Tariq Bhat

1 week ago | theweek.in | Tariq Bhat

India is speeding up the evacuation of its citizens from Iran as fears grow over the worsening conflict between Iran and Israel. After already evacuating some people through Armenia, more evacuations are now planned via the Turkmenistan border. The situation has become more serious after former US President Donald Trump warned residents in Tehran to leave, raising concerns for foreign nationals. A large number of stranded Indians in Iran are medical students at different universities.

1 week ago | theweek.in | Tariq Bhat

Tourists are slowly returning to Kashmir after the terror attack in Pahalgam on 22 April that killed 26 people, mostly visitors. The attack caused panic and severely impacted tourism, a vital component of the region’s economy. Many tourists left Kashmir immediately after the attack at Baisaran Meadow in Pahalgam, shocked to their core by the incident. But efforts by local tour operators, travel agents across India, and the Jammu and Kashmir government are starting to bring some tourists back.

1 week ago | theweek.in | Tariq Bhat

The Jammu and Kashmir government is planning to introduce a rule that will require doctors doing MD or MS from government medical colleges to work in the region for two years after finishing their studies. According to Health and Medical Education Minister Sakina Itoo, a proposal in this regard has been cleared and will be sent to the Cabinet for final approval. “Once the Cabinet agrees, the rule will be applied in the entire Union Territory,” she said.

1 week ago | theweek.in | Tariq Bhat

The Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) has said that Jammu and Kashmir is “as safe as any other place” in the country. This comes after a 30-member team visited Kashmir to assess the situation on the ground. The team, led by IATO President Ravi Gosain, toured parts of Srinagar and Pahalgam for three days from June 14 under their “Rubaroo Jammu & Kashmir” campaign.

1 week ago | theweek.in | Tariq Bhat

The Jammu and Kashmir government has declared the entire Amarnath Yatra routes ‘no-fly zones’ to make the pilgrimage safer. The J&K Home Department has prohibited flying of drones, UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), and balloons on both the Pahalgam and Baltal routes. These restrictions will be in place from July 1 to August 10, as advised by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). However, emergency services such as medical evacuations, disaster response and security surveillance will be allowed.