Kashmir Press Club to be allotted suitable space, says Govt

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on Tuesday that the building which once housed the Kashmir Press Club had been allotted to the J&K Police’s State Investigation Agency (SIA), and that the government would provide a suitable space to the journalist body for its “effective functioning”.

The information was shared in the J&K Assembly by Chief Minister Omar, who also holds the charge of the Estates Department, in response to a question asked by PDP MLA Waheed Para.

The PDP leader had sought to know the reasons for not allotting the original building to the Kashmir Press Club in Srinagar and steps taken toward re-allotment. The club was put in abeyance by the L-G administration in January 2022.

In his written response, Omar said the possession of Bungalow No. 9-B, Polo View, Srinagar, earlier housing the J&K Directorate of Employment and the State Mission Directorate, ICDS, was handed over to the Kashmir Press Club on verbal directions after an announcement was made by the then Chief Minister in the Budget session.

Omar said the possession was given in anticipation of formal orders. “However, as no formal orders were issued till 2022, the possession was taken back on the reference of the Directorate of Information,” he said.

The Estates Department said subsequently when a building, housing important offices of the Police Department, including of the SP, City East, Srinagar, was gutted in a fire incident in 2022, these offices were allowed to function from Bungalow No. 9-B on a temporary basis. The department said in 2023, the same bungalow was allotted to the DIG, State Investigation Agency.

Last week, Omar had said on X that the Kashmir Press Club would be revived, and that any attempts to politicise it would be thwarted. “An independent press club led by journalists themselves will be a big step for press freedom!” he wrote on X.