NC urges Modi govt to engage Pak to end ceasefire violations

Jammu, Jan 9: Urging the Centre to engage Pakistan in a meaningful dialogue for ending ceasefire violations on International Border, National Conference on Friday sought for a viable package to ensure safe shelters for border dwellers.

In a resolution adopted by the party's provincial committee at a high-level meeting, NC also expressed concern over the "delay" in package for flood victims and demanded proactive distribution of relief to them.

"We urge the Centre to engage Pakistan in meaningful dialogue for ending ceasefire violations on IB," NC's provincial president Devender Singh Rana said. The meeting, held to review the party's performance during the just concluded Assembly elections, was chaired by Rana and attended by the senior party functionaries.

"Ceasefire violations and intermittent firing have caused enormous difficulties to hapless people living along the borders, which at times have taken dangerous proportions in terms of loss of life," the resolution said.

Expressing concern over the "continued delay" in the package by Centre for flood-hit people, Rana said the enormous miseries being faced by the affected families during the ongoing acute winter conditions was painful.

The provincial committee also conducted a brainstorming session to analyse the losses NC suffered during elections. NC leaders and senior functionaries gave ground assessment and said the cadres were committed to bounce back.

"There is immense need to synergise the working at ground zero and focus on the policies and programmes of NC, which envisage socio-political empowerment and economic emancipation of the people living in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh," Rana said, adding that the state had to flourish as a single entity.

Any attempt to weaken the bonds between the three regions would meet stiff resistance by National Conference, which represents the collective ethos of the state, he added. In the resolution, NC also expressed full confidence in the leadership of party's president Farooq Abdullah and working president Omar Abdullah.

Rana also hailed Omar's decision to step down as the caretaker chief minister, saying that when they could no way help the people especially the border dwellers and flood victims, it was useless to stay back without any mandate.

"The party feels very strongly that PDP must respect the mandate, particularly when it has unconditional support of National Conference," Rana said.

"Once bestowed the responsibility, PDP cannot continue to play to galleries," he said, adding that NC was concerned over the prolonged stalemate in the government formation.

PTI