Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Srinagar Feb 25 (KINS): Mainstream parties, Peoples Democratic Party and National Conference as well as Hurriyat Conference-led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Thursday welcome Indo-Pak agreement over ceasefire.
Both the regional parties of Jammu and Kashmir, People’s Democratic Party and National Conference, termed the fresh agreement between India and Pakistan over ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) a welcome development.
“Dialogue is the only way forward if both countries want to stop the unending cycle of violence & bloodshed across the borders and Jammu and Kashmir,” Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti said, according to news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS).
“A big & welcome development that India & Pakistan have agreed to a ceasefire along the LoC. Dialogue is the only way forward if both countries want to stop the unending cycle of violence & bloodshed across the borders and J&K,” she said.
“We welcome it and hope that the statement will be followed in letter & spirit. JKNC has always been a strong supporter of the Ceasefire along the LoC. This will allow people living along the LoC & IB to go about their normal lives with minimal disruption & risk,” NC said in a statement, which was also tweeted by its vice-president Omar Abdullah.
Hurriyat Conference-led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq welcomed the agreement between armies of India and Pakistan on ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, and said it will provide a huge relief to the “beleaguered” people.
“It is a move in the right direction, which will provide huge relief to the beleaguered people living under constant threat on the LoC and end the bloodshed there,” Mirwaiz said.
The Hurriyat said the governments of India and Pakistan need to address the core concern of Jammu and Kashmir in keeping with the aspirations of its people.
It said that “talks is the best means to address this concern and we have always advocated it”.
India and Pakistan have agreed to strictly observe all agreements on ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) and other sectors, according to a joint statement on Thursday.
The decision on ceasefire, effective since Wednesday midnight, was taken at a meeting between the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan.
“In the interest of achieving mutually beneficial and sustainable peace along the borders, the two DGMOs agreed to address each other”s core issues and concerns which have propensity to disturb peace and lead to violence,” according to the joint statement.
The move comes at a time when the Indian military is largely focused on the standoff with China in Ladakh sector of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), which emerged in the open in May last year, though there has been no let-up in counter-terrorism operations in Jammu and Kashmir.
For the last several months, there has been surge in ceasefire violations along the Line of Control both in Jammu region and in Kashmir. (KINS)
