• Bill Seeking Ban on Alcohol in J&K to be Introduced in Assembly
  • PDP MLA from Kupwara, Fayaz Ahmad Mir, has submitted a Private Member’s Bill seeking a complete ban on liquor in Jammu and Kashmir.
  • The bill, set to be introduced in the upcoming budget session of the J&K Assembly, proposes prohibition on the advertisement, sale, purchase, consumption, and manufacture of alcoholic beverages in the Union Territory.
  • Mir warned that the rising alcohol consumption poses a serious threat to society, stressing the need for strict legislation to curb the trend. The bill also proposes harsh penalties, including imprisonment and fines, for violations.

PKK Announces Disarmament and Disbandment After Decades-Long Insurgency

Published on May 12, 2025

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May 12 – The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), an outlawed Kurdish militant group that has fought a nearly 40-year insurgency in Turkey, has declared it is laying down arms and officially dissolving its organization.

The announcement comes months after a call from its imprisoned founder, Abdullah Ocalan, urging the group to end its armed campaign. In a statement released through the PKK-linked ANF news agency, the group declared it had “completed its historical mission” and will “terminate the armed struggle method.”

The PKK initially sought to establish an independent Kurdish state, representing the interests of the Kurdish population, which makes up around 20% of Turkey’s citizens. Over time, however, its objectives shifted toward seeking greater autonomy and cultural rights within Turkey, rather than full independence.

The decades-long conflict has led to the loss of over 40,000 lives and left a deep imprint on the political and social landscape of Turkey.

Ocalan, currently serving a life sentence in solitary confinement on Imrali Island, wrote in February that “there is no alternative to democracy” and stressed the importance of democratic consensus to resolve longstanding political issues.

While it’s unclear what concessions, if any, were offered in return for disbanding, speculation has surfaced about the possibility of Ocalan being granted parole or other forms of political reconciliation.

Both the PKK and the Turkish government had strategic reasons for initiating this move now. Turkish military operations in Iraq and Syria have significantly weakened the PKK’s capabilities, while President Recep Tayyip Erdogan may require support from pro-Kurdish political parties in the 2028 presidential elections.

A spokesperson for Erdogan’s AK Party described the decision as a significant milestone toward a “terror-free Turkey,” noting that the disbandment process would be overseen by state agencies.

International analyst Winthrop Rodgers of Chatham House suggested that while there is “some goodwill” from Turkish leadership, accommodating Kurdish demands would require a major democratic transition.

“The disbandment is only one part of the equation. The key challenge now lies in whether Turkey will take the necessary steps to ensure full Kurdish inclusion in its political and social framework,” he said.

As the PKK exits the stage of armed conflict, many Kurdish leaders and communities are now hopeful that this marks the beginning of a new era of political dialogue and rights-based engagement within the Turkish state.

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  • Bill Seeking Ban on Alcohol in J&K to be Introduced in Assembly
  • PDP MLA from Kupwara, Fayaz Ahmad Mir, has submitted a Private Member’s Bill seeking a complete ban on liquor in Jammu and Kashmir.
  • The bill, set to be introduced in the upcoming budget session of the J&K Assembly, proposes prohibition on the advertisement, sale, purchase, consumption, and manufacture of alcoholic beverages in the Union Territory.
  • Mir warned that the rising alcohol consumption poses a serious threat to society, stressing the need for strict legislation to curb the trend. The bill also proposes harsh penalties, including imprisonment and fines, for violations.