By Fiza Khan

People often turn to pirs when life feels overwhelming in Kashmir.

Family struggles, heartbreak, or personal challenges lead many to seek guidance, hoping that advice from these spiritual figures will offer solutions or comfort.

Faith has long driven life in the valley, providing direction and hope while connecting communities.

Many pirs genuinely help their followers, offering guidance that encourages ethical living.

Trouble arises when trust becomes unquestioning, and followers stop seeing their guide as a human being capable of mistakes.

Some pirs exploit that trust, and the consequences are often devastating.

Girls and boys seeking help sometimes encounter manipulation disguised as spiritual healing.

Vulnerability, emotional strain, or lack of awareness can make it difficult to recognize the harm until it is too late.

Victims have been asked to share private content or spend nights under claims of spiritual necessity, and these acts can erode personal boundaries without the victim realizing it.

Exploitation develops slowly, beginning........

© Kashmir Observer