Need support of all political parties to solve Kashmir issue: J&K CM

New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti met Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday to discuss the law and order situation in the state and security to Amarnath pilgrims, officials said.

“Kashmir me hum law and order ki ladaai nahi ladd rahe. Jab tak pura mulk, political parties saath nahi dete tab tak ye jang nahi jeet sakte (The war we are fighting in Kashmir isn’t that of law and order problems. We can’t win this war unless different political parties and the entire country supports us),” she said after meeting the Home Minister.

CM Mufti went on to say that President Pranab Mukherjee re-affirmed that utmost attention will be given to section 370. “When we passed GST bill in J&K assembly, President Pranab Mukherjee reaffirmed that section 370 will be given utmost attention. Our emotions are attached to section 370,” Mufti said.

During the meeting that lasted about half-an-hour, the chief minister apprised the home minister about the steps taken to maintain peace in the Kashmir Valley.

Seven pilgrims were killed by militants in Anantnag district while returning from the Amarnath cave shrine on Monday.

Security agencies engaged in anti-militancy operations in Jammu and Kashmir have been told to implement security plans with full vigour, officials said.

So far, more than 1.86 lakh pilgrims have visited the high altitude Himalayan shrine.

As many as 21,000 paramilitary personnel in addition to state police forces and two battalions of Army have been deployed for security of the pilgrimage routes.

The number of paramilitary personnel deployed this year is 9,500 more than last year.

Four districts of the state -- Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian and Anantnag -- have been on the boil since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces on July 8, 2016.

The unrest has resumed since the April 9 bypoll to the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat.