Wives of ex-militants protest in Srinagar

Srinagar: The Pakistani wives of many former militants who returned to Kashmir under the state government’s rehabilitation policy staged a protest in Kashmir capital Srinagar.

The protesting wives of former militants alleged that the government has done nothing to help their families.

Scores of women who came to the Valley along with their husbands who had gone across the border to obtain weapons training but returned home in response to the rehabilitation policy for former militants announced by the state government under the then Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, gathered at the Press Enclave in Srinagar threatening of agitation if their demands were not met.

“Allow us to return to Pakistan or provide us the needed facilities to settle along with our husbands and children in Kashmir. We have no identity, no ration cards and Adhaar cards,” said a Pakistani woman, Saba Fayaz who hails from Rawalpindi and is married in Baramalla.

They alleged that the state government was not issuing them travel documents to return to Pakistan.

Kubra Geelani, who has been divorced by her husband pleaded before authorities to allow her to go hometown Muzaffarabad. “I was stopped at Wagha Border and was not allowed to proceed towards my home,” she said.

The protests occurred a day before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to Kashmir.

The fate of dozens of such families hangs in balance since they have scant means of livelihood and even social acceptability. (CNS)