Kashmir highway ban a dumb idea: Ex Army chief V P Malik

New Delhi: Former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General (Retd) Ved Prakash Malik on Wednesday termed the ban on civilian traffic on Kashmir highway twice a week a dumb idea and called the decision against the army’s core objective of “winning hearts and minds” of the local populations.
Taking to micro blogging social networking site twitter the former army chief wrote “Kashmir. Ban on move of civ vehs on NH twice a week is a dumb idea 1. Goes against core object of winning hearts & minds. 2. Civil Adm must weigh pros & cons 3. Instead of strengthening local police & int, & improving move security, shows forces becoming over defensive (sic).”
While the army stationed in the Valley has said they don’t have any information about the closure of the highway, the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has said that he would not revoke the order banning the civilian movement. According to the order issued last week, the highway from Baramulla in north Kashmir to Udhampur in Jammu will remain closed every Wednesday and Sunday till May 31 to ensure movement of the forces’ personnel for the election purpose. The ban has been challenged by leaders of top mainstream parties National Conference, PDP and Jammu Kashmir Peoples Movement in Jammu and Kashmir High Court which has sent notices to Jammu and Kashmir Government and Union Home Ministry for filing responses before any judgment is delivered.