70 replies to this topic

[Aliph Ahmed]

SRINAGAR: Tens of thousands of Kashmiris waving green flags and shouting slogans marched Friday through the main city of Indian Occupied Kashmir to mark the assassination anniversaries of two key separatist leaders.

''We want freedom''

Kashmir on strike in honor of slain leaders

[Aliph Ahmed]

Terrorist government of India giving clean chit to her terrorist bhangee army for killing the occupid Kashmiri civilians. Shame shame.

Link

Two people were killed and more than three dozen protesters and security men injured in widespread violence in Srinagar and Baramulla district on Monday.

The trouble erupted as thousands of protesters were prevented from reaching Sopore to attend the funeral of two men killed last week, police said.

[Aliph Ahmed]

Congress doesnt blame Indian Armed Terrorists for killing Kashmiri civilians.

[Aliph Ahmed]

and the Terrorist activities of India on a state level against occupied Kashmiri civilians continue.

Yesterday the brave bhangee army terrorists killed two boys one of them aged 9 years old only bringing the total of 10 civilians killed in two weeks for raising their voice against Terrorist India.

Link

[Aliph Ahmed]

'Fake killings' return to Kashmir (Indian occoupied)

Many believe that 'fake killings' are taking place in Kashmir. Three men went missing in Indian-administered Kashmir in April.

Nothing extraordinary about that, but some time later their bodies were discovered near the Line of Control (LoC), which separates Indian- and Pakistani-administered Kashmir - a fate which militants trying to cross the border often meet...............


Link

[Aliph Ahmed]

...........and the Terrorist state of India fills the streets of Occupied Kashmir with troops, imposes curfew, imposes curbs on the media, kills more innocent civilians expressing their expressions, marches through the towns in order to scare the people and........the world does nothing!

Acts of Terrorist India

[Jazba-e-Kashmir]

Zaid Hamid: Kashmir - Past, Present & Future Part 1


Zaid Hamid: Kashmir - Past, Present & Future Part 2
http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

Zaid Hamid: Kashmir - Past, Present & Future Part 3
http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

"Pakistan ka matlab kya : La ilaha illa Allah" say a million Kashmiris in India Occupied Kashmir
http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

[Aliph Ahmed]

Seven (7) more Kashmiri civilians including one woman KILLED by the terrorist state of India's coward occupying army.

Terrorist State of India

[Aliph Ahmed]

^^^

four of them perishing in a blast after explosives went off in a police station set afire by a mob.

This is how Indian Terrorists hide their extra judicial killings with the blessing from the Terrorist State of India's government. First they torture the civilians, kill them and then they hide behind bombs going off explanation blaming it on other civilians.

[Aliph Ahmed]

Seven (7) more Kashmiri civilians including one woman KILLED by the terrorist state of India's coward occupying army.

Terrorist State of India

This brings the total death of innocent Kashmiri civilians to 13. All killed in cold blood by the Terrorist State of India's gun totting cowards !!!

[Aliph Ahmed]

4 more Kashmiri civilians KILLED by Terroriest State of India's gun totting coward bhangee army bringing the total dead to 17 this weekened and 30 since June 10'.

The protest started after the gun totting cowards Terrorist State of India KILLED a 17 year teenager !!



Terrorist State of India

[Aliph Ahmed]

Terrorist State of India's gun totting coward army martyred another 4 Kashmiri civilians including a 16 year old young boy.

Terrorist State of India

[Jahan]

Curfew, protests, clashes, arrests mark Sunday

GOWHAR BHAT

Srinagar, Aug 22: Amid strict curfew fresh protests broke in several parts of the summer capital on Sunday even as police arrested several youth from downtown Rainawari. The youth were released in the evening.

Reports said at least a dozen persons were injured, with most of them sustaining pellet gun injuries, in the police action against protesters across the city. At Bagyas, Chattabal, witnesses said, a fleet of more than a dozen police vehicles entered the locality, causing panic among the residents. “Initially we thought they were going to conduct a crackdown. But the policemen started bringing down pro-freedom banners and flags in the locality. Without any provocation, they beat up people most of whom were out for offering prayers,” locals told Greater Kashmir.

People raised hue and cry over Majid loudspeakers following which they poured on the streets in protest. Many of them hurled stones at police who responded by baton charging, firing tear smoke shells and pellets.

Witnesses said four persons were injured in the police action while eight sustained pellet injuries. They were shifted to SMHS hospital.

Those with pellet injuries were identified as Tanvir Ahmad Najar, Bashir Ahmad Bhat, Javaid Ahmad Sofi, Mukhtar Mir, Muhammad Maqbool Ganai, Zahoor Ahmad, Mukhtar Ahmad and Meraj-ud-din—all residents of Chattbal.

A police spokesman said that police was conducting a flag march in the Bagyas area when it sighted an “objectionable flag.” “The flag was removed. Some miscreants pelted stones on the police following which police used pump action ammunition against them.” The protests continued for several hours in the area.

In downtown Rainawari, scores of people staged protest demonstration after police picked up five youth from Mughal Mohalla locality. Eyewitnesses said the youth were cleaning a graveyard after a death of a person in the locality. “They were bundled in vehicles and taken to Rainawari police station.”

People staged massive protests in Rainawari Chowk and pelted stones on policemen, following which two youth were released. Police used force against the protesters by using pallet guns which caused injuries to four of them. The rest of the three were released later in the evening. Elsewhere, police and CRPF was deployed in large number who imposed strict curfew across the areas falling under a dozen police stations of Srinagar. Meanwhile City police (south) claimed to have arrested one “notorious stone-pelter.” “On his revelations eight more stone-pelters were arrested during raids around Mahjoor Nagar in uptown. Similarly, city police (North) also arrested eight stone-pelters who are wanted in different acts of mob violence,” police said.

At least a dozen people were injured in Bijbehara Township of Islamabad district as police and paramilitary personnel used force to disperse the procession.

Reports said defying the curfew restrictions people in Pazalpora area of the town took to streets and carried out a pro-freedom procession. However, police and CRPF men resorted to baton charge and tear gas shelling to disperse the protesters. 12 persons sustained injuries in the police and CRPF action. Clashes again broke in various areas of the town late in the evening when the deployment was withdrawn. The town has been under curfew since the killing of a youth by police and CRPF on Friday.

Though, curfew was lifted from the Islamabad town after a long time but strict restrictions were in place.

Pertinently, since June, 29 following the alleged cold blooded murder of three teenagers by the police, the town has mostly remained under curfew. Police and paramilitary CRPF were deployed in strength and the civilian movement was restricted. Late in the evening clashes broke out in many areas of old town; Malakhnag, Cheeni Chowk, Reeshi Bazar , Lal Chowk and civil-line area of KP road. Police and CRPF men lobbed tear gas shells and rubber bullets to disperse the protesters who retaliated by hurling stones and bricks.

In Chawalgam village of Kulgam people in large numbers came out and carried a pro-freedom procession. However, police and CRPF men resorted to baton charge and intense tear gas shelling on a procession injuring about 10 civilians. They also fired several rounds in the air. Later, Special Task Force (STF) personnel detained several youth of the village some of whom were identified as Ashiq Hussain Yeetoo, Yasir Bhat and Mehraj-u-din. Later, more people including women and children came out and protested against the police. They were also demanding the release of the youth. In Kulgam and Qaimoh towns strict restrictions were enforced.

At least a dozen persons including police and CRPF men were injured in the clashes that erupted in several areas of Shopian town. Police and CRPF men fired tear gas canisters to disperse the protesters who retaliated by pelting stones.

Restrictions also prevailed in Pulwama, Kakpora, Tral, Pampore and Awantipora areas. However, pro-freedom processions were carried out in the adjoining areas of Nihama, Tahab, Khrew and Latipora.

Hundreds of people took to streets and staged protested the killings of unarmed protesters at Samboora near Pampore. People offered congregational prayers on roads and later took out protest marches through several localities chanting anti-India and pro-freedom slogans.

The blocked Srinagar-Pulwama road and demanded release of all the civilians arrested during the recent unrest. Hundreds of people from Hatiwara, Aluchi Bagh also joined them.

NORTH KASHMIR

For 10th consecutive day, Trehgam in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district remained under curfew with locals’ complaining shortage of the essential commodities.

The residents told Greater Kashmir that they have been caged in their houses since the killing of Mudasir Ahmed Zargar since last Friday.

“We couldn’t venture out of houses for purchasing essentials as troopers and policemen have been deployed on entrance of gates and even we couldn’t take out our ailing children to hospitals,” said Nazir Ahmed Mir.

Localities of Malik Mohalla, Maqboolabad, Mirpora, Zargar Mohalla, and Shiekh Mohalla in town were sealed by laying concertina wires and deploying hundreds of troopers and cops in lanes and by lanes.
"There have been no prayers in Markazi Jamia Masjid during all these days Even the attendants are not allowed to accompany patients at sub centre for forces,” they said.

In Varmul town, there were restrictions as usual on the four bridges (Cement bridge, Khanpora bridge, Transport yard bridge and Azad gunj bridge) connecting old town with the civil line areas.

However, minor clashes broke out near Cement Bridge late in the evening, which were dealt by police with tear gas shelling.

Reports of complete shutdown were received from Sopur and Bandipora.

At Kangan in Ganderbal district, youth staged protests at Barwula and tried to march towards Kangan. However, police intercepted them near Kijpora and chased them away by resorting to baton charge. Protests were held in Cherwan and dispersed peacefully.

In Ganderbal protests were held at Chuk-Fatehpora. Police chased away protesters without using force.

Complete shut down observed in rest of the district.

In Tangmarg scores of youth took a procession at Kunzer, raising pro-freedom and anti-India slogans.

When police chased away the youth in retaliation pelted stones on a police vehicle that was plying on Srinagar-Gulmarg road. Later CRPF swung into action and dispersed the protesters.

SOURCE

[Felicius]

http://www.janes.com...00914_1_n.shtml

Kashmir locked down over separatist unrest
14 September 2010


Kashmiri Muslims at a protest rally after Eid al-Fitr prayers in India on 11 September. Thousands took to the streets to protest against Indian rule in the Himalayas. (PA)Article ToolsFull Article for Subscribers

India imposed a 24-hour curfew in Srinagar, the capital of Indian-administered Kashmir, on 11 September in a bid to quell the separatist unrest in the region.

Anti-Indian demonstrators defied the restrictions to take to the streets in protest, leading to clashes with security forces. On 12 September, Indian police opened fire on a group seen throwing objects at the residence of local education minister Peerzada Mohammad Syed, in Damhal Khushipora village in southern Kashmir. Two of the protesters were wounded, one critically.

New Delhi has alleged Pakistani involvement in the demonstrations, directly blaming Lashkar-e-Tayyiba for stoking the unrest. Conversely, Kashmiris contend that the current unrest underscores genuine public outrage at the increasing presence of Indian security forces.

[Felicius]

Shoot on sight for unarmed civilians!

http://www.dawn.com/...-8-killed-qs-06

Police issue shoot on sight orders in Kashmir
Tuesday, 14 Sep, 2010

A policeman stops a woman during a curfew in Srinagar.—Reuters World
Three protestors shot dead in new Kashmir unrest Kashmir polls SRINAGAR: Indian police patrolled the streets of Kashmir on Tuesday, threatening to shoot anyone defying a rigid curfew imposed on the region a day after troops battled protesters in the streets in violence that killed 19 people.

The region has been wracked by anti-India protests throughout the summer, but the chaos Monday —exacerbated by reports of a Quran desecration in the United States —was the deadliest here since large-scale demonstrations began in June.

In an attempt to prevent another round of violence, police and paramilitary soldiers drove through the deserted streets of the main towns of Indian-administered Kashmir, using loudspeakers to announce that curfew violators would be shot on sight.

But scores of demonstrators took to the streets of Baramulla and hurled rocks at police.

Soldiers retaliated by firing shots in the air and launching tear gas shells, wounding three protesters, said a police officer speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media.

In overnight protests, demonstrators set fire to a police vehicle in Charar-e-Sharief, 30 miles (45 kilometers) southwest of Srinagar, police said.

The region has been roiled for months by separatist protests that often descend into clashes with government forces.

The violence has killed at least 88 people this summer —mostly teenage boys and young men in their 20s.

The anti-India protests turned into rare anti-America protests Monday as reports of a Quran desecration in the United States intensified the anger of demonstrators, with activists chanting ''Down with America'' and burning an effigy of President Barack Obama.

The protesters burned government buildings and Christian missionary school and threw rocks at troops, who responded by firing into the crowds.

The death toll from that violence rose to 19 on Tuesday, including 18 demonstrators and one police officer.

[Simpleton]

Army captain injured in Kashmir gunfight

Srinagar, Dec 7 (IANS) A captain of the counter insurgency Rashtriya Rifles was injured Tuesday evening in a fierce gunfight with a group of separatist guerrillas holed up in a house in north Kashmir's Sopore town.

The gunfight erupted as troops of 22 Rashtriya Rifles and Special Operations Group (SOG) of the state police jointly surrounded a house in Sopore on specific information about the presence of heavily armed militants hiding in it, a senior police officer said.

'The holed up militants were challenged to surrender, upon which they opened indiscriminate fire at the surrounding security forces during which an army captain was injured,' the officer said.

He said the officer was immediately shifted to hospital for treatment.

'The gunfight is on and more reinforcements have been rushed there. Security forces are busy searching the locality,' he added.

Sopore is about 55 km from here.

[Simpleton]

Indian army captain killed, trooper commits suicide in IHK

Srinagar, December 08 (KMS): In occupied Kashmir, an Indian Army officer, who was injured in an attack in Sopore town succumbed to his injuries.

The officer identified as Captain Abhimanyu was critically injured on Tuesday evening in an attack at Model Town Sopore succumbed at Army’s Badami Bagh hospital in Srinagar. Later, the personnel of Rashtriya Rifles, CRPF and Special Operations Group launched siege and search operations in the town, which continued till last reports came in.

On the other hand, a trooper of 35-Rashtriya Rifles, Kishore Kumar committed suicide by shooting himself with his service rifle inside army camp at Beerwah in Budgam. This raised the number of such deaths amongst Indian troops and police personnel to 201 since January 2007.

Meanwhile, thousands of men, women and children staged demonstrations in Baramulla town against the killing of a youth, Zahoor Ahmed Dar. He was injured during the use of brute force by Indian troops against protesters three months ago and succumbed to his injuries at a hospital in Srinagar on Tuesday.


Pakistan had no role in resent boost in freedom movement of IHK: Paswan
RINAGAR, (SANA): The Indian Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) Chief Ram Vilas Paswan has said that Pakistan had no role in the recent boost in the freedom movement of Kashmir and it was rather fueled by the indifferent attitude adopted by the IHK government towards the killing of more than 112 Kashmiri youths.

Paswan, who led the Parliamentary and Civil Society delegation to the Valley, said they would raise the four points proposed by Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Geelani with New Delhi.

In an interview with an Indian newspaper, Paswan said that the Indian government should have no hesitation to discuss Geelani’s proposals. “But as far as the disputed nature of Kashmir is concerned, it will not be acceptable to any government,” he added.

He said the delegation will also press on New Delhi to resume dialogue with Pakistan and separatist leadership of the Kashmir Valley.

Ruling out Pakistan’s role in the recent boost in the movement in the valley, he said, “It all was a reaction to the killing of Tufail Ahmad Mattoo and later to the attitude adopted by the government to deal with the protests.”

“Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the armed forces officials should have met the family members and expressed solidarity with them instead of showering bullets on those who participated in the funeral processions. Within three months 112 persons were killed who were innocent children and not terrorists or Pakistani nationals. We can’t blame Pakistan on everything,” he added.

On his assessment of the situation after meeting various sections of society here, Paswan said, “People of Kashmir have grown in fear and anger against India. They don not say that we want to become a part of Pakistan but want Azadi. They are like sulking children who need to be persuaded with love and sincerity and not by calling police against them.”

[Krad]

I hope that in our lifetime, we will see the people of Kashmir be free and able to make their own decisions.

You can burn the land and boil the sea...but you cant take the sky from me.

[Simpleton]

India condoned “torture” of prisoners in Kashmir: Mulford
J. Balaji

The Government of India “condoned” the “widespread severe torture” of prisoners in Jammu and Kashmir, North-East and other parts of the country during 2002-2004, the then Ambassador of the United States in New Delhi, David Mulford, told Washington in a confidential cable.

In the cable, released by Wikileaks on Friday, Mr. Mulford cited the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) but hastened to add that it had stressed that it was not asking for the U.S. government action (against New Delhi), “but may seek to mobilise support in the future, if its relations with the Government of India (GOI) do not improve.”

Mr. Mulford also cautioned the State Department that there was a risk of the issue backfiring.

“Their [ICRC] approach to us [America] may be a prelude to a more assertive stance vis-a-vis New Delhi, which could be helpful in goading the Home Ministry and Ministry of Defence (MoD) to taking firmer action, but also risks backfiring if the GOI starts to back out of a long-negotiated working relationship, which has produced valuable results over the past decade,” he said.

Recalling the discussions held by U.S. diplomats here with ICRC officials about the situation in Kashmir, he said that though the ICRC felt government institutions were encouraging mistreatment of the detainees, there were nonetheless some signs of progress.
Blood-curdling types

He recalled the ICRC's description of blood-curdling types of torture adopted by various security forces operating in the Kashmir Valley and also in the North-East and said: “The fact that the ICRC reversed its practice of the last several years to provide this briefing to us reflects its frustration with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), although we note that their experience with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir is clearly better than in the past, pragmatic and bordering on the positive.”

The data showing stable trend lines of ill-treatment and torture in detention centres were very disturbing, because “the practice continues unabated.” It did not appear that the GOI was planning anything precipitous, but the ICRC was clearly upping the ante with the GOI, “which it charges with not playing ball.” The ICRC considered the status quo “unacceptable,” and wanted a substantive dialogue with the GOI on the issue of treatment of suspects/prisoners.
Detention centres

Mr. Mulford, who worked in New Delhi between June 2004 and February 2009, said in 2002-2004, the ICRC staff made 177 visits to detention centres in Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere (primarily the North-East). They met 1491 detainees, 1296 of which were private interviews. Though they met some detainees in Kashmir, they were not allowed access to all detainees.

In 852 cases, detainees reported ill-treatment, which include beating (171 persons), giving electric shocks (498), suspension from ceiling (381), “roller” (a round metal object put on the thighs of a sitting person, which prison personnel then sit on, crushing muscles (294), stretching (legs split 180 degrees – 181), water (various forms – 234), or sexual (302).

The ICRC alleged that many detainees were subjected to more than one form of ill-treatment.
“Cargo Building”

According to the ICRC, it never obtained access to the “Cargo Building,” most notorious detention centre in Srinagar. Current practices (of torture and fake encounters) continue because security forces need promotions, while for militants, the insurgency had become a business, he said.

[Simpleton]

SOG thrashes doctor for refusal to issue fake certificate

Srinagar, December 24 (KMS): In occupied Kashmir, personnel of Special Operation Group thrashed a senior doctor at Sub District Hospital at Sogam in Kupwara and forcibly made him sign a ‘drunken certificate’ of a patient, who according to the doctors was in a normal state.

Talking to media men, the President of Doctors Association, Kashmir, Nisar-ul Hassan said that the Assistant Surgeon, Dr Sameer, who was on emergency duty in Sub District Hospital in Sogam, was ruthlessly beaten after he refused to sign the fake certificate.

“During the intervening night of Thursday, a police party had gone to the Sub District Hospital and asked Dr Sameer to issue a drunken certificate for a patient,” he said.

In the report, the patient was mentally and physically well-oriented and there was no sign or symptom of alcoholic intoxication,” Block Medical Officer, Dr Iqbal said.

Dr Nisar-ul Hassan informed that after thorough examination of the cop, the doctor found no traces of alcohol in his body. “The patient was not drunk. The police party left the hospital but after some time the party of Special Operation Group personnel barged into the hospital and dragged Dr Sameer and beat him up ruthlessly,” Hassan said. “After beating the said doctor, the police party, made him to sign the certificate,” Hassan added.

Strongly condemning the act, Hassan said that fear had struck Dr Sameer, who is now repeatedly urging him to make efforts for his transfer from the area.

Demanding immediate action against the Special Operation Group, Hassan said that the doctors woould go on a valley-wide strike if the authorities failed to provide them justice within 24 hours. “We brought up this issue with the district administration, but till now nothing has happened. Now we are waiting for 24 hours after which the doctors will go on indefinite strike, the onus of which will completely lie on authority,” Hassan said.

The hospital staff observed strike against the highhandedness of the SOG personnel.

Meanwhile, troops arrested four youth including Muzaffer Ahmad Wani from Awantipora in Pulwama. »

[Felicius]

Wajahat S Khan takes on Syed Salahuddin, the Supreme Commander of the Hizb ul-Mujahideen.

Get inside the largest Jihadist group in Kashmir (and sneak a peak into their Pindi safe house). According to this 'Supreme Commander', Pak's support for the 'core issue' of J&K has become "complicated"...

http://www.youtube.c...1BC3C5EC043F863

[Aliph Ahmed]

Pictures speak a thousand words:

Terrorist actions of India on a state level in pictures...

Indian atrocities in Kashmir on a state level

[Simpleton]

Kashmir issue: World opinion slowly changing

Published: February 2, 2011

Seminar participants declare Kashmiris’ struggle legitimate.

ISLAMABAD: Participants of a seminar expressed solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir and concurred that the uprising in Kashmir was not terrorism but a fight for freedom. For several decades, the Kashmiri people have sought a global recognition of their “struggle against occupation forces.”

The participants, mostly leading political leaders of Pakistan, were in unanimous agreement that Kashmir, peaceful nuclear programme and friendship with China were the key elements of Pakistan’s foreign policy.

They expressed dismay over the world response to the plight of Kashmiris and termed it a “manifestation of double standards.”

They called upon the international community to review its conduct in the wake of “mounting repression by Indian occupation forces.”

However Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Sardar Atique Ahmad Khan, who presided over the seminar organised jointly by the Express Media Group and the University of Lahore on Monday, said that the world opinion on Kashmir was undergoing a change.

To substantiate his view, he referred to a recent meeting in which US President Barak Obama advised Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that the resolution of the Kashmir dispute would benefit India more that any country in the region. He also referred to the Chinese president’s identical stance concerning Kashmir in his latest visit to India.

Moreover, he brought to attention another recent development in which Chinese authorities refused visas to about 200 Kashmiri students who held Indian passports. Instead, they were issued permits on plain paper. “This is a major diplomatic victory for Pakistan,” Atiq said.

Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo said that the Kashmir dispute is part of an unfinished agenda of the division of India and the genesis of Pakistan. He said that Pakistan would continue “its moral and material help to the just struggle of the people of Kashmir.”

PML-Q Secretary-General Mushahid Hussain Syed, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Secretary-General Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Jamaat-i-Islami Secretary-General Liaquat Baloch, PPP Azad Kashmir President Barrister Sultan Mahmood, former ISI chief Hamid Gul, University of Lahore Director-General Mohammad Ajaib also spoke at the seminar.

They were of the view that Kashmiris were within their right to fight because the United Nations Charter allowed such a struggle,
even armed uprising, when the people were fighting for their inalienable right of freedom.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 2nd, 2011.

[Simpleton]

Indian torture tactics may boost militancy: HRW

Abusive counter-terrorism tactics, such as torture, are routinely used by Indian police and may actually be boosting militancy in the country, a report by the New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Wednesday.

According to the report, there is evidence of discrimination, harassment and stereotyping of Muslims by law enforcement authorities, leading to feelings of disquiet amongst the minority community in officially secular India.

Indian torture tactics may boost militancy: HRW

"Allegations of torture are often used as propaganda for recruitment (by militant groups)," said HRW's South Asia director Meenakshi Ganguly.

"When torture happens, it is used to bring in other Muslims who are told that their community is under threat."

India remains vulnerable to militant attacks such as the November 2008 strike in Mumbai which killed 166 people. Earlier that year, a home-grown Islamist group set off bombs in three cities, including New Delhi.

The attacks have heightened suspicions that Muslims, who form 13% of India's 1.2 billion population, are involved or support militant attacks. Critics say these biases have led to the community unfairly being targeted in police probes.

The group said torture had become a common tool to gain information, mainly because police and intelligence agencies were overstretched and underequipped.

"The shortcomings of state police forces ... have resulted in ineffectual investigations and widespread abuses in counter-terrorism efforts. Police capacity to collect and analyse forensic evidence is minimal," said the report.

HRW said courts and human rights investigators often appeared uninterested or ineffectual in pursuing violations.

Indian authorities deny there is official complicity in such abuses, adding that those found guilty of such offences are convicted.

This is not the first time India has been in the spotlight over torture, despite the country's domestic laws and international commitments.

In 2005, the Red Cross told the US embassy in New Delhi of widespread human rights violations by Indian security forces in restive Kashmir, according to a cable released by WikiLeaks and later confirmed by the humanitarian group.

[Simpleton]

Human Rights Watch Urges India to Prevent Abuses

The New York-based rights group, Human Rights Watch, has urged India to prevent human rights abuses which it says occur during counterterrorism efforts. The report warns that such abuses could be counterproductive in the fight against terror.

Wednesday's report by Human Rights Watch focuses on the aftermath of a spate of bombings in 2008 which killed more than 150 people in the cities of New Delhi, Jaipur and Ahmedabad.

HRW South Asia Director Meenakshi Ganguly says the pressure on police to identify the perpetrators of these terror strikes led to arbitrary arrest and human rights abuses at every stage of custody.

"We found, in this case, people were rounded up in large numbers,” Ganguly said. “They were brought to police stations. Often they were tortured or held without being brought before a magistrate and some of them have said they were coerced to confess, and eventually many have retracted their confession.”

The report says the majority of the victims were scores of Muslim men. A militant Islamic group called the Indian Mujahideen had claimed responsibility for the 2008 attacks. But the report says suspected Hindu extremists, blamed for another bomb attack, have also suffered abuse.

Ganguly warns that such abuses could undermine efforts the fight against terror by punishing innocent people, while the guilty remain free, and by undermining public faith in police investigation.

"Quite often, when the police use torture, the information they gather is false information,” she added. “So the wrong people are identified as being perpetrators of these attacks…..people in India are no longer being able to trust the investigations because quite often torture is the only method used to coerce confessions."

The report has called on Indian authorities to investigate the case of nine Muslims being held for a bomb blast in 2006 in Malegoan in Maharashtra state. Further investigations have pointed the finger at Hindu extremists.

Indian authorities, in keeping with past practice, did not comment on the report.

Ganguly says there is support among Indian authorities for preventing rights abuses, but institutional changes are not happening.

"At the highest levels when we meet with the Indian government, there is commitment to zero tolerance for human rights violations,” said Ganguly. “However, on the ground that is not translated into anything that is significant."

Security analysts say India still relies on old methods of policing designed by colonial rulers in which abuse was an institutional practice. Demands for police reforms have been made repeatedly, but successive governments have done little to initiate those reforms.

[Simpleton]

Kashmiris Protest Army Shooting

Thousands of angry villagers blocked roads in Indian-administered Kashmir Saturday to protest the killing of a young man by the military.

The protesters say 21-year-old Manzoor Ahmet Magray died while in military custody Friday night in Chogal, 90 kilometers north of Srinagar, the region's main city.

However, an army spokesman denied the accusation, saying Magray was shot when he walked into an army ambush intended for insurgents and ignored orders to stop.

Anti-India sentiment runs deep in Muslim-majority Kashmir, a Himalayan region split between India and Pakistan.

[Aliph Ahmed]

It is so sad to see that world is watching and doing nothing as the Indian government using terrorism on a state level and directing her terrorist army to murder kashmiri men, women and children on daily basis.... !!!!!

[Caesar]

Well i think it is time to admit the sad truth .... Pak military in specific and government in geneal have sold the Kashmiris!! The issue is almost dead. There use to be intense freedom activities by the freedom fighters. All of them seem to have disappeared. All is dead.

[Miroslav]

Fai jailed in US over Kashmir lobbying charge


WASHINGTON, March 30: A US-based Pakistani who allegedly concealed his true role while lobbying American politicians for decades over Kashmir was sentenced on Friday to two years in jail, justice officials said.
Syed Ghulam Nabi Fai was arrested in July and charged with conspiracy for using at least $3.5 million from the Islamabad-based government to lobby US lawmakers to support Pakistan’s goal of self-determination for Kashmiris.
He pleaded guilty in December to conspiracy and tax violations linked to the scheme, which involved the Kashmiri American Council, a Washington-based non-governmental group founded in 1990 whose Washington office he directed.
The Justice Department said in a statement that the 62-year-old was “being held accountable,” for hiding the fact that the government of Pakistan was secretly funding his efforts to influence US policy on Kashmir.
“Mr Fai spent 20 years operating the Kashmiri American Council as a front for Pakistani intelligence,” said Neil MacBride, US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.
“He lied to the Justice Department, the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) and many political leaders throughout the United States as he pushed the ISI’s propaganda on Kashmir.”
Pakistan has accused the US of ‘slander’ over the Fai case and his jailing comes at a critical time in diplomatic relations almost a year after bilateral ties plunged after a clandestine raid by US commandos killed Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden on Pakistani soil.
Under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, it is illegal for agents of foreign governments to seek to influence US policy or law without fully disclosing their identity and any underlying information.
Mr Fai, who lives in the state of Virginia close to the US capital, could have been sentenced to as much as five years behind bars.
He admitted in court that, from 1990 until July 2011, he conspired with others to obtain money from officials employed by the government of Pakistan, including the ISI, to operate the Kashmiri group in the United States.—AFP

http://www.dawn.com/...ing-charge.html

[Asian Union]

Kashmir : Indian Militiamen assault detained Kashmiri teenagers:

http://www.liveleak....=2bc_1357814055

[Felicius]

http://www.dawn.com/...e-kashmir-issue

 

President seeks OIC help to resolve Kashmir issue

By Syed Irfan Raza

 

President Mamnoon Hussain during interaction with the envoys of the OIC countries in Pakistan at the Aiwan-e-Sadr. — photo by Online

 

ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain asked the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Monday to play its role for early and peaceful resolution of Kashmir dispute.

 

The president said this during a meeting with ambassadors and high commissioners of OIC countries at the Presidency.

 

Appreciating what he called the OIC’s consistent support for the legitimate cause of the people of Jammu & Kashmir, the president welcomed efforts of Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) on Jammu & Kashmir and said: “I hope the OIC will intensify its efforts for peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue.”

 

Welcoming OIC envoys, the president said that Pakistan, with its legacy rooted in the Islamic faith and its consistent support for Muslim causes, was a founding member of the OIC.

 

“Pakistan has always worked to promote and support legitimate causes of the Muslim Ummah such as the Palestinian conflict, Jammu & Kashmir dispute, Cyprus, Nagorno-Karabakh, Islamophobia and rights of Muslim minorities in non-OIC countries,” he said.

 

He said the OIC should make efforts to promote shared values, safeguard interests of the Muslim world and promote solidarity among member states.

 

Mr Mamnoon assured the organisation that Pakistan would continue to play constructive and dynamic role to re-invigorate the OIC on all contemporary challenges faced by the Muslim Ummah.

 

Talking about Syria’s turmoil, the president said that Pakistan was deeply concerned over the continuing civil conflict and deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in Syria.

 

“The situation in Syria is not only a challenge for the Syrian government and its people but also for the entire international community.”

 

He reiterated stance of the government to support all efforts to facilitate a peaceful, Syrian-led and inclusive solution which met democratic aspirations of the Syrian people.

 

On the issue of Palestine, the president said that Pakistan would continue to lend its unconditional support for the peaceful and just struggle of the Palestinian people and their right to self-determination and establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Al Quds as its capital.

 

The president reiterated that Pakistan supported all efforts aimed at strengthening unity among Islamic countries which he said would enable the organisation to achieve its full potential as the united voice of the Ummah.

 

He appreciated the support of OIC member countries for the election of Ambassador Naeem Khan of Pakistan to the post of OIC assistant secretary general and hoped that this would further promote and strengthen cooperation among OIC countries.