MUZAFFARABAD: Displaced persons from Indian-occupied Kashmir staged a protest sit-in at Azadi Chowk in Muzaffarabad, demanding immediate resolution of their long-pending issues related to resettlement, employment, and financial support.
The protesters said that the rehabilitation of Kashmir migrants who arrived in 1989 has yet to be completed, despite the passage of more than three decades. They urged the Government of Pakistan to take serious notice of their grievances.
The demonstrators demanded the restoration of a 6 percent quota for migrants in government jobs and educational institutions, stating that its withdrawal has adversely affected the future of thousands of displaced families.
They also called for an increase in the subsistence allowance, saying that rising inflation has made it impossible for migrant families to meet basic living expenses. According to the protesters, the current allowance is insufficient to cope with present economic conditions.
Addressing the sit-in, participants appealed to the Prime Minister of Pakistan and the Field Marshal to play an active role in resolving the problems of Kashmiri migrants, who they said have been living under severe hardships for the past 36 years.
The protesters further demanded that a formal notification addressing their issues be issued on the occasion of Kashmir Solidarity Day, reaffirming the state’s commitment to the welfare of displaced Kashmiris.
