Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah is under pressure to deliver on his promise and bring the situation in the state under control.
The 18-month-old Omar Abdullah-led government seems to be losing grip on the state as the toll in civilian killings has been mounting despite repeated assurances of exercising restraint, the latest being the ones in Baramulla.
“Instead of offering a healing touch to the infused psyche of Kashmiris, the Omar-led government is using brute forces to suppress the sentiments of Kashmiris,” People’s Democratic Party general secretary Dilawar Mir said. “This anti-people behaviour has become the main cause for unrest,” he said.
Pakistan’s Jamaat-e-Islami spokesperson Zahid Ali said, “People have initiated a peace movement to achieve their right to self-determination. Instead of acceding to their just demand, India is hell bent on usurping this right. But the people are determined to take the struggle to a logical end.”
In a desperate bid to normalise the situation, Omar has sacked Baramulla SSP Sheikh Mehmood for the second time in less than two months and reshuffled the police brass.
Authorities re-imposed undeclared curfew and restrictions on Tuesday to prevent protests following the deaths of Fayaz Ahmad Khanday and Faizan Rafiq. Fayaz was killed by the police and paramilitary forces on Monday during a protest against the drowning of Faizan Rafiq at Baramulla.
