Month: December 2024

Jammu Kashmir witnessed the loss of six civilians in various militancy-related incidents in 2024. Muhammad Razad, the brother of a Territorial Army soldier and a government employee, was shot dead by militants in Kundar village of Thanamandi, Rajouri. Similarly, BJP sarpanch Aijaz Sheikh was killed in his home in Heerpora, Shopian. Vasudev, a 28-year-old worker from Akhnoor, lost his life in a mistaken identity shooting by the Border Security Force near Regal Chowk along the International Border in Samba. Abdul Rashid was killed during an encounter between militants and joint forces in the Ahlan Gagarmandu forest area of Kokernag in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district. In another incident, four locals, including a doctor from Budgam, were killed in an attack in Gagangeer, Sonamar...

The total export value of Kashmiri crafts over the past four years has reached Rs 3,477.31 crore. This includes exports from four key categories viz. carpets, woollen shawls, papier-mâché, and other items such as chain stitch, crewel, and wood carving. According to data, the year 2020-21 witnessed a significant impact on exports, particularly in the carpet and woollen shawl sectors, but the industry has since shown a robust recovery. The category of “Other items” (including chain stitch, crewel, and wood carving) demonstrated consistent exports, with a notable increase in the last two years. The total export value peaked at Rs 1,162.29 crore in 2023-24, signalling a strong resurgence. In 2020-21, the total exports of Kashmiri crafts were valued at Rs 635.52 crore. Carpet exports s...

Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu Kashmir, has experienced a drastic plunge in temperatures, recording a freezing -3.5°C today against the minimum temperature of minus 0.9°C on Monday night. The chilling cold wave has engulfed the entire region, with several areas in Kashmir Valley, Jammu, and Ladakh witnessing sub-zero temperatures, disrupting daily life and leaving residents battling icy conditions. In Kashmir, Gulmarg recorded the lowest at -11.5°C, followed by Larnoo at -11.8°C and Shopian at -9.1°C. Pahalgam recorded -8.4°C, while Anantnag, Khudwani, and Kulgam followed with -8.3°C, -8.2°C, and -7.6°C, respectively. Qazigund froze at -7.5°C, and Sonamarg reported -7.4°C. Other districts such as Pulwama (-6.8°C), Budgam (-4.4°C), Baramulla (-4.0°C), and Ganderbal (-3.4°C) ...

Shah Basit Reports of Kandur bread price hikes across Kashmir have been widely misrepresented, as the situation varies greatly from one district to another. While Srinagar has seen a steep rise in bread prices, other parts of the valley, including many districts in south and north Kashmir, have reported little to no change. In Sopore, for instance, only the price of the smaller Kandar bread has increased, rising from ₹5 to ₹7. Larger breads remain unaffected, and locals say the situation is still manageable. "The price hike is minor here, and it hasn’t significantly affected us yet,” Abdul Majid, a resident of Sopore told The Kashmiriyat. However, in Srinagar, consumers are feeling the pinch as bread prices have nearly doubled. A single piece now costs as much as ₹10, up fro...

The Jamm Kashmir administration's decision to exclude July 13, Martyrs’ Day, and the birth anniversary of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah from the 2025 public holiday list has drawn sharp criticism from political leaders, including CPI(M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami and the National Conference (NC). “Sheikh Abdullah’s contributions to land reforms, education, and women’s empowerment laid the foundation for the empowerment we see today,” said Tarigami, calling the move a “distortion of history.” He emphasized the historical importance of July 13, a day that commemorates 23 individuals killed in 1931 while protesting against the Dogra regime, and noted its symbolic value in the fight for human dignity. The NC also expressed disappointment, with party spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq accusing ...