A grand civil society meeting was held in Boniyar as thousands across the political, social, religious and caste line came out in support of left out Pahari people from ST-2.

As per a press release, it brought together political leaders from multiple parties including the National Conference,  BJP, PDP, Apni Party, Congress, People’s Conference, Aam Aadmi Party and Bharat Jado party, along with prominent members of civil society.

The event organised by Pahari Ethnic Group Boniyar  Mohammad Fareed Khan, Adv Abdul Khaliq, Dr Farooq Ahmed Sheikh, Mohammad Afzal and Er Abdul Ahad.  During the meeting, all participating leaders unanimously demanded that the entire Uri sub-division be declared under ST-2 status. They emphasized that the majority population of the area, excluding Gujjar and Bakerwal communities, belongs to the Pahari ethnic group and deserves equal consideration in reservation benefits.

The speakers strongly condemned what they termed as discrimination in the implementation of ST-2 reservation and expressed concern over the growing discontent among locals. They urged the administration to intervene immediately and address the issue on a priority basis to ensure that the social fabric of the sensitive border area remains intact.

Among those present were former DDC and NC leader Mohammad Ismail Khan (Boniyar), District Vice President National Conference Raja Javed Khan, senior leaders Altaf Mir and Dr. Farooq Sheikh, PDP senior leader Prof. Ghulam Mohiuddin, Congress leader Manzoor Ahmad Wani, Apni Party leader Mohammad Aslam Dar, BJP leader Mir Mushtaq and Raja Waqar, Aam Aadmi Party Dr Shabir Ahmad Mangral,Bharat jado state president, Irfan Ahmed Chack, People’s Conference leader Dr. Bashir Ahmad chalkoo, NC Block President Nazir Ahmad Chack, along with several other civil society members. At the end all participating leaders and civil society members appreciated the Pahari Ethnic Group Boniyar for successfully organizing the grand meeting and bringing leaders from different political parties onto a single platform. Speakers lauded the effort as a strong step towards unity and collective representation, stating that such initiatives are vital for addressing key issues like ST-2 status for the Uri sub-division.

Srinagar, Apr 26: Multiple deadlines have lapsed for AIIMS Awantipora since 2019, when this project was announced.

The new timeliness included starting OPD Services in March-April, and full operations by the end of this year.

With a history of falling behind in progress, will AIIMS Kashmir, located in Awantipora catch up in the next seven months?

AIIMS Kashmir was conceived under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY), and site identified at Awantipora. New AIIMS are aimed at making world-class tertiary and super-specialty healthcare accessible to people across India.

However, years after the announcement, the project tells a story of logistical hurdles, unanticipated security situations and according to some, the gross error in selection of site.

AIIMS are centrally funded Central Sector projects, their ownership, funding and policy control lying with the Centre.

These were announced as part of the Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP) for J&K, with Central Public Works Department (CPWD) as executing agency.

The civil works are being carried out by NCC Limited.

Coming up in Awantipora in Pulwama, AIIMS Kashmir remains mired in delays, year after year.

In February 2026, the institute was reported to have “progressed to 70 percent completion”, a figure unchanged from the previous year.

There reportedly are significant cost overruns.

The project has suffered delays due to a combination of factors, including security-related objections that led to revisions in the master plan at the begining of site preparation.

Further delays took place due to additional land acquisition for the site and access-related issues due to absence of any motorable road to the hilltop where it is coming up.

The land for the road was acquired and a macademised road has now connected the site with the main road.

In addition, administrative disruptions, as well as pandemic- and weather-related slowdowns affected construction activity and labour availability.

Some experts believe the site-specific logistical constraints have also contributed to the project missing successive timelines.

AIIMS Awantipora physical progress is stalled at 70 percent.

In January 2026, J&K Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo said that the delays stem purely from “execution snags”.

He said that the project will be complete by the end of 2026.

The first batch of MBBS students was expected to be taken in mid-July, while OPD services were anticipated to start in April 2026.

However, there is no news of any such progress being made.

Kashmir is geographically isolated by the Pir Panjal range and prone to harsh winters.

The absence of a functional AIIMS means denial of access to better healthcare.

The delay in making this Institute operational, progresses from an administrative matter to become a matter of life and health as it turns into prolonged suffering, expensive detours, and delayed treatment for critical conditions including cardiac emergencies, neurological disorders, oncology, and neurosurgery.

For patients requiring super-specialty interventions, there is no other option than to turn to overburdened SKIMS Srinagar or SMHS Hospital.

The load of patients on these facilities often results in chronic delays as per the patients. Kashmir’s far-flung geography amplifies the hardship.

With many districts inaccessible or partially accessible through snow-bound roads in winter, the sheer distance from Srinagar to Delhi for faster interventions is a cruelty.

A senior specialist working in J&K Medical Education said, “AIIMS Jammu has begun fulfilling the promise of decentralised super-specialty care, and advanced medical education while for Kashmir, the promise remains on the horizon.”

He said it was imperative that the 2026 deadline be met to finally bring equitable, timely treatment to people of Kashmir.

Baramulla, Apr 26: Amid growing concerns over the declining reading habits among youth in the age of social media, Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Baramulla Javid Hassan Baig Sunday said he will utilize his Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to revive library culture and promote book reading habits among students in government schools of his constituency.

Talking to Greater Kashmir on the sidelines of a function organised by the Baramulla Writers’ Forum at Dak Bungalow here, MLA Baramulla highlighted the need to safeguard intellectual traditions in the face of rapid technological advancement.

“Every era presents its own challenges. The current age is marked by the dominance of technology, which, if left unchecked, could outpace social wisdom,” he said. He said that technology will take over if the socially wise people do not come together and keep their intellectual and political wisdom alive. Highlighting the role of literary platforms, MLA described the Baramulla Writers’ Forum as a “respectable initiative” striving to preserve literary culture.

About the demand of the forum to establish an auditorium and a well-equipped library while expanding its outreach, particularly to rural areas, MLA Baramulla every possible help will be done in this regard.

He called for grassroots movement to revive reading habits and stressed the importance of taking literary activities to villages and schools. “We have to develop this culture through books. Seminars should be held in schools besides local writers and intellectuals must be encouraged to organise such events,” he said. MLA Baramulla however expressed concern over the fading culture of reading and cautioned that abandoning books would lead to a superficial understanding of knowledge.

“If the culture of reading dies, it will not lead you to knowledge but to artificial intelligence, artificial poetry, and artificial prose. Everything will become artificial,” he said.

He urged students to engage with diverse literature beyond religious texts and reflect that knowledge in society. On the issue of inadequate library infrastructure in government schools, MLA acknowledged the issue saying that library culture remains weak and outlined a roadmap to address the gap.

“I have started visiting government schools and will ensure that books are provided from my Constituency Development Fund,” he said. He added that efforts are underway to create a participatory reading environment by encouraging students to share their learnings with elders and involving parents through regular meetings. “I intend to work round the clock in this regard,” he said. MLA said he has already initiated steps to promote reading and called for active participation from civil society as well. “Where my role ends, civil society must begin. If society plays its part, we will not let books die,” he said.

He warned that the decline of languages, particularly Urdu, could have far-reaching consequences, reflecting on the broader cultural implications. Invoking literary greats like Mirza Ghalib, Allama Iqbal, and Mir Taqi Mir, MLA Baramulla said their depth and brilliance comes from a rich literary tradition that must be preserved. “Urdu may face challenges, but it will not die. People may die, but languages endure. We will keep it alive,” he said. He said that the survival of literature and language was essential to preserving cultural identity.