This is an archive article published on August 17, 2015
Andrabi booked for hoisting Pakistan flag
The video of Dukhtaran-e-Millat’s flag hoisting ceremony and Andrabi’s speech was later posted on social networking sites and circulated through WhatsApp.
The Jammu and Kashmir police has registered a case against Syeda Aasiya Andrabi, chief of hardline women’s organisation Dukhtaran-e-Millat (DeM), for hoisting Pakistani flags in Kashmir.
The case was registered a day after she stoked controversy by her telephonic address to a Jamat-ud-Dawa (JuD) rally in Pakistan that was also attended by Hafiz Mohammad Saeed. JuD chief Saeed is accused of masterminding the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai.
“We have registered a case against her for hoisting of Pakistani flags,” Srinagar SSP Amit Kumar told The Indian Express. “We are verifying other things and if anything is found that would be added to this FIR,” he added.
The case has been registered at the police station in Soura, Andrabi’s native place, where Pakistani flags were hoisted on the neighbouring country’s independence day on August 14.
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The video of Dukhtaran-e-Millat’s flag hoisting ceremony and Andrabi’s speech was later posted on social networking sites and circulated through WhatsApp.
On the same day, Andrabi is learnt to have addressed, over telephone, a rally of Jamat-ud-Dawa in Pakistan that was also attended by Saeed. The state BJP has demanded stern action against Andrabi for the speech and demanded that she be booked for treason.
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The address triggered a controversy, with BJP’s Jammu and Kashmir unit president Jugal Kishore demanding strict action against Andrabi. “These are instances of treason and will not be tolerated at all…Asiya Andrabi should be arrested.”
Jammu and Kasmir National Panthers Party leader Harsh Dev Singh noted that this was not the first time Andrabi had indulged in such acts. “I don’t understand why these people have been given a long rope by the present J&K government. It’s not the first time Andrabi has indulged in such anti-national activities…We feel unnerved by the government’s approach,” he said.
In March, Andrabi was booked for hoisting the Pakistani flag on the occasion of Pakistan Day. The separatist leader has openly advocated Kashmir’s accession with Pakistan and has served several years in jail for her hardline views.
Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter.
Expertise and Experience
Two Decades of Frontline Reporting: Bashaarat has spent 20 years documenting the evolution of Kashmir, from high-intensity conflict and political shifts to socio-economic development.
Award-Winning Investigative Journalism: He is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award (2012). This honor was bestowed for his reporting on the Pathribal fake encounter, a series of stories that highlighted his ability to handle sensitive human rights and security issues with investigative rigor.
Specialized Beats: His authoritative coverage spans:
Political Transitions: Tracking the shift from statehood to Union Territory, electoral dynamics, and the pulse of local governance.
Security & Conflict: Providing nuanced reporting on counter-insurgency, civil liberties, and the impact of the conflict on the civilian population.
Development: Documenting the infrastructure, healthcare, and educational landscape within the Valley.
Academic Background: He holds a Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Kashmir, providing him with a localized academic and professional foundation that is rare in regional reporting. ... Read More
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Was also booked in March
