Thursday, May 26, 2011

Kashmir's Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy

More than 700 insurgents currently in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) have expressed the desire to return under the state government's surrender and rehabilitation policy. Until now, relatives of more than 700 insurgents have made applications to offices of various superintendents of police in the state. These applications would be forwarded to various intelligence agencies for complete verification. Home Commissioner B.R. Sharma has recently disclosed this, and added that after complete investigation of the applicant, the file might be forwarded to the Federal Home Affairs Ministry and the External Affairs Ministry. After approval of the two ministries, insurgents would be permitted to return.
Initiated Measures
Until now, approximately175 applications have been received. Of these, 20 have been verified at the state level, and their cases forwarded to the central government. After receiving clearance from the central government, these insurgents would be allowed to return. Sharma disclosed that verification of 175 applicants is on, and added that their cases may soon be forwarded to the federal government. From this, it appears that the state government is serious in rehabilitating these insurgent youths, and has initiated measures in this regard. Yet, there is a sterling query that some of these insurgent youths have got married in Muzaffarabad, and also have children. These children should be grown up now. Therefore, what does the government thinks in such cases, and what kind of policy has been formulated in this regard.
Such insurgents may be allowed to bring their families, wife, and children along them, but they would enjoy the position of Pakistani citizens. Their visas would continue to be extended until the time to the Indian Government confers them the right of being Indian citizens. To gain this status, they would have to fulfill certain conditions.
Harsh and Stringent
Youths residing across the border are said to have abandoned guns, and have taken up regular jobs, and their children are studying there. If rules and regulations for their return were harsh and stringent, how would they stage a comeback? If a Kashmiri youth remained unmarried in PoK, he may easily come back, but those having families would it extremely difficult to return. Their relatives here have said that it may prove a hard nut to crack for such people. They said if families of such youths get impeded because of harsh rules, how could they leave their children across the border, and come back?
In fact, they cannot return at all. It is, therefore, necessary that the state government adopt a soft and flexible policy so that these insurgent youths, desirous of return, may come with their families. The government also maintains that the door of return for such youths would remain closed, who are involved in serious cases and are wanted by police. Doors for those insurgent youths would also remain closed against whom adverse remarks are filed by intelligence agencies.

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