The People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Jammu and Kashmir has leveled serious accusations against the Omar Abdullah-led National Conference (NC) government. PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti stated that approximately 25,000 individuals were recruited through backdoor channels during the NC's 25-month tenure. She mentioned to reporters, “I possess the orders regarding these appointments, but I prefer not to disclose their identities for their safety.”

Mufti emphasized that these were not ordinary positions; rather, they were vacancies in various government departments in Jammu and Kashmir that were allocated to ministers, legislators, and coalition partners. She suggested that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) might also be complicit, which explains their silence on the matter.

Allegations of Corruption in Recruitment Process

The former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti, revealed that the PDP has received complaints regarding these appointments. She alleged that candidates were charged between two to three lakh rupees for these positions. Mufti claimed, “Around 200 private outsourcing agencies were involved in this process. A website was briefly operational, inviting applications from candidates, but it would shut down as soon as applications were submitted.”

She further explained that the government provided a list to these outsourcing agencies, which then conducted the recruitment process. “There are individuals like Ramzan and Ayush, whose positions I do not wish to disclose. Many others in various departments, including PROs and secretaries, would take lists from legislators and pass them on to the outsourcing agencies,” she added. Mehbooba demanded an immediate halt to such appointments, which she claimed were made without any advertisements.

Concerns Over Kashmiri Pandits' Return

Regarding the return of Kashmiri Pandits to the valley, the PDP president expressed that certain ‘lobbies’ are exploiting the community's suffering to advance their own agendas. Mehbooba stated, “They should stop dwelling on the past and focus on the future. Among those killed in Jammu and Kashmir, nearly 99 percent were Muslims, while only one percent were our Pandit brothers, whose population is quite small.”