JAMMU, MAY 22: It has come to the notice of the Office of the Chief Horticulture Officer Poonch, that a fabricated and baseless press statement concerning the Horticulture Department, Poonch was published in certain newspapers on 15.05.2026, including Daily Udaan, NIWA News Jammu and others.
The said statement was not issued, approved, or authorized by the All Jammu & Kashmir Non-Gazetted Horticulture Employees Union. The Union has categorically clarified that the document circulated in its name was fake and that an unknown person misused and manipulated the scanned letterhead of the Union to circulate false and misleading allegations against the Department and its officers.
Upon receipt of the matter, the office of the Chief Horticulture Officer sought clarification from the concerned reporter of Daily Udaan, Surankote, Poonch and also pursued the issue with the competent authorities. In response, the President, Press Association, Surankote, confirmed that the alleged press statement had been shared through WhatsApp by one individual and was also verbally reaffirmed during a telephonic conversation on 14.05.2026.
It is also noteworthy that Daily Udaan subsequently published a rebuttal/clarification on 20.05.2026, thereby acknowledging the false and misleading nature of the earlier publication.
In view of the above, the public is informed that the news item in question was unauthenticated, misleading and wholly without basis. Readers are requested not to rely on such fabricated material and media houses are urged to exercise due caution, verify facts from authorized sources and avoid publication of unverified statements in future.
