There is a certain irony on the front page of this paper on 19-01-2026. The lead image captures the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir not in office, not in a control center, and certainly not in a marathon session of policy-making, but in a Mumbai Marathon. The caption, “Governance on paper, sprinting on ground. Promises in manifesto taken for a run,” is not just a clever play on words; it is a devastating indictment of the political theatre that has replaced substantive governance in the Union Territory.

For the resident of Srinagar or Jammu, waking up to a photograph of their leader jogging in Mumbai is a jarring disconnect. It is a visual metaphor for a government that is physically present but spiritually absent, miles away from the grinding realities of the people it swore to serve.

The marathon is a test of endurance, strategy, and stamina. It requires preparation and a singular focus on the finish line. Governance, much like a marathon, demands these very qualities. Yet, the image of the Chief Minister participating in a sporting event in a metropolitan city, while J&K grapples with a unique and complex set of challenges, reeks of a “government by optics.”

Jammu and Kashmir is not a theme park where leaders can visit for photo opportunities between legislative sessions. It is a fragile ecosystem of geopolitical tension, economic uncertainty, and social healing. The “promises in manifesto”........

© Greater Kashmir