Peace necessary for talks to resolve issues: Mehbooba

Tribune News Service

Zewan (Srinagar), October 21

Asserting that peace was necessary for dialogue to resolve all issues, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today exhorted the police to help in restoration of normalcy so that the way is paved for a dialogue process in Jammu and Kashmir.

She asked the police to adopt an approach of “hand-holding” of the youth, who wanted to join militancy, and “bring them back” to the mainstream. She said there were a number of cases of local youth having fled their homes, or gone missing and wanting to join militancy. They needed to be brought back to their homes instead of getting killed in encounters, she added.

“The police should help in creating a good atmosphere… give me peace, I will go to Delhi to beg of the Prime Minister for initiating a dialogue (with separatists) and help in finding a solution to the problems in the state,” she said.

Saying the J&K Police had an important role in creating a conducive atmosphere, Mehbooba hoped that there would be an end to the ongoing unrest in Kashmir that has completed three and a half months.

Addressing Police Commemoration Day function here, Mehbooba said the Agenda of Alliance between the two ruling coalition parties, PDP and BJP, would not be possible without a peaceful atmosphere. That would be workable only when the police exert maximum restraint while handling the situation and dealing with the stone-throwers, she said.Mehbooba also sought Pakistan’s help in restoration of peace in the region, saying that former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s formula was that friends can be changed but not the neigbours.

On the decision of joining hands with the BJP, Mehbooba said it was not for “bijli, pani, sadak” but to address larger issues.