Find middle path to end violence in Valley: Mehbooba to Centre

Allah has given us life to live it well, do not embrace death at the age of 18 or 19.

MEHBOOBA MUFTI, J&K chief minister to youngsters

SRINAGAR : Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday appealed to the Centre to find a “middle path” for ending the cycle of violence in the Valley which she said was consuming the lives of youngsters and security forces.

“The tragedy in which five civilians were killed yesterday (Sunday) is very painful. I appeal to Government of the country (Centre) to find a way for ending this bloodshed,” she told reporters at the reopening of civil secretariat in Srinagar as part of the traditional Darbar move practice.

She also appealed to the people of J&K to value life.

“Allah has given us life to live it well, not to embrace death at 18 or 19 years of age,” she said.

Among the five militants had an assistant professor of Kashmir University Mohammad Rafi Bhat and a top Hizbul Mujahideen commander Saddam Padder, belonging to well to do families of landlords.

“The stones and guns are in the hands of poor (youth). We have to find a middle path to ensure that these boys do not get killed and our army men and policemen also do not get killed,” she said.

Former chief minister Omar Abdullah said on Sunday that Bhat’s death proves that providing jobs and ensuring development were not the solution to end “violence and alienation” in Kashmir.

As many as 41 people – including militants, civilians and security personnel – were killed in various instances of violence across Kashmir in April. Eighteen have died so far in this month. Although the civil secretariat opened after working in Jammu for six months, Srinagar roads and markets wore a deserted look following a strike call issued by separatists.