The Chenab Times Urdu Website Relaunches with Fresh Design After Data Loss, Calls for Community Support

Doda, September 25 - The Chenab Times proudly announces the relaunch of its Urdu website, urdu.thechenabtimes.com, with a modernized design optimized for both mobile and desktop users. The relaunch comes after a challenging month-long downtime caused by technical issues that resulted in the unfortunate loss of the platform's archived articles. However, thanks to over 60,000 captures preserved by the Internet Archive (@ArchiveOrg), the team is working diligently to restore critical content and rebuild the platform from the ground up.

Founded in 2017 by journalist Anzer Ayoob, The Chenab Times has been a beacon of independent journalism, spotlighting the culture, issues, and aspirations of the Chenab Valley while championing endangered local languages like Sarazi, Bhaderwahi, and Pahari. The Urdu edition, a cornerstone of its Multilingual News Initiative, has been instrumental in delivering daily news bulletins in regional languages—a pioneering effort recognized with a nomination for the "Best News Portal Award" by the Pahari Core Committee in 2022.

A Challenging Year for Independent Journalism

2025 has tested the resilience of The Chenab Times. In addition to the Urdu website's downtime, the outlet faced setbacks with its Kashmiri X account and a significant blow when Meta blocked monetization on its Facebook page, which boasts over 280k followers. These challenges, compounded by limited funding, have impacted several key projects, including the flagship Daily News Bulletin in multiple local languages. Despite these hurdles, the team remains committed to its mission of ethical, community-driven journalism, relying on self-contributions and the dedication of its staff to keep operations running.

"Our commitment to amplifying the voices of the Chenab Valley and preserving its linguistic and cultural heritage remains unshaken," said Anzer Ayoob, founder of The Chenab Times. "The loss of our Urdu articles was a setback, but with the support of tools like the Internet Archive and our team's hard work, we're rebuilding stronger. We're also grateful to our community for standing by us during these tough times."

A Fresh Start and a Call for Support

The revamped Urdu website introduces a sleek, user-friendly interface designed to enhance accessibility and engagement for readers across devices. While the team works to recover lost articles, new content is being created to cover regional developments, civic issues, and cultural stories in the Jammu and Kashmir and beyond. The Chenab Times continues to operate its English website (thechenabtimes.com), alongside active social media presence on X (@TheChenabTimes), YouTube, and LinkedIn.

As an independent outlet, The Chenab Times relies heavily on community support to sustain its operations and revive stalled projects like the Multilingual News Initiative. The organization has issued a heartfelt appeal for donations to help overcome financial constraints and continue its work. Contributions can be made at thechenabtimes.com/donate.

Looking Ahead

The Chenab Times remains steadfast in its pursuit of independent journalism and cultural advocacy. Through the Chenab Times Foundation, it continues to champion causes like the recognition of Pahari status for Chenab Valley residents and the preservation of endangered languages. The team is optimistic that with community backing, it can restore its full range of initiatives and continue serving as a vital voice for the region.

For updates, visit thechenabtimes.com or follow @TheChenabTimes and @ChenabTimesUrdu on X. To support The Chenab Times' mission, consider donating at thechenabtimes.com/donate.