Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said ceasefire violations on the LoC were inimical to confidence building between India and Pakistan and called for restoration of calm along the border.
"Violation of ceasefire on LoC is inimical to confidence building between the two neighbours," Omar said, addressing people in flood-hit areas of Mandi belt in Poonch district. He stressed the need for restoring calm on the border, saying the firing incidents at LoC "have done no good." "Ceasefire violations have done no good in the past and will change nothing now," he said.
"We have witnessed tension and violation of ceasefire and constant shelling on borders. India and Pakistan have fought three and half wars, Jammu and Kashmir witnessed 25 years of violence and disturbance, but nothing changed on ground," Omar said. "When both India and Pakistan are recognising the fact that friends can be changed but not neighbours, then there is need to create necessary thaw in their relations and live as good neighbours," the Chief Minister said.
Referring to the request to Omar by people living near LoC to help stop shelling there, the Chief Minister said he would raise their request at the right forum, adding that any decision in this regard is not within the capacity of the state government. He empathised with the people saying apart from facing the brunt of tension and shelling on LoC, in various areas they had to face floods and incessant rains.
Omar assured them that his government would take all necessary measures for providing relief to the flood-hit families. He said he is taking stock of the situation at a high level meeting in Srinagar on Friday to work out relief and rehabilitation programme for the families affected by recent floods.
Omar, on the second day of his visit to flood-hit areas in Jammu division, visited Treu in Kalakote, Kalnai in Mandi, Bella in Surankote and various other areas in Poonch and Rajouri districts and spoke to people to get first-hand information of damages caused by floods. He was accompanied by Minister for PHE and Flood Control, Sham Lal Sharma and Minister of State for Revenue, Ajaz Ahmad Khan.
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