Kupwara: Dismayed over the inaction of pro-freedom organisations and the local populace, a 26-year-old, Ishfaq Ahmad from Lalpora Lolab in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district after roaming jobless over the years post-PSA detention was provided with a job opportunity by a local army unit.
Ishfaq Ahmad has 11 FIRs registered against him for stone pelting incidents and he was detained under PSA for nearly 11 months back in 2016.
Talking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) on the sidelines of a job fair organized by army’s 28 RR, Ishfaq said that over the years no one either from the local populace and others including the pro-freedom organizations approached him or his family members when it was most needed.
He thanked the army for giving him a job opportunity so that he can support his family and his ailing parents.
He said that around 11 FIRs were registered against him for different stone pelting incidents and he was later booked PSA in 2016 during which he was shifted to Udhampur jail where he remained for 11 months.
“During detention time in Udhampur my mother received grave head injury and father sold-out land to get me bailed out for which I was made to pay 1.80 lakh rupees. The family members were left abandoned with no one visiting them or asking for any sort of help during the testing,” Ishfaq told KNO.
Ishfaq said after his release from PSA detention no one bothered to verify about him and his family. “I also failed to get a job and help ailing parents since my father is unable to work now due to some health issues.”
Ishfaq said that the inaction of everyone forced him to get a job through the army.
Abdul Rashid Bhat, father of Ishfaq told KNO that had they been influential they may not have to suffer immensely over the years but they are thankful to the army for providing a job to his son who became a victim of bad politics in the area.
Meanwhile, the Army in a statement said that under the aegis of HQ 8 Sect RR, 28 RR conducted a job fair event for the misguided youth of Lolab valley at Gujjarpatti.
“The Battalion did intensive analysis and identified the misguided youth who were then counselled at the battalion HQ in the month of May.”
It said that to give another chance to the youth and get them back to the mainstream and help them lead a better life, liaison was carried out with various skill development centres, NGOs and civil agencies to get respectable jobs for these youth.
The statement added that the event was chaired by Col Raj Kumar Mahajan, CO 28 RR and was attended by the civil populace of Lolab valley.
“9 boys were given job offers by various agencies and will be placed all across the Kashmir valley in various sectors such as Hotel Industry, Petroleum and Tourism Industry,” the statement reads—(KNO)
