Srinagar: Pakistan will have to stop cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir for any dialogue with India to be successful, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said on Friday while underlining that talks were not possible in the prevailing situation, which has “deteriorated”.
But, she added, she remains hopeful about the resumption of talks between India and Pakistan as Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to carry forward Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s policy.
Mufti said Pakistan has a huge role in establishing peace in the region and it has to stop supporting militancy.
“This is not a hidden thing that infiltration takes place and encounters happen on borders. Pakistan has a role to see that infiltration does not take place and there is no support to the militancy,” she told reporters on the sidelines of an event to commemorate policemen who had died on the job at Zewan, 14km from here. “When the graph of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir comes down, there would be more opportunities for the two countries to talk. Those talks will then be successful,” she added.
Mufti recalled that during Vajpayee’s tenure, Pakistan had said it will not allow its land to be used for anti-India activities and there was ceasefire along the border, militancy was down and there was less infiltration.
“But, unfortunately that process did not move forward,” she said.
“Our Prime Minister went there [Pakistan]. Now they have to repeat the promise of [then Pakistani President] Pervez Musharraf to not support the militancy in J & K [Jammu and Kashmir] and help in creating a conducive atmosphere for dialogue,” she said.
Noting that Pakistan was itself facing terrorism threats, Mufti said the country has ensured that its soil is not used for anti-India activities.
“Thousands of people have been killed there in terror acts in hospitals, markets, schools and colleges,” she said, adding, “if we can create a conducive atmosphere, then a way can be found.”
The chief minister emphasised that her state has an interest in peace “as the biggest impact of a tussle between India and Pakistan” is on it.
“Unfortunately, the situation has deteriorated over the last few months and to talk about dialogue in such a situation is not possible, she said.
Try to bring back youths to mainstream: Mehbooba to police
Srinagar: Mufti on Friday urged the police to try to bring back to mainstream the young people who have fled their homes to join militancy.
In remarks that come in the wake of a prolonged unrest in the Valley triggered by gunning down of local Hizbul militant Burhan Wani, she said, “Those who have taken up arms or those who have not but are missing from their homes and want to join militancy, they are local boys.
“I request the police to try to bring them back to their homes. Instead of their being killed in encounters, if it is possible to bring them back, make them a part of the mainstream, give them bats, balls and good education, instead of guns.”
Mufti, who was speaking at the Police Commemoration Day function at Armed Police Complex in Zewan on the outskirts of the summer capital here, said that such young people needed compassion.
She added that ending militancy and restoring peace were a prerequisite for repealing the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and for seeking start of dialogue process in the state.
“We cannot force anyone to have dialogue [at] gunpoint, stones or by lathis [batons],” she said, adding that only when there is a “conducive” atmosphere she can go to Delhi with her “head held high”.
Urging local youth to give up violence, she said that “black laws” such as AFSPA would be repealed from the state when the situation improves.
“When the situation improves here, we will end the black laws. For that we have to create an atmosphere first. I know that today the situation is not such, but tomorrow, a year after. We have to repeal AFSPA as we cannot keep it in force forever.
“How can I do it today? There is infiltration, there are encounters. We have to end militancy and create peace in Jammu and Kashmir so that we can repeal AFSPA from some areas here,” she said.
The Chief Minister said the police should deal with militants but civilians should not be troubled.
