KashmirLife

SRINAGAR: The Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) has decided to seek the opinion of its grassroots cadre regarding the expressed intention of Member of Parliament from Baramulla, Engineer Rashid, to step down from the Lok Sabha, citing his inability to effectively reach out to and serve the people who elected him with a massive mandate. According []

SRINAGAR: A major forest fire broke out in the Salal forest area of Reasi district on Sunday, triggering an extensive firefighting operation by the Forest Department and Fire and Emergency Services. According to officials, the blaze spread rapidly across several forest compartments due to dry vegetation, soaring temperatures and strong winds, posing a serious threat []

SRINAGAR: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Srinagar Circle, on Saturday celebrated the International Day of Yoga at the historic Pari Mahal in Srinagar, with this years observance centred on the theme Yoga for Healthy Ageing. The event was organised at the Group of Arched Terraces and Structural Complex of Pari Mahal, a prominent Mughal-era []

SRINAGAR: Kashmirs rich Buddhist heritage and its historic links with the ancient seat of learning at Nalanda took centre stage on Sunday as scholars, policymakers and cultural leaders gathered for the Srinagar-Nalanda Dialogue, a conference aimed at reviving Indias civilisational traditions and strengthening cultural diplomacy. The event, organised by the Ministry of Tourism, Jammu and []

SRINAGAR: Regional Transport Officer (RTO) Kashmir, Qazi Irfan Rasool, on Saturday said that vehicles brought from outside Jammu and Kashmir are required to comply with mandatory registration and permit norms, asserting that transport authorities are enforcing the rules uniformly across the sector. His remarks came after a group of All India Permit tourist vehicle operators []

SRINAGAR: A worker injured in a June 18 accident at a cement factory in the Khonmoh area on the outskirts of Srinagar has died after battling for life for three days at the Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) Hospital here. The deceased has been identified as Fayaz Ahmad Bhat, 40, son of Abdul Ahad Bhat, []

Kashmirs rocks hold records that belong not to one region or nation but to the entire human story, and that story is being erased There is a ravine on the outskirts of Khunmoh, a short drive from Srinagar, that contains rock 2.68 meters thick. In those metres is preserved the most complete record anywhere on []

by Ruqaya Akhter Jammu and Kashmirs tax revenues have grown substantially, but the region remains grant-dependent and trails major states in fiscal strength Own Tax Revenue (OTR) is one of the clearest indicators of a governments internal economic strength. It reflects how much revenue a state or Union Territory raises through taxes such as GST, []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Minister Sakina Itoo on Sunday launched a sharp attack on opposition parties over criticism surrounding outsourcing-related employment issues, asserting that the present government has neither introduced outsourcing nor compromised recruitment procedures, while accusing previous regimes of creating the very system they are now opposing. Speaking to media persons on the sidelines []

SRINAGAR: Seven persons were injured after a Tavera vehicle skidded off the road and plunged into a gorge near Baba Reshi Morh in the Tangmarg area of north Kashmirs Baramulla district on Saturday. Officials said the accident occurred when the Tavera vehicle bearing registration number JK02AG-3981 reportedly lost control near a roadside bend and fell []

SRINAGAR: A woman was rescued after allegedly jumping into the River Jhelum from Amira Kadal bridge in Srinagars Lal Chowk area on Saturday, officials said. The woman was pulled out of the river following a swift rescue operation carried out by personnel of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and Jammu and Kashmir Police with []

SRINAGAR: The Crime Branch of Jammu and Kashmir has registered two separate First Information Reports (FIRs) against three individuals, including a retired Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI), in connection with alleged cases of financial fraud, cheating and criminal conspiracy. Officials said the FIRs were registered following detailed verification and investigation of complaints received by the Crime Branch. []

Most people notice air pollution when the sky looks grey, or the AQI app starts acting dramatically. But the bigger question is this, what is all that bad air actually doing to your body? If headaches, allergies, breathing issues, or rising medical bills feel more common than before, pollution might be playing a bigger role []

SRINAGAR: Emphasising the need for accessible, coordinated and victim-sensitive justice mechanisms, the Jammu and Kashmir Legal Services Authority (JKLSA), under the guidance of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), on Saturday organised a mega awareness programme on Empowering Women and Strengthening Institutional Legal Support at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar. The event []

SRINAGAR: The annual Mata Kheer Bhawani Yatra commenced on Saturday with around 8,500 pilgrims setting off from Jammu for various pilgrimage destinations across Kashmir ahead of the observance of Jyeshtha Ashtami. A fleet of 214 buses carrying devotees was flagged off from Nagrota on the outskirts of Jammu, marking the formal beginning of the pilgrimage []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir has achieved near-universal mobile connectivity in its border areas, with 1,402 of the 1,419 identified border villages now covered by mobile networks, while more than 560 telecom towers have become operational under the Centres flagship 4G Saturation Project, officials said on Saturday. The progress was reviewed at the 11th meeting of []

SRINAGAR: The KA Nizami Centre for Quranic Studies at Aligarh Muslim University has published a major scholarly volume examining the work of noted Quranic studies scholar Prof Abdur Raheem Kidwai, whose research on English translations of the Quran has influenced academic discourse for more than three decades. Titled _Abdur Raheem Kidwais Critique on English Translations []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir has set an ambitious target of producing 225 metric tonnes of raw silk annually by 2030-31, with authorities outlining a roadmap that includes expansion of sericulture into new areas, strengthening disease surveillance, improving farmer outreach and increasing bivoltine cocoon production. The strategy emerged from a high-level review and monitoring meeting on []

SRINAGAR: In a major boost to agricultural education and skill development in Jammu and Kashmir, the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has established a new Study Centre at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K), activating 19 agriculture-based academic programmes from the July 2026 admission cycle. The new centre has been []

by Lilac Ali SRINAGAR: Kashmirs historic Mughal gardens have received what experts describe as the first comprehensive scholarly treatment devoted exclusively to their landscape heritage. Kashmir conservationists and historians hope that the work will serve as a blueprint for preserving some of the Valleys most significant cultural assets. The optimism emerged at a pre-launch event []

SRINAGAR: An Indian woman who recently returned from a 12-day trip to Switzerland has sparked discussion on social media after saying that India, particularly Jammu and Kashmir, possesses natural beauty comparable to the European nation but falls short when it comes to cleanliness. In a video posted on Instagram, Binny Sharma said her visit reinforced []

SRINAGAR: The Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) on Saturday called for a complete Ladakh Bandh on June 23, accusing the Centre of delaying decisions on crucial political and constitutional demands and warning that the people of the Union Territory would no longer remain silent in the face of what they []

SRINAGAR: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) Kashmir of the Crime Branch, Jammu and Kashmir, has filed a chargesheet before the Chief Judicial Magistrates Court in Sopore against a man accused of cheating a complainant on the pretext of providing a telecom project linked to a United States-based company. According to officials, the chargesheet has been []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has suspended an Associate Professor of Cardiology at Government Medical College (GMC), Anantnag, pending an inquiry into alleged irregularities in the institutions Cardiology Department, Health and Medical Education Minister Sakina Itoo said on Friday. Speaking to reporters, the Minister confirmed that an inquiry had already been initiated by the []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has appointed 25 senior officers as Liaison Officers to facilitate the proposed study visit of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Gas scheduled to take place in the Union Territory from June 25 to June 29, 2026. According to Government Order No. 1106-JK(GAD) of 2026 dated June []

SRINAGAR: Cardiologist Dr Syed Maqbool has rejected allegations levelled against him in connection with the PMJAY-SEHAT controversy, asserting that the matter remains under inquiry and that no conclusions have been reached by the authorities. Dr Maqbool said the allegations contained in a departmental memorandum were being misrepresented in sections of the media and should not []

SRINAGAR: Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan arrived in Srinagar on Saturday and chaired a high-level security review meeting to assess preparedness for the forthcoming Amarnath Yatra, which is scheduled to commence on July 3. Official sources said the Home Secretary reviewed security and logistical arrangements with senior officers of the Jammu and Kashmir administration, Police, []

SRINAGAR: The Health and Medical Education (HME) Department has initiated major departmental proceedings against a cardiologist posted at Government Medical College (GMC) Anantnag over allegations of fraudulent PMJAY-SEHAT claims, manipulation of medical records, unauthorised cardiac procedures, patient exploitation and violations of procurement norms, official documents reveal. The departmental action against Dr Syed Maqbool, a cardiologist []

A debut novel frames Kashmirs trauma and displacement through intimate human stories, recovering a cultures lost melody in three chapters of winter, writes Mehreen Firdous RJ Umair Ahmad Khans choice of title for his debut novel is itself an act of quiet precision. The Valley of Unfinished Songs names Kashmir not as a political geography []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Private Empanelled Hospitals and Dialysis Centres Association (JKPHDA) has reaffirmed its decision to proceed with a mass de-empanelment of private hospitals and dialysis centres from the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) and SEHAT Scheme from July 1, 2026, citing the governments failure to address long-pending issues despite []

SRINAGAR: Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement agreed to a ceasefire in Lebanon on Friday following a sharp escalation in cross-border fighting that had threatened to derail a wider U.S.-Iran agreement aimed at ending months of regional conflict and reopening negotiations over Tehrans nuclear programme. According to reports from Reuters and The Associated Press, the []

SRINAGAR: Serious questions have been raised over maternal healthcare services in north Kashmirs Bandipora district after a woman allegedly delivered her baby on a roadside shortly after being discharged from the District Hospital Bandipora. The woman, identified as Hafeeza Begum of the Chechinar area of Aloosa, was admitted to the hospital on June 17 after []

SRINAGAR: Minister for Health and Medical Education Sakina Masood Itoo on Friday said that late Mufti Muhammad Sayeed was the enactor of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA). Addressing a gathering in Pulwama, Sakina said that Mufti Muhammad Sayeed was responsible for the imposition of AFSPA in Jammu and Kashmir. If AFSPA is continuing []

SRINAGAR: More than 1,500 employees and over 300 employers in Jammu and Kashmir received incentives amounting to over Rs 26 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PM-VBRY) as Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the nationwide disbursement programme on Friday. According to official figures, 1,522 employees in the Union Territory received incentives worth []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir has received more than Rs 3,000 crore under two central funding mechanisms for restoration and reconstruction of infrastructure damaged in the 2025 floods and landslides, with over Rs 429 crore already released for execution of approved works, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo was informed on Friday. Chairing a high-level review meeting on []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has issued a directive standardising the role and operations of the Jammu and Kashmir Architects Organisation, making it mandatory for government departments and agencies to utilise its services for public infrastructure projects across the Union Territory. The order, issued by the Housing and Urban Development Department (H&UDD), follows Government []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) Additional General Secretary and Member of Parliament Chaudhary Mohammad Ramzan on Friday said the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir was the constitutional and democratic right of its people and not a favour from anyone. Addressing party leaders, legislators, office-bearers and workers from various areas at the []

SRINAGAR: Fresh rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms lashed several parts of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, extending what has already been an unusually wet June, with the Meteorological Department forecasting the prevailing weather system to continue till June 22. Director, Meteorological Department, Dr Mukhtar Ahmad said intermittent rain, thunderstorms, gusty winds and isolated hailstorms are likely []

SRINAGAR: The Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) has announced scheduled power shutdowns in parts of Srinagar and south Kashmir later this month to facilitate maintenance works on various 33 KV transmission lines. According to the Chief Engineer, Distribution, KPDCL, power supply to JAKLI Beacon will remain affected from 11 am to 2 pm on []

SRINAGAR: A PhD scholar from Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K) has secured an international research grant of 6,500 US Dollars from the United States-based Wild Animal Initiative for a study on the critically endangered Kashmir Loach, an endemic fish species found in the Valley. The grant has been awarded to []

SRINAGAR: A retired headmaster who sustained critical injuries in a road accident near the Security Line, Batmaloo, in Srinagar on Wednesday has succumbed to his injuries at SMHS Hospital, officials said. The deceased has been identified as Sharief-ud-Din Wani (72), son of Ghulam Hassan Wani and a resident of MIG Colony, Bemina. Officials said Wani []

SRINAGAR: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Friday said it has filed a chargesheet before the Special Anti-Corruption Court, Baramulla, against a Fire and Emergency Services official accused of demanding and accepting a bribe for issuing a Fire Safety No Objection Certificate (NOC) in Sopore. A spokesperson said the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Jammu and Kashmir, has []

SRINAGAR: The Directorate of School Education Kashmir (DSEK) on Friday ordered the suspension of classwork in 60 schools across the Kashmir Valley on June 20 (Saturday) ahead of the NEET-2026 examination scheduled for June 21 (Sunday). According to a government order, classwork shall remain suspended in all schools designated as NEET examination centres to facilitate []

SRINAGAR: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) Kashmir of the Crime Branch, Jammu and Kashmir, has booked five persons in connection with an alleged land fraud involving migrant property in Baramulla district and conducted a search operation at a residence in Budgam as part of the ongoing investigation. According to officials, the case pertains to an []

SRINAGAR: Uncertainty continues to surround the fate of a no-confidence motion moved against Chairman-cum-Chief Executive Councillor (CEC) of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Kargil, Dr Mohammad Zaffar Akhoon, even as he remains in office and continues to oversee council affairs. Official sources said the no-confidence motion, signed by 16 councillors, was forwarded by []

SRINAGAR: The State Allied and Healthcare Council (SAHC), Jammu and Kashmir, has issued show-cause notices to four private paramedical institutions for allegedly conducting and facilitating Allied and Healthcare courses without obtaining the requisite permission, recognition and approval from the competent authorities. According to official notices issued by the Council, the institutions served with notices include []

SRINAGAR: A major fire broke out in two shops near the Kalika Temple area of Poonch town, causing extensive damage and reducing goods worth several lakhs of rupees to ashes, officials and local residents said on Friday. The blaze erupted in the commercial area and rapidly engulfed the two establishments, sending plumes of smoke into []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Police on Friday said that two persons, including a Forest Department employee, have been arrested in Kishtwar district for allegedly providing support to militants. An official said that the arrests were made during the investigation of a case registered at Police Station Kishtwar under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya []

SRINAGAR: Security forces have detained three persons in south Kashmirs Shopian district and recovered explosives and incriminating material during a search operation. A senior police officer said that, acting on specific intelligence inputs, police conducted an operation in the Pudsoo area of Shopian and detained three residents of Begam village. During the operation, two grenades, []

SRINAGAR: Three men accused in the sensational daylight killing of a pharmacy cashier in Chandigarh have been arrested from Jammu and Kashmir following a multi-state manhunt that stretched across Punjab, Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir, with investigators now probing possible links to organised crime syndicates and extortion networks. The victim, 45-year-old Janki Das, was shot []