Jammu, January 8
Jammu and Kashmir Governor S.K. Sinha today emphasised that counter-militancy operation would continue with vigour to restore normalcy in the state.

Addressing the joint sitting of state Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council in Central Hall, the Governor highlighted the decline in the incidents of human rights violation in the state in past four years.

The Governor said, ‘’The state government has always supported the process of dialogue with different groups within the state and between our country and Pakistan, but at the same time counter militancy operations will continue with vigour, for normalcy in the state.

Mr Sinha, added the Army, the Paramilitary Forces and the J&K Police had been doing commendable work in combating violence in the state, adding, 151 security personnel had laid down their lives in fighting terrorism.

“As a result of their efforts in the past four years, the coalition government has been successful in bringing about a big turn-around in the state’s security scenario and created a condition of peace and tranquility,” he said.

“The year 2006 witnessed a decline of 16 per cent in the number of terrorist incidents and 28 per cent in civilians killings. In fact the killing of civilians last year was the lowest ever since the militancy erupted in the state,’’ the Governor pointed out.

Mr Sinha said the state government was committed to the protection of human rights and results are encouraging.

“Even the allegations of custodial deaths and disappearances have declined in past four years,” he added.

He, further, said to bring the wayward youth to the mainstream, last year 51 detainees who were not involved in heinous crime, were released from various jails of the state. — UNI

Jammu, January 8
Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today stressed that Gen Pervez Musharraf's proposals of self-rule and joint management of the resources of J and K with a view to solve the Kashmir imbroglio should be discussed with a positive approach.

Mr Azad, who was replying to queries of mediapersons after the inauguration of the Budget session of the legislature, said the peace proposals should not be rejected outrightly.

He lamented that the BJP that had initiated the peace process between India and Pakistan during its own regime was now playing a negative role on the sensitive issue.

He said the Congress as an Opposition had wholeheartedly supported the peace initiatives of the then Prime Minister, Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and now it was the turn of the BJP to reciprocate when the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, was carrying further the peace process.

He said Dr Manmohan Singh had taken the Opposition into confidence on the peace measures that the UPA government was taking.

Mr Azad hoped fruitful results of the forthcoming visit of Mr Pranab Mukherjee, External Affairs Minister, to Islamabad and said the peace process had to be carried forward. He said he had suggested to Mr Mukherjee that during his talks with the Pakistani leadership he should stress the need for reopening the Gilgit, Skardu and Suchetgarh road links.

He said he had held meetings with the National Conference leaders, Dr Farooq Abdullah and Mr Omar Abdullah, whose attitude was very positive towards the peace process.

Srinagar, January 8
Four labourers were crushed to death and another injured in two separate accidents at quarries in Anantnag and Pulwama districts today, official sources said.

Nazir Ahmad Wagay and Mohammad Ibrahim died instantly and Ghulam Mohiuddin Wagay was injured when they were caught under a bolder while working at a quarry in Sherpora village of Anantnag district, the sources said.

They said three more labourers, however, escaped unhurt in the mishap.

In another similar accident, the sources said two labourers, Rais Ahmad and Ashiq Hussain, were crushed to death while extracting stones at a quarry at Kanmoh in the Pampore area of Pulwama district. — PTI