turnout of 47.7 per cent, followed by Bandipora (30.1 per cent), Baramulla (22.3 per cent), while Kashmiri migrants polled 45 per cent for Baramulla seat, they added.

The Jammu parliamentary constituency has the highest number of 24 candidates among all the seats.

The Jammu parliamentary seat has the highest number of 20,05,730 lakh voters, including 9,64,834 women and 20 transgenders, officials said, adding 2,740 polling stations, including dozens near the LoC and the International Border (IB), were set up for the polling.&nbsp;

Jammu and Kashmir Thursday recorded an overall turnout of over 55 per cent in the Jammu and Baramulla constituencies in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections, even as there were protests over defective EVMs in some areas.

Jammu and Kashmir Thursday recorded an overall turnout of over 55 per cent in the Jammu and Baramulla constituencies in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections, even as there were protests over defective EVMs in some areas. The two constituencies house over 33 lakh electorate. The overall turnout was 55-56 per cent, with the Jammu Lok Sabha constituency recording 72.19 per cent polling and Baramulla registering 35.01 per cent, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Officer Shaliendra Kumar told reporters. Congress candidate from Jammu, Raman Bhalla, who cast his vote in Jammu, had alleged large scale EVM malfunction in Poonch and Mendhar belt of the constituency. Another Congress spokesman had claimed that in the EVMs, button number four of the Congress was not functioning and complaints were lodged with poll officials. While polling was underway, the National Conference and the PDP had alleged that uniformed personnel "coerced" had people to vote for the BJP. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti tweeted a video showing voters raising anti-BJP slogans after they were allegedly "roughed up" by BSF jawans for not voting for the saffron party. "A voter at polling booth in Jammu was manhandled by the BSF because he refused to cast his vote for BJP. Using armed forces at polling stations to coerce people to vote for the BJP shows their desperation and hunger to usurp power by hook or crook," she said in her tweet. To this, the chief electoral officer said a BSF assistant commandant and a few other personnel were replaced following the incident over dereliction of duty as they were unable to handle the situation. He, however, counselled politicians to verify facts before putting them in the public domain as he said BSF personnel were not involved in beating the people. While Jammu district recorded 72.19 per cent polling, Samba registered the highest turnout of 73.8 per cent, followed by Rajouri district with 65.7 per cent and Poonch with 68 per cent, they said. In the Baramulla seat, Kupwara district registered the highest turnout of 47.7 per cent, followed by Bandipora (30.1 per cent), Baramulla (22.3 per cent), while Kashmiri migrants polled 45 per cent for Baramulla seat, they added. The Jammu parliamentary constituency has the highest number of 24 candidates among all the seats. The Jammu parliamentary seat has the highest number of 20,05,730 lakh voters, including 9,64,834 women and 20 transgenders, officials said, adding 2,740 polling stations, including dozens near the LoC and the International Border (IB), were set up for the polling.

Amid allegations of EVM malfunction, J&K records over 55% voter turnout 

Jamaat-e-Islami and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front have played a pivotal role in fanning militancy and terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir since 1988.&nbsp;

The banning of the Jamaat-e-Islami, Jammu and Kashmir (JeI, JK) on February 28, followed by a similar proscription of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) led by Yaseen Malik on March 22, 2019, shows that the central government is serious about its crackdown on separatists.

Both organisations have played a pivotal role in fanning militancy and terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir since 1988.&nbsp;

The JeI J&amp;K, while promoting terrorist outfits like Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HuM), has also been trying to gain political influence by infiltrating into recognised political parties.&nbsp;

There have been persistent allegations of the JeI J&amp;K influencing the policies of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) headed by Mehbooba Mufti. While this may be a matter of debate, it is a fact that the JeI J&amp;K’s areas of influence overlap with those of the PDP in south Kashmir.

The timing of the bans, at a time when elections to the Lok Sabha have been announced and those to the state assembly imminent, has led to both the PDP and the National Conference (NC) denouncing this action and indulging in competitive populism.&nbsp;

However, the Central government should stay the course, and keep going after anti-national and subversive forces as well as their funding.

Both the JeI J&amp;K and the JKLF have been banned for a period of five years. The ban is subject to strict judicial review at periodic intervals. At the present juncture, the ban is needed, particularly to investigate the terrorist financing of the JKLF and HuM from Pakistan and other sources.&nbsp;

If proper investigation is conducted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) or the Enforcement Directorate (ED), it could significantly enhance the case for putting Pakistan on the FATF blacklist.

Initially it was the JKLF, which encouraged disaffected Kashmiri youth to cross the Line of Control (LoC) and undergo arms training from the Pakistani ISI.&nbsp;

Yaseen Malik along with three others, Abdul Hamid Sheikh, Ashfaq Majeed Wani and Javed Ahmed Mir formed the so-called HAJY group, which was the core leadership of the JKLF.

The JKLF reached its peak in December 1989 when it kidnapped Rubaiya Sayeed, daughter of then Union Home Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed. This act of kidnapping an unmarried Muslim girl was considered un-Islamic and condemned by many, including the then Mirwaiz of Kashmir, Maulana Farooq.&nbsp;

The JKLF was on the back foot and searching for a face saver when the Mufti lost his nerve and agreed to release five militants in exchange for his daughter. This unexpected triumph led to a wave of rejoicing in the entire Valley and further emboldened the JKLF.&nbsp;

Pakistan’s ISI had used the JKLF to fan the flames of so-called “Azaadi”, but having served its purpose, restricted its arms supply and funding to the organisation while promoting a new terrorist outfit, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen or HuM, an offshoot of the JeI J&amp;K. &nbsp;

This became possible because the HuM was pro-Pakistan and wanted Jammu and Kashmir to become a part of that country.&nbsp;

Traditionally, people of Kashmir have displayed true secularism and stood solidly by their faith in Kashmiriyat – a version of Islam that incorporated values of humanism and defended their composite syncretic culture and inclusive traditions, as propounded by Baba Nuruddin Wali of Charar-e-Sharif, the patron saint of Kashmir also called Nund Rishi by the Hindus and the mystic Shivite poetess Lal Ded.

It was this brand of Islam, which had kept Jinnah’s Two-Nation theory at bay. Today this brand of composite syncretic Islam is under attack from the JeI J&amp;K and its ISI patrons. They have been trying to promote a Hanafi/ Salafi brand of puritan Islam, which considers many Kashmiri practices like the singing of prayers, worship at mazars or ziarats of Pirs and Fakirs as biddat (innovation) and tries to do away with them.&nbsp;

The JeI J&amp;K never had much of a following except for some pockets in south Kashmir. Although it was formed in 1952, the JeI J&amp;K remained a fringe outfit till the mid 1970’s.&nbsp;

It received a boost when General Zia ul Haq took over as the President of Pakistan and with the help of JeI Pakistan, started the process of Islamisation in his country. &nbsp;

At this time, ample funds were allegedly made available to JeI J&amp;K to propagate its brand of puritanical Islam. However, the JeI J&amp;K suffered a serious setback in 1979 when it supported Gen Zia ul Haq’s decision to hang former Pakistan PM, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. JeI J&amp;K members were attacked and their property destroyed by unruly mobs in the Valley.&nbsp;

However flush with funds from Pakistan and Pan-Islamic sources, the JeI J&amp;K contested 26 seats in the 1983 state Assembly Elections, but failed to open its account. These elections were universally acknowledged to be free and fair and brought Farooq Abdullah to power.

However, the alleged rigging of the 1987 elections led to militancy and by 1990 the Central Committee of the HuM declared itself to be “the sword arm of the JeI J&amp;K.”&nbsp;

While it is true that the JKLF (Yaseen faction) has been inactive of late and Yaseen Malik himself claims to have renounced violence, it did play a significant role in the rise of militancy and was allegedly responsible for the displacement of Kashmiri Pundits from the Kashmir Valley.&nbsp;

Malik himself has been allegedly involved in serious cases of murder and kidnapping. It appears that the government is finally serious about bringing justice to the victims of violence by the JKLF and JeI J&amp;K. 
&nbsp;

(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the<a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-populism-in-kashmir-valley-2736115"> original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Jamaat-e-Islami and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front have played a pivotal role in fanning militancy and terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir since 1988. The banning of the Jamaat-e-Islami, Jammu and Kashmir (JeI, JK) on February 28, followed by a similar proscription of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) led by Yaseen Malik on March 22, 2019, shows that the central government is serious about its crackdown on separatists.

Jamaat-e-Islami and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front have played a pivotal role in fanning militancy and terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir since 1988. The banning of the Jamaat-e-Islami, Jammu and Kashmir (JeI, JK) on February 28, followed by a similar proscription of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) led by Yaseen Malik on March 22, 2019, shows that the central government is serious about its crackdown on separatists. Both organisations have played a pivotal role in fanning militancy and terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir since 1988. The JeI J&K, while promoting terrorist outfits like Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HuM), has also been trying to gain political influence by infiltrating into recognised political parties. There have been persistent allegations of the JeI J&K influencing the policies of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) headed by Mehbooba Mufti. While this may be a matter of debate, it is a fact that the JeI J&K’s areas of influence overlap with those of the PDP in south Kashmir. The timing of the bans, at a time when elections to the Lok Sabha have been announced and those to the state assembly imminent, has led to both the PDP and the National Conference (NC) denouncing this action and indulging in competitive populism. However, the Central government should stay the course, and keep going after anti-national and subversive forces as well as their funding. Both the JeI J&K and the JKLF have been banned for a period of five years. The ban is subject to strict judicial review at periodic intervals. At the present juncture, the ban is needed, particularly to investigate the terrorist financing of the JKLF and HuM from Pakistan and other sources. If proper investigation is conducted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) or the Enforcement Directorate (ED), it could significantly enhance the case for putting Pakistan on the FATF blacklist. Initially it was the JKLF, which encouraged disaffected Kashmiri youth to cross the Line of Control (LoC) and undergo arms training from the Pakistani ISI. Yaseen Malik along with three others, Abdul Hamid Sheikh, Ashfaq Majeed Wani and Javed Ahmed Mir formed the so-called HAJY group, which was the core leadership of the JKLF. The JKLF reached its peak in December 1989 when it kidnapped Rubaiya Sayeed, daughter of then Union Home Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed. This act of kidnapping an unmarried Muslim girl was considered un-Islamic and condemned by many, including the then Mirwaiz of Kashmir, Maulana Farooq. The JKLF was on the back foot and searching for a face saver when the Mufti lost his nerve and agreed to release five militants in exchange for his daughter. This unexpected triumph led to a wave of rejoicing in the entire Valley and further emboldened the JKLF. Pakistan’s ISI had used the JKLF to fan the flames of so-called “Azaadi”, but having served its purpose, restricted its arms supply and funding to the organisation while promoting a new terrorist outfit, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen or HuM, an offshoot of the JeI J&K. This became possible because the HuM was pro-Pakistan and wanted Jammu and Kashmir to become a part of that country. Traditionally, people of Kashmir have displayed true secularism and stood solidly by their faith in Kashmiriyat – a version of Islam that incorporated values of humanism and defended their composite syncretic culture and inclusive traditions, as propounded by Baba Nuruddin Wali of Charar-e-Sharif, the patron saint of Kashmir also called Nund Rishi by the Hindus and the mystic Shivite poetess Lal Ded. It was this brand of Islam, which had kept Jinnah’s Two-Nation theory at bay. Today this brand of composite syncretic Islam is under attack from the JeI J&K and its ISI patrons. They have been trying to promote a Hanafi/ Salafi brand of puritan Islam, which considers many Kashmiri practices like the singing of prayers, worship at mazars or ziarats of Pirs and Fakirs as biddat (innovation) and tries to do away with them. The JeI J&K never had much of a following except for some pockets in south Kashmir. Although it was formed in 1952, the JeI J&K remained a fringe outfit till the mid 1970’s. It received a boost when General Zia ul Haq took over as the President of Pakistan and with the help of JeI Pakistan, started the process of Islamisation in his country. At this time, ample funds were allegedly made available to JeI J&K to propagate its brand of puritanical Islam. However, the JeI J&K suffered a serious setback in 1979 when it supported Gen Zia ul Haq’s decision to hang former Pakistan PM, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. JeI J&K members were attacked and their property destroyed by unruly mobs in the Valley. However flush with funds from Pakistan and Pan-Islamic sources, the JeI J&K contested 26 seats in the 1983 state Assembly Elections, but failed to open its account. These elections were universally acknowledged to be free and fair and brought Farooq Abdullah to power. However, the alleged rigging of the 1987 elections led to militancy and by 1990 the Central Committee of the HuM declared itself to be “the sword arm of the JeI J&K.” While it is true that the JKLF (Yaseen faction) has been inactive of late and Yaseen Malik himself claims to have renounced violence, it did play a significant role in the rise of militancy and was allegedly responsible for the displacement of Kashmiri Pundits from the Kashmir Valley. Malik himself has been allegedly involved in serious cases of murder and kidnapping. It appears that the government is finally serious about bringing justice to the victims of violence by the JKLF and JeI J&K. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Ban on J&K separatist groups - a much needed step to check terror financing

Three terrorists were killed following the encounter with the security forces in Keller area of Shopian district,&nbsp;Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday morning. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The security forces launched an anti-militancy operation in Yarwan forest area of the district following information about the presence of the ultras there, he said.

The official said three militants were killed in the operation, which was underway till last reports came in.&nbsp;

Three terrorists were killed following the encounter with the security forces in Keller area of Shopian district, Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday morning. The security forces launched an anti-militancy operation in Yarwan forest area of the district following information about the presence of the ultras there, he said.

Three terrorists were killed following the encounter with the security forces in Keller area of Shopian district, Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday morning. The security forces launched an anti-militancy operation in Yarwan forest area of the district following information about the presence of the ultras there, he said. The official said three militants were killed in the operation, which was underway till last reports came in.

Three militants killed in encounter in Jammu and Kashmir

The 17-year-old Rasikh Salam, who was picked at his base price of Rs 20 lakh by Mumbai, played his first <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl-2019">India Premier League</a> match against Delhi at the Wankhede Stadium.&nbsp;

He received his maiden cap from former Indian cricketer Zaheer Khan, who is Mumbai's Director of Cricket.&nbsp;

Salam is the only third cricketer from Kashmir to have been picked by an IPL franchise.&nbsp;

He came to sight after his performances in district-level tournaments from where he was spotted by former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan.&nbsp;

Salam,&nbsp;who hails from Kulgaam district, made his first-class debut for Jammu &amp; Kashmir in the 2018–19 Ranji Trophy on 30 December 2018.&nbsp;

And on February 22, 2019, he made his Twenty20 debut for Jammu &amp; Kashmir in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.&nbsp;

During the practice session of Mumbai, Salam stunned the spectators with his pace and bounce.&nbsp;

At the moment, he has emerged as a great option for the two-time title winners Mumbai when veteran Sri Lankan speedster Lasith Malinga is set to miss the first six games for the franchise.&nbsp;

Parvez Rasool, an off-break bowler, was the first one from the northern state, to play in the cash-rich tournament. Rasool represented two IPL teams Pune&nbsp;and Hyderabad.&nbsp;

Another player from Jammu and Kashmir, Manzoor Dar was picked up by IPL franchise Punjab last year but did not feature in any game.&nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Meet Rasikh Salam - the youngest player from Jammu and Kashmir to make his debut in the <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IPL</a> 💙 
 
Go boy, make us proud!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CricketMeriJaan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CricketMeriJaan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MumbaiIndians?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MumbaiIndians</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OneFamily?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OneFamily</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MIvDC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MIvDC</a> <a href="https://t.co/1GrKyBFg4w">pic.twitter.com/1GrKyBFg4w</a>
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) <a href="https://twitter.com/mipaltan/status/1109828724759953413?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2019</a></blockquote>
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A report on franchise's website stated, "The entire team also saw the first glimpse of the 17-year-old pacer from Jammu and Kashmir, Rasikh Salam Dar. The youngster, who returned after an injury lay-off, bent his back and was not shy to bowl the short ball."

"Rasikh was bowling probing lines under the guidance of bowling coach Shane Bond. Rasikh bowled in tandem with our seasoned campaigner Mitchell McClenaghan," the statement included.&nbsp;

The 17-year-old Rasikh Salam, who was picked at his base price of Rs 20 lakh by Mumbai, played his first India Premier League match against Delhi at the Wankhede Stadium.

The 17-year-old Rasikh Salam, who was picked at his base price of Rs 20 lakh by Mumbai, played his first India Premier League match against Delhi at the Wankhede Stadium. He received his maiden cap from former Indian cricketer Zaheer Khan, who is Mumbai's Director of Cricket. Salam is the only third cricketer from Kashmir to have been picked by an IPL franchise. He came to sight after his performances in district-level tournaments from where he was spotted by former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan. Salam, who hails from Kulgaam district, made his first-class debut for Jammu & Kashmir in the 2018–19 Ranji Trophy on 30 December 2018. And on February 22, 2019, he made his Twenty20 debut for Jammu & Kashmir in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. During the practice session of Mumbai, Salam stunned the spectators with his pace and bounce. At the moment, he has emerged as a great option for the two-time title winners Mumbai when veteran Sri Lankan speedster Lasith Malinga is set to miss the first six games for the franchise. Parvez Rasool, an off-break bowler, was the first one from the northern state, to play in the cash-rich tournament. Rasool represented two IPL teams Pune and Hyderabad. Another player from Jammu and Kashmir, Manzoor Dar was picked up by IPL franchise Punjab last year but did not feature in any game. Meet Rasikh Salam - the youngest player from Jammu and Kashmir to make his debut in the @IPL 💙 Go boy, make us proud!#CricketMeriJaan #MumbaiIndians #OneFamily #MIvDC pic.twitter.com/1GrKyBFg4w — Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) March 24, 2019 × A report on franchise's website stated, "The entire team also saw the first glimpse of the 17-year-old pacer from Jammu and Kashmir, Rasikh Salam Dar. The youngster, who returned after an injury lay-off, bent his back and was not shy to bowl the short ball." "Rasikh was bowling probing lines under the guidance of bowling coach Shane Bond. Rasikh bowled in tandem with our seasoned campaigner Mitchell McClenaghan," the statement included.

IPL 2019: Meet Kashmir's young cricketer Rasikh Salam, who debuts for Mumbai

A teenage boy held hostage by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir has been killed while his father managed to escape with the help of community members. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
The incident took place in Hajin area of north Kashmir.&nbsp;

Security forces yesterday launched a cordon-and-search operation in the area following a tip-off about the presence of terrorists.&nbsp;

The Victim12-year-old Aatif Mir, a fifth-grade student, was trapped inside the house when a gunfight broke out. Mir was later executed by the terrorists who took cover in the house.

"As the searches were going on, the hiding terrorists fired on the search party even as they held two civilians hostage. However, police and security forces with the assistance of community members managed to rescue one civilian, Abdul Hameed, 60," police said in a statement.

In a video which has gone viral on social media, an old man accompanied by the Indian army can be seen appealing the terrorists to release the boy. "Please release them, is this Jihad or Madness? After releasing them it’s up to you if you want to Jihad or Madness. For God sake release them both," the old man says.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, bodies of two Pakistani terrorists were recovered from the debris of the house following the encounter. The deceased were identified as Pakistani nationals Ali and Hubaib.&nbsp;

As per the police records, both were affiliated with proscribed terror outfit LeT, police said.&nbsp;

Police said slain terrorists were responsible for attacks on security establishments and civilians.

A teenage boy held hostage by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir has been killed while his father managed to escape with the help of community members. The incident took place in Hajin area of north Kashmir.

A teenage boy held hostage by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir has been killed while his father managed to escape with the help of community members. The incident took place in Hajin area of north Kashmir. Security forces yesterday launched a cordon-and-search operation in the area following a tip-off about the presence of terrorists. The Victim12-year-old Aatif Mir, a fifth-grade student, was trapped inside the house when a gunfight broke out. Mir was later executed by the terrorists who took cover in the house. "As the searches were going on, the hiding terrorists fired on the search party even as they held two civilians hostage. However, police and security forces with the assistance of community members managed to rescue one civilian, Abdul Hameed, 60," police said in a statement. In a video which has gone viral on social media, an old man accompanied by the Indian army can be seen appealing the terrorists to release the boy. "Please release them, is this Jihad or Madness? After releasing them it’s up to you if you want to Jihad or Madness. For God sake release them both," the old man says. Meanwhile, bodies of two Pakistani terrorists were recovered from the debris of the house following the encounter. The deceased were identified as Pakistani nationals Ali and Hubaib. As per the police records, both were affiliated with proscribed terror outfit LeT, police said. Police said slain terrorists were responsible for attacks on security establishments and civilians.

Teenager held hostage by terrorists killed during encounter in J&K

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) Tuesday said it has attached 13 assets located in Jammu and Kashmir in a terror financing case against Pakistan-based <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nia-court-issues-non-bailable-warrants-against-hafiz-saeed-syed-salahuddin-175174">terrorist Syed Salahuddin</a>, the chief of the globally banned outfit Hizbul Mujahideen.

The central probe agency issued a provisional order under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to attach the properties worth Rs 1.22 crore, which it said belonged to one Mohammad Shafi Shah, a resident of Bandipora, and six other residents of the state who allegedly worked for the terror outfit.

The ED said it filed a criminal case of money laundering in this instance after taking cognisance of a charge sheet filed against Salahuddin, Shah and others under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Action (UAPA).

"Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, the most active terror outfit in Kashmir, has been responsible for funding terrorist and secessionist activities in Jammu and Kashmir. Headed by Syed Salahuddin, its self-styled commander based out of Rawalpindi in Pakistan, it funds terrorism on Indian soil through monies organised by a trust called JKART (Jammu and Kashmir Affectees Relief Trust) in alleged connivance with ISI and other Pakistan-based entities,"&nbsp; 
the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said in a statement.

It said probe found that "terror funds" were being sent to India through hawala and other channels.

Shah is lodged in the Tihar jail in the national capital in connection with an alleged terror funding case, it said.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) Tuesday said it has attached 13 assets located in Jammu and Kashmir in a terror financing case against Pakistan-based terrorist Syed Salahuddin, the chief of the globally banned outfit Hizbul Mujahideen.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) Tuesday said it has attached 13 assets located in Jammu and Kashmir in a terror financing case against Pakistan-based terrorist Syed Salahuddin, the chief of the globally banned outfit Hizbul Mujahideen. The central probe agency issued a provisional order under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to attach the properties worth Rs 1.22 crore, which it said belonged to one Mohammad Shafi Shah, a resident of Bandipora, and six other residents of the state who allegedly worked for the terror outfit. The ED said it filed a criminal case of money laundering in this instance after taking cognisance of a charge sheet filed against Salahuddin, Shah and others under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Action (UAPA). "Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, the most active terror outfit in Kashmir, has been responsible for funding terrorist and secessionist activities in Jammu and Kashmir. Headed by Syed Salahuddin, its self-styled commander based out of Rawalpindi in Pakistan, it funds terrorism on Indian soil through monies organised by a trust called JKART (Jammu and Kashmir Affectees Relief Trust) in alleged connivance with ISI and other Pakistan-based entities," the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said in a statement. It said probe found that "terror funds" were being sent to India through hawala and other channels. Shah is lodged in the Tihar jail in the national capital in connection with an alleged terror funding case, it said.

Enforcement Directorate attaches 13 assets in J&K in terror funding probe against Syed Salahuddin

Jammu and Kashmir: Heavy shelling, firing by Pakistan along LoC