Engage unemployed youths instead of ex-servicemen for guard duties: Mehbooba urges CM
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Monday urged the Jammu and Kashmir government to reconsider its decision to deploy 4,000 ex-servicemen, instead of fresh recruits, for static guard duties at vital installations.
In a letter addressed to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Mufti cited the alarming rise in unemployment across the Union Territory as the reason behind her appeal.
“I am writing to express my deep misgivings and concern regarding your government’s recent decision to deploy 4,000 ex-servicemen to guard critical infrastructure across Jammu and Kashmir. While we value the service and discipline of our veterans, this move raises serious questions, especially as lakhs of educated yet unemployed youth continue to struggle for opportunities in J&K,” she stated.
She emphasised the need to support local youth, saying, “We must come to their rescue by being more mindful of their future.”
The letter added that static guard duties do not require military expertise and could easily be performed by trained local youth. “For them, such employment could be a vital lifeline,” she said.
In a post on X, Mufti highlighted the gravity of the unemployment crisis in the region. “This soaring unemployment is not just an economic issue but a social emergency. With few opportunities and increasing despondency, many youngsters are falling prey to drug addiction, and tragically, some are even driven to suicide,” she wrote.
The former chief minister pointed out that ex-servicemen already receive pensions, and prioritising them over jobless youth could deepen the feeling of exclusion among the younger generation. She added that the government might also miss a crucial opportunity to build trust and engage meaningfully with the youth.
“Furthermore, this policy could be perceived as a short-term security solution that fails to address long-term social and economic stability. Engaging local youth in such roles would not only generate employment but also foster a sense of responsibility, inclusion, and participation in maintaining public safety—an essential pillar of peace-building in the region,” she said.
Mufti urged the Chief Minister’s Office to reconsider or clarify the rationale behind the policy and to explore more inclusive models that benefit the unemployed youth of the region.
Last week, the J&K government announced its approval of a proposal to deploy former military personnel to safeguard vital infrastructure across the Union Territory. Terming it a unique collaboration between veterans and civil authorities, the government stated that 4,000 ex-servicemen volunteers had been identified for the initiative. Their role, it clarified, would be non-combatant, focusing on static guard duties, presence-based deterrence, and local coordination.
J & K