Curfew lifted in Srinagar; Kashmir schools to reopen

NDTV

Srinagar, 27 September 2010:  Curfew has been lifted from various parts of the Kashmir valley, including Srinagar city on Sunday. Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian and Awantipora towns in South Kashmir and Handwara town in north Kashmir have also seen a relaxation from curfew.

 

This should also pave the way for the schools to reopen on Monday after a long gap of three and a half months, that’s what the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced on Saturday. "Today, a meet was convened by Education department, that was attended by all chief education officers of districts, principal of (DIET), Chairman, Secretary and other officers of board of school education... We have decided in the meet that we will not let one academic year of any child  go waste at any cost.

 

Apart from the schools that are operating now in the Valley, we will make all possible arrangements to have the schools that are closed. Whatever is required, be it transport facility or any other arrangements required, will be done. We will ensure that our children go to schools and schools remain open. We appeal to the parents to send their children to schools so that one academic year is not wasted," said J&K Education Minister Pirzada Mohammad Sayeed.

 

 

If a strike doesn’t prevent the students from going to school, it will be one of the first signs of the Centre’s eight point reach out formula beginning to work in the Valley. Welcoming the Centre’s decision on finding a solution to the Kashmir problem, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday assured that the state government will "reopen the schools on Monday".

 

"I myself had a high-level meeting in the state, working out the modalities of reopening schools and colleges from Monday onwards. The exam schedule of students is to be released and we hope that the parents, students and the society will cooperate with us so that schools can reopen and our children do not lose one year," Omar said.

 

Education of children has been immensely affected in the Kashmir valley in the last three months of protests and curfews in which over 100 people including children have been killed. Omar also said that he will convene the Unified Command meeting at the earliest and will try to build a consensus.

 

"This week the meeting of Unified Command will be called in, which will discuss ways to reduce footprint of the Army and forces slowly in Srinagar and all other big towns of the Valley. We will look at areas designated as disturbed areas and work on ways to reduce forces from these areas in the coming week," said Omar.

 

On Saturday, the Centre set an eight point agenda for peace in Kashmir. Some of its main points are: A new group of interlocutors will begin the process of a sustained dialogue with all sections of people in Kashmir. Sources have told NDTV the head of the interlocutors will be a politician.(Read and Watch: Centre sets 8-point agenda for peace in Kashmir).

 

In a solid reach out move, over 245 young men and women arrested for stone pelting and violating the public security act will be released. The number of check points and bunkers in Srinagar and other towns will be decreased. The other big step includes Centre’s decision to ask the Unified Command to review disturbed areas, so if a certain areas is declared not disturbed, then Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFPSA) will not apply in that area.