As Kashmir Valley finally got some respite from the heat wave in the last few days, the tourist inflow has peaked as well. Majority of hotels and houseboats are completely booked as more&nbsp;tourists are coming to the valley.

The tourist&nbsp;inflow has surged to the point where houseboats on Kashmir's Dal Lake must be booked months in advance. Staying in these iconic houseboats is a must for any visitor to Kashmir.

Currently, the majority of houseboats are fully booked due to the recent increase in tourist numbers.

''We had pre-booked our stay in the houseboat a few weeks ago. We did not want any hassle and that's why we had pre-booked everything. We are also finding Shikara's as we have houseboat bookings. There is no tension regarding that. It's the peak time so we booked early, and everyone should pre book so that they don't face any problems or Issues'' said Prarik Aggarwal, a tourist.

While India is reeling under heat wave, Kashmir Valley has seen a respite in the last few days and that has brought a lot of cheer among the tourists. And the summer influx of tourists to the valley has increased as most of the hotels, houseboats, huts at every tourist place in Kashmir are booked.

Kashmir Valley saw over a million tourists in the first four months of 2024. The winter tourism broke all the previous records. &nbsp;According to the data of Srinagar International Airport, on an average more than 18,000 passengers visit the airport and majority of them are tourists. As against an average of 70 flights in February, currently 94 flights are operating at the airport.

''We are finding Shikara's without any issues. There is a waiting, but we are getting to go for a ride. Kashmir is a place which everyone should explore. There is a difference of 15 degrees between Gujrat and Kashmir. We are loving it here. We have also pre booked the houseboat and we are not having any difficulty finding shikaras,'' said Vandana, a tourist.

The Government of Jammu and Kashmir and tourism stakeholders are hopeful that all the previous records of tourist arrivals will be broken this year.

As Kashmir Valley finally got some respite from the heat wave in the last few days, the tourist inflow has peaked as well. Majority of hotels and houseboats are completely booked as more tourists are coming to the valley.

As Kashmir Valley finally got some respite from the heat wave in the last few days, the tourist inflow has peaked as well. Majority of hotels and houseboats are completely booked as more tourists are coming to the valley. The tourist inflow has surged to the point where houseboats on Kashmir's Dal Lake must be booked months in advance. Staying in these iconic houseboats is a must for any visitor to Kashmir. Currently, the majority of houseboats are fully booked due to the recent increase in tourist numbers. ''We had pre-booked our stay in the houseboat a few weeks ago. We did not want any hassle and that's why we had pre-booked everything. We are also finding Shikara's as we have houseboat bookings. There is no tension regarding that. It's the peak time so we booked early, and everyone should pre book so that they don't face any problems or Issues'' said Prarik Aggarwal, a tourist. While India is reeling under heat wave, Kashmir Valley has seen a respite in the last few days and that has brought a lot of cheer among the tourists. And the summer influx of tourists to the valley has increased as most of the hotels, houseboats, huts at every tourist place in Kashmir are booked. Kashmir Valley saw over a million tourists in the first four months of 2024. The winter tourism broke all the previous records. According to the data of Srinagar International Airport, on an average more than 18,000 passengers visit the airport and majority of them are tourists. As against an average of 70 flights in February, currently 94 flights are operating at the airport. ''We are finding Shikara's without any issues. There is a waiting, but we are getting to go for a ride. Kashmir is a place which everyone should explore. There is a difference of 15 degrees between Gujrat and Kashmir. We are loving it here. We have also pre booked the houseboat and we are not having any difficulty finding shikaras,'' said Vandana, a tourist. The Government of Jammu and Kashmir and tourism stakeholders are hopeful that all the previous records of tourist arrivals will be broken this year.

Kashmir tourism soars as valley escapes heat wave; houseboats and shikaras fully booked

It was all surprises and setbacks in the Lok Sabha Election 2024 results in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.&nbsp;Jammu and Kashmir recorded 58 per cent voting, breaking&nbsp;last forty years' voter turnout record. It also came as a shock and a big setback for two former chief ministers of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, who lost the election&nbsp;by a huge margin.&nbsp;

While Mehbooba Mufti lost to National Conferences leader Mian Altaf by a margin of over 2.8 lac votes, the bigger shock and unexpected result was Omar Abdullah losing to Jailed Independent Candidate Engineer Rashid. He took the lead with over two lac votes and left&nbsp;Omar Abdullah far behind.

Sheikh Abdul Rashid also known as Engineer Rashid has been a former MLA from the Langate assembly seat of North Kashmir's Kupwara district. Engineer won the assembly seat twice in a row and headed a party with the name&nbsp;Awami Ittehad Party. Engineer has been languishing in the Jail since 2019. He is booked by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in a terror funding case and has been lodged in Tihar Jail in Delhi. He is the first mainstream politician to be arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.&nbsp;

At the time when Engineer was an elected MLA from the Langate assembly seat, he was&nbsp;considered a separatist sympathiser.

Meanwhile, Omar Abdullah conceded his defeat on social media to Engineer on the day of election results after trailing by a huge margin.

''I think it’s time to accept the inevitable. Congratulations to Engineer Rashid for his victory in North Kashmir. I don’t believe his victory will hasten his release from prison nor will the people of North Kashmir get the representation they have a right to, but the voters have spoken and in a democracy that’s all that matters," he said on X.

Omar also took to social media today and shared a quote from a story that&nbsp;read, ''Rashid’s victory, without doubt, will empower secessionists, and give Kashmir’s defeated Islamist movement a renewed sense of hope. Efforts to draw secessionism back into electoral politics led New Delhi to support the rise of the People’s Democratic Party, and its alliance with the BJP. That, however, ended up empowering violent secessionists, not mainstreaming them—a warning of the unpredictable outcomes of trying to manipulate politics.”&nbsp;

Although these were not Omar Abdullah's words, sharing them on social media today meant nothing but the endorsement of the same thoughts.&nbsp;

Another Surprise was Independent Candidate Haji Haneefa Jan, who won the Ladakh Parliamentary seat. Haji was associated with the National Conference earlier and was the district president of the same party in Ladakh. He decided to go solo in this parliamentary election as the INDIA alliance fielded Namgyal as their candidate. The Kargil Unit of the National Conference had resigned en masse after Namgyal was fielded as their candidate.&nbsp;

In 2023, Haneefa lost the Kargil Elections for the Barro Constituency in the LAHDC Kargil by a mere 66 votes. And after Omar Abdullah decided to field a different candidate from the Ladakh seat, Haji decided to quit and fight solo.

Earlier, we had also witnessed how Environmentalist and Educationist Sonam Wangchuk had demanded statehood for&nbsp;Ladakh for which he had done a 21-day long hunger strike and also asked to bring UT under the Sixth Schedule of article 244 of the Indian Constitution, facilitating the creation of autonomous district council to give ladakhis legislative, judicial and administrative powers. It is said that all these incidents together played a major role in Haji's win.&nbsp;

Omar Abdullah took to social media and congratulated his former member Haji for the victory. '' I’m really very happy for you today. A few months ago, you tasted defeat in the hill council elections &amp; now you will represent Ladakh, especially the marginalised people of Kargil in the Lok Sabha. Your victory cost @JKNC_ its Kargil unit but it was well worth the price," said the&nbsp;National Conference party chief.

Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have six seats in total out of which two have been won by Independents, while two in the Kashmir region have been won by NC leaders and two in the Jammu region have been retained by the BJP.&nbsp;

It was all surprises and setbacks in the Lok Sabha Election 2024 results in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Jammu and Kashmir recorded 58 per cent voting, breaking last forty years' voter turnout record.

It was all surprises and setbacks in the Lok Sabha Election 2024 results in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Jammu and Kashmir recorded 58 per cent voting, breaking last forty years' voter turnout record. It also came as a shock and a big setback for two former chief ministers of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, who lost the election by a huge margin. While Mehbooba Mufti lost to National Conferences leader Mian Altaf by a margin of over 2.8 lac votes, the bigger shock and unexpected result was Omar Abdullah losing to Jailed Independent Candidate Engineer Rashid. He took the lead with over two lac votes and left Omar Abdullah far behind. Sheikh Abdul Rashid also known as Engineer Rashid has been a former MLA from the Langate assembly seat of North Kashmir's Kupwara district. Engineer won the assembly seat twice in a row and headed a party with the name Awami Ittehad Party. Engineer has been languishing in the Jail since 2019. He is booked by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in a terror funding case and has been lodged in Tihar Jail in Delhi. He is the first mainstream politician to be arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. At the time when Engineer was an elected MLA from the Langate assembly seat, he was considered a separatist sympathiser. Meanwhile, Omar Abdullah conceded his defeat on social media to Engineer on the day of election results after trailing by a huge margin. ''I think it’s time to accept the inevitable. Congratulations to Engineer Rashid for his victory in North Kashmir. I don’t believe his victory will hasten his release from prison nor will the people of North Kashmir get the representation they have a right to, but the voters have spoken and in a democracy that’s all that matters," he said on X. Omar also took to social media today and shared a quote from a story that read, ''Rashid’s victory, without doubt, will empower secessionists, and give Kashmir’s defeated Islamist movement a renewed sense of hope. Efforts to draw secessionism back into electoral politics led New Delhi to support the rise of the People’s Democratic Party, and its alliance with the BJP. That, however, ended up empowering violent secessionists, not mainstreaming them—a warning of the unpredictable outcomes of trying to manipulate politics.” Although these were not Omar Abdullah's words, sharing them on social media today meant nothing but the endorsement of the same thoughts. Another Surprise was Independent Candidate Haji Haneefa Jan, who won the Ladakh Parliamentary seat. Haji was associated with the National Conference earlier and was the district president of the same party in Ladakh. He decided to go solo in this parliamentary election as the INDIA alliance fielded Namgyal as their candidate. The Kargil Unit of the National Conference had resigned en masse after Namgyal was fielded as their candidate. In 2023, Haneefa lost the Kargil Elections for the Barro Constituency in the LAHDC Kargil by a mere 66 votes. And after Omar Abdullah decided to field a different candidate from the Ladakh seat, Haji decided to quit and fight solo. Earlier, we had also witnessed how Environmentalist and Educationist Sonam Wangchuk had demanded statehood for Ladakh for which he had done a 21-day long hunger strike and also asked to bring UT under the Sixth Schedule of article 244 of the Indian Constitution, facilitating the creation of autonomous district council to give ladakhis legislative, judicial and administrative powers. It is said that all these incidents together played a major role in Haji's win. Omar Abdullah took to social media and congratulated his former member Haji for the victory. '' I’m really very happy for you today. A few months ago, you tasted defeat in the hill council elections & now you will represent Ladakh, especially the marginalised people of Kargil in the Lok Sabha. Your victory cost @JKNC_ its Kargil unit but it was well worth the price," said the National Conference party chief. Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have six seats in total out of which two have been won by Independents, while two in the Kashmir region have been won by NC leaders and two in the Jammu region have been retained by the BJP.

Lok Sabha polls: How two independent candidates rose to win parliamentary seats in J&K and Ladakh

In a tragic bus accident at Chungi Mode at Chowki Choura between Akhnoor and Bhambla in Jammu region of India, over 21 people have died and over 60 are injured. The administration said that a bus (UP81CT-4058) carrying pilgrims from Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, to Shiv Khori lost control and directly fell into a 150 feet deep gorge.

Indian President Droupadi Murmu expressed grief over the incident and said that she is "pained beyond words to learn about the loss of lives in a bus accident in Akhnoor near Jammu. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery of the injured."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-weather-bihar-man-dies-of-heat-stroke-in-delhi-orange-alert-issued-for-thursday-727012">India weather: Bihar man dies of heat stroke in Delhi; 'Orange Alert' issued for Thursday</a>

Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha expressed deep anguish on the loss of lives in the tragic bus accident in Akhnoor, Jammu.

In a condolence message, the Lt Governor said, "The bus accident in Akhnoor is heart-rending. I condole the loss of lives and pray to the almighty to give the bereaved families the strength to bear the irreparable loss. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured. The administration is providing all possible assistance to the bereaved families and is also extending medical facilities to those who have been injured".

Watch:&nbsp;India heatwave: Kashmir witnesses erratic weather condition, leaves tourists disappointed

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The administration is carrying out a rescue operation and the injured have been taken to the local hospital in Akhnoor. The critically injured people have been shifted to Government Medical College Jammu. The NDRF and SDRF is carrying out a massive rescue operation and the injured are being treated.&nbsp;

According to the officials, there is a likelihood that the death toll will increase.&nbsp;

In a tragic bus accident at Chungi Mode at Chowki Choura between Akhnoor and Bhambla in Jammu region of India, over 21 people have died and over 60 are injured. The administration said that a bus (UP81CT-4058) carrying pilgrims from Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, to Shiv Khori lost control and directly fell into a 150 feet deep gorge.

In a tragic bus accident at Chungi Mode at Chowki Choura between Akhnoor and Bhambla in Jammu region of India, over 21 people have died and over 60 are injured. The administration said that a bus (UP81CT-4058) carrying pilgrims from Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, to Shiv Khori lost control and directly fell into a 150 feet deep gorge. Indian President Droupadi Murmu expressed grief over the incident and said that she is "pained beyond words to learn about the loss of lives in a bus accident in Akhnoor near Jammu. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery of the injured." Also Read: India weather: Bihar man dies of heat stroke in Delhi; 'Orange Alert' issued for Thursday Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha expressed deep anguish on the loss of lives in the tragic bus accident in Akhnoor, Jammu. In a condolence message, the Lt Governor said, "The bus accident in Akhnoor is heart-rending. I condole the loss of lives and pray to the almighty to give the bereaved families the strength to bear the irreparable loss. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured. The administration is providing all possible assistance to the bereaved families and is also extending medical facilities to those who have been injured". Watch: India heatwave: Kashmir witnesses erratic weather condition, leaves tourists disappointed The administration is carrying out a rescue operation and the injured have been taken to the local hospital in Akhnoor. The critically injured people have been shifted to Government Medical College Jammu. The NDRF and SDRF is carrying out a massive rescue operation and the injured are being treated. According to the officials, there is a likelihood that the death toll will increase.

India: 21 dead, more than 60 injured after bus falls into deep gorge in Jammu

Kashmir Valley, the paradise on Earth, is witnessing an unprecedented heatwave. Valley has broken a record of 40 years this May with temperatures rising six degrees above&nbsp; the normal. The tourists who are visiting the valley to get respite from the heat wave in the rest of India are disappointed with the high temperatures and scorching heat.&nbsp;

Tourists coming&nbsp;to North Indian states like Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand are highly disappointed with heat waves not sparing these higher reaches as well. Kashmir, this year is no different than the rest of India. People who were expecting to witness icy winds and escape the scorching heat of the rest of the country are shocked to witness heat waves in the Valley as well. The MeT Department has predicted that the heat wave will continue for the next two weeks.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/cyclone-remal-brings-indias-northeastern-states-heavy-rainfall-havoc-726242">Cyclone Remal to bring heavy rainfall to northeast India</a>

“I did not expect this hot weather at all. I am travelling with thermals, jackets and sweaters and when we landed here we realised that we won't be needing those clothes at all, It's actually as hot as our cities. It's a beautiful city but we are facing so much heat and that's creating a problem,” said Dr Nirav, a tourist.&nbsp;

Another tourist said that they had not heard Kashmir is a hot place. “The weather is hot because I don't live in India. It's quite hot for me, the heatwave but the place is pretty. I have not heard Kashmir being hot, I have always been told it's the Mini Switzerland but still the weather is quite hot and a drastic change. I was aware the weather is going to be very hot as compared to where I am coming from,” said Afneen, a tourist.

The MeT has said that there is no hope of any respite from the heat in the coming days. The weather is not only high in Srinagar city but also at tourist places on higher reaches like Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Kokernag and Verinag. And the tourists who are visiting the Kashmir Valley are saying that they do not feel like visiting a hill station. Many tourists had come with winter clothes and jackets thinking they would require these clothes.&nbsp;

“It's very hot here and making it very difficult for us to travel around in the city. What to do? We have made plans already and we like the gardens and people are nice but due to the hot weather, it's becoming difficult. We are not enjoying it as much as we wanted to. We did not expect it to be so hot at all,'' said Archana Rastogi, a tourist.&nbsp;

Some tourists were disappointed and said they had read that the weather would be better next week but their holidays would be over by then. “Srinagar is pretty hot today, they are saying the weather will change in the next two days but by then we would have left. I have come here from Delhi, the last time I was here was in 1984. It was cold in Gulmarg, but the city side is very hot and it's enjoyable,” said Yogesh, a tourist.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/rajkot-gaming-zone-fire-case-these-incidents-occur-owner-laughingly-tells-court-726252">Rajkot gaming zone fire case: These incidents occur, owner tells court with a laugh</a>

The Valley has been witnessing erratic weather conditions. With heavy snowfall and severe cold wave conditions seen in the middle of April and May, the valley is now facing a heat wave.&nbsp;

“It's definitely a little cooler than my city but I did not expect it to be so hot. I expected it to be cooler. My woollens have only been used for my children and apart from that we have not used any,” said Gautam, a tourist.&nbsp;

Under the Heat Wave Action Plan, the Jammu and Kashmir government has designated departments and nodal officers to help or assist affected individuals. The administration has urged residents to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions to protect their health during this period of hot weather. 
&nbsp;

Kashmir Valley, the paradise on Earth, is witnessing an unprecedented heatwave. Valley has broken a record of 40 years this May with temperatures rising six degrees above the normal.

Kashmir Valley, the paradise on Earth, is witnessing an unprecedented heatwave. Valley has broken a record of 40 years this May with temperatures rising six degrees above the normal. The tourists who are visiting the valley to get respite from the heat wave in the rest of India are disappointed with the high temperatures and scorching heat. Tourists coming to North Indian states like Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand are highly disappointed with heat waves not sparing these higher reaches as well. Kashmir, this year is no different than the rest of India. People who were expecting to witness icy winds and escape the scorching heat of the rest of the country are shocked to witness heat waves in the Valley as well. The MeT Department has predicted that the heat wave will continue for the next two weeks. Also Read | Cyclone Remal to bring heavy rainfall to northeast India “I did not expect this hot weather at all. I am travelling with thermals, jackets and sweaters and when we landed here we realised that we won't be needing those clothes at all, It's actually as hot as our cities. It's a beautiful city but we are facing so much heat and that's creating a problem,” said Dr Nirav, a tourist. Another tourist said that they had not heard Kashmir is a hot place. “The weather is hot because I don't live in India. It's quite hot for me, the heatwave but the place is pretty. I have not heard Kashmir being hot, I have always been told it's the Mini Switzerland but still the weather is quite hot and a drastic change. I was aware the weather is going to be very hot as compared to where I am coming from,” said Afneen, a tourist. The MeT has said that there is no hope of any respite from the heat in the coming days. The weather is not only high in Srinagar city but also at tourist places on higher reaches like Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Kokernag and Verinag. And the tourists who are visiting the Kashmir Valley are saying that they do not feel like visiting a hill station. Many tourists had come with winter clothes and jackets thinking they would require these clothes. “It's very hot here and making it very difficult for us to travel around in the city. What to do? We have made plans already and we like the gardens and people are nice but due to the hot weather, it's becoming difficult. We are not enjoying it as much as we wanted to. We did not expect it to be so hot at all,'' said Archana Rastogi, a tourist. Some tourists were disappointed and said they had read that the weather would be better next week but their holidays would be over by then. “Srinagar is pretty hot today, they are saying the weather will change in the next two days but by then we would have left. I have come here from Delhi, the last time I was here was in 1984. It was cold in Gulmarg, but the city side is very hot and it's enjoyable,” said Yogesh, a tourist. Also Read | Rajkot gaming zone fire case: These incidents occur, owner tells court with a laugh The Valley has been witnessing erratic weather conditions. With heavy snowfall and severe cold wave conditions seen in the middle of April and May, the valley is now facing a heat wave. “It's definitely a little cooler than my city but I did not expect it to be so hot. I expected it to be cooler. My woollens have only been used for my children and apart from that we have not used any,” said Gautam, a tourist. Under the Heat Wave Action Plan, the Jammu and Kashmir government has designated departments and nodal officers to help or assist affected individuals. The administration has urged residents to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions to protect their health during this period of hot weather.

India: Kashmir Valley witnesses unprecedented heatwave, leaves tourists disappointed

Climate change is impacting the horticulture industry in North India. In regions like Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, the apple industry is the backbone of their economies, and this time the farmers are grappling with erratic weather conditions like intense rainfall, less snow, and now sudden rise in temperatures.

Climate change is impacting the horticulture industry in North India. In regions like Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, the apple industry is the backbone of their economies, and this time the farmers are grappling with erratic weather conditions like intense rainfall, less snow, and now sudden rise in temperatures. This change in weather conditions is affecting the apple crop as it requires low temperatures for high quality. Due to the sudden heat wave across North India, the fruit orchards are being affected. The sudden sharp temperature fluctuations have led to the fall of the fruit buds and the spread of infectious diseases. Horticulture is one of the main industries in Jammu and Kashmir and contributes around 8 per cent to the GDP. The Kashmiri apple is among the biggest shareholders in the horticulture industry and apple farmers are worried that the sudden rise and dip in temperatures and erratic rains will hurt the crop. ''The climatic conditions have been erratic not only in Jammu and Kashmir but also in Himachal. Day by day what we are experiencing due to global warming, the apple orchard industry is highly impacted. The fruit produce that we had in 2020 was not seen in 2021, the same as what we had in 2021, we couldn't see it in 2022 and it continues. In south Kashmir, there are so many orchards in Shopian which are completely without any blossoms. We do PGR Sprays and despite that, we are not getting the fruit produce we expect. The climate has highly impacted the fruit production and it is very less this year too,'' said Aamir Manzoor, an apple farmer from Shopian in South Kashmir. One of the main reasons for the decrease in production is linked to inadequate snowfall between December and February and untimely rains. Some of the farmers are also worried and question whether the conversion of traditional apple orchards to high-density orchards could have an impact on the environment too. ''We really need to know the reasons why global warming is happening, is it because of factories, we recently saw that Himachal is having a problem with stone fruit and that's due to the smoke from the factories. We are ourselves responsible for this and scientists need to understand this and come up with a solution. We have been converting traditional apple orchards into ultra-high-density ones and we need to know if that's also impacting the environment. How right it is to convert these orchards, we need to know from the scientists. We don't have that much knowledge and we need to see if it's right and what's the future of it. If everyone is converting the land, the farmers need to know how beneficial it is with regard to the environment,'' said Manzoor. The Kashmir Valley has been witnessing a heatwave in May and the MeT department says the heatwave will continue during June as well. The extreme weather changes have already led to a major drop in the produce of the season's first crops, that is strawberries and cherries. The heatwave will impact the apple crop as well. ''The whole of north India is facing a heat wave and Jammu and Kashmir is also witnessing a heat wave from the last one week or so. In the coming days, there will be some respite after next week. After 3rd June, the heat wave will continue again. The people will face inconvenience. Clear skies heat the soil and there is no moisture. Due to this, the horticulture gets impacted a lot, a few crops like strawberry and cherry have been impacted and are facing forced maturity," said Mukhtar Ahmad, Director MeT. The high temperatures also trigger chances of infectious diseases among the trees leading to less production of the fruit.

Climate change impacting horticulture industry in North India, apple crop affected badly

Gasso, also known as the Strawberry Village of Kashmir Valley, is located on the outskirts of Srinagar and the families here are busy harvesting strawberries, as it's the first produce of the season in Kashmir region.

But due to the harsh&nbsp;weather conditions and climate change, the crop has been affected badly.&nbsp;

Every family of the Gasso area is involved in strawberry farming.

Men and women gather at the break of dawn in their fields to pick strawberries as their shelf life is short.

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Many farmers at Gasso village in the Hazratbal area of Srinagar say the crop has been hit due to untimely rainfall this year and has resulted in less overall production.&nbsp;

''This place is called Gasso and is famous as the Strawberry Valley of Kashmir, Every household of this area is involved in Strawberry farming in the area. This year due to erratic weather conditions, we have had the crop hit badly.

"We had a lot of blossoms earlier but due to intense rains, it all got damaged, so the crop was affected. We really need help from the government to tell us what to do to save our crops. We grow everything naturally with organic fertilizer and due to the weather, our harvest has been affected badly,'' said Daniyal Shafi Mir, a strawberry farmer.&nbsp;

Strawberry farming was introduced in Kashmir not too long ago, and given its favourable weather conditions, it has generated employment for locals in the valley.

Tonnes of Strawberry are being produced by the farmers in the valley but this time, the weather has affected production.&nbsp;

The farmers have also been long demanding the cold storage facility for the produce as it has a very short shelf life.

And once the farmers harvest the produce, they have to pack it the same day and send it to the market. The farmers say if they are provided cold storage, they can send these strawberries even to outside UT.&nbsp;

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''I want to appeal to the horticulture department that the way they have increased the cold storage facilities for apple growers in south Kashmir has helped, and in comparison, with apples strawberries have no facilities. The strawberries grown in Srinagar don't have a single cold storage facility available, If the shelf life of the fruit is one week, how will this sustain?

"It even rots in normal temperature within a day and I request the government to create a cold storage facility for the strawberry growers in Srinagar. The whole village harvests the strawberry together and imagine it can't be taken together to market and keeping it at home without proper storage rots the fruit and leads to a lot of losses,'' said Aamir Manzoor, a farming expert.&nbsp;

In the last few years, more people have started converting their land into strawberry farms as it's a very profitable crop.&nbsp;

Gasso, also known as the Strawberry Village of Kashmir Valley, is located on the outskirts of Srinagar and the families here are busy harvesting strawberries, as it's the first produce of the season in Kashmir region.

Gasso, also known as the Strawberry Village of Kashmir Valley, is located on the outskirts of Srinagar and the families here are busy harvesting strawberries, as it's the first produce of the season in Kashmir region. But due to the harsh weather conditions and climate change, the crop has been affected badly. Every family of the Gasso area is involved in strawberry farming. Men and women gather at the break of dawn in their fields to pick strawberries as their shelf life is short. Also read: Delhi criminal escapes police by selling Chhole Bhature for twenty years Many farmers at Gasso village in the Hazratbal area of Srinagar say the crop has been hit due to untimely rainfall this year and has resulted in less overall production. ''This place is called Gasso and is famous as the Strawberry Valley of Kashmir, Every household of this area is involved in Strawberry farming in the area. This year due to erratic weather conditions, we have had the crop hit badly. "We had a lot of blossoms earlier but due to intense rains, it all got damaged, so the crop was affected. We really need help from the government to tell us what to do to save our crops. We grow everything naturally with organic fertilizer and due to the weather, our harvest has been affected badly,'' said Daniyal Shafi Mir, a strawberry farmer. Strawberry farming was introduced in Kashmir not too long ago, and given its favourable weather conditions, it has generated employment for locals in the valley. Tonnes of Strawberry are being produced by the farmers in the valley but this time, the weather has affected production. The farmers have also been long demanding the cold storage facility for the produce as it has a very short shelf life. And once the farmers harvest the produce, they have to pack it the same day and send it to the market. The farmers say if they are provided cold storage, they can send these strawberries even to outside UT. Also read: India's aggregate demand grows as rural spending rebounds: RBI ''I want to appeal to the horticulture department that the way they have increased the cold storage facilities for apple growers in south Kashmir has helped, and in comparison, with apples strawberries have no facilities. The strawberries grown in Srinagar don't have a single cold storage facility available, If the shelf life of the fruit is one week, how will this sustain? "It even rots in normal temperature within a day and I request the government to create a cold storage facility for the strawberry growers in Srinagar. The whole village harvests the strawberry together and imagine it can't be taken together to market and keeping it at home without proper storage rots the fruit and leads to a lot of losses,'' said Aamir Manzoor, a farming expert. In the last few years, more people have started converting their land into strawberry farms as it's a very profitable crop.

Kashmir's strawberry harvest faces brunt of erratic weather, climate change

Two major terror attacks have taken place in the Kashmir Valley on Saturday evening. The first attack took place in South Kashmir near the tourist&nbsp;resort of Pahalgam in the Yannar area of Anantnag district. A couple from Rajasthan was fired at by terrorists resulting in injuries to both of them, the husband is said to be critical&nbsp;while the wife is stable.&nbsp;

''Terrorists fired upon and injured a lady Farha R/O Jaipur and her spouse Tabrez at Yannar, #Anantnag. The injured were evacuated to the hospital for treatment. The area is cordoned off. Further details shall follow,'' said Jammu and Kashmir Police.&nbsp;

Another attack happened in the Shopian district of South Kashmir, where terrorists shot dead a former sarpanch from the Heerpora area. The sarpanch has been identified as Aijaz Ahmad of the Heerpora area. He was rushed to the hospital in a critical state where he was declared dead by the doctors. However, the Jammu and Kashmir Police are yet to confirm the death.&nbsp;

''Terrorists fired upon a person Aijaz Ahmad at Heerpora, Shopian. Injured evacuated. The area is cordoned off. Further details to follow,'' said Jammu and Kashmir Police.&nbsp;

At both places, security has been brought in and a massive cordon and search operation has been started by the security forces in the areas.&nbsp;

Two major terror attacks have taken place in the Kashmir Valley on Saturday evening. The first attack took place in South Kashmir near the tourist resort of Pahalgam in the Yannar area of Anantnag district.

Two major terror attacks have taken place in the Kashmir Valley on Saturday evening. The first attack took place in South Kashmir near the tourist resort of Pahalgam in the Yannar area of Anantnag district. A couple from Rajasthan was fired at by terrorists resulting in injuries to both of them, the husband is said to be critical while the wife is stable. ''Terrorists fired upon and injured a lady Farha R/O Jaipur and her spouse Tabrez at Yannar, #Anantnag. The injured were evacuated to the hospital for treatment. The area is cordoned off. Further details shall follow,'' said Jammu and Kashmir Police. Another attack happened in the Shopian district of South Kashmir, where terrorists shot dead a former sarpanch from the Heerpora area. The sarpanch has been identified as Aijaz Ahmad of the Heerpora area. He was rushed to the hospital in a critical state where he was declared dead by the doctors. However, the Jammu and Kashmir Police are yet to confirm the death. ''Terrorists fired upon a person Aijaz Ahmad at Heerpora, Shopian. Injured evacuated. The area is cordoned off. Further details to follow,'' said Jammu and Kashmir Police. At both places, security has been brought in and a massive cordon and search operation has been started by the security forces in the areas.

Twin terror attacks in Kashmir, former sarpanch killed while tourist couple critically injured

A techie from Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir has entered NASA's 'Hall of fame' after he identified data breach vulnerabilities in their system. Muneeb Amin Bhat, a 22-year-old cybersecurity researcher, earned the&nbsp;reward along with making it to Apple's Hall of Fame' in 2023 as well after reporting vulnerabilities in their&nbsp;system.&nbsp;

Hailing from Zungalpora village in South Kashmir’s Kulgam, Muneeb reported his findings under NASA’s Vulnerability Disclosure Program (VDP), which facilitates the US agency’s awareness of otherwise unknown vulnerabilities. As Muneeb is bound by the VDP Guidelines, he cannot disclose the specifics of the external vulnerabilities in the NASA System. Although, he says it did involve sensitive&nbsp;data exposure.&nbsp;

''I was included&nbsp;in the 'Hall of Fame'&nbsp;by Apple in 2023.&nbsp;They had given me permission to ethically hack their&nbsp;systems to check the vulnerabilities and report it to them and they validated it later and acknowledged it and later added my name into the 'Hall of Fame'. Recently&nbsp;I had done the same for NASA, and I found some vulnerabilities and I reported them. In the same way, it was acknowledged by NASA and they later included me in the Hall of Fame. I am extremely happy, and I am very happy to help the security organisations to help them secure their data,'' said Muneeb Amin Bhat.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwjNjt3Gxo-GAxWqd2wGHZxUAlwQxfQBKAB6BAgHEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-eam-reiterates-pakistan-occupied-kashmir-will-always-be-part-our-country-721237" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-eam-reiterates-pakistan-occupied-kashmir-will-always-be-part-our-country-721237&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjNjt3Gxo-GAxWqd2wGHZxUAlwQxfQBKAB6BAgHEAE">India`s EAM reiterates `Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir` will always be part our country</a>

Over the last few years, Muneeb has been working tirelessly and has identified vulnerabilities in multiple organisations earning prizes worth millions as well as mentions in the Hall of Fame. He has ethically hacked and secured many international organisations like Oracle, McDonald’s, Intel, USAA, Indeed, and many others.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Gravitas: 'Azadi' chants Pakistan Occupied Kashmir as activists call for India's intervention

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''Many organisations across the world improve their security and call ethical hackers from around to help them secure their&nbsp;data. They do have their&nbsp;own cyber security teams but despite that to make it foolproof, they want the hackers to check these programmes&nbsp;and that's&nbsp;why we are invited, and we check and report it. Organisations should do it always even if they don't pay and just acknowledge, it will help them secure the data,'' said Muneeb.&nbsp;

Muneeb is currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in computer applications (BCA) from IGNOU, which he started after dropping out of his B.Tech degree from one of the private engineering colleges in Kashmir.

A techie from Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir has entered NASA's 'Hall of fame' after he identified data breach vulnerabilities in their system. Muneeb Amin Bhat, a 22-year-old cybersecurity researcher, earned the reward along with making it to Apple's Hall of Fame' in 2023 as well after reporting vulnerabilities in their system.

A techie from Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir has entered NASA's 'Hall of fame' after he identified data breach vulnerabilities in their system. Muneeb Amin Bhat, a 22-year-old cybersecurity researcher, earned the reward along with making it to Apple's Hall of Fame' in 2023 as well after reporting vulnerabilities in their system. Hailing from Zungalpora village in South Kashmir’s Kulgam, Muneeb reported his findings under NASA’s Vulnerability Disclosure Program (VDP), which facilitates the US agency’s awareness of otherwise unknown vulnerabilities. As Muneeb is bound by the VDP Guidelines, he cannot disclose the specifics of the external vulnerabilities in the NASA System. Although, he says it did involve sensitive data exposure. ''I was included in the 'Hall of Fame' by Apple in 2023. They had given me permission to ethically hack their systems to check the vulnerabilities and report it to them and they validated it later and acknowledged it and later added my name into the 'Hall of Fame'. Recently I had done the same for NASA, and I found some vulnerabilities and I reported them. In the same way, it was acknowledged by NASA and they later included me in the Hall of Fame. I am extremely happy, and I am very happy to help the security organisations to help them secure their data,'' said Muneeb Amin Bhat. Also read: India`s EAM reiterates `Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir` will always be part our country Over the last few years, Muneeb has been working tirelessly and has identified vulnerabilities in multiple organisations earning prizes worth millions as well as mentions in the Hall of Fame. He has ethically hacked and secured many international organisations like Oracle, McDonald’s, Intel, USAA, Indeed, and many others. Watch: Gravitas: 'Azadi' chants Pakistan Occupied Kashmir as activists call for India's intervention × ''Many organisations across the world improve their security and call ethical hackers from around to help them secure their data. They do have their own cyber security teams but despite that to make it foolproof, they want the hackers to check these programmes and that's why we are invited, and we check and report it. Organisations should do it always even if they don't pay and just acknowledge, it will help them secure the data,'' said Muneeb. Muneeb is currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in computer applications (BCA) from IGNOU, which he started after dropping out of his B.Tech degree from one of the private engineering colleges in Kashmir.

Kashmiri techie makes it to NASA’s ‘hall of fame’

One more terrorist has been killed in the gunfight in South Kashmir's Redwani area in Kulgam district. The gunfight resumed after 24 hours, while security forces were continuing their search operation in the area.

One more terrorist has been killed in the gunfight in South Kashmir's Redwani area in Kulgam district. The gunfight resumed after 24 hours, while security forces were continuing their search operation in the area. In total, three terrorists including the TRF commander Basit Dar have been killed in the operation. Basit was killed with his associate Fahim on Tuesday. As per sources, the third terrorist killed has been identified as Momim; however, security forces have not confirmed his identity yet. Jammu and Kashmir Police IG V K Birdi has said that ''the most wanted TRF commander Basit Dar was killed along with his associate in a fierce gunfight with security forces. It is a big achievement for the forces as Basit Dar was behind many attacks, especially in Srinagar. Basit, a resident of Redwani, Kulgam, had been missing from his home for three years and joined The Resistance Front (TRF), a front organization of Lashkar-e-Taiba. NIA had announced a Rs 10 lakh reward on him." Also read: Winds of change: Election campaign rallies sweep Kashmir`s former no-go zones Top security officials had earlier only revealed to Wion that '' TRF commander Basit Ahmad Dar S/o Late. Ab. Rashid R/o Redwani Payeen of Qaimoh Kulgam active 25/04/2021 along with his two more associates, Momin Gulzar Mir s/o Gulzar Ahmad Mir R/o Firdous colony Eid gah Srinagar, active 18 /12 2021 and Faheem Ahmad Baba s/o Gh. Hassan Redwani Payeen OGW of Basit Dar were trapped at the operation site.'' Also read: Security forces recover two bodies at encounter site in Kashmir`s Kulgam One of the reasons for continuing the search operation was that security forces had received input about the presence of three terrorists in the area.

Kashmir: Third terrorist killed in Kulgam gunfight during search operation

Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti carried out a rally on Thursday (May 9) in Srinagar’s downtown area of Fateh Kadal. The area was once considered a no-go zone and known for its stone pelting and poll boycott, and now buzzing with the election sloganeering.&nbsp;

Mehbooba Mufti while addressing the people said, "We need to fight till the time we are alive. My father had a lot of concern for the people in Srinagar. Thousands of our youth are languishing in Jails. They are from poor families, and no one can go to meet them."

She also added “In my tenure I made sure to secure the careers of youth. But today so many have been put in Jail and no one is talking about them.&nbsp;This election is not about electricity and not about PDP and NC.” 
 
She said, "I&nbsp;tried a lot so that all the parties would work together. I even left to it Farooq Abdullah to decide. They said PDP has finished and they don't need us. I don't say anything against NC because our main enemy is bigger which is the BJP. The 2019 decision is not acceptable to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.&nbsp;Violence is not a solution, but we have to keep talking about the issues.&nbsp;Giving a vote is the biggest weapon everyone has.&nbsp;We might not have much but whatever we have should be preserved.&nbsp;Kashmir is like a pressure cooker, and it will blast one day and finish everything."

Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti carried out a rally on Thursday (May 9) in Srinagar’s downtown area of Fateh Kadal. The area was once considered a no-go zone and known for its stone pelting and poll boycott, and now buzzing with the election sloganeering.

Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti carried out a rally on Thursday (May 9) in Srinagar’s downtown area of Fateh Kadal. The area was once considered a no-go zone and known for its stone pelting and poll boycott, and now buzzing with the election sloganeering. Mehbooba Mufti while addressing the people said, "We need to fight till the time we are alive. My father had a lot of concern for the people in Srinagar. Thousands of our youth are languishing in Jails. They are from poor families, and no one can go to meet them." She also added “In my tenure I made sure to secure the careers of youth. But today so many have been put in Jail and no one is talking about them. This election is not about electricity and not about PDP and NC.” She said, "I tried a lot so that all the parties would work together. I even left to it Farooq Abdullah to decide. They said PDP has finished and they don't need us. I don't say anything against NC because our main enemy is bigger which is the BJP. The 2019 decision is not acceptable to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Violence is not a solution, but we have to keep talking about the issues. Giving a vote is the biggest weapon everyone has. We might not have much but whatever we have should be preserved. Kashmir is like a pressure cooker, and it will blast one day and finish everything."

Mehbooba Mufti takes out rally in Srinagar’s downtown, once considered a no-go zone

Bodies of two terrorists have been recovered from the operation site in the Redwani area of Kulgam district in South Kashmir where three terrorists were earlier believed to be trapped. Security forces are currently carrying out a search operation and looking for more bodies under the debris of the house.

The identities of the terrorists have not been revealed yet.

Security forces earlier said one top LeT/TRF commander was among the three terrorists involved in the gunfight and holed up at the operation site. The house in which the terrorists were hiding caught fire.&nbsp;

The operation started on Monday night (May 6) after security forces received&nbsp;input about the presence of terrorists in the area. The operation was halted for the night and resumed in the morning.&nbsp;

Top security officials earlier told&nbsp;WION, "TRF commander Basit Ahmad Dar S/o Late. Ab. Rashid R/o Redwani Payeen of Qaimoh Kulgam active 25/04/2021 along with his two more associates; Momin Gulzar Mir s/o Gulzar Ahmad Mir R/o Firdous colony Eid gah Srinagar, active 18 /12 2021 and Faheem Ahmad Baba s/o Gh. Hassan Redwani Payeen OGW of Basit Dar is trapped at the operation site.''&nbsp;

Earlier on Tuesday (May 7),&nbsp;more deployment was brought to the encounter site. The operation is being carried out by the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and CRPF.

Bodies of two terrorists have been recovered from the operation site in the Redwani area of Kulgam district in South Kashmir where three terrorists were earlier believed to be trapped.

Bodies of two terrorists have been recovered from the operation site in the Redwani area of Kulgam district in South Kashmir where three terrorists were earlier believed to be trapped. Security forces are currently carrying out a search operation and looking for more bodies under the debris of the house. The identities of the terrorists have not been revealed yet. Security forces earlier said one top LeT/TRF commander was among the three terrorists involved in the gunfight and holed up at the operation site. The house in which the terrorists were hiding caught fire. The operation started on Monday night (May 6) after security forces received input about the presence of terrorists in the area. The operation was halted for the night and resumed in the morning. Top security officials earlier told WION, "TRF commander Basit Ahmad Dar S/o Late. Ab. Rashid R/o Redwani Payeen of Qaimoh Kulgam active 25/04/2021 along with his two more associates; Momin Gulzar Mir s/o Gulzar Ahmad Mir R/o Firdous colony Eid gah Srinagar, active 18 /12 2021 and Faheem Ahmad Baba s/o Gh. Hassan Redwani Payeen OGW of Basit Dar is trapped at the operation site.'' Earlier on Tuesday (May 7), more deployment was brought to the encounter site. The operation is being carried out by the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and CRPF.

Security forces recover two bodies at encounter site in Kashmir's Kulgam

The Kashmir Valley is witnessing a change, for the first time in the last three decades, as election campaign rallies are being held in areas which were once considered volatile and no-go zones. A regional political party held an election campaign at Srinagar's Jamia Masjid in the Nowhatta area of Downtown. The same area was once famous for stone pelting and election boycotts.

From Srinagar's Jamia Masjid to Lal Chowk's Ghanta Ghar, election campaign rallies are being held in every nook and corner of the Kashmir region. These are the same areas which used to be infamous for stone pelting and shutdowns. And with no election rallies around these areas, they also had minimal voter percentage&nbsp;too, but this time around, the situation seems to have taken a 180-degree turn. It seems that all previous voter turnout records would be broken by looking at the people's participation in the election rallies.

"The election atmosphere in the Kashmir Valley, the campaigning and people participation, and road shows are having a huge response. The atmosphere of normalcy across the region is an indicator that the poll percentage will be much higher than the poll percentage of the 2019 elections. The two phases that have happened in the Jammu region have also shown immense participation as they have also crossed the previous records. It's very likely that the poll percentage would be better this time. The two parliamentary seats that went to election were good. We have seen 50-60 per cent voting in North Kashmir, and we are expecting the same. Central Kashmir will cross the mark of 50 per cent for sure, and similarly south Kashmir will also see good voting as well. Rajouri, Poonch will also see a good response," said P K Pole, Chief Election Officer of Jammu and Kashmir.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-mustard-fields-become-a-new-tourist-attraction-in-the-kashmir-valley-706568">Also read |&nbsp;India: Mustard fields become new tourist attraction in Kashmir Valley</a>

The chief of APNI Party Altaf Bukhari held a roadshow from Dastgeer Sahib’s shrine in Khanyar to the historic Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta in the downtown area of Srinagar on Monday. People and party workers attended this rally in huge numbers and it eventually culminated at the historic Jamia Masjid.

"People are very hopeful and are coming out of free will. They are hoping that it's the beginning of a new era in Jammu and Kashmir. If people were not supporting this change, would you have been able to come to Srinagar's downtown area to carry out a campaigning rally," said Altaf Bukhari, President, APNI Party.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/jammu-and-kashmir-lok-sabha-elections-2024-schedule-phase-seats-candidates-and-all-you-need-to-know-703682">Also read |&nbsp;Jammu &amp; Kashmir Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Dates, schedule, phases, seats, candidates, all you need to know</a>

The political parties are also carrying out rallies in districts like Shopian, Pulwama, and Kulgam, which were once considered hotbeds of terror. 
 
The People's Democratic Party candidate from Srinagar constituency, Wahid Parra, also took out a political rally from South Kashmir's Pulwama district to Srinagar's famous Ghanta Ghar in Lal Chowk. He was accompanied by hundreds of his party workers, and the sloganeering by his party workers echoed across Lal Chowk's Ghanta Ghar area in Srinagar.

The Kashmir Valley is witnessing a change, for the first time in the last three decades, as election campaign rallies are being held in areas which were once considered volatile and no-go zones.

The Kashmir Valley is witnessing a change, for the first time in the last three decades, as election campaign rallies are being held in areas which were once considered volatile and no-go zones. A regional political party held an election campaign at Srinagar's Jamia Masjid in the Nowhatta area of Downtown. The same area was once famous for stone pelting and election boycotts. From Srinagar's Jamia Masjid to Lal Chowk's Ghanta Ghar, election campaign rallies are being held in every nook and corner of the Kashmir region. These are the same areas which used to be infamous for stone pelting and shutdowns. And with no election rallies around these areas, they also had minimal voter percentage too, but this time around, the situation seems to have taken a 180-degree turn. It seems that all previous voter turnout records would be broken by looking at the people's participation in the election rallies. "The election atmosphere in the Kashmir Valley, the campaigning and people participation, and road shows are having a huge response. The atmosphere of normalcy across the region is an indicator that the poll percentage will be much higher than the poll percentage of the 2019 elections. The two phases that have happened in the Jammu region have also shown immense participation as they have also crossed the previous records. It's very likely that the poll percentage would be better this time. The two parliamentary seats that went to election were good. We have seen 50-60 per cent voting in North Kashmir, and we are expecting the same. Central Kashmir will cross the mark of 50 per cent for sure, and similarly south Kashmir will also see good voting as well. Rajouri, Poonch will also see a good response," said P K Pole, Chief Election Officer of Jammu and Kashmir. Also read | India: Mustard fields become new tourist attraction in Kashmir Valley The chief of APNI Party Altaf Bukhari held a roadshow from Dastgeer Sahib’s shrine in Khanyar to the historic Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta in the downtown area of Srinagar on Monday. People and party workers attended this rally in huge numbers and it eventually culminated at the historic Jamia Masjid. "People are very hopeful and are coming out of free will. They are hoping that it's the beginning of a new era in Jammu and Kashmir. If people were not supporting this change, would you have been able to come to Srinagar's downtown area to carry out a campaigning rally," said Altaf Bukhari, President, APNI Party. Also read | Jammu & Kashmir Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Dates, schedule, phases, seats, candidates, all you need to know The political parties are also carrying out rallies in districts like Shopian, Pulwama, and Kulgam, which were once considered hotbeds of terror. The People's Democratic Party candidate from Srinagar constituency, Wahid Parra, also took out a political rally from South Kashmir's Pulwama district to Srinagar's famous Ghanta Ghar in Lal Chowk. He was accompanied by hundreds of his party workers, and the sloganeering by his party workers echoed across Lal Chowk's Ghanta Ghar area in Srinagar.

Winds of change: Election campaign rallies sweep Kashmir's former no-go zones

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