MUZAFFARABAD: A leading human rights activist on Wednesday called upon the governments of Pakistan and India to do the needful without more ado for early repatriation of the women left stranded in India-held Kashmir for several years.

Reports pouring in from held Kashmir suggest that more than 200 women from different parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and some Pakistani towns had moved across the Line of Control (LoC) along with their spouses after the announcement of so-called “surrender policy” of the Indian government for former fighters in 2011.

Their plight came under the spotlight late last month after Kubra Gillani, a 27-year-­old resident of Muzaffar­abad who was divorced by her Kashmiri husband after eight years of their marriage, uploaded a video message on internet. Ever since her divorce in November last year, Ms Gillani has been trying to return to Muzaffarabad, but to no avail.

On Tuesday afternoon, Ansar Burney, leading Pakistani human rights and social activist, met Ms Gillani’s widowed mother in her rented house on the outskirts of Muzaffarabad and told her that he had been making all possible efforts to bring her daughter and other girls back to their homes.

Speaking to Dawn on Wednesday, Mr Burney said he was in contact with as many as 50 “out of more or less 300” such women who were desperate to return to their homes in AJK or Pakis­tan — some due to the dissolution of their marriage and some for a short family visit.

“There have been reports that some of these women are living in acute distressful and miserable conditions and circumstances… Many have become psychological patients and some have even committed or attempted to commit suicide,” he said.

He said that only last week he had sent a letter to Governor of held Kashmir Satya Pal Malik, urging him to help such women return for good or make short visits to their parents in AJK and Pakistan, as and when they desired.

He said he had also written a letter to Indian Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj in this regard.

When asked if the Foreign Office of Pakistan had taken any tangible step in connection with the issue, particularly after it was highlighted in a section of media, Mr Burney replied in the negative. He said some two weeks ago he had written a letter to the Foreign Office as well, but he was yet to receive any response.

“If they (FO) have taken any step, at least I am not aware of it until now,” he said, adding that it was the responsibility of the Foreign Office to raise a voice for these women.

Published in Dawn, February 14th, 2019