Srinagar, 5 August (H.S.): Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today handed over the appointment letters to 158 Next of Kins (NoKs) of Kashmiri Civilians killed by Pakistan-backed terrorists.

The families of terror victims narrated their traumatic experiences. They exposed the injustice perpetrated by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists and their sympathizers against their families.

The Lieutenant Governor paid his heartfelt tribute to civilian martyrs and saluted the courage and perseverance of families who have suffered from terrorism in Jammu Kashmir.

“Wounds that have persisted for decades are now being healed. Today’s landmark event provided a sense of closure to the families who have silently suffered trauma for years.

For more than three decades, the terror state Pakistan is shedding innocent blood through its proxy terrorist outfits. Time did not erase the pain of loss. Invisible scars on their soul can be felt and the mute eyes are witness to many unfulfilled dreams.

The long wait for justice and for healing to begin is over for the terror victim families. They have come out to reveal the role of Pakistani terrorists and terror ecosystem that was operating in J&K,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

The Lieutenant Governor shared the tragic account of Abdul Majid Mir’s family, whose lives were shattered on June 29, 2004. On that day, Abdul Majid, from Sheikhpura, Baramulla, was kidnapped and brutally murdered by terrorists.

“Abdul Majid’s family lost their sole breadwinner and received Rs 1 lakh as an ex-gratia payment under the Security Related Expenditure (SRE) scheme. Despite Abdul Majid Mir’s martyrdom, his family struggled to live a life of dignity. Today, by providing a government job to his son, Mudasir Majid, the administration has fulfilled its long-overdue responsibility.

After three decades of hardship, justice has finally been delivered to Suhail Majeed and his family. Today, Suhail, a resident of Anantnag, received an appointment letter for the government job. His father, Abdul Majeed Wani, was shot dead by Pakistan-backed terrorists on August 30, 1994. Justice has been finally delivered to the family after 31 years.

On February 24, 2000, SPO Manzoor Ahmad Rather, a resident of Warpora, Baramulla, was killed by Pakistan-backed terrorists. For 25 years, his family received no compensation. Today his son Khurshid Ahmad Rather has received an appointment letter. Traumatic period for the family is finally over.

For Parvez Ahmad Dar, the path to justice was painful. On July 6, 1996, terrorists killed his father, Ghulam Qadir Dar. On July 30, 2004, his brother, Aijaz Ahmad Dar, was also killed by terrorists. 29 years after his father’s death, Parvez’s nightmare is over,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

He observed that the void in the lives of terror victims’ families cannot be filled with financial assistance or jobs, but it will be ensured that these families can live with dignity.

“We will do everything possible for the rehabilitation of terror victims. It is my promise to the NoKs of terror victim families that perpetrators of heinous crime will receive exemplary punishment. We will also ensure the harshest possible punishment to terror sympathisers.

I assure the family members of civilian martyrs that I will not rest until every family that has been a victim of the terrorists’ atrocities gets justice. I want to tell the loved ones of martyrs that the dreams of your father or your mother will now be fulfilled,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

On the occasion, the Lieutenant Governor also spoke on the transformative journey of new Jammu Kashmir post abrogation of Article 370.

The Lieutenant Governor observed that, because of Article 370, terrorism had increased and the terror ecosystem was emboldened. He said, on 5 August 2019, the dismantling of terror ecosystem had begun.

“On 5 August 2019, a new Jammu Kashmir was born. A new Jammu Kashmir that had dreams of a golden future in its eyes. A new Jammu Kashmir, which treated all its citizens as equal and removed discrimination that was prevalent for seven decades.

People ask me what is new Jammu Kashmir. I want to tell them that the new Jammu Kashmir is one where jobs are not given to terrorists but to the real martyrs of this UT. The new Jammu Kashmir is one where tears are not shed on the death of terrorists but the tears of common Kashmiris are wiped away.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar