Give me peace I will give you jobs: Mehbooba Mufti

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, on Tuesday promised government jobs to youth, if they help her dispensation to maintain peace and harmony in the state.

The chief minister urged the youth to participate in the upcoming Panchayat elections and get involved in the decision making process, revealing that 12 fresh local militants have shunned arms in last two months.

Hurriyat leaders including Syed Ali Geelani have urged people to boycott the elections. She stated that peace in the state alone guarantees more employment opportunities and better relations between India and Pakistan which will pave way for resolution of Kashmir issue.

Mufti, while addressing a gathering of youth at her Srinagar home, continued to give justification for the much criticized PDP-BJP alliance, saying it was stitched solely for the welfare of youth and getting the state out of difficulties.

PDP’s young legislators, Aijaz Ahmad Mir, Yawar Dilawar Mir and Secretary J&K State Sports Council, Waheed ur Rehman Parra also addressed the gathering.

“Give me peace I will employ you in Irrigation, PHE, Tourism just after six months of training. But give me peace,” she said to a gathering of youth.

In an inference to the youth of south Kashmir including Mufti’s home town Bijbehara, which was the epicenter of five month long protests last year, Mufti said, “Our introduction is not knew. I know you from the days, when I visited your villages and you would be my shield. I am pained that the same youth who would be my shield are holding stones in their hands today.”

She reiterated that if youth of the state would help her to bring peace, she would invite the “Prime Minister here and ask him to make an announcement to end unemployment of my youth.”

In a state, where only graveyards have flourished over the years, Mufti said, she wants to develop parks and gardens, where youth would be employed.

She revealed that her policy of persuading fresh local militant recruits, against whom there are no charges to surrender is going in the right direction. “I am happy that at least 12 youngsters have come back. I will not say they have surrendered, but they have come back home. It is a great moment of happiness for us if they have shunned the guns,” she explained.

She also clarified that the recently engaged SPO’s in the police department would not be given guns but posted in traffic and tourism department.