In Jammu and Kashmir, the Accredited Journalists Association has praised the demand for a pension scheme for retired journalists, raised by MLA Zadibal Assembly Constituency and Chief Spokesman of Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, Tanvir Sadiq, in the Legislative Assembly today. Akashvani Jammu correspondent reports that the President of the Jammu and Kashmir Accredited Journalists Association, Ashwani Kumar, stated that Tanvir Sadiq has correctly recognized the difficult situation faced by retired journalists who dedicated their lives to strengthening democracy in the country through their work. He added that senior journalists devote decades of their lives to upholding democratic values, often working under challenging and risky conditions, and therefore deserve social security after retirement. He pointed out that most states and Union Territories across the country are already providing monthly pensions to senior journalists who have completed 20 years of service and reached the age of 58, following norms established in the corporate sector. Ashwani Kumar emphasized that the number of retired senior journalists in Jammu and Kashmir is relatively small, and therefore, the financial burden on the Union Territory's exchequer would not be significant. He urged all political parties and independent legislators to put aside party politics and collectively advocate for the implementation of a pension scheme for retired journalists in Jammu and Kashmir.