Orphan girl, 17, who won a scholarship to the U.S. 'denied a passport by J&K government because her uncle was a militant'



Dream in tatters: Sufaira Jain was selected to study in the U.S., but now faces being unable to take up the offer

A 17-year-old orphaned girl in Jammu and Kashmir, who has won a US scholarship, has alleged that the state government has denied her a passport because her uncle was once a militant.



Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, however, assured that the girl would not be denied a passport.



Sufaira Jan, who studies in an orphanage called Banat in Budgam district, was ecstatic when she received the one-year Global Leadership Education and Foundation Scholarship under the India-US youth exchange study programme in March.



The teenager was supposed to leave for the US in the first week of August.



"I applied for a passport in April. In June, CID came for verification. They later informed the patron of the orphanage that I won't be given a passport because my uncle was a militant," Sufaria said.



"I did not even know that my uncle Farooq Ahmad Ganai was once a militant. He was a militant when I was not even born. He had surrendered (in 1995) and now lives a normal life. He has a small business now," she said.



"I am pained that I am being penalised for something I am not responsible for," said Sufaira, who is from Beerwa village in Budgam.



She said those who were selected with her have left for the USA, adding, "I feel sad and disheartened."



The government denied that Sufaira's passport had been rejected.



"I am sure she will get the passport within a few days. The process is on... we have not rejected (her application) at any level," the CM told reporters.



"Needless to say she will not be denied a passport because of her uncle's past," Omar tweeted.



"I have asked CID to look into the passport case of Sufaira. Will revert with the facts once I have them," he added.



