JAMMU, Aug 14: The Kashmiri Pandit Conference (KPC) has expressed deep anguish and strong resentment over what it described as the “shocking and conspicuous silence” of Kashmir-centric political parties, civil society organisations, religious and social bodies and other influential voices over a recent threatening communication reportedly issued by a militant organisation against Kashmiri Pandit PM Package employees serving in the Kashmir Valley.
The KPC said several employees were reportedly named in the communication along with their mobile phone numbers, describing the development as a matter of grave concern requiring an immediate and comprehensive investigation.
KPC leaders Kundan Kashmiri, President, and Tej Ji Pandita, Vice President, said the reported disclosure of the identities and personal contact details of individual employees raises serious questions about their security, the source from which such sensitive information was obtained, those responsible for circulating it and whether the episode forms part of a wider conspiracy to identify, intimidate and terrorise Kashmiri Pandit employees working in the Valley.
The KPC said its leadership had already taken up the matter with the Lieutenant Governor and the Director General of Police, Jammu and Kashmir, seeking a deep, comprehensive and time-bound investigation along with effective security measures for the targeted employees.
However, the organisation expressed disappointment that the development had not elicited what it considered an adequate collective response from political, religious and social leadership in Kashmir.
The KPC questioned the silence of political parties and organisations, including the Awami Action Committee, National Conference, PDP, Congress and BJP, and urged their leadership to publicly condemn any intimidation of innocent citizens and demand prompt action against those responsible.
The organisation also appealed to civil society groups, religious institutions, scholars, intellectuals, professionals and other influential voices to unequivocally reject threats and intimidation, maintaining that selective condemnation of violence could undermine collective efforts towards peace, democracy, communal harmony and equal citizenship.
The KPC stressed that the targeted PM Package employees are citizens serving the people of Kashmir. It said they include teachers, doctors, health workers, revenue and administrative officials and other government employees working in schools, hospitals, government offices and public institutions.
“These employees have returned to serve in the Valley despite painful memories of the past and continuing security concerns. They deserve reassurance, protection, dignity and respect, not identification, intimidation and threats,” the organisation said.
Kundan Kashmiri and Tej Ji Pandita asked whether the reported threats were the “reward” for employees who had chosen public service despite security concerns.
The KPC said it believed that the overwhelming majority of ordinary people in Kashmir did not support terrorism, intimidation or violence against innocent citizens. It appealed to responsible citizens and community leaders to reject such threats and make it clear that violence has no place in a democratic society.
The organisation also demanded a comprehensive investigation by a competent agency, including the NIA or CBI, if considered appropriate under law, to establish the source of the threat, how the names and mobile numbers of the employees were obtained, who circulated the communication, whether there were local facilitators and whether the incident was linked to any wider conspiracy.
The KPC cautioned that threats must be treated seriously and preventive action taken before they escalate into violence. It recalled the community’s past experience of threats being ignored and urged authorities not to allow a similar situation to develop.
“The safety of Kashmiri Pandit employees is not merely a Kashmiri Pandit issue; it is a test of Kashmir’s conscience, its commitment to peace and its belief in equal citizenship,” the KPC leaders said.
The organisation urged the Government and security agencies to act swiftly, identify the perpetrators and conspirators, trace the source and circulation of the sensitive information, strengthen security arrangements for the threatened employees and ensure that no employee is left vulnerable.
The KPC appealed to political parties, civil society organisations and citizens to condemn the reported threat and support a transparent investigation, asserting that the safety and dignity of employees serving the people must remain above political considerations.
Kundan Kashmiri, President, Kashmiri Pandit Conference, and Tej Ji Pandita, Vice President, KPC, issued the statement.