J&K Cong calls for befitting response against Pakistan

Jammu, Oct 07: A day after an Army JCO was killed in firing from across the Line of Control in Rajouri district, the Jammu and Kashmir unit of Congress on Tuesday condemned Pakistan for frequent ceasefire violations and demanded a "befitting response" to send a clear message to Islamabad.

It also condemned the attack on a CRPF party near Srinagar on Monday that left two jawans dead and three others injured and claimed that the policies of the central government have led to further deterioration in the security situation in the valley.

"The government should give a befitting response to Pakistan's mischief and silence its guns as a lot of our jawans and officers have been martyred in the recent years due to surge in Pakistani shelling (on the LoC and the International Border)," Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma said in a statement here.

Sharma expressed shock over the killing of a junior commissioned officer (JCO), Subedar Sukhdev Singh, in Pakistani firing in Nowshera sector on Monday and condemned Pakistan for its continuous mischief and misadventures on the borders.

"The government of India should send a clear signal to Pakistan to desist from such illegal activities otherwise it would be taught a lesson," the Congress leader said, conveying his sympathies to the bereaved family of the JCO.

He said the party has also expressed shock over the killing of two Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans and injuries to three others in the attack in Kashmir on Monday.

"Such cowardly attacks will not deter the determination of our forces to eliminate the terrorism from the soil of India," Sharma said.

However, he questioned the Centre and the Union Territory administration for the "increased activities" of terrorists in the valley and elsewhere in Jammu and Kashmir during the past few years.

"Although, the Army and security forces, including Jammu and Kashmir police, have been bravely fighting the terrorism but the policies of the central government have led to further deterioration in the situation and rise in the challenge for the forces," he said.