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Kashmir On Backburner?
Kashmir Missing From Narrative. Has the stalemate on Kashmir ended? Is there any forward movement towards the resolution of Kashmir? These posers, gripped the public mind after the APHC through a statement for the press announced that Pakistan government had invited Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and some leaders of his faction of the multi-party combine to Pakistan. Pakistan High Commissioner, Shahid Malik extended invitation from Foreign Minister, Hina Rabbani to Mirwaiz Umar during their meeting at New Delhi. In the proposed meeting in Islamabad Mirwaiz and his colleagues are expected to hold discussions with Pakistan leadership on prospectus of Kashmir resolution. The Mirwaiz accepted the invitation. Subsequently, Pakistan High Commissioner called on Octogenarian Syed Ali Shah Geelani at His Malviya Nagar residence in Delhi along with some other officers and … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take
Learning Kashmir History in an Open University
It was the other day, when heavy rainfall had turned the sluggish Jhelum into a raging torrent; I was one amongst a hundred and odd people who had waded their way to sparkling white hall of a local hotel. The occasion was release of a book on chief minister, Omar Abdullah by a young journalist Arjmand Hussein Talib. Sitting in the hall, waiting for the VIP to unwrap the book on a scion of Abdullah family, I was reminded of learning my first lessons on Kashmir politics. I don’t think, in my school days I have read any book on Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah. There was no book on him in our school library. There was no book on the shelves of bookseller in our mohalla. I remember there was a book … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take
Summing up SRINAGAR (Book Review)
ZGM’s Nostalgia shapes into a book bringing alive the stories from the city that once was Kashmir in recent years has witnessed a surge of books. Most of the books tell us the grim stories of the two decades. Most of these books have a single theme this one, but this book – Srinagar My City My Dreamland – is a compendium of articles written in Nostalgia column of Greater Kashmir over last few years, touching … Read entire article »
Filed under: Featured, Kashmir-Talk
Islamic Heritage of Kashmir
Islamic Heritage of Kashmir Kashmir has a rich heritage of manuscripts on Islam. Some Mss of Holy Quran e in many shrines date to 13th and 4th century- besides there are many Mss of classical works on Islam like those by Mir Syed Ali Hamadani and Sheikh Yaqoob Sarafi. Though chronicles suggest that Islam arrived in Kashmir in 6th Century and first mosque was built in 8th century but it took many centuries for this religions … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take
Hurriyat Conference New Avatar
Prodding and prompting are not synonymous.Prodding gets on one’s nerves as against this prompting stirs the thinking process.I admire prompting by friends on the social networks but am averse to prodding. On the exposure of the examination scandal involving Education Minister, Peerzada Muhammad Syed, some friends on the social network persistently prodded me to write against the ‘tainted minister’ detailing all his previous scandals. At the same time, prompting by some friends made me conscious about the catastrophic impact of the scandal on the future of educational system in the state. The scandal did provoke plethora of columns, some seeking intervention of the Congress Chairperson but with scepticism reigning supreme, I was amazed if my writing about the scandal would make any difference. Having an understanding of the Congress politics vis-à-vis Jammu … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take