SRINAGAR — Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr Moulvi Muhammad Umar Farooq on Saturday said Kashmiri Pandits are “our own people” and an “integral part” of Kashmir’s culture, history and future, while condemning threats against them.
Speaking with reporters, Mirwaiz, as reported by the news agency KNO, said efforts should continue for the return of Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley.
“Kashmiri Pandits are not outsiders; they are our own people. They are a part of our culture, our history and even our future,” he said, adding that he hoped the government would also continue its efforts in this regard.
It is in place to mention here that threat letters allegedly targeting Kashmiri Pandit government employees in Jammu and Kashmir surfaced online on August 7, 2026 and August 23, 2026. The letter was attributed to the United Liberation Council (ULC), a group security agencies are examining for possible links to Lashkar-e-Taiba. However, the authenticity of the letter had not been verified by police or security agencies.
The first letter targeted Kashmiri Pandit employees working in the Valley and the second letter reportedly included names, addresses and vehicle numbers of some employees. The employees work under the Prime Minister’s employment package for Kashmiri migrants.
Following the threats, their forum sought enhanced security from the Jammu and Kashmir administration and have pressed for complete work-from-home provision for minority employees across the Kashmir Valley.
The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah termed fresh threats to Kashmiri Pandit employees “highly concerning” and directed security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation to trace the source of the intimidation.