News Analysis India

Tag: Kashmir

  • Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif Calls For 'Freedom Of Kashmiris, Palestinians' In Victory Speech | world news

    ISLAMABAD: Addressing the National Assembly after being picked as the next prime minister of the ruling coalition of the PML(N), PPP and other small outfits, Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday called out the 'global silence' on the prevailing situation in Gaza while seeking a bipartisan resolution in the House advocating 'freedom' for Kashmiris and Palestinians, Dawn reported.

    “Let's all come together…and the National Assembly should pass a resolution for the freedom of Kashmiris and Palestinians,” PM-designate Shehbaz said in a 'victory speech' at the Assembly. The Pakistan National Assembly on Sunday elected Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shehbaz Sharif as the 24th elected Prime Minister of the country, during a session that started with Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) members creating a ruckus by shouting slogans.

    The PM-designate stated further that amid the severe economic downturn in the country and livelihood concerns of the people, even the expenditures of the National Assembly were being paid by borrowed money, Dawn reported. He replied that the biggest challenge for Pakistan was that “all of the expenditure was being met via loans only”, the report noted.

    “All of these (expenses for running the House) is being met via loans over the last few years. This is the biggest challenge faced by the country today,” he said. “All of our salaries are being paid via taxes. Does such a situation warrant such hooliganism?” he added, in a veiled dig at the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) and other rival voices who have been contesting the results of the February 8 general elections.

    He also rued the debt crisis that the country is grappling with, Dawn added in its report. Meanwhile, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said his party leadership decided to go to the Parliament despite its reservations over the poll outcome in the country.

    Despite its decision to participate in the session of the newly elected National Assembly, Rehman said his party's original position to reject the 2024 elections was being proven right. “In the history of Pakistan, we used to think that 2018 was the biggest rigging that took place in the general election, however, 2024 has broken that record,” Rehman said in Karachi.

  • Army Promotes Winter Sports In Kashmir’s Gurez Valley, Locals Hope For Tourism Boost |

    Srinagar: Kashmir is on its way to becoming an international destination for winter sports, as the Indian Army is encouraging the locals to participate in various activities in the snow-covered regions. Apart from the famous ski resort of Gulmarg, which is known for its slopes and powder snow, the army is also promoting winter sports in areas close to the Line of Control. One such area is the Gurez valley in North Kashmir’s Bandipora district, where the army has started ski training for the youth.

    The Gurez valley remains isolated for months from the rest of Kashmir and the country due to heavy snowfall. But this has not deterred the enthusiasm of the locals, who have welcomed the initiative of the Indian Army and the Sports Council to organize winter sports events in the region. The army conducted a ski training workshop for the young people, where they explored the slopes of Gurez and learned the basic skills of skiing.

    The youth of Gurez were very grateful and happy to the Indian Army for arranging such events. They said that these events not only trained them, but also helped in promoting the region as a tourist attraction. They hoped that more and more people would visit the area and enjoy the natural beauty and the winter sports.

    Ajaz, a young skier from Gurez, said, “We are very thankful to the Indian Army and Youth Sports for organizing such an important ski course in the Gurez Valley. We learned the basic skills. The way ski and winter sports activities are done in Gulmarg, we should have the same in Gurez as well. We will learn these sports and represent our country.”

    The Indian Army also organized a snow cricket tournament in Gurez, which attracted many cricket lovers. They were delighted that they could play cricket in the snow, despite the freezing temperatures. The snow cricket tournament has become an annual event in Gurez, ever since it became popular two years ago, when the videos of the tournament went viral on social media. The international cricket players from across the world have praised and shared the photos of the tournament on their social media platforms. Gurez has received a lot of snow this year, which has blocked the roads connecting it to Srinagar.

    Abdul Rashid, a local from Gurez, said, “I am thankful to the Indian Army for organizing the tournament. It has been named as Gurez Premier League and the army has been working a lot for the children of Gurez. We are cut off due to heavy snowfall during the winters and they make sure to keep our children busy with sports activities. It’s great for the health of these children and keeps them away from drugs and other evils.”

    The Indian Army says that these winter sports activities are aimed to explore the local talent in the sport and develop the skills of the citizens to boost tourism and recreational opportunities in the region. They say that if proper infrastructure is provided to the untouched mountain slopes, which are ideal for skiing and snowboarding, then the day is not far when Kashmir will see a surge of international athletes and tourists, which will benefit the state and its people.

  • Kashmir’s Vistadome Train: A Swiss-Like Experience To Snow Cladded Valley |

    New Delhi: Indian Railways has launched a new gift for Kashmir, which has boosted the tourism industry in the valley. The railways has introduced a Vistadome train, which has a glass ceiling and offers a 360-degree view of the scenic surroundings. The train runs between Banihal and Baramulla, covering a distance of 135 km.

    The Vistadome train is an all-weather train, which can run smoothly in extreme winter or summer. The train passes through snow-capped mountains and green valleys, giving the passengers a glimpse of Switzerland. The train has been in the headlines for its unique features and design.

    Vistadome Train: Features, Facilities

    The Vistadome train has specially designed coaches, which have double-wide reclining seats that can rotate a full 360 degrees. The passengers can enjoy a panoramic view of their surroundings from the glass dome roof, the huge glass windows, and the observation lounge. The train also has automatic sliding doors, luggage rack, LED screens for entertainment, and a GPS-enabled information system.


    The train runs six days a week and is available to all. The fare for the train tickets is Rs 940 and it runs twice a day. The train has a capacity of 40 seats in each coach. The coaches are produced by the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai, estimated to cost around Rs 4 crore. The coaches are equipped with air conditioning to effectively manage the harsh cold of winter and scorching heat of summer in the valley.

    The train seats are equipped with trays like airplanes, allowing passengers to enjoy meals. They can also order light meals from the Indian Railways menu during the journey. The train also has a mini pantry and a bio-toilet facility.

    The Vistadome train has received a very good response from the tourists and the locals. Many tourists travel by car from Jammu and get down at Banihal so that they can travel from Banihal to Srinagar by the Vistadome train. They say that the train gives them a very good experience and a view of heaven.

    Railway employee Prabhat Kumar said, “We have received a very good response. A lot of tourists travel here and especially since there has been snow, we get to see a lot of tourists.” Passenger Hakumat Singh said, “It is a very good train, it is very enjoyable, it feels like heaven, it is a very good step for tourists.” Sunita said, “It feels like heaven, there are many sights to see.”

    Tourist Aditi said, “We have come to have this experience, it will be a very good experience, the view is very good, why go to Switzerland, stay here, this is to enjoy.” Satish tourist said, “This is very good, this tourist will be attracted a lot, this coach is very good, the view is like Switzerland.”

    Tourist Mohammad Zaheeruddin said, “It is very good that this glass train is there, we will be able to see the open valley. Indian Railways has taken a good step, we can enjoy Switzerland in our country.”

    The Vistadome train is a part of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Vocal for Local initiative, which aims to promote local products and services. The train is expected to attract more tourists and promote tourism in the area. The train is also a step towards the development of Jammu and Kashmir.

    The work on the rail link connecting the Kashmir Valley to the rest of the country is in the final stages. The day is not far when trains will connect Kashmir to Kanyakumari. The introduction of Vistadome coaches is another step towards the developmental journey of Jammu and Kashmir.

    The Northern Railway had successfully completed a trial run of the Vistadome train from Budgam to Baramulla under the supervision of senior railway officials in July last year. The train was formally launched in January this year.