Mehbooba questions PM's statement that his govt was providing healing touch in J-K

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti Saturday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement that his government was providing a healing touch to civilians in Jammu and Kashmir. "PM in an interview claims his approach towards Kashmir is a fitting touch to separatists & militants & a healing touch for civilians. Wondering how returning mutilated bodies of militants to families, imposing a road ban twice a week & detaining & humiliating Kashmiris is healing (sic)," she tweeted.

Earlier this month, the state government had imposed a two-day-a-week restriction on the movement of civilian traffic on the NH-44 that connects Jammu to Srinagar, days after the Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed. But, the government on Saturday partially relaxed the restrictions, which was put in place to facilitate the movement of security forces' convoys.

The two-day-a-week restriction barred civilian traffic from plying on the highway on Wednesdays and Sundays. Now, there would be no restrictions from Srinagar to Baramulla (both in the Kashmir region) on Wednesdays, according to an official spokesperson.

However, the restrictions would continue between Srinagar and Udhampur, in the Jammu region, on NH-44 as earlier, he said. "These would be reviewed periodically and relaxation would be made as to the need for restriction reduces," the spokesperson said. Srinagar falls between the two cities.