Terrorism needs to be dealt with iron fist: DPAP chief Azad

Sopore (J-K), Dec 24 (PTI) Terrorism needs to be dealt with an iron fist to
provide relief to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) chief Ghulam Nabi Azad said on Sunday.

Addressing a public meeting in Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, Azad also condemned the killing of former senior superintendent of police (SSP) Mohammad Shafi Mir who was shot dead by terrorists Sunday morning inside a mosque.

“Such attacks only consume innocent human lives. Terrorism needs to be dealt with iron fist so that innocent people can have a sigh of relief,” the former J-K chief minister said.

Later, speaking to reporters, Azad said the situation in the valley and Rajouri-Poonch areas of Jammu was a matter of grave concern.

“I regret it (ex-SSP’s killing). Such an incident hadn’t happened in Kashmir for the last five-six months, otherwise a couple of years back such target attacks used to take place and the government controlled them with so much difficulty.

“The situation in Rajouri-Poonch is also not good, it is a matter of grave concern,” he said.

The DPAP chief said everyone, from people to political parties and the Centre as well as J-K government, has to come together to fight terror.

“Nothing can be achieved by blaming each other. Terrorism has to be stopped… target killings are also a matter of grave concern. We should see to it that the situation does not slip back to what it was, so this needs to be stopped,” he added.

Asked about the BJP’s claims about making ‘Naya Kashmir’, he said that “we want an old India and a ‘khushaal’ (prosperous) Kashmir”.