KashmirLife

by Asad Mirza The US exit from major global institutions weakens multilateralism but opens strategic space for India and the Global South to reform and revitalise global governance. The US President Donald Trump has ordered the US withdrawal from 66 international organisations, including 31 UN entities and 35 non-UN bodies, targeting climate, human rights, and []

SRINAGAR: Speaker, Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Abdul Rahim Rather, today chaired a high level Apex Committee meeting constituted for monitoring and proper implementation of National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA) Project at both the Assembly Complexes in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Members of the Committee, MLAs, Nizam Ud Din Bhat; Hasnain Masoodi; Tanvir []

SRINAGAR: The United States is withdrawing personnel from key military bases in the Middle East as a precaution, following escalating tensions with Iran, according to multiple media reports. US officials told the Associated Press that several personnel at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatarthe largest American base in the regionwere advised to evacuate by []

SRINAGAR: Chemotherapy and radiotherapy ward was the classroom of Aakash Ashraf for the past one and a half years. The teenager battling cancer was armed with nothing but self-study and today he sailed through his 10th exams with a splendid 97 percent marks. Like other days Aakash was rushing to his school located in his []

SRINAGAR: After months of uncertainty, low demand, and depressed prices during the main harvesting season, apple growers in Kashmir are finally witnessing a turnaround. The demand for the fruit in cold storage units has picked up further in wholesale markets, leading to an increase in rates and comparatively better returns for orchardists. Growers said that []

SRINAGAR: Jammu Kashmir has secured the second rank in the category of small states, North-Eastern states, and Union Territories in the Export Preparedness Index 2024, released by NITI Aayog on Tuesday. The report places Jammu Kashmir second after Uttarakhand among 19 small states, North-Eastern states, and Union Territories. The overall ranking of Jammu Kashmir is []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) on Tuesday declared the results of the Higher Secondary Part Two (Class 12) Annual Examination 2025 for the Kashmir division, recording an overall pass percentage of 83 per cent and reaffirming a steady academic performance across streams, with girl students once again maintaining a clear []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Educations Class 10 results for the OctoberNovember 2025 session reveal a strong and largely balanced academic performance in the Kashmir division, with an overall pass percentage of 87.63 per cent, placing the region comfortably above the overall state average and reinforcing a steady recovery in secondary-level outcomes []

SRINAGAR: Government schools in Jammu and Kashmir have recorded improved results in the Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations, with pass percentages rising sharply compared to last year, according to official figures released on Wednesday. In the Class 10 examination, 80,650 students cleared the test out of 94,845 who appeared, registering an overall pass []

SRINAGAR: Parents of Kashmiri students studying in Iran on Wednesday expressed serious concern over the latest advisory issued by the Government of India, which asked Indian students to leave the country on their own amid the prevailing unrest. Speaking to media persons at Press Colony in Srinagar, the parents said the advisory has left students []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Conference President and Handwara MLA, Sajad Lone, called upon Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to honor his electoral promise of establishing a Law University in Budgam. MLA Handwara launched a pointed critique of what he described as Jammus obsessive opposition to development projects in the Kashmir Valley. Addressing the commitment made []

SRINAGAR: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday criticised the monitoring of Imams and mosque clerics in Jammu and Kashmir, describing it as a deliberate attempt to alienate Muslims from their faith. Speaking to reporters, Mufti questioned why mosques were being singled out, urging authorities to inspect other religious institutions first. If the []

SRINAGAR: A 25-year-old man lost his life in a road accident in Anantnag district of South Kashmir on Wednesday. Officials identified the deceased as Zahoor Ahmad Wani, son of Ghulam Hasan Wani, a resident of Aishmuqam, Anantnag. He was initially admitted to the District Hospital Anantnag in an unconscious condition and later referred to SKIMS []

SRINAGAR: The Directorate of School Education Jammu (DSEJ) has extended winter holidays for all government and private schools in the Summer Zone of Jammu until January 17, 2026, citing prevailing adverse weather conditions. According to an official order, the extension applies to both students and teaching staff, while board examinations for Classes 10 to 12 []

SRINAGAR: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Member of Parliament Jugal Kishore Sharma categorically rejected claims that the BJP is seeking a separate statehood for Jammu, asserting that there is no such discussion taking place within the party. Talking to reporters in Jammu, Jugal Kishore said that the BJPs clear and consistent stand is the []

SRINAGAR: The Embassy of India in Tehran has urged all Indian nationalsincluding students, pilgrims, businesspeople, and touriststo depart Iran using available transport, including commercial flights, due to the escalating situation in the country. The advisory, issued in continuation of a previous alert from January 5, 2026, emphasises that Indians in Iran should exercise caution, avoid []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has detailed 40 junior-scale JKAS officers for official duties in connection with the Republic Day celebrations scheduled to be held on January 26, 2026. According to Government Order No. 56-JK (GAD) of 2026, issued by the General Administration Department on January 14, the officers have been deployed to assist []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has set up a group of senior engineers to serve as Technical Inspectors for major passenger and material ropeway projects across the Union Territory. According to Government Order No. 57-JK (GAD) of 2026, issued by the General Administration Department, the panel has been constituted under the JK Aerial Ropeways []

SRINAGAR: The body of a man, who had been missing since the previous day, was found hanging under mysterious circumstances at Chatapora Crossing in Pulwama district of south Kashmir on Wednesday, raising concern among locals and prompting a police investigation. Official sources said the deceased has been identified as Shahnawaz Manzoor Bhat, aged 33, a []

Kashmirs Rs 1,500 crore poultry industry, once largely self-reliant, is sliding into crisis as unregulated imports surge and local production nosedives. Policy gaps have exposed farmers to unfair competition, leaving them with just 24 per cent control of the sector and accelerating the erosion of livelihoods, reports Babra Wani Twenty years ago, after completing his []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) on Wednesday said that the results of the annual regular Class 10 examinations will be declared shortly, marking the completion of the evaluation process for more than 94,000 students across Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Education Minister Sakeena Itoo had earlier said that the government []

SRINAGAR: Cold wave conditions persisted across Jammu and Kashmir, with large parts of the Kashmir Valley recording sub-zero minimum temperatures, while Ladakh continued to reel under severe cold. In the Valley, Shopian was the coldest location at 7.5C, followed by Pulwama at 7.0C and Sopore at 6.9C. Anantnag recorded 6.6C, Awantipora 6.4C, Kupwara 6.2C and []

by Khawar Khan Achakzai Kashmirs literary tradition reflects linguistic pluralism, contested language origins, bicultural Sanskrit-Persian influences, and a distinct indigenous synthesis shaped by mystic poets and historical multilingual contact. Kashmir has a long history of cultural and linguistic pluralism, deeply reflected in its rich literary traditions as well as in its complex and eventful past. []

SRINAGAR: Environmental governance in Jammu and Kashmir has come under sharp judicial scrutiny after the Union Territory government, in a compliance report filed before the National Green Tribunal (NGT), disclosed large-scale violations of forest and environmental laws, including the felling of more than 82,000 trees across multiple infrastructure projects without prior fulfilment of mandatory compensatory []

SRINAGAR: Home Secretary Govind Mohan and Director of the Intelligence Bureau Tapan Deka will arrive in Jammu on a two-day visit to conduct a high-level review of the security situation in the Union Territory, with a particular focus on the Jammu region, border management and ongoing anti-terror operations in mountainous areas, reports appearing in the []

SRINAGAR: Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw has announced that nine new Amrit Bharat Express trains will be flagged off shortly, expanding long-distance rail connectivity across several regions of the country. In a series of social media posts, the Minister shared details of the routes to be covered by the new services. The proposed Amrit []

SRINAGAR: Peoples Conference chairman and MLA Handwara Sajad Lone on Saturday warned that rising incidents of harassment of Kashmiris in different parts of the country were undermining national integration and should be treated as a national security concern rather than routine law and order issues. Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, Lone said he had []

SRINAGAR: A high-level selection committee headed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is likely to meet later this month to finalise its recommendation for the appointment of the State Election Commissioner. As per sources, the selection committee, also comprising Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma, Legislative Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather, senior cabinet minister Sakina Itoo, and []

SRINAGAR: Two officials of District Hospital Bandipora have been attached to the office of the Chief Medical Officer Bandipora in connection with an inquiry into the alleged burning of medicines inside the hospital premises, officials said on Tuesday. According to the details available, Sanitary Inspector Mustafa Ahmad and Junior Pharmacist Altaf Hussain Mir have been []

SRINAGAR: The Ministry of Home Affairs and Jammu Kashmir Home Department have sanctioned over 500 bunkers for villages along the Line of Control (LoC) in Baramulla district, with construction slated to begin in April. Deputy Commissioner (DC) Baramulla, Minga Sherpa said the locations have been identified by the SDM Uri, prioritising villages within a 0-5 []

SRINAGAR: The search operation by Marine Commandos (MARCOS) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) continued for the third consecutive day on Tuesday in the Jhelum river at Gandbal, Srinagar, to trace the remains of Showkat Ahmad Sheikh, one of the victims of the 2024 Gandbal boat tragedy. Officials said that the elite divers of []

SRINAGAR: Political and religious reactions intensified on Tuesday following reports that the Jammu and Kashmir Police have launched a large-scale exercise to collect extensive personal, financial and digital information about mosques and those associated with them across the Kashmir Valley, with leaders warning that the move violates constitutional rights and amounts to direct interference in []

SRINAGAR: There is no forecast of any major snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir at present, Meteorologist Sonam Lotus said on Tuesday, adding that the chances of snowfall remain low over the next few days, particularly in the plains. Speaking about the upcoming weather pattern, Sonam Lotus said that, as per the latest forecast, a western []

SRINAGAR: Indian Army troops opened fire on a suspected Pakistani drone after it was detected during routine surveillance along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday evening. Official sources said the drone was spotted hovering over forward areas, prompting alert troops to open fire as a precautionary measure. []

SRINAGAR: The Chief Engineer (Distribution) of KPDCL has announced scheduled shutdowns of multiple 33 kV power lines, which will affect electricity supply in several areas of Jammu and Kashmir next week. A shutdown of the 33 kV Wanpoh SICOP line will affect power supply to Veer, Srigufwara, Zirpara, Shamsipora, Bijbehara SICOP areas and adjoining localities []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) Additional General Secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Chowdary Muhammad Ramzan on Tuesday called on New Delhi to respect the democratic mandate of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and fulfil its promise of restoring full-fledged statehood. Ramzan made the remarks while meeting several public and individual delegations at []

SRINAGAR: The School Education Department (SED) on Tuesday decided to operationalise winter tutorials in government schools during the academic session 202526 for Classes 9th to 12th. The Directorate of School Education Kashmir (DSEK), in an order, said that the decision was taken in view of the prevailing academic requirements and with the objective of addressing []

SRINAGAR: The Counter Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) on Tuesday executed proclamation orders against three absconding accused involved in a serious anti national and unlawful activities case. A spokesperson said the proclamation was carried out in compliance with an order of the Special NIA Court in Srinagar in connection with FIR No 07/2020 under Sections 153-A and []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) will declare the results of Class 10 and Class 12 examinations on January 14, Chairman Ghulam Hassan Sheikh said on Tuesday. Sheikh, who was recently given the additional charge of Chairman while continuing as Secretary of the Board, said the results would be announced as []

SRINAGAR: A fresh encounter broke out between militants and security forces in the Billawar area of Kathua district in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, officials said. Sources said the gunfight erupted during a cordon and search operation launched by security forces in the area following specific inputs about militant presence. During the operation, militants opened []

SRINAGAR: Manoj Sinha, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, has ordered the termination of five government employees found to be linked with militant organisations. As per sources, the dismissed employees include Mohd Ishfaq, a teacher; Tariq Ahmad Shah, a laboratory technician; Bashir Ahmad Mir, an assistant lineman; Farooq Ahmad Bhat, a field worker in the []

SRINAGAR: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Sham Lal Sharma on Tuesday said that if Jammu and Kashmir are to remain united, decisions must be taken judiciously and the sentiments of the people of Jammu must be respected. Speaking to reporters, Sharma said that Jammu has often had to struggle to secure major institutions and development []

SRINAGAR: Police in Chhattisgarh have set up a special team to investigate how a woman from Rajnandgaon district, missing for nearly six months, reached Jammu and Kashmir, where she is allegedly being forced to work as bonded labour, The New Indian Express reported. The case emerged after Usha Sahu, a married woman with two children []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Gujjar Bakerwal Youth Welfare Conference and the Jammu and Kashmir Forest Rights Coalition have expressed resentment over what they described as continued harassment of seven nomadic Bakerwal families in the Mehari Gujjran area of Rajouri district, warning of a full-scale campaign if the issue is not resolved immediately. Both the []

SRINAGAR: The Supreme Court of India has refused to interfere with a judgment of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court directing completion of the long-pending 2005 Jail Warders recruitment process, effectively clearing the way for finalising appointments to 172 posts in the Jammu and Kashmir Prisons Department nearly two decades after the recruitment was advertised. []

SRINAGAR: Kashmir recorded 310 forest fire incidents in 2025, affecting more than 880 hectares of forest land across various divisions, according to official data. Officials said the figures mark a decline compared to the previous year. The data shows that a total of 880.77 hectares of forest area was damaged by fires during the year. []

SRINAGAR: A Swift Dzire car was gutted in a fire at the parking area of SMHS Hospital late on Monday night. Officials said the incident was reported at around 11:05 pm, following which fire tenders from the Syed Hameed Pora Fire Station were immediately rushed to the spot. On arrival, firefighters found the vehicle fully []

Almost three months after the right-wing parties launched protests against the enrollment of Muslim students at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence, NMC withdrew the college recognition, and it put on celebrations in Jammu, reports Syed Shadab Ali Gillani It was sort of a desertion. On November 8, the hostel corridors of []

byEr. Mohammad Lateef and Er. Suhail Khanday An in-depth analysis of NH-44 examines its geography, landslide susceptibility, economic importance, political significance, disaster impacts, and engineering challenges threatening its long-term stability and reliability. The JammuSrinagar National Highway, NH-44, is more than a road. It is the only dependable surface link between the Kashmir Valley and the []

SRINAGAR: Russian forces have claimed to have shot down a Ukrainian F-16 fighter jet using an S-300 air defence system near a contested area, RT reported. A Russian commander, identified by the call-sign Sever, told local media that the US-supplied fighter was intercepted after his unit fired two missiles in succession, with the first striking []