Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

India to keep Kashmir lockdown for Eid on protest fears

Indian authorities are expected to extend a military clampdown of Kashmir ahead of Monday's start of the Eid al-Adha festival on fears protests could break out over its stripping of the Muslim-majority region's autonomy.

Indian-administered Kashmir has been in a security lockdown since last Monday when India's Hindu-majority government rescinded years of autonomy and gave full control to New Delhi.


Officials eased restrictions earlier Sunday but imposed them again in the afternoon amid a tense atmosphere in the main city of Srinagar.

They are expected to keep security tight on Monday to block any big gatherings of people during Eid al-Adha, a major religious holiday for Muslims, sources told AFP in Srinagar.

Some 500 people took part in protests on Sunday but there were minimal injuries reported. Indian authorities have stressed that no violence has broken out in the picturesque valley.

Local leaders have warned the loss of autonomy could lead to unrest in a region that has mounted an armed insurgency against Indian rule for three decades, leading to tens of thousands of deaths.

The decision by New Delhi has also sparked fury in Pakistan, with Prime Minister Imran Khan asking earlier Sunday if the international community was just standing by as Indian Hindu nationalism spread into Muslim-majority Kashmir, saying it was the same as appeasing Hitler.

Kashmir has been split between India and Pakistan since the countries' independence in 1947, and they have fought two wars over the former kingdom.

Khan tweeted Sunday that the "ideology of Hindu Supremacy, like the Nazi Aryan Supremacy, will not stop" in Kashmir.

Describing the move as "the Hindu Supremacists version of Hitler's Lebensraum", he said it would lead to "the suppression of Muslims in India & eventually lead to targeting of Pakistan".

"Attempt is to change demography of Kashmir through ethnic cleansing," he tweeted. "Question is: Will the world watch & appease as they did Hitler at Munich?"

He referred specifically to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ultra Hindu nationalist volunteer movement considered the parent of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Khan also telephoned Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Sunday "as part of his outreach to world leaders on the Kashmir situation," a statement issued by his office said.

"Muslims of Kashmir must be able to use their legal rights and interests to be able to live in peace," Rouhani was quoted as saying.

Officials said Khan would visit the Pakistan controlled part of Kashmir this week to show solidarity.

- Tensions high -

Tensions also remain fraught in the mountainous Ladakh region, where a local activist told AFP dozens of protesters took part in rallies on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with at least 10 people injured by security forces using tear gas and sticks.

Residents in Indian-controlled Kashmir, meanwhile, said they were struggling to prepare for Eid because of the security crackdown.

A mother who gave her name as Razia said she tried to explain to her daughter that she would not be able to buy her clothes to mark the occasion, as her husband fretted about feeding the family.

"What sort of Eid is this?" asked the 45-year-old in Srinagar.

"We are not even allowed to move outside. My husband is a daily wage labourer but hasn't made any money for the last eight days."

A sheep trader at a Srinagar market, who gave his name as Maqbool, said the number of people buying sacrificial animals for the holiday was sharply lower and he had gone from "huge profits" to a "big loss" this year.

Indian premier Modi insisted last week the decision to strip Kashmir of its autonomy was necessary for its economic development, and also to stop "terrorism".

He said with Kashmir now fully part of the Indian union, the region would enjoy more jobs and less corruption and red tape, adding that key infrastructure projects would be expedited.

Previously, under its constitutional autonomy, Kashmiris enjoyed special privileges such as the sole right to own land or take government jobs and university scholarships.

Islamabad has been infuriated by New Delhi's moves and has expelled the Indian ambassador, halted what little bilateral trade exists and suspended cross-border transport services.

More For You

Starmer-Getty

Starmer is facing a Labour backbench revolt over plans to reform special needs support in schools without guaranteeing existing legal rights. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images)

Starmer faces Labour pushback over SEND reform plans

KEIR STARMER is facing a backlash from Labour MPs over plans to reform special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) support, after ministers stopped short of guaranteeing legal rights for parents.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the government was committed to reforming the current system, which costs £12 billion a year. However, she did not confirm if legally enforceable rights, such as those provided by education, health and care plans (EHCPs), would remain.

Keep ReadingShow less
Heavy rain and thunderstorms hit London

Londoners faced a wet and stormy start to the week

iStock

Heavy rain and thunderstorms hit London before 30°C heatwave

Key points

  • Heavy rain and thunderstorms drench London at the start of the week
  • Temperatures set to rise with highs of 31°C expected by Thursday
  • Heatwave could be declared by Friday if warm conditions persist
  • Night-time temperatures to remain high, increasing discomfort
  • UV and pollen levels forecast to be very high across the south

Thunderstorms soak London before summer heat returns

Londoners faced a wet and stormy start to the week as heavy rain and overnight thunderstorms swept through the capital. Monday morning saw widespread downpours, leaving commuters reaching for umbrellas and Wimbledon ticket hopefuls queuing in ponchos.

The unsettled conditions followed a burst of thunderstorms on Sunday afternoon and continued into the early hours of Monday, prompting caution across the city. The Met Office has not issued a formal weather warning for thunderstorms, but conditions remain unstable.

Keep ReadingShow less
National Trust sets vision to heal
nature and engage more Asians

Lisa Nandy, Steve Reed, René Olivieri and Hilary McGrady at a National Trust event marking its 130th anniversary

National Trust sets vision to heal nature and engage more Asians

THE National Trust, which is seeking to broaden its appeal to British Asians, is marking its 130th anniversary with a renewed commitment to restoring nature and widening access under a 10-year strategy.

Its director-general, Hilary McGrady, also aims to inspire more people to get involved in caring for the country’s natural resources.

Keep ReadingShow less
 7/7 bombings

The King said the public should draw on the 'extraordinary courage and compassion' shown in response to the attacks. (Photo credit: X/@RoyalFamily)

Starmer and King Charles pay tribute on 20th anniversary of 7/7 bombings

PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer and King Charles on Monday paid tribute to the unity shown in the aftermath of the 7 July bombings in London, as the country marked 20 years since the attacks.

On 7 July 2005, four Islamist extremists carried out suicide bombings at Aldgate Station, Edgware Road, King's Cross and Tavistock Square. The attacks killed 52 people and injured hundreds more.

Keep ReadingShow less
Navroop Singh

Navroop Singh was convicted of five charges including rape and was sentenced on July 4 at Isleworth Crown Court. (Photo credit: Metropolitan Police)

Man jailed for life over rape and attempted rape in west London

A 24-year-old man has been sentenced to life in prison for rape, attempted rape and firearm offences following a Metropolitan Police investigation in west London.

Navroop Singh, of Mellow Lane East, Hayes, was convicted of five charges including rape and was sentenced on Friday, July 4 at Isleworth Crown Court. He must serve a minimum of 14 years.

Keep ReadingShow less