Former chief minister Farooq Abdullah on Thursday said that 15,000 youths in Jammu and Kashmir were working for the Intelligence Bureau to spy on the people.

Farooq, the National Conference president who heads the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration that is fighting for the restoration of special status under Article 370, urged the people to pray for Pakistan, apparently suggesting an unstable neighbour was not good for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

The three-time chief minister, who headed the all-powerful unified command of security forces in Jammu and Kashmir during his tenure, said many local Muslims had turned into agents of the BJP-led government at the Centre.

“You do not know who is with them (the dispensation) and who is with us. You get scared,” Farooq told a gathering in south Kashmir’s Shopian.

“Today, the IB (Intelligence Bureau) gives money to our children. They have trained 15,000 youths. They (youths) take money from them (IB) every month. They do not know that they (security establishment) will kill them tomorrow, the way theykill others.”

Farooq said the youths had been given mobile phones so they can tip off the security establishment about the activities of others.

“They think it will always be like this. They are giving mobiles to inform them about what is happening where. You please keep a watch over your kids,” he said.

The central and state intelligence agencies are believed to have a strong network of “agents” or “informers” in Kashmir but their numbers are not known. Kashmiri politicians rarely target these agencies in public for fear of being hounded.

When reporters asked him whether his claim was true, Farooq said: “Is it not true? (Many of) our youths are sold out. (Even) our big leaders are sold out, why talk about small kids? They are those who sing praises for other parties. Till yesterday, they were with Pakistan. How did they become Indians?”

Farooq appeared to be referring to political parties that are friendly with the BJP.

During his speech earlier, Farooq said: “Look at the situation in Pakistan. You do not know whether that country will survive or not. Their economy is in a mess. They face deluge after deluge. Pray to God to have mercy on that country. The stronger they are, the better we are.”

BJP leader Kavinder Gupta accused Farooq of making irresponsible statements. “Farooq Abdullah Sahab, you have headed the unified command as chief minister. Were you doing the same (recruiting youths as informers)?” he said.