Backing tough diplomatic measures, Iltija Mufti seeks relief for Pak women living in Kashmir for decades
New Delhi: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Iltija Mufti on Tuesday condemned the Pahalgam terror attack and took up cudgels on behalf of Pakistani nationals, especially women, in the Valley facing the dilemma of returning to the neighbouring nation after tough diplomatic measures announced by the Indian government.
“There are women who have been married to Kashmiris and settled in the Valley for the past 30-40 years. How can they be expected to return?” said Iltija Mufti while talking to IANS.
Advocating a humanitarian approach towards some categories of Pakistan passport, she said, “I feel some people from Pakistan who have come and have been living for the past 30-40 years have inadvertently got clubbed with others who were intended to be sent back.”
One such woman had been living for the past 50 years, her son died while serving in an Indian security force, and Home Minister Amit Shah also went to her home to pay tribute to him, she said.
Iltija Mufti backed the tough diplomatic measures taken by the Indian government, as the federal government considers them important, but said, “At the same time, looking at things from a humanitarian angle will indicate that they have not been treated fairly.”
Earlier, former Union Minister Farooq Abdullah also highlighted the plight of Kashmiris who are Pakistani nationals but are based in the Valley and sought some relaxation for them as they are facing problems after the Indian government directed them to return.
“These people have been living here for 50 years. Women are married, have children, and now they are being sent to Pakistan. No one is accepting them there either. Pakistan is not accepting them. They are sitting on the border. The border is closed. Now, they are neither here nor there,” said Abdullah.
Urging an early decision on the fate of stranded Pakistanis, he said, “What kind of justice is this? Where will you send them? If Pakistan is not ready to take them, what will they do? Their children are here. They are citizens here. The Prime Minister will have to make a decision on what to do.”
Taking strong measures after the Pahalgam attack, the Indian government banned Pakistani nationals from travelling to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) visas. Any SVES visas issued in the past to Pakistani nationals were also deemed cancelled. All Pakistani nationals present in the country under an SVES visa were told to leave India.