A Tribute to a father from a son.

Papa, A year without you !
It was an early morning our home phone rang. I was too lazy to move even an inch but since no one was around I had to drag myself to take the call. Hello? Can I speak with Sadiq? In a very frail voice I answered yes, who is this? I am Arun Mehta from Mumbai. Immediately my eyes went wide open and I responded with, One minute uncle!  I ran towards my father’s room and told him to pick the receiver as the Former Home Minister, a very close friend of my dad was calling. I was not happy because I had this weird feeling that the call was for me. My hunch was true I was confirmed for an admission into a college in Mumbai and had to leave the next week. Leaving my friends, family and home was too heartbreaking. I was upset and wanted the world to end. Anybody at that age would feel the same way. Sensing something wrong my father decided to accompany me to Mumbai. He must have felt that I was upset or emotionally disturbed. I joined my college still home sick and totally devastated. The weather was as horrible as it could get. I would change my T-shirt every hour. I guess I was looking for an excuse not to be there, I was not ready to live alone without my parents, I never had. One day before my father was about to leave for Kashmir, he took me to a nice Chinese Restaurant at Colaba, over a nice meal of prawns and grilled Salmon, he spoke about his childhood, his struggle, how he would walk all the way from Rainwari to SP college only because he wanted to study but my grandfather wanted him to join the family business. I was amazed with all the stories. Any son or daughter would be excited to see their father sharing stories of his childhood. It was a mix of fun, humour and intellect. A message to me about how cruel the world can get. We chatted for long until suddenly he looked at me, held my hand and told me. “Montu” (my nick name), “everyone has come into this world alone and everyone will go alone. I will die one day and so will everyone, you know. The world moves on and doesn’t stop for anyone. You are here to study, to make a name, to earn a living. Even though it would pain your mother as much as it would to me for sending you away but remember we would only do this for your betterment. When you become a father you will do the same for your children and they for theirs. You will understand this long after I am gone. This world is like Shakespeare puts it “A theater, a stage where everyone is a character, plays his role and leaves! only to be replaced by another one. He kissed me and we walked out of the restaurant. It didn’t help much and I knew, no matter how much drama I may put in he won’t let me come back. Today, when I recollect the events anyone who has lost a father would very well understand what a role model a father is to his sons.
I am the youngest of my brothers and my father was fond of me. He would always say to me, the house looks so empty when he doesn’t hear my vocal chords rumbling. He was there for me, for us and everyone always. I am sure as sons and daughters of fathers and mothers everyone has one or many incidents about their parents, incident that remain with them till their existence. Similarly as a son there are so many events that remind me of him every day, every minute and every second but there is one such incident I may never ever forget and would want to share. 
It was a fine morning and we all were sitting in on the breakfast table when suddenly I started screaming. I got this excruciating pain in my abdomen. I was in agony and the pain was unbearable. I felt like someone had poured molten lava into my stomach. Dr. Taseer, my brother sensing something serious decided to immediately take me to the SKIMS. Carrying me on the stretcher they finally found a doctor who leisurely and reluctantly injected almost 3 pain killer injections into me but somehow the pain wouldn’t stop. What started as cramps or spasms resulted into a major worry for me and my family. In the next 24 hours I was on the operation table. It’s an emergency, said Dr. Umar Javaid Shah, looking at my father. I have to operate upon him immediately as his gallbladder has become gangrenous, he might go into septicemia. If that happens he won’t survive. Like a helpless father, visibly shaken & terrified he pleaded the doctor to save me. The post surgery was horrendous; they did an endoscopy many times but failed too, until I literally passed out. Next morning when I woke up I slowly opened my eyes feeling a little wetness on my feet. As I struggled to look down, I was taken aback to see my father tightly holding my feet in his arms and crying like a baby. I couldn’t take that. My father was a strong man, always stood strong like a rock, seen many ups and downs but never gave up. But today the sight of his son, pale, sick and seriously ill broke him. I would tell him to stop crying but he would literally beg me to fight and not give up. His words were stronger than any medicine and even though the doctors had given up, I with the blessing of my father and mother was up and discharged from the hospital in two months.
I must have been a toddler but I remember that once papa tricked me by being motionless and someone told me he is dead and won’t come back ever. I did not stop crying for 2 days even though he made me understand that it was a joke. I may have been tricked then but that incident had such an impact on me that even after decade or so later I would wake up early in the morning, sneak into his room slowly check if he was breathing and even at times gaze at him for a couple of minutes to see whether his belly went up and down. Shukur-Allah, I would tell myself and slowly move out. When my father was admitted into the hospital and put on the ICU monitor that checks the vitals, I would after every beep take a closer look at his belly and close my eyes in contained happiness thanking god that he is ok. The next day while I was looking at him and recalling all the happy moments I spent with him, I would look at his face and as a son something within me would scream in desperation asking my dad to open his eyes and smile at us. Any child would give all his riches and comforts to be besides his father. I knew his death was going to shatter my mother and my brothers. This thought of mine was interrupted by a loud beep as all the doctors came running. The moment I always feared even as a child had come. My father lay there silent and motionless. I got up from the chair and stepped back. A small little gap was visible between the doctors pointing towards his belly. I closed my eyes as tears came rolling down. Our father, our friend and my hero was gone and so had our hope.  
May his blessing shower on us always.  Please recite Sura’h Fatiha for his soul.

Link to the article published in the GREATER KASHMIR

"Reflections": To be a woman!

"Reflections": To be a woman!:

Some people even though you haven't met , you haven't seen or may be don't even know, but they reflect a certain character. A character that gets respect without any reason. I used to think does ones writing or way of expressing really explain the person. My apt reply now would be, Hellya!

This Blog happens to be one of those that may not have the world class format but it does touch your soul. As if the soul finds a nirvana. I'm thankful to the Blogger who gave me the permission to Blog her write-up & what better then about a "Woman" who comes in your life as a mother, a wife , a friend and a philosopher. When we talk about women, In my opinion only one great personality comes to my mind, Hazrat Bibi Fathima ( Salamulahialai ), who should be a role model for every woman. No one can forget her contribution to the mankind, she raised her children in the form of Imam Hassan (AS) & Imam Hussain (AS), to eventually be the saviours of Islam.


and here it goes...

"Reflections": To be a woman!:
by Bintulhuda Rizvi.

What is the bravest thing to be in your opinion? What is the biggest challenge you could take up? Something you could be proud of. Something only you can be! I will tell you what.......To be a woman!!!

Yes,being a woman is the bravest,proudest,most unique thing you can be!

You are born to be a door to the heavens for them who give you birth. You live to make every life you touch a blessing. A woman can smile when no one expects her to. A woman will smile when no one can. A woman can bear what no one can imagine! A woman can be anything she chooses to be.

A woman will give up her whole existence for the smile on the face of the ones she loves. A woman can kill her heart most willingly. A woman will make you what no one will. A woman can destroy you like no other. A woman will keep quiet when she can make everyone shut up,not because she cant but because she knows better! A woman can speak when no one else will dare. A woman can hide inside her oceans. A woman can bear on her heart the weight of a mountain.

A woman leaves a mark at every step she takes, at every life she touches! Heavens she beckons when she takes birth and heavens lie at her feet when she gives birth!!!

The bravest thing I have been is a woman!.....and I am proud of it!

My Beautiful Kashmir !

Landscape

It was almost twelve o’ clock and I was about to go to bed when I opened the window. To my utter surprise the whole garden, roof tops, anything that I could see was covered with a thick blanket of snow. There’s a saying that the joy a person experiences at seeing something is inversely proportionate to their age, but honestly for me I have enjoyed the snow very much the same way as I did when I was a kid. For me snow is the best thing about winter, and watching snow fall is mesmerising and magical. If you live somewhere that has a snow fall then you would know how the pulse races when you see snowflakes coming down.

It’s not only exciting but soothing to eyes; the first thing that possibly comes to anyone’s mind after seeing snow is; “Now the winter is complete”.

We have an outdoor kitchen with Fibre glassed roof, so this winter I was able to keep warm while watching the white flakes tumble past.For me it has the same effect as looking at the stars in Pahalgam on a cloudless night: there is sense of mystery and a feeling of bond with the universe, and awe at its majesty.

I was talking to my elders and they were sharing their experiences about previous winters and I was surprised to know that they thought this “Chila-i-Kalan” has been much colder than any other winter in the past two decades. Well, I couldn’t agree more as I experienced it first hand, our water tank froze completely, and the huge pipes connected to it burst open. The pine tree branches covered with snow had almost touched the ground. As if that was not enough even the petrol cars refused to start. After all this complaining, when you take a deep breath and see how captivating the whole place and the surroundings are, you ignore all the hardships, and enjoy what Allah has bestowed upon us. We may complain about everything that winter brings with it but remember snow is a blessing. Mysticism teaches us that in this universe nothing is without a meaning and that everything you see around has a spiritual equivalent. Like a teardrop is a way to express human emotion anger is an expression of subdued energy. Thus snow is a channel of energy; a voice so divine that your bodily senses can feel them as if it’s talking to us.Next morning, as the day passed, I came to know that everything has come to a standstill, the electricity was gone due to some technical problems, the National Highway connecting Kashmir to the rest of the country was closed due to landslides, airport closed for days, traffic ground to a halt, this is when I decided to try my photography skills that I learnt from my Dad, I must have been a toddler but I have vivid memories of my Dad shooting us with his “Minolta”, a very popular camera those days and he would just wait for the right frame to click us, that’s how I know a bit about photography. I did click some pictures and I am sure if the space allows you would enjoy some of them, the idea is to take us all on a virtual tour of our street, lakes in its chilly glory.

I tucked myself with a heavy jacket, got my snow boots on and decided that I would try and walk myself upto Nishat through the interiors of Dal Lake and then eventually drive from there. If one has to see the beauty of Dal Lake at anytime of the year then going through interiors is a “must go”. With vast open spaces, lush green surroundings, natural springs and rich bird life it has a unique blend of urban and the rural. The pure and pristine waters of Dal and Nagin wash its shores. It has a different texture, a different hue and is ecologically perhaps the most harmonious area in the City throughout the year. So my first destination was the interiors of the Dallake. While carefully walking on a crumbling floating garden we reached a part of the lake which was totally frozen from where we reached Soth, a short cut the Moguls had built to reach the Nishat Bagh and other gardens under the foothill. It reminds us of Kashmir’s historical past, its great cultural legacy and Kashmiriyat in a living form. There is a beautiful existing Mogul Bridge at Naidyar with three arches and that must be the only surviving one of its type in the Valley. They say Mughals used to use that as the base-camp whenever they would go for a boat ride or hunting.

The Hazratbal Mosque popularly known as “Dargah” looked absolutely amazing and calm. The more one would look at it the more divine it seemed. The mighty Himalayas looked so beautiful, the Charchinari (Four Chinars), the startling Nishat Bagh, everything had a meaning, it looked so scenic, more like a dream come true for an artist, a photographer or a tourist. The strong presence of the Himalayan ranges which surround you, the amazing Lake that reflects everything around, I felt like my soul had found a paradise. The Nishat and Shalimar Gardens, the university campus, the frozen lake of Harwan reservoir, the Boulevard road ,old ‘kadals’, the arches, the little shops, the small dusty windows in the interiors of Dal Lake could indeed be raconteur if they chose to speak. I froze the moments in my camera knowing the pictures really couldn’t do justice to the actual beauty but enough for me to live with a thought that may be many years down the line; I would look at them with a smile, all filled with nostalgia.

Looking at the sky, the shikaras rowing through the frozen lake, ravens flying by, young kids with pink cheeks playing with snow, nothing, absolutely nothing could be better than all this on a cloudy afternoon while walking through a snow covered prairie and observing all this with a white backdrop. It reminded me of an incident when I had to drop my family friends at the airport who had come to visit Kashmir after almost a decade and a half from London, I asked Sarah Mirza, one of the family members how she felt coming back to Kashmir, before I could end my question, I could see tears in her eyes, the impact was quite evident, she told me, Tanvir, The beauty of Kashmir distinctly surpasses any place in the whole world, the grasp of her imagination, eloquence or years. She says, “I left for London as a pre-teen, but the decade I spent in Kashmir, were sufficient to leave a longer lasting impression than I initially realised. The indomitable presence of the Himalayas which surround your person here may be taken for granted by Kashmiris living in Kashmir, but as a Kashmiri who has been robbed of their presence in the flatness of London, I feel like my soul has found a nirvana which it craved for the years spent away. Although London, in her glory can never envisage competing with Srinagar and the natural beauty she has to offer, the one thing which is highly commendable about the Londoners, or the British in fact, is the pride with which they preserve their past. She goes on and adds, “Srinagar, has certainly preserved, imbued and savoured incredible history, for generations, but I feel we need to enthuse restoration to the older parts of the city rather than desertion and destitution. Downtown Srinagar is a fascinating refuge; time seems to have stood still here. It seems to me the Mughal and Kashmiri architects of the past had far greater intuition and aptitude. These artisans’ were certainly better synchronised with the romanticism that surrounded them. They created far greatest tributes to their imagination, than the menial imagination which runs rampant in current architects of the valley. She went on and on so engrossed that she forgot that she was about to leave for London when suddenly a field crew at the airport asked her to proceed for security check. Kashmir has been the highlight of my life, let alone this trip so far. Its paradise and its home. I hope to be back soon. I'll miss cruising in the dead of night through moonlit and abandoned parts of the old city, which heave and creak with character. I'll miss watching sun sets and sunrises, on the banks of lakes and rivers which are dotted all over the city. I’ll miss the warmth. I'll miss experiencing the real Kashmir and I'll be back for more before I take my final bow, said sarah, before entering the security area and they all waving at us. This is how almost all of my family, friends outside the state or country feel about Kashmir.

As it was getting dark I started heading back home not before I realised that this all belonged to us and we are the only people who can preserve the beauty of Kashmir in its original form. I felt like a son being caressed by his mother, a feeling of pride, a feeling of patriotism, a feeling that this is my Kashmir, my beautiful Kashmir. While driving back and watching flakes falling on my front mirror of the car only brought a smile to my face, I slowly opened my window and the feeling of a snowflake coming down and kissing your cheeks is something beyond words. Next time you look at the snowflakes gently dropping from heaven, purifying the earth of its sins, blanketing earth in its white embrace, remember that you are witnessing a kiss – a godly kiss.

Tanvir Sadiq

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

...cruising despair

Good documentaries are not that unusual on television. Distinctive ones are much rarer, while wonderful ones only come along very seldom indeed. I stumbled upon this wonderful documentary yesterday, The "Cruising despair"and am so glad I did. It is a wonderful documentary. It is also a distinctive one, I could not stop from sharing this on my blog.



The closing explains it completely , Whats in store for the future of younger generation , whether they want to be , Leaders , teachers , freedom fighters , scientist or terrorist.

I'd like to express my appreciation & gratitude for the excellent documentary these guys have made . Good Job Mohsin, Mehnaz. Keep it up.

Obama'sVisit

Kashmir has a reason to hope as Obama is the man who made his people believe -

“Yes We Can”

Post 9/11, every Muslim has been the victim of harassment and suspicion all around the globe. Either it is terrorism or radical thinking that the Muslim community is being accused of. I am not a fundamentalist and I know that is precisely what Islam is all about-universal brotherhood, tolerance and coexistence. If some obscurantist radicals are misinterpreting Islam by their un-Islamic acts that does not mean that every Muslim is a terrorist. Whatever is happening in the Muslim world should make us sit up and reflect. Globalization has brought new challenges, new concepts and altogether new managerial dimensions. we may not be able to compete in a world where survival of the fittest will be the maxim. The contours of our tomorrow’s dream State shall have to be redrawn and reshaped. It is possible only if the people so desire. Nobody can do it for them.

When the insurgency surfaced in Indian part of Kashmir, nobody could in his wildest dreams imagine that a Kashmiri could pick up a gun and declare to the whole world that he had lost patience and decided to resort to a violent option after having suffered the indignities and subjugation. I will not go in the genesis of the imbroglio, but one thing is clear, that 21 years of tumult has turned our lives into Hell and traumatized us all. It seems as if our spirits have been stretched too far and perhaps we have reached a breaking point. The disregard, apathy, and dispassion that has kept the solution of Kashmir in the cold storage continues to have serious repercussions on the everyday lives of an average citizen of the trouble torn state and as it prolongs so does the hope. Every family has been affected by the happenings in Kashmir. How long do we have to see more bloodshed, more lives being wasted and more graves being dug out?

After four months of total chaos in Kashmir, the people are hoping that the Obama team will be able to understand the problem of the Kashmiris. You’ll find a cross section of people and even from different political shades keeping their fingers crossed. Leaders from the separatist camp and also the mainstream feel that something might come up with regard to Kashmir. It looks like a majority of Indians want something to be done with Kashmir, they would never want their taxes to be wasted this way. While the peaceful Indian also want a settlement once and for all the radicals are working overtime to downplay the uprising someway or the other. I am sure all the experts will be glued to the idiot box for these few days looking for a statement by Obama team on Kashmir.

In Kashmir, there is a high degree of expectation that an out of box solution is carved out during the visit of President Barrak Obama to India. Too many lives have been lost. Its evident that after fifty two years down the road, there has been nothing concrete except for talks and more talks. Allegations and counter allegations , secret formulas and back track diplomacy. Poor Kashmiris are still waiting with a bated breath what the outcome of these talks are. It was never specified then and it has not been specified now and looks quite evident that unless America doesn’t intervene India and Pakistan alone cannot solve this vexed issue. I’m sure US has its own economic reasons to be friendly with India but it also has an inherent obligation to see that this region is peaceful . They have to address the youth , the younger generation and let them know that they have to compete with the rest of the world in terms of progress and development. Its time to give them the slogan of “Yes We Can”. The Obama team should understand that supporting or encouraging bilateral talks will not work anymore, they have to intervene before its too late . America has to understand that there are hawks on both sides of India and Pakistan who have developed an inherent interest in Kashmir. There is the lure of power, there are kickbacks in defense deals, there are millions to be made if the present uncertainty prevails.

Sanity demands that we turn a new leaf in the region of peace and progress. President Obama’s historic visit has provided this region an opportunity when they can and they should leave behind their past and foster a relationship that improves the quality of life of nearly one and a half billion people of the region.

http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/2010/Nov/7/the-scope-of-hope-19.asp

Kashmir Bleeds

I managed to reach the hospital to enquire about the well being of a friend who had been hospitalised for some abdominal problem. This was inspite of the fact that the whole valley was under relentless curfew and strikes from past two and a half months. Total chaos, anarchy and lawlessness have taken over. Even a steel hearted person would burst into tears while looking back at the events that have taken Kashmir to a stone age. When I compare Kashmir with the rest of the world it seems the only place which has seen so much bloodshed and total economic meltdown but has never been heard the way it should have.

While entering the hospital I could barely find a way in. It looked as if the whole city had gathered here. Screaming, shouting and small fights welcomed me in. I managed to walk past the emergency corridor and while looking around I could see the gory scenes I have ever witnessed. Injured people lying on the floor with blood all over, others patients were standing with a help from their relatives, beds had fallen short in the biggest super speciality hospital of Kashmir that was the number of people injured. I could see every bed occupied by at least three patients with half of their bodies hanging in the air, scores of saline bottles hanging from nails, wooden planks and whatever could be used to keep the bottles above the patient’s body. Some were even holding them up with their hands. It was unfortunate to see angry relatives hurling abuses at anyone who had a white apron. It’s understood the emotions that were flowing inside them but couldn’t make up my mind whether they were genuine to shout at doctors or was it situational. Human psyche is such that everyone wants to be the first to be addressed to. Well, haven’t we all heard even seconds can save lives. I felt sorry for the doctors as well, its impossible for any hospital or doctors to attend a few dozen patients in an emergency at one time.

I was the only person in the milieu not running around and I thought I had become the focus of attention. I did feel a little nauseated as I couldn’t stand the foul smell of blood spilled around that’s when my driver literally dragged me out of that hall. It was such a sorry state of affairs that it took time for me to compose myself. My driver later told me that the security forces had again opened fire at a protest killing many and injuring hundreds. How easy has it become to be killed or get killed? As I write this note I hear that there have been more violent incidents in the valley. Not a single day goes by when one doesn’t hear that someone got killed or injured otherwise how would any one justify killing almost seventy people including 32 teenagers in two months. None could ditch the bullets, young, old, male, female. Walking a few steps away from the emergency trauma centre I sat on one of the benches thinking how helpless the families of the victims might be when a security guard at the hospital offered me water and reluctantly told me in Kashmiri “ Yeh haaz chee wein dohai sabhdan” This is a daily routine.

There can hardly be a family in the valley which has not been a victim of terrorism by either sides. I was not in a position to go and check on my cousin so I decided to head back home. Not for even a single second could those pictures of the hospital go away from my mind. I could subconsciously hear those screams, waling and shouting, they were as evident as they were in the hospital. Had I been at a place other than Kashmir I would have been one of the recipients for physiological treatment. It’s just one incident I witnessed, i cannot decipher the plight of many others who have to deal with such kind of situation day in and out .

After reaching home I thought the best way to distract myself was to watch the TV, while surfing around I came across an Indian news channel. It amazes me how people distort facts to suit them and their TRP’s at will. An educated person like me finds it so absurd when India claims to be the largest democracy but doesn’t do anything when it has such a burning issue in its backyard and still prefers to ignore it.

Right from 1947 Indian has shamelessly betrayed Kashmir for its geo-political interests. Had they not eroded the constitution according to their whims things wouldn’t have been as bad as they look. It’s as simple as this; the state of J&K went into an instrument of accession with the Indian republic without any instrument of merger. Its pertinent to mention here that 3 important fields i.e defence, external affairs and currency would stay with India. Pandit Nehru the PM of India promised that he will honour his commitment as and when the people want to decide their future course of action. Before the volcano bursts further and causes more death and destruction its high time that sanity prevails in Delhi and a solution was thrashed out that would satiates the aspiration of the common man in the region.

A DAY OF MAYHEM

14 KILLED 90 INJURED.

Its a sad day, A day of bloodshed. Its so unfortunate that while the whole world condemns the brutality and killings in Kashmir , New Delhi chooses to Justify the unjustifiable. Even after killing around ninety people in two months, it still debates whether to announce nominal concession for the people of Kashmir. Its sounds so absurd when The Prime Minister of India talks about the younger generation, addressing the kashmirri people as the citizens of India, asks anyone who is someone to come for talks while everything is burning in the valley but cannot even revoke a simple Armed Forces Special Powers Act. (AFSPA).

People like me who always are in favour of a peace and understand that anything can and should be only resolved through a dialogue but even i feel that things have gone too far from a peaceful negotiations because its the youngsters who have taken to the streets. Its a leaderless agitation which makes it more violent and more serious.

Attacking the houses of politicians, burning down offices and buildings, torching schools should itself be an indicator to all that things are quite alarming. Although its debatable who and why are such incidents of arson happening while as the separatist leaders apparently asked people to protest peacefully, it looks like even they have started becoming redundant. A young man is ready to face a bullet, if his grievances are not addressed it makes him stronger and more violent .

Do anything, address the people. Make them understand but for god sake stop the killings of innocent youngsters.

69 deaths and counting.

Writing such sordid stories always pains me. In this contemporary world it troubles me that innocents are getting killed and people who are responsible go scot free. Every time i complete a piece new stories of killings of innocent pour in. All the news channels have been busy in showing bloodshed, its a rat race between them as to who shows more brutality as and when it happens.

People across the globe are aware that there can be no peace in the Asian subcontinent till Kashmir issue is not resolved. Locally it’s time for our leaders to sit across the table .It’s high time there is convergence of ideas so that a unique and united solution is formulated.

I wish this bloodshed stops and a new dawn of peace and tranquility sets in but in Kashmir I know wishes don’t usually come true.

Just for the information :

1. Tufail Ashraf Mattoo, 17, of Saida Kadal killed by police tear gas canister at Gani stadium Rajouri Kadal on June 11.

2. Muhammad Rafiq Bangroo, 24, of Dana Mazar Safa Kadal beaten by CRPF on June 12 near his residence. He succumbed to injuries on June 20.

3. Javed Ahmed Malla, 19, of Palpora Noorbagh killed by CRPF or police on June 20 at Waniyar Srinagar.

4. Aziz Malik of Chuntwari, Machill Kupwara, killed by armed forces on June 20 at Machill sector of LoC.

5. Mazloom Malik of Chuntwari Kupwara, killed by armed forces on June 20 at Machill sector of LoC.

6. Firdous Ahmed Kakroo, 16 of Niglee Sopore, Baramulla killed by CRPF on June 25 near Jamia Qadeem in Sopore.

7. Shakeel Ahmed Ganai, 24 of Lalad Sopore killed by 177 batallion of CRPF at Chankhan Sopore.

8. Bilal Ahmed Wani, 22, of Kraltaeng Sopore, killed by CRPF bullet in Kraltaeng on June 27.

9. Tajamul Bashir Bhat, 17, of Wadoora Sopore, killed by CRPF or SOG at Kapra Cinema in Sopore outside headquaters of 92 battalion of CRPF.

10. Tauqeer (Asif) Ahmed Rather, 09, of Rather Muhalla of Delina, Baramullah, killed by CRPF on June 28.

11. Ishtiyaq Ahmed Khanday, 15, of SK Colony, Islamabad, killed by police on June 29.

12. Imtiyaz Ahmed Ittoo, 17, of Watergam Dailgam Islamabad, killed by police in SK Colony Islamabad on June 29.

13. Shuja'at ul Islam, 17 of Anchidora Islamabad, killed by police at SK Colony Islamabad on June 29.

14. Muzaffar Ahmed Bhat, 17, of Gangbug, Batamaloo, body recovered from Doodh Ganga Nallah in Baramullah on June 06 alegedly arrested by CRPF on july 05 and tortured to death.

15. Fayaz Ahmed Wani, 24, of Gangbug Batamaloo, killed by CRPF or police firing at Batamaloo on July 06

16. Yasmeen Jan, 25, of Lashmanpora Danderkha, Batamaloo,killed by CRPF/police firing at her residence in Danderkhah on July 06.

17. Abrar Ahmed Khan,16 of Maisuma Bund killed alegedly by police CRPF firing at Maisuma on July 06.

18. Faizaan Ahmed Bhuhroo, 13, of Jalal Sahib Baramulla, died by drowning after SOG men were trying to arrest him on July 17.

19. Fayaz Ahmed Khanday, 23, of Binner Baramulla, killed by CRPF in Baramulla.

20. Tariq Ahmed Dar, 17 of Panzala, Rafiabad, Baramulla,killed in police custody on July 25.

21. Muhammad Ahsan Ganai, 45 of Amargarh Sopore killed by CRPF at Krankshivan Colony on July 30.

22. Showkat Ahmed Chopan, 17, of Amargarh Sopore killed at Kranshivan Colony on Juky 30.

23. Adil Ramzaan Sheikh, 13 of Pattan killed by CRPF at Pattan on july 30.

24. Nazir Ahmed Mir, 23, of Sheeri Baramulla killed by CRPF at Pattan on July 30.

25. Javid Ahmed Teli, 20, of Bungalbagh Baramulla, killed by SOG at cement bridge baramulla on July 31.

26. Mudassir Ahmed Lone, 17, of Herpora Naidkhai, Sumbal killed by CRPF/police at IRP camp in Naidkhai on July 31.

27. Nayeem Ahmed Shah, 20 of Pampore killed by CRPF at Pampore on August 01.

28. Rayees Ahmed Wani, 18 of pampore killed by CRPF at Pampore on August 01.

29. Afrooza Teli of Khrew of Pampore killed by CRPF at her residence on August 01.

30. Javed Ahmed Sheikh, 18 of Wuyen Pampore killed in blast in police station at Khrew on August 01.

31. Muhammad Amin Lone, 22 of Shalnag Khrew killed in blast in police station at Krew on August 01.

32. Basharat Ahmed Reshi, 14 of Wachi Sangam killed by police near his residence on August 02.

33. Irshad Ahmed Bhat, 17 of Reshipora, Sangam tortured and killed alegedly by CRPF and police on August 02.

34. Ashiq Hussain Bhat, 15, of Kulgam Islamabad killed by CRPF at Chawalgam on August 02.

35. Rameez Ahmed Bhat, 16, of Kulgam killed by CRPF at Kulgam on August 02.

36. Hafiz Muhammad Yaqoob Bhat, 22 of Zadoora Kakapora Pulwama killed by CRPF at Kakpora on August 02.

37. Tariq Ahmed Dar, 17 of Semthan Bijbehara wounded by CRPF on August 01 and succumbed to injuries on August 02.

38. Khursheed Ahmed War, 27, of Shumnag Kralpora Kupwara killed by CRPF at Khuzunmati bridge near Kralpora on August 02.

39. Sameer Ahmed Rah, 09 of Batamaloo Srinagar killed by CRPF at Batamaloo on August 02.

40. Mehraj ud din Lone, 23 of Barthana Qamarwai killed by CRPF at Qamarwari police station on August 03.

41. Anis Ahmed Ganai, 17, of Dangerpora Narwara killed by CRPF at Eidgah on August 03.

42. Suhail Ahmed Dar, 15, of Zainakote Srinagar killed by CRPF at Parimpora on August 03.

43. Jehangir Ahmed Bhat, 23, of Chenigam Yaripora killed by CRPF at Kulgam on August 03.

44. Riyaz Ahmed Bhat, 25 of Khrew injured by CRPF at Khrew on August succumbed to injuries on August 03.

45. Muhammad Yaqoob Bhat, 20 of Nund Reshi Colony Bemina, killed by CRPF at Bemina on August 04.

46. Muhammad Iqbal Khan, 22 of Lone Muhalla Chanapora injured by CRPF on July 30 at Chanapora succumbed to injuries on August 04.

47. Shabir Ahmed Malik, 30 of Lonepora Newa Pulwama,killed by CRPF at Pulwama on August 04.

48. Ghulam Nabi Badyari, 48 of Ganpatyar, Habba Kadal, killed by CRPF at his residence on August 05.

49. Rameez Ahmed, 22, of Mundji Sopore killed by CRPF at Warpora on August 06.

50. Aisha Sheikh of Ganpatyar Habba Kadal, succumbed to sling shot injury at her residence on August 07.

51. Fida Nabi Lone, 20, of Qamarwari, injured in CRPF action at Qamarwari on August 03 and succumbed to injuries on August 08.

52. Farrukh Bukhari, 19, of Kreeri Pattan whose body was found at Kreeri on August 11 after 13 days of his disappearance.

53. Mudasir Ahmad Zargar, 16, of Trehgam Kupwara, killed in police and CRPF firing on August 13.

54. Ali Mohammad Khanday, 60, of Khanday Mohalla Pattan, killed in police and CRPF firing on August 13.

55. Arif Mir, 19, of Lagropora, Sopore killed in CRPF firing on August 13.

56. Sameer Lone, 18, of Lagropora, Sopore killed in CRPF firing on August 13.

57. Umar Ahmad Dar, 16, of Narbal killed in CRPF firing on August 14.

58. Irshad Ahmad Latoo, 35, of Anchidora, Islamabad in CRPF firing on August 14.

59. Muhammad Abbas Dhobi, 30, of Mattan succumbed to injuries sustained in police and CRPF action on August 17.

60. Milad Ahmad Dar, 8, of Kulgam succumbed to injuries sustained in CRPF firing on August 19.

61. Nazir Ahmad Wani, 24, was killed when police and paramilitary troopers allegedly fired on protestors at Bijbehara in
South Kashmir’s Islamabad district on August 20.

62. Mudasir Nazir, 18, succumbed to injuries sustained in CRPF firing at Arampora, Sopore on August 20.

63. Bilal Ahmed Shiekh, 23, succumbed to injuries at SKIMS, Soura on August 23. He was beaten ruthlessly allegedly by CRPF and Police during a protest and then shot at by a point blank range at Palhallan, Pattan.

64. Umar Qayoom Bhat, 17, of Soura succumbed to injuries at SKIMS, Soura on August 25. He was allegedly beaten by CRPF causing lung injuries to him. Locals alleged he was tortured to death.

65. On August 30, 9-year-old Irshad Ahmed Parray of South Kashmir’s Islamabad district succumbed to injuries on way to SMHS hospital, after being hit by pellet bullets.


66, 67, 68 and 69: On September 7, four people were killed in police firing at Palhallan, Pattan, which include Feroz Ahmed Malik, 17, Mudasir Ahmad Mir, 23, Noorudin Tantary, 26, and Muhamamd Ramzan Mir, 45