Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz seeks dialogue to end ‘cycle of bloodshed’ in Jammu and Kashmir

All Parties Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. File (Source: The Hindu)

As stepped up anti-militancy operations left three more Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) militants dead in an encounter in Pulwama on Wednesday, Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has called for a dialogue “to end the cycle of bloodshed”. Expressing concern over growing bloodshed, he said the violence was a result of the lingering conflict.

A joint team of the police, the Army’s 55 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and the CRPF’s 182 Battalion trapped the three militants in a pre-dawn operation in Chandgam village of Pulwama. The police have identified two of the militants as Mir Owais from Pulwama’s Ashmander area and Talha Yasir, a Pakistani national.

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“Regarding the third terrorist, the recoveries made from the site of encounter indicate him to be a foreigner. His identification is being ascertained,” the police said.

According to the police, Yasir was a mastermind in the preparation of vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (IEDs). “Two M-4 carbines and one AK series rifle were recovered from the site of the encounter,” the police said.

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Vijay Kumar, IGP, described the killing “a big success”.

Eight militants have been killed in the first five days of this year in back-to-back operations which includes a JeM “commander”.

“As the year 2022 begins, each day since its beginning, precious lives of young boys are being lost in encounters, which is extremely sad. The lingering conflict continues to consume lives on all sides,” the Mirwaiz said.

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He said the Kashmir issue continues to remain unresolved, despite the U.N. resolutions, wars and agreements between India and Pakistan.

“The Hurriyat has repeatedly been advocating dialogue since its formation. Killings and hostility will end if engagement for talks among the parties concerned is given a chance, gradually paving the way for peaceful resolution of the conflict.”