SRINAGAR, 23 May 2007 — Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad told the Unified Command (UC) meeting here that operations against militants must ensure that rights of civilians are upheld.
“The sensibilities of people need to be respected and it must be ensured that no rights violations take place while conducting operations against militants,” Azad said at the UC meeting which was attended by top military, paramilitary and police officers. “Due care should also be taken to avoid public inconvenience during the movement of army convoys,” Azad told the meeting.
The chief minister also emphasized the need “to counter the disinformation campaign against the state and forces by anti-national elements.”
He noticed with satisfaction the “improvement brought in the human rights record” and said that “there is a scope to further improve and synergize efforts to strengthen peace and protect the life and property of citizens.”
The chief minister also directed the security forces to ensure security for general public, tourists and pilgrims in particular.
Meanwhile, five militants and a soldier were killed in gunbattles, police said yesterday. The first gunbattle erupted in southern Pulwama district when soldiers raided a civilian house where two militants had taken refuge, police said.
Indian troops killed three more rebels in two separate skirmishes in neighboring Shopian and Bijbehara districts yesterday, police said.
