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Filmmaker Rahul Dholakia has recounted the risks he and his crew faced while shooting the 2010 Bollywood film Lamhaa, starring Sanjay Dutt and Bipasha Basu, in Kashmir. Speaking about the experience, Dholakia revealed that they were held hostage for over four hours, a situation he attributed to the unrest in 2010 during the first term of Omar Abdullah as Chief Minister. In an interview with casting director Mukesh Chhabra on Mashable India, Dholakia described the difficulties they encountered amid the tense atmosphere in Kashmir, including his decision to mislead actress Bipasha Basu into filming during a curfew. He said, "I was adamant about shooting Lamhaa in Kashmir. There was no government, and terrorists were everywhere," Pertinently, an elected government established and ...

In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) Vice-President Omar Abdullah alleged that the BJP has accepted defeat in the region's elections. Abdullah claimed that the Chief Secretary was instructed to amend the Transaction of Business Rules to curtail the future powers of the Chief Minister and transfer them to the Lieutenant Governor (L-G). He urged officials to resist pressures that may further disempower the incoming elected government. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) responded, dismissing Abdullah’s claims as "misleading and speculative." They said that no such proposal exists, stating that the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act of 2019 already provides for the Transaction of Business Rules, which were notified in 2020. Acc...

In a historic shift for Jammu Kashmir, five nominated Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) are poised to play a critical role in government formation, marking the first time such members will be directly involved in shaping the region's political future. These five nominated MLAs, representing Kashmiri displaced persons and those from Pakistan-administered Kashmir (PoK), will enjoy the same legislative powers and privileges as their elected counterparts. The nominees will include two Kashmiri displaced members—one woman and one man—alongside a representative for the PoK displaced community. The administration says that the move is a "major milestone", fulfilling a long-standing demand for the representation of these marginalized groups. With their inclusion, the Jammu Kas...

Rayees Shah A viral video showing over one thousand feet of decayed logs in compartment number 68 of the Sindh Range, Kangan, has sparked outrage among local residents. They are demanding accountability from the forest department, accusing it of mismanagement and negligence. The logs, reportedly left untouched for years, have raised concerns about the department's handling of resources. Residents speaking to The Kashmiriyat said that while they struggle to obtain even a small quantity of wood through bureaucratic processes, the forest department has allowed thousands of feet of logs to rot in the open. “This is a clear case of mismanagement and negligence,” said a local. “We are made to run from pillar to post for a single foot of wood, while the department wastes thousands of ...

Danishwar Hameed At the break of dawn in Kahrote Jagir (Kahrwat), a village located approximately 2.5 kilometers from the main town of Kulgam, the area witnessed yet another transformation, one in a series of many changes over the past few decades. The village of Kahrote Jagir in Kulgam district, South Kashmir, was largely deserted during the parliamentary polls in 2019, with minimal voter turnout in the 2014 elections. Known for its significant Jamaat-e-Islami population and situated about 2.5 kilometers from Kulgam's main town, the village experienced a dramatic change on Wednesday, with thick crowds gathering at the polling booths. As crowds gathered outside the polling booth, a sudden wave of hooting and clapping erupted. The man of the moment, Sayar Ahmed Reshi, a local resid...

The Indian government is working on revising its vehicle scrappage policy to focus on pollution rather than the age of the vehicle, according to an official announcement on Tuesday. Anurag Jain, Secretary of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, shared this development during the annual convention of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM). Jain explained that the current policy mandating vehicle scrappage after 15 years has raised concerns among vehicle owners, particularly those who have maintained their vehicles well. He noted that the new policy aims to address these concerns by evaluating vehicles based on their pollution output rather than their age. Jain emphasized the need for a reliable system of pollution checks and called on the automobile indust...

Rayees Shah While it may be considered normal by Western standards or the ideals we aspire to in our lives, a heartbreaking story from Ganderbal district has sent shockwaves through the Kashmir valley, leaving residents deeply saddened and grieving over the incident. Mohammed Subhan (name changed), an elderly man from the central Kashmir district was abandoned in an old age home by his eight children, last month. Speaking to The Kashmiriyat, a local from his native village, said, all three of Subhan's sons and five daughters are well-settled in their lives, with one even serving as an Imam. His two sons live in their own houses at their ancestral village some five kilometers away from Ganderbal town while one of his son lives with his in-laws. "Earlier," the local said,...

In Jammu Kashmir, only 11 per cent of people see development as a major concern, while nearly half the population is gripped by the fear of unemployment, according to the latest 'Mood of the Nation' survey by the India Today Group. A new survey by the India Today Group reveals that in Jammu Kashmir, unemployment has become the dominant worry for 47 per cent of the population. This figure overshadows other issues like rising prices and development, with only 17% citing price increases as their main concern, and just 11% pointing to a lack of development. Further insights from the survey show that when it comes to the living standards in the region over the past year, 33 per cent of respondents reported an improvement, while 34 per cent said their living standards have remained the sam...

A man found unconscious outside a Srinagar wine shop has ignited a debate about alcohol sales and public safety in the region. The incident, which occurred in a busy part of the city, was captured in a video shared by activist Dr. Raja Muzaffar Bhat on social media platform X. https://twitter.com/Cyclistumar/status/1827950074292289735?s=19 The video shows the man lying motionless on the pavement near the shop's entrance, initially mistaken by passersby as merely asleep. As time went on without the man regaining consciousness, concerned citizens notified the authorities. The activist questioned the appropriateness of having a liquor store in such a prominent location within Srinagar, especially in light of the city's "Smart City" initiative. The incident has sparked widesprea...