-kUeE-U20678266148E7-960x540%40HT-Web.jpg "Aseem Bassi")
Aseem Bassi
A principal correspondent, Aseem Bassi is the bureau chief at Amritsar. He covers politics, Indo-Pak border, gurdwara politics, crime, border trade and civic issues.
Articles by Aseem Bassi
Navjot Singh Sidhu slams Badals, Capt Amarinder fails to turn up
By Aseem Bassi | Hindustan Times, Amritsar, Baba Bakala
UPDATED ON AUG 08, 2017 11:07 AM IST
“It is ridiculous that Badals who did the maximum ‘jabar’ (repression) on the people of Punjab in past one decade are now complaining against ‘jabar’.”
Punjab: AAP, SAD to corner Congress govt at Rakhar Punia mela today
By Aseem Bassi | Hindustan Times, Amritsar, Amritsar
UPDATED ON AUG 07, 2017 09:04 AM IST
Both the opposition parties will take on the Congress government on farmer suicides, debt waiver and unfulfilled pre-poll promises
Attari gallery to miss August 15 deadline, work to be over by October
By Aseem Bassi | Hindustan Times, Amritsar, Amritsar
UPDATED ON AUG 02, 2017 01:12 PM IST
The retreat ceremony at the Attari Border, in which BSF jawans and Pakistani Rangers indulge in aggressive posturing and foot stomping, has become an attraction for tourists worldwide.
On Indo-Pak border, Punjab Police working in tandem with BSF
By Aseem Bassi | Hindustan Times, Amritsar, Amritsar
UPDATED ON JUL 28, 2017 03:41 PM IST
Apart from being part of joint nakas at some places, cops also being trained in weapon-handling and tactical issues
Punjabis missing in Mosul: All eyes on Sushma, Iraqi minister meeting today
By Aseem Bassi | Hindustan Times, Amritsar
UPDATED ON JUL 24, 2017 09:25 AM IST
As liberation of Mosul brightened chances of information about the kidnapped Indians, Swaraj, at a meeting with their relatives last week, had said that they might be languishing in a jail in Badush in northwest of Mosul where fighting was going on.
Punjab Police boost second line of defence along Indo-Pak border
By Aseem Bassi | Hindustan Times, Amritsar
UPDATED ON JUL 23, 2017 09:29 AM IST
Heightened movement witnessed in border region with cops patrolling the area in LMG-mounted vehicles, and bullet-proof Scorpios and tractors deployed at various points
Kin disheartened as Swaraj says missing Punjabis are in ISIS-zone
By Aseem Bassi | Hindustan Times, Amritsar
UPDATED ON JUL 17, 2017 09:13 AM IST
Talking to HT, Gurpinder Kaur, one of the family members said, “I met the Union minister today but I am disheartened. We all came with lot of hope but things are not moving forward and there is hardly any clue. Almost everyone is disheartened but we hope wherever all youth are they remain safe.”
No relief on items used to prepare langar: SGPC writes another letter to Arun Jaitley
By Aseem Bassi | Hindustan Times, Amritsar, Amritsar
UPDATED ON JUL 13, 2017 09:55 AM IST
Though the material used to prepare ‘parsad’ will be exempted from GST, there is no relief on items used to prepare langar at the Golden Temple,” said SGPC chief secretary Harcharan Singh while talking to HT.
Pakistan sends home 78 Indians, mostly fishermen
By Aseem Bassi | Hindustan Times, Amritsar
UPDATED ON JUL 10, 2017 10:54 PM IST
Most of the prisoners were fishermen from Gujarat and were lodged in Landi Jail in Karachi.
Iraqi city freed from ISIS: Kin of Punjabis stuck in Mosul want Centre to evacuate them soon
By Aseem Bassi | Hindustan Times, Amritsar, Amritsar
UPDATED ON JUL 09, 2017 08:42 PM IST
As most of the youths, who have not made any contact with their families ever since, belong to Punjab, their families here now want the Indian government to take urgent measures to bring them back.
Sikh pilgrims to Pakistan stuck at Attari as Centre denies permission at eleventh hour
By Aseem Bassi | Hindustan Times, Attari
UPDATED ON JUN 28, 2017 06:07 PM IST
The pilgrims were going to Pakistan to observe the death anniversary Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the founder of the Sikh empire.
New lights are on! Golden Temple hi-tech illumination project nears completion
By Aseem Bassi | Hindustan Times, Amritsar, Amritsar
UPDATED ON JUN 26, 2017 12:46 PM IST
The illumination by digitally-controlled, multi-coloured LED lights is already complete on the top floor of the parikarma, Darshani Deodhi, entry gates, and the Ramgarhia bunga.
No pilgrims’ progress: Sikh jathas to Pakistan in jeopardy
By Aseem Bassi | Hindustan Times, Amritsar
UPDATED ON JUN 21, 2017 01:04 PM IST
The external affairs ministry told the SGPC recently to give an undertaking that the jatha is going to Pakistan at its own risk. The SGPC begs to differ.
Sikh jatha can go to Pakistan ‘at own risk’ if SGPC gives undertaking to MEA
By Aseem Bassi | Hindustan Times, Amritsar
UPDATED ON JUN 17, 2017 01:48 PM IST
The SGPC had in the latest sent 251 passports to the Pakistani embassy in Delhi for visas to a jatha that wants to visit the country for the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Operation Bluestar anniversary: 7 paramilitary companies to keep vigil in Amritsar
By Aseem Bassi | Hindustan Times, Amritsar, Amritsar
UPDATED ON MAY 31, 2017 09:49 AM IST
Security has been enhanced for the anniversary since a couple of years ago a clash between SGPC Task Force and members of a radical body in 2014 had left around 8 persons injured during the Operation Bluestar anniversary.
Indian national Uzma, forced to marry in Pakistan, returns home; welcome back, says Sushma Swaraj
By Aseem Bassi | Hindustan Times, Attari
UPDATED ON MAY 25, 2017 12:25 PM IST
Uzma Ahmed told a Pakistani court she was forced to marry Tahir Ali, a resident of Buner in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, at gun point after she agreed to go to Pakistan to meet him
Majithia barges into ADGP’s public meet to ‘seek justice’; shoe hurled at ex-minister’s car
By Aseem Bassi | Hindustan Times, Amritsar, Amritsar
UPDATED ON MAY 20, 2017 09:02 PM IST
Former Akali minister and Majitha MLA Bikram Singh Majithia confronts police official in his constituency, asks why he was not invited despite being local MLA
Attari check post gets modern surveillance equipment
By Aseem Bassi | Hindustan Times, Amritsar, Amritsar
UPDATED ON MAY 12, 2017 11:36 AM IST
Imported from Israel, one of the equipment called I-scan will be utilised to check the baggage of Samjhauta Express passengers as well as goods trains from Pakistan.
Denied honour in 2002, Amarinder given ‘siropa’ inside Golden Temple
By Aseem Bassi | Hindustan Times, Amritsar
UPDATED ON MAY 09, 2017 09:36 AM IST
Amarinder was earlier denied ‘siropa’ during his visit to the shrine after becoming the chief minister in 2002.
Punjab won’t sell electricity to Pakistan until normalcy returns: Capt
By Aseem Bassi | Hindustan Times, Vein poin (Tarn Taran), Vein Poin (tarn Taran)
UPDATED ON MAY 08, 2017 10:28 AM IST
Amarinder calls on martyr Paramjit Singh’s family at his Tarn Taran village; announces jobs for his two children
Ahead of Punjab CM’s visit to martyr’s village, road repaired for a smooth ride
By Aseem Bassi | Hindustan Times, Amritsar, Vein Poin (tarn Taran)
UPDATED ON MAY 07, 2017 09:14 AM IST
A helipad has already been made as the CM will land in the grounds outside the village school.
With promise to fulfil his daughter’s dreams, IAS-IPS couple meets martyr’s family in Tarn Taran village
By Aseem Bassi | Hindustan Times, Vein Poin (tarn Taran)
UPDATED ON MAY 06, 2017 07:59 PM IST
“Khushdeep will stay with her family in the village, but we will keep visiting her regularly,” he said, “We are soon going to decide how to take forward her education.”
Vigil up in Punjab: BSF on alert as tension simmers at Indo-Pak border
By Aseem Bassi | Hindustan Times, Amritsar, Amritsar
UPDATED ON MAY 06, 2017 10:08 AM IST
The security inside and around the integrated check post (ICP), where trade takes place between the two nations, has also been heightened. BSF sources have claimed that extra caution is maintained in the Bamiyal sector along Pathankot.
‘Faujian Da Pind’ angry over mutilation of soldiers’ bodies
By Aseem Bassi | Hindustan Times, Pandori Sidhwan (tarn Taran)
UPDATED ON MAY 04, 2017 09:47 AM IST
Pandori Sidhwan village in Tarn Taran, which has around 100 of its men serving in army and as many retired personnel, demands more freedom to army; residents burn effigy of Pakistan.
Grief gives way to anger as J&K martyr Paramjit’s wife sees his headless body
By Aseem Bassi | Hindustan Times, Vein Poin (tarn Taran)
UPDATED ON MAY 03, 2017 08:57 AM IST
Family demands befitting reply to Pakistan; 12-year-old son lights pyre, vows to join army.
Anger simmers in Tarn Taran village over death of its son in Pakistan’s LoC strike
By Aseem Bassi | Hindustan Times, Vain Poin (Tarn Taran), Vein Poin (tarn Taran)
UPDATED ON MAY 02, 2017 04:40 PM IST
Naib subedar Paramjit Singh was to reach his village, Vein Poin, around 22 km from the district headquarters, on holiday on May 10.
Snap all ties with Pak, says Amar, Tharoor disagrees
By Aseem Bassi | Hindustan Times, Amritsar
UPDATED ON MAY 02, 2017 09:29 AM IST
Sidhu pays Rs 24 lakh from his pocket to Amritsar farmers who lost harvested crop to fire
By Aseem Bassi | Hindustan Times, Amritsar
UPDATED ON APR 24, 2017 11:08 AM IST
Punjab local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu announced to give Rs. 24 lakh as compensation, from his own pocket, to farmers whose crop was gutted in fire that broke in village of Rajasansi area of Amritsar district late on Friday night. The minister also assured the farmers of all support.
SGPC rolls out red carpet for Sajjan at Golden Temple, keeps radical Sikhs at bay
By Aseem Bassi | Hindustan Times, Amritsar, Amritsar
UPDATED ON APR 20, 2017 08:02 PM IST
Canadian defence minister Harjit Singh Sajjan paid obeisance at the Golden Temple, the holiest shrine of the Sikhs, amid tight security at 7.30am on Thursday.
Dera poll support row: Takht awards ‘punishment’ to 39 leaders for violating edict
By Aseem Bassi | Hindustan Times, Amritsar
UPDATED ON APR 17, 2017 11:27 PM IST
The Akal Takht on Monday handed out ‘tankha’ (religious punishment) to 39 Sikh political leaders of SAD, Congress and AAP for violating Takht’s ‘hukamnama’ (edict) by seeking political support from the Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda in the recently held Punjab assembly elections.