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| Many hurdles in rehabilitation policy | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Jan 22: About 70 people in Jammu and Kashmir have filed applications with the police seeking Government intervention so that their wards, who had crossed over the Pakistan for arms training and were keen to join the mainstream, could return to their motherland under the rehabilitation scheme framed by the state Government. In fact under the existing law those residents of Jammu and Kashmir who had crossed over to Pakistan and occupied Kashmir since 1990 for arms training and were keen to return to their homes in various districts of the state could be rehabilitated. Reports said that between 3,000 and 4,000 boys belonging to various districts of Jammu and Kashmir, especially the districts of Kupwara, Baramulla, Bandipore, Anantnag, Srinagar, Rajouri, Doda, Poonch, Kishtwar, had gone to Pakistan and occupied Kashmir for receiving arms training in camps set up by the Army and the ISI at about 42 places in Pakistan and occupied Kashmir.
After receiving training in the handling of different types of weapons they were supposed to cross back into Jammu and Kashmir for joining Jehad for liberation of Jammu and Kashmir. However, over the years these boys either could not infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir or witnessed a change in heart after they decided to shun gun culture. The result was that majority of them have succeeded in eking out their living from opening wayside tea stalls and while working as labourers. These very boys have conveyed to their parents their desire to return to Jammu and Kashmir. They had conveyed to their parents their keen desire to lead a normal life after shunning the gun culture. Their parents have approached former Chief Minister, Mufti Mohd. Sayeed, who discussed the issue with the Government of India during the time headed the Government in Jammu and Kashmir. After scores of parents met the Mufti and showed him letters they had received from their wards in Pakistan and occupied Kashmir desiring to live in peace once they were allowed to return to their parent state the Mufti has been clamouring for implementing the policy on rehabilitation of those Kashmir militants who had crossed over to Pakistan and occupied Kashmir and were keen to return after bidding farewell to weapons.
Under the rehabilitation policy those boys from Jammu and Kashmir who had been staying in Pakistan and occupied Kashmir since they crossed over the border in 1989-90 who wanted to return to Jammu and Kashmir were supposed to apply to police heads in the districts they belonged to. The police is supposed to scrutinise each case and submit its report to Department of Home. Once the clearance was given these boys would be allowed to return to India via the Wagah border and from the Muzaffarabad-Srinagar route and by air also.
There are a number of hurdles one has to cross before one finds his child back in Jammu and Kashmir. Even after the police clearance and the nod from the Department of Home the ultimate decision has to be taken by New Delhi and Islamabad. Will Islamabad allow these boys to return to Jammu and Kashmir ?If Islamabad permits these 3,000 boys to return to Jammu and Kashmir it will confirm reports that boys from the Indian state were lured to arms training camps set up in Pakistan and occupied Kashmir. It will mean that the militancy related violence that has gripped Jammu and Kashmir since 1989 has been sponsored by Pakistan. If Pakistan does not allow these boys to return to Jammu and Kashmir they could be used by India as a showcase for convincing the world about Pakistan's hand in the turmoil in Jammu and Kashmir. Another hurdle is constitutional in nature. Most of these 3,000 boys have married non-Kashmiri women in Pakistan and occupied Kashmir. They have children. Will the state constitution allow the boys to bring their wives and children alongwith them when they are allowed to return to Jammu an Kashmir? Once these boys are allowed to bring their families alongwith them will their wives and children be entitled to become the residents of the state of Jammu and Kashmir ?These questions have to be cleared before the state Government starts implementing the rehabilitation policy that was framed in November last year. No doubt under rules these boys have to attend the counselling centres for three months before they are allowed to rejoin their parents what guarantee the Government has that some of the boys may not rejoin their parents militant outfits and create added security problems. There are others who fear that these boys may be allowed to return by Pakistan so that what could not be achieved through infiltration was achieved under the rehabilitation policy. |
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