In a strongly worded message, Karim said that what is being projected as governance has increasingly been reduced to routine photo opportunities. He recalled that in 2025, the All Jammu & Kashmir Shia Association had pushed for early Muharram meetings, with participation from multiple organisations across Kashmir, specifically to avoid the annual last-minute scramble. Meetings were held, assurances were made, and expectations were raised but what followed, he noted, was silence, interrupted only by partial work done for optics.

 

Nearly a year later, many of those same works remain incomplete, raising a fundamental question: what exactly will another “early meeting” fix this time?

 

Pointing to the ground situation in Srinagar, Karim highlighted that even basic civic works continue to lag. The fencing of a small park at Zadibal Imambargah, despite estimates prepared by the Srinagar Municipal Corporation nearly eleven months ago, has not moved forward. Drainage work near Ali Park, which should have been completed before last Muharram, has only just begun now. He remarked that if such delays persist in the capital, the condition in other parts of Kashmir can well be imagined.

 

Karim stressed that Muharram is not a one-week arrangement but a two-month period encompassing Muharram and Safar, rooted in the legacy of Imam Hussain (AS) and his family. It demands seriousness, planning, and timely execution not last-minute patchwork designed to manage appearances.

 

He further noted a clear shift in public awareness, especially among the youth.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelAccording to him, young people now understand that preparedness is not limited to fixing a few street lights, arranging firewood, or cleaning drains. “It is about respecting a system of preparation that reflects the scale and sanctity of these months,” he said, adding that superficial arrangements no longer convince people.

 

In a candid observation, Karim said that if there are no dedicated funds for Muharram works, officials should have the honesty to say it openly. He asserted that the reality on the ground suggests that much of the work is being managed through last-minute jugaad, rather than through a structured and funded plan.

 

He called for a practical and structured approach, emphasizing that planning must begin at the district level with proper documentation of required works, followed by structured prioritisation and continuous review. Without groundwork, he warned, even high-level meetings become symbolic exercises with little impact on actual implementation. He also pointed out that a single meeting followed by weeks of inaction is precisely how the situation repeats itself every year.

 

While acknowledging that the administration does attempt to respond, Karim stated that even within the system there is an understanding that, in the absence of ready funds, many actions become more about face-saving than delivery.

 

“This is no longer just about administration, it is about credibility. People can see the gap now,” he said.

 

Karim concluded his statement with a direct message to the authorities:

“Less meetings, more movement. Less optics, more work.” (KNS)