In a major development, Kashmir’s grand Mufti, Nasirul Islam announced that the Pakistani administered Kashmir (PaK) brides who had married Kashmiri youth across the LoC and returned under the 2010 rehabilitation policy , majority of whom have been divorced, were living illegally and against the rules of Islam at their former in-law’s houses.
The decree comes at a time when disgruntled lot of PaK brides were seriously planning to cross the LoC along with their children as they feel let down on all fronts.
Majority of the PaK brides had petitioned the Muslim Personal Law Board headed by Kashmir’s grand Mufti to seek relief as per Islamic rules and jurisprudence.
At least 550 women who had married Kashmiri youth in PaK since 1990, along with their kids returned to this side of Kashmir via Nepal under the surrender-cum-rehabilitation policy announced by the then chief minister Omar Abdullah in 2010.
However, countless problems awaited these ill-fated women and their children here. First they were labeled as Pakistanis and their children PaK citizens as they were born in PaK. Their children were denied admissions in the schools and their husbands, who were local Kashmiris were denied jobs in both private and government sectors leaving in a great state of shock and despair.
With the passage of time, the husbands of these women developed psychological trauma and not able to earn a living, they divorced these PaK brides leaving them to go nowhere.
“Where should we go? I have three children and I am still living with my former husband’s family,” said Zeba, who crossed over to this side in 2011 via Nepal route. She said all the promises made in the 2010 policy proved futile. “Our children were dubbed as Pakistanis and we as PaK spys.”
She said majority of them have been divorced and are still living in their in-laws houses despite the fact Islam prohibits it. Another woman, Posh, who lives in Tanghdar area of Kupwara, said that she has three children and has been recently divorced by her husband. “But I still live with my ex-husband as I have no place to go. The government should either allow us to cross over to go back to PaK or else address our concerns.”
Taking their case seriously, the Kashmir’s Grand Mufti, Nasirul Islam said that as per the Islamic jurisprudence, all these women who have been divorced by their husbands are living illegally and against the principles of Islam at their former in-laws’ houses.
“I urge the government to allow them to go back to Muzaffarabad or else resolved their issues by rehabilitating them properly along with their children,” Islam said .(KNO)