Shopian, August 24: Jammu and Kashmir BJP General Secretary (Organisation) Ashok Koul on Monday said the return of Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley was a positive development, while calling for stronger social harmony and brotherhood in Jammu and Kashmir.

Speaking to reporters at Tirth Raj Kapal Mochan Nagbal in Shopian, Koul said it was encouraging to see Kashmiri Pandits returning to the Valley and reconnecting with their ancestral places.

He said the process of returning and rebuilding lives in Kashmir would involve challenges and urged people to work towards creating an environment of greater trust and social cohesion.

Referring to targeted killings, Koul said such incidents were not limited to any particular region and argued that complete security could not be guaranteed anywhere. He stressed that strengthening relations between communities was essential to counter the impact of such violence.

“Targeted killings won’t stop and it is important to create brotherhood,” Koul said.

Speaking about the migration of Kashmiri Pandits, Koul claimed that their departure from the Valley had taken place before the arrival of then Governor Jagmohan. He also alleged that some people in Kashmir had supported external forces during that period.

Koul said efforts to build stronger bonds between different communities would be important for creating conditions that support the return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley.