By PTI

SRINAGAR: Governor N N Vohra today expressed hope that Prime Minister-in-waiting Imran Khan-led new government in Pakistan would recognise "the futility of continuing with its terrorist agenda" in Jammu and Kashmir.

He said various initiatives taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to secure amicable relations with Pakistan have so far not engendered any results.

"I very much hope that the new leadership in Islamabad will recognise the futility of continuing with its terrorist agenda in J-K and accept that peace between our two countries will contribute towards the establishment of fruitful relations, growing trade, prosperity and all around mutual benefits," Vohra said in his Independence Day message.

He said like other states, J&K has also been striving to achieve its developmental goals, but steady growth and advancement in the state has suffered because of Pakistan's continuing proxy war and its unceasing campaigns, for the past nearly three decades.

"In the past year, our western neighbour attempted to infiltrate an unusually large number of trained terrorists across the International Border and Line of Control. Our army and police forces carried out effective operations and neutralised perhaps the largest ever number of terrorists in the past many years. Side by side, we also suffered the loss of security forces personnel and civilian lives," Vohra said.

He said during this year also, there has been a increase in infiltration attempts on the LoC.

"Till June this year, there were repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan which caused manifold sufferings for our people living in the villages along the LoC," he said.

The governor, however, said notwithstanding the terrain, climate and other challenges, the army is continuing to enforce strict vigil on the frontiers.

"I take this opportunity to raise my hand in salute to our fearless officers and men and pay respectful homage to the brave hearts of the state police, central armed police forces and the army who made the supreme sacrifice to preserve the territorial integrity of our country," he said.

The governor said the people in the valley have been facing continuing difficulties and sufferings on account of the recurring disturbances.

"Every call for a hartal affects the functioning of public delivery systems, stoppage of transport, tourism, trade and business and closure of all educational institutions. In brief, almost every activity comes to a halt, with consequential difficulties for the people and losses on all fronts. The recurring unrest has most seriously affected the academic schedules and the future careers of our youth. Whenever I have had the opportunity of visiting any educational institution I have been appealing to the teachers, parents and the community leaders to take every possible step for protecting the interests of the younger generation," he said.

Vohra added that it was extremely important that the anger of the youth, from whatever reasons it may arise, must not lead to their getting involved in violent activities.

Referring to the rise in the number of youth picking up arms, he said in the past year, a number of youth, some of whom were pursuing professional studies, were influenced to pick up the gun and join groups which perpetrate violence.

"It is gratifying that some of these young men have since returned to their families. I appeal to all our community leaders to exercise their utmost influence to get all the young men who have deviated from the path to return home and pursue their careers," he said.

The governor said a few weeks back, consequent to certain developments, governor's rule had to be imposed in the state and the first priority of his administration was to ensure the maintenance of public order and to see that the entire administrative apparatus functions with speed and efficiency.

He said ever since he came to serve the state over 10 years ago, he has been repeatedly urging that the pursuit of divisive and confrontationist approaches can never lead to the resolution of any of the state's problems.

Vohra said it also needs being recognised that the activities of all those whose sole objective has been to stoke unrest have resulted only in branding the state with a negative profile which has discouraged tourism, external investments and adversely affected the economic advancement of the state.

He appealed to the leaders of all political parties in the state to provide support to the administration to improve efficiency and accountability in every arena of functioning and to lend their valuable support towards engendering an environment in which the forthcoming elections to municipalities and panchayats produce a positive outcome which would, in turn, pave the way for the restoration of peace and normalcy in the state.