Hire unemployed youth instead of ex-servicemen, Mehbooba urges Omar
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Monday (May 19, 2025) opposed the J&K government's move to hire ex-servicemen to safeguard vital installations in the Union Territory.
Ms. Mufti, in a post on social media platform X, said she had written to J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah about it, and urged him 'to reconsider his government's decision to employ 4,000 ex-servicemen to guard key installations'.
'While I hold the utmost respect and gratitude for our ex-servicemen, we mustn't & cannot overlook the mounting crisis of unemployment afflicting youth in J&K whose numbers have now crossed into lakhs,' Ms. Mufti said.
Wrote to Omar Sahab urging him to reconsider his government's decision to employ 4,000 ex-servicemen to guard key installations. While I hold the utmost respect and gratitude for our ex-servicemen we mustn't & cannot overlook the mounting crisis of unemployment afflicting youth… https://t.co/A2Xj5gmzKO — Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) May 19, 2025
She said the soaring unemployment was not just an economic issue but a social emergency. 'With few opportunities amidst utter despondency many youngsters are falling into the grip of drug addiction and tragically some are even driven to suicide. We must come to their rescue by being more mindful of their future,' Ms. Mufti said.
The Indian Army recently confirmed that the J&K government had approved a proposal to hire the services of at least 4,000 ex-servicemen volunteers drawn from the Sainik Welfare Board of Jammu & Kashmir to safeguard vital infrastructure across the Union Territory.
The Army said it was 'a major step towards strengthening community-based security and harnessing the capabilities of former military personnel'.
According to the proposal, the ex-servicemen volunteers will serve under the overall coordination of the respective District Sainik Welfare Officers. 'They will function in close coordination with the district administration and local police. Their role is non-combatant, focusing on static guard duties, presence-based deterrence, and local coordination,' an Army spokesperson said.
The spokesperson added that training and orientation programmes were being planned to ensure standardised conduct and efficiency.
'This initiative not only utilises the discipline, experience, and commitment of the ex-servicemen community but also represents a model of inclusive and participatory security. It further cements the Indian Army's legacy of service beyond the battlefield, contributing meaningfully to civil society and local governance structures in J&K,' the Army said.
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