The seeping unhappiness among soldiers unable to reach out to their families affected by the disaster is not only likely to affect its counter-insurgency performance, but it would also add to the sympathy for the Taliban in the lower ranks.
United Jihad Council chairman and supreme commander of Hizbul Mujaheedin Syed Salah-ud-Din will address a seminar in Srinagar via telephone from Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir on Wednesday. Ahsan Untoo, chairman of the human rights group, said the seminar will be attended by several senior separatist leaders including Mirwaiz Moulvi Umar Farooq, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik.
Amid the Sino-India spat over Arunachal Pradesh and Chinese investments in Pakistan occupied Kashmir, New Delhi on Thursday said it has adequate' infrastructure and military capability along its border with China, even as it sought a diplomatic dialogue to resolve the border dispute. "By and large, the border with China is peaceful, except for occasional problems. They are strengthening the infrastructure and capabilities on their side of the border," he said.
India made plain its opposition to China on issuance of stapled visas to Kashmiris and developmental work in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on Wednesday, even as the two sides inked an agreement to set up a hotline between their prime ministers.
India on Wednesday inked an agreement with China to set up a hotline between Prime Ministers of the two countries as it conveyed its serious concerns to the Chinese leadership over Beijing's issuance of stapled visas to Kashmiris and plans to undertake projects in Pakistan occupied Kashmir.
Naik Rajkishor Singh, died of his injuries on Friday.
According to US intelligence sources, Kaashmiri was killed in a missile attack carried out by unmanned aircraft in South Waziristan on September 7.
"The total number of Chinese personnel in and on the border of Gilgit-Baltistan is uncertain, but most estimates suggest a minimum of 7,000," Selig Harrison told PTI.
Rejecting as 'fabricated' reports of presence of up to 11,000 Chinese troops in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir's Gilgit-Baltistan area, Pakistan's envoy in Beijing has claimed that only a 'humanitarian team' from China was in the region to assist the flood victims.
India is making 'independent verification' of reports about the presence of Chinese troops in Gilgit-Baltistan region in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, saying it would be a matter of 'serious concern' if it turns out to be true. "We have seen media reports and are seeking an independent verification of these reports. If true, it would be a matter of serious concern and we would do all that is necessary to ensure the safety and security of the nation," said MEA spokesperson.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recently alerted the country on more terror attacks being planned on Indian soil. The prime minister was speaking on the basis of specific intelligence reports that suggest terror groups are planning attacks on the country
A mob on Thursday pelted stones on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad Karvan-e-Aman bus in Baramulla district of north Kashmir, the first such attack on the cross-Line of Control bus service which started in April 2005. "Abdul Aziz Ganai, a resident of Garhi Dupatta in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, received minor injuries in the attack on the bus which was on its way to Uri from Srinagar," Senior Superintendent of Police, Baramulla, Mansoor Untoo said.
The Jammu and Kashmir government is working on the draft surrender policy relating to return of Kashmiri militants who had crossed over to Pakistan occupied Kashmir, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said on Wednesday.
The BJP core group held a meeting in New Delhi on Sunday to discuss the blast in a German bakery in Pune on Saturday evening in which nine persons were killed. It said the government must introspect whether the intelligence collection and security responses are still inadequate.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday accused the United Progressive Alliance government of overturning India's Kashmir policy by making 'dangerous' proposals like facilitating the return of Kashmiri youths from Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. "The government is now saying that the young men who had gone to PoK for arms training have had a change of heart and proposes to facilitate their return to India. This is a dangerous statement and is not in favour of the country," said BJP
IB sources have told rediff.com that although the meeting was held under the guise of observing the Kashmir solidarity day, it was focussed at regrouping forces.
After lying low for over a year due to the scrutiny of its leaders in the wake of the Mumbai attacks, Jamaat-ud-Dawah, the frontal outfit of Lashkar-e-Tayiba, has stepped up its activities and unveiled plans to hold major conferences of Pakistani jihadi groups on Kashmir this week.
Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Praveen Togadia on Wednesday said the Nehru-Liaquat Ali pact in regard to protecting religious places should be implemented in both Pakistan and India.
Hitting out at Pakistan for its sharp reaction on India's military doctrine, he said, "I don't know why there is this over-reaction. India is not a war-mongering country. In spite of our differences with some of the neighbouring countries, we are trying to improve our relations with them. We have no extra-territorial ambition but our concern is to protect the country's territorial integrity."
At least 14 Taliban militants were killed in twin US drone attacks in Pakistan's restive northwest on Wednesday while five soldiers and as many militants died in violence, including in a suicide bombing at an army barrack in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
The revelation has come as intelligence agencies, too, say Pakistan is pushing terrorists infected with COVID-19 into Kashmir.
The much-talked about surrender policy for youths who had exfiltrated from Jammu and Kashmir between 1989 and 2009 for arms training and have a change of heart now was cleared on Monday by the state cabinet.
With its ultras in Jammu and Kashmir constantly on the run in the wake of stepped up operations by security agencies, the Hizbul Mujahideen has asked its POK-based leadership to sneak into India and strike in a big way.
Putting a stamp on India's stand that several terror training camps in Pakistan occupied Kashmir along the Line of Control continue to operate, local PoK political leaders and residents have said that extremists are 'regrouping' in the region and trying to cross over.Arif Shahid, secretary general of the All Parties National Alliance, told the BBC that Jihadi activities have recommenced on the Pakistani side of the LoC.
Days after India and China traded charges of interference in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh respectively, the leaders of the two countries will meet on the sidelines of the seventh ASEAN summit.
In democratic India, a citizen can be a patriot and at the same time be critical of the government, unlike China which promulgated a national security law in Hong Kong prescribing patriotism to contest elections, observes Rup Narayan Das.
If China keeps harping on Arunachal Pradesh and J&K, India must also rake up the issue of Tibet, writes Vivek Gumaste.
The official media of the Communist nation has said that America was 'poking its nose' into Sino-Pak ties, using 'India's hand' with 'hyped up' reports of the presence of Chinese troops in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir.
Leaders of Pakistan-based banned terrorist groups like the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen have called on supporters to wage a 'jihad' or holy war for the liberation of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.
This came to light following the arrest of five people in a case in which Rs 13,85,000 obtained from sale of goods sent from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) was allegedly distributed among terrorists and others associated with LeT outfit for terrorist activities in the Valley, they said.
Six soldiers, including three Junior Commissioned Officers and 12 Pakistani terrorists were killed in the ongoing fierce encounter in north Kashmir, a defence ministry spokesman said.
Two days back, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation had asked IndiGo to take "appropriate action" after it found alleged violation of safety and social-distancing protocols by mediapersons in the airline's Chandigarh-Mumbai flight that had actor Kangana Ranaut as a passenger.
Congress sources said party president Rahul Gandhi met Lt Gen Hooda and discussed the modalities of the panel.
Hafiz Abdur Rahman Makki, leader of terror outfit amalgam Jamaat-ul-Dawah, is emerging as a new face of terror in the country for his 'hate India' speech in which he had mentioned about attacks on Indian cities, including Pune.
In a significant gesture, the government on Thursday said it was ready to 'welcome' Kashmiris who had gone to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir if they were ready to return after giving up militancy.
Two suspected Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists, who were arrested in Delhi, had met the outfit's chief Syed Salahuddin in terrorist training camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir where he asked them to carry out terror strikes in India, police claimed on Friday.
'We have seen some videos wherein mediapersons are standing too close to each other in the 6E264 flight on Wednesday. It seems to be a violation of safety and social distancing protocols'
Nearly half a million people in Pakistan have been hit by the deadliest flood in the country's history that has claimed over 230 lives, as authorities braced to save major towns along the swollen Chenab river, which has left a trail of devastation.
Top Lashkar-e-Tayiba commander Zarar Shah captured in the crackdown on militants earlier this month in Pakistani-occupied Kashmir, has confessed the group's involvement in the terror attacks in Mumbai, a media report said on Wednesday.
"There are reports to indicate that women are being trained in Pakistan and PoK for terrorist activities," Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Maken said in a written reply in Lok Sabha.
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