Pak’s turn to initiate talks: CM

Deepanker Gupta

Udhampur, Oct 28

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today said her state would continue to suffer if a “conducive atmosphere” was not created for talks between India and Pakistan. Asking Pakistan to keep its promise to not support militancy in Jammu and Kashmir, the Chief Minister said it was now the turn of Pakistan to initiate talks with India. There should be good relations between the two countries as both were the “worst affected” when there was a war-like situation on the borders, she added.

Mehbooba was speaking at a passing out-cum-attestation parade at Sher-e-Kashmir Police Academy here.

Placing the onus on Pakistan to ensure that cross-border infiltration does not take place, Mehbooba said, “During the time of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, for the first time, Pakistan said it would not allow its land to be used for anti-India activities. There was ceasefire on the borders, militancy was down and there was less infiltration. But, unfortunately, that process did not move forward.”

“Our Prime Minister Vajpayee went there (Pakistan). Now, they have to keep the promise of then Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to not support militancy in J&K and help create a conducive atmosphere for dialogue,” she said.

Without naming any separatist leader or group, the Chief Minister targeted them: “Why did you push youth towards camps and towards violence, using them as shields while you fled the scene yourself?” School buildings were being burnt in the Valley so that youth could not get education and it would be easy for such people to involve illiterate youth in militancy, she added.

Seeking the support of the police and security forces for restoration of peace in J&K, Mehbooba lauded the role of the police forces during more than three months of unrest in the Valley. The police should act as parents to misguided youth, the Chief Minister said. She urged policemen to make efforts to ensure the return of Kashmiri youth who had joined militancy or had gone missing and give them education, and “bats and balls in their hands instead of guns”.

Seventeen Deputy Superintendents were among 103 police officers who attended the passing out-cum-attestation parade.

Mehbooba, who was Chief Guest, took the salute from the fresh trainee officers and conducted the inspection of the parade.