Video | Pakistani wives of ex-Kashmiri militants protest in Srinagar, demand travel document

Srinagar, Jun 15 : Pakistani wives of surrendered Kashmiri militants, who came here under J&K’ government’s rehabilitation policy via Nepal, on Monday protested in this summer capital, demanding travel document to visit their home country.

Scores of these protesters assembled at Press Enclave in the city and appealed to the central and state governments that they be either granted Indian citizenship, travel papers or deported.

Hundreds of Kashmiri men, who went to Pakistan Administrate Kashmir (PaK) for arms training in the first two decades of the militancy, came back with wives and children after the then Omar Abdullah government introduced a “rehabilitation scheme” in 2010. The policy was for those youth who had crossed over to the other side of the Line of Control (LoC) between 1989 and 2009.

“Their dependents will be eligible for consideration under the policy,” the government had promised. It was silent on the question of citizenship for these dependents.

However, the wives of the surrendered militants alleged that the promises which were made to them have not been fulfilled. The protestors demanded that they would either be given citizenship or given papers so that they can go back to their home country. “Out of the 350 women, who came here under the policy, about 50 have already been widowed or divorced and are stuck in Kashmir without any support,” they alleged.

They said they have been protesting from last so many years but no one is bothered about their demands. (Agencies)