Kashmir Reader

Jammu:With Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra-2026 set to commence on July 3, Traffic Police Jammu has announced route restrictions and diversions in the city from July 2 to ensure smooth movement of pilgrim convoys. An advisory issued by traffic police, it says that the first convoy will move from Yatri Niwas, Bhagwati Nagar, on July 2. []

Calls for protecting traders from unauthorised fee collection Says such practices inconsistent with spirit of mutual cooperation Srinagar: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has written to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, seeking his intervention to address the issue of alleged unauthorised fee collection from livestock transport vehicles transiting through Punjab and ensure the unhindered movement of []

MeT predicts another day of intense heat today, rain from Wednesday onwards Srinagar: Kashmir witnessed one of its hottest days of the summer on Sunday, with Srinagar recording a maximum temperature of 35.3 degrees Celsius, the highest of the season so far and 5.3 degrees above normal. An official of the Meteorological Centre Srinagar told []

Platform will help diversify export basket, build global partnerships, create new exporters Srinagar: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday inaugurated the two-day Jammu and Kashmir International Buyer-Seller Meet-2026 at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC). He reaffirmed that the government is commitment to transforming Jammu and Kashmir into a globally competitive export hub by expanding []

New Delhi: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Monday said the Indian government has no official involvement in Track 2 dialogues between Indian and Pakistani participants held abroad, asserting that retired diplomats, military officials and civil society members attending such events do so in their personal capacities and do not represent New Delhis views. Misri made []

Washington: US President Donald Trumps top envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will meet Iranian negotiators in Doha on Tuesday as the two warring sides exchanged fire over the weekend, testing the fragile ceasefire. Trump announced in a Truth Social post on Monday that Iran had requested a meeting, which would take place in Doha []

Srinagar: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday performed the Pratham Puja at the Holy Cave of Shri Amarnath Ji, marking the ceremonial start of the annual pilgrimage. The Lieutenant Governor sought the divine blessings of Baba Barfani and prayed for the peace, prosperity, health and well-being of all. The Lieutenant Governor extended a heartfelt invitation []

Srinagar: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), Gyanesh Kumar on Monday visited District Budgam and interacted with Booth Level Officers (BLOs), EROs, AEROs and other field functionaries of Election Department at National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), appreciating their dedication and commitment towards strengthening the electoral process at the grassroots level. The interaction was held as a []

Srinagar: The Housing and Urban Development Department, Jammu and Kashmir, on Monday said that it is committed to implement the Supreme Courts directions in Suo Motu Writ Petition (Civil) number 5 of 2025 concerning the welfare, protection and management of the stray animals. Clarifying the rules for citizens, RWAs and animal welfare groups, the Department []

Enhance honorarium for NHM employees, ASHA workers New Delhi: Minister for Health and Medical Education, Social Welfare and Education, Sakeena Itoo, on Monday participated in the 16th Conference of the Central Council of Health and Family Welfare (CCHFW) at Vigyan Bhawan here, raising key demands including early establishment of Trauma Hospitals in Surankote (Poonch) and []

SRINAGAR: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has extended his heartiest greetings to the people on the auspicious occasion of Sant Kabir Das Jis Jayanti, which will be celebrated on Monday. In a message, the Lieutenant Governor has said: On the auspicious occasion of Sant Kabir Das Ji Jayanti, I extend my heartiest greetings and good wishes []

JAMMU: The Pulse Polio Immunisation Programme 2026 was officially launched across Jammu Division today, with high-level events held at various locations to promote awareness and ensure full coverage of children under five years of age. At the main event held at Government Hospital Sarwal in Jammu, Member of Parliament Sat Sharma (CA) served as the []

BANDIPORA: Deputy Commissioner Bandipora, Indu Kanwal Chib, accompanied by Senior Superintendent of Police Bandipora, Ajaz Ahmad Zargar, on Sunday participated in the 12th Muharram procession at Sumbal Sub-Division. The procession, taken out by mourners from various villages, drew a large gathering of devotees and participants from across different districts. On the occasion, the Deputy Commissioner []

JAMMU: Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Information Technology, Youth Services & Sports, Science & Technology and ARI & Trainings, Satish Sharma, on Sunday laid the foundation stone for a series of developmental works in Block Maira Mandrian, Akhnoor, reaffirming the Governments commitment towards strengthening the public infrastructure and ensuring efficient service delivery []

BANDIPORA: As part of the ongoing Khet Bachao Abhiyan, the Department of Agriculture, Bandipora, on Sunday organized a farmers awareness programme at Sumbal to promote sustainable agricultural practices and enhance awareness among the farming community. The programme witnessed enthusiastic participation from a large number of farmers, officers, and field functionaries. Joint Director Engineering, Department of []

Scientific solid waste management takes centre stage KISHTWAR: The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Jammu and Kashmir, submitted a comprehensive representation highlighting key developmental priorities for District Kishtwar to Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar Pankaj Kumar Sharma. CII J&K Infrastructure Panel Convenor Er Sahil Sharma presented the representation on behalf of CII J&K Chairman Iqram Ali Shafiee. []

To submit details of fake video NEW DELHI: Amid the controversy over Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Manns purported viral video, all AAP MLAs, including entire state Cabinet and the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, will appear before the Akal Takht on Monday. Addressing a press conference in Amritsar alongside AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, Chief []

Passage of 50 years has not changed our commitment to one another VICTORIA (SEYCHELLES): Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the passage of 50 years of diplomatic relations between India and Seychelles has not changed the mutual commitment between the two sides. This year offers a powerful reminder of the depth of our partnership. Fifty []

PRAYAGRAJ: Samajwadi Party National President Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday lashed out at the BJP over the Ram Temple offering theft case and alleged, For BJP, donation comes first, then the nation. The BJPs focus is on donations, not the nation and for them, it is Donation First. It is unimaginable that people would trifle with []

LEH: The Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama was on Sunday accorded a grand welcome when he reached Leh for his summer sojourn. He was flown to Leh from New Delhi in an Army aircraft. Hundreds of devotees, Tibetans, Ladakhis, monks, nuns, students, and well-wishers lined up on the route from Leh Airport to Jivetsal, Choglamsar []

Attends Dr. Masud Choudhary Memorial Championship finals MENDHAR: Minister for Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology & Environment and Tribal Affairs, Javed Ahmed Rana on Sunday attended the finals of the Dr. Masud Choudhary Memorial Championship League at O.P. Hill Ground, Mendhar. During the matches, Jatt 11 emerged victorious in the final defeating Mendhar 11 in an []

Represented England for 15 years Peak in 2019 50-over World Cup final win over New Zealand Key player in 2022 T20 World Cup-winning team Became test captain in 2022 NOTTINGHAM: England captain Ben Stokes made the dramatic decision Sunday to announce his imminent retirement from international cricket midway through the deciding third test against New []

MIAMI: Portugal coach RobertoMartinez defended Cristiano Ronaldo after his skipper played another 90 minutesin the 0-0 World Cup Group K draw with Colombia, as hisside finished in second place on Saturday, while the tournaments biggest names took a breather. Leading scorers like Argentinas Lionel Messi did not start the final group game while Norways Erling []

Sopore: Security forces on Monday recovered a cache of arms and ammunition during a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) in Warpora village of north Kashmirs Sopore. An official said that the joint operation was launched based on specific information received from local residents. The operation was carried out jointly by the Army, the Special Operations []

Srinagar: The State Investigation Agency (SIA), Kashmir has named banned JKLF chief Yasin Malik and four others in a 737-page chargesheet in connection with the abduction, torture, and killing of Sarla Bhat, a staff nurse at the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) in Srinagar. Bhat was killed by JKLF terrorists on April 18, 1990, []

CHANDIGARH: Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj on Monday directed the Punjab government to address objections concerning the anti-sacrilege law within a month. He passed this direction at a gathering of all Sikh MLAs and Cabinet ministers of Punjab after being summoned by Akal Takht in Amritsar. Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj, on June []

Srinagar: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday termed the action against Jammu and Kashmirs mutton dealers in Punjab as unjustified, saying he has once again taken up the matter with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event at SKICC, CM Omar, said he has been pursuing the issue []

NEW DELHI: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday took oath as a member of the Rajya Sabha after his re-election. The oath to Kharge was administered by Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice President C P Radhakrishnan in his chamber. He took the oath in Hindi and held a copy of the Constitution in his hand. []

Srinagar: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said Jammu and Kashmir must create a new generation of exporters and diversify its export basket to achieve the ambitious target of doubling exports by 2030. Addressing the inaugural session of the J&K International Buyer-Seller Meet in Srinagar, CM Omar, said the Union Governments target of doubling exports []

Srinagar: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday said Jammu and Kashmir is all set to welcome thousands of devotees for the annual Amarnath Yatra as he performed the Pratham Puja at the holy cave, formally marking the ceremonial beginning of the pilgrimage. LG said he prayed for peace, prosperity and well-being of all and that []

Poonch: At least ten labourers working under PMGSY were injured on Sunday after a Tata mobile vehicle skidded off the road near Dhera Ki Gali in Bufliaz area of Surankote, Poonch district. Officials said that the labourers were traveling in a vehicle when it lost control and skidded off the road. Local residents, led by []

Srinagar; Baramulla Police on Sunday dismissed as false and fabricated social media claims that terrorists had attacked a police station in the town, opened fire on government offices, and that the Chief Minister had proposed cancelling the Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra. In a handout, the police said that no such incident has taken place in []

Outsourcing framework created during PDP-BJP rule, not us: CMs Advisor Srinagar: National Conference-led Jammu and Kashmir government on Sunday dismissed the allegations of malpractices in recruitment, saying the process of outsourcing for jobs was started before they came to power. We did not start this outsourcing process. We got it in legacy, just like they []

Baghdad: Irans top diplomat warned Sunday that any attempt to bypass the Strait of Hormuz routes agreed with the United States would increase tensions in the Middle East, as the countries traded attacks and accusations of violating a fragile ceasefire in the region. During a visit to Iraqi capital Baghdad, Abbas Araghchi also called for []

Rain relief likely from July 1 Srinagar: Srinagar recorded the hottest day of the season on Sunday as the mercury touched 33.8C, amid a sharp rise in temperatures across the Kashmir Valley over the past two days. An official of Meteorological Department said that generally dry weather is likely to continue across Jammu and Kashmir []

Urges Iran, US to demonstrate wisdom, statesmanship Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah on Sunday expressed concern over the rapidly escalating tensions in West Asia, describing the unfolding situation as a grave threat to regional and global peace, security, and stability, and stressed that dialogue, diplomacy, mutual respect, and adherence to []

Srinagar: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday conducted a high-level review of preparations for the upcoming Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra-2026 during a detailed meeting at Baltal in Ganderbal. The meeting, attended by senior officials and stakeholders, focused on infrastructure, security arrangements, amenities, and eco-friendly initiatives to ensure a smooth, safe, and environmentally sustainable pilgrimage. The []

Will interact with voters, BLOs, stakeholders Srinagar: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India, Gyanesh Kumar, on Sunday arrived in Srinagar on a three-day official visit to Jammu and Kashmir. During the visit, the CEC will undertake various programmes across the Valley, aimed at engaging with the voters, electoral stakeholders and field-level election machinery besides reviewing []

Kashmiri scientist delights international audience with art, poetry on neurology Geneva: In a spectacular historic milestone for Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar-born Ph.D. researcher Safiya Mehraj has taken the international stage by storm, captivating a global audience of medical elites at the prestigious EAN Neurology 2026 congress in Geneva, Switzerland. Safiya, a clinical biochemistry researcher from []

Jammu: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Crime Branch on Sunday registered an FIR into an alleged fraud of more than Rs 68 lakh in Jammu and Kashmir Grameen Bank after an internal vigilance inquiry uncovered suspected fake loan accounts, unauthorised transactions and diversion of funds. The case was filed under sections 420 and 120-B []

Mendhar/Jammu: A 31-year-old Pakistani intruder was apprehended by Indian Army troops along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmirs Poonch on Sunday, the third such incident in the district this month, officials said. Rayees Khan, a resident of Pakistan-held Kashmir, was taken into custody from Balakote sector shortly after he crossed the LoC []

Highlights tourism, sports, anti-drug push at D2CIA conclave Industry-Govt collaboration key to J&Ks economic transformation: Wani SRINAGAR: Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Information Technology, Youth Services & Sports, Science & Technology and ARI & Trainings, Satish Sharma, on Saturday attended the D2CIA first National Conclave 2026, where the Jammu and Kashmir Chapter []

Shehr-e-Khaas suffered decades of neglect; residents live in dilapidated conditions; unemployment pushing younger generation into hopelessness SRINAGAR: Apni Party president Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari has strongly demanded a comprehensive economic and housing package for the people living in Srinagars old city. He said that the historic city has suffered decades of official neglect, leaving its []

SRINAGAR: On the occasion of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President Dr. Farooq Abdullah called for a united and sustained societal movement against the growing menace of drug abuse, saying the battle cannot be won by the government alone. Dr. Farooq said that tackling substance abuse []

Highlights spiritual significance of Ashoora, sacrifice of Imam Hussain (RA) SRINAGAR: Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr. Molvi Mohammad Umar Farooq addressed a large gathering on the occasion of Youm-e-Ashoora at Astan-e-Aaliya Alam Sahib, Narwara, Srinagar, where many people, including women, participated in the traditional gathering. Speaking on the significance of Youm-e-Ashoora, Mirwaiz said the day holds great importance []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Provincial President (Kashmir), Adv. Showkat Ahmad Mir on Saturday asserted that despite operating within the constitutional and administrative constraints of a Union Territory and in the absence of restored statehood, the Omar Abdullah-led National Conference government has consistently delivered transparent, people-centric, inclusive, and accountable governance over the past []

Reviews dev works, assesses public grievances BUDGAM: Speaker Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Abdul Rahim Rather, on Saturday visited the revered Ziyarat of Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Noorani at Dreygam in Budgam district to review the ongoing and proposed development works and interact with the local residents. During the visit, the Speaker listened to the public demands []

KULGAM: Minister for Health and Medical Education, Social Welfare and Education, Sakeena Itoo on Saturday visited Sailkhanen village in Kulgam district and held a public darbar to directly engage with the people and listen to their grievances and developmental aspirations. Addressing the gathering, the Minister said that the Omar Abdullah-led government is committed to people-centric []

SRINAGAR: Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), Faz Lul Haseeb on Saturday conducted a comprehensive inspection of the ongoing Council Hall project at the SMC Headquarters to review the progress of the vital infrastructure initiative aimed at strengthening the Corporations institutional capacity and enhancing public service delivery. During the inspection, the Commissioner reviewed the status of []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI) today organized a high-impact mentorship session at its Sempora Main Campus, bringing together industry leaders, technology experts, academicians, startups, students and aspiring entrepreneurs to promote innovation, strengthen entrepreneurial capacities and foster collaborative growth within the startup ecosystem of Jammu and Kashmir. The programme was attended by Mohammad []