Congress team visits Pakistan shelling-hit village in Poonch

Jammu, Aug 21: Ahead of the visit of party vice president Rahul Gandhi to the villages along the Line of Control in Poonch, a Congress delegation today reached out to the villagers affected by shelling from across the border in Balakote sector.

The delegation, led by state chief Gulam Ahmed Mir, included former ministers Sham Lal Sharma, Madan Lal Sharma, Shabir Ahmed Khan and legislators Ravinder Sharma, Mohmmad Akram and Jahangir Mir.

They visited Morah Basooni in Balakote sector in the district, where six persons were killed and several others injured in shelling by Pakistani rangers on August 15, a Congress spokesman said. Besides meeting the affected people, the delegation held interaction with sarpanchs, panchs, and lamberdars.

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to visit the area on August 26 to meet the affected families. Mir condemned Pakistan for unprovoked firing from across the border and expressed deep shock and anguish over the loss of lives.

On its way from Jammu to Balakote, the delegation was welcomed by Congress workers at Sunderbani, Nowshera, Rajouri and Manjakote.

PTI