Mehbooba Mufti calls on the Central government to hold talks with Pakistan

Mehbooba Mufti, PDP president and former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.

Mehbooba Mufti, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, has called on the Centre to initiate a dialogue with Pakistan to root out violence from the Kashmir Valley. Her statement came a day after three policemen were killed in terrorist incidents in Jammu and Kashmir on February 19.

Speaking to reporters, Mehbooba Mufti said that the Kashmir issue was a huge issue and “this issue should be resolved so that the bloodshed in Jammu and Kashmir stops and the people here live in peace.”

Mehbooba Mufti, president of the Peoples Democratic Party, was on a visit to Logripora, in the Aishmuqam area in Anantnag to offer condolences to the family members of Constable Suhail Ahmad, the police Constable who was killed in the terrorist attack in the Baghat area of Srinagar on February 19.

Besides Ahmad, another policeman was killed in the Baghat firing while another died during an encounter with terrorists in Budgam district the same day.

Mehbooba Mufti said the government must think about how long the people of Jammu and Kashmir, its policemen and youth will continue to sacrifice their lives. “The BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] government should think and start the process of dialogue, so that the bloodshed is stopped. Our graveyards have become full. They should start the dialogue process, be it [with the people] here or with Pakistan because they often say that Pakistan perpetrates violence here. At least, the dialogue process can be started to stop the violence.”