Kashmir Archives | Page 2 of 229

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…

Jama Masjid Closed, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Placed Under House Arrest Ahead of Shab-e-Barat Prayers in Srinagar

February 4, 2026 Editor

Jama Masjid Closed & Mirwaiz Under House Arrest Ahead of Shab-e-Barat in Srinagar | Religious Rights Clash with Security Measures By: Javid Amin | 03 February 2026 Historic Mosque Sealed on Holy Night Authorities in Srinagar abruptly closed the gates of the historic Jama Masjid just after Asr prayers on Tuesday and denied permission for Shab-e-Barat observances inside the centuries-old mosque — one of the valley’s most important religious sites for Kashmiri Muslims. At the same time, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the chief cleric of Jama Masjid and a prominent religious…

Mehbooba Mufti Demands Separate Budget for Old Srinagar Ahead of J&K Assembly Budget Session

February 2, 2026February 2, 2026 Editor

Mehbooba Mufti Urges Separate Budget for Old Srinagar Ahead of J&K Legislative Budget Session | Heritage, Urban Development Focus By: Javid Amin | 01 February 2026 Political Call for Fiscal Attention to Old City Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and former Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has publicly urged the Union Territory government to allocate a dedicated budget for Old Srinagar city (Shahr-e-Khaas), underscoring deep-rooted concerns over heritage preservation, infrastructure neglect, and uneven development. Her appeal comes on the eve of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly’s budget…

‘Disturbing and Unacceptable’: Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Assault of Kashmiri Shawl Vendor in Uttarakhand

January 31, 2026 Editor

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Condemns Uttarakhand Attack on Kashmiri Shawl Vendor, Raises Safety Concerns By: Javid Amin | 30 January 2026 A Moral Voice Raises Alarm The violent assault on a young Kashmiri shawl vendor in Uttarakhand has continued to reverberate across Jammu & Kashmir, drawing reactions not only from mainstream political leaders but also from prominent religious and community figures. Adding his voice to the growing chorus of condemnation, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, chief cleric of Kashmir and chairman of the Hurriyat Conference, has termed the incident “disturbing and unacceptable.” His…

Forest Fires Ravage Kashmir Valley in Unprecedented Spate

January 23, 2026 Editor

Forest Fires in Kashmir Valley 2026: Causes, Impacts, Response, Climate Context | Kashmir Wildfire Crisis By: Javid Amin | 22 January 2026 A Valley Under Fire In late January 2026, multiple forest fires erupted across the Kashmir Valley, consuming large swathes of woodland, threatening residential settlements and wildlife habitats, and drawing a stark spotlight on the growing wildfire crisis in the region. Fueled by unusually strong winds and prolonged dry conditions, these fires have rapidly spread across districts such as Anantnag, Kulgam and Uri, stretching firefighting resources and raising alarm…

Kashmir’s Smart Meter Rollout Sparks Power Bill Shock: Why Households Are Paying More and What It Means for the Valley

January 23, 2026 Editor

Kashmir’s Smart Meter Push: When Modernisation Meets Public Anger Over Power Bills By: Javid Amin | 22 January 2026 For decades, electricity in Kashmir followed a familiar rhythm—erratic supply, predictable billing, and public frustration that rarely spilled onto the streets. That balance has now been disrupted. Across towns and villages in the Valley, the government’s push to replace traditional electricity connections with smart meters has ignited widespread protests, sharp political reactions, and a growing trust deficit between consumers and power authorities. What was projected as a technological upgrade promising transparency,…

Kashmir Continues to Freeze as Winter Storms Loom, IMD Warns of Snowfall and Rainfall

January 21, 2026 Editor

Severe Cold Wave Grips Kashmir as IMD Predicts Snowfall and Rainfall By: Javid Amin |20 January 2026 Kashmir in the Grip of a Relentless Cold Wave Kashmir continues to endure an intense cold spell as winter tightens its grip across the Valley. Sub-zero night temperatures have become routine, freezing water bodies, hardening the ground, and disrupting daily life. Srinagar, the summer capital, has repeatedly recorded temperatures well below freezing, underlining the severity of the ongoing cold wave. The harsh conditions coincide with Chilai Kalan, Kashmir’s traditional 40-day period of extreme…

Kashmir Faces One of the Driest Winters in Decades as Rainfall Deficit Touches 85 Per Cent

January 19, 2026 Editor

Kashmir’s Driest Winter in Years: 85% Rainfall Deficit Raises Alarms Over Water, Agriculture, and Climate Stability By: Javid Amin | 18 January 2026 A Winter Without Water: Kashmir’s Alarming Dry Spell Kashmir is grappling with one of its driest winters in recent decades, as an unprecedented rainfall deficit of nearly 85 per cent has been recorded during what is traditionally the region’s most important precipitation season. From November 1, 2025, to January 17, 2026, the Valley received just 20.6 millimetres of precipitation, far below the normal average of 139 millimetres.…

Weather in Kashmir: An Anthemic Wake-Up Call We Can No Longer Ignore

January 17, 2026January 18, 2026 Umar Khan Amiri

By Umar Khan Amiri Kashmir has long been celebrated for its pristine climate, snow-clad winters, and life-giving rivers. But today, the changing weather patterns across Kashmir are not just a seasonal anomaly—they are an anthemic warning. A winter without snow, deficient rainfall, shrinking forests, rising pollution, and chaotic tourism together form a loud, unsettling chorus demanding urgent attention. For generations, snow in Kashmir was more than a spectacle; it was a system. Snowfall regulated temperatures, replenished groundwater, sustained agriculture, and powered hydropower projects. Today, prolonged dry spells and snowless winters…

‘US an Enemy of Muslims’: Mehbooba Mufti Accuses Washington of Regime-Change Politics

January 17, 2026 Editor

US Is an Enemy of Muslims, Says Mehbooba Mufti Amid Iran Crisis and Kashmir Rallies By: Javid Amin | 16 January 2026 Strong Words Amid Rising Global Tensions Amid escalating tensions between the United States and Iran, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on January 16, 2026, launched a sharp attack on Washington, accusing it of being an “enemy of Muslims” and of systematically destabilizing Muslim-majority countries under the guise of democracy and human rights. Her remarks come at a sensitive moment, with: India issuing evacuation advisories for its…