Kashmir Reader

Baltal: Jammu & Kashmir: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha reviewed the arrangements for Amarnath Yatra and interacted with pilgrims at the Baltal base camp on Friday. LG Sinha, said administration, including Police, Army, and other security agencies have worked together to ensure the pilgrimage remains safe, secure, and smooth. He said every effort is being made []

Qazigund: A girl died after being hit by an unidentified vehicle on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway at Vessu near KP Colony in the Qazigund area of south Kashmirs Kulgam district on Friday, officials said. An official said that the girl was hit by an unidentified vehicle on the highway at Vessu near KP Colony, Qazigund. []

NEW DELHI:Petrol blended with 20 per cent ethanol (E20) can reduce fuel economy by 3-5 per cent in some vehicles, the Oil Ministry said on Friday, but argued the impact is outweighed by benefits, including a higher octane rating, superior anti-knock characteristics, faster combustion, better pickup, smoother acceleration, cleaner engine operation, and lower lifecycle carbon []

*JAMMU : The Jammu and Kashmir Government has ordered a regular departmental inquiry against retired Executive Engineer Er. Rajinder Kumar, who was posted in the Public Works (R&B) Construction Division-IV SSA/RMSA (Samagra Division III and IV), Jammu. According to a Government order issued by the Public Works (R&B) Department, Er. Abhishek Gupta, In-charge Superintending Engineer, []

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has chargesheeted six senior leaders of the separatist Hurriyat Conference, including late Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Shabir Ahmed Shah in connection with a 1996 case of mob violence and indiscriminate firing on police personnel in Srinagar. According to a statement, the chargesheet has named separatist []

MELBOURNE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a three-day visit to Australia, met the countrys Leader of Opposition Angus Taylor on Friday and discussed bilateral ties, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. They held productive discussions on the growing India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The warm and cordial meeting reflected the strong bipartisan support []

New Delhi: Meta-owned WhatsApp has submitted its reply to the governments notice on the username feature and the response is being examined, sources said on Thursday. The Centre issued a notice to Meta last Wednesday, questioning the proposed username feature on WhatsApp, flagging concerns that it could materially increase incidents of online fraud, phishing, digital-arrest []

Srinagar: A massive fire broke out in a 2 to 3-storey textile structure in Zakura Industrial Area here on Thursday evening, causing extensive damage to property and machinery. Officials said that a call about the blaze was received at 8:27 PM and fire tenders were immediately rushed from multiple stations. The fire erupted in Silcom []

Shopian: Shopian Police on Friday termed as false and misleading the information being circulated on social media regarding two individuals. In a post on X, police said both individuals, along with their associate, have been arrested in connection with FIR No. 55/2026 registered at Police Station Heerpora and are in lawful custody. The public is []

SRINAGAR: Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Thursday said that the party does not belong to any family or a political dynasty; rather, it belongs to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He said that Apni Party is a credible platform dedicated to serving the people, voicing their issues, and protecting their rights. []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Provincial Vice President and MLA Lal Chowk Ahsan Pardesi chaired an important meeting of constituency office-bearers at the party headquarters, Nawa-e-Subha Complex, to review ongoing political activities and organisational affairs. The meeting also finalised arrangements for the observance of July 11, the death anniversary of Madar-e-Meharban Begum Akbar []

Seek early redress of public grievances SRINAGAR: MLA Rajpora, Ghulam Mohiuddin Mir, MLA Uri, Dr Sajad Shafi and MLA Pampore, Hasnain Masoodi on Thursday called on Minister for Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology & Environment and Tribal Affairs, Javed Ahmed Rana, at the Civil Secretariat here. During the meeting, the MLAs apprised the Minister in detail []

SRINAGAR: A meeting of the Committee on Government Assurances of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly was held on Thursday at the Assembly Secretariat under the Chairmanship of MLA Ali Mohammad Sagar. MLAs Ghulam Mohi Ud Din Mir, Chander Prakash, Iftkar Ahmad, Mehraj Malik, Shabir Ahmad Kullay besides Financial Commission (ACS) PWD (R&B) Anil Kumar []

ANANTNAG: In a firm action to uphold discipline and accountability during the ongoing Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra-2026, SSP Anantnag Amod Ashok Nagpure-IPS has ordered the disengagement of one Special Police Officer (SPO), namely Shabir Ahmad Ganie son of Abdul Hamid Ganie resident of Primegam Hiller Shahabad, Dooru, for gross dereliction of duty. The SPO had []

SRINAGAR: A one-day ScientistSheep Breeders Interaction Programme-cum-Exposure Visit for progressive sheep breeders from Budgam was organized at the Mountain Research Center for Sheep & Goat (MRCS&G), SKUAST-Kashmir, on Thursday by the Sheep Husbandry Department, Kashmir, under the Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA). The program focused on strengthening the technical knowledge and practical skills of sheep []

NEW DELHI: Rejecting criticism of ethanol-blended fuel, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that E20 petrol is scientifically tested, safe for vehicles and central to the countrys push for energy self-reliance. In a post on X, the Union Minister claimed that a misinformation campaign had intensified after the rollout of E85-compatible []

Sensex crashes 1,700 points MUMBAI: Global indices, including Indias Sensex, US Dow and Japans Nikkei, crashed and crude oil prices jumped over five per cent after US President Donald Trumps declaration that the ceasefire with Iran was over. Sensex was down over 1,700 points, while Nifty was hovering at 23,903 points at 3.14 pm, shortly []

Deliberate on DYD, AI integration, innovation & NEP-2020 roadmap SRINAGAR: The Executive Committee Meeting of the Jammu and Kashmir Higher Education Council (JKHEC) was held at the University of Kashmir, on Thursday, bringing together eminent academicians, policymakers and heads of higher educational institutions from J&K to deliberate on transformative initiatives aimed at strengthening the higher []

Social & student rights activist submits memorandum on key issues, appreciates public welfare initiatives SRINAGAR: Srinagar: Er. Ehtisham Khan, Social & Student Rights Activist and Secretary, Gandhi King Foundation (Jammu & Kashmir), called on the Honble Lieutenant Governor, Shri Manoj Sinha, at Lok Bhavan, Srinagar, in a cordial meeting during which a wide range of []

To strengthen innovation, startup ecosystem SRINAGAR: National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagars Greenovator Incubation Foundation (GIF) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Institute of Electronics & Information Technology (NIELIT), Leh to foster innovation, entrepreneurship, startup incubation, and technology commercialization across Leh, Ladakh, and adjoining regions. The MoU was signed on July []

SRINAGAR: Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K) on Wednesday reviewed the progress of its first batch of students undergoing a one-month internship at IIT Bombay under the Center of Excellence for Rural Data Research & Analysis (RuDRA), an initiative supported through HADP-19 and HADP-20. The program is designed to equip students []

Stress quality, timely completion SRINAGAR: Justice Sanjay Dhar, Chairman of the Building and Infrastructure Committee, along with Justices Rahul Bharti, Moksha Khajuria Kazmi, Member of the Building and Infrastructure Committee and Justice Shahzad Azeem, on Thursday visited the site of the new High Court Complex, Srinagar to review the progress and pace of construction work. []

BUDGAM: Deputy Commissioner (DC) Budgam, Athar Aamir Khan on Thursday chaired a meeting to review the progress of the ongoing demarcation of Hokersar Wetland, a designated Ramsar Site. The meeting was attended by Assistant Commissioner Revenue (ACR) Budgam, Afroza Bano; SDM (West) Srinagar, Irfan Bahadur; Divisional Forest Officer, DFO Wild life, Mohd Altaf, Photo Interpretation []

SRINAGAR: Director Information and Public Relations, Shreya Singhal on Thursday expressed profound grief and sorrow on demise of the son of Majeeb Ahmad, Information Officer, DIPR. During a condolence meeting held at Media Complex Srinagar, the Director Information conveyed her deepest condolences to Majeeb Ahmad and his family during this hour of immense grief. She []

Directs migration to MeghRaj Cloud, initiation of J&K SAMADHAN 3.0 SRINAGAR: Commissioner Secretary, Department of Public Grievances, Saurabh Bhagat on Thursday chaired a review meeting to assess the functioning and performance of J&K SAMADHAN, the Union Territorys flagship grievance redressal and monitoring platform. During the meeting, a comprehensive review of J&K SAMADHAN was undertaken covering []

Srinagar: The National Conference on Thursday sent invitations to 52 leaders from national and J&K-based political parties, as well as religious groups, to participate in its protest programme on statehood at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi on July 20. The invitation letters, have been sent to all leaders of the INDIA bloc, including Sonia Gandhi (Chairperson, []

Srinagar: A 35-year-old man was electrocuted to death in the HMT area on the outskirts of Srinagar on Thursday, officials said. An official said that the man suffered an electric shock and was rushed to a hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead. The deceased was later identified as Parvaiz Ahmed Parray (35), son of []

Budgam: Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir and Head of Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU) Dr. Moulvi Mohammad Umar Farooq, while speaking at a memorial event organised by Anjuman-e-Sharie Shian, headed by Aga Syed Hasan Al-Moosavi Al-Safavi, at Budgam, paid rich tributes to the late Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei, describing him as a towering religious and political figure whose life reflected faith, []

Srinagar: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Thursday ordered a major reshuffle of AGMUT cadre officers, transferring and posting several IAS and IPS officers across Union Territories and northeastern states, with Jammu and Kashmir witnessing significant changes. According to an order, senior IAS officer Shahid Iqbal Choudhary (2009 batch) has been transferred from Jammu []

Srinagar: The Directorate of School Education Kashmir has ordered a comprehensive review of all books in government and recognised private schools, besides coaching centres, to ensure that no material containing objectionable content is available on premises. As per Circular No: 2-DSEK of 2026 dated July 06, 2026, a copy which lies with GNS reads that []

Srinagar: Chief Minister today inaugurated the conclave on Sustainable Tourism Planning: Designing Tourism for Tomorrow at SKICC, Srinagar. Addressing the gathering, he emphasized the need to transition towards a sustainable, scientific, long-term, evidence-based and community-centric tourism model across Jammu & Kashmir. Highlighting the 3E framework of Ecology, Equity and Economy, the Chief Minister said it []

Srinagar: Director of Tourism Kashmir, Syed Qamar Sajad, on Wednesday said the government has begun consultations with tourism stakeholders to formulate a long-term strategy for sustainable tourism development while safeguarding the regions fragile natural resources. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a one-day tourism conclave at SKICC, Sajad, said the event marked the beginning []

Srinagar: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said Jammu and Kashmir must gradually transition from a volume-driven tourism model to value-based tourism to ensure the sectors long-term sustainability, asserting that tourism without sustainability is an unqualified disaster. Addressing the Conclave on Sustainable Tourism at Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre, Omar, said the Union Territory must decide []

Handwara:A 56-year-old headmaster was killed in a road accident here last night, officials said. They said that the accident took place in Younsu Handwara in which a pedestrian, identified as Fayaz Ahmad Lone, a resident of Wahipora was hit by a vehicle. The 56-year-old, who was working as a headmaster, sustained critical injuries in the []

Pulwama: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Kashmir Crime Branch, along with the Anti Narcotics Task Force (ANTF), said they have destroyed a consignment of seized narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances at the IGC Lassipora incinerator in Pulwama as part of the ongoing crackdown against drug trafficking and abuse. In a statement , a spokesperson said []

Baramulla: Baramulla Police on Thrusday conducted coordinated searches at multiple locations in the district as part of the investigation into FIR No. 43/2026 registered under Section 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Section 351(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at Police Station Baramulla. In a handout, the police said that the searches were []

J&K statehood restoration Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said the National Conference (NC) would invite all political parties, except those part of the NDA, to the proposed protest at Delhis Jantar Mantar on July 20 for the restoration of statehood. He said that besides the parties in the India bloc, []

Appoints 117 lecturers; launches 2,109 education sector works worth Rs 115 crore Srinagar: In a landmark move in Jammu & Kashmirs education sector, the Government on Wednesday revived appointments to School Lecturer posts, with the Chief Minister handing over appointment letters to 117 newly selected lecturers. These appointments are the first lecturer appointments in the []

Srinagar: In a major policy initiative aimed at further strengthening inclusive governance and ensuring that government welfare schemes reach the most deserving families, the Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo on Wednesday chaired a meeting of Planning, Development & Monitoring Department (PD&MD) to have first hand appraisal of the proposed household-level enumeration of multidimensionally poor families across []

Jammu/Srinagar: The annual Amarnath Yatra is witnessing a huge surge in pilgrim turnout this year, with the number of devotees performing darshan in the first six days increasing by around 28 per cent compared to the previous year. Official figures reveal that 1,42,861 pilgrims had performed darshan till 7:00 PM on Wednesday, against 1,11,975 during []

Ganderbal: Taking cognizance of alleged irregularities in on-spot registration of Amarnath pilgrims, the authorities in Kashmirs Ganderbal district suspended four teachers, officials said on Wednesday. An official spokesman said that the District Administration Ganderbal has taken cognisance of certain irregularities which occurred in connection with the on-spot registration process for Shri Amarnathji Yatra pilgrims at []

Srinagar: A Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant identified as Zakir Ganai was killed in South Kashmirs Shopian district following a relentless six-day operation launched by the Army and other security forces, based on a Jammu and Kashmir Police tip-off, officials said Wednesday. In an X post, the Armys Chinar Corps said during the joint search operation being []

Stainless steel best for everyday cooking; cast iron boosts iron intake Srinagar: The utensils used in everyday cooking play a far greater role in health than many people realise. According to public health experts, selecting the right cookware not only preserves the nutritional value of food but also minimises exposure to potentially harmful substances that []

Varsity contingent secures first position in National Youth Parliament Competition SRINAGAR: The University of Kashmir (KU) has secured first position at the National Level in the 17th National Youth Parliament Competition 202425 for Universities and Colleges, organised by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs. The University was awarded the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Running Parliamentary Shield and []

Srinagar: Thousands of passengers, including tourists, were stranded on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway on Wednesday after authorities stopped Jammu-bound vehicles near the Navyug tunnel in Kulgam district. Though traffic authorities did not disclose the reason for the prolonged halt, traffic is usually stopped in the morning on the stretch to facilitate the movement of Amarnath []

Srinagar: In a major relief for economically weaker families, the Jammu and Kashmir Government on Wednesday announced a full fee waiver for students belonging to Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) families studying in Government Schools and Government Degree Colleges across the Union Territory. According to separate orders issued by the School Education and Higher Education Departments, []

Srinagar: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said that representatives of civil society have extended support to National Conferences proposed July 20 protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi for statehood restoration, saying that all regional parties will also be invited. Speaking to reporters in Srinagar, CM Omar, said around 170 representatives from different sections []

Ganderbal: The District Administration Ganderbal has taken cognizance of certain irregularities that occurred during the on-spot registration process for Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra pilgrims at the Manigam Transit Camp. In a handout, the spokesman said that the matter is presently under investigation and appropriate action will be taken against anyone found involved. The administration informed []

DUBAI: US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the interim agreement with Iran is over but he will allow talks to continue. For me, I think its over, Trump responded when asked about the status of ceasefire. Its just a waste of time dealing with them. He made the comment on the sidelines of the []

Srinagar: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday spoke to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to review the situation arising from heavy rainfall in the Union Territory, officials said. A top official said that Shah took stock of the weather-related situation and assured the Chief Minister of every possible assistance from the Centre []