Latest news with #AdilHussain
Times
10-05-2025
- Times
Recite Islamic verse or you're dead — the Kashmir massacre retold
Dawn breaks in Hapatnar, a remote village filled with walnut growers and pony owners. Naushad Hussain, 28, a taxi driver, wakes early, slips out of the family house into the cool mountain air and heads off to work. It is April 22, a Tuesday, in Indian-controlled Kashmir. The 30km drive to Pahalgam, a bustling tourist town framed by the Himalayas, takes about half an hour. At home his brother Adil, 26, is still asleep. He works as a tour guide — and tourists wake up later. At 9am, their cousin Nazakat Ahmad Shah, 28, a shawl seller, arrives in Pahalgam. He has recently returned to Kashmir for the summer. During winter, when tourist numbers drop, he travels round India, selling cashmere shawls and finding clients
United News of India
25-04-2025
- Politics
- United News of India
Devotees at Srinagar's Jamia observe silence for Pahalgam victims
Srinagar, Apr 25 (UNI) In a rare gesture, devotees at Kashmir's historic Jamia Masjid in Srinagar observed a one-minute silence on Friday in solidarity with the victims of the recent terror attack in Pahalgam. The emotional tribute came as Kashmir's chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was allowed to return to the pulpit after being barred from delivering sermons and offering prayers at the mosque for over a month. On his return to Jamia, Mirwaiz strongly condemned the Pahalgam massacre, where 26 people were brutally killed in front of their families after being identified. 'The manner in which a carnage was carried out after ascertaining their identities and in front of their families is shocking and chilling beyond belief. We strongly condemn it. Who better can understand the pain and grief of loss to the families of those affected than a people who have suffered it for decades and still continue to,' Mirwaiz said in his Friday sermon. ' Today, as I say this, as per the Islamic calendar, it is the 36th martyrdom anniversary of my father, Shaheed-e-Millat Mirwaiz Molvi Mohammad Farooq, and 70 others who lost their lives on this tragic day. Our hearts go out to these families who will never see their loved ones again, and our prayers are with them. We also pray for the speedy recovery of those injured.' Mirwaiz said that Kashmiris are known for their hospitality, and once again, they showed it during this tragic time. '…Being left helpless, locals helped those at the spot to flee, even at the risk to their own lives, in which pony operator Adil Hussain lost his life. We pay homage to this brave young Kashmiri who gave the ultimate sacrifice of life while saving that of others. Others rushed the injured, some even on their backs, trekking miles to hospitals. Kashmiris, in every manner, reached out to help the distressed tourists, as can be seen in videos where tourists are thanking them for opening up their homes to them, giving them food and free taxi rides to airports and other destinations, and even providing emotional support,' he said. The Hurriyat chairman said that people observed a complete shutdown, held spontaneous and silent protests, and candlelight vigils in memory of those killed in this horrific manner. 'The people of Kashmir send a strong message of their total disapproval of such actions and their solidarity and sympathy with the bereaved by standing shoulder to shoulder with them,' he said. He also expressed deep concern over what he called the rising vulnerability of Kashmiris across India in the wake of communal rhetoric being pushed by sections of the mainstream media. 'I appeal to the governments concerned in different states of India to ensure the safety of our students and all other Kashmiris,' he said. Mirwaiz also asked the authorities to allow him to visit the injured in hospitals and to the house of Adil Hussain to pay my condolences to the family of this brave heart. Prior to prayers, in solidarity with the bereaved families, a one minute silence was observed. UNI MJR PRS
Indian Express
23-04-2025
- Indian Express
Pahalgam terror attack: Tourists clamour to leave Valley, Omar Abdullah says heartbreaking
'Our guests are unfortunately returning to their homes wrapped in shrouds.' Speaking at the funeral of Adil Hussain, the only local killed in the Pahalgam terror attack, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had this to say about 25 tourists from across the country being gunned down a day earlier. The impact of the attack on Kashmir Valley became clearer on Wednesday, as tourists clamoured to take the first flight or train home and popular destinations saw a sharp drop in footfall. Srinagar and several parts of J&K, meanwhile, observed a shutdown of schools and businesses to express solidarity with the victims. Senior government officials said '50-60%' of bookings for this season had been cancelled. At Pahalgam, where the daily footfall is 15,000 or more, just 100-odd tourists remained on Wednesday. At Gulmarg in North Kashmir, which sees a footfall of 10,000 a day, about 3,000 people visited on Wednesday. This is an area where Gondola tickets are sold out nearly a month in advance. Even in Jammu, footfall at the Vaishno Devi shrine and Shiv Khori in Bhaderwah dipped significantly. 'In Katra, a special train has been arranged to get people who did not want to carry on with their visit to Vaishno Devi out,' an official said. Srinagar saw the footfall dip from 12,000 to 7,000 on Wednesday. Overall, for the Valley, an estimated daily footfall of 40,000 was down to 18,000 on Wednesday, officials said. The main highway link between Jammu and Srinagar, the NH-44, was meanwhile reconnected for traffic in a single direction. The highway had been washed away in some places because of flash floods that triggered landslides in the Ramban area. 'It's heartbreaking to see the exodus of our guests from the valley after yesterday's tragic terror attack in Pahalgam but at the same time we totally understand why people would want to leave,' Omar wrote in a post on X. Kashmir hoteliers, meanwhile, appealed to people not to turn away from the Valley, saying Kashmiris have always welcomed tourists. In a post on X, Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat wrote, 'In light of yesterday's tragic incident in Kashmir, many tourists are understandably anxious and reconsidering their travel plans. I've spoken to the concerned authorities and urged airlines, hotels, and tour operators to allow full refunds without hassle.' IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet cumulatively added seven flights from Srinagar on Wednesday for those wanting to return from the Valley. According to information provided by the aviation ministry, additional flights have also been kept on standby to cater to further evacuation needs. The government has also instructed carriers to avoid fare surge on Sringar flights and is actively monitoring airfares, which 'are being kept at reasonable levels', according to Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu. All airlines have also waived rescheduling and cancellation charges on flights to and from Srinagar for a week. In the aftermath of the attack, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had told The Indian Express, 'We are in the process of assessing the situation but we are already seeing an immediate impact of this incident across the board. Kashmir tourism has taken a big hit, but even in Jammu we are seeing an impact of this tragedy.'
Express Tribune
28-01-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Youth urged to select passion as career
KARACHI: Stress, a baggage that accompanies the workers in modern corporate world, remains a driving force as well as challenge for many young workers. Experts suggested that people should make their passion their career so that they can confidently handle the pressure at workplace that comes with the portfolio. The fifth phase of panel discussions under the Unilever Future Leaders Programme was organised at the Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST) in collaboration with Express Media Group. The theme of the programme was 'How to Deal with Performance Pressure'. Speakers gave advice to the youth from their vast experience. The objective of the panel discussion was to provide guidance to the youth to deal with the problems they face at work. The aim of the event was to empower and strengthen the youth in the economic and social sectors, as well as to motivate them to take practical steps to bring about positive change. The programme was hosted by Adil Hussain, General Manager, Beauty and Wellbeing at Unilever. He expressed his views and said that in today's world, a person faces numerous challenges and mental stress. However, the aim of this programme is to provide tips and tricks to the youth to improve their performance and deal with pressure. He advised the students to choose the work that they feel passionate about so that they can face the pressure of work in a better way. Social media forum Patangeer founders Amtul Baweja and Fahad Tariq Khan, who participated in the panel, said that a person should never put himself under pressure. The duo said that they work on social media. The advantage of being self-employed is that they do not have a boss. They do not feel any pressure during work. They said that they try to make their work unique and explore options for themselves. They said that there must be a purpose behind doing every task. Patangeer also emphasised the importance of self-care, saying that they are not pressured to create content every day. They said that a break in work is necessary for better performance. We want to deliver not just content but good content to the people. Patangeer said, we do not make our personal life public, we keep our personal life separate from professional life. When someone chooses the path for themselves and focuses on their goal, there is no peace. Azka Waqar, Director Transformation, Customer Development at Unilever, told the youth that it is important for any person to find a strong support system during their career development. She said that problems can be solved through discussion. She said that instead of taking pressure in the home or work environment, one should openly discuss the problem. Azka also emphasised the importance of exercise, which brings mental peace and energy. Hafsa Shamsi, Managing Director at Roche, said that a person should accept himself with truth, it improves one's physical, psychological and spiritual development. Life is very busy, but youth should learn to take out time for themselves. Students expressed their happiness and said that Unilever has given them great guidance through the panel discussion. The students said that if a person has strong determination and clear goals, he can face any challenge. Unilever representatives expressed their commitment to further support the youth through their programmes, so that they can play their role in economic and social change. The programme made the youth aware of the current challenges and provided practical solutions for the future so that they can play their role in creating a positive and sustainable world.
