Srinagar, Feb 2: Pakistani wives of former militants, who came to Jammu and Kashmir with their husbands under the rehabilitation policy, Saturday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan for travel documents to return home.
They claimed that they have not been provided the permanent resident certificates as promised.
In 2010, NC vice-president and then chief minister Omar Abdullah had announced a rehabilitation policy for the youths of Jammu and Kashmir who had gone across the LoC for arms training but had renounced militancy and wanted to return home to lead a normal life.
Seeking personal intervention of Prime Minister Narender Modi and Prime Minister Imran Khan they said that their identity is at stake.
“Our identity has been snatched. A person is known by his identity. A person without identity is nothing. The authorities have been saying that we are illegal occupants, hence have registered FIRs against us .They should be withdraw them at an earliest,” said one the protesting women.
Expressing sympathy with Kubra Gillani, a native of Muzaffarabad, they said that she has not been able to return Pakistan since 2018.
“I am a divorce, came here in 2014 along with my ex-husband, who hails from Anantnag. We got separated in 2018, since then, i am not able to return.
Presently, i am staying at Sopore with a Kashmiri family. I was sent back as I could not produce the necessary documents,”she said.
I couldn’t take part in the last rites of my father and sister. Both the governments should ensure hassle free travel, “she added.“We didn’t come on our own but were invited by the central and state government. It was former chief minister Omar Abdullah, who announced the policy in 2010.Nothing was done with regard to our rehabilitation. The policy is nowhere on the ground, “said Asiya Hassan Baba with tears rolling down from her eyes.
“We have many issues. We feel as if we have been caged. We have been deprived from everything, from identity card to PRC. We even have been deprived form passport. The government is bound to provide us everything, it is providing to other inhabitants,”added Baba.
They said that they have every right to live with honor and dignity, adding that the love for the motherland forced their husbands to return.
“Our husbands were affected by militancy. We decided to return as we were sure that we won’t be harassed. Sine our return, we have been struggling for even basic amenities. We left the comforts and came here. We never knew that we would have to face government apathy,”said Jameela Akhter.
They said that the Indian government should provide them travel documents including passport. “It should also provide us domicile rights so that we don’t have to face hardships. The irony is that we are not able to get a simple SIM card as we have no identity cards. One needs travel documents for travel that too when visiting another country,”said Haleema Bano.
They said that it is the responsibility of every responsible government to provide basic rights to its people.
“Around 500 of us came here without bothering about our loved ones. Among us many have not visited Pakistan for the last ten years, not only this, there are several who could not even take part in the last rites of their loved ones,” said Afroza Akhter.
