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Kashmiri pandits seek compensation from Pak

Basharat Peer in New Delhi

Nine Kashmiri Pandit leaders led by Panun Kashmir Convener Dr Agnishekhar met the Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Monday evening at his residence and asked him to demand compensation from Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf for the exodus of Pandits from the valley.

"We also demanded that the Prime Minister should ask Musharraf to pay for their (Pandits') resettlement according to the international laws," Agnishekhar said.

Holding Pakistan responsible for the migration of 700000 Kashmiri Pandits, he termed it as the 'genocide of the Pandits'.

The Pandit leaders demanded a separate homeland for Pandits in the valley along the north and east of Jhelum river constituting certain parts of Anantnag, Srinagar and Baramulla districts.

"That would be a lasting and realistic solution to this tangle," Agnishekhar said.

Taking a cue from the visit of Indian Sikhs to Nanakana Sahib in Pakistan and the Hindus to Mansarovar, where Chinese permission is sought, the Pandit leaders demanded that the prime minister should take up with Musharraf the issue of the annual visit to Sharda - a holy place for Pandits in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.

The issue of Centre's talks with various sections and parties of Kashmir also came up during the meeting.

A Panun Kashmir leader Ashwini Chringoo said that they were thankful to the government for including them in it.

However, Agnishekhar stressed the need to involve Kashmiri Pandits at every level of discussion on Kashmir.

Pandit leaders also accused the Hurriyat of 'hoodwinking the national opinion' on the issue and ruled out any role for Hurriyat in the summit.

When questioned about the response of the prime minister to their demands Agnishekhar said, "It was positive."

Indo-Pak Summit 2001: The Complete Coverage

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