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In a significant move, the Jammu Kashmir Legislative Assembly passed a bill today seeking the restoration of the region's special status, nearly five years after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. The bill, introduced by the ruling National Conference's (NC), Surinder Choudhary, Deputy Chief Minister and MLA from Jammu region and supported by several opposition parties including the People's  Democratic Party, calls for the reestablishment of the privileges that once set Jammu Kashmir apart within the Indian Union. The passing of the bill in the state assembly comes at a time of ongoing political uncertainty in Jammu Kashmir, which was reorganized into two Union Territories—Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh—following the revocation of Article 370 in 2019. The abrogation has been one of...

A significant discovery of ancient elephant fossils in the Galendar area of Pampore in Kashmir Valley has unveiled the earliest known instance of butchery in the region. These fossils, estimated to be between 300,000 and 400,000 years old, were first unearthed in 2000 and belong to the extinct species Palaeoloxodon turkmenicus, an extinct species of large elephant from the late Pleistocene, known primarily from fossils found in Turkmenistan. They were found alongside 87 stone tools used by early humans. The research, led by Advait Jukar from the Florida Museum of Natural History, indicates that these tools, made from basalt and shaped on-site, were likely employed to extract nutrient-rich marrow from the elephant bones. While no direct evidence of hunting, such as embedded spea...

On Sunday, militants carried out an attack that killed seven workers, including a doctor, involved in the Z-Morh Tunnel project, a critical infrastructure initiative aimed at ensuring year-round connectivity between Kashmir and Ladakh. The attack took place at a construction site along the Srinagar-Leh national highway in Ganderbal district. A team from the National Investigation Agency (NIA), led by a senior Superintendent of Police, is en route to Gagangir, Jammu Kashmir, where the attack occurred. The NIA is expected to arrive at the site by noon today to begin its investigation. Authorities identified the victims as Dr. Shahnawaz from Budgam, Fayaz Ahmad Lone, and Zahoor Ahmad Lone from Kashmir, alongside migrant workers Gurmeet Singh, Inder Yadav, Mohan Lal, and Jagtar Singh....

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...