Herald Report As we celebrate the near four decades struggle launched by women activists for equal rights in Pakistani society and for democratic and secular values, there is a need to learn from past experiences, failures, successes and redefine the objectives, and direction of such movements in the face of emerging challenges like climate change, rising tide of extremism, authoritarianism …

They’re marauding our homes like a victorious army, say Kashmiris Herald Report Stories of brutality, violence, arrests, and intimidation of Kashmiris by Indian soldiers continue to appear in international media since the worst clampdown in the Indian-controlled part of the Himalayan state, last month. Despite a ban on communication and media, reports of torture, abuse, and arrest of Kashmiris especially …

At least 22 arrested after demonstrators clashed with police near Tatrinote village in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. News Desk Police have arrested at least 22 people at a pro-independence protest in Pakistan-administered Kashmir after clashes broke out between authorities and demonstrators, police and activists told media. The clashes took place on Saturday near the village of Tatrinote, about 80km south of the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, …

Gilgit-Baltistan has recently seen peace, tranquility and social harmony after being plagued by sectarian violence for nearly three decades. Amir Hussain Many people think that this peace and tranquility is schematic and short-lived rather than being systemic and long term in nature. Schematic because the peace and harmony has been attained without much political efforts at reconstructing the institutional structures …

Call for an end to militarisation, colonisation of all parts of Kashmir, arrests and torture of Kashmiri leaders and activists; resolution of conflict through dialogue   By Haider Ali Lahore: Leftist, feminist and student organizations have expressed deepest concerns over the annexation, militarization and occupation of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) against the will of the Kashmiri people, international laws on …

Call upon peoples of South Asia to work together for the rights of oppressed nations   Herald Report An alliance of Pakistani Left parties, civil society and peace activists condemned the Modi-led Indian government’s move to annex Jammu and Kashmir warned that the humanitarian crisis in Indian-controlled part of the Himalayan state can spiral into a dangerous conflict between the …

https://www.nytimes.com/video/players/offsite/index.html?videoId=100000006653817/     The Indian government has confined about seven million Kashmiris to their homes and imposed a complete communications blackout. By Arundhati Roy NEW DELHI — As India celebrates her 73rd year of independence from British rule, ragged children thread their way through traffic in Delhi, selling outsized national flags and souvenirs that say, “Mera Bharat Mahan.” My India is …

SSR can be an effective instrument for maintaining demographic composition in J&K but it was essentially a colonial tool without roots and perceived legitimacy among the people of GB, writes Aziz Ali Dad by Aziz Ali Dad For the last few years nationalists and increasingly Pakistan Peoples Party in Gilgit-Baltistan are clamouring for the restoration of State Subject Rule (SSR) …

Herald Report Indian security forces have maintained tight restrictions across its controlled Jammu and Kashmir during Eidul Azha, fearing protests against the revocation of the Himalayan region’s special status a week ago. Streets and markets were practically deserted on August 12 as a result of the security lockdown, now in its eighth day, reports said. In the city of Srinagar, …

By Jon Allsop  In early August, the government of Narendra Modi, India’s recently reelected Hindu-nationalist prime minister, moved troops into the Kashmir Valley, which is majority-Muslim, then cut the region off. The internet and landlines went down; TV channels were taken off the air. Prominent local politicians were detained. Without consultation, Modi revoked the special autonomy Kashmir has long enjoyed …