No cases of threat to Kashmiri Pandits in Valley: J&K Govt.

Jammu and Kashmir [India], August 1 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Government has informed that no cases of threat to Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley have been reported. Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir said in the Lok Sabha today, that the State Government has also allotted flats to thirty one Kashmiri Pandit families, who did not leave the valley during the exodus of 1990s. "These flats were constructed under the Scheme approved in 2008 by the Government of India for rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants," he said. The written statement further said that the Indian Government has sanctioned a scheme on December 4, 2015, providing 3000 additional State Government jobs to Kashmiri migrants and construction of 6000 transit accommodations in the Kashmir valley. "The Kashmiri Pandit families who did not leave the Kashmir valley during the terrorist violence at J&K in early 1990s and who are still residing in the Kashmir valley are also eligible for the benefits under the scheme," said Ahir. Due to onset of militancy in the State of Jammu and Kashmir during early 1990s, most of the Kashmiri Pandit families along with some other families migrated from Kashmir valley to Jammu, Delhi and other parts of the country. At present, there are about 62,000 registered Kashmiri migrant families in the country. Almost 700 Kashmiri Pandits are said to have been murdered during the violence of 1989-1990, out of which 215 FIRs have been lodged till now, but not a single case has reached to their logical conclusion. Earlier in July the Supreme Court refused to entertain a plea seeking re-investigation and prosecution of persons, including separatist leaders Yasin Malik and Bitta Karate, in connection with killing of the 700 Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley.(ANI)