SRINAGAR: Jobs apart, the Jammu and Kashmir government has decided that it will not issue passport clearance to the people involved in ‘anti-nationals’ activities and stone pelters. Reports appearing in media said the Jammu and Kashmir Police’s intelligence wing has directed that people involved in law and order issues, stone pelters and crimes prejudicial to the security of the state should be denied the clearance to acquire a passport.

Paramilitary CRPF started moving in a group towards the stone-pelting crowd in Srinagar’s old city on June 5, 2019, minutes after the Eid prayers were over. KL Image: Bilal Bahadur

“The administration is mulling prohibiting passport and visa clearance to people who have a past track record of indulging in anti-India activities. This comes after army officials revealed that the new modus operandi to indoctrinate and train Kashmiri youth in militancy was to call them through proper visa channels, rather than having them take the risk of crossing the border illegally,” TV News18 reported. “An army spokesperson said on Saturday that at least 40 youth have travelled on visas to Pakistan for studying purposes after being given proper certificates for visa, but they were sent back here as terrorists. He said that out of the 40 youth who had taken visas and travelled through the Wagah border route in Punjab to Pakistan, 27 came back with weapons and have been killed in encounters. Rest are still across the border, and a few of them are in touch with their families.”

The decision came within weeks after the administration made CID report fundamental for having jobs in Jammu and Kashmir government. This was done by amending the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Verification of Character and Antecedents) Instructions, 1997. The CID was authorized to scan the digital track record of the individuals and their relationships.

After the amendment, it is also now mandatory to disclose whether any family member or close relative is associated with any political party or organisation, or has participated in any political activity, or has had links with a foreign mission or organisation, or any prescribed/ prohibited/ banned organisation such as the Jamaat-e-Islami.

Besides details of jobs of one’s parents, spouse, children and step-children, parents-in-law, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law are also mandatory. In case of receipt of an adverse report, which will further be confirmed by a screening committee, the appointment to a government job will be withdrawn or terminated.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here