Kashmiri pandit delegation returns to valley after 36 years to assess conditions for homecoming

A delegation of Kashmiri Pandits is currently visiting the Kashmir Valley to assess the ground situation and determine whether conditions are conducive for their return to their ancestral homes. Members of the delegation have travelled from various parts of the world, including the United States and several European countries, many of them returning to the Valley for the first time in 36 years.

The group is conducting an on-ground survey across different parts of Kashmir and is expected to brief the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir about its observations regarding the prevailing conditions in the Valley. The delegation will also participate in a two-day conference in Srinagar, where discussions will focus on the prospects of the return and rehabilitation of the Kashmiri Pandit community.

Following the conference, the delegation plans to compile its findings and recommendations into a report that will be submitted to the Union Home Ministry. The report will be presented to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and is expected to outline key concerns, suggestions, and possible measures for facilitating the return of Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley.

Members of the Kashmiri Pandit community participating in the visit expressed optimism about the current situation, stating that conditions appear favourable for their return. However, they emphasised that the success of any return process would largely depend on the support and acceptance of the majority Muslim population of the Kashmir Valley.

"The members of this delegation are people who had never visited their homes after the migration because they were afraid to return. They have come from different parts of the world, including the United States. Today, many of them saw their homes for the first time in decades, and they could not hold back their tears. We have tried to give them strength, but ultimately it is the people of Kashmir who will play the most important role in ensuring their return. The conditions today are encouraging, and it is now up to the people of Kashmir to help rebuild the bonds that once existed between communities. We need to return to the times when we lived together in harmony," said Ashok Dhar, a member of the Global Kashmiri Pandit Heritage Tour and Conclave.

For many members of the delegation, the visit has been an emotional journey. Returning to the Valley after more than three decades brought back memories of childhood, friendships, and a shared sense of community that once existed among different religious groups in Kashmir.

"I spent my entire childhood here, and I miss Kashmir every single day. Earlier, we were afraid to come back, but this time we have seen significant improvement in the situation. Our roots are here. If I speak more, I will become emotional. I pray that one day we can return to our homes and live here again. We have everything where we live now, but we do not have the peace that comes from being connected to our homeland. Most of my friends here were Muslims, and there was great unity among us. We appeal to the government to take steps that will help us return. We want to live here the way we once did, alongside our fellow Kashmiris," said a member of the Kashmiri Pandit community.

The delegation's conference at SKICC in Srinagar is expected to conclude with a set of recommendations that will be presented to the Union Home Minister. The discussions are likely to contribute to ongoing deliberations regarding the long-awaited return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits in their homeland.