Condemning the burning of schools and other landmarks in mysterious fire incidents across the restive Valley, the civil society and the Kashmir Inc on Monday unanimously resolved that “schools are our national assets” and that “arsonists cannot be our comrades.” The speakers resolved that there was a need for a “joint and tangible strategy to foil such nefarious designs.”According to a statement issued to KNS, in his address, the host of event and Kashmir Economic Alliance, Chairman Haji Muhammad Yasin Khan said the “burning of schools has shaken the entire Kashmiri nation and the hidden faces behind this conspiracy aimed at destabilizing the mass movement, need to be exposed.”Stressing on the importance of education, Khan, who also heads Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation said fire incidents at schools and elsewhere including shrines have turned into such a big concern for the people that now mere lip service won’t do but that tangible efforts are needed from the people of Kashmir to bring an end to this conspiracy of dragging the Valley to darkness.Reiterating the support to the peoples uprising led by the united Hurriyat, the KTMF President said the trade community has been and shall be religiously following the protests program.
He agreed with other speakers from civil society that the ongoing agitation needs to be taken ahead at a sustainable pace.Former Federation Chamber of Commerce and Industries President Muhammad Ashraf Mir also expressed serious concern over fire incidents.Greater Kashmir Columnist Mehmood Ur Rashid in his address said burning of schools cannot be seen in isolation but has its cause linked to the ongoing unrest. He suggested that the ongoing agitation should be “programmed in sustained way where play and pause of movement will play a vital role.” We often keep only moving and forget to take halt, he added.Earlier in his address, prominent social activist and philanthropist, Dr Muhammad Farooq Kaloo said Kashmir being a conflict zone has been victim of such incidents like mysterious fires for the past several decades. He suggested that people should come up with community efforts at Mohalla and village levels to come up with vigilantes, who keep vigil at places like schools to foil the nefarious designs.Senior Journalist Majid Hyderi however said vigilantes couldn’t play a fruitful in conflict zone as people of Kashmir have already been craving for their own lives during the unrest. “Legally speaking it’s the duty of the police to safeguard life and property of people. A government which can arrest over 10,000 youth and leave another 1000 blind on charges of stone pelting is supposed to be knowing the hands behind these mysterious fires,” he argued.
The speakers from the business community, on the other hand largely maintained that the state government unduly politicized education with many of the speakers taking at dig at Education Minister Naeem Akhter in particular. They said from Abdullahs to Muftis all mainstream leaders exploited Kashmiris for veted interests. Rising Kashmir Business Editor Mir Basit was also present.The joint session of the civil society and Kashmir Inc resolved to hold another round of discussions over this serious issue and to decide future strategy.Others who spoke on the occasion include Manzoor Ahmed Senior Vice president KTMF, Chief Spokesman Siraj Ahmed KEA,District Presidents Kupwara, Tariq Maqbool, District President Islamabad, Bashir Ahmed, District President Bandipora Shamshad Ahmed, Advocate Bashir Ahmed Solina Traders and Bilal Ahmed Dar who runs Pick and Choose departmental store. KTMF & KEA Media Head Farhan Kitab was also present on the occasion. (KNS)