Group representing PoK refugees slams J-K reorganisation bill

The SOS International, an organisation working for people displaced from the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), expressed disappointment with the Centre reserving just one seat in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly for the community.

Reacting to the passage of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, SOS International chairperson Rajiv Chuni seeks to nominate two members from the Kashmiri migrant community and one representing the displaced persons from PoK to the legislative assembly, in the Lok Sabha.

Expressing his disappointment Chuni said, ““We have a population of 17 lakh and our land is under the illegal occupation of Pakistan.... We are surprised that we were given just one seat while the valley (Kashmir) migrants with a population of three lakh were given two seats,"

He added that 24 seats are reserved for PoK and they have been demanding at least one third of the seats in accordance with their population so that the issues of the community are raised for redressal in the assembly.