REGIONAL

The Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU), an amalgam of all Muslim religious organisations in Jammu  Kashmir headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, has expressed serious concern over a recent directive issued by the Jammu Kashmir Government’s Department of Culture, instructing schools across the region to commemorate the 150th year of Vande Mataram through organised musical and cultural programmes ensuring participation of all students and staff. In a statement, the MMU said that singing or reciting Vande Mataram is un-Islamic, as it contains expressions of devotion that contradict the fundamental Islamic belief in the Oneness of Allah (Tawheed). The body noted that Islam does not permit any act involving worship or reverence directed toward anyone or anything other than the Creator. While empha...

Border Security Force (BSF) personnel stationed at Post Razdan in Gurez sector rescued seven civilians who were stranded amid heavy snowfall on the Razdan Pass. Officials said that upon receiving information about civilians trapped due to sudden snowfall, the Company Commander immediately dispatched a rescue team despite severe weather conditions and poor visibility. The BSF team reached the stranded civilians and ensured their safe evacuation to the post. The rescued individuals were provided with food, warm shelter, and medical assistance. “Despite harsh conditions and heavy snow accumulation, our personnel acted swiftly to save lives,” a BSF official said, adding that the timely response prevented a possible tragedy in the high-altitude area. [KNT]

A major irregularity has come to light in the Forest Department’s Baltal range, where nurseries worth lakhs of rupees established under the NPV scheme have reportedly failed to yield any visible plantation, raising serious questions over execution and monitoring. Locals from the area said that three nurseries were set up by the department in Compartment No. 63A of Baltal to promote environmental protection, but no trees or saplings are visible on the ground. They alleged that the saplings planted have dried up, resulting in a complete waste of government funds. At Rangah Mode near Baltal, not a single plant could be spotted in the nursery area, according to witnesses. Meanwhile, the Forest Department is constructing an Alpine Eco Park at Baltal at a cost of Rs 65 lakh to attract tour...

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday called on the people of Jammu Kashmir to safeguard the hard-earned peace in the Union Territory, emphasizing the role of citizens in upholding law, unity, and community values. Addressing the International Symposium on Peace, People and Possibilities at SKICC Srinagar, Sinha said, “Peace begins where people live with dignity, mutual respect, and open dialogue.” He noted that the symposium’s theme reflects a visionary path for the future of JK, where the “voice of Dal Lake and the whisper of Chinars together inspire peace.” LG highlighted the transformation of the Union Territory under PM Modi’s leadership, observing that “the sounds of guns have been replaced by the laughter of children and the hum of education.” He added, “In the past five ...

Danishwar Hameed Thieves broke into the Boys Higher Secondary School Arreh in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district during the night and stole 18 electric batteries, causing a major loss to the institution. According to officials who spoke to The Kashmiriyat, the incident came to light early in the morning when staff members reached the school and discovered the inverter batteries missing. The stolen batteries were reportedly used to power the school’s backup electricity system. Local residents expressed concern over the growing incidents of theft in the area and urged authorities to strengthen night patrols and take swift action to identify and arrest the culprits. Meanwhile, police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the incident.

An encounter has broken out between militants and security forces in the Chatroo forests area of Kishtwar district in Jammu Kashmir on Wednesday. A senior police official said that joint teams of the Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police launched a cordon and search operation in the area following specific intelligence inputs about the presence of militants. As the forces approached the suspected location, they came under fire, triggering a gunfight, the official said. Intermittent exchange of fire was ongoing when reports last came in, and two militants are believed to be trapped in the area.

Suhail Dar The Food Safety Department in Anantnag has prohibited the sale of “KK” brand Atta (batch no. A-22) after laboratory analysis confirmed the presence of insects in the flour sample, rendering it unsafe for consumption. According to an order accessed by The Kashmiriyat, the Food Safety Officer from Mattan procured a sample of the Atta manufactured by M/S K.K. Roller Flour Mills, located at the SIDCO Industrial Complex in Bari Brahmana, Jammu. The sample was later tested at the Food Laboratory, Kashmir, which in its report dated October 17, 2025, (No. FSSA/K/2025-26/MR-5551) found the product “unsafe on account of presence of insects.” The order states that consumption of such contaminated Atta could pose a threat to public health. Citing provisions of the Food Safety an...

Murtaza Bilal A young intern doctor, from Pulwama, has died at the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Srinagar, triggering widespread grief and debate over the working conditions faced by medical trainees in Jammu Kashmir’s leading hospital. Dr Tariq ul Islam, an intern doctor at SKIMS Hospital, who was from Pulwama, who had been suffering from flu for the past several days, reportedly continued to attend his duties despite illness. Doctors believe he may have succumbed to viral pericarditis. His sudden death has left colleagues and the wider medical community in shock, prompting conversations about the pressures and workload young doctors face during their internship. The incident came to light on November 2, 2025, when tributes and emotional posts began to ...

Government data tabled in the Jammu Kashmir Assembly shows that 631 non-residents have purchased 386 kanals of land across the Union Territory since 2019, amounting to nearly Rs 129 crore in value. Responding to a query by National Conference MLA Sheikh Ahsan Pardesi, the government led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah informed that 378 non-residents bought 212 kanals in Jammu, while 253 non-residents acquired 173 kanals in the Kashmir Valley. According to the data, most of the non-local buyers are from Ladakh, mainly Kargil, followed by smaller numbers from Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Jharkhand, Delhi, Bihar, and a single buyer from West Bengal. Around 350 of the total buyers are said to be Ladakhis. The first non-local land purchase was recorded in 2020, when one...

Rain and snow are expected to make a brief return to Kashmir on Monday afternoon, marking the season’s first wet spell of November. According to the Meteorological Centre Srinagar, light to moderate rainfall is likely across most parts of Kashmir, with light snowfall confined to higher reaches between November 4 and 5. The precipitation is expected to begin over the plains of north Kashmir between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., in central Kashmir between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m., and in the southern parts between 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. The spell is expected to be short-lived, with snow over the plains considered unlikely. Occasional thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds reaching up to 40 km/h are also possible during the evening. The weather office has advised residents and travelers, especially those...