WRITE-UPS

Farhan Sayeed Masoodi As the season of harvest arrives in Kashmir, the residents of Mawer, about 30 kilometres distant from Kupwara town in north Kashmir، feel anxious, anticipating the increased presence of bears in the area. While bear sightings are not uncommon before the harvest begins in September, the number of bears noticeably rises at the beginning of the month, coinciding with the ripening of crops. This heightened bear presence is causing concern among the villagers as they prepare for the potential impact on their agricultural activities and daily lives. The area is adorned with dense, vibrant forests and majestic, snow-capped mountains. The beautiful Maweri River flows through this scenic landscape, adding to its natural charm. The primary agricultural produc...

Gurez Valley, nestled along the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir's Bandipora district, is heating up—not just in temperature, but politically. As the Jammu Kashmir Assembly elections enter their final phase on October 1, Gurez finds itself at the center of a high-stakes political battle. For the first time in a decade, voters in Gurez will head to the polls, and the stakes are higher than ever. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has historically struggled to gain a foothold in the Kashmir Valley, is eyeing this strategic seat with aspirations of securing its first-ever victory in the region. The BJP National Executive Member, Dr. Syed Darakhshan Andrabi, stated that Gurez is poised to make history in the upcoming assembly polls.  Dr. Andrabi emphasized that a BJP victory i...

Simranjeet Kaur I met a 23-year-old who, despite attempting the same competitive examination twice, couldn't qualify. We all understand the difficulty such a situation can pose for anyone. While he spent time with others, sharing meals and sitting together, he began withdrawing from social life, concealing his inner turmoil behind a facade of happiness. The fear of being perceived as weak prevented him from opening up about his struggles. In isolation, he grappled with feelings of guilt and the pressure of unmet expectations. Eventually, he was diagnosed with severe chronic dysthymia. Hidden Battles Behind a Smile: If we can't see something, does it mean it doesn't exist? Many times, we force ourselves to wear a mask of a smile, concealing the internal war we face. We may appear...

As the assembly elections approach, the Uri constituency in Jammu Kashmir has emerged as a critical battleground, drawing attention due to its unique political dynamics. The Uri Assembly Constituency has a total electorate of 1,04,813, with 53,872 male voters and 50,941 female voters. No third-gender voters are registered in this constituency which will go to polls on October 1. The key players are Choudhary Taj Mohiuddin, leader of the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) and a former Congressman, and Dr. Sajad Shafi Ganie of the National Conference (NC). The recent alliance between Mohiuddin and Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, leader of the Apni Party, has added a new layer of complexity to the contest. On September 9, Bukhari publicly pledged his unconditional support fo...

Voter turnout across the sixteen (16) assembly segments of Kashmir’s assembly constituencies in the elections, held after a decade, showed mixed response, with some areas witnessing a significant rise in voter engagement while others recorded a decline compared to the 2014 elections. The overall voting percentage across 24 assembly segments that went to polls on Wednesday during the first phase stood at 58.85, while in Kashmir valley the voting stood at 53.85 per cent. ALSO READ: Devsar’s Political Puzzle: Dark Horse, PDP’s legacy, NC’s challenge, or the Former MLA’s comeback? These elections, held after ten years, were particularly important as voters participated in an environment marked by political shifts and regional tensions. According to data available to The Kashmiriyat, in...

Suhail Dar Omar Abdullah of the Jammu Kashmir National Conference last week waved to the massive crowds of Devsar block asking people to vote for the party candidate Feroz Ahmed Shah, however, all is not well within the National Conference in the Devsar segment. "The National Conference may win the Devsar seat, driven by anti-incumbency and growing support for their stance post-abrogation, but internal issues persist," a source within the party revealed. "They need to put their house in order." ALSO READ: Non-ST voters hold key in Kokernag election as ST candidates dominate race One of the few seats facing tough competition in South Kashmir during the first phase of elections will be the Devsar Assembly segment in Kulgam district. The margin of victory is expected to be n...

A bastion of the Mufti's, Bijbehara in Anantnag is gearing up for a tough fight between Iltija Mufti, 36, of the People's Democratic Party and the National Conference's Dr. Bashir Ahmed Veeri. Bijbehara has always been a bastion and has watched close contests for dominance between the Mufti and the Shah family. Abdul Gani Veeri, father of Dr. Bashir Veeri, a close associate of Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah, has won three elections from Bijbehara Anantnag; 1977, 83, and 1987. The Mufti family and the People's Democratic Party have held their dominance on the seat since 1996 when Mehbooba Mufti won elections from Bijbehara, her hometown. Bijbehara-Srigufwara is set to vote in the first phase of the assembly elections on September 18, and the campaign has left political experts in Kashmir va...

A Ph.D scholar from Shopian made headlines during the parliament elections earlier this year when he walked barefoot to campaign and show his support for jailed independent candidate Engineer Rashid. Now Baramulla Member of Parliament, Engineer Rashid defeated Omar Abdullah and Sajad Lone on the seat by a comfortable margin; one of the many reasons responsible for the victory of Engineer Rashid was the social media support he received. One of the many events that hyped the candidature of Rashid was Mudasir Thoker, a youth from Shopian who traveled barefoot in support of Engineer Rashid. However, months after the decisive victory of Rashid, Mudasir feels betrayed and has publicly raised serious concerns about the leadership of the Awami Ittihaad Party (AIP). Speaking to a media house,...

Shoaib Mir, holding a flag emblazoned with Sheikh Abdullah's image, participates in a rally of the Jammu Kashmir National Conference (NC) in Anantnag district. "I've never supported any political party before, but this time, it's crucial for us to engage in the electoral process," Shoaib said as he snapped selfies with Dr. Bashir Veeri, National Conference candidate for Bijbehara. Shoaib represents a new wave of Kashmiri youth, many of whom had previously been implicated in anti-national cases but are now showing interest in the electoral process. "We are just too burdened with the rising unemployment, prices and the unchecked drug abuse is worrying. Suicides are growing, crimes are on the rise and we must not play blind to everything, the regional governments have a major role to play,...