The handover of appointment letters to 39 Next of Kins (NoKs) of terror victims by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at Lok Bhavan, Srinagar, is more than an administrative exercise. It is a moral statement, long overdue, that the State has finally begun to acknowledge those families who suffered in silence while terrorism tore through Kashmir for decades.
For years, the narrative around terrorism focused largely on statistics and security operations, while the victims, ordinary civilians and security personnel—were pushed to the margins. Behind every terror incident lay shattered homes, orphaned children and widowed mothers, many of whom lived with stigma, fear and economic deprivation. The recent initiative seeks to correct that historic neglect by offering not charity, but justice with dignity.
The emotional testimonies of the families underscore the depth of trauma they endured. These are families who waited not months or years, but decades, for the system to recognise their loss. When the Lieutenant Governor said that the long wait for justice has ended, it reflected not just the issuance of job letters, but the restoration of faith in governance itself.
Stories like those of Pakeeza Riyaz of Anantnag and Shaista of Hyderpora are reminders of how terrorism robbed children of parents and futures of certainty. The appointment letters they received symbolise economic stability, but also social recognition—that their pain was real and their loss mattered. Similarly, the job granted to Ishtiyaq Ahmad, son of BSF braveheart Altaf Hussain, honours not only a family’s suffering but a supreme sacrifice made in service of the nation.
Perhaps most haunting is the story of Fayaz Ganie’s daughter, Fozy, who in a single day lost both her father and grandfather to terrorist brutality in 2000. For 25 years, the family lived with grief, fear and abandonment. The State’s intervention now cannot erase that pain, but it can help rebuild lives that were frozen in time by violence.
Terrorism does not end with the sound of gunfire; its consequences linger for generations. By extending jobs, recognition and rehabilitation to terror victim families, the administration has taken a necessary step toward healing those invisible wounds. However, this initiative must not remain symbolic or selective. A comprehensive, transparent and sustained policy for identifying and supporting all terror-affected families is essential to ensure no victim is left behind.
Justice delayed is justice denied—but justice delivered, even after decades, can still restore dignity. The real measure of peace in Kashmir will not only be the absence of violence, but the presence of compassion, accountability and support for those who paid the highest price.
