Kashmiri Pandit employees in Valley seek safety after alleged new threat

Kashmiri Pandit employees serving under the Prime Minister’s Package in the Kashmir Valley have once again demanded immediate enhanced security cover after a second threat letter issued by the United Liberation Council (ULC), a proxy of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist outfit, surfaced on social media. The threat letter, which is yet to be verified by the security agencies, has described these employees as “white-collar terrorists " and “traitors’’ working for their “masters” in Delhi.

“As already warned, wherever you are and wherever you go, we are watching your every move. We gave you time to reform, and this warning extends to those trying to implement the RSS agenda in Kashmir”, the letter warned. The threat letter also issued a hit list of employees along with their personal information, including names, vehicle registration numbers and precise residential addresses in Jammu.

The Prime Minister’s Employment Package for displaced Kashmiri Pandits was launched in 2009. It aimed at facilitating the dignified return of the exiled community to the Kashmir Valley. In its initial phase, 3,000 appointments were made under the package, followed by another 3,000 in subsequent years, notably in 2014 and 2017.

The All-PM Package Employees Forum Kashmir on Monday submitted an official representation to the Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) regarding their safety. They have also urged the UT administration to ascertain how such outfits have been receiving personal details of employees and expose this crucial data to terrorise them.

In its letter, the forum said, “The authenticity of the poster is yet to be verified by the Police and security agencies. However, the repeated circulation of such threat letters and posters, particularly those containing sensitive personal information, is a matter of grave concern.”

“We have already witnessed the tragic loss of Kashmiri Pandit employees in targeted attacks. The repeated emergence of new threats every week has created a deep sense of fear and insecurity among employees and their families,” the forum added.

Seeking immediate intervention from the administration, the forum has called for enhanced and adequate security cover for all PM Package Kashmiri Pandit employees posted in the Valley. It has specifically requested immediate protection and security guidance for employees whose names, addresses or vehicle details may have appeared in the alleged threat. The forum said preventive measures should be taken on the basis of the latest security assessment and intelligence inputs, stressing that the government should act swiftly to reassure employees and their families.

J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had earlier warned against taking threats to Kashmiri Pandit employees lightly and called for action against those behind the threats while urging authorities to ensure their security.

“Targeted killings of minorities have taken place. Many employees were planning to flee, but they were locked inside their camps. This threat should not be taken lightly. There should be action against those who are behind such threats, and the security of Kashmiri Pandit employees should be ensured,” the CM had said when the first threat letter surfaced on social media in the first week of August.

Responding to the threat, one of the employees said, “We will neither be scared nor run away this time. Kashmir is ours also. It is our birthplace…A threat letter was issued in the first week of August as well. On Sunday, another threat letter was uploaded that includes addresses, vehicle numbers, and phone numbers. I request the administration and security agencies to find out the origin of these threat letters and who is providing them with all the information.”