Refugees from Pakistan Residing in Jammu In the wake of Pakistani aggression in Jammu and Kashmir in 1947, about 5764 families who migrated from the then West Pakistan are residing mainly in Jammu, Kathua and Rajouri Districts of Jammu Division. The West Pakistani Refugees settled in J&K are citizens of India and they have the right to vote in Parliamentary Elections. However, they are not permanent residents of the State in terms of J&K Constitution. They do not enjoy voting rights to the State Assembly and Local Bodies. The conferment of Permanent Resident Status to the West Pakistani refugees settled in J&K falls within the purview of J&K Constitution, which will enable them for Jobs under State Government, for admission into the State Technical/ Professional institutions and the right to purchase/ acquire land/ immovable properties in the State of J&K. No separate proposal is under consideration of the Government to recruit the children of West Pakistani Refugees (WPRs) in paramilitary forces. However, these children were allowed to be recruited in Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) without the condition of having domicile certificate from the designated authority of the State Govt. of J&K. Other proof such as names in the Parliamentary voter list, are to be taken as proof of their being refugees from West Pakistan and the certificate issued by the village Numberdar/ Sarpanch can be accepted and taken into account for the purpose of recruitment in CAPFs and Assam Rifles against the quota of the J&K State. The children of these refugees are eligible to apply against the vacancies in paramilitary forces earmarked for the State of J&K. This was stated by the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju in a written reply to a question by Shri Avinash Rai Khanna in the Rajya Sabha today.
