CITY REPORTER

03/06/2026

DC Pulwama Reviews Arrangements for Muharram-ul-Haram 2026

Pulwama, June 03: Deputy Commissioner (DC) Pulwama, Dr. Basharat Qayoom, today chaired a meeting at Circuit House Pulwama to review and finalize arrangements for the smooth observance of Muharram-ul-Haram across the district.

During the meeting, the DC took a detailed review of the arrangements being put in place by various departments for the forthcoming religious observances. Discussions were held regarding the provision of essential services including uninterrupted power and water supply, healthcare facilities, sanitation, traffic management, fire and emergency services, public transportation, and other civic amenities.

The Deputy Commissioner stressed the importance of close inter-departmental coordination to ensure that all necessary facilities are made available to the general public during the holy month. He directed the concerned officers to remain proactive in addressing public requirements and to ensure that all arrangements are completed well in advance.

During the meeting, delegations and representatives from various areas projected various issues and demands related to Muharram arrangements. The DC gave a patient hearing to their concerns and assured them that all genuine issues would be addressed in a timely manner through coordinated efforts of the concerned departments.

Dr. Qayoom directed the concerned officers to conduct advance site visits to all congregation venues and procession routes to assess on-ground requirements and make adequate arrangements for the holy month. He further directed the Rural Development Department and Municipal authorities to undertake comprehensive sanitation drives at all major congregation sites, Imambaras and along procession routes, besides ensuring proper cleanliness, waste disposal and upkeep of public spaces to facilitate the smooth observance of Muharram-ul-Haram.

Emphasizing the need for seamless service delivery, the DC instructed all stakeholder departments to maintain close liaison with local representatives and ensure prompt response to public concerns during the observance of Muharram-ul-Haram.

The meeting was attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner Pulwama, Additional Deputy Commissioner Tral, Chief Planning Officer Pulwama, officers from Police and Civil Administration, besides representatives and delegations from various areas of the district.

02/06/2026

02/06/2026

DC Pulwama Chairs 33rd NCORD Meeting, Reviews Anti-Drug Measures in Pulwama

Pulwama, June 02: Deputy Commissioner (DC) Pulwama, Dr. Basharat Qayoom today chaired the 33rd meeting of the Narco Coordination Centre (NCORD) at Circuit House Pulwama to review the progress achieved under the ongoing anti-drug campaign and assess the implementation of various measures aimed at curbing drug abuse and illicit cultivation in the district.

At the outset, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Pulwama presented a detailed overview of the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (NMBA), highlighting its objectives, key interventions and activities being undertaken under the ongoing 100-day intensive campaign being implemented across the district under the abhiyan. The presentation focused on awareness activities, community participation, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and enforcement measures being carried out by different stakeholder departments.

Addressing the meeting, the Deputy Commissioner appreciated all departments and stakeholders for the successful conduct of the Mega Padyatra led by Hon'ble Lieutenant Governor Shri Manoj Sinha at Pulwama on May 19, which witnessed overwhelming public participation and highlighted the collective resolve against drug abuse.

The DC sought detailed Action Taken Reports from all departments regarding the implementation of the action plan formulated under the 100-day intensive campaign. He stressed the need for sustained and coordinated efforts to ensure the objectives of the campaign are achieved in a time-bound manner.

Reviewing the measures undertaken to achieve the objectives of the campaign, Dr. Qayoom sought detailed reports from all Tehsildars regarding destruction drives, sensitization of field functionaries, mobilization of Numberdars and Chowkidars, and awareness activities conducted at the grassroots level. The Tehsildars informed the chair that certifications declaring villages free from illicit poppy cultivation had been received from the field functionaries. The DC directed them to constitute verification committees and conduct thorough ground-level re-verification before final certification.

The Deputy Commissioner also reviewed the activities being conducted at the Panchayat level under the campaign and sought details from the Assistant Commissioner Development and Block Development Officers regarding public participation, outreach programmes and awareness events organized across rural areas. He directed the officers to intensify activities, prepare a comprehensive action plan and organize multiple awareness programmes at different locations within Panchayats to ensure maximum outreach and community involvement.

Officers from the Education and Health Departments briefed the meeting about the awareness initiatives being conducted in educational institutions and healthcare facilities. The DC emphasized the importance of involving youth, students, parents and community leaders in the campaign to build a strong social movement against drug abuse.

The functioning of the Addiction Treatment Facility (ATF) Pulwama and Drug De-Addiction Centre Tral was also reviewed in detail. The meeting discussed the status of OPD and IPD services, admissions, rehabilitation and relapse management. It was informed that rehabilitated individuals are being linked with various Government-sponsored schemes and educational institutions to facilitate their reintegration into mainstream society. The Deputy Commissioner directed the concerned officers to ensure continued follow-up and support for recovered individuals.

The DC also reviewed the progress achieved in the destruction of wild cannabis and sought details from the Forest, Public Works and other concerned Departments regarding measures undertaken in this regard. He directed the concerned departments to intensify field inspections and ensure complete eradication of wild cannabis from identified areas.

The Assistant Drug Controller apprised the meeting about inspections conducted across medical establishments, enforcement actions taken, and measures adopted to prevent misuse of pharmaceutical drugs. The DC directed the concerned authorities to further strengthen monitoring mechanisms and intensify enforcement drives across the district.

On the occasion, Senior Superintendent of Police Pulwama, Tanushree, and Senior Superintendent of Police Awantipora, Sajad Ahmad Shah, briefed the chair on the enforcement measures undertaken by the Police, including registration of NDPS cases, arrests, seizures, attachment and destruction of properties acquired through drug proceeds, suspension and cancellation of passports and driving licences, Aadhaar recommendations and other stringent actions taken against drug peddlers and traffickers.

During the meeting, the Deputy Commissioner also reviewed the status of NDPS cases in the district, including cases under investigation, prosecution and trial. The DC directed the concerned agencies to strengthen coordination between investigation and prosecution to bridge procedural gaps and ensure effective legal follow-up in NDPS cases, with a view to improving conviction rates and deterrence.

Concluding the meeting, the Deputy Commissioner called for intensifying the campaign and stressed greater inter-departmental coordination, community participation and sustained enforcement to effectively combat the menace of drug abuse and narcotics trafficking in the district.

Among others, the meeting was attended by SSP Pulwama Tanushree, SSP Awantipora Sajad Ahmad Shah, ADC Pulwama, ADC Awantipora, ACD Pulwama, Divisional Forest Officer, Executive Engineers of R&B Divisions Pulwama and Awantipora, Tehsildars, Block Development Officers and other members of the committee.

02/06/2026

HCM J&K, Omar Abdullah receives first batch of returning Hajj pilgrims at Srinagar Airport, marking the commencement of return flights of .
Advisor Nasir Aslam Wani, ACS Dheeraj Gupta, DC Budgam, Athar Aamir Khan and SSP Budgam were present to welcome the pilgrims.

01/06/2026

Member Parliament, Ladakh Haji Mohammad Hanifa, called on Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today, along-with representatives of employees serving in Ladakh and members of Private School Association of Kargil.

Various issues concerning employees and education sector were discussed during the meeting.

01/06/2026

🔹️The late Hujjat-ul-Islam and Muslims Sheikh Muhammad Ali Helmi (Kargil)
Rest in peace and in their memory⚘️

29/05/2026

The Mohallah Committee Buchwara Dalgate today kicked off a comprehensive cleanliness and awareness drive, commencing from Nehru Park to Dalgate, with a strong focus on educating the public—especially the youth—about environmental hygiene and civic responsibility.

29/05/2026

Lower the Decibels, Raise the Dignity: An Exclusive Appeal to Kashmir’s Clerics

By Agha Syed Karar Hashmi
(Hawza Ilmia Qom, Islamic Republic of Iran)

As the crescent of Muharram-ul-Haram prepares to cast its solemn light over the valleys of Jammu and Kashmir, a question of profound spiritual and social urgency echoes from the holy courtyards of Qom to the crowded lanes of Srinagar, the silent forests of Kulgam, and the ancient Imambargahs of Budgam: Have we, in our passionate love for Imam Husayn (AS), inadvertently transformed the sacred microphone from a tool of gentle propagation into a weapon of public alienation? Let me be direct—this is not a call to silence Azadari; it is a call to save it. I, a son of this land currently immersed in the luminous springs of jurisprudence at the Hawza Ilmia Qom, appeal to every Islamic cleric, every Zakir, and every Alamdar in Jammu and Kashmir with a plea that carries the weight of the Marajae Taqlid themselves: Do not use loudspeakers outside mosques and Imambargahs during the coming Muharram. Inside the hallowed walls of Imambargahs—yes, let the voice of the Mimbar rise, let the Mikraj serve the mourners. But outside, on public streets, past hospitals, schools, and the homes of neighbours who may be ill, elderly, or simply seeking a moment's peace—there, the loudspeaker becomes a transgression, not a tribute.

The office of Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei (R.A)has ruled that if exterior loudspeakers cause distress to neighbours, turning them off becomes a Wajib—a religious duty. Similarly, Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali al-Sistani has repeatedly emphasised that the rituals of faith must never become a source of Fitna or public disruption. Even the late Grand Ayatollah Bahjat (R.A) taught that the Momin is recognised by his Tahajjud and his Tameez—his consideration for others. Yet what have we allowed to happen in some parts of Kashmir?

Loudspeakers blare past midnight, competing processions amplify Azadari into auditory chaos, and the non-Muslim neighbour—or even the tired Muslim labourer—begins to associate the name of Imam Hussain (a.s)not with mercy, but with noise. This is a catastrophic spiritual loss, and we, the Ulama, are accountable for it.

The government of Jammu and Kashmir has already enacted the Noise Control Act, and silence zones exist around hospitals and schools—but let us not wait for a magistrate to silence us. Let us silence our egos first. Remember the captives of Karbala: when Sayyida Zainab (SA) walked through the streets of Kufa and Sham, she had no amplifier—yet her words split hearts and shook thrones. Why? Because true mourning does not need decibels; it needs sincerity, tears, and the quiet thunder of a grieving chest.

Let us return to that Sunnah. Let us make a pact this Muharram: inside the Imambargah, yes, use the microphone to teach and weep. But outside, let our Sina Zani be rhythmic but restrained, our Nohas sung in human voices, and our processions walk in humble dignity, not in a competition of volume. This is the Azadari of Iman Ali (A.S). This is the mourning of Fatima Zehra (S.A). And this is the only way to ensure that the world looks at Shia Kashmir and sees the Akhlaq of Ahlulbait (a.s), not the aggression of a loudspeaker.

The pen of history is watching us; let us write with silence where silence is mercy, and with voice where voice is worship.

Agha Syed Karar Hashmi is basically from Central Kashmir Dab-Ganderbal and presently studying at Hauza-Ilmia Qom In Islamic Republic of Iran.
Author can be contacted on : [email protected]

28/05/2026

Eid-ul-Azha Prayers Held at Imam Bargah Zadibal

Srinagar, 28th May 26: Eid-ul-Azha prayers were today offered with religious devotion and solemnity at Imam Bargah Zadibal, Srinagar, where the Eid Namaz was led by AJKSA President Molvi Imran Reza Ansari in the presence of a large gathering of faithful.

In his Eid sermon, Molvi Imran Reza Ansari highlighted the spiritual significance of Qurbani and the supreme sacrifice of Hazrat Ibrahim (AS), stating that Eid-ul-Azha teaches mankind obedience, patience and complete submission before Allah. He said the message of sacrifice reached its highest example in Karbala through the sacrifice of Imam Hussain (AS), who upheld truth, justice and dignity of Islam against oppression.

He urged people to remember the teachings of Ahlulbayt (AS), help the poor and needy, and celebrate Eid with simplicity, humility and compassion. He stressed that the true spirit of Eid lies in sharing happiness with deserving families and strengthening social responsibility.

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During his address, Molvi Imran Reza Ansari strongly condemned the recent horrific incident involving a 12-year-old girl in Budgam and expressed solidarity with the victim’s family. He appreciated the swift action and investigation carried out by SSP Budgam, ASP Budgam and SHO Budgam, stating that the prompt response by the police had sent a strong message against such crimes. He demanded exemplary punishment for the accused and said that crimes against women and children have no place in society and must be dealt with firmly and without leniency.

He also spoke extensively on the growing menace of drugs in Kashmir, particularly the increasing use of “Kashkash” and other narcotics among youth. He appealed to families, religious institutions and society to actively participate in saving the younger generation from addiction. He affirmed full support to the administration and police in their efforts to curb the drug menace and called for strict action against those involved in drug trafficking.

Molvi Imran Reza Ansari also spoke about the people of Iran and prayed for their peace, strength and well-being. He then referred to the sacrifices of the people of Palestine and prayed for peace, dignity and protection for the oppressed people of Palestine. He paid tribute to the martyrs and associates of Ayatollah Syed Ali Khamenei and said their martyrdom and sacrifices will always be remembered. He also prayed for the people of Iran and for the unity and strength of the Muslim Ummah in the face of ongoing challenges.

Meanwhile, All JK Shia Association stated that Eid prayers were organised across 58 locations in Kashmir under its supervision. The organisation said that its Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, following Shariyah rulings, had declared the beginning of Zil Hijjah from 19th May, which was observed across India except in the neighbouring country Pakistan.

The programme concluded with special prayers for peace, communal harmony, prosperity and the well-being of the people of Jammu & Kashmir and the Muslim Ummah.