Srinagar,August 27(Scoop News)- Terming the much touted about Rehabilitation Policy for the former militants as hoax, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti has said not coming up to the promises made to those who had returned from Pakistan, bracing unimaginable hardships and other pressures, has once again exposed the insensitivity of the rulers when it comes to dealing with the affairs of the state.
Speaking at a public gathering at Tral, she said backtracking on the promises made to the ex-militants is very unfortunate. She also said the acute development deficit faced by Tral needed a special focus and the PDP on the first opportunity would try to develop it as a model of planned development.
Mehbooba said the government has turned a blind eye to a serious humanitarian issue- the education and social rights of their children and spouses. They had crossed the LoC as young people, but are returning with their large families; risking their lives during their journey from Pakistan to Kashmir, but have been left high and dry. The former militants face economic insecurity, are jobless and their children and spouses face an identity crisis, because of the insensitive dispensation, she said. In the given situation their children face a dark future, as no school or college here is ready to lend them admissions, and the rulers have forgotten them completely. “What was the fun of bringing them from fire pan and putting them on fire?” she questioned and added if they are now returning back to Pakistan it should not surprise anybody. The government should take immediate steps for their honorable rehabilitation in the state, so that they could live a dignified life along with their families, she demanded.
Mehbooba said the half baked policy was rushed through only to score propaganda points. It is time that it is amended and the entry is allowed through local routes which has emerged as the central idea for the peace and resolution process, she added.
Mehbooba said, though, the entire state is facing the huge development freeze over last five years of now, but Tral has been among the worst hit areas. Given the topography of Tral, it offers a huge potential for tourism, livestock, horticulture and agriculture, but has unfortunately remained untapped, so for. The area, besides very close to the Srinagar-Jammu national highway and in proximity with Srinagar, has been completely ignored by the government, but PDP has a complete road map and vision for its development, she said. The bad condition of two roads: Nawdal and Dadsara, connecting Tral with rest of state, speak volumes about how the area has been overlooked into.
Demanding proper relief and rehabilitation of the cloudburst hit Zowistan village she said the government help has remained confined to lip service. She visited the area and took stock of the devastation caused by the cloudburst.
The MLAs Mohammad Rafi Mir of Pahalgam and Mushtaq Ahmed Shah and Dr Shanti Singh also addressed the meeting and accompanied Mehbooba on her visit to Zowistan.
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