Mufti Sayeed welcomes Indo-Pak truce along LoC

Srinagar, Sept 23: J&K Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on Monday welcomed the latest agreement between India and Pakistan to exercise restraint and work towards defusing the situation along the Line of Control (LoC).

"I welcome the latest agreement reached between India and Pakistan to maintain peace and tranquillity along the LoC...the move will bring huge respite to the people, who bear the brunt of heavy shelling and firing on the borders," he said.

Describing dialogue as a "sustained and continuous process", Mufti said that expectations of people of both the countries was that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif would meet on the sidelines of the 70th UN General Assembly Session this week, as people were yearning for peace in the region.

"Bilateral talks between the two countries at the highest level will augur well and go a long way in building an atmosphere of peace and stability in the region," Sayeed said.

The Chief Minister expressed hope that the latest truce between the two sides would last and both the countries would be able to resolve all issues amicably.

"There is a mechanism available to settle the differences," Sayeed said, referring to the efficacy of holding talks across the table rather than talking through "the barrel of the gun".

A senior Army officer had said yesterday that both the sides have agreed to follow the tenets of 2003 ceasefire agreement in letter and spirit, after both the nations expressed concern over the safety and security of civilians who become target of the fire from both sides.

PTI