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Tag: Kashmir

  • UN investigation wanted for Kashmiri leader Syed Ali Geelani’s death

    UN investigation wanted for Kashmiri leader Syed Ali Geelani’s death

    Chairman of Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir Shehryar Khan Afridi wrote letters to United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and High Commissioner of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Michelle Jeria, calling for an impartial but immediate UN investigation into the custodial killing of Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, reports Dawn.

    Talking to reporters, Afridi said, “Hurriyat leaders are being killed in custody by the illegal occupational regime of India in Jammu and Kashmir under the garb of the Covid-19 pandemic. Had the UN investigated the custodial murder of Ashraf Khan Sehrai, Geelani’s life could have been saved. Now we fear that other imprisoned Kashmiri leaders including the new All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) chief Massarat Alam Bhat, Syed Shabbir Shah, Yasin Malik, Asiya Andrabi, Dr Qasim Faktu, and others may also be killed the same way.”

    “This loss may turn out to obstruct Kashmiri people’s voice and compromise their long struggle for freedom. I would also like to bring to attention here the matter in which Geelani’s death was handled by the occupational Indian government where they shut down the internet across the Kashmir valley and beefed-up security forces when word of his death spread,” he said.

    Veteran Kashmiri leader and freedom fighter Syed Ali Shah Geelani was laid to rest on September 2 amid high security at Hyderpora in Srinagar.

    Syed Ali Geelani’s son told AP that the family had planned the burial at the main Martyrs’ Graveyard in Srinagar as per his will but were disallowed by the police.

    “They snatched his body and forcibly buried him. Nobody from the family was present for his burial. We tried to resist but they overpowered us and even scuffled with women,” said his son Naseem Geelani.

  • Syed Ali Geelani laid to rest in Srinagar amid tight security

    Veteran Kashmiri leader and freedom fighter Syed Ali Shah Geelani was laid to rest amid high security at Hyderpora in Srinagar early Thursday morning around 4:30am local time, Radio Pakistan reported. The funeral prayers were attended by close friends and family.

    Syed Ali Geelani’s son told AP that the family had planned the burial at the main Martyrs’ Graveyard in Srinagar as per his will but were disallowed by the police.

    “They snatched his body and forcibly buried him. Nobody from the family was present for his burial. We tried to resist but they overpowered us and even scuffled with women,” said Naseem Geelani.

    AP also reported that the Indian authorities have imposed a near-total communications blackout in Indian-Occupied Kashmir.

    Geelani was the former head of All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) but quit politics last year in June. Geelani passed away at his home in Srinagar after a prolonged illness. He had been under house arrest for the last 12 years after leading several anti-India protests. Prime Minister Imran Khan announced that Pakistan flag will fly at half mast and “we will observe a day of official mourning”.

  • Pakistan to observe day of mourning for Kashmiri freedom fighter Syed Ali Geelani

    Veteran Kashmiri leader and freedom fighter Syed Ali Shah Geelani passed away at the age of 92 on Wednesday in Indian-Occupied Kashmir. He was the former head of All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) but quit politics last year in June. Geelani passed away at his home in Srinagar after a prolonged illness. He had been under house arrest for the last 12 years after leading several anti-India protests.

    Prime Minister Imran Khan tweeted that he was “saddened to learn of the passing of Kashmiri freedom fighter Syed Ali Geelani”. PM Khan said that we in Pakistan salute his courageous struggle and remember his words: “Hum Pakistani hain aur Pakistan Humara hai.” He announced that the Pakistan flag will fly at half mast and “we will observe a day of official mourning”.

    DG ISPR tweeted a condolence message from Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, which said that Geelani’s “lifelong sacrifices & ceaseless struggle symbolises indomitable resolve of Kashmiris against Indian occupation. His dream & his mission will live on until People of IIOJ&K win their right of self determination.”

    Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf, Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari and several other Pakistani leaders expressed their grief and paid tributes to Geelani.

  • Youm-e-Istehsal Kashmir: Pakistan highlights Indian oppression in IOK

    Youm-e-Istehsal Kashmir: Pakistan highlights Indian oppression in IOK

    Pakistan is observing Youm-e-Istehsal Kashmir today to express solidarity with the people of Kashmir, as August 5 marks two years of Indian Occupied Kashmir’s (IOK) military siege by the Modi regime in India.

    Prime Minister Imran Khan, in a series of tweets, said: “Today marks two years since India’s unilateral and illegal actions of 5 Aug 2019 in IIOJK. In these two years, the world has witnessed unprecedented oppression in IIOJK (Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir) by Indian Occupation forces. It is also witnessing Indian efforts to force demographic change and destroy Kashmiri identity.”

    PM Khan further said that the government and the people of Pakistan salute their Kashmiri brothers and sisters for their “sacrifices in their determined & legitimate struggle” for their inalienable rights.

    The Inter-Services Public Relation (ISPR), the military’s media wing, quoted Cheif of Army Staff (COAS) Qamar Javed Bajwa as saying that the “continuation of an inhuman military siege, machinations to bring demographic changes and gross violations of human rights and international laws are perpetuating humanitarian and security crises in IIOJ&K” that imperil regional security.

    Speaking to a rally arranged to salute the bravery and courage of Kashmiri brothers and sisters in Islamabad, President Arif Alvi said no Pakistani will rest until occupied Kashmir, under Indian military siege is liberated. 

    “Pakistan will liberate occupied Kashmir,” he said. “Let me warn India that Pakistan is a strong nation.”

    President Arif Alvi addressing a rally in Islamabad. -Radio Pakistan

    Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said Pakistan will continue to support oppressed Kashmiris. 

    Events have been arranged in order to call out India’s unilateral, illegal actions against the Kashmiri people. Solidarity walks of one mile have been planned in all the main cities, including the federal capital. 

     A one-minute silence was observed across the country while traffic was also halted for a minute, and sirens were sounded.

    Two years ago, on August 5, 2019, the Narendra Modi government revoked the special status of the people of Kasmir. The Indian government rushed through a presidential decree and abolished Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, which gave a measure of autonomy to the Muslim-majority Occupied Kashmir.

  • Bear cub rescued by Pakistan at LOC goes back in Kashmir wild

    Bear cub rescued by Pakistan at LOC goes back in Kashmir wild

    When poachers shot and killed a black bear mother, her baby, Daboo was too young to open his eyes. The poachers put it in a sack and were about to sell it to baiters when the baby bear was rescued and taken to an animal sanctuary in Islamabad.

    “He was a little baby bear that was stolen from his mother; in fact, his mother was murdered,” said Rina Satti, chairperson at Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB), where he is being nursed back to health.

    Though banned, bear-baiting persists in some parts of Pakistan and, at the time of his rescue, two-month-old Daboo was half-starving and suffering from scabies and a serious ear infection.

    Picture via Reuters

    Now, two months on filled out and with a glossy black coat, he plays in his wooded sanctuary, taking baths and nibbling at the fruit and vegetables scattered among shrubs as his carers try to teach him how to fend for himself.

    Read More: Heartwarming video shows Punjab cop buying food for stray dogs, feeding them

    According to details, the authorities hope to release him, microchipped, back into the wild when he turns one, near the Line of Control in Kashmir that separates Pakistan and India, where he was caught.

    “We will take him to his habitat, but we will not just leave him there,” said IWMB caretaker Anees Hussain. “We will have to keep monitoring him for some time to ensure that he can survive there.”

  • National security briefing

    National security briefing

    Speaker National Assembly (NA) Asad Qaiser summoned a session of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security on July1. Army chief and heads of security institutions participated in the meeting. Politicians and legislators were given an in-depth briefing on Kashmir, Afghanistan, and internal security challenges.

    Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Mohsin Dawar, Yousaf Raza Gillani, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar and many others were part of the in-camera briefing.

    However, Prime Minister Imran Khan did not attend the meeting. Government spokespersons said that PM Khan was going to attend the meeting but Speaker Asad Qaiser conveyed to him that Shehbaz Sharif would not attend the briefing if Khan attended it. However, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders have denied this. But NA Secretariat spokesperson also clarified that PM Imran Khan was always willing to attend the meeting but the only reason for not attending the meeting was reservations conveyed to the Assembly secretariat by some Opposition leaders.

    First of all, why did the Opposition ask the PM not to attend the meeting? Some say that the message by Shehbaz Sharif was miscommunicated. Well, the PML-N should clarify what message was conveyed, if any, and why.

    Sharif wanted to sign a Charter of Economy in order to improve Pakistan’s economy so why would he not allow PM Khan to attend such a meeting. Prime Minister Imran Khan does not need Mr Sharif’s permission or anyone else’s to attend an important parliamentary meeting.

    Secondly, even if Shehbaz Sharif had sent this message, why did the prime minister give in? This meeting was extremely important in light of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and its consequences for Pakistan. All political leadership should have been there, including the PM, so as to come to a national consensus on these security issues. When has the prime minister ever listened to the Opposition before that he chose to finally pay heed to them now?

    Thirdly, Speaker NA Asad Qaiser was the convenor of the meeting. Why did he discourage the prime minister from attending such an important and sensitive meeting.

    Our leadership should not let their political differences come in the way when it comes to national security issues. Such differences should be limited to electoral politics, not on issues that have an impact on the future of the country. We hope that the next time there is such a meeting, or when issues related to the country’s future are discussed, all leaders would sit on the same table and build a national consensus.

  • DG ISI to brief lawmakers on Kashmir, Afghanistan, and security challenges

    DG ISI to brief lawmakers on Kashmir, Afghanistan, and security challenges

    “A meeting of the National Security Committee will be held today (Thursday). Army chief and heads of security institutions will participate in the meeting. A briefing on Kashmir, Afghanistan and internal security challenges will be discussed,” Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry tweeted on Thursday.

    Speaker National Assembly (NA) Asad Qaiser had summoned a session of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security on July 1 for an in-camera briefing on the latest regional situation in light of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. Director-General of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed will brief the lawmakers.

    Leader of the Opposition in NA Shehbaz Sharif, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Yousaf Raza Gillani, Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, and other lawmakers will attend the meeting. According to reports, Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, and Defence Minister Pervez Khattak will also be part of the in-camera meeting from the government’s side. Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani will also attend the meeting as well as other parliamentarians.

    Prime Minister Imran Khan will not attend the briefing.

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed said that Pakistan’s politics will change after today’s in-camera briefing on the situation in Afghanistan and other security issues. He said it will now centre on national security.

  • We accept the Chinese version on Uyghurs in Xinjiang: PM Khan

    We accept the Chinese version on Uyghurs in Xinjiang: PM Khan

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on Thursday said that the relationship between Pakistan and China is very deep. “It’s not just the governments, but it’s a people-to-people relationship.”

    “Whatever will happen…[the] relationship between our two countries, no matter what pressure is put on us, is not going to change,” PM Khan said in response to a question.

    Speaking to Chinese journalists as Beijing marked the centenary of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC), the premier said the Chinese version about the treatment of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang was completely different from what was being reported in the western media.

    “Because of our extreme proximity and relationship with China, we actually accept the Chinese version,” added PM Khan.

    He said that it was hypocritical that while the Uyghur situation and Hong Kong were being highlighted, attention was not being given to the human rights violations in Indian-Occupied Kashmir.

    “It is hypocritical. There are much worse human rights violations taking place in other parts of the world such as in occupied Kashmir. But western media hardly comments on this,” he said.

    PM Khan praised the Communist Party. He said that until now, it was believed that electoral democracy is the best way to bring leaders on merit and hold them accountable.

    “But China’s process to hunt talent and then polish it is better than any electoral democracy.”

    PM Khan also praised President Xi for his success in the fight against poverty and corruption in China.

    “China has lifted 700 million people out of poverty in a few years, which is a great achievement. We want to further develop political, economic and trade relations between the two countries.”

    PM Khan said that Pakistanis are impressed by the Chinese president’s fight against corruption and consider him “a great politician of modern times”.

    “President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign is effective and successful.”

    PM Khan said that it is unfair of the US and western powers to expect countries like Pakistan to take sides. “Pakistan will not downgrade its relations with China.“

    “The United States expects Pakistan to choose a side. This is not appropriate,” he added.

  • Meet Manu Bebo, first transgender makeup artist in occupied Kashmir

    Meet Manu Bebo, first transgender makeup artist in occupied Kashmir

    Manu Bebo, Kashmir’s first transgender makeup artist is breaking barriers in her area. Manu is winning hearts all over social media with her flawless makeup tutorials.  

    Speaking to Geo News, Manu said, “Everyone appreciates my work. It makes me feel very happy and proud.”

    Manu was born in a middle class family in Srinagar and was raised as a boy. She had a happy childhood like other children. She enjoyed playing video games. But as she turned 13, she started feeling different.

    “After my sister got married, I was feeling very lonely. I had many female friends and I started realising that I too wanted to be a girl. I started to wonder why God didn’t make me a girl,” Manu said.  

    She said with time she understood that she had the “soul” of a girl.

    She received backlash from family, friends and relatives for thinking like this. She faced rejection and society made fun of her.

     “I was badly bullied during my high school days and I felt mentally tortured to such an extent that I decided to quit my studies. Later on, I got used to it, and eventually, I didn’t care.”

    She said that even her family was ridiculed because of her. But as the time passed, they too stopped caring about what others said.

    Manu was not able to continue her studies after the 12th grade but she was ambitious to make something of herself. She decided to start her own business.

    Transgender community in Kashmir mostly earns their living by singing and dancing at weddings or by matchmaking. But Manu chose to stand out and make her own way. That is when she decided to improve her makeup skills.

    “Makeup is something that I’ve always enjoyed doing and when one has an opportunity to start a career in something that is enjoyable, then why not do that? I am totally self-taught and don’t have any professional training,” said Manu, who speaks and writes fluently in English.

    Manu started her venture four years back and with her hard work and commitment, she earned a name for herself everywhere in Kashmir. She has thousands of followers on social media.

    “I believe in doing the work that earns you respect. Why should I dance at weddings and bear people’s shameless, humiliating laughter?”

    Manu credited her mother for her success.

    “I am happy with my life. I don’t have any regrets. It doesn’t matter what anyone thinks or how they react. I earn my own money and my family is fine with whatever I do.”

    She said that people in Kashmir are supportive  and people are more welcoming and respectful of them.

    Motivating her fellow transgenders, she said, “To all the transgenders out there, or even those people who are forced to hide: be yourself, as life is too short to give weight to what people think. Whether you do good or bad, people will always have something negative to say. So just don’t pay attention to such people, and rise, like a boss.”

  • ‘Pakistan wants a civilised relationship with the US’: PM Khan

    Prime Minister Imran Khan recently gave an interview to The New York Times about Pakistan’s planned future strategy once the United States (US) leaves Afghanistan and said that in the past, the US kept expecting more from Pakistan, while previous governments “tried to deliver what they were not capable of”.

    The interview was published on June 25, when US President Joe Biden had his first face-to-face meeting with his Afghan counterpart, Ashraf Ghani, at the White House.

    Replying to a question related to Pakistan’s future relationship with the US after the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan, PM Khan said that Pakistan has always had a closer relationship with the United States than neighbouring India.

    “After 9/11, Pakistan again opted to join the US war on terror. Now, after the US leaves Afghanistan, basically Pakistan would want a civilised relationship, which you have between nations, and we would like to improve our trading relationship with the US,” he said.

    Mr Khan recalled that Pakistan has had a closer relationship with the United States than other nations in the region, such as India, and was a US partner in the war against terrorism, an argument used by previous Pakistani rulers as well without much success.

    “Now, after the US leaves Afghanistan, basically Pakistan would want a civilised relationship, which you have between nations, and we would like to improve our trading relationship with the US,” the prime minister replied.

    “Unfortunately, the relationship during the war on terror was a bit lopsided,” he said, adding, “It was a lopsided relationship because [the] US felt that they were giving aid to Pakistan, they felt that Pakistan then had to do US’s bidding. And what Pakistan did in terms of trying to do the US bidding cost Pakistan a lot … 70,000 Pakistanis died, and over $150 billion were lost to the economy because there were suicide bombings and bombs going on all over the country.”

    Asked if Pakistan was still using its leverage with the Taliban to move the peace talks towards a deal, Mr Khan said: “Pakistan has used the maximum leverage it could on the Taliban.”

    The prime minister said Pakistan has been emphasising to the Taliban that they should not go for a military victory because it would only lead to a protracted civil war. And since the Taliban are primarily a Pashtun movement, this will have two effects: Another influx of refugees into Pakistan and upset Pakistan’s efforts to lift its economy through trade, he explained.

    ‘We have signed very good trade deals with the Central Asian republics, but we can only go there through Afghanistan. If there is a civil war, all that goes down the drain,’ he said.

    “Let me assure you, we will do everything except use military action against the Taliban. I mean, we will do everything up to that,” Mr Khan said, adding: “All sections of our society have decided that Pakistan will take no military action.”

    The premier was also questioned whether Indo-Pakistan relations would improve if the Modi government leaves power. In response, he said that he “knows India better than any other Pakistani”.

    He said that he has had “love and respect from India [more] than anyone because cricket is a big sport”.

    “And the best way would be if India and Pakistan had a normal, civilised trading relationship. It would benefit both countries,” the PM said he told Modi.

    “So we tried. Didn’t get anywhere. I think that it is a particular ideology of the (Hindu nationalist group) Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which Narendra Modi belongs to, which just came up against a brick wall. And therefore the answer to your question is yes. Had there been another Indian leadership, I think we would have had a good relationship with them. And yes, we would have resolved all our differences through dialogue.”

    When asked if Pakistan would consider it an Indian win if Kashmir’s status quo remains the same, PM Imran Khan said that it would be a “disaster for India.”

    “[That is because] it will just mean that this conflict festers on and on. And so as long as it festers, it’s going to stop there being any relationship — normal relationship — between Pakistan and India.”

    The premier was questioned about Pakistan’s relationship with China and how it affects both the US and India. In response, he said that he finds it “very odd” that China and the US would become great rivals.