WRITE-UPS

Mehran Bhat Saja Begum, 60, stands by the swelling Jhelum river, surrounded by her fellow residents in the midst of the chaos at Gandabal Srinagar. With a photo of her 38-year-old son, Showkat, clasped tightly in her hands, she watches the ongoing rescue efforts with a mixture of hope and despair. Each passing moment feels like an eternity as she waits, her heart aching with the uncertainty of her son's fate. All she can do is hold onto that picture, a tangible reminder of the loved one she fears may never return home. "I am abandoned, utterly alone. Showkat Ahmed Sheikh was my only light, the one who sheltered me. Who will care for me now, in these old years?" she moaned, her voice strained with anguish, as she turned away from the river's edge, where she spends most of her time. ...

Asma Bhat/ Ubaid Mukhtar Mudasir and Tanveer's excitement knew no bounds as they set off for school on Tuesday morning. They had eagerly awaited this day, proudly sporting their new bags they had acquired from Lal Chowk just two days ago. Little did their family know, those bags would outlast their beloved children. "When the boat, tethered by a rope, started its journey to the other side of the river, everything seemed routine. But in an instant, tragedy struck. The rope snapped, and the relentless current of the river seized the boat, dragging it towards an unforgiving fate. The boat collided with the pillar of an under-construction bridge, shattering the hopes and dreams of those on board," recounted a tearful local from Batwara, Srinagar. Firdousa, the mother, clung desperatel...

Farhan Sayeed Masoodi Faizan, a seven-year-old boy, hails from the picturesque district of Kupwara nestled in the enchanting Kashmir. He has captivated hearts worldwide with his mesmerizing heterochromia iridium—a rare condition bestowing upon him eyes of distinct hues, one adorned in a shade of azure, the other in warm tones of brown, Faizan's gaze has emerged as a beacon of fascination, drawing attention from across the globe. The journey to Faizan's internet stardom commenced when a vlogger shared a video of him on Instagram, igniting a wildfire of viral sensation. Local media outlets swiftly caught wind of this remarkable tale, amplifying Faizan's popularity manifold. Even tech titan Vivo India recognized his beauty, featuring him in an advertisement campaign for their lat...

Hooria Gillani As the Lok Sabha elections are approaching, Kashmir finds itself in the midst of complex debates on equality and opportunity. In the midst of these raging debates, students like Farhat Riyaz from the Open Merit or General Category, feel hopeless after the recent change in the reservation policy. Riyaz, a law student expressed a sentiment shared by many in her category, asserting that they are left feeling hopeless in the face of what she perceives as an unfair system. In Kashmir, controversy has erupted over recent amendments in the reservations. The decision, which entails a significant increase in Schedule Tribe (ST) reservations by 10 percent, has triggered concerns for access to equal employment opportunities. The general category that consists of over 75 per...

Laylat ul Qadr was observed with great reverence across the Kashmir valley, with thousands of devotees thronging mosques engaging in night- long prayers. The largest gatherings in Srinagar were held at Hazratbal Dargah, where women and men in large numbers had reached the Khanqah to offer prayers. Our reporter Asma Bhat reported that elaborate arrangements had been made for devotees who thronged the Khanqah from nooks and corners of the Kashmir valley. "We made prayers for the people of Palestine and also prayed for peace in Kashmir. This place holds a spiritual significance for us," said Inam, a devotee at Hazratbal Srinagar. In Czrar e Shareef, which is the resting place of Alamdar e Kashmir, Hazrat Sheikh Noor u Din Noori saw a massive rush of devotees from all over ...

Bhat Yasir In Kashmir, thousands of workers like Ali Mohammed Khan from downtown Srinagar has been highly worried post the installation of smart meters in their area. "Earlier, in areas with poorer people, they charged a flat rate, but it has become very tough for us to pay these heightened bills, but it looks tougher times area ahead as the department intends to install prepaid meters now," said 61-year-old Khan. Smart electricity meters is a concept borrowed from the western countries. One of the first countries to install smart meters was in Italy. Italy began rolling out smart meters in the early 2000s, with the aim of modernizing its electricity grid and improving efficiency. The Italian government mandated the installation of smart meters for all electricity consumers, inclu...

Suhail Dar During the ongoing month of Ramadan, Iftar in Anantnag town of Kashmir town has transformed into a grand affair. The hospital grounds have evolved into vibrant social hubs where hundreds of individuals congregate to collectively break their fasts. Sajid Iqbal, a 22-year-old engineering graduate from a college in Chandigarh, is among the numerous volunteers who frequent the primary Maternity and Child Care Hospital in Sherbagh, located in Anantnag town, South Kashmir. "I've been dedicating my time to volunteering for the Khair e Aam trust for the past year. I do it solely to seek the pleasure of Allah," he expresses. The Khair e Aam trust is one of several organizations in the South Kashmir town that have been organizing Iftar and Sehri meals for the two primary hospitals i...

The Udhampur Lok Sabha seat, which initially appeared to be a one-way battle for the Bhartiya Janata Party, with the ruling party nominating Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh once again, now seems poised for a competitive contest following Choudhary Lal Singh's decision to join the Congress on Wednesday in New Delhi. Sources within the Congress party revealed to The Kashmiriyat that the party is contemplating nominating former minister and Dogra Swabhimaan Sangthan chairman Choudhary Lal Singh to run for the Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency on a Congress ticket. "Although no final decision has been reached, discussions are underway, President of Congress for Jammu Kashmir, Vikar Rasool Wani has strongly recommended Choudhary Lal Singh's candidacy to the party high command. The final d...

Sibte Abdullah/ Boidurjya Singha Bashir Ahmed Bhat was working in his apple orchard when he noticed an unusual activity around his farm. The 56-year-old farmer went close to the intruders and noticed, a team of officials surveying the area. "I was informed that the government is taking our land up for a vital railway line project," said Bashir Ahmed, a resident of Reshipora area in Zainapora, nearly twenty kilometers away from the district headquarters of the south Kashmir district of Shopian. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSOkxkSKWQ4&t=212s Kashmir is world famous for its picturesque beauty. The apples of the regions are equally renowned. The fears of farmers like Bashir are triggered by the recent sanction of five railway lines through the valley. One of these lines, the A...

On a chilly Sunday morning, February 13, 2022, eight out of ten security personnel stationed at the residence of Abdul Majeed Mir, former Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) of Jammu Kashmir, received sudden orders to vacate his premises. Mir's security had been beefed up following attacks on his home in Achabal Anantnag by suspected militants in 2017 and 2018. Mir expressed bewilderment at the downgrade in his security status, questioning the rationale behind it. "I reside among my people in a bustling locality, not in a fortified enclave," he remarked, contrasting the treatment with what he perceives as leniency granted to government-affiliated figures that freely interact with the public. “On the other hand, the government’s created stooges are free to meet the public all seven ...