23, Aug 2012: Concentration of Indian troops, presence of Indian labourers, long distance truck drivers and foreign tourists have added an alarming dimension to the territory’s vulnerability to the deadly HIV virus.
 A local English daily citing an official survey revealed, “The Kashmir valley has started witnessing a surge in the drug abuse and HIV positive cases. There has to be a major check on the deadly virus.” The report of the survey conducted by the AIDS Control Society of Kashmir said the number of HIV positive cases was 110 in 2007, 404 in 2008 and 501 in 2009.
HIV or Human Immunodeficiency Virus causes AIDS – a condition in which failure of immune system in human body leads to life-threatenin g infections. Some of the factors making occupied Kashmir vulnerable to HIV include, presence of long distance truck drivers, high penetration of migrant labourers, high concentration of Indian forces, large population of youth and foreign tourists, the study revealed. The project director of AIDS Control Society, Dr Rakesh Khajuria, in a media interview said there were 2,573 AIDS patients in occupied Kashmir — 2,139 in Jammu division and 434 in Kashmir, including Ladakh region. Those tested positive in Kashmir include 40 women and 15 children