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For years, the pain of terror victims in Jammu and Kashmir remained shrouded in secrecy. Their stories were forgotten. Their pleas for justice were disregarded. But now there is hope. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has initiated a new process to restore justice and healing to these forgotten households.
There are families in each village and each nook and corner of Kashmir who have lost their kin to terror. These are not statistics or figures. These are people with pain. A father who has lost a son. A mother who has lost a husband. Children who have grown up without parents. These families have been living in silence for years, ignored by society and forgotten by the government.
An article published in a national newspaper reads One old woman said with fearful eyes, “What’s the use of showing wounds when nobody cares to heal them?” Such a simple declaration indicates the desperation these families felt. They had lost hope that someone would hear their suffering or assist them.
Most of these families were given names by society. They were referred to as “mukhbirs” or informants simply because they did not assist in terrorism. They were harassed merely because they desired peace. Some were forced to vacate their residences. Others were terrified. Most did not receive any major or sufficient assistance from those who were supposed to provide some.
All of this changed when some youngsters from Kashmir decided to do something about the issue. They were upset about the way the world was discussing Kashmir. They realised that Pakistan was being treated as a peacemaker when it was in fact the origin of all the suffering.
These young individuals posed a basic but potent question: “Why do we not contact the victims of terrorism? Why do we not let their voices be heard?”
This was their quest. But they could not do it easily. As per the article published in a national newspaper reads, They moved from village to village and district to district. They went to households where quiet was more prevalent than speech. Many families were afraid and didn’t want to speak. They had been let down so many times already.
These young men met people who were exhausted and had given up hope. One of them said to them, “When governments did nothing for us, what can three young men do?” But they made a vow. They assured that they would take these voices to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
When they approached Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, something incredible happened. He did not just respond to them with mere formal courtesy. Instead, he showed deep empathy and concern. When they told him that these families craved dignity and wished to meet him, he did not blink.
The Lieutenant Governor showed remorse for decades of denial of justice and neglect to the people touched by Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. He replied something that reached everyone’s heart, “I will go meet them at their homes. I want to hear their stories in their own words.”
These were not only words, but action. The Lieutenant Governor visited terror victim families in Anantnag on 29th June 2025 and they were given a promise that the eligible members of the family will be provided with job in a mere 30 days. And he delivered on the promise sooner than hoped.
The Lieutenant Governor also kept his word within a short span of time and distributed appointment letters among terror victim families. The J&K administration gave employment to around 50 candidates belonging to families who lost their near and dear ones due to terrorism.
This was not simply providing employment. This was about restoring dignity to these families. These families from different districts were issued government appointment letters under a holistic rehabilitation program. For the first time in decades, these families felt that someone cared for their suffering.
The Lieutenant Governor didn’t just provide employment. He established a full-fledged plan for the benefit of terror victims. The J&K government has established helplines to support terror-affected families. This implies families can now seek help whenever they need it.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha pledged long-overdue justice, acknowledgment and care for the victims of terrorism whose accounts had been smothered by decades of silence and institutional indifference. He pledged assistance in any possible way.
The government is currently trying to reach the families of all terror victims. They do not want anyone to be left behind. All such families that have lost due to terrorism will receive assistance.
Their stories were repressed by politics and fear for years. People were afraid to talk about their suffering. The Lieutenant Governor knew that. He stated that the families affected by terrorism were marginalized and their voices unheard. He vowed to do his best to bring about justice, welfare and rehabilitation of these families.
This effort is not about one or two families. It is about thousands of families suffering in silence over decades. It is about offering them hope that their hurt counts and that someone cares.
The effort undertaken by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha is historic. He reached out to terror victims personally and assured them of actual assistance. This is not politics. This is about humanity and justice.
These youth who initiated this movement are worth a special mention. They deserve recognition and award with a Big Thanks on behalf of society, They noticed a problem and took an action. They did not merely discuss. They traversed from village to village, heard untold stories, and tried to improve things, Salute to these sons of soil.
This is a true testament to what can be achieved when good individuals unite with a compassionate leader. The agony of terror victims is now being heard. Their tales are now being told. And, most importantly, they are now getting the assistance they deserve.
This is only the start. The Lieutenant Governor has vowed to carry on this job until all terror victims receive justice. The government has pledged to ensure that no family suffers in silence anymore.
The project also indicates something significant to the world. It indicates that the actual victims of terrorism in Kashmir are not terror sympathisers. The actual victims are innocent families who lost their loved ones and have been awaiting justice for decades.
Today, we can see and witness that a new chapter has opened in Kashmir. It is a chapter of hope, justice and healing. The families who believed they were not heard now know that they are not forgotten. The children who lost their parents while growing up have hope for a good future.
The Lieutenant Governor’s proposal is not about assisting a couple of families. It is about transforming the way we think about terrorism and its victims. It is about ensuring that the voices of the innocent are heard over the din of politics.
This story should inspire everyone. It shows that when leaders truly care about people, they can make a real difference. It shows that the pain of innocent people should never be ignored. And it shows that it is never too late to do the right thing.
The work goes on, but the groundwork has been laid. Kashmir’s forgotten families are forgotten no more. They have a voice. They have hope. And they have a leader who listens and acts.
This is not a tale of Kashmir alone. This is a tale of what makes us human, of justice and what a difference caring leaders can make to our lives. It is a tale that offers hope to anyone who has ever felt forgotten or overlooked.
The healing has started. And with such leaders as Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and youth concerned peace for justice, the prospects brighten for all the families that have lost out on their lives due to terrorism in Kashmir.
The initiative taken by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for the rehabilitation of terror victims across Jammu and Kashmir is a historic step toward justice and healing. For the first time in decades, the forgotten families of terror victims are getting the attention, care and support they deserve.
This write-up demonstrates that if good people unite with a compassionate leader, true change can happen. The suffering of these families is finally being heard. Their voices are finally being listened to. And their hope for a brighter future is finally being realized.
This tale of terror victims is actually the tale of all cities, all villages, and all corners of Jammu and Kashmir. It remained unheard, unsettled and unsung for far too long. But now, because of the sincerity of young activists and the humane leadership of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, these tales are being heard and justice is being delivered.
This is merely the start of a new dawn in Kashmir, where the innocent are heard and their hurt is cured with love, care and justice.
ZAMAN NOOR
Writer is a Research Columnist, Independent Public Opinion Analyst and a Peace Maker.
can be reached at noor.penning@gmail.com
