Deportation in J&K: A Mother's Story Amid Tensions

Jammu and Kashmir authorities are deporting 60 Pakistanis, including the mother of a Shaurya Chakra awardee killed in a terror attack. Measures follow the Pahalgam incident, involving diplomatic and treaty actions. Deportees are mainly families of ex-militants residing under the 2010 rehabilitation policy.

Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir have initiated the deportation of 60 Pakistani nationals, following heightened tensions due to recent terror activities. Among those being deported is Shameema Akhtar, mother of a Shaurya Chakra recipient who was killed in the line of duty last year.

The group, comprising mainly wives and children of ex-militants who returned under a 2010 rehabilitation policy, was collected from various districts and taken to Punjab for transfer to Pakistan at the Wagah border. This move is part of a series of measures announced by the Centre, including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty and downgrading diplomatic relations with Islamabad.

Among the deportees, a significant presence was noted from Srinagar, Baramulla, Kupwara, Budgam, and Shopian. The decision has met with mixed reactions, particularly over the inclusion of Akhtar, who lived in the region for decades after marrying a local retired police officer. Her relatives, citing her long-standing residency, urged the central government to reconsider.

(With inputs from agencies.)