Mehbooba chairs maiden UHQ meet, stresses on safety of people

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today chaired her maiden Unified Headquarters (UHQ) meeting after assuming office last month and urged the security agencies to conduct their operations keeping in view the safety of the people.
"The security agencies should conduct their operations keeping in view the safety of the people so that an environment of peace and tranquilityis maintained. This will enable the government to implement its agenda of good governance and development in the state," she told the meeting.
The meeting was attended among others by Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh and top brass of Army, police, BSF, CRPF, Central and state intelligence agencies. It discussed threadbare the entire gamut of security-related matters and peace on borders in the state, an official spokesman said.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister was briefed about wide-ranging issues, overall security scenario as well as the steps taken to maintain peace in the state.
Mehbooba focused on a humane approach whiledealing with law-and-order situations on the ground, the spokesman said, adding she insisted that Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) should be maintained at all costs.
"Any incident of civilian killing reverses all the gains that have been achieved so far," she said.

While asking the security agencies to maintain restraint at all costs so as to avoid any civilian casualties and collateral damage, Mehbooba said it would be in the fitness of things to give an option of homecoming to the local youth who have picked up guns.

She also underlined the importance of UHQ as an apex platform to synchronise the endeavours of the civil administration, security forces and the state Police for evolving a cogent response to tackle the internal and external challenges to peace in the state.
To further the sense of normalcy, she said the visibility of the security forces and bunkers should be minimised in the civilian areas.
She also stressed upon reducing the footprint of security forces at various tourist places and airports so as to cause less inconvenience to the visitors and to welcome them with a sense of normalcy.
Referring to the importance of peace and tranquility along borders, the Chief Minister insisted upon taking forward the initiative of border tourism, started by former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, at Suchetgarh, in Jammu.

She also asked the security agencies to showcase the area of Baba Chamliyal as a symbol of great reverence, observed by people from both the sides.