Mehbooba asks Pak to reciprocate India on IB

TNN Bureau. Updated: 5/24/2018 10:32:52 AM Front Page

SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today expressed grave concern over the situation prevailing along the borders in the state following the latest spate of killings in cross-border shelling by Pakistan and called for immediate cessation of hostilities to safeguard the lives and properties of the hapless people.

She pitched for a ceasefire on the borders on the lines of unilateral ceasefire announced by the Centre in the hinterland in Kashmir, but said the onus also lies on Pakistan also to respond positively in the larger interest of peace and stability in the region.

“It is the life and property and sense of security of the people of J and K which are in the line of fire and every bullet or a mortar shell fired hits only the residents of this state on either side,” she said.
Mehbooba said it was painful to see the everyday loss of precious human lives, destruction of properties and large-scale migration in border areas of the state due to the hostile situation prevailing along the borders.

The terrible images of an eight-month-old child with bullet wounds on his body is perhaps not enough to shake the conscience of the humanity in the region and put an end to this senseless bloodletting, she said.

"Marking a clear departure from the history of hatred and hostility in the region, the peace process initiated in 2003 had yielded momentous dividends in the shape of the ceasefire along the borders from Kargil to Kathua, opening up of cross-LoC routes for passenger traffic and visits by the representatives of the civil society, media professionals, businessmen and ordinary citizens to and from the two sides of the state, she said.

The chief minister said hope had replaced despair during that period but added that the lack of follow-up, unfortunately, pushed not only the confidence-building measures under the carpet, but also put the peace process on the back-burner.

"And the result is there for everybody to see," she said.

The chief minister's statement came on a day when five civilians were killed and nine others injured as Pakistani troops rained mortars and opened heavy fire on Indian villages and BoPs along the International Border (IB) in Jammu, Kathua and Samba districts.

Conveying her heartfelt sympathies and solidarity to the families of victims of firing on borders, Mehbooba said there was no reason why the political leadership of the country and that of Pakistan should not employ similar peace offensive as the one initiated by Vajpayee so that hawks on both sides are silenced and the people of J and K get a reprieve from constant war and the threat of it.

The chief minister said while people in mainland had heaved a sigh of relief due to the magnanimous unilateral ceasefire announced by the Centre, time had come to extend this confidence-building measure along the borders as well for which onus lay with Pakistan also to respond positively in the larger interest of peace and stability in the region.


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