Panun Kashmir, an organisation of migrant Pandits, on Sunday reiterated its demand for creation of a separate Union territory in the valley for their return and rehabilitation to “safeguard Indian national interests” in the region.

It rejected any policy on rehabilitation which did not recognize the “genocide” inflicted on the community. The group said in a statement that the creation of UT of Panun Kashmir has become a geopolitical imperative to safeguard “Indian national interests” in the region.

It said there was no question of the community returning to their old areas as the “Hindu habitat in Kashmir from which Hindus were expelled stands destroyed”.

Referring to Pakistan’s admission of complicity in the deadly Pulwama attack on a CRPF convoy in February last year, the Panun Kashmir said it is an imperative for Centre to respond to this admission.

“We demand that Government of India declare Pakistan a terrorist state and hold it responsible for crimes against humanity,” it said.