J&K CM MEETS MODI, STRESSES ON ENDING CYCLE OF VIOLENCE

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti Monday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi and apprised him of the overall situation in the state while emphasising on the need to end the bloodshed, which was “alienating the younger generation”.

Mehbooba’s meeting with the PM comes three days after she appealed to the country’s leadership to listen to the “voices of pain” from the state. An official spokesperson from the state confirmed the meeting.

He said the CM stressed on “finding ways and means to end the cycle of violence in the state by addressing the element of alienation among the youth”. She said people of the state, having suffered immensely during the turmoil of the past three decades, were looking up to the country’s political leadership to support them in getting out of the cycle of uncertainty and deaths.

The Peoples Democratic Party leader, who has been favouring dialogue between India and Pakistan, reiterated her demand for peaceful engagement with all stakeholders on Kashmir. “The CM sought more frequent meetings at the highest levels between the two countries. She also favoured the idea that the two army commands be in touch with each other to minimise the level of tension at the borders in the state which has affected lakhs of people living in these areas,” the spokesperson said.

Mehbooba also pleaded for taking the cross-loc movement to the next level by working on opening more historic routes and movement of people to build public confidence in peaceful engagements. She called for development of Sharda Peeth, an ancient seat of learning across the LOC, like Nalanda and Takshila.