Srinagar, Jun 27: National Conference (NC) President Dr Farooq Abdullah, offered the congregational Friday prayers at the Hazratbal Shrine here today.

Dr Farooq joined the devotees in prayers, seeking divine blessings for peace, unity, and the overall well-being of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He also prayed for strength and resilience for the region in the face of ongoing challenges, a press release said.

Following the prayers, NC President interacted with devotees and local residents, emphasising the spiritual and cultural significance of Hazratbal and the need to uphold the values of compassion, tolerance, and communal harmony.

Srinagar, Jun 27: Two years ago, the J&K government ordered that the Government Medical Colleges (GMCs) and Government Dental Colleges (GDCs) in J&K implement rotatory headship ñ after every two years, the head of the departments would move aside and make way for a new head, the next senior most professor in the department.

This June, the order was set to make new heads, but the status quo maintained by the college administrations has brewed ambiguity among the faculty of these institutions.

On June 10, 2025, the National Medical Commission (NMC) proposed a three-year rotatory headship and the departments will be headed by professors and associate professors who are eligible to become professors, who hold medical postgraduate degrees, based on seniority in the department.

The commission has invited feedback on the ëPost Graduate Medical Education Regulation (2025)í.

While this proposal may or may not be implemented in J&K, the Lieutenant Governor on June 22, 2023, issued an order 527-JK (HME) of 2023 which sanctioned the adoption of a new procedure for becoming Head of the Department in GMCs and GDCs of J&K.

One, the departments with only one professor would be headed by that professor and in the departments with multiple professors, the post of HoD will be rotated among the professors every two years as per seniority.

In GMC Srinagar, two senior professors were accorded the designation of HoDs on June 26.

The order was to be implemented in 2025, with no consideration for the number of years already served as HoD.

However, as June 2025 approaches the end, faculty in medical and dental colleges of J&K await word on the next change due.

While several faculty members are in favour of rotatory headship, many others feel it is not in the best interest of the departments.

A former principal of GMC while speaking to Greater Kashmir said that the J&K governmentís order issued in 2023 is a violation of NMC guidelines which proposes a three year rotation.

He said rotationary headships were not implemented in institutions of repute like PGI Chandigarh and AIIMS.

ìRotatory headship will give birth to anarchy with a multiple number of ex-HOD with no defined role,î he said.

A faculty member of one of the institutions under the ambit of change, who was also opposed to the idea of rotatory headship, said that departments with only one professor will strive to remain departments with only one professor to retain the chair.

ìMoreover, it is another backstab on open merit. The order is meant to hand headship over to candidates who were low in merit at the time of selection,î he said.

On the other hand, many people who are next in the line for headship feel that order gives them a chance to head the department.

ìSome heads remain heads of department for decades, till their retirement and meanwhile, more people lose the chance to become heads,î a faculty member said.

He said that order is under consideration at a number of institutions and the GMCs and GDCs must implement it at the earliest.

Jammu, June 27: A special court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday granted a 10-day remand of the two accused who were arrested for harbouring Pakistani terrorists behind the deadly Pahalgam terror attack in April, officials said.

A local court had earlier granted the NIA a five-day remand of the two accused on Monday, which expired on Friday.

The NIA produced the duo before the special NIA court, which granted a further 10-day remand, they said.

The two men — Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar of Batkote, Pahalgam; and Bashir Ahmad Jothar of Hill Park, Pahalgam — were arrested by the NIA on Sunday in the first major breakthrough in the investigation into the April 22 attack that left 26 people, mostly tourists, dead and 16 others injured.

According to the NIA, the arrested accused disclosed the identities of the three armed terrorists involved in the attack and confirmed that they were Pakistani nationals affiliated with the banned terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

Parvaiz and Bashir had knowingly harboured the terrorists at a seasonal ‘dhok’ (hut) in Hill Park before the attack, according to the NIA’s findings.

The two provided food, shelter and logistical support to the terrorists, who, on the fateful afternoon, selectively targeted and killed tourists based on their religious identity, making it one of the most gruesome terrorist attacks in recent memory, the agency said.

The NIA continues its probe into the terror network that enabled the brutal killings in Kashmir’s tourism hub.

Srinagar, June 27: The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association on Friday has written to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Thiru M.K. Stalin, seeking his immediate intervention in a disturbing case of alleged religious discrimination against a young Muslim doctor from the Kashmir Valley. The doctor, Dr. Zubair Ahmad, was allotted a DrNB (Nephrology) seat at Kovai Medical Centre and Hospital (KMCH), Coimbatore, through the NEET-SS second counselling round conducted by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS). He was allegedly asked to Shave his beard.

In its letter, the Association said that upon reporting to the hospital to complete admission formalities, Dr. Zubair was reportedly asked to sign a policy document that prohibited sporting a beard, a condition he said contradicted his religious obligations as a practicing Muslim. Despite offering to cover his beard with a surgical mask and agreeing to comply with all hygiene protocols and institutional dress codes, the hospital administration allegedly refused to accommodate him.

National Convenor of the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association Nasir Khuehami said that the hospital was unequivocal in its demand that Dr. Zubair shave or trim his beard in order to enroll. “He was categorically asked to shave his beard to be permitted to study at the super-speciality hospital,” the Association’s letter stated.

Dr. Zubair was informed that KMCH has a dress code prohibiting beards. Even after he assured the administration of his willingness to adhere to all professional norms and conceal his beard if required, the policy remained non-negotiable. Notably, Dr. Zubair has completed his MBBS, MD, and senior residency at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Srinagar, without encountering any such restriction.

The letter further pointed out that had this beard policy been transparently disclosed during the counselling process, Dr. Zubair would not have opted for the institute. With no alternative left, Dr. Zubair was compelled to withdraw from the programme, despite having secured the seat on an all-India merit basis. He has since requested NBEMS to allow his participation in the third round of counselling and to refund his ₹2 lakh security deposit submitted during the admission process.

The Association condemned the incident as a clear violation of Article 25 of the Constitution of India, which guarantees the right to religious freedom. “The hospital’s insistence on a so-called ‘clean-shaven, corporate appearance’ is neither essential to medical education nor aligned with patient care, ethics, or hygiene, the core pillars of the medical profession,” the Association argued.

Khuehami added, “Such appearance- based restrictions are not only unnecessary but are also discriminatory and exclusionary. The lack of prior disclosure and the imposition of this requirement after seat allotment is unjust and violates both the spirit and the letter of the Constitution.”

The Association expressed particular disappointment that such an incident occurred in Tamil Nadu, a state known for its progressive values and inclusive governance. “Tamil Nadu has long welcomed students and professionals from across India, including the Kashmir Valley. This incident threatens to tarnish that proud legacy and sends a disturbing message to students from marginalized and minority backgrounds.”

“Forcing a Kashmiri doctor to shave his beard, a core part of his religious identity not only violates his fundamental rights but also fosters fear, exclusion, and alienation in academic spaces, which should instead promote acceptance, equity, and dignity,” he added.

The Association urged Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to take urgent steps to ensure that religious freedoms are protected across educational and healthcare institutions in Tamil Nadu. “We request your intervention to discourage discriminatory institutional policies that infringe upon constitutional rights and to help restore the confidence of students and professionals who look up to Tamil Nadu as a beacon of progress, tolerance, and justice,” the letter stated.

The Association expressed hope in the Chief Minister’s leadership and commitment to justice, pluralism, and equality. “We urge him to uphold Tamil Nadu’s cherished tradition of tolerance, inclusion, and cultural respect, and to ensure that no student is ever made to feel unsafe or unwelcome due to their faith or identity.”