Practice what you preach', this is India's message to Turkey. Ankara at the behest of Islamabad raised the Kashmir issue once again at UNHRC. But this time India pulled no punches & responded without mincing any words. WION's Palki Sharma tells you how.

Gravitas: India puts Turkey in its place on Kashmir

Pakistan Prime Minister's obsession with Kashmir continues. During his visit to Sri Lanka Imran Khan once again has raised the issue of Kashmir and said that it is the only issue between India and Pakistan.

Pak PM's obsession with Kashmir continues; Imran Khan's raises Kashmir In Sri Lanka

To ensure security and safety of the country the soldiers faced extremely harsh conditions. Our correspondent Ieshan Wani gets us an exclusive tour from the high altitude warfare school in Kashmir.

WION Ground Report: Inside India's army warfare school

India restores the 4G internet services in the entire Jammu and Kashmir after 18 months. According to reports, 4G internet has finally been restored after it was suspended in August 2019 when India revoke Article 370 in the state. This will be remembered as the world's longest-running internet shutdown in any democratic nation anywhere around the World.

India restores high-speed 4G internet services in the entire Jammu and Kashmir

A boatmen named Tarik Ahmed faced social stigma after testing positive for COVID-19 as nobody came forward to his rescue. He came up with an idea of launching a water ambulance in Dal Lake for people in need.

A boatmen named Tarik Ahmed built Kashmir's first floating ambulance

Pahalgam in south Kashmir was the coldest place in the valley at -8.4 degrees Celsius, two notches below normal.

Kashmir reels under sub-zero temperatures

A thick layer of ice was seen on most roads in Srinagar and elsewhere in the valley, making it difficult for people to drive.

Kashmir freezes as minimum temperature dips to minus 8.3 degrees celsius

Residents of India's Kashmir valley continue to face intense cold conditions. Srinagar's famous Dal Lake has frozen over. A major portion of Srinagar's Rananda Lake froze after temperatures fell to record numbers in the region.

India: Kashmir's Srinagar freezes at -8.3 degree Celsius

Huge price hike of food grains is one of the serious problems plaguing Imran Khan’s ‘Naya Pakistan'. Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) has witnessed mass protests for the past few months over the skyrocketing prices in the region.&nbsp;

A protest was organised on January 13 by the Action Committee in Rawalakot against the removal of subsidy on wheat flour. However, the police had arrested local leaders before the planned protest that caused a furore among the residents.

On Wednesday evening, the angry protesters clashed with the police and set ablaze a police station, and destroyed police vehicles in the Azad Pattan area.&nbsp;

Police also resorted to firing and lathi-charge on protesters injuring several of them. A protester said: "The arrest is a conspiracy to weaken our protest. Our movement is very peaceful for the rights of the people. It is against rising inflation and unemployment. It is about the demand for a good education. However, they are carrying atrocities on us. Our friends from the Action Committee, Rawalakot, who were raising voice against a hike in the price of flour, were picked up by the police. What was their fault?"Another protester said: "We were peacefully organising this protest, but the authorities have taken inappropriate action and arrested our friends in Rawalakot. We condemn this act. We want to warm the authorities as if they were not released, there will be a massive protest in the Poonch division".

Locals claim that this is a regular feature in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and in the name of civil rights Pakistan government is abusing them. The people in the occupied region are fed-up due high-handedness of Islamabad and forcing people to face challenges in meeting their daily requirements.&nbsp;

There have been protests for the past several weeks against high inflation, but the local government and Islamabad are paying no heed to their concerns.

(With inputs from agencies)

Huge price hike of food grains is one of the serious problems plaguing Imran Khan’s ‘Naya Pakistan'. Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) has witnessed mass protests for the past few months over the skyrocketing prices in the region.

Huge price hike of food grains is one of the serious problems plaguing Imran Khan’s ‘Naya Pakistan'. Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) has witnessed mass protests for the past few months over the skyrocketing prices in the region. A protest was organised on January 13 by the Action Committee in Rawalakot against the removal of subsidy on wheat flour. However, the police had arrested local leaders before the planned protest that caused a furore among the residents. On Wednesday evening, the angry protesters clashed with the police and set ablaze a police station, and destroyed police vehicles in the Azad Pattan area. Police also resorted to firing and lathi-charge on protesters injuring several of them. A protester said: "The arrest is a conspiracy to weaken our protest. Our movement is very peaceful for the rights of the people. It is against rising inflation and unemployment. It is about the demand for a good education. However, they are carrying atrocities on us. Our friends from the Action Committee, Rawalakot, who were raising voice against a hike in the price of flour, were picked up by the police. What was their fault?"Another protester said: "We were peacefully organising this protest, but the authorities have taken inappropriate action and arrested our friends in Rawalakot. We condemn this act. We want to warm the authorities as if they were not released, there will be a massive protest in the Poonch division". Locals claim that this is a regular feature in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and in the name of civil rights Pakistan government is abusing them. The people in the occupied region are fed-up due high-handedness of Islamabad and forcing people to face challenges in meeting their daily requirements. There have been protests for the past several weeks against high inflation, but the local government and Islamabad are paying no heed to their concerns. (With inputs from agencies)

Food inflation fuels anti-government protests in Pakistan occupied Kashmir

Asking UK Parliamentarian to discuss issues based on "authentic information", Indian high commission in United Kingdom in two consecutive statements has invited "Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom to consult with the High Commission anytime" on all "India-related issues of interest to them to have up-to-date, authentic and factual information about India".&nbsp;

This includes issues that "may be of concern to them or their constituents."

The statements by the Indian mission came after the Westminster Hall of the UK House of Commons saw discussion by MP on the situation of minorities and in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.&nbsp;

In the statement issued after a discussion on the situation of minorities, the Indian mission said that it has "made available fact sheets and briefs to enable them to disregard any misinformation or incomplete or false portrayal of the ground realities".

When it comes to discussion on Kashmir, the Indian mission pointed out several initiatives by the Indian government for the union territory including the recently held district-level elections that saw "impressive turnout of men and women alike--over 50%". The mission said, "This is a strong endorsement of the GOI initiatives by the people of Jammu and Kashmir, who are now participants and direct beneficiaries in the vibrant democratic mainstream of India."

It also raised the issue of cross border terrorism from Pakistan highlighting the " atrocities being committed daily in the part of Kashmir that is illegally occupied by this third country...which is recognized as a global epicentre of terrorism" and a "perpetrator of state-sponsored cross-border terrorism for over 70 years in Jammu and Kashmir - and the rest of India."

Interestingly, the Govt government during the discussion defended India's record with Nigel Adams, Minister for Asia at UK foreign office lauding its diversity.

Asking UK Parliamentarian to discuss issues based on "authentic information", Indian high commission in United Kingdom in two consecutive statements has invited "Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom to consult with the High Commission anytime" on all "India-related issues of interest to them to have up-to-date, authentic and factual information about India".

Asking UK Parliamentarian to discuss issues based on "authentic information", Indian high commission in United Kingdom in two consecutive statements has invited "Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom to consult with the High Commission anytime" on all "India-related issues of interest to them to have up-to-date, authentic and factual information about India". This includes issues that "may be of concern to them or their constituents." The statements by the Indian mission came after the Westminster Hall of the UK House of Commons saw discussion by MP on the situation of minorities and in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. In the statement issued after a discussion on the situation of minorities, the Indian mission said that it has "made available fact sheets and briefs to enable them to disregard any misinformation or incomplete or false portrayal of the ground realities". When it comes to discussion on Kashmir, the Indian mission pointed out several initiatives by the Indian government for the union territory including the recently held district-level elections that saw "impressive turnout of men and women alike--over 50%". The mission said, "This is a strong endorsement of the GOI initiatives by the people of Jammu and Kashmir, who are now participants and direct beneficiaries in the vibrant democratic mainstream of India." It also raised the issue of cross border terrorism from Pakistan highlighting the " atrocities being committed daily in the part of Kashmir that is illegally occupied by this third country...which is recognized as a global epicentre of terrorism" and a "perpetrator of state-sponsored cross-border terrorism for over 70 years in Jammu and Kashmir - and the rest of India." Interestingly, the Govt government during the discussion defended India's record with Nigel Adams, Minister for Asia at UK foreign office lauding its diversity.

Indian Mission in London invites UK MPs to get authentic information as minorities, Kashmir raised in Parliament

Soldiers of Indian Army at Karalpura in Kupwara have earned applause online for helping a pregnant woman reach hospital on time for the delivery even as Kashmir remained cut off from the country due to heavy snowfall.

The heavy snowfall has thrown life out of gear across Kashmir Valley this week.

The woman gave birth to a boy at the Karalpura hospital.

Late on Tuesday, the Company Operating Base at Karalpura in Kupwara received a distress call from Manzoor Ahmed Sheikh saying that informed that his wife Shabnam Begum is undergoing labour pain and needs to be evacuated to the hospital immediately.

Also, due to heavy snowfall and inclement weather, neither community health service vehicle nor civil transport was available and the same was possible only after the snow was cleared from the road.

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Heavy snow in Kashmir brings unprecedented challenges for citizens, especially in higher reaches. Watch the Soldier &amp; Awam fighting it out together by evacuating a patient to the nearest PHC for medical treatment. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ArmyForAwam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ArmyForAwam</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AmanHaiMuqam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AmanHaiMuqam</a> <a href="https://t.co/DBXPhhh0RP">pic.twitter.com/DBXPhhh0RP</a>
— PRO Udhampur, Ministry of Defence (@proudhampur) <a href="https://twitter.com/proudhampur/status/1347145485077803008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Understanding the gravity of the situation and the plight of the family, the army troops at Karalpura along with battlefield nursing assistant and medical comforts, reached the spot on time.

The troops escorted the woman and the family for about 2 km in knee-deep snow till the road head, from where she was taken to Karalpura hospital. On reaching the hospital the woman was immediately attended to by the medical staffs which were coordinated beforehand by the Army with the civil administration.

"The family and the civil administration thanked the unit for its humanitarian efforts and recognised the Army as the true friend of Awam at the time of distress. The father came to the Company Operating Base to distribute sweets to all troops after being blessed with a boy," the force said.

The force so far has evacuated more than two dozen pregnant women from the snow-bound areas in Kashmir.

(With inputs from agencies)

Soldiers of Indian Army at Karalpura in Kupwara have earned applause online for helping a pregnant woman reach hospital on time for the delivery even as Kashmir remained cut off from the country due to heavy snowfall.

Soldiers of Indian Army at Karalpura in Kupwara have earned applause online for helping a pregnant woman reach hospital on time for the delivery even as Kashmir remained cut off from the country due to heavy snowfall. The heavy snowfall has thrown life out of gear across Kashmir Valley this week. The woman gave birth to a boy at the Karalpura hospital. Late on Tuesday, the Company Operating Base at Karalpura in Kupwara received a distress call from Manzoor Ahmed Sheikh saying that informed that his wife Shabnam Begum is undergoing labour pain and needs to be evacuated to the hospital immediately. Also, due to heavy snowfall and inclement weather, neither community health service vehicle nor civil transport was available and the same was possible only after the snow was cleared from the road. Heavy snow in Kashmir brings unprecedented challenges for citizens, especially in higher reaches. Watch the Soldier & Awam fighting it out together by evacuating a patient to the nearest PHC for medical treatment. #ArmyForAwam#AmanHaiMuqam pic.twitter.com/DBXPhhh0RP — PRO Udhampur, Ministry of Defence (@proudhampur) January 7, 2021 × Understanding the gravity of the situation and the plight of the family, the army troops at Karalpura along with battlefield nursing assistant and medical comforts, reached the spot on time. The troops escorted the woman and the family for about 2 km in knee-deep snow till the road head, from where she was taken to Karalpura hospital. On reaching the hospital the woman was immediately attended to by the medical staffs which were coordinated beforehand by the Army with the civil administration. "The family and the civil administration thanked the unit for its humanitarian efforts and recognised the Army as the true friend of Awam at the time of distress. The father came to the Company Operating Base to distribute sweets to all troops after being blessed with a boy," the force said. The force so far has evacuated more than two dozen pregnant women from the snow-bound areas in Kashmir. (With inputs from agencies)

Watch: Indian Army troops carry pregnant woman to hospital in knee-deep snow in Kashmir

Heavy snowfall has covered the Kashmir valley. Road and air transport has come to a grinding halt. Flights are expected to stay grounded for the 2nd consecutive day.

Heavy snowfall covers Kashmir valley, road & air transportation halted

The Army on Saturday set up a 'feedback and grievances' helpline in the Kashmir valley as part of its efforts to strengthen the bond with the people.

The helpline has been set up under the aegis of Chinar Corps or 15 Corps -- responsible for guarding the Line of Control in the valley.

"As part of Indian Army's efforts to further strengthen the bond of friendship between the Aawam and Jawan, a 'feedback and grievances' helpline has been established under the aegis of Chinar Corps," a defence spokesman said.

He said the helpline number is 9484101010.

The contact can also be established through Telegram application, the spokesman said.

"A 'Humsaya' (companion) to the Awaam, in good times and through any challenge, the Awaam-Jawan greater synergy will go a long way in establishing peace and prosperity for all," he said.

The Army on Saturday set up a 'feedback and grievances' helpline in the Kashmir valley as part of its efforts to strengthen the bond with the people. The helpline has been set up under the aegis of Chinar Corps or 15 Corps -- responsible for guarding the Line of Control in the valley.

The Army on Saturday set up a 'feedback and grievances' helpline in the Kashmir valley as part of its efforts to strengthen the bond with the people. The helpline has been set up under the aegis of Chinar Corps or 15 Corps -- responsible for guarding the Line of Control in the valley. "As part of Indian Army's efforts to further strengthen the bond of friendship between the Aawam and Jawan, a 'feedback and grievances' helpline has been established under the aegis of Chinar Corps," a defence spokesman said. He said the helpline number is 9484101010. The contact can also be established through Telegram application, the spokesman said. "A 'Humsaya' (companion) to the Awaam, in good times and through any challenge, the Awaam-Jawan greater synergy will go a long way in establishing peace and prosperity for all," he said.

Indian Army sets up 'feedback and grievances' helpline in Kashmir

As India and China continue to face off along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), Beijing on Thursday completed the track-laying work for a railway line linking the cities of Lhasa and Nyingchi in Tibet, close to the Indian border in Arunachal Pradesh, official media here reported.

According to the Chinese President Xi Jinping, it would play a key role in safeguarding stability in the border areas.

The Sichuan-Tibet Railway will be the second railway into Tibet after the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/beijing-doesnt-recognize-ladakh-union-territory-and-arunachal-pradesh-chinese-ministry-of-foreign-affairs-334959">Also read | Beijing doesn’t recognize Ladakh Union Territory and Arunachal Pradesh: Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs</a>

It will go through the southeast of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, one of the world's most geologically active areas.

The Sichuan-Tibet Railway starts from Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province and travels through Ya'an and enters Tibet via Qamdo, shortening the journey from Chengdu to Lhasa from 48 hours to 13 hours. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/china-dictates-terms-to-indian-press-protests-wions-interview-with-taiwan-foreign-minister-joseph-wu-see-letter-inside-337366">Also read |&nbsp;China dictates terms to Indian press, protests WION's interview with Taiwan foreign minister Joseph Wu - see letter inside</a>

Linzhi, also known as Nyingchi, is located close to Arunachal Pradesh border. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/wion-has-got-mail-from-china-337567">Also read | Wion has got mail. From China</a>

Last month, President Xi Jinping instructed officials to expedite construction of the new railway project connecting Sichuan Province and Linzhi in Tibet.

With a designed speed of 160 km per hour, the 435-km rail line passes through 47 tunnels and 120 bridges, according to its constructor Tibet Railway Construction Co. Ltd.

Construction started in 2014 on the railway connecting Lhasa, the regional capital, and Nyingchi in eastern Tibet.

It is the first electrified railroad in Tibet and is slated to begin operations in June 2021, the Xinhua report said.

So far, a total of 31.2 billion yuan (about USD 4.8 billion) has been invested in the project, according to official data.

With more than 90 per cent of the railway built in areas more than 3,000 metres above sea level, the high altitude and complex geological conditions have posed great challenges to the project, the report said.

(With inputs from agencies)

As India and China continue to face off along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), Beijing on Thursday completed the track-laying work for a railway line linking the cities of Lhasa and Nyingchi in Tibet, close to the Indian border in Arunachal Pradesh, official media here reported.

As India and China continue to face off along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), Beijing on Thursday completed the track-laying work for a railway line linking the cities of Lhasa and Nyingchi in Tibet, close to the Indian border in Arunachal Pradesh, official media here reported. According to the Chinese President Xi Jinping, it would play a key role in safeguarding stability in the border areas. The Sichuan-Tibet Railway will be the second railway into Tibet after the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. Also read | Beijing doesn’t recognize Ladakh Union Territory and Arunachal Pradesh: Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs It will go through the southeast of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, one of the world's most geologically active areas. The Sichuan-Tibet Railway starts from Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province and travels through Ya'an and enters Tibet via Qamdo, shortening the journey from Chengdu to Lhasa from 48 hours to 13 hours. Also read | China dictates terms to Indian press, protests WION's interview with Taiwan foreign minister Joseph Wu - see letter inside Linzhi, also known as Nyingchi, is located close to Arunachal Pradesh border. Also read | Wion has got mail. From China Last month, President Xi Jinping instructed officials to expedite construction of the new railway project connecting Sichuan Province and Linzhi in Tibet. With a designed speed of 160 km per hour, the 435-km rail line passes through 47 tunnels and 120 bridges, according to its constructor Tibet Railway Construction Co. Ltd. Construction started in 2014 on the railway connecting Lhasa, the regional capital, and Nyingchi in eastern Tibet. It is the first electrified railroad in Tibet and is slated to begin operations in June 2021, the Xinhua report said. So far, a total of 31.2 billion yuan (about USD 4.8 billion) has been invested in the project, according to official data. With more than 90 per cent of the railway built in areas more than 3,000 metres above sea level, the high altitude and complex geological conditions have posed great challenges to the project, the report said. (With inputs from agencies)

China completes track-laying work for a railway line in Tibet close to Arunachal Pradesh

The cold wave sweeping Kashmir intensified on Thursday as the mercury fell several notches to settle well below the freezing point across the valley, officials said here.

Srinagar city -- the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir -- recorded a low of minus 5.9 degrees Celsius, which was over three degrees below the previous night's minus 2.2 degrees Celsius.

Gulmarg tourist destination in north Kashmir recorded 10.4 degrees Celsius as against the previous night's low of minus 11 degrees Celsius, the officials said.

They said Gulmarg was the coldest recorded place in the valley. Pahalgam, which serves as the base camp for annual Amarnath yatra in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 9.6 degrees Celsius.

Qazigund the gateway town to the valley recorded the minimum of minus 6.2 degrees Celsius, while Kupwara, in the north, registered a low of minus 5.8 degrees Celsius and Kokernag, in the south, minus 7.8 degrees Celsius, the officials said.

Kashmir is currently under the grip of 'Chillai-Kalan' -- the 40-day harshest winter period when a cold wave grips the region and the temperature drops considerably leading to the freezing of water bodies including the famous Dal Lake here as well as the water supply lines in several parts of the valley.

The chances of snowfall are most frequent and maximum during this period and most areas, especially in the higher reaches, receive heavy snowfall, the officials said.

While 'Chillai-Kalan', which began on December 21, will end on January 31, the cold wave continues even after that in Kashmir with a 20-day-long 'Chillai-Khurd' (small cold) and a 10-day-long 'Chillai-Bachha' (baby cold).

The cold wave sweeping Kashmir intensified on Thursday as the mercury fell several notches to settle well below the freezing point across the valley, officials said here.

The cold wave sweeping Kashmir intensified on Thursday as the mercury fell several notches to settle well below the freezing point across the valley, officials said here. Srinagar city -- the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir -- recorded a low of minus 5.9 degrees Celsius, which was over three degrees below the previous night's minus 2.2 degrees Celsius. Gulmarg tourist destination in north Kashmir recorded 10.4 degrees Celsius as against the previous night's low of minus 11 degrees Celsius, the officials said. They said Gulmarg was the coldest recorded place in the valley. Pahalgam, which serves as the base camp for annual Amarnath yatra in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 9.6 degrees Celsius. Qazigund the gateway town to the valley recorded the minimum of minus 6.2 degrees Celsius, while Kupwara, in the north, registered a low of minus 5.8 degrees Celsius and Kokernag, in the south, minus 7.8 degrees Celsius, the officials said. Kashmir is currently under the grip of 'Chillai-Kalan' -- the 40-day harshest winter period when a cold wave grips the region and the temperature drops considerably leading to the freezing of water bodies including the famous Dal Lake here as well as the water supply lines in several parts of the valley. The chances of snowfall are most frequent and maximum during this period and most areas, especially in the higher reaches, receive heavy snowfall, the officials said. While 'Chillai-Kalan', which began on December 21, will end on January 31, the cold wave continues even after that in Kashmir with a 20-day-long 'Chillai-Khurd' (small cold) and a 10-day-long 'Chillai-Bachha' (baby cold).

Cold wave conditions in Kashmir, Srinagar freezes at minus 5.9 degrees Celsius

Two terrorists have been killed in an encounter with security forces on Wednesday at Tiken area of Pulwama district in South Kashmir. 
 
"Encounter has started at #Tiken area of #Pulwama. Police and security forces are on the job. Further details shall follow. @JmuKmrPolice," Kashmir zone police tweeted.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PulwamaEncounterUpdate?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PulwamaEncounterUpdate</a>: 02 unidentified <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/terrorists?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#terrorists</a> killed. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Operation?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Operation</a> going on. Further details shall follow. <a href="https://twitter.com/JmuKmrPolice?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JmuKmrPolice</a> <a href="https://t.co/MySrLP6red">https://t.co/MySrLP6red</a>
— Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/KashmirPolice/status/1336496917119860739?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
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A joint team of Kashmir Police, Army’s 55 RR and CRPF launched a cordon and search operation on specific information about the presence of terrorists in the area. 
 
A police officer said that as the team cordoned the suspected house, the terrorists opened fire at the security forces which resulted in an encounter. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Two terrorists have been killed in an encounter with security forces on Wednesday at Tiken area of Pulwama district in South Kashmir. "Encounter has started at #Tiken area of #Pulwama.

Two terrorists have been killed in an encounter with security forces on Wednesday at Tiken area of Pulwama district in South Kashmir. "Encounter has started at #Tiken area of #Pulwama. Police and security forces are on the job. Further details shall follow. @JmuKmrPolice," Kashmir zone police tweeted. #PulwamaEncounterUpdate: 02 unidentified #terrorists killed. #Operation going on. Further details shall follow. @JmuKmrPolice https://t.co/MySrLP6red — Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) December 9, 2020 × A joint team of Kashmir Police, Army’s 55 RR and CRPF launched a cordon and search operation on specific information about the presence of terrorists in the area. A police officer said that as the team cordoned the suspected house, the terrorists opened fire at the security forces which resulted in an encounter. (With inputs from agencies)

Two terrorists killed as encounter breaks out in J&K's Pulwama

Five suspected terrorists were arrested on Monday in Delhi, India after an encounter and have revealed Pakistan spy agency ISI’s attempt to link up terror outfits in Kashmir with Khalistan operatives. Two out of them were allegedly involved in the murder of Shaurya Chakra winner Balwinder Singh in Punjab.

India: 5 terrorists arrested in Delhi, Khalistani-Kashmir terror link exposed

India on ,Monday hits out at Organisation of Islamic Cooperation over it's statement on Jammu and kashmir. 'OIC has no locus standi', says India.

India hits out at Organisation of Islamic Cooperation over J&K's statement

If ever an objective history of South Asia's major strategic events is written, the year 2019 will be remembered as a watershed year. The chain of events that began with the Pulwama suicide bombing (February 2019) and that finally led to the abrogation of Article 370 (August 2019) significantly tipped the strategic balance in India’s favour.&nbsp;

2014 onwards, India left the debris of ‘strategic restraint’ behind and redefined the conflict dynamics in terms of its new National Security Advisor (NSA) Mr Doval’s ‘doctrine of defensive offence.’ It was a significant doctrinal shift which found its first manifestation in Uri surgical strikes (2016). Fed on India’s decades of defensive force posture, Pakistan did not realise it until Balakot happened.&nbsp;

Further, in its more sophisticated form, venturing beyond the strict military domains, the doctrine of ‘defensive offense’ found its finest expression in the abrogation of Article 370, leaving Pakistan and China, the expansionist and revisionist brotherhood of Asia, in a quandary; a state of fix, rendering them not only increasingly clueless about a future course of action but also extremely vulnerable to strategic and tactical blunders.&nbsp;

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&nbsp;

Quite expectedly, such blunders have flown from Beijing and Rawalpindi in an unrestrained manner, with a desperate intent to reclaim the strategic edge against India. However, they have only exposed and weakened them further in the war of narratives.&nbsp;

Faced with embarrassing disasters in diplomatic assaults against India, bitter internal political turbulence, a worsening economy, and fierce resistance in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pashtun areas, and Baluchistan, Islamabad has openly started alleging India of fomenting terror in Pakistan. However, the fact is that it was the abrogation of Article 370, which took the winds from Pakistan's sails.&nbsp;

What has changed after August 5, 2019?

After the historical embarrassment of 1971 that ripped off a geographical portion from Pakistan, which had been in the forefront of the entire Pakistan movement, masterminds of GHQ Rawalpindi could never come out of the shock and, after that, single-mindedly focussed on disturbing and ultimately occupying Kashmir.&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-pm-imran-khans-kashmir-campaign-bombs-at-islamic-meet-346206">Pakistan PM Imran Khan's Kashmir campaign bombs at Islamic meet</a>

Fully understanding the impossibility of defeating India in a conventional war, ISI masterminds began exploring the sub-conventional tactics to gain a strategic edge over India. To that end, the insurgency in Punjab offered a ready ground to destabilize India with a minimum effort and investment.&nbsp;

For Pakistan, gaining a foothold in Afghanistan to secure ‘strategic depth’ against India's advancing armies in the event of a conventional war was undoubtedly a prerequisite for a long-term hybrid and proxy war against India.&nbsp;

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&nbsp;

The 1980s brought the much-needed American support for Pakistan in arming and training Mujahideens against the Soviets and facilitated Pakistan with a firm foothold in Afghanistan. The American GIs were leaving Kabul in 1988 after the Soviet withdrawal. for Pakistan, the stage was ripe for diverting the Afghan Jihadis towards Kashmir. Massive petrodollar funding and a decade-long Afghan experience in running proxies came in handy to stir up an armed insurrection in Kashmir.

The ISI-sponsored bloody phase of jihadi terrorism that began in the 1990s continued unabated, costing thousands of innocent lives. Over the last three decades, Pakistan's proxy war increased in intensity and ideological fervor.&nbsp;

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During the last three decades, the militancy in Kashmir, although it had its phases of ups and downs, was strategically planned and executed by masterminds located on the other side of the Indian border. India experimented with a range of counter-terrorism measures, bringing sporadic periods of relief.&nbsp;

However, the broader trajectory was about Pakistan creating and strengthening a supporting constituency thriving in a fertile ecosystem of Islamism, separatism, and terrorism. Adversary's success manifested itself in its complex yet robust capabilities to shake the Indian state during the unrest of 2016, post-Burhan Wani's encounter death. The Kashmir valley was engulfed with massive civil unrest and agitation within a few days, with casualty figures of 42 in the first week itself.

Moreover, something entirely financed and orchestrated by Pakistan's deep-state was projected by Pakistan as gross human rights violations by an occupied force in Kashmir. Burhan Wani, a self-proclaimed supporter of the Islamic Caliphate in Kashmir and Hizbul Mujahideen commander, was portrayed as a young and innocent hero dying for a cause in front of Kashmiris and the world community. Pakistan had not only created a highly radicalized social milieu that made Jihadism a dominant narrative but also excelled in the war of narratives, convincingly selling its lies for years to an array of civil rights activists, governments, and scholars in the west.&nbsp;

However, in one masterstroke of August 2019, India gave a crushing blow to Pakistan's three decades of investment in Kashmir. It was something that Pakistan's intelligence machinery did not anticipate. As a result, they were handicapped from achieving their 'Destabilizing Kashmir project' in the absence of Article 370, which acted as a catalyst till then. Article 370 was an edifice, an overarching umbrella under which Pakistan's proxy jihadists, assets in the media, academic, religious, cultural bodies, mainstream politics, academia, and the administration thrived and flourished.&nbsp;

Though India displayed some clarity about its understanding of how detrimental Article 370 was to safeguarding its key interests in Kashmir, when it denuded the article of much of its teeth in the 60s, over time, Delhi lost the clarity and became increasingly myopic in its understanding. A narrow vision led the focus on eroding Sheikh Abdullah's base and install a pliable government through democratic means, even if that involved pampering radical Islamists and separatists.&nbsp;

In parallel, Pakistan's propaganda machinery and its assets in the mainstream politics of Kashmir had skillfully crafted the narrative of Article 370, being the bedrock of Kashmir's identity. Its proxies instilled the popular consciousness with the imaginary fears of central government populating the state with outsiders in the absence of 370.&nbsp;

On the Indian side, successive political dispensations increasingly became entrapped in the narrative mentioned above sold by Pakistan's proxies. As a result, Delhi could never give serious thought on India's strategic interests in Kashmir. For decades, Article 370 was an untouchable default status that was supposed to be guarded till eternity.&nbsp;

Today, a year after its abrogation, Pakistan has lost the patronizing, protective, and enabling superstructure. The Pakistani proxies in Kashmir face the most significant existential crisis. The ecosystem of Islamist radicalization, separatism, and terrorism carefully created with lies, deceit and violence appears to be collapsing like dominos.

Interestingly, the façade of Article 370 under which Pakistan's proxy movement thrived was in itself fragile. Article 370 was a temporary and transient feature of the Indian Constitution, which could be amended or abrogated within the Indian parliamentary framework.&nbsp;

The autonomy guaranteed to Kashmir under the provisions of the article helped Pakistan in propagating its agenda to sell the fabricated story of Kashmir being a disputed territory.&nbsp;

Further, the militancy and separatist movement, which flourished under the patronage of Article 370, strengthened Pakistan's version of Kashmir as a disputed territory in the eyes of the world community and the local Kashmiris.&nbsp;

However, after its demise, the smokescreens have vanished, and not only the strategic experts but also the ordinary voices of Kashmir have openly started questioning, discussing, and condemning Pakistan's illegal and violent annexation of a part of Kashmir in 1947, the genesis of the Kashmir conflict.&nbsp;

Contrary to the annual condemnation of October 26, 1947, the day when Indian armies entered Kashmir, as a 'black day,' this year, to everyone's surprise, public squares of Srinagar were spattered with hoardings condemning October 22 as a 'black day', the day when Pakistan's Kabailis attacked Kashmir&nbsp;

The post-370 Kashmir has witnessed an intense crackdown on Pakistan-supported radical Islamist organizations like Jamaat-i-Islami and separatist organizations. National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) onslaught on terror financing has cracked the financial backbone of terrorism.&nbsp;

The security forces have neutralized the entire terrorist leadership of the local and foreign terrorist orgaizations. The recruitment of new terrorist cadres has drastically come down. Infiltration has become nearly impossible. The mainstream politicians and separatists like the Hurriyat stand exposed as entities who sustained the widespread resentment against India by indulging in massive corruption and mal-governance on the one hand and squarely putting the blame on Delhi's step-motherly treatment.&nbsp;

NIA's action against many of them in terror-related cases further confirms their dubious loyalties in the popular perception.

In Kashmir, a new political leadership with a nationalist outlook is emerging at the grassroots. Pakistan's desperate attempts to orchestrate terror attacks, civil unrest, and rally the diplomatic community against India on global platforms, have failed miserably. Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC) has disappointed Pakistan and refused to bandwagon with it on several occasions.&nbsp;

There are no buyers in the Western World for Pakistan's foul cries over the abrogation of Article 370. The United States and most European states convincingly approved India's Kashmir move as a dire necessity to prevent Jihadist terrorism from taking deeper roots in Kashmir on the pattern of Syria and Iraq. &nbsp;

Except for the backing of Turkey and China, Pakistan stands isolated. Further, the residents of Gilgit-Baltistan have become fiercely vocal against Pakistan's demographic engineering and in its decision to declare the region as its sixth province, in an abject surrender to China's dictators.&nbsp;

Local resistance against the forcible occupation of Gigit-Baltistan and flooding the area with Sunni extremists has not only intensified, but it has also become a subject-matter of serious discussion in the western capitals. In Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), similar fears have given rise to a strong resistance movement.&nbsp;

On the issue of cross-border terrorism, Pakistan knows it well that post-2014, India's approach has changed. &nbsp;Now Delhi responds with surgical strikes and air raids, and one more Pulwama will most certainly be reciprocated with something way bigger than Balakot, which Pakistan cannot afford.&nbsp;

Further, the post-370 Kashmir has also started seriously questioning China's illegal possession over Aksai Chin. Recent India-China stand-off and Pakistan's continuous ceasefire violations have cleared the vestiges of any doubts lasting about the China-Pak duo's collusion and expansionist threat in the near future.&nbsp;

Internally, India’s Kashmir move has led to a massive embarrassment for Imran Khan's government and the Pak army. The Opposition has alleged Imran Khan's government of surrendering to India. Today, in the form of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), Pak army and the 'selected' PM Imran Khan's government face a compelling popular protest movement.&nbsp;

The situation has turned alarming for Pak army because, in addition to the mainstream political parties, it also includes ethical nationalist entities such as Pashtun Tahafuz Movement and Baluchistan National Party, hitherto seen as antithetical to the very idea of Pakistan.&nbsp;

Further, PDM is demanding minimising the role of Pakistani army and intelligence agencies from the political and developmental matters, a direct challenge to the mighty army. Bajwa and Imran, both, are at the lowest ebb of their credibility.&nbsp;

For decades, the Pakistan army used Kashmir to grab a disproportionate share in the national budget and cultivate hyper-nationalism and Islamism. Under the latter as a cover, GHQ Rawalpindi crushed all the religious, cultural, and linguistic minorities.&nbsp;

The ghosts of those massacres in Baluchistan, Pashtun lands, and Sindh are returning to haunt Pakistan. &nbsp;It is a reminder for Pakistan that internal turmoil is rooted in its birth and the fundamental philosophy of its existence, and a redux of 1971, is possible.&nbsp;

Nevertheless, Pakistan's generals refused to learn from the past and continue to publish substandard conspiracy theories blaming India for its internal problems. It appears as though Rawalpindi's is pushed back to the pavilion since the abrogation of Article 370, and Pakistan's grand new strategy is concocting lies of India aiding terrorism on Pakistani soil from Afghanistan.&nbsp;

Some Pakistani generals blame India's intelligence brass for reversing the 'paradigm of terror' by inciting Pashtuns, Baluchis, and Sindhis. However, the fact is that the 'paradigm of terror' created by ISI masterminds has boomeranged and backfired, something which was bound to happen.&nbsp;

Despite the turn of events, a frustrated Pakistan openly advocates the revival and strengthening of a terrorist base against India. By doing so, they stand exposed as sponsors of terror in the region.

 
Why everyone missed the elephant in the room?

Today, one feels astounded why even the astute strategic analysts could not foresee the aftershocks of abrogating Article 370

The answer lies in the fact that the overwhelming political posturing surrounding BJP's long-held objective of repealing Article 370 more or less precluded an objective and scholarly analysis of its long-term strategic implications in South Asia and beyond.&nbsp;

India's intelligence czars, diplomats, and mighty bureaucrats of North Block saw it as a political prop, an unrealistic and unattainable dream, finding its best utility in garnering votes during elections. Such a notion was firmly entrenched in their minds when the last Vajpayee-led BJP government refrained from tampering with article 370.&nbsp;

Among India's civil society, security experts, IR scholars, and public intellectuals making even a reference to abrogating Article 370 was shunned and led to condemnation and banishment as a right-wing fascist. For Pakistan, it came handy to believe that Indians would never think of this far-fetched dream given their three-decade-long vulnerabilities to the complex web of false and fictitious narratives projected by their deep-state and doing so quite successfully with the western capitals, activists, scribes, and scholars.&nbsp;

As a result, serious scholarly analyses of scraping Article 370, more or less, remained a taboo in the academic and strategic world. &nbsp;At best, it remained a fanciful dream of Hindu-nationalist groups, and at worst a strategic blunder something which the majority of India's diplomats, spies, scribes scholars, and bureaucrats, trained in the socialist left-overs of cold-war era traditions, would abhor as totally uncharacteristic of India's idealistic approach in strategic affairs. &nbsp;

Such a trend continues even after more than a year has passed since the abrogation of Article 370. In India's strategic and political community, one still comes across a tendency to condemn the move as an ill-thought action resulting from the lack of strategic vision, which will only add to India's security challenges.&nbsp;

Maybe dubious loyalties, ulterior motives, vested political interests, individual biases, ideological barriers, and nonetheless inadequate analytical skills can provide a better explanation for this aversion to engaging in an objective analysis of the strategic implications of Delhi's Kashmir move and give the due credit to those who planned and implemented such a master strategic and diplomatic stroke.&nbsp;

It can be stated with an absolute certainty that post-2014, New Delhi has changed, and the change is firm, decisive and irreversible. &nbsp;Nevertheless, the doctrinal shift in India’s strategic approach is still evolving in its myriad aspects hence; maybe it is too early to define its long-term strategic implications.&nbsp;

However, it is certain that under no circumstances Pak establishment can indulge in Pulwama or Mumbai like adventures anymore. Whether one more Mumbai or Pulwama will cost Pakistan Baluchistan or not, is yet a matter of conjecture and grapewine in the intelligence world. Nevertheless, it is giving sleepless nights to Pakistani generals.

To conclude, Pakistan’s Kashmir Project has lost its steam. In the global arena, it will not be long before General Bajwa's Pakistan is blacklisted. In the future, maybe the situation could turn worse, with Pakistan facing a threat from internal unrest and revolts.&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer)

If ever an objective history of South Asia's major strategic events is written, the year 2019 will be remembered as a watershed year. The chain of events that began with the Pulwama suicide bombing (February 2019) and that finally led to the abrogation of Article 370 (August 2019) significantly tipped the strategic balance in India’s favour.

If ever an objective history of South Asia's major strategic events is written, the year 2019 will be remembered as a watershed year. The chain of events that began with the Pulwama suicide bombing (February 2019) and that finally led to the abrogation of Article 370 (August 2019) significantly tipped the strategic balance in India’s favour. 2014 onwards, India left the debris of ‘strategic restraint’ behind and redefined the conflict dynamics in terms of its new National Security Advisor (NSA) Mr Doval’s ‘doctrine of defensive offence.’ It was a significant doctrinal shift which found its first manifestation in Uri surgical strikes (2016). Fed on India’s decades of defensive force posture, Pakistan did not realise it until Balakot happened. Further, in its more sophisticated form, venturing beyond the strict military domains, the doctrine of ‘defensive offense’ found its finest expression in the abrogation of Article 370, leaving Pakistan and China, the expansionist and revisionist brotherhood of Asia, in a quandary; a state of fix, rendering them not only increasingly clueless about a future course of action but also extremely vulnerable to strategic and tactical blunders. × Quite expectedly, such blunders have flown from Beijing and Rawalpindi in an unrestrained manner, with a desperate intent to reclaim the strategic edge against India. However, they have only exposed and weakened them further in the war of narratives. Faced with embarrassing disasters in diplomatic assaults against India, bitter internal political turbulence, a worsening economy, and fierce resistance in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pashtun areas, and Baluchistan, Islamabad has openly started alleging India of fomenting terror in Pakistan. However, the fact is that it was the abrogation of Article 370, which took the winds from Pakistan's sails. What has changed after August 5, 2019? After the historical embarrassment of 1971 that ripped off a geographical portion from Pakistan, which had been in the forefront of the entire Pakistan movement, masterminds of GHQ Rawalpindi could never come out of the shock and, after that, single-mindedly focussed on disturbing and ultimately occupying Kashmir. Also Read | Pakistan PM Imran Khan's Kashmir campaign bombs at Islamic meet Fully understanding the impossibility of defeating India in a conventional war, ISI masterminds began exploring the sub-conventional tactics to gain a strategic edge over India. To that end, the insurgency in Punjab offered a ready ground to destabilize India with a minimum effort and investment. For Pakistan, gaining a foothold in Afghanistan to secure ‘strategic depth’ against India's advancing armies in the event of a conventional war was undoubtedly a prerequisite for a long-term hybrid and proxy war against India. × The 1980s brought the much-needed American support for Pakistan in arming and training Mujahideens against the Soviets and facilitated Pakistan with a firm foothold in Afghanistan. The American GIs were leaving Kabul in 1988 after the Soviet withdrawal. for Pakistan, the stage was ripe for diverting the Afghan Jihadis towards Kashmir. Massive petrodollar funding and a decade-long Afghan experience in running proxies came in handy to stir up an armed insurrection in Kashmir. The ISI-sponsored bloody phase of jihadi terrorism that began in the 1990s continued unabated, costing thousands of innocent lives. Over the last three decades, Pakistan's proxy war increased in intensity and ideological fervor. × During the last three decades, the militancy in Kashmir, although it had its phases of ups and downs, was strategically planned and executed by masterminds located on the other side of the Indian border. India experimented with a range of counter-terrorism measures, bringing sporadic periods of relief. However, the broader trajectory was about Pakistan creating and strengthening a supporting constituency thriving in a fertile ecosystem of Islamism, separatism, and terrorism. Adversary's success manifested itself in its complex yet robust capabilities to shake the Indian state during the unrest of 2016, post-Burhan Wani's encounter death. The Kashmir valley was engulfed with massive civil unrest and agitation within a few days, with casualty figures of 42 in the first week itself. Moreover, something entirely financed and orchestrated by Pakistan's deep-state was projected by Pakistan as gross human rights violations by an occupied force in Kashmir. Burhan Wani, a self-proclaimed supporter of the Islamic Caliphate in Kashmir and Hizbul Mujahideen commander, was portrayed as a young and innocent hero dying for a cause in front of Kashmiris and the world community. Pakistan had not only created a highly radicalized social milieu that made Jihadism a dominant narrative but also excelled in the war of narratives, convincingly selling its lies for years to an array of civil rights activists, governments, and scholars in the west. However, in one masterstroke of August 2019, India gave a crushing blow to Pakistan's three decades of investment in Kashmir. It was something that Pakistan's intelligence machinery did not anticipate. As a result, they were handicapped from achieving their 'Destabilizing Kashmir project' in the absence of Article 370, which acted as a catalyst till then. Article 370 was an edifice, an overarching umbrella under which Pakistan's proxy jihadists, assets in the media, academic, religious, cultural bodies, mainstream politics, academia, and the administration thrived and flourished. Though India displayed some clarity about its understanding of how detrimental Article 370 was to safeguarding its key interests in Kashmir, when it denuded the article of much of its teeth in the 60s, over time, Delhi lost the clarity and became increasingly myopic in its understanding. A narrow vision led the focus on eroding Sheikh Abdullah's base and install a pliable government through democratic means, even if that involved pampering radical Islamists and separatists. In parallel, Pakistan's propaganda machinery and its assets in the mainstream politics of Kashmir had skillfully crafted the narrative of Article 370, being the bedrock of Kashmir's identity. Its proxies instilled the popular consciousness with the imaginary fears of central government populating the state with outsiders in the absence of 370. On the Indian side, successive political dispensations increasingly became entrapped in the narrative mentioned above sold by Pakistan's proxies. As a result, Delhi could never give serious thought on India's strategic interests in Kashmir. For decades, Article 370 was an untouchable default status that was supposed to be guarded till eternity. Today, a year after its abrogation, Pakistan has lost the patronizing, protective, and enabling superstructure. The Pakistani proxies in Kashmir face the most significant existential crisis. The ecosystem of Islamist radicalization, separatism, and terrorism carefully created with lies, deceit and violence appears to be collapsing like dominos. Interestingly, the façade of Article 370 under which Pakistan's proxy movement thrived was in itself fragile. Article 370 was a temporary and transient feature of the Indian Constitution, which could be amended or abrogated within the Indian parliamentary framework. The autonomy guaranteed to Kashmir under the provisions of the article helped Pakistan in propagating its agenda to sell the fabricated story of Kashmir being a disputed territory. Further, the militancy and separatist movement, which flourished under the patronage of Article 370, strengthened Pakistan's version of Kashmir as a disputed territory in the eyes of the world community and the local Kashmiris. However, after its demise, the smokescreens have vanished, and not only the strategic experts but also the ordinary voices of Kashmir have openly started questioning, discussing, and condemning Pakistan's illegal and violent annexation of a part of Kashmir in 1947, the genesis of the Kashmir conflict. Contrary to the annual condemnation of October 26, 1947, the day when Indian armies entered Kashmir, as a 'black day,' this year, to everyone's surprise, public squares of Srinagar were spattered with hoardings condemning October 22 as a 'black day', the day when Pakistan's Kabailis attacked Kashmir The post-370 Kashmir has witnessed an intense crackdown on Pakistan-supported radical Islamist organizations like Jamaat-i-Islami and separatist organizations. National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) onslaught on terror financing has cracked the financial backbone of terrorism. The security forces have neutralized the entire terrorist leadership of the local and foreign terrorist orgaizations. The recruitment of new terrorist cadres has drastically come down. Infiltration has become nearly impossible. The mainstream politicians and separatists like the Hurriyat stand exposed as entities who sustained the widespread resentment against India by indulging in massive corruption and mal-governance on the one hand and squarely putting the blame on Delhi's step-motherly treatment. NIA's action against many of them in terror-related cases further confirms their dubious loyalties in the popular perception. In Kashmir, a new political leadership with a nationalist outlook is emerging at the grassroots. Pakistan's desperate attempts to orchestrate terror attacks, civil unrest, and rally the diplomatic community against India on global platforms, have failed miserably. Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC) has disappointed Pakistan and refused to bandwagon with it on several occasions. There are no buyers in the Western World for Pakistan's foul cries over the abrogation of Article 370. The United States and most European states convincingly approved India's Kashmir move as a dire necessity to prevent Jihadist terrorism from taking deeper roots in Kashmir on the pattern of Syria and Iraq. Except for the backing of Turkey and China, Pakistan stands isolated. Further, the residents of Gilgit-Baltistan have become fiercely vocal against Pakistan's demographic engineering and in its decision to declare the region as its sixth province, in an abject surrender to China's dictators. Local resistance against the forcible occupation of Gigit-Baltistan and flooding the area with Sunni extremists has not only intensified, but it has also become a subject-matter of serious discussion in the western capitals. In Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), similar fears have given rise to a strong resistance movement. On the issue of cross-border terrorism, Pakistan knows it well that post-2014, India's approach has changed. Now Delhi responds with surgical strikes and air raids, and one more Pulwama will most certainly be reciprocated with something way bigger than Balakot, which Pakistan cannot afford. Further, the post-370 Kashmir has also started seriously questioning China's illegal possession over Aksai Chin. Recent India-China stand-off and Pakistan's continuous ceasefire violations have cleared the vestiges of any doubts lasting about the China-Pak duo's collusion and expansionist threat in the near future. Internally, India’s Kashmir move has led to a massive embarrassment for Imran Khan's government and the Pak army. The Opposition has alleged Imran Khan's government of surrendering to India. Today, in the form of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), Pak army and the 'selected' PM Imran Khan's government face a compelling popular protest movement. The situation has turned alarming for Pak army because, in addition to the mainstream political parties, it also includes ethical nationalist entities such as Pashtun Tahafuz Movement and Baluchistan National Party, hitherto seen as antithetical to the very idea of Pakistan. Further, PDM is demanding minimising the role of Pakistani army and intelligence agencies from the political and developmental matters, a direct challenge to the mighty army. Bajwa and Imran, both, are at the lowest ebb of their credibility. For decades, the Pakistan army used Kashmir to grab a disproportionate share in the national budget and cultivate hyper-nationalism and Islamism. Under the latter as a cover, GHQ Rawalpindi crushed all the religious, cultural, and linguistic minorities. The ghosts of those massacres in Baluchistan, Pashtun lands, and Sindh are returning to haunt Pakistan. It is a reminder for Pakistan that internal turmoil is rooted in its birth and the fundamental philosophy of its existence, and a redux of 1971, is possible. Nevertheless, Pakistan's generals refused to learn from the past and continue to publish substandard conspiracy theories blaming India for its internal problems. It appears as though Rawalpindi's is pushed back to the pavilion since the abrogation of Article 370, and Pakistan's grand new strategy is concocting lies of India aiding terrorism on Pakistani soil from Afghanistan. Some Pakistani generals blame India's intelligence brass for reversing the 'paradigm of terror' by inciting Pashtuns, Baluchis, and Sindhis. However, the fact is that the 'paradigm of terror' created by ISI masterminds has boomeranged and backfired, something which was bound to happen. Despite the turn of events, a frustrated Pakistan openly advocates the revival and strengthening of a terrorist base against India. By doing so, they stand exposed as sponsors of terror in the region. Why everyone missed the elephant in the room? Today, one feels astounded why even the astute strategic analysts could not foresee the aftershocks of abrogating Article 370 The answer lies in the fact that the overwhelming political posturing surrounding BJP's long-held objective of repealing Article 370 more or less precluded an objective and scholarly analysis of its long-term strategic implications in South Asia and beyond. India's intelligence czars, diplomats, and mighty bureaucrats of North Block saw it as a political prop, an unrealistic and unattainable dream, finding its best utility in garnering votes during elections. Such a notion was firmly entrenched in their minds when the last Vajpayee-led BJP government refrained from tampering with article 370. Among India's civil society, security experts, IR scholars, and public intellectuals making even a reference to abrogating Article 370 was shunned and led to condemnation and banishment as a right-wing fascist. For Pakistan, it came handy to believe that Indians would never think of this far-fetched dream given their three-decade-long vulnerabilities to the complex web of false and fictitious narratives projected by their deep-state and doing so quite successfully with the western capitals, activists, scribes, and scholars. As a result, serious scholarly analyses of scraping Article 370, more or less, remained a taboo in the academic and strategic world. At best, it remained a fanciful dream of Hindu-nationalist groups, and at worst a strategic blunder something which the majority of India's diplomats, spies, scribes scholars, and bureaucrats, trained in the socialist left-overs of cold-war era traditions, would abhor as totally uncharacteristic of India's idealistic approach in strategic affairs. Such a trend continues even after more than a year has passed since the abrogation of Article 370. In India's strategic and political community, one still comes across a tendency to condemn the move as an ill-thought action resulting from the lack of strategic vision, which will only add to India's security challenges. Maybe dubious loyalties, ulterior motives, vested political interests, individual biases, ideological barriers, and nonetheless inadequate analytical skills can provide a better explanation for this aversion to engaging in an objective analysis of the strategic implications of Delhi's Kashmir move and give the due credit to those who planned and implemented such a master strategic and diplomatic stroke. It can be stated with an absolute certainty that post-2014, New Delhi has changed, and the change is firm, decisive and irreversible. Nevertheless, the doctrinal shift in India’s strategic approach is still evolving in its myriad aspects hence; maybe it is too early to define its long-term strategic implications. However, it is certain that under no circumstances Pak establishment can indulge in Pulwama or Mumbai like adventures anymore. Whether one more Mumbai or Pulwama will cost Pakistan Baluchistan or not, is yet a matter of conjecture and grapewine in the intelligence world. Nevertheless, it is giving sleepless nights to Pakistani generals. To conclude, Pakistan’s Kashmir Project has lost its steam. In the global arena, it will not be long before General Bajwa's Pakistan is blacklisted. In the future, maybe the situation could turn worse, with Pakistan facing a threat from internal unrest and revolts. (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer)

Pakistan's lost asymmetric war in Kashmir against Doval’s defensive offence

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khans shrill campaign to internationalise Kashmir has bombed after the 57-member Islamic bloc brushed aside Islamabads frenzied attempt to haul up India for abrogating Article 370 more than a year ago. 
 
In the latest attempt to slam India for its decision to fully mainstream Kashmir with the rest of India, it was once again Pakistan`s light-headed Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi who had an egg on his face. Qureshi was left red-faced after the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), holding its 47th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers in Niger`s Niamey, snubbed Pakistan by making no mention of Kashmir in its agenda. 
 
Despite the embarrassment, Qureshi, took the `Islamophobia` route to mention Kashmir in his speech, another wasted exercise, as the participating ministers remained focused on session`s theme "United against Terrorism for Peace and Development".

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/never-pressured-by-military-leadership-on-any-matter-imran-khan-346205" hreflang="en">Never pressured by military leadership on any matter: Imran Khan</a> 
 
The OIC, through its Secretary General Yousef Al-Othaimeen, had made it aptly clear that the agenda of this year`s Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) session would include a list of topics and "issues of concern" to the Muslim world. 
 
"In addition to the Palestinian cause, the fight against violence, extremism and terrorism, Islamophobia and defamation of religious, the Council will discuss the situation of Muslim minorities and communities in non-member states, fundraising for the Rohingya case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), as well as the promotion of dialogue among civilizations, cultures and religions, and other emerging matters," the OIC, with a membership of 57 states spread over four continents, said in a statement released prior to the meeting. 
 
The much-expected agenda though came as a huge shocker for Pakistan which had for long been demanding a special OIC meeting on Kashmir.

"The meeting has not been convened so far because the Saudis, who wield a virtual veto in the 57-member bloc of Muslim countries, has not supported Islamabad`s move. The latest omission of Kashmir from the agenda of the regular foreign ministers` meeting comes at a time when ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia/UAE remain strained over what Pakistani diplomats say are `unfulfilled expectations`," Pakistan`s leading daily Dawn said in a report.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bilawal-bhutto-slams-imran-khans-heartless-government-for-sacking-over-4500-psm-employees-346106" hreflang="en">Bilawal Bhutto slams Imran Khan's 'heartless government' for sacking over 4,500 PSM employees</a> 
 
Qureshi was to face more embarrassment after landing in Niger along with Sardar Masood Khan, the former Pakistani Ambassador to the UN, who is now president of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). 
 
The duo referred Niger as a "brotherly Islamic country" and urged the founding member of the OIC to raise the Kashmir issue at the forum of African Union (AU) and various other international platforms. 
 
But, as the two-day session kicked off on Friday, neither Mahamadou Issoufou, President of the Republic of Niger, nor any other participating country diverted from the pre-decided agenda. 
 
OIC Secretary General Al-Othaimeen said that the choice of the theme for the session, "United against Terrorism for Peace and Development", is a strong reminder that "terrorism is the single most serious threat to the region and the world, given its negative impact on growth rates and cooperation ties, in addition to worsening Human Development Indices (HDI) ranking". 
 
He also valued the role assigned to the OIC Sawt al-Hikma (Voice of Wisdom) Center, which acts in coordination with the International Islamic Fiqh Academy to bring reason to bear and promote moderation and tolerance.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khans shrill campaign to internationalise Kashmir has bombed after the 57-member Islamic bloc brushed aside Islamabads frenzied attempt to haul up India for abrogating Article 370 more than a year ago.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khans shrill campaign to internationalise Kashmir has bombed after the 57-member Islamic bloc brushed aside Islamabads frenzied attempt to haul up India for abrogating Article 370 more than a year ago. In the latest attempt to slam India for its decision to fully mainstream Kashmir with the rest of India, it was once again Pakistan`s light-headed Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi who had an egg on his face. Qureshi was left red-faced after the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), holding its 47th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers in Niger`s Niamey, snubbed Pakistan by making no mention of Kashmir in its agenda. Despite the embarrassment, Qureshi, took the `Islamophobia` route to mention Kashmir in his speech, another wasted exercise, as the participating ministers remained focused on session`s theme "United against Terrorism for Peace and Development". Also read| Never pressured by military leadership on any matter: Imran Khan The OIC, through its Secretary General Yousef Al-Othaimeen, had made it aptly clear that the agenda of this year`s Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) session would include a list of topics and "issues of concern" to the Muslim world. "In addition to the Palestinian cause, the fight against violence, extremism and terrorism, Islamophobia and defamation of religious, the Council will discuss the situation of Muslim minorities and communities in non-member states, fundraising for the Rohingya case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), as well as the promotion of dialogue among civilizations, cultures and religions, and other emerging matters," the OIC, with a membership of 57 states spread over four continents, said in a statement released prior to the meeting. The much-expected agenda though came as a huge shocker for Pakistan which had for long been demanding a special OIC meeting on Kashmir. "The meeting has not been convened so far because the Saudis, who wield a virtual veto in the 57-member bloc of Muslim countries, has not supported Islamabad`s move. The latest omission of Kashmir from the agenda of the regular foreign ministers` meeting comes at a time when ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia/UAE remain strained over what Pakistani diplomats say are `unfulfilled expectations`," Pakistan`s leading daily Dawn said in a report. Also read| Bilawal Bhutto slams Imran Khan's 'heartless government' for sacking over 4,500 PSM employees Qureshi was to face more embarrassment after landing in Niger along with Sardar Masood Khan, the former Pakistani Ambassador to the UN, who is now president of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The duo referred Niger as a "brotherly Islamic country" and urged the founding member of the OIC to raise the Kashmir issue at the forum of African Union (AU) and various other international platforms. But, as the two-day session kicked off on Friday, neither Mahamadou Issoufou, President of the Republic of Niger, nor any other participating country diverted from the pre-decided agenda. OIC Secretary General Al-Othaimeen said that the choice of the theme for the session, "United against Terrorism for Peace and Development", is a strong reminder that "terrorism is the single most serious threat to the region and the world, given its negative impact on growth rates and cooperation ties, in addition to worsening Human Development Indices (HDI) ranking". He also valued the role assigned to the OIC Sawt al-Hikma (Voice of Wisdom) Center, which acts in coordination with the International Islamic Fiqh Academy to bring reason to bear and promote moderation and tolerance.

Pakistan PM Imran Khan's Kashmir campaign bombs at Islamic meet

In a major snub to Pakistan, Kashmir is not on the agenda of a meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). This is not the first time that Pakistan has suffered a setback at the OIC.

Major Snub To Pakistan: OIC agenda fails to mention Kashmir

For years, Islamabad has enjoyed a privileged status at the OIC (Organisation of Islamic co-operation). It was a go-to platform for Pakistan whenever it wanted to make a statement against India. But despite being the second-largest member of the OIC, Pakistan fell out of favour.

For years, Pakistan has used the platform at oic to rant against india. India is not a member of this grouping. Now, Pakistan is losing its voice at this forum&nbsp;

The falling out began last year when India's then foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj was was invited as a guest of honour by the OIC. Pakistan had then boycotted the session.

Then came the ultimatum from Pakistan. Its foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi sent this message to Saudi Arabia which is the de-facto leader of the OIC.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistanis-join-final-trials-for-china-made-vaccine-345589">Pakistanis join final trials for China-made vaccine</a> 
 
Pakistan has been obsessed with Kashmir but key OIC members like Saudi Arabia haven't shown much interest.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan then started looking for alternative options, which made the matters worse.

Imran Khan met with leaders of Turkey and Malaysia at the UN in order to forge a new Islamic alliance that could potentially challenge the OIC.

Although the new alliance is yet to take off, only the declaration brought a split within Muslim world out in open.

Leading Muslim nations saw Pakistan's moves as a betrayal. And Saudi Arabia, which wields considerable power within OIC punished Pakistan for its actions.

After an ultimatum from Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Riyadh denied oil supply to Pakistan on deferred payments and demanded the return of a three billion dollar loan. Pakistan managed to pay back only 1 million

Saudi Arabia has lost its patience with Pakistan.

A major fallout of this has been that OIC has been refusing to discuss Kashmir issue. The official statement does not have mention of Kashmir.

For years, Islamabad has enjoyed a privileged status at the OIC (Organisation of Islamic co-operation). It was a go-to platform for Pakistan whenever it wanted to make a statement against India.

For years, Islamabad has enjoyed a privileged status at the OIC (Organisation of Islamic co-operation). It was a go-to platform for Pakistan whenever it wanted to make a statement against India. But despite being the second-largest member of the OIC, Pakistan fell out of favour. For years, Pakistan has used the platform at oic to rant against india. India is not a member of this grouping. Now, Pakistan is losing its voice at this forum The falling out began last year when India's then foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj was was invited as a guest of honour by the OIC. Pakistan had then boycotted the session. Then came the ultimatum from Pakistan. Its foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi sent this message to Saudi Arabia which is the de-facto leader of the OIC. Also Read | Pakistanis join final trials for China-made vaccine Pakistan has been obsessed with Kashmir but key OIC members like Saudi Arabia haven't shown much interest. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan then started looking for alternative options, which made the matters worse. Imran Khan met with leaders of Turkey and Malaysia at the UN in order to forge a new Islamic alliance that could potentially challenge the OIC. Although the new alliance is yet to take off, only the declaration brought a split within Muslim world out in open. Leading Muslim nations saw Pakistan's moves as a betrayal. And Saudi Arabia, which wields considerable power within OIC punished Pakistan for its actions. After an ultimatum from Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Riyadh denied oil supply to Pakistan on deferred payments and demanded the return of a three billion dollar loan. Pakistan managed to pay back only 1 million Saudi Arabia has lost its patience with Pakistan. A major fallout of this has been that OIC has been refusing to discuss Kashmir issue. The official statement does not have mention of Kashmir.

This is how Pakistan fell out of favour with OIC

Asserting that Pakistan Army cannot be trusted, an activist from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), Amjad Ayub Mirza, on Friday said that Islamabad sent terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir to disrupt the upcoming polls on the same day it told the world that they are sentencing designated terrorists, including Hafiz Saeed to 10 years` imprisonment.

On his YouTube channel "Pakistan Exposed", Mirza, who is from Mirpur in PoK and living in exile in the UK, accused the government of subjecting the people of the PoK to human rights abuses, calling for pre-emptive terror strikes in the region to eliminate terrorists.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/gilgit-baltistan-sees-continued-protests-over-elections-344427" hreflang="en">Gilgit-Baltistan sees continued protests over elections</a>

"Pakistan Army cannot be trusted... On the same day, they are telling the world that we are sentencing designated terrorists to 10 years` imprisonment. On the same day, they sent terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir to damage and disrupt the election," Mirza said. "There should be pre-emptive strikes in PoK. I come from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. On October 22, 1947, Pakistan occupied the region and ever since we have been subjected to the worst kind of human rights and civil rights abuses. And there are terrorist camps in every single town," he added.

A Lahore anti-terrorism court on Thursday sentenced Saeed to a total of 10 years` imprisonment in two terror-financing cases, but according to sources, the Counter-terrorism Department officials are treating him as a VIP.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/draconian-data-regulations-will-make-operations-difficult-in-pakistan-tech-firms-to-government-344384" hreflang="en">'Draconian' data regulations will make operations difficult in Pakistan: Tech firms to government</a>

Pakistan`s Counter-terrorism Department has registered 41 cases against the Jamaat-ud-Dawa leaders. The US has also placed a USD10 million bounty on Saeed, a UN-designated terrorist.

Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Saeed, the alleged mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, was arrested on July 17, 2019, at Kamoke toll plaza, about 50 km north of Lahore. Meanwhile, on the day he was sentenced, four terrorists of Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed, who had infiltrated in Jammu and Kashmir with an intention of a terror attack, were killed in an operation conducted by the Indian security forces.

A significant quantity of Pakistan-made medicines was recovered from the possession of the terrorists, sources said. As many as 11 AK-47 rifles, three pistols, 29 grenades, and other devices were also recovered from them.&nbsp;

Asserting that Pakistan Army cannot be trusted, an activist from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), Amjad Ayub Mirza, on Friday said that Islamabad sent terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir to disrupt the upcoming polls on the same day it told the world that they are sentencing designated terrorists, including Hafiz Saeed to 10 years` imprisonment.

Asserting that Pakistan Army cannot be trusted, an activist from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), Amjad Ayub Mirza, on Friday said that Islamabad sent terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir to disrupt the upcoming polls on the same day it told the world that they are sentencing designated terrorists, including Hafiz Saeed to 10 years` imprisonment. On his YouTube channel "Pakistan Exposed", Mirza, who is from Mirpur in PoK and living in exile in the UK, accused the government of subjecting the people of the PoK to human rights abuses, calling for pre-emptive terror strikes in the region to eliminate terrorists. Also read| Gilgit-Baltistan sees continued protests over elections "Pakistan Army cannot be trusted... On the same day, they are telling the world that we are sentencing designated terrorists to 10 years` imprisonment. On the same day, they sent terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir to damage and disrupt the election," Mirza said. "There should be pre-emptive strikes in PoK. I come from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. On October 22, 1947, Pakistan occupied the region and ever since we have been subjected to the worst kind of human rights and civil rights abuses. And there are terrorist camps in every single town," he added. A Lahore anti-terrorism court on Thursday sentenced Saeed to a total of 10 years` imprisonment in two terror-financing cases, but according to sources, the Counter-terrorism Department officials are treating him as a VIP. Also read| 'Draconian' data regulations will make operations difficult in Pakistan: Tech firms to government Pakistan`s Counter-terrorism Department has registered 41 cases against the Jamaat-ud-Dawa leaders. The US has also placed a USD10 million bounty on Saeed, a UN-designated terrorist. Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Saeed, the alleged mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, was arrested on July 17, 2019, at Kamoke toll plaza, about 50 km north of Lahore. Meanwhile, on the day he was sentenced, four terrorists of Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed, who had infiltrated in Jammu and Kashmir with an intention of a terror attack, were killed in an operation conducted by the Indian security forces. A significant quantity of Pakistan-made medicines was recovered from the possession of the terrorists, sources said. As many as 11 AK-47 rifles, three pistols, 29 grenades, and other devices were also recovered from them.

Pak untrustworthy, sentences Saeed but also sends terrorists to Kashmir: Pok activist

Speaking in Kabul, Imran Khan promised to 'reduce violence' in Afghanistan. WION's Molly Gambhir asks: Will Pakistan reduce violence in Kashmir as well? Is it trying to fool the European Union with such tall promises?

Gravitas: Pak PM promises to reduce violence in Afghanistan

Twelve civilians have been injured after terrorists lobbed a grenade at Security forces in the Kakapora area of South Kashmir's Pulwama district.

Police sources said that terrorists tried to target security forces' deployment, however, the grenade missed the target and exploded on road causing injures.

All the injured were shifted to a local hospital for treatment. The injured have received splinter injures and are being tested there. &nbsp;

A joint team of security forces have now cordoned off the area to nab the attackers.

Twelve civilians have been injured after terrorists lobbed a grenade at Security forces in the Kakapora area of South Kashmir's Pulwama district. Police sources said that terrorists tried to target security forces' deployment, however, the grenade missed the target and exploded on road causing injures.

Twelve civilians have been injured after terrorists lobbed a grenade at Security forces in the Kakapora area of South Kashmir's Pulwama district. Police sources said that terrorists tried to target security forces' deployment, however, the grenade missed the target and exploded on road causing injures. All the injured were shifted to a local hospital for treatment. The injured have received splinter injures and are being tested there. A joint team of security forces have now cordoned off the area to nab the attackers.

India: Twelve civilians injured in south Kashmir grenade attack

Authorities in Kashmir issued an avalanche warning in four districts of the valley on Monday as the higher reaches of the union territory received moderate to heavy snowfall, while the plains were lashed by rains.

The avalanche warning has been issued in Kupwara, Bandipora and Baramulla districts of north Kashmir, and Ganderbal district in central Kashmir, officials said.

While a medium danger avalanche warning has been issued for the higher reaches of Kupwara and Bandipora districts, a low danger avalanche warning has been issued for the higher reaches of Ganderbal and Baramulla districts, they said.

The warning was issued in view of snowfall which started on Saturday and continued till Monday morning, they added.

According to the officials, this is the season's first major snowfall in the famous ski resort of Gulmarg in Baramulla and the tourist resort of Sonamarg in Ganderbal.

Gulmarg received 19 cm of snow in the last 24 hours, while Pahalgam in south Kashmir's Anantnag district received light snowfall, the officials said.

Gurez in north Kashmir's Bandipora district, Zojilla Pass on the Srinagar-Leh highway, and Drass in Ladakh also received snowfall, they said.

Due to the snowfall, the authorities closed the Srinagar-Leh road, which connects Jammu and Kashmir with Ladakh, for traffic on Saturday, they added.

The officials said most of the areas in the plains of the Kashmir valley received rains, bringing down the temperature.

The meteorological department said while the weather improved significantly in both the UTs on Monday, light rain or snow at scattered places is likely during the next 24 hours.

Authorities in Kashmir issued an avalanche warning in four districts of the valley on Monday as the higher reaches of the union territory received moderate to heavy snowfall, while the plains were lashed by rains.

Authorities in Kashmir issued an avalanche warning in four districts of the valley on Monday as the higher reaches of the union territory received moderate to heavy snowfall, while the plains were lashed by rains. The avalanche warning has been issued in Kupwara, Bandipora and Baramulla districts of north Kashmir, and Ganderbal district in central Kashmir, officials said. While a medium danger avalanche warning has been issued for the higher reaches of Kupwara and Bandipora districts, a low danger avalanche warning has been issued for the higher reaches of Ganderbal and Baramulla districts, they said. The warning was issued in view of snowfall which started on Saturday and continued till Monday morning, they added. According to the officials, this is the season's first major snowfall in the famous ski resort of Gulmarg in Baramulla and the tourist resort of Sonamarg in Ganderbal. Gulmarg received 19 cm of snow in the last 24 hours, while Pahalgam in south Kashmir's Anantnag district received light snowfall, the officials said. Gurez in north Kashmir's Bandipora district, Zojilla Pass on the Srinagar-Leh highway, and Drass in Ladakh also received snowfall, they said. Due to the snowfall, the authorities closed the Srinagar-Leh road, which connects Jammu and Kashmir with Ladakh, for traffic on Saturday, they added. The officials said most of the areas in the plains of the Kashmir valley received rains, bringing down the temperature. The meteorological department said while the weather improved significantly in both the UTs on Monday, light rain or snow at scattered places is likely during the next 24 hours.

Avalanche warning issued for four districts in Kashmir

The lakes of Kashmir offer immense potential for water sports. Kashmir's kayaking and canoeing star Bilquis Mir trained on these water bodies, and she is now the director of the Water Sports Centre on Dal Lake. She overcame numerous hardships to become the first woman from the Valley to coach the Indian national team. Our correspondent Johan Castell travelled to Srinagar to meet India's water queen. Watch his report on Kashmir Connect, a special series on WION.

Kashmir Connect: Meet India's kayaking star on Dal Lake

Apart from being known for it's mesmerising beauty the valley of Kashmir is also famous for it's high quality saffron, a spice derived from the caucus flower. But this year it's overall production & market demand has fallen due to deficient rain & Coronavirus pandemic, respectively. WION brings you a ground report from the Kashmir valley.

Fall in overall production of Kashmiri saffron due to deficient rain

Golfing. Fishing. Mountain biking. Join Wion's Johan Castell as he explores Pahalgam, an adventurer's paradise on #Kashmir Connect, a WION special series.

Kashmir Connect: Exploring Pahalgam

Geographical indication is a name or mark given to products, agriculture, natural and manufactured products (sweets, handicrafts, and industrial goods) of a particular region (country or state or a town).

Harvesting world's most expensive spice; High hopes from Geographical Indication tag

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