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
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…
Read MoreKashmiri 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…
Read MoreKashmir’s Apple Harvest Rotting: NH-44 Blockade and Railway Bottlenecks Push Valley to the Brink
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…
Read MoreWhy We Add One Rupee to Gift Money: A Kashmiri Cultural Insight into Continuity, Blessing, and Identity
From Wartav to Gulmuteeh: The Symbolism Behind ₹501 and ₹1001 in Kashmiri Gifts By: Javid Amin | 16 September 2025 A Coin, A Culture, A Continuum In the valleys of Kashmir, where every ritual is steeped in poetry and every gesture carries generations of meaning, the tradition of adding one rupee to gift money is more than a custom—it’s a cultural philosophy. Whether tucked inside a shagun lifafa at a wedding, handed over during Eid, or offered at a nikkah ceremony, the extra rupee transforms a financial gift into a…
Read MoreStranded Trucks, Rotten Harvests, and Political Silence: Kashmir’s Fruit Crisis Demands Urgent Reform
Enough Is Enough: Kashmir’s Fruit Industry Bleeds While Leaders Trade Blame By: Javid Amin | 15 September 2025 A Valley in Distress The picturesque valleys of Kashmir, known for their lush orchards and vibrant mandis, are now echoing with frustration and despair. The NH-44 blockade, triggered by relentless rains and landslides, has paralyzed the movement of fruit-laden trucks, leaving apple growers, traders, and transporters in economic freefall. While the crisis deepens, political leaders are locked in a jurisdictional blame game, and the people—especially those who depend on horticulture—are left stranded.…
Read MoreFuel Panic Grips Kashmir Amid NH-44 Disruption: Officials Urge Calm
By: Javid Amin | 15 September 2025 As the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) remains choked by landslides and bad weather, Kashmir is witnessing a fresh wave of anxiety: panic buying of fuel. By Monday afternoon, petrol pumps across Srinagar—including Karan Nagar, Hyderpora, and Bemina—saw long serpentine queues, with motorists scrambling to top up tanks. Similar scenes were reported from Anantnag, Pulwama, Baramulla, and Kupwara, where rumors of petrol running out spread rapidly on social media. “No Shortage,” Say Officials Divisional Commissioner Anshul Garg sought to allay fears: “There is no…
Read More‘Mute Spectator to a Crisis’: Sajad Lone Slams Govt Over Kashmir’s Fruit Industry Breakdown
Sajad Lone Accuses Govt of Inaction as Fruit Industry Suffers By: Javid Amin | 15 September 2025 Peoples Conference president Sajad Gani Lone has unleashed sharp criticism against the Jammu and Kashmir administration, calling its handling of the Valley’s ongoing fruit industry crisis a case of “criminal inaction.” The breakdown, triggered by the prolonged blockade of the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway (NH-44), has stranded thousands of apple-laden trucks for more than two weeks, resulting in massive losses and triggering protests across the Valley’s fruit belt. Lone’s Attack on Govt Inaction Taking…
Read MoreJ&K Government Seeks Public Suggestions to Address Academic Loss Amid School Closures
Academic Recovery in Jammu & Kashmir: Navigating Loss, Restoring Hope By: Javid Amin| 14 September 2025 Disruptions to education have far-reaching, long-term impacts—on individuals, communities, and society at large. In Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), multiple crises this year—armed conflict described as “war-like situation,” followed by devastating floods—have significantly disrupted schooling. More than 40 schools have been damaged or destroyed. Many students have missed extended classroom time. Recognizing the severity of this academic loss, the J&K government has taken a crucial step: inviting suggestions from parents, educators, students, and civil society…
Read MoreKashmir in Grip of Crisis: Highway Collapse Triggers Mutton Shortage, Apple Losses, and Inflation Chaos
Kashmir Crisis: NH-44 Blockage Triggers Mutton Shortage, Apple Losses & Inflation By: Javid Amin| 14 September 2025 Kashmir is reeling under a crisis unlike any in recent memory. The closure of the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway (NH-44)—the region’s vital artery—has spiraled into a chain reaction of economic paralysis, cultural disruption, and social despair. What began as a natural calamity of landslides and torrential rain has now snowballed into a mutton shortage that has postponed over 150 weddings, fruit rotting in stranded trucks worth more than ₹400 crore, and inflation surging to…
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