Srinagar, Nov 14 (UNI) Expressing concern over casualties on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) due to shelling, former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday said this could be stopped if Indian and Pakistani leadership rise above their political compulsions and initiate dialogue.
Meanwhile, moderate Hurriyat Conference (HC) appeal to both India and Pakistan that for the sake of humanity and the millions of human lives involved in the J&K conflict to and address and resolve the dispute through peaceful means rather than use the conflict for their political expediency and upmanship domestically.
Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba said “Sad to see mounting casualties on both sides of LOC. If only Indian & Pakistani leadership could rise above their political compulsions & initiate dialogue. Restoring the ceasefire agreed upon & implemented by Vajpayee ji & Musharaf sahab is a good place to start”.
“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”, Peoples Conference (PC) chairman and spokesperson of Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) Sajad Lone said.
The Hurriyat said in a statement expressed deep grief and dismay at the repeated escalation on the LoC in which more than 20 human lives were lost on both sides yesterday, including of 15 civilians.
It said that deaths of innocent Kashmiri civilians on both sides of the LoC as well as soldiers of both nations, caught in the lingering conflict is very sad and shameful. Hurriyat reiterated its appeal to both India and Pakistan that for the sake of humanity and the millions of human lives involved in the J&K conflict to and address and resolve the dispute through peaceful means.
For the past 73 years while both India and Pakistan claim that things have changed yet they have remained the same and for the people of J&K the suffering knows no end. Wars, going nuclear and constant upgradation of their military arsenals has failed as a policy on both sides in settling the issue. Unilateralism and prolonging of the conflict has only complicated it and now China has also emerged on the scene.
Hurriyat Conference once again urges Government of India and Pakistan to give up belligerence and come to the table to resolve the J&K dispute for times to come and end the senseless bloodshed of humans on all sides.
UNI BAS JW1551