Neither guns nor army can bring peace to Kashmir: Mehbooba

Alarmed over the massive increase in the killings, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday said neither guns nor the Army can bring peace to the militancy-hit state.

"Dialogue is the only way out, as neither guns nor the army can bring peace to the troubled valley. The only way to resolve the unrest is to engage in continued talks," she said while addressing the lawmakers in the state assembly.

Mehbooba's comment comes a day after six policemen, including a Station House Officer (SHO), were killed and their bodies mutilated by the militants in South Kashmir's Anantnag district.

She said there have been serious efforts at denying talks to Kashmir. “Last time when Sharad Yadav and others came, I even wrote a letter to them (Hurriyat) suggested them to talks and open a window but they rejected it,” she said. “What can we do?”

Responding to debate on the situation on the ground the Chief Minister termed the ongoing crisis as an outcome of the “denial of democracy.” "It was the rigged election of 1987 that actually created the ongoing situation. (Hizbul chief) Syed Salahuddin and (JKLF chief) Yasin Malik are there and I think I need not take any more names,” she said.

However, Opposition National Conference countered Mehbooba saying the present situation has emerged because of 'state terrorism' in Kashmir which is dangerous. "The doors of the institution of talks have been closed and there are efforts of making a clear distinction between the process of talks in North East and J&K," senior NC leader Mohammad Shafi said.

“Kashmir is on fire. If you add to it, it will devour all of us,” he warned. The Congress lawmaker G M Saroori lamented that “nothing is in the hands of the Chief Minister as the entire powers being exercised in J&K are that of a general who is heading Northern Command."