Mehbooba expresses anguish over loss of lives in cross-border shelling in J&K

The Chief Minister also condemned the killing of scores of police cadets in a terror attack on a Police Training Academy in Quetta, Pakistan.

“Ways and means shall have to be explored immediately to bring an end to the sufferings of the hapless people subjected to immense miseries over the past few months because of the continuous cross-border shelling and escalation of violence in the State and the region,” the Chief Minister while presiding over a meeting of the Unified Headquarters (UHQ) at SKICC here on Tuesday.

Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh and top brass of Civil administration, Army, Police, BSF, CRPF, Central and State Intelligence Agencies were present at the meeting.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister was briefed about wide-ranging issues including the emerging security scenario in Kashmir valley, situation along the borders and steps taken to address issues arising out of cross-border shelling.

The Chief Minister said the vicious cycle of death and destruction confronting the region must end at the earliest and serious efforts should be made at the political and civil society levels to revive the peace and reconciliation process for the larger good of the people sandwiched in a gory situation.

Expressing her heartfelt condolences at the killing of a 6-year old boy in cross-border firing in R S Pura sector of Jammu, the Chief Minister said: “My heart goes out to the families who lost their loved ones in the fresh violence, both along the borders and at the Police Academy in Quetta, in which they had no role to play.”

Extending heartfelt condolences to the families who lost their loved ones in these acts of violence, she said the senseless violence is the common enemy of the people in both the countries as the scourge of bloodshed has devoured their lives.

She reiterated her government’s stand that only coordinated political effort at the highest levels in New Delhi and Islamabad will eliminate the menace of violence and usher the region into an era of peace and prosperity.

Making a fervent appeal for maintaining peace on the borders, Mehbooba said the cross-border shelling has seen a humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region with people fleeing their homes and scurrying for safety of their lives.

“This disquieting scenario has to end to facilitate the people live peacefully in their homes and hearths,” she said and added that people in Jammu and Kashmir have always been the worst sufferers in such hostile situations.

She said the hostile and alarming situation along the borders and LoC should keep reminding the two countries of the inevitability of sitting across the table to find a just and pragmatic solution of all the contentious issues.

The Chief Minister recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent statement wherein he called on Pakistan to jointly wage a war against poverty, unemployment, illiteracy and infant mortality. She said it is high time that both the countries come together without any further delay and start a final war against violence, terrorism and the social and economic deprivation plaguing the region.

The Chief Minister said whatever the reasons for hardening of stances and attempts by the vested interests to subvert the peace process, there is, however, no substitute to the reconciliatory policy as was done in 2003.

“With a decisive mandate at his back Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi has the opportunity to revive the process of reconciliation in the sub-continent and emerge as a man of peace in the region,” she said and added that the prevailing challenging situation along the borders in Jammu and Kashmir necessitates the urgency of reviving the composite dialogue process, sooner the better.

Mehbooba said the significant reconciliatory measures taken between 2002 and 2005 in and around Jammu and Kashmir, both on internal and external fronts, had not only helped improve the security scenario in the region, but within the State as well.

“The ceasefire of 2003, had not only given the much-needed relief to the people living along the borders, but it had, as well, provided the broader umbrella for the peace process to flourish,” she said and added that the ceasefire brought, after decades of tension and destruction, relief and normalcy into the lives of people residing in the State’s forward areas from Kathua to Kargil and “at the same time it also made historic initiatives like opening up of LoC for bus service possible in J&K.”

“After over decades of agony, we had started seeing a ray of hope in the peace process between 2002 and 2005, which, unfortunately, is under severe threat today,” Mehbooba said and expressed the hope that the dark shadows of pessimism cast over the peace process will not jeopardize the region’s security and stability as any such scenario would have disastrous and colossal consequences for the people living in the region.

“We in Jammu & Kashmir understand better what the ordeal of violence is, as it has been our fate to live through and survive its frightening hazards,” she added.

Mehbooba said and added that for the people of Jammu & Kashmir, suffering more than two decades of turmoil, has been a long, dark experience, bloody at times and frustrating at almost every step. “For the people of Jammu & Kashmir peace along the borders and within the mainland is of immense significance and I hope the political leadership of the two countries treats it with the same spirit,” she said and called for political dialogue within the State for the resolution of the internal dimensions of the problem.

Addressing the meeting, the Chief Minister urged upon the security agencies to conduct their operations keeping in view the safety of the people. She stressed the need for following a humane approach while dealing with law-and-order situations on ground.

While asking the security agencies to exercise maximum restraint, the Chief Minister asked them to avoid any civilian casualties and damage to private and public property.

Expressing shock over recent reports of various school buildings being gutted in mysterious fire incidents, the Chief Minister said that it is a loss to the entire society. She asked the police to investigate these fire incidents and maintain vigil to prevent such unfortunate events.

The Chief Minister instructed the security forces that rather than static deployment, focus should be on area security.

She urged the police and security forces to hand-hold the misadvised youth who have joined militancy or are indulging in violence, with compassion, and help them bring back to the mainstream through persuasive influence.

She also directed that training and skill development programmes should be organized for such youth by way of sustainable livelihood support.

(Reporting by Saleem Iqbal Qadri)