NC Leader Mustafa Kamal Blames Army for Unrest in Kashmir

Srinagar, May 1, KNT: Senior National Conference leader Dr Sheikh Mustafa Kamal on Wednesday levelled sharp allegations against the Indian Army, claiming that elements within the security establishment do not want lasting peace in Kashmir.

 Kamal, while talking to the news agency Kashmir News Trust, alleged that the Army and certain agencies seek to keep instability alive in the region. Referring to a reported recovery of an improvised explosive device in Srinagar, he questioned the circumstances surrounding the claim and asked where the device had been detected.

Kamal asserted that a sustained peace would reduce the role of security forces in the Valley and suggested that some institutions were unwilling to allow that transition. He further alleged that unrest is projected to portray Kashmir as militancy-prone and to justify the continuation of laws such as the Armed Forces Special Powers Act.

Describing the Army and other agencies as adversarial to Kashmir’s interests, the National Conference leader said disturbances enable suppression of local aspirations. He maintained that the region had witnessed relative calm in recent years and alleged that certain actions were aimed at undermining that stability.

The remarks also carried political undertones, with Kamal criticizing the Indian National Congress and stating that his party no longer considers it a reliable ally. He said previous political compulsions had led to an alliance but indicated that the National Conference would chart its own course in future elections. [KNT]