Srinagar, March 21 -- Kashmiri women embarking on Hajj this year are facing a major setback as not a single female State Hajj Inspector (SHI) or trainer has been appointed to assist them, raising concerns over gender discrimination and negligence by the authorities.

In an open letter to the CEO of the Hajj Committee of India, Saima Shafi, a Kashmiri female who performed Haj last year, popularly known as "Kralkoor" wrote an open letter to CEO Hajj Committee of India highlighting the repeated exclusion of female SHIs for Kashmiri women.

She said this oversight creates significant hardships for female Hajis, particularly elderly and illiterate women who struggle with communication barriers.

"Many aspects of Hajj require gender-specific gu...