Hope condition of Kashmir will improve soon: Nirmal Singh

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): July 23 (ANI): Expressing optimism that the condition of Jammu and Kashmir would improve very soon, Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh on Saturday said the violence in the valley has gone down, adding the situation is very much under control. "Home Minister (Rajnath Singh) has come here and many delegations are meeting him. He will meet with the leaders of various political parties. I think his step will be towards maintaining peace and calm in the valley," Singh told ANI. Lauding the Centre for its efforts, Singh said the way the ruling dispensation has appealed to everyone to support Jammu and Kashmir is a very good message. "We hope the condition of Kashmir will improve very soon. The assembly was going on smoothly. There was an attempt to create an unfavourable atmosphere with some non-issues like Sainik colony and the Kashmir Pandit colony. There was pressure from Pakistan on the border. According to our information, they were asked to do something.So, the whole thing was sponsored," he added. The Deputy Chief Minister further said the unrest was Pakistan sponsored and part of a larger conspiracy. "There are such elements here whom they (Pakistan) instigated," he said. Meanwhile, the curfew and restriction remained in force across Kashmir for the 15th consecutive day in view of the continuous shutdown call by the separatists. The violence started on July 9, a day after Hizb-ul-Mujahideen commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani was killed in a gunfight with the security forces. The civilian death toll since that day stands at around 46 with one policeman also killed. The police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed in strength to maintain law and order. An all-party meeting convened by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti was held in Srinagar earlier on Thursday to review the situation in the valley and to find a way to solve the violence. (ANI)