Omar Snubs Azad, Says Amnesty to Kashmiri Militants Upto Centre

Responding to cabinet minister Ghulam Nabi Azad for censuring him for amnesty and rehabilitation of Kashmiri militants in Pakistan, the Jammu and Kashmir chief minister has said that the matter is beyond the health ministry, reported IANS.

Snubbing Azad, Omar said that it was upto Central Home Ministry to take a decision about whether or not to give amnesty and rehabilitate the youth returning from Pakistan, said report.

“It’s a matter between us (the state government) and the union home ministry and not the union health ministry,” Abdullah, who heads the Congress-National Conference coalition government, was quoted as saying.

“It’s for the union home ministry to speak on the subject,” he was quoted as saying.

Last week, Abdullah proposed in Delhi that a surrender and rehabilitation policy might be formulated for the youth who had gone to Pakistan-administered Kashmir for militant training and were craving to return home without weapons and join the mainstream.

But Azad, a former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister, during his visit to Jammu Tuesday said that the surrender of the militants on their return from Pakistan could pose a serious danger to security in the state.

“Who will guarantee (that these youths will not engage in terrorist activities)? Should we trust Pakistan?” Azad said. “Could it not be another way of infiltrating armed youth inside?”