By Pravin Kumar
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday terminated three government employees for their alleged involvement in anti-national activities, the orders issued by the General Administration Department said.
The sacked employees—a police constable, a school teacher, and a junior assistant at Government Medical College, Srinagar—were dismissed under Article 311(2)(c) of the Constitution, which permits termination without inquiry in the interest of national security. All three are currently in jail.
The dismissed employees were identified as Malik Ishfaq Naseer, a police constable; Ajaz Ahmed, a teacher in the School Education Department; and Waseem Ahmad Khan, a junior assistant at Government Medical College, Srinagar. They were described as “active terror collaborators” involved in logistics, arms smuggling, and aiding terror operations targeting security forces and civilians, according to a senior security official.
Constable’s Betrayal of Uniform
According to the dossier prepared by the UT administration, Malik Ishfaq Naseer, a police constable since 2007, came under scrutiny in 2021 during an investigation into arms smuggling in the Jammu region. His brother, Malik Asif, a Pakistan-trained LeT terrorist killed in 2018, had drawn suspicion to Naseer’s activities. Despite his role in the police, Naseer allegedly supported LeT by identifying safe drop locations for arms, explosives, and narcotics, sharing GPS coordinates with Pakistani handlers, and distributing consignments to active terrorists. “He betrayed his oath and uniform, causing grave damage to the department and the nation,” the dossier said.
Teacher’s Role in Arms Smuggling
Ajaz Ahmed, employed in the Education Department since 2011, was arrested in November 2023 during a routine police check in Poonch. He was found smuggling arms, ammunition, and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen propaganda material for militants in Kashmir, directed by his Pakistan-based handler, Abid Ramzan Sheikh. Ahmed had been a trusted associate of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen for years, aiding in the smuggling of arms and narcotics, the dossier noted.
Junior Assistant Linked to Journalist’s Assassination
Waseem Ahmad Khan, a junior assistant at Government Medical College, Srinagar since 2007, was allegedly involved in the 2018 assassination of journalist Shujaat Bukhari and his security personnel. Linked to both LeT and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Khan reportedly provided logistical support and assisted the terrorists’ escape after the attack. He was arrested in August 2018 during a probe into a terror attack in Srinagar’s Batmaloo area.
LG’s Crackdown on Terror Ecosystem
Since taking office in August 2020, LG Sinha has prioritized dismantling the terror infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir. Over 75 government employees with terror links have been dismissed to date. The administration has intensified efforts to target terrorists, their overground workers (OGWs), and sympathizers within government institutions. Enhanced vetting processes, including mandatory police verification for recruits, have reduced internal sabotage risks, officials said. “The LG’s multi-pronged strategy has significantly weakened terror networks in the Union Territory,” a senior official noted.
This latest action underscores the administration’s resolve to eliminate terror enablers embedded in public institutions, ensuring a robust response to threats against national security.
