Imran Khan is back in the pavilion. But this time, the pavilion is not the cricket ground where he once scored fours, sixes and centuries before lifting the World Cup for Pakistan and becoming a national hero. It is Adiala Jail, where Pakistans former Prime Minister was returned after being taken out for what has become a deeply questionable medical episode. On August 18, Pakistans Supreme Court ordered that Imran Khan, who has been incarcerated since 2023, be transferred to Shifa Hospital for medical assessment and treatment. Instead, he was examined at PIMS and, after being declared medically fit, sent back to Adiala Jail. Whatever the legal justification may be, the episode raises a larger question: what happens to democracy when even the orders of its highest court appear vulnerable to executive preferences and, ultimately, those of the military establishment? Pakistan has repeatedly witnessed the same political cycle. Politicians rise with the support or acquiescence of the establishment, consolidate power and pursue their opponents. Sooner or later, the same machinery is turned against them. The old saying, Do not do to others what you would not want done to yourself, remains particularly relevant. I first met Imran Khan in London with my father in 1994. His passion and conviction about bringing positive change to Pakistan deeply impressed my father. Yet when Imran Khan became Prime Minister, his government too became part of the same political culture. His opponents were pursued with the same zeal with which he is being pursued today. PML-N leaders, including Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz, faced imprisonment and prosecution during the PTI years. But that is precisely the point. Pakistans problem is bigger than Imran Khan, Nawaz Sharif or any political party. The problem lies in the system itself. Since the death of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah in 1948, Pakistan has struggled to establish a durable balance between civilian authority and military power. Its fragile political institutions were disrupted by the first military coup under General Ayub Khan in 1958, followed by periods of military rule under Yahya Khan, Zia-ul-Haq and Pervez Musharraf. General Zia took military intervention to an even darker level. The hanging of elected Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto remains one of Pakistans darkest chapters. His rule also contributed to the growth of religious extremism, reinforcing an international image in which military rule, political instability and militancy became deeply intertwined. The trauma of Partition, the enormous human cost of 1947, the unresolved Kashmir dispute and subsequent wars with India further strengthened Pakistans security state. The military came to be viewed not merely as the defender of the countrys borders but as its ultimate guardian and saviour. India followed a fundamentally different path. Its founding leaders, including Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Maulana Azad and B. R. Ambedkar, helped establish constitutional institutions in which the armed forces remained subordinate to elected civilian authority. Indias democracy survived wars, emergencies, assassinations, coalition governments and dramatic political changes without the military becoming an alternative centre of political power. Pakistan, by contrast, developed a vicious cycle. Civilian politicians learned that reaching power often required accommodation with the establishment. Once in office, they frequently used state institutions against their opponents. When their relationship with the military deteriorated, they found the same machinery turned against them. The expression on the same page became a euphemism for political leaders and the military establishment being aligned. Imran Khan was no exception. His rise to power in 2018 was widely regarded as having benefited from military backing. His relationship with the establishment subsequently deteriorated, culminating in his removal from office in April 2022 and, later, his imprisonment. The uncomfortable truth is that military dominance has been sustained not only by the military but also by civilian politicians who seek its intervention when it serves their interests. This creates a cycle that never truly breaks , only the players change. That cycle will end only when political parties decide that they would rather lose an election fairly than win through intervention from the barracks. Pakistan possesses many of the ingredients of a functioning democracy , a politically conscious population, vibrant political parties, a strong civil society, an independent minded legal community and citizens who continue to participate passionately in elections. Pakistan also has considerable strategic importance internationally. Countries, particularly in the Muslim world, increasingly seek its defence cooperation, while Pakistan has sought to position itself as a contributor to regional peace and diplomacy. The Makkah Pact and Islamabad MOU, again bearing the stamp of the military, provide Pakistan with an opportunity to project itself as a responsible regional power and a contributor to peace. But that opportunity cannot be squandered. A country cannot credibly champion peace and stability while its own politics remain trapped in confrontation and political revenge. Nor can it demand respect for constitutionalism internationally while appearing indifferent to constitutional norms domestically. The events surrounding Imran Khans hospital transfer are a test of Pakistans institutions and a blot on the conscience of a country that has suffered enormously from political instability. The issue is not whether Imran Khan is above the law. But imprisonment cannot become a substitute for political competition, and courts and state institutions cannot become instruments of political revenge. Pakistans people deserve better than another cycle in which one faction defeats another with the establishments help, only to become its next victim. What Pakistan needs is a political settlement in which the military permanently returns to its constitutional role, courts exercise genuine independence, elections reflect the will of the people and political parties compete without seeking intervention from the barracks. Imran Khan may have returned to Adiala Jail. But the larger prisoner is Pakistans democratic system, trapped in a cycle that has continued for generations. The choice before Pakistans establishment is therefore larger than the fate of one man. It can continue political engineering, selective accountability and the use of state power against opponents, or it can finally allow the institutions of the republic to breathe. Pakistan has given its military enormous power, resources and prestige to protect the country against a powerful military adversary like India. The least its people deserve in return is a country where the military protects the state but does not decide who gets to rule it. Perhaps the release of Imran Khan, followed by a genuinely free, fair and transparent political process, could become the beginning of that change. Sometimes returning to the pavilion is not the end of the innings. It can be the moment when the game itself is finally changed. The writer is former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Courtesy: The Telegraph
Every year, thousands of people travel on the highways of Jammu and Kashmir. Students travel to colleges, patients go to hospitals, tourists visit the beautiful valleys, and trucks carry food, medicines, fuel, and other essential supplies. These highways are the lifelines of the Union Territory. But during the rainy season, a single landslide can bring everything to a halt. Hundreds of vehicles remain stranded for hours or even days, people suffer, businesses lose money, and sometimes innocent lives are lost. The question is: Can science reduce the danger of landslides? The answer is yes. While science cannot stop heavy rain or earthquakes, it can predict dangerous conditions, reduce risks, and save lives. A landslide happens when rocks, soil, or mud move rapidly down a mountain slope. Jammu and Kashmir lies in the young Himalayan mountain range, where rocks are naturally fragile and unstable. During heavy rainfall, water enters cracks in rocks and soil, making them weak and heavy. Gravity then pulls this loose material downhill. Climate change has made the situation more serious. Rainfall is becoming more intense, glaciers are melting faster, and weather patterns are changing. A few hours of very heavy rain can trigger landslides in places that were once considered safe. Human activities also increase the risk. Cutting mountain slopes without proper scientific studies, removing forests, poor drainage, illegal construction, and dumping excavated soil on hillsides all weaken the mountains. In many places, blocked drains allow rainwater to collect inside slopes, making them even more unstable. Modern science has developed technologies that help identify dangerous areas before disasters happen. One of the most useful tools is satellite monitoring. Satellites continuously capture images of the Earths surface. By comparing these images over time, scientists can detect small changes in mountain slopes that cannot be seen with the naked eye. This helps identify areas where landslides are likely to occur. Another powerful tool is Geographic Information Systems (GIS). GIS combines satellite images with information on rainfall, rock type, soil condition, vegetation, and road networks. Using this information, scientists prepare landslide hazard maps that show low-, medium-, and high-risk zones. These maps help engineers plan safer roads and guide authorities in taking preventive measures. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is making prediction even better. AI can analyse huge amounts of data from satellites, weather stations, rainfall records, and ground sensors within minutes. It can recognise warning signs that humans may miss and identify slopes that are becoming unstable. This allows authorities to take action before a disaster occurs. Many countries now use early warning systems in landslide-prone areas. Small sensors installed on mountain slopes measure soil movement, rainfall, underground water pressure, and ground vibrations. If unusual movement is detected, warning messages are automatically sent to highway authorities, disaster management teams, police, and travellers through mobile phones, electronic display boards, and radio. Even a warning issued a few minutes before a landslide can prevent accidents and save lives. Drones are another valuable scientific tool. They can safely inspect dangerous slopes, identify cracks, loose rocks, damaged retaining walls, and blocked drainage channels. After a landslide, drones help engineers assess damage quickly and plan road restoration without exposing workers to unnecessary risks. Science teaches us that not all solutions require concrete and steel. Nature itself can protect mountains. Bioengineering uses deep-rooted native grasses, shrubs, and trees to strengthen slopes. Plant roots hold the soil together, reduce erosion, absorb excess rainwater, and improve slope stability. When combined with engineering structures such as retaining walls, rock bolts, steel mesh, and proper drainage systems, bioengineering provides a strong, environmentally friendly, and long-lasting solution. Proper drainage deserves special attention. Water is often the main cause of slope failure. Well-designed drains carry rainwater away from the slope, reducing pressure inside the soil and significantly lowering the risk of landslides. Countries such as Japan, Switzerland, and Norway have greatly reduced landslide risks by investing in science and technology. They use satellites, weather radars, ground sensors, drones, and advanced monitoring systems to provide timely warnings and protect roads. Their experience shows that spending money on prevention is far less expensive than rebuilding damaged highways and dealing with repeated disasters. Jammu and Kashmir has the scientific knowledge and technical institutions needed to improve highway safety. Universities, engineering colleges, geological experts, and government departments should work together to study local mountain conditions and develop solutions suited to the Himalayan region. The Government should establish a Mountain Hazard Monitoring Centre that collects information from satellites, weather stations, drones, and ground sensors throughout the year. The centre can issue timely warnings, support engineers, and coordinate disaster management across the Union Territory. Every new highway project should begin with detailed geological, hydrological, and environmental investigations. Modern technologies such as GIS, remote sensing, drones, and AI should become a regular part of road planning, construction, and maintenance. Public awareness is also essential. Drivers and local residents should know the warning signs of landslides and report cracks, falling rocks, or blocked drains immediately. Landslides are a natural part of mountain regions, but disasters do not have to become tragedies. Science gives us the tools to understand nature, predict hazards, and reduce risks. By combining satellite monitoring, Artificial Intelligence, GIS mapping, early warning systems, scientific engineering, bioengineering, and responsible environmental management, Jammu and Kashmir can make its highways safer and more reliable. Safe highways are not built by machines alone. They are built through scientific planning, continuous monitoring, respect for nature, and cooperation between scientists, engineers, government departments, and local communities. Investing in science today will save lives, protect the economy, strengthen tourism, and ensure that the highways of Jammu and Kashmir remain safe lifelines for generations to come. Dr Nasir Shah, Former Additional Director JKSTIC, DST, has remained actively associated with the promotion of science, scientific temper, innovation, and educational awareness across J&K.
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New Delhi, Aug 25: Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the 53rd meeting of PRAGATI, the ICT-enabled, multi-modal platform for Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation, at Seva Teerth earlier today. During the meeting, Prime Minister reviewed six key infrastructure projects across the Railway, Road and Power sectors, spanning nine States with a cumulative cost of more than 30,000 crore. The projects, significant for strengthening connectivity, supporting industrial and economic activity and improving public services, were reviewed with particular emphasis on adherence to timelines, inter-agency coordination, resolution of pending issues and expeditious completion. Prime Minister emphasised that delays in infrastructure projects have consequences beyond cost escalation, as they also postpone the benefits intended for citizens, businesses and the economy. He said that infrastructure projects should be viewed and monitored as an integrated whole, rather than as isolated sections, stretches or packages. He noted that progress in individual packages should ultimately translate into timely completion and operationalisation of the entire project. Ministries and States were therefore asked to adopt an end-to-end approach, and address critical gaps that could delay the overall commissioning and delivery of benefits. He called for fostering a proactive work culture across Ministries and State Governments, with greater ownership at every level of project implementation. Prime Minister stressed the need to explore common utility corridors for infrastructure services, wherever feasible, particularly while planning major transport and infrastructure projects. He called upon Ministries and States to examine such integrated approaches at the planning stage itself, keeping in view their technical and economic feasibility. Prime Minister said that speed of execution must be accompanied by uncompromising quality. He called upon Ministries, States and implementing agencies to adopt modern technologies and strengthen quality assurance and supervision at every stage. While reviewing AgriStack under the Digital Agriculture Mission, Prime Minister emphasised the need to leverage the latest digital technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, to derive greater value from agricultural data. He stressed that the data ecosystem should be effectively utilised across the agricultural value chain, from input planning to processing, enabling more informed interventions, better targeting and data-driven decision-making. He appreciated the efforts of the States and the Central Government in building the AgriStack ecosystem and called for further strengthening its use for delivering better outcomes for farmers. During the review of cyber fraud cases, including incidents of digital arrest, Prime Minister said that prevention must be strengthened through a sustained focus on training, awareness and education. He stressed the need for continuous and targeted public-awareness campaigns, particularly for senior citizens, youth and other vulnerable sections, to familiarise them with common fraud techniques, warning signs and safe digital practices. He also called for regular capacity-building of personnel involved so that emerging modes of cyber fraud are identified and acted upon swiftly.
New Delhi, Aug 25: The government will sell onions at a subsidised rate of Rs 35 per kg in the national capital, a discount of around 36 per cent from the prevailing average retail price, with the help of 800 tonnes of fresh vegetable supplies reaching here on Wednesday through the first 'Kanda Express'. Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare on Tuesday said that onions will be retailed via Nafed, NCCF and Kendriya Bhandar stores in the national capital. Bulk onions are also being transported through dedicated railway rakes to four other centres -- Chennai, Ernakulam, Madurai and Guwahati, she said on a social media paltform. The onion being transported to these consuming centres is a buffer stock maintained at Nasik, Maharashtra. The stock is being released to check price rise. The all-India average retail price of onion has jumped more than 28 per cent in a month to Rs 44.72/kg on August 25, up from Rs 34.80 per kg on July 25. A year ago, the price was Rs 28.67 per kg on the same day, reflecting a sharp 56 per cent increase. Among major cities, retail onion prices on Tuesday stood at Rs 60 per kg in Chennai (Rs 35 per kg a year ago), Rs 55 per kg in Delhi (Rs 33), Rs 60 per kg in Kolkata (Rs 32/kg), Rs 48 per kg in Mumbai (Rs 32 per kg) and Rs 38 per kg in Ranchi (Rs 25 per kg). Data maintained by the ministry shows that the average wholesale price was up 63 per cent at Rs 36.73 per kg on August 25, against Rs 22.54 per kg in the year-ago period. In a month, the wholesale prices have risen by 33.5 per cent. The Kanda Express initiative, aimed at enhancing logistical efficiency for large-scale onion movement, was launched in 2024-25 and has since been scaled up considerably. In 2024-25, 14 railway rakes carrying nearly 12,000 tonnes of onion buffer stock were dispatched to five cities. In 2025-26, this has expanded to 86 rakes carrying about 88,000 tonnes of onions to 16 major cities across the country. The onion buffer stock is the Centre's strategic reserve, built up primarily to cushion the market against price spikes when supplies tighten. The government maintains onion stocks in different producing states as part of the Price Stabilisation Fund scheme. About 1.21 lakh tonnes of onion buffer has been maintained for 2026. According to the government, onion availability remains comfortable to meet domestic demand over the coming months, supported by estimated 2025-26 production of 307.37 lakh tonnes, 'broadly on a par with 307.67 lakh tonnes in the previous year. Onion prices typically see a seasonal uptick from August-September due to festive demand, weather-related disruptions, supply chain movements, and shifting demand patterns.
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President Murmu greets citizens on eve of Onam, Eid Milad-un-Nabi (SAW)
New Delhi, Aug 25: President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday greeted citizens on the eve of harvest festival Onam and Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi, the birthday of Prophet Muhammad (SAW). In a message, she said Onam is an occasion to express gratitude to nature on arrival of the new harvest. Onam celebrates our rich culture and spirit of brotherhood. It promotes unity in diversity. Boat races, folk dances, music and sports are important traditions associated with this festival. They showcase the culture and values of Keralam, President Murmu said. The president prayed that this auspicious festival brings happiness, peace, good health and prosperity to all, and inspire the citizens to contribute to the nation's progress, according to a statement issued by her office. On the auspicious occasion of Onam, I extend my warm greetings and best wishes to all citizens, especially the brothers and sisters of Keralam living in India and abroad, she added. In another message, President Murmu said the festival of Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi (SAW) is an occasion to recall the preachings of Prophet Muhammad. His teachings inspire us to follow the path of pious conduct and dutifulness. May the noble ideals of Prophet Muhammad inspire us to contribute actively towards building an inclusive and developed India, the president said. She extended warm greetings and best wishes to all fellow citizens living in India and abroad, especially the Muslim brothers and sisters, on the auspicious occasion of Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi (SAW).
DGP reviews security preparedness for Eid Milad-un-Nabi (SAW), other forthcoming events
Srinagar, Aug 25: Director General of Police (DGP) J&K Nalin Prabhat chaired a security review meeting at PCR Kashmir to assess and further strengthen security arrangements for the upcoming Eid Milad-un-Nabi (SAW) and other forthcoming events across the UT of Jammu & Kashmir, including the Friday following Eid Milad-un-Nabi, Raksha Bandhan, and other events. The meeting was attended by Spl DGP Coordination J&K, IGP Kashmir Zone, IGP Jammu Zone, all Range DIGs, and all district SSPs/PDs of J&K, SSP PCR Kashmir, AIG (Ct & Int) PHQ, besides other senior officers. Detailed discussions were held on security preparedness, deployment strategy, crowd management, and traffic regulation measures to ensure the safe, peaceful, and smooth conduct of the events. The DGP stressed heightened vigilance, proactive policing, and foolproof security arrangements, particularly at major shrines, mosques, and other religious places. Special focus was laid on Dargah Hazratbal and other prominent religious sites where nightlong prayers and large congregations are anticipated. Officers were directed to ensure adequate security coverage and close coordination among all field formations for timely response to any emerging situation. The DGP directed officers to strengthen surveillance at sensitive and vulnerable locations and ensure effective deployment at strategic and high-footfall areas. DGP J&K further directed officers to put in place effective traffic regulation and route management plans around major religious places and along procession routes to facilitate seamless movement of devotees. The DGP also reviewed arrangements with regard to Raksha Bandhan and passed directions for advance security and traffic arrangements at markets and temples, besides enhancing security and surveillance at prominent religious places. The meeting concluded with the DGP J&K reiterating that all necessary arrangements must be put in place well in advance to ensure the peaceful, safe, and secure conduct of all forthcoming events across the UT of J&K.
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New Delhi, Aug 25: A novel smartphone-enabled platform employing afluorescence-responsive tiny molecule as a probe offers a simple, cost-effective, and accessible approach for the detection of the Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarker amyloid- (A). Upon interaction with A, the tiny molecule called TZ-48undergoes changes in fluorescence intensity, which are captured and quantified using a dedicated smartphone application. This enables rapid and user-friendly detection, with potential applications in the screening and staging of AD. AD is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by memory loss, cognitive decline, and behavioural impairment. Central to its pathology is the misfolding and aggregation of amyloid- (A), which self-assembles into fibrils and deposits as extracellular plaques that trigger neurotoxic cascades leading to synaptic dysfunction and neurodegeneration. The National Institute on Aging-Alzheimers Association (NIA-AA) framework identifies A, tau, and neurodegeneration as core biomarkers for definitive AD diagnosis across brain, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and blood. Importantly, A pathology is an early and AD-specific biomarker, making A a more reliable diagnostic indicator. Although positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provide valuable diagnostic information, their high cost, need for specialized infrastructure, technical expertise, and limited accessibility restrict widespread use. Blood-based assays targeting A and tau, have emerged as promising alternatives, but are expensive and complex. These limitations highlight the need for simple, sensitive, scalable diagnostic platforms capable of early and accurate detection of A for AD diagnosis. Fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) has emerged as a powerful sensing modality because fluorescence lifetime is largely independent of probe concentration and photobleaching, enabling robust detection of biomarkers and enhancing diagnostic precision. Scientists at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology, have developed a smart fluorescence lifetime-responsive probe that enables highly selective, sensitive, and differential detection of A fibrils (Af) through turn-on fluorescence and distinct lifetime signatures. The probe called TZ-48 published in the journal ACS Chemical Neuroscience exhibits excellent BBB permeability, robust labelling of A plaques in transgenic AD mouse brains, and compatibility with confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and FLIM for quantitative mapping of A burden across disease stages. Beyond tissue imaging, TZ-48 enables sensitive detection of A in CSF and blood serum, accurately distinguishing AD from healthy mice. To facilitate clinical translation, the team of scientists consisting of Krithi K. Bhagavath, Madhu Ramesh, Yogendra Kumar, Sabyasachi Mandal, Hiriyakkanavar Ila and Thimmaiah Govindaraju developed ADxFluor, a smartphone-integrated platform leverages the fluorescence response of TZ-48 for rapid, unbiased quantification of serum A load. The system combines dual-mode brain imaging, biofluid detection, and smartphone-based quantification of A in biofluids, establishing it along with ADxFluor, a smartphone-integrated platform as a foundation for next-generation smart diagnostics for AD and other neurodegenerative diseases. The integration of TZ-48 with the smartphone-based ADxFluor platform further establishes a portable, low-cost, and user-friendly point-of-care diagnostic system, representing a significant technological and translational innovation in AD diagnostics.
Study identifies uniqueness of South Asian gut microbiome, critical for lifestyle disease treatment
New Delhi, Aug 25: One of the largest and most geographically diverse investigations has found that South Asian gut microbiomes are distinct from those reported in other parts of the world and are shaped by local culture, diet, geography, and lifestyle. The findings provide an important scientific foundation for developing microbiome-based diagnostics, personalized nutrition, and precision healthcare for South Asian populations, specifically for lifestyle disorders. South Asia is undergoing rapid urbanization while simultaneously experiencing a sharp increase in obesity, diabetes, and other cardiometabolic disorders. Although urbanization is known to influence the gut microbiome, it was unclear whether these changes occur similarly across diverse South Asian populations. Until now, most microbiome research has been conducted in European and North American populations, leaving South Asia largely underrepresented despite housing nearly one-fourth of the world's population. Scientists from Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP), an autonomous institution of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) along with the University of Chicago, and collaborating institutions across India, Sri Lanka, and the USA, designed a study to understand how changing lifestyles influence the gut microbiome across different cultural, dietary, and ecological settings and to generate a comprehensive microbiome resource representing the diversity of South Asia. They discovered that changes in the gut microbiome of each community follows its own unique microbiome trajectory shaped by local culture, diet, geography, and lifestyle. Researchers collected stool samples together with dietary, lifestyle, and health information from 575 healthy adults belonging to ten South Asian communities. Using the South Asian MicroBiome ARray (SAMBAR)launched for the first time in India by the scientists of BSIP, the gut microbiomes of 575 adults from ten culturally and geographically distinct communities across India and Sri Lankawe analysed. The gut microbiome was characterized using high-throughput DNA sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes, followed by advanced bioinformatic analyses. The researchers compared rural and urban individuals within each community and also compared South Asian microbiomes with global datasets. The project involved a large international collaboration among scientists from India, Sri Lanka, and the United States led by Dr. Niraj Rai, Group Head, Ancient DNA from the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, Lucknow. Field teams worked closely with local communities across India and Sri Lanka to recruit participants and collect biological samples and lifestyle information. A community-engaged approach was followed throughout the study, with researchers sharing study findings back with participating communities. Laboratory analyses, DNA sequencing, and computational methods were then used to characterize gut microbial diversity and identify associations with geography, diet, urbanization, and metabolic health. This approach enabled the team led by Shreya L. Ramachandran, Nagarjuna Pasupuleti, Richard J. Abdill, Niraj Rai and Maanasa Raghavan to identify both community-specific microbial signatures and common microbial changes associated with urbanization and metabolic health. The study published in the journal Gut Microbes, highlights the importance of including underrepresented populations in global microbiome research. This is the first baseline gut microbiome data from India generated from the healthy individuals in India with huge medical and evolutionary impacts. By demonstrating that different communities respond differently to urbanization, the study suggests that future microbiome-based therapies should be tailored to regional populations rather than adopting approaches developed solely from Western populations. The SAMBAR resource will also support future research on diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and other lifestyle disorders that are rapidly increasing across South Asia.
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Major turning point in India's digital payment journey: PM Modi on 10 years of UPI
New Delhi, Aug 25: On completion of a decade of the Unified Payments Interface, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hailed it as a major turning point in India's digital payment journey and said its sheer scale is something every Indian must be proud of. The UPI was launched on August 25, 2016 by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) under the regulatory oversight of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The UPI has emerged as the backbone of India's digital payments ecosystem and a critical driver of financial inclusion. A decade ago, UPI was rolled out, marking a major turning point in India's digital payments journey. The sheer scale and reach of UPI are something every Indian must be proud of, Modi said in a post on X. The prime minister also asked people to share with him their UPI experience and how it impacted the life. Over a decade of operations, the UPI has demonstrated extraordinary scale and momentum in the country. Annual transaction volume expanded from just 1.78 crore in 2016-17 to over 24,162 crore transactions in 2025-26, representing an almost 13,000 fold surge in transaction volume. Parallelly, transaction value rose sharply from Rs 0.07 lakh crore in 2016-17 to approximately Rs 314 lakh crore in 2025-26, translating into a more than 4,000 fold increase in transaction value. The UPI has emerged as one of the most successful pillars of India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), providing an interoperable, real-time payments platform that enables seamless peer-to-peer and peer-to-merchant transactions through a single application, an official release said on Monday.
Omar says no further electricity tariff hikes during current governments tenure
No further power tariff hike during my tenure: Omar Abdullah
Tangmarg, Aug 25: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday defended his governments decision to increase electricity tariffs, saying the hike was made out of compulsion rather than choice, while assuring people that his government would not raise power prices any further during its tenure. Addressing a gathering at Tangmarg, Abdullah also hit out at opposition parties for criticising his government over the tariff increase and questioned their record in government, particularly on development projects in the area. They are not wrong in saying that. We increased electricity prices. I accept that. We did not do it out of happiness. We were forced to do it, Abdullah said. He argued that the electricity tariff increase had come after four years, during which inflation had risen substantially across the country. Electricity rates were increased after four years, he said, adding that inflation during the period had risen by around 19 or 20 per cent. Abdullah contrasted his government's decision with previous tariff increases, saying electricity rates had been raised by about 15 per cent when the previous government was in power and by around 13.5 to 14 per cent during the PDP-BJP government headed by Mehbooba Mufti. When these people were in government, when they increased electricity rates four years ago, they increased them by 15 per cent, he said. Referring to the PDP-BJP government, Abdullah said, When the PDP-BJP coalition government was in power, whose sins we are paying for today, electricity rates were also increased when Mehbooba Mufti was chief minister. Why were they silent then? he asked. Abdullah nevertheless acknowledged the burden imposed by the latest increase and sought to assure consumers that there would be no further hikes. I assure you that I will make every possible effort that, God willing, during this government's tenure and thereafter, we will not increase electricity prices any further, he said. The chief minister also sought to counter criticism that his government and its representatives were not doing enough on the ground. He said MLAs from constituencies including Sangrama, Pattan, Baramulla, Beerwah and Uri were continuously working on projects and responding to demands from residents. There is not a single day when my honourable MLAs sitting here whether from Sangrama, Pattan, Baramulla, Beerwah or Uri are not moving around their areas for one project or another, some work or another, or in response to some demand from the people, Abdullah said. He said opposition parties had a legitimate role in criticising the government but accused them of overlooking their own record in office. Their job is to go to a place, close their eyes and say that nothing is happening, he said. Abdullah particularly questioned previous representatives over the failure to establish a fruit mandi in Tangmarg despite the land being available. I ask those gentlemen who have represented people here for 12, 16 or 18 years: if you had the opportunity, why did you not build a fruit mandi here? he said. He stressed that the land on which the mandi is being developed was already available and did not require the government to remove illegal encroachments or acquire fresh land. This land was there. We did not acquire this land. There was no illegal occupation on this land. We did not have to remove anyone from it. The land was already here, Abdullah said. He credited Farooq Shah with pursuing the project with the Lieutenant Governor and said the laying of the foundation stone represented the beginning of a long-awaited development project. Abdullah also listed a range of priorities for the remaining tenure of his government, including drinking water, schools, healthcare, roads, fruit markets and development works through panchayats. All the promises we have made to the people, God willing, over the next three-and-a-quarter years, we will fulfil all those promises and then present ourselves before you, he said. He predicted that Gulmarg-Tangmarg would emerge as one of the most developed Assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir by the end of the government's term. When, after 3.5 years, you look at all the Assembly constituencies, you will find that if there is one constituency among the 90 constituencies that has witnessed the most development, the Gulmarg-Tangmarg constituency will be among them, Abdullah said. He also announced that work on a mini-secretariat in the area would begin this year. God willing, this year itself we will start work on this mini-secretariat, the chief minister said.
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Govt mulls drug tests for all commercial pilots
New Delhi, Aug 25: The civil aviation ministry is looking at the possibility of carrying out psychoactive substance tests for all commercial pilots round the year on a random basis. Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Tuesday said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is holding discussions with stakeholders on further strengthening the drug-testing standards of pilots. Right now, the rules say 10 per cent (drug tests) across the overall pilot network, but just like I said, DGCA is engaging (with stakeholders)... One of the opinions from our side is that everyone has to go through it (drug tests) the (whole) year at a random time. So, we have to see how all the stakeholders are going to respond to this, the minister said. The issue of possible substance use by pilots has come under spotlight after the captain of a Phuket-Delhi Air India flight, involved in a sudden altitude loss incident, was tested positive for marijuana. Currently, drug tests for pilots are done on a random basis. Under DGCA's present Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR), random tests for psychoactive substances have to be done for 10 per cent of pilots and air traffic controllers, among others, annually. Naidu on Tuesday said the regulator DGCA is currently consulting stakeholders to review the existing rules and bring in a stricter policy for the future. There are multiple ways of approaching this dope test (thing), the minister said, responding to queries related to psychoactive substance testing for pilots, on the sidelines of an event in the national capital. There are more than 12,000 pilots with various commercial airlines. In the wake of the Phuket-Delhi flight incident, the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) on August 18, urged DGCA to consider oral fluid testing as a complementary method along with the existing urine-based screening under its drug testing framework. FIP had also sought increasing the random drug testing for pilots and other personnel to 25 per cent from the current 10 per cent. Meanwhile, Air India and Air India Express have also started mandatory psychoactive substance testing of all their pilots. Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is probing the Phuket-Delhi flight incident that occurred on August 4 as per Annexure 13 of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). It pertains to aircraft accident and incident investigation. The Phuket-Delhi flight AI2379, operated with A320 aircraft VT-EXO, experienced a sudden loss of altitude of approximately 300 feet during cruise, after which the aircraft stabilised and subsequently landed safely in the national capital.
Omar Abdullah backs teachers, says government must fix schools before expecting better outcomes
Srinagar, Aug 25: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said teachers cannot be made solely responsible for determining the future of the Union Territory, arguing that the government must first improve their working conditions, school infrastructure and staffing before expecting them to shoulder greater responsibility for children's futures. Addressing a gathering of teachers and office-bearers of the J&K Teachers Forum, Omar said teachers already faced an expanding list of responsibilities beyond classroom teaching, including election duties, government functions and social campaigns. It is a fact that the future of Jammu and Kashmir is our children, Omar said. What will be the future of our children? You all have a very big role in that. But if we put all our responsibility on you and say that what Jammu and Kashmir will be like in the future will be decided by our teachers, then I think that would be a great injustice to you and would put excessive pressure on you. He said the role of teachers had become considerably more difficult with the proliferation of smartphones, social media, television channels and, increasingly, artificial intelligence. Today, look at what you are competing with. You are competing with phones, social media, channels and so many other things. And now there is a new thing artificial intelligence, he said. Omar said AI had created a new challenge for teachers in assessing whether students were submitting their own work. I say, how difficult will it be for a teacher to determine whether an assignment submitted by a child, what they have written, is their own work or whether artificial intelligence helped them? he said. The chief minister also criticised the practice of continually assigning additional duties to teachers while their own service-related grievances remained unresolved. There is an August 15 function, there is a January 26 function, and the first thing we tell you is: prepare the children, organise a cultural programme, have them march past, he said. He also cited International Yoga Day, anti-drug campaigns and elections as examples of duties routinely assigned to teachers. When there is election work, we put you in booths in far-flung areas, Omar said. Whenever there is some other work, whenever we have to do something, we do not find anyone else our eyes fall on you. At the same time, he acknowledged that teachers' files did not always move with the same urgency. But when your issues come up, unfortunately, I have to say that your files do not move forward as quickly as the files that are moved when we have to post you somewhere else, he said. Omar said the government had a responsibility to resolve teachers' grievances relating to transfers, departmental promotion committees and vacancies. If you have issues concerning transfers, if you have issues concerning DPCs, if you have issues concerning vacancies, or other matters, then we have to resolve those issues with the same seriousness, he said. And I assure you that as long as Sakina is here and I am working with her, none of your issues will be ignored, he added, referring to Education Minister Sakina Itoo. The chief minister also highlighted the disparity between teachers posted in rural areas and those able to secure postings in urban schools through influence. Providing education in remote rural schools is not easy. Working there is difficult, Omar said. He said some teachers without political or social influence remained in remote schools for long periods, while those with access and influence often managed to remain in urban schools. Perhaps they have never even seen a rural school. They work only in city schools, he said. Omar also drew attention to the problem of so-called ghost schools, where students remain formally enrolled but do not regularly attend classes. He said some students enrolled in schools primarily to appear for board examinations while spending much of their time at private tuition centres. The teacher comes to school. The teacher wants to do their work. But students enrol there only for paperwork, he said. The chief minister acknowledged continuing infrastructure deficiencies, including rented school buildings, unsafe structures and inadequate access to smart classrooms. We talk about smart classrooms, but how far have we been able to take smart classrooms to our children? he said. Smart classrooms are a distant thing; even today, in some places, we are unable to provide proper school structures. Omar said responsibility for those shortcomings rested with the government rather than teachers. But these shortcomings are not your fault. They are ours, he said. Repairing infrastructure is not your responsibility; it is mine. Filling vacancies is not your job; it is mine. Strengthening your hands so that you can perform your work properly is the responsibility of me, Sakina and Nasir. He urged teachers, meanwhile, to prepare students for a rapidly changing world, saying the pace of change expected over the next two or three decades would exceed that witnessed in recent decades. We have made a lot of progress from 1947 to today, Omar said. But the world is changing very rapidly. The change that has taken place in the last 30, 40 or 50 years will happen much faster in the next 20 to 30 years. We have to prepare our children for that, he said, adding that students needed to be equipped to make a positive contribution to Jammu and Kashmir. Omar also addressed concerns over the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET), saying the requirement had not originated with the Jammu and Kashmir government and that his administration had repeatedly opposed its application. This is not something that we have created. We have repeatedly tried to fight against it, he said. He linked its applicability in Jammu and Kashmir to the post-2019 constitutional and legal changes, saying that because laws applicable across the country now apply to J&K, the TET requirement had also been extended to the region. Perhaps the Supreme Court's order so far is that this has to be implemented by August 28. So, for the moment, we have time to take our campaign to the Supreme Court, Omar said. He said the government would continue to raise its objections before the Supreme Court. As Sakina has assured you, we continue to raise our voice against this here and in the Supreme Court, he said. Omar's remarks placed the government's responsibilities alongside those of teachers, arguing that better educational outcomes would depend not merely on what teachers did inside classrooms but also on whether the administration succeeded in improving the broader conditions in which they worked. You will be able to do it, you will succeed, only if we succeed, he said. If we are able to improve your conditions, if we are able to improve your infrastructure, if we are able to improve the schools, then you will be able to improve the future of the children. If we fail and then tell you, Now you go and fix everything, that will not happen, he said. Omar also acknowledged financial constraints facing Jammu and Kashmir, saying the government's fiscal position was not as strong as it would like it to be. The financial condition of Jammu and Kashmir is not as strong as we would like it to be, so there are some restrictions, he said. But he maintained that those constraints could not absolve the administration of its responsibility towards teachers. His broader message to the gathering was that teachers should be supported rather than burdened with every expectation surrounding education, social development and the future of Jammu and Kashmir. This is not your responsibility alone, Omar said.
CM Omar flags teacher workload, rural school gaps and vacancies
'I can't send doctor sahib back empty-handed: MP Ruhullah on Farooq Abdullah's resignation call
Srinagar, Aug 25 : A day after National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah asked Srinagar MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi to resign from the Lok Sabha and seek a fresh mandate, the MP on Tuesday indicated that he would respond to the veteran leaders demand in the coming days, while stressing his deep respect for Abdullah. Speaking to reporters, Ruhullah was asked about Farooq Abdullahs call for his resignation. He did not directly say whether he would accept the challenge, but his response suggested that he was weighing the demand seriously. It is not possible that Doctor Sahib asks me for something and I dont give it to him. It is not possible that I send him back empty-handed, Ruhullah said. He has asked for something at this age. I respect him. I dont want him to ask me for somethingand Ireturn it to him empty-handed, he added. I will give an answer in a few days, Ruhullah said. His remarks came a day after Farooq Abdullah publicly challenged him to resign from Parliament and return to the electorate if he believedthat his 2024 Lok Sabha victory was primarily the result ofhis personal political standing. If you think people voted for you, resign and go back to them.Wewill see how many votes you get, Abdullah had said. The exchange follows a period of increasingly public differences between Ruhullah and the National Conference leadership over the partys political approach, particularly on issues including restoration of Article 370, statehood and the constitutional rights of Jammu and Kashmir. Farooq Abdullah had said Ruhullah was free to raise the issue of Article 370 in Parliament, but questioned his approach to the matter. If he thinks Article 370 can be restored, he should take up the issue in Parliament, Abdullah said. The NC president also defended the importance of party organisation and discipline, arguing that candidates contesting elections on the party ticket benefit from the support of the organisation and its workers. Ruhullah, however, has maintained that his political position reflects the mandate given to him by the people and has repeatedly argued that the fight for Jammu and Kashmirs constitutional rights remains unfinished. In recent days, he has also indicated that he could consider resigning from Parliament after taking his campaign on constitutional rights and protections to a certain stage. On Sunday, he said Jammu and Kashmir had continued to lose powers over the years and alleged that its political leadership had failed to regain them. The latest exchange has therefore raised questions about whether the disagreement will remain an internal debate within the National Conference or develop into a more serious political confrontation. Ruhullah was also asked aboutthe reopening of cases relatingto Kashmiri Pandits. He said justice should be delivered but cautioned against turning the process into an instrument of revenge. Everyone should be aware of Kashmiri Pandits. Justice should be delivered. There should be no revenge in the name of justice, he said. The statement places Ruhullahs position in the context of both accountability and reconciliation, stressing that any investigation or legal process should be aimed at delivering justice rather than settling scores.
Will respond in a day or two: Aga Ruhullah on Farooq Abdullahs resignation remark
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Arms, ammunition recovered during search operation In Shopian; 3 persons detained
Srinagar, Aug 25: Security forces recovered arms and ammunition during a search operation in south Kashmir's Shopian district on Tuesday. Officials said that during a search operation at Narwani area, jointly conducted by 34 RR and SOG Imam Sahib, arms and ammunition including a grenade, four mobile phones, two magazines of AK-47 rifle and four posters of HM organisation were recovered from an orchard belonging to Nazir Ahmad Wani son of Ghulam Mohammad Wani resident of Narwani. Meanwhile, three persons have been detained in connection with the recovery as Ashiq Hussain Kumar son of Late Abdul Rashid Kumar resident of Laram Ganjipora, Kulgam, Arif Kumar son of Ghulam Rasool Kumar resident of Laram Ganjipora, Kulgam and Harris Manzoor son of Manzoor Ahmad resident of Anchidoora, Anantnag. Further investigation has been taken up. (GNS)
Fire breaks out at police Housing Corporation Headquarters in Srinagar, three rooms damaged
Srinagar, Aug 25: A fire incident was reported at the Corporate Headquarters of J&K Police Housing Corporation in Peerbagh area of Srinagar on Monday, resulting in damage to three rooms. Officials said that flames broke out on the fourth floor of the building housing the corporation's headquarters. Soon after, teams of Fire and Emergency Services department rushed to the spot and doused the flames, preventing the fire from spreading to other floors. Three rooms on the fourth floor suffered damage in the incident. No loss of life or injury has been reported. The cause of fire is being ascertained. (GNS)
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Pakistan, Iran discuss ways to reopen Strait of Hormuz, prevent escalation of West Asia conflict
Islamabad, Aug 25: Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir has held comprehensive discussions with the Iranian leadership in Tehran, focusing on measures to prevent further escalation of the West Asia conflict and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the army's media wing said on Tuesday. The army chief, who was accompanied by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, concluded a day-long visit to Iran as part of Islamabads diplomatic efforts to break the deadlock in the ongoing US-Iran conflict, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement. It added that the visit was part of Pakistans diplomatic efforts to end the stalemate in the ongoing US-Iran conflict and explore ways for achieving enduring peace and a permanent end to instability in the region. The army chief called on Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Mohsen Rezaei, Representative of the Supreme Leader on the Supreme National Security Council, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of the Parliament of Iran, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Foreign Minister of Iran, and Eskandar Momeni, Minister of Interior of Iran. Comprehensive discussions focused on measures to prevent further escalation, reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and expedited termination of the conflict, the statement said. The Strait of Hormuz is a 55-km-wide narrow waterway between Iran and Oman, separating the Persian Gulf from the Arabian Sea. It is one of the busiest and most strategically significant shipping routes in the world, as a fifth of global oil passed through it before the conflict began on February 28. The discussions between leaders from Pakistan and Iran also covered regional peace and possible ways to reach a negotiated settlement to the disputes, the statement said. The Iranian leadership appreciated Pakistan's constructive role in facilitating dialogue, de-escalation and a peaceful resolution of the conflict, according to the statement. Pakistan has been leading the push for peace and reviving its mediation efforts in the stalled US-Iran peace negotiations. In April, a ceasefire was announced with an agreement to end the US-Iran conflict. However, the peace process faltered later on and has not been put back on track. The conflict began when the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28, triggering Iranian retaliation and choking the vital Strait of Hormuz and entailing a petroleum price hike. An interim peace agreement, which Pakistan signed as a guarantor, derailed last month as tensions escalated in West Asia with the US and Iran resuming military strikes. Pakistan's efforts to revive the talks have so far failed to yield results. The visit by Pakistan's leadership was part of the country's broader diplomatic efforts to help break the deadlock in the conflict and explore ways to achieve lasting peace and an end to regional instability. The visit comes as Washington ramps up pressure on Iran with an expanded round of sanctions, which US officials say are designed to cut off Tehran's economic lifeline and put the world on notice to cease doing business with the country. President Donald Trump has also warned of economic consequences for countries providing what he called any type of lifeline to Iran, as Washington seeks to intensify pressure on Iran. Oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz have been severely disrupted, while Tehran has threatened to target unauthorised tankers attempting to transit the waterway.
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Muslims gather for rain prayers in Indonesia's wildfire-hit South Sumatra
Palembang, Aug 25: Authorities in Indonesia's South Sumatra, the province with the highest number of wildfire hot spots, turned to spiritual measures on Tuesday as huge blazes in central and western regions scorched wide areas of forests and peatland, creating a choking haze that blanketed some cities in the world's most populous Muslim-majority country. The prayer gathering initiative comes as the province faces prolonged dry weather that has heightened the risk of forest and peatland fires. The latest satellite data from the Environment Ministry showed South Sumatra recorded the highest number of hot spots nationwide with 1,429, followed by West Kalimantan with 1,226 and Central Kalimantan with 811. Forestry Ministry data indicated that nearly 940 square kilometres (363 square miles) were burned in July alone, including over 20 square kilometres (8 square miles) in South Sumatra province. About 3,000 residents gathered in Palembang, the capital of South Sumatra province, to perform a special Islamic prayer for rain, known as salat istisqa. They prayed shoulder to shoulder in the courtyard of the governor's office as thick smoke shrouded roads, buildings and public facilities, reducing visibility and forcing motorists to drive with their headlights on during the day. We have done everything we can and worked closely with all relevant parties, South Sumatra Gov. Herman Deru said before the prayer. As people of faith, we are also praying to God to send rain so that life can return to normal. He also said the public prayer would complement ongoing firefighting and drought-mitigation measures and serve as a moment for residents to unite in confronting the environmental challenges facing the province. Emergency services have been battling fires driven by an intensifying El Nino pattern and a prolonged dry season, generating dense smoke that crossed into Malaysia and Brunei, according to the National Disaster Management Agency. Indonesia is actively intensifying weather-modification operations to help firefighters combat wildfires by inducing rainfall through the dispersal of salt particles into suitable clouds, with 30 aircraft for cloud-seeding and water-bombing operations over Kalimantan, and another 22 helicopters covering Sumatra. Indonesian police have arrested 72 people suspected of starting some of the forest and peatland fires, while four companies are under investigation for allegedly using fire to clear land at low cost. Plantation owners and traditional farmers often start fires to clear land for farming, triggering hazardous haze that reduces visibility, disrupts land and air transportation and threatens public health. Fires are a regular problem during the dry season in Indonesia, and the haze they generate has periodically drawn diplomatic complaints from neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia.
15 pc decline in Indian students seeking admission to undergraduate courses in US: Report
Washington, Aug 25: 15 pc decline in Indian students seeking admission to undergraduate courses in US: Report A report, representing over 1,100 institutions, released by the Common App, shows that although application volume for undergraduate admission in the upcoming 2026-27 academic year rose overall, the number of international applicants through March 1 fell 10 per cent, the steepest decline on record. The report by a non-profit organisation recorded a 15 per cent decrease in applicants from India -- the top source for international students in the US. India is the largest source of international students in the US, with over 3.63 lakh enrolling for different courses in the 2024-25 academic year. According to the report, international students contributed USD 41.77 billion to the local economy in the Fall 2025-26. The same number is projected to be 38.37 billion in 2026-27. Earlier, a report by an organisation of educators said that stricter visa rules and uncertain policy are expected to lead to up to 1.1 lakh fewer international student registrations at US colleges and universities in Fall 2026. According to a report by NAFSA: Association of International Educators and research firm JB International, international student registrations in Fall 2025-26 were estimated at 11.69 lakh, down this year to 10.57 lakh. In July, the US government announced new rules eliminating the traditional duration of status for student and visitor visas, capping stays at 4 years, which is the usual duration of an academic course. The US is also considering a USD 100,000 fee on foreign students who wish to use the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme to work in the US after their graduation. OPT allows foreign nationals who enter the United States on a student visa to work in the US for 12, or in some cases 24, months. It also allows students to transition to an H-1B visa sponsored by employers. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China.
EOW Kashmir chargesheets man for allegedly cheating cancer patients family
Srinagar, Aug 25: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) Kashmir of the Crime Branch J&K has filed a chargesheet against a man accused of cheating the family of a cancer patient by promising to provide medicines at a cheaper rate. The chargesheet has been filed before the Court of Sub-Judge, Srinagar, in FIR No. 25/2026, registered under Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The accused has been identified as Afaq Ahmad Thug, son of Ghulam Qadir, a resident of New Colony, Hazratbal, near Shiwala Mandir, Anantnag, presently residing at 10-Green Enclave, Barmuni Road, Sunjwan, Jammu. According to the EOW, the case originated from a written complaint alleging that the accused cheated the complainant after offering to arrange medicines for his wife, who was suffering from cancer, at a comparatively lower price. The accused allegedly induced the complainant to pay lakhs of rupees for the medicines but subsequently failed to supply them as promised, the agency said. Following the complaint, an investigation was initiated. The EOW said its probe prima facie substantiated the allegations levelled against the accused. Interestingly, the investigation also revealed that the accused and the complainant had been schoolmates at a boarding school more than four decades ago, the agency said. After completing the investigation, the EOW presented the chargesheet before the court for judicial determination in accordance with law. The Crime Branch has advised members of the public to remain vigilant against economic frauds and to report suspicious activities to the SSP, EOW Kashmir. Complaints can also be lodged with the EOW through email at sspeow-kmr@jkpolice.gov.in.
J-K covers digitisation of 70 lakh land parcels, 13 lakh discrepancies rectified
Srinagar, Aug 24: Jammu and Kashmir is accelerating the digitisation and updation of nearly 70 lakh land parcels as part of efforts to modernise revenue administration and prepare a verified land database for integration with the Centre's AgriStack framework, officials said. The officials said that more than 13 lakh rectifications have been completed following discrepancies detected during verification and grievances received from the public. The exercise is being undertaken by the revenue department in collaboration with BISAG-N under the Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme (DILRMP), with more than 2,500 revenue field functionaries provided role-based access for data entry, verification and approval, they said. In a major step towards modernising land administration and creating a more transparent, citizen-centric system of Revenue and Agricultural services, Jammu and Kashmir has accelerated the digitisation and updation of land records while simultaneously preparing the verified land database for integration with the AgriStack framework, they added. They said that the exercise, being undertaken by the revenue department in collaboration with BISAG-N, covers nearly 70 lakh land parcels, with more than 2,500 Revenue field functionaries having been provided role-based access for data entry, verification and approval. Officials said the exercise goes beyond scanning or digitising old records and involves updation, verification, public scrutiny and authentication of land records. A dedicated software platform has been developed for village-wise management of land records through a structured database, enabling systematic searching, validation, monitoring and authorised updating. Under the three-tier maker-checker-approver mechanism, the Patwari enters the record, the girdawar and naib-tehsildar verify it against the source revenue record, and the tehsildar provides final approval, they said. The system creates an electronic audit trail at every stage, helping check transcription errors, omissions, incorrect shares and other discrepancies while fixing responsibility for entries and approvals. District-level mentors and prabhari officers have also been deployed to monitor progress and quality, while district committees are undertaking cross-tehsil verification, they added. As part of public scrutiny, more than 6,800 village-level camps have been organised for public reading of jamabandis, allowing landholders to identify discrepancies relating to names, shares and mutations, they said. Digitised land records have also been made available for public viewing through the JK Zameen Sudhaar portal. More than 13 lakh rectifications have been completed following discrepancies detected during verification and grievances received from the public. The government has simultaneously incorporated around seven lakh backlog mutations into the digitised Record of Rights after verification and approval, they said. The verified database is now being transformed to support AgriStack under the digital agriculture mission of the central government. The framework envisages an integrated digital architecture comprising the Farmers Registry, geo-referenced village maps and Crop Sown Registry, they added. A key requirement is to accurately associate farmers with their landholdings. As traditional jamabandis may contain multiple co-owners in a single khasra, the transformation process captures the precise extent attributable to each recorded owner in machine-readable form. So far, 31.26 lakh khasra records have been converted into the required owner-extent format, officials said. Under the farmer-validation process, landholders authenticate through e-KYC, view their landholding particulars and claim the appropriate landholding group before providing voluntary electronic consent. A Farmer ID is generated after completion of the prescribed verification and approval process. Officials said the digitisation exercise would make Records of Rights more accessible and reduce the need for repeated visits to patwari and tehsil offices. For farmers, the AgriStack and Farmer ID framework is expected to facilitate more efficient delivery of eligible schemes, subsidies, agricultural inputs, credit, insurance, procurement-related services and disaster relief. The initiative is aimed at creating a trusted, verified and farmer-validated digital land information ecosystem to make revenue administration more transparent and improve delivery of agricultural services across Jammu and Kashmir.
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Two suspects apprehended with pistol, grenade In Pulwama
Srinagar, Aug 25: Two persons were apprehended along with arms and ammunition during a search operation in Pulwama district. Officials said that during the intervening night of August 24 and 25, a Search and Destroy Operation (SADO) was launched by joint teams of Police Pulwama, Army 44RR and 183 Bn CRPF in general Yarwan forest area of village CB Nath Rajpora. During the search, two individuals who were coming from the forest area towards CB Nath village in a suspicious manner were apprehended tactfully. The duo has been identified as Latif Ahmed Deedad son of Ghulam Mohammad Deedad resident of Lassi Daban and Aijaz Ahmed Bajad son of Nazir Ahmed Bajad resident of Bun Kha Bamnoo. On their search, one pistol, 12 pistol rounds and one hand grenade were recovered from their possession. Both suspects along with the recovered arms and ammunition have been taken into custody. Meanwhile, search operation in the area is going on. (GNS)
US set for largest mass visa revocation in history targeting up to 200,000 foreigners: officials
Washington, Aug 25: The Trump administration is preparing to revoke the business and tourism visas of up to 200,000 foreigners who have applied for or are currently seeking asylum status in the United States. If it happens, the move would be the largest single mass revocation of visas in US history and would likely face legal challenges. Unless challenged or revised, the State Department is expected to announce in the coming weeks the revocation of so-called B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 whose holders have sought asylum or are now seeking asylum, according to State Department documents obtained by The Associated Press and two US officials. The action will be taken in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security. We are coordinating with DHS to identify and revoke the nonimmigrant visas of foreigners who have come to the United States claiming to be short-term visitors, but then file for asylum to stay here permanently, said State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott. He declined to comment on the number of visas that might be revoked, saying as the process will be ongoing, the number of revocations remains dynamic and will be done on a rolling basis. The revocations would not necessarily result in their immediate deportation, the officials said. Most of those with asylum cases currently pending would be recategorised but would lose their status as business or tourism travellers, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the revocations are not final yet. Since President Donald Trump took office for his second term last year, his administration has steadily ramped up restrictions on visa applicants, demanding more information about their social media histories, requiring the posting of expensive bonds for processing visas, and outright banning the issuance of visas to citizens of certain countries. In a social media post on Monday, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau called out people who he said try to use tourist and business visas to get into the United States and then apply for asylum. People in the US and all over the world are fed up with bogus asylum claims, Landau wrote on X. Asylum isn't supposed to be a loophole to circumvent immigration law. Landau cited the case of a Colombian citizen who came to the US in 2015 on a tourist visa and then applied for asylum. B1 visas are generally issued for business trips and B2 visas are generally issued for tourism, family visits or medical care. It was not immediately clear from the documents or the officials how many of these visa holders are seeking or have sought asylum in the United States and would be affected by the revocations. Current applicants for B1 and B2 visas are asked to affirm that they will not apply for asylum in the United States and prove that they intend to return to their home countries. In the past 18 months, the State Department has revoked about 175,000 visas for people who have been convicted or accused of crimes ranging from drunken driving to rape and robbery, as well as for people who have spoken out publicly against US policies, particularly in the Middle East. The administration has also moved to crack down on so-called birth tourism, a practice the administration claims is used by foreign pregnant women to come to the United States to give birth so that their child will benefit from birthright citizenship. Trump has tried several times to end birthright citizenship, but those challenges have been rejected by courts, including the Supreme Court. The State Department documents obtained by the AP suggest screening of current B1 and B2 visa holders began after the State Department received information about asylum requests from the Citizenship and Immigration Service.
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President Droupadi Murmu to confer National Awards to teachers on September 5
President Droupadi Murmu will confer the National Awards to Teachers (NAT) 2026 on 21 teachers and faculty members from higher education institutions (HEIs) and polytechnics at Vigyan Bhawan here on September 5, the Ministry of Education said. The awardees include 12 teachers from central higher education institutions, five from state universities and colleges, including three government and two private institutions, and four faculty members from polytechnics, equally divided between government and private institutions. Nominations for the awards were invited online through the Rashtriya Puraskar Portal from May 26 to July 20. The process allowed self, institutional and peer nominations as part of the governments Jan Bhagidari initiative. The awards recognise teachers and faculty members for exemplary contribution to education. Selection is based on parameters including teaching-learning effectiveness, outreach activities, research and innovation, sponsored research, faculty development programmes and consultancy teaching. The selection is carried out in two stages. A Preliminary Search-cum-Screening Committee first shortlists nominees, following which a Jury Committee selects the final awardees. The National Awards to Teachers were expanded in 2023 to include teachers and faculty members from higher education institutions and polytechnics. Earlier, the awards were limited to school teachers. The expansion was aimed at supporting the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which calls for incentives, rewards and recognition to promote a culture of excellence across the education ecosystem.
Bake My Cake Kashmir unveils new website, eyes stronger digital presence
Bake My Cake Kashmir on Monday launched its new website at SSM College of Engineering, Parihaspora Pattan, marking a step towards strengthening its digital presence and making its products, services and business information more accessible to customers and stakeholders. The website was virtually inaugurated by Director Employment, J&K and Managing Director, Mission Yuva, Harvinder Singh. The launch event was attended by students, entrepreneurs, professionals and other distinguished guests. Speaking on the occasion, Managing Director of Bake My Cake Kashmir, Mudasir Naqshbandi, said businesses need to adapt to changing technology as the world increasingly moves towards digital platforms. Today, people want information instantly and businesses need to be accessible beyond physical boundaries. Through our website, we are making it easier for people to reach us, learn about our products and services, understand our journey and stay informed about our future plans, he said. Naqshbandi said the website was not merely a digital platform but part of the companys efforts to build a more accessible, transparent and digitally connected business. He added that Bake My Cake Kashmir would continue to invest in technology, innovation and young talent while creating opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs in J&K. Harvinder Singh appreciated the initiative and congratulated Bake My Cake Kashmir for embracing digital technology and strengthening its online presence. He highlighted the potential of Jammu and Kashmirs youth and encouraged them to make effective use of emerging technologies, government initiatives and new opportunities to build sustainable businesses and generate employment. The launch reflects Bake My Cake Kashmirs focus on digital transformation, innovation and strengthening its engagement with customers and the wider community.
Dr Sajjad Hussain presents IFS SIG roadmap
Dr Syed Sajjad Hussain, National Convenor of the Indian Fertility Society Special Interest Group (IFS SIG) and Managing Director of MED AGE IVF Centre, Srinagar, delivered a presentation at the Mid-Term Meeting of the Indian Fertility Society (IFS) held at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. Dr Hussain presented the vision, ongoing initiatives, academic activities and future roadmap of the IFS Special Interest Group, highlighting its focus on knowledge sharing, multidisciplinary collaboration and advancements in reproductive medicine. The presentation outlined the groups efforts to strengthen academic engagement and promote collaborative research and professional development in the field of reproductive healthcare. His participation underscored Kashmirs growing contribution to specialised healthcare and its active engagement with leading national professional forums.
Cantabil expands retail presence with new store in Pulwama
Cantabil Retail India Ltd., an apparel manufacturer and retailer, has expanded its retail presence in J&K with the opening of a new store in Pulwama. Spread across 1,185 square feet, the new outlet is located at Shop Nos. 3, 4 and 5, Muzamil Mini Mall, New Colony Road, Pulwama. The store offers a range of mens casual, party and formal wear, along with accessories, catering to customers seeking contemporary and mid-premium fashion. Commenting on the launch, Director of Cantabil Retail India Ltd. Deepak Bansal said the company was pleased to open its new mens and accessories store in Pulwama. We are excited to introduce our new men and accessories exclusive store in Pulwama. Cantabil has garnered immense appreciation in the mid-premium segment, resonating with customers. Our new store will showcase an extensive range of fashion-forward apparel for men and accessories. With a strong presence across India, we are committed to further expanding our retail footprint in the coming years, he said. The company said the new outlet was part of its ongoing expansion strategy and its efforts to strengthen its presence across markets.
JKHARA announces 21 elected Executive Committee members for 20262028
The Jammu and Kashmir Hotels and Restaurants Association (JKHARA) has announced 21 members elected to its Executive Committee (EC) for the 20262028 term following the completion of the election process at Hattrick Banquet Hall, Rajbagh, Srinagar. A total of 25 nominations were received for the Executive Committee, of which four candidates subsequently withdrew. The remaining 21 candidates were unanimously declared elected for the new term. The election proceedings were conducted under the supervision of Chief Election Commissioner G.N. Var. The proceedings were attended by JKHARA Founding President Showkat Chowdhary, Past President Adil Hussain, Patron Khazir Sahib and Advisor Sheikh Shaukat Sahib. The newly elected Executive Committee members include Sheikh Imran, Babar Chowdhary, Dr Lateef Ahmad Lone, Mohammad Shafi Beigh, Imran Majeed Hamza, Mushtafa Badyari, Amir Kaloo, Suhail Ahmad Bhat, Muneer Ahmad Guroo, Irfan Rashid Malik and Shahzadi Simon. Others elected to the committee are Ishfaq Ahmad Sheikh, Gh. Qadir Lone, Manzoor Ahmad Pakhtoon, Abid Hamid Tantray, Ayesha Saleem, Sajad Ahmad Bala, Mohammad Amin Shah, Bashir Ahmad, Farooq Amin and Nasreen Ansari. The JKHARA leadership extended its congratulations to all the newly elected members and expressed confidence that the new Executive Committee would work with dedication, integrity and a spirit of service to strengthen the organisation and advance its objectives. The association said the successful completion of the election process reflected its commitment to democratic participation, institutional continuity and responsible leadership. The new Executive Committee will serve for the 20262028 term.
MP Chowdry Ramzan visits Fruit Mandi Handwara, assures growers of support
Member of Parliament (MP) and National Conference (NC) Additional General Secretary Chowdry Mohammad Ramzan on Monday visited the Fruit Mandi Handwara and interacted with fruit growers, dealers and members of the Fruit Growers and Dealers Association. During the visit, representatives of the Handwara Fruit Mandi Association apprised Ramzan of various issues confronting the horticulture sector and sought his intervention in addressing their demands. Ramzan listened to the concerns raised by the representatives and assured them that their issues would be taken up at the appropriate platforms. Speaking to media persons after the visit, Ramzan said he was pleased to see the Fruit Mandi Handwara witnessing good business activity and providing livelihoods to thousands of families. Recalling his contribution to the horticulture sector, he said that during his tenure as Agriculture Minister nearly two decades ago, more than 15 fruit mandis were established across J&K. On the shortage of cold storage facilities in Kupwara district, Ramzan said the government was offering subsidies of more than 50 per cent for establishing such units. I urge entrepreneurs and individuals in Handwara and Kupwara to come forward and establish cold storage units. I assure them of my support in taking these initiatives forward, he said. Fruit Mandi Handwara President Mohammad Amin Wani thanked Ramzan for visiting the mandi and listening to the concerns of growers and dealers. Wani said Ramzan had assured the association that he would work towards resolving the issues faced by the fruit trade community.
FCIK delegation meets Chief Secretary, pushes for review of power tariff hike
The Federation of Chambers of Industries Kashmir (FCIK) has urged Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo to seek review and reconsideration of the recent electricity tariff order before the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC), J&K, besides seeking interim relief against its implementation pending such review. A delegation of FCIK led by Head of its Advisory Committee Shahid Kamili called on the Chief Secretary and discussed at length the impact of the tariff increases on an already stressed industrial sector. The delegation pointed out that while the DISCOMs had sought an increase of around 5 per cent, the tariff increase ultimately approved for industry was substantially higher even without any stakeholder consultation. FCIK submitted that the increase had come at a difficult time when existing enterprises were already grappling with weak markets, industrial sickness, delayed payments and mounting regulatory costs. It urged the Government to take into account the cumulative impact of prolonged disruptions and adverse business conditions faced by enterprises in J&K before burdening them with additional power costs. The meeting was held on the advice of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah as a follow-up to FCIKs recent interaction with him on the immediate problems confronting existing industry pending finalisation of the Revised Industrial Policy. Besides the power tariff issue, the Federation discussed with the Chief Secretary four priority areas that had also been taken up with the Chief MinisterEase of Doing Business, public procurement, revival of sick and stressed units, and raw-material availability for mineral-based industries. On Ease of Doing Business, FCIK sought a genuine trust-based regulatory regime providing for self-certification, automatic renewals, deemed approvals, single-window clearances, digitisation and rationalisation of recurring permissions, fees and charges. The Federation stressed that routine regulatory processes should facilitate legitimate enterprises rather than consume their time and resources. On public procurement, FCIK pointed out that many local units established to supply Government departments were starved of orders even as substantial procurement continued from outside J&K. It clarified that local industry was not seeking higher prices or any relaxation in quality, but purchase preference at competitively discovered L1 rates. FCIK proposed strengthening SICOP for identified locally manufactured items, MSME-friendly tendering and segregation of industrial supplies from works contracts. It also offered to furnish examples of GeM tenders carrying conditions that effectively disadvantage otherwise capable local manufacturers. On industrial sickness, the Federation sought early announcement of power and other amnesties to enable stressed units to clear legacy liabilities. It also presented the Chief Secretary with a copy of the SBI OTS Scheme of 2020, seeking a similar transparent and uniform settlement opportunity from banks operating in J&K, particularly J&K Bank. FCIK submitted that relief at least comparable to that extended under the SBI scheme to borrowers across the country should be available to J&K enterprises, if not on more favourable terms, considering the exceptionally difficult business conditions they have endured for over three decades. The Federation also highlighted the acute shortage of raw material faced by mineral-based industries, particularly Plaster of Paris processing and stone-crushing units, because of delays in finalisation or renewal of extraction arrangements. It sought an immediate lawful interim mechanism for regulated supply, cautioning that disruption could force units to close and adversely affect employment and developmental works, particularly during Kashmirs limited working season. The discussions were held in a constructive and positive atmosphere. The Chief Secretary acknowledged the practical difficulties brought to his notice and assured the delegation that the issues raised would be examined on priority with the concerned departments and authorities. He also assured FCIK of his full support and facilitation in mitigating the immediate problems confronting the existing industry.
Sopore Bar Association strike enters sixth day
The Bar Association Sopore continued its strike for the sixth consecutive day on Monday, protesting alleged misconduct by a Tehsildar during an incident involving an advocate at the Tehsil office. According to a spokesperson for the Bar Association, the incident took place on August 19 when Advocate Mohammad Waseem visited the Tehsil office in connection with a case involving his clients and to attend proceedings before the Tehsildar. The spokesperson alleged that the concerned official used highly objectionable and abusive language against the advocate during the interaction. The Bar further alleged that the official questioned the advocates presence in the office and made derogatory remarks against him as well as the legal fraternity. The association also alleged that the official threatened to send the advocate to the lock-up and warned him of dire consequences. The Bar Association has termed the alleged conduct a serious affront to the dignity of the legal profession and an interference with the professional independence of advocates. The use of abusive, threatening and derogatory language against an advocate while discharging professional duties is condemned in the strongest terms, a Bar representative said. The association has urged the competent authorities to inquire into the matter and take appropriate action in accordance with law. It also called for measures to ensure the dignity, safety and professional independence of advocates are protected while they discharge their duties.
Education sector holds key to progress: Sakeena Itoo
Minister for Education, Health & Medical Education and Social Welfare, Sakeena Itoo today addressed the Foundation Day celebrations of Maple Grove Education Institute Rawalpora here. Addressing the gathering, the Minister said that education remains the most important sector for the overall progress and development of society, adding that no amount of discussion on the subject can be considered enough given its far-reaching impact on individuals and communities. She underscored the pivotal role of education in shaping the future of Jammu and Kashmir. The Minister said that both government and private educational institutions are making sustained efforts to provide quality education to students, with several private institutions making a significant contribution to the education sector. There are some private institutions whose contribution is so remarkable, she observed, while appreciating institutions that have consistently demonstrated commitment towards academic excellence. Sakeena Itoo said that while a number of government schools, including middle, high and secondary schools, are performing exceptionally well, there is always scope for further improvement. She emphasised that the government and private sectors must continue working together to strengthen the educational ecosystem and provide better opportunities to children. The Minister further said that education must contribute to the holistic development of children by nurturing not only their academic abilities but also their values, character and sense of responsibility. Emphasising the importance of equality and inclusiveness in education, Sakeena Itoo said that every child must be treated equally irrespective of social or economic background. For us, children are one. We should never discriminate. Every child deserves equal opportunity to learn, grow and realise their potential, she said. Referring to an interaction with students during the programme, the Minister said she was particularly encouraged by the aspirations expressed by the children about their future careers. She noted that while some students expressed their desire to become doctors, others aspired to enter public life and become ministers. This is a very encouraging sign. Our new generation is not only dreaming of professional success but is also conscious of its role in public life and governance. Their aspiration to become political leaders and ministers reflects their confidence and belief that they too can contribute to society, Sakeena Itoo remarked. The Minister said that such aspirations need to be nurtured through an education system that encourages children to think freely, dream ambitiously and develop a strong sense of social responsibility. She called upon educational institutions to continue creating an environment where academic excellence, ethical values, inclusiveness and leadership qualities grow together, saying that the children of today will shape the social, economic and democratic future of Jammu and Kashmir. Director School Education Kashmir, other senior officers of School Education department, management and teachers of Maple Grove Education Institute, large number of students and their families were also present on the occasion.
Convention of pensioners, senior citizens, civil society held in Kulgam
A one-day Convention of pensioners, senior citizens and members of civil society was held today at Kings Palace, Kulgam under the chairmanship of Shri Lenin Sampat, State President. The District President of Kulgam, Abdu Hamid Mir, and District General Secretary, G. M. Parwana, extended a warm and cordial welcome to the State President, State General Secretary Gh. Mohi-ud-din Bhat, senior trade union leaders, and pensioners from across District Kulgam. Chief Patron of the Central Body, Nisar Ali Mir, addressed the gathering. He paid rich tributes to the late Shri Sampat Ji for his dedication and hard work, and urged all present to carry forward and complete his unfinished mission. Several dignitaries addressed the Convention, including Ab. Majid Dar (District President, Anantnag), Mr. Yayah Shafi (Namaji) (District President, Ganderbal), Mansoor Ahmad Magray (District President, Shopian), Malik Gh. Hassan (District Budgam), G. Nabi Bhat (Khanyari) from Srinagar, and Nisar Ahmad Tarfarosh from Srinagar. State President Lenin Sampat and State General Secretary Gh. Mohi-ud-din Bhat assured the pensioners that their legitimate demands would be pursued vigorously. These include: Enhancement of Medical Allowance at par with the Union Territory of Ladakh Enhancement of pension by 5% at the ages of 65, 70, 75 and 79 years respectively Immediate release of 18 months DA withheld during the COVID-19 period Provision of Vaqar houses in all districts of Jammu & Kashmir The Convention also expressed strong resentment over the non-release of balance leave salary of pensioners of J&K Industries (JKI) from 2023 onwards by the present Managing Director, despite repeated requests. The organisation warned that it would be left with no option but to launch a protest if the genuine dues of JKI pensioners continued to be ignored. Members of civil society further demanded a reduction in electricity charges, recalling the assurance given by the Honble Chief Minister during the election campaign. The Convention concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by Mr. Ab. Gani of Frisal, Yaripora.
JK Cinema Guild meets CM, seeks Film Industry push
A delegation of the J&K Cinema Guild Srinagar, comprising noted artist and art promoter Waheed Jeelani and renowned actor and film director Umar Imtiyaz, called on Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at his residence and held an extensive discussion on the cultural and creative landscape of Jammu and Kashmir. The delegation presented a comprehensive project report and proposal for establishing and developing a vibrant regional film industry in Jammu and Kashmir, on the lines of successful regional film industries in other parts of the country. The delegation strongly urged the Chief Minister to initiate steps for the revival and effective implementation of the existing J&K Film Policy, with greater opportunities for local filmmakers, actors, technicians, musicians and other creative professionals. The delegation also drew the Chief Ministers attention towards the urgent need to revive and strengthen local cultural institutions, particularly Akashwani stations, Doordarshan stations, DD Kashir and the J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, and make them vibrant platforms for young and emerging artists. The Guild urged the Chief Minister to take up these issues at the highest level with the Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Union Minister for Culture, the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister, so that Jammu and Kashmirs rich cultural and cinematic potential receives the institutional support it deserves. The delegation also invited the Chief Minister and other senior ministers to participate in the Artists Convention proposed to be held in September 2026, which will bring together leading artists, politicians, policymakers, filmmakers, musicians, actors and cultural practitioners to deliberate on the issues & future of the creative sector in Jammu and Kashmir. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah gave the delegation a patient hearing and assured that the issues raised would be looked into and taken care of. He emphasised that our artists and performers are our assets, underlining the importance of nurturing and supporting the regions creative community. The J&K Cinema Guild expressed hope that the Chief Ministers assurance will translate into concrete policy initiatives and renewed institutional support, paving the way for a strong, self sustaining and professionally organised regional film and cultural industry in Jammu and Kashmir.
Chief Secretary reviews drug abuse rehab programme
Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, today chaired a high-level meeting to review the preparedness for implementation of the Phase-I Pilot of the Rehabilitation & Socio-Economic Reintegration Scheme for Drug Abuse Victims, 2026, being coordinated by the Social Welfare Department. The meeting was attended by the Principal Secretary, Home; Commissioner Secretary, H&ME; Commissioner Secretary, Social Welfare Department; DC, Srinagar; Head, IMHANS, Srinagar; Director, Health, Jammu/Kashmir and other concerned officers. Deputy Commissioners from outside districts along with the Institution heads connected with the meeting through video conferencing. The meeting reviewed the readiness of the identified pilot institutions and districts, availability of human resources and infrastructure, capacity-building initiatives, inter-departmental coordination and the development of a dedicated digital mechanism for end-to-end monitoring of beneficiaries. The Phase-I pilot is proposed to be implemented at IMHANS Srinagar, ATFs at Jammu, Kathua, and in Budgam district. The pilot is aimed at testing the rehabilitation model on the ground, identifying operational gaps, refining the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and generating the necessary learning for its subsequent expansion across the Union Territory. Taking stock of the preparedness in the pilot districts, the Chief Secretary reviewed the availability of infrastructure and manpower at each location and stressed the need for focused training and capacity-building of Medical Officers, Counsellors, Case Managers, ASHA workers and SHG members so that each stakeholder is adequately equipped to discharge the role assigned under the rehabilitation framework. The Chief Secretary directed the Social Welfare Department to coordinate the implementation of the programme and ensure its commencement at the earliest. He further directed the Department to simultaneously identify the requisite human resources and infrastructure for extending the rehabilitation mechanism to other districts, so that the pilot exercise facilitates a smooth transition towards wider implementation. The Chief Secretary also reviewed the capacity-building initiatives undertaken by IMHANS Srinagar for Medical Officers, Counsellors, Case Managers, SHG members and ASHA workers. He directed IMHANS to continue conducting such training programmes across all districts so as to create a sufficiently large and skilled pool of human resources capable of supporting the rehabilitation programme as it expands. On this occasion the Head, IMHANS Srinagar, Dr Arshad Hussain, briefed the meeting about the interventions undertaken so far by the Institute and the facilities covered under the pilot. He also highlighted certain areas requiring focused attention at the participating health facilities. Dr Hussain informed that training modules for different categories of personnel have been developed and several batches have already been trained. He expressed confidence that the ongoing capacity-building exercise would create adequate trained manpower within the next two to three months to satisfactorily operationalise the rehabilitation centres in accordance with the approved policy framework. It was further elucidated that the first phase of the Circle of Care training module has already been completed, with more than 300 frontline workers, including ASHA workers, NRLM/SHG representatives and teachers, trained across Kashmir Division.
India's influenza surge seasonal, not new or deadlier strain: Dr Saumya Swaminathan
The current rise in influenza cases across parts of India is a routine seasonal uptick rather than the emergence of a novel or more dangerous virus, former Director ICMR Dr. Soumya Swaminathan has said. Speaking to media, Dr Swaminathan said that India is recording a seasonal influenza uptick, and this happens every year. The doctors feel that this year it has started a little earlier, but normally in India, we do have a monsoon seasonal increase in influenza cases, and then it continues into winter, she stated while dismissing need for alarm. Dr Swaminathan, who has also served as Chief Scientist at WHO highlighted the improved monitoring as a contributor to a clearer picture of circulating viruses. Thanks to better surveillance through the government ICMR viral laboratories throughout the year, we actually now know which viruses are circulating, which are predominant. And we can also correlate with clinical presentation, with severity, and with hospital admissions. This is a very good resource, she said. She said the predominant driver of the present increase is an H1N1 influenza A virus of the Michigan strain. The current increase in cases is because of H1N1, a Michigan strain. Its an influenza A virus, she said. She assed that the same strain that has been circulating since the pandemic in 2009 and this years Virus is very similar to what was last year. She reassured people that this is not a new strain. I think theres a lot more awareness, more testing, more diagnostics being performed, she said. She added that more cases are being reported from many hospitals in Delhi, Bengaluru, and other cities due to increased testing. People might tend to panic, thinking that, you know, there are suddenly thousands of cases. Its just better testing, she said. The clarification comes amid a rise in H1N1 cases, particularly in Delhi. Over 1,777 H1N1 cases had been reported by August 20 out of 2,392 Influenza A cases this year. ICMR scientists have said the H1N1 viruses currently circulating in India are similar to the A/Missouri/11/2025 (H1N1)pdm09-like strain. They also said the circulating influenza strains are well matched with the vaccine strains recommended for the Northern Hemisphere. Indias National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) continues to maintain seasonal influenza surveillance. It provides technical guidance on H1N1, including patient categorisation, home care, mask use, clinical management and laboratory testing.
Jagmohan had no role in exodus of Kashmiri Pandits: Ashok Koul
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary Ashok Koul on Monday said targeted killings would continue in the Valley but would become meaningless if communal brotherhood prevailed. The Kashmiri Pandit community will continue its struggle to live safely in the Valley and will remain here if the administration provides all necessary facilities, Koul told reporters in south Kashmirs Shopian district after paying obeisance at the Kapal Mochan shrine. He said there was no completely safe place in the world, citing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. You know what is happening in Ukraine and Russia, and what America, Israel and Iran are doing. Targeted killings will continue, but when there is brotherhood, they will not have much meaning, he said. Koul was responding to the recent targeted killings and purported online threats to the community members. He said that Jagmohan had no role in the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley. Before Jagmohans arrival, Kashmiri Pandits had migrated from the Valley because of some external elements who drove the community members out of the Valley, he said. Koul claimed that it was equally true that some members of the majority community also helped such forces. But I am happy to see the minority community members coming here and performing pooja at the Kapal Mochan Shrine, he said. Koul said that the day was not far when all the community members would return to the Valley. The three-day Kapal Mochan pilgrimage began on Sunday, and the shrine has a particular significance for Shradh rituals performed for people who died in accidents. The annual pilgrimage had remained suspended for nearly two decades following the outbreak of militancy in the Valley in the 1990s. It was revived in 2008 with the support of members of the local Muslim community.
Chowdry Ramzan rejects Dulats Article 370 claim
Member of Parliament and National Conference Additional General Secretary Chowdry Mohammad Ramzan on Monday rejected former RAW chief A.S. Dulats remarks on Article 370 as factually incorrect and accused Peoples Conference chairman and Handwara MLA Sajad Gani Lone of failing to deliver on key development issues in the constituency. Ramzan was speaking to media persons at his residence in Handwara after concluding a three-day visit to the constituency. Reacting to Dulats remarks at a recent seminar organised by MP Aga Ruhullah in Delhi, where the former RAW chief reportedly said that Article 370 was automatically abrogated following the accord between Sheikh Abdullah and the Centre, Ramzan said the claim did not reflect the constitutional position of Jammu and Kashmir at the time. Article 370 and Article 35A were part of the special status and constitutional arrangements of Jammu and Kashmir at that time. They were meant to safeguard the special position of the erstwhile state, he said. Ramzan also responded to criticism by Sajad Lone that issues concerning MLAs were being raised in Parliament for political purposes, asserting that he had raised matters beyond conventional developmental concerns. Let me remind Sajad Lone that I have raised issues in Parliament which perhaps no other MP has dared to raise. I have not confined myself to developmental issues but have also raised issues concerning Muslims across India, Ramzan said. Referring to his intervention in Parliament on Vande Mataram, Ramzan said he had highlighted concerns of Muslims regarding what he described as religious references in the song. Following my speech on Vande Mataram, renowned Islamic scholars, including scholars from Deoband, visited and thanked me for speaking about the issue in Parliament, he said. Ramzan also criticised Lone over the pace of development in Handwara, alleging that several works remained pending during his tenure as MLA. Citing the new bus stand as an example, Ramzan said the facility had not been macadamised during Lones tenures as MLA. He said he had subsequently brought Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary to Handwara, following which the macadamisation work was announced. When the work started, Sajad Lone arrived to inaugurate it. But he must remember that he failed to macadamise the bus stand during both his first and present tenure as MLA, Ramzan said. On railway connectivity, Ramzan said he had recently taken up the demand for extending the railway line to Kupwara with the Railway Minister. I recently met the Railway Minister and requested him to extend the railway line up to Kupwara. He assured me that the demand would be taken forward, he said. On the controversy surrounding the proposed site of Government Medical College (GMC) Handwara, Ramzan said he would oppose any move to shift the project outside the constituency. I will not allow GMC Handwara to be shifted anywhere else whatsoever, he said.
Congress opposes power tariff hike, demands immediate rollback
J&K Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) President Tariq Hameed Karra has strongly opposed the recent hike in electricity tariffs announced by the J&K Government, terming it unjustified and an additional burden on consumers. Karra said the decision came at a time when households were already facing rising prices and mounting economic pressures, and argued that the government should have provided relief to consumers instead of increasing their electricity bills. People of J&K were expecting the government to announce relief and curtailment in electricity bills, not an increase in the per-unit tariff. For an ordinary household, every additional rupee on the electricity bill directly affects the family budget. This decision is insensitive to the economic hardships being faced by our people, Karra said. He demanded that the government immediately review and withdraw the tariff hike and introduce measures to reduce the electricity burden on domestic consumers, particularly economically weaker sections. The government must remember that electricity is not a luxury; it is an essential service. The people of J&K deserve affordable and reliable power, not ever-increasing bills. The Congress will stand firmly with the people and oppose every measure that places an unjustified financial burden on them, he said. Karra urged the government to reconsider the decision in the larger public interest and restore relief to consumers, saying essential utilities should not be allowed to become increasingly unaffordable for ordinary households.
6.83% power tariff hike: PDP stages protest, demands withdrawal
Senior leaders and workers of the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Party General Secretary Mohammad Khursheed Alam, on Monday staged a protest against the 6.83 per cent electricity tariff hike, describing it as an additional burden on consumers. The protest was attended by former minister Asiya Naqash, Anjum Fazili, Iqbal Tramboo, Noor Mohammad Sheikh, Qayoom Bhat, Syed Tajamul, Shokia Qureshi, Arif Laigroo, Altaf Tambakoo, Bashir Beigh, Sheikh Sabah, Khalid Mir, Umar Dar, Shafi Kundangar and Fayaz Reshi, besides a large number of party workers. Addressing media persons, Alam condemned the tariff hike, saying people had voted for change and relief but were instead facing rising costs. People voted for this government with the hope of relief, but today they feel looted by rising tariffs and increasing costs. The government has failed to honour the expectations of the people who placed their trust in it. At a time when families are struggling with inflation and unemployment, increasing electricity tariffs is completely unjustified, he said. Former minister Asiya Naqash said the government should provide relief to households rather than increase their financial burden. Electricity is a basic necessity, and the government must understand the difficulties being faced by common people. This tariff hike will disproportionately affect poor and middle-class families who are already struggling to meet their daily expenses. The decision should be rolled back immediately, she said. PDP spokesperson Mohammad Iqbal Tramboo said the hike reflected the governments failure to address the concerns of electricity consumers. People are already burdened with high electricity bills and the rising cost of essential commodities. Adding another 6.83 per cent to the tariff will further squeeze household budgets. The government must withdraw this anti-people decision and provide immediate relief to consumers, Tramboo said. PDP leader Arif Laigroo said the tariff hike would further aggravate the difficulties faced by families across Jammu and Kashmir. At a time when people are demanding affordable electricity and relief from mounting expenses, another tariff hike is unacceptable. Electricity is an essential service, not a luxury. Instead of imposing additional burdens on consumers, the government should focus on improving power supply, reducing wastage and ensuring accountability in the power sector, he said. The PDP leaders demanded immediate rollback of the 6.83 per cent tariff hike, asserting that electricity is an essential service and should not become an additional source of financial pressure on households. The party said it would continue to raise public concerns and oppose policies that, it alleged, adversely affect the economic well-being of people in Jammu and Kashmir.
8 injured in Rajouri road accident
Atleast eight people sustained injuries, three of whom are having multiple injuries, after a bus and a car collided with each other at Dalian village of Nowshera in Rajouri district. The accident happened when a bus and a car collided head-on at Dalian on Jammu Rajouri Poonch National Highway. Eight passengers sustained injuries in the collision who all were shifted to Sub District Hospital Nowshera where five were declared as normal an fine while three people were having multiple injuries. Police is said to have taken up investigation and necessary legal proceedings into the matter.
White Knight Corps Commander reviews operational preparedness in Poonch sector
General Officer Commanding (GOC), White Knight Corps, Lt Gen PK Mishra on Monday reviewed the operational preparedness and evolving security dynamics during his visit of forward locations of Line of Control (LoC) in areas of Poonch sector. He was accompanied by General Officer Commanding (GOC) Ace of Spades Division, Maj Gen Manoj Raran. Lt Gen PK Mishra visited forward areas in the Poonch sector to review operational preparedness and the evolving security dynamics. The Corps Commander during the visit interacted with field troops and various stakeholders and commended their high morale, professionalism and operational readiness. The Corps Commander also highlighted the need to maintain high standards of operational preparedness, continuously enhance capabilities and remain ready to meet emerging challenges.
Kounsarnag Vishnu Sarovar Yatra concludes
The annual Kounsarnag Vishnu Sarovar Yatra has concluded peacefully after hundreds of devotees completed the arduous pilgrimage to the high-altitude sacred lake, with pilgrims now making their way back towards Reasi under tight security and comprehensive arrangements. The annual Shoba Yatra commenced on August 21, with devotees from different parts of Jammu and Kashmir participating in the pilgrimage. The yatra witnessed the participation of around 590 pilgrims, including 466 males, including Sadhus, and 124 females.
Prof Sanjeev Sinha takes over as new Executive Director AIIMS Jammu
Professor, Department of Medicine, AIIMS New Delhi, Prof (Dr) Sanjeev Sinha on Monday took over as the new Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Jammu. With this leadership transition, the tenure of Prof (Dr) D N Sharma as Executive Director and CEO of AIIMS Jammu ended. The appointment of Prof Sinha as Executive Director, AIIMS Jammu, has been approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) for a period of three years from the date of assumption of charge, or until attaining the age of 70 years, or until further orders, whichever is earlier. With his assumption of charge, AIIMS Jammu is entering a new phase of leadership as Prof Sinha, who is joining AIIMS Jammu on deputation from AIIMS New Delhi, is bringing a rich blend of clinical expertise, academic experience and research orientation to the institution. As Professor in the Department of Medicine at AIIMS New Delhi, Prof (Dr) Sanjeev Sinha has a distinguished academic and clinical background, with experience spanning patient care, teaching, medical training and research. His expertise is expected to bring valuable academic and scientific perspective to AIIMS Jammu, said an AIIMS Jammu spokesperson, hoping, Under his leadership, AIIMS Jammu shall be expanding and strengthening clinical services, enhancing the quality of medical education, promoting high-quality research and innovation, encouraging interdisciplinary academic collaboration and creating greater opportunities for faculty and students to engage in impactful research. Prof Sinhas leadership, spokesperson has stated, is also expected to contribute towards building a strong culture of evidence-based clinical practice, academic excellence and research-driven healthcare, while further strengthening AIIMS Jammu as a centre of excellence. Speaking on the leadership transition, the AIIMS Jammu fraternity expressed its appreciation for the contribution of Prof (Dr) D N Sharma and conveyed its warm welcome to Prof (Dr) Sanjeev Sinha. Prof Sharma had assumed charge of AIIMS Jammu on January 10, 2026 and served the institution during an important phase of its development. AIIMS Jammu fraternity acknowledged his valuable contribution and leadership during his tenure and conveyed its best wishes for his future endeavours. Welcoming Prof Sinha, it expressed confidence that his experience and vision would provide fresh impetus to the institutions journey towards greater excellence. The transition reflects the continuity of AIIMS Jammus institutional journey building upon the contributions of its leadership while embracing new opportunities for growth, innovation and excellence, it added.
SIA pastes proclamation notices at houses of 2 Bandipora men
Srinagar, Aug 24: The State Investigation Agency (SIA) Kashmir on Monday pasted proclamation notices at the residential properties of two Bandipora men allegedly involved in terror-related activities, officials said. The notices were pasted at the houses of Jameel Sheergojri, son of Abdul Ahad Sheergojri, a resident of Quilmukam, Bandipora, presently residing at Naz Colony, Bandipora, and Hashir Rafiq Parray, son of Mohammad Rafiq Parray, a resident of Patushay, Bandipora. According to the SIA, both men travelled to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on valid passports and subsequently joined terrorist ranks there. The agency said Sheergojri travelled to PoK in May 2016, while Parray travelled there in 2018. Both allegedly subsequently became involved in terrorism. The proclamation notices were issued in connection with FIR No. 13/2021 registered at Police Station SIA Kashmir under Sections 121 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Sections 13, 17, 18, 20, 38 and 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The action forms part of the SIAs ongoing investigation into cases concerning alleged militant activities and their support networks. The pasting of proclamation notices is a legal measure through which investigating agencies call upon accused or proclaimed persons to appear before the competent court in connection with a case. Further legal proceedings in the matter will follow in accordance with the applicable provisions of law.
Srinagar schools, madrasas told to hand over students only to parents, authorised persons
Srinagar, Aug 24:Authorities have issued a child-safety advisory to schools and madrasas across Srinagar, directing them to ensure that students are handed over only to their parents or authorised drivers and attendants after classes. The advisory calls for heightened vigilance during the dispersal of students and instructs educational institutions not to release children into the custody of unauthorised individuals. Young children have also been advised not to leave school or madrasa premises on their own. Parents have been urged to ensure that younger children are accompanied while travelling to and from educational institutions and to take necessary precautions for their safety. The advisory comes amid heightened security concerns following the reported escape of two undertrial prisoners facing charges under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act from the high-security Central Jail Srinagar. The two accused have been identified as Farman Khan, son of Abdul Gani Khan, a resident of Rajasthan, and Mukhtar Ahmad Gujar, also referred to as Mukhtar Ahmed Gujar, son of Mohammad Rafiq, a resident of Chittergul in Anantnag district. Both were facing trial in separate cases registered under Sections 3 and 4 of the POCSO Act, with FIR Nos. 19/2026 and 20/2026 respectively. According to police, the undertrials allegedly escaped after scaling the front wall of the jail. A manhunt has been launched, while cases have been registered in connection with the jailbreak. Security has also been stepped up in and around the facility, with search teams deployed and alerts issued to neighbouring areas.
Kishtwar minor's death: Protests continue for 4th day across Chenab Valley
Protests demanding justice for a minor schoolgirl from Chatroo in Kishtwar district continued for the fourth consecutive day on Monday, spreading across parts of the Chenab Valley as students, tribal community members, traders, political workers and civil society groups stepped up demands for a transparent, time-bound investigation and the strictest punishment permissible under law for anyone found guilty. The protests were triggered by the death of the minor girl, who allegedly suffered sexual assault by a government school teacher and subsequently became pregnant. Her condition reportedly deteriorated following an alleged attempt to terminate the pregnancy, and she died while being shifted for specialised medical treatment. The circumstances surrounding the pregnancy, alleged termination attempt and subsequent death are being investigated. Police have arrested the accused government school teacher and his brother in connection with the case. An FIR has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The Education Department has also suspended the teacher and initiated a departmental inquiry. Students hold protests in Kishtwar, Sartingal. On Monday, students from various government and private schools took out a peaceful protest rally in Kishtwar town. Raising slogans seeking justice, the students demanded strict legal action against the accused and all others whose involvement, if established, emerges during the investigation. A major protest was also held in the Sartingal area of Bhaderwah in Doda district, where schoolchildren and members of the Sartingal Trade Union joined hands to condemn the incident. The protesters demanded a fair and impartial investigation followed by a fast-track trial, saying justice should be delivered without unnecessary delay. They also called for the strictest punishment under law for the accused if found guilty, while stressing that the investigation must establish the role of every person involved in the alleged crime or any subsequent attempt to conceal facts. Tribal Community Stages Dharna in Chatroo In Chatroo, members of the tribal community staged a dharna at the native place of the deceased girl. Protesters expressed deep anguish over the incident and demanded that every person found to have participated in the alleged sexual assault, attempted termination of pregnancy, concealment of facts or any other related offence be brought within the ambit of the investigation. The protesters also called for protection of the dignity and privacy of the victims family and urged authorities to ensure that the investigation remains free from pressure or influence. BJP Holds Protest in Gool Meanwhile, the BJP unit of Gool, led by local party leader Mohammad Saleem Bhat, organised a protest march in Gool town. Protesters condemned the alleged crime and demanded stringent legal action against all those found responsible. The Sanatan Dharam Sabha Kishtwar also condemned the incident and expressed solidarity with the bereaved family, urging the administration and investigating agencies to ensure justice and take stringent action in accordance with law. Demand for Fast-Track Proceedings Gains Momentum The demand for a fast-track trial has gained wider support across the region. Senior National Conference leader and Member of Parliament Mian Altaf Ahmed has called for a comprehensive and time-bound investigation and a dedicated fast-track court with day-to-day hearings, saying the guilty, if established through due process, should face the stringent punishment permissible under law. The demand comes amid continuing public anger over the circumstances in which the girl died and questions surrounding the alleged sexual assault, pregnancy and subsequent attempt to terminate the pregnancy. CM Directs Expedited Education Department inquiry Amid the growing protests, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday directed the School Education Department to expedite its inquiry into the Kishtwar incident so that stringent and exemplary action can be ensured wherever wrongdoing is established. The Chief Ministers direction came as protests continued in different parts of the Chenab Valley, with protesters insisting that administrative and departmental action should be accompanied by a thorough criminal investigation and prosecution. Protests Spread Across Chenab Valley The incident has triggered widespread outrage since Friday, with demonstrations reported from Chatroo, Kishtwar, Mughal Maidan, Doda, Bhaderwah and other areas. On Sunday, teachers in Kishtwar held a condolence meeting followed by a candle march to pay homage to the deceased girl. Residents of Bhalra in Bhaderwah also staged a protest, while students and members of civil society continued to demand justice. The protests have remained largely focused on ensuring accountability and seeking legal action against those found responsible. Protesters have repeatedly called upon authorities to ensure that the investigation covers the entire sequence of events and does not stop with the arrest of the two accused. Investigation to Establish Complete Sequence According to police and media reports, the accused teacher allegedly sexually assaulted the minor over a period of time, resulting in her pregnancy. Her condition later deteriorated following an alleged attempt to terminate the pregnancy, after which she was referred for specialised treatment but died while being shifted. Police have said the investigation is continuing to establish the complete circumstances of the case and determine whether any other persons were involved. Reports have also indicated that investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the alleged termination attempt and the girl's subsequent medical treatment. With public anger continuing to mount, protesters across the Chenab Valley have demanded a transparent, impartial and time-bound investigation, a fast-track trial and the strictest punishment permissible under law for every person whose guilt is established. They said justice must be swift, fair and lawful, while ensuring that the bereaved family receives justice and that the case serves as a strong reminder that crimes against children will not be tolerated. Meanwhile, a candle march was taken out by the residents of Bhalessa. The protesters demanded strict action against culprits involved in the crime. Till the filing of this report a candle march is underway in Bhalessa area of Doda district.
Dr Farooq asks dissenting Aga Ruhullah to resign, seek fresh mandate
Srinagar, Aug 24:National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah on Monday hit back at party MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi over his recent public statements, asking him to resign from the Lok Sabha and return to the electorate if he believed his victory was secured on the strength of his personal support. Reacting to Ruhullahs positions, Abdullah said the Srinagar MP was free to raise issues such as the restoration of Article 370 in Parliament, but questioned his approach to the matter. If he thinks Article 370 can be restored, he should take up the issue in Parliament, Abdullah said. The NC president also challenged Ruhullah to test his claim of having secured the Lok Sabha mandate through his own political standing. If you think people voted for you, resign and go back to them. We will see how many votes you get, he said. Abdullah said party members were expected to abide by decisions taken by the organisation, particularly during elections, and cited the Budgam poll to underline the importance of party discipline. He said NC workers could not reasonably have been expected to campaign against a candidate officially nominated by the party. On speculation about differences within the NC, Abdullah said disagreements were common in political organisations and should not automatically be construed as a revolt against the leadership. He also maintained that the party and the government had separate roles, saying that as NC president he did not want to unnecessarily interfere in the administration. Abdullah recalled the sacrifices made by generations of NC leaders and workers, saying the organisation had endured because of the commitment of its grassroots cadre. Asked about Ruhullahs political direction, Abdullah advised the Srinagar MP to seek guidance from the Quran, while reiterating his view that he was currently taking the wrong path.
LG Sinha celebrates Raksha Bandhan with DPS Baramulla students
Srinagar, Aug 24:Lok Bhavan Jammu and Kashmir on Monday hosted a special Raksha Bandhan celebration for students of Delhi Public School (DPS), Baramulla, in Srinagar. As part of the celebration, the students tied Rakhis to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and exchanged greetings with him. The Lieutenant Governor urged the students to carry forward the true spirit of Raksha Bandhan and encouraged them to spread the message of peace, love, unity and harmony. With Raksha Bandhan scheduled to be celebrated on August 28, the event provided the students an opportunity to interact with the Lieutenant Governor ahead of the festival. Dr Shashwata Shiva, Principal of DPS Baramulla, along with the schools coordinators, teachers and office-bearers, accompanied the students during the visit.
Monsoon Masters Jammu Pickleball Tournament concludes
The J&K Pickleball Association (JKPA) successfully concluded the Monsoon Masters Jammu JKSPR 500, held on 22nd and 23rd August 2026 at Isle of Ball, Wazir Farms, Rani Bagh, Jammu Cantt. The two-day state-ranking tournament, as per a statement issued on Monday, saw 50+ players compete across multiple age groups and Open categories for valuable points towards the J&K Pickleball State Rankings. In the tournament results, Aman Sharma clinched the 30+ mens singles title, finishing ahead of Pankaj Singh, while Nabeel Shah secured third place. Ramanuj Mahajan emerged champion in the open mens singles category, with Deepanshu Arora finishing runner-up and Rohit Choudhary taking third place. In the open mens doubles, Raksham Gupta and Deepanshu Arora claimed the title, followed by Ramanuj Mahajan and Taresh Baru in second place. Ajay Vaid and Rohit Choudhary finished third. Sidhani Singh won the open womens singles title, while Ridhi Kawatra finished runner-up. Ridhi Kawatra and Sumit Sharma emerged winners in the open mixed doubles, defeating the pair of Sidhani Singh and Indu Bushan, who finished second. In the 30+ mens doubles, Aman Sharma and Pankaj Singh secured first place, followed by Anurag Singh and Taresh Baru, while Gul Yazdan and Nabeel Shah finished third. Sumit Sharma won the 40+ mens singles title, with Upender Singh finishing second and Indu Bushan securing third place.
