#JammuAndKashmir Archives

Electrifying U-Turn: Omar Abdullah’s Prepaid Meter Push Sparks Public Outrage

October 18, 2025October 18, 2025 Editor

Where Has the Free Electricity Promise Gone? By: Javid Amin | 17 October 2025 Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s government is under fire after announcing a full-scale rollout of prepaid smart electricity meters across Jammu & Kashmir — a move sharply contrasting with his 2024 election promise of providing 200 units of free electricity per month to poor households. The announcement has unleashed a wave of anger and disillusionment, with opposition parties branding it a “betrayal of the poor” and civil society groups accusing the administration of “digitalizing hardship under the…

J&K’s Roads Claim More Lives Than Anywhere in the Country: A Deep Dive Into a Growing Public Safety Crisis

October 17, 2025October 17, 2025 Editor

A Deadly Road Reality in Jammu & Kashmir By: Javid Amin | 16 October 2025 Every year, the picturesque valleys and rugged mountains of Jammu and Kashmir attract millions of tourists, yatris, and pilgrims. But beneath the scenic beauty lies a grim reality: J&K’s roads are among the deadliest in the country. A recent study has revealed that the Union Territory records nearly double the national average in road accident fatalities, outpacing many larger states with far denser populations. Between 2019 and October 2024, 4,899 lives were lost and 40,065…

Omar Abdullah Urges PM Modi: ‘Restore Statehood to Solve J&K’s Challenges’

October 17, 2025October 17, 2025 Editor

On the first anniversary of the NC-led government, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah made a direct and passionate appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to restore full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. By: Javid Amin | 16 October 2025 A Direct Appeal to Delhi On the first anniversary of his government, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah made a pointed and emotional appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the Union Government to restore full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. Speaking at a town hall event in Srinagar, Omar declared: “We…

Kishtwar Cloudburst Tragedy: 32 Still Missing, Families Wait for Closure in the Shadow of the Himalayas

October 15, 2025 Editor

A Himalayan Tragedy That Refuses to Fade Away By: Javid Amin | 14 October 2025 The narrow valley of Chosoti in Kishtwar, Jammu & Kashmir, once echoed with the devotional chants of yatris making their way to Machail Mata Temple. Today, it echoes with silence. On August 24, 2025, a sudden cloudburst triggered catastrophic flash floods and landslides, washing away homes, pilgrimage shelters, bridges, and hundreds of lives in a matter of minutes. At least 66 people were confirmed dead, but 32 remain missing, swallowed by the unforgiving terrain of…

Tangmarg–Poonch Road: A Strategic Alternative to the Srinagar–Jammu Highway

October 12, 2025 Editor

Tangmarg–Poonch Road: A Lifeline Alternative for Kashmir’s Fragile Highway By: Javid Amin | 11 October 2025 For years, the Srinagar–Jammu national highway (NH-44) has borne the weight of connecting the Kashmir Valley to the rest of India. But nature, terrain, and congestion often conspire against it: landslides, heavy snowfall, rockfalls, and accidents frequently force closures. In this fragile corridor, alternatives have been discussed, proposed, delayed — until recently. Enter the Tangmarg–Poonch Road — a long-awaited project, now sanctioned under the Union Defence Ministry and to be executed by the Border…

MMU Demands Ban on Meat Imports to J&K Over Halal Concerns: A Deep Dive

October 12, 2025October 12, 2025 Editor

MMU Calls for Ban on Meat Imports to J&K Over Halal Integrity; Government Pledges Stricter Rules By: Javid Amin | 11 October 2025 Religious bodies press for local sourcing amid outrage over “rotten imported meat”; government promises stricter rules, not a ban. In an assertive move, the Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU), a coalition of leading Islamic scholars and religious bodies in Jammu & Kashmir, has urged the J&K administration to ban the import of meat and poultry from outside the Union Territory. The MMU’s appeal hinges on concerns about halal compliance,…

Mehbooba Mufti: PDP Offers Full Support to NC Government to Protect J&K’s Land, Jobs, and Resources

October 11, 2025 Editor

A New Political Equation: PDP Extends Support to NC Government By: Javid Amin | 10 October 2025 In what could mark the beginning of a new phase in Jammu and Kashmir’s evolving political landscape, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti has publicly declared her party’s readiness to support the National Conference (NC)-led government in safeguarding the region’s land, jobs, and natural resources.Her remarks, delivered at a press conference in Srinagar, come at a time when the region continues to grapple with uncertainty over restoration of full statehood and autonomy…

Rajya Sabha Biennial Elections & LA By-Polls: Negotiations Heat Up as ‘Hopefuls’ Jostle for Spotlight

October 9, 2025 Editor

As four Rajya Sabha seats and several Assembly by-polls approach, alliances are forming, ambitions sharpening—and voters watching closely. By: Javid Amin | 08 October 2025 Jammu & Kashmir is simmering with political energy. With the Rajya Sabha biennial elections slated in late October/November 2025 and several Legislative Assembly by-polls on the horizon, every move by parties, every alliance, every aspirant matters. Behind closed doors, deals are being shaped; in towns and villages, hopeful candidates are quietly laying the groundwork. For many voters, this is less about big national narratives, and…

Mehbooba Mufti Slams Omar Abdullah Govt Over Land, Dignity Failures in J&K — Key Facts & Stakes

October 9, 2025 Editor

Land, Dignity, Trust: Mehbooba Mufti’s Accusations and the Omar Abdullah Government under the Microscope By: Javid Amin | 08 October 2025 | Srinagar In a forceful address in Anantnag, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti launched a blistering critique of the Omar Abdullah-led National Conference (NC) government, charging it with failing to protect the land rights, dignity, and future of the people of Jammu & Kashmir. Her speech, laden with political gravitas, comes at a time when expectations from the NC, which came to power promising restoration of rights…

Kashmir’s Dynasty Politics: Seven Decades of Betrayal and Broken Promises

October 6, 2025 Editor

The Red Apple Metaphor: How Kashmir’s Leaders Feast and Flee By: Javid Amin | 06 October 2025 Elections in Kashmir arrive like monsoon floods—dramatic, disruptive, and ultimately draining. Politicians descend upon the valley with garlands and grandiose slogans, feast on the “red part of the apple”—the sweet, visible fruit of public sentiment—then vanish, leaving Kashmiris to chew on the bitter peel of broken promises. For 77 years, since 1947, Kashmir has witnessed a political theatre where dynastic actors perform empathy during campaigns, only to exit stage left when accountability comes…