Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Backs Anti-Drug Drive, Calls for Total Liquor Ban in Jammu Kashmir | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Moulvi Muhammad Umar Farooq has urged joint efforts from all sections of society to tackle the rising drug problem in Jammu and Kashmir, saying that enforcement action alone cannot resolve the crisis.

Addressing the Friday congregation at the historic Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, he welcomed the government’s crackdown on drug trafficking networks, describing it as a necessary and positive step to protect youth from addiction.

However, he cautioned that the issue must not be viewed solely through a law-and-order lens, noting that young people affected by political uncertainty, stress and limited economic opportunities are increasingly vulnerable to substance abuse.

Mirwaiz said many youth are struggling with psychological distress and anxiety about their future, adding that policing alone cannot resolve what he described as a wider social and health emergency.

He called for a holistic approach involving education, opportunity creation, counselling and spiritual guidance, stating that hope for a stable future would help deter youth from drugs. He also referred to ongoing awareness efforts led by religious bodies, including initiatives launched in 2014 under the Muthahida Majlis Ulema.

Expanding his remarks, Mirwaiz expressed concern over what he described as the normalisation of alcohol in society, terming it another form of addiction alongside narcotics. He said the rise in licensed liquor outlets and alcohol revenue in Jammu and Kashmir raised serious social concerns.

Referring to prohibition policies in states such as Gujarat, Bihar and Nagaland, he said governments could prioritise public welfare over revenue considerations. He urged authorities to reconsider alcohol policy in Jammu and Kashmir and called for a total ban.

“Our youth need education, opportunity, counselling and constructive engagement, not substances that destroy their future,” he said.