People vote for peace and development in Kashmir

Singpora, Baramulla, Apr 24 (UNI) People, majority of them women and youths, today said they voted for peace and development in the by-elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

''Enough blood has been shed during all these years of turmoil and it is the right time to contribute for restoration of peace,'' said Aijaz, who was casting his vote for the first time at a polling station here in Pattan assembly constituency.

''My generation has opened eyes at a time when blasts, firing and crackdowns (search operations) were the order of the day in the Kashmir valley,'' he said adding parents were hesitant to send their children to school for fear of their lives.

Now the situation has improved and it is the duty of everyone to contribute whatever way he or she could to restore total normalcy in the valley, he said.

Similar views were also expressed by his friends who had also cast their votes for the first time.

We are very excited after casting our votes, the youths said adding they had to wait for for three hours.

However, women, who had also turned up in large number at a polling booth, set up separately for them here said they were voting for the development of the area. ''We too want peace as hundreds of people in the area have died since 1990,'' they said.

Now when the situation has considerably improved, there is a need to think about development, they said.

''Our main concern is uninterrupted water and electricity supply, good roads and availablity of essential commodities,'' the women said adding unemployment in the area is also a problem which need to be addressed by the authorities.

Similar views were expressed by the elderly who demanded an immediate end to human rights violations.

UNI BAS YA VC1455