National Conference on Friday condemned the casualties along the Line of Control (LoC) following heavy mortar shelling and called for an immediate end to such skirmishes.
While expressing grief over the killings, the party’s senior leaders Choudhary Muhammad Ramzan, Nazir Gurezi, Sajjad Uri, Qaiser Jamsheeed Lone and Qafilul Rehman said that whenever tensions soar between the two countries it was the people living along the LoC, who bear the brunt.
“It’s really saddening to witness innocent lives being devoured like this. We express solidarity with the bereaved families of civilians and soldiers and call upon both countries to immediately stop cross border shelling. The persistent lighting up of borders has made the lives of people no less than a hell,” they said. “We call for immediate cessation of shelling on the borders. We also urge the government to provide effective health care to the injured,” they said.
People Conference Chairman, Sajad Gani Lone also condemned human loss in the cross border shelling in Uri, Tanghdar and Poonch areas, terming it “modern day barbarism”.
Lone sought immediate relief to the affected families who came under heavy border shelling. Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, Lone said, “Shelling yet again claims innocent lives in Uri, Tangdar and Poonch. No words are enough to condemn this modern day barbarism. Hope the administration of the day provides relief to the affected families. My prayers with the hapless inhabitants of these areas. May sanity prevail”.
Chairman Peoples Democratic Front, Hakeem Yaseen expressed concern over the killing. He said loss of precious human lives in border skirmishes, almost on daily basis, was most unfortunate.
In a statement, Yaseen, urged Indian and Pakistan to shun their egos and resolve all bilateral issues through reconciliation and dialogue.
He said war was no solution to resolve issues, adding that sooner the two nieghbouring countries come on negotiating table, the better it will be for people.
“It is imperative for long lasting peace in the region that the two countries bring flexibility in their approach to resolve all outstanding issues amicably through the process of reconciliation,” he said.
While blaming the BJP government’s failed policies as reason for increase in ceasefire violations along the LoC and International Border, J&K Congress Vice President GN Monga said the government has miserably failed to safeguard the lives of border residents.
In a statement, he said, “The increase in ceasefire violations is the outcome of the weak and flawed policies of the Central government. Innocent lives are lost almost every day on the border but the BJP government is least bothered,” he said. “Even the government has failed to construct underground bunkers for the border residents which could have saved them from the shelling. The continuous shelling and firing on the border has resulted in killings, destruction of property, closure of educational institutions and immense hardships to poor people.”