'No ex-militant has returned from Pakistan'

Over two years after giving an assurance for rehabilitation of "misguided Kashmiri youth'' staying at arms training camps in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), who wish to leave the gun and return home in the Valley to lead a peaceful life, Omar Abdullah government has said that none of those returning from across the border after the announcement of state's rehabilitation policy for them qualify for assistance from his government.

In the first ever official statement on the issue, which came in written reply to an un-starred question by Prof Chaman Lal Gupta (BJP), it said that "241 ex-militants have "illegally returned" to the state from Nepal or other routes. A number of these former militants have brought along with them their families including minor children.

To enable misguided Kashmiri youth return home from arms training camps in Pakistan and PoK, the Jammu Kashmir government had in 2010 announced a policy for their return and rehabilitation provided they wanted to leave the gun and leave a peaceful life back at home. For the purpose, it had identified three routes – Uri-Muzaffrabad road, Poonch-Rawalakot road, international border at Wagah and Indira Gandhi International Airport , New Delhi . The policy covers only ex-militants from state who had gone across the border for arms training between January 1, 1989 to December 31, 2009.

Under the scheme, the misguided Kashmiri youth staying across the border has to submit an application to the district police chief concerned either personally or through his family members expressing his desire to return home. The applicant's written request, if allowed after screening of his antecedents by both the state and Central agencies, has to return to the state through any of the four identified routes.

However, none of the former militant returning home after the announcement of this policy has returned to the state through the identified route and after adopting the duly prescribed procedure. "No ex-militant has returned from Pakistan/PoK to the State through the identified routes under the Policy and Procedure for return of ex-militants to Jammu and Kashmir State ", government said in written statement placed on floor of the State Legislative Assembly today.

... contd.

ALSO READ

Targeting hardliners, Omar Abdullah wants Kashmiris to ignore election boycott calls

Manhunt launched to nab anti-national graffiti suspects in Kashmir

Kashmir: Strike against spurious drug trade evokes little response

Kashmir has become hub of sub-standard medicines: Darakshan Andrabi