Srinagar, April 30 -- By Mohammad Ilyas Bhat

After spending a few months outside Kashmir, I returned to Srinagar and decided to visit an old friend who had built an impressive life in one of the city's wealthy colonies.

His house had once become a small symbol of success among people who knew him. Large gates stood outside the property, expensive cars filled the driveway, and guests often spoke about his achievements with admiration.

I knocked on the door expecting his signature smile, though a stranger opened the gate instead and looked at me with curiosity.

I asked for Abdul Rehman, and the man calmly explained that the house had been sold after major financial losses forced the family to move elsewhere.

That answer unsettled me be...