Mohammad Umar
The decision of the High Court of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) to cancel all types of quota systems, including the six percent allocation for the 1989 refugees from Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), has raised deep concerns among those already living in dire conditions. For decades, this quota had served as a lifeline for thousands of displaced families who sacrificed everything in the fight against Indian occupation and brutality. Its abrupt cancellation not only undermines their rights but also adds to their existing misery.
The 1989 refugees have been living across AJK in extremely difficult circumstances. Their dwellings are often congested, their settlements poorly developed, and their allowances meagre, falling far short of sustaining a dignified life. In the current era of unrelenting inflation, their plight has worsened. Rising costs of food, healthcare, and particularly education have become unbearable. Many refugee families simply cannot afford to send their children to quality schools, depriving the younger generation of opportunities for progress.
The quota system, though limited, provided a crucial form of relief. It allowed refugee youth some chance at higher education and employment, and gave families a sense of recognition for the sacrifices they made. These sacrifices are not ordinary. The 1989 refugees left behind homes, livelihoods, and even buried loved ones who had taken part in the resistance against Indian atrocities in IIOJK. Their struggle is etched in the collective memory of Kashmir’s freedom movement. For them, the quota was not charity, but a modest acknowledgment of their contribution.
Unfortunately, political leadership has failed them. Parties that often speak in grand terms about Kashmir’s freedom struggle have remained silent when it comes to protecting the rights of these refugees. In public rallies and media statements, lofty words are spoken about resistance and solidarity, yet when a tangible measure like the quota—one that directly impacts the lives of refugee families—comes under threat, there is an uncomfortable silence. Such inaction not only erodes the trust of refugees in the political class but also damages the moral standing of those who claim to represent their cause.
The cancellation of the quota, if not reversed, will have consequences far beyond immediate hardship. It risks sending a negative message across the Line of Control, suggesting that the sacrifices of those who resisted Indian occupation have been forgotten by their own brethren. At a time when the people of IIOJK continue to suffer under unprecedented repression, such signals weaken the moral and political fabric of the wider Kashmiri struggle.
It is imperative that this issue not be treated lightly. Refugees of 1989 deserve justice, recognition, and support. The restoration of their quota should be seen as a minimum obligation owed to them. All political parties in AJK, as well as the Hurriyat Conference and the United Jihad Council, must rise above political divides to pursue a unified, apolitical, and legal battle for the reinstatement of this quota. This is not merely a question of policy, but of honor, solidarity, and commitment to the cause of Kashmir.
The author is a journalist and a research scholar in the Department of Mass Communication at Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad.
