Apni Party President Altaf Bukhari Sunday urged the parents and teachers' community to inculcate values of non-violence and tolerance among the children particularly the youth so that they are not lured to the path of self-destruction and violence.
Moved by the passionate appeals being made on social media by a number of parents begging for return of their missing sons, Bukhari, in a statement issued here said that many precious lives, especially that of youth had been consumed in a cycle of violence in Kashmir that had only left desolation and despair behind it.
"I have seen parents living a miserable life while knowing the harsh reality that the apple of their eyes rests in their graves. This pain is so excruciating that one cannot explain it. In order to dissuade things from going worse, a timely action must be taken by parents and teachers alike while counseling the children about the ills of violence," he said.
Bukhari said that it was collective duty of the society in general and parents in particular to guide such youth who might have got dejected, misinformed and lost their way in pursuit of unfounded objectives.
"The guardians of our youth must understand that it's better to engage with their wards before, God forbid, they may get involved in a situation where they have to make fervent calls for their surrender. However, sadly the situation at that time becomes out of their hands," he said.
Bukhari said that violent means had never yielded anything fruitful because it always tends to destroy everything that comes in its way, even the person who commits the violent activities.
"Violence begetting violence is a universal truth that has manifested its relevance in every conflict around the world. Resorting to aggression and violent means delegitimises the relevance of even the genuine demands of the people. Thereafter, people are left with nothing except regret and remorse," he said.
Bukhari said that in Kashmir such a feeling wad not strange as violence had always remained counterproductive for genuine demands of the people.
He emphasised that violence in any of its manifestations needs to end now for the overall interests of the general public.
