Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 1: Several political parties have expressed concern over the killing of civilians in cross border firing by Pakistan. Some political leaders have also visited the hospitals, where the firing affected people are under treatment.
Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh has expressed anguish over the killing of civilians in the ongoing ceasefire violations by Pakistan forces targeting innocent civilians residing on international border and LoC. In a condolence message, the Deputy Chief Minister has expressed shock over the loss of lives and conveyed sympathies to the members of the bereaved families. He also prayed for peace to the departed souls. Deputy Chief Minister directed the Divisional and District administrations of Jammu and Samba to provide all possible help to the people of border areas and evacuate them to safer places so as to save their lives. He also asked them to ensure proper basic amenities at the relief camps established for them. He directed the GMC authorities and health services department to provide best possible medical treatment to the injured people. Dr Singh directed the police authorities of both the district to be the first responders to the people of affected areas in any case of exigency.
Minister for Industries and Commerce, Chander Parkash visited the families of civilians killed in the Pakistan firing on the International Border in Ramgarh Sector. He expressed grief and conveyed his sympathies with the bereaved families.
Later, the Minister visited CHC Ramgarh and interacted with injured persons and enquired about their well being. He directed health authorities to immediately depute more doctors and other staff to cater to the medical needs of the people affected due to cross border firing. He also asked the concerned to cancel the leaves of doctors and other staff in view of the serious situation.
Minister also called up officials at GMC Jammu, Multi-Speciality Hospital and passed directions to ensure proper care and treatment of victims being referred there.
Ganga directed the district and police administration to immediately shift people to safer areas and make necessary arrangements for accommodating them.
Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Sham Lal Choudhary distributed compensation amounting Rs. 5.42 lakh among the people living in border areas whose livestock including buffaloes and cows have been injured or killed in the cross border firing. Minister directed the SDM and Tehsildar to expedite the process of paperwork for the left out families awaiting compensation for the damages suffered due to cross border firing.
Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali has stressed upon India and Pakistan to de-escalate tension on Line of Control and International Border in J&K which is badly affecting the people of the State. While condoling the death of people in border shelling, the Minister said that there is acute border tension in Samba, Jammu, Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir where heavy mortar shelling has badly affected the people. Minister asked Divisional and District Administration to ensure safety and security of the people. He also instructed for providing relief to those who have been migrated from tension areas. He also instructed for immediate ex-gratia relief to the next kins of those who got killed in border shelling.
Expressing concern over continued shelling in civilian areas along Line of Control and International Border in Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in deaths of innocent people including women and children, National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah and Working President Omar Abdullah expressed shock and solidarity with the families who lost their dear ones. “There is immediate need for desclation of situation on borders, as unfortunately our people are becoming ill-fated victims of the border skirmishes”, Dr Abdullah said in a statement. Dr Abdullah and Omar Abdullah conveyed their condolences to the bereaved families, saying National Conference is sharing their grief and agony. Provincial President National Conference Jammu Devender Singh Rana besides former Ministers Ajay Kumar Sadhotra and Surjeet Singh Slathia, MLAs Javed Rana and Dr Kamal Arora and Provincial President Youth National Conference Ajaz Jan have also expressed shock and grief over the deaths and conveyed sympathies to bereaved families.
MP Rajya Sabha Jugal Kishore Sharma visited Ramgarh Hospital and enquired about the victims of cross-border firing. He also asked the GMC authorities to provide best medicare facilities to the people, who got injured in firing by Pakistan.
MLA Nowshera Ravinder Raina along with officers from civil and police administration visited cross border firing areas in Nowshera and took stock of preventive measures to protect the valuable life of civilians. Raina directed the administration to rescue civilians safely from the firing affected areas and provide medical assistance to injured persons.
MLA Mendhar Javed Ahmed Rana expressed grave concerns over the security of innocent lives and urged both the countries to arrive at some sort of truce on LoC for the sake of innocent lives. Rana also urged the State Government to put in place a contingency plan for rehabilitation of civilians caught in the line of fire from across the LoC. Rana also enquired about the condition of injured civilians at the Sub-District Hospital and directed CMO Poonch and BMO Mendhar to press the health machinery into action. MLA instructed the district and sub-divisional administration to provide immediate assistance to those being injured and evacuate the villagers to safer places.
BJP senior leader and MLC Vibodh Gupta along with officials of police and civil administration enquired about the condition of the injured persons at Nowshera Hospital. He assured all the injured persons that Government is standing behind them and they will get all the possible help. Later, Vibodh also took a meeting of the officers in which Block Medical Officer, Tehsildar and SHO Nowshera were also present. During the meeting, Vibodh took stock of various types of help being provided to injured persons who were injured as a result of regular firing by the Pak rangers. He added that the way Pakistan is regularly violating the ceasefire and targeting the innocent civilians this shows the inhuman face of this country. Many people also met MLC Vibodh and demanded that permanent bunkers should be constructed for them as they do not want to shift from their respective areas.
Expressing deep shock over the loss of lives and injuries to several persons, JKPCC has strongly condemned Pakistan for resorting to heavy shelling targeting civilians’ localities along the Indo-Pak border and LoC at several places in the State. President JKPCC GA Mir and senior functionaries of PCC Sham Lal Sharma, Raman Bhalla, Mula Ram, Kanta Bhan, Ravinder Sharma, Manjit Singh, Shabir Ahmed Khan, Vikram Malhotra, Manmohan Singh and Namrata Sharma have jointly expressed deep shock over the loss of lives in Samba sector and Rajouri district besides severe injuries to several persons in RS Pura and Nowshera sectors. They condemned Pakistan for escalating tension and targeting the civilian population, which is an act of cowardice and violation of international norms. The leaders expressed sympathies with the families of those whose kith and kin have become victim of the Pak shelling and with the injured and asked the Government to immediately provide adequate ex-gratia relief to the affected families. Meanwhile, Ravinder Sharma Chief Spokesman JKPCC, General Secretary Shabir Ahmed Khan, Vikram Malhotra and Neeraj Gupta Secretary PCC visited the GMC Hospital and enquired about the condition of the seriously injured persons in Pak firing.
Former Ministers and senior Congress leaders Raman Bhalla and Manjit Singh visited Government Medical College, Jammu and enquired about the well being of those sustained injuries due to unprovoked firing by the Pakistan. They appealed the authorities to provide best medicare facilities to the victims. They asked the doctors and staff to remain vigilant, especially during night hours so that injured persons can be attended in time and referred to GMCH, in case of high medical emergency. Conveying their sympathies with those families who lost their members due to unprovoked firing on the international border, they demanded establishment of separate township for the people residing near the border at Hiranagar, RS Pura, Arnia and also at Poonch and Rajouri districts in view of the frequent firings from across the border. They also appealed youth to come forward for voluntary blood donation for timely and adequately saving precious lives.
Accusing Modi Government of failing to deal with Pakistan, former Minister and JKPCC general secretary Manjit Singh today strongly condemned Pak shelling on civilian areas of Ramgarh sector. Singh while criticizing the Central Government said that they have failed in their foreign policy to deal with Pakistan, while only pump and show was made to show that “India has successfully isolated Pakistan”.
President, All India Jat Mahasabha J&K Choudhary Manmohan Singh expressed anguish over the innocent killings of people in ceasefire violation by Pakistan. “Border dwellers lost their agricultural lands and cattle. They are also loosing their family members. Government should implement rescue and evacuation plans for these people stranded on border areas and shift them to safer places, which will prevent further bloodshed of our people and enable our Armed Forces to retaliate without the fear of our people’s safety”, Singh added. He also demanded compensation for the victims of cross-border firing.
Shamsher Hakla Poonchi, a prominent Gujjar leader condemned the unprovoked firing by Pakistan along LoC in the civilian areas of Mendhar sector of District Poonch. He asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take positive steps to end hostilities between the two countries.
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