J&K sees 71 per cent fall in militancy in 5 yrs, says Omar

 Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said that militancy in the state was on decline and no collateral damage to civilians took place in the anti-terror operations during the last five years.

“There has been significant improvement in the security situation and human rights violations have come to zero level. Militancy has declined by 71 per cent during the last five years and no collateral damage to civilians have taken place in combating operations  by security forces,” Omar said during a discussion on the motion of thanks on Governor’s address to the state legislature.

Referring to the militancy attack on the Army convey near bypass on national highway and on BSF at Bemina here last year, Omar said that despite loss of precious lives, the forces did not resort to indiscriminate firing and applied highest restraint to save  civilians. 

The Chief Minister hoped that incidents of attacks on security personnel will reduce and come to zero level with the improvement in the situation and restoration of permanent peace.

While complementing the Army for instituting probe into alleged Machil fake encounter, Omar expressed dismay over the closure of the Pathribal investigation by the Army and said that when it is established that innocent civilians have been killed, it is necessary to identify the culprits. 

“If the culprits are not those towards whom finger is raised than we have to probe and find out who are the real offenders,” he said adding that the buck cannot stop here “it has to move and identify the main culprits responsible.”

He added he has taken up the matter with the Prime Minister and will continue to strive for obtaining justice to the bereaved families.

The Chief Minister vehemently rejected the ‘false conception’ being sold by a group of people dubbing the prevailing peaceful situation in the State as deceptive and by force. “They want to carry the false propaganda as if the government has filled jails and pressurised people to remain peaceful”, he said.

Omar said that no jails have been filled with people and nobody is under pressure to work for normalcy. 

“It is the desire and the will of the people to live in peace and create conducive atmosphere,” he said maintaining that only 2,396 persons who are mostly criminals are in prisons in the State and of these 35 have been arrested under Public Safety Act (PSA).