Srinagar: Three universities in Kashmir have terminated their academic agreements with a US-based non-governmental organisation, the Kashmir Care Foundation (KCF), following internal reviews amid reports of security concerns flagged by intelligence agencies.
The University of Kashmir, Islamic University of Science and Technology, and Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir issued orders cancelling their memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with the Atlanta-based KCF. The University of Kashmir and SKUAST-K revoked the agreements on March 25, while IUST followed a day later.
University of Kashmir registrar Naseer Iqbal, in a letter to KCF president Altaf K Lal, noted that the MoU had been signed on December 15, 2025. The agreement aimed to promote educational initiatives through workshops, seminars, and academic engagements in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), as well as humanities and related fields.
Officials indicated that the decision to terminate the agreements followed “adverse reports,” reflecting increased caution around collaborations with foreign organisations, particularly in areas involving technology, research, and data sharing.
“The MoU has been reviewed by the competent authorities and it has been determined that its continuation is not in the larger institutional interest of the university,” the registrar stated in the letter.
Iqbal said that KCF is led by Altaf Lal, a Kashmiri based in the United States, and emphasised that the agreement included a termination clause. He added that the university independently decided to end the partnership, citing multiple concerns, though he declined to elaborate further.
The universities clarified that no funds were exchanged and no financial liabilities were incurred during the duration of the MoU.
