OMAR WILL REVOKE AFSPA

A RIGHT STEP AT THE RIGHT TIME.

I remember when the last year’s summer unrest was at its PEAK it never looked as if the Law that made life of many people miserable will ever be revoked. That was the time when Omar Abdullah went on record to say “ Give me a peaceful summer and I will revoke AFSPA” at that time many including the opposition made fun of the statement saying that he was trying to hoodwink the people. Today, all those who opposed him should have shown some maturity and appreciated this move. Unfortunately, I don’t see a single statement from any of them supporting the Hon. CM and his team for taking such a people friendly decision but on the contrary a Senior opposition leader shamelessly alleges that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was trying to blackmail New Delhi over AFSPA issue and that he has his own personal interest. I have yet to find that personal interest Omar Abdullah has except to make sure that his people are freed from the clutches of this law under which the armed forces are armed with impunity, and their acts are beyond the purviews of the judiciary or the state government. Readers may recall that Omar after forming his government promised that he will revoke AFSPA and even last year he committed that given a peaceful summer he will revoke this law. I guess some opposition leaders still suffer from some form of verbal diarrhoea otherwise why would someone come up with such a bizarre statement that the Hon. CM has some personal interest. Some leaders have this habit of making a statement in the morning only to retract in the evening. It’s for the first time that such a step is being taken; leaders across party lines should come up in favour and support it. Not only the mainstream but the Separatist also should have appreciated this move and in a united voice favoured the revoking of this law, personally never expected them to be so indifferent and silent to such a decision.

The other side of the coin is equally surprising; I’m still trying to understand why the army would be against revoking the AFSPA when they do not operate in any of the four districts mentioned by the media. They have absolutely no role to play in any militant or insurgency related operation in the mentioned areas, so it’s totally unfair of them to oppose just because conventionally it has been so. They have done their job so meticulously that no right thinking person would ever forget their contribution. In a democratic setup every one has a right to their views but in case of the army it’s so surprising to see an institution which has brought laurels to the country opposing such a people friendly move. You can’t have different yard sticks for similar people. You had close to around a million odd tourists visiting Kashmir this year for vacation and If this is not an indication that things have improved I wonder what it. I have yet to come across any tourist who would visit a place which is not safe; I feel it’s time for some retrospection. One should understand that here is a Chief Minster who against all odds wants to revoke a law which at many times has been used against innocent people. These armed forces are armed with impunity under the draconian Armed Forces Special Powers Act, and their acts are beyond the purviews of the judiciary or the state government. Everyone who believes in democracy and the rights of a common man should cut across party ideology and affiliation and support the decision of Omar Abdullah.

Some people may think demanding repeal of AFSPA gets them the shame of sympathizing with the insurgents and thereby making themselves unpopular among the people in India. Some politicians, when they do not dig into the subject may not like to risk their career by getting into controversies. These fears are far from reality and are unfounded. A politician with some amount of social and political commitment to the people of Jammu and Kashmir should spare some time to study the ill effects of AFSPA and I am sure this will help them to free themselves from these fears and lead the movement to bring lasting peace to this trouble torn region. There is a new hope that the region will see a new era of peace and cooperation.

Give me peace and I will revoke this law was what Omar Abdullah had promised. The state is much peaceful and some semblance of normalcy is visible everywhere. The Hon. CM fulfilled his promise when he announced that he will revoke this law before the Durbar Move reopens. Credibility is the virtue that people judge their leaders from. We haven’t had a leader all these years who would so fearlessly express himself. The decision of Omar Abdullah in revoking the draconian law should be treated more as a movement to help people live a better life, a life of peace, dignity, progress, and not against any individual or an institution. We live in free India and if we can’t raise a voice against the happenings around us we hardly live. I am sure in days to come sanity will prevail among people who have reservations against lifting of this law and they will understand that it’s a step towards a peaceful and prosperous Kashmir. For all those people who dream of a peaceful and Naya Kashmir then this is just a beginning of whole lot of CBM’s that will unfold in times to come. If you are a Kashmiri, this should be one of those proud moments we all always waited for.

END OF GADAFFI

The protests of Anna Hazare took over the entire Indian media but not many in Kashmir were enthusiastic about the happenings in Ramleela. Normally, I have seen very healthy debates in Kashmir about the events across the world but I guess Anna Hazare hasn’t made an impact on the masses. Lately, one could see people discussing, Egypt, Tunisia, Syria and Yemen with an element of sobriety. Since last night I might have seen almost everyone I know, glued to the TV curious to k

now about the happening in Libya. It’s quite a mixed response actually and some people support him even till now, ask them why? and pat comes the reply, “Col. Gadhafi stunned the UN General Council by mentioning Kashmir in his speech, how many leaders have done that? After that speech he was an instant hit among a section of the society but at the same time many see him as a tyrant who unleashed a reign of terror on his own people, whatever the truth only time will tell.

Inspired by the Arab uprising, when the fight for Libya began from Ben Ghazi, not many thought that rebels would put such a fight. As things started unfolding and rebels advanced from one city to another it seemed apparent that the Pro-Gadhafi forces were losing ground. From Benghazi to Tripoli it has been a very slow and steady battle but on Saturday when Libyan rebels claimed that their men

in Tripoli were just waiting for the right time to strike very few believed them but soon after dawn that promise was put to test when they launched their “"Operation Mermaid Dawn" – the nickname for Tripoli – from a mosque close to the city. When the attack started, the rumors were rife that all the mosques were chanting anti-Gadhafi slogans even though those mosques were fired at by the pro-establishment forces. Later in the day, as the imminence of the rebel advance became clear, opposition forces came out elsewhere. News channels quote prominent opposition members confirming that rebels had been storing weapons for several weeks for this final strike.Although rumors swirled among opposition supporters both in Tripoli and abroad that Gadhafi and his family had fled, few gave them much credence. Whatever happens in the next few days will be crucial and very important for Libya. It would not be easy for the NATO forces to tame the rebels who now feel they can conquer anything in their way. It would be a huge task. The repeated appeal made by world leaders to Col. Gadhafi to relinquish power is not only political in nature but also very important in terms of a peaceful and prosperous Libya. The Libyan society is divided into tribes and communities and it will not be a cake walk for the NTC to govern the country without some tactical support from the tribes that are pro-Gadhafi. Say if Gadhafi is granted asylum in any of the neighboring country he can organize well coordinated attacks in future only to make Libya uncertain and chaoticAnd finally, the NATO and allied forces have to convince Col. Gadhafi to make an appeal to his followers and supporters to give up resistance and fall in line to see a democratic Libya after 40 years, failing which this would just mark the beginning of the long drawn civil war in the streets of Libya.

A curse called domestic violence!

It was almost midnight that I received a call from a party activist Shahid who wanted to meet me. I was surprised and while looking at the watch I told him to come in the morning and before I could hang up he told me that he was outside my house. I asked the guard to let him in sensing something was majorly not right. As soon as I walked inside the meeting room I saw around a dozen men and women totally distressed with tears in their eyes. One of the male members started the horrifying tale of yet another victim of domestic violence. The story was so extremely shocking that it sends shivers down my spine even today. It was with a sense of dismay that I heard the story about Muzaffar Ahmed the husband and Syed Dua the wife (names changed). The narration by the family of Syed Dua took around one hour as they unfolded the series of events one after another. I could see those grim faces as one of the members from the group was narrating this tale. It really was painful and sad. I consoled them a bit and made them comfortable before listening to them again.
It started a day earlier before Syed Dua was brutally murdered by her husband. Muzzafar had come to collect his wife who had been at her maternal home for a few weeks. The whole family was surprised to see him wanting to take her back. After continuous pestering the family agreed to send the girl with the husband as he insisted that he wanted to take her to attend a marriage function of a relative. After leaving the house Muzzafar took his wife to his own house instead to the wedding with an excuse that he had some work. The whole house was empty and Muzzafar choose the timing very cleverly. According to Syed Dua’s family, Muzaffar took her inside the room and started beating her ruthlessly; I am told that a young girl who was playing on the road went inside the house after hearing the cries of Dua for help. Muzzafar took the young girl inside and put her in one of the corners before again beating his wife. The gruesome murder that followed is beyond my comprehension. To be precise, Muzzafar took a knife slit her both wrists first, as she screamed in agony he stabbed her twice. According to that young girl the victim was still alive and begging for mercy. Muzzafar did not relent and hit the final blow into her chest. I’m told that the knife pierced through her heart had come out from the other side. What is more shocking is when Muzaffar tried to take out the murder weapon out of her chest it was so deeply penetrated that the wooden handle just popped out instead of the knife . I was stunned to listen to all this and believe you me I stood up from my chair and couldn’t just react.
The murderer was finally arrested after a couple of weeks from outside the state and I was told that he didn’t have any remorse. Like me, many of the readers may wonder why did he kill her and maybe we would never know the real truth but whatever may be the reason, as they say, when a human dies so dies the humanity. This is one such incident of domestic violence among thousands of them happening without any reasons even while I write.
I feel, if any man hits his wife even once, the marriage is over. The misrepresentation of the Quran to validate spousal abuse is itself a crime. The famous ayah using the term daraba means to travel, to get out, to strike, to set up, to give examples, to take away/ignore, to condemn, to seal, to cover, to explain, to turn away as the last of three measures to take against one’s wife, most likely for some heinous crime resulting in a divorce. In the Qur'an, it has a diverse connotation depending on the context. For example, it means to ‘strike out’ on a journey, and in the phrase ‘daraba Allah mathalan, it means ‘Allah gives or sets as an example.’ I believe the translation "set an example" could certainly apply to this verse. It’s the husband who sets the examples to his wife on how she should behave. I don't think the right translation for daraba is 'hit', since the Qur'an does not encourage domestic violence. On the contrary, there are quite a few verses that command a respectful and kind treatment towards women.
Unfortunately, domestic violence is very much alive and thriving in our society. Usually by the time the physical abuse starts in a relationship, the emotional and psychological abuse has already destroyed all the dignity of the victim. Even today, there are still groups of people who have the mindset that women are not equal to men and are just sexual objects.
This week’s headlines was way too encouraging when I heard that the Omar lead Government has notified that Provisions of J&K Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act shall come into force immediately. Before even the act is enforced we have to change our mindset and agree upon that Domestic violence does exist and is a major problem in our society. It knows no racial, religious, gender, or educational boundaries. I believe as responsible citizens we do have the power and the ability to build a society in which we honour women. I know it’s easier said than done, but we can try it. We can start by educating the new generations. We need Intellectuals and prominent citizens who are willing to contribute. We need trained policemen who know that "domestic violence" victims have to be dealt with carefully. We need agencies that will address homelessness and poverty. We need legislators who understand that such a thing needs funding and stringent laws.
And finally, when you next look towards your daughter, sister mother or wife think about someone out there who is or has been a victim of domestic violence and needs help, It’s a challenge for all of us to break the silence, turn disbelief into anger, change defencelessness into encouragement and convert resignation into educated action. If nothing else, after reading this piece kiss the forehead of your mother, sister, daughter or wife, and thank them for all they have done or have been doing all along against all odds. Do this to reiterate that they are Allah’s Rehmat to the mankind.

MAKE SRINAGAR CITY A FREE WIFI ZONE

It was a windy forenoon and I decided to drive upto Dachigam, the more I visit that place the more it mesmerizes me. As usual I took some pictures and wanted to upload them on Internet but the slow connection somehow didn’t allow me to do so. At that moment an Idea of turning Srinagar City into a Wifi- Zone just struck me. In the modern world people eat, drink and sleep internet, this could turn out to be a wonderful facility not only for the locals but also for the tourists. Public Wi-Fi hotspots are nothing new; of course they have been at the Airports, coffee houses, and tourist destination for several years. The concept of free wi-fi is growing faster than ever in this contemporary world and news of new cities planning such a facility pour in every day. In perhaps the most trouble torn state in the world, where tourism has shown a very positive sign its significance is hard to miss.
It was wonderful to know that Gulmarg has been turned into such a zone and if I am not incorrect its free as well. If such a facility is provided to the Srinagar City it will mean that the City people will be able to connect to the Web anywhere and at any time. They will be able to send an e-mail while traveling in a bus, chat while taking a Shikara Ride or conduct a free internet-based Skype phone call to anyone in the world. I know it’s difficult but not impossible, there will be security issues, cyber crime issues and a whole lot of fingers pointing towards such a proposal including the opposition from the very influential lobby of 3G providers but as they say what should be done must be done. Everyone in order to avail this facility would have to register either individually or in a group. Say a Shikara Wala, a House Boat owner or a Hotelier will be authorized and on their unique code provided by the service provider the tourists will be able to enjoy the web access on nominal rates, Similarly, the general public will have to show some kind of identity to register individually. The rates could be a matter of debate and it could be seen how far the government goes to subsidize the web access. Should users be charged according to connection speed or according to usage? These are some of the questions that could be decided later .We could certainly learn a lesson or two from scores of cities that are now offering – or planning to offer - citywide wireless access to the web.
These networks will not come cheap. Apart from technological failures the cost could be high but eventually it could turn out to be a high revenue generating proposition. I understand it would not be a cake walk for our IT department but it wouldn’t be a complex issue either. They will have to join a network of hundreds of wifi Hot Spots which could be scattered across the city and hard wired into a digital network. The city’s major attraction could be taken up in a phased manner, say Mughal Gardens, the whole of DAL lake , Hazratbal Mosque, the Boulevard Road and off course the Lal Chowk area could be taken up first. My own experience has been very successful, I have installed a WI-FI system at my home and believe me it’s such a relief, I could take my Ipad anywhere in the house or the garden and very leisurely enjoy surfing the net. On a lighter note whenever my Brother Tabir calls me on Skype from America I even show him the road outside my house. I can’t complain because honestly since the day I have installed the Wi-fi system it has really been helpful.
A techie friend of mine who lives in US had told me once about this and I laughed at him saying why the city municipality would provide such a service, But in San Fransico they did it and now almost half of European cities have followed later. If I had my way I would suggest our IT department or the government to follow the San Francisco pattern, with their proposal the city not only owns all the equipment, network but also controls the same. There may be issues of Cyber Criminals who could carry out an attack but since it’s based on radio signals they can be easily detected and shown when an unauthorised user tunes into the same frequency , Even in India the Cyber city of Pune I am told is a free Wifi Zone . We could always solicit ideas from all the people, organisation, corporate houses, people related with tourism and take their valuable suggestion about how the networks would be built, who could use them and who would pay for them.
And finally, It’s a very win win combination when we have a young IT Minister and a Chief Minister who wants to turn this state into an IT hub. Such an Idea will not only boost the tourism Industry but also give a helping hand to our police department by way of remote surveillance. Haven’t we heard on the Idiot Box, that an Idea can change our lives? Here, I hope it changes for the betterment of our beloved city. The Srinagar City.

Save this for posterity

SAVE DAL LAKE

FOR GOD's GREEN EARTH DON’T LET THE DAL LAKE BE ONLY ON THE POSTCARD SOON,

I don’t know how it is with the youth of my age in the rest of the World. I think it is a universal phenomenon

that when you start growing up, looking at something all the time, it becomes a part of that process of growth. Then at one stage you start identifying yourself with it as if it were a part of your existence. It could be tulips in Holland( and now in botanical garden), the freezing winters in Russia, The night life in Las Vegas, The Chimes of Big Ben, The Statute of Liberty, the Taj Mahal, the Times Square in Manhattan or the Pyramids.

It could be anything anywhere. A child around suddenly recognizes the smiling face of his mother, becomes aware of his surroundings, his tender feet start enjoying the tickling sensation of green grass, the warmth of mother earth and then the joy of walking and running. It is the time to explore and see Nature and try to blend with it. One no more needs his mother to hold him back on the bank of a river or his dad nervously telling him not to climb a tree. His legs take him everywhere and everywhere and his mind starts registering nature.

I still remember how fearful I was when I first jumped into the bosom of Dal Lake. Will I get drowned? Will the weeds entangle me and someone will find my body floating next day. There were all kinds of apprehensions and thoughts, but Dal turned out to be like a mother. Cool and loving. Always offering something to please me and never asking for anything in return. It became a ritual. Whenever I would come home for a vacation, I would hire a boat and peddle upto Char Chinari. Buy cucumbers, radish or Pambacch (the lotus seeds in season) or take a bite of raw crisp nadroo. It was the time when people had started complaining that Dal was being vandalized and that it was gradually dying because of the greed of the people and apathy of the Government.

I returned to Srinagar in 1996. I was warned not to go for swimming alone. Everything was weird. Everything smelt of corpuses and gunpowder. Occasionally people would fish dead bodies from the lake, but nothing deterred me from not visiting Dal, not swimming and not riding a boat but when I came home, there was a sense of pain and anguish, dismay and anger. Dal was choked. Greenish-blue water had turned murky, weeds had taken over and encroachments and unplanned construction activity had ruined the entire coastline. Why is the Government so callous? Why isn’t someone doing something to save it. Why aren’t the people raising their voices against this slow death inflicted on this water body? Too many questions, but no answers.

We are repeatedly told that the water body has shrunken from 21 square KM to just 11 Sq. Kilometers. The State takes pride that it has already spent several hundred crores since the Dal Project was envisaged in the 70s. What has this enormous sum been spent on? Well, on dismembering all the limbs and arteries of the Lake. No body asks why did they have to construct the foreshore Road and further decrease the lake area by several kilometers. Was it to please the land Mafia who bought the entire land overnight outside the foreshore demarcated area with the hope that someday they will be allowed to turn it into another boulevard. They would construct more hotels, more guest houses and tall structures and get richer. Nobody talks of the original lay out where no building was to hinder the view of the Shankar Acharaya Hill. My father used to tell me that the autocratic Maharaja is on record having instructed his planners that the moment you turn towards the Boulevard, one should get an uninterrupted view right upto Chashma Shahi. Our democratic rulers plunder ecology and environment with impunity. Bureaucratic vultures do the rest. Convention Complex, Centaur Hotel, commercialization of Boulevard are all instances of a deliberate destruction process of the lake. Hundreds of new house boats were allowed to be constructed despite a ban on. They claim to have spent enormous sums on saving the lake but how much has really gone into the development or preservation of the lake nobody knows. The main sources of pollution are the HouseBoats within the lake body. During the past 28 years, nobody has come up with a solution about dealing with this menace. Multi storey buildings and hotels are another nuisance. Nobody dare raise a finger against their clout. The norm should have been that you pay for the damage you are causing to the lake. Boat owners have a strong lobby but the majority of people living in the lake is dumb and meek. It is a pathetic situation and neither our so-called Human Rights activists nor the champions of environment have shown any concern for them..

We have committed sacrilege of nature by destroying the entire catchment area, I am told the entire sewage and sewerage of the Centaur and the SKICC flows into the Lake body because the treatment plant constructed at a cost of several crores is not functional for want of funds. The siltation continues un-abated and so does the inflow of harmful nutrients and chemicals. My father as chairman of the house committee for Dal Lake used to shout from the mountaintops about the impending disaster. Nobody was prepared to listen. Deafness is total.

I hope all my apprehension are proved wrong and I’m told that I’m not updated about the present status of Dal Lake otherwise why would a team come all the way from Rajastan to emulate our conservation plan? Our fore fathers gifted Kashmir to us in pristine condition, would it not be selfish of us not to pass it along so future generations can have their chance to enjoy it as well? If we don't make hard decisions now, the answer is very obvious that we are not interested. I don’t doubt the sincerity of the present dispensation but If you want to see what Dal is all about find a Postcard printed by our own Department of Tourism in the 70s and see my point! But for god green earth don’t let The Dal Lake be only on the postcard soon.

We'll miss you Papa!

MY FATHER SHOWED AS MUCH STRENGTH AND GRACE AS HE DID WITH HIS FAMILY LIFE AND POLITICS AS HE DID WHEN BATTLING FOR HIS LIFE,

It was a chilly April afternoon that I arrived in Srinagar from abroad. As soon as I came out of the airport

, I could feel the chill and had to wear my jacket. Suddenly my driver came f

rom behind and as he greeted me the first thing he asked me to my surprise was if I wanted to go home or visit the hospital. I smiled and even before I could ask him why, he told me that Dad had been hospitalised. The whole excitement of visiting Kashmir just fizzled out and for a moment weird thoughts started creeping in my mind. Why? How? I kept on asking myself but could not muster the courage to call my family and ask them. I got into my car when suddenly my phone rang and it was my brother Taseer “Dad is stable but very weak; they have not been able to diagnose what the real cause of sudden spurt of fever is, Tanvir , it’s the same thing again that was happening last year”, he said. I didn’t want to ask him all the details and told him that I will drive straight to the Skims. My phone started ringing one after another and concerned friends and my relatives were trying to console me. As a son I started losing my cool and I just couldn’t and may be didn’t want to accept that my father was serious.

I switched my cell phone off and while looking out of the window I could relate myself to everyone who have faced similar situations. I was trying to convince myself that he is ok and why not? He just got his heart surgery done in August. This made me recollect everything that I and my family had to face last year in January when my father got suddenly ill. The fever wouldn’t subside for 15 days. After admitting him at the SKIMS for a few days we were advised by the doctors to take him to Delhi for further consultation. I am thankful to Mr. Omar Abdullah, who decided that he should be taken to Medcity Gurgaon. He personally ensured that we were being attended nicely, and was keeping track of all the happenings. Even his political secretary would call me hourly to get updates. As a Chief Minister, we understand his busy schedule but inspite of that he made sure that my father was being treated well. The process of Investigation, procedures, tests, x-rays, CT-Scan, started. The ordeal seemed never-ending until one of the doctor came up with an idea that since they cannot confirm the cause of his illness they would treat him for a common chronic infection. They started him on a very high dose of steroids and thankfully for a short period his fever started subsiding. This got us excited and why not? The fever had started subsiding after 3 months. He was discharged with a lengthy prescription and we decided to head back home. After a couple of weeks his face, hands and feet got swollen which the doctor insisted were the side effects of the medicine. My father was never convinced so he decided to visit Dr. Allaqband, who was surprised by the treatment and dosage. Days passed by and dad started becoming weaker and losing weight. We did not want to take any chances and so we decided to take him to Delhi again and admitted him to Max Hospital for a second opinion. Yet again a series of tests started and the doctors finally confirmed that his heart has a problem and a Valve obstruction needed immediate surgical intervention. We forgot the earlier problem and a new one started. After frantic discussion, we decided to get him operated under a well known cardiothoracic surgeon Dr Anil Bhan, who reluctantly agreed to operate upon him. After looking at his condition, I remember Dr.Bhan calling me to his chambers and telling me to either take him home as his condition is too bad or you guys will have to really fight. Either ways, it’s a very serious case and not many patients make it”. In a situation where even the doctors are unsure, at-least puts us in a position to think that if we don’t do this he will definitely die but if we pursue than he has chances of surviving.

After around 17 days in the hospital they decided to operate upon him. I remember while they were taking him inside the operation theatre he smilingly said, “Don’t worry I will make it, I have to for your mum and all you emotional people”. The Open heart surgery took around 6 hours with a double valve replacement and we were told that we can only see him the next day. At 2 am a visibly worried Surgeon came out and told us, “Sadiq Sahab, has started bleeding from the chest and its internal. We have to open him up again”. Strange thoughts started coming to my mind, maybe he is already dead? May be he passed away in the operation theatre? Or simply they were just buying time. While these thoughts were haunting me I thought that we should finally tell our mother to be ready. As soon as I opened the door of the attendant lounge for women, I saw my mother reciting “Quran” while everyone else was in deep sleep. I just couldn’t hold myself strong enough to tell her what has happened. I just couldn’t, I just hoped that God doesn’t let her down. Dad survived and started recuperating. He showed as much strength and grace as he did with his family life and politics as he did when battling for his life. He provided yet another great example of a fighter. Apart from giving due share to the doctors I have a very strong belief that it was the divine intervention that made my father come back from the death bed.

The journey from the Airport to the Hospital took ages. I finally reached the emergency side of the SKIMS and saw people as usual pushing and pulling each other, so many people who need medical care and just one super speciality hospital. What a relief it was to see dad, and I just can’t explain the joy I felt when he kissed me and said, “I thought I would never see you again”. Unfortunately that was the last time he spoke. I stayed with him the whole night, held his hand, I wanted him to talk to me once more but my father didn’t open his eyes. I just kept on looking at his face, He lay their silent with his eyes closed. The feeling that my father was lying on the bed with absolute silence is so painful that one can but only imagine. We were not ready for his death, nobody is. I will not blame the doctors for any medical negligence even though none of us are satisfied because till the last day the doctors were experimenting. They could not figure out the correct diagnosis. I guess his time had come. We just lost to God’s will. Losing a father is the biggest loss anyone can have. We lost a friend, a guide, a philosopher. If given a chance I would change the past and not leave my father alone even for a few seconds. We lost a father but in him we also lost a man of incredible honesty, a poet, a philosopher, environmentalist, writer, a true public man, an intelligent legislator and someone who was loved even by his adversaries. He stood tall for his principles, never gave in for petty politics. Everyone who visited our house had his or her incredible story to narrate about him. I know he will never return, but if Dad you are reading this, we are so very proud of you! You have been a great inspiration to the family and to so many people. You lived so that you left a lot more behind than an imprint on a tombstone or an obituary in a newspaper. It’s been an absolute honour to be known as your son, we love you Papa, and will always miss you. May Allah grant you place in Jannat-ul-Firdous. Aameen.

Welcome 2011

Hope is the key to a new year

My niece had a project on the life of Helen Keller and luckily I got to study her book . Helen Keller was an extra ordinary women who in spite of being blind and deaf, who against overwhelming odds , grew into a highly intelligent and sensitive woman who wrote, spoke, and labored incessantly for the betterment of others. A symbol of triumph over adversity she showed the world the power of faith and determination. She will be long remembered in the histor of our time and of times to come. While going through her book I came across one of her quotes, “It is wonderful how much time good people spend fighting the devil. If they would only expend the same amount of energy loving their fellow men, the devil would die in his own tracks of ennui” this was enough for me to think about the new year resolutions which many of us still believe in. When I think of our lives I see almost everyone complaining about their Jobs, their future, studies, rich -poor and never think about others who have absolutely nothing to fall back upon.

Like every year, new year is here. Yes, that time of year is upon us again. For people who believe in it, plan so much . We usually on January 1, resolve to be good to everyone including ourselves. We'll eat healthier, we'll make our lifestyles more sustainable, we'll be more restrained, we all hope that this year will be better then the previous one, but looking back I am sure many of you will agree that 2011 has its own excess baggage from the previous years. So much has happened around the world in 2010 that it will take one full book to write. In Kashmir its not only sad but painful to recall the events that unfolded. Today’s kashmir is synonymous to strikes , curfews and bloodshed . Not a day goes by when we don’t hear stories as such. It’s difficult to understand the psyche of an average person what he really wants. From observing a total shutdown for 4 months to speaking overwhelmingly against it. The human values don’t matter now, privacy is a thing of past. Only with little amazement we ask each other “ How many lives have we lost today”. Inspite of knowing that some agencies are watching over us , listening to our conversation, taping our phone , hacking our emails we just live our lives.

New Year has always been a time for looking back to the past, and more importantly, forward to the coming year. It's a time to reflect on the changes we want or need to make and resolve to follow through on those changes. So on a lighter note, I remember when I was too young my parents would tell me that whatever you do on the first day of the year will reflect upon the whole year, so I would gladly do a few things like giving some money in charity, buying new clothes, opening my text books hoping to study well, eating chocolates until I decided to lose some extra kilo’s and do whole lot of things that the English dictionary calls “ positive” . I continue to follow my established practice but its just that the desperation to have a better life is much higher then it ever was when we were young school going kids and the toughest part of our lives was our homework. This reminds me of my childhood, I remember we had this wonderful Kashmiri Pandit teacher who would tutor us everyday after school, me and my brothers would stand on the window at exact 5 in the afternoon praying to god that he doesn’t show up and when god would think otherwise and the teacher would finally appear our hearts would sink. The first thing he would do is to get “soy” the kashmiri word for Poison Ivy or nettles, although it looks funny now but so scary was the teacher that we would make it a point that our home work is complete even before he would step in. Those were the days and I miss them with every passing day and I am sure many others out there would do too .

Carrying on the second important thing about the new year is that I never start it with a grudge so I’ll contact people who I had arguments with and apologize if I think I offended the other person. It makes you feel way too better, Try it and I am sure you will feel the satisfaction. Make sure you’re moving into the new year with a clean conscience. The gist of this point is simple: don’t carry any negative emotional baggage over to the New Year. We are people of enormous potential. Nothing is impossible in the new year if you have the heart for it. What you want is to make it happen and start rolling.

Enough already with the resolutions! I’m sure you've been there, done that, got things working and sometimes if it still doesn’t work, that is not the end of the world. We should know that no matter how hard it is , no matter how difficult it seems, there is always light at the end of every tunnel. We should know that every one in this world is here for a purpose. It is our world and its only us who can and should make it a better place to live in. Like someone rightly said and I would like to repeat those three words to myself: glass half full. Just to remind myself to be grateful for everything I have. That’s what will count in 2011 and the many more years to come. As i see the snow capped mountains around me I only hope that the new year brings us our share of much needed snow. Here is me wishing you all a very happy, peaceful and prosperous 2011.

http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/2011/Jan/2/welcome-2011-1.asp