PDP MLA Waheed Para Calls for Urgent Action as Cancer Deaths in J&K Outpace Conflict Toll

SRINAGAR, January 21, 2026 :- Waheed Para, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) MLA from Pulwama, has sparked a critical conversation regarding the healthcare crisis in Jammu and Kashmir, stating that cancer is now a far more lethal threat than the region’s long-standing conflict.

In a poignant post on X (formerly Twitter), Para highlighted a startling statistical disparity: while the conflict has tragically claimed approximately 67,000 lives over the span of 30 years, cancer has resulted in the same number of fatalities—67,000—in just the last five years.

Terming this an “invisible battle,” the legislator emphasized that the sheer scale of the mortality rate represents a profound health and governance crisis that demands immediate intervention from the state leadership.

The MLA further shed light on the economic devastation faced by families struggling with the disease, noting that many, particularly the impoverished, are forced to sell their land and essential assets to afford specialized treatment outside the Kashmir Valley.

This migration for medical care is driven by local hospitals that are either overwhelmed by the volume of patients or lack the necessary technological capacity to provide advanced oncology services.

Directly tagging the Chief Minister’s Office, Para urged the government to prioritize the expansion of healthcare infrastructure and address the systemic gaps that leave vulnerable residents without adequate support, asserting that the rising tide of cancer is a crisis that can no longer be ignored.