Everything with a price tag

Despite terrorism and drug abuse often dominating headlines, corruption in Kashmir has morphed into an equally menacing force. In fact, all three—terrorism, drugs, and corruption—are deeply interconnected, feeding off each other and creating a vicious cycle of exploitation and suffering.
It is no exaggeration to call corruption in Kashmir a form of financial terrorism—a subtle but sustained assault on the poor, the unemployed youth, and the very idea of justice and governance.

While the rest of India continues to witness a fierce political and public discourse around eradicating corruption—cutting across party lines—Kashmir’s mainstream
political leadership remains conspicuously silent.

This silence is not just disappointing; it is dangerous. In a region plagued by
decades of conflict, instability, and socio-political alienation, corruption has
emerged as a silent killer—rotting the foundations of governance, hollowing out
institutions, and eroding public trust.

Unlike other parts of the country, where political parties compete on promises of
clean governance and anti-corruption drives, Kashmir’s mainstream politicians
rarely, if ever, prioritize the issue. Instead, they distract the public with
grandstanding on foreign policy, national politics, and ideological posturing. While
debates on international issues like Palestine or Ukraine may have academic
value, they hold little relevance to a Kashmiri youth grappling with joblessness or
a widow fighting to get her government pension released without paying a bribe.

A corrupt ecosystem serves the interests of a privileged few, many of whom are
embedded in or closely aligned with political power. By keeping public attention
diverted, by nurturing a sense of victimhood without accountability, these leaders
have created a smoke screen behind which large-scale financial irregularities
continue unchecked.

This disconnect is deliberate. The silence on corruption is not an oversight—it is a
strategy. Perhaps the most painful part of this crisis is how corruption impacts the
poorest. In Kashmir, a daily wage laborer earning less than Rs 15,000 a month is
often forced to pay bribes to powerful people. The officer demanding the bribe
often earns over Rs 1 lakh a month and enjoys a web of security and impunity.
This isn’t just immoral—it’s criminal.

Every act of corruption adds another layer of suffering to lives already bruised by
conflict, displacement, and economic uncertainty. The people of
Kashmir—particularly its youth—have already lost decades to Pakistan sponsored
terrorism and instability. What they deserve now is dignity, opportunity, and most
of all, a clean and fair system.

The implications of unchecked corruption in Kashmir are not merely
administrative—they are strategic. When public systems become unreliable and
governance becomes synonymous with harassment, it becomes easy for
adversarial forces like Pakistan’s ISI to exploit the resulting frustration.

History stands testimony to the fact that the corruption not only weakened
governance, but also strengthened secessionist propaganda in Kashmir.
The corruption getting institutionalized made the situation worse in Kashmir. It
was not just about a few bad apples it was about a parallel system which
prevailed.

This system provided everything from illegal building permissions to inflated
contracts in public works, from ghost employees on government rolls to political
favoritism in appointments. Everything had a price tag.

And yet, no mainstream political party dared to touch this issue. Why? Because
the corrupt system suited them. It fed their networks of patronage, kept them
politically relevant, and ensured the dependency of the public on their “goodwill”
rather than legal entitlement.

India is a nation built on the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel,
and now steered firmly by the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra
Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. The people of Kashmir believe in this vision—a vision of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas.

This vision needs to be followed in letter and spirit.
The government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already taken steps
toward good governance across the country—be it through the Digital India
mission, DBT schemes, or the fight against black money.

Clean governance is not a luxury—it is a necessity for peace and stability.
Time is ripe for the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister to take decisive
steps to dismantle the corrupt structures in the Valley. Launch an aggressive anti-
corruption drive. Make examples out of the powerful who exploit the powerless.
Let there be swift justice for those who rob the poor in the name of official
procedure.

With over 65% of Kashmir’s youth unemployed or underemployed, it is essential
that the government focuses on creating an enabling environment for
entrepreneurship, education, and skill development.

But these efforts will amount to little unless corruption is rooted out.
Corruption in Kashmir is not just about money—it’s about morality, justice, and
the very future of the region. It is financial terrorism that kills silently but
effectively.

Let the silence of the political class end. Let this be the beginning of a new era
where Kashmir is not only free from terror and drugs, but also from the
stranglehold of corruption. Only then can the dream of Naya Kashmir—a
peaceful, prosperous, and proud Kashmir—be realized.

Sheikh Khalid writes for GK on Politics , Terrorism , Education & Strategic affairs and is presently heading International Centre for Peace Studies .