Shafat Malik

Bandipora, Sep 22 (KNS): General officer Commanding (GoC) of Srinagar based 15 Corps Lieutenant General D P Pandey on Wednesday said that the ceasefire pact has brought peace and normal life back in the Gurez valley, located along the Line of Control in North Kashmir's Bandipora district.

As per Kashmir News Service (KNS), talking to reporters on the sidelines of 03 JKBN Combined annual training camp of NCC at Gurez Valley, GOC said that since the ceasefire pact in February this year the people of border villages have got long required peace and they are able to carry out routine activities without any fear.

Replying a query on the role of the Army in enhancing border tourism in Gurez valley after ceasefire pact, GOC said that since it is the part of civil administration, and they are trying their best to ensure people reach out to every remote corner.

"Our responsibility being an army is to ensure good amount of peace, security and stability so that people can roam around in remote areas without any fear," Pandey said, adding that they are achieving it with the support of civil society, citizens of the country and the people of Kashmir.

Replying a question what preventive measures are being taken by the Army in preventing local youth to join militancy, he said that NCC is one of the platforms where youth come from different districts with different cultures and meet at a common platform.

"They understand that there are different cultures and start thinking in a pluralistic form. We try and nurture the issue of aspect of discipline, larger construct of people living together, and no way is being left behind to prevent the local youth from joining militancy," he said. (KNS)