Srinagar, Feb 1 : Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) leader Sheikh Khurshid on Sunday said he has submitted a resolution in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly, seeking citizenship for women who came to the Union territory under the rehabilitation policy for former terrorists.
“I have brought a resolution seeking citizenship and legal status for women and children who returned from Pakistan and settled in Jammu and Kashmir under the Government’s Rehabilitation Policy,” Khurshid, the MLA from Langate, told reporters here.
The Legislative Assembly session will begin on Monday.
The MLA said that despite residing in the Union Territory for many years, many of these families remain without citizenship or legal recognition, leading to the denial of basic rights such as education, healthcare, employment opportunities and identity documents.
“The resolution urges both the J&K Government and the Government of India to grant citizenship or appropriate legal status, issue valid domicile and identity documents, and ensure dignity, security and constitutional safeguards for these individuals,” he added.
A significant number of women from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, who came to Jammu and Kashmir under the rehabilitation policy, are living in north Kashmir’s Bandipora, Baramulla and Kupwara districts.
On other issues, Khurshid said he has sought an all-party meeting to ensure the presence of MLA Doda Mehraj Malik in the assembly during the session. Malik is currently detained under the Public Safety Act.
“The all-party meeting should deliberate on the participation of incarcerated Doda MLA Mehraj Malik in the forthcoming Assembly session by passing a resolution urging the Lieutenant Governor to ensure his presence in the House,” he said.
The MLA Langate also strongly condemned recent attacks on Kashmiris living and working in different parts of the country.
Questioning the silence of the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Khurshid urged him to speak up on these incidents and to take up the matter with Union home minister and home secretary, besides the governors and chief ministers of various states, to ensure the safety and protection of Kashmiris across India.
Khurshid said the assembly should also deliberate on the unilateral dismissal of employees from government service without affording them an opportunity to explain their position.
“It is a blatant violation of principles of natural justice. The House should demand a transparent and fair mechanism allowing affected employees to prove their innocence,” he added.
