Ease norms for youth seeking passport, MHA tells J&K govt
NEW DELHI : The central government has advised the Jammu and Kashmir government to enure that genuine cases of Kashmiri youth applying for passport are not hindered by their relative’s name being connected to any militancy-related cases in the past.
A group of 8-10 youth from the Valley had approached Dineshwar Sharma, who made several visits to the state earlier this month as the Centre’s special representative, and claimed that the state’s Crime Investigation Department (CID) had refused security clearance to them, thus affecting their passport applications, an official from the Union ministry of home affairs said.
The youth believed that the denial of security clearance was due to the alleged links of their relatives with militant groups.
“These grievances have been communicated to the MHA and the government has advised the state government to consider genuine cases of youth applying for passport,” the official said.
The official added that while no written communication has been sent in this regard, the matter came up when Sharma briefed the MHA about his visits to the Valley earlier this month.
When asked to confirm, Sharma told HT, “I am not in a position to comment on it officially but I will reiterate that anyone in J&K can approach me. I am open for all.”