Omar Abdullah Vows to Scrap PSA After J&K Statehood Restoration By: Javid Amin | 18 October 2025 A Defining Promise for Post-UT J&K In a politically charged statement, Omar Abdullah, Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, has vowed to revoke the Public Safety Act (PSA) immediately after the restoration of statehood. The announcement, made during a press conference in Srinagar on October 18, 2025, has sent ripples across political and civil society circles. It is one of the most direct commitments by any mainstream leader in J&K in recent years…
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Congress Keeps ‘All Options Open’ for J&K Bypolls
Party weighs alliance dynamics and statehood push ahead of November elections By: Javid Amin | 18 October 2025 The Jammu & Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) has announced that it is exploring “all possible options” for fielding candidates in the upcoming Assembly by-elections for Budgam (Kashmir) and Nagrota (Jammu), scheduled for November 11, 2025. While the statement may sound routine, insiders and analysts view it as part of a larger recalibration of Congress’s political strategy in the Union Territory — one that balances coalition arithmetic with grassroots revival under its…
Read MoreElectrifying U-Turn: Omar Abdullah’s Prepaid Meter Push Sparks Public Outrage
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…
Read MoreJ&K’s Roads Claim More Lives Than Anywhere in the Country: A Deep Dive Into a Growing Public Safety Crisis
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…
Read MoreOmar Abdullah Urges PM Modi: ‘Restore Statehood to Solve J&K’s Challenges’
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…
Read MoreThe Digital Danger Lurking in Kashmiri Homes: How Screen Addiction is Rewiring Childhood
A Silent Crisis in Kashmiri Households By: Javid Amin | 16 October 2025 The phrase “The Digital Danger Lurking in Kashmiri Homes” has rapidly emerged as a powerful lens through which journalists, educators, and psychologists are examining a growing—and deeply concerning—crisis: the unchecked rise of digital addiction among children and teenagers in the Kashmir Valley. What began as a tool of connection during lockdowns and political disruptions has quietly evolved into a force reshaping childhood, family dynamics, mental health, and even cultural continuity. As per features in Kashmir Observer and…
Read MoreDarbar Move Returns: Omar Abdullah Revives 147-Year-Old Tradition in Jammu and Kashmir
A 19th-Century Tradition Reborn — A Step Toward Restoring Identity and Balance By: Javid Amin | 16 October 2025 In a landmark decision that blends history, symbolism, and politics, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has officially announced the revival of the Darbar Move, the 147-year-old biannual tradition of shifting the seat of government between Jammu and Srinagar. The decision, approved by the Jammu and Kashmir Cabinet in September 2025 and signed off by the Lieutenant Governor, restores one of the most distinctive administrative customs in India — one that was discontinued…
Read MoreOmar Abdullah at One Year: Promise, Patience and the Politics of Expectation
Omar Abdullah Completes One Year — Statehood, Jobs and the Credibility Test | Jammu & Kashmir Politics 2025 By: Javid Amin | 15 October 2025 One year after Omar Abdullah’s National Conference (NC) returned to power on a program promising “Dignity, Identity and Development”, the administration’s scoreboard is thin: symbolic wins exist, structural reforms do not. Statehood restoration and constitutional remedies remain unrealized; major employment and police-reform promises are still pending. At the same time the political environment shows fleeting openings — alliance tensions with Congress over Rajya Sabha seat-sharing,…
Read MoreThe Social Burden of Marriage on Kashmiri Women: Between Tradition and Trauma
The Social Burden of Marriage on Kashmiri Women | Dowry, Pressure & Cultural Change By: Javid Amin | 15 October 2025 Marriage in Kashmir: A Celebration with a Hidden Weight In the lush valleys of Jammu and Kashmir, marriage has long been seen as a sacred institution—a blending of spiritual belief, cultural tradition, and familial bonding. The solemnity of the nikah, the elegance of the bride’s attire, the aroma of wazwan, and the warmth of shared laughter reflect the community’s deep-rooted values of togetherness. But beneath this ceremonial grandeur, many…
Read MoreKashmir Tourism Under the Shadow of the Pahalgam Attack — Can Early Snow Spark a Winter Revival?
Kashmir Tourism Still Under Pahalgam Attack Shadow, Early Snowfall Sparks Hope for Winter Revival By: Javid Amin | 15 October 2025 Kashmir’s tourism sector has long been a tale of breathtaking beauty and fragile hope. In 2025, that fragility was starkly exposed when a brutal attack in Pahalgam on 22 April claimed 26 lives—most of them tourists. The tremor of that tragedy reverberated across the Valley, triggering cancellations, shuttered businesses, and despair among stakeholders. Yet, as autumn descended, an early October snowfall blanketing Gulmarg’s high slopes, Sonamarg, and Nilgarh stirred…
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