District Drass Welcomes Its First District-Level Officers
20/08/2026
Drass, August 20 (KIP)-Following the creation of the new District Drass the first District-level officers of the newly created district formally joined their respective offices today.
Dr. Ghulam Mohd, Chief Animal Husbandry Officer and Dr. Zakir Hussain District Sheep Husbandry Officer assumed charge as the first District Officers of Drass.
On the occasion the Hon’ble Councillors, general public and staff of Drass warmly welcomed both officers and expressed their best wishes for their new assignments. The joining of the officers marks an important milestone in strengthening the administrative setup and ensuring effective delivery of Animal and Sheep Husbandry services to the people of the newly created district.
The officers expressed their commitment to working with dedication and coordination for the development of the livestock sector and the welfare of the farming community in District Drass.
Kashmir Is an Integral Part of India; Only Unresolved Issue Is Resettlement of Kashmiri Pandits in Their Homeland: Panun Kashmir
Jammu: Jammu, Srinagar, August 20 (Scoop News)- Panun Kashmir held a meeting of its Political Affairs Committee to deliberate upon important issues concerning the Kashmiri Pandit community, the security situation in Kashmir and recent international observations regarding Jammu & Kashmir.
The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Panun Kashmir President Virender Raina and was attended by General Secretary Kamal Bagati, General Secretary (NCR) Upinder Kaul, Youth Convenor Sameer Bhat, Vijay Qazi, Virender Koul, Ashok Chrungoo, among others.
Addressing the meeting, Virender Raina welcomed the recent statement of U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor affirming that Kashmir is an important part of India. He said that the statement, made during the Ambassador's visit to Srinagar, where he also enjoyed a pleasant Shikara ride, was an acknowledgement of historical truth and the existing ground reality.
"The statement of Sergio Gor is an assertion of truth, and Panun Kashmir welcomes it. Kashmir is an integral and inalienable part of India, and there can be no ambiguity whatsoever on this fundamental reality," Raina said.
Raina appealed to the United States administration to reassess its approach towards Pakistan and not extend political or financial support that could embolden a state which has, for decades, been accused of sponsoring and facilitating terrorism directed against India.
He said that the Kashmiri Pandits, the aborigines and indigenous people of Kashmir, have been among the worst victims of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. The community was subjected to genocide, ethnic cleansing and mass exodus from its ancestral homeland in Kashmir. The recent threats issued to Kashmiri Pandit employees serving under the Prime Minister's employment package in the Valley are a disturbing reminder that the forces of terrorism and intimidation continue to target the community.
Panun Kashmir appealed to U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration to take these realities into consideration while dealing with Pakistan, particularly with regard to support extended through international financial institutions such as the IMF, World Bank and Asian Development Bank. International financial assistance, Panun Kashmir said, must carry stringent safeguards to ensure that resources are not diverted, directly or indirectly, towards an ecosystem that sustains terrorism and violence.
Raina further said that Pakistan had remained on the FATF grey list for deficiencies in combating terror financing and asserted that any credible evidence of renewed non-compliance should invite rigorous international scrutiny, including consideration of appropriate FATF measures.
"Kashmiri Pandits have paid an enormous price for terrorism. The world community must recognise their suffering and stand with the victims rather than strengthen those responsible for creating and sustaining the infrastructure of terror," Raina said.
The Political Affairs Committee reiterated that Kashmir is a settled issue and is an integral part of India in its entirety, including the territories presently under the illegal occupation of Pakistan. It said that developments in Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir reflect deep discontent there and deserve the attention of the international community.
Panun Kashmir asserted that the real issue awaiting a just and lasting resolution is the resettlement of the displaced Kashmiri Pandit community in its Homeland in Kashmir, in conditions that guarantee security, dignity, constitutional protection and the community's political and cultural survival.
The meeting resolved that Panun Kashmir would continue to raise the concerns of the Kashmiri Pandit community at all appropriate national and international forums and work towards ensuring that the victims of genocide and forced displacement are restored to their rightful place in their ancestral homeland.