Thursday, June 15 2006 17:23 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Jammu: Union Minister of State for Home Sri Prakash Jaiswal today (June15, 2006) said attacks by militants frustrated by the improvement in the situation in Jammu and Kashmir would not stop the 'accelerated peace process' in the state.

Asserting that the militants would be dealt with sternly, Jaiswal told reporters here, the increase in terror attacks is a result of growing frustration in the rank and file of the militants due to the improvement in the securtiy situation in Kashmir." Jaiswal, who reviewed the security situation and measures taken by security agencies to provide cover for the Vaishnodevi and Amarnath pilgrimages at a meeting here.

"These attacks have neither stopped the peace process and development measures in the past nor will they stop it today or in the future," he said.

"The speed of the peace process including talks with separatists, developmental schemes and the India-Pakistan dialogue during the past two years had created a high degree of frustration among militants," he said.

"The militants are feeling isolated day by day, as people of the state have increasingly been taking the path of peace by shunning the gun culture and violence," he said.

"If militants or any other section have misconceptions that they can derail the peace process, they should change their mindset or it will be too late for them," he said.