SRINAGAR: In a significant development, the Lieutenant Governor administration in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday announced ownership rights of land to West Pakistan Refugees (WPRs), who are living in J&K after their migration from Pakistan since 1947. The land ownership rights were also granted to 1965 PoJK refugees.It will benefit thousands of WPR families, who were granted J&K citizenship after Article 370 abrogation and bifurcation of J&K state into two union territories by the Centre on August 5, 2019.An official spokesman said the Administrative Council, which met here under chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, granted proprietary rights on State land in favour of West Pakistan Refugees and Displaced Persons of 1965 war. “This will end the discrimination with the WPRs and Displaced Persons of 1965 war and will significantly empower thousands of families across the Jammu region,” a spokesman said.Before Article 370 abrogation, the WPRs had not been granted J&K citizenship rights. They were entitled to vote for Lok Sabha polls but could not to vote for Assembly polls and apply for government jobs and scholarships. However, since J&K state subject law was scrapped after Article 370 revocation and domicile law issued, the domicile rights were conferred to the WPRs and Displaced Persons post Article 370 repeal.“The decision fulfils demands of all connected families, that have been requesting for ownership rights for the past so many decades. Vesting of proprietary rights to West Pakistan Displaced Persons on state land would bring them at par with the Displaced Persons of POJK,” official spokesman said.‘To end discrimination’An official spokesman said this will end the discrimination with the WPRs and Displaced Persons of 1965 war and will significantly empower thousands of families across the Jammu region who couldn’t vote for Assembly polls or apply for government jobs.
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