PUNJAB
It created a sort of storm when Punjab police released wanted posters of Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind Commander Zakir Musa, after he was allegedly spotted in Amritsar, Punjab. Earlier, Jalandhar police had also claimed Musa’s presence in their area. In a separate incident, Punjab police’s counter-intelligence wing sounded a high alert after inputs about the presence of Jaish militants also. Reportedly the police have said that at least six to seven militants were seen in Punjab (possibly Ferozepur area) and planning to move towards Delhi from Punjab side. And in second case four Kashmiri shawl traders were dubbed as militants by Punjab media, that the local police in Ludhiana negated and said they were detained for some “routine questioning.”
NEW DELHI
The screening of Kashmir’s half-widows on a bigger screen, the 85 minute Urdu film with English subtitles Widow of Silence, by the writer and director Praveen Morchhale, has generated good critique after two premiers: in Busan and Kolkatta, saying the story has been tackled powerfully. But the film is yet to be showcased in Kashmir. The story is about a half-widow, Asiya, and her eleven years old daughter and her struggle to register her husband’s death who was missing for seven years. The film was shot in Kashmir in 17 days during a 20–22-day schedule in October this year. It cost almost half a crore rupees. The film has a mixed cast with the mother-in-law and daughter being played by locals, Zaba Banoo and Noorjahan.
CANADA
The connection of Kashmir and Pakistan always generate a huge interest across the globe, this week Nun-Chai connected them again. As per a report Pakistani woman, Kanwal Tauseef, is selling salt tea (nun-chai) in Canada. A mother of three, Tauseef, a graphic designer turned entrepreneur, who grew up in Lahore, started selling the beverage — along with samosas and Pakistani-style spring rolls at various events in Windsor-Essex, such as the Downtown Windsor Farmers’ Market, under the name Tea House Windsor from this July. Currently, Tea House Windsor operates as a catering company, in addition to popping up at events like upcoming Windsor Women in Business Christmas Shop on November 27 at the Windsor Yacht Club.
SOPORE
After a long wait of around five years, the ailing Hurriyat Conference (g) chairman, Syed Ali Geelani this week visited his native village Dorru in Sopore to visit his eldest daughter who lost her husband after a prolonged illness. While addressing mourners briefly, he talked about the situation in Kashmir and then broke down while saying about his inaccessibility to reach out to the families of killed militants. Geelani also said he is literally living in a jail as his house is under the tight guard of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the CRPF. In his recent medical checkup, the ailing chairman has been asked to undergo a surgery where the battery of his stunt in heart will be replaced.
LONDON
The Kashmiri fan base of Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi had a cheerful moment again when he spoke about Kashmir issue while interacting with students in British Parliament. Raising the issue to leave Kashmir ‘for the sake of humanity’ and let them decide their own future became headline in both India and Pakistan. He said, “Don’t give Kashmir to Pakistan or India either. Let them be independent. Humanity is a big thing. Humans are being killed there (Kashmir). It hurts to see humans being killed whatever religion they may belong.” After it was hugely run, the cricketer reached out to his twitter and said his speech has been misrepresented by Indian media who wrote, “Pakistan doesn’t need Kashmir; it is not able to even handle the four provinces it has.”
KUPWARA
The recently concluded Municipal polls mostly had the pandit participations, but in the panchayat elections, two women become headlines who were born on the other side of Kashmir. In Prangroo-Kalamabad village, Dilshada, 30, who was born in Chitter village of Muzaffarabad, was elected Sarpanch unopposed. After marrying a Kashmiri, she crossed over via Nepal route in 2012. While as Arifa Begum, 35, has been elected unopposed as Sarpanch and Panch in Khumriyal area of the Kupwara district. She has crossed over along with her Kashmiri husband Ghulam Mohammad Mir via Nepal in 2010. She is originally a resident of Palandari village in Muzaffarabad.
