Early Times Report
Jammu, Nov 17: Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's prophesy of "good news soon" about an end to ongoing agitation in the Valley has finally come true with the successful commencement of board exams and the announcement of major relaxation in protest calendar by the 'united' Hurriyat.
On November 7, while talking to media at the reopening of Darbar move offices here in Jammu, Mehbooba had said she was hopeful of "good news" pouring in from Kashmir after in the coming week, something which would salvage the restive Valley out of continued violence, which erupted on July 8, in the wake of killing of militant commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani and his two colleagues.
Though a day after her "good news" remarks, the meeting called by the 'united' Hurriyat had shattered such hopes when the separatists reiterated to continue with the "strict protest program", things miraculously changed this week.
The "good news" started pouring in on November 14 with the commencement of the class 12 exams with 94 percent attendance. The next day, it was 99 percent attendance at the class 10th exams whereas the public transport was plying at normal.
By the evening of November 16, JKLF chairman Yasin Malik, who was arrested after the November 8 meeting of the 'united' Hurriyat, was released from Central Jail Srinagar.
A day later, on November 16, there came another good news for the PDP-led government, when the Hurriyat led by Syed Ali Geelani announced two full-day relaxation in the weekly protest calendar. It is for the first time since the eruption of protests that Hurriyat announced any daylong breather.
Life has almost returned to normal, while the private schools association has asked the separatists to let the schools resume functioning of daily basis. In a formal statement to media the association led by GN War said the school buses should be treated as ambulance and school children as patients so that schooling is not affected any further.
Insiders said all these major developments have brought smiles for the PDP-led government which was struggling to restore law and order in the Valley.
"As of now things are going on exactly the way it was expected. In a week or so Kashmir will be back to normal," said a government functionary.
He said the government was contemplating to allow Friday prayers at the Jamia Masjid Nowhatta from this week. "As of now the only sign of lack of normalcy in Kashmir is that congregational prayers couldn't be held at Jamia, due to fears that miscreants will resort to violence, but we plan to end this complaint soon," the official said.
The opposition National Conference, on the other hand, looks unnerved even as its spokesman Junaid Mattu has been alleging that separatists and the government have gone for a "deal "for restoration of normalcy. |
