The Government of India’s special representative for Kashmir talks Dineshwar Sharma has described the Shopian killings as a setback, saying government forces must show restraint in Kashmir valley and civilian killings must end.
“Civilian killings must stop. The security forces must show restraint and not resort to disproportionate firing,” Sharma told The Hindustan Times in an interview.
“I was hoping for a better summer but violence has come as a setback. Amongst the districts in south Kashmir, Shopian is particularly alienated and angry. We must be sensitive while dealing with the people of Kashmir,” Sharma, a former Intelligence Bureau chief, added.
Sharma was appointed as a ‘special representative’ by the New Delhi on October 23 last year to hold a “sustained dialogue” with all stakeholders, and has made several visits to Jammu and Kashmir, including one in late February to Shopian, where three civilians were killed by Army bullets on January 27, and four were shot dead along with two militants on March 4.