“With the situation in Kashmir taking a turn for the worse in the last few days, Pakistan, instead of helping us, is trying to worsen the situation”.
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She said, “People have come onto the roads. The law and order situation is a complete failure there”, he added.
Mufti’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and India’s ruling rightwing Hindu nationalist Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) are running a coalition government in Indian-controlled Kashmir.
Mufti said that those inciting violence would be identified and would be dealt with.
She slammed Pakistan for constantly attempting to derail peace measures between the two countries.
“We came together to bring Jammu and Kashmir out of this bloodshed and to bring it out of this violence”. They have no rights. “Mujhe khushi hai ki Modi ji ne na sirf pehle apni oath ceremony mein Nawaz Sharif sahab ko bulaya, balki khud Lahore chale gaye.
Notably, he didn’t name Pakistan for stoking trouble in the valley and didn’t repeat that talks over Kashmir will only be held under the provisions of the Constitution of India, unlike previously.
Expressing anguish over the continued violence and killings, the chief minister sought involvement of all the stakeholders for resolution of the issues and improving situation in Kashmir. “They will not be allowed to make life hell for majority here”, she said. What else can we do?
Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the end of British colonial rule in August 1947 but both claim the territory in full.
“What I am concerned about and told the Prime Minister is that people have lost faith in dialogues”. But by resorting to stone-pelting and attacking the camps, no issue will be resolved.
On the deaths in the ongoing protests, Mufti said, ‘Today 95 per cent who have been killed are youngsters belonging to poor families.
“Our children are being misled to become human shields, ” she said. “The situations of 2010 and present can not be compared”. Curfew was extended to entire Srinagar district, Pulwama district and south Kashmir towns of Shopian and Anantnag North Kashmir towns of Baramulla, Pattan and Handwara were also placed under curfew while restrictions on assembly of people were in force in rest of the Valley, police said.
“Do they want that our children should not go to school, it is a political issue, an idea but when you attack camps, police stations, then we are heading to the freedom of Syria and Libya”.
She said an “All Party Delegation” will be visiting the state soon to reach-out to the people “and I hope they will meet different shades of political opinion to elicit their views on how to find a way out of the present imbroglio”.
She said the intra and inter-state CBMs initiated during that time had helped transform the situation in the state and the region.
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Mufti also urged the separatists to end violence in the valley. “I appeal to the Hurriyat to help in getting peace back on the streets, to stop the killings”, Ms Mufti said.
