Kashmir: Ramadan Ceasefire Was Golden Opportunity For Peace

Junaid Bhat
The holy month of Ramadan witnessed a enormous step forward in the peace process of Kashmir when Government of India took a huge confidence building measure in form of Ramadan Ceasefire unilaterally and in this regard suspended all operations during the month.
But a section of militant group preferred not to reciprocate the ceasefire offer as a result soon after the end of the holy month of Ramadan one saw ending of ceasefire and return of ugly bloodshed.
One cannot discount the benefits of the ceasefire as above and over the killings, protests had ceased off to great extent during the holy month of Ramadan thus giving the people great opportunity to live the life in a normal manner. Ceasefire as an globally accepted norm and paradigm to establish peace and harmony has gained wide currency to establish peace be it in Cambodia or Congo. In South Africa too historic peace was achieved by cessation of violence and moving towards reconciliation.
The pulse of people is that bloodshed should end in Kashmir as bloodshed and violence has devastated Kashmir badly with pain and agony becoming order of the day.
The voice of common pain hit mother of Kashmir is that ceasefire should be revived so that sons are safeguarded and they don’t bear unbearable pain.
Ceasefire has been always in human history been recognized as the effective mode of garnering peace and reconciliation and established it’s writ as effective instrument of peace.
After the interlocutor try from the central government to establish long lasting peace in Kashmir the try of establishing ceasefire was another boosting step towards peace. It was more bold in nature as the offer of ceasefire was announced when the valley of Kashmir had seen worst and witnessing unprecdented violence and above all the state was having upperhand.
Ceasefire should not be dumped in the pages of history and we should not be pessimistic to say that we will never witness it again infact an atmosphere of peace should be created so that all the stakeholders once again establish the long lasting ceasefire and peace.
People without a doubt are stating that government of India took a big step forward in establishing peace and harmony by calling for ceasefire despite all the critical analysis and criticism from several quarters.
The ceasefire is the only tool which can get Kashmir out of the mess it is in and it is opportune time in history
for separatists and militants to think on the terms of ceasefire.
Ramadan ceasefire offered hope, offered peace,  offered solace,  offered rejeuvnation for the pain hit Kashmir but with the end of same pessimism has taken our length and breadth of the valley. Now the onus is on Pakistan, India,  Kashmir leadership to ensure that this pessimism Comes to end and peace becomes our ultimate destiny. (KNB)