Governance in the Heat – A Valley Boils Over By: Javid Amin | Srinagar | 02 July 2025 As Kashmir reels under an unprecedented heatwave, basic civic services like water and electricity have become scarce luxuries. On Tuesday, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) attempted to lead a protest march through Srinagar to highlight the worsening conditions—but police forces intercepted the rally, detained multiple leaders, and prevented the protest from reaching Lal Chowk. This incident marks yet another political flashpoint in Jammu & Kashmir, where citizens’ frustrations over daily hardships are…
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Poison in the Orchard: How Pesticides Are Fueling Kashmir’s Silent Cancer Epidemic
Poison in the Orchard: How Pesticides Are Fueling Kashmir’s Silent Cancer Epidemic By: Javid Amin | Srinagar | 02 July 2025 From Lush Apple Groves to Lifelong Illness Nestled amidst breathtaking Himalayan valleys, Kashmir’s apple orchards have long been a symbol of the region’s natural abundance and economic backbone. But beneath the beauty lies a hidden crisis—one that is claiming lives in silence and sending entire families to oncology wards. In what experts are calling a “toxic public health emergency”, a growing number of brain tumors and other aggressive cancers…
Read MoreAmarnath Yatra 2025 Traffic Advisory: Smooth Pilgrimage or Stressful Journey?
Amarnath Yatra 2025 Traffic Advisory: Safety First or a Journey of Disruptions? By: Javid Amin | Srinagar | 02 July 2025 The Sacred Journey Meets Practical Planning The annual Amarnath Yatra, a deeply spiritual journey for lakhs of devotees who brave the Himalayan terrain to pay obeisance at the holy cave of Lord Shiva, is not just a religious pilgrimage—it’s a massive logistical event. From medical teams and military deployment to shelter, food, and most importantly, traffic management, the smooth conduct of the yatra depends on microscopic planning. For the…
Read MoreKashmir’s Drug Crisis: A Generational Emergency Ignored by Law, Failed by Society
When Silence Becomes Complicity By: Javid Amin | Srinagar | 01 July 2025 Kashmir, long portrayed as a land of spiritual serenity and natural beauty, is quietly battling a crisis that threatens to consume its future—drug abuse. Behind the snow-clad mountains and saffron fields lies a grim and growing tragedy: over 1.35 million people in Jammu and Kashmir are struggling with substance abuse, according to a 2022 study by the Government Medical College, Srinagar. Among these, heroin dominates the list of abused substances, accounting for nearly 90% of patients treated…
Read MoreA New Dawn or Political Gamble? The People’s Alliance for Change Rattles Kashmir’s Political Landscape
A Political Resurgence in Kashmir By: Javid Amin | Srinagar | 01 July 2025 Jammu and Kashmir’s political theatre is witnessing a tectonic shift. In a move that could potentially alter the region’s power dynamics and revive dormant demands, three regional parties have joined hands to form the People’s Alliance for Change (PAC). This alliance is not just another pre-election arrangement—it’s a statement of intent, a political rebellion, and for many, a flicker of hope. The new coalition comprises: Sajad Lone’s Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Conference (PC) Hakeem Yaseen’s Jammu…
Read MoreDivisional Reservation for Kashmiri Students: A Crucial Step to Safeguard Educational and Employment Equity
Why Divisional Reservation is Essential for Kashmiri Students in Jobs and Admissions By: Javid Amin | Srinagar | 30 June 2025 A Growing Crisis of Representation In the heart of Jammu & Kashmir, a silent but severe crisis is unfolding. Kashmiri students—once fairly represented in academic admissions and government recruitment—are now seeing their dreams eroded by a reservation system that increasingly marginalizes their presence. With excessive and poorly balanced quotas, lists after lists of job appointments and professional course admissions show a disturbing drop in Kashmiri representation. For instance, in…
Read MoreSajad Lone Slams Unfair Reservation Policy in Kashmir: Calls Junior Assistant Recruitment ‘Ethnic Cleansing by Numbers’
Sajad Lone Calls Out Discriminatory Recruitment in Jammu & Kashmir By: Javid Amin | Srinagar | 30 June 2025 In a scathing and emotionally charged critique, People’s Conference chairman Sajad Lone has once again called attention to what he describes as systematic exclusion of Kashmiri youth from government jobs under the current recruitment framework. This time, his outrage was sparked by a recent list of selected candidates for Junior Assistant posts, which included only 5 Kashmiri candidates out of a total of 26. The numbers are small, but to Lone,…
Read MoreThe Invisible Harvest: Your Digital Fingerprint & How Top Apps Are Collecting More Than You Ever Imagined
Top 10 Data Hungry Apps 2025 | Who Collects Your Sensitive Personal Data? | Privacy Report By: Javid Amin | Srinagar | 30 June 2025 The Constant Companion – Data Collection We live intertwined with our devices. The apps we use – to connect, shop, learn, navigate, and entertain ourselves – are indispensable tools of modern life. Yet, this convenience carries a hidden, often staggering cost: the relentless, often opaque, harvesting of our most sensitive personal information. It’s not a new concern, but the scale, sophistication, and sheer volume of data collection…
Read MorePoonch Court Orders FIR Against Zee News, News18 Over False Terrorist Labeling of Shelling Victim
Justice for Qari Mohammad Iqbal: Poonch Court Takes Bold Stand on Media Misinformation Poonch, Jammu & Kashmir – In a precedent-setting development, a Poonch court has issued orders for the registration of a criminal FIR against several national news channels—most notably Zee News and News18—for falsely branding a cross-border shelling victim as a “Pakistani terrorist” during their coverage of Operation Sindoor 2. The verdict, delivered by Sub-Judge Shafeeq Ahmed, is being widely hailed as a landmark judgment in the realm of media accountability—particularly in conflict-prone regions like Jammu and Kashmir,…
Read MoreKashmir Heatwave Crisis: Scorching Temperatures, Power Cuts, and a Fading Climate Legacy
Kashmir No Longer the Cool Escape By: Javid Amin | Srinagar | 28 June 2025 Kashmir, often idealized as a summer retreat blessed with cool mountain breezes and lush green valleys, is facing an identity crisis. The once-temperate climate of the Valley is vanishing, giving way to intense heatwaves, erratic rainfall, and prolonged dry spells. What was once considered a summer paradise is now an epicenter of environmental discomfort and infrastructural stress. In the past few weeks, residents across Srinagar, Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian, and other districts have been battling soaring…
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