Kashmir Burns Again | Mushtaq Ul Haq

The inception of the year 2010 was marked with killing of Inayat Khan by CRPF personnel & these killings continued with the death of teenagers like Zahid Farooq & Wamiq Farooq at the hands of paramilitary troopers & Kashmir police. On June 11 Tufail Ahmad Mattoo was murdered in cold blood by police by aiming a tear gas shell at his head which alongwith the Fake Encounter killings of three innocent youth at Machil, Kupwara in May proved to be the last straw on the camel’s back and whole kashmir erupted as never before, with youth taking a lead in the indigenous protests and separatist leadership forced to chalk out some strategy which they did with the announcement of “Quit Kashmir Movement” on 24 June, 2010. With that initiated a never ending vicious circle of death, maim, torture and killing spree by the armed forces and kashmir police. The separatists began to issue unique calendars of Hartals and protests which people follow in letter and spirit with the result whole life and governance in kashmir being crippled for the past three months with death toll crossing hundred, there is no indication of the protests being abated or the killings being stopped with the people ready to offer even more sacrifices for what they perceive as Aazadi from Indian occupation.

Conflict renders money useless in Kashmir | Bilal Hussain

The unending unrest in Kashmir has rendered the currency worthless as it couldn’t serve the very purpose of money. The currency here during these tough times couldn’t be used to procure essential commodities, medical services, transportation and many other vitals for survival as there are no takers for it at this point of time due to continuing curfew and protests. Baring few days market places in the valley remained closed for over three months now.

The currency, a tool used for means of exchange, a standard unity to measure value and a means to store wealth, officially coined or stamped metal currency; a form or denomination of coin or paper money. However, factually during conflict times like the one Kashmir at present is witnessing since past three months, it serves almost none of these purposes. All it can do here is to make lockers, purses and pockets heavier.

Kashmir Conflict | Genesis n Interpretation

Violence in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) has resulted in the loss of many lives and the displacement of many families. The ‘Kashmir Issue‘ is always seen as a major issue between India and Pakistan. But the political situation in the State has many dimensions. Jammu and Kashmir comprises three social and political regions: Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.

The heart of the Kashmir region is the Kashmir valley; the people are Kashmiri speaking and mostly Muslim with a small Kashmiri speaking Hindu minority. Jammu region is a mix of foothills and plains, of Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs and speakers of various languages. The Ladakh region is mountainous, has very little population which is equally divided between Buddhists and Muslims. The “Kashmir Problem” is not just a dispute between India and Pakistan. This issue has external and internal dimensions. It involves the issue of Kashmiri identity known as Kashmiriyat and the aspirations of the people of J&K for political autonomy.