Srinagar, June 13 (JKNS): Chief Minister’s Advisor Nasir Aslam Wani on Saturday called for the revival of the Apex Committee on the return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits, saying a structured dialogue mechanism was essential to facilitate the dignified return of the displaced community to the Valley.
Addressing the Global Kashmiri Pandit Conclave at SKICC, Wani said the government would work towards reactivating the Apex Committee and engage with representatives of the Kashmiri Pandit community to evolve a practical roadmap for their return.
According to information available with news agency JKNS, Wani said Kashmir would remain incomplete until Kashmiri Pandits returned and lived alongside Kashmiri Muslims once again.
He observed that despite various rehabilitation packages, transit accommodations and initiatives introduced over the years, the larger objective of facilitating the return of Kashmiri Pandits had not been fully achieved.
Stressing the need for reconciliation and dialogue, Wani said both communities share a common history and future and should work together rather than blame each other for past events.
He said the government would soon initiate discussions with community representatives and take steps towards reviving the Apex Committee, which was constituted in 2009 to oversee the return and rehabilitation process of displaced Kashmiri Pandits.
“You cannot paint everyone with the same brush. There were people whose hearts beat for Kashmiri Pandits then and continue to do so even today,” Wani said, urging greater engagement between the communities.
He reiterated that the return of Kashmiri Pandits was not merely a government programme but an essential step towards restoring Kashmir’s social and cultural fabric. (JKNS)
