Hopes for better life have shattered for the Pakistani brides who returned to Kashmir with their militant husbands under a surrender policy, meant to facilitate homecoming of misguided youth stranded in Pakistan in a bid  to give them a chance to start a life afresh in Valley.

For the last nine years, dozens of brides who came with their husbands from different routes have been left at the God’s mercy with no travel documents to visit their parents and kins across the Line of Control.

“Since we arrived here, we have been continuously protesting. We have met several higher ups. I even met the interlocutor and after listening my plea he said we are illegal immigrants. Illegal immigrants are those who live in hiding. 

They all know how we came here, with whom we came, where we live etc. Plus if there are illegal immigrants they are jailed and deported”, said Zeeba, one of the protesting Pakistani bride living in Kupwara.

Under the rehabilitation policy approved by the the then Omar Abdullah led cabinet on November 22, 2010, the government wanted to facilitate the return of ex-militants who belong to J&K and had crossed over to POK/Pakistan for arms training, but have given up the insurgent activities and are willing to return to the state. 

However, only those militants who have crossed into PoK and Pakistan between January 1, 1989, and December 31, 2009, and their dependents will be eligible for consideration under the policy. Four transit points have been selected where from all former militants permitted to return under the policy would be permitted to enter. These include  Wagah, Attari or through Salamabad or Chakan-da-bagh crossings on the Line of Control or through the Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi. However most of the people who returned, came via Nepal.

HOME COMING

Under the rehabilitation policy approved by the the then Omar Abdullah led cabinet in 2010, the government wanted to facilitate the return of ex-militants and had crossed over to POK/Pakistan for arms training, but have given up the insurgent activities and are willing to return to the state.