Internet gag: Kashmir’s International job consultants in a ‘big trouble’

‘Internet suspension not only restricts the work of local job consultants but results in major blow to their business’

5 Dariya News

Srinagar 20-Sep-2019

Due to the ongoing internet and cellular clampdown, the valley based international job consultants are moving from the pillar to post in order to avail the internet facilities so that they can proceed with the job application process for the job aspiring youth of the valley.According to wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the suspension of the internet and cellular mobile services have choked the business of the local and overseas job consultants operating in the valley. As the employment sector in the valley continues to face one of the worst times in the history of three decades long turmoil right after the revocation of the Article 370 and the bifurcation of the erstwhile J&K state into two Union Territories (UT’s).The internet service plays an important role in the overall recruitment process of the candidates starting right from the job application till the company reverts back with an offer letter and visa copy. The whole process is initiated online starting from reception of requirements on WhatsApp or Email, interviewing via Skype or IMO, and then the reception of Job Offer from the company, even though the visa process is tracked online against the every single candidate.Ayaaz Ahmed, manager at an overseas job consultancy services based in Srinagar told KNO, “I have lost many visas of my candidates due to the sudden communication gag and even many of my selected candidates got rejected only because of being out of reach. The estimated losses are huge and are still counting.”He told the wire service KNO that the entire business depends upon the communication telephony in general and internet in particular as without these sources it’s impossible to operate.He further told KNO, “I basically work for the betterment of our youth who are desperately looking for overseas job opportunities and I act like a bridge between the candidate and the company. It always gives me an immense pleasure to lend them a helping hand in order to brighten their future.”Majid Nazir, another overseas job consultant told the wire service—KNO,” The principle rule of our business is connectivity and contacts and when one of them is missing we fail at large. Due to the prevailing uncertainty apart from monetary losses we face huge drop of our overseas clients.”He told the KNO that the prevailing uneasy calm have compelled the youth to flee from the Kashmir region for availing the best opportunity and secure future.He further told KNO, “During the time of imposed restrictions a batch of twelve candidates were dropped by the company and all the issued visas were cancelled on the grounds of ‘no communication’. The current uncertainty which seems no end is continuously snatching the jobs of our youth giving rise to unemployment in the region. “