‘145 militants active in the state’
Srinagar, June 21 : The government Tuesday said 4587 youth had crossed the Line of Control for arms training and among them only 489 youth, due to change of heart, alongwith their families have returned through Nepal border from year 2003 rehabilitation policy.
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said that 15 youth have returned since January, 2015 under the policy.
While replying to the written question, Mehbooba, who holds the Home department portfolio, in Lower House said that the government has sanctioned a policy and procedure for rehabilitation of misguided youth, who have crossed to PoK/Pak but have given up insurgent activities due to change of heart and are willing to return to the State.
The question was asked by former chief minister Omar Abdullah, who is legislator of Beerwah Assembly segment. The policy was started in the tenure of Omar when he headed the National Conference-Congress coalition from 2008-2014.
Though the chief minister said that Nepal is not the approved route for return of the youth, despite four routes have been recognized under the policy.
On the steps taken for facilitating return of the youth through Nepal route, Mehbooba said the Ministry of Home Affairs has asked for comments from the state government on the inclusion of Nepal route as an “additional entry policy”.
“The State Government has recently forwarded its comments to the Ministry of Home Affairs,” the chief minister said.
Meanwhile, in another written question of BJP MLA, Rajesh Gupta, about the number of militants who are active in the state, the chief minister said that 145 militants are active in the state. “Of them 91 are locals and 54 foreigners,” Mehbooba said. (KNS)