Kashmir Reader

Srinagar: The Jammu & Kashmir government on Monday informed the Assembly that it has no proposal under consideration to regularise Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) support staff, stating that around 3,800 personnel are currently working purely on a contractual and temporary basis across the Union Territory. The information, was shared by []

Says mission aims to secure nations technological leadership, defence, cybersecurity NEW DELHI: Describing quantum technology as a strategic necessity rather than an option, the Union minister for science & technology, and Earth Sciences Dr Jitendra Singh said India has no choice but to lead in this domain if it seeks to secure its communication systems, []

Offers condolences to victim families SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah Sunday unequivocally condemned the suicide bombing that targeted a Shia mosque in Islamabad Pakistan calling the attack as a cowardly and heinous act of terrorism. The blast, which occurred during Friday prayers, killed at least 32 people and injured over []

Says FIR registered after Associations intervention; probe underway SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) has expressed deep concern over a shocking incident of violence and criminal intimidation reported from Naya Gaon, SAS Nagar (Mohali), Punjab, where Irfan Shalistani, a prominent Ladakhi vlogger and social media influencer, was brutally assaulted by a group of []

Jammu Polices use of new SOPs thwart cyber fraud JAMMU: Police Station CICE Jammu responded promptly to an online complaint received on 06.02.2026 from a retired Air Force officer regarding a Digital Arrest cyber fraud involving Rs 52,90,000. The victim was under digital arrest for nine days before intervention. Acting swiftly, the police launched an []

SRINAGAR: The two-day MSME Design Awareness Program, organised by the Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar, concluded successfully in the JammuKatra cluster. The programme was held in collaboration with Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU), Katra, and Model Institute of Engineering and Technology (MIET), Jammu. Sponsored by the Ministry of Micro, []

SRINAGAR: As part of its ongoing drive against illegal mining activities, police have seized five vehicles for illegal extraction and transportation of minerals in Baramulla, Pulwama and Awantipora. Police in Baramulla seized one tipper bearing registration number JK05B1445 and one tractor bearing chassis number IVY5300DCKA002504, involved in illegal transportation of sand at Chakloo Baramulla. During []

SRINAGAR: Police have seized approximately 700 litres of illegal Kerosene oil and Diesel in Shopian and arrested the accused person involved in the commission of crime. Acting on specific information regarding illegal sale of subsidised kerosene oil in the black market, Police conducted a raid at Imamsahib area of the district Shopian. A police party []

GANDERBAL: In a continued drive against social evils and illegal activities, police in Ganderbal arrested two gamblers involved in gambling at Narayan-Bagh in the jurisdiction of PP Shadipora. The arrested gamblers have been identified as Bilal Ahmad Malik son of Mohd Ismail Malik resident of Gamwara, Wakura and Manzoor Ahmad Khan son of Jalal-u-din Khan []

BARAMULLA: In its continued drive against drug trafficking, police have arrested ad drug peddler in Baramulla and recovered contraband substance recovered. A police party during naka checking on NHW near Eco Park arrested one drug peddler identified as Arshid Ahmed Sheikh son of Mohd Maqbool Sheikh resident of Fatehgrah. During his personal search, 135.5 grams []

Kuala Lumpur: India and Malaysia on Sunday unveiled several initiatives to further shore up cooperation in areas of defence and security, semiconductor and trade after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim. Following the meeting, Modi said India and Malaysia share a special relationship and both sides are committed []

Jammu: The Indian Army Chief, General Upendra Dwivedi, reviewed ongoing counterinsurgency operations and the prevailing security situation during a visit to forward areas on Sunday, officials said. Officials said he discussed with security forces personnel the focused infusion of modern combat technology to further enhance operational capability, the Army confirmed on Sunday. The COAS also []

Raipur: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday attributed the positive fallout of the fight against Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) to the combination of a security-centric strategy, infrastructure development, and disruption of Maoist financial networks. He reiterated that the Naxal menace will be completely eradicated before March 31 this year while chairing a high-level security meeting []

Chairs Mata Vaishno Devi Board meeting Jammu: Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board in its meeting on Sunday has taken a series of high-impact decisions to completely transform the Matas Shrine and its surrounding region into Indias leading and most vibrant spiritual destination-earning worldwide acclaim. The meeting was chaired by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who []

Srinagar: The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday claimed the India-US trade deal would spell doom for the economy of Jammu and Kashmir if no tariff is imposed on the import of agricultural and horticultural goods from the United States. They have not thought of the impact of the India-US trade deal on the horticulture []

Jammu: The Congress Jammu and Kashmir unit launched a campaign on Sunday to mobilise public support for the immediate restoration of full statehood to the Union Territory, and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to honour their assurances to the people. The Har Ghar Dastak, Ghar Ghar Dastak campaign was []

New Delhi: The government will soon constitute a High-Level Committee on Banking for Viksit Bharat to draw up a blueprint to create mega-lenders capable of meeting the financing needs of a developed India, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said. We want the committee to tell us what kind of things we need to do so that []

Jammu: A Pakistani intruder was apprehended while attempting to sneak into the Indian side from across the International Border in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, officials said. The Border Security Force (BSF) detected the intruders movement near Border Outpost Ballar in Ramgarh sector around 7 pm and took him into custody, they []

Srinagar: Police in Budgam have attached an immovable property worth approximately 50 lakh in Humhama area of Budgam district in connection with an NDPS case. The attached property, a double-storey residential house, belongs to an alleged drug peddler Irfan Ahmad Dar son of Mohammad Ashraf Dar resident of Humhama. The attachment was carried out under []

A civilisational reading of the Epstein affair in the light of Abrahamic scriptures Prof Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi Introduction When power detaches from moral restraint The Jeffrey Epstein affair has emerged as one of the most unsettling moral crises of the modern global elite. It is not merely a criminal scandal involving sexual exploitation and abuse, []

JAMMU: Several Legislators on Saturday raised pressing public issues in the House, highlighting hardships faced by the people across different constituencies, urging the government to take immediate remedial measures. MLA Gurez, Nazir Ahmad Khan informed the House that no Patwari is available in the field or at the Patwar Khana in his constituency, causing severe []

SRINAGAR: Deputy Commissioner (DC) Srinagar, Akshay Labrooon Saturday visited the Banquet Hall-Conference Complex at M.A Road, Srinagar to oversee the progress of ongoing renovation works. Additional Deputy Commissioner, Mir Imtiyaz Ul Aziz; Chief Planning Officer, Fayaz Ahmad Dar; Superintending Engineer R&B South Tatheer Manzoor; Executive Engineer R&B, Khalid Mehmood; Tehsildar South, Sajad Rasool Shah and []

SRINAGAR: Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir held a one-day processing conclave at Shalimar to deliberate on growth opportunities, policy support, and industry modernisation in the sector. The conclave titled, Jammu and Kashmir Produce and Processing Conclave was organised by SKUAST-Ks Division of Food Science & Technology in collaboration with Knowledge []

Addresses media persons about Union Budget at Pulwama SRINAGAR: Chairperson of Jammu & Kashmir Waqf Board & BJP National Executive Member Dr Syed Darakhshan Andrabi addressed a presser regarding Union Budget at Pulwama on Saturday. She was accompanied by BJP District President Syed Showkat Gayoor Andrabi, State General Secretary Kisan Morcha Arshad Bhat, District Vice []

Ghulam Hassan Mir urges party leaders to intensify political, public outreach activities JAMMU: Apni Party Senior Vice President Ghulam Hassan Mir on Saturday urged party leaders and senior workers to intensify their political and public outreach activities in order to remain closely connected with the masses at the grassroots level. He was addressing a crucial []

SRINAGAR: A meeting of all Block Presidents and Block Secretaries from the eight constituencies of District Srinagar was held on Saturday at the party headquarters Nawa e Subha. The meeting was chaired by District President Peer Afaq Ahmad and witnessed active participation from senior party functionaries and grassroots representatives. The participants unanimously welcomed the budget []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Provincial President Kashmir, Showkat Mir Saturday praised the 202627 Annual Budget presented by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah as forward-thinking. In a statement from party headquarters Nawa e Subah, Mir congratulated Omar Abdullah for presenting a pro poor, pro farmer budget inspite of the economic challenges being faced by the []

GANDERBAL: Police in Ganderbal have arrested a man accused of posing as a land broker and cheating innocent people by falsely presenting disputed and government land as his private property. The accused has been identified as Javid Ahmad Gojree son of Ali Mohammad Gojree resident of Rangil, Ganderbal. He allegedly deceived multiple individuals by showing []

Event promotes experiential learning, national integration & youth empowerment SRINAGAR: The District Level Prerana Utsav 2026 was successfully conducted on Saturday at the auditorium of Kendriya Vidyalaya Srinagar, marking a significant milestone in fostering experiential learning, national integration, and youth empowerment under the visionary Prerana initiative of the Ministry of Education, Government of India. The []

Chairs high-level meeting with LG, CM, officials Calls for 100% saturation of welfare schemes Announces sports sector investments Highlights fiscal discipline for UTs progress Jammu: Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the progress of development projects in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, highlighting the need to utilise the full potential of hydropower projects in the []

Promises Centres support to develop new tourist destinations in region Jammu: Amid a setback to the tourism industry due to last years Pahalgam terror attack, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Saturday that the enthusiasm of tourists from across the country to visit Jammu and Kashmir has not diminished. Shah was addressing a review []

Jammu: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday said the government currently has no plans of creating new administrative units, as priority is to operationalise previously established ones. The Chief Minister made this intervention during the Question Hour on supplementary queries raised by MLA Khanyar, Salman Ali Sagar and several other members, regarding the demand for []

Gen Dwivedi reviews operational posture, interacts with troops Jammu: Army chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi on Saturday visited forward areas of Jammu and Kashmirs Poonch sector and assessed deployment posture, surveillance measures and readiness of deployed formations. The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) on Friday attended a high-level security review chaired by Union Home Minister Amit []

Says Article 370 stands buried Jammu: Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma on Saturday rubbished the demand for restoration of special status to Jammu and Kashmir, asserting that Article 370 is a historical provision that now stands buried. Addressing mediapersons outside the assembly here, Sharma said the Constitution does not mention special status in connection with []

Praise crop insurance for apple, seeks comprehensive relief for weather losses Srinagar: The Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Cum Dealers Union (KVFGCDU), the apex body representing fruit growers and traders across the Valley, has welcomed several horticulture-focused measures announced in the Jammu and Kashmir Budget Estimates for the year 202627, presented by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. []

Snowfall in higher reaches drops day temp Srinagar: The minimum temperature across Kashmir rose by 2 to 7 degrees Celsius, but snowfall in higher reaches significantly brought down the day temperature, officials said on Saturday. The minimum temperature in Srinagar city increased by 5.5 degrees, from minus 2.5 degrees Celsius on Thursday night to 3.0 []

Srinagar: The anti-corruption bureau (ACB) on Saturday registered a case against a Jammu and Kashmir government officer on charges of corruption. A case was registered against Maeen Azhar Kakroo, the then Tehsildar South Srinagar, for abusing official position. In this regard, searches were conducted at Srinagar and Baramulla, an ACB spokesperson said. The spokesperson said []

The landmark deal threatens apple farmers with duty-free US imports and saddles carpets with a 6x higher tariff. The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) has failed to protect the regions core interests. Nasir Hamid Khan On 3 February, even as details of the trade deal were being sought in the Indian Parliament, the []

What were once functional water channels are now open dumping grounds, signalling a breakdown in waste management, planning, and collective responsibility that demands immediate intervention Firdous Ahmad Malik The drainage channels flowing through the main town of Pulwama, once regarded as vital water resources and lifelines for the community, are today struggling under the weight []

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday to a grand red-carpet reception, with his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim receiving him at the airport, signalling a new momentum in the bilateral ties. Malaysian Minister of Human Resources Ramanan Ramakrishnan and Deputy Foreign Minister Lukanisman bin Awang Sauni accompanied Ibrahim []

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said India is seen as a trusted partner for growth and it was reflected in the recent trade deals it has agreed with various countries, including the UK, USA and EU. Addressing a community programme here, Modi also said that the Indian diaspora continues to []

JAMMU: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday chaired a high-level meeting to review the progress of development projects in Jammu and Kashmir, with a focus on infrastructure development and the implementation of key schemes in the Union territory, officials said. The meeting, which is currently underway at the Lok Bhawan here, is []

Jammu: The Legislative Assembly on Saturday witnessed a heated exchange between the National Conference and the Bharatiya Janata Party over the special status of Jammu & Kashmir. Pandemonium broke out in the House when National Conference MLA Javid Baig was vociferously speaking on the special status. Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma countered []

Jammu: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday said that the government has no plans to create new administrative units in the Jammu & Kashmir Assembly. Speaking in the Legislative Assembly, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah-who is also the Minister in charge of Revenue-said that the government has no intention of creating new administrative units in the []

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir received more than 1.77 crore tourists in 2025, including over 36,000 foreign visitors, the government informed the Legislative Assembly on Saturday. In a written reply to a question by MLA Hasnain Masoodi, the Tourism Department, said 1,77,65,390 tourists visited the Union Territory between January 1 and December 31, 2025. Of them, []

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Saturday said multiple sports infrastructure projects have been developed in Bandipora constituency, while major upgradation works at the Sher-e-Kashmir Sports Stadium in Bandipora and the sports stadium at Naidkhai are progressing under the Capital Action Plan 202526. Responding to a question by MLA Nizam-ud-Din Bhat, the []

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Saturday said there is no proposal to open new wine shops in the Union Territory during the financial year 202627. In a written reply to a question by MLA Arjun Singh Raju, the Finance Department, informed the House that no new JKEL-2 liquor licences are planned for []

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON:US President Donald Trump has removed the 25 per cent tariffs it imposed on India for purchasing Russian oil, citing that the country has undertaken significant steps and New Delhi has committed to stop directly or indirectly importing oil from Moscow. I have received additional information and recommendations from senior officials regarding Indias []

Govt committed to 200 units of free electricity to AAY families: Itoo JAMMU: Minister for Health and Medical Education, Sakeena Itoo, on Friday informed the House that the government is committed to provide monthly 200 units of free electricity to every household of Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) category in Jammu and Kashmir and the project, []

JAMMU: Minister for Jal Shakti, Javed Ahmed Rana on Friday informed the Legislative Assembly that 49 operational Water Supply Schemes (WSSs) are catering to the water requirements of 50 villages in Lolab and Machil area.He was replying to a question raised by MLA, Qaysar Jamshaid Lone. The Minister apprised that the water supply schemes are []