J & K news and discussion

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 02 Feb 2010 13:23

However, China has taken a different position on Kashmir. China considers Kashmir as a separate entity and is ready to extend all sorts of help and moral support to the Kashmiri people. Chinese Embassy has been issuing visas to some Kashmiris on a separate sheet of paper instead of Indian passports, like in the case of those hailing from Arunachal Pradesh on which Beijing lays its claim. The visas are stamped on separate papers, which are then stapled to the passport. The practice of issuing such visas on separate papers has been there for years. India has recently lodged a protest against such a Chinese visa issuing practice. On the other hand China maintained that they have issued valid visas to the people of Indian held Kashmir and that the problem laid with Indian immigration authorities who do not wish to allow Kashmiris to proceed abroad for higher education.

http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=211699

Nihat · Post by **Nihat** » 02 Feb 2010 14:06

Terhran Times as the source is misleading as the true source is "Kashmir watch" , says it all really

AjayKK · Post by **AjayKK** » 02 Feb 2010 14:19

sum wrote:
They said the on-going movement was movement of the youth and they had been running it effectively. “Stone pelting is an important tool and cannot be done away with”, they said.

There is very little hope for these esteemed citizens ( even if we throw unlimited money and development carrots at them)

Stone throwing being discussed by Geelani and company last year :Is stone pelting fatwa justified

Meanwhile, the strike called by separatists:

http://www.earlytimes.in/earlytimes1/ne ... px?q=49438

SRINAGAR, Feb 1: Shouting pro-Azadi, pro-Islam and anti-India slogans, thousands of people in downtown Srinagar today participated in the funeral of a 15-year-old student who had died in tearsmoke shelling of Police on a group of stone-pelting youth in Rajouri Kadal area here last evening.

The teenager, who had succumbed to injuries at SKIMS last evening after getting hit in his head during tearsmoke shelling from Police, was identified as 15-year-old Wamiq Farooq Wani S/o Farooq Ahmed Wani R/o Chhan Mohalla, Rainawari. Son of a poor street vendor and younger brother to a class 11th and class 10th male student, Wamiq Farooq was a Class 8th student of Government Hari Sigh High School Rainawari.

Officials maintained that an ASI had been placed under suspension, on the basis of a preliminary report, for not observing Standard Operational Procedure (SOP). They said it was being investigated whether the boy was simply a student who got hit accidentally or that he was one among the 100-odd stone pelting youth who had attacked the Police party. They said it was also being investigated whether the Police party could have avoided the fatal casualty and succeeded in scaring away the youth by any other method of soft retaliation.

While returning from the funeral at Iddgah, groups of masked youngsters resorted to heavy stone pelting on Police and a number of CRPF camps on Nallah Mar Road. They spread to over a dozen spots in the congested downtown and engaged Police and paramilitary forces in ding dong clashes. As usual, the unruly groups of youth shouted pro-Azadi, pro-Islam, pro-Pakistan and anti-India, anti-Government, anti-Police slogans. They pelted stones and brickbats on Police. In retaliation, Police and CRPF fired tearsmoke canisters.

While independent but unconfirmed reports put the number of the injured in today’s clashes in Srinagar at 50 to 60, officials maintained that 9 Police personnel, 6 CRPF men and 15 demonstrators had sustained injuries.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 03 Feb 2010 03:34

Photographs of the protest.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 03 Feb 2010 03:40

JJ sometimes its good to pause and read the item before rushing to post it on BRF.

wig · Post by **wig** » 03 Feb 2010 15:33

an illuminating article on a gentleman who has been awarded with Padma Shri. these waters run deep and treacherous.
http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/

Srinagar, Feb 2: He might be in the proverbial 'eye of the storm' but Padma Shri Ghulam Mohammad Mir alias Mumma Kana feels he deserves the award which has been given in recognition of his services to the nation while battling the militancy in Kashmir.

"I fully deserve the award as I have put everything including my life and my family's safety in the line of duty for the nation while fighting militancy in Kashmir," Mir told EXCELSIOR.

sum · Post by **sum** » 03 Feb 2010 21:21

Did anyone see the visuals of the army convoy which was attacked by "protesters" near Srinagar? ( 4 of our jawans were injured)

The stallion truck driver cabin is virtually broken into two!!! how on earth did a "unarmed" crowd break such a huge truck into 2?

sum · Post by **sum** » 04 Feb 2010 15:16

JuD holds anti-India jehadi rally in Pakistani Kashmir

To be addressed by LeT commander and JuD's chief of the Pakistan-administered Kashmir chapter Abdul Aziz Alvi, it is seen as the terror outfit's stepped up approach to shift its focus back on Jammu and Kashmir.

LeT chief Haafiz Saeed, blamed by India as one of the main conspirators of the 26/11 attacks, is expected to address a similar rally in Islamabad Friday, an official said.

Former chief of Pakistan's Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) Hamid Gul, an invitee to the conference, said the Pakistan government was aware about the jehadi rally and India's unhappiness did not matter.

“If India is feeling unhappy, let them (be),” Gul told news channel Times Now. He said the meeting was “an important human cause” and India should “face the reality in Kashmir”.

Sad that even when so many juicy targets are advertising themselves, we can only impotently sit back and twiddle our thumbs.

Interestingly, IE doesnt use the word PoK even once and always refers it as Pak-administered Kashmir.

Avinash R · Post by **Avinash R** » 04 Feb 2010 22:40

About a month back one of the "moderate" hurriyat leaders was attacked by pakistani terrorists and yet these hurriyats are praying for pakistan. Despite pakistan being the swamp which breeds terrorists and sends them to destroy kashmir these hurriyats are more concerned about pakistan rather than protecting kashmir.
Hurriyat moderates ask people to pray for Pakistan

Srinagar, Feb 4 (PTI) Reciprocating Pakistan''s gesture of observing solidarity day with Kashmiris tomorrow, Moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference headed by Mirwaiz Umer Farooq today asked people to pray for sovereignty, stability and prosperity of that country.

Describing Pakistan as a ''sympathiser'' and ''fort of Islam'' in an advertisement titled ''February 5 - Youm-e-Dua and Izhar-e-Tashakur'', the Hurriyat moderates claimed that country "is not only lending political, moral and diplomatic support to the struggle for the right to self-determination in J and K but also doing its best at the international level for the resolution of Kashmir issue.

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 04 Feb 2010 22:51

Avinash R wrote:About a month back one of the "moderate" hurriyat leaders was attacked by pakistani terrorists and yet these hurriyats are praying for pakistan. Despite pakistan being the swamp which breeds terrorists and sends them to destroy kashmir these hurriyats are more concerned about pakistan rather than protecting kashmir.
Hurriyat moderates ask people to pray for Pakistan
Srinagar, Feb 4 (PTI) Reciprocating Pakistan''s gesture of observing solidarity day with Kashmiris tomorrow, Moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference headed by Mirwaiz Umer Farooq today asked people to pray for sovereignty, stability and prosperity of that country.

Describing Pakistan as a ''sympathiser'' and ''fort of Islam'' in an advertisement titled ''February 5 - Youm-e-Dua and Izhar-e-Tashakur'', the Hurriyat moderates claimed that country "is not only lending political, moral and diplomatic support to the struggle for the right to self-determination in J and K but also doing its best at the international level for the resolution of Kashmir issue.

They dont look at those terrorists as enemies. They look at them as brothers in the same cause against the non-muslims. All non-muslims are the enemies of the Kashmir Hurriyat and Kashmiris both moderates and extremists.

Anujan · Post by **Anujan** » 06 Feb 2010 03:54

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_st ... ey_1343723

Stone pelting in Kashmir valley appears to be fast turning into a lucrative 'business' for some unemployed youths offering this 'service' for a price.

Several youths are also operating 'stone pelting' cartels funded by separatist organisations and some political parties, sources said today, adding business worth lakhs of rupees is usually generated through this activity.

Prem Kumar · Post by **Prem Kumar** » 06 Feb 2010 10:32

sum wrote: Sad that even when so many juicy targets are advertising themselves, we can only impotently sit back and twiddle our thumbs.

My thoughts exactly - I am fantasizing what this Bouquet of flowers would have done to that rally

Pranav · Post by **Pranav** » 06 Feb 2010 11:20

x-post from TSP thread:

Bhaskar wrote:The Anger inside me is bubbling, I don't care if I get a warning from a Moderator but.

Bottom line is : We Indians are pussies. We are Idiots. We should have bombed Pakistan after the Mumbai attacks. TOIlet can go to hell with their American Propaganda.

Take it easy, man.

What TSP wants is exactly that - that India should openly attack them, so that they can brandish their nukes, do an ==, and demand Kashmir.

Far better to let the Packees stew in their own juice.

I am no fan of MMS, but not attacking the Packees was the right thing to do.

Now I am worried that the western elites will force India to let go of Kashmir in order to save their TSP Munna. Munna will fall apart unless honour is salvaged by giving him Kashmir. After all, western elites have invested in Munna for 6 decades and they cannot allow all that investment to go waste.

It is conceivable that MMS / Sonia, under western pressure, will allow some kind of referendum, which could be rigged using the EVMs. Something similar to how they rigged the Afghan election in favour of Karzai (not that Karzai is a bad sort, but it is far easier for western elites to manipulate a transition from Karzai to Taliban than from Abdullah to Taliban).

The problem is that it is getting obvious that the people of Kashmir want nothing to do with the Packees. So a rigged referendum may end up becoming non-credible, just like the Afghan elections became a farce.

So the thing to do would be to engineer strife in Kashmir using false flag attacks on the population, blaming them on Indian forces. The aim would be to alienate the population. One such attack occurred just yesterday. See http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_bo ... ry_1343823 .

In the coming days we can expect to see many such false-flag attacks, passions being whipped up by the separatists - leading upto a rigged referndum.

Manmeet · Post by **Manmeet** » 06 Feb 2010 14:50

I can only see this as election propaganda by kangress. I can't see any western or international pressure from any where? If we are a spineless country then why spend so much of tax payers money on military hardware and maintaining a second biggest army?
Would you believe it or not but kangress party can do any thing to win an election. Elections in Bihar are upcoming and that might have triggered talks with porkies. Muslims and Dalits are congress vote bank and they will do any thing to win their vote banks and subsequently elections.

Neshant · Post by **Neshant** » 06 Feb 2010 14:56

I'm sure there more to it that meets the eye than what's going on overtly. The govt could not be THAT stupid to initiate talks with a bunch of terrorists without getting something substantial in return behind the scenes.

However there are a number of really dumb ideas that have floted to the surface in the past which makes me wonder.

However it looks rather foolish to me to remove the demand that the Mumbai terrorists still roaming free be brought to justice.

Manmeet · Post by **Manmeet** » 06 Feb 2010 18:17

It has become clear that India is only going to talk on the issue of terrorism but nothing else. So there will be no composite dialogue.
It is easier to get porkies in dilli and talk about JuD and its mentors.

arun · Post by **arun** » 06 Feb 2010 19:20

Extract from TOI’s interview of Steve Coll:

Everybody in Pak knows India's prosperity is the next big story: Steve Coll

Ronojoy Sen, TOI Crest, 6 February 2010, 12:24pm IST

There are few who can match Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Steve Coll's expertise on al Qaida and the Af-Pak region. He is the author of several books including The Bin Ladens, Ghost Wars and On the Grand Trunk Road. Coll, who is currently president of the New America Foundation, was in India to attend the Jaipur Literature Festival. He spoke to TOI-Crest's Books Editor Ronojoy Sen ... ...............................

There are many, particularly in Pakistan, who believe that if you resolve Kashmir you take out the real cause of terrorism in South Asia. Do you agree?

I don't believe that at all. But Kashmir is an impediment to broader changes between India and Pakistan that are necessary to gradually eliminate the structural causes of persistent terrorism in India and Afghanistan. That is to say, change the practices of the Pakistani security services. In the medium run, how do you break the cycle of clandestine war between India and Pakistan, the use of jihadi groups? The only way you break that pattern is the same way similar conflicts have ended in other parts of the world - in the Balkans, in Southeast Asia - where economic integration and shared prosperity changes the incentive structure for the Pakistani army where they see that their own interests are better served by open, managed borders. Everybody in Pakistan knows that India's prosperity is the big story of the region in the next 20-30 years. Pakistan can either be an impediment to that or be a part of it.

And that probably reflects sentiments in Kashmir too where there is growing ambivalence about Pakistan...

Absolutely. In fact, your newspaper (The Times of India) has quoted Manmohan Singh as saying that India was "very close to a non-territorial settlement" in 2007. I love that language. Because that's the right way to think about this. What you're trying to do in Kashmir is to buy time for these other effects to take hold, and for both countries to share a period of war-free economic growth, middle class formation and cultural accommodation. It doesn't have to be peace, love and harmony. It just needs to be normalisation - the sort that you see between Serbia and Croatia.

In order to buy that 20 years, you don't have to settle every line on the map. You have to put in place a framework in which you agree on some broad principles and agree to no longer pursue those goals through violence. It's just creating a framework where the broader process of peaceful economic and cultural integration can occur. That's the only way forward. You have to be realistic though. When you announce peace, those who have an interest in the violence will react, they will try to blow it up. The question is how much capacity the Pakistani state has to do its bit. The problem is that India understandably doesn't believe that Pakistan has the will. If India thought Pakistan had the will, it would have a realistic approach to its capacity problems. But you can't accept the capacity excuse when you don't think the other side is serious.

Won't the Pakistani military establishment keep Kashmir alive?

Musharraf brought around the [Pakistani] corps command to this deal in 2007. It was interesting when I was reporting on this in Pakistan and you asked the question: What was the winning argument in the corps command meetings? First of all, Musharraf was at the peak of his authority, but there were three winning arguments. One was that if we want to modernise an army and defend Pakistan's territorial integrity while India modernises its army, we need more money than our current growth rates can support. We already take a huge share of Paksitan's GDP. We need the whole pie to grow. We need economic peace just to defend ourselves. The second argument was that we can achieve acceptable goals in Kashmir by political means that we cannot by guerilla violence. Let's accept it, our strategy isn't working. The Indians have defeated the insurgency, they have been able to create enough political normalcy in their part of Kashmir. We can keep throwing rocks, but why not create an outcome that history will recognise as just through political negotiations. The final argument was international legitimacy. The Pakistani army for all of it crazy self-defeating policies also craves recognition as a legitimate army, an unusually good fighting force. Musharraf personally wanted to go Oslo and be awarded the peace prize with Manmohan Singh (laughs). These factors are still there in the psyche, but the problem is that the Pakistani government is in no position to come back to that.

Read it all:

Everybody in Pak knows India's prosperity is the next big story: Steve Coll

JE Menon · Post by **JE Menon** » 06 Feb 2010 21:04

Coll is very well plugged in. His Ghost Wars is a must read for anyone interested in the region. And then read it again. He has great clarity of sight and insight.

Pranav · Post by **Pranav** » 07 Feb 2010 07:13

Manufacturing consent for a rigged referendum?

'Blood for blood' chants mark funeral in Kashmir : http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 00571.html

This was probably a hit by Pakis, precisely for the purpose of facilitating such screaming. See also http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_bo ... ry_1343823

Pranav · Post by **Pranav** » 07 Feb 2010 07:24

Anujan wrote:http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_st ... ey_1343723

Stone pelting in Kashmir valley appears to be fast turning into a lucrative 'business' for some unemployed youths offering this 'service' for a price.

Several youths are also operating 'stone pelting' cartels funded by separatist organisations and some political parties, sources said today, adding business worth lakhs of rupees is usually generated through this activity.

Details in this regard came out during extensive interrogation of a stone pelter arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir police over a period of last three days.

If Chidambaram is smart, he will arrange to have the confession of the professional stone-pelter broadcast on TV again and again.

Neshant · Post by **Neshant** » 07 Feb 2010 08:21

stone pelting cartel.

these abduls should incorporate and get listed on the stock market.

sum · Post by **sum** » 07 Feb 2010 11:34

If Chidambaram is smart, he will arrange to have the confession of the professional stone-pelter broadcast on TV again and again.

No point..will be dismissed as RAW psy-ops tactics by our WKKs, anti-nationals and our DDM will play along.

Ameet · Post by **Ameet** » 09 Feb 2010 00:15

Knot at a cost

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/201002 ... /main1.htm

Many youngsters are going in for inter-faith and inter-caste marriages to script the story of a new Kashmir, but this is proving costly with various communities resorting to violence to thwart such alliances.

pgbhat · Post by **pgbhat** » 09 Feb 2010 06:04

India considering general amnesty for Kashmiris

NEW DELHI: India is planning a major confidence-building measure (CBM) in a bid to sooth the Kashmiris angered by the killing of youth in “unprovoked firing”, considering general amnesty for young Kashmiris and families who have crossed the Line of Control to settle in Muzaffarabad and elsewhere.

IHK Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has hinted at a scheme to encourage the return of militants from across the LoC to lead a normal life. He told a chief ministers’ conference in New Delhi that a new “surrender and rehabilitation policy” was under active consideration.

A senior Indian Home Ministry official confirmed that work on such a policy was underway, and said security agencies – in consultation with the IHK government – were devising a mechanism for the return of militants and others who had crossed over in search of careers or “safe havens”.

He said the step – recommended by the prime minister’s working group headed by Vice President Hamid Ansari and perused vigorously by the state government and Kashmiri politicians – would go a long way towards addressing the political dimension of issues affecting Jammu and Kashmir.

“We have agreed in principle to devise a mechanism for their return. It could be a general amnesty. Safeguards would be put in place to avoid any negative consequence,” he said. “The process has already started ... former militants [have been known to] appear at the LoC with their families ... to surrender.”

AjayKK · Post by **AjayKK** » 09 Feb 2010 13:45

Justice Saghir Ahmed panel’s recommendations suicidal, says BJP

Staff Reporter | Bhopal

BJP State president and MP Narendra Singh Tomar in a statement here on Sunday said, "The recommendations of the Justice Saghir Ahmed Committee are suicidal for our country." The Union Government set up the committee over the issue of Jammu and Kashmir.

Tomar further emphasised that the hidden intentions of so called secular front behind the recommendations of the committee should be brought to the fore. He also added that the rehabilitation of lakhs of displaced Kashmiri pundits into their home-state should be Government's priority.

Tomar said that Article 370 has already given Jammu and Kashmir special status. He said that those parties who are fuelling the demands of separatists and demanding autonomy for the State want to reverse its development cycle and push it back to the situation prior to 1953. He informed that before 1953 permit was required to enter the State of Jammu and Kashmir.

Tomar alleged that the Congress is giving priority to recommendations of the foreign countries. He further said that in lieu of the Justice Ahmed Committee's recommendations the Congress is trying to fulfil the agenda of separatists.

http://www.dailypioneer.com/234579/Just ... s-BJP.html

milindc · Post by **milindc** » 09 Feb 2010 15:51

Neshant wrote: stone pelting cartel.

these abduls should incorporate and get listed on the stock market.

They can find high paying jobs in Palestine.

MohanSI · Post by **MohanSI** » 09 Feb 2010 21:34

There is interview right now on NPR Diane Reams show with Bashar Peer about his book "Curfewed Night". Probably will be very one-sided, but will be interesting to see how many lies will go unchallenged.

Jarita · Post by **Jarita** » 09 Feb 2010 23:16

^^^ That appears to be a much recommended book among the jihadi community. So we know what way it will swing

AnimeshP · Post by **AnimeshP** » 09 Feb 2010 23:27

MohanSI wrote:There is interview right now on NPR Diane Reams show with Bashar Peer about his book "Curfewed Night". Probably will be very one-sided, but will be interesting to see how many lies will go unchallenged.

Well Google books is our friend ... here is a review from that site

Editorial Review - Kirkus Reviews Copyright (c) 2/2/2010 VNU Business Media, Inc.
A young Kashmiri recalls his youth and journalistic apprenticeship in a "fragile fairyland" torn apart by the war for independence.Born in 1977 in Anantnag to a family of educated Muslims, Peer was expected to join the Indian civil service when he grew up, which would ultimately offer a better position in the bureaucracy than his father had attained. However, by the early '80s civil unrest was ...
More widespread. Kashmir's promised autonomy, granted by India in 1947, was gradually restricted, and the populace began agitating for independence. The guerrilla organization JKLF (Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front) was formed in 1990 and led by 21-year-old militant Yasin Malik. Kashmiri youth were recruited into rebel groups, bused into Pakistan for training and given "magical" Kalashnikovs. Peer experienced both the hero-longing to join up—his father convinced him to stay in school—and the tragedy of learning the fate of those who did, such as his promising cousin Tariq, who killed in a raid. Every aspect of life was disrupted, especially Peer's boarding school, partly commandeered by the Indian military so the students could hear the screams of rebels being tortured at night. Peer attended Delhi University and studied law, though he left school in 2000 and sought out jobs as a journalist, allowing him to travel between India and Kashmir and offer testament to the ongoing violence. At one point he tracked down survivors from the notorious Papa II torture center, whose stories were almost too painful for him to write about. The second part of the book is a meandering travelogue, as the author recounts sites disfigured by war, such as the once-elegant capital, Srinagar, rendered a "City of No Joy."Peer tenderly addresses aspects of religion, military and family kinships, but the narrative feels too lightweight for the subject matter.

source

So you know what to expect from the interview ... "Bad India", "Bad Security Forces", "Innocence Lost" etc.

Avinash R · Post by **Avinash R** » 10 Feb 2010 22:00

Miraculous escape for Omar as vehicle catches fire

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had a miraculous escape last night when the engine of his official vehicle caught fire filling the entire jeep with smoke.

Highly-placed sources said the incident took place at Sambha, 40 km from here, late last night when Omar was returning from Kathua after attending a function.

The sources said smoke came out of the engine of the vehicle, a bullet proof jeep, followed by fire that was extinguished immediately.

The only saving grace was that the central locking system of the vehicle did not jam, which happens in case of fire, an official said.

The Special Security Guard, protecting the Chief Minister, had rushed towards the vehicle but Omar and his driver had come out of it, the sources said, adding the state government was now going to take up the matter with the manufacturer.

A thorough inquiry has been ordered into the incident, the sources added.

RoyG · Post by **RoyG** » 11 Feb 2010 18:03

Indians who wish to return from PoK are welcome: Chidambaram

PTI, 11 February 2010, 01:47pm IST

NEW DELHI: In a significant gesture, the government on Thursday said it was ready to "welcome" Kashmiris who had gone to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) if they were ready to return after giving up militancy.

"The idea that any Indian who had crossed over to PoK and wishes to return India is certainly welcome," home minister P Chidambaram told reporters backing the proposal mooted by Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah.

"The idea is accepted... This idea must now be translated into a scheme," the home minister said, adding it was one of the recommendations of one of the Working Groups appointed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for recommending measures to address problems of Jammu and Kashmir.

Replying to questions at a briefing after meetings of the Cabinet and Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, Chidambaram said the return could be facilitated through a scheme which will entail identification, screening, travel, debriefing, rehabilitation and reintegration.

Noting that "PoK is actually an Indian territory", he said the government "should facilitate the return" of those who had gone across the Line of Control for "some reasons".

Significantly, his statement counters the view of his Cabinet colleague and former J and K chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad who has questioned the idea of allowing the return as he apprehended that they could come here to "create trouble".

Thousands of Kashmiri youths had crossed over to PoK from 1989 to join militant ranks. While many of them infiltrated back, a large number have not returned. Around 800 of them are understood to have conveyed their desire, through various channels, to return home. Several feelers have been received by the state government about their pathetic condition.

"We will consult all sections of opinion in Jammu and Kashmir," Chidambaram said noting that there were two parties, National Conference and Congress, in the ruling coalition in the state.

The Leader of Opposition in Jammu and Kashmir would also be consulted on this issue, he said, adding "Then we will formulate a scheme. It will take time."

Chidambaram said this when asked to comment on Abdullah's proposal that a surrender and rehabilitation policy should be formulated to allow Kashmiris to return from PoK.

Abdullah had said at the chief ministers' conference on internal security here last Sunday, "To encourage more militants to return to the state and manage their transition to civilian life, a new surrender and rehabilitation policy of militants is under active consideration of my government".

However, Azad questioned the idea, apprehending it could be used as a cover by Pakistan to push foreign militants into India.

"Who will take guarantee of these youth willing to return? How can you prove that these are the same youth who had gone to that side for arms training and are now willing to come back on their own choice? Some foreign terrorists can take advantage of this move," said the Union health minister and senior Congress leader from the state on Tuesday.

"Pakistan has not handed over the accused involved in the Mumbai terror attacks so far. Who can trust them in this case? There are chances of adopting a strategy to push militants (into India) taking cover of this surrender policy," he said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 560051.cms

CRamS · Post by **CRamS** » 11 Feb 2010 21:49

MohanSI wrote:There is interview right now on NPR Diane Reams show with Bashar Peer about his book "Curfewed Night". Probably will be very one-sided, but will be interesting to see how many lies will go unchallenged.

I got some part of the interview. The SDREs who called gave it good. True to Jihadi form, he was all vitriol, scorn, and hatred for India as expected, and of course playing on western sentimentality (calibrated to suit their interests that is), talks about "human rights" abuses by India BS. And to get a measure of his credibility get this; when someone asked him why he is obsessed with India, while nothing about TSP's infusion of LeT piglets, true to to form, as is the wont of all these Jihadi spokesman, they are pretty casual in dismissing it as TSP "fishing in troubled waters". In other words, TSP's 60-year neurotic obsession to grab Kashmir by hook or crook, the terrorists, nuke blackmail etc has no bearing, its only baaad baaad India

.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 11 Feb 2010 23:32

Avinash R wrote:Miraculous escape for Omar as vehicle catches fire

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had a miraculous escape last night when the engine of his official vehicle caught fire filling the entire jeep with smoke.

Highly-placed sources said the incident took place at Sambha, 40 km from here, late last night when Omar was returning from Kathua after attending a function.

The sources said smoke came out of the engine of the vehicle, a bullet proof jeep, followed by fire that was extinguished immediately.

The only saving grace was that the central locking system of the vehicle did not jam, which happens in case of fire, an official said.

The Special Security Guard, protecting the Chief Minister, had rushed towards the vehicle but Omar and his driver had come out of it, the sources said, adding the state government was now going to take up the matter with the manufacturer.

A thorough inquiry has been ordered into the incident, the sources added.

Last night the show "Burn Notice" had an incident to create such a fire. It could be a terrorist sign.

negi · Post by **negi** » 12 Feb 2010 00:11

This is nice so what have PC Chidamabaram fans have to say on his stand on letting the PoK residents in J&K as against decades of silence on exodus of Kashmiri Pandits ? What sort of integrity one associate with this step or wait is there anything 'Chanakian' about it ?

Why this surge of blood for the one's on the other side ? I have no qualms about people from other side being admitted but first re locate the one's who are living like refugees in their own country.

Satya_anveshi · Post by **Satya_anveshi** » 12 Feb 2010 00:53

Surrender and Rehabilitation - Hmm..interesting...and why in the world have we been hollering high and dry about talks if this was the agenda?

Further, let me add that for all the past couple years (let's say from LalMasjid onwards decisively), I was been wondering, short of full scale war, what will make Pak Army raise the while flag.

If there is indeed such a possibility, all that is needed to be done and achieved is pretty much there. If Pak raises white flag, what form does it take and what gains can be made de-jure after that?

I wish to see the current overtures from that perspective and a critical milestone in integrating entire J&K. How else can we explain taking people (even surrendered terrorists) from across the border if that is not the case?

Jarita · Post by **Jarita** » 12 Feb 2010 01:00

^^^ We appear to be having a one way population flow since independence. This is unsustainable

Satya_anveshi · Post by **Satya_anveshi** » 12 Feb 2010 07:42

negi wrote:Why this surge of blood for the one's on the other side ? I have no qualms about people from other side being admitted but first re locate the one's who are living like refugees in their own country.

One would like to see the talks are the quid and hope for the quo ( which could be your above concern).

Of course, this is all crystal gazing and what one likes to read of this situation. What is GOI upto? only GOI or GOTUS may know (not even GOI)

negi · Post by **negi** » 12 Feb 2010 22:41

Kudos to the thumb twiddling bunch for their inaction and pandering for last couple of decades.

A very serious observation something which BRF or those not from Kashmir might not be aware of.

Tear gas in Kashmir

While India is closer to bilateral talks, "trilateral" talks -- negotiations which actually include Kashmir -- could never be publicly entertained. Negotiations with Kashmir would suggest that Kashmir is an autonomous region, that it's not is one of India's central contentions. Kashmir does not belong to Pakistan, Kashmir belongs to India, so goes the logic, and that Kashmir might belong to itself is not an option India has political room to consider. They've tried to, even recently. New Delhi held "quiet diplomacy" talks with Kashmir's Hurriyat conference last fall, but when The Hindu reported the story, the project was scuttled, and Kashmiris were left to doing what they've been doing as long as they can remember: watching Pakistan and India volley back and forth over their heads, feeling sometimes ignored, sometimes like puppets between two disputants, children manipulated by two feuding parents.

It is fitting, then, that the region's fate depends on its children. Some of the young Kashmiris have taken to calling themselves the Asian Palestine, and they believe they're fighting the Kashmiri intifada.

And art 370 and chai biskoot with TSP have only worsened the things.

satya · Post by **satya** » 12 Feb 2010 22:56

So going by logic of having talks with Hurriyat & co. , if tomorrow GoI talks with Maoists it means what suddenly parts of India not anymore Indian territory ?????? Oh in between another thing why is news leaked to media ask why , there's no journalist in India who can publish something without permission . If its written cuz it serves the purpose. Ever wonder why this notion of ToI being US stooge is never countered or about other newspapers but why care anyhow please continue on GoI selling J&K for nth time line its a good way to digest one's dinner or breakfast or not taking antiacid tabs .

negi · Post by **negi** » 12 Feb 2010 23:14

^ J&K issue is not as simple as it looks the present chaos in the valley is as a result of GOI's inaction countering TSP terror in 90's which now has disrupted the lives of the people to such an extent they are fed up with the system , and as any desperate soul they want a change hoping it will improve things on ground. The reports about the youth chanting 'azadi' slogans is a red herring it clearly indicates that special status given to J&K was only exploited by the separatists and their handlers in TSPA the common abdul in streets gets sandwiched between the separatists and the Gobmint in this whole mess if the latter fails to provide security and basic amenities people are bound to get violent after a certain time.

GOI made a huge blunder when instead of exterminating the separatists like JKLF and Hurriyat when they did not enjoy as much public support as they do now granted them en entry into valley politics, now pandering to the extremists (which some even projected as chanakian ) only gave them more power and encouraged formation of soft paki parties like PDP .

If art 370 cannot be revoked immediately thanks to the multi party vibrant democracy , dividing the state into smaller ones will greatly quarantine this mess , at least the people in Jammu and Laddkah can be then part of mainstream India and cary on with their day to day lives.