By TwoCircles.net news desk
Srinagar: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly condemned the killing of a youth at Damhal, Hanjipora in district Anantnag allegedly in the security forces’ custody. The party has also condemned the police action on the protesters in the area.
A civilian Riyaz Ahmad who used to earn his living by baking breads was killed Saturday morning. Indian Army claims that he was killed in crossfire while Kashmiri say it was another instance of custodial killing.
In a statement issued here today, PDP President Ms Mehbooba Mufti while expressing grief and anguish over the murder of the poor baker Riyaz Ahmad has said forces personnel responsible for the reprehensible act must be immediately taken to task to restore the shattered public confidence. She said the unwarranted use of force against the protesters in the area has only fueled the crisis leading to public upsurge. She said such appalling incidents have the potential of fueling alienation and setting a blow to the peace efforts of the Coalition Government.
The PDP President pointed out that despite repeated admonishes, even at the Prime Minister’s level, recurrence of such tragic incidents is not only uncalled for but demands concrete political measures to salvage the battered public dignity in the State. She said dealing with such incidents on case-to-case basis has proved quite inadequate in curbing the awful actions and it only reiterates the urgency of initiating considerate confidence building measures in tune with the public sentiment.
Reiterating the party’s demand for initiating the process of cutting the troop strength from the civilian areas and revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), Ms Mufti said the time has come, when instead of relying on the length of the gun and strength of the bullet, the Government must genuinely engage with the people’s aspirations to work for the lasting peace in the State. “If political solutions are not accompanied with sincerity of purpose, the possibility of lasting peace recedes,” she said and added that while the recent initiatives of the Government of India in this regard are a welcome departure, the process, however, needs to be stepped up and made more comprehensive to positively and tangibly impact the fast-changing situation in the State.
Ms Mufti said the premeditated statements of some political leaders to muddle up the issue of troop reduction with demilitarization by dragging in even the neighboring country China, is a deliberate, desperate and naïve attempt to create confusion over the issue. “The only motive of such politicians seems to sabotage any movement forward on the reconciliatory process that could have brought some relief to the situation and the people in the State,” she said and added that ironically, such politicians are only keeping alive the tradition of the party that has acted against the interests of the State’s people at the crucial junctures of its history.