February 2026 | Kashmir POST

No Vande Bharat Between Srinagar and Jammu — For Now: Railways Cite Infrastructure Gaps

February 22, 2026 Editor

No Vande Bharat Train Between Srinagar & Jammu Yet, Say Railway Officials By: Javid Amin | 21 February 2026 Railway Officials Clear the Air Railway authorities have clarified that there are no current plans to introduce Vande Bharat trains between Srinagar and Jammu, dampening speculation and public expectations around high-speed rail connectivity in the Union Territory. The clarification comes amid growing public demand and political calls for modern train services in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly as Vande Bharat trains continue to expand across India. Officials emphasized that while modernization remains…

BJP’s Kashmir Show of Strength: Party Targets Omar Govt Over ‘Doublespeak’, Revives 2010 Killings Issue

February 22, 2026 Editor

BJP Attacks Omar Abdullah Govt in Srinagar Rally, Raises 2010 Killings | Kashmir Political Showdown By: Javid Amin | 21 February 2026 Srinagar Rally Signals BJP’s Valley Push; NC Accused of ‘Doublespeak’ In what party leaders described as a decisive show of strength in the Valley, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) mounted a sharp political offensive against the Omar Abdullah-led Jammu & Kashmir National Conference government at a high-profile induction rally in Srinagar. The rally, marked by aggressive speeches and symbolic messaging, saw BJP leaders accuse the National Conference (NC)…

Mehbooba Mufti Demands 50% Import Duty on Apples to Protect J&K Horticulture Sector

February 21, 2026 Editor

“Impose 50% Import Duty on Apples, Save J&K’s Fruit Industry”: Mehbooba Mufti Urges PM Modi By: Javid Amin | 20 February 2026 Apple Trade Row Intensifies: Mehbooba Mufti Seeks 50% Import Duty to Shield Kashmir’s Orchard Economy Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the Centre to impose a 50% import duty on apples to safeguard the Valley’s fragile horticulture sector. Her appeal comes amid concerns over reduced import duties on American apples under the interim Indo-US trade…

Kashmir’s Warmest February Threatens Hydropower: Early Snowmelt Raises Energy Security Concerns

February 21, 2026 Editor

Kashmir’s Warmest February in a Decade: Hydropower at Risk as Early Snowmelt Disrupts Energy Flows By: Javid Amin | 20 February 2026 How Rising Winter Temperatures Could Reshape Jammu & Kashmir’s Electricity Security Kashmir’s warmest February in nearly a decade is not just a climate statistic — it is a structural warning for the region’s hydropower-dependent energy system. On February 20, Srinagar recorded 20.1°C — 9.7°C above normal — the highest February temperature since 2016. Across the Valley, maximum temperatures ran 9–11°C above seasonal averages. For a Himalayan region where…

Trump Iran Nuclear Deal Deadline: 10–15 Day Ultimatum, Tehran Retaliation Threats & What’s Next

February 21, 2026 Editor

Trump’s 10–15 Day Ultimatum to Iran: Brinkmanship, Backchannels and What Happens Next By: Javid Amin | 20 February 2026 A 10–15 Day Clock in a Region on Edge US President Donald Trump has publicly given Iran 10–15 days to agree to a nuclear framework with Washington, warning of “really bad things” if Tehran fails to comply. The remarks—delivered at a Board of Peace event in Washington—were paired with a pointed reminder that last year’s joint Israeli-US strikes on Iranian targets altered the regional balance and helped pave the way for…

70,000 Substance Users in Kashmir, 50,000 Addicted to Heroin: A Deepening Crisis

February 20, 2026 Editor

Kashmir Drug Crisis: 70,000 Substance Users, 50,000 Heroin Addicts Raise Public Health Alarm By: Javid Amin | 20 February 2026 The scale of drug abuse in Kashmir has reached a disturbing threshold. Official data tabled in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly this week revealed that nearly 70,000 individuals across the region are substance users, with approximately 50,000 addicted to heroin. The figures mark one of the most serious public health disclosures in recent years, confirming what doctors, law enforcement agencies, and families have long feared: heroin addiction is no…

CRPF Shelves Eco-Sensitive Base Plan in J&K, Retains 43 Temporary Security Units

February 18, 2026 Editor

CRPF Drops Eco-Sensitive Base Plan, Keeps Temporary Security Grid in Place By: Javid Amin|18 February 2026 In a move being widely described by locals as “good news for all of Kashmir,” the Central Reserve Police Force has scrapped its proposal to construct a permanent base in an ecologically sensitive zone of Jammu & Kashmir, even as it confirmed that 43 temporary operating bases remain active across the Union Territory. Officials said the decision reflects an attempt to reconcile two competing priorities: long-term security preparedness and environmental protection in fragile mountain…

Kashmir’s Red Gold vs Climate Chaos: Inside the Saffron Revival Defying Weather Extremes

February 18, 2026 Editor

Kashmir Saffron Revival: How Red Gold Is Beating Climate Change and Boosting Profits By: Javid Amin | 16 February 2026 A Crop That Refused to Disappear For over a decade, Kashmir’s saffron fields stood as a warning symbol of climate vulnerability. Shrinking acreage, erratic snowfall, soil degradation, and urban encroachment had pushed the Valley’s most iconic crop toward decline. Experts predicted a slow death for the centuries-old tradition. Instead, the opposite is unfolding. Against the backdrop of abnormal winters, precipitation deficits, and warming trends across the Himalayas, Kashmir’s saffron industry…

₹209 Crore Online Investment Fraud Busted in J&K: Multi-District Cyber Scam Exposes Growing Digital Risk

February 18, 2026 Editor

₹209 Crore Online Investment Fraud Unearthed in J&K, 9 Arrested By: Javid Amin | 16 February 2026 A sprawling ₹209 crore online investment fraud uncovered in Jammu & Kashmir has exposed the scale and sophistication of cyber-enabled financial crime in the region. Authorities confirmed the arrest of nine individuals linked to a network that allegedly operated fake investment platforms designed to lure victims with promises of unusually high returns. Investigators describe the operation as one of the largest digital financial scams detected in J&K to date — a case that…

J&K Statehood Decision “Very Soon”: Arjun Ram Meghwal’s Assurance Sparks Political Reaction

February 18, 2026 Editor

“Some Decision Very Soon”: Fresh Statehood Assurances Revive J&K’s Long Wait By: Javid Amin | 17 February 2026 A Renewed Promise in a Long-Running Debate The debate over restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir returned to the political spotlight after Union Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said the government would take “some decision very soon.” Speaking in Srinagar, Meghwal described the issue as sensitive and stressed that the process would follow what he called a “rightful constitutional path.” He reminded audiences that the Union Government had already assured…