Initiate Confidence Building Measures to remove alienation among Valley youth: Sartaj Madni

The Centre must initiate dialogue process "with all stake-holders" to establish "lasting and sustainable peace" in Kashmir and immediately initiate Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) to remove "alienation" among the youths, the PDP on Thursday said.

"Keeping in view the prevailing situation in the Kashmir Valley, the Centre must initiate dialogue process with all stake-holders to establish lasting and sustainable peace in this region," PDP General Secretary Sartaj Madni said here.

Reiterating the party's resolve to fulfil Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's "visionary agenda of peace and reconciliation" in the state, Madni asked the Centre to immediately initiate CBMs to remove "alienation" among Kashmiri youths.

Speaking at an event here, Madni said, "After Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh's visit, it is high time to take some bold initiatives to fulfil the wishes and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir in general and the Valley in particular."

The need of the hour is to ascertain the real cause of the prevailing anger and alienation among the youth of the Valley, the PDP leader said.

"The Union Home Minister has himself the assessed ground situation by visiting Kashmir," he said adding, the people of the Valley have urged Rajnath Singh to immediately take some concrete steps to address the grievances of the youth.

"It is a hard reality that alienation among youth could not be removed through oppressive means. We have to adopt humane approach to reach out to the alienated lot of the society, which is being exploited by some forces for petty political gains," Madni said, and emphasised on the need of adopting the "healing touch" policy of late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.

"Peace is imperative for growth and development of the state. So our first priority should be to establish lasting and sustainable peace by taking on board all the stake holders," he said.

Madni called upon the youths to shoulder responsibility in restoring peace in the state and carve out a new path of growth and development under the leadership of Chief Minister Mehooba Mufti.