When Highways Fail, Railways Respond: Kashmir Gets Temporary Train Boost

NH-44 Disrupted - Special Train Between Katra and Banihal to Run for 15 Days

NH-44 Disrupted: Special Train Between Katra and Banihal to Run for 15 Days By: Javid Amin | 18 September 2025 When Highways Fail, Rail Steps In The Srinagar–Jammu National Highway (NH-44), the arterial lifeline of Kashmir, has long been a symbol of connection—linking valleys, cities, and livelihoods. Yet, in September 2025, the highway’s chronic vulnerabilities were laid bare once again. Landslides and repair works in the Ramban sector brought a key stretch to a near-standstill, disrupting travel, trade, and tourism. In response, the Indian Railways announced a special 15-day train…

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Mehbooba, Sajad Lone Claim House Arrest Over Sopore Visit; Omar Abdullah Says ‘No Storm Would’ve Followed’

Mehbooba, Sajad Lone Claim House Arrest Over Sopore Visit; Omar Abdullah Says 'No Storm Would’ve Followed'

Allegations of Undemocratic Detention By: Javid Amin | 18 September 2025 Political tensions in Jammu & Kashmir deepened on September 18, 2025, after former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and People’s Conference chairman Sajad Lone claimed they were placed under house arrest to prevent them from visiting Sopore. The leaders said they intended to offer condolences on the passing of Professor Abdul Gani Bhat, the former Hurriyat chairman and a respected separatist intellectual. Mehbooba Mufti took to social media, calling the administration’s move a reflection of the “harsh and undemocratic reality”…

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Senior Lawyer Cites ‘National Integrity’ in Exiting AAP MLA Malik’s PSA Case

Senior Lawyer Cites ‘National Integrity’ in Exiting AAP MLA Malik’s PSA Case

A Legal Exit That Echoes Politically By: Javid Amin | 18 September 2025 In September 2025, the fragile line between law, politics, and national security in Jammu & Kashmir blurred yet again. A senior lawyer, initially part of the defense team for Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Abdul Rashid Malik, abruptly withdrew from the case challenging Malik’s detention under the Public Safety Act (PSA). The lawyer cited concerns of “national integrity” in stepping away — a phrase that instantly ignited debate in Kashmir’s political and legal circles. Was this a…

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From Reverence to Rejection: The Abandonment of Kashmiri Elderly Parents in a Changing Valley

From Reverence to Rejection: The Abandonment of Kashmiri Elderly Parents in a Changing Valley

A Valley Where Love Once Lived, But Now Many Elders Live Alone By: Javid Amin | 18 September 2025 A Crisis Hidden in Plain Sight On a chilly May evening in Ganderbal, 78-year-old Ghulam Nabi sat quietly on the wooden bench of a government-run old-age home. His hands trembled, not from the cold, but from the weight of betrayal. Just months earlier, he had been living in his ancestral home, surrounded by orchards and memories. Today, his three sons—educated, employed, and settled—had barred him from entering the very house he…

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Kashmiri Leader Abdul Ghani Bhat Dies at 87: A Midnight Farewell Under Surveillance

Kashmiri Leader Abdul Ghani Bhat Dies at 87: A Midnight Farewell Under Surveillance

Midnight Farewell Under Surveillance By: Javid Amin | 18 September 2025 The End of an Era Abdul Ghani Bhat, one of the most recognizable figures of Kashmir’s separatist movement and former chairman of the Hurriyat Conference, passed away at the age of 87. Known for his philosophical depth, eloquence, and moderation, Bhat’s death marks the quiet fading of a generation that once dominated Kashmir’s separatist discourse. His departure comes at a time when separatist politics in the Valley lies fragmented, muted, and heavily constrained by state restrictions. The manner of…

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