‘Centre’s special representative appeals youth who joined militant ranks to return’

Srinagar: Appealing local youth who joined militant ranks to return and shun the path of violence, New Delhi’s J&K interlocutor Dineshwar Sharma said on Monday that any problem can be resolved only through peaceful manner and dialogue.
“I appeal all those local youth who have joined the militancy to come back. The path of violence is never going to bring any solution or well being to the youth or the people of Kashmir,” Sharma told KNS over phone from New Delhi.
The statement of the centre’s special representative comes a day after killing of twelve militants, three troopers and four civilians in separate gunfights between militants and forces in South Kashmir.
Sharma, a former Intelligence Bureau Chief said that the local youth joining militancy in Kashmir is a matter of concern and it shouldn’t happen. “It is painful to all of us to see loss of young life. The parents of the boys, who have taken the wrong path, should convince them to leave the path of violence and come home.” he said.
He further said that the violence is never the right path to solve any problem. “Any problem can be resolved only through peaceful manner and through dialogue,” he said.
He added that young boys should also understand that disturbed conditions create hurdles to government in generating the employment for them. “Though government is definitely trying to address unemployment in the Jammu and Kashmir, but the disturbed conditions, create hurdles in generating employment,” he maintained.
He further told KNS that although he is pained by repeated cycle of violence in Kashmir, but is quite hopeful of a peaceful summer this year. “People should not fall prey to false propaganda being orchestrated by those with vested interests from across the border,” he opined.
He said that it is a good thing that the families are appealing their children to return. “We are with them and we all – the forces, the centre, state government and such families want them to return,”
The Centre’s Special Representative called on Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday and briefed her about his recent interactions with a cross section of society in the State.
It is to mention here that ever since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8, 2016, there has been a sharp increase in the number of Kashmiri youth joining militant organizations.
In latest such development, Tehreek-e-Hurriyat chairman Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai’s son picked up arms after social media was flooded with his picture in which he is seen brandishing a gun.
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had earlier this year informed the State Assembly that 280 youth have joined militancy in past three years. Of them, 127 took up arms in 2017.
After taking up the assignment of being the Centre’s special representative, Sharma has visited J&K many times.
However the separatist groups have refused to hold any dialogue with him, asserting that his appointment as an interlocutor was a “time-buying tactic, adopted under international pressure and regional compulsions. (KNS)