The sight of religious leaders meeting the officials of the Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (IMHANS) is symbolically powerful. It shows an understanding that addressing addiction needs a collective responsibility from all sections of society, more so, imams whose word carries weight and trust.

The numbers underline the urgency for such an action. According to data, since 2018, over 1.12 lakh kilograms of narcotics have been seized and more than 10,000 people arrested under the NDPS Act. Yet seizures and arrests tell only part of the story. Addiction has seeped into homes, schools, and neighbourhoods, often hidden by shame and fear. With over 83,000 people seeking treatment at de-addiction centres since 2020, and thousands more likely suffering in silence, Kashmir is staring at a public health emergency.

Law enforcement has intensified its crackdown, destroying illegal poppy and cannabis cultivation and dismantling trafficking networks. These efforts are necessary, but they are not sufficient. Addiction requires prevention, early intervention, and sustained rehabilitation. This is where community institutions, particularly religious ones, become indispensable.

Friday sermons, counselling sessions, and informal conversations within mosques have the potential to break stigma and encourage early help-seeking. When Imams speak of addiction as a disease rather than a sin, they open doors to recovery. The emphasis on confidentiality and compassion, highlighted during the IMHANS interaction, is crucial in a society where fear of social ostracism often delays treatment.

Kashmir, long scarred by conflict, cannot afford to lose another generation, this time to a slow, silent epidemic. The war against drugs will not be won by enforcement alone. It will be won when society chooses collective action over denial. The Imams’ step forward is a hopeful beginning. Now, it must be matched by sustained commitment from all.

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Maduro is no symbol of democratic virtue. His elections have been widely questioned, his rule has hollowed out Venezuela’s economy, and millions have fled the country under his watch. But none of that answers the larger question now hanging over global politics: who gets to decide when sovereignty no longer applies?

For decades, the United States insisted that no country had the right to invade another, topple governments, or seize leaders at will. It made that argument forcefully in Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, in Russia’s actions in Crimea, and most recently in Ukraine. Again and again, Washington has said that borders matter and that force cannot replace law.

Yet in Caracas, the United States did exactly what it condemns elsewhere: crossed borders with bombs and helicopters, snatched the head of state, and openly spoke of “running” another country.

The damage is not limited to Venezuela, as precedents travel fast. China, Russia, and others will not struggle to cite this moment when they next act unilaterally. Smaller states will take note too, learning that international rules offer protection only until a major power decides otherwise.

Perhaps most striking is how casually the old language has been discarded. There was no attempt to cloak the operation in multilateral approval or legal process. There was no pretense of collective action. Power spoke plainly.

The United States did not build the international order in a single moment; it assembled it brick by brick, through institutions, norms, and a belief, sometimes sincere, sometimes self-serving that rules mattered. When the architect begins pulling those bricks out so openly, the structure does not partially collapse. It eventually gives way entirely. And when that happens, it will not be Venezuela alone that pays the price.

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‘’If ye disclose (acts of) charity, even so it is well, but if ye conceal them, and make them reach (really) in need, that is best for you: it will remove from some of your (stains of) evil. And Allah is acquainted with what ye do’’

The cardinal rule stands that in charity, left hand may not know, what the right hand provides. An exception is however made for situations, where public knowledge of charity might be for overall societal benefit. Such situations arise, if charity is for public purpose.

The purpose could be investment for generating employment and productivity. Or, raising institutions of social welfare, such as an educational institution, or a health care unit. It is made out that in such situations, an obscure show of concealment may itself be a fault. Public knowledge of such a charitable enterprise might stimulate others with means to join the welfare and productive activity. In such a public enterprise, motives need to be pure and stay short of ostentation. In any case motive cannot be concealed, as made out in the holy verse—Allah (SwT) is acquainted with what you do.

In a charitable undertaking, where the cause is not public, it may not be made a matter of public knowledge. Those in need should be quietly and judiciously sought. Quietly for the purpose of protecting the honour of one in need. And, judiciously as charity needs to pass into the hand really deserving. Such an act of quiet and judicious seeking of one really in need is bound to wade off evil from your being, the divine promise holds in the given situations.

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Making resolutions for new year may be a highly individualised act and sometimes a perfunctory thing to observe, but if new year begins with a note of hope, and a resolve to take a challenge in a positive sense, it can have a life changing impact. It is as true for individuals as is for nations, countries and the international community.

As we step into 2026, we are accompanied by long held fears. The topmost is the climate change. The way we witnessed sharp changes in weather patterns in 2025 should make us wiser and more responsible towards our environment. Climate change, far from an academic debate has now presented itself as a real, tangible and concrete shift in the weather related phenomena. We have hotter summers, colder winters; we have dry lands when it should have been a thick cover of snow. We have prolonged dry spells with diminishing rainfall. That is something scary. In Kashmir we are facing weather related shifts in a very dangerous way. That is something we all need to be very concerned about and put it as a priority responsibility area for 2026. True, we can contribute very little to the the overall phenomenon of climate change as it has planetary proportions, but making small changes in our waste management, in our approach towards water bodies, in our approach towards forests, we can make a difference to our own environment.

Another huge challenge, at the global level, would be to save this world from slipping into any violent conflagration. The way we saw Ukraine and Mid East crisis occupying 2025, the global leadership needs to work even harder to ensure that peace times return.

With the hope that we have better times ahead, and people around the globe proposer, Great Kashmir wishes all our readers a happy 2026.

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The larger issue, however, is not the police action alone. It is the growing unease among open-merit students over how reservation works on the ground. Student groups have argued that reserved categories, otherwise estimated to form around 30 percent of the population, occupy a share of government jobs and seats in professional colleges disproportionate to their total population. Moreover, the reserved-category candidates also can compete for open-merit seats, which further reduces space for general-category aspirants.

This has become a serious issue in a region where private-sector jobs are scarce and government employment remains the most secure option. For many students, years of preparation hinges on a handful of vacancies. When recruitment processes are delayed and opportunities limited, frustration is inevitable.

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah defended the government’s decision, saying such protests could create unrest at a time when Jammu and Kashmir is trying to move forward. Yet within the ruling party itself, there was acknowledgement that the handling of the situation raised questions. NC chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq said the protest was peaceful and should not have been stopped, reiterating that the right to protest is a democratic one.

What is needed now is not escalation but engagement. Clear data on reservations, honest communication with students and a willingness to listen can help defuse tensions. Social justice and merit need not be opposing ideas. In a place battling high unemployment, in both Kashmir and Jammu, ensuring fairness is essential.

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The study, published in Communications Earth and Environment by Lin Liu, Danian Shi and Simon L. Klemperer, reveals that the Indian tectonic plate below the Tibetan Plateau is literally tearing apart at depth. This deep tectonic damage is believed to be increasing stress across the Himalayan belt, with implications for seismic activity from Ladakh to the Kashmir Valley. For a region already known to be overdue for a major earthquake, the findings are scary.

Recent tremors in Ladakh and Doda—measuring 4.5 and 4.4 respectively—may not have caused widespread damage, but their frequency has heightened public anxiety. They are reminders that Kashmir sits precariously at the collision zone of the Indian and Eurasian plates. The devastating 2005 earthquake, which killed over 80,000 people and flattened entire towns, remains a painful reference point. Yet, nearly two decades later, lessons from that tragedy appear only partially learned.

One of the most worrying trends is the way the houses in Kashmir are built. Modern construction across the Valley often prioritises speed, and cost-cutting. Many homeowners remain unaware of what earthquake-resistant construction actually entails, or assume it is prohibitively expensive.

Ironically, Kashmir’s traditional architecture had long addressed seismic realities. The taq system and dhajji diwari style, with their extensive use of timber and flexible frameworks, allowed buildings to absorb shocks rather than collapse under them. Organisations like INTACH have repeatedly stressed the need to adapt these principles to modern needs, instead of blindly importing cement-and-marble designs better suited to other parts of India. In cold, fragile places like Kashmir and Ladakh, such architecture is not just inefficient, it is dangerous.

The upgrade to Zone VI should act as a wake-up call. Earthquake resilience cannot be left to individual choice alone. The government must enforce stricter building codes, ensure proper monitoring of construction, and invest in retrofitting existing structures, especially schools, hospitals and public buildings. Just as importantly, sustained awareness campaigns and regular workshops in educational institutions can help cultivate a culture of preparedness. Earthquakes cannot be prevented, but their human cost can be reduced.

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‘’It is proscribed, when the death approaches any of you, if he leaves any goods, that he makes a bequest to parents and next of kin. According to reasonable usage, this is due from God fearing’’ [2:180]

Making provision for parents and next of kin may not be taken as an act of injustice to legal inheritors, but taken in the spirit of love and reverence for the ones who have brought up the one who testifies, as also moral obligation of the testator towards the one who might have lost rights by fate, such as orphaned grandchildren.

Changing the bequest after hearing it shall amount to a guilt, as laid down:

‘’If anyone changes the bequest after hearing it, the guilt shall be on those who make the changes. For Allah hears and knows (all things)’’ [2:181]

The bequest of the testator is inviolable; in case it stays within norms prescribed by Holy Quran, however were the prescription be a case of partiality or wrong-doing, there could be nothing wrong in bringing about a settlement:

‘’But if anyone fears partiality or wrong-doing on the part of testator and brings about a settlement among (the parties concerned) there is no wrong in him: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful’’ [2:182]

Jurists have held that testator has the power to disposition of up to one third of his property, within that provision he may accommodate his parents and orphaned grandchildren, or there could be outsiders for whom he may wish to provide, without hurting the interests of legal inheritors. Were it to occur, the testator may be asked to change it before he dies. Or, a mutually agreed settlement may be brought out between the parties concerned after his death, without resorting to needless litigation.

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For weeks, the absence of snow had cast a long shadow. Gulmarg, one of India’s sought-after skiing destination, was desperately waiting for snow to shore up its season, threatening livelihoods tied to winter tourism. Hotel owners, ski instructors, guides, pony-men, gondola operators and small traders all watched the skies with mounting concern. Snow’s arrival on last Sunday, at least for now, eased those fears and set the stage for a festive year-end revival.

Tourism, badly bruised this year after the April terror attack in Pahalgam, needs snow for revival. Christmas and New Year celebrations, winter sports, and the sheer allure of a snow-covered landscape may yet help salvage a difficult season.

But the significance of snowfall extends beyond tourism. For Kashmir’s agrarian economy, snow ensures irrigation. Unlike rain, it replenishes glaciers and groundwater, feeding springs and sustaining rivers that farmers depend on through spring and summer. Apple orchards, saffron fields, and vegetable farms all rely on a healthy snowpack. After an alarming dry spell, snowfall in the higher reaches offers reassurance.

What the Valley now hopes for is snowfall not just in the mountains but also in the plains in the days and weeks ahead. Climate uncertainty has made winters unpredictable, swinging between extended dry periods and occasional precipitation. The current snow spell has broken the grip of the bone-chilling dry cold that had led to the spread of flu and throat infections. However, the Valley remains in the deep embrace of chillai kalan. The night temperatures may have improved temporarily due to snowfall and the consequent cloudy skies but they can plunge again as long as chillai kalan lasts.

Snow is the biggest attraction for tourists in mainland India and also for the skiers. A normal Valley winter with its recurring snowfalls is thus a boon for its economy as it draws high-spending visitors from far and wide. However, for this cold season to be easy on the common man and be more tourist-friendly, the government needs to work on better winter management. Continued investment in infrastructure, proactive planning, and efficient response mechanisms will ensure that winter in the Valley becomes a season of opportunity rather than adversity.

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Yes, you read that right: to herald an era of seamless e-governance, trust the J&K bureaucracy to have gone old-school with a physical tome—one presumably heavy enough to prop open doors in remote villages where, thanks to digitisation, services now arrive at the click of a button. Assuming of course that internet works without any hiccups.

Maybe, it is only proper to immortalise the digital leap in ink and paper since it will require no charging, no Wi-Fi, and survives power outages with stoic grace.

One can almost picture it: proud officials flipping through high-resolution pages showcasing satellite maps and app screenshots, while quietly hoping no one asks for a Kindle version.

After all, nothing says “future-ready governance” like a book destined to gather dust on a coffee table, even as the government vows more tech-driven milestones ahead.

In an age where everything is going paperless, this unique initiative stands as a charming relic. The least that could have been done would be to release an e-book. Perhaps, prior to digitalising governance, the mindset needs to be transformed.

The task for this government is to comprehend the enormity of change that the digitisation has brought in its wake, and how the offices, government and corporate are changing globally. It requires not just training of government officials at all levels, it also requires commensurate penetration of technology at all levels of the governance. Needless to say, technology is fast changing the face of managing affairs, from individual to collective, from public to private sector. Adopting technology is no longer a choice, it is a compulsion of new age. And this adoption of technology is not just a one time event, it is a world that is ever in flux. That is why it extremely important that the mind of government comes to terms with this change. A change that has penetrated to micro levels of today;s human world – from governance to management, from education to welfare, from commerce to entertainment.

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The India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, concluded just yesterday, represents a calibrated and cautious opening up of the market. It has thoughtfully introduced a Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) system specifically designed to protect domestic producers from undue competition.

Under this arrangement, up to 32,500 tonnes of New Zealand apples in the first year— increasing gradually to 45,000 tonnes by year six— will qualify for the reduced duty of 25 percent. This concession is, however, subject to a Minimum Import Price (MIP) of USD 1.25 per kg to ensure a level of price discipline.

Any imports that exceed this quota will continue to face the standard 50 percent duty (or a 50 percent margin of preference in certain descriptions) along with a significantly higher MIP of USD 2.50 per kg. This acts as a strong deterrent against excessive inflows.

Importantly, the preferential access has been deliberately limited to the counter-seasonal window, from April to August. This is the period when Kashmiri apples are not in harvest, thereby minimising direct overlap and competition with the domestic produce.

The Kashmir Valley remains the heart of India’s apple production, contributing the majority of the country’s output. It produces approximately 2.05–2.06 million tonnes in 2024–25, accounting for around 75–80 percent of the national production of roughly 2.55 million tonnes. This dominant position makes the sector highly sensitive to any form of import competition, especially since it directly supports the livelihoods of 7 to 8 lakh families and countless others in the allied ecosystem.

As the quota gradually rises over the medium term, the availability of cheaper New Zealand apples could lead to a marginal increase in total imports. This, in turn, has the potential to exert some downward pressure on domestic prices, particularly in premium segments or during shoulder seasons. Historical precedents, such as the duty reductions on U.S. apples in 2023, had triggered widespread protests from Kashmir growers. They rightly feared lower farm-gate prices and a consequent squeeze on their already thin incomes.

In this context, the government and the growers must collaborate closely to fully leverage the built-in safeguards— the TRQ limits, the Minimum Import Price mechanism, and the strict seasonal restrictions— to effectively contain any adverse impact on the local industry.

However, going forward, growers will inevitably face mounting pressure from the overall growth in total imports. India’s apple imports are projected to reach around 600,000 tonnes in 2024–25, while Kashmir alone produces close to 2 million tonnes. This growing import volume underscores the need for proactive measures.

To mitigate these challenges and build long-term resilience, policy focus has to shift decisively towards yield maximisation through better horticultural practices, cost reductions via efficient inputs and logistics, and stringent quality control measures that allow for full traceability from orchard to market. Such steps will not only strengthen the competitiveness of Kashmiri apples but also ensure sustainable livelihoods for the farming community.

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