Kashmiris eager to seize present lull to rebuild says Christian Science Monitor

Washington, Mar 21 : Jammu and Kashmir is returning to normalcy and the people of the state are eager to seize the present lull to rebuild what they have lost, according to the Christian Science Monitor.

The correspondent of the Christian Science Monitor was reporting from the ski resort of Gulmarg in the valley in Kashmir.

One report said that the people of the Valley recall how terrorised they felt during daily bombings and gun battles at the height of fighting when separatists would rush across the Pakistani border to strike at Indian security forces.

Today, the explosions have stopped and many Kashmiris are eager to seize this lull in fighting to rebuild the contested region.

In 2007, conflict-related deaths across the state totalled 777, down from 1,116 the year before and a peak of 4,507 in 2001, according to the South Asia Terrorism Portal database.

However, terrorist incidents continue to occur, such as the bomb that exploded in the heart of Srinagar city this week, injuring 24 people.

According to Indian government sources, it is a sign of desperation after several militant leaders were killed last week.

The peace process between India and Pakistan that began in 2004 has produced positive results, regardless of any underlying political calculations.

Since cross-border artillery exchanges have ceased India has managed to build a fence and install a monitoring system that has made militant infiltrations almost impossible without detection, the report says.

ANI