Five young men from the Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir have died in a road accident in Kuwait. The victims, identified as Fareed Ahmed, Sarfaraz Ahmad, Mohd Khalid, Mukhtar Ahmed, and a youth from Thanamandi, were killed when two vehicles collided on a Kuwaiti highway.
The men, hailing from the villages of Bachanwali, Shiendra, and Thanamandi, had moved abroad to seek better opportunities for their families. The news has caused widespread grief across the region, with public representatives, social organisations, and residents expressing their condolences.
Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has appealed to the Ministry of External Affairs to facilitate the repatriation of the bodies so that the families can bid a final farewell to their loved ones. One other person who was travelling with the group remains in critical condition in Kuwait.
Javed Rana, a minister in Omar Abdullah's cabinet, said, "Our hearts are with the families, and we hope for the swift repatriation of the remains." He added that the lives of these young men serve as a reminder of the risks taken by migrant workers.
The tragedy comes as thousands of students who typically visit Iran for education and cultural ties face disruptions to their studies and livelihoods due to the ongoing conflict. Following regional instability, about 1,100 students have returned home.
The situation remains tense in the Middle East even after US President Trump announced a two-week ceasefire on 7 April. The US President described Iran's ten-point proposals as a "working basis" for negotiations and cited Tehran's readiness to open the Strait of Hormuz. Both sides are scheduled to hold talks in Islamabad on 10 April.
