[3] The news portal was established in 2009 by Fahad Shah, with the aim of providing a platform for local voices to be heard and to report on issues relevant to the region.
"[6] In November 2023, Fahad Shah was released from prison after 21 months and resumed his role as The Kashmir Walla editor and continues to fight four legal cases against him in various courts.
In July 2024, in an interview to The Quint Shah said, "I think, if you're truly a journalist, if there is a story and you have everything that qualifies as a proper piece in journalism, you’d still report it.” [7] He has been barred from using social media and also not allowed to travel out of state as per the court orders.
The Digipub News India Foundation criticized the central government's decision, labeling it as an attempt to intimidate Kashmiri journalists and further suppress free speech.
[3] Critics have drawn a connection between the closure of The Kashmir Walla news portal and a broader pattern of press crackdown in the disputed region.
In the aftermath of New Delhi's decision to revoke the territory's partial autonomy and establish direct rule in 2019, the region has witnessed a significant increase in incidents involving journalists.