All-party delegation to visit Kishtwar: J&K govt

Jammu: An all-party delegation will visit violence-hit areas in Jammu region`s Kishtwar district with a message of peace and communal harmony, an official spokesman said here Monday.

"It was decided that after the situation in Kishtwar and other parts of Jammu division improves, an all-party delegation will visit Kishtwar with a message of peace and communal harmony," he said. This decision was taken at an all-party meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, at his official residence here soon after the resignation of minister of State for Home Sajad Kitchloo over Kishtwar clashes. Kitchloo had quit pending a probe into the Kishtwar communal violence that left three dead and 20 injured. The meeting unanimously passed a resolution condemning the violence. "We condemn the violence which started in Kishtwar and then spread to various parts of Jammu division. "We appeal to people to maintain communal harmony and uphold the spirit of secularism," the resolution said. Omar said his government would take all measures to restore calm in violence-hit areas in Jammu Division. At the same time, the political leadership and the civil society had an important role to play in bringing back normalcy and harmony in affected areas, he said. Omar expressed satisfaction over improvement in the situation and hoped normalcy would prevail in the shortest possible time. The Chief Minister had ordered a judicial inquiry into the communal clashes in Kishtwar that left three dead and over 20 injured. PTI