‘Door to hope opened for us after decades’
Srinagar, Mar 15: After years of uncertainty and loss, Ashiq Hussain Naik and his family of Anantnag finally saw a ray of hope today as Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha handed him an appointment letter under the Compassionate Appointment Rules at Lok Bhavan Auditorium.
The gesture recognizes the family’s long struggle and gives them a chance to rebuild their lives with dignity.
The family said that for decades they felt invisible and forgotten and that receiving this letter is more than a job and it is a message that their pain and sacrifices are acknowledged.
“For years, nobody asked about us. We felt invisible, abandoned and unheard,” Ashiq told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), his voice quivering as he spoke on the sidelines after receiving the appointment letter.
“We went from office to office, hoping someone would listen. We knocked on doors, wrote letters and yet our pain was ignored. Today, our story finally matters.”
Holding the appointment letter close, Ashiq described it as “more than just employment.”
He reflected on the emotional toll of the long wait: “There were nights we didn’t know how to face tomorrow. We lost trust in a system that seemed to forget us. Today, receiving this letter feels like someone finally saw us, heard us and respected our struggle.”
“This letter is not just a piece of paper,” he added. “It carries the weight of our dreams, our grief and our patience. It says to us: your pain matters, your struggle is recognized, your family is not forgotten.”
Recalling the moment he shook hands with the LG, Ashiq said: “He looked in our eyes and that simple gesture gave us courage. We felt that the government cares, that someone is walking with us on this path to rebuild our lives.” (KNO)
