THE Centre is willing to grant amnesty to Kashmiri militants in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) who want to denounce militancy and join the mainstream, said Home Minister Shri P Chidambaram.
“The idea of granting amnesty to Kashmiri youth in PoK has been accepted. The idea must be translated into action,” Shri Chidambaram told reporters. The Home Minister said that the government will hold consultation with various political parties about the return of the militants.
“Those Indians who had crossed over to PoK and now wish to return to India are certainly welcome,” Shri Chidambaram said. He was responding to Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Shri Omar Abdullah’s proposal to formulate a new surrender and rehabilitation policy for such youths.
Shri Abdullah had said: “To encourage more militants to return to the state and manage their transition to civilian life, a new surrender and rehabilitation policy of militants is under consideration of my government.”
After a meeting of the Union Cabinet, Shri Chidambaram said: “PoK is actually an Indian territory and we should facilitate their (the youths to had turned to militancy) return.”
The formulation of the surrender policy for nearly 800 youths willing to return from PoK and join the mainstream came after several feelers were received by the State government about their pathetic condition.
(Courtesy: Agencies)
