Glimpse of peace in South Kashmir; all thanks to Ramzan cease ops

On a busy street market outside Jamia Masjid in Shopian, a vendor is busy selling flashy women apparel. Shouting his lungs out, the vendor is making all efforts to attract as many customers in order to make up for the losses he suffered during pre-ceasefire days.

In South Kashmir, the Ground Zero of militancy and stone pelting, a symbolic Ramzan ceasefire is seemingly working wonders. Hartals, stone pelting, cordon and search operations, and protests have been replaced by the overcrowded markets, food streets and the army of street vendors.

"From January to March, we have had hardly 35 to 40 working days. Except one day of shutdown, markets were open in the holy month of Ramzan. This is a relaxation," said GN Turray, President of Traders and Manufacturers Federation, Shopian.

From the stench of gun powder to fragrance of peace, the restive south Kashmir is seemingly harvesting the dividends of the ceasefire. Markets and schools are open, stone pelting has stopped, security forces are not launching cordon and search operations, and political activities has gradually started kicking off after a long hiatus.

"It is a fact that because of turmoil and security reasons, I was not able to hold public outreach programme in my constituency. But for the last one month I have visited my constituency thrice. I have held two public darbars and officers meet. People are feeling a sigh of relief," said Mohammad Yousuf Bhat, Peoples Democratic Party MLA from Shopian.

To top it all, schools have functioned uninterruptedly for the first time in Shopian district this year. "My two children might have attended school for 17 days since the winter vacation ended on March 1. Since Ramzan, they have attended schools daily except holidays", said a local resident of Shopian

Security forces however are wary about the long term effects of the ceasefire. "Ceasefire is like stopping the Chemotherapy to a cancer patient. Chemotherapy no doubt has side effects but it kills the cancer cells. Once you stop chemotherapy, patient feels temporary relief but the cancer cells grow. Militancy is like cancer and it needs Chemotherapy. Once you announce ceasefire, the cancer is bound to spread," said a top security officer

Shopian's fruit mandi is again bustling with activities. Season's first crop — Cherry — has started arriving in the market. With peace in air, the trucks are making beelines to ship the crop to markets in Delhi and Mumbai.

"Cherry is a very delicate fruit and its life span is very short. It should reach the market within 24 hours. Earlier it was very difficult to ship the fruit given the tense atmosphere. Since the ceasefire, there is a semblance of peace and we are able to ship our produce on time", said a fruit grower

Thirty kilometers away from Shopian at Thamun-Bawar village in Pulwama district, sixty year old Haji Nizam-ud-din is busy spraying fungicides on apple trees in his orchard without any fear. "We are feeling relieved. There is no tension in air", he said.

Few kilometres away in Karimabad village, which has been one of the worst affected areas in south Kashmir, is breathing peace. Stone pelting was almost a daily phenomenon in the village. But since Ramzan there has not been any violent incident.

"Post Burhan Wani, three terrorists of Karimabad were killed. There are three local terrorists still active in the area. This village has seen regular stone peltingm" said a local villager

Data available reveal there has been no militant or civilian killing by security forces in the restive south Kashmir. Stone pelting has reduced significantly though militants have carried out series of grenade blasts and standoff attacks during this ceasefire period. A soldier and a civilian were killed when militants attacked army patrol in Kakpora of Pulwama on May 27