Take action against online gambling, says Mirwaiz

Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Monday appealed to the judiciary to impose a ban on “online gambling,” which he stated is “destroying society and corroding our moral fabric.”

Mirwaiz observed that a new menace “has overtaken us, and we are witnessing its growing grip on society.”

“As destructive as substance abuse, which we are already battling, online gambling is luring thousands into addiction as entertainment, destroying them and their families, and corroding our moral fabric,” he asserted.

Stating that “it demands our immediate attention,” Mirwaiz emphasised, “the government must act on it; it’s their duty.”

“Development is not merely the economic upliftment of people or building infrastructure for them while they are morally and spiritually lowered and lost. That defies its purpose,” he said.

He added that comprehensive plans and actions need to be implemented to ensure these serious concerns are addressed urgently. “At the community and social level, people also have to be proactive in dealing with this. All cannot be left to the government,” he noted.

Umar said religious scholars have a key role to play in creating moral awareness about these issues in the light of religious teachings and values, and in disseminating the message among people through all available mediums.