Will compile data on PoJK displaced families: SOS International

Our Correspondent

Jammu, April 29

SOS International—an organisation of Pakistan-occupied J&K (PoJK) displaced persons—has decided to conduct a count of total voters in the community to play a decisive role in the Assembly elections, whenever they are held.

The NGO has announced that it would compile fresh data on all the families displaced from PoJK in 1947 to determine the exact numbers of voters and non-voters in the community.

The organisation said the process will be completed before the conduct of Assembly polls in J&K—first after the abrogation of Article 370—to ensure that the community plays a decisive role in the electoral exercise to get fair and better treatment from power corridors.

“We have decided to compile fresh data on all the families displaced from PoJK in 1947 to know as to how these families have grown and multiplied over the years. The people have been asked to bring their data vis-à-vis the number of family members, children, and elders they have in their families to determine the exact number of voters and non-voters among the community,” said Rajiv Chuni, chairman, SOS International, during a meeting of PoJK community members in Dalogra area of Rajouri district.

Chunni said the collected information, to be received from different channels, would be computerised and shared with the Government of India. “The sole motive of the exercise is to chalk out future strategies for the community. Our demands are still being projected on the basis of the families that got displaced from PoJK in 1947. Consequently, the displaced families which have multiplied over the years remain deprived of their due benefits. This data will help us in strategising about the community’s future, leveraging insights from the data to articulate fresh demands to the Centre,” Chuni said.

He outlined a hierarchical structure—from village to district level—ensuring effective coordination and amplification of the community’s voice before the Assembly polls.

“The village committees will bring all displaced families on a single platform and report to the block-level committees. These will be supervised by Zila committees at district level, which will further report to our central office at Jammu. With this exercise, we will be able to raise our voice with full force in the coming electoral battle,” Chuni said.

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