Srinagar: A growing number of Kashmiri youth have become victims of a deceitful job racket that lures them with promises of lucrative employment in Saudi Arabia but traps them in exploitative conditions instead, an investigation by news agency KNO has revealed.
Dozens of young men have reported being forced into menial labor for meager wages, bound by harsh two-year contracts that prevent them from returning home. Many now face hunger, depression, and suicidal thoughts.
Local agents, mostly operating from Srinagar and north Kashmir, charge hefty fees while assuring respectable jobs abroad. However, once these youths arrive in Saudi Arabia, the reality is starkly different—low pay, long hours, and broken promises.
A tentative survey found that around 233 Kashmiri youth are currently stuck in exploitative conditions across various Gulf countries. Of them, over 75% earn only 1,100 Saudi Riyals (approximately Rs 25,000) per month—far below what they were promised. Alarmingly, 55% reported receiving no salary at all during the first three months, leaving them financially devastated.
“I gave Rs 70,000 to an agent in Srinagar who promised a job at a zaitoon company,” said Tariq Ahmad, a resident of Arin in Bandipora. “But when I reached Mumbai, I was forced to sign a contract with a lower salary. The agent told me not to worry and to go ahead.”
Now in Saudi Arabia for three months, Tariq says he works 15 hours a day without pay. In a video that went viral on social media, he expressed suicidal thoughts, saying he and his wife might end their lives if the situation doesn’t change. “There’s no money, no help—I’ve lost everything,” he said.
Mustafa, from Baramulla, shared a similar ordeal. “I was promised a respectable job but ended up doing deliveries. I’m now stuck under a two-year contract.”
Imran from Kupwara added: “I was told I’d work in a hotel. Instead, I clean toilets for 14 hours a day. This isn’t what I came here for. I just want to return home.” He emphasized that hundreds of other Kashmiris face similar fates, tricked by false promises of well-paying jobs in golf clubs and other respectable establishments.
“These agents have no mercy,” Imran said. He urged the youth in Kashmir to stay vigilant and avoid falling into such traps. He also appealed to the Jammu & Kashmir Police to investigate the role of fraudulent agents operating in the region.
Back home, families are burdened with debt, having sold assets or taken loans to fund their children’s travel abroad. With no income and little to eat, many of these young men feel hopeless and trapped.
Several Kashmiri youths who returned after enduring similar hardships in Saudi Arabia confirmed the same grim pattern: false promises, unpaid wages, long working hours, and emotional isolation.
“It was a nightmare I wouldn’t wish on anyone,” said a returnee from Pulwama. “What Tariq and others are going through is exactly what we faced.”
Families of those stranded have urged the Ministry of External Affairs, J&K Police, and the Saudi Embassy to act swiftly, investigate the involved agents, and ensure the safe return of those affected.
“A series of awareness campaigns have been launched nationwide to educate people about the dangers of fake job offers,” said Kirti Vardhan Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs. “Over 3,281 illegal agents have been identified on the eMigrate portal as of February 2025.” (KNO)
