India shipped fewer smartphones between April and June 2026 than in any June quarter for six years. Counterpoint Research put the decline at 10 per cent year on year. The figure that deserves more attention sits underneath it. Handsets priced below Rs 15,000, a band that accounts for roughly a third of Indias volumes, fell 45 per cent. That is not consumers losing interest in phones. Indian demand does not turn that quickly. Something changed upstream, and the cost travelled down until it reached the cheapest shelf in the shop. The global artificial intelligence buildout is outbidding handset makers for memory chips, and the resulting price rise has landed hardest on the entry level of Indias phone market. India built its digital state on the assumption that this tier would keep getting cheaper every year. That assumption has broken, and no part of the government appears to own the problem. How a server rack raises the price of a phone in Ranchi Memory is the most commodified component in a smartphone and also the least visible. DRAM handles what the phone is doing at any given moment. NAND flash stores what it keeps. Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron together account for close to 90 per cent of world DRAM output, and those suppliers now serve two very different customers. One builds AI data centres and pays a premium for high bandwidth memory. The other builds phones and competes on price. Capacity has moved toward the first. The price record is unambiguous. Counterpoint recorded DRAM rising more than 50 per cent year on year in the first quarter of 2026 and NAND flash by 90 per cent, at a point when memory already made up 30 to 40 per cent of a handsets bill of materials. Carl Pei of Nothing has said module costs could rise fivefold by year-end, leaving manufacturers to raise prices by around 30 per cent or cut specifications. Indian brands have no leverage here. The country fabricates no memory wafers. It buys at whatever the three suppliers charge, in dollars. The stack assumes a phone The damage is concentrated at the bottom. IDC recorded a 59 per cent year-on-year collapse in Indias sub-100 dollar segment in the first quarter of 2026, its market share falling from 18 per cent to 8 per cent. The forecast is blunter than the number. IDC expects that segment to become permanently uneconomical even after memory prices settle around mid-2027. This is where the second order problem starts. India spent fifteen years moving the machinery of the state onto the handset. UPI, Aadhaar authentication, direct benefit transfers, DigiLocker and the ABHA health record all presume a person holding a device capable of running an app over mobile data. A Rs 6,000 Android phone was the delivery mechanism for financial inclusion, and it got cheaper every year without anyone having to legislate it. That floor is now rising. Counterpoint expects financing to account for 42 per cent of Indian smartphone sales this year, up from 35 per cent in 2025. Access to the digital state is quietly turning into a credit product for the households it was meant to serve. The effect is not evenly distributed. It falls on rural buyers, first time users, women, and regions where the phone is the only practical interface with a government office. In Jammu and Kashmir, where connectivity is already interrupted by administrative order more often than anywhere else in the country, a broken handset that cannot be replaced closes the only door a household has to its own entitlements. The policy that has no owner On 2 August, Ashwini Vaishnaw said India now has 12 semiconductor units carrying about 20 billion dollars in investment, three of them already producing chips, and that Semicon 2.0 has been approved. The Expenditure Finance Committee cleared an outlay of Rs 1.25 lakh crore for the second phase, against Rs 76,000 crore for the first. Look at what it contains. The Tata Electronics plant at Dholera is the only genuine wafer fabrication facility among the approved projects, and it is targeted for 2028. Everything else is assembly, packaging and testing work, or compound semiconductor capacity. None of it is memory fabrication. India does have a memory facility. Microns 2.75 billion dollar plant at Sanand, inaugurated on 28 February this year, handles assembly, test, marking and packaging for DRAM and NAND. Packaging is not fabrication. The wafers arrive from Micron fabs abroad. The plant adds nothing to world supply and gives India no say in what a gigabyte costs. Now set that beside the other half of the same ministrys portfolio. The IndiaAI Mission subsidises GPU compute at roughly Rs 115 to Rs 150 per GPU-hour and has committed to scaling from around 34,000 GPUs to 100,000 by the end of 2026. Hyperscalers have announced more than 30 billion dollars of Indian data centre investment. MeitY is underwriting demand growth in precisely the component market that is pricing Indian households out of the device its own welfare rails depend on. Nobody in the system is required to hold both facts at once. The semiconductor mission answers for units approved. The IndiaAI Mission answers for compute made available. The price of a gigabyte of mobile memory, which now helps decide whether a family in Kupwara can reach a subsidy, belongs to nobodys brief. The case that this corrects itself There is a reasonable argument that the market fixes this without intervention. UPI 123Pay already lets feature phone users transact through voice prompts and missed calls without internet, and NPCI was pushing feature phone-inclusive rails as recently as February. Analysts expect memory supply to loosen around mid-2027 as new capacity arrives. The Union Budget removed import duties on several handset components. Each of those points is true, and none of them closes the gap. UPI 123Pay accounts for somewhere between 5 and 10 per cent of UPI users, and it was designed on the expectation that cheap Android phones would make it redundant, the reverse of what is now happening. The duty exemptions cover batteries, display assemblies and charging components, not memory, because there is no domestic memory industry to protect. A replacement cycle stretched by three years is an accounting detail only to people whose ration entitlement is not authenticated on that handset. Bottom Line Memory has stopped being an ordinary electronics input. It is now an input to financial inclusion, and Indian industrial policy does not classify it that way anywhere. Two moves would begin to correct that. Semicon 2.0 should carry an explicit memory line, even if the realistic target is legacy DRAM for the domestic mass market rather than the leading edge. And the duty schedule should treat memory bound for sub-Rs 15,000 handsets the way it already treats inputs the government has decided are strategic. Neither is a complete answer. Both would at least establish that someone in Delhi is watching the number. Which leaves the question the last two quarters have already put on the table. If the price of DRAM now decides how many Indians can reach a government service, who in the government is tracking it? (The author studies Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence at Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA. He is interested in emerging technologies and innovation, and can be reached on LinkedIn at @arssh-kumar14)
Kashmirs magnanimity towards Iran is magnanimous, but reeks of selectiveness
There is little doubt that historically speaking, Iranian, or to be exact, Persian influence on Kashmir has been of a tremendous magnitude. While Sayyed Sharfuddin Abdur Rahman from Turkistan, fondly remembered as Hazrat Bulbul Shah, belonging to the Suharwadi order, visited Kashmir earlier, the fourteenth century Iranian Kubrawi Saint, Mir Sayyed Ali Hamadani, popularly known as Shah-i-Hamadan remains the most prominent Sufi who came to Kashmir. The Brahmanical social domination coupled with unsteady economic order in the Kashmir Valley after the devastating Mongol invasion led by Dulacha, created room for Sufism. The economy of the Kashmir Valley was on a constant decline, and the socio-political equilibrium was profusely disturbed. The prevailing socio-economic and political situation of the Kashmir Valley worked in favor of Shah-i-Hamadan and he filled the existing void with his ideology that he carried from Iran. Shah-i-Hamadan also took a keen interest in the economy of the Kashmir Valley and introduced the arts and craft techniques of Iran, and suggested ways and means to improve upon the irrigation system in the Valley. People of Kashmir benefitted from his strategies, and involvement in socio-economic activities helped the common man to elevate his standard of living and thereby also accepting Islam as his faith. This historical and emotional connect with Iran was perhaps the foundation of the recent outpouring of support in Kashmir for Iran after the killing of its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei, especially from the Shia community while Sunni Muslims too joined in solidarity. Massive demonstrations were organized in Kashmir against the killing, and a substantial donation drive was initiated by Kashmiris collecting funds in the shape of cash, gold, silver, copper, vehicles and other valuables to support the war-affected country. According to some estimates, Kashmiris raised hundreds of Crores of Rupees in a matter of days. With the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1979, the relationship between Kashmir and Iran, especially among the Shia community in Kashmir cemented itself even more. After all, historically, the Shia community in Kashmir had struggled with persecution, especially in the 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th century. Ten campaigns of terror, collectively called Taraaj-e-Shia , were unleashed against them during which their sacred sites were destroyed, women were raped, books were burned and their neighborhoods destroyed. The Islamic revolution in the 20th century in Iran evoked religious and political consciousness among the Shias in Kashmir and nourished further spiritual, public and educational exchanges between Kashmir and Tehran. In essence, in the absence of one at home, Kashmiri Shias found an elder brother in Iran. It is, of course, praiseworthy that such a small population got unified and within a matter of days, tangibly succeeded in financially supporting the people of Iran. However, this piece is not about Shias or Sunnis. Nor is it about us religion. It is also not about Iran, India, Pakistan, Israel or the US. It is about us Kashmiris as human beings. While I genuinely appreciate us Kashmiris for uniting and aiding our Iranian brethren in their predicament, at the same time, I cant help being burdened with a simple and perhaps thought-provoking question; Why havent we Kashmiris, irrespective of being Shia or Sunnis, ever been able to show such unity, such urgency, such support and such magnanimity to other tragedies and calamities? Many of them much closer to home. When carefully considering this conundrum and trying to conscientiously introspect, I must again, with due respect, refer to the common thread running through my writings. Our selective selectiveness. It is exactly this selectiveness of ours, which rather embarrassingly, enables us to keep distinguishing between right and wrong on the basis of religion, sect, nationality and political affiliations and has made us believe that injustice and atrociousness have a face, a name, a nationality, a sect and a God. Depending on that face, the name, the nationality, the sect and the God, we either remain silent or choose to act. There are tens of thousands of people who have suffered due to terrorism in Kashmir since the late eighties and early nineties. Decades of violence and economic malaise have produced an ocean of destitutes, orphans, widows, vilomahs, victims of sexual violence, refugees and persons with disabilities in our own home. While some of us might intermittently give alms to these victims, mostly on religious festivals or to ward off the evil eye, such actions are individual in nature and more than often rooted in our own self-interest inspired by either our belief that such acts will elevate our status in the afterlife or reduce our possible sufferings in this life. Never have we, as a society, tried to unite for the well-being of these people. We have never bothered to institutionalize any attempt to tangibly help our own brothers and sisters. If Kashmir could collect hundreds of Crores in a few days for Iran, why have we failed for over three decades to come up with a financially viable system to collect funds for these victims of violence which we all collectively created? Perhaps a gratis school for these orphans, a free of charge hospital for those with disabilities, small concrete houses for the poor living in sheds, monthly stipends for the widows, legal expenses to fight for dignity and justice for the victims of sexual violence? If we can raise hundreds of Crores in a few days, try doing the math and imagine what we could have done in over three decades. Let alone financial support, how many of us adopted an orphan? How many of us married a widow or a victim of sexual violence? Instead, we spend Lakhs on IVF treatments and ironically many of our so-called leaders responsible for creating widows and victims of sexual violence in the first place, along with shipping in guns and terrorists from apoor , also imported their wives from across the border. Alas. No matter how we try to spin it, we were either guilty by our actions or complicit by our silence for the exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits. Not to mention assisting them financially, many of us still refuse to acknowledge their plight and our own collective culpability. When they were forced out of Kashmir, instead of safeguarding their properties, we looted their household goods, furniture, kitchenware, accessories, electronic gadgets, libraries, papers, files and documents. We pulled out their electricity and sanitary fittings and large number of houses and properties of Kashmiri Pandits went on distress sale. While the situation in Iran over 2,000 kms away somehow felt close, the fate of our Kashmiri Pandit brethren in Jagti township 200 kms away still seems too far away. While I will grant my readers the benefit of the doubt by conceding that not everyone is a keen student of history this ancient, however, some contemporary events are difficult to ignore. Lets start with one of the biggest tragedies closer to home. Mumbai attacks in 2008. 175 innocent people died and more than 300 were injured. Of course, we all condemned, but wouldnt our condemnations carry much more weight had we demonstrated against these attacks with the same ardency as we did against the killing of Ayatollah Khamenei? Such actions were necessitated, not only because of humanitarian reasons, but especially as the terrorists claimed to have carried out these attacks in our name. Why couldnt we initiate a small donation drive in Kashmir which would financially support the injured and the dependents of those who had lost their lives? Lets move on to tragedies even closer to home. In 2016, 17 soldiers were killed in the attack on an Army base in Uri. In 2017, 8 security force personnel were killed in an attack on the District Police Lines in Pulwama. Six Army personnel were killed in an attack on the Sunjuwan Military Camp in Jammu in 2018. In Pulwama in 2019, 44 people were killed when a suicide bomber rammed his vehicle filled with explosives into a CRPF convoy. None of these attacks provoked us Kashmiris to start a donation drive for the soldiers and policemen who were killed. None of us thought of collecting some funds for their wives and children. Of course, their families must have received some relief from the Government, but where was our humanity? These soldiers and policemen were people among us. People who stand a post and defend us. Lets move on to civilians. In 2023, two blasts in Rajouri killed seven civilians including two children while 12 people were injured. In 2024, nine people were killed and an additional 41 were injured in an attack on Hindu pilgrims in Reasi. Also in 2024, seven people were killed, one doctor and six workers, and five people were injured in an attack on a construction site in Gagangir, Ganderbal district. Just a year ago, in 2025, 26 people were murdered at a tourist site in Pahalgam. Natural disasters and accidents perhaps? In July 2021, a cloudburst occurred in in the Dachhan area of Kishtwar district resulting in 26 deaths and 17 injuries. Floods caused by a cloudburst in Amarnath in 2022, killed at least 16 people and left at least 40 of others missing. In 2023, ground collapse in the town of Thathri in Doda district displaced approximately 300 people. Also in 2023, 39 people died and 17 more were injured when the driver of a passenger bus lost control and the vehicle plunged into a deep gorge in Doda district. Flash floods occurred in Chositi in Kishtwar in 2025 as the result of a cloudburst which caused 68 deaths, 300 injuries, and left at least 38 people missing. More recently, in November 2025, an explosion in Nowgam police station in Srinagar, killed nine people and injured around 30. While we managed to raise Crores for Iran in a matter of a few days, not a single penny was raised for any of these souls who died, got injured or were displaced. People who are no different from us. Our own flesh and blood. Humans. Exactly like those living a bit further away in Iran. If we did what we did for Iran on humanitarian basis then we must have done the same for all these victims. If not, then we must muster the courage to admit that what we did for Iran was not solely on humanitarian basis but was perhaps provoked by other considerations. Religion, sect, political affiliations, emotional attachment, historical and cultural ties or perhaps sheer animosity towards Israel, US, the West, NATO, UN? In other words, pure selectiveness. There is no use dwelling on the past, however, the present gives us a lot to reflect. Now that we have shown that we can unite and bring ourselves to help those in need, we must have the propriety and more importantly, the morality, to implement this at home as well. Our religion, our Prophet (SAW) and Imam Ali (AS), all instruct us that charity and help should begin at home with a special emphasis on orphans and widows. None of our teachings even remotely insinuate that we should distinguish between victims. Our first religion is humanity. Perhaps, our historical relation and the recent developments in Iran are intertwined and whisper to us through the mighty Chinar which was brought to Kashmir from Iran. We Kashmiris must try to emulate that grand Irano-Kashmiri Chinar. Determined, firm and unwavering. Providing shade to everyone without bias or prejudice. It is time to turn over a new leaf of the majestic Chinar and abandon our selective selectiveness. Author is the Director of European Foundation for South Asian Studies (EFSAS) and can be reached at: j.qureshi@efsas.org )
I am a daughter of Jammu & Kashmir. During my lifetime I have butchered my individuality, my wishes, my dreams and my own self inside my heart, to give life to the other selves around me. Culture, society, manmade laws, traditions, politics and the interpretation of the word of God - all have been culpable of my extortion. It is a cruel irony that while my honour was shamelessly being dissected, I kept receiving the epithet of being the prestige of my household, family, society, culture and country. This is the tale of your daughter, sister, beloved, wife and mother. Narrated by me the one who has been all this, yet is still in search of what she is. I have been Habba Khatoon when Yusuf Shah Chak was the King. I became a lonely wanderer on the streets of my kingdom, when my own brothers invited the Mughals to depose the ruler of my heart. Their sectarianism did not only deprive my land from its native ruler and put the wrath of foreign rule on this Paradise, but it also fragmented my world and made me languish in separation while I mourned my beloved in my songs. Once upon a time my parents started mutilating me by cutting my nose and shaving me bald so that I would be saved from being sold as a slave in the markets of Kabul and Kandahar by the Afghans. I had to stop worshipping my Lord in His house as the next rulers disgraced my mosques and temples by transforming them into stables for horses and cattle. When the invaders reached Baramulla, they ripped my ears off my face, because I used to grace them with ornaments. They made me watch silently while they raped the nuns of my city like animals, before I also fell prey to their lust. To serve humanity, I became a nurse and took the name of Sarla Bhat. I was abducted, gang-raped and killed. My body was thrown like garbage in the streets of Srinagar. I also became a doctor and was called Rubiya Sayeed. In the name of freedom, I was kidnapped and made a prisoner because of my parentage. I was also one of the many unfortunate women in the remote village of Kunan-Poshpora. While the darkness of that night was not my shortcoming, I am still being punished by the torchbearers who claim to fight for my justice. I still cannot be someones wife and am haunted by isolation, as my past has not only devastated me, but has also turned me into an outcast. Some also call me Zainab, whose brother was butchered after being made to watch how I was raped by terrorists in Bandipora. People also refer to me as Neelofar and at times Aasiya, who were dishonoured and killed. The call for my justice soon turned into politics and vanished in thick enquiry reports afterwards. I have been exploited by men who claim to fight for my and their freedom, and at times, I have been exploited by men who claim to defend my and their freedom. Meanwhile it was only my freedom which was chained and made a prisoner of this so-called masculine war. Had it not been for me, whom would you have asked justice for? Whom would you have ruled over? Whom would you have kidnapped? Whom would you have raped? Had I not existed, what exactly would have proven your masculinity? What exactly would have made you a Man, if I would not have been? I still see myself in the eyes of the many walking corpses resembling me. All of them having the same desultory stare in their eyes as I have. I hear my name in the deafening cries of Bimla and her daughter Archana, whenever I pass by Nai-Sadak. I see my limbs in the mutilated body of Girija. I smell myself in the torn, stenchy clothes of Neelofar, Aasiya, Zainab and Sarla. I see myself appear and disappear in the lingering sighs when I look at the orphaned daughter of the policeman who died during duty. I pray to God that someday, you might recognize your daughter, sister, beloved, wife and mother in our eyes as well. While some are fortunate enough to choose whom they love, I wasnt. I once rejected someones love, and he displayed his affection for me by disfiguring my face with acid. Since then, I enjoy the luxury of not being bothered whom to love anymore as now my face even terrifies the little girl in the mirror. My brother used to spend his evenings with his friends on the roadside, teasing girls returning from tuition-class, yet his hypocrisy ordered me to wear a Burkha . Although my Almighty has ordered both men and women to lower their gaze, the place where I live in, men have concluded that it is my character which deserves blemish, when they fail to follow His edict. When an earthquake struck my land and when it was flooded with devastating floods, it was my demeanour which was held responsible for bringing about Gods fury. My father always used to say that I had been a blessing from God, yet at the time of my departure from his house, I somehow turned into a curse. A curse which made him sell his land and get drowned in debts in order to defray the expensive journey from my temporary house to my permanent home. A journey to a destination where my eminence was not only established by the magnitude of the dowry I brought with me, but also by the pretentiousness of the cloak of enforced masquerades which I had to start wearing then onwards. In my new home, my new life became clear very soon. As long as I fulfilled my responsibilities, I did not exist. My existence was only noticed by others when I failed to please them. I was the one who would wake up when dawn had just started kissing the surface of the earth and would go to sleep when the dawn of the next morning would be only a few hours away. In between, I was responsible for ensuring that my new family was content with my presence. Raising my children and at times even the children of my brother- and sister in law, cooking, cleaning, ironing, adapting myself to the wishes and habits of my new parents, listening when told to, keeping silent when ordered to, speaking when allowed to and even folding the handkerchiefs of my husband the way he had instructed, became the pillars of my new world. Without realizing, I had turned into a numb woman while distancing myself from the youthful girl full of joy and dreams, which I once used to be. In this land of numerous graves, the little girl inside me had also died. My new home had become the graveyard of my tarnished soul. I remember that while commuting between the duties of a wife, a mother and a daughter in law, I once fell terribly sick. While being sick, I was allowed to return to my temporary house again. Not because that was what I asked for, but because the pleasures of my existence were only to be enjoyed without assuming the burdens of it. In soundness I was a daughter in law often referred to as a daughter. In sickness, I once again became the daughter of my own father. My transition in my new home was only marked by me. For others, it was a fulfilment of their expectations. However, only I know how painful this drift of conversion had been. A drift, which would have been much more bearable if it was complimented by compliments, acknowledged by acknowledgement and respected by respect for my seemingly effortless efforts. Much has changed in Kashmir in just a few decades. There was a time when it was natural for me to administer the affairs of the household as well as the country. A time, when flower-festivals were celebrated in Kashmir and women were offered garlands for their commitment and dedication to society. Apparently, the imported gun killed much more than mere bodies. Today, the need has risen to establish a separate police-station for me, manned by only women as otherwise my safety cannot be guaranteed. Today, a 14-year-old brainwashed kid born from my womb, who still needs me to dress himself up, steps into the house and teaches me about honour and respect when he orders me to veil myself. It reminded me of the days when I welcomed bullets in my legs when I dared to defy similar diktats concerning my attire. It makes me wonder whether these new-age defenders of religion and sanctity will confine themselves to just lecturing? To me, it seems that their belief, for some reason, is much stronger than that of their predecessors. When I was young, I never heard anything about women being set ablaze or reaching the hospital with broken bones and a disfigured face. I am sure that just like me, you must have noticed thousands of such cases during the past years. The fact that many of the perpetrators derive their justifications from their interpretations of religion should worry us both. Deep inside your heart, you know, as no one else, that I have been the actual martyr in this war-torn paradise. When it suited you, I was strangulated. And when it suited you, I had to forget all diktats, teachings and so-called cultural and social values and was forced to courier arms and ammunition. It was me who had to provide shelter and food to you when you entered my home at gunpoint. It was me who was made to lay down in one bed with you so that when they came looking for you, it could be claimed that you were my husband and the son-in-law of our family. Not because we believed in what you did, but because if we didnt do what you ordered us to do, you would have killed us. I was abandoned. Used. Misused. Abused. Injustice mounted upon me provided stock to the merchants of lies and dreams, which kept their shops open. My sufferings were valued, re-branded and sold over and over again by you. The game of deceit in this Valley has had many casualties and with every casualty a part of me was killed. When my father was murdered, I became an orphan. After the disappearance of my husband, I received the cognomen of half-widow. When my son was killed, I was called infecund and when I heard that my husband got martyred, I was named a widow. Sometimes when I am alone, I get amazed at Allahs instituted scales of justice. While losing others in my life, my names have changed continuously. Yet, whenever I have lost myself, killed my wishes and murdered my dreams to adorn others around me and justify my existence, I have been called by the same names as before. A daughter, a sister, a beloved, a wife and a mother. Having been all this, that one question still haunts me; What am I? Writer is the Director of European Foundation for South Asian Studies (EFSAS) and can be reached at j.qureshi@efsas.org .
South Kashmir: Man Held with Grenade, Anti-national Posters
SRINAGAR: A man was apprehended during a joint security operation in south Kashmirs Pulwama district on Sunday, with a hand grenade and anti-national posters recovered from his possession, officials said. A senior police officer said that a joint naka was laid near Pachaar Fruit Mandi by the Police, Special Operations Group (SOG), CRPF and the []
Man Dies After Being Hit by Train in Jammu Kashmir
SRINAGAR: A 40-year-old man was killed after being struck by the Hemgiri Express near Chainpura in the Chandwan area of Kathua district in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, reports said. The deceased was identified as Satish Singh, son of Omkar Singh, a resident of Village Chandea in Hiranagar tehsil of Kathua district. Reports said the []
Two Teenagers Injured in Srinagar Road Rage Scuffle
SRINAGAR:Two teenagers sustained minor injuries after a scuffle broke out over a road rage incident at Polo View in Srinagar on Sunday, officials said. Officials identified the injured as Momin Gassi (18), an auto driver from Bemina, and Sahil Ahmad Mandoo (16) of Bemina. The altercation also involved Imran Ahmad Badyari of Bemina and Ruhaib []
Article 370 Abrogation Marked a Turning Point for Paharis: LG Sinha
At launch of Sharda to Sansad, Manoj Sinha says empowerment of Paharis and marginalised communities marks a turning point; calls for preserving India's civilisational heritage
18-Year-Old Labourer Dies After Fall from Under-Construction House in Srinagar
SRINAGAR: An 18-year-old labourer from Bihar died after falling from an under-construction house in the Hyderpora area of Srinagar on Sunday, officials said. The labourer was shifted to SMHS Hospital in a critical condition following the fall, but was declared brought dead by doctors on arrival, officials said. The deceased was identified as Ram Parvaish []
Jammu Kashmir Cannot Remain an Exception to Indias Democratic, Federal Framework: Farooq Abdullah
NC president says elected government cannot function effectively without full powers; urges Centre to honour statehood commitment
13 Killed as Tourist Plane Crashes Near Perus Nazca; Foreign Tourists Among Victims
SRINAGAR: At least 13 people, including 11 foreign tourists and two crew members, were killed after a sightseeing aircraft crashed into a field near the Peruvian city of Nazca on Saturday, local authorities said. A National Police spokesperson told reporters at the scene that those killed included 11 passengers, the pilot and a co-pilot or []
Work on Ujh Project Will Begin Without Waiting for Full Land Acquisition: Jitendra Singh
Project to be executed in phases, with construction beginning alongside land acquisition; expected to irrigate 90,000 hectares and supply drinking water to Kathua
Srinagar, Aug 02: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today said that the historic transformation brought under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi after Article 370 abrogation, which connected Jammu and Kashmirs aspirations with those of the nation, will be remembered by future generations. He said the empowerment of the Pahari community, along with other marginalised groups, marked a turning point in Indias democratic journey. The Lieutenant Governor expressed these remarks while attending the launch of a book Sarhad to Sansad, authored by Dr A H Shah. The Lieutenant Governor extended his heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Shah for his scholarly contribution, and described the book as not merely a chronicle of history but as a meaningful dialogue between heritage and hope, between the wisdom of the past and the democratic aspirations of the present. In his address on the occasion, the Lieutenant Governor highlighted the historical background of the Pahari community, their glorious culture, and their resilience in preserving traditions across centuries. He emphasized that the book offers a fresh perspective on the continuity of the ancient civilization of Sharda Peeth and the vitality of modern Indias democratic institutions. Books related to history, civilization, and culture often serve as bridges between generations. Through Sharda to Sansad, Dr. Shah has built such a bridge, reminding us that history and culture never truly pass away. They remain alive within us, the Lieutenant Governor said. The Lieutenant Governor also highlighted how literature and scholarship illuminate the human spirit and connect different eras. He drew a powerful parallel between Sharda Peeth, the ancient seat of learning, and Parliament, the symbol of collective consciousness in modern India. If Sharda nurtured the wisdom of society, Parliament has worked to fulfil the aspirations of the nation, he said. The Lieutenant Governor observed the historic transformation brought about under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after the abrogation of Article 370, which connected Jammu Kashmirs aspirations with those of the nation. He noted that the empowerment of the Pahari community, along with other marginalized groups, marked a turning point in Indias democratic journey. Future generations will remember this transformation well, he said. Reflecting on Indias civilizational legacy, the Lieutenant Governor said that Indias strength has always lain in its intellectual confidence, its courage to ask questions, and its culture of dialogue. He recalled centres of learning such as Nalanda, Takshashila, and Vikramshila, which once illuminated the world, and emphasized that while buildings may be destroyed, the pursuit of knowledge in Indian civilization is eternal. The Lieutenant Governor praised the Pahari community for preserving its language, folklore, folk music, and traditions with dignity and patience. he noted that their oral literature and rich traditions are powerful expressions of courage, harmony, and human values. The journey from Sharda to Sansad is not merely the journey of a community but it is the journey of India itself. It is the journey of a civilization that carried its ancient knowledge tradition into the institutions of democracy while keeping its faith in both equally intact. I believe culture is a living force. Every generation inherits cultural heritage as a bequest and passes it on to the next generation with its own distinct identity, and this is the foundation of a strong and vibrant democracy, he said. The Lieutenant Governor also urged the scholars, teachers, artists, and citizens to invest in preserving Indias civilizational heritage. There are villages whose stories remain unwritten, dialects whose grammar is yet to be studied, and folk songs that have not been recorded. Each of these efforts will enrich our national archive, he said. The Lieutenant Governor also emphasized the importance of inspiring the younger generation to innovate while staying rooted in tradition. Continuity and change together have preserved the human aspiration for dignity, knowledge, and peaceful coexistence. I hope this book will encourage dialogue, inspire new research, and deepen respect for Indias rich cultural fabric, he observed. Responding to the issues raised by the Chairman of J&K Pahari Welfare Society, the Lieutenant Governor stated that even after the implementation of the law, certain elements are deliberately causing trouble. He assured that a robust mechanism will be put in place to relieve people from this distress. Zafar Iqbal Manhas, Chairman, J&K Pahari Welfare Society; Dr. AH Shah, author; Khush Dev Maini, Dr Jahangir Danish, and other prominent literary personalities, and members of various Pahari organisations attended the book launch ceremony. Dr Sajjad Shafi, Member of Legislative Assembly from Uri; Safina Baig, former DDC Chairperson, Baramulla; Rajiv Pandey, DIG CKR; Dr. GV Sundeep Chakravarthy, SSP Srinagar; Harvinder Kour, Secretary JKAACL and senior officials were also present.
Short: Fruit growers urge J&K MPs to raise highway disruptions
Short: JKPSC submits 67th Annual Report for 2025-26 to LG Sinha
Srinagar, Aug 02: The Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha attended the launch of the Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan today at a UT-Level function organised by Department of Youth Affairs and Sports and SKUAST-Kashmir. The 100-week mega campaign was virtually inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marking a nationwide resolve to secure Indias future by empowering its youth and eliminating the menace of drugs. Addressing the youth of Jammu Kashmir, the Lieutenant Governor emphasized that Indias greatest strength lies in its young population, with nearly 65% below the age of 35. He also highlighted that 37 crore youth in the 1529 age group are eager to contribute to nation-building. The Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan seeks to energize this demographic, guiding them toward healthy lifestyles and active participation in development. Our youth must emerge like a cloud of energy and spread across the horizon of development, he said. The Lieutenant Governor observed that the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, launched in 2020 by Prime Minister, is not merely a government programme but a social movement against drug menace. Its objective is to instill values of self-discipline, positive thinking, and strong determination among citizens. The Lieutenant Governor noted that over 1 crore youth are joining the Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan at nearly 10,000 locations nationwide, reflecting the collective responsibility of society to protect young people from drugs. More than 35,000 MY Bharat youth clubs, Nehru Yuva Kendras, schools, colleges, and industry organizations are participating in the 100-week campaign, which connects youth every Sunday across the country. The Lieutenant Governor expressed confidence that this initiative will become a milestone in uprooting drugs from society. Congratulating the youth of Jammu Kashmir, the Lieutenant Governor praised their active participation in the 100-day Nasha Mukt J&K Abhiyan conducted from April 11 to July 20. This campaign, he said, has become a model of success for the entire nation. The combined efforts of administration, police, social organizations, educational institutions, religious leaders, and citizens proved that even the biggest challenges can be overcome when society unites for a common purpose, the Lieutenant Governor said. The Lieutenant Governor also highlighted the significant achievements of the Nasha Mukt Jammu Kashmir campaign. Around 2,300 FIRs have been registered, 2,600 people arrested, and 1,500 kilograms of narcotics seized. More than 331 properties worth around Rs 200 crore belonging to narco-terrorists and drug smugglers have been attached. Additionally, over 370 driving licenses and 750 vehicle registrations have been cancelled, with recommendations made to cancel nearly 3,000 Aadhaar cards. The Lieutenant Governor said these actions demonstrate the governments unwavering policy against the drug network that threatens the future of youth. While enforcement remains crucial, public awareness and rehabilitation are equally important. We will soon initiate the Rehabilitation and Socio-Economic Reintegration Scheme for Drug Abuse Victims, 2026. The pilot project will begin in two most-affected districts of Kashmir and Jammu divisions. Designed as a three-year rehabilitation cycle, the scheme will focus on medical treatment, counselling, education, skill development, employment, reintegration, and long-term monitoring. I see youth affected by drugs as victims and we need to ensure their dignity, livelihood, and a meaningful future, the Lieutenant Governor said. The Lieutenant Governor urged families, teachers, and youth organizations to play a proactive role in guiding youth. Parents and teachers are the greatest guides and must support youth through dialogue, trust, and encouragement. Volunteers of MY Bharat, Nehru Yuva Kendras, and youth clubs should take the campaigns message to every village, school, college and community, he said. The Lieutenant Governor exhorted the youth to stay away from drugs, inspire peers, and become healthy, disciplined, and responsible citizens. He expressed confidence that the youth of Jammu Kashmir will dispel the darkness of drugs and spread the light of knowledge, progress, and positive energy. A healthy youth, a strong family, and an aware public will become the identity of Viksit Bharat, the Lieutenant Governor said. On the occasion, the Lieutenant Governor also administered the Nasha Mukt Yuva Pledge to the youth of Jammu Kashmir. Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganai, Vice Chancellor SKUAST Kashmir; Dr. Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, Commissioner/Secretary, Youth Services and Sports Department; Anshul Garg, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir; Nitin Hangloo, Director, Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat) J&K; senior officials, members of Youth Clubs, Nehru Yuva Kendras, prominent citizens, and youth in large number attended the UT Level function.
Nine Injured After SUV Overturns in Central Kashmir
SRINAGAR: Nine persons were injured after a Xylo SUV overturned on a slippery stretch of road in the Hayan area of Kangan in central Kashmirs Ganderbal district on Sunday. Officials said the vehicle (JK02CS-7581) was on its way from Srinagar to Ladakh when the driver allegedly lost control, causing it to skid off the road []
Jammu Kashmir Govt Approves Rs 19.61 Crore Sewerage Project for Srinagar Localities
SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has approved a Rs 19.61 crore project to develop a sewerage network in several areas of Srinagar, aiming to strengthen sanitation infrastructure and improve wastewater management, the Office of the Chief Minister said on Saturday. According to a post by the Office of the Chief Minister on X, the []
Youth Must Lead Fight Against Drug Menace: LG Sinha
SRINAGAR: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday launched the Jammu and Kashmir chapter of the Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan, a 100-week nationwide anti-drug campaign aimed at mobilising youth against substance abuse, and announced that a new rehabilitation scheme for drug abuse victims will soon be rolled out in the Union Territory. []
Labourers killers names must be revealed: Farooq
Srinagar: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Sunday, August 2, demanded that the identity of the killers of two migrant labourers in Kulgam and a policeman in Anantnag be made public. He also asked the authorities where the terrorists were coming from. They (administration) should tell people who is carrying out these killings. All we Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
SDM conducts night inspection of Uri town
Srinagar, Aug 2: Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Uri, Prince Kumar on Saturday conducted a night inspection of Uri town to assess the functioning of street lights and review the overall lighting arrangements. During the inspection, the SDM observed that several streetlights were either non-functional or required immediate maintenance. I conducted a night inspection of the streetlights in Uri town along with local residents to better understand the issues affecting their functioning, he said. Taking serious note of the deficiencies, the Municipal Committee (MC) Uri was directed to immediately repair all defective street lights and install additional lights wherever required. The SDM emphasized the importance of proper street lighting for public safety and directed the Municipal Committee to complete all repairs and installations on priority. He also briefed the locals about the development projects that are in the pipeline for Uri, as well as those currently under execution, stating that these initiatives will greatly benefit the local residents. He said the administration is committed to addressing the genuine demands of the people of Uri and ensuring their timely resolution. The inspection reaffirmed the administrations commitment to improving civic amenities and ensuring a safer environment for the public.
Landslide Damages School, Houses in Poonch Village; Residents Seek Rehabilitation
SRINAGAR: A major landslide has hit the Sarouti Jabran area of Mendhar in Poonch district, damaging a government school and several residential houses, while triggering ground subsidence that has left residents fearing further destruction. The landslide caused portions of land to cave in, with large cracks appearing in several houses. Residents said the incident has []
LG Manoj Sinha Attends Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan
Srinagar, August 2, 2026: The Lieutenant Governor Shri Manoj Sinha attended the launch of the Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan today at a UT-Level function organised by Department of Youth Affairs and Sports and SKUAST-Kashmir. The 100-week mega campaign was virtually inaugurated by Honble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, marking a nationwide [] The post LG Manoj Sinha Attends Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan appeared first on Kashmir Media Watch .
Can the Gaza Disarmament Deal Survive Israels Objections and Hamass Resistance?
by Asad Mirza Trump hails a historic Hamas disarmament deal, but Israeli objections, Hamass conditional commitment, disputed territory and stalled reconstruction leave Gazas fragile peace uncertain. On the night of July 30, 2026, President Donald Trump took to Truth Social with characteristic bravado. Today, the Board of Peace reached a HISTORIC agreement for the COMPLETE []
Jammu Kashmir Has Seven Government Medical Colleges Offering PG Courses: Centre
Centre tells Parliament that Jammu and Kashmir has seven government medical colleges offering postgraduate programmes
Toddler Dies After Bedding Stack Falls on Her in South Kashmir
SRINAGAR: A two-year-old girl died in a tragic household accident in Sadoora area of south Kashmirs Anantnag district after a stack of bedding kept on top of a wardrobe fell on her, officials said. The deceased has been identified as Anaya Ishfaq, daughter of Ishfaq Ahmad Kumar, a resident of Sadoora. Officials said the bedding []
Parenting influences childrens development; extreme control may harm mental health balance and understanding, fostering growth. Batool Andrabi writes about toxic parenting in Kashmir Parenting styles encompass attitudes, parents emotions towards child-rearing, and overall behaviour towards children. Researchers assert that an overly controlling approach can significantly impact a childs psychological development. Many experts see the toxic []
Who Was Tak Zainagiri, the Edhi of Kashmir?
by Meraj Zargar Late Abdul Khaliq Tak Zainagiri was a visionary Kashmiri social reformer, government official, and Sahitya Akademi Award-winning linguist who founded the Jammu & Kashmir Yateem Trust to serve orphans and the underprivileged. Among the countless distinctions that human beings have sought throughout history, like wealth, power, knowledge, fame, and status, none has []
J-K: 25th batch of Shri Amarnath Yatra pilgrims crosses Chanderkote under tight security
Ramban , August 2 : The 25th batch of Amarnath devotees crossed Chanderkote on National Highway-44 safely on Sunday under comprehensive security arrangements put in place by the district administration and security agencies in Ramban district. The movement of the Yatra convoy was conducted smoothly with coordinated deployment of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Indian Army, Central Armed Police Forces, Traffic Police, Civil Administration and other stakeholder agencies to ensure the safety and security of all pilgrims. On Saturday, no fresh batch of pilgrims was allowed to leave the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas base camp in Jammu for the Kashmir Valley due to ongoing repair work on the Ladha-Samroli stretch of National Highway-44 in Udhampur district. Following the recent terrorist attack in Kulgam, security arrangements along the Shri Amarnath Yatra route have been significantly strengthened. Multi-layered security measures have been put in place across the entire Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, from Lakhanpur to the Holy Cave Shrine, with increased deployment of security personnel, intensified area domination, enhanced surveillance, and continuous monitoring of the Yatra route. In July, the 20th batch of Shri Amarnath Yatra pilgrims crossed Chanderkote en route to the Holy Cave shrine in south Kashmir amidst comprehensive security and logistical arrangements. The annual 57-day pilgrimage, which began on July 3, will conclude on August 28 on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan. The Shri Amarnath Yatra attracts thousands of devotees from across the country who undertake the yatra to the revered cave shrine. (ANI)
PM Modi to launch 'Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan' today
New Delhi [India], August 2 : Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will launch the 'Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan' today through video conferencing. The initiative aims to inspire youth to stay away from substance abuse and encourage them to become ambassadors of positive social change in their communities The launch will mark the beginning of a 100-week nationwide Jan Bhagidari campaign against substance abuse. Under this campaign, weekly activities will be organised every Sunday across the country to promote awareness and encourage public participation in building a drug-free society. The activities will include sports events, walkathons, meditation sessions, cultural programmes, awareness campaigns, nukkad nataks, discussion forums, art competitions and community engagement programmes, a release said. The initiative seeks to further strengthen community participation by bringing together educational institutions, youth organisations, civil society groups, industry bodies and spiritual organisations on a common platform to create a collective movement against substance abuse. The programme will witness participation from youth across the country from over 10,000 locations. MY Bharat Volunteers, MY Bharat National Service Scheme volunteers, youth clubs, schools, colleges, universities, NGOs, youth wings of industry associations and more than 125 partner spiritual organisations will participate in the programme virtually. (ANI)
Over 3,800 Pilgrims Leave Jammu for Amarnath Yatra as Highway Reopens
SRINAGAR: A fresh batch of 3,886 pilgrims departed from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu early Sunday for the annual Amarnath Yatra after authorities partially restored traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, which had remained closed for two days due to heavy rain-triggered damage. Officials said the 25th batch, comprising pilgrims bound for the []
Tourist plane crash leaves 13 dead near Nazca Lines in Peru
Lima [Peru], August 2 : At least 13 people were killed when a small aircraft crashed in Peru, according to police, news agency Al Jazeera reported. The incident occurred on Saturday as the aircraft was transporting passengers, identified by officials as predominantly tourists, to observe the renowned Nazca Lines, a collection of historic archaeological sites featuring massive geoglyphs carved into the ground. We have information that 11 passengers and two crew members have died, Police Major Jorge Andrade told reporters at the crash site in the southern region of the country. According to Al Jazeera, local media outlets indicated that the crash site was rapidly engulfed in fire, making immediate rescue operations impossible. The aircraft had reportedly taken off from Pisco in the department of Ica, while further details regarding the cause were not immediately available. Peru remains a premier international travel destination, attracting visitors from around the world to explore the nation's heritage landmarks, including the Incan citadel of Machu Picchu and the massive Indigenous stone structures of Cusco. Al Jazeera reported that more than 4.1 million international tourists visited the South American nation of nearly 35 million inhabitants in 2025, based on figures released by Peru's Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism. The famous Nazca Lines are situated in the desert region adjacent to the country's southern coast, running along the Andean mountain range. Dating back to between 500 BC and 500 AD, the site has been formally designated a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) due to its profound cultural value. UNESCO defines the archaeological site as among archaeology's greatest enigmas because of their quantity, nature, size and continuity. The geoglyphs depict living creatures, stylised plants and imaginary beings, as well as geometric figures several kilometres long, UNESCO stated on its official portal, adding that They are believed to have had ritual astronomical functions. Due to their vast physical scale, the ancient figures are predominantly viewed from aircraft, allowing passengers to clearly observe the carved depictions of animals, including monkeys, hummingbirds and cats. Saturday's fatal crash involved an aircraft belonging to the fleet of Peruvian sightseeing operator Aerodiana, Al Jazeera reported, citing local accounts. (ANI)
Trump Says Framework for Iran War Deal Taking Shape, Pauses New US Strikes
SRINAGAR : US President Donald Trump on Saturday claimed that Middle East allies have outlined the framework of a deal aimed at ending the five-month-old war with Iran, saying he would, for now, refrain from ordering fresh military strikes against Tehran. In a post on his social media platform, Trump said the proposed agreement would []
SKUAST-K to set up J&K's first 50-kW Agrivoltaics Research Pilot at Shalimar Campus
Srinagar, Aug 1: In a major step towards integrating clean energy with agriculture, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K) has announced the establishment of a 50-kW agrivoltaics (AgriPV) research pilot at its Shalimar Campus in collaboration with the Centre for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP). The project aims to evaluate crop performance, energy efficiency, economic viability and farmer adoption of agrivoltaics under Kashmir's unique agro-climatic conditions. The announcement was made by Vice Chancellor, Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganai during the workshop Building the Agrivoltaics Ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir, jointly organised by CSTEP and SKUAST-K. The workshop, aligned with the upcoming PM-KUSUM 2.0 scheme, brought together policymakers, scientists, industry representatives, financial institutions and farmers to explore pathways for scaling agrivoltaics across the Union Territory. This workshop is only the beginning of a long-term collaborative journey towards a resilient, climate-smart and energy-secure future for our farming communities, Prof. Ganai said. The proposed research facility will serve as a demonstration and innovation platform to generate scientific evidence on dual land use, where crops and solar energy are produced simultaneously. Researchers will study suitable cropping systems, energy generation, farm economics and adoption models to support future policy and large-scale deployment in Jammu and Kashmir. Speaking at the event, Saptak Ghosh, Sector Head, Renewables and Energy Conservation at CSTEP, said Kashmir has remained underserved in agricultural and energy innovation despite being a major contributor of hydropower. He said agrivoltaics provides an opportunity to combine the Valley's horticultural strengths with renewable energy generation without displacing farmers from their land. Highlighting policy challenges, Junaid Akhtar, Assistant Engineer (Solar), Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL), said that while distribution companies generally procure solar power at competitive tariffs, the additional agricultural and rural development benefits of agrivoltaics should be recognised through viability gap funding to improve financial viability. Earlier, Prof. Javeed Ahmad Mugloo, Head, Krishi Vigyan Kendra Pulwama, SKUAST-K, emphasised that integrating agrivoltaics with high-value crops and livestock rearing could strengthen market linkages and encourage value-added products, creating new rural enterprises across the Valley. The partnership forms part of CSTEP's work under the India Agrivoltaics Alliance (IAA), a multi-stakeholder platform promoting agrivoltaics in India. Under the collaboration, CSTEP has been developing region-specific agrivoltaics models tailored to Jammu and Kashmir's agro-climatic conditions, including high-density apple orchards. The workshop witnessed participation from experts representing the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), CSIR-NIIST, the National Solar Energy Federation of India (NSEFI), government departments, financial institutions, industry stakeholders and the farming community.
Tanvir Sadiq reviews NCs Media & Digital Communication strategy
Calls for cohesive, responsive, civil, people-centric public outreach SRINAGAR: The Communications Wing of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference on Saturday held a high-level strategy meeting at the party headquarters under the chairmanship of Chief Spokesperson and MLA Zadibal, Tanvir Sadiq, to comprehensively review the partys media and digital communication framework and chart a more []
Mirwaiz condemns killing of two non-local labourers in Kulgam
SRINAGAR: Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr. Moulvi Mohammad Umar Farooq has expressed deep griefover the killing of two non-local labourers in the Devsar area of Kulgam. Mirwaiz, in a statement issued here said,Islam upholds the sanctity of every innocent human life and unequivocally condemns the killing of innocent persons. He said targeting poor labourers who have come to []
Congress condemns Kulgam terror attack
JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) has strongly condemned the terrorist attack on non-local labourers in Kulgam in which two innocent persons were killed, terming it a cowardly act and a very serious design that needs to be defeated at all levels. In a strongly worded statement, JKPCC Chief Tariq Hameed Karra []
JKSA condemns violence in PaK, calls for UN intervention
SRINAGAR: The Jammu & Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) has expressed deep concern over the escalating violence and human casualties in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, including Rawalakot, Muzaffarabad, Kotli, and Mirpur. In a statement issued here, the association condemned the use of excessive force against peaceful protesters, restrictions on communication, and ongoing political unrest in the region. Nasir []
Speaker promises dev, rights protection
BUDGAM: Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather on Saturday visited Kanidajan village in the Charar-i-Sharief constituency, conducting a public outreach camp to listen to local grievances, review developmental needs, and assess progress on welfare initiatives. During the interaction, villagers voiced concerns over harassment related to eviction notices issued by the Forest Department []
FDA issues advisory against unsafe New Fast Tea
Sale, distribution of affected batch prohibited SRINAGAR: The Food & Drugs Administration (FDA), Jammu & Kashmir, has issued a public health advisory advising consumers not to purchase or consume Dust Tea (Premium Instant Mix Tea) marketed under the brand New Fast Tea, Batch No. 10, packed by M/s INAAM Tea Agency, Thane, Maharashtra, after the []
Police solve theft case in Shopian; 3 arrested
Stolen property recovered SHOPIAN: In a significant breakthrough against property crime, J&K Police in Shopian have successfully solved a livestock theft case, leading to the recovery of all 08 stolen buffaloes and the arrest of three accused persons. Police Station Heerpora registered a case vide FIR No. 69/2026 on the written complaint of Mohd. Bashir []
SMC takes over J&Ks first mechanised abattoir project after years of delay
Revamped project to come up at Allochi Bagh; facility to process 5,000 sheep, goats daily, likely to be completed in two years SRINAGAR: The Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has taken over the construction of Jammu and Kashmirs first modern mechanised abattoir at Allochi Bagh, reviving the long-delayed project aimed at introducing scientific and hygienic slaughtering []
DG Rural Sanitation calls for time-bound completion of works
KUPWARA: Director General, Rural Sanitation, J&K, Anoo Malhotra on Saturday chaired a comprehensive review meeting in Kupwara to assess the progress of key Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) initiatives across the district. The meeting was attended by the Deputy Director, Rural Sanitation, Kashmir, Shabir Ahmad Hakak, Assistant Commissioner Panchayat (ACP) Kupwara, Ab Rashid Sheikh, Assistant Commissioner []
Jagmohan Singh Raina condemns Kulgam terrorist attack
Srinagar, Aug 1: Chairman of the All Party Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) and senior political leader Jagmohan Singh Raina on Saturday strongly condemned the recent terrorist attack in Kulgam that claimed the lives of two non-local labourers. Raina described the attack as a cowardly and inhuman act that must be condemned by all sections of society. He expressed deep condolences to the families of the victims and prayed for strength for them during this difficult time. Raina demanded a thorough and transparent investigation into the incident, noting that this is the second such attack within the last 10 days. He said the repeated incidents are a matter of serious concern and urged the administration and security agencies to identify those responsible and bring them to justice without delay. He emphasized that such acts are aimed at disturbing peace and harmony in Jammu and Kashmir and appealed to the people to remain united against terrorism while maintaining communal harmony.
US weighs strikes on Iranian energy sites as Trump authorises fresh attack
Iran will be hit very hard until they say we cant take it anymore Tehran warns of retaliation against American, Israeli infrastructure WASHINGTON: A fresh US assault on Iran could begin within days, with refineries, power stations and other energy facilities under consideration as targets. Tehran has warned that any such attack would []
Ladakh holds Pashmina industry meet in Jammu
Jammu, Aug 1: The Cooperatives Department, Union Territory of Ladakh, in coordination with the All Changthang Pashmina Growers Cooperative Society Ltd., organized a one-day interaction-cum-seminar with members of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), industrial representatives, textile entrepreneurs, traders, and buyers at Jammu today. The programme aimed to establish direct market linkages for Ladakh Pashmina and secure better returns for Changpa pastoralists. The seminar witnessed active participation from members of the textile and handicrafts industry, who interacted with representatives of the Cooperative Society to explore opportunities for direct procurement of authentic GI-tagged Ladakh Pashmina. Discussions centred on quality assurance, branding, value addition, market expansion, and long-term business partnerships. Addressing the gathering, Deputy Commissioner, Changthang, Nitish Rajora highlighted the significance of the Pashmina sector as the economic backbone of the Changthang region. He emphasized that direct engagement with industry would empower Changpa herders by ensuring transparent procurement, fair pricing, and sustainable livelihoods. He called upon industrial stakeholders to build long-term partnerships with the Cooperative Society and support the promotion of authentic Ladakh Pashmina in national and international markets. Representatives of the All Changthang Pashmina Growers Cooperative Society briefed the participants about the Society's initiatives to strengthen procurement systems, improve quality standards, and enhance the income of Pashmina-producing families across Changthang. Members of CII and participating industrial representatives appreciated the quality of Ladakh Pashmina and expressed keen interest in developing direct sourcing arrangements and collaborative business models. The interactive session concluded with an engaging discussion between buyers and producers, enabling both sides to exchange views on market expectations, product quality, and future cooperation. Delivering the vote of thanks, Deputy Registrar, Cooperatives, Ladakh, expressed gratitude to the members of CII, industrial representatives, buyers, and all participating stakeholders for their enthusiastic participation. He reaffirmed the commitment of the Cooperatives Department, UT Ladakh, to strengthening market linkages for Ladakh Pashmina and ensuring that the benefits of value addition and market access reach the Changpa herders, who are the custodians of this unique natural fibre.
J&K Judicial Academy conducts day-44 of Induction Training for newly appointed Civil Judges
Srinagar, Aug 1: Under the patronage of Acting Chief Justice, High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, Sanjeev Kumar and the guidance of Justice Rajnesh Oswal, Judge, High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh and Chairman, Governing Committee for J&K Judicial Academy, the Jammu and Kashmir Judicial Academy conducted the proceedings of Day-44 of the Pre-Appointment Induction Training Programme (Batch-2026) for the newly appointed Civil Judges (Junior Division) at its Mominabad, Srinagar campus. The forenoon sessions were conducted by Justice Mohd. Yousuf Wani, Judge, High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh and Member, Governing Committee for J&K Judicial Academy, on Criminal Proceedings: From Registration of FIR to Cognizance and Commencement of Trial and Judicial Management of Criminal Cases. Justice Mohd. Yousuf Wani highlighted the importance of induction training as a bridge between the academic learning and practical judicial functioning. Emphasizing the crucial role of Judicial Magistrates in the criminal justice system, Justice Mohd. Yousuf Wani sensitized the trainee officers to various stages of criminal proceedings, including investigation, cognizance, framing of charges, recording of evidence and judicial management of criminal trials. He also emphasized the need for careful exercise of judicial discretion, adherence to procedural safeguards and maintenance of judicial independence, integrity and ethical standards. The afternoon session featured an inspiring address by Justice Rahul Bharti, Judge, High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh and Member, Governing Committee for J&K Judicial Academy. Addressing the trainee Civil Judges, Justice Rahul Bharti said that the officers had now stepped from the world of academic aspirations into the realities of judicial service, where every decision carries lasting consequences. Emphasizing that judicial office demands seriousness, dedication and maturity, Justice Rahul Bharti encouraged the trainees to embrace every challenge as an opportunity to learn and evolve. He impressed upon them that while promotions may come with length of service, true professional achievement lies in acquiring knowledge, developing competence and earning respect through integrity, hard work and excellence in judicial performance. Director, Jammu & Kashmir Judicial Academy, Naseer Ahmad Dar, highlighted the rich judicial experience and expertise of the Resource Persons and interacted with the trainee officers throughout the programme. He emphasized the importance of continuous learning, active participation and a practical understanding of criminal law for the effective discharge of judicial responsibilities.
DC Shopian releases District Statistical Handbook 202425
Shopian, Aug 1: Deputy Commissioner (DC) Shopian, Shishir Gupta on Saturday released the District Statistical Handbook Shopian 202425 at a function held here at Mini- Secretariat, Shopian. The Handbook was released in the presence of ADDC, Dr. Nasir Ahmed Lone, ADC, Dr. Zakir Hussain Faaz, DSEO, Bilqees Zahoor and other concerned officers and officials. Prepared by the District Statistics & Evaluation Office, Shopian, the Handbook is a comprehensive annual publication containing authentic and updated statistical information on the district's key socio-economic sectors, including population, agriculture, horticulture, education, health, infrastructure, economy, financial inclusion, employment, social welfare and other developmental indicators. The publication is expected to serve as a vital reference document for evidence-based planning, policy formulation, monitoring, evaluation and research. Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Commissioner underscored the importance of reliable and timely statistics in strengthening data-driven governance and informed decision-making. He appreciated the efforts of the District Statistics & Evaluation Office, Shopian and acknowledged the cooperation of all line departments in providing quality data for the publication. District Statistics & Evaluation Officer, Shopian, informed that the Handbook has been aligned with the District Good Governance Index (DGGI) framework and incorporates the latest available statistical data across major developmental sectors. She expressed gratitude to the District Administration and all stakeholder departments for their support in the successful compilation of the publication. The District Statistical Handbook 202425 is expected to benefit government departments, policymakers, researchers, academicians, students, development professionals and other stakeholders by providing a reliable and comprehensive statistical profile of the district.
NEET-UG Counselling To Start August 4, Classes From September 8
The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has announced the schedule for NEET-UG 2026 counselling, with the first round of admissions under the All India Quota (AIQ) set to begin on August 4. The academic session for MBBS and other undergraduate medical courses will commence on September 8. According to the schedule, the first round of AIQ []
DG Rural Sanitation reviews SBM (G) progress in Kupwara
Kupwara, Aug 1: Director General, Rural Sanitation, J&K, Anoo Malhotra on Saturday chaired a comprehensive review meeting in Kupwara to assess the progress of key Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) initiatives across the district. The meeting was attended by the Deputy Director, Rural Sanitation, Kashmir, Shabir Ahmad Hakak, Assistant Commissioner Panchayat (ACP) Kupwara, Ab Rashid Sheikh, Assistant Commissioner Development (ACD) Kupwara, Ab Rashid Ganaie, Block Development Officers (BDOs), Assistant Engineers, Junior Engineers, Consultants of the Directorate and other concerned officers. The review focused on the status of rural sanitation assets, door-to-door waste collection services, tendering of sanitation infrastructure, operation and maintenance of existing assets, and other SBM(G)-related works being implemented across the district. During the meeting, the Director General conducted a block-wise review of ongoing projects and directed all Block Development Officers to accelerate the pace of implementation. She emphasized that Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) should remain a priority and instructed the officers to ensure timely execution of all sanctioned works. Emphasizing the need for efficient service delivery, the Director General Rural Sanitation called for the time-bound completion of all ongoing sanitation projects and directed the Assistant Commissioner Panchayat, Kupwara, to closely monitor progress and ensure that all works are completed within the stipulated timelines. She also underscored the need for strengthening door-to-door waste collection services and ensuring that sanitation assets like Plastic Waste Management Units, Segregation Sheds and other allied assets are made fully functional for the benefit of rural communities. Anoo Malhotra reiterated that effective planning, regular monitoring, and coordinated efforts at the block level are essential to achieving the objectives of Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) and maintaining sustainable rural sanitation across the district.
Saudi Crown Prince Raises Concerns as Trump Considers New Iran Strikes
SRINAGAR: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has expressed concern over any further US military escalation against Iran during a phone conversation with US President Donald Trump, as Washington considers additional military action in the region, AP reported. According to a person familiar with the discussion, the Saudi leader sought details about the possible options []
Magnitude 2.9 earthquake jolts Delhi's North District
New Delhi [India], August 2 : An earthquake of magnitude 2.9 jolted Delhi's North District in the early hours of Sunday, according to the National Center for Seismology (NCS). The earthquake occurred at 04:14:01 am IST at a depth of 8 km, with its epicentre located at latitude 28.721 N and longitude 76.957 E. Sharing the details in a post on X, the NCS said that the earthquake occurred at a depth of 8 kilometres. EQ of M: 2.9, On: 02/08/2026 04:14:01 IST, Lat: 28.721 N, Long: 76.957 E, Depth: 8 Km, Location: North District, Delhi, NCS said. Earthquakes can occur anywhere between the Earth's surface and about 700 kilometres below the surface. For scientific purposes, this earthquake depth range of 0-700 km is divided into three zones: shallow, intermediate, and deep, as per USGS data. Shallow earthquakes are generally more dangerous than deep earthquakes. This is because the seismic waves from shallow earthquakes have a shorter distance to travel to the surface, resulting in stronger ground shaking and potentially more damage to structures and greater casualties. (ANI)
Special BudgamKatra train moves 2,200 passengers
Srinagar, Aug 01: With the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway remaining closed due to adverse weather, Northern Railway has intensified efforts to ensure uninterrupted connectivity by operating special train services between Budgam and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, helping nearly 2,200 stranded passengers reach their destinations safely. The special train service was introduced following a sharp increase in passenger footfall at Srinagar and Katra railway stations after the highway closure disrupted road traffic, officials said. The special train departs from Budgam at 1:00 pm and reaches Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra railway station at 4:20 pm, with scheduled halts at Srinagar, Banihal and Sangaldan stations. For the return journey, the train leaves Katra at 5:05 pm and arrives in Budgam at 8:30 pm, providing much-needed relief to hundreds of commuters affected by the highway closure. Railway authorities said the special train service will continue until normal vehicular movement is restored on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway. Officials said the operation has played a crucial role in easing the travel woes of stranded passengers, ensuring seamless connectivity despite the disruption in road transport. They reiterated Northern Railway's commitment to facilitating passenger movement and said the operation of the special trains continue to operate to ease passenger movement until normal traffic on the highway is restored.
Fruit growers urge J&K MPs to raise highway disruptions
Srinagar, Aug 01: The Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers-Cum-Dealers Union (KVFGDU) has written to the Members of Parliament from Jammu and Kashmir, seeking their urgent intervention to ensure smooth and uninterrupted transportation of fresh fruits on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway (NH-44) during the ongoing fruit season. In a letter addressed to Lok Sabha MPs Mian Altaf Ahmad Larvi & Syed Aga Ruhullah Mehdi and Rajya Sabha MP Chowdhary Mohammad Ramza, the growers highlighted the critical dependence of Kashmir's horticulture sector on the highway, describing it as the lifeline for transporting perishable produce to markets across the country. The growers said harvesting of pear, apple and plum is in full swing, with nearly 100 to 120 truckloads of early apple and pear varieties leaving the Valley every day. It cautioned that these fruits have a very short shelf life and even minordelays in transportationcould result in heavy financial losses for growers, many ofwhom havealready suffered due to hail storms and strong winds earlier this year. KVFGDU noted that while the administrationhasadvised transporters to use the Mughal Road during disruptions on NH-44, the alternative route is unsuitable for large-scale movement of heavy fruit-laden trucks. It added that the horticulture industry contributes nearly Rs 12,000 crore to Jammu and Kashmir's economy and supports more than seven lakh families directly or indirectly. They also expressed concern over the current one-way traffic arrangement on NH-44owing to road maintenance and Amarnath Yatrarelated restrictions. It claimed that fruit trucks, which earlier reached markets within a day,are now takingup to four days, adversely affecting the quality and market value of early-season varieties such as Galla, Pear, Plum and Babagosha. Seeking immediate intervention, the growers' body urged the MPs to raise the issue in Parliament through a Calling Attention Motion or Question, demanding urgent repairs of NH-44, restoration of reliable two-way traffic and better coordination among traffic authorities, highway agencies and district administrations to provide real-time road updates and ensure uninterrupted movement of fresh fruit during the peak marketing season.
JKPSC submits 67th Annual Report for 2025-26 to LG Sinha
Srinagar, Aug 01: In compliance with Article 323(2) of the Constitution of India, the Jammu & Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) on Saturday submitted its 67th Annual Report for the year 2025-26 to Lieutenant Governor Shri Manoj Sinha at Lok Bhavan Srinagar, highlighting a year marked by significant administrative reforms, accelerated selection timelines, and robust recruitment drives across key administrative and judicial cadres in the Union Territory. The delegation, led by JKPSC Chairman Shri Arun Kumar Choudhary, included Members Dr Rajiv Singh and Shri Asaf Mehmood Sagar, and Secretary Shri Bashir Ahmad Dar. The Lieutenant Governor commended the JKPSC's commitment to fairness and speed while upholding meritocracy and integrity throughout the recruitment drive. Key Highlights of the Annual Report 2025-26: - Selections: Against 1,263 posts referred, the Commission received 94,546 applications and made 1,152 selections, including selections for Jammu Kashmir Administrative Service, Jammu Kashmir Police Service, Jammu Kashmir Account Service, Junior Judges in the Subordinate Judiciary (39 posts), and faculty posts in various Medical Colleges, Degree Colleges, and other Gazetted level posts. - Examinations: The Commission conducted 52 written tests/Preliminary examinations and 02 Mains examinations. - Departmental Promotions: The Commission held 29 Departmental Promotion Committee meetings and cleared 508 officers for promotion. - Departmental Examinations: The Commission conducted 03 departmental examinations with 813 candidates appearing. - Rule Making: The Commission gave its assent to the recruitment rules of 02 departments. Administrative Reforms and Transparency Measures: - Adoption of 100% written-examination-based recruitment to ensure transparency in the overall recruitment process. - Switchover to the On-Screen Evaluation system to ensure error-free evaluation and avoid delays in the selection process. - Introduction of the system of informing candidates about examinations and interviews through SMS service. The report outlines the achievements of the Commission, constitutional provisions, selections made, DPC meetings held, promotions effected, and recruitment rules approved by departments.
LG hands over appointment letters to police martyrs families
Srinagar, Aug 01: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday handed over appointment letters on compassionate grounds to the families of two J&K Police personnel who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty, assuring them of all possible support from the administration. In a solemn ceremony at Lok Bhavan, the Lieutenant Governor handed over an appointment letter to Absar Ashiq Qureshi, son of Martyr Head Constable Ashiq Hussain Qureshi, who laid down his life during the July 22, 2026 terror attack in Anantnag. The family members of the martyr were present on the occasion. The Lieutenant Governor also handed over an appointment letter to Inshah Nazir, wife of Martyr J&K Police Inspector Masroor Ali Wani, who also made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty. Paying tribute to the brave hearts, the Lieutenant Governor honoured the supreme sacrifice of both the personnel who laid down their lives while serving the nation. He assured the families of every possible support and assistance from the administration. Earlier last week, the Lieutenant Governor had visited the family members of Martyr Head Constable Ashiq Hussain Qureshi at their residence in Lalpora, Beerwah, Budgam, to personally offer his condolences and support. The compassionate appointment letters were issued as part of the government's commitment to the welfare of families of security personnel who make the ultimate sacrifice while protecting the nation. The initiative reflects the administration's resolve to stand by the families of martyrs and ensure their financial security and dignity.
Cloudburst, flash floods ravage Kishtwar, Shopian
Srinagar, Aug 01: Heavy rains wreaked havoc across parts of Jammu and Kashmir onSaturday, with a cloudburst causing extensive damage in Kishtwar's Chatroo area and flash floods inundatingresidential localities in Shopian's Pehlipora village.However,there was no report of any loss of life in either incident. Eye-witnessestold Rising Kashmir thatin Chatroo area of Kishtwar district ofJammu, a cloudburst unleashed a torrent of water, mud and boulders, damaging many houses and shops, sweeping away several vehicles and leaving residents scrambling for safety. The deluge also triggered landslides, forcing the closure of the Kishtwar NationalHighway, the district's lifeline connecting it with Jammu,disrupting traffic and leaving hundreds of commuters stranded, residents said. They saidthatthe cloudburst left a trail of destruction, with floodwaters carrying debris, uprooted trees and rocks through residential areas and the local market. Several houses developed cracks, shops were inundated, while parked vehicles were washed away by the force of the water, said Ghulam Nabi, a local resident. Power supply and communication were affected in some areas as officials launched restoration works. Another resident, Pervez Ahmad, said that it all happened within minutes. Vehicles were washed away before anyone could react, while several houses and shops suffered extensive damage. We have never witnessed such a terrifying situation, he said. Despite the large-scale destruction, officials said there was no loss of life and teams from the district administration, police, and SDRF were immediately deployed to assess the damage and assist affected families. In Pehlipora village of Shopiandistrict ofsouth Kashmir, flash floods triggered by torrential rain sent muddy water rushing into dozens of houses, forcing residents to hurriedly shift furniture, bedding, food stocks and other household belongings to upper floors. Several lanes remained submerged for hours as locals struggled to drain water from their homes. Scenes of panic unfolded as families, including women and children, were seen carrying household items to safer places while others attempted to divert floodwaters using makeshift barriers. Though there were no casualties, household goods and electrical appliances were damaged in many homes. The water entered our houses within a short span of time. We barely had time to save our belongings.Thankfully,everyone remained safe, but the damage to household items is significant, said Muhammad Zaid, a resident of Pehlipora. The latest spell of extreme weather comes amid a noticeable rise in cloudburst incidents across J&K. Official data reveals that 21 cloudbursts were reported during June and July this year, including 14 in the Jammu region and seven in the Kashmir Valley, highlighting the growing frequency of such extreme weather events. Director, Meteorological Centre Srinagar, Dr Mukhtar Ahmad, said the current wet spell is expected to continue till August 7, with intermittent rain and thunderstorms likely across J&K. Intermittent light to moderate rain and thundershowers are expected till August 7. Isolated places, particularly the hilly districts and the Pir Panjal range in Jammu, may receive intense showers capable of triggering cloudbursts, flash floods, landslides, mudslides and shooting stones. People should remain vigilant and avoid venturing near vulnerable areas during heavy rainfall, Dr Ahmad said. Independent weather forecaster Faizan Arif said the prevailing weather system continues to favour highly localised but intense rainfall over mountainous terrain. The interaction of monsoon moisture with the Himalayan topography is creating conditions for very intense, localised downpours. Such weather can rapidly trigger flash floods and cloudbursts, particularly in hilly districts, even when nearby areas receive comparatively less rainfall, Arif said. Officials said district administrations across vulnerable districts have been placed on alert, while disaster response agencies are closely monitoring water levels in streams and nallahs. Road clearance operations, restoration of essential services and damage assessment are underway in the affected areas. The latest incidents once again underscore the increasing vulnerability of J&K's mountainous landscape to extreme weather events. Experts have stressed the need for stronger early warning systems, climate-resilient infrastructure and improved drainage networks as the frequency of cloudbursts and flash floods continues to rise across the Himalayan region. With the MeT forecasting continued wet weather over the next week, authorities have advised people to avoid unnecessary travel on landslide-prone roads, stay away from overflowing streams and nallahs, and strictly follow official weather advisories.
CM announces Rs 10 lakh ex-gratia for each victim's family
Srinagar, Aug 01: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday strongly condemned the dastardly killing of two labourers in Kulgam and announced an ex-gratia relief of Rs 10 lakh each from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF) for the next of kin of the deceased. The Chief Minister expressed profound grief over the loss of innocent lives and said the assistance would be in addition to the Rs 6 lakh immediate relief being provided by the District Administration. He also conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and reaffirmed that the Government stands firmly with them during this difficult time. The Chief Minister prayed for eternal peace to the departed souls and for strength and courage to the bereaved families to bear this irreparable loss.
LG Sinha orders SOP review to protect outside J&K labourers
Srinagar, Aug 01: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday chaired a high-level security review meeting in the wake of the Kulgam terror attack on non-local labourers, directing all Deputy Commissioners and SSPs to conduct a comprehensive review of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) established to protect labourers from outside Jammu and Kashmir. The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, DGP Nalin Prabhat, Principal Secretary Home Chandraker Bharti, Special DG Coordination S.J.M. Gillani, ADGP CID Nitish Kumar, Commissioner Secretary GAD M Raju, IGPs, Divisional Commissioners, SSPs, Deputy Commissioners, and other senior officials. The Lieutenant Governor directed that employers must ensure all workers from other states and Union Territories are provided insurance and that their details are registered with local police and district authorities. We must intensify precise, high-impact anti-terror operations to neutralise the terrorists, he said. He instructed authorities to ensure dignified last rites for the victims of the Kulgam terror attack and to provide all support to bereaved families. The meeting also discussed security arrangements in place for the ongoing Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra and strengthening of the security grid.
KULGAM TERROR ATTACK : Second migrant worker succumbs
Srinagar, Aug 01: The death toll in the terrorist attack on migrant workers in south Kashmir's Kulgam district climbed to two on Saturday, with the second labourer, critically wounded in the attack, succumbing to his injuries at SKIMS Soura. Terrorists attacked two non-local workers at a brick-kiln in the Kelam area of Kulgam district late on Friday evening, leaving one dead on the spot and another seriously wounded. Theslainlabourer was identified as Deepak of Chhattisgarh, while the injuredBhupinder, also from Chhattisgarhwas initially referred to GMC Anantnag and later shifted to SKIMS Soura, where he died in the early hours of Saturday. Hospital sources at SKIMS confirmed that Bhupinder, who had been battling critical gunshot injuries since Friday's attack, died despite the best efforts of the medical team. His death has now raised the toll in the attack to two. The incident has sent shockwaves across J&K, with political leaders and civil society strongly condemning the killing of two labourers. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah described the attack as a cowardly act and reaffirmed their commitment to eliminating terrorism. Meanwhile, a massive search operation is underway across the forested and adjoining areas of Kulgam district, with security forces deploying additional personnel to track down the attackers. Multiple checkpoints have been established, and searches are being conducted to prevent the terrorists from escaping. The Kulgam attack marks the second major terrorist strike in south Kashmir within ten days. On July 22, terrorists shot dead Head Constable Ashiq Hussain Qureshi of the J&K Police in the Anantnag district. Police have registered a case, and investigations are underway as security agencies intensify efforts to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
LG Sinha directs SOP review to protect migrant workers
Srinagar, Aug 1:Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday said directed all the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) to conduct a comprehensive review of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) established to protect labourers from outside Jammu Kashmir. Chairing a high-level security review meeting, LG Sinha said also directed that the employers must ensure all workers from other states and union territories of the country are provided insurance and that their details are registered with local police and district authorities. We must intensify precise, high-impact anti-terror operations to neutralise the terrorists, he said. The LG instructed the authorities to ensure dignified last rites for the victims of the Kulgam terror attack and to provide all the support to bereaved families. The meeting was attended by Atal Dullo, Chief Secretary; Nalin Prabhat, DGP; Chandraker Bharti, Principal Secretary Home Department; S J M Gillani, Special DG Coordination PHQ; Nitish Kumar, ADGP, CID; M Raju, Commissioner Secretary, GAD; IGPs; Divisional Commissioners; DCs; SSPs, and other senior officials. The meeting also discussed the security arrangements in place for the ongoing Amarnath Yatra and strengthening of the security grid.
Apni Party protests Govt failures in Srinagar
Srinagar, Aug 1: The Apni Party on Saturday staged a protest demonstration at Press Colony Srinagar, accusing the government of failing to address public grievances and deliver on its promises. The protest was led by Apni Party Kashmir Provincial President Mohammad Ashraf Mir, with party leaders and workers raising slogans over unemployment, alleged arbitrary arrests, development issues and other concerns. Addressing reporters after the protest, Mir alleged that the government had failed on multiple fronts and was unable to provide basic facilities to people. People gave a massive mandate to the ruling party in the hope that it would fulfil the promises made during the 2024 election campaign. However, the government has failed to deliver on those promises, he said. Mir questioned the government's progress on employment generation, saying educated youth continued to face unemployment despite assurances of creating one lakh jobs after assuming power. He linked unemployment with the growing drug menace and urged the government to take concrete steps to address the issue. The Apni Party leader also accused the government of failing to bridge the developmental gap in Jammu and Kashmir, alleging that the pace of development had slowed down. Expressing concern over the recent killing of two non-local labourers in Kulgam, Mir termed the incident painful and urged authorities to ensure the safety of people working in the region. He also called upon the government to address concerns over alleged arbitrary arrests of youth in different parts of Kashmir and ensure that public grievances are resolved.
Kashmir-Ladakh lifeline stays open despite weather challenges
Ganderbal, Aug 1: Despite persistent rain, landslides and challenging weather conditions throughout the month of July, the Srinagar-Sonamarg-Gumri (SSG) Road the only all-important road link connecting the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir with the Union Territory of Ladakh remained continuously open, ensuring smooth movement of vehicles without any major disruption. The uninterrupted operation of the strategic highway has been widely attributed to timely traffic management by the Traffic Police Sonamarg and the prompt road clearance efforts of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), which worked round the clock to maintain connectivity. Officials said that while several vulnerable stretches of the highway witnessed frequent shooting stones, mudslides and waterlogging due to incessant rainfall, swift action by the Traffic Police and BRO prevented prolonged road closures and ensured that stranded vehicles were cleared at the earliest. Traffic Police Sonamarg maintained strict regulation of vehicular movement, monitored road conditions in real time and coordinated closely with the civil administration and BRO to facilitate safe passage of vehicles, particularly during adverse weather conditions. Officials said the seamless coordination between the Traffic Police Sonamarg and BRO played a decisive role in keeping the strategic road operational despite continuous rainfall and difficult terrain. The SSG Road serves as a crucial lifeline for Ladakh, carrying essential supplies, defence logistics, tourists and local commuters. Locals and commuters appreciated the dedicated efforts of the Traffic Police Sonamarg and BRO personnel, saying their timely response and efficient traffic regulation ensured hassle-free travel even during periods of severe weather. Authorities reiterated that both the Traffic Police and BRO will continue to remain on alert and closely monitor the highway to ensure safe and uninterrupted traffic movement in the event of further adverse weather conditions.
Centre backs Kupwara tourism push with Rs 58 Cr projects
Srinagar, Aug 1:The Union Government has informed Parliament that while the development of unexplored tourist destinations in Kupwara is primarily the responsibility of the J&K administration, the Centre is supporting the district through multiple tourism schemes aimed at strengthening infrastructure, improving visitor experience and promoting border and eco tourism. Replying to an unstarred question by Rajya Sabha member Chowdhury Mohammad Ramzan, Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said the Ministry of Tourism provides financial assistance under schemes such as Swadesh Darshan 2.0, Challenge Based Destination Development and PRASHAD. These schemes support tourism infrastructure and amenities based on project proposals submitted by states and Union Territories. The minister said the J&K administration has committed itself to the planned and sustainable development of emerging destinations in Kupwara, including Lolab Valley, Bangus Valley, Keran, Machil and Teetwal. The tourism strategy focuses on eco tourism, border tourism, adventure tourism and community based tourism. According to the reply, the Tourism Department has proposed infrastructure projects worth more than Rs 58 crore in Kupwara. The investment covers the construction and upgrading of Tourist Facilitation Centres, Tourist Reception Centres, tourist huts, guest houses, interpretation centres, cafeterias and public convenience facilities across Teetwal, Keran, Karnah, Machil, Lolab, Bangus, Zachaldara, Langate and Handwara. The Centre also shared details of individual projects sanctioned in recent years. A Tourist Facilitation Centre at Teetwal was approved during 2023 to 24 at a cost of Rs 80 lakh. During 2024 to 25, Rs 97 lakh was sanctioned for developing Keran as an offbeat destination with toilet complexes, signages, solid waste management, shelter sheds, gazebos, selfie points, illumination, hiking trails, benches and a children's recreation zone. Another Rs 11 lakh was approved towards land compensation for tourism assets in Kupwara.
Rural development must improve lives: Dar
Jammu, Aug 01: Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Cooperative and Election Department, Javid Ahmad Dar, on Saturday chaired a comprehensive review meeting to assess the progress of various rural development initiatives and flagship programmes being implemented across the Jammu Division. The meeting reviewed the progress and implementation of major schemes and programmes, including G-RAM-G, PMAY-G, SBM-G, RGSA, IWMP, NRLM besides other centrally sponsored and departmental initiatives aimed at strengthening the rural infrastructure, improving livelihood opportunities and enhancing the delivery of basic services in rural areas. During the review, the Minister stressed the need for proper transparency, accountability and timely execution of all developmental works. He directed the officers to ensure that the projects are completed within the stipulated timelines without compromising on quality. Javid Dar emphasized that rural development must remain firmly focused on improving the quality of life of people in villages. He called for strengthening the grassroots institutions and ensuring that the benefits of government schemes reach the eligible beneficiaries in a transparent and time-bound manner. The Minister identified water conservation, livelihood enhancement, rural infrastructure, employment generation and effective implementation of welfare schemes as key priority areas. He called for close coordination among different departments and field functionaries to achieve the prescribed targets and address implementation-related challenges promptly. He underscored the importance of active community participation in rural development programmes. He stated that greater involvement of Panchayati Raj Institutions, local communities and beneficiaries is essential for ensuring sustainable outcomes, efficient utilisation of public resources and accountable service delivery. The Minister directed the officers to undertake regular field inspections, closely monitor the progress of ongoing works and ensure that developmental initiatives are aligned with the actual needs and aspirations of rural communities.
No violation of Forest Rights Act permitted: Speaker
Budgam, Aug01: Speaker, Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Abdul Rahim Rather, on Saturday visited village Kanidajan in the Charar-i-Sharief Constituency, where he held a public outreach camp to listen to the grievances of the people, review the developmental needs of the area and assess the overall progress of various public welfare initiatives. During the public interaction, the people apprised the Speaker of several issues concerning the area and projected their developmental aspirations while expressing appreciation for his continued outreach and accessibility. A major concern raised by the villagers pertained to the alleged harassment caused by issuance of eviction notices by the Forest Department and the reported obstruction of agricultural activities on lands which, they said, have been under their possession and cultivation for generations. The residents informed the Speaker that a large number of families are solely dependent on the produce from these lands for their livelihood and urged the government to safeguard their legitimate rights. Addressing the gathering, the Speaker categorically stated that no one would be allowed to act in violation of the provisions of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006. He asserted that the rights of all eligible beneficiaries under the Act would be protected in letter and spirit adding that no undue harassment of villagers would be tolerated. The Speaker said that officers and officials of the Forest Department are expected to be fully conversant with the provisions of the law and must discharge their responsibilities in strict conformity with the legal framework. He said that the government has recently issued comprehensive guidelines clearly explaining implementation of the relevant provisions of the Forest Rights Act. He cautioned that no individual should attempt to misuse the Act as a pretext for fresh encroachments on forest land or government property, emphasizing that the law must be implemented fairly and transparently while safeguarding the rights of genuine beneficiaries. The villagers also highlighted several long-pending developmental requirements, including improvement of road connectivity, augmentation of drinking water supply, strengthening of electricity infrastructure, upgradation of the local High School to Higher Secondary level, enhancement of healthcare facilities and establishment of veterinary centres in the area. Responding to the demands, the Speaker assured the gathering that the government remains fully committed to the welfare and inclusive development of the people. He said that all genuine issues projected by the residents would be taken up with the concerned departments and addressed in a phased and time-bound manner.
R&B begins bridge repairs in Ganderbals Gund
Ganderbal: Repair work has commenced on the bridge over Nallah Sindh in the Sumbal Bala area of Gund tehsil in Central Kashmir's Ganderbal district. The bridge had been in a dilapidated condition for several years, prompting the Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department to undertake restoration work. The bridge was constructed nearly three decades ago over Nallah Sindh. Over the years, its condition deteriorated significantly, posing a serious risk to motorists and commuters using the route. Local residents said they had repeatedly raised the issue with the authorities, following which the bridge was declared unsafe. Gund Police also classified the bridge as unsafe and imposed a complete ban on the movement of heavy vehicles across it, although light motor vehicles continued to use the structure. Residents further said they had demanded the construction of a completely new bridge from the government, the concerned authorities instead of temporary repairs. On Saturday, the concerned department finally started repair work on the bridge. Following the commencement of work, SHO Gund personally visited the site and imposed a complete restriction on the movement of both pedestrians and vehicles. He said no one would be allowed to use the bridge until the repair work is completed and urged the public to remain patient and cooperate with the authorities. The bridge serves as a vital lifeline, connecting not only Sumbal Bala and neighbouring villages but also a large part of Gund tehsil. Locals said the bridge is also strategically important for the Srinagar-Leh National Highway. Whenever the highway is blocked due to landslides or road accidents, traffic is diverted through this route and bridge. Meanwhile, residents once again appealed to the Chief Minister and the MLA Kangan to sanction the construction of a new concrete bridge instead of limiting the work to repairs, saying a permanent structure would prevent future inconvenience and ensure public safety.
Cloudburst hits Minamarg, 20 Bakerwals rescued
Drass, Aug 1: A cloudburst triggered flash floods and landslides near Mina-2 in Minamarg in Drass district on Saturday evening, prompting a swift rescue operation by Police Post Minamarg, which safely evacuated around 20 members of four Bakerwal families to safer locations. No loss of life or injuries were reported in the incident, officials said. An official said the cloudburst struck the Minamarg area on the evening of August 1, causing flash floods and landslides that affected four temporary Bakerwal shelters (deras) situated opposite Police Post Minamarg. The shelters housed approximately 20 people. Responding immediately, personnel of Police Post Minamarg launched a rescue operation and shifted all the affected families to the Police Post Minamarg building and the nearby Sheep Husbandry Department building, ensuring their safety. During the incident, a Wagon R vehicle was washed away by the force of the flash flood. However, all occupants of the vehicle escaped safely, and no casualties were reported. The cloudburst also disrupted traffic on the DrassSrinagar National Highway, with movement temporarily suspended at the affected stretch due to debris and landslides. Police teams, assisted by road clearance machinery, are on the spot and are working to remove debris and restore vehicular movement at the earliest. District Police Drass has advised commuters, tourists, and local residents to avoid crossing overflowing streams, water channels, and other flood-prone areas. Authorities have urged the public to exercise extreme caution while travelling until weather conditions improve and the highway is declared safe for traffic. Officials said rescue and restoration operations are continuing in the area, while the situation is being closely monitored. No further damage or casualties had been reported till the filing of this report.
Baramulla admin mandates CCTV for shops, telecom towers
Srinagar, Aug 1: The District Magistrate Baramulla has directed all commercial establishments and telecom service providers in the district to install or upgrade CCTV surveillance systems within 30 days, citing the prevailing security situation and the need to strengthen surveillance. According to Order No. 29-DMB/2026, issued on August 1 under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, the directions have been issued on the recommendations of the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Baramulla. The order states that CCTV surveillance at commercial establishments, markets and other public places has significantly enhanced monitoring, aided criminal investigations and helped prevent criminal and subversive activities across the district. It notes that, in view of incidents of theft, drug peddling, narcotics-related activities, vandalism and the movement of suspicious elements, there is a need to further strengthen the surveillance mechanism in Baramulla. The SSP Baramulla, in a communication dated May 9, informed the district administration that nearly 65 to 70 per cent of commercial establishments in the district have not yet installed CCTV cameras. The police recommended that such establishments install high-resolution cameras and that those already equipped with CCTV systems expand their coverage to include nearby roads, access lanes, and entry and exit points. The order further states that during a meeting of the District Level Security Review Committee (DLSRC), telecom tower sites were identified as critical infrastructure due to their role in communication during emergencies, disasters and law and order situations. The police observed that these sites remain vulnerable to sabotage, theft and other security threats, and recommended installation or augmentation of CCTV surveillance at all telecom tower sites across the district. Under the directions, all commercial establishments without CCTV cameras must install an adequate number of high-resolution cameras to ensure complete visual coverage of their premises, including surrounding roads, lanes and access points. Establishments that already have CCTV systems have been instructed to enhance their surveillance network by installing additional cameras wherever necessary. Similarly, all telecom service providers and operators have been directed to install or upgrade CCTV surveillance systems at and around their telecom tower sites as a security measure. The administration has also mandated that all CCTV systems remain operational round the clock, including during non-business hours, and maintain recorded footage for a minimum of 30 days. The order directs all owners and proprietors of commercial establishments and telecom operators to comply within 30 days from the date of issuance. It warns that any violation or non-compliance will invite action under the relevant provisions of law. The Senior Superintendent of Police, Baramulla, and the Senior Superintendent of Police, Sopore, have been tasked with ensuring effective implementation and monitoring of the order.
Staff shortage hits rural healthcare
Srinagar, Aug 1: Rural healthcare services in Jammu and Kashmir continue to face a significant shortage of medical professionals and paramedical staff, with hundreds of sanctioned posts lying vacant across PHCS, CHCs, as per the Health Dynamics of India (Infrastructure and Human Resources) 2023-24 report released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The report reveals that out of the 1,517 sanctioned posts for doctors and medical officers in rural PHCs across Jammu and Kashmir, only 935 are currently filled, leaving 582 posts vacant. The shortage is expected to impact the delivery of primary healthcare services, particularly in remote and underserved areas where PHCs serve as the first point of contact for patients. The report also highlights a substantial shortage of specialist doctors at rural CHCs. Against a sanctioned strength of 181 specialists, including surgeons, obstetricians and gynaecologists, physicians, and paediatricians, only 100 posts are occupied, while 81 remain vacant. Diagnostic services have been hit due to vacancies among technical staff. The report states that there are 132 sanctioned posts of radiographers in rural CHCs, of which 114 are filled, leaving 18 vacancies. The nursing workforce also continues to face a significant shortfall. According to the report, J&K has a sanctioned strength of 924 nursing staff across PHCs and CHCs in rural areas, but 266 posts remain vacant, affecting patient care and the functioning of health facilities. Laboratory services are similarly under pressure. Of the 658 sanctioned posts for laboratory technicians, only 546 are filled, while 112 remain vacant, limiting diagnostic capabilities in several rural health institutions. The report notes that there are 1,211 sanctioned posts for pharmacists in rural PHCs and CHCs across the Union Territory. However, only 946 pharmacists are in position, leaving 265 vacancies that could be affecting dispensing of medicines at government health facilities. Health Dynamics of India is an annual publication of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's Statistics Division which provides data on health infrastructure and human resources in public health facilities across the country based on information furnished by States and UTs.
The Silent Boardroom: How Autonomous Software Is Rewriting Financial Risk
Not long ago, the biggest debate in banking was whether chatbots could answer customer queries without frustrating clients. Today, that debate seems almost quaint. A far more consequential transformation is underway behind the closed doors of bank boardrooms. Artificial intelligence is no longer merely assisting employees; it is beginning to make financial decisions, execute transactions, investigate suspicious activities, and optimise capital allocation with little or no human intervention. This shift marks the arrival of Agentic AIa new generation of autonomous software capable of planning, reasoning, and acting independently to achieve defined goals. Unlike conventional AI systems that wait for human prompts, agentic systems can decide what information to gather, which software tools to use, and what sequence of actions to execute before completing a task. For the global financial industry, this promises unprecedented efficiency. It also raises one uncomfortable question: when autonomous software makes a costly mistake, who is legally responsible? The answer remains surprisingly unclear. Banks have compelling reasons to embrace this technology. According to global industry estimates, financial institutions spend well over US$600 billion annually on technology, with artificial intelligence becoming one of the fastest-growing areas of investment. Rising compliance costs, persistent cyber threats, complex regulations, and customer expectations for real-time services have pushed banks to automate almost every operational process possible. Studies by leading consulting firms estimate that AI could generate hundreds of billions of dollars in additional annual value for the global banking sector through better productivity, fraud prevention, and operational efficiency. Yet the latest wave of AI differs fundamentally from the automation banks adopted over the past decade. Traditional generative AI writes reports, drafts emails, summarises documents, or produces computer code after receiving instructions from a human user. The human still decides what action to take. Agentic AI changes that relationship. Instead of asking software to prepare an analysis, a bank might simply instruct an autonomous system to minimise cross-border settlement costs while complying with liquidity regulations across multiple jurisdictions. The software can independently retrieve market data, evaluate foreign exchange rates, choose payment channels, execute transactions, verify compliance, and continuously adjust its strategy as conditions evolve. In lending, autonomous AI agents are beginning to replace periodic credit reviews with continuous risk assessment. Instead of waiting months to evaluate a borrowers financial health, these systems analyse real-time transaction data, cash flows, payroll deposits, tax records, and open banking information to recommend dynamic changes in credit limits almost instantly. Financial crime detection is undergoing a similar transformation. Anti-Money Laundering (AML) teams traditionally spend countless hours examining suspicious transactions and preparing regulatory reports. Increasingly, AI agents can identify unusual behavioural patterns, investigate customer histories, prepare Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs), and recommend immediate account restrictions before a compliance officer even opens the file. For banks, the commercial attraction is obvious. Decisions that once required days can now be completed in minutesor even seconds. But speed creates its own risks. Modern banking regulation has always rested on one fundamental assumption: somewhere in every important decision-making chain, there is a human being who can be held accountable. Agentic AI weakens that assumption. Suppose an autonomous lending system systematically rejects mortgage applications from applicants living in particular neighbourhoods because historical data incorrectly associated those locations with higher default risks. Customers suffer discrimination, but the bias was neither explicitly programmed nor consciously intended. Who should regulators hold responsible? The bank could argue that it relied on a commercially licensed AI platform developed by an external technology company. The software developer may respond that its model functioned exactly as designed and merely followed objectives established by the bank. The AI system itself cannot bear legal liability because software has neither legal personality nor moral agency. This emerging accountability gap represents perhaps the greatest governance challenge facing modern finance. The risks extend beyond individual lending decisions. Imagine autonomous trading agents operating simultaneously across competing financial institutions. Each algorithm seeks to maximise returns by responding instantly to changing market conditions. Without communicating with one another, several systems could independently adopt similar strategies during periods of market stress, triggering rapid asset sales, draining liquidity, and amplifying volatility across financial markets. No trader intended market manipulation. No executive issued unlawful instructions. Yet the collective outcome could resemble coordinated behaviour. Financial law has little experience dealing with algorithmic coordination that emerges without human conspiracy. Unfortunately, regulation is struggling to keep pace. The European Unions AI Act has established the worlds first comprehensive framework for regulating high-risk artificial intelligence systems, while international banking standards under the Basel framework continue strengthening operational resilience and risk governance. Both represent significant progress. Yet they were largely conceived for AI systems that support human decisionsnot autonomous agents capable of adapting their behaviour continuously after deployment. Even banks own governance structures are beginning to show signs of strain. For decades, financial institutions have relied upon the Three Lines of Defense model: business operations, independent risk management, and internal audit. This framework assumes that operational risks evolve slowly enough for human oversight to remain effective. Autonomous AI changes the timeline entirely. An AI agent can execute thousands of financial decisions every second. Compliance teams, however, investigate issues over hours or days. By the time auditors identify problematic behaviour, millions of transactions may already have been completed. That mismatch demands an entirely new regulatory philosophy. Instead of focusing solely on model accuracy, supervisors should require Explainability by Design. Every significant autonomous financial decision must generate secure, tamper-proof records explaining which data were considered, why a particular action was chosen, and whether alternative options were rejected. Equally important are mandatory circuit breakers. Just as stock exchanges automatically halt trading during extraordinary volatility, autonomous banking systems should immediately suspend high-risk operations whenever predefined safety thresholds are crossed. Human supervisors must retain the unquestioned authority to override autonomous decisions before systemic damage occurs. The objective should not be to slow innovation but to ensure that innovation remains governable. There is little doubt that autonomous AI will transform banking over the next decade. Institutions that successfully deploy these technologies will improve customer service, reduce operational costs, strengthen fraud detection, and allocate capital more efficiently than ever before. However, history offers an important lesson. Every major financial innovationfrom complex derivatives to high-frequency tradinginitially promised efficiency before exposing weaknesses in governance. Agentic AI is unlikely to be any different. Banks may increasingly delegate execution to intelligent software, but they cannot delegate accountability. Responsibility for financial stability will continue to rest with boards of directors, regulators, auditors, and policymakersnot with algorithms. The boardrooms of tomorrow may indeed become quieter as autonomous systems assume more operational authority. But public trust in banking has never depended on how intelligent financial institutions become. It depends on whether someone remains answerable when intelligence fails. That is the real risk the financial sector must confront before autonomous software is allowed to manage the worlds money. (The Author is Assistant Professor, Department of Commerce, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Bilaspur, C.G.)
Shield of Courage, Sword of Justice: Transforming Womens Safety in India
The recurring atrocities against women in India present an urgent imperative for both societal introspection and institutional action. Protecting bodily autonomy and human dignity cannot rely solely on post-crime legal intervention; it demands a proactive, multi-tiered strategy combining physical self-reliance, parental encouragement, institutional martial arts training, rapid policing, and an uncompromising judicial system. 1. The Baramulla Episode: A Case of Cruelty and War-Footing Action The recent incident in Baramulla, Jammu & Kashmir, starkly illustrates both the grave threats facing women and the necessity of rapid law enforcement response. A young woman and her male friend were accosted at Jalsheeri Drangbal, subjected to physical assault, and sexually assaulted. Adding to the horror, the perpetrators recorded the crime on video to circulate and humiliate the victimturning heinous violence into a twisted spectacle of power. However, the response by the police offers a crucial blueprint for accountability. Led by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Gurinderpal Singh, the Baramulla police acted on a war footing. Despite the survivor knowing only the first names of the suspects, investigators deployed technical evidence and human intelligence to swiftly identify and arrest the two accusedShakir Ahmed Lone and Mohammed Ashraf. While such prompt police action deserves commendation, it also underscores the urgent need for trials to match this speed, ensuring that initial police arrests lead to swift and undeniable legal conviction. 2. A Real-Life Example: Kashmirs Martial Artists in Agra The transformative potential of martial arts for young women is not merely theoretical; it is proven in real-life encounters. During my tenure heading the martial arts wing of the J&K Thang-Ta Association, our state teamcomprising dozens of skilled young men and womenwas invited to Agra by a sister concern organization to participate in a major national tournament. Led and supervised by our General Secretaryan outstanding martial arts trainer and sports enthusiastour participants performed exceptionally, winning dozens of medals across ranges and securing the runners-up position for the state. Following the event, our hosts from the Sports Ministry and Milton International School organized a sightseeing trip to must-see places in Agra, including the Taj Mahal. As our group was exiting the Taj Mahal premises, a group of local youths began teasing and harassing one of our female players. Despite her clear warnings to stop, the harassers became increasingly volatile. Confronted with an escalating threat, the courageous girl relied on her martial arts training: with swift and decisive precision, she struck back, leaving two attackers flat on the ground and a third receiving three stitches on his forehead before being taken to a first-aid center. On-duty police officers responded swiftly and warmly commended the young athlete from Kashmir for defending herself in such a heroic manner. This real-world incident exemplifies the very spirit young women must embody when facing adverse situations. 3. The Imperative of Self-Defense and Martial Arts Education To ensure women can navigate public and private spaces freely and fearlessly, personal safety training must become a foundational right of growing up: Parental Role Across All Demographics: Parents, regardless of caste, creed, or socio-economic background, must actively encourage and educate their daughters in methods of self-preservation. Instilling confidence, bodily awareness, and fearlessness from an early age removes hesitation during moments of crisis. Institutional Integration of Martial Arts: Educational institutionsfrom high schools to universitiesshould integrate mandatory self-defense modules into physical education curricula. Training in discipline-based martial arts (such as Thang-Ta, Taekwondo, Judo, Karate, or specialized unarmed combat) equips female students with: Tactical situational awareness to spot and neutralize potential threats early. Practical offensive and defensive techniques to break free from physical grabs and counter attackers. Mental fortitude and composure to react decisively under extreme stress. When physical self-defense is normalized within academic environments, it transforms vulnerability into individual and collective resilience. 4. The Statistical Landscape of Sexual Violence in India While personal empowerment provides a vital first line of defense, state mechanisms must ensure that perpetrators face severe legal consequences. Data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) outlines the scale of the challenge: Incidence Rate: India registers an average of 80 to 90 reported rape cases per day (exceeding 31,000 annually). This figure accounts only for reported offenses, while many incidents remain unreported due to social stigma and intimidation. Police Action & Charge-sheeting: On the investigative front, Indian police forces demonstrate a strong charge-sheeting ratefrequently between 70% and 77% in reported crimes against womendemonstrating that suspects are regularly identified and formally charged. Judicial Pendency & Low Conviction Rates: The primary bottleneck remains in the courtrooms: The conviction rate for rape cases historically hovers around 20% to 28%. The pendency rate in courts for sexual offenses exceeds 85% to 90%, leaving hundreds of thousands of cases tied up in prolonged legal battles. 5. Eliminating Procedural Delays In many high-profile gang rape cases across the nation, justice is compromised not by a lack of police response, but by extended judicial proceedings. Delays in forensic reports, defense adjournments, and witness intimidation prolong the ordeal for survivors and their families. While Fast-Track Special Courts (FTSCs) have been established, their capacity must be expanded to ensure time-bound trials that conclude within months rather than years. Conclusion Building a safe society for women requires two unbreakable pillars: empowered individuals trained and encouraged to defend themselves, and a swift, uncompromising legal system that holds every perpetrator accountable without delay. By mandating martial arts education across all academic institutions and combining prompt policing with fast-track trials, society can move from transient outrage to lasting deterrenceensuring every woman lives with dignity, freedom, and absolute safety. (The author is a Former Civil Servant from the J&K Administrative Service. Feedback: nisargilani57748@gmail.com )
Teacher Education: End B.Ed. through Distance Education
The future of any nation is shaped in its classrooms, and the quality of those classrooms depends upon the quality of its teachers. If teachers are inadequately prepared, the consequences extend far beyond schools, they affect generations. Therefore, teacher education cannot be treated like an ordinary academic programme. It is a professional qualification that demands rigorous training, practical experience, and continuous supervision. It is time for India to confront a difficult but necessary reality: B.Ed. through distance education should no longer be allowed. The Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) programme was never intended to be merely a degree. It was designed to produce competent teachers capable of managing classrooms, understanding child psychology, planning lessons, evaluating learning, addressing individual differences, and inspiring young minds. These are practical competencies that can only be developed through sustained interaction with faculty, peers, and school children in real educational settings. Teaching is a profession learned by doing, not merely by reading. This is precisely why the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) was created. Its mandate is to ensure that teacher education institutions maintain uniform standards and prepare professionally competent teachers. The objective is not simply to issue degrees but to safeguard the quality of school education by ensuring that every teacher has undergone meaningful professional training. If the practical foundation of teacher education is weakened, the very purpose of regulating teacher education is defeated. A B.Ed. curriculum includes school internships, classroom observation, lesson planning, micro-teaching, demonstration lessons, classroom management, teaching aids, educational technology, and continuous evaluation. These are not symbolic formalities. They are the heart of teacher education. A student becomes a teacher only after repeatedly entering classrooms, teaching real students, making mistakes, receiving guidance, and improving through supervised practice. Distance education cannot replicate this experience. No amount of study material, online lectures, or occasional contact classes can replace months of structured classroom engagement. Professional confidence develops through experience, not correspondence. The inconsistency becomes even more apparent when compared with other professional courses. Medicine requires clinical rotations. Nursing requires hospital postings. Engineering requires laboratories and fieldwork. Law students undergo internships and practical training. Society rightly insists that professionals demonstrate competence before entering their respective fields. Why should teaching, a profession responsible for shaping millions of children, be treated differently? If practical exposure is indispensable for every other professional qualification, it is equally indispensable for teacher education. Supporters of distance-mode B.Ed. often argue that it increases access to higher education, especially for candidates in remote regions. Expanding access is undoubtedly important, but accessibility must never come at the cost of professional standards. The answer lies in establishing more quality teacher education institutions, strengthening regional colleges, improving infrastructure, and providing financial support to deserving studentsnot by weakening the practical foundation of teacher preparation. Even in-service teachers should pursue B.Ed. only through regular, institution-based programmes. While teaching experience is valuable, it cannot substitute for structured pedagogical training, faculty interaction, supervised learning, and continuous assessment. Governments and employers should support teachers through study leave or flexible schedules rather than relying on distance-mode B.Ed. programmes Quality should never be sacrificed for convenience. There is another issue that deserves attention. When professional programmes become primarily degree-oriented rather than competency-oriented, public confidence begins to erode. Parents expect that every teacher entrusted with their children has received rigorous and supervised professional training. That expectation is entirely reasonable. If teacher education becomes a process of earning a qualification without sufficient classroom immersion, it ultimately affects the quality of learning in schools. The greatest victims are not universities or policymakersthey are the children sitting in classrooms every day. Universities that continue to offer B.Ed. through distance mode should carefully reconsider whether such programmes truly fulfil the objectives of professional teacher education. The goal of higher education institutions should never be limited to awarding degrees. Their foremost responsibility is to prepare capable professionals who meet the highest standards of competence and ethics. The Government of India, the NCTE, state governments, and universities should undertake a comprehensive review of teacher education policy and phase out distance-mode B.Ed. programmes. Teacher education should be delivered only through regular institutions with compulsory attendance, supervised internships, continuous practical assessment, and meaningful engagement with schools. Technology can enrich teacher education, but it cannot replace the classroom experience that lies at its core. India has rightly introduced reforms aimed at improving learning outcomes and strengthening the education system. Those reforms will remain incomplete unless equal attention is given to the quality of teacher preparation. Strong schools require strong teachers, and strong teachers require rigorous professional training. Teacher education is not merely about obtaining a certificate. It is about acquiring the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and professional competence needed to shape future generations. That responsibility is too important to be fulfilled through distance education. The time for a policy review has passed. The time for decisive policy action has arrived. B.Ed. through distance education should be discontinued in the interest of educational quality, professional integrity, and the future of our children. (The author is a columnist and can be reached at: smmrtzbkhr@gmail.com )
CROSS ROADS You dont know my name. You also do not know what I look like. And Mama told me that it is for the better. By any means, you are not interested in knowing who I am. But trust me, while being broken, Mama is eternally grateful to all of you and to the one who dishonoured my dignity. I am a girl from a small town, called Mattan in district Anantnag. When I was nine years old, my parents sent me to the local Imams house to learn the word of God. The local Imam, instead of teaching me the sacred word of God, decided to show me the devilish acts of Satan. Since then, simple daily rituals have become so severely agonizing. Pain which seems to hide itself behind the necessary necessities of life while it reminds me of those terrifying days whenever my heavy breaths warn me that I am still alive. It started when I was eleven while I was alone at his house with him to learn divine teachings and his wife had gone to a relative of hers. That lonely, paralyzed, mute moment when he touched me for the first time with his ugly lust is only punctuated by the subsequent moments in which he grew bolder and I was culpable of becoming docile. I had to endure everything. From being touched inappropriately to being raped savagely. There are moments when I suddenly burst into tears. At times I feel so abhorred of myself that it makes me want to cut every inch of my body which he grabbed. Perhaps, this flesh of mine should be ripped apart and cut into pieces of meat before it could sew back my unsuspecting childhood. Today, I am fifteen years old and whenever I am alone, my mind dwells to those torturous spells which continued at least twice a week for four long years, and I abruptly start panicking and pulling my hair while biting my arm. He was my teacher. I trusted him. I still remember his hideous face with that ghastly smile whenever he would latch onto me like a ferocious animal while peeling off my clothes and tattering me with his venomous stenchy existence. The very sight of a man, any man, turns my stomach. As if I will vomit blood. Somehow, after four horrific years, I gathered the courage to tell Mama, which has made me, for lack of a better word, pragmatic. Mama told me that I had been lucky as I could have been molested by someone else. A drug-addict, businessman, policeman, non-local labourer, army man or just any other random man whom the neighbours, village and society at large would be unwilling to shield. She also said that by virtue of the society protecting this culprit, who was a respected Imam and led prayers in the mosque, I and our whole family had been saved from the wrath of humiliation. Apparently, the rapist is equally significant as the raped one, if not more. At least, in my case. Mama also reminded me that I was a girl. And in Kashmir, male-chauvinism and patriarchy ruled the roost. She tried explaining it, Havent you noticed that all our relatives and neighbours who do not have a son, have long rows of daughters and sometimes at the end of such a row of daughters, there is one son which only bears witness to the fact how persistent the parents have been in realizing their preferred offspring. My child, you are a girl. You must start to understand these things. Beta, you are getting older now, dont you see that all the daughters of your uncles married as soon as they completed their matriculation or higher secondary, while your own brother and cousin brothers went to Anantnag, Srinagar and even Jammu for higher studies. The same happened to your friend from across the street, Haniya, who got married after failing twice in the 9th class, she said. Baba cares for you and tries to give you everything you want, but at dinner you and I can only choose what to eat after your brother is presented with the juiciest piece of meat or chicken. You study, but you also must start doing more household chores now. You must possess all traits of becoming a good wife and a good daughter-in-law. You are a girl and you must uphold the honour of the family, she said firmly. Mama told me that in Kashmir the reality is that there is a disproportionate distribution of liberties among men and women and because of that there exists a set of gender-based discriminatory rules of punishment if the parameters of those liberties are surpassed. She explained that the sooner I would accept this reality, the better it would be for me and my future life. You cant fight it, my girl. When a girl gets raped, everyone blames the girl, and that forces her and her family into silence. Especially if it is done by an Imam! This is how it has always been and this is how it always will be, she said. I had the feeling that she tried to condone what happened to me by saying that if I had been molested by a drug-addict, businessman, policeman, non-local labourer, army man or just any other random man instead of an Imam, the whole of Kashmir would have been willing to lay down each and every Kashmiri life to punish the culprit. Then, the fact that I was molested by someone whom many would like to pin down because of various personal, religious or political motives, would have turned me into a victim. She clarified that in Kashmir it was normal to distinguish between right and wrong on the basis of religion, nationality, political affiliations, social status, caste, influence and what not. This had made us believe that injustice and atrociousness had a face, a name and a God. Depending on that face, the name and the God, we either remain silent or choose to speak. Dont worry. Everything will be fine. Have faith in Allah. Nobody in the neighbourhood talks about it. Nobody wants to know. You will get married when you grow up and you wont even remember all of this, she assured me. Accusing a man which we all found pious enough to become the Imam of the mosque of our neighbourhood, would not raise questions about him, but about you. Everyone will call you a liar, unchaste and immodest, and us bad parents. Even if the police would have caught him red-handed or there would have been video evidence which cannot be denied, it would not have guaranteed you justice and him punishment. Dozens of religious bodies and Imams like him would be up in arms to defend the culprit and call it a conspiracy against Islam as such a thing would disturb their businesses. Many of them are all part of the same ecosystem. Mama continued, Nobody, even for once, would think of you, my girl. Mama sighed, My child, did we ever think about those girls who were raped by Mujahideen. Even today, nobody talks about it while it has become a routine practice for these Mujahideen to take advantage of Kashmiri girls in the worst possible manners. While these Mujahideen should have been castrated, it was the girls who were forced to commit abortion. Nobody condemns these men. Nobody wants to speak about the fact that all these Mujahideen have ruined the lives of thousands of young nave Kashmiri girls. Today, instead of lynching these bastards, many of whom are amongst us, all of us only condemn the girls if any of them dares to speak out about it. We collectively abuse them and refer to these poor girls as whores. Mama went further and explained that if something like this would come out in the open, I would be pressurized to lie, and our family would be intimidated to save the honour of the neighbourhood, village and Islam. Neighbours, relatives and acquaintances would be approached and used to dispute my statement. Everybody would see my face. Instead of being the victim, I would be treated as the culprit. I would be considered guilty of accusing a respectable Imam. I would have to prove my innocence by evidencing my rape in police stations, hospitals, in the media and at every square in the city where I would be raped over and over again. It was a battle not worth fighting according to Mama. She reassured me again by saying that soon I will forget everything. Soon, this all would seem like a distant bad dream. Mama continued, We have been very lucky. Imagine, if someone would know. Many in the village have come to know about his character years ago, but nobody dares to speak about it. There are many more girls who have endured the same. But nobody says anything. And why would you ruin your and our reputation? You should never tell anyone. It was raining outside. Not heavily. Small soft drops. I could hear the raindrops falling. Like the sound of a ticking clock. I tried not to cry. At least not louder than the falling raindrops. It seemed as if time had come to a standstill, while the raindrops kept ticking on the window. For the first time this evening, I removed my head from Mamas lap. I looked at her slender hands, while tears rolled down my face. Instinctively, she brought her hands to my cheeks in an attempt to wipe my tears. I detested pulling my hair. I hated the nightmares which did not let me sleep. I disgusted my being and the man who did this to me. I stared at her bereft face and asked, Mama, it means I preserved my dignity by getting raped by an Imam? Sobbingly, she nodded and pressed my head into her bosom. You and I both know that she lied. (The Author is the Director of European Foundation for South Asian Studies (EFSAS) and can be reached at: j.qureshi@efsas.org )
The man who stayed, the village that stood by him
Handwara, Aug 01: The death of 86 year old Mohan Lal, a Kashmiri Pandit who chose to stay in his native village despite decades of turmoil, brought together the entire village of Khano Bababgud on Saturday as Muslim neighbours performed his last rites and bid him a heartfelt farewell. Mohan Lal had been battling cancer for a long time. Living in poor financial condition, he depended largely on the support of local residents during his illness. Villagers said they stood by him through his difficult days, helping him with his daily needs and ensuring he never felt abandoned. While thousands of Kashmiri Pandits left the Valley during the early 1990s, Mohan Lal decided to remain in the village where he had spent his entire life. Residents said he continued to live peacefully among his Muslim neighbours, who treated him like a member of their own families. He never left Kashmir, and we never made him feel he was alone here, a local resident said. He lived with us as our elder, and today it was our responsibility to stand with him in his final journey. As news of his death spread, villagers gathered at his home to help with the funeral arrangements. Residents said every individual contributed something needed for the last rites. Some arranged the wood and other materials, others helped prepare the cremation site, while many accompanied the funeral procession and offered their support until the final rituals were completed. The villagers said helping Mohan Lal during his illness and standing beside him after his death was a natural duty towards a neighbour who had shared their joys and hardships for decades. Many described him as a humble and respected man who maintained warm relations with everyone in the village. They recalled that despite advancing age, illness and financial hardship, he chose to remain in his ancestral home, placing his trust in the people around him. For the residents of Khano Bababgud, Mohan Lal's final journey became more than a funeral. It reflected the bond he had built over a lifetime with his neighbours, who ensured that he left this world with dignity, respect and the support of the community he had always called home.
After tender deadlock, rain puts brakes on J&K macadamization
Srinagar, Aug 1: What began with a prolonged tender impasse has now run into another roadblock. Jammu and Kashmir's macadamization drive, delayed for nearly two months over a dispute in the tendering process, is now being hampered by persistent wet weather, thereby slowing progress on execution of road works across several parts of the Union Territory. The government had approved a massive macadamization plan worth Rs 223 crore in May, including Rs 155.83 crore earmarked for macadamization during the current financial year. The process, however, remained stalled as the contractors boycotted tenders, citing unviable rates in view of rising input costs. The impasse ended after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah held discussions with representatives of the J&K Hot Mix Plant Association, assuring them that their concerns would be addressed. Following the meeting, contractors decided to participate in the tendering process, paving the way for the commencement of macadamization works. The delay had left roads across Jammu and Kashmir riddled with potholes, causing traffic congestion, vehicle damage and inconvenience to commuters. Although the tender issue has now been resolved, continuous rainfall over the past several days has affected road conditions and hampered the pace of macadamization works in several areas, delaying much-needed relief for commuters. Jammu and Kashmir is currently witnessing frequent wet spells, which has led to the flash floods and landslides at multiple places in the past more than one week. The roads have also got inundated frequently, which has simultaneously hampered the macadamization process across the Union Territory. An official from the Roads and Building (R&B) department informed Rising Kashmir that the prevailing weather conditions have forced the pause in the macadamization process. We are all ready. The men and machinery have been on toes. We are expecting relief from the present weather situation and the work would be started again with a pace to ensure that all the roads planned to be macadamized this year will be completed, the official said.
US Embassies Across Middle East Issue Security Alerts as Tensions With Iran Escalate
SRINAGAR: US embassies across several Middle Eastern countries on Saturday advised American citizens to avoid non-essential travel, exercise heightened vigilance and be prepared for possible departures, citing the potential for unforeseen escalation in the conflict with Iran. In a security alert, the US Embassy in Jordan warned that Americans in the region should be prepared []
Well Hit Iran Very Hard: Trump Warns Amid Reports of Fresh US Strikes
SRINAGAR: US President Donald Trump on Saturday warned that the United States would hit Iran very hard, amid media reports that his administration is considering a fresh round of military strikes that could begin as early as this weekend and potentially target the countrys energy infrastructure. Speaking during a cabinet meeting at the Camp David []
Kashmirs MMA Sensation Owais Yaqoob Faces Undefeated Bulgarian in BRAVE CF 107
SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmirs rising mixed martial arts (MMA) sensation Owais Yaqoob is all set to take on the toughest challenge of his professional career when he locks horns with undefeated Bulgarian fighter Delyan Georgiev at BRAVE Combat Federation 107 in Burgas, Bulgaria, on Saturday night. The highly anticipated 68-kilogram catchweight contest at Arena Burgas []
SKUAST-K to Set up 50-kW Agrivoltaics Pilot in Kashmir to Combine Farming and Solar Power
SRINAGAR: Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K) is set to establish a 50-kW agrivoltaics research pilot at its Shalimar campus in collaboration with the Centre for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP), in a move aimed at testing how agricultural production and solar power generation can coexist on the same []
Banks in Jammu Kashmir Advance Rs 84,384 Cr in 2025-26
SRINAGAR: Banks operating in Jammu and Kashmir disbursed Rs 84,384 crore to 19.37 lakh beneficiaries during 2025-26, exceeding the annual credit target by 8 per cent, even as the government raised concerns over the Union Territorys low credit-deposit ratio and weak lending in some key sectors. The figures were reviewed at the 19th meeting of []
Chief Secretary Chairs 19th J&K UTLBC meeting
Banks in J&K UT have disbursed credit of Rs. 84,384 Crore during FY 2025-26 to 19.37 lac beneficiaries. Srinagar, Aug 01: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo today chaired the 19th meeting of the Jammu & Kashmir Union Territory Level Bankers Committee (UTLBC) at SKICC here to review the performance of the banking sector and Government departments [] The post Chief Secretary Chairs 19th J&K UTLBC meeting appeared first on Kashmir Media Watch .
NH-44 Closure: Northern Railway Operates Special Trains for 2,200 Passengers
SRINAGAR: Northern Railway on Saturday operated three special trains in Jammu and Kashmir, transporting around 2,200 passengers stranded due to the closure of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) for more than 24 hours. Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Jammu, Uchit Singhal said two special trains were operated between Budgam and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi (SMVD) Railway []
Engineers Push for Sustainable Urban Drainage Plan for Srinagar
SRINAGAR: The Institution of Engineers (India), Jammu and Kashmir State Centre (IEI-JKSC), on Saturday held a panel discussion on strengthening Srinagars urban drainage infrastructure, with experts calling for integrated planning, climate-resilient infrastructure and improved institutional coordination to tackle flooding and waterlogging. The organisers said the recommendations emerging from the deliberations would be compiled into a []
Over Rs 30.66 Lakh Released to Workers Under Employees Compensation Act in Kupwara
SRINAGAR: Deputy Commissioner Kupwara, Shrikant Suse, on Saturday disbursed more than Rs 30.66 lakh in labour compensation to beneficiaries in two separate cases under Section 4 of the Employees Compensation Act, reaffirming the district administrations commitment to protecting workers rights and welfare. The compensation cheques, amounting to Rs 15,37,704 and Rs 15,28,875, were handed over []
Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir protests explained: Why unrest has erupted over 12 Assembly seats
Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) is witnessing its biggest political unrest in years, with weeks of protests, deadly clashes with security forces, an internet shutdown, mass arrests and a fierce debate over democracy, autonomy and political representation. The immediate trigger is a dispute over 12 reserved seats in the Legislative Assembly, but analysts say the protests reflect much deeper frustrations over governance, economic conditions and Islamabad's control over the region. What triggered the latest protests? The protests are being led by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), a grassroots coalition of traders, civil society groups and activists. The immediate dispute centres on 12 seats reserved in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir's Legislative Assembly for refugees from Jammu and Kashmir who settled in different parts of Pakistan after 1947. The JAAC argues that only people who actually reside in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir should elect representatives to its Assembly. As JAAC committee member Kashif Abbasi told Al Jazeera: This election is meant for people who actually live in AJK. These 12 seats sit outside AJK's jurisdiction. This doesn't happen anywhere else. The government, however, maintains that the reserved seats are constitutionally protected and cannot be abolished without a constitutional amendment. Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif urged protesters to contest the issue politically rather than through street protests, asking: How could you exclude them from the electoral process? Why are the 12 seats so controversial? Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir's Legislative Assembly has 45 elected seats, 33 of which are elected from constituencies within the territory, and 12 seats are reserved for refugees from Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir now living in Pakistan. The arrangement dates back to the early decades after Partition and was formally incorporated into the 1974 Interim Constitution. #Watch | Pakistan-occupied Kashmir protests explained: Why unrest has erupted over 12 assembly seats Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir is witnessing one of its biggest political crises in years. Protests over 12 reserved seats in the Legislative Assembly have escalated into violent pic.twitter.com/WcVz9sGvFC Greater Kashmir (@GreaterKashmir) August 1, 2026 How did the protests escalate? Negotiations between the JAAC and the government collapsed in late May after failing to reach an agreement on the reserved seats. The authorities responded by banning the JAAC under the Anti-Terrorism Act, suspending internet and mobile services, advising outsiders to stay away from the region, deploying paramilitary forces, and arresting more than 100 activists. The crackdown soon turned violent. Amnesty International raises alarm Amnesty International has sharply criticised Pakistan's response, calling the ban on the JAAC unlawful. Isabelle Lassee, Amnesty International's Deputy Regional Director for South Asia, said: Branding a grassroots organization as 'terrorist' on vague grounds, while simultaneously cutting the region off from the outside world, raises serious concerns regarding the Pakistani authorities' conduct and their disregard for human rights. The proscription of JKJAAC under anti-terror laws is disproportionate, unlawful and a violation of the right to freedom of association. Following deadly clashes, Amnesty added: The alarming escalation of violence, including deaths of protesters, raises serious questions. It urged Pakistani authorities to: ake immediate steps to deescalate the situation and practice restraint and strict adherence to international standards on the use of force. The protests are about much more than 12 seats Although the refugee seats dominate the current debate, they are only the latest flashpoint. The JAAC originally emerged in 2023 over soaring electricity prices, flour shortages and broader economic hardship. By late 2025, it had expanded its movement into a 38-point charter of demands that included subsidised electricity and flour, investigations into corruption, improved social welfare, infrastructure development, and the abolition of the 12 reserved Assembly seats. The unrest has also revived debate over where real political authority lies in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. JAAC, according to its leaders, had written directly to Pakistan Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir after concluding that its concerns were not reaching him through civilian channels. The controversy goes beyond electoral arithmetic. Supporters of the reserved seats say they preserve Pakistan's international position on Kashmir issue and reinforce the claim that Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir represents the entire former princely state. Critics argue the arrangement undermines democratic representation by allowing people living outside the territory to influence governments formed in Muzaffarabad. What happens next? Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir's elections have been conducted in phases amid continuing unrest. The JAAC has called for a boycott of the polls, while the government insists constitutional questions must be resolved through elected institutions rather than street protests. For now, the dispute over 12 Assembly seats has become the focal point of a much larger struggle over governance, political representation, regional autonomy and the future direction of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. Reactions from the Valley Kashmir's chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq called for an impartial investigation into the killings and urging Pakistan to engage with protesters through dialogue rather than force. Addressing a congregation at Srinagar's historic Jama Masjid, the Mirwaiz said he was: Deeply concerned over the continuing unrest and tragic loss of lives across the Line of Control, particularly in Rawalakot. He also led special prayers for those killed in PoK and said: We are deeply anguished by the continuing unrest and the tragic loss of precious lives during the past month and a half. The truth must be established through a prompt, impartial and transparent investigation. We mourn every life lost, whether that of a civilian protester or a member of the police force, and pray for the speedy recovery of all those injured. Calling upon Pakistan to show restraint, the Mirwaiz appealed to Islamabad and the authorities across the Line of Control: Durable peace and stability can only be achieved through dialogue, constitutional fairness and respect for the rights and dignity of every segment of society. Mirwaiz also stressed the shared identity of people on both sides of the Line of Control. We are one people, bound together by history, family, culture and our common State Subject identity. Whether we live in Srinagar, Muzaffarabad, Birmingham or elsewhere across the world, we remain one people. The LOC has divided the territory, but not our families, our shared history or our collective stake in our destiny, he said. He further said that the rights of nearly three million Kashmiri refugees and migrants living across Pakistan's provinces should not become a matter of political bargaining or exclusion, urging all stakeholders to find a fair and mutually acceptable solution. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also expressed concern over reports of force being used against protesters. As far as the situation in that part of Kashmir is concerned, we are all worried, Abdullah told reporters in Ganderbal. The reports coming from there, the way force is being used and innocent people are being targeted we can only hope that peace is maintained there, he added. National Conference president Farooq Abdullah criticised New Delhi for what he described as its silence over the situation in PoK. If the Government of India considers PoK an integral part of the country, why is it silent? It must raise its voice over the reported killings and hardships faced by people there. I have not heard any statement from them, he said. Farooq Abdullah also appealed to the United Nations Human Rights Commission to visit PoK and document the situation there. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti urged Pakistan to abandon the use of force and engage with protesters through dialogue. The visuals emerging from across the LoC in the other part of Kashmir are deeply heartbreaking. It is painful to see peaceful protesters being met with brute force. The Government of Pakistan must adopt a more humane approach and choose dialogue over force, she said in a post on X. She added: No nation grows stronger by disempowering its own people or by silencing them at gunpoint. The government must end the crackdown and stop spraying bullets at peaceful protesters. Kashmiris deserve dignity, justice, and the right to be heard, not repression.
Div Com Kashmir reviews progress on compassionate appointment cases, SVAMITA, AgriStack
Srinagar, Aug 01: Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Anshul Garg, today chaired a meeting of Deputy Commissioners (DCs) to review the progress of compassionate appointment cases, pending SVAMITA matters under MAPS 1.0, implementation of AgriStack, and the locking of Jamabandies across the Kashmir Division. During the meeting, the Divisional Commissioner conducted a district-wise review of the progress achieved under each initiative and emphasized the need for timely completion of all pending tasks. He directed the Deputy Commissioners to ensure that the prescribed targets are achieved within the stipulated timelines through close monitoring and coordinated efforts. Reviewing the status of compassionate appointment cases, the Divisional Commissioner instructed the DCs to expedite the disposal of all pending cases in accordance with the established norms and procedures. The Divisional Commissioner also directed the Deputy Commissioners to furnish details of encroachments on public land and public spaces by religious structures within the next two days to facilitate further action. To prevent the dissemination of misinformation and fake news on social media platforms, the Divisional Commissioner instructed all Deputy Commissioners to ensure strict adherence by media channels & users to the advisories issued by the Information Department and take punitive action incase of noncompliance.
Boy, 7, dies after being struck by rolling boulder in Handwara
Handwara, Aug 1 : A seven-year-old nursery student was killed after being struck by a boulder that rolled down from a nearby hillside during a mudslide near his school in the Mawer area of Handwara on Saturday, officials said. An official told the news agencyKashmir News Observer (KNO) that the incident occurred during the lunch break when, amid a mudslide, a boulder rolled down from the adjacent hillside and struck the child outside the school premises. He said the boy was immediately shifted to the Primary Health Centre (PHC) Qalamabad, where doctors declared him brought dead. The deceased was later identified as Rehan Ahmad (7), son of Reyaz Ahmad Dar, a resident of Khudi, Mawer and a nursery student. The incident has triggered grief across the area. Authorities have initiated an inquiry and further investigation is underway.(KNO)
Srinagar Police Cracks Blind Murder Case Within Six Hours; MotherSon Duo Arrested
Srinagar, Aug 01 :In a swift and professional investigation, Srinagar Police cracked a blind murder case within six hours of the recovery of an unidentified dead body, leading to the arrest of two accused involved in the crime. On 30 July 2026, Police Station Khanyar received information regarding an unidentified dead body wrapped in gunny bags lying in the Babademb Canal beneath Baba Dawood Khakhi Bridge, Khanyar. Accordingly, FIR No. 49/2026 under Sections 103 and 238 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was registered, and investigation was taken up. Considering the gravity of the offence, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted under the supervision of senior officers. Through sustained investigation and corroboration of available evidence, the identity of the accused was established as *Haleema Bano and her son Moomin Ahmad,* originally residents of Machil, Kupwara, who were residing as tenants at Mughal Mohalla, Rainawari. After committing the offence, both accused fled Srinagar in an attempt to evade arrest. However, Srinagar Police meticulously pursued all available leads, relentlessly chased the accused, and successfully traced and apprehended them from Lolab, Kupwara, within hours of the recovery of the body. During the course of investigation, the deceased was identified as Nazir Ahmad Bhat, son of Ghulam Mohammad Bhat, a resident of Kalantpora, Hawal. Investigation revealed that he was murdered inside the accused's rented accommodation following a financial dispute. The accused subsequently disposed of the body in the Babademb Canal in an attempt to conceal the offence and destroy evidence. Several incriminating articles connected with the commission of the crime have been recovered during the investigation. Further investigation is underway to ascertain the involvement of any other person and to complete all legal formalities in accordance with law. The prompt detection of this blind murder case within six hours of the recovery of the body reflects the professionalism, dedication, and coordinated efforts of Srinagar Police in ensuring that perpetrators of serious crimes are swiftly brought to justice.
NSA Doval urges youth to rise above personal gains and dedicate themselves to national interest
PUNE: National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval on Saturday called upon the countrys youth to dedicate themselves fully to national interest and rise above personal gains, urging them to make the most of the window of opportunity before India to build a stronger nation. Addressing a gathering after receiving the Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2026 []
