KashmirLife

SRINAGAR: On the eve of Shab-e-Qadr, regarded as the holiest night in the Muslim calendar during the month of Ramazan, Afghanistan has accused Pakistan of carrying out a devastating air strike on a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul. The attack, Afghan officials say, has caused massive civilian casualties and intensified the already escalating conflict between []

SRINAGAR: European leaders have pushed back against a demand by United States President Donald Trump to join a naval coalition aimed at securing the strategic Strait of Hormuz, as the expanding war between the United States, Israel and Iran intensifies across the Middle East, global media reported. The call from Washington comes as the conflict, []

SRINAGAR: A man accused of firing at former Farooq Abdullah, president of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, was on Monday remanded to seven days police custody after being produced before a court, sources said. Sources said that the accused, identified as Kamal Singh Jamwal, was produced before the court and was granted seven days []

SRINAGAR: Thousands of people staged simultaneous peaceful protests in Kargil and Leh on Monday, demanding full statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, in response to a joint call by the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) and the Apex Body Leh. Despite observing fasts during the holy month of Ramadan, []

SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday chaired a high-level meeting to review the stock position of petroleum products, LPG and other essential commodities across Jammu and Kashmir, directing the administration to maintain strict vigil against hoarding, profiteering and artificial scarcity amid the ongoing West Asia crisis and the approaching festivals of Eid al-Fitr and []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government on Monday ordered the transfer and posting of two in-charge Superintending Engineers and assigned additional charge to two in-charge Executive Engineers in the Jal Shakti Department in the interest of administration. According to Government Order No 49-JK(JSD) of 2026 dated March 16, Kulwant Singh, in-charge Superintending Engineer who was []

SRINAGAR: Indian students fleeing Iran are facing a chaotic homeward journey, with nearly 70 stranded at Dubai airport after flight cancellations, and another group blocked at the Azerbaijan border for two days running. Parents are accusing the government of failing to facilitate even the basic logistics of their return despite leaving families to bear all []

SRINAGAR: Shab-e-Qadr (Lailatul Qadr), one of the holiest nights in Islam, will be observed tonight with an ocean of devotees expected to spend the night in prayers, remembrance of Allah and recitation of the Holy Quran at Masjids and Shrines across Jammu and Kashmir. The revered Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar is likely to witness the []

SRINAGAR: A special court of the National Investigation Agency at Patiala House Courts on Monday remanded two accused to 15 days judicial custody in connection with the November 2025 blast near Red Fort in New Delhi. The court of Special NIA Judge Pitambar Dutt sent Zamir Ahmed Ahangar and Tufail Ahmad Bhat to judicial custody []

SRINAGAR: The Private Schools Association of Jammu and Kashmir (PSAJK) on Monday expressed concern over remarks made by JK Education Minister Sakeena Itoo during a recent media interview, saying the statements had caused disappointment among stakeholders in the private education sector across the Union Territory. In a press statement, PSAJK president Baba Nazrul Islam said []

SRINAGAR: Authorities have banned the sale, purchase and use of firecrackers across Pampore tehsil of Pulwama district, citing growing concerns over environmental pollution, public safety and health hazards. The order was issued on Sunday by Executive Magistrate 1st Class and Tehsildar Pampore, Malik Aasif Ahmad (JKAS), under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita []

SRINAGAR: The District Administration Anantnag has ordered the closure of roads leading to Sinthan Top and Margan Top due to inclement weather conditions and safety concerns. According to an advisory issued by the Office of the District Magistrate Anantnag, heavy snowfall, slippery road surfaces and the risk of avalanches and landslides have made movement in []

SRINAGAR: The Department of Pathology at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) has introduced an advanced panel of 174 Immunohistochemistry (IHC) markers, a development expected to significantly strengthen cancer diagnostics and precision pathology services at the institute. The facility was formally inaugurated by Prof M. Ashraf Ganie, Director of Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences and []

SRINAGAR: Security arrangements for the Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir have come under scrutiny after his Office on Special Duty sought an urgent review of the protective motorcade, citing gaps in the existing security cover and delays in providing key equipment. An official communication from Suresh Chander, JKAS, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) []

While others built theories about the triumph of values, the spread of democracy, and the civilising power of trade, John Mearsheimer said something colder and less comforting: none of it matters. Power is all there is. And the great powers will never stop competing for it, not because they are evil, but because the structure []

SRINAGAR: The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal in Srinagar has imposed a cost of Rs 50,000 on United India Insurance Company Limited for withholding a crucial insurance policy document during the trial of a motor accident compensation case, court records show. Presiding Officer Fayaz Ahmad Qureshi passed the order while deciding a claim petition arising from []

How a 63-year-old man with a 20-year grudge nearly killed Farooq Abdullah at a wedding, and what the security catastrophe revealed about the fault lines running through Jammu and Kashmir, reports Syed Shadab Ali Gillani The wedding was winding down. Plates had been cleared, the music had softened, and the evening was folding gently into []

by Asad Mirza Irans decentralised Mosaic Defence strategy and layered Fourth Successor leadership model are designed to sustain military operations and governance despite decapitation strikes or leadership losses. In the ongoing war against Iran by the United States and Israel, two terms that have gained prominence are the Mosaic Defence model of war tactics and []

SRINAGAR: Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale on Monday said that development in Jammu and Kashmir has accelerated following the abrogation of Article 370, citing improvements in infrastructure, connectivity and welfare outreach in the Union Territory. Addressing a press conference at Jammu, Athawale said that under the leadership of Prime []

SRINAGAR: The Union Government has said there is no specific proposal for establishing a new multi-disciplinary university in the Chenab region of Jammu and Kashmir, even as concerns were raised about the absence of a full-fledged university in the area comprising Kishtwar, Doda and Ramban districts. Responding to a question by Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo in []

SRINAGAR: A Kashmir-based eco-tourism initiative has received international recognition for its sustainability practices, becoming the first enterprise in the region to secure validation under two global environmental assessment frameworks. SAGG Eco Village Private Limited, founded by entrepreneur Fayaz Ahmad Dar, has been validated under the circular economy assessment framework of Climate KIC, a European climate []

SRINAGAR: Outstanding credit card dues with scheduled commercial banks in India have climbed sharply to Rs 2.95 lakh crore by March 31, 2025, while bad loans and write-offs linked to credit card lending have also increased over the past three years, according to data shared in the Rajya Sabha. In a written reply to a []

SRINAGAR: The war involving Iran, Israel and the United States entered its third week on Sunday with fresh missile and drone attacks across the Gulf region, rising casualties and mounting global concern over energy supplies and regional stability. According to a report by Associated Press, Gulf Arab states reported intercepting new missiles and drones after []

SRINAGAR: Nearly 77.76 per cent of the female workforce in Jammu and Kashmir is engaged in agriculture and allied activities, placing the Union Territory among the states and regions with the highest participation of women in the farm sector in the country, according to data presented in the Rajya Sabha by the Ministry of Agriculture []

SRINAGAR: Police in north Kashmirs Baramulla district have attached the property of a notorious drug peddler in Kunzar and arrested three persons in a separate operation in Tangmarg, officials said on Sunday. A police spokesperson informed that a double-storey residential house, valued at approximately Rs 10.62 lakh located at Tarhama Kunzar, has been formally attached. []

SRINAGAR: The widening war in the Middle East is intensifying Afghanistans already fragile humanitarian and economic situation, disrupting trade routes, forcing thousands of Afghan refugees to return from Iran and straining humanitarian services across the country. According to the United Nations, the conflict is placing additional pressure on Afghanistans weak economy and humanitarian system at []

by Tamer Morris Most legal scholars say the US-Israel strikes on Iran violated international law, but political debate has shifted from legality to claims of moral legitimacy and just war. Since the United States and Israel launched their war against Iran, most international law experts appear to be speaking with one voice on the legality []

SRINAGAR: Antnio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, has called for an immediate end to the widening Middle East war, warning that civilians across Lebanon and Israel are paying the heaviest price as the conflict intensifies. Speaking to reporters in Beirut during a solidarity visit, Guterres said the Lebanese population had been dragged into the []

SRINAGAR: A total of 117 civilians were killed in 657 terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir between 2019 and 2023, according to data placed in the Rajya Sabha by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The figures, compiled from the National Crime Records Bureaus Crime in India database, show that 344 civilians were injured during the []

SRINAGAR: The Election Commission of India on Sunday announced the schedule for Assembly elections in four states and one Union Territory, with polling set to begin on April 9 and the counting of votes scheduled for May 4. According to the poll schedule released by the commission, elections will be held in Assam, Tamil Nadu, []

SRINAGAR: Vehicular movement on the road connecting Bandipora with the remote Gurez Valley has been suspended after fresh snowfall at Razdan Pass rendered the route slippery and unsafe for travel, officials said on Sunday. Authorities said snowfall at the high-altitude pass led to reduced visibility and hazardous road conditions, prompting the administration to suspend traffic []

When the optimists said the world was converging, one man said it was fracturing. When the liberals said identity would dissolve into prosperity, he said identity would outlast every ideology ever invented. Samuel Huntington was not predicting the future. He was reading a map that most people refused to look at. Look at the map []

SRINAGAR: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has cancelled the Class 12 board examinations scheduled from March 16 to April 10, 2026, for students in CBSE-affiliated schools across several Middle Eastern countries. In a circular, the Board said the decision was made after assessing the feasibility of holding exams and considering requests from schools []

SRINAGAR: The first group of more than 70 Indian students, mostly from Jammu and Kashmir, along with several pilgrims stranded in Iran amid the ongoing conflict, safely arrived at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, on Sunday morning. The arrival marks the initial phase of the evacuation process. In a statement, National Convenor of students []

SRINAGAR: Mutton is being sold above the officially fixed rate in several parts of Kashmir ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, with consumers alleging that authorities have failed to enforce the governments price cap. The Jammu and Kashmir administration has fixed the retail price of mutton at Rs 750 per kilogram. However, residents in several districts said the []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government arranged buses at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in New Delhi to transport students from the Union Territory who had returned to India after being stranded in Iran, officials and student representatives said. The buses were stationed in the parking area of the airport to facilitate the onward journey []

SRINAGAR: Several high-altitude areas of Kashmir, including Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Doodhpathri and other upper reaches, received fresh snowfall on Sunday, while the plains, including the summer capital Srinagar, experienced heavy rainfall. Snowfall at the Zojila Pass forced the closure of the SrinagarLeh national highway, officials said. Upper reaches of Gulmarg, including Apharwat and Kongdoori bowls, as []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Police has placed a Head Constable under suspension after he crashed his vehicle into a barrier at Sheeri checkpost while allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol. According to a statement, Head Constable Javid Ahmad (EXK-011664), presently posted in the Uri area, was driving an Alto car (JK12D-8187) on the night []

SRINAGAR: Fresh snowfall was reported in Doodhpathri in central Kashmirs Budgam district on Sunday, bringing a sudden spell of winter-like weather to the popular tourist destination. The snowfall covered the meadows and surrounding hills of Doodhpathri with a fresh layer of snow, while temperatures dropped noticeably across parts of the district, residents said. The development []

SRINAGAR: The Union Government on Saturday released Model Guidelines for the Development of Cold-Water Fisheries and announced the sanction of a Rs 100-crore Integrated Aqua Park project in Anantnag district, aimed at strengthening aquaculture infrastructure and expanding trout production in Jammu and Kashmir. The announcements were made by Rajiv Ranjan Singh during the National Conference []

SRINAGAR: The first National Lok Adalat of 2026 was organised across Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, during which nearly 68,000 cases were settled through amicable resolution, officials said. The Lok Adalat was conducted by the Jammu and Kashmir Legal Services Authority under the patronage of Justice Arun Palli, Chief Justice of the High Court of []

SRINAGAR: A 19-year-old man drowned in Srinagars Dal Lake on Saturday after the shikara he was sitting in overturned while he was attempting to take a selfie, officials said. The deceased has been identified as Layaqat Ahmed Poswal, a resident of Daradpora Kralpora in Kupwara district. According to officials, the incident occurred when the boat []

SRINAGAR: At least seven persons were injured after an Eeco car met with an accident in the Thannamandi area of Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday. Reports said that a vehicle bearing registration number JK14E-4195 was on its way from Mahore to the shrine of Shahdara Sharief when the driver lost control near []

SRINAGAR: Nearly 85 per cent of the proposed 1 Megawatt solar power project at Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University has been completed and the installation is expected to be fully operational by April 15, 2026, officials said on Saturday. The solar facility is projected to reduce the universitys electricity expenditure by around Rs 8 lakh []

SRINAGAR: The Additional Deputy Commissioner of Anantnag, acting as Adjudicating Officer under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, has imposed penalties totalling Rs 3.05 lakh on several Food Business Operators (FBOs) for violations of food safety regulations. Officials said the fines were levied after adjudication of multiple cases involving non-compliance with provisions related to []

SRINAGAR: K2 Khyber Aquaculture on Saturday presented its technology-driven trout farming model and a Rs 56.33-crore trout cluster initiative at the National Conference on Cold Water Fisheries in Srinagar, positioning itself as a key private-sector player in the expansion of cold-water aquaculture in Jammu and Kashmir. The conference, organised by the Department of Fisheries under []

SRINAGAR: The National Medical Commission (NMC) has approved two MCh seats in Neurosurgery at Government Medical College Srinagar, marking the first time such a super-specialty programme has been sanctioned for any medical college in Jammu and Kashmir. Officials said the approval represents a major step in expanding super-specialty medical education at the institution and strengthening []

SRINAGAR:Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh on Saturday announced the establishment of a Rs 100-crore Integrated Aquaculture Park at Kokernag in south Kashmir as the National Conference on Cold Water Fisheries began in Srinagar, bringing together policymakers, scientists and industry stakeholders to discuss strategies for expanding the sector in Himalayan []

SRINAGAR: Secretary Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Mohammad Aijaz Asad on Saturday directed officials to expedite the completion of pending houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas YojanaGramin (PMAY-G) in Jammu and Kashmir, setting April 15, 2026 as the deadline to finish all remaining units. Chairing a high-level review meeting of the Rural Development Department, the []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday emphasized the need for justice and reconciliation, urging authorities to release detainees with minor charges and revoke cases against those recently arrested, framing it as a gesture of goodwill ahead of Ramzan and Eid. CM Omar made the remarks while inaugurating the Almond Blossom Festival []