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Posts published in April 2012

AJK women narrative missing on Kashmir conflict

Islamabad:  There is hardly any AJK women narrative on the Kashmir conflict and their voices are missing in the peace-building processes in Kashmir. This was stated by Dr Shaheen Akhtar, senior Research Fellow, at the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS), here on Friday. She was the main speaker at a discussion organised by IRS on ‘The Role of AJK Women in Peace-building in Kashmir’, says a press release. Dr Shaheen maintained that the women in…

AJK assembly told Ex-president, two PMs spent Rs80m on foreign tours

MUZAFFARABAD, April 27: Former AJK President Raja Zulqarnain Khan and two former prime ministers spent more than Rs80 million from the taxpayers money on their 23 official tours to different foreign lands between 2006 and 2011, some for as longer durations as five weeks, the AJK Legislative Assembly learnt here on Friday. The information was shared by the government during the question hour in response to a query by main opposition PML-N legislator from Bhimber,…

Bhasha Dam nearer but dearer by Rs10bn:By Mehtab Haider in The News, April 28

ISLAMABAD: The cost of acquisition of land and compensation of assets for construction of $12.7 billion Diamer-Basha dam has been hiked by almost Rs10 billion. The original estimate of Rs40 billion has been revised to Rs49.886 billion, it is learnt. This cost has been escalated after the governmentís decision to settle land acquisition for the Diamer Basha dam in accordance with international standards by reaching consensus with displaced people as recommended by the ADB, Chairman…

Kasuri to head PTI Task Force on Kashmir

By Muhammad Saleh Zaafir in The News, April 28 ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Friday constituted a Task Force on Kashmir (TFK) headed by former Foreign Minister Mian Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri in a bid to internationally highlight the dispute befittingly and enhance awareness about the issue within the country, The News has learnt. A political veteran and diplomatic powerhouse in his own right, Mian Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri was appointed as the task force’s chairman. PTI…

Will their sun rise in Kargil; by Faiza Mirza in Dawn blogs, April 27

The writer is a Reporter at Dawn.com “He was a great man because nothing could mar his spirit. His conviction to battle against all the odds and injustices of our system, amongst many other qualities, will always keep him alive,” is how Agha Syed Abbas Rizvi recalls his 30-year-old brother who was killed near Chilaas amidst a renewed spate of sectarian violence in Gilgit-Baltistan. Agha Roohullah was one of the unfortunate passengers who was travelling…

Is it India’s Rosa Parks moment: Op-ed by Ajaz Ashraf in The Daily Times, April 27

The author is a Delhi based journalist For nearly a century and a half, the cow wasn’t just a cow but an incendiary political issue, which periodically ignited many a communal conflagration all around India. Underlying the acrimony was the demand asking Muslims to eschew beef-eating in respect for the religious sentiments of Hindus, who considered the cow holy. It tacitly assumed a monolithic Hindu community united in its veneration of the cow and the…

Ban sought on blasting for gravel: by Tariq Naqash in Dawn, April 26

MUZAFFARABAD, April 25: The AJK Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has asked the district administration officials to ensure that the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO), a subsidiary of Pakistan Army, adheres to a ban on blasting on the outskirts of the AJK capital for production of gravel, it has been learnt. Besides, the agency has also moved a summary requesting the government to declare Kamsar Nullah and its adjoining areas, located some five kilometres north of here,…

In Mirpur, boarding a bus means braving the elements

By AH Nizami in The Express Tribune, April 25 MIRPUR: Inter-city passengers pray they do not have to wait long and are able to quickly board their vehicles. This is due to the lack of required facilities including sheds and waiting rooms at the bus stand in this model city of Mirpur. While transporters have erected sheds on their own, most passengers have to wait without shade for hours to board a bus in the…

In Mirpur, boarding a bus means braving the elements

By AH Nizami in The Express Tribune, April 25 MIRPUR: Inter-city passengers pray they do not have to wait long and are able to quickly board their vehicles. This is due to the lack of required facilities including sheds and waiting rooms at the bus stand in this model city of Mirpur. While transporters have erected sheds on their own, most passengers have to wait without shade for hours to board a bus in the…

US and WB renew pledge to finance Bhasha dam: By Anwar Iqbal in Dawn,April 24

WASHINGTON: The World Bank and the United States have both reconfirmed their commitment to financing the Diamer-Bhasha dam, Finance Minister Hafeez Shaikh told a briefing here on Monday. Diamer-Bhasha is an under-construction roller-compacted concrete dam on the Indus River in Gilgit-Baltistan. Upon completion, it would produce 4,500 megawatts of electricity through hydropower generation; store an extra 8,500,000 acre feet of water, extend the life of Tarbela Dam by 35 years and help control flood. Diamer-Bhasha…

Govt forms special security force for Karakoram Highway

By Shabbir Mir in The Express Tribune, April 24 GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltistan government announced on Monday the formation of a special highway task force to monitor the security situation on the Karakoram Highway (KKH). “The task force will be led by a serving major of the Pakistan Army while Gilgit-Baltistan Scouts, Frontier Constabulary (FC) and elite units of the police force will be part of it,” said G-B Education Minister Ali Madad Sher, while talking…