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| KEA seeks end to strikes, stone pelting | | |  Majid Nabi
Early Times Report
Srinagar, Feb 13: Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA) an amalgam of various business organizations Saturday, claimed that the continuous strikes by separatist groups and stone pelting incidents besides claiming innocent lives have taken huge toll on Kashmir economy. Endorsing peaceful protest organized with aim to draw attention towards the growing economic instability in Kashmir by a group of students representing Kashmir Reform Group (KRG), the trade body demanded early end to strikes and aggression.
KEA which has always been at the loggerheads with the government over certain issues including that of rehabilitation of flood hit traders, asserted "stone pelting and continuous strikes badly affected the economy of Kashmir besides thousands of innocent people lost their lives during past twenty six years in Kashmir"
Talking to reporters KEA Chief Spokesman, Siraj Ahmad said "the aim of extending support to these youth is to bring reformation; we have been witnessing hartals and stone pelting for the past twenty six years but this strategy yielded nothing other than miseries for Kashmiri people" Ahmad while appreciating the endeavours of youth desperate to bring normalcy in Kashmir appealed the government to provide space for peaceful protests for larger interest of the people.
Replying a query as to what makes a trade body leader to jump into politics he said "KEA despite representing trader's fraternity has been demanding peaceful resolution of vexed Kashmir issue. Our point is that the strategy must be changed from violent to non violent means"
He said Kashmir valley has been witnessing hardships only due to the strikes called by separatist groups besides stone pelting and other aggressive methods have added to the peoples woes. "Is stone pelting and daily based strikes only option to find solution to Kashmir issue, no there are other peaceful ways to highlight genuine demands. We want progressive Kashmir, our youth are grinding for want of employment, these things should be kept in mind also," said Siraj. Carrying banners and placards reading "hartal in partial reduces our movement in ashes", Zaid Khan the student's representative during their protest at Press Enclave here claimed that the strategy of daily strikes must be changed. "People over a period of time have realized that strikes and stone pelting has not been a way to achieve goal, if hartal and stone pelting would bring resolution to Kashmir issue then Kashmir would have achieved it in 2008 and 2010," he said.
"Our demand is to find a peaceful method to achieve goal whatsoever, why should people bore the brunt of violence, stone pelting and strikes are not the only option but the same have claimed the lives of thousands so far" said Khan. |
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