Demands impartial probe to book the culprits

Senior PDP leader and former finance minister Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Thursday strongly condemned the civilian killing in Noorbagh area of Qamarwari Srinagar, terming it as ‘a cold blooded murder’.

In a statement issued here, Bukhari said the killing of Mohammad Saleem Malik during a cordon-and-search-operation launched by the government forces in Qamarwari area is a heinous crime which is unacceptable to any civilized society.

He demanded an impartial probe at the highest level so that the culprits of this brutal killing are booked and brought to justice.

“Unfortunately some vested interests in security forces have become trigger happy and feel emboldened after every such incident in Kashmir. Like in any other part of the State, such forces with nefarious designs, want to shatter the semblance of peace and tranquility in Srinagar city,” he said.

He said that the human life in Kashmir has been devalued by the callousness of “black sheep in security forces” who seem to have got a “license to kill the innocent civilians and draw a sadistic pleasure out of it.”
“The latest cold-blooded murder in Qamarwari is in clear contravention to the assertion made by the Governor S.P Malik who wanted to build trust in Kashmir and had asked security forces to adhere to Standard Operating Procedure in all their operations in J&K,” said Bukhari.

He said such killings are a “direct result” of attempts made by vested interests to subvert local economy. “Srinagar city seemed to be insulated to such happenings and flames emanating from turmoil hit South Kashmir. But incidents like Qamarwari killing are a direct result of attempts being made by some vested interests to shatter peace and subvert local economy in the city,” Bukhari said.

He appealed all right-thinking people to join their ranks to prevent such vested interests from carrying out their nefarious designs which cause fear and insecurity among common people and squeeze their economy for their own interests.