The Bharatiya Janata Party, for the first time ever, has mobilised Muslim cadre from the Kashmir Valley to ensure the safety of pilgrims during the Amarnath Yatra.

Six all-Muslim volunteer teams are entrusted with ensuring the smooth flow of the yatra (journey) — from the twin routes of Pahalgam in south Kashmir and Baltal in north Kashmir — up to the cave shrine.

BJP State president Sat Sharma, who formed the team of volunteers, has directed them “to provide assistance to the Yatris immediately after entering into the Kashmir Valley.”

“The people assigned with the job would remain available round the clock as the yatra begins on July 2,” said BJP media in-charge Altaf Thakur.

“These party workers will be available for any kind of assistance and pilgrims can call on their mobile numbers.”

“The Yatra is decades old tradition. The party workers would maintain the spirit of brotherhood that Kashmiris are practicing since decades. These workers have voluntarily registered their names,” he added.

The BJP is an alliance partner of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The party received 32.4 per cent of the votes in the 2014 Assembly polls, 2.2 per cent of it in the Valley.