Govt to take final call on suspension of operations in J&K soon

New Delhi: The Government is evaluating the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir before taking a call on continuing the Suspension of operation (SoO) in the valley , a senior government official, privy to this development, said here on Saturday.
“Ensuring foolproof security for forthcoming Amarnath Yatra will be one of the major factors in taking a decision”, the official added.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, talking to media on Saturday, said that he will speak on this issue on Sunday.
Mr Singh on Friday evening met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and briefed him about the security situation in the Kashmir valley, especially in the backdrop of gruesome killing of top journalist Shujaat Bukhari and abduction and murder of Rifleman Aurangzeb, just shortly before Centre’s truce was due to end.
NSA Ajit Doval, chiefs of intelligence and security agencies and senior Home Ministry officials
were also present.
“Though the civilians in the valley have welcomed the Government decision of unilateral SoO , the fact that the number of incidents of militancy and stone pelting have increased during the period of ceasefire is a deterrent for extension of truce there”, a government functionary told UNI.
The SoO was announced on May 16 for a month.
Around three lakh pilgrims are expected join the Amarnath Yatra which begins on June 28 and will continue till August 26 this year. These pilgrims could be an easy target for militants and hence the priority of the Government is to provide two months long ‘Yatra’ safe and secure.
Taking lesion from last year’s ‘terror attack’ on Amarnath yatris, the Home Ministry has stepped up security arrangement for this pilgrimage incident free, a high official of Ministry said on Friday.