In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, 3.52 lakh youth were registered as unemployed in the first quarter of 2024. According to Kashmir Media Service, this was revealed by Directorate of Employment (DoE), IIOJK, in recent report. The report said that among 3.52 lakh, 1.09 lakh are graduates and postgraduates, comprising 31% of the total unemployed youth in IIOJK. Director DoE, Nisar Ahmad Wani stated that in the last quarter of 2023, the department registered 99,322 unemployed graduates and postgraduates. Another report by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) highlighted an alarming unemployment rate of 23.1% in IIOJK, one of the highest in India. These stark figures challenge the Modi government’s claims of development in IIOJK following the illegal abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019.

Bilal Ahmad, a qualified doctor awaiting recruitment in the Health Department, expressed discontent: “The vacancies have existed for years, and despite promises, the recruitment process remains painfully slow.” Similarly, Shazia Khan, an education graduate, lamented the lack of transparency in recruitment. The failure of the Indian government to fill vacant positions, despite over 3 lakh government jobs available across sectors like education and public administration, has exacerbated the unemployment crisis in IIOJK. As a result, IIOJK continues to struggle with high unemployment rates, leaving many qualified candidates in a state of uncertainty and frustration.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan