In occupied Kashmir, the Chairman of Hurriyat forum, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, has urged India to shun the use of brute force and resolve Kashmir dispute through peaceful political means.

Addressing a gathering in Srinagar, he said it is a fact that even after the passage of over seven decades, the Kashmir dispute continues to remain a reality with India and Pakistan as parties to it.

He said there is a great need to move forward and create conducive environment through confidence building measures like release of Hurriyat leaders and youth languishing in Indian prisons and re-opening of all traditional roads connecting divided parts of Kashmir.

He called upon the Indian government to choose the path of engagement for the peaceful settlement of the long-pending Kashmir dispute in the larger interests of people of entire South Asia.

Meanwhile, Indian troops launched a cordon and search operation in south Kashmir’s Islamabad district,on Saturday. The troops sealed all entry and exit points of Dooru area of the district and conducted door-to-door searches.

Journalist bodies held a strong protest at Kashmir Press Club in Srinagar, against a report published in Indian daily Times of India, targeting Kashmir media and journalists.

The said report has raised points questioning the integrity of the members associated with KEG and the Kashmir Press Club, terming them as “Jehadi Journalists”.

On the other hand, migrant Kashmiri Pandits while rejecting Indian government’s plan to settle them in separate colonies in occupied Kashmir have demanded their settlement in six districts across the Kashmir valley.

The demand was made by a seven-member delegation led by Satish Mahaldar during its meetings with Indian Minister of State for Home, G K Reddy, and the BJP’s Vice President and in-charge of Kashmir affairs, Avinash Rai Khanna, in New Delhi.