Srinagar: The coalition government, led by Mehbooba Mufti, is faced with a major challenge of maintaining peace and prevent repeat of 2016-like unrest in Kashmir, while a cycle of violence leading to civilian killings disturbing law and order has already started.The cycle of violence has been taking shape since early this year on the pattern that followed the killing of militant commander, Burhan Wani, along with two of his accomplices in an encounter with security forces in south Kashmir on July 8 last year. During the first three and a half months this year, with the exception of January when the Valley mostly remained snow-clad, there has been a series of such incidents, claiming at least 20 civilian lives.Two major tasks are to be addressed by the coalition government — both depending on the maintenance of peace in the region that would also help instil confidence among the tourists coming to the Valley and those associated with the tourist trade. The tourism, trade and education sectors have already suffered a lot during the unrest last year.First, handle law and order situation in the event of crowds attempting to hamper anti-militant operations, which have become a common feature since last year following the warning by Chief of Army Staff Gen Bipin Rawat. There have been a number of such incidents close to the site of encounters between hiding militants and security forces which result in the death of civilians, disturbing the overall law and order situation by heightened resentment and anger. Various measures to prevent such incidents have not yielded any results, e.g. three civilians were killed in one such incident in the Chadoora area of Budgam district, days before the Srinagar bypoll.Second is to ensure a peaceful conduct of the bypoll in the Anantnag parliamentary constituency in the backdrop of the widespread violence in Srinagar on April 9 that resulted in the death of at least nine civilians.The stage is set for the bypoll to the Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency, which has been rescheduled for May 25 in view of the violence that marred the Srinagar bypoll. It is crucial for the PDP-BJP coalition government to ensure peaceful conduct of poll as the Anantnag constituency comprises four districts of south Kashmir, which has been the bastion of the PDP. The south Kashmir region has also been the epicentre of 2016 unrest following the PDP-BJP “unholy alliance”. The question remains whether peaceful election takes place in Anantnag next month that would be an indicator of the peaceful summer months ahead — a major challenge before the state government.
Tribune News Service