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Amid border tension, Centre's interlocutor Dineshwar Sharma kicks off Mission Kashmir
It will be Sharma's first visit to Kashmir in 2018. Since his appointment last year.
Updated : Jan 22, 2018, 09:24 AM IST
 "Dineshwar Sharma")
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Amid "Khoon Ki Holi" on borders, Centre's Special Representative Dineshwar Sharma is embarking on 'Mission Kashmir' to reach out to the people and help in restoring peace in the restive Jammu and Kashmir.
Sharma on Sunday met Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra in New Delhi and held extensive discussions on several important issues relating to the restoration of peace and normalcy in the state.
Sharma is leaving for Kashmir on Monday to meet a cross-section of society and help in bringing normalcy to the state.
It will be Sharma's first visit to Kashmir in 2018. Since his appointment last year, Centre's interlocutor has visited different places including sensitive South Kashmir to hold discussions with people.
Centre's interlocutor's visit comes against the backdrop of escalating tensions on Line of Control and International Border in Jammu division.
The death toll in the ceasefire violations on LoC and International Border (IB) has climbed to 12 since Wednesday night. More than 50 people have suffered injuries and thousands of people have fled their homes. Schools and educational institutions in the five-kilometer range of International Border and LoC have been shut as a precautionary measure.
A Border Security Force (BSF) spokesman said cross-border fire stopped at 05.45 on Monday. "It had covered the whole area of Pargwal, Mad, RS Pura, Arnia, and Ramgarh. However, there was no fire in Samba-Kathua area. There is no BSF injury", he said.
The spokesman, however, noted that there have been occasional small burst coming from few of Pakistan Posts.
Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday appealed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan not to turn the state into "Jung Ka Akharda” (battlefield) and instead make it a bridge for friendship.
“I request our Prime Minister and neighboring country Pakistan not to allow Jammu and Kashmir to become Jung Ka Akhara and instead make it a bridge for friendship. Like we had opened (cross LoC) roads –Muzaffarabad, Rawalakote --- so there that there is business and Khoon Ki Holi is stopped… our kids go to schools, our people stay in their homes without fear and our people go to farms without any hassles”, said Mehbooba.
