J&K Govt Fires Three Employees Over Terror Links, Sparks Political Uproar

The decision of the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir to terminate three terror-friendly government employees triggered political debate as mainstream parties as well as separatist groups opposed this decision.

While the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) strongly opposed this decision, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah reacted cautiously to avoid confrontation.

Omar Abdullah argued that government employees terminated over alleged terror links should be given a fair opportunity to prove their innocence. Speaking to reporters, he reiterated that as per the law, everyone is innocent until proven guilty.

"If there is evidence against them and they fail to justify themselves after being given a chance, then the action is justified," he said.

"However, if they are dismissed without being heard, it goes against the principle that everyone is innocent until proven guilty," he stated, responding to the recent termination of three government employees in Jammu and Kashmir.

"Arbitrary and summary dismissals of government employees has become a daily occurrence since 2019. What is perhaps most surprising and puzzling is that it continues unabated despite an elected government in power that had promised to put an end to such practices once in office. People had pinned their hopes on the new government expecting at least some relief through vigorous advocacy of these issues with the LG", PDP chief and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti posted on her social media handle.

Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq condemned the termination of three government employees for their links to terrorists.

"The termination of three more state employees in such an authoritarian manner is highly condemnable. Do the rulers want to remove all Kashmiri's slowly and steadily from government services and render them jobless? It is the duty of the elected representatives to take up this issue urgently with the concerned as they have committed in their manifesto, and stop this harassment,", he posted on X.
"Also cracking down on Islamic literature and seizing them from bookstores while condemnable is ridiculous. Policing thought by seizing books is absurd, to say the least, in the time of access to all information on virtual highways," he added.

Five terror-friendly employees sacked after formation of Omar Abdullah government

Although 69 employees have been terminated from their services for their links with terrorists during the last four years, five terror-friendly employees have been sacked after the formation of a popular government in Jammu and Kashmir.

Earlier on November 29, 2024 Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha terminated two government employees from service for their alleged terror links.

The fired employees were identified as Abdul Rehman Naika who worked as a pharmacist in the health department, and Zahir Abbas, a teacher in the School Education Department.

Sinha invoked Article 311 (2) (c) of the Constitution to terminate the two employees after a probe by the law enforcement and intelligence agencies "clearly established their terror links".

Naika, a resident of Devsar in Kulgam district, was appointed as a medical assistant in 1992.
His links with Hizbul Mujahideen were unearthed after the police launched a probe into the killing of Ghulam Hassan Lone, a staunch nationalist in Devsar whose three sons are serving in security forces.
The second employee to face action — Abbas — is a resident of the Badhat Saroor area in Kishtwar district.

On Saturday Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha dismissed three government employees, including a jailed policeman, for terror links.

Sinha invoked Article 311 (2) (c) of the Constitution to terminate the services of Jammu and Kashmir Police constable Firdous Ahmad Bhat, school teacher Mohammad Ashraf Bhat, and forest department orderly Nisar Ahmad Khan, who was earlier arrested in connection with the killing of a National Conference minister in 2000.