NEW DELHI: Pakeeza Riyaz was still a minor when her father Riyaz Ahmad was abducted by terrorists in Anantnag and tortured to death in 1999. Her mother, unable to cope with the emotional and financial stress caused by loss of the family’s sole breadwinner, remarried. Pakeeza was taken in by her grandparents who raised her despite their advancing age. On Saturday, Pakeeza’s fortunes finally turned, thanks to J&K administration’s decision to rehabilitate her with a govt job. Fozy Jan suffered similarly at the hands of terrorists when they forcibly entered her home in Qazigund, Anantnag in the year 2000 and took away her father and grandfather, only to kill them mercilessly shortly after. The loss of the two primary earning members pushed the family into a financial crisis. Twenty-five years later, she got closure with a govt job offer. Pakeeza and Fozy are two among the 39 next of kin of terror victims from Kashmir division of J&K, to be handed over appointment letters by J&K LG Manoj Sinha, ending their families’ wait of more than two decades to be recognised and rehabilitated. Sinha said the move is part of the J&K administration’s resolve to deliver justice, jobs and dignity to families torn apart as terrorists tortured and killed their loved ones. The families had to undergo years of hardship and emotional trauma, given that they were left to fend for themselves even as overground workers who aided terrorists were given govt jobs by the previous regimes. “For these families, the long wait for justice has ended today. With concrete steps for rehabilitation, we have restored their dignity and faith in the system,” LG Sinha said after distributing the appointment letters to the next-of-kin of terror victims.Both Shaista of Hyderpora, Srinagar, whose father Abdul Rashid Ganai was murdered in 2000, and Ishtiyaq Ahmad, the son of BSF braveheart Altaf Hussain who was martyred in a terrorist encounter 19 years ago, were handed appointment letters, ending their long battle for justice and bringing them economic stability.Justice was granted thirty years later to the family of Abdul Aziz Dar, a resident of Srinagar who was murdered by terrorists. The family of Late Abdul Rehman Lone, a special police officer (SPO) who was killed in 1999 inside his house, also had balm applied to their 26-year wound. Abdul’s brother Md Ashraf Lone, who was forced to abandon studies and work as a labourer to sustain the family, will now lead a life of dignity as a govt employee.Irshad Ahmad Sofi, also an SPO, was killed by terrorists in 1999 at his residence in Bijbehara. He was “punished” by them for doing his duty by joining counter-terrorism operations. On Saturday, his sibling Irshad, who had to do odd jobs to make ends meet, was handed over an appointment letter.LG Sinha said that after the Abrogation of Article 370, the terror victim families have found new courage and self-confidence, and now they are speaking out against the terror ecosystem without fear. “For generations, the system had failed these victims by not giving their cases the priority they deserved. We are empowering victim’s voices and ensuring they get their dues and rights they deserve. We are also committed for swift and fair justice to perpetrators,” he said.Sinha said that the Narendra Modi govt follows a zero-tolerance policy against terrorism in all its forms. “Every available resource and means will be used to make J&K terrorism-free and those who are giving sanctuary, safe-haven or any other support to terrorists will have to pay a very heavy price,” he underlined.Appointment letters were handed over on Saturday to 39 other beneficiaries under the compassionate appointment rules and rehabilitation assistance scheme (RAS). As many as 156 family members of terror victims have been provided self-employment opportunities under various schemes, including Mission Yuva, Holistic Agriculture Development Program (HADP) and Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP). Furthermore, 17 encroachments were removed from the properties belonging to terror victim families.Also, 36 terror victim families have been identified for house reconstruction. More families will be identified and included as the process continues. The reconstruction work for the houses of the families whose homes were destroyed due to Pakistani shelling in Uri and Karnah will commence in April. Go to Source
