Indian-held Kashmir on strike to mark separatist's hanging
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SRINAGAR: Hundreds of armed police and paramilitary soldiers patrolled the disputed region of Kashmir on Monday where separatists called a strike to protest the secret execution two years ago of a former Kashmiri rebel.
Streets in the main city of Srinagar were near deserted as shops and offices stayed closed to mark the anniversary of the execution.
Authorities imposed a curfew in parts of Srinagar and detained at least 100 activists to prevent violent protests.
Kashmiris were incensed when Mohammad Afzal Guru was hanged in secret on February 9, 2013, in a New Delhi jail.
Many in the region believe Guru was not given a fair trial on charges of involvement in a 2001 attack on Parliament that killed 14 people, including five gunmen.
Guru had fought earlier with rebels in an armed uprising that started in 1989 in the Himalayan region. An estimated 68,000 people were killed in the uprising and ensuing Indian crackdown.
Separatists have long demanded either independence or a merger with Pakistan. Both India and Pakistan claim the region in its entirety, while each administering a portion of it.
Separatists have called for another strike on Wednesday to mark the 1984 hanging of pro-independence leader Mohammad Maqbool Butt in the same New Delhi jail after he was convicted of killing an intelligence officer.
The separatists have demand both Guru's and Butt's remains be returned to the region for burial. Currently, their bodies are within the Tihar Jail compound.
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Comments (61) Closed
Feb 09, 2015 02:56pm
The strike is restricted to Srinagar town mostly because the shopkeepers fear damage to shops from separatists. The rest of the State is functioning normally.70% people will not participate in elections if they were separatists as is being made out now.Journalists must be objective and analytical in their reporting.
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Feb 09, 2015 03:05pm
strike is present only srinagar,sapore places, rest of the kashmir is fine and peaceful period.
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Feb 09, 2015 03:07pm
A miniscule and obstinate minority is holding the whole valley to hostage. They will always disagree with Indian State's right to self defense. Extremism will never find place in Indian polity that has to be understood by every Indian (as long as they are Indian). Government is cautious to avoid further loss of life and this is due to sense of responsibility.
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Feb 09, 2015 03:24pm
Its only a few places. Most of the city is quite normal with commerce.
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Feb 09, 2015 03:33pm
It is only in few areas. Rest of the kashmir doing fine
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Feb 09, 2015 03:40pm
In fact majority Kashmiris celebrated this day.
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Feb 09, 2015 03:40pm
There have been strikes for atleast 7 years out of 25 years of conflict .. So how do you think a comman man to survive .. Nevertheless anti india sentiment runs deep even in places of commercial activity ..
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Feb 09, 2015 03:45pm
misguided people gives strike calls every now and then as a result common man and traders tourists and subordinated small scale industries are suffering.election in region has proved that law and order are good, all are enjoying democracy rights. school colleges business without any fear smooth life. good going.
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Feb 09, 2015 03:47pm
Thank God I am living in Azad Kashmir Pakistan. I have never witness of such activity ever took place in POK. We have everything independent from central govt of Pakistan like president,PM,Police, judiciary, etc. Other kashmiris like People of Aksai chin are also very happy under china. How Aksai chin was snatched by china from Indian is incredible 1962. Thanks to china at least people there are happy.
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Feb 09, 2015 04:31pm
Kashmir seems a 'lost case' for Pakistan . . .
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Feb 09, 2015 04:41pm
@Awais Ali are you getting electricity, fuel and water? Atleast, we are good with these daily issues. Further adding to strike, I don't see any strike here, only few parts where these so called separatist(people who make our life difficult) are, having issues.
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Feb 09, 2015 04:48pm
Many Indian newspapers wrote how the hanging of Mohammad Afzal Guru was wrong and carried out as a savage response to India's shaky hold on Kashmir. Azad Kashmir in contrast is a peaceful place and Azad Kashmiris are active in anti-India demosntrations in and outside the country, especially in UK where they number many hundreds of thousands. The ruler of Junagarh wrote the state off to Pakistan but India invaded Junagarh on Hindu majority reason - so, Pakistan was made for Muslim majority states and Kashmir is an integral part of Pakistan.
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Feb 09, 2015 04:57pm
@Awais Ali Please also help your brothers in held kashmir to experience the freedom you take for granted by allowing them to settle in azad kashmir.
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Feb 09, 2015 05:10pm
@Awais Ali First thing, I appreciate your honest admission in acknowledging the so called azad kashmir as POK.Secondly,I agree you have pak installed PM,President,Police etc.,but no power, no petrol, no gas,no proper schools for normal living and add to it the fear of polio and bomb exploding .Thirdly, kashmiris in akshai chin have good life but no freedom for religious practices under brutal Chinese rule. Instead,come to valley, live and experience before commenting.
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Feb 09, 2015 05:25pm
@Awais Ali Haha great joke of the day.
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Feb 09, 2015 05:29pm
It is funny that Indians comment here that most of the valley was open today. Even someone ranted that Kashmiris celebrate this day. The fact is known to everyone. Kashmir remained shut in full. Traffic was off the roads. Business establishments remaomed closed. Kashmiris, even today,sent a loud message that their will to freedom cannot be crushed with over 7 lakh troops.
#AnUnfortunateKaeshur
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Feb 09, 2015 05:42pm
was he separatist or sponsored terrorist? its upto you to decide if Peshawar killers were separatist or terrorist? should be same in both case.
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Feb 09, 2015 05:42pm
@Awais Ali Fool's paradise
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Feb 09, 2015 06:02pm
Kashmir issue is bread and butter of Pakistani politicians. They are fooling the people of Pakistan to divert their attention from the core issue of development of the country. They have banned YouTube to hide their inability from the eyes of people.
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Feb 09, 2015 06:03pm
@PREM I am also from AJK. We've had 1 bomb attack in the last 15 years.
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Feb 09, 2015 06:05pm
Stop sending terrorists from across the border to kill military personnel which is causing more suffering to kashmiris as military will engage them and innocent kashmiris will be caught in the cross fire ,also if you are so concerned about welfare of kashmiris take them to Azad kashmir and treat them well, international community will support it whole heartedly.
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Feb 09, 2015 06:06pm
If Pakistan wants world to believe that it attaches high importance to human rights then prove it in your own country by putting an end to all violence against minorities and come clean on support to terrorists operating in India and Afghanistan with full support from security agencies in pakistan.
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Feb 09, 2015 06:26pm
I dont get one thing.Why do these Indians always deny when something bad come up about them? Come try to show some courage and accept ur weaknesses. Every country has problems. This fake nationalism is not going to hide the truth. Dil bara rakhli. Grow a big heart and then talk.
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Feb 09, 2015 06:29pm
There are so many things India can learn from pakistan including providing fair trial to all suspected militants and zarb-e-azb operation .
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Feb 09, 2015 06:30pm
Btw if i am not wrong Sri nagar is the capital of IHK and a capital if closed by a group means they have great clout on matters. If a group has clout in the main city of an area, it means they actually are a cause of problem for the establishment.Even lets say for the sake of argument, one big city of Kashmir was just closed, that is a cause of shame and concern for the authorities since one group can shut down the main city by just one call.
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Feb 09, 2015 06:32pm
@PREM - Evident prejudices aside, the main thing is there are no atrocities by our forces in Azad Kashmir. And as far as lifestyle is concerned, it is often referred to as ‘second London’ as many Kashmiris have built palatial houses there with money they remit. You guys are seriously misinformed.
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Feb 09, 2015 06:52pm
@PREM 1st of all you have poor knowledge about AJK. AJK has 78% literacy rate more than your side of kashmir which is about 68% and many parts of pakistan as well, petrol crises was only in Punjab and KPK not in AJK and it was temporary settled down now, we have our own gas and electricity no load shedding here in AJK search mangla dam which is in AJK, there is not a single case of polio being reported in AJK these cases are coming only from FATA and KPK due lack of polio vaccine campaign as Army operation is carried out there. secondly AJK govt is fully independent in all aspects its not pak installed PM etc. NS is not our PM our election will held next year through our own Election commission. thirdly people in Aksai chin are more more more happier than in indian kashmir there is no brutality and strikes like in IOK. 1st search then comment
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Feb 09, 2015 06:53pm
Kashmir struggle is a real and existential struggle we must do more to provide support to the freedom fighters
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Feb 09, 2015 07:07pm
@Awais Ali Your comments are bit hyped. Arif Shahid, a Kashmiri from AJK, voiced against the Pakistan repression, and paid a price, lost his life. Still no investigation.
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Feb 09, 2015 07:10pm
@Awais Ali - secondly AJK govt is fully independent in all aspects its not pak installed PM etc.
Then you should probably contact "The Freedom House" that does research and publishes democratic freedom around the world (https://freedomhouse.org) that lists Indian Kashmir as "partially free" and Pakistan Kashmir as "Not free" (and rest of Pakistan as "partially free"). But then I'm sure you will not, it's much easier to blame everyone than fix yourself.
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Feb 09, 2015 07:10pm
@Harmony yes i know that part. alhamdulillah our forces are awesome there masha Allah ,i have several time written it here but obviously dawn being endian loyal wont publish. But yes for this country and defending our ajk terrotory apni armed forces kay saath jaan denay ko tayar hain
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Feb 09, 2015 07:35pm
First Pak should do some transparency in PoK...Improve Judiciary & media in PoK...A lot of militant group running, a lot of killing but no news....
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Feb 09, 2015 07:46pm
Due to this longstanding dispute there is no such harm to pak and india,as much kashmiri's are suffering from it and it is clear to all of us that india don't want the independence of kashmir and if pak want to get rid of the dispute and give kashmiri's there right, have to take some bold steps.
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Feb 09, 2015 07:51pm
@Kashmiri Only news about J&K on Indian websites, are LOC violations.
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Feb 09, 2015 07:53pm
@Awais Ali If you look towards east, you will also see that Bangladeshis are very happy and achieving better growth rates than Pakistan.
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Feb 09, 2015 08:15pm
I do not understand why Pakistan is so obsessed with every petty news of Kashmir. In Indian media there is hardly any news regarding POK.
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Feb 09, 2015 08:29pm
@Awais Ali I like your sarcasm. (hoping you are being sarcastic)
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Feb 09, 2015 09:10pm
I am kashmiri and let me tell u honestly, kashmir observed complete shutdown today, shops in small villages were even closed
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Feb 09, 2015 09:25pm
finally pakistan agreed that those elements are just separatists
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Feb 09, 2015 09:28pm
@Awais Ali - Of course Tibetian are happy to and let us not talk about Ummah in East Turkistan. They jump with joy when they see Hun Chinese protectors.
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Feb 09, 2015 10:11pm
@Awais Ali Aksai chin is a desert and no one is living there except chinese army
Now go to xinjiang and tibet then you will come to know how much glad they are under china.
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Feb 10, 2015 01:15am
@V K Das an Indian's version, to convince himself by twisted logic, that the truth is not the truth. To simplify the answer, always ask yourself- ' if all is well, why does India, evade a plebiscite'. When justifications why not to have one, then that is your answer.
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Feb 10, 2015 02:41am
@M Rafi ... electricity, food and water is available even in max security prisons ... These things are no match for freedom.
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Feb 10, 2015 03:56am
@Awais Ali "Thank God I am living in Azad Kashmir Pakistan. I have never witness of such activity ever took place in POK. " hahaha - Just wave a Indian flag or say a word about independence or separating and see what happens! You can never be like Indian Kashmir-
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Feb 10, 2015 05:19am
@Awais Ali
Thank god I am not in Pakistan,otherwise I would be treated as Mohajir.
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Feb 10, 2015 06:58am
@Shakeel Ahmed
please check how much of infrastructure has been added in POK?? check the numbers of Engineering colleges , medical colleges, tourists who visit, railways project roads etc that have been constructed.
And would you please throw some light on the non Kashmirs who have been settled there from other parts of Pakistan..
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Feb 10, 2015 07:24am
Yesterday another kashmiri Youth was martyerd by Indian forces in Indian occupied kashmir, along few others injured severely.
According to eye witness The above said boy was discussing Pak-Ban cricket match with friends when indian forces stormed the village in lorries and fired indiscrimnately
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Feb 10, 2015 07:24am
Yesterday another kashmiri Youth was martyerd by Indian forces in Indian occupied kashmir, along few others injured severely.
According to eye witness The above said boy was discussing Pak-Ban cricket match with friends when indian forces stormed the village in lorries and fired indiscrimnately
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Feb 10, 2015 07:31am
@Awais Ali Have you ever heard about Arif Shahid......In Pakistan you don't hear about these things as every thing is extra judicial. If the separatists in Indian Kashmir also reconcile with Indian state like those in PoK, Indian state will develop Kashmir into a world class city, but sadly separatists are more interested in terrorism.
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Feb 10, 2015 07:54am
@Zak Why worry about what Indians do and think , let us help our brothers in held kashmir by resettling them in azad kashmir , no need to worry about indians or held kashmir anymore , our priority should be well being of our brothers and we should do all we can by settling them in azad kashmir and looking after them well.
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Feb 10, 2015 07:56am
@Proudkashmiri Good for you, even if dont do any work and observe complete bundh you get food ,water , electricity ,shelter etc , see your brothers in azad kashmir who are suffering even after working 24/7.
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Feb 10, 2015 08:10am
Which kind of fair trail he needed ? He was found to be guilty and hanged to right manner. Our various security officers are killed by terrorist in such incident. Parliament attack was played major plateform from approved POTA act.
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Feb 10, 2015 08:10am
@PREM
ajk has higher literacy than rest of pakistan and secondly it is a major recruiting ground of armed forces unlike indian occupied kasmir people here are over represented in army
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Feb 10, 2015 08:16am
@Awais Ali how many people are live in aksai chin ? Aksai chin was not part of Kashmir ,he was part of Indian which is snatched by china . india has only country of world which has returned various time land to pakistan which occupied by indian security forces. Other wise , nocountry returns land of enemies. China has act this kind of thing . So modern day, india is largest armed importer of world .if china has power tune why not start fight for taking land with India .
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Feb 10, 2015 08:20am
@Euro read out full article of india-pakistan separation agreement . There was three conditions,not two conditions. If pakistan was made for muslim then why 25 billion muslim are living in india. Please take on Kashmir with 25 billion people . If possible then india government will keep think anything.
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Feb 10, 2015 08:29am
@Euro Jammu and Kashmir state never belonged to Pakistan for multiple reasons - one the Maharajah signed the accession of J&K state to India, people of Jammu wanted to be part of India, people of Ladakh also willed to be with India and most importantly Sheikh Abdullah the leader of Kashmiri Muslims who opposed the Maharjah also wanted united J&K to be part of India. It was the Maharajah who actually wanted independence for his nation; but when the Pashtun tribes instigated by Pakistan government invaded J&K and started looting and raping women; he had no choice but accept union with India for protection.
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Feb 10, 2015 08:34am
@Awais Ali how many university in AZK. Have you gotten your fuel and water resource . Pakistan is where supports Kashmiris same side killed baluchi people . I don't think pakistan has good intentions on both issue which are same.
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Feb 10, 2015 08:55am
Lesson for all terrorists waging war on motherland.
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Feb 10, 2015 09:39am
@Awais Ali It is good if that 78% , as claimed, is the literacy rate based on modern education and religious tolerance. I hope you have taken enough care to arrive that number after deleting those graduates passing out from madrases and terror schools.
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Feb 10, 2015 01:17pm
@Awais Ali I checked throughout J&K state, Coz I am from this state and no strike is there. All private and Govt. institution are operating. Peoples are working and market is open but, strike is only in Srinagar, only because people fear damage to their property/loss of life from Separators.
As far as “Azad Kashmir” (POK) is concerned, you people are free only in words. You people are under slavery of Pakistan, living a miserable life without Fuel, Power and Dignity especially.
Do you really think you are independent? Do you have your own currency, own name?
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Feb 10, 2015 01:34pm
Lets get creative. Entire original Kashmir ( including POK, IOK, Gilgit & baltistan) should be ruled by India and pakistan periodically, for one year each. With no military presence whatsoever.
A few years down the line, IOK separatists will stop demanding for independence, and POK, G&B, people will start demanding merging with republic of India.
Truth eventually wins. or as they say in Sanskrit - Satyamev Jayate.
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