Lost Potential: Unraveling the Youth Crisis in Kashmir

It is a cliché now that youth are the foundation of a progressive society. They are the past, present and future of a country. They are broad-minded and use their energy for the overall development of society. It is they who are supposed to carry on the legacy, left by their forefathers. In a nutshell, they are the custodians of a civilisation.

If we talk of the youth of Kashmir, they are like other youth. They have a strong desire to work hard and excel in every part of their lives. They have a goal in front of them and want to achieve it, though myriad obstacles are in the way. However, their potential is wasted in one way or another.

In Kashmir, their gushing rivers of emotions are drying with each passing day. Their creativities are neglected and they are staring at a bleak future. The educated youths are more depressed than uneducated ones. They have sacrificed everything to fulfil their dreams. Their family members sacrificed their happiness for their bright careers. However, at the end of the day, it is corruption, nepotism and other immoral practices that are waiting for them.

In the hope of becoming extraordinary, they have become so ordinary that they are called useless. The highly qualified youths are unable to stand on their feet. They can’t earn their livelihood. The ups and downs of life are alien to them. They are unable to solve them. In this atmosphere, they feel choked. They have become a burden on their families as well as society. They are mentally disturbed. Mental diseases are on the rise among them.

It was the collective work of the government and society to care for them. Avenues must have been created for them so that their ingenuity was not lost in the dreary desert of lawlessness. The government must have tried its best to help the youth at every step. They must have been given every kind of support. Whether it was financial or moral support, their raw emotions must have been sublimated and given a proper channel.

However, the government has done nothing substantial to save their future. Instead of supporting them, the alleged corruption in various institutions has reduced their horizons of life. They have faced every kind of evil practice to get thrown into a bottomless pit. Mere promises can’t do miracles, instead, proper implementation of laws and policies and a proper watch is needed to help them regain confidence in government institutions.

The need of the hour is to channel the energies of the youth into positive works. We can’t afford to see them getting wasted for nothing. Proper implementation of laws and sustainable policies can help us in this endeavour. All have to come forward in this regard.

Fraudsters who loot youth on different pretexts should be publicly punished. No country wants its youth to go astray. Who will lead society tomorrow when the present is full of despair? The question remains.