Mufti asks Centre to announce Ramadan ceasefire

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and President of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday asked the Centre to declare ceasefire in the state during the upcoming holy month of Ramadan.

Addressing a press conference at her high-security Gupkar Road residency here, Mufti said that people in Kashmir were being subjected to immense hardships in the name of militancy and stone pelting.

"People pray day and night during the holy month of Ramadan and the government should consider a halt in its anti-militancy operations in the Valley as was done last year when I was the Chief Minister," she said.

She simultaneously appealed to the militants to stop attacks on security forces during the month of Ramadan that starts on May 7.

She also alleged that space for the people of Kashmir was being choked at every front.

"In the name of militancy, people are being intimidated and harassed while various institutions such as the J&K Bank are being targeted to choke the people economically.

"Now even the government employees are on the radar of the intelligence agencies. Many other tactics are also being employed to choke the people," Mufti said as she slammed decisions like suspension of cross LoC trade, closure of highway for civilian traffic and the ban imposed on Jamaat-e-Islami and Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF).

She also warned that such tactics would not work and the only way to keep the state with the rest of the country was through dignity, and not by coercion.

--IANS

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