ISLAMABAD, (TW NEWS) – Chairman Kashmir Institute of International Relations (KIIR) Altaf Hussain Wani has raised concerns over the disappearance of digital media archives related to Kashmir, warning that the loss of historical records could undermine public memory and make it increasingly difficult to document the region’s past.

In a statement shared on social media, Wani said that erasing archives amounted to an attempt to erase history. He argued that removing records documenting Kashmir’s turbulent years would create more than an information gap, describing it as a form of silencing the historical experiences of its people.

Wani’s remarks came in response to a recent Kashmir Times report titled “The Vanishing Record: How Kashmir Is Losing Its Public Memory,” which examined the disappearance of digital archives from several Kashmiri news websites. The report said that journalists had encountered broken links, missing articles and inaccessible bylines, while some newspaper managements attributed the losses to website overhauls, server migrations and prolonged internet disruptions.

Erasing archives is an attempt to erase history. By scrubbing the record of Kashmir’s turbulent years, the void created isn’t just an information gap—it’s a deliberate act of silencing a people’s past. 📖 #Kashmir #PressFreedom #SaveTheArchives
The Vanishing Record: How Kashmir…

— Altaf Hussain Wani (@sultan1913) August 28, 2026

The report highlighted the importance of newspaper archives as a record of contemporary history, noting that their disappearance could affect journalists, researchers, students and readers seeking to understand Kashmir’s political, social and cultural developments.

Wani stressed the importance of preserving Kashmir’s media archives, particularly material documenting periods of political and social upheaval. He called attention to the broader implications of losing historical records, arguing that archives serve as an important source for establishing facts, understanding past events and preserving collective memory.

The Kashmir Times report also noted that the disappearance of digital archives has affected journalists seeking access to their previously published work and has created challenges for researchers who rely on historical news reports as primary source material.

Wani’s comments have renewed calls for the preservation and digitisation of Kashmir’s journalistic archives, with the issue extending beyond the availability of old news stories to questions concerning press freedom, historical documentation and public access to information.