“Kashmir cries out for peace, not war,” says PDP chief during visit to LoC-hit Baramulla
Srinagar, May 11 — Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday expressed hope that the newly announced understanding between India and Pakistan to cease all military actions would evolve into a permanent peace arrangement.Speaking to reporters during her visit to displacement camps in Baramulla near the Line of Control (LoC), Mufti said, “I pray to the Almighty that this ceasefire becomes a permanent thing, as innocent people lose their lives and homes in case of a conflict.”
Calls for Calm and Support Amid Ceasefire Violations
Acknowledging the reported ceasefire violations within hours of the agreement, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister urged patience. “It takes time to deescalate a situation when the armies of the two countries are eyeball to eyeball,” she said, warning against knee-jerk reactions and aggressive rhetoric.Plea for Relief and Rehabilitation
Mehbooba Mufti called on the government to provide urgent aid to those displaced by cross-border shelling. “These people have lost their homes. They are not in a position to rebuild. The government should provide them accommodation and also monetary help for reconstruction,” she urged.She noted that the situation in the border districts of Kashmir, including Poonch, Rajouri, and Jammu, remains grim, with countless families rendered homeless or wounded.
“We Need Homes, Not Bunkers”
Mufti visited Salamabad near Uri and met families forced into tin-roofed shelters due to continuous shelling. Addressing the media while surrounded by displaced children, she said, “These children are not waiting for revenge — they are waiting for peace. End the war. Let them live.”Later, at Government Medical College in Baramulla, she checked on civilians injured in the shelling and pressed the administration to ensure their treatment and rehabilitation. “Our wounded lie in hospitals. Our homes are reduced to rubble. This is why Kashmir cries out for peace, not war,” she remarked.
A Humanitarian Crisis, Not Just Political Fallout
Highlighting the emotional toll, she said, “I met the families who fled their homes overnight with nothing but trauma. Men, women, and children — all scarred by conflict — are simply longing for the right to live without fear.”Mufti condemned the culture of warmongering. “Those who beat the drums of war don’t hear our children weep. They don’t see our parents breaking under the weight of fear and loss. We want our children to grow — not be buried.”