Latest news with #BurhanWani
Express Tribune
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
KPFF chief pays tribute to Burhan Wani
Paying rich tributes to freedom fighter Burhan Wani, International Kashmir Peace Forum France (KPFF) Chairman Zahid Hashmi said that Wani was the icon of the ongoing liberation movement in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). His martyrdom has given new life to the ongoing right to self-determination movement since 2016 when he was martyred by Indian occupational troops. Every year on July 8, people of Kashmir and Pakistan across the globe and Line of Control pay glowing tributes to Wani. Hashmi said the Indian government has tried a lot to suppress the right to self-determination struggle of Kashmiris through its military might. Even today, the Kashmiris in IIOJK are fighting for their rights, and even senior citizens and elders are not being given passports and travel documents for Haj and Umrah, he added. The KPFF chairman said India has always maintained an oppressive regime. By abrogating Articles 370 and 35A New Delhi has snatched away the Kashmiris' right to self-determination. The August 5, 2019 will always be remembered as a black day in the history of Jammu and Kashmir.
Express Tribune
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Bunyamum Marsoos rally to be held today
The All Parties Hurriyat Conference Jammu & Kashmir, in association with the Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi, organised a seminar titled 'The martyr's death is the life of the nation', on the ninth death anniversary of martyred Kashmiri leader Burhan Muzaffar Wani. Speaking at the seminar, leaders of various political and Kashmiri parties said that Pakistan has highlighted the Kashmir issue at the international forum. The international community must play its role in stopping Indian atrocities in Jammu and Kashmir. Kashmir is the jugular vein of Pakistan. The struggle and mission of martyred Burhan Muzaffar Wani for the freedom of Kashmir will continue. They announced that 'Baniyan-e-Marsous' rally will be held on Tuesday (today) from the Arts Council to the Karachi Press Club in memory of Burhan Wani and to express solidarity with the Pakistan armed forces. The rally would give a clear message to the world that 'Kashmir will become Pakistan'. The speakers said, India falsely blamed Pakistan for the Pahalgam incident and tried to impose war, which the Pakistan Army foiled and destroyed India's defence capabilities. Modi is now willing to negotiate with Pakistan. Speakers included All Parties Hurriyat Conference Convener Ghulam Muhammad Safi, PPP Karachi President and Sindh Minister for Local Government Saeed Ghani, Secretary-General Syed Parvez Shah Advocate, Syed Yousuf Naseem, MQM Sindh Assembly member Taha Ahmed Khan, PML-N leader Sardar Sagheer Advocate, Central Muslim League Karachi President Nadeem Awan, PML-Functional leader Arshad Shah, PPP leader Sardar Nazakat, Kashmiri leader Iqbal Kashmiri, female Kashmiri leader Sardar Umm Kulsoom, and others.
News18
17-06-2025
- Politics
- News18
'No Public Funeral' For Terrorists: How Centre Wants To Disrupt Radicalisation, Mass Mobilisation In J&K
Last Updated: Instead of allowing militant groups to use processions or public gatherings, the security forces now quietly bury the bodies in remote locations or where the encounter took place In a strategic move to break the cycle of youth radicalisation and curb mass mobilisation in Jammu & Kashmir, the government has enforced a 'no public funeral" and 'no procession with the body" policy for terrorists killed in encounters with security forces. News18 has learnt that instead of allowing militant groups to use processions or public gatherings with bodies to 'glorify" terrorists, the security forces now quietly bury them in remote locations or where the encounter took place — often in the presence of family members brought under surveillance. A central government officer involved in counter-terror operations told News18 that in some high-risk zones, relatives might even be blindfolded if necessary. This policy, implemented quietly over the past few months, aims to deny terror networks the public spectacle that helps 'brainwash" Kashmiri youths. Funeral processions of slain militants in the past often turned into charged gatherings with 'anti-India" slogans, recruitment pitches, and glorification of violence. A source said the funeral of Burhan Wani is one such example. For intelligence and security agencies, these events were not just mourning rituals but flashpoints that fuelled the terrorism ecosystem, the source added. 'These funerals were no longer just emotional events. We saw how these funerals were becoming recruitment rallies and platforms for the radicalisation of young minds," said the senior officer. 'We had to cut that cord." With this, the government is not just fighting terrorists with guns — it is targeting the psychological, social, and emotional scaffolding that supports and sustains militancy in the region. The focus is clear: dismantling the structure, not just eliminating foot soldiers. 'Terrorists are often just unemployed youths — radicalised, brainwashed, or paid to pick up arms," another senior officer told News18. 'But our aim is to destroy the command-and-control networks that run the show behind the scenes." Officers serving in the region believe that preventing public funerals starves the terror propaganda machinery of powerful images — no processions, no slogans, and no viral videos. Crucially, no symbolic martyrdom. 'Violence will no longer be rewarded with visibility. Our message is clear," the officer said. This policy is part of a broader, integrated counter-terror framework that includes financial crackdowns on and identification of overground workers (OGW), digital surveillance to track radical content, and efforts to plug crossborder infiltration routes. The government is also actively reaching out to at-risk youth with rehabilitation, skill building, and alternative employment options — trying to break the chain before it forms. However, the most decisive element is this silent burial protocol. In a region where symbolism has long been a tool of insurgency, the absence of it might be the most powerful antidote, the officer added. About the Author Madhuparna Das First Published: June 17, 2025, 07:30 IST
Indian Express
01-05-2025
- Indian Express
Armed to the teeth, familiar with jungle warfare, cloaked in stealth: The terrorists that security forces are up against in J&K
Battle-hardened, mostly Pakistanis nationals who are trained in jungle warfare, armed with advanced rifles and communication gadgets, and men who rarely emerge out of the forests – over the last four years, that has been the profile of the Jammu and Kashmir terrorist that the security establishment is up against as they deal with terror strikes such as the April 22 attack on tourists in Pahalgam. These men have carried out deadly attacks — first on the Poonch-Rajouri and south Kashmir axis and then on the Kathua, Udhampur, Doda, Kishtwar and south Kashmir axis — not only bringing Jammu 's Pir Panjal region on the militancy map after two decades but also spreading terror into mainland Jammu for the first time. Theirs is a world removed from Burhan Wani and his crop of militants who emerged in 2015, posing with their guns and with their photographs splashed across social media. But without any special arms training and little battle experience, they were an easier target for the security forces. 'We have been fighting terrorism for more than three decades now; this is real guerrilla warfare. We have observed over the last two years that these terrorists have military training, are armed with US-made rifles and have bullet-proof jackets and steel bullets with them,' said a senior police officer. 'From their training and weapons, we can't rule out the presence of Pakistani army regulars or retired commissioned officers among them.' 'They usually move in a group of three to four members and at least one of them is armed with an M4 carbine, the officer said. Considered the defining assault rifle of the 21st century, the US-made M4 carbine is used by American combat units. The lightweight rifle, which weighs less than 3 kg, can fire up to 900 rounds in a minute and can effectively aim at its target in a range of half a kilometre. 'This makes it an effective weapon, especially in jungle warfare as they (terrorists) don't need to get into close combat'. The M4 rifles, police officials say, are often fitted with underbarrel weapons and optical attachments like telescopic sights and night vision devices that make it an effective weapon during the night as well. Leveraging topography The terrorists have used the topography of the region to their advantage, the dense forest cover that extends from Kathua in Jammu to south Kashmir in the Valley providing them a natural shelter and a safe transit route. Officers say the men have adapted to the harsh weather in the mountainous forests of the Valley, where temperatures often plummet to below minus 15 degrees in winter. On the nature of the forest, a field botanist and researcher from Kashmir University said, 'The mountain range is covered by evergreen conifer trees. On the side of Kashmir, we have Himalayan pine and Himalayan spruce that grow up to a height of 60 metres. On the Jammu side, we have oak trees. These forests have a green cover throughout the year. The forests are so dense that the visibility doesn't extend beyond 30-35 meters. At places, the visibility is less than 10 meters.' Besides the tall trees, the forests are covered by dense cranberry bush, a shrub that grows above human height and berberis, a plant that grows up to 13 feet. 'These forests are away from human habitation and are inaccessible because of their terrain. Thus, even timber smugglers haven't been able to access them,' he said. 'These forests are so dense that it is even difficult for the drones to navigate inside them'. A senior police officer said that it was the continuous pressure mounted by security agencies that forced the terrorists to shift towards the jungles. 'We made their survival tough in the urban pockets. We acted strictly against people who provided them shelter. We have a three-decade-long expertise in urban warfare, and the information was pinpointed. Our target was a house or a cluster of houses at most. But in these jungles, we have to hunt for tens of kilometres.' Their shift to the jungles also means little information comes out. Counter-insurgency officials say the men have managed to stay under the radar by either avoiding communication gadgets or using sophisticated satellite phones. 'They don't leave any digital footprint,' said an officer who has been working in South Kashmir. 'They either use the new Chinese communication technology or simply make use of offline devices. We have information that they are even using the offline maps to move from place to place. In some cases, we recovered Chinese Ultraset phones from them.' In parts of the Jammu region, such as Kishtwar, Udhampur and Doda, the terrain is so inaccessible that it takes about two days to reach there by foot. 'Since the digital footprint is missing, we solely rely on human intelligence,' said an Army officer posted in Kishtwar. 'After we get the input, it takes us a day to reach there. By that time, the terrorists are already somewhere else.' 'In jungle warfare, the one who is stationary has an advantage and the one who is moving is at a disadvantage,' he said. Human intelligence has dried up too. The Gujjar and Bakerwal community 'have walked away from this (information sharing) long back. They are vulnerable and have no incentive,' said a police officer. A senior Army officer said the terrorists plan the attacks 'in detail'. 'They sometimes plan for months, do reconnaissance before an attack. They plan their escape routes beforehand,' he said. 'Take the example of the Baisaran attack (on tourists). It seems they had calculated the reaction time of the forces. They knew they would have to travel on foot and it would take them an hour.'
News18
26-04-2025
- News18
Pahalgam Attack: Cybersecurity Alert Issued To Secure Digital Assets After Pakistan-Based Hackers Strike
Last Updated: On Friday, Pakistan-based hackers Team Insane PK defaced the homepage of the Army College of Nursing with images related to the recent Pahalgam massacre and of militant Burhan Wani A Pakistan-based hacker group has targeted the Army College of Nursing after an attempt to breach the G20 website, prompting the Indian government to issue a cybersecurity alert. All government ministries, departments, and agencies have been directed to strengthen their cyber defences to prevent further breaches. Sources indicate that the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) has compiled an internal report in the wake of the latest cyberattack, which came shortly after the terror attack in Pahalgam. The agency suspects that more cyberattacks—particularly on critical infrastructure—may be imminent, potentially as part of a broader cyber warfare strategy. An alert reviewed by News18 advises all departments to urgently enhance their cybersecurity protocols. They have been instructed to follow Cyber Hygiene Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) and implement robust protective measures to prevent unauthorised access and data breaches. On Friday, the Pakistan-based hacker group Team Insane PK defaced the homepage of the Army College of Nursing. The homepage displayed the message 'You are hacked!" along with images related to the recent Pahalgam massacre and of militant Burhan Wani. Authorities are treating this not only as a cybercrime but also as a psychological warfare tactic aimed at destabilising Indian institutions. Investigations are underway, and steps are being taken to trace the origin and network of the hacker group. First Published: April 26, 2025, 10:24 IST
