Student protests, drug abuse and unemployment top concerns in Jammu‑Kashmir, says Farooq Abdullah

During a media interaction on July 29, former J&K chief minister Dr Farooq Abdullah highlighted a cluster of problems gripping the state. He said the recent student protests, soaring unemployment, and a growing menace of drug abuse are eating away at the region’s stability.

Abdullah linked these internal challenges to the ongoing crisis in Pakistan‑held Kashmir, urging the centre to raise its voice on the killings and oppression reported there.

He reminded the audience that the National Conference has repeatedly approached the United Nations Human Rights Commission, as well as the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister, demanding an independent inquiry into alleged violations in PoK.

"If we truly consider PoK a part of India, we must not stay mute while its citizens face murder and intimidation," Abdullah insisted.

The former chief minister warned that the student movement will keep marching forward unless their demands—particularly those concerning jobs and education—are addressed. He also stressed that curbing the drug trade is essential to prevent a generational loss of hope.

The party’s plan to stage a demonstration in New Delhi’s Paryavaran Road reflects its determination to keep the issue of J&K’s statehood and PoK’s human‑rights situation in the national spotlight.