PoJK refugees stage protest in support of their demands in Jammu

Jammu: A group of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) refugees on Tuesday staged a demonstration here in support of their demands, including financial assistance of Rs 24.50 lakh per family.

The Centre has approved a package of Rs 2,000 crore for the 36,384 displaced families from PoJK on December 20, 2016, under the Prime Minister’s Development Package.

In the aftermath of the country’s partition in 1947, thousands of families from Pakistan occupied areas of Jammu and Kashmir migrated and settled in various parts of Jammu.

Subsequently, during the India-Pakistan wars of 1965 and 1971, a large number of families were displaced from the Chhamb Niabat area of Jammu and Kashmir.

“We are still waiting for a permanent settlement and want the government to implement the recommendations of a joint parliamentary committee which had recommended Rs 30 lakh for our rehabilitation,” a spokesperson of the refugees union said.

He said the Central government had sanctioned a package of Rs 2,000 crore for them in 2016 but the process is going on at a snail’s pace and is yet to be complete even after five years.

“We want the government to implement the recommendations of the joint parliamentary committee and release the pending Rs 24.50 lakh per family immediately,” he said.

He said they are on the roads to seek justice as they have fled their homes without taking any belongings.

“We need political and job reservation for our community. We want reservation in educational institutions for our children and also land for our permanent settlement,” the spokesperson said.