DIG North Kashmir Stresses on Engaging Youth in Positive Activities, Says Fight Against Terrorism, Drugs Top Priority

Aadil Nazir

Sopore, Mar 28 : Deputy Inspector General of Police, North Kashmir Range (NKR), Maqsood-ul-Zaman, on Saturday said that engaging young people in sports and other positive activities remains a key focus area for the police, Stressing the need to channelize the energy of youth towards constructive pursuits.

Speaking on the sidelines of a sports function in Sopore, the DIG said the police have been organizing various programs under the Police Action Programme to steer youth away from negative influences.

“As soon as we engage the youth, we organize different programs at school levels, at other institutions, in sports categories, debates, and seminars. The basic purpose is to engage the youth in positive activities, such as social events, and keep them away from drugs and other unproductive activities like excessive use of phones,” the DIG said.

He underscored that the initiative is aimed at involving the youth in games and other activities to ensure a positive impact on the country’s development.

“As we have said before, our number one priority is terrorism, and our number two priority is the fight against drugs. We have done a lot of good work in this regard, including a significant number of arrests. Particularly, property seizure has had a huge impact,” the DIG said.

He noted that in North Kashmir, especially in border districts where drugs were being smuggled, the police have achieved considerable success in controlling the menace.

“We have been successful not only through the action of the J&K Police but also with the help of civil society and the common people. I attribute this success to them,” he added.

The DIG said that while the police are playing a vital role under the action programme, there is a need to expand such efforts to involve more youth across a broader spectrum.

“It is not only the J&K Police who can do this. There are other departments like Youth Services and Sports and the Social Welfare Department. They are also doing their part, and we are doing well in that,” he said.

When asked about focusing on rural areas, the DIG said the majority of the population resides in rural areas, and the police are particularly concentrating their efforts there.

“In urban areas, there are many avenues for children. We are focusing on rural areas, and we are engaging the youth at a good level in North Kashmir,” he said.

Responding to a query about the spread of rumours on social media, including those related to Iran and Israel, the DIG cautioned that all stakeholders must act responsibly.

“We have always been saying that all of us have to be responsible, particularly the media fraternity. We have asked them to follow basic journalistic ethics. They should not upload any news that is unverified. Under the IT law, we take action on all complaints and reports we receive,” he said.

He warned that any irresponsible act by an individual that leads to unrest in society would not be tolerated.

“We will not tolerate that an insane person posts something that causes unrest. All of us have to be responsible,” the DIG asserted.