The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — The University of Kashmir has tightened financial controls over expenditure on seminars, conferences, workshops and other university-sponsored events, directing academic and administrative units to keep spending within their sanctioned budgets.

The directions have been issued by the University's Development Section and apply to Deans, Heads of Departments, Directors and Coordinators involved in organising university-sponsored or departmental events.

Under the instructions, expenditure on seminars, conferences, workshops, symposia, cultural programmes and other official functions must remain within the allocated budget or available grants.

The university has also directed that no supplementary or additional expenditure be incurred without prior formal approval from the competent authority.

The directions have come into effect immediately, according to the circular.

The move comes as the University of Kashmir continues to organise academic programmes, seminars, lectures and other institutional activities through its departments and centres.

The university's Centre of Central Asian Studies, for instance, has listed several academic events during 2026, including national seminars and conferences.

NEW DELHI — BRICS leaders on Friday strongly condemned the April 22, 2025 terrorist attack in south Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 people and injured several others, while reaffirming their commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

In the New Delhi Declaration adopted at the BRICS Summit, the grouping described acts of terrorism as "criminal and unjustifiable" regardless of their motivation and said such acts must be condemned wherever and by whomever they are committed, news agency KNO reported.

The leaders specifically denounced the Pahalgam attack and expressed solidarity with the victims and those affected by the incident.

Reaffirming their resolve to combat terrorism, BRICS countries stressed the need to tackle the cross-border movement of terrorists, terror financing networks and the provision of safe havens to extremist groups.

The declaration said terrorism should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilisation or ethnic group and called for individuals and entities involved in terrorist activities or support networks to be held accountable and brought to justice in accordance with national and international law.

The bloc also urged the international community to adopt a policy of "zero tolerance" towards terrorism and reject double standards in counter-terrorism efforts.

BRICS leaders emphasised that states bear the primary responsibility for preventing and combating terrorism, while stressing that global counter-terrorism measures must remain consistent with international law, including the UN Charter, international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law.

The grouping welcomed the work of the BRICS Counter-Terrorism Working Group and its five subgroups operating under the BRICS Counter-Terrorism Strategy and Action Plan, and pledged to further deepen cooperation in the field.

The declaration also called for the early finalisation and adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism within the United Nations framework.

It further urged concerted action against all terrorists and terrorist entities designated by the United Nations.

BRICS comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia.

India assumed the BRICS presidency on January 1, 2026, with this year’s summit being held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi from September 12-13.

SRINAGAR — The National Conference-led government in Jammu and Kashmir is unlikely to undertake an expansion-cum-reshuffle of the council of ministers for the time being, sources said.

Sources told news agency KNO that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah would not immediately expand his cabinet.

“There are no chances of cabinet expansion this month. The exercise will not be taken up given that the autumn session of the J&K Assembly is now just 10 days away,” they said.

The autumn session of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly is scheduled to begin on September 21 and conclude on September 30.

According to the sources, the cabinet expansion could instead take place around the second anniversary of the NC-led government, which will complete two years in office on October 16.

An expansion-cum-reshuffle had been widely expected after August 15.

Omar Abdullah is also understood to have approached the Congress high command to ascertain whether the party would take up a ministerial position in the government.

The Congress high command subsequently discussed the offer from the NC-led government with its leaders based in Jammu and Kashmir, according to the sources.

The council of ministers currently has six members. It can have up to three more ministers, as the J&K Reorganisation Act limits the strength of the council of ministers to one-tenth of the total strength of MLAs.