Srinagar, Jul 9: When doctors told this Kashmiri family that their 52-year-old mother would need a liver transplant, both her sons stepped forward without hesitation. Each was willing to donate a part of his liver to save her life, without fear, without inhibitions.

The family’s journey recently culminated in a successful living-donor liver transplant at the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi.

It is a story of living organ donation at a time when Kashmir still lacks a liver transplant programme of its own, and organ donations from live donors continue to be rare.

The family requested that their identities be withheld to protect their privacy.

The elder brother recalled that their mother had been battling liver disease since 2019.

She was diagnosed with Hepatitis C and also had gallstones.

During her cholecystectomy, her liver biopsy was also taken.

“Unfortunately, it revealed liver cirrhosis,” the elder brother said.

“Doctors at GMC Srinagar started her treatment in 2021. However, the disease had progressed to Grade IV liver cancer, and doctors told us that liver transplant was her only chance to a healthy, long life,” he said.

Despite the gravity of the diagnosis, the sons decided not to give up.

They decided to pursue transplantation while she was otherwise healthy.

“She did not have any other comorbidities, like diabetes or hypertension, so we thought this was the right time to explore a liver transplant,” the elder son recalls.

Both brothers share the same O-positive blood group, while their mother had A-positive.

They were universal donors, and could easily give their mother a lease of life.

“Originally, I was the donor,” the elder brother said. “But after all the tests, my younger brother’s liver volume was found to be more suitable. Blood group is only one part,” he said.

Doctors assess the liver volume before deciding who can donate.

The donor, a young man of 22, underwent surgery alongside his mother.

“The donor was fit. But during surgery, the recipient lost much more blood than anticipated. Nearly 20 units of blood had to be arranged,” he said.

He expressed gratitude to those who responded to the family’s appeal in Delhi.

The brother awaited donors, mostly students from Kashmir studying in Delhi, to arrive when this report was filed.

The transplant itself was made possible through crowdfunding.

The brothers say they never feared becoming living donors.

“Liver is an amazing organ created by Allah,” the elder brother said.

He said he knew that liver donors and recipients go on to live healthy lives.

“I had no inhibitions,” he said.

He said seeing another successful transplant up close had strengthened his resolve.

“One of our neighbours had received part of his wife’s liver soon after they were married. Today they have children and are living healthy lives,” he said.

While cadaver liver transplants are increasingly common in hospitals of southern India, the family never considered waiting for one.

“There are a lot of cadaver transplants taking place. But we wanted to donate ourselves. When our mother has two sons who can donate, why would we snatch the chance from someone else. They may have only cadaver transplant as their option,” the son said, waiting for his brother and mother to walk out healthy from one of the most complex of transplants.

Srinagar, Jul 9: In a first, the ruling National Conference on Thursday said it has invited Kashmir’s chief preacher, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, to join its upcoming protest in New Delhi demanding the restoration of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir.

The National Conference said it has invited all political parties, including the BJP, to take part in the protest.

The Mirwaiz, who formerly led the moderate faction of the now-defunct Hurriyat Conference, has been extended the invitation in his capacity as the head of the Muthaida Majlis-e-Ulema, an umbrella body representing several prominent religious organisations.

Broadening its outreach, the National Conference has also invited the Grand Mufti of Kashmir, Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam, to participate in the demonstration.

“Apart from the political parties, the National Conference has invited Mirwaiz sahab, who is chief of the Muthaida Majlis-e-Ulema, and Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam, the Grand Mufti of Kashmir,” said NC chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq.

Sadiq said the National Conference has invited all political parties in Jammu and Kashmir, including the BJP, to take part in the protest. Most of the invitations have been sent out, while others are being processed.

“We have invited the president of Jammu and Kashmir BJP, as well as the heads of other political parties, including Mehbooba Mufti of the Peoples Democratic Party and Altaf Bukhari of the Apni Party,” he said.

The move marks a significant shift in the region’s political landscape, signalling an effort by the ruling party to build a broader coalition — bridging mainstream political entities and influential religious leadership — to press the Centre on the statehood issue.

The National Conference has announced that it would hold a sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on the first day of the monsoon session of Parliament on July 20, to remind the Centre of its promise to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

Srinagar, July 9: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today called for a paradigm shift in Jammu and Kashmir’s tourism strategy, urging policymakers, industry stakeholders and local communities to move beyond volume-driven tourism towards a value-based and sustainable tourism model that safeguards the region’s fragile ecology while ensuring long-term economic prosperity.

Addressing the inaugural session of the Conclave on Sustainable Tourism Planning—Designing Tourism for Tomorrow, organised by the Department of Tourism at SKICC, the Chief Minister said sustainable tourism is no longer a choice but an imperative for preserving Jammu and Kashmir’s environment and securing the future of one of its most vital economic sectors.

Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, MLA Gulmarg Pirzada Farooq Ahmad Shah, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Dheeraj Gupta and Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism, Ashish Chandra Verma were present on the occasion.

Managing Director J&K Tourism Development Corporation Shreya Singhal, Director SKICC Mufti Mohammad Farid-ud-Din, Director Tourism Jammu Vikas Gupta, Secretary Royal Springs Golf Course Haris Ahmad Handoo, Director Tourism Kashmir Syed Qamar Sajad, senior officers of the Tourism Department, Chief Executive Officers of various Tourism Development Authorities, tourism stakeholders and experts also participated in the conclave.

In his keynote address, the Chief Minister said that tourism devoid of sustainability inevitably leads to long-term decline.

“Tourism without sustainability is an unqualified disaster. It may survive for a few years, but it cannot endure in the long run unless sustainability is built into its very foundation,” he said.

He said the conclave had been organised at a crucial juncture when Jammu and Kashmir was reassessing its tourism vision and determining whether its future lay in attracting ever-growing visitor numbers or creating greater value from a more sustainable tourism economy.

“We have to decide whether we wish to earn by charging one hundred tourists one rupee each or by creating an experience where one tourist is willing to pay one hundred rupees. The answer to that question must shape all our future tourism master plans,” the Chief Minister remarked. He said he welcomed surge in number of tourists visiting J&K but for future the tourist flow may need to be regulated so that not only the tourist resorts are protected but the tourists also enjoy in serene environment rather than having to go through harrowing experience of traffic jams, poor facilities and over-crowding at these tourist spots.

Reflecting on Jammu and Kashmir’s tourism journey over the past three decades, Omar Abdullah observed that the region had understandably pursued a volume-based approach to demonstrate normalcy after years of conflict. However, he said the recent fluctuations in tourist arrivals had once again exposed the vulnerability of the tourism ecosystem.

The Chief Minister remarked that last year before the Pahalgam incident, we were dealing with traffic congestion caused by huge tourist inflow. Soon afterwards, we were worried because hotels and destinations had become empty. This reminds us how fragile tourism can be in Jammu & Kashmir where a single incident can affect the whole season.

The Chief Minister underlined that sustainable tourism planning must comprehensively address critical issues including traffic regulation, parking infrastructure, waste management, water conservation, building regulations, carrying capacity and community participation.

Expressing concern over recurring traffic congestion at popular destinations, he said infrastructure creation alone would not solve the problem unless accompanied by effective utilisation and scientific traffic management.

He cautioned against introducing unplanned regulatory measures without adequate stakeholder consultation, citing recent experiences where traffic management decisions adversely affected tourists and transport operators.

“Sustainability cannot be based on knee-jerk reactions. Every intervention must be well-planned, thoroughly discussed with stakeholders and capable of delivering long-term solutions,” he said.
The Chief Minister also laid strong emphasis on scientific solid waste management, saying environmental degradation cannot simply be attributed to tourists.

Referring to ongoing waste removal efforts in Dal Lake, he observed that a significant portion of waste originates from local habitations, making community participation equally important.

He also stressed the need to eliminate single-use plastic and promote responsible civic behaviour.
“Government has a responsibility to manage waste, but citizens too have an equal responsibility. Unless we begin treating Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonamarg and Dal Lake as we treat our own homes, sustainability will remain elusive,” he said.

Highlighting the growing challenge of water scarcity, Omar Abdullah said sustainable tourism cannot be achieved without long-term water management strategies, particularly as visitor numbers continue to increase.

The Chief Minister also stressed the importance of strict enforcement of building regulations and tourism master plans.

“A master plan is only as good as its implementation. Selective enforcement breeds resentment and weakens public confidence. Tourism planning cannot be confined to offices; it must be prepared in consultation with local communities who have lived in these destinations for generations,” he observed.

Calling for scientific assessment of the carrying capacity of individual tourist destinations, he said each location possesses unique ecological sensitivities that must determine future visitor management strategies.

“Srinagar may comfortably accommodate far more visitors than ecologically fragile destinations such as Gulmarg or Gurez. We cannot adopt a uniform approach for every destination,” he said.
The Chief Minister said Jammu and Kashmir’s greatest tourism asset is its unmatched natural beauty rather than artificial attractions.

“We are not selling Disneyland, Universal Studios or Las Vegas. What attracts people here is our rivers, lakes, mountains, glaciers and landscapes. Protecting these natural assets must remain the central objective of every tourism master plan,” he asserted.

He also spoke about the increasing influx of tourist vehicles from outside Jammu and Kashmir. While acknowledging that their arrival had helped restore confidence about Kashmir’s reopening as a tourism destination, he said such trends also placed additional pressure on local infrastructure and adversely affected the livelihoods of local transport operators.

“We have to ensure that tourism generates greater benefits for our own people. The objective should be to move steadily up the value chain rather than simply chasing higher tourist numbers,” he said.

Advocating premium tourism experiences, the Chief Minister said value-based tourism enables destinations to earn more while reducing environmental stress and improving visitor experiences.

“Value tourism is sustainable tourism. Our responsibility is to create conditions where local people earn better incomes while ensuring that tourism remains environmentally and economically sustainable for generations to come,” he added.

The Chief Minister expressed hope that the deliberations of the conclave would contribute meaningfully towards framing a long-term sustainable tourism roadmap for Jammu & Kashmir and guide future policy interventions.

Advisor to the CM Nasir Aslam Wani & Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo also spoke on the occasion underlining the need for master planning of Tourist destinations, development of new destinations, environmental protection, strengthening of Tourism Development Authorities and for enhancing visitor experience.

Earlier, Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism, Ashish Chandra Verma delivered a comprehensive presentation outlining the Government’s new initiative for preparing tourism master plans for destinations across Jammu and Kashmir.

He presented an overview of the tourism sector, the vision for sustainable tourism and the need for rethinking the existing tourism development strategy. He emphasised the transition from conventional urban planning to tourism-led destination planning through a structured, long-term framework.

Highlighting existing challenges such as fragmented infrastructure development, inadequate waste management, traffic congestion and the absence of integrated destination planning, he outlined a tier-based categorisation approach for planning tourism destinations according to their ecological sensitivity, tourism potential and infrastructure requirements.

The Additional Chief Secretary also elaborated on the objectives of the workshop, which include facilitating strategic and sustainable tourism planning, developing destination-specific master plans, promoting balanced tourism growth and ensuring greater stakeholder participation in shaping the future of Jammu and Kashmir’s tourism sector.

Budgam, July 9: Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir and Head of Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU) Dr. Moulvi Mohammad Umar Farooq, while speaking at a memorial event organised by Anjuman-e-Sharie Shian, headed by Aga Syed Hasan Al-Moosavi Al-Safavi, at Budgam, paid rich tributes to the late Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei, describing him as a towering religious and political figure whose life reflected faith, courage, steadfastness and concern for the unity and dignity of the Muslim Ummah.

Mirwaiz said that Ayatollah Khamenei’s life carried an important message for Muslims across the world: faith is not confined only to personal worship, but also demands standing for justice, defending human dignity, speaking for the oppressed and resisting injustice with wisdom and courage.

He said the greatest tribute to Ayatollah Khamenei would be to uphold the cause of Muslim unity. “In a time when the Ummah faces division, conflict and external pressures, his message reminds us that Shia and Sunni, despite differences of school and opinion, are part of one Ummah, with one Qur’an, one Prophet (pbuh) and one Qibla,” Mirwaiz said.

Referring to Ayatollah Khamenei’s principled position on nuclear weapons, Mirwaiz said that despite facing repeated threats and pressure, he opposed the acquisition and use of nuclear weapons, viewing them as contrary to Islamic teachings and against humanity. He said this moral position was significant in an age where destructive power is often mistaken for strength, while true strength lies in justice, restraint and responsibility.

Mirwaiz also recalled Ayatollah Khamenei’s consistent support for the Palestinian people and their right to dignity, justice and freedom. He said that the suffering of Palestine continues to remain a wound on the conscience of the world and a test of the moral responsibility of the Muslim Ummah and the international community.

Referring to the situation of people facing prolonged uncertainty and injustice, Mirwaiz said that oppressed peoples everywhere draw strength from unity, patience, moral clarity and collective resolve. He said that dignity cannot be secured through division, and that communities seeking justice must remain united, disciplined and guided by wisdom.

Mirwaiz prayed for the departed leader and said that his legacy should inspire Muslims to reject sectarianism, strengthen brotherhood, stand with the oppressed and work for justice, peace and unity.

Srinagar, Jul 09: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday visited the Yatra Transit Camp and Yatri Niwas at Pantha Chowk in Srinagar and reviewed the arrangements made for the pilgrims of ongoing Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra. 

The Lieutenant Governor interacted with the officials and pilgrims and enquired about the facilities. He directed the officials to ensure that every devotee of Lord Shiva receives round-the-clock care.

“From registration to accommodation and food, no pilgrim should face any inconvenience. It must be our collective responsibility to make their stay in Jammu Kashmir divine and comfortable,” the Lieutenant Governor told the officials. 

The Lieutenant Governor took stock of the arrangements, including accommodation, sanitation, security, healthcare, drinking water, power supply, firefighting measures and other essential services made by different departments aimed at ensuring the comfort and safety of the yatris.

“The figures from the past week reveal that this year’s Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra has witnessed a greater number of devotees compared to last year. This surge is not only a blessing for our spiritual heritage but also a positive sign for tourism in Jammu Kashmir, giving fresh momentum to the local economy.

I want that the rich handicrafts and handloom products of Jammu Kashmir should travel across the country and this unique heritage find a place in every devotee’s home. This will honor our artisans and it will also strengthen the spirit of One District One Product campaign, weaving together faith, culture and prosperity,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

The Lieutenant Governor lauded the coordinated efforts of District Administration, all line departments, Shrine Board, Police, security forces and other stakeholders. He emphasized the need to maintain the close coordination and vigilance in ensuring effective crowd management, hassle-free registration process and dissemination of timely information updates to the pilgrims throughout the pilgrimage. He also directed for strict legal action against those found involved in fraudulent registration practices. 

The Lieutenant Governor was accompanied by Shri Nalin Prabhat, DGP; Dr. Mandeep K. Bhandari, CEO, Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board; Shri V K Birdi, IGP Kashmir; Shri Anshul Garg, Divisional Commissioner Srinagar; Shri Rajiv Pandey, DIG CKR; Dr. GV Sundeep Chakravarthy, SSP Srinagar; Shri Akshay Labroo; Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar; Shri Faz Lul Haseeb, Municipal Commissioner Srinagar and other senior officers.