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Three Books on Kashmir
Kashmir tumbled into the basket of international disputes on January 1, 1948. It was none other than the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru who decided to put it in the UN basket. Ever since that day it has been hot subject for journalists, scholars, and historians. Hardly a year passes when about a dozen of new titles are not added to the already bulging bibliography of the Kashmir dispute. It is, in fact, … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take
Book Review: Pakistan Beyond Crisis State By Maleeha Lodhi
It is an extraordinary narrative of resilience. That is how the Pakistan story can be best described. Conjured 63 years back by a man, credited with having “altered the course of history” and having passed through many vicissitudes is confronted with the toughest challenges. During the past few years, writers such as American Stephen Philip Cohen and Indian M.J. Akbar have denounced this country as a failed state. And, some writers, like Bruce Riedel, have gone … Read entire article »
Filed under: Perspectives
A Word With Kashmir Leadership
Dear Reluctant leaders History Has Lessons For You Political struggles are not about social media, tweets and facebook posts, ‘of writing that is conceived of and shared within five minutes and forgotten in ten minutes’ but these are stories spreading over decades that have more troughs and less of crests. I think in our case there are no crests at all but troughs and troughs all along. For articulating my point of view on political situations as … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take
Indira-Sheikh Agreement 1975 Revisited
INDIRA-SHEIKH ACCORD ABDUL MAJID ZARGAR The Indira-Sheikh accord of 1975 is in news once again. Speaking on the sidelines of a function “Sakshaar Bharat Yatra” organized by JK Bharat Vigyan, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, the union Minster of New & renewable energy has said that nothing was settled in 1975 accord. Earlier his brother Dr. Mustafa kamal stated that the accord was not signed by Sheikh Mohd. Abdullah blissfully forgetting that his father assumed the chief Minstership of … Read entire article »
Filed under: Featured, Kashmir-Talk
Understanding the Kashmir Identity
Kashmir Identity, (a presentation made in 2002 at IMPA auditorium) Mr. Chairman, colleagues Good Morning I feel humbled in this gathering of scholars and researchers. Much before I start my talk, with all humility I would request you to bear with me for my shortcomings. At the same time, I would also request you to feel free to point out deficiencies and scantiness of my talk. I very firmly believe that a toddler like me has to learn … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take
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