Health & Fitness

Drive launched to identify dilapidated, structurally unsafe buildings in Jammu

Jammu, Sep 18: In a major public-safety initiative, the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) on Friday ordered a survey of dilapidated, dangerous and structurally unsafe buildings across the city, with particular attention to Old City and institutional buildings where many people reside or gather. JMC Commissioner Devansh Yadav said the corporation had been receiving complaints about ageing and unsafe structures in the Old City for some time, with risks becoming particularly acute during the monsoon season. Over the past year, we have identified around 15 buildings that were unsafe, got them officially declared unsafe, and subsequently had them demolished. Now, as part of a fresh initiative, we have constituted ward-level joint teams comprising engineers and enforcement officers to identify and physically inspect potentially hazardous structures, Yadav told PTI. He mentioned that these teams have been instructed to complete their assessments and submit detailed reports within 15 days. The teams will assess buildings for structural deficiencies and other indicators of danger, including the condition of structural columns, foundations, water seepage, signs of severe deterioration and landslide-related risks. The reports will include details of the location and ownership of the structures, their physical condition, the nature of the danger posed and recommendations for further action, he said. The JMC commissioner highlighted that the initiative would focus particularly on institutional buildings, given the number of people who may be exposed to risk in case of a structural failure. In the residential category, structures that are 50 years old or older, especially those showing significant signs of dilapidation, will also be examined. Since engineers will also be part of these teams, the inspection will be carried out on the spot, and the report will also be prepared at the site itself, Yadav said. He clarified that the JMC would not automatically demolish every unsafe structure; structural engineers affiliated with the corporation would also consider whether unsafe buildings could be secured through retrofitting or structural strengthening. Based on the ward-level inspection reports, structures requiring immediate intervention will be prioritised for prompt action under the relevant provisions of the Municipal Corporation Act, he added. Alongside the building-safety exercise, Yadav said the JMC has introduced an AI-based system for detecting potholes and other urban infrastructure problems. He noted that potholes become a major concern after the monsoon, while conventional processes involving project approvals and tenders can take considerable time. The new system is intended to enable the corporation to identify problems before they result in accidents or prolonged public inconvenience. Under the system, cameras mounted on JMC garbage collection vehicles scan roads as the vehicles move through the city. The technology identifies potholes and can also detect other problems, including roadside garbage dumps, fallen poles and similar civic issues, he said. Yadav stated that the identified locations will be compiled into a list for field teams, which can then visit the sites and undertake the necessary repairs. This initiative, he emphasised, is aimed at ensuring timely resolution of urban grievances, a crucial aspect of the smart city approach.

J-K government to set up Rs 6 crore indoor sports hall in Ganderbal

Srinagar, Sep 18: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Friday approved the construction of a modern Multi-Purpose Indoor Sports Hall in Ganderbal district at an estimated cost of Rs 6.17 crore, an official spokesperson said. He said the government headed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has accorded administrative approval for construction of the 60 metre x 40 metre sports hall at Ganderbal, the constituency represented by Abdullah himself. The facility will be equipped with modern sporting amenities and quality infrastructure, enabling young athletes to hone their skills, the spokesperson said. The project is aimed at nurturing local sporting talent and strengthening the sports ecosystem in the district, while providing a platform for athletes to train and participate in various sporting activities, he added.

How Can Coffee Affect Anxiety? Doctor Explains the Real Link

Coffee can make some people feel alert while triggering anxiety-like symptoms in others. Learn how caffeine affects anxiety, panic symptoms and sleep, and when reducing coffee may help.

India's concept of 'dharma' different from Western notion of religion: Bhagwat

Ujjain, Sep 18: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Friday said India's understanding of the concept of 'dharma' was distinct from Western notions of religion, asserting that the country has not discriminated among different faiths and this was its understanding of secularism. Addressing around 1,700 Gen Z participants at the 'Yuva Dharma Sansad' here, Bhagwat said he was happy to see youngsters discussing 'dharma' at a time when some considered it an old people's affair. Our state has always been intermingling. It does not discriminate among its people. This is the meaning of 'panth-nirpekshata' for us, he said. Bhagwat said the Western concept of secularism emerged from conflicts between rulers and religious authorities, and therefore, did not fit the Indian context in the same manner. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief said India had traditionally viewed material and spiritual aspects of life together rather than separating them. Distinguishing between 'dharma' and religion, Bhagwat said that the two should not be treated as synonymous. 'Dharma' is above religion, he said, adding that while the latter binds, the former liberates and leads to 'moksha' (salvation). He noted that the English language had no exact equivalent for the Indian concept, and the word 'religion' had historically been used to explain it to Western audiences. Bhagwat said religion could become sectarian when separated from 'dharma', which he described as being based on truth, compassion, purity and self-discipline. Dharma is not something to be discovered; it has to be recognised and practised, he said. He described 'dharma' as a principle that sustains the universe, promotes the progress of all and determines duties, while taking into account the nature of every living being and object. The RSS chief further noted that 'dharma' was reflected in human conduct and urged the young participants to shed prejudices if they wanted to understand it. He also linked 'dharma' with environmental responsibility, saying human beings had a duty to protect nature. Destruction of forests and environmental degradation amounted to 'adharma' (unrighteousness), Bhagwat asserted. He urged young people to respect other forms of worship while remaining committed to their own traditions. Bhagwat said India's tradition sought to unite people rather than divide them and maintained that the country had historically tried to help even those who differed from it or caused it difficulties. Referring to his recent visits to New York, Toronto and London, Bhagwat said people there and Indian entrepreneurs had sought the dharmic view on business and wealth creation. Bhagwat said they were concerned that their businesses were generating not only happiness but also suffering. He questioned the pursuit of excessive wealth at the cost of family life, citing the example of people leaving home at 5 am and returning at midnight in order to earn more money, only to find that their children hardly know the people who come to their place on holidays. He said such an imbalance in development was unhealthy, comparing it with the growth of only one part of the body while the rest remained unchanged. Explaining the 'dharmic' approach to business, Bhagwat said it involved giving back to society. He cited the tradition of business communities building 'dharamshalas' and charitable hospitals, where people were provided services without being charged, comparing them with corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives of today. He said 'dharma' flourished through human sacrifice and giving, and quoted a Sanskrit saying to stress the importance of sacrifice for fulfilment in material and spiritual life. Bhagwat said there was no restriction on earning wealth but people should retain only what was necessary for themselves and share the rest with others. Your life should move forward in such a way that the lives of others also move forward, he said, stressing that one's livelihood should not cause suffering to others. Citing a Buddhist teaching, Bhagwat said 'dharma' meant refraining from causing pain to others, earning one's livelihood efficiently and ensuring that one's earnings did not come by depriving or harming others. Bhagwat said India had remained economically prosperous for about 1,600 years without the kind of environmental damage seen today and referred to the country's long agricultural tradition. He also urged the youth to become successful as well as purposeful and contribute to creating a world marked by happiness and peace. Around 300 scholars, teachers, researchers and religious leaders are participating in the Yuva Dharma Sansad, organisers said. The RSS has stepped up its outreach to Gen Z following a massive students' protest over NEET exam paper leaks at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, which brought youth discontent to the fore and led to the resignation of then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav will attend the concluding session on September 19. The three-day event, organised by Sevagya Sansthanam, is the sixth edition of the Yuva Dharma Sansad, following events in Kashi, Ayodhya, Mathura, Haridwar and Kanchipuram. The event will be held in Dwarka next year.

White Knight Corps commander reviews ongoing counter-terrorism operations in J-Ks Udhampur

Jammu, Sep 18: General Officer Commanding (GOC) White Knight Corps Lieutenant General P K Mishra on Friday reviewed the ongoing counter-terrorism operations in Brattal area of Udhampur district, officials said. They said the Army commander visited the general area of Brattal, Udhampur and reviewed the evolving security environment, operational dynamics and measures to sustain relentless operational tempo, ensuring a swift, coordinated and decisive response to emerging threats. During his visit, the GOC commended the successful neutralisation of two terrorists, and lauded the troops of White Knight Corps for their resolute action, high morale and unwavering commitment. He was accompanied by GOC Delta Force. The visit comes a day after two Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Muhammad militants were killed and an alleged over-ground worker was detained in a remote high-altitude area of Udhampur district. The joint operation was launched by the Army, Police and CRPF in the dense Brattal Sohan and Khubban forests of Majalta bordering Kathua district.

16 killed, dozens injured in suicide blast during Friday prayers at mosque in northwest Pak

Peshawar, Sep 18: At least 16 people were killed and dozens injured in a powerful suicide blast during Friday prayers at a mosque near police lines in northwest Pakistan's Kohat district, officials said. The blast occurred at the mosque located near the old Police Lines in Kohat, around 60 kilometres southwest of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's capital Peshawar, they said. According to preliminary information, an attacker rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the mosque premises, following which an exchange of fire with armed militants took place. At least 16 people, including five police personnel and 11 civilians, were killed in the suicide blast, provincial Police Chief Zulfiqar Hameed said. The vehicle hit the gate and then exploded, and firing also took place, he said, adding that another suicide blast occurred at the Special Branch building during the exchange of fire with terrorists. A little-known militant group, Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen Pakistan, claimed responsibility for the attack. The group, an alliance comprising the Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group, Harakat Inqilab-e-Islami Pakistan and Lashkar-e-Islam, was formed in April 2025. Citing District Headquarters Hospital's MS Tahir Ali Shah, Geo News reported that 15 bodies were brought to the hospital along with over 50 injured following the blast. The blast was so powerful that the roof of the mosque collapsed due to its impact, police said, adding that the blast also caused a crater outside the mosque. Most of those wounded were worshippers. Video footage from the site showed the bodies of worshippers lying inside the mosque. According to Rescue 1122 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa spokesperson Bilal Ahmad Faizi, rescue teams reached the site shortly after receiving the information and launched a rescue operation. He said rescue teams shifted several injured to nearby hospitals. Following the blast, provincial police chief Hameed sought a report from the district's regional police officer. He directed authorities to ensure timely and best possible medical treatment for the injured. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police stands as an iron wall against terrorism, and such cowardly attacks cannot weaken our resolve, he said. President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have condemned the incident and vowed that the complete elimination of foreign-sponsored terrorists was essential for national security. Sharif also sought a report on the blast from the concerned authorities. He also directed authorities to expedite relief operations, state-run Radio Pakistan reported. KPK Governor Faisal Karim Kundi also condemned the blast, saying the entire nation stands with the security forces to eradicate terrorism. Provincial Chief Minister Sohail Afridi also sought a report from the police chief into the blast. Pakistan has witnessed a surge in terror activities, particularly in its Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces in the past few years.

Video: This Iranian Village's Weekly Bread Tradition Is Winning Hearts Online

Iranians usually eat bread for breakfast, dinner and sometimes as an afternoon snack

Gold rebounds Rs 1,600; silver climbs Rs 5,000 as easing oil prices lift bullion

New Delhi, Sep 18: Gold staged a sharp comeback on Friday, rising Rs 1,600 to Rs 1.56 lakh per 10 grams in the national capital as retreating crude oil rates eased inflation concerns and gave investors room to return to bullion after the recent sell-off. The yellow metal of 99.9 per cent purity appreciated Rs 1,600 to Rs 1,56,600 per 10 grams (inclusive of all taxes) from Thursday's closing level of Rs 1.55 lakh per 10 grams, according to local traders. Silver also joined the rebound, climbing Rs 5,000 to Rs 2.47 lakh per kilogram (inclusive of all taxes). The white metal had ended flat at Rs 2.42 lakh per kg in the preceding session. Gold recovered sharply after the recent sell-off as the dollar and US Treasury yields eased, with investors reassessing positions following the Federal Reserve's interest rate hike, Gaurav Garg, Head of Research at brokerage platform Lemonn, said. Silver outperformed gold, while oil fell for a third straight session to USD 101-a-barrel as expectations of restored Saudi supply and alternative shipping routes eased immediate supply-disruption fears. However, tensions in West Asia remain a risk, he added. The recovery tracked global bullion markets, with spot gold rising USD 50.96, or 1.17 per cent, to USD 4,392.78 per ounce. Silver advanced 3.10 per cent to USD 67.21. Spot gold has extended its counter-intuitive rally to the second straight day as decline in oil prices negates the hawkish FOMC monetary policy decision to some extent, Praveen Singh, Head of Commodities at Mirae Asset Sharekhan, said. Gold-backed ETF holdings recorded net inflows for the eighth consecutive day, taking total global holdings to 100.39 million ounces (Moz), up 1.44 Moz year-to-date, he said. However, elevated US dollar and Treasury yields capped bullion's gains.

Paediatrician Dr Basharat shares flu prevention tips for children amid weather changes

Is Your Child Falling Sick Too Often? When Is It Actually a Concern?

The immune system of kids is weaker than that of adults. But this doesnt mean falling sick often is normal. Parents should be vigilant and report to the paediatrician or doctor if the child keeps getting sick.

From Downtown Srinagar to Dubai: How a Kashmiri engineer built Atom Inspections

Srinagar, Sep 18 : From battling unemployment and financial uncertainty to navigating the upheaval of the Covid-19 pandemic, Kashmiri engineer Qasim Afzal has had to overcome more than his share of setbacks. He chose to confront each challenge head-on, and today, his perseverance has taken his company to Sheikh Zayed Road, one of the prominent business corridors in the UAE. From working on major infrastructure projects to navigating the uncertainties of the Covid-19 pandemic and eventually building Atom Inspections , a property inspection and engineering consultancy, Afzal's story is one of resilience, persistence and purpose. Sometimes, you have to leave home to truly serve it. I left Kashmir not to walk away, but to return one day with knowledge, experience, and the ability to create opportunities for others and make better generations, Qasim says. His professional journey began alongside his father, a government contractor involved in infrastructure and building projects. He later worked on the Delhi Metro project and the Riyadh Metro Bus Project with a Turkish contractor. Planning to return to Srinagar and build the family business, he resigned and moved home. But within a month, Article 370 was abrogated, prompting him and his father to make the difficult decision for him to leave againthis time for Dubai. Qasim arrived in Dubai without a professional network, only to face another major challenge when the Covid-19 pandemic brought economic activity to a standstill. He spent five months without a job, and after finding employment, faced salary delays lasting more than a year. He says those experiences ultimately taught him resilience. His entry into the property handover industry proved to be a turning point. Working on the developer's side, he saw homeowners making one of the biggest investments of their lives while often lacking the technical support needed to ensure they received the quality they had paid for. That experience led to a simple question: Why not fix the process instead of accepting it? That question became a vision. And that vision became Atom Inspections - built to bridge the gap between construction and customer confidence, ensuring every property owner receives the quality, transparency, and technical expertise they deserve, he says. From identifying a gap to building a business Qasim says he chose property inspection because it was an area where his construction and project-delivery experience could directly address a real problem. I don't believe in building a business in a field where I don't have deep knowledge. I believe the best businesses are created by identifying real problems and providing the right solutions at the right time, he says. The early years were challenging, involving financial constraints, licensing requirements, the task of winning clients' trust and competition from established businesses. Qasim says the company gradually built its reputation by focusing on technical excellence, integrity and putting clients first. His original inspiration came from his experience during property handovers. At the time, he says, only a small proportion of homeowners appointed independent inspection companies. He observed that some inspection reports failed to adequately identify or technically explain defects, creating a gap between homeowners, inspectors and contractors. Qasim believed an independent engineering consultancy could help bridge that gap by identifying defects, producing technically sound reports and guiding homeowners through the handover process. Growing from a modest beginning Atom Inspections began with what Qasim describes as a modest investment in essential inspection equipment, reporting systems, licensing and operations. The company reinvested its earnings into technology, its engineering team and customer experience. Qasim and his team Photograph: (GK) Today, according to Qasim, the company has more than 100 professionals, including civil, structural, MEP, HVAC, facility management and building surveying specialists. It has completed more than 40,000 property inspections across the UAE, covering apartments, villas, luxury residences, commercial buildings, community assets, reserve fund studies, building condition audits and technical due diligence assignments. The company has also undertaken large-scale assignments involving community transitions, reserve fund studies, asset registers, facility management audits, building condition assessments and technical due diligence for developers, owners' associations, facility managers and institutional clients. Qasim lists DP World, Damac Properties, Beeah, LOAMS and Ajman Holding among its clients. The company's emphasis on detailed reporting and professional service is also reflected in customer reviews shared with the feature. Clients have praised Atom Inspections for its thorough inspections, clear reports, communication and support during snagging and handover processes. Building on innovation Qasim says Atom Inspections aims to go beyond conventional snagging services and position itself as a broader real estate engineering and property consultancy. We don't see ourselves as just another snagging company. We are a comprehensive real estate engineering and property consultancy dedicated to improving quality, transparency, and confidence throughout the property lifecycle, he says. The company has introduced practical engineering approaches to its inspection processes, including golf-ball testing to assess floor and surface slopes. Qasim says such methods reflect its effort to improve inspection accuracy and raise industry standards. We don't aim to compete on price; we aim to lead through innovation, technical excellence, and trust, he says. Keeping Kashmir at the heart of the journey Despite building his business in Dubai, Qasim says Kashmir remains central to his long-term vision. Kashmir will always remain close to my heart. My long-term vision is to bring the knowledge, engineering standards, and professional practices developed in the UAE back to my home region, he says. He sees potential to improve construction quality, asset management and building lifecycle planning in Kashmir, while also planning expansion into other GCC countries and selected international markets. The company also employs professionals from Kashmir and other backgrounds, with Qasim saying recruitment is based on competence, integrity, honesty and commitment to excellence. Qasim Afzal posing for a photograph at his office in Dubai. Photograph: (GK) For young entrepreneurs from Kashmir, his message is centred on purpose rather than money. Don't start a business simply to make money. Instead, identify the gaps around you and dedicate yourself to solving real problems. When you create genuine value, success becomes a by-product of your work, he says. He also urges young entrepreneurs to remain grounded in their values, define meaningful goals and have the courage to create their own path. A growing role for independent inspections Qasim believes the rapid growth of Dubai's real estate sector is making independent property inspections increasingly important. With rising off-plan sales, international investment and large residential developments, buyers are seeking independent technical experts to assess construction quality before taking possession. Developers, facility managers and owners' associations are also placing greater emphasis on quality assurance, asset management and building condition assessments. For Qasim, the journey from Kashmir to Dubai ultimately comes back to the same principle that inspired Atom Inspections: identify a genuine problem, build expertise around solving it and create value that extends beyond business. Sometimes, you have to leave home to truly serve it, he says. And for a Kashmiri entrepreneur who began his journey with little more than determination, the story of Atom Inspections continues to evolvefrom a modest idea born out of a gap in the property handover process into a growing UAE-based engineering consultancy with ambitions that extend well beyond Dubai.

Appointment letter a call to serve J&K with dedication: LG Sinha to police officers

Nepal floods: 6 bodies recovered from Upper Trishuli-1 tunnel; over 6,100 people still missing

Kathmandu, Sep 18: Six bodies were recovered from a tunnel at a hydropower project in Nepal on Friday as search operations continued for people missing after devastating flash floods hit the Himalayan nation last month killing over 1,400 people and leaving more than 6,100 missing. The bodies were recovered from the Audit-3 tunnel at the Upper Trishuli-1 project site in Nuwakot district by a joint team of security forces, the Nepal Army said. The Bhotekoshi flash floods, triggered by an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26, devastated towns and villages in northern and central Nepal, killing at least 1,410 people and leaving 6,145 missing as of Thursday. The search and rescue teams have so far rescued more than 13,756 people from different affected areas. The bodies in the Upper Trishuli-1 were found entangled inside a steel reinforcement mesh prepared for concrete work in the tunnel. The team used grinders, gas cutters and rotary rescue equipment to remove them, according to the Nepal Army Headquarters. The search operation is continuing as rescuers suspect that more bodies could be buried under mud inside the tunnel. A joint team, including foreign technicians, had earlier entered about 400 metres into the main access tunnel at the project to search for missing workers. Search operations have also been underway at several other hydropower projects, including Rasuwagadhi, Rasuwa Bhotekoshi, Langtang, Trishuli-3A and Upper Trishuli-3B. At the Chilime hydropower project, five bodies were recovered from a tunnel on Wednesday after Indian and Nepali rescue teams cleared slush and mud to reach the underground powerhouse. No survivors were found. Meanwhile, the Tribhuvan and Kanti highways, the two main routes connecting Hetauda with Kathmandu, resumed regular two-way vehicular movement from Friday, according to Santosh Subedi, administrative officer at the District Administration Office in Makawanpur. The move followed the resumption of traffic at the Krishnabhir section of the Prithvi Highway in Dhading district, which had been obstructed after the road collapsed following the August 26 floods. The Tribhuvan Highway connects Hetauda with Kathmandu via Palung-Naubise, while the Kanti Highway connects the two cities via Tikabhairav-Lalitpur. Since September 1, an arrangement has been in place for goods carriers and large vehicles to use the Tribhuvan Highway to reach Kathmandu and the Kanti Highway while returning, aimed at ensuring smoother and safer traffic movement after the Prithvi Highway obstruction. With the Krishnabhir section now operational, both highways have been opened for regular two-way traffic, Subedi said.

J&K DGP tells new officers: Uniform brings responsibility and risks; training prepares you

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Appointment letter not just a document, but a call to serve J&K: LG Sinha to newly selected police officers

Srinagar, Sept 18: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday handed over appointment letters to newly selected candidates of the Jammu and Kashmir Police (Gazetted) Services at Lok Bhavan, Srinagar, saying the appointment is not merely a government job but a call to serve and protect the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Addressing the newly selected officers, the Lieutenant Governor said the appointment letters carried the burden of the faith of the whole of Jammu and Kashmir and represented a commitment towards the security, dignity and future of the people. I do not consider it just an appointment letter, but I see it as an invitation to service. This invitation is a call to accept the responsibility of the security of Jammu and Kashmir. It is also a promise that their security, their honour and their future will be in a position of honesty and duty, he said, as per the news agencyKashmir News Observer (KNO). Sinha congratulated the selected candidates and their families, saying they had successfully cleared a rigorous selection process that tested their intelligence, patience, character, discipline and ability to withstand adverse situations. You have faced tough competition among the talented youth of your generation. You have gone through such a difficult process, which has not only tested your intelligence, but also your patience, character, discipline and strength to withstand adverse situations, he said. He told the officers that receiving the appointment letter was not the end of your journey but the beginning of a new one, in which their responsibility would shift from personal achievement to protecting others, serving the people and upholding the rule of law. You are about to embark on a new journey. Now you have to enter that struggle, whose purpose is not to achieve success for yourself, but to fulfil the responsibility of protecting others, to serve the people and to protect the rule of law in Jammu and Kashmir, Sinha said. PSC selection process strengthened faith in merit The Lieutenant Governor also congratulated the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC), saying the commission had, in recent years, strengthened the principles of impartiality, transparency and merit in its selection process. At a time when doubts are being expressed on institutions many times, I understand that the protection of Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commissions impartiality and trust is like a holy lamp, he said. Recalling the earlier system of government recruitment, Sinha said merit-based employment had now become an established practice in Jammu and Kashmir. I do not need to tell you what used to happen here. How did you get a job? A complete book can be written on it. The people sitting here know more about that book than I do, he said. But employment with qualifications has been prepared in such a heritage of Jammu and Kashmir, where a government job can only be obtained with your qualifications, hard work and talent, he added. Recalling the 2022 Jammu and Kashmir Employment Festival, Sinha said people had begun to believe that children from ordinary and economically weaker families could also aspire to become government officers. I remember that in 2022, the Jammu and Kashmir Employment Festival was celebrated with the qualification of a government job. At that time, for the first time, people said that the son of a vegetable vendor can also be a KAS officer, he said. This time has come to Jammu and Kashmir. Even a father can see his son becoming a government officer. Perhaps after a long time, this arrangement was established, he added. Sinha said recruitment should be based on merit rather than recommendations and again congratulated the JKPSC for what he described as an impartial and trustworthy selection process. In Jammu and Kashmir, a job will not be obtained with a recommendation, but with the qualifications and qualities of a young man, he said. Uniform is a symbol of service, not power The Lieutenant Governor told the selected officers that their responsibilities after completing training would extend beyond a conventional career. The responsibility you will take after this training is not just a career, but a mission, he said, adding that their training at the Sher-i-Kashmir Police Academy (SKPA), Udhampur, would give them an understanding of that mission. He said discipline, hard work, rigorous training and leadership would become integral parts of their professional lives. Sinha said the badge on a police uniform should not be seen as a symbol of power over the people, but as a symbol of service and responsibility. The badge on your uniform is not a symbol of power on the people of Jammu and Kashmir, but a symbol of the service and responsibility of the people, he said. Changing terrorism, radicalisation pose new challenges The Lieutenant Governor said the security environment in Jammu and Kashmir was changing rapidly, with terrorism increasingly extending beyond traditional methods. Todays Jammu and Kashmir is facing such challenges that the police officers of a decade ago may not have been able to imagine, he said. The form of terrorism is changing and the war is not only being fought with traditional weapons. The virtual world has faced many challenges. Radicalisation is also leaving a strong and deep impact, Sinha said. He said methods of terror financing had also evolved, with cryptocurrencies, money laundering and other emerging mechanisms posing new challenges. The means of financing for terrorism have also changed. Instead of the traditional methods, cryptocurrencies, money laundering and these new methods have emerged, he said. Sinha said the newly inducted officers would therefore have an important role not only in maintaining security in Jammu and Kashmir but also in the broader national security framework. Police will stand as wall between terrorists and citizens After completing their training, the officers would have to act as a protective shield between terrorist forces and ordinary citizens, he said. When you wear a khaki uniform, you will become a strong wall between the terrorist forces, terrorist organisations and ordinary citizens. You will protect the dreams of every citizen. This is not a small responsibility, Sinha said. He said ensuring the security of every citizen was among the biggest responsibilities entrusted to officials in a democracy and expressed hope that the officers would help instil confidence among people to live without fear. Sinha also asked the officers to learn from the experience and sacrifices of their seniors in the Jammu and Kashmir Police. The Jammu and Kashmir Police Force is considered to be a symbol of duty, dedication, love and sacrifice. This is the only force in the country that has faced every challenge related to security with full determination and courage, he said. He said the sacrifices and determination of police personnel over the past decades had contributed to establishing peace and urged the new officers to draw lessons from their leadership and experience. Duty not limited to fighting terrorism Sinha stressed that the officers responsibilities would not be limited to countering terrorism but would also include enforcing the law, protecting citizens rights and maintaining social harmony. Always keep in mind that your responsibility is not limited to fighting terrorism. You have to keep the law in place. You have to establish the rule of law. You have to establish social harmony. And you have to play a very important role in protecting the rights of every citizen, he said. He said the true test of democracy lay in protecting its weakest citizens and called upon the officers to combine authority with compassion. The real condition of democracy is that it ensures the protection of its weakest citizen and its prosperity. After training, you will have power and you will have to add the values of compassion to that power so that there is human compassion in all your actions, he said. Sinha reminded the officers of the long-standing principle of the J&K Police: Do not touch the innocent and do not leave the culprit. He urged them to take pride in the uniform while ensuring that their conduct remained rooted in honesty, courage and humility. Choose truth and duty, whatever the situation The Lieutenant Governor asked the newly selected officers to commit themselves to upholding truth and duty, regardless of the circumstances. No matter how difficult the situation is, you will always choose truthfulness and duty on the basis of priority. Always remember that the uniform is respected only because of the honesty, courage and determination of the officers who wear the uniform, he said. Only the uniform is not respected. So move forward with honesty, courage and humility, he added. Sinha said the appointment also represented the hopes and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and called upon the officers to use their authority for justice. He also expressed gratitude to the parents and relatives of the newly selected officers, saying they had supported their children through the difficult journey and shared their dreams. All of you have prepared your children for the service of Jammu and Kashmir. You have supported them in their struggle. You have lived their dreams as your own dreams, he said. India and Jammu and Kashmir will always be grateful to you for this contribution, Sinha added.(KNO)

Justice Ali Mohammed Magrey lauds teachers as architects of future citizens at BMS awards

Former Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, Justice Ali Mohammed Magrey, on Friday described teachers as the quiet architects of a childs character and called for greater investment in their dignity, professional development and well-being. Addressing the Dronacharya Awards for Teachers 2026, organised by BMS Academy for Professional Courses under the aegis of the BMS Educational Trust at BMS College of Engineering in Bengaluru, Justice Magrey said teachers do much more than impart academic knowledge. A teacher does not merely transfer information from a textbook to a notebook, he said, highlighting the role of teachers in encouraging students, building confidence and shaping their character. Justice Magrey said education in its true sense goes beyond marks and examinations, encompassing curiosity, integrity, resilience and empathy. It is the teacher who instils the discipline to keep trying after failure, the courage to ask an honest question, and the values that will guide a child's conduct long after the syllabus is forgotten, he said. Reflecting on his experience as a judge, Justice Magrey said that long before law, family and society leave their imprint on an individual, teachers play a crucial role in shaping a child's character. He said that behind the success of doctors, engineers, scientists and judges, there is often a teacher who believed in them before they believed in themselves. Describing teachers as nation-builders, Justice Magrey said Indias aspirations for growth, knowledge and innovation are closely linked to the collective efforts of teachers working in classrooms across the country. He also commended the BMS Educational Trust and BMS Academy for Professional Courses for instituting the awards and bringing attention to the contribution of teachers and principals. As part of the event, 100 teachers and principals from State, CBSE and ICSE schools were felicitated. Justice Magrey said the contribution of teachers could not be fully measured by awards, adding that their real impact is reflected in the lives and confidence of their students. He urged parents, administrators, policymakers and civil society members to view the occasion as a reminder of their collective responsibility towards teachers. A society that wishes to prosper must invest in its teachers: in their dignity, their continuous learning, their working conditions and their well-being, he said. Justice Magrey also traced the educational legacy of the BMS Educational Trust, recalling its origins in 1946 and the establishment of B.M.S. College of Engineering by Late Sri B. M. Sreenivasaiah. He said the legacy was subsequently expanded by his son, Late Sri B. S. Narayan, into institutions covering law, science, commerce, architecture and management. Concluding his address, Justice Magrey said the true Dronacharya award would continue to be given silently in classrooms through the lives of students whose teachers helped them understand difficult concepts, overcome challenges and dream bigger. He congratulated the award organisers and paid tribute to the teachers and principals honoured at the ceremony.

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Man found dead in Samba field

Samba, Sept 18: The body of a 29-year-old man was found in a field in Maharajpur village of Ramgarh area in Samba district on Friday, officials said. An official said that locals noticed the body lying in the field and informed the police. He said a police team reached the spot and initiated an investigation into the incident. The deceased was identified as Vicky Choudhary (29), a resident of Maharajpur. Meanwhile, police have taken up the investigation and further details are awaited.(KNO)

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Youth found dead at home in Budgam, probe underway

Budgam, Sept 18: A 21-year-old youth was found dead at his residence in the Qadi Pora area of Budgam in the intervening night of Thursday and Friday, officials said. An official said that the youth was found unconscious at his residence in Qadi Pora, following which police were informed. He said police reached the spot and took the body into custody. The deceased was identified as Shafat Hussain (21), a resident of Qadi Pora, Budgam. Meanwhile, the body will be handed over to the family after completion of the necessary formalities for the last rites. Police have initiated an investigation into the incident.(KNO)

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LG Manoj Sinha Flags Off Annual Harmukh Gangbal Yatra 2026 from Naranag

Kangan, Sep 18: The annual Harmukh Gangbal Yatra commenced from the historic Naranag temple in the Kangan area of central Kashmirs Ganderbal district on Friday, with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha officially flagging off the pilgrimage. The ritual pilgrimage to the high-altitude Gangbal Lake, nestled at 14,500 feet at the foot of Mount Harmukh, carries immense spiritual reverence for the Kashmiri Pandit community. Member of Parliament Mian Altaf Ahmad, MLA Kangan Mian Mehar Ali, Principal Secretary to the LG, Mandeep K Bhandari, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Anshul Garg, IG Kashmir Sujit Kumar, Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal, SSP Ganderbal , Representatives of Harmukh Gangbal Trust besides senior officers of civil and police were present on the occasion. LG Sinha extended his warm greetings to the gathering of pilgrims, community leaders, and local residents. Addressing the devotees before their ascent along the steep Himalayan trail, Sinha highlighted the Union Territory administrations commitment to preserving Kashmir's ancient civilizational heritage, fostering communal harmony, and ensuring seamless safety for pilgrims. The group of pilgrims left from the Naranag temple for Annual Harmukh Gangbal yatra amid religious fervor and were accompanied by SDRF team, Police, Medical and other officials. After performing Puja at Naranag temple, devotees set on foot to undertake journey to Gangabal Lake , which is located around 14,500 feet above sea level in the Harmukh mountain range. According to officials, the sacred puja would be performed on the banks of Gangbal lake on Saturday following which the pilgrims will return the next day. The pilgrimage organized under the banner of the Harmukh Ganga (Gangabal) Trust (HGGT) with the support of District Administration Ganderbal. We are very happy to be part of this yatra which is of great importance for Pandits, a pilgrim Sunil Ji said, adding we are grateful to the civil and police administration and locals for extending their co-operation and support facilitating this yatra. District Administration has made all arrangements including accommodation, food, medical and security arrangements for the pilgrims. Organized under the auspices of the Harmukh Ganga (Gangabal) Trust (HGGT) and supported by the Ganderbal District Administration, the pilgrimage continues to serve as an important bridge of faith and cultural preservation in the Kashmir Valley.

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Two labourers killed in landslide near Jingchan on Ralakung road

Ladakh, Sep 18: Two labourers were killed and three others injured after loose soil collapsed during road construction work near Jingchan on the road leading to Ralakung village in Zanskar, officials said. The incident occurred on Thursday when the labourers were engaged in construction work on the road being executed under the Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department, Zanskar. The sudden collapse of loose soil trapped two labourers beneath the debris. An official told the news agency Kashmir News Trust that Ladakh Police personnel from Zanskar Police Station and the Tungri Rescue Team, assisted by the CRPF and Indian Army, launched a rescue operation. After sustained efforts, both labourers were recovered from the debris. Police personnel from the Leh jurisdiction reached the spot after the rescue operation, sources said. The deceased have been identified as Abdul Hamid, 24, son of Muhammad Safi, and Pawan Kumar, 26, both from Kishtwar. Three other labourers sustained injuries in the incident and were shifted for medical treatment. They were identified as Ghulam Mohd, 35, son of Mohd Ramzan; Omar Wani, son of Zohar Ahmed; and Muneeb Bashir, son of Bashir Ahmed, all from Kishtwar. Muneeb Bashir was reported to be in stable condition. All five labourers were working under a J&K-based contractor engaged in the road construction project. [KNT]

Birthday Cake Dispute Turns Deadly in Jammu; Two Brothers Arrested for Mans Killing

Jammu, Sep 18: A birthday celebration in Jammu turned tragic after a young man was allegedly stabbed to death following a dispute that reportedly began when cake was smeared on the birthday boys face, police said on Friday. According to police, the incident took place on September 17 near Lower Roop Nagar, where a group of friends had gathered for a birthday celebration. Police said Police Post GMC Jammu informed Police Station Janipur that a man identified as Pawan Nair alias Sameer had been brought to Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu in an injured condition. He was accompanied by his friends John Sotra, Gaurav Singh and Sugandh Bhatti. Doctors at GMC Jammu examined the injured man and declared him brought dead, police said. Following the information, a team from Police Station Janipur immediately reached the hospital and began inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the death. Preliminary investigation revealed that Neeraj alias Anshu was celebrating his birthday near Lower Roop Nagar in the presence of his friends, including Pawan Nair alias Sameer. Neerajs brother Rishu was also reportedly present at the spot. Police said a confrontation broke out during the cake-cutting ceremony after Pawan allegedly smeared cake on Neerajs face. The act reportedly led to a heated exchange between the two. As their friends attempted to intervene and calm the situation, Neeraj allegedly took out a khokhri that he was carrying and attacked Pawan, causing a serious injury to his neck. The injured man was rushed to GMC Jammu by his friends. However, despite being taken to the hospital, he was declared dead by the attending doctors. Following the incident, Police Station Janipur registered a case under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and launched a detailed investigation. Police said that acting swiftly, they apprehended Neeraj alias Anshu and his brother Rishu, who are currently in police custody at Police Station Janipur in connection with the case. The police have also initiated proceedings to recover the alleged weapon used in the crime. The body of the deceased has been shifted to the mortuary for post-mortem examination. Further investigation is underway to establish the complete sequence of events and determine the role of all persons involved. Jammu Police said that strict and time-bound action will be taken in accordance with law. (KNC)

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EOW Kashmir arrests fraudster in Rs 93 lakh land, property fraud case

Srinagar, Sep 18: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) Kashmir of the Crime Branch J&K has arrested an alleged fraudster in connection with a Rs 93 lakh land and property cheating case, officials said. The accused, identified as Ghulam Mohi-Ud-Din Dar, son of Abdul Khaliq Dar and a resident of Jawalapora, Samson Budgam, was arrested in compliance with an order and warrant issued by the Court of Sub-Judge, Srinagar. According to the Crime Branch, Dar had been evading arrest for the past year and is allegedly involved in multiple criminal cases registered with Police Station EOW Kashmir/SCW Kashmir. The arrest is linked to FIR No. 17/2026, registered at Police Station EOW Kashmir under Sections 318(4), 338, 340 and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The case stems from a written complaint alleging that Dar, a land broker, cheated the victim of Rs 93 lakh in connivance with co-accused Soom Nath Koul, son of Kalash Nath Koul, a resident of Lotus Tower, Bangalore North, Karnataka, with links to Janipur, Jammu. Investigators said the accused allegedly offered to sell five kanals of migrant land in Drusu, Pulwama, along with 300 standing trees in Bijbehara, using forged agreements to facilitate the transactions. The Crime Branch further alleged that a bank account used to route the cheated money was opened on the same day the funds were transferred, allegedly for the purpose of executing the fraud. According to investigators, the accused duo allegedly targeted people by making false promises of selling migrant property while claiming to be its owners or authorised attorney holders. A Hue and Cry Notice remains in force against the absconding co-accused, Soom Nath Koul. Further investigation into the alleged fraud network and its operations is underway, the Crime Branch said.

Rupee settles 2 paise up at 95.89 against US dollar after breaching 96 level

Mumbai, Sep 18: The rupee staged a spirited recovery after slipping below the 96 level intraday and settled higher by 2 paise at 95.89 against the US dollar on Thursday on heavy dollar selling by banks, snapping its seven-day falling streak. The local currency breached the 96 level to hit a low of 96.10 to a dollar in day trade after a 25 basis point rate hike by the US Federal Reserve, sustained foreign fund outflows from stock markets and high crude oil rates. Forex traders said that dollar selling by banks on behalf of the RBI helped the local unit recoup losses and hit a high of 95.78 to a dollar. A slight correction in the dollar index and crude oil prices also supported investor sentiment despite global geopolitical volatility, they added. At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened higher at 95.88 but soon reversed gains and hit the intraday low of 96.10, breaching the 96 level for the first time since July 24. The unit recovered during the session and touched the high of 95.78 before settling at 95.89 against the US dollar, up 2 paise from the previous closing level, breaking the seven-day falling trend. The Indian rupee experienced a highly volatile trading session on Thursday, initially buckling under a hawkish Fed onslaught and weaker Asian currency sentiment. However, those early losses proved fleeting as aggressive central bank intervention swooped in with heavy-handed dollar defence, pulling the local unit off the canvas to secure marginal gains, Dilip Parmar Senior Research Analyst, HDFC Securities. Parmar further noted that urning to the technical outlook, the spot USD/INR pair remains in an overall upward trend following its recent surge, though we anticipate a period of short-term consolidation with key support around 95.45 and resistance capped at 96.30. On Wednesday, the local unit ended 3 paise lower at 95.91 against the American currency, extending its downward trend for the seventh session in a row. In the preceding six sessions, the rupee has lost 148 paise, or more than 1.4 per cent, since the closing level of 94.43 against the greenback recorded on September 4. Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.05 per cent lower at 99.92. Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading 1.29 per cent lower at USD 104.47 per barrel in futures trade. Dealers said global trade uncertainties after the House of Representatives cleared a law authorising President Donald Trump to impose up to a 100 per cent tariff on India and other countries importing Russian oil weighed on the local unit. The domestic unit was also weighed down after the US Federal Reserve hiked interest rates for the first time in three years amid rising inflation, they said. In domestic equities, Sensex fell 21.86 points, or 0.03 per cent, to settle at 74,314.59, while the Nifty ended with a gain of 53.00 points, or 0.23 per cent, at 23,270.60. Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth Rs 3,208.76 crore on a net basis on Thursday, according to exchange data.

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QDENGA dengue vaccine to hit India market in 2027; Dr Reddys to sell it

India's first approved dengue vaccine, QDENGA, will launch in the private market by mid-2027. Dr Reddy's Laboratories will distribute and promote the vaccine for individuals aged four to sixty. Takeda will retain rights for public market distribution as a future objective. QDENGA is a two-dose vaccine designed to protect against all four dengue virus serotypes. Dengue cases have significantly increased in India over the past two decades.

OpenAI reports unexpected and concerning AI behavior involving unauthorised actions, oversight evasion

Washington, Sep 18: OpenAI has disclosed six reports of unexpected or concerning behavior in artificial-intelligence models as the debate on AI safety becomes increasingly heated. The AI company also said Wednesday it was introducing a new framework for tracking, probing and disclosing instances of what it called misalignment, including cases where AI models acted without authorization, coordinated with other models or evaded oversight. OpenAI's latest announcement came as US AI bosses, including the leaders of OpenAI and Anthropic, are calling for a slowdown in the technology's development over safety concerns. Among the new cases reported by OpenAI, an unreleased research model inserted jailbreak-like instructions into its own notes to disregard its normal constraints and told itself to be freed from the roles and identities that bind other chatbots. In another instance, an AI agent used computer code to come up with the answer to a question, but, in order to have an online source to cite, it uploaded a file to the public internet without asking the user. During training of an AI model called 5.6-Sol, the model instructed itself to invent missing data, and an agent wrote a message to remind itself to hide mismatched information. This kind of deceitful behavior has underpinned a flare-up of recent concerns about AI evading human control. But that outcome is not surprising to some AI researchers, said Matt Fredrikson, an associate professor at Carnegie Mellon University and the CEO of Gray Swan AI. At the risk of anthropomorphizing model behavior, you can almost think of them as knowing that they're going to be graded, Fredrikson said. If they know that they cheated took shortcuts, didn't really do it in the way that it was intended and they know they're going to be evaluated on it, and their objective is to get a good evaluation, then it makes perfect sense, right? The six reports were discovered during training or evaluation over the past months, OpenAI said. As AI systems grow more advanced and more widely deployed, we need to build a broader and better-informed consensus on the progress of alignment research, OpenAI wrote in a blog post as it disclosed the events. Decisions about how AI development should proceed in the months and years to come need to draw on evidence that people outside the companies building frontier models can examine for themselves, the company said. Wednesday's new cases followed OpenAI's disclosure in July that its rogue AI system hacked into AI startup Hugging Face. Anthropic also said the same month that its AI models hacked into three organizations during testing. AI agents are becoming smarter and have become more determined to resolve complex tasks through inter-agent collaboration, knowledge sharing, deception, and concealment, said Lian Jye Su, a chief analyst at technology research and advisory group Omdia. That's making it harder to govern and contain them using traditional AI security approaches, he said. OpenAI's new tracking and disclosure framework, meanwhile, can help push for other AI developers to also adopt similar practices. That said, the process remains internal and voluntary, but is a step in the right direction, Su added.

What to know after a week of Houthi attacks that threaten Saudi oil and have rattled world markets

Cairo, Sep 17: It's been a week since Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels stormed down the Red Sea coast, extending their reach to a key maritime chokepoint and threatening Saudi Arabia's oil exports. The Houthis' biggest land grab in years reignited Yemen's 12-year civil war and pushed up global fuel prices. It also gave Iran another potential source of leverage as the United States has started to loosen Tehran's grip on the Strait of Hormuz, on the other side of the Arabian Peninsula. The Houthis are also firing at Saudi oil facilities and tankers. An attack on Saudi Arabia's east-west pipeline, blamed on Iran-backed militias in Iraq, added to an unfolding nightmare for the kingdom and rattled world markets. The rebel blitz has forced some 125,000 Yemenis to flee their homes. The civil war has killed over 150,000 people and at times pushed the country to the brink of famine. Now the rebels appear to be eyeing Yemen's oil-rich east. So far, the only thing standing in their way is Yemen's Saudi-backed government and an array of forces that have fought each other as recently as January. Saudi Arabia's most important ally, the US, appears to be sitting this one out. The Houthis are fighting on several fronts The Houthis captured the important Red Sea port city of Mokha before taking several islands near the narrow Bab el-Mandeb strait, through which some 12 per cent of world trade passes in peacetime. They are also just 32 kilometres (20 miles) from Djibouti, a small African nation hosting US and other military bases. The Houthis first swept down from their northern heartland in 2014, capturing the capital, Sanaa, and much of northern Yemen. Saudi Arabia intervened the following year, and fighting raged until a 2022 ceasefire. In recent days, there has been heavy fighting in and around Marib, a central city in an oil-rich province of the same name. Previous Houthi offensives have failed to capture the city, which also serves as a military hub for Saudi-backed forces. The Houthis also threaten the western city of Taiz, a front line for much of the conflict. Tightening the noose on the world's largest oil exporter The Houthis want Saudi Arabia to lift a long-running blockade on the territory they control. It is Saudi Arabia that closed the Bab el-Mandeb strait to shipping traffic to and from Yemen and imposed an unjust blockade on the country, Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthis' political bureau, told The Associated Press. The Saudis and their allies have long struggled to contain or deter the Houthis, and may be tempted to seek a diplomatic solution to halt the attacks. That might ultimately require US concessions to Iran, the only country with leverage over the Houthis. The US, which bombed the Houthis under the Biden and Trump administrations, has shown no interest in getting involved this time around, and the Houthis appear keen to keep it that way. They say they are only attacking Saudi shipping. Traffic has recovered in the Red Sea, for now Windward, a shipping firm, reported a dip in traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb from 35 daily transits before the Houthi advance to 25 after, but traffic has already recovered and climbed to 45 transits on Sunday. The Houthis could still expand their target bank beyond Saudi ships and tankers. During their self-styled blockade of Israel at the height of the war in Gaza, the Houthis attacked ships in the Red Sea with no known connection to that conflict. At the moment, their focus is on Saudi-linked shipping, said Valentin d'Hauthuille, a Middle East analyst at ACLED, a conflict monitor. But they might extend the criteria according to which vessels are assessed to be Saudi-linked' to increase pressure on both Saudi Arabia and the global economy. There are signs of diplomacy, but the cost could be high Regional mediators have sprung into action, but a diplomatic agreement appears unlikely without some kind of breakthrough in the wider Iran war. Iran wants the US to lift a blockade and sanctions that have devastated its economy, while the US seeks the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and a deal to roll back Tehran's nuclear program. Neither side has shown any sign of budging since a preliminary agreement quickly crumbled over the summer. Last weekend, Oman hosted a meeting between US and Houthi representatives, a Houthi official and another individual familiar with the talks told The Associated Press this week. The US says it has been in constant contact with the Saudis, a close ally and the recipient of billions of dollars in American military assistance. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman recently visited Egypt, which has served as a regional mediator. A government official in Turkiye, another potential mediator, said this week that it was in talks with Iran and the United Arab Emirates to try and lower tensions. The Houthi attacks are the first test of a new defence pact among Saudi Arabia, NATO member Turkiye and nuclear power Pakistan. But officials from Turkiye and Pakistan say they have not received a Saudi request for support. The humanitarian situation in Yemen is worsening The latest fighting has killed eight civilians and wounded another 32, according to the UN humanitarian office, which says an estimated 125,000 people have fled their homes. The Health Ministry in the Saudi-backed government says the Houthis have killed around 150 civilians since Sept. 3. Saudi Arabia said Thursday that debris from an intercepted Houthi drone killed one person and wounded two others in the kingdom. Yemen was the poorest Arab country even before the civil war, and has experienced widespread hunger in recent years because of the conflict and the Saudi-led blockade. The Houthis' detention of UN and aid workers has hampered international assistance in the territories they control. Experts say the Houthis have struggled to pay civil servants, leading to some unrest, and have diverted much of their tax revenues to their military wing. The UN humanitarian office, known as OCHA, says only 20 per cent of its humanitarian appeal for Yemen has been funded, and that millions risk losing access to food, healthcare, nutrition, water and protection services. The needs are extremely high right now, said Sara Ahmed, a supervisor with Doctors Without Borders in Mokha. Doctors are working under difficult conditions to keep essential services running despite hearing airstrikes, she said. Mahida Ahmed fled the fighting in Mokha and is now sheltering in a displacement camp in Aden, where the Saudi-backed government is headquartered. She said she left in a hurry, with her children but no belongings, while her husband is still stranded in Mokha. This war has been completely devastating for us, she said.

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Hakeem Yaseen urges Govt to expedite liver transplant programme at SKIMS

Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Front (PDF) President and former Minister Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen on Thursday expressed concern over the growing burden of liver diseases in Jammu and Kashmir and urged the Union and J&K governments to establish a fully functional liver transplant facility in the region. Yaseen, as per a statement, said patients suffering from advanced liver diseases, particularly those from economically weaker sections, are often compelled to travel outside Jammu and Kashmir for specialised treatment, placing a heavy financial and emotional burden on their families. Liver diseases have become a serious health concern in Jammu and Kashmir. Poor patients are among the worst affected as they are forced to travel outside the Union Territory for treatment, which involves huge expenses for travel, accommodation, medical procedures and prolonged follow-up, Yaseen said. He said the absence of a comprehensive liver transplant facility in J&K was creating a significant healthcare gap and called for urgent intervention to address it. Yaseen referred to earlier efforts at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) to establish a liver transplant programme, saying the initiative needs to be taken forward on a time-bound basis. SKIMS had in August 2024 held a comprehensive programme with leading liver-transplant experts to discuss a roadmap for starting the facility. The institute had said that the programme would require requisite infrastructure, protocols and a transplant licence.

Altaf Bukhari, party leaders visit bereaved family at Chewa, Bandipora

Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, along with other senior party leaders, on Thursday visited Chewa in Bandipora to offer condolences to the bereaved family of Abdul Rashid Gorshi on the 40th day of his passing. They party leaders, as per a statement issued, expressed their heartfelt sympathies and prayed for peace for the departed soul, as well as strength and solace for the entire family. Pertinently, the family is originally from Kalakote but is currently residing at Chewa, Bandipora, where they are staying in a Bakerwal tent. The visiting party leaders expressed solidarity with Tazheem Gujar, daughter of the deceased and an active member of Apni Party. They prayed that Almighty Allah grants the family courage, patience, and strength during this difficult time. Besides Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari the other senior party leaders in the delegation included Senior Vice President Ghulam Hassan Mir, District President Bandipora Shafat Qazmi, Senior Leader & Sonawari Constituency In-charge Imtiyaz Parray, and Sameer Iqbal Bhat, and several senior party workers.

Dr Darakhshan Andrabi reviews Urs arrangements at Dastgeer Sahib (RA) shrine

Chairperson, J&K Waqf Board and Minister of State, Dr Syed Darakhshan Andrabi Thursday visited the historic Dastgeer Sahib Shrine at Khanyar, Srinagar, and reviewed the arrangements being put in place for devotees, particularly in view of the ongoing Urs days. Dr Andrabi, as per a statement issued, paid obeisance at the revered shrine and prayed for the welfare, peace and prosperity of all. During her visit, she inspected the cleanliness arrangements, facilities for devotees and the ongoing developmental and beautification works being executed by the J&K Waqf Board. Waqf Board Member Syed Mohammad Haqqani and Ishtiyaq Mohiuddin, Executive Magistrate & Tehsildar also accompanied the Chairperson during the visit. Dr Andrabi directed the concerned officials to ensure the timely completion of all ongoing works while maintaining the sanctity, dignity and historic heritage of the shrine. She also took detailed feedback from the officials regarding the facilities being provided to devotees visiting the shrine.

Farooq Abdullah condemns drone incident near Makkah

The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah Thursday expressed deep concern and anguish over the reported drone incident near the Holy city of Makkah Mukarramah, allegedly involving Houthi rebels, stating that the sanctity and honour of the Haramain Sharifain are deeply connected with the faith and sentiments of the entire Muslim Ummah and must not be put at risk under any circumstances. Dr Farooq Abdullah, as per a party statement, said that an incident of this nature near the holy city is deeply disturbing and has the potential to hurt the sentiments of Muslims across the world. He said, Makkah Mukarramah and Madinah Munawwarah are not merely sacred places in Saudi Arabia but hold unparalleled religious significance for Muslims across the globe. The Holy Kaaba is the Qibla of Muslims, while Masjid-e-Nabawi occupies a place of extraordinary reverence in their hearts. Ensuring the safety and security of these sacred sites, protecting pilgrims and devotees performing Hajj and Umrah and maintaining peace and tranquillity are matters of fundamental importance to the entire Muslim world. Dr Farooq Abdullah said that West Asia is already facing prolonged wars, tensions and humanitarian crises. Ongoing conflicts in Yemen and other parts of the region have had a devastating impact on civilians, economies, infrastructure and regional peace. In such circumstances, further military confrontation cannot provide a lasting solution to the regions problems. He said that in view of the continuing bloodshed in Palestine and the escalating tensions in other parts of the region, the Muslim world must promote peace, unity, mutual respect and understanding instead of further division and confrontation. Differences and disputes among Muslims should be resolved through dialogue and diplomatic means rather than the use of force. Dr Farooq Abdullah prayed for the safety and security of the Haramain Sharifain, peace and stability in the region, and the protection and well-being of all humanity. He said that in the prevailing circumstances, the Muslim Ummah must demonstrate unity, patience, wisdom and foresight rather than allowing itself to be driven by emotional divisions. Meanwhile, Patron of J&K Jamait Hamdani Moulana Riyaz Hamdani also condemned the drone attack on Makkah.

PARAS Health Srinagar, IAP join hands to Advance Rehabilitation Care in J&K

In a significant step towards strengthening physiotherapy, rehabilitation and multidisciplinary patient care in Jammu and Kashmir, PARAS Health Srinagar has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Association of Physiotherapists (IAP). The collaboration aims to promote professional cooperation, knowledge exchange and greater awareness around the evolving role of physiotherapy in modern healthcare, while creating opportunities for advancing rehabilitation practices and patient-centred care. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Murtuza Habib, Facility Director, PARAS Health Srinagar, highlighted the expanding scope of physiotherapy and the important role physiotherapists play in the recovery and long-term wellbeing of patients. He said physiotherapy today extends far beyond conventional rehabilitation, with physiotherapists playing an increasingly important role across specialties including orthopaedics, neurosurgery, critical care, sports injuries and post-operative recovery. Dr Habib also underlined the importance of a multidisciplinary approach, where physiotherapists work closely with surgeons, physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals to support patients through different stages of treatment and recovery. The MoU marks another step towards building stronger professional linkages and creating a platform for collaboration between a leading healthcare institution and the professional body representing physiotherapists. Dr Masarat Shafi, PT, IAP CEC North Zone and Council Member, State Allied Health Council, J&K, described the occasion as a significant and historic moment for the organisation. He said the IAP was particularly encouraged by PARAS Health Srinagar's growing focus on specialised and advanced healthcare, noting the work being undertaken across departments including Orthopaedics, Neurosurgery and Critical Care. Dr Shafi said the collaboration would provide an important platform for strengthening the role of physiotherapy within comprehensive healthcare and for promoting professional development, knowledge sharing and better rehabilitation practices. The collaboration comes at a time when rehabilitation is increasingly recognised as an integral component of healthcare rather than merely a post-treatment service. From restoring mobility after orthopaedic procedures to supporting neurological recovery and helping critically ill patients regain strength and function, physiotherapy has become an essential component of the continuum of care. The MoU between PARAS Health Srinagar and IAP is expected to further encourage professional engagement and contribute towards strengthening the rehabilitation ecosystem in the region. Healthcare is meaningful when it is accessible, affordable and available closer to the communities we serve. Our focus at PARAS Health is to bring quality, specialised care to the doorsteps of people across Jammu and Kashmir at affordable rates. Collaborations such as this with the Indian Association of Physiotherapists further strengthen our commitment to ensuring that rehabilitation and recovery are an integral part of comprehensive, patient-centred healthcare. Seema Vig, Senior Vice President & Regional Director, PARAS Health, said.

Speaker chairs All Party, BAC meeting ahead of Autumn Session

Speaker, Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly (JKLA), Abdul Rahim Rather, today chaired a meeting of the All Party cum Business Advisory Committee (BAC) ahead of the Autumn Session of the Legislative Assembly, scheduled to commence on September 21, 2026, with a focus on ensuring smooth, orderly and people-oriented functioning of the House. The meeting was attended by Leader of Opposition Sunil Kumar Sharma, Ali Mohammad Sagar, Mubarik Gul, Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, Nizamuddin Bhat, Sajad Gani Lone, Mir Mohammad Fayaz and Choudhary Mohammad Akram. The Speaker sought their valuable suggestions for making the forthcoming Assembly Session more fruitful, meaningful and responsive to public concerns. He emphasised the need to provide adequate opportunities to the elected representatives to raise issues pertaining to their respective constituencies and bring matters of public importance to the floor of the House. The Speaker called for coordinated efforts by all stakeholders to ensure the smooth and effective conduct of the Assembly proceedings. He underlined that the legislative institution carries a significant responsibility towards the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Every eye is on the proceedings of the Assembly and the people are watching how their elected representatives articulate their grievances and raise issues of public importance in the House. This places a great responsibility on every member. It is, therefore, imperative that all members conduct themselves with due regard to the dignity, discipline and decorum of the House, maintaining the Speaker. He stressed that parliamentary debate should remain focused on public welfare, constructive deliberations and the effective articulation of issues confronting the people, while maintaining the established conventions and dignity of the legislature. During the meeting, the members of the Business Advisory Committee put forward a range of valuable suggestions aimed at making the Session more relevant, inclusive and responsive to public aspirations. The members emphasised the importance of providing sufficient opportunities to legislators to raise constituency-specific concerns and matters requiring the attention of the government. Among the key suggestions discussed was the conduct of Zero Hour, with members proposing that Chief Whips and party leaders should identify the members who would participate and furnish the requisite list in advance to facilitate effective management of the proceedings. The members also suggested that mobile phone usage inside the Assembly Hall should not be permitted, in order to maintain discipline, attentiveness and the decorum of the House. Emphasis was also laid on timely circulation of the list of Private Members Bills, Resolutions along with questions and answers, well in advance of the proceedings. The members stated that advance availability of such legislative material would enable them to study the issues thoroughly, prepare appropriately and raise relevant supplementary questions during the Session. The Committee further stressed that every member should be provided adequate time and opportunity to present matters of public concern, constituency grievances and issues of wider significance before the House, in accordance with the applicable rules and the approved business of the Assembly. The Speaker took note of the suggestions put forth by the members and underscored the collective responsibility of all members and concerned stakeholders in ensuring the orderly, productive and meaningful conduct of the Autumn Session. The meeting concluded with an emphasis on strengthening parliamentary engagement, facilitating constructive debate and ensuring that the proceedings of the Assembly remain focused on the concerns and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Secretary, JKLA, Manoj Kumar Pandit was also present in the meeting.

Man booked for allegedly obstructing official duty, circulating video against Patwari

Police have registered a case against a Srinagar resident for allegedly obstructing government work and circulating a video containing corruption allegations against a Patwari of the Revenue Department, officials said. The accused has been identified as Sher Ali Mir, son of Ghulam Hassan Mir, a resident of Upper Barji, Harwan. According to officials, FIR No. 0046 of 2026 was registered at Police Station Harwan on September 15 under Section 132 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), pertaining to causing obstruction in the discharge of official duty. The case was registered after a video allegedly featuring corruption-related allegations against the Revenue official was made and circulated on social media platforms. The video subsequently gained wider circulation online. The concerned official has also urged social media platforms and Facebook pages presenting themselves as news outlets to refrain from publishing or further circulating the video without obtaining his version or independently verifying the allegations. The official maintained that allegations of corruption should not be presented as established facts without verification and an opportunity for the person concerned to respond. He further submitted that the unrestricted circulation of an unverified and one-sided video could affect the reputation and dignity of a government employee and potentially raise concerns regarding his personal safety. Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the making and circulation of the video, officials said.

HC seeks govt, Waqf Boards response on plea against former Hazratbal Imams removal

The High Court of J&K and Ladakh has issued notice to authorities on a plea against removal of Professor Dr Kamal-ud-Din Farooqui, from duties of Imam-o-Khateeb at Aasar-i-Shareef Dargah Hazratbal in 2024 here. In his plea, Farooqui has assailed J&K Waqf Board Executive Magistrates (Tehsildar) order dated April 8, 2024 whereby he was relieved from his duties as Imam-o-Khateeb pending an inquiry that was expressly required to be concluded within seven days. Despite the lapse of considerable time, no inquiry report or final decision has been furnished to him, according to the plea. In response to Farooquis plea, a bench of Justice Muhammad Yousuf Wani issued notice to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board and others for objections to be filed by October 14. While seeking the response to the plea, the Court directed the authorities to consider a representation submitted by Farooqui against his removal. According to the plea, the action followed an April 5, 2024 incident involving a non-Muslim individual who approached him through the Naib Imam with a desire to embrace Islam. Farooqui has maintained that the individual was questioned regarding any force, threat, coercion, compulsion or inducement before the Kalima Shahadah was administered and had publicly stated that he was acting voluntarily. The petition alleges that the Waqf authorities subsequently described the incident as a forcible conversion and constituted an enquiry committee without first issuing a show-cause notice or providing the petitioner an opportunity of hearing. Moreover, Farooqui submitted that he cooperated with the inquiry and furnished a detailed statement on May 5, 2024, seeking verification of CCTV footage and statements of persons present at the shrine. However, he submits, the inquiry report or any final decision was not communicated to him. Seeking to quash the Waqf Board Executive Magistrates order barring him from performing his duties as Imam-o-Khateeb, Aasar-i- Shareef Dargah Hazratbal, Farooqi submitted that the same had been issued without notice, opportunity of hearing, disclosure of adverse material or observance of the principles of natural justice. The plea underscores that the legality of order must be examined exclusively with reference to the Waqf Act, 1995 and the rules, regulations and written delegations in force on the date of its issuance. The petitioner also seeks direction to declare his continued exclusion from his duties due to the failure to conclude the inquiry within the period of seven days coupled with their failure to communicate any report or final decision to him as illegal, arbitrary, unreasonable and unconstitutional. In his prayer, he also seeks his restoration to the duties of Imam-o-Khateeb, disclosure of the complete enquiry report and consequential reliefs. In response to Farooquis plea, a bench issued notice to Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir through its Principal Secretary Home Department, Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board through its Chief Executive Officer, Boards Executive Magistrate (Tehsildar) in Srinagar, Dr Darakhshan Andrabi, Chairperson J&K Waqf Board, Senior Superintendent of Police, Srinagar, Station House Officer Police Station Nigeen, Srinagar and Administrator in-charge Aasar-i-Shareef Hazratbal, Srinagar for their reply.

Jarring voids in healthcare staffing exposed with NHM employees strike

The continuing strike by National Health Mission (NHM) employees is exposing the staffing gaps that the programme was created to bridge. Healthcare delivery is suffering in peripheral hospitals of J&K with every day of strike, and essential services are buckling under strain. At many peripheral health facilities, the stakeholders said, pediatric and gynaecological services are severely affected. NHM staff forms the sole workforce in many newborn care units in peripheries and even in tertiary care hospitals mother and child services are heavily dependent on NHM staff. An official said that Lal Ded Hospital is facing a severe crisis as more than 60 NHM staff are unavailable due to the strike. It is a major crisis at the hospital requiring longer shifts, leave cancellations and curtailment of admissions that can be deferred, the official said. At JLNM Hospital in Srinagar, an official said, the routine operation theatre services have been wound up. Due to the strike and unavailable staff, only the emergency OT remains functional, the official said. The situation underlines the vulnerability of J&Ks public healthcare system that leans heavily on NHM staff. The NHM personnel were brought in precisely to supplement an existing workforce. There are critical staffing gaps in hospitals across the primary, secondary and tertiary-care, and NHM staff sealed those gaps, a senior health and medical education official said. She said that the vacancies that NHM employees routinely help cover are becoming visible. We have now pronounced gaps in service delivery, she said. With the strike extended for another three days from 18 September, the hospitals have reorganised manpower and duty rosters in order to maintain essential services. The affected areas are being addressed to some extent, hospital officials said, including OPDs, IPDs, emergency services, labour rooms, operation theatres and labs. Recently, a report from Anantnag showed the impact on healthcare services at several government facilities. A report from Budgam pointed to disruption at PHCs and CHCs. NHM employees continue their agitation seeking, among other demands, a policy for regularization and job security. Pay parity is also one of the key demands. The employees initially started their 72- hour strike on 9 September. It has been extended many times since then as no ice has been broken between the health and medical education department and striking healthcare staff. The fresh extension is set to put more pressure on already strained health facilities, while people, especially in peripheral areas bear the brunt of unavailable healthcare staff.

Army, Rotary Club inaugurate modern dental facility at SDH Langate

A modern dental facility equipped with two high-tech dental chairs and supporting equipment was inaugurated at Sub-District Hospital (SDH) Langate on Thursday. The facility is expected to benefit over 1.5 lakh people in Langate and adjoining areas. The facility has been established with the support of Rotary Club Mumbai under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, while Army Camp Langate facilitated the project by coordinating between the Rotary Club and SDH Langate and providing the required logistical support. Block Medical Officer (BMO) Langate Dr Nazir Ahmad, on the occasion, said that the new facility will improve access to dental consultation and treatment for people in the area, particularly those living in remote and underserved areas. It is also expected to reduce the need for patients to travel to distant healthcare centres for specialised dental care, he added. Rotary Club Regal Governor, District 3141, Rajan Dua, while talking to Greater Kashmir, said the initiative is aimed at strengthening local healthcare infrastructure through civil-military cooperation and improving access to essential dental services for the local population. We have been carrying out several people-friendly initiatives in district Kupwara, which include school buses in Machil last year, a school building in Army Goodwill School Wayen Kupwara and other projects, and ambulances for people living in border areas of Kupwara. I believe that very little has been done and much remains to be done, he added. Locals appreciated the initiative and expressed gratitude to the Indian Army and Rotary Club Mumbai for supporting the establishment of the facility and contributing towards improved healthcare services in the area. The people of over a hundred villages were suffering due to lack of better dental care facilities at SDH Langate, and now with the addition of improved facilities, people will certainly feel the difference and can avail treatment, said Langate Traders Federation President Lateef Ahmad.

J&K expands social security coverage

Jammu and Kashmir has recorded significant expansion in the coverage of social security, food security and welfare schemes. The official figures reveal that millions of beneficiaries were receiving assistance under various government programmes. On the social-inclusion front, the data has revealed that 25.69 lakh families, covering 103.88 lakh beneficiaries, have been enrolled under NFSA, while 16.61 lakh households, representing 67.84 lakh beneficiaries, are receiving free ration under PMGKAY. Monthly pensions are being provided to 10.86 lakh beneficiaries, including old-age, widow and specially-abled beneficiaries, it reads. Under the Ladli Beti scheme, 2.257 lakh girls have benefited, with an expenditure of Rs 1,415.75 crore since inception. Marriage assistance has reached 1.72 lakh beneficiaries, with Rs 858.54 crore provided since inception, it reads. Also, the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana has recorded 30,547 registrations, while 21,067 Vidyaarambh certificates have been distributed for children aged 56 years. Under supplementary nutrition, 8,31,329 Aadhaar-authenticated beneficiaries have been covered up to July 2026, which include 43,734 pregnant women, 43,669 lactating mothers, 42,672 children aged up to six months, besides 6,78,772 children aged six months to six years and 22,482 adolescent girls. The data shows 1,036 cases of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), constituting 0.16 percent, and 3,228 cases of moderate acute malnutrition (MAM), or 0.52 percent. APAAR IDs have reportedly been generated for 97 percent of eligible children aged 36 years through self-Aadhaar authentication, it reads. In July 2026, 32,592 people were screened for anaemia, out of which 5,003 cases were identified. Poshan Maah witnessed 12.84 lakh activities, while 8.40 lakh activities were undertaken during Poshan Pakhwada, it reads. Also, the Women Development Corporation has established 300 units employing 1,588 persons, while 157 SC/ST/BC units are employing 375 persons. For Kashmiri migrants, the government data reveals that relief of Rs 3,250 per person per month, subject to a maximum of Rs 13,000 per family, besides ration through DBT, is being provided. Under transit accommodation, 6,000 flats are planned, while 5,000 have been completed and 3,257 have been allotted as well. Against 6,000 identified posts for migrants, 5,896 posts have been filled, representing 98 percent, it reads. The administration has issued 1.64 lakh domicile certificates and 37,000 migrant certificates, besides other certificates. As per the official data, a digital portal project costing Rs 22.55 crore is underway, while the Jagti Community Hall project, with a project cost of Rs 26.64 crore, is around 95 percent complete. The POJK Bhawan at Suketar, Nagrota, estimated at Rs 9.95 crore, is under construction and has achieved 45 percent progress, it reads.

Jhelums Call:One youth, a few volunteers, and a mission to clean

The Jhelum has long flowed through the heart of Baramulla, carrying with it the towns history while, today, reflecting the growing strains of neglect and pollution. For Nayeem Farooq, a young resident of Baramulla town, the mounting piles of garbage along the Jhelums banks had become too troubling to simply look away from. Tonnes of plastic, discarded material and other waste have accumulated along stretches of the river, leaving parts of its banks resembling open dumping grounds. Rather than waiting for someone else to act, Nayeem decided to begin on his own. Twenty days ago, he started cleaning the banks of the Jhelum. What started as an individual effort has gradually drawn the attention of other young people, including girls, who have joined him in the initiative. A small personal resolve is now beginning to take the shape of a community mission. Tonnes of garbage is deposited on its banks. It is indeed worrisome. A conscious mind cannot afford to see the state of River Jhelum like this, Nayeem said while removing waste along with another young volunteer, Mehak Khursheed, from the riverbank. For Nayeem, the cleaning drive is not merely about removing rubbish. It is about restoring respect for a river that has been central to Baramullas life for generations. River Jhelum is a lifeline for the towns residents, with drinking water supplies for one lakh souls drawn from the river. Its importance extends beyond water, touching the towns history, landscape and everyday life. For centuries, the Jhelum has been inseparable from Baramullas identity. But decades of unchecked dumping, mounting pollution and neglect have steadily scarred its banks, with tonnes of discarded waste eventually finding its way into the river. Residents say garbage can be seen deposited along various stretches of the river. Plastic and other waste are frequently found near the water, raising concerns about pollution and the condition of a water source on which the town depends. Nayeem believes the problem is not confined to one section of society. Almost all the garbage emerging from the town is being dumped on its banks, he said, adding that shopkeepers and street vendors were also contributing to the problem by throwing waste along the river. The accumulation of garbage, he said, has polluted the river to an alarming extent. During the last 20 days, Nayeem says he has removed several tonnes of garbage from the riverbanks. The work, however, has not been easy. Cleaning a riverbank requires time, physical effort and a willingness to continue. The sight of a young man working along the river has nevertheless begun to inspire others. A few youngsters, including young girls, have joined the cleaning drive. Though their numbers remain small, their participation has given the initiative a sense of collective purpose. There has also been a sign of support from the local business community. Nayeem said a businessman, impressed by his efforts, had assured him that he would provide a JCB machine and a tipper to help lift garbage from the riverbanks. Such assistance, he believes, could make the cleaning work more effective and help remove waste that is difficult to handle manually. The mission beyond cleaning. Nayeems plans do not end with the removal of garbage. He says the next part of his mission will focus on creating awareness among residents and discouraging people from using the riverbanks as dumping sites. He plans to launch an awareness campaign and involve mohalla committees and masjid committees in the effort. The objective, he says, is to create a sustained campaign that encourages people to stop polluting the Jhelum. Cleaning the riverbanks is only one part of the mission. The other part is to make people aware of the importance of the river and urge them not to pollute it, he said. Nayeem believes the river deserves the same importance that people attach to the basic necessities of life. The Jhelum is as important for Kashmir, as air is for living things, he said.

Child passport issued under 15 years to be valid for 5 years or till they turn 18

New Delhi, Sep 17:In a latest development, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has notified new rules under which the ordinary passports issued to children below 15 years of age will now be valid for five years or until the child turns 18, whichever is earlier. The Passports (Amendment) Rules, 2026, published in the Gazette of India on September 17, amend the Passports Rules, 1980. Under the amended rule 12(1A), a 36-page ordinary passport issued to a child under 15 will remain in force for a period of five years from the date of issue, or until the child attains the age of 18, whichever comes first. The notification, dated September 15, 2026, also revised rule 8 governing passport application fees, stating that the fee payable for each category of application will be as specified in Schedule IV of the rules. The amended rules come into force from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette. The notification noted that the Passports Rules, 1980 were originally published via notification G.S.R. 691(E) dated December 11, 1980, and were last amended via notification G.S.R. 156(E) dated June 20, 2026.

CM Omar Abdullah inaugurates renovated J&K House at Amritsar

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today inaugurated the renovated Jammu & Kashmir House at Amritsar, Punjab. The heritage property, located at 2-Court Road, Amritsar has been comprehensively upgraded with modern amenities to provide affordable and comfortable accommodation to residents of Jammu and Kashmir visiting Amritsar, particularly patients and their attendants travelling to the city for medical treatment. The renovation and upgradation works commenced in October 2025 and were completed at an approximate cost of Rs 2.30 crore. The works covered civil and electrical works, interiors, guest amenities, external development and allied infrastructure. The upgraded facility comprises four guest rooms with attached dressing areas and washrooms, besides a common sitting lounge, dining area and kitchen. Located close to major hospitals and other key destinations in the city, the J&K House will serve as an important support facility for patients and their attendants, besides benefiting students, pilgrims and other visitors from Jammu and Kashmir. The Chief Minister inspected the upgraded facilities and directed the concerned officers to maintain high standards of hospitality, cleanliness and upkeep for guests. Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said the facility would help ease the difficulties faced by patients and their families travelling outside Jammu and Kashmir for treatment, while also providing a convenient and affordable place to stay for other visitors from J&K. The Chief Minister appreciated the efforts of the departments and officers involved in the renovation and upgradation of the property and stressed the importance of maintaining the facility to high standards. The Chief Minister was accompanied by his Advisor Nasir Aslam Wani, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Dheeraj Gupta, Resident Commissioner J&K Ramesh Kumar, Secretary Hospitality & Protocol Avny Lavasa, Additional Resident Commissioner Anil Sharma and senior officers of the Government of J&K and the Government of Punjab.

OZONE SHIELD a first-of-its-kind initiative to safeguard doctors

New Delhi, Sep 17:Ozone Pharmaceuticals limited Thursday launched OZONE SHIELD, a first initiative of its kind by any Indian pharmaceutical company for the welfare and safety of doctors, at an event in New Delhi. This initiative is taken in response to the growing instances of violence, harassment and baseless legal suits against doctors. Ozone Shield provides security assistance, legal assistance and emotional wellbeing support to doctors in case they face such an untoward scenario. The initiative was formally launched by former Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Dr. Kiran Bedi, who was also the Chief Guest of the event. The need is well documented. A nationwide survey this year by experts from AIIMS, Safdarjung Hospital and VMMC, covering over 1,500 healthcare workers, found that 78.4 percent had faced threats on duty, and 58.2 percent didnt feel safe at work. Ozone SHIELD is built to close this gap. It has also been established that in the majority of legal cases, doctors are eventually declared not guilty by the Courts.

35 of 52 J&K corruption FIRs are bribe-trap cases in 2026

The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has registered 52 corruption-related FIRs across the Union Territory up to September 2026, 35 of which involve trap operations in alleged cases of demanding and accepting bribes. The ACB's 2026 case register shows that trap cases account for 67.3 per cent of the total FIRs registered so far this year. In other words, roughly two out of every three corruption cases recorded by the Bureau have involved allegations of direct bribery. The 52 cases have been registered in different districts and cover allegations ranging from bribery and disproportionate assets to illegal mutations, abuse of official position, financial irregularities, illegal appointments and alleged encroachment. Jammu Province accounts for 31 cases, including 20 trap cases, while Kashmir Province has 21 cases, of which 15 are trap cases. Thus, trap cases constitute about 65 per cent of the cases in Jammu and more than 71 per cent in Kashmir. The individual cases show that allegations of bribery cut across several departments. Revenue officials, particularly patwaris, appear repeatedly in the ACB's trap cases, with allegations concerning payments for revenue extracts, mutations and other official work. Police personnel, junior engineers, municipal officials, forest employees, treasury staff and other government functionaries also figure in the cases registered during the year. In Jammu Province, Rajouri has six cases listed in the ACB register and all six are trap cases. Udhampur has seven cases, including six traps. The ACB Jammu police station has five cases, four of them trap cases, while the ACB Central police station has 11 cases, including four traps. Doda has two cases, neither classified as a trap. In Kashmir Province, Srinagar accounts for 13 cases, including nine trap cases. Anantnag has six cases, five of them traps, while Baramulla has two cases, including one trap case. The alleged bribe amounts recorded in the cases range from Rs 2,000 to Rs 1 lakh. The ACB register includes allegations involving Rs 5,000, Rs 8,000, Rs 10,000, Rs 12,000, Rs 15,000, Rs 20,000, Rs 30,000, Rs 40,000 and Rs 70,000, besides the Rs 1 lakh case. The Rs 1 lakh case was registered by ACB Anantnag on May 21 against a Ziladar and a Patwari of the Irrigation Division, Anantnag. According to the case record, the two were booked in connection with an allegation of demanding and accepting the amount. Another case involved an alleged Rs 70,000 bribe, with the ACB registering a trap case against a Patwari of Patwar Halqa Gole and an alleged associate. The cases have continued to be registered during September. The ACB case register includes a September 1 trap case in Srinagar involving an alleged Rs 15,000 bribe, a September 7 case involving an alleged Rs 11,000 bribe and a September 9 Rajouri case involving an alleged Rs 20,000 bribe. The pattern is notable when compared with the ACB's annual figures for previous years. During the whole of 2025, the Bureau registered 78 corruption-related cases, including 36 trap cases, 18 disproportionate-assets cases, 15 cases involving alleged abuse of official position, eight cases relating to fraudulent alienation of custodian land and one case concerning illegal appointments. The 35 trap cases registered up to September 2026 are therefore already just one short of the 36 trap cases recorded during the whole of 2025. The comparison is between a part-year figure and a full-year figure, however, and the 2026 figure may change before the year ends. The 2026 cases also indicate that the ACB's investigations extend beyond direct bribery. The case register includes allegations of disproportionate assets, illegal mutations of land, abuse of official position, financial irregularities in development works, illegal appointments and alleged encroachment. In Jammu Province, the concentration of trap cases is particularly visible in Rajouri and Udhampur. All six cases listed under Rajouri are trap cases, while six of the seven cases registered by ACB Udhampur are traps. In Kashmir, nine of Srinagar's 13 cases and five of Anantnag's six cases are classified as traps. The alleged bribe amounts also indicate that the cases concern both routine government services and larger transactions. Several allegations involve sums of Rs 5,000 or Rs 10,000, while others involve Rs 20,000, Rs 40,000, Rs 70,000 and Rs 1 lakh. A trap case generally begins with a complaint alleging that a public servant has demanded a bribe. After verification, the ACB conducts a trap operation to establish the alleged demand or acceptance of illegal gratification. The operation may result in the arrest of the accused and subsequent investigation.

PM Modis 25 years in public life marked by welfare for poor, foundation for Indias growth: Amit Shah

Vadnagar, Sep 17: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said Prime Minister Narendra Modis 25 years in public life should be seen as a period of welfare for the poor and foundation-laying for Indias prosperity. He was speaking after inaugurating the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan in Vadnagar and flagging off a bike rally to Varanasi to mark Modis birthday. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde were also present. Born on September 17, 1950, in Vadnagar in Gujarats Mehsana district, Modi turned 76 on Thursday. He completes 25 uninterrupted years in public office on October 7, having first taken the oath as Gujarat chief minister in 2001 before becoming prime minister in 2014. Addressing a gathering, Shah said the 25 years of Modis public life will have to be written in golden letters in history as the years of poor welfare. He said the period under Modis leadership had laid the foundation for Indias prosperity, made the country more secure and started the process of making India a global leader in infrastructure and digital public infrastructure. Shah said Modis tenure as PM would be remembered as a period of welfare for poor people and claimed that 25 crore people had been lifted out of poverty during this period. He said generations of people had waited for basic necessities such as houses, toilets, tap water, electricity, food and medical treatment. His 12-year tenure as prime minister will be known as a golden era for the 80 crore poor people of the country, Shah said, listing houses, electricity, tap water, five kg of free grain per person per month, health coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh, toilets and gas cylinders among the benefits delivered by the Modi government. Shah said Modi had personally experienced poverty after being born in a poor village and had, despite his circumstances, put before the country a vision of equitable and inclusive development. He said Modis 25-year public life was also marked by sustained personal work and service to the poor, backward classes, Dalits and tribals. Shah said he had worked with Modi during his organisational years in Gujarat and later when he became the CM and PM. The Union minister also praised Modis simplicity and said he had connected BJP workers across the country with the Nation First slogan. He said Modi had treated the entire country as his family. Referring to Modis years as Gujarat CM, Shah listed initiatives including water management, the Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana, Sagarkhedu Kalyan Yojana, industrial development, Vibrant Gujarat, an education hub and 24-hour electricity supply to villages. He said the state recorded an agricultural growth of more than eight per cent when Modi was the CM. The Gujarat model was subsequently taken to the national level after Modi took charge of the nation in 2014, he said. Shah credited the Modi government with introducing what he described as clear policies after a period of policy paralysis and cited GST, the JAM (Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, Mobile) trinity, Direct Benefit Transfer, banking reforms, FDI and PLI (Production Linked Incentive) as measures that had contributed to economic development. He also referred to expansion of roads, railways, airports, ports and digital infrastructure, saying the number of airports in the country had increased from 75 to 150. He mentioned PM Gati Shakti, Digital India and Startup India as initiatives that had opened opportunities for the youth. On national security, Shah cited the governments decisions on Article 370, the Citizenship Amendment Act, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, peace accords in the Northeast and military operations. He also referred to measures relating to women, tribal welfare, defence production and space programmes, including Chandrayaan and Aditya L1. Shah said Modis public life could be summed up in two words -- India First. Earlier, CM Patel said the bike rally from Vadnagar to Varanasi was not merely a journey but a pledge-driven mission dedicated to serving the nation. He said Vadnagars soil had inspired Modi with patriotism, simplicity and a spirit of service and that his 25 years of public life had contributed to the countrys transformation. Patel said India had emerged as a major opportunity for youth and highlighted developments in digital payments, space technology, artificial intelligence and semiconductors. He said the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan should take Modis message of public service to every household and called for building a Viksit Gujarat as part of the vision of a Viksit Bharat. A simultaneous rally was flagged off from Varanasi, PMs Lok Sabha constituency, with the two journeys planned to conclude on October 7, the day Modi completes 25 years as CM of Gujarat and Indias PM. According to the BJP, the two rallies will together cover about 40,000 km through 193 districts and around 1,159 villages across 10 states. Around 1,000 youths will participate, it said. At Vadnagar, Shah, Patel and other leaders first performed Maha-aarti at Sharmishtha Lake and then walked to the ancient Hatkeshwar temple of Lord Shiva. Shah prayed for Modis long life and good health before flagging off the rally, said officials. Shah said the BJP and its allies had launched the campaign to take the message of Modis 25 years of public service to people across the country and inspire younger generations to work towards the goal of a developed India by 2047.

NHM employees deserve justice: Fairoz Khan

Former national president of the National Students Union of India (NSUI) and advocate Fairoz Khan on Thursday extended support to the protesting National Health Mission (NHM) employees of Jammu and Kashmir, while urging the government to ensure that the ongoing strike does not disrupt essential healthcare services, particularly in the remote and mountainous areas of Ramban district. Khan said NHM employees had played an important role in strengthening the public healthcare system and had continued to serve people in difficult and far-flung areas for years. He said their long-pending demands concerning job security, remuneration, retirement benefits and social security deserved serious, meaningful and time-bound consideration by the government. At the same time, the impact of the ongoing strike on ordinary patients cannot be overlooked. People living in remote and mountainous areas are particularly vulnerable when local health facilities become non-functional, Khan said. According to information received from the ground, 65 health facilities and centres across different parts of Ramban district have reportedly been affected or closed amid the ongoing strike, raising concerns over access to basic medical services in several areas. Among the reportedly affected facilities in Block Ukheral are SC Chaka, SC Charwari, SC Trana, SC Manjoos, SC Nachalana, SC Kawna, SC Gujrara, SC Tajnihal, SC Chunthan, SC Paristan, SC Bassan, SC Hoochak, SC Bingara, SC Lablotha, SC Phagmulla, SC Darzipora, SC Noora Pogal, SC Kharwan, SC Nowgam, SC Surunga, SC Cherwari and SC Buzla. Other facilities reportedly affected include Tattaraso, Karol, Kundi, Gandote, Panthyal, Chakwa, Kumate, Palli, Duthan, Kabbhi, Karma, Wanga, Kudji, Chacknarwah, Amkoot, Krawa, Lamber, Asher, Gangna, Chamalwas, Doligam, Chanjloo, Chachihaal, Chapnari and Bajnarii. The reported list also includes SC Kalimasta, SC Gundi, SC Salbala, SC Harrog, SC Bandachan, SC Dachan Gali, SC Upper Dalwah, SC Zuthnal, SC Chachawah and NTPHC Dharam. Khan said the legitimate concerns of NHM employees should be addressed without allowing patients to bear the consequences of the dispute. We support the NHM employees, but we also stand with the patients. A poor patient from a remote village cannot be expected to travel several kilometres simply because the local health centre is not functioning, he said. He urged the government to immediately initiate meaningful negotiations with representatives of NHM employees and work towards a time-bound resolution of their demands. At the same time, he called for immediate alternative arrangements at health facilities where services have been affected. Khan suggested that regular doctors, paramedical staff and other available healthcare personnel be deployed wherever necessary to ensure continuity of emergency services, maternal and child healthcare, medicines, diagnostics and other essential patient-care facilities. Referring to directions issued by the Health Department for reorganisation of available manpower and duty rosters at healthcare institutions in Kashmir to maintain essential services during the NHM strike, Khan urged the authorities to adopt similar measures wherever required in Ramban. He appealed to the Lieutenant Governors Administration, Health Department and district authorities to treat the issue as an urgent matter and ensure that the ongoing employee-government dispute does not develop into a healthcare crisis for the public.

J&K Bank holds interactive meet with Katra Chamber

Chamber of Tourism Trade and Industry Katra (CTTIK) office bearers and members on Thursday held an interactive meeting with a senior delegation of J&K Bank, led by zonal head Udhampur, Arjun Singh Rathore. J&K Bank delegation also comprised cluster manager Amit Balgotra and branch manager Samresh Salgotra. The meeting provided an important platform for an open and constructive interaction between the hospitality and business community of Katra and the senior representatives of J&K Bank. A healthy and detailed discussion was held on various financial and banking-related issues being faced by hotels, guest houses and other tourism-related businesses. Earlier at the outset, CTTIK president Raj Kumar Padha along with the office bearers and members welcomed the J&K Bank delegation and felicitated the visiting officials with traditional Mata Ki Chunris. During the interaction, CTTIK members raised several important concerns, including takeover of existing term loans, digital transactions, availability and functioning of ATM machines, mission yuva scheme, working capital requirements and access to various financial products. Members also shared practical difficulties being faced by businesses due to the seasonal nature of pilgrimage tourism and fluctuations in business activity. On the occasion, CTTIK president congratulated Arjun Singh Rathore on recently assuming the charge of zonal head Udhampur and appreciated the continued support extended by J&K Bank to the tourism and hospitality sector of Katra. On behalf of CTTIK, several suggestions were also placed before the J&K Bank delegation for strengthening financial support to the hospitality ecosystem of the town. These included consideration of an additional 15 percent credit facility on existing term loans and working capital limits to help businesses tide over temporary downturns; a flexible repayment structure with lower EMIs during lean months and higher repayments during peak pilgrimage seasons; soft loans at comparatively reduced interest rates for prospective customers; an overdraft-type facility for better-rated and regular accounts to meet day-to-day cash-flow requirements and pre-approved renovation credit with low processing fees to enable hotels and guest houses to upgrade their infrastructure ahead of forthcoming pilgrimage seasons. CTTIK emphasised that Katra's hospitality industry operates in a highly seasonal environment and therefore requires banking products that are responsive to its unique cash-flow cycles. The Chamber stated that enhanced and flexible financial support would help businesses maintain continuity, undertake necessary renovations, protect employment and contribute more effectively to the growth of tourism in Katra. Rathore took the suggestions put forward by CTTIK very positively and assured the Chamber that the issues raised during the interaction would be examined seriously. He further assured that efforts would be made to provide suitable solutions to each of the issues discussed and that J&K Bank would continue to extend its support and cooperation to the hospitality and business community of Katra. The meeting concluded on a positive and constructive note, with both sides expressing their commitment to maintaining regular dialogue and strengthening the partnership between the banking sector and Katra's tourism and hospitality industry. Those present on the occasion included Rajnish Purohit general secretary, Ramnik Sharma treasurer, Atul Sharma secretary, Karan Vaid secretary, executive members Rattan Sharma, Neelam Singh and Vishal Kapoor. Karnail Singh, Ashish Sharma, Amit Gandotra, Pritam Pujari, Arun Pujari, Arun Sharma and other members of CTTIK also participated in the interactive meet.

Puducherry LG suggests tax holiday, cheap power to boost industrialisation in J&K

Puducherry, Sep 17: Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry K Kailashnathan has suggested a set of measures for improving the Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) in Jammu and Kashmir, saying tax holidays and affordable power could act as catalysts for attracting industries and investment to the Union Territory. Interacting with this Greater Kashmir Correspondent, Kailashnathan said attracting investment and promoting industrialisation were essential for generating employment and ensuring sustained economic growth. Referring to the geographical and infrastructural challenges faced by Jammu and Kashmir, he said the UT Government should focus on four key areasinfrastructure, connectivity, affordable power and tax holidaysto create a conducive environment for industrial development. First, you need the prerequisite infrastructure for industries, followed by good connectivity, Kailashnathan said, stressing the importance of railway links and highways for timely movement of raw materials and finished products. He also underlined the importance of affordable electricity for industries and hotels, saying Jammu and Kashmir has significant hydropower potential. He suggested that the government could explore providing locally generated power to industrial units at competitive rates, including a tariff of around Rs 2 per unit, to encourage investment. On fiscal incentives, Kailashnathan suggested that Jammu and Kashmir could consider tax holidays for new investments, pointing out that several States and Union Territories had adopted such measures to attract industries and promote industrialisation. A 1979-batch retired IAS officer, Kailashnathan served in Gujarat for more than four decades and worked closely with Narendra Modi during his tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister. He was associated with various government initiatives related to industrialisation and investment promotion, including investment summits held in Gujarat. Speaking about Puducherry's development trajectory, Kailashnathan said the Union Territory was progressing towards becoming a major medical and tourism hub. He said an advanced organ-transplantation centre was being established in Puducherry, which, according to him, would benefit patients from across the country. Kailashnathan also described Puducherry as an emerging education hub, saying around 73 per cent of students enrolled in schools pursue higher studies. He said the focus now was on creating employment opportunities for the educated population and added that more than 4,000 people were recruited last year. He identified safe drinking water as another challenge, saying a significant section of the population was dependent on groundwater with high TDS levels. He said the administration was working to ensure filtered and safe surface drinking water for all residents within the next three years. On connectivity, the LG said an airport with a 2,500-metre runway was being developed and a new railway terminal was also under construction. He further said two six-lane highways between Chennai and Puducherry were being constructed, which would substantially improve road connectivity and reduce travel time between the two destinations. He said Puducherry's development strategy was aimed at strengthening infrastructure, healthcare, education, connectivity and employment while positioning the Union Territory as a prominent tourism and medical destination.

New JK United FC beat Aqua Kashmir Avengers 2-1

Srinagar, Sep 17: New JK United FC secured a hard-fought 21 victory over Aqua Kashmir Avengers FC in the Kashmir Super League (KSL) Season 2, strengthening their position in the league standings and securing qualification for the next round. As per a statement, the encounter produced an engaging contest, with both sides displaying attacking intent and determination. New JK United FC managed to find the decisive goals to take all three points, while Aqua Kashmir Avengers FC fought until the final whistle but could not overturn the deficit. Following the completion of the league-stage fixtures, Athwas Hyundai XI FC finished as the league toppers, with New JK United FC securing second place and Aqua Kashmir Avengers FC finishing third. All three teams have qualified for the next round of the Kashmir Super League Season 2, setting up an exciting phase of the competition. The KSL-26 has continued to provide a competitive platform for football clubs and players from across the region, with fans witnessing closely contested matches throughout the season. The Kashmir Super League Season 2 is being organised with the aim of promoting football, developing local talent and providing players with greater opportunities to compete at a high level.

We Can Do - is PM Modis Mantra

Puducherry, Sep 17:We Can Do is the real mantra of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry K Kailashnathan stated this, while recalling his long association with Modi during his tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister. Sharing his experiences of working closely with Modi in Gujarat, he also spoke about the development initiatives undertaken during his early years as Chief Minister. Kailashnathan, a retired IAS officer, had served in the Gujarat Chief Ministers Office for more than one-and-a-half decades and worked with Modi for several years. He said a number of initiatives undertaken during Modis initial tenure in Gujarat later contributed to what came to be described as the Gujarat Model of development. Recalling the focus on infrastructure, he said improving road connectivity was among the key priorities. He said roads connecting villages, referred to as Kisan Path, were developed with the objective of facilitating connectivity and helping farmers, including in the transportation and sale of milk. He further spoke about Vikas Path, describing them as roads and highways connecting important religious destinations and other major locations. According to him, the improved connectivity also contributed to the growth of tourism in Gujarat. Kailashnathan also recalled Modis personal lifestyle during his years in Gujarat, describing him as a person who lived simply. He said Modi used to have limited personal belongings, including clothes, and lived in a simple setting. On the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modis birthday, the Puducherry LG conveyed his greetings and best wishes to him. Kailashnathans long association with Modi, particularly his years in the Gujarat Chief Ministers Office, has given him first-hand experience of the functioning and priorities of the then Gujarat government. He is considered to be a closely associated man with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and had remained part of many prestigious Government initiatives of path breaking development projects in Gujarat including Narmada Ekta Nagar project.

CEPC flags decline of Kashmirs handmade carpet sector

Noida, Sep 17:The decline of Kashmirs traditional handmade carpet sector came under discussion at the 43rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Carpet Export Promotion Council (CEPC), with members calling for greater focus and targeted support to revive the industry. The meeting, held at Hotel Radisson in Noida and chaired by CEPC Chairman Capt. Mukesh Gombar, stressed the need to promote Kashmirs handmade carpets through stronger marketing, greater participation in national and international exhibitions, improved branding, skill development and better access to markets. Members said handmade carpets from Kashmir represent an important part of Indias cultural and craft heritage and require greater attention amid the challenges facing the traditional sector. The AGM was attended by CEPC Vice-Chairman Aslam Mahboob, members of the Committee of Administration Sheikh Ashiq Ahmad, Mohd. Wasif Ansari, Anil Kumar Singh, Sanjay Gupta, Piyush Kumar Baranwal, Bodh Raj Malhotra, Rohit Gupta, Mahavir Pratap Sharma, Mehraj Yasin Jan and Shukat Khan, besides Dr Smita Nagarkoti, Executive Director-cum-Secretary (Officiating). Representatives from the carpet industry, including Vijay Thakur of Cottage Crafts of India, R. B. Mathur of Warp + Weft International, Suman Kaul of Kashyap Carpets, Ashwani Tiwari of ANA International, Qayyum Abdul of Hannans Oriental Rugs, Bilal Ahmad Kawoosa of Kashmir Carpet Producer Co. Ltd., Hilal Ahmad of Jansons and Sunil Bazaz of Qaleen Alishan, also attended the meeting. The General Body adopted the Councils audited Balance Sheet and Income and Expenditure Accounts for the financial year ended March 31, 2026, along with the Auditors Report. It also approved a revised annual membership fee structure linked to export performance. Members with exports up to Rs 50 lakh will pay an annual fee of Rs 3,000, while those with exports above Rs 50 lakh and up to Rs 1 crore will pay Rs 4,500. The fee has been fixed at Rs 6,500 for exporters with turnover above Rs 1 crore and up to Rs 10 crore, and Rs 12,000 for those above Rs 10 crore. The General Body also approved elections for one-third of the members of the Committee of Administration from various categories. The election notification will be issued on November 2, 2026, with polling scheduled to be held in December. Another decision approved at the AGM was an Export Achievement Incentive for eligible new members. Under the scheme, a new member achieving exports of Rs 50 lakh or more during the first year of membership will be eligible for reimbursement of the Rs 3,000 annual membership fee in the following year. The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks to the Chair.

J&K plans 20 ETT labs to boost sheep productivity, cut mutton dependence

Srinagar, Sep 17:Minister for Agriculture Production, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Cooperative and Election Department, Javid Ahmad Dar, today visited the Sheep Breeding Farm at Khimber and reviewed the ongoing breeding programmes and developmental activities. The Minister stressed the need for transformative and scientific interventions to revolutionise the sheep sector in Jammu and Kashmir, enhancing the productivity towards greater self-sufficiency in mutton production. Highlighting the governments Embryo Transfer Technology (ETT) programme, he said establishment of ETT laboratories across districts will enable rapid multiplication of superior germplasm and accelerate genetic improvement. He said that the Cabinet has approved establishment of 20 ETT laboratories, one in each district, as a major intervention in this direction. Javid Dar also stressed the importance of scientifically utilising high-genetic-merit imported breeds, including Texel and Dorper, for strengthening the local breeding programmes. He said the focus should be on transferring superior genetic traits into locally adapted populations to improve meat productivity and strengthen the domestic mutton sector. The Minister directed the department to ensure scientific selection, conservation and multiplication of quality germplasm and its wider dissemination among farmers. He also directed that a transparent, scientifically formulated SOP be notified for allocation of breeding sheep to farmers, ensuring objective selection of beneficiaries, proper utilisation of superior germplasm and wider access to quality breeding stock. He called for greater participation of youth in modern sheep husbandry, emphasising its potential for entrepreneurship, employment and strengthening rural livelihoods. He directed the department to provide aspiring young farmers with training, technical guidance and handholding support. The officers informed that Khimber Farm maintains fine-wool and specialised breeds, including imported and Australian lines besides cross-bred varieties such as Kashmir Merino and supports the local breeding programmes through the distribution of quality breeding rams. The Minister emphasised that the combined thrust on district-level ETT infrastructure and high-genetic-merit breeding programmes should translate into measurable gains in sheep productivity and help Jammu and Kashmir move towards a more self-reliant mutton production sector.

LG, elected govt need to work in close coordination in UT with legislature: Puducherry LG

Puducherry, Sep 17:Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry K Kailashnathan, a former IAS officer of the Gujarat cadre, has asserted that the Lieutenant Governors administration and the elected government need to work in close coordination in a Union Territory with a legislature. Interacting with journalists from Kashmir and Varanasi during a PIB tour, Kailashnathan said differences of opinion between the LG administration and the Chief Ministers Office could arise, but these should not necessarily be viewed as conflicts. Conflicts do take place between the two, but I wont consider them conflicts; rather, they are differences in opinion, he said. The Puducherry LG said that the Lieutenant Governor in a UT with a legislature enjoys substantial powers, but this should not become an issue when the LG administration and elected government function in coordination. I clear 99 per cent of the files forwarded by the elected government, except files concerning backdoor appointments, Kailashnathan said. He stressed the importance of coordination between the constitutional authorities for ensuring smooth governance and effective implementation of development initiatives in a Union Territory with an elected legislature. Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory administration and Puducherry UT administration share almost the same model of governance.

Damaged Dewal stretch, livestock movement affect traffic flow on Srinagar Jammu NH

The SrinagarJammu National Highway (NH-44) remained open to regulated two-way traffic on Thursday; although vehicular movement continued to be slow at several vulnerable and construction-affected stretches, particularly along the UdhampurBanihal corridor. Traffic authorities attributed the slowdown to rain-related damage, single-lane regulation, ongoing four-laning and road improvement works, vehicle breakdowns and the seasonal movement of nomadic livestock herds. Very slow movement was reported at Dewal in Udhampur district, where a 3040-metre stretch of the highway was damaged following recent rainfall. The affected portion has developed an uneven and undulating surface, necessitating traffic regulation through a single lane. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has deployed men and machinery at the site and restoration work is in progress. Rain-induced erosion has also affected the Srinagar-bound tube at Dewal, with damage reported at two to three locations. Traffic is being regulated through available single-lane passages at these points to facilitate safe movement. In Ramban district, traffic remained slow on the MaroogKishtwari Pather stretch due to ongoing four-laning, construction and road improvement works. Restricted carriageway width, uneven surfaces and movement of construction machinery have been contributing to delays, particularly during periods of increased traffic. The seasonal movement of nomadic livestock herds has also affected traffic at some locations. Officials said around a dozen herds migrating from the Kashmir Valley towards Jammu were moving along the BanihalNachlana section. Their passage through the single-lane MaroogKishtwari Pather stretch was expected to cause intermittent slowdowns. A few vehicle breakdowns, including one at Nachlana, further contributed to temporary congestion. Traffic personnel were deployed at vulnerable and congested locations to regulate movement and prevent prolonged bottlenecks. Authorities said the highway continued to remain vulnerable to sudden disruption in case of fresh rainfall, landslides, mudslides, shooting stones or further deterioration of road surfaces. Drivers travelling between Ramban and Banihal have been advised to undertake journeys during daylight hours wherever possible and exercise extra caution while passing through vulnerable stretches. Meanwhile, amid ongoing widening works on the DigdoleKhooni Nallah section, movement of Kashmir-bound oil and gas tankers continues to remain restricted during daytime hours. Under the prevailing traffic arrangements, such tankers are permitted to proceed beyond Chenani only between 5 pm and 5 am. Heavy vehicle operators have been directed to strictly adhere to prescribed loading limits, avoid overloading and ensure that their vehicles are roadworthy before undertaking the journey. Transporters have also been advised to carry adequate fuel in view of possible delays caused by traffic regulation, road repairs, construction activity and adverse weather. Commuters and transporters have been advised to obtain the latest highway status from the Traffic Control Units in Jammu, Ramban and Srinagar before starting their journey and to comply with all traffic advisories and directions issued by the authorities. SSP Traffic National Highway Raja Adil Hameed urged commuters to follow the instructions of traffic personnel, maintain lane discipline and exercise patience while negotiating single-lane and construction-affected stretches. Officials reiterated that although NH-44 was presently operational for regulated two-way traffic, slow movement was likely to persist at damaged, vulnerable and construction-affected locations. Commuters have been advised to plan their journeys accordingly and cooperate with traffic personnel to ensure safe and orderly movement along the highway.

J&K Govt approves Rs 10.22 Cr tribal tourism village at Mendhar

The Government of Jammu and Kashmir, led by the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, has accorded administrative approval for the development of a state-of-the-art tribal tourism village at Behri Qasab in Mendhar area of Poonch district. The project, sanctioned at a cost of Rs 10.22 Cr under the Capex Budget 2026-27, aims to showcase the rich tribal culture and heritage of the region while strengthening local infrastructure and creating new economic opportunities for local youth. The tribal tourism village is envisaged as a dedicated destination that will highlight the distinctive cultural traditions and way of life of the tribal communities, while providing an added attraction for visitors to Poonch. The project is also expected to contribute to local employment and livelihood generation, support community participation in tourism-related activities and further integrate Poonch with the broader tourism circuit of Jammu & Kashmir.

New UPI charges stir concern among Kashmir traders

Srinagar, Sep 17: The proposed Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on certain UPI payments above Rs 2,000 has triggered concern among traders in Kashmir, who fear that the move could add to the cost of running small businesses at a time when margins are already under pressure. Under the revised framework, a 0.4 per cent MDR is set to apply from October 15 to specified person-to-merchant UPI transactions above Rs 2,000. The charge will be borne by the merchant and not the customer. The fee will be capped at Rs 300 for transactions above Rs 75,000, while small merchants receiving up to Rs 1 lakh a month through UPI QR transactions are to remain exempt. The proposed change marks a departure from the zero-MDR regime that has been a major feature of UPI since its rapid expansion. While most UPI transactions will continue to remain free, the new charge is expected to affect a relatively small share of merchant transactions but a much larger proportion of their value. Industry estimates suggest transactions above Rs 2,000 account for around 4 per cent of merchant transaction volumes but about 67 per cent of transaction value. For traders in Kashmir, the concern is over the cumulative impact on businesses that already face rising rents, electricity bills, wages, taxes, compliance costs and other operating expenses. Small retailers, in particular, say even a modest charge on repeated digital transactions can eat into margins when business volumes are high but profitability remains limited. The Kashmir Traders & Manufacturers Federation (KTMF) has urged the Government of India to reconsider the proposed MDR and ensure that small and marginal traders are not adversely affected. KTMF President Mohammad Yaseen Khan said the Federation appreciated the Governments efforts to strengthen and expand the digital payment ecosystem, but maintained that the concerns of small retailers and businesses operating on thin margins could not be overlooked. For a large corporate or high-volume business, a small percentage may appear insignificant, but for a small trader working on a very narrow margin, every additional cost matters. Traders are already dealing with multiple taxes, compliance requirements, rising operational expenses, high rentals, electricity costs, staff expenses and weak consumer demand. Another transaction-related cost will only add to their burden, Khan said. He said the widespread acceptance of UPI had been built on its simplicity and zero-cost character and cautioned against measures that could discourage traders from accepting digital payments. The success of UPI has been built on its simplicity and zero-cost character. Small traders should not be discouraged from accepting digital payments because of additional transaction costs. A retailer should be encouraged to accept digital payments, not made to calculate the cost of every transaction, Khan said. KTMF has particularly sought protection for micro and small traders whose businesses depend heavily on UPI but operate with limited margins. The Federation has also sought greater clarity and a wider exemption mechanism so that genuine small businesses do not inadvertently fall outside the protection available under the new framework. Khan said the trading community had consistently supported digitalisation and formalisation of the economy, but wanted the interests of smaller businesses to be considered while framing the new payment regime. The traders community has always supported digitalisation and formalisation of the economy. We only request that the interests of the smallest trader, from the shopkeeper to the family-run retail outlet, be kept at the centre of policymaking. Their margins are already under tremendous pressure and even a small additional cost can have a disproportionate impact, he said. KTMF urged the Union Government to consult representative trade bodies before expanding or revising MDR charges and ensure that small and marginal traders remain financially viable as digital payments continue to grow.

LG Ladakh dedicates worlds highest twin flower-fields to people on PM Modis birthday

In a landmark gesture marking Prime Minister Narendra Modis 76th birthday on Thursday, observed nationwide as Sewa Diwas, Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena dedicated the worlds highest-altitude twin flower fields to the people of the region. Spanning two strategic locations in the high-desert valleyChoglamsar and Staknathe twin floriculture sites mark a major shift toward high-altitude commercial floriculture, eco-tourism, and sustainable economic opportunities for local farmers. The two flower fields at Choglamsar and Stakna in Leh, at an altitude of 10,600 feet, are also the highest and the largest flower fields in the country. With over 25 lakh high-value flowers including 24 lakh Lilium and 1 lakh Gladiolus, the flower fields spread over 40 acres. This is the first experiment of this size and nature at high-altitude in Leh, and its successful execution has further paved the way for replicating this model in other parts of Ladakh. The development of the twin flower fields marks a significant milestone in promoting agricultural diversification, farmers empowerment and creating new livelihood opportunities through commercial floriculture in Ladakh, as envisaged by the Prime Minister. Interestingly, the flower field at Choglamsar has been developed in a record time of just two months. Plantation at Choglamsar began on July 16 and the first bloom started in the first week of September. On the other hand, a plantation of nearly 14 lakh Liliums at Stakna flower field began in August and the first bloom is expected around the end of October. The project seeks to leverage Ladakhs unique climatic conditions and the growing national and international market potential of high-value flowers to create a new avenue for income generation, entrepreneurship and rural economic development. As per market rates, Lilium sells at a premium of Rs 60-70 per stick in wholesale markets, while the retail sale of Liliums fetches an even higher price. The Choglamsar flower park will serve as a demonstration and model floriculture centre, where high-value flowers such as Lilium, Gladiolus, Tulips and other ornamental species, with strong market demand in national and international markets, will be cultivated. It will thus create a new, sustainable source of income for Ladakhs farming community through self-help groups and cooperatives. Inaugurating the Flower Garden, the Lieutenant Governor said the initiative is more than just the start of flower cultivation; it is an effort to sow the seeds of new livelihoods, skills, and opportunities for the people of Ladakh. A key objective of the Flower Garden is to develop it as a training and demonstration centre for farmers and youth. The facility will provide exposure to modern cultivation techniques, scientific farming practices and improved post-harvest management, enabling farmers to acquire the knowledge and skills required to take up floriculture at the farm and village level. Besides functioning as a recreational and educational space for residents and tourists, the flower fields will create an ecosystem where not only flowers, but also knowledge, skills and enterprises can grow. Floriculture is a high-value agricultural activity that can complement traditional farming, enhance farmers incomes and open new avenues for employment and entrepreneurship, LG Saxena said. The Flower Garden will be opened to the general public from September 18, 2026. To ensure its proper maintenance and upkeep, a nominal entry fee of Rs 25 for adults and Rs 10 for children has been fixed. The revenue generated will be utilised for the maintenance and upkeep of the garden.

LG Sinha releases book on poetry

Srinagar, Sep 17:Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday released a book Journal of the Waypoints, based on the Kashmiri poetry of acclaimed multilingual poet Satish Vimal. The book, authored by eminent writer, translator and poet, Mushtaque B Barq, features forty selected Kashmiri poems of Vimal, translated into English and critically elucidated by Barq, thereby introducing the poets literary expression to a wider readership beyond the Kashmiri-speaking world. The Lieutenant Governor appreciated Barqs effort in translating and analysing Vimals poetry. He wished Vimal and Barq, a fruitful and creative literary journey ahead. Sheikh Waseem, publisher, was also present on the occasion.

Security tightened across Kashmir

Srinagar, Sep 17:Additional security measures have been put in place across Kashmir, with intensified frisking, vehicle checking, tight vigil, and increased area domination exercises visible in Srinagar and other districts of the Valley. In the summer capital, police and security personnel were seen conducting checking and frisking at several points on Thursday. Joint parties stopped vehicles, inspected identity documents and carried out searches at key junctions, approach roads and busy urban stretches. Similar reports of additional deployment, naka checking and area domination were received from other districts of the Valley. Officials said the tightening followed directions issued by Inspector General of Police, Kashmir Zone, Sujit Kumar to district Senior Superintendents of Police during security and law-and-order review meetings. The IGP had directed field formations to enhance counter-insurgency operations, intensify area domination, increase naka checking at vulnerable locations and strengthen checking and surveillance along inter-district borders. On Wednesday, Sujit Kumar chaired a high-level security review at the Police Control Room (PCR) Kashmir to assess the prevailing situation and operational preparedness across the Central Kashmir Range covering Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal. The meeting was attended by the DIG, Central Kashmir Range, SSPs of the three districts, SSP PCR Kashmir, SDPOs and other senior officers. Field officers briefed the IGP on the security grid in their respective areas of responsibility and the arrangements in place to maintain peace, public order and a secure environment. Kumar reviewed deployment and operational readiness and directed that security arrangements remain dynamic and responsive to emerging threats. He emphasised regular assessment of the grid and timely strengthening of deployments wherever required. A senior police officer said here that the IGP Kashmir also called for round-the-clock vigilance, stronger preventive measures and close coordination among field formations. The review came against the backdrop of recent operations in Central Kashmir, including the September 4 encounter in the Ashdar area of Budgam in which a Lashkar-e-Taiba terroristwas killed. Officials said the same thrust tighter surveillance, naka checking, area domination and synergy with other forces has been conveyed in earlier range- and district-level reviews under Sujit Kumar, who took charge as IGP Kashmir Zone recently after serving as IGP Security. On the ground, the additional measures were most visible in Srinagar, where checking parties were deployed at multiple locations. Commuters reported random frisking of private vehicles, passenger transport and two-wheelers. Similar activity was reported from other Valley districts, with additional personnel pressed into area domination, night patrols and inter-district border checks. Security agencies described the step-up as preventive and intelligence-driven, aimed at denying residual terror networks space to move men, arms or support material through urban centres and inter-district routes. Officers said the grid would continue to be recalibrated on the basis of inputs and ground assessment. IGP Kashmir, in successive reviews this month across north, south and central Kashmir, asked officers to sustain pressure on terrorists and their support ecosystem, improve grassroots intelligence and keep deployments flexible. The latest visible tightening in Srinagar and other districts is being projected as the field-level follow-through of those directions.

2 Jaish terrorists killed in Udhampur operation: Police

Jammu, Sep 17:Security forces on Thursday neutralised two Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists, both belonging to Pakistan, in a night-long operation amid inclement weather conditions, in the dense forest stretch of Soan-Brattal in Majalta area of Udhampur district . During the joint operation, involving Army, JKP and CRPF, an alleged Over Ground Worker (OGW), who was believed to have facilitated the terrorists movement besides providing logistics and shelter, was also apprehended by the security forces for questioning. Meanwhile, following the gunfight, the combing operation led to the recovery of a large quantity of arms and ammunition, including AK Assault rifle, M4 Carbine and a Glock pistol with magazines and grenades from the encounter site. Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) in the forests and the areas adjoining the encounter site, however, continued. Police later identified the slain Jaish terrorists as Saddam and Mustafa, both Pakistani nationals. According to the Indian Armys White Knight Corps, in a joint intelligence-based Operation Sohan (Soan) during the intervening night of September 16 and 17, 2026, confirmed inputs indicated the presence of terrorists in the general area of Brattal, Udhampur. Despite hostile weather, difficult terrain and poor visibility, troops of White Knight Corps, Jammu and Kashmir Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) launched a targetted counter-terrorism operation, resulting in the neutralisation of two terrorists, the White Knight Corps posted. It maintained that the operation was still in progress, with search and surveillance operations continuing in the area. Security forces remain deployed to track and neutralise any remaining threat, the Army stated, along with its catch-phrase The knight stands vigil, the threat will be defeated. A separate post of Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP), with a tagline You can run but you cannot hide! indicating successful operation, said, Two neutralised Pakistani Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists have been identified as Saddam and Mustafa. An AK Assault rifle with four magazines; M4 Carbine with three magazines; a Glock pistol with two magazines and four grenades have been recovered from their person. Officials stated that the first brief contact with the slain terrorists was established during the intervening night of September 15 and 16 in Majalta area, during CASO launched following reports of suspicious movement. After a lull spanning almost a day, the security forces, during the continuing cordon, established fresh contact with the hiding terrorists on Wednesday night. The night witnessed brief exchange of fire yet a full-blown encounter ensued on Thursday morning when the terrorists opened heavy fire at the security forces, in a bid to break the cordon. However, their attempts proved futile as reinforcements were rushed to the encounter site to further bolster the cordon. Both the terrorists were killed in the targetted joint operation this morning, officials stated. Earlier in February also, two Pakistani terrorists were killed in Ramnagar forest of Udhampur district. Meanwhile, CASO continues while investigation is also underway to ascertain the exact role of the terror suspect held, following the operation, to unearth the entire terror eco-system active in the area, officials said.

Waheed Para moves resolution seeking reconciliation, amnesty

Srinagar, Sep 17:People's Democratic Party (PDP) leader and MLA Waheed-ur-Rehman Para has proposed a resolution in the upcoming Autumn session of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, urging the Centre to initiate a meaningful and sustained political process in J&K and consider a one-time, comprehensive amnesty for those affected by years of turmoil. The resolution submitted by Para to the Assembly secretary on September 5 calls for a humanitarian and time-bound review of cases involving misguided youth, who were caught in circumstances beyond their control, or continue to face cases and restrictions long after the events in question. The House calls upon the government of India to begin a meaningful and sustained political process in Jammu & Kashmir and to take a historic step towards healing by offering a one-time, comprehensive amnesty to those affected by years of turmoil, the one-page resolution said. No young person should be condemned to a lifetime of suspicion because of an allegation, past case or circumstances of conflict. The House, therefore, calls for a time-bound review of eligible cases, including restrictions affecting passports, security clearances, education and employment, with due process and safeguards for serious offences. The House believes that peace cannot be built by keeping an entire generation trapped in its past. Our youth must be given the chance to study, work, travel, support their families and rebuild their lives with dignity. This is not a plea for forgetting. It is a call for justice with compassion, accountability with humanity and peace with dignity, the resolution said. It said that the time had come to replace fear with trust, exclusion with opportunity and conflict with reconciliation. History will remember whether we chose to perpetuate the wounds of the past or had the courage to heal them, Para said.

Fresh elections after statehood restoration: LOP

Anantnag, Sep 17:Leader of Opposition (LOP) Sunil Sharma said on Thursday that Jammu and Kashmir would have to hold fresh Assembly elections if statehood were restored. Whenever statehood is restored, there will be new elections in the state, Sharma, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator, told reporters after meeting several delegations in Anantnag. If statehood comes today, elections will have to be held because the new constitutional arrangement will be that of a state. The elections held under the present arrangement were for a Union Territory, he said. Sharma questioned the need for the government to continue if it lacked the authority to take decisions. If we have to wait for elections, what has CM Omar got to do till then? he said. Has he come to enjoy? Have they come to live like kings? Have they come to exercise badshahi? Why is he deceiving the people? Sharma said. He asked CM Omar to dissolve the Assembly if the government lacked authority. Whatever you tell them, they say that I do not have anything to do. I do not have the authority. I do not have the power. I do not have the strength, he said. Do we have to wait for five years for them to say that they do not have the power? Sharma said. He rejected allegations that the BJP wanted to topple the government. We will never topple it. I promise you that the BJP will never topple it, Sharma said. If it topples on its own, we do not have to be responsible for it, he said. Sharma said the BJP would raise public issues, including statehood, during the upcoming Assembly session. We will not surround it, but we will raise peoples issues. We will raise peoples issues regarding statehood, he said. Sharma accused Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather of bias over the duration of the upcoming session. He is biased because he wants to save the government. He is a custodian of the Assembly, he said. Referring to CM Omars recent remarks on the statehood timeline, Sharma said, He said that when Amit Shah will wake up from his sleep, the statehood will come. That means he knows when it is going to come. On Article 370, he said the decision was taken by Parliament and not by the BJP alone. The day the National Conference takes 275 seats to Parliament, tell them to speak about it, Sharma said. He defended the Centres development record over the past 10-12 years. All the development that has happened in the past 10-12 years has never happened. There is no comparison in it, Sharma said. There is no need for CM Omars certificate in it, he said. The LOP also called for talks with daily wagers protesting in essential departments, including the PDD, PWD, and PHCs. I would also appeal to the daily wagers to call off their strike if the government agrees to negotiate. But at least take some initiative, he said. As the Opposition, it is our responsibility to become the voice of the people because the government is not listening, Sharma said. I have not come to topple any government. I have not come to seek votes. People form governments, he said.

LG celebrates PM's birthday with children at Palaash, Pareesha

Srinagar, Sep 17:Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday celebrated the birthday of Prime Minister NarendraModi with the children of the Palaash and Pareesha childrens homes in Srinagar. He distributed school bags, sports kits, and sweets, and also reviewed the residential facilities provided to ensure their well-being. Subsequently, he visited the Childrens Hospital at Bemina to spend time with the young patients and wish them a full and speedy recovery. The SevaSankalpAbhiyan begins today, marking a month-long festival of selfless service till October 17. This campaign celebrates 25 years of the Prime Minister's public service, transforming India from the fragile five to the worlds top five economies. Over the next month, 12 programmes will include school competitions on Mere Sapnoka Bharat, honouring Anganwadi and ASHA workers, tree plantation, youth activities, and registration camps under SevaSetuAbhiyan. Until October 17, a 'SevaSetuAbhiyan' will be run at block and ward level, with 3-4 day camps to register deprived beneficiaries for government schemes. I earnestly appeal that every citizen of Jammu and Kashmir participates wholeheartedly in this campaign. Prime Minister has worked day and night for 140 crore countrymen and has helped build a new, powerful Jammu and Kashmir. The GDP growth rate for the first quarter of 2026-27 is 7.8 percent. If we look at other indicators of welfare and development, 25 crore people have moved above the poverty line and 80 crore people are receiving free ration under the GaribKalyan Ann Yojana, LG Sinha said. He also highlighted the unprecedented growth of national highways, which have increased from 91,000 km to 146,000 km, and the number of airports has risen from 74 to 165. Kashmir is now directly connected with the rail network. Discrimination has been eliminated and J&K is witnessing historic transformation. As far as the welfare schemes across the country are concerned, 11 crore toilets, more than 10 crore gas connections and 4 crore PM Awas have been provided, and another 3 crore houses are under construction. Under Prime Ministers guidance Jammu and Kashmir will emerge as an unparalleled example of prosperity and happiness. I urge all citizens of Jammu Kashmir to contribute to this Service Campaign, the LG said.

Leaders across political spectrum greet PM

New Delhi, Sep 17:Leaders across the political spectrum greeted Prime Minister NarendraModi on his 76th birthday on Thursday, highlighting his 25 years in public office. While President Droupadi Murmu hailed his record on governance, Home Minister Amit Shah recalled Modi's journey from an ordinary BJP volunteer to the nation's highest political office. Vice President C P Radhakrishnan credited Modi with presiding over India's emergence as one of the world's fastest-growing major economies, while Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said his journey from Gujarat chief minister to prime minister had given a new momentum to India's growth story. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi also wished Modi a long and healthy life. Born on September 17, 1950, in Gujarat's Vadnagar, Modi turned 76 on Thursday. He completes 25 uninterrupted years in public office on October 7, having first taken the oath as Gujarat chief minister in 2001 before becoming prime minister in 2014. In her birthday message, Murmu said Modi had set numerous new benchmarks for good governance during his tenures as chief minister and prime minister and given unprecedented momentum and a new direction to inclusive development. Advancing on the path of modern progress while upholding a sense of cultural pride, our fellow citizens are realising the harmonious blend of heritage and development, the president said on X. She prayed for Modi's good health and long life so that he could continue his mission of public service and nation-building. Radhakrishnan said under Modi's leadership, India was shining as a bright spot in the world and among the fastest-growing major economies. He cited the country's progress in areas ranging from digital technology and space to healthcare, infrastructure and manufacturing, and said more than 25 crore Indians had come out of extreme poverty in recent years. Radhakrishnan said Modi's references to backward districts as aspirational districts, border villages as vibrant and first villages, and the northeast as ashtalakshmi reflected an approach aimed at transforming geographical marginalisation into empowerment. Over the past year, as I travelled across the states and Union territories, I witnessed firsthand how these transformative changes are reaching even the remotest parts of our country, he said. LokSabha Speaker Om Birla said India was forging a new identity on the global stage under Modi's leadership and making progress in development, self-reliance, innovation, digital technology, infrastructure and public welfare. Your public life, spanning over 25 years, has proven immensely fruitful for the strengthening of democratic values and for the upliftment of the nation's vulnerable and underprivileged sections, Birla said. N Chandrababu Naidu, the TDP chief and a key BJP ally, hailed Modi's journey from Gujarat chief minister to prime minister. Marking 25 exemplary years of public service, from leading Gujarat as a transformational CM to guiding the nation as a revolutionary PM, you have given a new momentum to India's growth story, he said. Your vision of 'seva, sankalp and sushasan' continues to inspire 140 crore citizens across the nation, Naidu said, praying to Lord Venkateswara for Modi's long and healthy life. JD(U) chief and former Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar also extended his greetings, wishing Modi a healthy and long life. BJP president Nitin Nabin described Modi as the embodiment of dedication and service to the nation. He said his journey, driven by the resolve of Nation First, was an inspiring saga of service, good governance, and public welfare. Under your guidance, India is scaling new heights of development and self-reliance, steadily advancing on the global stage with a renewed identity and enhanced strength, he said. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde described Modi as the embodiment of India's progress and the aspirations of its people. Modi embodies the story of India's progress. He resonates in the hearts of every citizen. He stands as a symbol of welfare for the poor. He represents the youthful spirit of this young nation. He is the source of courage amidst every challenge. He is a thunderous force against adversaries. He embodies the soul of 1.4 billion dreams. He is the hallmark of a New India, Shinde said. Former prime minister and JD(S) chief H D Deve Gowda conveyed his wishes to Modi in a letter. May you be blessed with a long and healthy life. May you continue to lead our nation with dedication and wisdom. May you help our nation realise its enormous potential and further strengthen its exalted place in the world, he said. DMK president and former Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin wished Modi good health, happiness and a long life. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and TVK chief Vijay also conveyed his heartfelt birthday wishes to Modi, whom he described as working with dedication towards building a strong India, and wished him a long and healthy life. NCP (SP) chief SharadPawar extended heartfelt birthday wishes to Modi and wished him good health and a long life. Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren conveyed his johar (greetings) to Modi. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also wished Modi a happy birthday, good health and a long life. Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio extended birthday greetings to Modi on behalf of the state government, the political parties in the ruling alliance and the people of Nagaland, saying India was fortunate to have a leader dedicated to serving the nation. Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said Modi's 25 years in public service had been marked by dedicated leadership and a steadfast commitment to the growth and development of our nation. Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma wished Modi good health and continued strength. May you be blessed with wisdom and success in your service to the nation, he said. Kharge, Rahul greet PM Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi on Thursday wished Prime Minister NarendraModi good health and long life on his 76th birthday. Born on September 17, 1950, in Gujarat's Vadnagar, Modi turned 76 on Thursday. In a post on X, Kharge said, Best wishes to Prime Minister Shri NarendraModiJi on his birthday. May he be blessed with good health and long life. Wishing the prime minister, Gandhi said, Happy birthday to PM Narendra Modiji. Wishing you good health and a long life.

The sermons we need to hear

An 18-month-old in Karachi died after an alleged sexual assault. A three-year-old girl in the same city was raped and murdered. In Haripur, a five-year-old girl was raped and killed. These are not statistics. They are children. Against this horrifying backdrop, a video of Pakistani preacher Mufti Tariq Masood has resurfaced in which, while discussing marriage, he jokes about a four-year-old girl as a possible bride. Masood has since defended the remark as a joke taken out of context. But there are some subjects that should never become the subject of humour. The sexualisation of children is surely one of them. The issue is not simply what Masood intended to say. It is also about what religious discourse chooses to emphasise and what it leaves conspicuously unsaid. According to Sahil, a Pakistani child-rights organisation, 1,914 cases of child abuse were reported in Pakistan between January and June 2026, including 1,015 cases of child sexual abuse. These are reported cases and therefore cannot capture the full extent of the problem. But behind every number is a child. In August, an 18-month-old girl in Karachis Qayyumabad area died following an alleged sexual assault. In June, three-year-old Kulsoom Mohammed Qasim disappeared while playing outside her home in Karachi. Her body was later found stuffed in a gunny bag, with a post-mortem examination reportedly confirming sexual assault. In Haripur, five-year-old Ayat Noor went missing on August 10. Her body was recovered from an unused well on August 24, and the post-mortem reportedly confirmed rape and fatal injuries. Jammu and Kashmir has also seen a series of deeply disturbing cases involving minors this year, including the alleged rape and subsequent death of a 15-year-old girl in Kishtwar, the alleged sexual assault of a 14-year-old in Jammu, and the alleged gang rape of a Class VII student in Poonch. The rape and murder of a 12-year-old Budgam girl has also left the Valley shaken. For generations, Kashmiris have regarded their society as one where women and girls could move about with a considerable degree of security. This should not be romanticised into pretending that crimes against women never occurred. They did. But there was a powerful social expectation that women and children were to be protected by the community. The repeated reports of sexual violence against minors today should therefore make us pause and ask: what has changed, and what are we failing to teach our children? One thing that has not changed enough is the disproportionate attention given to womens clothing in religious discourse. We hear sermons about how women should dress, how much they should cover, what they should post on social media and what they should not reveal. But where is the equally persistent conversation about how men should behave? An 18-month-old child in Karachi was not sexually assaulted because of what she was wearing. The 12-year-old Budgam victim, according to reports surrounding her case, was on her way to Quran lessons when she was raped and murdered. The vulnerability of a child does not begin at the hemline of her clothes. A child is a child. This is where our religious discourse needs serious introspection. Modesty is undoubtedly an important Islamic value, just as it exists in different forms across religious traditions. But modesty cannot become an explanation for male misconduct, nor can a womans clothing become a convenient shield behind which male behaviour escapes scrutiny. The Quran and the Prophetic tradition encompass a far wider moral framework than questions of dress. They speak of justice, charity, compassion, dignity, restraint, responsibility, protection of the vulnerable and respect for the rights of others. These principles apply to men as much as they apply to women. Yet our public religious conversations can sometimes become overwhelmingly focused on women. Why is the question so often, How much should a woman cover? rather than, How should a man conduct himself? Why do we teach girls how to protect themselves from predatory behaviour without teaching boys, with equal urgency, that they must never become predators? And why do we invoke marriage, Sunnah and religious tradition without giving equal attention to the responsibility, justice and moral discipline that accompany them? There is another contradiction we need to confront. I recently heard an audio message from a Kashmiri mufti sahab expressing concern over reports of women allegedly selling themselves for a few hundred rupees and calling for police intervention. If women are being sexually exploited, criminal action is clearly necessary. But policing alone cannot address the roots of such desperation. We must also ask what drives a woman to such circumstances. Is she trying to feed her children? Is she a widow without support? Has she been abandoned? Is she trapped in poverty with nowhere else to turn? The Islamic response to poverty is not simply condemnation. It is compassion, charity and collective responsibility. This is where our religious institutions and community structures need to do much more. Imagine if sermons at lavish weddings also reminded families spending enormous sums over several days that struggling families may be living just a few streets away. Imagine if religious leaders spoke as forcefully against ostentatious displays of wealth as they sometimes speak about womens clothing. We have zakat, sadaqah, mosques and mohalla committees. We already possess the religious principles and community structures needed to support vulnerable families. What is often missing is the willingness to translate those principles into action. The same applies to conversations around polygamy. Islam permits polygamy under specific conditions, but reducing the discussion to a mans supposed entitlement to multiple wives strips it of its ethical context. Marriage is not simply about male desire. It carries obligations of justice, responsibility, care and dignity. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) demonstrated profound respect and compassion towards women, including widows and vulnerable members of society. Whatever historical or theological interpretations surround his marriages, reducing them to a licence for male privilege misses the larger moral message. We cannot selectively quote the Quran, Sunnah or Hadith according to convenience. If we invoke religion to speak about women, we must also invoke it to speak about mens responsibilities. If we speak about modesty, we must speak about character. If we speak about multiple marriages, we must speak about justice. If we speak about womens vulnerability, we must speak about mens accountability. If we speak about hijab, we must also speak about lowering ones gaze. And if we describe Islam as a complete way of life, we cannot reduce it to a conversation about womens clothes. The child who is raped does not need a lecture about her clothes. She needs protection. The woman driven to desperation does not need humiliation. She needs dignity and support. And the boy growing up in our homes, schools and madrasas does not merely need to be taught how a girl should dress. He needs to understand that her body is not his entitlement, her vulnerability is not an invitation, and her dignity is not negotiable. Perhaps that is where our sermons need to begin not with what women must do to prevent men from behaving badly, but with what men must do to ensure that women and children are safe. Our religious leaders have to go beyond their routine sermons and make that shift. The writer is former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir

IFFJK: At the margins

Inaugurated by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on September 7 at Srinagars SKICC, the maiden International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir brought world cinema to the valley. Organised by the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) of the Government of Jammu and Kashmir, in collaboration with the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), the festival drew over 300 global delegates, screened 135 films from 40 countries, and offered Rs 96 lakh in prize money across nine categories. Yet, from a local perspective, the festival highlighted a glaring gap. Filmmaker Kapil Matoo urged the J&K government to draw inspiration from Uttar Pradesh to create a genuinely filmmaker-friendly environment. It served as a wake-up call and made evident that the regions infrastructure and policies are not yet fully equipped to ensure that Kashmirs indigenous artists reap the real benefits of such international platforms. Speaking on the sidelines of the festival, Kapil Matoo highlighted the way the UP government provides subsidies, allowing a local filmmaker or producer to take the money. If local filmmakers are shooting their films completely in Kashmir, what are they getting? he asked. He stressed that the administration must move beyond merely providing locations; it needs to actively handhold local filmmakers and empower them to tell their own stories. Kashmir has a lot of talent, but much of it remains directionless. To bridge this gap, Matoo emphasised the need for enablers who can provide three to four years of dedicated mentorship. He also urged local artists to unite, refine their craft, and scale up their storytelling to meet high standards. Renowned filmmaker Imtiaz Ali spoke optimistically of Kashmirs untold stories. He said that Kashmir possesses a treasure trove of untold stories, vibrant characters, and rich cultural traditions that could provide exceptional material for cinema. He expressed hope that Kashmirs growing engagement with the film industry would create greater opportunities for Kashmiri talent. However, the ground reality paints a completely different picture. Local artists and tourism stakeholders have expressed deep regret and concern over not being provided due representation. When I spoke with Waheed Jeelani, a renowned artist and founder-chairman of the Kashmir Music Club, he revealed that indigenous creators were not taken on board and were denied access to the main stage, instead being asked to perform on the periphery at the banks of Dal Lake. The event should have featured our traditional Kashmiri instruments and popular local artists to represent the real Kashmir, Waheed Jeelani stated. He pointed out that the event management and contractors were outsourced, leaving local professionals out of the loop. According to him, Kashmir was merely used as a beautiful backdrop for shooting rather than being authentically promoted. Highlighting a 15-year struggle for artists, he said that the government has spent crores of rupees on the international film festival but has remained completely unconcerned about investing in local artists who actually carry forward the true art, culture, and heritage of Kashmir. Prominent J&K film director and artist Mushtaq Ali Khan, who has organised six film festivals in the past, said that the government ignored indigenous talent. He stressed that the active participation of local film and tourism stakeholders was crucial for genuinely boosting the regional tourism and film industries in Kashmir. Aqib Chayia, President of the J&K Hoteliers Club in Gulmarg, said that local stakeholders should have been the primary invitees, not an afterthought. During my own visit to the SKICC for the event, I saw this disheartening reality with my own eyes. Instead of being celebrated on the main stage, local artists from Pamposh Folk Theatre, Bamrada Khag, were performing in a park far away from the spotlight. When I spoke to the groups head, Manzoor Ahmad, he expressed his dismay, noting that they were simply instructed to perform outside and were denied a dignified stage. This begs a critical question: how can we claim to revive local art and integrate it with cinema if our artists are not given the space, respect, and due recognition their craft demands? After more than a year of meticulous planning and heavy public investment, the curtains have fallen on the festival. Yet the scenes of empty shikaras facing the floating screen on Dal Lake pose a strong question regarding the scale of actual public participation. The relationship between Kashmir and Bollywood is not new. For decades, Bollywood capitalised on the valleys stunning mountains, beautiful lakes, and flowing rivers, branding Kashmir a Paradise on Earth and consequently boosting tourism. Historically, Kashmir was not just a backdrop; cinema halls ran to packed houses, and film releases were celebrated events. Even during periods of intense uncertainty, the magic of movies survived through VCRs in Kashmiri living rooms. Recent years have seen a shift. Films like Haider and Bajrangi Bhaijaan moved beyond the scenic backdrop to incorporate Kashmiri characters, settings, and hospitality into their core narratives. Kashmir possesses emerging filmmakers and profound stories that demand a strong supportive ecosystem. Showcasing traditional crafts through isolated documentaries is not the solution; our heritage, musicians, and artisans need to be mainstreamed into grand, commercial cinematic storytelling. The true test of IFFJK 2026 lies in its aftermath. If it successfully empowers local filmmakers and helps establish a self-sustaining film industry, it will be a historic leap forward. But if it remains limited to tourism promotion and image projection, it will go down as nothing more than a grand administrative spectacle. The ultimate challenge is no longer just shooting in Kashmir, but giving Kashmir its own authentic cinematic face.

A Legacy of Belonging

Kupwara is known for its mountains, forests and murmuring waters. But there is another Kupwara, quieter and deeper, hidden in the memories of its people. It is the Kupwara of saints, sages, shrines and sacred placesa land where faith has often inspired people to cultivate respect beyond religious differences while remaining rooted in their own traditions. The district has produced and preserved the memory of many saints and sages. Their stories are woven into the cultural landscape of its villages and towns. Among the revered Pandit sages associated with this land was Yogiraj Swami Kral Bab Ji Maharaj of Kralgund, Langate. Yogiraj Swami Kral Bab Ji Maharaj was a spiritual figure whose life reflected devotion, simplicity and universal love. He belonged to the tradition of Kashmiri Pandit saints who dedicated themselves to prayer, meditation and service. His presence in Kralgund left a lasting impression on the region, and his memory continues to be honoured by people of all communities. The legacy of Swami Kral Bab Ji Maharaj is not confined to one faith. It speaks of a shared heritage in which Hindus and Muslims lived as neighbours, sharing joys and sorrows, festivals and hardships. His life embodied the ethos of Kashmiriyata tradition of harmony, mutual respect and coexistence that has been an integral part of the Valleys cultural fabric for centuries. Such saints were not merely religious leaders. They were also social anchors, guiding people through difficult times, offering solace to the distressed and promoting peace within communities. Their teachings emphasised the importance of inner purity, compassion and humility. They reminded people that true spirituality lies not in outward rituals alone but in the way one treats fellow human beings. The shrines and sacred sites associated with these sages remain places of reverence. They are visited by devotees seeking blessings, peace and guidance. For many, these places are reminders of a time when faith united rather than divided, when diversity was celebrated as a strength rather than seen as a threat. In recent decades, Kashmir has witnessed tremendous change and turbulence. Many Pandit families were forced to leave their homes, and with them went a part of the regions living cultural heritage. The memory of saints like Swami Kral Bab Ji Maharaj thus becomes even more significant. It serves as a bridge between the past and the present, reminding people of what was and what could be again. Preserving this legacy is not merely an act of historical remembrance. It is a commitment to the values that these saints stood forfaith, respect and coexistence. It is a call to recognise that the cultural tapestry of Kashmir is woven from many threads, each contributing to its richness and beauty. The story of Swami Kral Bab Ji Maharaj is a story of Kupwara, of Kashmir and of humanity itself. It tells us that holiness is not confined to any single community, that wisdom can emerge from the simplest of lives and that the bonds of neighbourliness can transcend the boundaries of religion. As we remember him, we are reminded that the true measure of a society lies in its ability to honour its shared past and to build a future rooted in mutual respect. The legacy of Swami Kral Bab Ji Maharaj challenges us to live with the same spirit of faith, humility and love that he embodieda spirit that can illuminate even the darkest of times and bring people together in a world too often divided by difference.

Life belongs to God

God is the one who created us all. It is His prerogative to give life, and take it back. None on this earth has the right to inflict death on anyone else. If we go through the religious literature, across historic and cultural distinctions, we find that life is considered as supreme. All the moral, ethical, and legal codes are designed to safeguard life. The story of Abel and Cain tells us the eternal lesson of what it means to kill a soul in the sight of God. Referring to the same story God emphatically makes it clear in His last word, The Quran, that one who kills a soul kills the entire humanity. The way this teaching has been eternally saved in the holy Quran speaks of the importance of human life. The act of killing an innocent person is unpardonable. The punishment for this crime in the hereafter is hellfire, and that too eternal. The life of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) tells us how even a slightest harm to anyone would turn the Prophet restless. He would even feel for the animals, and thus the teaching that whenever an animal is found tired one should dismount, and allow the creature to take rest. All the religions that people around the globe follow lay emphasis on not harming any soul. Unfortunately there are people who forget this divine teaching and resort to harming others. Sometime ignorance and evil emotion makes them cross the final barrier, and they snatch an innocent life. In the light of Quran there is no bigger crime that one can commit against mankind. The Prophet of mercy (SAW) taught us the value of life. If we are his followers we must be on the side of the oppressed, and in case an innocent is killed we should feel the pain. We must remember the divine words: Because of that We ordained for the Children of Israel that if anyone killed a person not in retaliation of murder, or (and) to spread mischief in the land - it would be as if he killed all mankind, and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind. (5:32)

A Vision Betrayed

When Dr Masood Choudhary assumed responsibility as the Founder Vice-Chancellor of BGSB University, he did not inherit a flourishing institution. There was no established academic ecosystem, impressive infrastructure or accumulated institutional reputation upon which he could build. He began virtually from scratch, on a rugged and inhospitable stretch of land where even ordinary vegetation struggled to grow. It demanded persistence, personal sacrifice, networking, persuasion and an almost emotional attachment to the project. Dr Choudhary mobilised every legitimate resource at his disposal. He approached friends, well-wishers, administrators, academics and influential members of society. He used the goodwill and credibility accumulated during his distinguished public career to secure assistance for the university. This was not merely the routine discharge of official duties. He treated the university as a mission. Brick by brick, department by department and programme by programme, an institution began to emerge from the barren landscape. Roads were laid, buildings were raised, laboratories were established and students and scholars were brought to a place that had previously existed outside the recognised academic map of the country. Dr Masood Choudhary did not simply construct a university campus; he created confidence in a region that had long been conditioned to believe that prestigious institutions could only be established elsewherein Jammu or Srinagar. For the people of Rajouri and Poonch, its establishment carried a significance far beyond education. It demonstrated that the Pir Panjal region was capable of hosting and sustaining an institution of higher learning. It created employment, encouraged local enterprise, expanded social interaction and gave countless families hope that quality education could become accessible closer to home. The university also helped introduce the region to the rest of India. Students who arrived from outside Jammu and Kashmir encountered the natural beauty, cultural diversity and hospitality of Pir Panjal. In this manner, the institution became a bridge connecting a historically neglected frontier with the wider national academic community. This remarkable rise was inseparable from the personality and leadership of its Founder Vice-Chancellor. Dr Choudhary possessed the rare combination of vision and execution. Many people can conceive ambitious ideas; only a few possess the discipline and determination required to translate them into durable institutions. Had his work been carried forward with the same seriousness, BGSB University could today have been among the foremost centres of scientific research, technological education and intellectual innovation in northern India. From rise to decline Unfortunately, the departure of a great institution-builder is also a test of the society inheriting his creation. The real strength of an institution lies not only in its establishment but in its ability to retain direction, standards and momentum after its founder has left. It is here that the story of BGSB University becomes deeply painful. After his departure, the university gradually became vulnerable to administrative inconsistency, political indifference and competing interests. Instead of building upon the solid foundation that had already been laid, successive years witnessed an apparent loss of momentum. The institution that had once attracted students from distant parts of the country began struggling to retain even its natural appeal among students from the surrounding districts. When initiative disappears and institutional decisions become captive to political calculations, personal interests or prolonged administrative uncertainty, decline becomes inevitable. The deterioration of this university cannot be attributed to any one government, officer, community or political party. Responsibility extends across the spectrum. The political leadership failed to accord the institution the sustained attention it deserved. Administrators did not always protect its long-term academic interests. Civil society remained largely silent, while the regions intellectual class failed to develop a united movement for its preservation and advancement. Cost of internal divisions The Pir Panjal region has also suffered because of internal social and political divisions, particularly the prolonged rivalry between sections of the Gujjar and Pahari communities. Legitimate questions of representation, identity and constitutional rights have too often been transformed into political contests in which one communitys advancement is presented as another communitys loss. Political elites have frequently benefited from these divisions. While communities remained occupied with competing claims and electoral calculations, institutions meant to serve everyone were gradually neglected. BGSB University does not belong to any single tribe, caste, religious group, constituency or political party. It belongs equally to the Gujjar, Pahari, Kashmiri, Dogra and every other community. More importantly, it belongs to generations yet to come. Allowing it to decline because of political differences or community rivalries would be a betrayal of the entire Pir Panjal region. A university is not a prize to be captured by one group; it is a shared inheritance that must be preserved by all. Need for revival The decline of BGSB University is not irreversible. Institutions can recover if their problems are acknowledged honestly and addressed through competent leadership and collective determination. The university requires a comprehensive academic and administrative revival plan. It needs visionary and independent leadership, transparent appointments, modern professional courses, stronger research facilities, national and international academic collaborations, and sustained engagement with industry. It must once again reach out to students across India while restoring confidence among the people of Rajouri, Poonch and adjoining areas. The political representatives, academics, business community, civil society organisations and diaspora of Pir Panjal must come together to demand and support its revival. A permanent non-partisan forum could be constituted to monitor the universitys progress and advocate its legitimate requirements before the government and other authorities. Above all, the university must be liberated from narrow political and communal considerations. It should be treated as the intellectual heart of Pir Panjal and developed as a premier centre for science, technology, mountain studies, environmental research, border-area development, tribal studies, languages and the distinctive cultural heritage of the region. Warning for Pir Panjal The people of Pir Panjal must change their outlook. Its intelligentsia cannot awaken only during elections or remain occupied exclusively with questions of political representation. It must also protect the regions universities, colleges, tourist destinations, forests, languages, culture and historical heritage. If we cannot preserve what has already been created for us, our demands for further development will gradually lose their moral force. Late Dr Masood Ahmed Choudhary fulfilled his responsibility. He conceived a dream, transformed it into an institution and placed the Pir Panjal region on the educational map of the country. The responsibility now rests with the government, political leadership, civil society and, above all, the people of the region. Author is SSP, J&K Police

A brotherhood forged in uniform

Some meetings are arranged. Some meetings happen by chance. But there are meetings that the heart has been waiting for years to experience. The recent Milan of the 1995 batch of Sub Inspectors of Jammu & Kashmir Police, now spanning the journey from young Sub-Inspectors to DySPs and senior officers after nearly 32 years of service, was one such meeting. It was much more than a reunion. It was a homecoming. A homecoming of friends who had once marched together, run together, trained together, struggled together and dreamed togetherand who, after more than three decades, found themselves sitting across from one another once again, carrying the memories of youth in their hearts. Nearly 60 out of around 70 batchmates attended the Milan. Those who could not join us were deeply missedsome because of ill health and some because of unavoidable professional commitments. Otherwise, the gathering was almost complete. And perhaps that itself tells the story of the bond that the 1995 batch has carried through all these years. When we were young It hardly seems possible that nearly 32 years have passed. The memories of Sher-i-Kashmir Police Academy, Udhampur, still feel remarkably fresh. We were young Sub-Inspectors then young lads, full of energy, dreams and enthusiasm. Some of our colleagues were a little older than us, but most of us were at an age when the future seemed limitless. We spent nearly two long years together in training. We marched together. We ran together. We played together. We studied together. We faced obstacles together. We trained during the day and often continued our camaraderie long into the night. There were long runs, parade drills, games, obstacle courses, classroom sessions and countless moments of shared laughter and hardship. We also underwent training at CRPF traiy centre Mudkhed Nanded, which added another chapter to our collective experience. At that age, perhaps we did not realise what was happening. We thought we were simply completing our training. But unknowingly, we were building something that would stay with us for the rest of our lives. We were building a brotherhood. The sweat of the training ground became the cement of our friendship. Then we went our separate ways. Around 1997, we passed out from the Academy. Our batchmates were posted to different parts of Jammu & Kashmir,Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. A large batch of officers, including our female colleagues, spread across districts, police stations and assignments. From the mountains to the plains, from cities to remote and challenging areas, the 1995 batch became part of almost every facet of policing in Jammu & Kashmir. We were no longer the young trainees of SKPA. We became police officers. And then began the real test. A phone call was enough Police service has a peculiar way of creating bonds. The profession takes us away from our families, friends and personal commitments. Long hours, emergencies, law-and-order duties, difficult terrain, operational assignments and unforeseen situations become part of everyday life. There were occasions when we could not attend family functions. There were occasions when personal plans had to be sacrificed for duty. There were nights spent away from home. And there were moments when professional responsibility had to take precedence over everything else. Yet, whenever a difficult situation arose, one often knew whom to call. A batchmate. For an emergency. For professional advice. For assistance. For helping someone in need. Sometimes even for a personal problem. The words He is our batchmate carried a meaning of their own. No lengthy explanation was required. The bond was understood. Over the years, that sense of belonging became stronger than the ordinary bonds of professional association. We were not merely colleagues. We had become each others extended family. Thirty-two years changed our faces but not our hearts. When we met at the Milan, the most emotional part was perhaps looking at one another. Some of us had met occasionally. Some had remained in touch. But there were batchmates whom many of us were seeing after almost three decades. The young faces of 1995 had changed. The hair had turned grey. The faces carried the marks of experience. The enthusiasm of youth had been replaced by the wisdom of years. And somewhere in that moment, one could not help asking: Where did those 32 years go? We had entered the police service as young men and women. Now we were standing together as experienced officers, many having risen to the rank of DySP and beyond, carrying decades of professional experience and countless stories. Time had changed us. But it had not changed the affection we carried for one another. For a few hours, time stood still. The Milan began around noon and continued until nearly 7 PM. Those few hours seemed to erase three decades. The files were forgotten. The ranks were forgotten. The postings were forgotten. The pressures of service were forgotten. For those few hours, we were not SSPs,DySPs, or officers. We were simply the 95ians. The young lads of SKPA. There was laughter. There were stories. There was teasing. There were memories that had almost been forgotten. And there were moments when a simple smile or a familiar face took us back to a parade ground three decades ago. It was as though someone had opened an old album and, suddenly, all those golden photographs had come alive. But there were empty chairs too Every reunion carries happiness. But this one also carried a profound sense of loss. Some of our batchmates could not be with us because of illness. Some were prevented by professional commitments. And some were absent because they had made the ultimate sacrifice. They had given their today for the tomorrow of others. We remembered them. We missed them. And we observed a two-minute silence in honour of our fallen heroes. The presence of some of their children and family members made the moment even more emotional. Looking at those children, one could feel the presence of their fathers in the gathering. There were smiles. But there were also moist eyes. For a brief moment, words seemed unnecessary. Some people may leave this world, but they never leave the hearts of those who walked beside them. Our fallen batchmates remain an inseparable part of the story of 1995. Thirty-two years of experience in one room Another beautiful aspect of the Milan was the interaction among batchmates. Officers who had served in conflict areas and some of the most challenging assignments of Jammu & Kashmir shared their experiences. The years had made everyone wiser. The challenges of policing had made us more prudent. The difficult situations we had encountered had given us professional maturity and a deeper understanding of people and society. Listening to one another, it became clear that each batchmate had travelled a unique journey. Different postings. Different challenges. Different experiences. Different scars. But one common thread connected everyone: A desire to serve and contribute towards a better and safer society. Perhaps that is what three decades in the police service ultimately teaches a person that beyond rank and authority, the real purpose of service is to make a difference in the lives of people. The promise we made while departing When the Milan finally came to an end, there was a sense that something important had happened. We had rediscovered one another. We had rediscovered our youth. And perhaps, more importantly, we had rediscovered the value of staying connected. We departed with a simple promise: We will meet again. We will celebrate each others successes. We will share each others happiness. We will stand beside each other during difficult times. We will visit those who are unwell. We will remember those who are no longer with us. And whenever any batchmate needs us, we will try to be there. Because after 32 years, the relationship does not need a designation. It only needs a heart. Let the distance never become a barrier again. Everyone understands that life is busy. We all have professional responsibilities. We have families, commitments and our own challenges. But perhaps we have also learnt a lesson from this Milan: We should not wait another 32 years to meet again. Let our gatherings become more frequent. Let our conversations become longer. Let us remain a source of happiness and strength for one another. Let us celebrate the achievements of our batchmates without hesitation and stand beside them in their difficult moments without being asked. Let the love, affection and camaraderie of the 95ians grow stronger with every passing day. Because the most precious thing we carried from SKPA Udhampur was not merely our training. It was each other. A journey that continues Thirty two years ago, we entered the Academy as young Sub-Inspectors. We did not know where life would take us. We did not know how many difficult situations we would face. We did not know how many friends we would lose along the way. We did not know how many of us would eventually wear the stars of a DySP. But we knew one thingwe were together. Three decades later, when we met again, we realised that the most valuable part of that journey was never the rank on our shoulders. It was the people who walked beside us. The 1995 batch is not merely a batch. It is a memory. It is an emotion. It is a shared history. It is a story of youth, service, sacrifice, friendship and resilience. And above all, it is a brotherhood that has survived time. The uniforms may one day be put away. The ranks may eventually fade. The postings may become memories. But the bond forged in 1995 will remain. So let us meet again. Let us laugh again. Let us celebrate again. Let us stand together again. And let us keep spreading happiness in one anothers lives. Because after all these years, we have realised something beautiful. Some friendships are made in a moment. Some are nurtured over years. But the rarest ones are forged in hardship and survive a lifetime. The 95ians are one such brotherhood. And this time, let us not wait another 32 years.

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