To end J

Jammu, Feb 5 (UNI) People's Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti today called for immediate and complete cessation of hostilities in Jammu and Kashmir to prevent further destruction of life and property.

Addressing a rally at Manjakote in Rajouri, she said, ''we have suffered immensely and this trauma must end now. The violence has left behind traumatised orphans, widows and destitutes and with every killing, the number of such hapless children, mothers, widows and sisters is growing,'' she said.

Ms Mufti said all the sides having armed involvement in Jammu and Kashmir must facilitate in ending the gun culture to ensure the safety of the common and poor people.

''It is the poor people who suffer the most in such situations as the rich have several safeguards. Even in the recent fake encounters, the victims have turned out to be the poorest of the poor, who were earning their livelihood through tedious labor away from their homes,'' she said.

To make the peace and reconciliation process workable, Ms Mufti said it was imperative to show results on the ground. ''On the ground I mean in Jammu and Kashmir and not in Islamabad or New Delhi,'' she said.

She said the confidence-building and reconciliatory measures had no meaning unless these were complemented with visible improvement in the State's security scenario so that the common people identified themselves with the process.

''Both New Delhi and Islamabad must take solid measures to bring down the level of violence within the State and give Kashmiris the time to rebuild their shattered lives,'' Ms Mufti said.

While making appeal to India and Pakistan, she said unfortunately, all the India-Pakistan confidence building measures remained symbolic in nature as far as the ground situation in Jammu and Kashmir was concerned as they had not yielded in any relief in violence.

UNI