Srinagar: Charging Pakistan with giving guns in the hands of children of Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today (October 29) asked Islamabad to stop bloodshed in the State and give peace a chance.

"For God sake, stop bloodshed in Jammu and Kashmir and respond positively to India's comprehensive peace initiative," Mufti said addressing a series of public meetings at Tangdhar, Machil and Gurez during his day-long visit to border areas of Kupwara and Baramulla districts.

He asked Islamabad not to ignore people's yearning for peace. "Not only the people of Kashmir, even the people of Pakistan are keen to have lasting peace in the region by improving ties with India," he said and asked why then blood was being shed in Jammu and Kashmir every day.

Mufti said thousands of children have been orphaned in violence and the people on the border are being made target of cross-border shelling almost every day.

Mufti said gun has never solved problems anywhere in the world. Its futility in solving problems needs to be realised and accepted by everyone, and instead work for dialogue. Let us accept that dialogue and peace are inter-connected and both the nations have to work for it, he said.

The Chief Minister, however, cautioned against high expectation of instant solution and said that there might be ups and downs in the peace process.

PTI