KP employees hold silent sit-in; seek safety, security

A group of Kashmiri Pandit employees working in the Valley held a silent sit-in on Thursday against the Pahalgam attack, saying such killings were not acceptable.

The members of the community, employed under the Prime Minister’s package, also asked the government to think about their safety and security as well.

“We, the PM package employees, have come from across the Valley to pay homage to those who were killed in the Pahalgam attack. We have come here to condemn the killings. We want to say that such killings are not acceptable. We have also come here to seek justice,” one of the employees, Amit Koul, told reporters.

He said the situation in Kashmir was peaceful over the last few years, but the Pahalgam massacre has disturbed the whole valley. “We employees are also disturbed. We want to say that if tourists, who were here to enjoy for a few days, are not safe, then how come the minority employees who work here are safe. That is our issue, it is about our safety and security,” he added.

The employees said they would march to the offices of deputy commissioner Srinagar, and divisional commissioner Kashmir “to discuss some points with them” about their safety and security.

“We want to highlight some points which we have regularly brought to the notice of the government. It is our demand as well as our need that security be provided. We ask the government what it has thought about that?” another employee, Vikas Handoo, said.