Year: 2025

‘Open All Tourist Destinations Closed After Pahalgam Attack’: Omar Abdullah Urges LG Administration

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'Open All Tourist Destinations Closed After Pahalgam Attack': Omar Abdullah Urges LG Administration

A Call to Reopen Kashmir’s Heart By: Javid Amin | 18 September 2025 In a sharp intervention on Kashmir’s tourism policy, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has called on the Lieutenant Governor’s administration to immediately reopen tourist destinations that have remained closed since the Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025. “Either stop promoting tourism altogether, or compensate those who’ve suffered losses,” Abdullah said while addressing a gathering of tourism stakeholders in Gulmarg. Destinations Still Under Lockdown Despite five months passing since the attack, many iconic spots remain off-limits: Drang Doodhpathri Yusmarg…

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

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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’

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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

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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

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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

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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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Beyond the Rotting Orchards: Kashmir’s Silent Crisis of a Generation Adrift

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Beyond the Rotting Orchards: Kashmir's Silent Crisis of a Generation Adrift

Kashmir’s Dual Crisis: Apple Orchards Rotting & A Generation’s Values Eroding | Expert Analysis By: Javid Amin | 17 September 2025 A Season of Ruin in the Valley of Plenty The scent of decay hangs heavy in the crisp autumn air of Kashmir. It’s a poignant, sweet-sour smell that speaks of loss. In orchards that stretch across the valley floor and climb the gentle Himalayan slopes, a bounty is turning to mush. Piles of once-prime apples—the iconic Trew, American, and Maharaji varieties—lie discarded, their vibrant reds and greens fading into a uniform, melancholic brown.…

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Srinagar Conference Signals Stability: ED Declares J&K Safe Post-Pahalgam

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Srinagar Conference Signals Stability: ED Declares J&K Safe Post-Pahalgam

Srinagar ED Conference Signals Stability: A Post-Pahalgam Turning Point for Jammu & Kashmir By: Javid Amin | 16 September 2025 A Symbolic Gathering in the Valley Srinagar wore a look of quiet determination as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) held its 32nd quarterly conference of zonal officers on September 12–13, 2025. On the surface, it was just another bureaucratic exercise—an internal meeting to deliberate on matters related to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). But in Kashmir, symbols matter as much as substance. The very fact that this high-profile event…

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Kashmiri Apples Grapple for Survival as Highway Closure Cripples Trade

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Kashmiri Apples Grapple for Survival as Highway Closure Cripples Trade

Highways Blocked, Hopes Bruised: Kashmir’s Apple Lifeline Withers Under Political Heat and Rotting Reality By: Javid Amin | 16 September 2025 Kashmir’s celebrated apple harvest, the backbone of its rural economy, is rotting on the roadside as the prolonged closure of the Srinagar–Jammu National Highway (NH-44) paralyzes trade. What began as a logistical disruption has now snowballed into an economic catastrophe and political storm, with accusations of negligence, discrimination, and even conspiracy echoing across the Valley. Highway Blockade Sparks Economic and Political Uproar The NH-44, Kashmir’s sole all-weather road link…

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Kashmir’s Apple Harvest Rotting: NH-44 Blockade and Railway Bottlenecks Push Valley to the Brink

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Kashmir Apple Crisis Deepens: NH-44 Blockade and Rail Bottlenecks Leave Thousands of Tones Rotting

NH-44 Blockade Turns Harvest into Havoc: 5,000 Trucks Stranded Across the Valley By: Javid Amin | 16 September 2025 When Apples Turn Bitter Every autumn, Kashmir’s landscape transforms into a breathtaking canvas. Rolling orchards in Shopian, Kulgam, Baramulla, and Pulwama burst with red and golden apples. For centuries, this harvest has symbolized not just prosperity but also identity—the Valley’s proud offering to India and the world. Apples from Kashmir are not just fruit; they are heritage, livelihood, and a lifeline for over 3 lakh families. But in 2025, the Valley’s…

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