In a major setback to some prominent political parties, Intelligence agencies have strongly opposed the demand for giving "safe passage" to nearly 3500 Kashmiri youths, held up in Pakistan adminstried Kashmir for last several years.
In their report, the Intelligence agencies have outrightly rejected the proposal on "security grounds" observing that the move could put State’s security in jeopardy.
It may be recalled that PDP, a major partner in the coalition Government, National Conference, the main opposition and CPM besides some separatist organisations had been supporting the demand for giving "safe passage" to over 3500 Kashmiri youths, who were putting up in PoK. One out of the five Working Groups set up by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on Jammu and Kashmir on "Cross LoC Relations" had also favoured return of the youths.
The Intelligence agencies have pointed out that majority of youths, who, as per Intelligence reports were numbered at 3500 though some "human rights activists" have put their number as high as 10,000, were militants having undergone training in the camps run by Pakistan army, ISI, Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Hizbul Mujahideen and some smaller outfits.
According to figures available with the Intelligence agencies, barring 250-300 youths from Jammu region, all other youths held up in Pak belonged to Kashmir valley.
Out of 250-300 youths from Jammu region, about 100 hailed from Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts while rest of them belonged to Rajouri and Poonch districts. Very few of them could be from other parts of the region.
Khalid Jehangir, 
