Hope Rises: J&K Lt Governor's Job Initiative Transforms Lives of Terror Attack Victims

Asif Salman Bhat's father was killed in a terrorist attack in 2005.

In the heart of Jammu and Kashmir, where violence once reigned, a new chapter of healing has begun. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha's rehabilitation policy is transforming lives by providing employment opportunities to families affected by terrorism. Recently, 41 individuals from the Jammu division, all relatives of terror attack victims, received their appointment letters.

For Asif Salman Bhat, receiving an appointment letter from Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha represents far more than employment—it symbolizes the chance to reconstruct his shattered existence.

The traumatic events of 2005 remain vivid in Asif's memory. That night in Doda's Kahra village, terrorists invaded the home where he slept beside his father, Abdul Wahid Bhat, a Special Police Officer. The attackers specifically targeted his father, the family's sole provider, leaving Asif's family to endure years of severe hardship.

After applying under the Jammu and Kashmir Rehabilitation Assistance Scheme, Asif's prolonged wait finally ended Thursday when he received his appointment letter.

Kalyan Singh shares a similar story of pain and resilience. For 25 years, he navigated a labyrinth of uncertainty following the 1999 Hizbul Mujahideen attack that claimed his father and 14 family members in Doda. "It was a cruel irony to see terrorists' children secure government jobs while we struggled to make ends meet," Kalyan remarked emotionally. Today, his appointment letter brings the promise of dignity and stability.

Naseeb Singh recounts the horrific murder of his father and four relatives in Kotranka, Rajouri, his voice trembling as he describes the terrorists' callousness. "They seemed more interested in appeasing terrorists than helping us," Singh says of previous administrations. "I can finally give my family a decent life, and that's all that matters," he adds with relief.

This recent distribution follows a July 28 ceremony where the Lieutenant Governor presented appointment letters to 94 families from the Jammu division.

During his address, Lieutenant Governor Sinha honored the civilians lost to terror attacks and acknowledged the families' profound grief. "Terror victim families were left to struggle in silence for decades. Justice was denied to these families. The deep scars were never healed. Such families are now being recognised, respected and rehabilitated. Jobs to the real victims of terror and true martyrs reflect the commitment that the nation stands with them with concrete action," he stated.

Governor Sinha emphasized that his administration is dismantling the terror ecosystem. "We have not bought peace, but established peace. The days of misgovernance are over. Now, terrorists, separatists and their patrons are not given government jobs, but they are being identified and given the harshest punishment for their deeds," he declared.

The Lieutenant Governor reiterated his commitment to supporting terror victims through employment opportunities. "As far as terrorists are concerned, they will get goli (bullet) and no mercy, no sympathy for them....While terror victims will get justice and jobs," he concluded firmly.