Masood Azhar, the leader of the Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed, has resurfaced after decades of obscurity, issuing a call for a global jihad against India. His statement has raised concerns about rising tensions and the potential for further violence in the region.

Masood Azhar Resurfaces After Decades, Calls For Global Jihad Against India

May 1997. The Taliban militia, backed by Pakistan, were moving swiftly to take control of Afghanistan. About two-thirds of the country was under its control and the rest under the Northern Alliance or Jumbish-e-Islami, a coalition of militias loyal to General Abdul Rashid Dostum, the Hizb-e-Wahadat of Karim Khalili and the Jamiat-e-Islami of Prof Burhanuddin Rabbani &amp; Ahmed Shah Masood, the Lion of Panjshir .&nbsp;

I was asked by my then media organization to travel to Afghanistan for a ground report. So, along with a camera person, I chose to go to Mazar-e-Sharif. &nbsp;

We flew from Delhi to Tashkent and onwards to the border town of Termez in Uzbekistan before taking the iron bridge over Amu Darya (Oxus River) to enter Afghanistan. This bridge was built by the Soviet Union, so that their tanks &amp; other heavy supplies could cross over smoothly. After the Soviet Union broke up, it was renamed as the Afghanistan-Uzbekistan Friendship Bridge.&nbsp;

<img alt="At Amu Darya" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="598b167f-9960-4156-803e-bb5a0b929d28" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/at%20Amu%20Darya.jpeg" />

At Amu Darya

The moment we crossed the bridge and entered border town of Haeratan in Afghanistan; we were greeted by smartly dressed Uzbek soldiers owing allegiance to Gen Abdul Rashid Dostum. We told them we were Indians and to our surprise one of them started singing the famous Raj Kapoor song, 'Mere Juta Hai Japani' and we were served piping hot green tea. The border formalities were over even before we could finish our green tea. The taxis parked nearby flaunted posters of Bollywood stars like Karishma Kapoor, Juhi Chawla &amp; Shahrukh Khan. &nbsp; &nbsp;

This was my first impression of Afghanistan – which is still imprinted in my mind—even though almost 25 years have gone by.&nbsp;

We were picked up by our local contact and then we drove for about 2-hours thru the highway to Mazar-i-Sharif. Sand covered most of the highway and we noticed burnt tanks, trucks etc on the way. Apparently, they belonged to the erstwhile Soviet army.&nbsp;

As we entered Mazar-e-Sharif, the majestic Hazrat Ali Mazar also popularly known as Blue Mosque surrounded by thousands of white doves, symbols of peace, greeted us. Markets were full of visitors, traffic unruly and Bollywood music blaring out of shops selling tape recorders and cassettes. &nbsp;

<img alt="At blue mosque" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8eefd217-6714-49a1-be76-44cac81246a1" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/At%20blue%20mosque.jpeg" />

At Hazrat Ali Mazar, also known as Blue Mosque

We decided to start our reporting from the Balkh University located in Mazar-e-sharif. &nbsp;Here there were no strictures based on the Islamic way of life. Young girls were being imparted education and they mingled freely with men while sharing the same classrooms. It seemed like any other university. In contrast were the pictures from Kabul and areas under Taliban control that we had seen on TV in New Delhi, showing women being flogged for sending young girls to school or college. &nbsp;

This was the Mazar-e-Sharif I saw.&nbsp;

After spending almost two-days at the home of a local commander of the Northern Alliance in Mazar-i-Sharif, our request for a meeting with Lion of Panjshir, Ahmad Shah Masood materialized. The next morning we were on his personal chopper travelling to Takhar province’s capital Taloqan to meet the man himself, a legend whose exploits are the stuff of many stories in the region.&nbsp;

<img alt="With personal bodyguards of Masood" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a3a4c073-efd6-4172-86e6-371707e7baa5" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/With%20personal%20body%20guards%20of%20masood.jpeg" />

With personal bodyguards of Ahmed Shah Masood

The first glimpse of the man himself was overwhelming &amp; our first meeting was full of warmth.&nbsp;

The next three-days we spent travelling with him in his black Land Cruiser from one place to another including interiors of the province. His energy was infectious. We went from one meeting to another, where he discussed military strategy with his local commanders. The sole objective was how to defeat the advancing Taliban militia. On average, he was spending over 18-hours a day planning his moves against the rapidly advancing Taliban. &nbsp;

On sighting the Lion of Panjshir, locals would flock to greet him and shake hands. He knew many by first name. And would ask them about their wellbeing and that of their families. As day two ended and we sat to eat our dinner at a local military commander’s home, the man himself appeared and joined us for the meal. The conversation over the dinner ranged from his days fighting the Soviets as a Mujahideen to the future of Afghanistan.&nbsp;

His dream of seeing a peaceful Afghanistan, was then being shattered by the Taliban with support from Pakistan. He acknowledged that India was and will always remain a friend of Afghanistan. Then we talked about our respective families. This was Ahmad Shah Masood to me. Later, I was told that it is rare for the commander to share a meal like this with strangers, and the memorable meal is a privilege I cherish.&nbsp;

Finally, on day 3, we got an opportunity to interview the Lion of Panjshir on record. As we sat down for the formal interview, he was guarded. He talked about how the Taliban militia would never be able to enter the Northern Parts of the country; his relationship with other warlords like General Dostum; how they were planning to defeat the Taliban and retake Kabul; and, how each &amp; every citizen of the country was standing by with them. It was an exhaustive interview.

<img alt="Interviewing Masood" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c45e8a06-ca05-4da0-a4d0-5ed6624c6505" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Interviewing%20masood.jpeg" />

Interviewing Masood

At the end of it, we bid adieu with a promise to remain in touch. It was a promise we couldn’t keep.&nbsp; 
Later in the day, we boarded his personal chopper for the flight back to Mazar-e-sharif. There was trouble in store. En route, our chopper was fired upon and we could hear the volley of bullets hitting the helicopter’s outer surface. But thanks to the Lion of Panjshir’s personal pilot, who was remarkably adept in handling the chopper, we managed to evade rest of the gunfire. And, just about survived to tell our story.

<img alt="Masood" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="edb27b14-38ce-4563-8b7b-02eb2bcf8165" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/WhatsApp%20Image%202021-07-08%20at%2011.36.32%20AM.jpeg" />

But 2021 is proving to be very different from 1997. The Lion of Panjshir is no more. He was assassinated days before the 9/11 attacks on the US &nbsp;

Media reports emerging from northern areas tell a different story. The Taliban has almost encircled the one-time strongholds of the Northern Alliance. And it continues to make dramatic gains. The Taliban currently controls about 195 districts and in contests over another 129 districts. Afghanistan is once again confronted by the Taliban waging a war to take over the country. And, there is no telling how long the turmoil and violence will last.

Will peace ever return to this beautiful, rugged country? &nbsp;

This question, which I asked Ahmad Shah Masood in 1997, still eludes an answer. &nbsp;

May 1997. The Taliban militia, backed by Pakistan, were moving swiftly to take control of Afghanistan. About two-thirds of the country was under its control and the rest under the Northern Alliance or Jumbish-e-Islami, a coalition of militias loyal to General Abdul Rashid Dostum, the Hizb-e-Wahadat of Karim Khalili and the Jamiat-e-Islami of Prof Burhanuddin Rabbani & Ahmed Shah Masood, the Lion of Panjshir .

May 1997. The Taliban militia, backed by Pakistan, were moving swiftly to take control of Afghanistan. About two-thirds of the country was under its control and the rest under the Northern Alliance or Jumbish-e-Islami, a coalition of militias loyal to General Abdul Rashid Dostum, the Hizb-e-Wahadat of Karim Khalili and the Jamiat-e-Islami of Prof Burhanuddin Rabbani & Ahmed Shah Masood, the Lion of Panjshir . I was asked by my then media organization to travel to Afghanistan for a ground report. So, along with a camera person, I chose to go to Mazar-e-Sharif. We flew from Delhi to Tashkent and onwards to the border town of Termez in Uzbekistan before taking the iron bridge over Amu Darya (Oxus River) to enter Afghanistan. This bridge was built by the Soviet Union, so that their tanks & other heavy supplies could cross over smoothly. After the Soviet Union broke up, it was renamed as the Afghanistan-Uzbekistan Friendship Bridge. At Amu Darya The moment we crossed the bridge and entered border town of Haeratan in Afghanistan; we were greeted by smartly dressed Uzbek soldiers owing allegiance to Gen Abdul Rashid Dostum. We told them we were Indians and to our surprise one of them started singing the famous Raj Kapoor song, 'Mere Juta Hai Japani' and we were served piping hot green tea. The border formalities were over even before we could finish our green tea. The taxis parked nearby flaunted posters of Bollywood stars like Karishma Kapoor, Juhi Chawla & Shahrukh Khan. This was my first impression of Afghanistan – which is still imprinted in my mind—even though almost 25 years have gone by. We were picked up by our local contact and then we drove for about 2-hours thru the highway to Mazar-i-Sharif. Sand covered most of the highway and we noticed burnt tanks, trucks etc on the way. Apparently, they belonged to the erstwhile Soviet army. As we entered Mazar-e-Sharif, the majestic Hazrat Ali Mazar also popularly known as Blue Mosque surrounded by thousands of white doves, symbols of peace, greeted us. Markets were full of visitors, traffic unruly and Bollywood music blaring out of shops selling tape recorders and cassettes. At Hazrat Ali Mazar, also known as Blue Mosque We decided to start our reporting from the Balkh University located in Mazar-e-sharif. Here there were no strictures based on the Islamic way of life. Young girls were being imparted education and they mingled freely with men while sharing the same classrooms. It seemed like any other university. In contrast were the pictures from Kabul and areas under Taliban control that we had seen on TV in New Delhi, showing women being flogged for sending young girls to school or college. This was the Mazar-e-Sharif I saw. After spending almost two-days at the home of a local commander of the Northern Alliance in Mazar-i-Sharif, our request for a meeting with Lion of Panjshir, Ahmad Shah Masood materialized. The next morning we were on his personal chopper travelling to Takhar province’s capital Taloqan to meet the man himself, a legend whose exploits are the stuff of many stories in the region. With personal bodyguards of Ahmed Shah Masood The first glimpse of the man himself was overwhelming & our first meeting was full of warmth. The next three-days we spent travelling with him in his black Land Cruiser from one place to another including interiors of the province. His energy was infectious. We went from one meeting to another, where he discussed military strategy with his local commanders. The sole objective was how to defeat the advancing Taliban militia. On average, he was spending over 18-hours a day planning his moves against the rapidly advancing Taliban. On sighting the Lion of Panjshir, locals would flock to greet him and shake hands. He knew many by first name. And would ask them about their wellbeing and that of their families. As day two ended and we sat to eat our dinner at a local military commander’s home, the man himself appeared and joined us for the meal. The conversation over the dinner ranged from his days fighting the Soviets as a Mujahideen to the future of Afghanistan. His dream of seeing a peaceful Afghanistan, was then being shattered by the Taliban with support from Pakistan. He acknowledged that India was and will always remain a friend of Afghanistan. Then we talked about our respective families. This was Ahmad Shah Masood to me. Later, I was told that it is rare for the commander to share a meal like this with strangers, and the memorable meal is a privilege I cherish. Finally, on day 3, we got an opportunity to interview the Lion of Panjshir on record. As we sat down for the formal interview, he was guarded. He talked about how the Taliban militia would never be able to enter the Northern Parts of the country; his relationship with other warlords like General Dostum; how they were planning to defeat the Taliban and retake Kabul; and, how each & every citizen of the country was standing by with them. It was an exhaustive interview. Interviewing Masood At the end of it, we bid adieu with a promise to remain in touch. It was a promise we couldn’t keep. Later in the day, we boarded his personal chopper for the flight back to Mazar-e-sharif. There was trouble in store. En route, our chopper was fired upon and we could hear the volley of bullets hitting the helicopter’s outer surface. But thanks to the Lion of Panjshir’s personal pilot, who was remarkably adept in handling the chopper, we managed to evade rest of the gunfire. And, just about survived to tell our story. But 2021 is proving to be very different from 1997. The Lion of Panjshir is no more. He was assassinated days before the 9/11 attacks on the US Media reports emerging from northern areas tell a different story. The Taliban has almost encircled the one-time strongholds of the Northern Alliance. And it continues to make dramatic gains. The Taliban currently controls about 195 districts and in contests over another 129 districts. Afghanistan is once again confronted by the Taliban waging a war to take over the country. And, there is no telling how long the turmoil and violence will last. Will peace ever return to this beautiful, rugged country? This question, which I asked Ahmad Shah Masood in 1997, still eludes an answer.

Blog | Mazar-e-Sharif: Then and Now 

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) in its charge sheet in the 2019 Pulwama terror attack case has named Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar, his brothers Abdul Rauf Asghar and Ammar Alvi, slain JeM terrorist Mohammad Umar Farooq, suicide bomber Adil Ahmed Dar and other terrorist commanders operating from Pakistan.

The 13,500-page charge sheet names people who were arrested from Pulwama for providing shelter and shooting the last video of Adil Dar, the suicide bomber who used around 200 kgs of explosives in the vehicle that rammed into the CRPF convoy on February 14 last year killing 40 personnel near Lethpora in South Kashmir.

Besides Azhar, those charge-sheeted include seven terrorists who were killed in various encounters and four absconders, two of whom are still hiding in Jammu and Kashmir — one of them a local and the other a Pakistani national.

Two relatives of Masood Azhar -- Abdula Rauf and Ammar Alvi -- have been named in the charge sheet as the main conspirators behind the case. The dead include a nephew of JeM terrorist Mohammed Umar Farooq who had entered India through natural caves at the international border in Sambha in late 2018.

<img alt="NIA" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6870139e-c3f2-4c72-a43c-47d743bb2752" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/WhatsApp%20Image%202020-08-25%20at%205.47.50%20PM%20%281%29.jpeg" />

&nbsp;
In February 2019, suicide bomber Adil Dar, a local, rammed his explosive-laden car into CRPF bus at Lethpora Pulwama leaving 40 personnel of the force dead. The attack was followed by Balakote airstrikes. &nbsp;A day later Pakistan retaliated and it triggered a brief dogfight. The Pulwama attack had brought India and Pakistan at the brink of war.


<meta name="uuid" content="uuid3qx87zmQZNJA" /><meta charset="utf-8" />Names and nationalities of the terrorists mentioned in the charge sheet&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 
i) Masood Azhar Alvi, 52 years, Pakistani national

ii) Rouf Asgar Alvi, 47 years, Pakistani national

iii) Ammar Alvi, 46 years, Pakistani national

iv) Shakir Bashir, 24 Years, r/o Kakapora, Pulwama, J&amp;K.

v) Insha Jan, 22 Years r/o Kakapora, Pulwama, J&amp;K

vi) Peer Tariq Ahmed Shah, 53 Years, r/o Kakapora, Pulwama, J&amp;K

vii) Waiz-ul-Islam, 20 Years, r/o Srinagar, J&amp;K

viii) Mohd Abbas Rather, 31 Years, r/o Kakapura, Pulwama, J&amp;K.

ix) Bilal Ahmed Kuchhey, 28 years, r/o Hajibal, Lalhar, Pulwama, J&amp;K

x) Mohd Iqbal Rather, 25 years, r/o, Charar-e-Shareef, Budgam, J&amp;K.

xi) Mohd Ismail, 25 years, r/o Pakistani national

xii) Sameer Ahmad Dar, 22 years, r/o Kakapora, Pulwama, Kashmir

xiii) Ashaq Ahmed Nengroo, 33 years, r/o Rajpura, Pulwama

xiv) Adil Ahmed Dar, 21 years, r/o Kakapora, Pulwama, Kashmir (Killed)

xv) Muhammad Umar Farooq, 24 years, r/o Pakistani national (Killed)

xvi) Mohd Kamran Ali, 25 years, &nbsp;r/o Pakistani national (Killed)

xvii) Sajjad Ahmed Bhat, 19 years, r/o Bijbehera, Anantnag &nbsp;(Killed)

xviii) Mudasir Ahmad Khan, 24 years, r/o Awantipura, Pulwama (Killed)

xix) Qari Yasir, r/o Pakistani national (Killed)

 
Pakistani national listed by NIA in Pulwama Chargesheet

Still Alive:

Masood Azhar Alvi, 52 years 
Rouf Asgar Alvi, 47 years 
Ammar Alvi, 46 years 
Mohd Ismail, 25 years

Killed:

Muhammad Umar Farooq, 24 years 
Mohd Kamran Ali, 25 years 
Qari Yasir

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) in its charge sheet in the 2019 Pulwama terror attack case has named Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar, his brothers Abdul Rauf Asghar and Ammar Alvi, slain JeM terrorist Mohammad Umar Farooq, suicide bomber Adil Ahmed Dar and other terrorist commanders operating from Pakistan.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) in its charge sheet in the 2019 Pulwama terror attack case has named Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar, his brothers Abdul Rauf Asghar and Ammar Alvi, slain JeM terrorist Mohammad Umar Farooq, suicide bomber Adil Ahmed Dar and other terrorist commanders operating from Pakistan. The 13,500-page charge sheet names people who were arrested from Pulwama for providing shelter and shooting the last video of Adil Dar, the suicide bomber who used around 200 kgs of explosives in the vehicle that rammed into the CRPF convoy on February 14 last year killing 40 personnel near Lethpora in South Kashmir. Besides Azhar, those charge-sheeted include seven terrorists who were killed in various encounters and four absconders, two of whom are still hiding in Jammu and Kashmir — one of them a local and the other a Pakistani national. Two relatives of Masood Azhar -- Abdula Rauf and Ammar Alvi -- have been named in the charge sheet as the main conspirators behind the case. The dead include a nephew of JeM terrorist Mohammed Umar Farooq who had entered India through natural caves at the international border in Sambha in late 2018. In February 2019, suicide bomber Adil Dar, a local, rammed his explosive-laden car into CRPF bus at Lethpora Pulwama leaving 40 personnel of the force dead. The attack was followed by Balakote airstrikes. A day later Pakistan retaliated and it triggered a brief dogfight. The Pulwama attack had brought India and Pakistan at the brink of war. Names and nationalities of the terrorists mentioned in the charge sheet i) Masood Azhar Alvi, 52 years, Pakistani national ii) Rouf Asgar Alvi, 47 years, Pakistani national iii) Ammar Alvi, 46 years, Pakistani national iv) Shakir Bashir, 24 Years, r/o Kakapora, Pulwama, J&K. v) Insha Jan, 22 Years r/o Kakapora, Pulwama, J&K vi) Peer Tariq Ahmed Shah, 53 Years, r/o Kakapora, Pulwama, J&K vii) Waiz-ul-Islam, 20 Years, r/o Srinagar, J&K viii) Mohd Abbas Rather, 31 Years, r/o Kakapura, Pulwama, J&K. ix) Bilal Ahmed Kuchhey, 28 years, r/o Hajibal, Lalhar, Pulwama, J&K x) Mohd Iqbal Rather, 25 years, r/o, Charar-e-Shareef, Budgam, J&K. xi) Mohd Ismail, 25 years, r/o Pakistani national xii) Sameer Ahmad Dar, 22 years, r/o Kakapora, Pulwama, Kashmir xiii) Ashaq Ahmed Nengroo, 33 years, r/o Rajpura, Pulwama xiv) Adil Ahmed Dar, 21 years, r/o Kakapora, Pulwama, Kashmir (Killed) xv) Muhammad Umar Farooq, 24 years, r/o Pakistani national (Killed) xvi) Mohd Kamran Ali, 25 years, r/o Pakistani national (Killed) xvii) Sajjad Ahmed Bhat, 19 years, r/o Bijbehera, Anantnag (Killed) xviii) Mudasir Ahmad Khan, 24 years, r/o Awantipura, Pulwama (Killed) xix) Qari Yasir, r/o Pakistani national (Killed) Pakistani national listed by NIA in Pulwama Chargesheet Still Alive: Masood Azhar Alvi, 52 years Rouf Asgar Alvi, 47 years Ammar Alvi, 46 years Mohd Ismail, 25 years Killed: Muhammad Umar Farooq, 24 years Mohd Kamran Ali, 25 years Qari Yasir

NIA files chargesheet in Pulwama attack: Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, his two brothers among 19 named

A Hindu-American advocacy group and an organisation of Kashmiri Pandits have urged the US to take action against the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror outfit and its leader Masood Azhar and to condemn the alleged role of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and China in providing physical and diplomatic cover to such terror organisations.&nbsp;

The move came days after a deadly terror attack on the convoy of CRPF personnel in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir. A suicide bomber from the Pakistan-based JeM drove his explosives-laden vehicle into a CRPF bus on February 14, killing 40 security personnel.

The two groups handed over a letter, jointly signed by them, to the US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback urging the Trump Administration to take action, both at the international as well as at the domestic levels, to censure the terrorist organisation.&nbsp;

"We call upon the US government to condemn in all international fora the role played by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and China in providing physical and diplomatic cover to terrorists like Masood Azhar that have wreaked havoc in Kashmir," said the letter, signed jointly by the Indo-American Kashmir Forum (IAKF) and the Hindu American Foundation (HAF).

The IAKF represents the Kashmiri Pandit community residing in the US, while the HAF is a non-profit advocacy organization for the Hindu-American community.&nbsp;

The letter was read in full before Brownback and the participants of the International Religious Freedom held at the US Capitol on Tuesday, by Vijay Sazawal, the international convener of the IAKF.

Sazawal said "there is a cultural genocide happening in Kashmir".

"The environment of intolerance at the grassroots level only feeds into the ecosystem which breeds terrorists like Masood Azhar who then carry out such transnational attacks in Afghanistan and India," said Jay Kansara of the HAF.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, another organization of Kashmiri Pandits said it would host a virtual conference to highlight the paradigm shift which has occurred within the community globally.

&nbsp;"The conclave will be an opportunity for the global audience to hear the prespectives of speakers' (from Jammu and Kashmir) and policy positions on the theme of the conference in the light of the present-day developments," the Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora (GKPD) said in a statement.

Former J-K finance minister Abdul Rahim Rather, Peoples' Democratic Party leader Muzaffar Hussain Baig, chairman of J-K People's Conference Sajjad Gani Lone, president of J-K Bharatiya Janata Party Ravinder Raina, and former union minister and Congress leader Manish Tewari are likely to address the global multi-media event, to be attended by community members from various parts of the world, the media release said.

In a separate statement, the Kashmir Hindu Foundation condemned the February 14 terror attack, saying these attacks in Kashmir prove that the radical jihadi mind-set has penetrated deep into the psyche and polluted the minds of a major population of Kashmiri Muslims in the Valley.&nbsp;

A Hindu-American advocacy group and an organisation of Kashmiri Pandits have urged the US to take action against the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror outfit and its leader Masood Azhar and to condemn the alleged role of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and China in providing physical and diplomatic cover to such terror organisations.

A Hindu-American advocacy group and an organisation of Kashmiri Pandits have urged the US to take action against the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror outfit and its leader Masood Azhar and to condemn the alleged role of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and China in providing physical and diplomatic cover to such terror organisations. The move came days after a deadly terror attack on the convoy of CRPF personnel in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir. A suicide bomber from the Pakistan-based JeM drove his explosives-laden vehicle into a CRPF bus on February 14, killing 40 security personnel. The two groups handed over a letter, jointly signed by them, to the US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback urging the Trump Administration to take action, both at the international as well as at the domestic levels, to censure the terrorist organisation. "We call upon the US government to condemn in all international fora the role played by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and China in providing physical and diplomatic cover to terrorists like Masood Azhar that have wreaked havoc in Kashmir," said the letter, signed jointly by the Indo-American Kashmir Forum (IAKF) and the Hindu American Foundation (HAF). The IAKF represents the Kashmiri Pandit community residing in the US, while the HAF is a non-profit advocacy organization for the Hindu-American community. The letter was read in full before Brownback and the participants of the International Religious Freedom held at the US Capitol on Tuesday, by Vijay Sazawal, the international convener of the IAKF. Sazawal said "there is a cultural genocide happening in Kashmir". "The environment of intolerance at the grassroots level only feeds into the ecosystem which breeds terrorists like Masood Azhar who then carry out such transnational attacks in Afghanistan and India," said Jay Kansara of the HAF. Meanwhile, another organization of Kashmiri Pandits said it would host a virtual conference to highlight the paradigm shift which has occurred within the community globally. "The conclave will be an opportunity for the global audience to hear the prespectives of speakers' (from Jammu and Kashmir) and policy positions on the theme of the conference in the light of the present-day developments," the Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora (GKPD) said in a statement. Former J-K finance minister Abdul Rahim Rather, Peoples' Democratic Party leader Muzaffar Hussain Baig, chairman of J-K People's Conference Sajjad Gani Lone, president of J-K Bharatiya Janata Party Ravinder Raina, and former union minister and Congress leader Manish Tewari are likely to address the global multi-media event, to be attended by community members from various parts of the world, the media release said. In a separate statement, the Kashmir Hindu Foundation condemned the February 14 terror attack, saying these attacks in Kashmir prove that the radical jihadi mind-set has penetrated deep into the psyche and polluted the minds of a major population of Kashmiri Muslims in the Valley.

Hindu-American, Kashmiri Pandit groups urge US to take action against JeM, Masood

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&nbsp;

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&nbsp;

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Even as the two sides talk on diffusing the North Korean crisis, US aircraft carriers, South Korean destroyers recently concluded their naval exercise on the Korean peninsula.

&nbsp;

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The pipeline runs from Hardesty, Alberta, to Cushing, Okla and Wood River/Patoka, Ill and is reportedly the largest oil spill in South Dakota, officials say.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/no-contradiction-in-blocking-resolution-on-masood-azhar-china-24401">No contradiction in blocking resolution on Masood: China</a>

A veto-wielding permanent member of the Security Council, China has repeatedly blocked India&#39;s move to impose a ban on the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief under the Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the Council.

 
&nbsp;

Even as the two sides talk on diffusing the North Korean crisis, US aircraft carriers, South Korean destroyers recently concluded their naval exercise on the Korean peninsula.

Moody's upgrades India's credit rating first time since 2004 Credit rating agency Moody's has upgraded India’s sovereign ratings to Baa2 from its lowest investment grade (Baa3) Virgin Hyperloop one project in Maharashtra: Mumbai to Pune in 14 minutes Virgin Hyperloop One will push for pod-based super-fast transportation to improve economic competitiveness, reduce congestion and emissions, and provide citizens with greater social and economic mobility. 'Dual suspension' proposal most feasible plan on North Korea: China Even as the two sides talk on diffusing the North Korean crisis, US aircraft carriers, South Korean destroyers recently concluded their naval exercise on the Korean peninsula. Keystone Pipeline spills 210,000 gallons of oil in South Dakota The pipeline runs from Hardesty, Alberta, to Cushing, Okla and Wood River/Patoka, Ill and is reportedly the largest oil spill in South Dakota, officials say. No contradiction in blocking resolution on Masood: China A veto-wielding permanent member of the Security Council, China has repeatedly blocked India's move to impose a ban on the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief under the Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the Council.

WION Morning News Brief, November 17, 2017

A Muslim policeman who sued the New York City Police Department (NYPD) after he was suspended for refusing to shave his beard has been reinstated and the department has agreed to review its ban on beards, his lawyers said on Thursday. 
 
A judge last week ordered the NYPD to continue paying Officer Masood Syed his salary and benefits after he sued the department, claiming that the no-beard policy was unconstitutional. 
 
&quot;It seems like the department has taken the crucial first step in addressing an important and growing concern of officers of different faiths,&quot; Syed said in a statement.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;I am hopeful that the department&rsquo;s new policy will in fact allow myself and other officers to wear our beards at a reasonable length without the fear of retaliation or hostility,&quot; he said.&nbsp; 
 
NYPD spokesperson could not be reached for a comment.&nbsp; 
 
In a letter sent to the judge and provided to news agencies by Syed&#39;s attorneys, the city&#39;s law department has asked that a hearing scheduled for July 8 in the case be adjourned because the officer had been &quot;restored to full duty&quot; and the two sides were discussing a resolution of the lawsuit. 
 
The NYPD&#39;s written policy is that officers cannot wear beards, but an unwritten policy designed for religious accommodation allows for beards of up to 1 millimetre long, according to the lawsuit. 
 
Syed, a law clerk in the department, has worn a beard of about 1/2 to 1 inch (13 to 25mm) for years for religious reasons. 
 
In December, according to the lawsuit, he was told by supervisors that his beard was too long and ordered to shorten it. When he did not, he was suspended, according to the complaint. 
 
In 2013, a Hasidic Jewish probationary officer won a lawsuit against the department over the same policy.&nbsp; 
 
US district judge Harold Baer ruled in 2013 that the policy violated the First Amendment guarantee of free religious exercise. 
 
The Hasidic officer, Fishel Litzman, was allowed to return to work with a beard of 1 inch length, according to Syed&#39;s lawyer. 
 
(Reuters)

Masood Syed's lawyers say the department has agreed to review its ban on beards

A Muslim policeman who sued the New York City Police Department (NYPD) after he was suspended for refusing to shave his beard has been reinstated and the department has agreed to review its ban on beards, his lawyers said on Thursday. A judge last week ordered the NYPD to continue paying Officer Masood Syed his salary and benefits after he sued the department, claiming that the no-beard policy was unconstitutional. "It seems like the department has taken the crucial first step in addressing an important and growing concern of officers of different faiths," Syed said in a statement. "I am hopeful that the department’s new policy will in fact allow myself and other officers to wear our beards at a reasonable length without the fear of retaliation or hostility," he said. NYPD spokesperson could not be reached for a comment. In a letter sent to the judge and provided to news agencies by Syed's attorneys, the city's law department has asked that a hearing scheduled for July 8 in the case be adjourned because the officer had been "restored to full duty" and the two sides were discussing a resolution of the lawsuit. The NYPD's written policy is that officers cannot wear beards, but an unwritten policy designed for religious accommodation allows for beards of up to 1 millimetre long, according to the lawsuit. Syed, a law clerk in the department, has worn a beard of about 1/2 to 1 inch (13 to 25mm) for years for religious reasons. In December, according to the lawsuit, he was told by supervisors that his beard was too long and ordered to shorten it. When he did not, he was suspended, according to the complaint. In 2013, a Hasidic Jewish probationary officer won a lawsuit against the department over the same policy. US district judge Harold Baer ruled in 2013 that the policy violated the First Amendment guarantee of free religious exercise. The Hasidic officer, Fishel Litzman, was allowed to return to work with a beard of 1 inch length, according to Syed's lawyer. (Reuters)

Muslim officer wins battle of the beard, New York police reinstate him

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