National News

ISLAMABAD, (APP): The Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation
Front, Muhammad Yasin Malik has opposed the construction of composite townships for Kashmiri Pandits terming them as `townships of hatred.’
He said this while addressing a one-day conference on “Displacement and
Return of Kashmiri Pandits” which was held in Srinagar.
People from all walks of life attended the event.
The conference was organized by Youth Council and saw the
participation of several religious and political leaders including Muhammad Yasin Malik, who addressed the function as chief guest, kashmir Media service reported.
Speaking on the occasion, Muhammad Yasin Malik said Kashmiri Pandits
have every right to return to their ancestral land.
“Pandits form an integral part and parcel of Kashmir. Every pro-freedom
leader including Syed Ali Gilani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq have appealed them to return home,” he added.
“Pandits have business establishments even in the city centre and
Muslims are their customers. Will you (the administration) shift them in these townships, which in essence will be a ghetto,” he said.
APHC leader Javaid Ahmad Mir on the occasion said, creating separate
townships for Pandits is inspired by Israeli tactics in Palestine and labelled it as part of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)’s plan to create communal divide in Kashmir.
Renowned Educationist N B Vishan, Social Activist Rajiv Vora, and
Pandith Shukla participated in the programme.
Head of All Sikh Coordination Committee Jagmohan Singh Raina in his
address condemned India and its allies in the territory for conspiring to
establish sainik colonies and satellite colonies for Kashmiri Pandits. He said this was being done to harm traditional harmony between different religious communities.
Pandith Shukla said that Kashmiris knew the motives behind these
policies and accused India of creating confusion among people by talking about these colonies repeatedly.
Eminent educationist Prof CL Vishen said, “We reject the idea of
creating separate colonies for Pandits. Co-existence is Kashmir’s culture. We want to coexist with all types of people like we used to before the
migration.” The 82-year-old Vishen never left Kashmir and served in the
education sector.