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India Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Owe eternal debt: Munir at funeral of Pak officer who captured Abhinandan Varthaman
Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir attended the funeral of Major Moiz Abbas Shah, who was involved in the 2019 capture of Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman, and said the officer fought bravely in the face of resistance and that the country owes an eternal debt to its martyrs. Shah was killed on Shah, 37, was one of two army personnel killed in a clash with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region, in which Pakistani security forces killed 11 terrorists. Seven security personnel sustained injures in the clash. The intelligence-based operation was carried out in South Waziristan district of Pakistan, according to a Pakistan Military statement issued on attended the funeral of the Pakistani military officer on Wednesday, which was held at Chaklala Garrison in Rawalpindi. Munir said Major Abbas showed great courage while facing resistance and ultimately sacrificed his life in the line of duty, exemplifying the highest standards of bravery, sacrifice, and patriotism."The entire nation stands united in grief and pride, saluting his ultimate sacrifice for the defence of the country. We owe an eternal debt to our martyrs. The blood of our Shuhada is the foundation of our nation's strength," Munir said, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).Senior serving military and civil officials also attended the funeral of Major Syed Moiz Abbas Shah Shaheed, Pakistani newspaper The Express Tribune reported, citing CAPTURE AFTER BALAKOT AIRSTRIKE IN 2019Following India's attack on a terrorist training camp at Balakot in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on February 26, 2019, twelve days after the Pulwama attack, Pakistan responded with a plan to target India's military installations. A fleet of up to 24 fighter jets headed towards India, drawing a prompt response from India. An aerial dogfight Varthaman, then Wing Commander, was part of the Indian pushback team of Srinagar-based 51 the dogfight, Varthaman's aircraft was also downed by Pakistani fighter jets. Varthaman ejected and landed across the Line of Control (LoC) and was captured by Pakistani was returned to India 58 hours after being captured. Varthaman walked across the Attari-Wagah border on the night of February IS TEHRIK-E TALIBAN PAKISTAN (TTP)Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), commonly known as the Pakistan Taliban, is a coalition of formerly separate militant groups that united in 2007. This alliance was formed in response to Pakistan's military operations against Al-Qaida-linked militants in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Formed under the leadership of Baitullah Mehsud, who is now dead, TTP is rooted along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Some estimates suggest that TTP has between 30,000 and 35,000 members, according to a UN terror outfit has executed several deadly attacks, including the 2014 Peshawar school massacre, an attack on army headquarters in 2009, assaults on military bases, and the 2008 bombing of the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad.- EndsTrending Reel
India Today
4 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Pak officer who captured Abhinandan Varthaman in 2019 killed in Taliban clash
Pakistani Major Moiz Abbas Shah, who was involved in the 2019 capture of Indian pilot Abhinandan Varthaman, was one of two personnel killed in a clash with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa forces killed 11 terrorists, while two security personnel also lost their lives, during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the South Waziristan district of Pakistan, the military said in a statement on India's attack on a terrorist-training camp at Balakot in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on February 26 - twelve days after the Pulwama attack - Pakistan responded with a plan to target India's military installations. A fleet of up to 24 fighter jets headed towards India, drawing a prompt response from India. An aerial dogfight ensued. Abhinandan Varthaman, then wing commander, was part of the Indian pushback team of Srinagar-based 51 plane, too, was shot down by Pakistan fighter jets. Abhinandan Varthaman ejected the plane to land on the other side of the Line of Control (LoC).Abhinandan Varthaman became the focus of India-Pakistan tension after his capture. Hectic back-channel communications took place. India reportedly foiled Pakistan's attempt to use Abhinandan Varthaman as a bargaining tool with a blunt warning of further Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan announced Abhinandan Varthaman's release as a "gesture of peace" - a decision that was widely seen as a victory of the Modi government's aggressive intent. PM Modi soon said Abhinandan Varthaman made India Varthaman returned to India 58 hours after he was captured by Pakistan. He walked through the Attari-Wagah border on the night of February 28.- Ends
The Wire
09-06-2025
- Politics
- The Wire
Why Mehbooba Mufti's Meeting With LG Manoj Sinha Has Set Off Speculation
Menu हिंदी తెలుగు اردو Home Politics Economy World Security Law Science Society Culture Editor's Pick Opinion Support independent journalism. Donate Now Politics Why Mehbooba Mufti's Meeting With LG Manoj Sinha Has Set Off Speculation Jehangir Ali 7 minutes ago The move was unusual enough for some political analysts to suggest that the PDP, a party with a 'soft separatist' agenda, is finally coming to terms with the 'harsh realities of J&K.' Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti addresses a press conference after a meeting with Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at Raj Bhavan, in Srinagar, Monday, June 2, 2025. Photo: PTI Real journalism holds power accountable Since 2015, The Wire has done just that. But we can continue only with your support. Contribute now Srinagar: Is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti trying to rebuild the bridges with the Bhartiya Janta Party-led Union government that she and her party leaders spent six years tearing down after the reading down of Article 370? In an unusual political departure, Mufti called on the lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha at the Raj Bhawan in Srinagar on June 2 – something which sparked speculation in Jammu and Kashmir. Some political analysts suggest that the PDP, a party with a 'soft separatist' agenda, is finally coming to terms with the 'harsh realities in J&K' against the backdrop of the Pahalgam massacre which has temporarily overshadowed the political dialogue over the restoration of J&K's statehood. Other analysts and observers argue that Mufti, who raised the issue of Kashmiri Pandits with Sinha, was ramping up her attacks on chief minister Omar Abdullah whose government had been reduced to a powerless entity in the Union territory while Raj Bhawan holds the reins of power. 'Major shift' Rekha Chowdhary, academic and former professor of political science at the University of Jammu, said that the meeting was laced with irony given that Mehbooba and her party leaders including Pulwama legislator Waheed Parra have been criticising Abdullah for being too close to the Union government. 'It is a major shift,' Chowdhary said, 'Mehbooba Mufti taking the initiative on her own and showing her interest in reconciling with the new political situation reflects that her party is facing existential issues and it has realised that in the present situation (post Pahalgam) nothing is going to change politically for the time being'. 'Relevant' A Srinagar-based senior political analyst who wished not to be named said that Mehbooba was 'trying to keep herself alive politically' at a time when political uncertainty has gripped J&K in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack. 'It (Sinha-Mehbooba meeting) could also be a courtesy call or perhaps she is clearing her position after making some strong statements recently (after Pahalgam). She has to keep herself politically relevant both with the public and perhaps with the Union government also and hence the meeting,' he said. As the carnage in Pahalgam has overshadowed J&K's path to statehood, pressure is mounting on Abdullah who seems to be struggling to hold accountable an increasingly assertive bureaucracy which is controlled by the Raj Bhawan. It has been over six months since his elected government was sworn into office. Sharing the podium with prime minister Narendra Modi in Katra during the inauguration of the historic rail link to Kashmir, Abdullah pointed to his 'small demotion' as the chief minister of a state to that of a UT which is administered by the Union government. 'But I am optimistic that the time will soon come when this wrong will be righted and you will restore Jammu and Kashmir's statehood,' he said to Modi, evoking a dismissive smile from Sinha who also attended the inauguration ceremony. LG Manoj Sinha, PM Narendra Modi and CM Omar Abdullah during the inauguration of the Chenab Rail Bridge. Photo: X/@narendramodi. On the possibility of J&K UT's transition to a state and Mehbooba Mufti meeting LG to prepare grounds for the same, Choudhary said it would depend on the interpretation of J&K Reorganisation Act and there could be fresh election if J&K's statehood was restored. 'Right now, it is a UT assembly as per this act. I believe there would be another reorganisation act for the transition of J&K to a state that will have its own processes and provisions and which will need the approval of the parliament,' she said. PDP versus NC; NC versus NC She said that the PDP has been cornering the Abdullah government for allegedly reneging on its electoral promises but the narrative that nothing was being done by the ruling party on Article 370 restoration and other issues wasn't gaining much public traction. 'The PDP is very much part of that narrative but the (Abdullah) government looks stable, unless there is some coup like in 1984 and some NC leaders decide to come out of the party. That would lead to a major crisis which I don't see forthcoming,' she said. Abdullah and his allies have 49 seats in the assembly of 90 but the questions over the 'impotence' of the elected government are gaining momentum, even within the ruling party. Last month, senior National Conference leader and three-time legislator from Srinagar's Habba Kadal constituency Shameema Firdous said that Abdullah was unable to deliver on the promises made by the party due to the alleged interferences by Sinha and his administration. 'We thought elections would solve our problems but now we have realised that there are many challenges. We cannot do anything or deliver the promises for which we were voted to power. Even the chief minister is facing problems,' said Firdous, in an interview with ETV. After the Lok Sabha parliamentarian Aga Syed Ruhullah, Firdous has become the second senior leader of the National Conference whose remarks have landed Abdullah in a difficult position. Ruhullah stirred a major row during the National Conference's working committee meeting last month when, without taking names, he sought to target the party leadership for abandoning the promises made in the election manifesto last year, including the restoration of J&K's pre-Article 370 identity and expeditious release of political prisoners. Following a tense exchange with Abdullah, the Srinagar MP offered to resign and later walked out of the meeting (something that was denied by the party), sarcastically dismissing it as a 'public milan ' of the party 'that once stood for something bigger than power'. Later, in a cryptic post on X, Ruhullah indirectly asked the chief minister to wear bangles if he can't deliver on his promises. 'Disillusionment with the elected government has started too early,' senior PDP leader Naeem Akhtar said, adding that an 'organic change' was taking place on the political front in Jammu and Kashmir as the ruling party was failing to live up to its electoral promises. Akhtar, a former J&K minister and the PDP ideologue, dismissed attempts to attach political motives to Mufti's volte face, arguing that a clear message had gone out post the massacre at Baisaran meadow that Kashmiris are against all forms of terrorism. 'We thought that this message shouldn't be a one-off occasion. The issue of Kashmiri Pandits seems to have been pushed on the back burner and by seeking their rehabilitation, we are affirming that Kashmir is not a communal issue,' Akhtar said. Chowdhary said that Mehbooba's meeting was an indication of the party's struggle to find relevance in the prevailing political situation, especially as Abdullah was negotiating directly with the Union government while the PDP had been reduced to merely three members in the assembly. 'Rather than talking about hard issues, she must have chosen a softer issue like Kashmiri Pandits because it appeals to many and it can appeal to the Union government also,' she said. She added: 'If PDP is feeling that J&K statehood was going to be restored or some other political development was going to take place, the party would be fixing its act on the ground and trying to win the support of people rather than meeting the LG,' she said. Akhtar said that the party has not given up on its political agenda, 'We will continue to promote peace with dignity which includes political resolution of Kashmir problem and an end to human rights abuses,' he said. The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments. Make a contribution to Independent Journalism Related News The Grand Tamasha of Jammu and Kashmir Politics What Amit Shah's Amarnath Yatra Security Meeting Says About Who Controls Law and Order in J&K Lone NC MP in All-Party Delegations to Not Join His Group, Cites Urs at Native Village A PM Dependent on the Opposition Doesn't Bode Well for BJP 'Attack on Religious Right of Kashmir's Muslims,' Says Mirwaiz as J&K Govt Bar Eid Prayers at Srinagar Eidgah Modi's Cult-Driven Foreign Outreach Efforts Have Left India Friendless One Year, Five U-Turns: How Modi 3.0 Was Forced to Bend to Coalition Pulls & Opposition Pressures The Search for the 'Bandung Spirit' Rural Development Ministry Seeks 12% Hike in MGNREGS Outlay: Report About Us Contact Us Support Us © Copyright. All Rights Reserved.
India Today
06-06-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Security measures enhanced in valley ahead of Amarnath Yatra
Indian security forces have intensified their efforts to ensure the safety of pilgrims during the upcoming Amarnath Yatra following the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam. With anti-terror operations underway in Jammu and Kashmir, preparations for the annual pilgrimage are in full Amarnath Yatra, scheduled to begin on July 3 and conclude on August 9, will see heightened security measures along the entire route. The Indian Army, in coordination with other security agencies, is taking proactive steps to ensure the pilgrimage is smooth and secure. Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Prateik Sharma visited the Srinagar-based 15 Corps (Chinar Corps) earlier this week to assess the Army's preparedness and review security arrangements. 'The Army is taking all necessary steps to ensure that the journey is fully safe and smooth,' officials year, approximately 50,000 security personnel will be deployed across the 38-day journey. Forces will be stationed at base camps, on the yatra routes, and in all sensitive areas. Surveillance will be strengthened by the use of drones, helicopters, and round-the-clock CCTV monitoring. Digital mapping will be used to track the movement of pilgrims, and digital ID cards will be issued for all yatris and pony riders to strengthen identity Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Jammu and Kashmir Police, and the Indian Army have jointly audited all routes for security. Additional safety features being implemented include the following:Blocking all approach roads linked to national highways during the yatraEnhanced jammer and escort convoy protectionDeployment of Quick Reaction Teams, bomb disposal units, K9 dog squads, and increased drone surveillanceActive deployment of combined Police Control Room (PCR) vehicles throughout the routeadvertisementThe yatra, which will commence from Pahalgam, has long been a target of terror groups. There have been 36 attacks on the Amarnath Yatra over the past 32 years. The first occurred in 1993, with multiple attacks following through the 1990s. In 2000, the deadliest attack killed 32 and injured 60 at the Pahalgam base camp, carried out by Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists. In subsequent years, grenades were lobbed at camps and vehicles. A lull followed until 2017, when gunmen attacked a pilgrim bus, killing seven and injuring have emphasised that ensuring the safety of pilgrims is their highest priority. 'Security agencies have increased their vigilance for the peaceful and safe conduct of the yatra,' officials said. 'It is the priority of the central and state governments that the devotees can reach the holy cave without any fear and hinderance.'Last year, over five lakh devotees undertook the Amarnath Yatra, a number expected to rise again this year. IN THIS STORY#Amarnath Yatra#Jammu and Kashmir
The Wire
02-06-2025
- The Wire
Discrepancies, Data and the Myth of Kashmir's Tourism ‘Boost': An RTI Raises More Questions
Menu हिंदी తెలుగు اردو Home Politics Economy World Security Law Science Society Culture Editor's Pick Opinion Support independent journalism. Donate Now Government Discrepancies, Data and the Myth of Kashmir's Tourism 'Boost': An RTI Raises More Questions Jehangir Ali 32 minutes ago An RTI activist has alleged that data disclosed by the tourism department and the government-run development authorities that are responsible for independently managing tourist destinations in Kashmir are marred by errors. FILE IMAGE. Tourists lined up at a Gondola cable car station, in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, at Gulmarg in Baramulla district, Jammu & Kashmir, Thursday, April 24, 2025. Photo: PTI Real journalism holds power accountable Since 2015, The Wire has done just that. But we can continue only with your support. Contribute now Srinagar: A right to information query has found that only 10% of the purported tourist footfall in Jammu and Kashmir since the reading down of Article 370 was for the Kashmir Valley, leading to questions on claims of the restoration of normalcy in the area and queries on the methods in which such numbers are collected. As many as 9.47 crore tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir, the Union government had earlier said. In response to the RTI query by Srinagar-based transparency activist M.M. Shuja, the tourism department of Kashmir has stated that 92,80,199 tourists – 1,40,577 of them foreigners – visited the Kashmir Valley in the six years since 2019, the year of the Article 370 move. According to the department's public information officer, the number of tourists who visited the Kashmir valley in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 was 5,65,532, 41,267, 6,65,814, 23,10,309, 22,10,497 and 29,86,780 respectively. However, the Union government's own Economic Survey 2024-25 puts the figures at 6,65,777, 26,73,442, 31,55,835 and 34,98,702 in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 respectively. The Union government thus records over 18 lakh more tourists from 2021 to 2024 than the tourism department of the J&K government, which is under its direct control. In March this year, a report in the Rajya Sabha by a parliamentary standing committee stated that 9.47 crore tourists arrived in Jammu and Kashmir from 2019 to 2024, of whom around 8.5 crore seem to have confined their visit to the Jammu region only. Of these, a significant number appear to have visited the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine. According to official data, more than 4.33 crore devotees visited the shrine in the six years since 2019 – a figure which is likely to also include a good number of locals. The Kashmir valley's low share in Jammu and Kashmir's annual tourist footfall holds significance as the BJP-led Union government has repeatedly attempted to link the numbers with the restoration of normalcy in the Union territory following the reading down of Article 370. Speaking with The Wire, Shuja, the RTI activist, alleged that the data disclosed by the tourism department and the government-run development authorities that are responsible for independently managing tourist destinations in Kashmir are marred by errors. Methods In a query about the methodology used for counting tourists at the Srinagar airport and the national highway – the only all-weather surface link that connects the valley with the rest of the country – the department stated that the final figure was 'recorded manually by the dedicated tourist police headed by Deputy Director Tourism Enforcement'. Shuja said that there are flaws in this strategy, claiming that the total number includes local residents of the valley who may be travelling for reasons such as study, healthcare, business or leisure, as well as the floating population of around four to five lakh migrant workers who travel to Kashmir every year. 'The tourism department passes off the number of daily arrivals at the Srinagar airport as the total number of tourists, without excluding the locals and security personnel who visit Kashmir for reasons other than tourism. When I asked the officials about this, they had no answer,' claimed Shuja. He also said that the method used to count tourists arriving in Kashmir by passenger cabs or buses via the national highway was flawed for the same reason. 'The number of passengers that can fit into buses and cabs crossing the Jawahar Tunnel into Kashmir is presented as the number of tourists. While it may help to present a rosy picture of tourism, the absence of factual data will hinder the long-term growth of the sector', Shuja said. The RTI activist also alleged that these discrepancies appear in data released by the development authorities that oversee some of Kashmir's most popular tourist destinations. Citing the official figures revealed by the Sonamarg Development Authority (SDA) in Ganderbal district, he said that there are 1,270 rooms in all the private and government establishments and hotels in this central Kashmir health resort, which figures among the valley's top five tourist destinations. More discrepancies Responding to an RTI query by Shuja, the SDA stated that 8,90,874 tourists visited Sonamarg in 2024. However, the authority left the query unanswered about the mechanism it adopted to count tourists. Shuja claimed that if all rooms available in Sonamarg were to be occupied on all days of the year, the total number would come to 4,63,550 tourists in 2024. 'If the number is doubled to two tourists per room, even then the figure of 9,27,100 would suggest that Sonamarg was almost at full capacity throughout the year, which is far from truth, given that the harsh winter and the terrorist attack on the Z-Morh tunnel kept Sonamarg out of bounds for many weeks in 2024,' he said. The tourism department has also stated that the hotels, lodges and other similar facilities in Kashmir can accommodate 77,050 persons, with the capital Srinagar figuring on top with a capacity of 56,022 beds, followed by Anantnag with 11,336 and Baramulla with 4,494. A 2018 report in the International Journal of Advance Research in Science and Engineering said that the relative share of the tourism sector in Jammu and Kashmir's gross state domestic product (GSDP) fluctuated between 6.99% and 8.04%, making it a key sector which has generated a good number of jobs in the hospitality and transportation sectors in recent years. In his first budget speech on March 7, chief minister Omar Abdullah asserted that his government was planning to increase the contribution of the tourism sector to the Union territory's GSDP from 7% to at least 15% over the course of his tenure. Make a contribution to Independent Journalism Related News 'No Unauthorised Websites, Private Email IDs': J&K Govt Issues Advisory Amid Cyber Attacks What Amit Shah's Amarnath Yatra Security Meeting Says About Who Controls Law and Order in J&K The Grand Tamasha of Jammu and Kashmir Politics Jammu and Kashmir: Family Living Near LoC Loses Breadwinner in Shelling After Operation Sindoor Author of 'Kashmir in Conflict' Says 'India and Pakistan Gain Nothing From Repeated Military Confrontations' Pahalgam and the Collective Punishment of Kashmiris Missing Police in Pahalgam: Who is Responsible for this Biggest Breach of Public Security? 'It's a Huge Tragedy': In Visit to Poonch, Rahul Gandhi Meets Families Bereaved in Pak Artillery Shelling Jammu and Kashmir: Soldier Killed During Encounter With Terrorists in Kishtwar District About Us Contact Us Support Us © Copyright. All Rights Reserved.
