From stones to ballots, Trehgam comes long way for ‘change’

Kupwara, Oct 1: In frontier district Kupwara, voters in Trehgam Tuesday said that the reason for change from stone pelting to participation in elections was their livelihood.
They said, because of unemployment, youth are getting into drugs and other illegal activities. One of the voters at Polling Station-48 in Trehgam Azim Ahmad said that the livelihood of youth in Kashmir was being neglected and that was pushing youth towards stone pelting and drug consumption.
“Being jobless is the biggest social taboo nowadays. This social stigma is pushing youth towards drugs,” Azim said.
Azim has completed MBA Finance. “Despite having a good educational qualification, I am selling meat now. This isn’t justice to the educated youth.”
“We know that there will be no development. The tall claims of the political parties won’t be seen on the ground. All we expect is jobs to the deserving youth,” Azim said.
He said, “The reason for change from stone pelting to participation in elections is livelihood.”
Another first time voter, Zahid Ahmad said that the area has been previously known for stone pelting and other activities. “But the way everything has been ignored from the past five years, youth are turning to polling booths to cast their vote for development.”
In the meantime, Saqib Ahmad said that he was being denied a passport for the mistake which his relatives had done at the time he was not born.
“I am voting with an expectation that no innocent youth is being punished.”
“My maternal uncle was militant at the time when I was not even born. I am being denied a passport because of that. I want to work abroad to feed my family, but unfortunately I am being punished for the mistake that I am not even aware of,” he said.
Saqib said, “I am voting to choose our own representative who will work for such problems being faced by the people of Kashmir.”