May 2026 | Kashmir POST

Kashmir Tourism Boom 2026: Dal Lake Crowds, Gurez Valley Rush & Sustainable Tourism Challenges

May 21, 2026 Editor

Kashmir Tourism Boom 2026: Dal Lake Crowds, Gurez Valley Rush & The Big Challenge of Sustainable Travel By: Javid Amin | 20 May 2026 From Srinagar’s Dal Lake to Gurez Valley, Kashmir Witnesses Massive Tourist Influx as Paradise Reclaims Its Spotlight Tourism in Kashmir is witnessing a dramatic resurgence, with thousands of visitors pouring into Srinagar, Gulmarg, Pahalgam, and the remote valleys of North Kashmir. From the iconic waters of Dal Lake to the untouched landscapes of Gurez Valley, the Union Territory is experiencing one of its strongest tourism waves…

Smart City Projects Under Fire: Non-Functional Traffic Signals, Barricaded Roads and Empty Cycle Tracks Frustrate Residents

May 21, 2026 Editor

Smart City or Smart Chaos? Residents Question Functionality of Urban “Modernization” Projects By: Javid Amin | 20 May 2026 Smart City or Smart Showpiece? Citizens Raise Questions Over Urban Planning and Ground Reality Glittering traffic signals, redesigned roads, decorative cycle tracks, digital systems, and modern street infrastructure were supposed to transform cities into efficient urban spaces under the Smart City vision. But for many residents, the reality feels very different. Across several upgraded urban corridors, people increasingly complain that “smart infrastructure” appears more cosmetic than functional — filled with non-working…

Sidhra Demolition Row Escalates as J&K Minister Javed Rana Calls Drive ‘Illegal’ and Orders Probe

May 20, 2026 Editor

Javed Rana Calls Sidhra Demolition ‘Illegal,’ Orders Probe Into Eviction of Gujjar-Bakarwal Families By: Javid Amin | 19 May 2026 Forest Minister Accuses Officials of Targeting Gujjar-Bakarwal Families; Political Storm Deepens Over Anti-Encroachment Drive in Jammu A major political controversy has erupted in Jammu and Kashmir after Forest Minister Javed Ahmed Rana strongly condemned the recent demolition drive in Sidhra, Jammu, calling it “illegal, unjust, anti-people, and inhuman.” The minister announced an institutional inquiry into the operation and warned that officials involved would not be spared if found guilty of…

Kashmir’s Silent Demographic Shift: Are Smartphones, Digital Isolation, and Social Change Shrinking the Valley’s Future?

May 19, 2026May 19, 2026 Editor

Kashmir Fertility Crisis: How Smartphones and Digital Isolation May Be Lowering Birth Rates By: Javid Amin | 18 May 2026 From Srinagar to Seoul, Experts Warn That Smartphones May Be Reshaping Human Relationships — and Lowering Birth Rates A profound demographic transformation is quietly unfolding across the world — and increasingly in Kashmir as well. Fertility rates are collapsing in country after country, marriages are happening later than ever, and younger generations are spending more time online while forming fewer long-term relationships offline. While economic stress, unemployment, housing costs, and…

Jammu Sweats in Darkness: How Heatwaves, Dry Rivers and Energy Dependence Triggered a Major Power Crisis

May 19, 2026 Editor

Jammu Power Crisis 2026: Heatwave, Chenab Water Shortage & 5-Hour Power Cuts Trigger Public Anger By: Javid Amin | 18 May 2026 As temperatures soar above 40°C across Jammu region, thousands of residents are enduring another unbearable reality alongside the scorching heat — prolonged power outages lasting up to five hours at a stretch. From crowded neighborhoods in Jammu city to border districts like Kathua and industrial zones in Samba, the ongoing electricity crisis has exposed the fragile link between climate conditions and Jammu & Kashmir’s energy infrastructure. With hydropower…

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Calls for Masjids, Khanqahs and Imambaras to Become Centres of Social Reform in Kashmir

May 18, 2026 Editor

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Urges Masjids, Khanqahs and Imambaras to Lead Social Reform in Kashmir By: Javid Amin | 17 May 2026 Kashmir’s Chief Cleric Urges Religious Institutions to Lead Moral Revival, Unity and Community Responsibility Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has called for Kashmir’s masjids, khanqahs, and imambaras to move beyond the limited role of ritual worship and re-emerge as institutions of social reform, ethical guidance, and community unity. In a significant message carrying both spiritual and socio-political undertones, the chief cleric emphasized that religious spaces must actively address the growing moral…

Mehbooba Mufti Urges PM Modi to Hold Talks With Pakistan and Kashmiris, Calls It ‘Golden Opportunity’ for Peace

May 18, 2026 Editor

Mehbooba Mufti Urges PM Modi to Start Dialogue With Pakistan and Kashmiris Ahead of Eid By: Javid Amin | 17 May 2026 Mehbooba Mufti Calls on PM Modi to Open Dialogue With Pakistan and Kashmiris Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to initiate simultaneous dialogue with Pakistan and the people of Jammu & Kashmir, describing the moment as a “golden opportunity” to rebuild trust and move toward lasting peace in the region. The appeal from the president of the People’s Democratic…

Viral Videos of Amritsar College Clash Trigger Debate Over ‘Kashmiri vs Bihari’ Narrative

May 17, 2026 Editor

Amritsar College Clash Videos Go Viral Amid Claims of Kashmiri–Bihari Student Dispute By: Javid Amin | 16 May 2026 Police Investigating Student Altercation as Social Media Amplifies Regional Claims A clash involving students at a college in Amritsar has triggered concern and intense online debate after videos of the altercation went viral on social media platforms. Several posts circulating online have claimed that the incident involved Kashmiri and Bihari students, turning what may have been a campus dispute into a sensitive regional controversy. However, authorities have not officially confirmed whether…

National Conference Promises Liquor Ban in Kashmir Soon, Attacks BJP Over ‘Silence’ During LG Rule

May 17, 2026May 17, 2026 Editor

NC Promises Liquor Ban in Kashmir “Very Soon,” Targets BJP Over ‘Silence’ During LG Rule By: Javid Amin | 16 May 2026 Tanvir Sadiq Says Only National Conference Will Implement Prohibition; BJP, PDP, Apni Party and Hurriyat Intensify Pressure Over Alcohol Policy The debate over liquor prohibition in Jammu and Kashmir has escalated into a major political flashpoint after the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference (NC) announced that a ban on alcohol in Kashmir would be implemented “very soon.” Senior NC leader and MLA Tanvir Sadiq declared that prohibition would…

CJI Kant’s ‘Cockroaches’ Remark on Unemployed Youth, Activists Triggers Debate on Judiciary and Dissent

May 16, 2026 Editor

CJI Kant’s ‘Cockroaches’ Remark Sparks National Debate on Judiciary, Activism and Public Dissent By: Javid Amin | 15 May 2026 Supreme Court Observation During Hearing Draws Sharp Reactions Across Legal and Civil Society Circles A courtroom remark by Chief Justice of India Kant has triggered widespread debate after he compared certain unemployed youngsters involved in activism and media work to “cockroaches” and “parasites” while hearing a matter related to senior advocate designation. The comments, made during proceedings before a bench comprising CJI Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, have rapidly moved…