Centre unlikely to accept J&K ceasefire for Ramzan, Yatra
NEW DELHI: The Mehbooba Mufti government on Thursday continued to push for a unilateral ceasefire with terror groups in the state and along the border with Pakistan during the holy month of Ramzan, but Delhi is unlikely to accept the proposal, particularly with regard to internal operations, officials said. The security forces, in particular, have conveyed their opposition to the move. Mufti’s ally BJP is against a ceasefire. “There is a demand; the issue is at the deliberation stage, but no final decision has been taken in this regard by the centre,” said one of the officials.
The person said that a ceasefire is already in force on the international border and the line of control (LoC), the de-facto border that divides Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan-occupiedKashmir. But the person added that there have been constant violations of the ceasefire agreement. “The issue of whether the ceasefire would be extended within the valley or be enforced more strictly at the border and LoC is yet to be decided. A decision is expected within next couple of days,” added the person.
Officials in the home ministry, army, and Jammu and Kashmir police said an internal ceasefire is laden with risks, while the enforcement of a ceasefire with Pakistan is contingent on the latter’s behaviour. A second official said, “The situation in the valley is difficult. We cannot just declare a unilateral ceasefire.”
SRINAGAR: People in Kashmir feel if ceasefire proposal comes into effect after overcoming all the internal and external obstacles, it will be a welcome breather for the conflict torn Kashmiris.
The all party meet on Wednesday advocated that the Centre should halt security operations during the forthcoming Muslim holy month of Ramzan and the ensuing Amarnath Yatra so that the common people can get some relief from the ongoing bloodshed in the Valley.
“The ceasefire will be a welcome relief, even if it will be for a small period. It will be seen as a small window of respite and a ray of hope for the people,” said a lawyer from Shopian in south Kashmir, Habeel Iqbal, who has witnessed most of the bloodshed in past few months.
“Probably, they will not go for it. People don’t have any expectations from the state about improving our lives. We are not expecting much,” Iqbal said.
Kashmir tourism which had started on a much positive note before stagnating due to the routine gunfights might as well improve. “It (ceasefire) will affect everything. It will boost tourism as well, which is already on a ventilator. Currently, there are a lot of problems. There is fear, people are getting killed, schools are shut, obviously a lot of things will improve,” said Wahid Malik, president of Kashmir Hotel and Restaurant Owners Federation (KHAROF).
Javaid Ahmad, a small time entrepreneur of Srinagar, said the ceasefire may have three tier effect –human, economical and political. “If guns stop, there will be some sense of normalcy that will help in economic development,” Ahmad said.