KL NEWS NETWORK

SRINAGAR

Welcoming the recent ceasefire agreement reached between India and Pakistan, Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, Tuesday hoped that both the countries will succeed in removing trust deficit to firmly entrench lasting peace in the region.

Quoting former Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, he said that countries can change friends not neighbours. “Both New Delhi and Islamabad will have to resolve the issues to allow peace to return on borders and the LoC (Line of Control),” he said, while adding that J&K bears the brunt of violence when guns roar on the borders, an official statement said this evening.

The Chief Minister was speaking after attending an eye-catching Attestation-cum-Passing-Out-Parade of the 12th Batch of 385 trainee recruits, where he was the chief guest today.

Speaking immediately after the attestation ceremony, the Chief Minister hoped that both India and Pakistan will work to strengthen the existing mechanism so that peace holds and prevents regular flare-ups, which play havoc with those residing close to borders and the LoC.

An agreement was recently reached when talks between DGs of Border Security Force and Pakistan Rangers succeeded in breaking the impasse after sustained firing and shelling on the international border and LoC, in which innocent people lost their lives and several others had to flee from their homes.

Rewinding to 2002, when he became Chief Minister for the first time, Mufti Sayeed said Kashmir resembled a prison where people felt a sense of incarceration. “Our initiatives to bring people out of despondency were just like a breath of fresh air. We will tread the same path this time also,” he said, while highlighting his achievements on development front during his three-year tenure, between 2002 and 2005.

Referring to the exodus of refugees, who are escaping violence in several countries in the Middle East and North Africa, to Europe, the Chief Minister decried those forces who preach the language of violence in the name of religion. “The time when one needed to prove his superiority with atomic bombs and guns is over. It is an age where people are fighting battles to improve benchmarks in progress and development,” he stated.

Describing J&K Police as one of the most professional forces in the country, Mufti Sayeed, who also holds the charge of Home Department, said it has taken a lead role in very difficult and trying circumstances and fulfilled its responsibility. “Over the last six months, the Police have faced certain challenging situations, which they have dealt very admirably,” he added.

Spelling out his plans to take J&K on the path of development, the Chief Minister said the government has huge challenges to overcome in agriculture, education, employment and communication network fronts. He thanked the Centre for its support in expediting repairs on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, which was in a critical condition when he took over in March earlier this year. “Road connectivity is our priority. We want to reduce distances so that people come closer to each other,” he said.

Congratulating the pass-out recruits, the Chief Minister said it is a police constable who maintains link with people at the grassroots’level. He said he wants to emulate western countries in having a well-defined career progression policy for those policemen who take a lead in curbing crimes of different nature confronting the society. “I hope that the new recruits will remain active in service and display sympathetic attitude towards general public,” he added.

The Chief Minister assured that he will take steps to modernize police force so that it is able to perform its duties more effectively.

In his address, K Rajendra, informed the Chief Minister that the new recruits have been given training with latest scientific aids as also sensitized in minimal use of force while dealing with law-and-order situations. “The department will also organize reorientation and refresher courses for police personnel to gain expertise in tackling cyber crime, community policing, respect for human rights and investigations,” he added.

Principal, PTS Manigam, Haseeb-ur-Rehman, pledged an oath to the new police recruits and also presented a brief resume of the 12th Beginners Training Recruitment Course (BRTC) undertaken by the new recruits.

Earlier, the Chief Minister took guard-of-honour and salutation at Passing-Out-Parade where the recruits presented an attractive march-past. He also presented prizes among those recruits who excelled in their training.

While Arshad Ahmad was declared the best all-round cadet with one-rank promotion, constables, Abid Ashraf and Vinod Kumar, were the first and second runners up.

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