Expressing concern over the obtaining situation in Kishtwar, former minister and National Conference MLC Sajjad Ahmed Kitchloo on Sunday made a fervent appeal to people to maintain peace and calm, saying this is imperative for the larger interest of the sensitive township. In a statement issued to KNS, Kitchloo said, “Kishtwar has been a shinning symbol of Jammu and Kashmir’s pluralistic ethos and any attempt to vitiate the atmosphere will meet resistance of the people irrespective of caste, creed and color.”Kitchloo attributed the current unrest across the Valley and other parts of the state to wrong-policies of the PDP-BJP dispensation, saying the people were undergoing unprecedented sufferings. “The alienation of the people needs to be taken care of by addressing political issues so that the objective of lasting peace in the region is achieved”, he added.He criticised the spree of raids being conducted in the township resulting in harassment to the people that have aggravated the situation and vitiated the atmosphere. The former minister said that amity and tranquility has been core of the State’s rich ethos and National Conference will offer any sacrifice to preserve and sustain it so that the people lead a peaceful and dignified life. (KNS)