‘Govt will take up relief for victims with Centre’
WAJAHAT SHABIR
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said the assessment of damages caused by cross-border shelling by Pakistan is almost complete and his government will take up the issue with the Centre for providing relief to the victims.
“The assessment is almost complete. Reports from two districts are awaited. Once we get them, we will take up the matter with the Government of India and try to prepare a (relief) package,” Abdullah told reporters here.
The chief minister also expressed gratitude for the visits by opposition leaders, including a Trinamool Congress delegation, to the areas affected by Pakistani shelling in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, India’s response to the Pahalgam terror attack that had cross-border links.
“Rahul Gandhi is visiting Poonch (on Saturday), where he will interact with the victims. I am especially thankful to the Trinamool leaders, who were the first to come. They first went to Poonch and are in Rajouri now. These visits make us feel that there are people standing with us in these difficult times,” Abdullah said.
Brushing aside a question on the BJP claiming that the resolutions passed recently by the National Conference working committee came at the behest of Pakistani spy agency ISI, Abdullah said, “It is okay. Let them say.”
The chief minister refused to comment on a chargesheet filed by the CBI against former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satyapal Malik.
The central agency said on Thursday that it has filed a chargesheet against Malik and seven others in connection with alleged corruption in the award of Rs 2,200-crore worth civil works for the Kiru hydropower project in J-K’s Kishtwar district.
