Srinagar: Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, a senior leader of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, has voiced significant concerns about the increasing prevalence of online gambling among the youth in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Addressing attendees during a Friday sermon at the Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, he highlighted the adverse impacts of gambling, which is often masked as sports activities, on the local population, particularly young individuals.

According to Kashmir Media Service, Mirwaiz described the troubling trend as a new societal menace, compounding the existing challenges posed by drug addiction. He detailed the devastating consequences faced by families, who are compelled to sell their assets to offset the debts incurred through gambling, with many young people having lost substantial sums of money. This trend has not only placed financial strains on families but also inflicted severe emotional distress.

Mirwaiz emphasized that gambling contradicts Islamic teachings, which strictly prohibit such activities due to their potential to foster greed and social decay. He pointed out the broader social costs, including the erosion of the community’s moral and spiritual fabric.

Highlighting the need for preventive measures, Mirwaiz called on authorities to emulate the actions of several Indian states such as Telangana, Assam, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, and Nagaland, all of which have implemented bans on gambling apps. He stressed the importance of providing meaningful opportunities for the youth, to divert them from engaging in financially and morally destructive behaviors.