Tasaduq Hussain/Irfan Lone
Kupwara, October, 31: Believing that youth engagement in sports activities is the reason for peace in Kashmir, Maj Gen H S Sahi, General Officer Commanding (GOC) Kilo Force emphasised that youth participation in sports activities leads for peace here.
“This area is called Hafrada, once infiltration was going through this area and this was encounter prone area. Today you can see thousands of people watching cricket match here”,he said.
Answering a question GOC said the situation in entire north Kashmir was normal and the security grid has an upper-hand while as infiltration along the LoC in the ensuing year has been plugged to a large extent compared to previous years. He said all the parameters of normalcy was prevailing in north Kashmir.
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of the unity cricket cup grand finale at Hafruda area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, General officer Commanding (GOC) Kilo force, H S Sahi said that the security forces with the help of general public have managed to normalize the situation. “The place that once served as a hotspot of militancy is now busy in sports activities which reflects normalcy,” he said as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).
The GoC said that with the cooperation of the general public, security agencies have managed to normalize the situation in entire north Kashmir. “Some years back, infiltrated militants used the same route (Hafrada) to enter the valley and now the same place is being used for sports events,” he said.
He said that this area in the past has witnessed encounters and today “we are not talking about militants in Hafruda, Kupwara but about the youth involvement in sports events that would last for 15 days. This signifies situation is normal in Kupwara.”
The GoC Victor Force said that the army started a series of sports events in the past three months that includes different games with participation of girls and boys at village level and at the district level too.
The competence and caliber of Kashmiri youth is seen in such tournaments and the army will encourage and keep holding more similar sports events in future too, he said.
The GOC said that the prevailing normalcy has to continue so that the youth are able to exhibit their talent and achieve what they aim and the aim to organize such events is to involve youth and tell people that the situation is normal.
“The parameters of normalcy are prevailing in north Kashmir which depicts the situation is under control”, he said. “Some incidents will continue to happen like the arrest of militant associates and surrender of local militants while the infiltration has been thwarted completely in the ensuing year.”
To a question about the rehabilitation policy for the militants, the GOC said that a surrender policy is already there while recommendations for a fresh one have been sent which is with the Government of India. “The approval and nod is awaited,” he said—(KNO)
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