PoK refugees' dharna in Jammu enters sixth day

A protest by refugees from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) here against the state and central governments for not fulfilling their various demands entered its sixth day on Tuesday.

Led by SOS International, an organisation advocating the cause of PoK displaced persons (DP), the protesters began the indefinite chain dharna on December 27.

They are demanding implementation of a package approved by the Jammu and Kashmir cabinet in October 2014 for PoK DPs, among others.

The other demands include grant of facilities to all displaced at par with valley migrants, reservation of eight seats for PoK DPs in Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly, permission to visit their religious places in PoK, bringing 5,300 PoK DP families living outside the state within the ambit of the package approved in October 2014 and return of their cash deposits lying with J&K Bank, Mirpur, with interest.

Devender Singh Rana, provincial president of National Conference (NC), visited the protest site and extended his party's support to the protesters.

SOS International Chairman Rajiv Chuni presented a memorandum of demands to Rana.

The NC leader said all the demands were legitimate and should be fulfilled by the present dispensation.

Chuni said the PoK refugees have been demanding justice for quite a long time now but none of the governments had listened to them.

He appealed to all the community members to unite and said the dharna would continue till the government fulfils the group's demands.