Jammu Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (JKPDP), strongly criticized the recent announcement by the Chairperson of the Waqf Board, Darakshan Andrabi regarding the recruitment of Imams and Muazzins with degrees, expressing concerns about the underlying motivations behind the decision. In a statement issued to media, the Party’s Chief Spokesperson Syed Suhail Bukhari said the move seems to be an attempt to implement the agenda of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which aims to gain control over the pulpit of Mosques and Khanqahs in Jammu Kashmir. Bukhari noted that the pulpit holds…
Read MoreCategory: Community
Srinagar Properties, Heritage sites to be tagged with Unique IDs: Divisional Commissioner
Unique Identification Numbers for Every Property and Heritage Site in Srinagar The Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir, VK Bidhuri, has announced that a Unique Identification Number (UIN) will be assigned to every house, street, and heritage site in the Srinagar district. This initiative is part of the Smart City Project, which aims to make Srinagar a more efficient and livable city. The UINs will be used to streamline identification processes for both individuals and authorities. For individuals, the UINs will make it easier to access government services, such as getting a…
Read MoreUnchecked Stray Dog Menace Continues to Pester Srinagarites
By: Javid Amin The unchecked stray dog menace in Srinagar is causing widespread fear and anxiety among the people. Residents of various parts of the city have complained of packs of stray dogs roaming the streets, posing a threat to their safety. In the Downtown area, dozens of stray dogs can be seen roaming in packs, making it difficult for people to move around freely. “We are unable to roam freely in the presence of stray dogs,” said Ishfaq Ahmed, a resident of Nowhatta. “Unless there is a proper mechanism…
Read MoreThe Kashmir Files wins National Film Award for ‘Integration’, NC, PDP call it ‘Unfortunate, Ironic’
“The Kashmir Files” winning the Nargis Dutt award for best film on national integration is very unfortunate and nothing can be more ironic than this, the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party said here on Friday. “There is not a single scene in that movie that depicts national integration…. Unfortunately, the movie only shows Kashmiri Muslims in bad light. Not only that, a lot of agencies, including Jammu and Kashmir Police, have been shown in a very bad light,” NC chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq said. He said the film…
Read MoreGovt Employee’s appearance in Supreme Court Case on Article 370 Abrogation leads to Termination
A government employee in Jammu and Kashmir was suspended on Friday for appearing before the Supreme Court in an ongoing hearing on the abrogation of Article 370. The employee, Zahoor Ahmad Bhat, is a senior lecturer in political science at a government school in Srinagar. He is also an advocate and appeared in the apex court on Wednesday, arguing for the petitioners in the case. The government order suspending Bhat said that he had violated the provisions of the Jammu & Kashmir Civil Service Regulations, Jammu & Kashmir Government Employees…
Read MoreElderly Kashmiris abandoned in old-age homes due to disease, distress, and desertion
Kashmiris have been known for their strong community bonds, but some of them now abandon their old ones at newly opened old-age homes. By: Shaista Altaf Coppersmith Bashir struggled throughout his life for family welfare. He never let his loved ones suffer despite the situational-crippled market and his limited means of income. They appreciated his selfless efforts until the octogenarian suffered a heart attack. His ailing state eventually sent him packing to an old-age home in Kashmir. The brutal shift took place shortly after the demise of his spouse. Alone…
Read MoreEmergence of the Canine Civilization: The Rise of the Planet of the Dogs
For every 13 people, there is a dog in Srinagar meaning we have a personalised foe for nearly every household! Dr. Ambreen Hamadani They are everywhere, even in our nightmares. You should (or rather shouldn’t) see them after sunset. It is their reign. They run in packs and cast terrifying shadows under the streetlights. Their sight sends shivers down the spine of us humans, the weaker mortals. Needless to say, that the Gabbar Sighs who scare our toddlers into sleep are the hordes of these canines that howl under the…
Read MoreMirwaiz seeks clarity on detention status, to send legal notice
Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid said that Mirwaiz e Kashmir Mohammed Umar Farooq was again disallowed from addressing and offering obligatory Friday prayers for the consecutive 208th Friday at Jama Masjid today. As per a statement, Anjuman said that the news was rife on social media since today morning that Mirwaiz might be allowed to come to Jama Masjid, after LG sahabs interview to a news channel where he said that “I have made up his mind … he ( Mirwaiz) will also offer Friday prayers at Jama Masjid“, people reached…
Read MoreKashmiri women use modern charkhas to breathe new life into spinning wheel craft
How a small shawl maker in Kashmir is helping women artisans revive the traditional spinning wheel craft. By: Irshad Hussain At a time when technology has replaced many traditional livelihoods, women in Kashmir are trying their best to preserve the spinning wheel craft with foot-operated charkhas. In the Eidgah area of Srinagar, a small, family-run shawl manufacturing company called Me and K has provided 300 modern table-top spinning wheels to local women and trained them to spin pashmina and silk threads. The women earn up to Rs. 5,000 a month,…
Read MoreEx-IPS Officer Basant Rath enrolls as BJP Activist Online; Party stresses Zero Tolerance for Indiscipline
His wish to contest election against Omar Abdullah of the National Conference or Mehbooba Mufti of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on a BJP ticket Days after the central government ordered his premature retirement, former IPS officer Basant Rath on Thursday registered himself as a BJP activist online and sought blessings of people for what he called an “uphill trek called politics”. The IGP-rank officer, who was under suspension for the past over three years for “repeated instances of gross misconduct and misbehavior”, was given premature retirement by the government…
Read More