SRINAGAR, June 19 (INP): In occupied Kashmir, the wives of former militants (mujahiddeen), who returned to the territory from Azad Jammu and Kashmir under a rehabilitation scheme, staged a protest demonstration in Srinagar, demanding travel documents for their return to their native areas.

According to Kashmir Media Service, around 450 families had returned to occupied Kashmir under the rehabilitation policy announced by the then puppet regime led by Umar Abdullah in 2010 that promised a monthly stipend or honorarium, besides skill development training to the youth who returned. Many youth who had gone to other side of Line of Control got married there but returned along with their wives and children in the wake of rehabilitation policy of 2010.

The wives of many of the surrendered militants staged a demonstration at Press Enclave in Srinagar demanding travel documents for their return to their ancestral areas. They appealed to the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and his Pakistani counterpart, Imran Khan, to take steps to facilitate their return.

A protestor Nadia Yusuf said that she married a man from occupied Kashmir in AJK and came to Srinagar. In occupied Kashmir, we are facing case for crossing illegally through Nepal border while the fact remains that we came here on invitation and under the rehabilitation policy announced by the administration, she said.

“We are today questioned as to why we came to India through Nepal border. We had applied for visa to enter India through Wagah border. But that was not granted. We didn’t come here with gun. We came here after invitation by the government,” Nadia said.

The protesting women said, “We are suffering from depression. In case, government didn’t issue travel documents to us in next one month, we will cross the border in whatever manner we deemed fit.”