Srinagar, December 24: Freedom of movement, mobility rights or the right to travel is a human rights concept which is respected in the constitutions of numerous states.
It asserts that a citizen of a state, in which that citizen is present, generally has the right to leave that state, travel wherever the citizen is welcome, and, with proper documentation, return to that state at any time; and also (of equal or greater importance) to travel to, reside in, and/or work in, any part of the state the citizen wishes without interference from the state.
Some immigrants’ rights advocates assert that human beings have a fundamental human right to mobility not only across states but across nations But in the Jammu &Kashmir state the careers of thousands of Kashmiri talented have been blemished by the authorities by denying them passports despite international covenants protecting every individual’s rightto travel . Most include the families or distant relatives of political activists or alleged militants, one such example is Ajaz Ahmad War,29, brother of senior pro-freedom leader Hilal Ahmad War.
He applied for passport two years ago, but on one or the other pretext he is consistently denied passport .After failing in his efforts to get passport he finally went to Chief Minister Omer Abdullah,who directed the concerned authorities for speedy action, but nearly three months on no action has been taken and the authorities are virtually doing nothing in his case and thus proving the common held perception that in this conflict zone getting your deserving right is not an easy task.”I am being denied passport because of my brother’s activism, as he is a leader of pro-freedom camp.
I don’t know in what era we are living where for your brothers ideology you are being punished and even the letters of CM fail to impress the authorities to deliver justice. My career has badly suffered on account of being denied a passport without any valid reason”, Says, Ajaz Ahmad War.
Ground realities suggest that situation in Kashmir is far from being normal ,as a person like Ajaz Ahmad War who has not even killed an ant in his life is denied passport; just because of his brothers political activism. Probably the point is proven that in the Valley of Kashmir, the basic rights of human being are constantly under threat and absurdness still rules the logic.
–Agencies