Families of former militants stage protest

The families of former militants, who returned to Jammu and Kashmir from across the LoC under the rehabilitation policy, staged a protest here today against what they said false promises of a dignified life by the state government.
"We are suffering here in a big way. We did not come here on our own, rather were called and were promised a dignified life.
"But till this day, nothing has been done for us. The promises turned out be false," Zeba, wife of a former militant from Handwara town in north Kashmir's Kupwara district, told reporters.
The protesting families demanded implementation of the Return and Rehabilitation Policy announced by the state government in 2010.

"Our kids are being denied school admission," Zeba said alleging the government had played a "big political hoax" with them in the name of the policy.
The protesters threatened to end their lives if the Central government did not come to their rescue.
"The state government has failed to deliver and now, it is between us and the Central government. We want the Union government to deliver on pending promises or we will soon end our lives along with our kids," another woman, Ruqaya, whose husband is from Shopian in south Kashmir, said.
"Our travel documents have been put on hold. We are being denied a meeting with our parents," she said.