According to a TV report, the Home Ministry has issued a circular to the Chief Minister’s security that even Cabinet Ministers and senior bureaucrats accompanying the CM should be frisked. This has been prompted by a suspected mole in CM’s security. This is the ultimate result of the security phobia which has engulfed Kashmir for last couple of decades. During this period the Kashmir issue has come into main focus everywhere. In fact, it has come to be known as the “Nuclear Flashpoint” and South Asia’s “Hot Spot”. Even though there is a universal feeling that for establishment of peace in the Sub-Continent as well as in South Asia it is essential to resolve this dispute, yet the solution of the problem remains elusive. While on one hand Kashmir has become a brand easily understood everywhere even though in the wrong context, on the other hand a Kashmiri has become a suspect universally. This is especially true of Kashmiri Muslims and includes even the Ministers and senior bureaucrats. The suspicion is not restricted to Kashmiris in Kashmir only. Inside Kashmir, within the sub-continent, and even abroad a Kashmiri Muslim is a suspect. There are umpteen instances of Kashmiris being suspected regardless of status, position, or even location. In Kashmir itself, every Kashmiri has to be cleared regarding his antecedents whether he applies for a passport, a job, or for taking part in any other normal activity. The verification of antecedents takes ages as the procedure involves getting clearance from a host of local and central agencies. There are cases where people have applied for a passport almost couple of years back, yet the status on the website of the passport office says, “Police Report Awaited”. In any other part of India, a certificate issued by an officer of the central government of the rank of a deputy secretary or above entitles you to a passport without any police verification. Not in Kashmir where even the antecedents of minors have to be verified. The height of security phobia is that instead of the normal 2 year verification of the residential address, in case of Kashmiris the intelligence department is required to verify the residential status for last 20 years because of the militancy problems which erupted in 1990. Similar is the situation for appointment in government service. The antecedents have to be verified and a no objection certificate obtained before a person selected for a government job can be appointed. The procedure is now well established and no one objects to it. People are used to such harassment as normal routine. Apart from being a most annoying and distressing procedure for a potential employee or a passport holder, the exercise has many avenues for corruption. The procedure can be accelerated at different levels by bribing the field agents who ultimately are of the level of a constable or so. In fact, in a number of cases they expect gratification to push the matters up. In case it is not given, they are capable of complicating the matters to such an extent that even the highest authorities fail to mend these. It has been observed that in a number of cases when adverse reports come up from the lower levels for whatever reasons, the higher authorities do not want to take any responsibility to either investigate these fully or take a contrary decision even after having known the real facts. The worst case scenario is when the concerned person has any link whatsoever in his whole dynasty with militants or “anti-national” elements on this or the other side of the border. This also applies to people planning to go on a Hajj pilgrimage. It was only after personal intervention of Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad that 300 prospective Hajj pilgrims, who had been held back due to “adverse reports”, were allowed to proceed last year. One would have liked the Chief Minister to intervene more often but it is doubtful whether he is in a position to do so? He too may become a suspect if he intervenes too often! Same procedure applies for giving a no objection certificate for grant on an Indian visa to visit Kashmir to relation of a Kashmiri in Pakistan or Pakistan Administered Kashmir. This has to be additionally cleared by the Central Intelligence Bureau and Research and Analysis Wing. As regards Kashmiris in different parts of India, the same suspicion prevails. They are considered to be potential terrorists. The usual procedure is to consider every Kashmiri Youngman to be a member of Lashkar-i-Tayyaba or some similar outfit unless he is able to prove otherwise. At all times they are required to carry identity cards and those who go to different tourist areas such as Goa, Kerala and so on for selling the handicraft items, they have to register with the local police. The surveillance of Kashmiris gets extremely heightened on the occasion of Independence Day and Republic Day. This is especially so in the national capital of Delhi. During those days it is almost impossible for a Kashmiri to get accommodation in any hotel or guest house. In fact, the scare is so much that even senior government functionaries are not trusted and they have to prove their antecedents before they can get some accommodation. The worst affected in regard to verification especially on these particular occasions as also in case of some unforeseen incidents are the Kashmiri students studying all over India. Every event generating tension puts them in a precarious situation regarding their well being and their parents and relations in Kashmir undergo nightmares till the tense situation blows over. Now let us consider the plight of Kashmiris abroad. Their worst nightmare is to get an Indian passport renewed or a fresh one issued. Normally the Indian missions are required to refer the issue or renewal of a passport to an Indian national to the concerned regional passport officer for confirmation of the earlier issue of passport. However, in case of all Kashmiris under the instructions of the Union Home Ministry, the antecedents have to be got verified by the Home Department in Jammu & Kashmir. The procedure is very lengthy and cumbersome and sometimes takes years. According to information received from some Kashmiris abroad, their cases have been pending clearance for years and they are issued fresh passports with only one year’s validity by the concerned missions. The full validity passport can only be issued after receipt of clearance from Kashmir Home Department. This sometimes creates an anomalous situation as usually permanent resident visas and working permits are issued by foreign companies as well as governments for three years or so. The funny part of the story is that the reports sent by the State Home Ministry state, “Nothing adverse has been reported” against the said person. One wonders how the Intelligence Department comes to this conclusion when the concerned person has been away from Kashmir for years altogether! This is a routine which has got stuck in the bureaucracy for years now and is the biggest annoyance and harassment to Kashmiris working abroad. It might have been better for the government to prepare a black list of the unwanted persons and have the same circulated to all concerned. The list could be periodically up dated. This would save lot of time, money, and above all the hassles which Kashmiris face at present. It is often given out that the Kashmiris are highly alienated. One cannot get the alienation lessened unless these small irritants are removed. In addition to the problems faced by Kashmiris with the State as well as Central Government, they continue to be on the adverse radar of many foreign governments. This becomes evident when a Kashmiri applies for a visa to USA or UK or some other countries. It is reported that some foreign governments have issued instructions to their missions to doubly scrutinise the details of applicants from Kashmir. This is the result of nonstop media hype about cross border terrorism in Kashmir. It is normal for various governments to get suspicious about the antecedents of Kashmiris when their own home country doubts them. This unfortunate attribute of Kashmiris is bound to continue as long as the situation of uncertainty prevails. There is only one escape from this harassment and that is to end the uncertainty. This does not appear to happen in the very near future. Pending this it would greatly ease the position if the concerned authorities could streamline some of their verification procedures. In the present digital age with pupil scanning, finger print reading, and face recognition it should not be difficult to achieve. Only someone at the top needs the political will to do it. Unfortunately this attribute seems in short supply in our part of the world. On the contrary our political leaders themselves have become prisoners of an all powerful security grid and cannot even visit a loo without their clearance. No body from any quarter whether from the mainstream side or otherwise speaks out about these basic day to day problems faced by common people. Ultimately, one can only exclaim, “God help poor Kashmiris!” as they are not ready to help themselves.