Kashmiri Pandits in US flay killings

Washington, October 24

The Kashmiri Pandit community here has strongly condemned the recent targeted killings of civilians in the Valley by the militants and urged the Indian Government to take steps to ensure the safety of the minorities there.

The community organised a two-day event at the popular National Mall where participants said that targeted killings had been especially gruesome, and the home-grown terrorist insurgency remains dependent on resources and inspiration from Pakistan.

“The killings of the minorities by the Pakistan-based terrorist in the Kashmir Valley needs to be stopped,” said Dr Shakun Malik, a Kashmiri Pandit activist from Washington DC area.

“India must take steps to ensure the safety of local minorities of Kashmir Valley who remain targets for the future,” she said.

Eleven civilians, including two teachers, a pharmacy owner and five non-local labourers, have been killed by militants in separate attacks in the valley this month. In a press release, the community said that the murder of Makhan Lal Bindroo brought back the tragic memories of the 1990s, when more than half a million indigenous Kashmiris were forced to flee. — PTI