Parties should set aside differences and unite to crush terror in J-K: Former CM Ghulam Nabi Azad

Baramulla (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], December 25 (ANI): Condemning the killing of a retired senior police officer in Baramulla, former Jammu-Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday urged all political parties to unite in the fight against terror.
Speaking to ANI, the founder-chairman of the Democratic Progressive Azad Party stressed the need for all political parties to set aside their differences and come together to fight terror in the Union Territory.
"There were no such incidents in Kashmir over the last six to seven months. However, the targeted killings have started again. I call upon the central government and all political parties to set aside their differences and come together for a decisive battle to crush terrorism," Azad told ANI on Monday.
Amid the ongoing search for terrorists in the forests of Rajouri after an ambush attack claimed the lives of four soldiers, unidentified terrorists on Sunday opened fire at a former police officer Mohd Shafi while he was offering prayers at a mosque at Gantmulla in the Baramulla district.
The slain former police officer was identified as Mohd Shafi, according to Jammu and Kashmir Police. Terrorists opened fire on the retired police officer while he was offering prayers at a mosque, the police added.
Reacting to the incident, National Conference patriarch and MP Farooq Abdullah said that terrorism will not end through operations by the security forces.
"We were part of India and will forever remain so. If we have to end terrorism, we've got to find ways through which it could be ended. The central government should realise that terrorism cannot be defeated through operations of the security forces," the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said.
Earlier, mourning the loss of the deceased retired police officer, Abdulkareem Mir, the younger brother of Shafi, told ANI, "He was the senior superintendent of police (SSP) and retired from service in 2012. He was a regular at the mosque for 'Aazan'. However, this morning, Shafi (the muezzin, who calls fellow Muslims to prayer) stopped suddenly in between his call for Aazan. At first, we thought that the microphone had stopped working. However, later, we learned to our absolute shock and dismay that he had been fatally shot." (ANI)