Omar extends support to Mehbooba for maintaining peace in J-K

New Delhi: In the wake of protests in the Kashmir valley post the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, Omar Abdullah has extended his support to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, assuring that his party would contribute towards maintaining peace provided the latter takes the lead.

In a series of tweets, the former chief minister urged Mehbooba to lead from the front and accept the responsibility both for letting things get to this point as for the recovery.

“Dear @MehboobaMufti We in @JKNC_ are always ready to contribute towards maintaining peace but you must take the lead & show the way. This is the time to lead from the front. You must accept the responsibility both for letting things get to this point as for the recovery,” he tweeted.

“Please don’t take the easy option of hiding behind your spokesperson & your police officers. No one elected them, the people elected you. More than anyone else I know what you’re going through @MehboobaMufti & I can assure you that we will follow your lead but lead YOU must,” he added.

Omar further asserted that his party would never be an ‘irresponsible’ party.

“The @JKNC_ will never be an irresponsible party & opposing you will never mean setting the state on fire for narrow political ends,” he said.

Meanwhile, the death toll in protest-related incidents has reached 18. One policeman and two youth have reportedly been killed in the protest violence.

Earlier in the day, 15 civilians were killed in the clashes, a day after Wani and his two associated were gunned down by security forces.

Wani, the 22-year-old militant commander, who was tagged as the poster boy on social media of militancy in the valley, was shot dead along with two other militants by security forces and police in Bumdoora village, 85 km south of Srinagar.

The valley is on a boil since Friday as separatist leaders including Syed Ali Geelani and Asiya Andrabi have called for a state-wide shutdown and urged people to participate in the slain militant’s funeral.

Mobile internet and train services have been suspended in the valley and the Amarnath Yatra remains temporarily suspended and around ten thousand pilgrims are reportedly stranded at Jammu. (ANI)