Kashmir the Valley of Tears

Awais Yaqub

5 Feburary Pakistani people make Kashmir Solidarity day national holiday . A lot of activities take place that day . I went to rally .
Kashmir is occupied by Indian Armed forces since in 1948 . UN passed resolution against India many many years ago to de-militarize the zone and give people of Kashmir freedom to chose between India or Pakistan .
1989 freedom fighters started armed Jihad against 800,000 indian and sometimes Indian+Israeli forces .
Now Jihadi organizations and people of Kashmir believe it is useless to talk with India . the only way to get freedom is WAR .
List of Indian war crimes is unlimited .They sometimes even exile their own journalists on telling the truth .
India says Pakistan is behind armed jihad going on in Kashmir which Pakistan rejects .
This was summary of what I heard there.

We get really horrifying images and videos from Kashmir .Don’t know if they are aired in there search it
had less time so no much photos i was intrested in banners

Kashmiri kid



Jihadi organization's flag Jmat ud Dawa

All images
http://awais.smugmug.com/gallery/2440302#127979639

For info Kashmir is known as part of heaven on earth and known as most beautiful part of world .

ballentphoto

I am on the other side of the world and the topic is a political hot potato so I will not go there So on to photography... The Kashmiri kid shot is GREAT!!! lots of emotion there, what do the words say on his/her head? Just curious. Thanks for sharing.

Ted Szukalski

Perhaps this should be "Other" or "People" category but that is not the point. Emotions here are well captured although I have to question if a young child like this has the awarness of the issue.

As the previous poster for benefit of this forum I will refrain from the issue commentary. Generalising though there are many regions in the world where people quarrel for centries over a piece of land. Way too many!

Marc Muench

We get really horrifying images and videos from Kashmir .Don’t know if they are aired in there search it
had less time so no much photos i was intrested in banners

Awais

Great shot of the little girl

I would not mix the color in this type of image as it becomes a distraction to the drama.

Phyxius

Awais,
I think you did a nice job of posting the facts as you know them without coloring any statements with a "we're right and they're wrong" attitude. I don't see anything about your post that would cause any problems, but I just wanted to let you know that I for one am not up on most political current events so I NEEDED that background information to make sense of these images. Thank you.

The selective coloring works really well in the first picture and while I'm sure the building in the background is government or commerical it looks almost like a huge mansion. It's kind of ironic that it would be behind this sign.

The picture of the young girl is terrific.

I don't know enough about jihad and Sufism to fully understand the situation, but do you think the young girl understands a holy war? I think though she may not understand the reason some people feel they must fight, she understands that her world is not safe. You did a very good job of capturing her emotion.

That sword is a very powerful image. What are the words on the flag and on the band around the girl's head?

Thank you for posting.

Awais Yaqub

Hello everyone thanks for watching .

What I have come to know is that west is totally unknown to word “Jihad” but they heard it a lot . I used word Jihad as I see it used by a lot people Muslims and Non Muslims . But i am surprised to know some people still don’t know the meaning of Jihad

Jihad is Arabic word which means TO STRUGGLE .
Do jihad to get good marks in exams !
Do jihad to control your evil desires (the most sacred type of Jihad in Islam)

Armed Jihad comes in last after 8 types of Jihad. And used as last resort, but have so many restrictions cannot explain it if someone wants to know he can send me a mail . I will tell honestly in light of Islamic teaching not someone's elses light
This jihad cannot be for personal gain . simply a self defense
Women cannot be part of Armed Jihad in any why.

Kashmiri people started armed Jihad in 1989 . And problem started in 1948 .As discussions were not giving any results .

About the kids :

I remember when I was 7 I knew nearly everything about Kashmir .I still remember photos I used to see .Kashmiri people also live in Pakistan . Most Pakistani or Muslim kids always know Moses Jesus Kashmir USA Palestine. And when kids are also killed brutally so why not go to rally . And it is national day drawing contests exhibitions debate competitions are held all over the country . kids in Pakistan know Kashmir very much .

About head band
Kashmir will become Pakistan
About Flag
There is no God but Allah and Muhammad PBUH is his last prophet .
Sword symbolize the status of the organization which do Armed Jihad .

This statement is fundamental of Islamic faith the most important.

Well in the end hear my point of view and this is what everyone believes
Problem should be solved according to UN’s resolutions .But world is still unable to implement those resolution
Honestly speaking I don’t like telling something and thinking something else or simply lying to fool others.
Reality is that all Pakistanis highly support armed jihad in Kashmir and in other countries well jihad means Jihad not so called jihad of killing civilians or innocent.

I am really sorry if someone gets hurt .
Thanks

Malte

Looking past all the religion and politics one thing strikes me. I learn alot from you Awais, and I'm grateful for that.

Malte

schmoo

I am with Malte, in that in the time I have joinced this forum I have learned so much from you. Thank you for sharing and I hope you keep it up.

Andy

Malte wrote:

Looking past all the religion and politics one thing strikes me. I learn alot from you Awais, and I'm grateful for that.

Malte

Phyxius

Thank You Awais, you're a much more interesting teacher than the talking heads on TV.

I do have another question. The Koran teaches that those who die fighting during Jihad go to heaven, so if Kashmir is seen as heaven on earth are they infact fighting for heaven?

erich6

Phyxius wrote:

Thank You Awais, you're a much more interesting teacher than the talking heads on TV.

I do have another question. The Koran teaches that those who die fighting during Jihad go to heaven, so if Kashmir is seen as heaven on earth are they infact fighting for heaven?

He didn't say "heaven on earth". He said "part of heaven on earth". It's just an expression to exult the beauty of the place.

Awais, as others stated it's always interesting to hear about the situations in other parts of the world from the people who are actually experiencing it. Thanks.

I for one am saddened by the situation. I've come to know and become friends with both Pakistani and Indian people. Both of your cultures are rich in tradition and honor and deserve to coexist peacefully.

Erich

Awais Yaqub

Phyxius wrote:

Thank You Awais, you're a much more interesting teacher than the talking heads on TV.

I do have another question. The Koran teaches that those who die fighting during Jihad go to heaven, so if Kashmir is seen as heaven on earth are they infact fighting for heaven?

Kashmir is so beautiful that people call it heaven
And i think Kashmir is also a song of i think led i guess
Yeah that person is called Shaheed who dies in battel field doing jihad .
on the other hand person who dies seeking knowlege dies in his way he is also Shaheed .
Thanks everyone for encouragement

Phyxius

Thanks Awais! You truly are much better at explaining things than most people.

Marc Muench

Reality
Awais
Thank you again for sharing your knowledge of what is a foreign land to most everyone else. This discussion reminds me of my photo shoot in Iran back in 1996. I was shooting for Skiing magazine a ski area that the Shaw built, called Dizin. I was the second American journalist to visit the country following Mike Wallace since the overthrow of the Shaw's government. The very first question the customs agent asked me from his very high perch was, How is Michael Jackson?
Just to sum up my experience there, I have never been so welcomed by so many diff people on one trip. The wonderful people of Iran were oppressed and I believe still are which leads me to why your post reminded me of Iran. The people of most countries are not heard but only the rulers, who don't always represent the people well.

Keep sharing your world with us!

Awais Yaqub

Thanks Chritina and Marc


Wow
Iran is historic country .All arts like carving mosque designs music etc came to Pakistan from Iran . I am glad you enjoyed visiting Iran .
I hope you guys some day come to Pakistan .
As I said what ever question you have just ask .:D

FocusingOnFlorida

Very nice images. I like the feeling in the photo with the little girl.

Awais Yaqub wrote:

Thanks Chritina and Marc


Wow
Iran is historic country .All arts like carving mosque designs music etc came to Pakistan from Iran . I am glad you enjoyed visiting Iran .
I hope you guys some day come to Pakistan .
As I said what ever question you have just ask .:D

Awais Yaqub

FocusingOnFlorida wrote:

Very nice images. I like the feeling in the photo with the little girl.

Thanks Russel .