National Conference (NC) Saturday called for an end to skirmishes along the Line of Control (LoC) in Karnah, saying it was the people living along LoC that bear the brunt of escalating tensions in the border region.
A statement of NC issued here said that while expressing concern over the losses incurred by people in Karnah, Member of Parliament Muhammad Akbar Lone and senior NC leaders QaisarJamsheed Lone, Kafilul-ur-Rehman, and SajadShafi (Uri) in a joint statement expressed unison with the affected families and impressed upon the administration to come to their rescue.
“Such skirmishes are no less than a terrible nightmare for the locals. The situation in the forward posts has remained as it is since long, making the lives of locals miserable. However it is for the first time that the spawn of such skirmishes has increased uptoKarnah. A local Masjid and scores of dwellings have incurred heavy losses in the incident leading to widespread distress in the region,” they said in the statement.
The NC statement quoted them as saying that the consequence of the flare-up of tensions was excruciatingly felt by the people who along with their belongings and livestock become cannon fodder of such cross border skirmishes.
“These skirmishes also have a chilling effect on the economic activities of the people, dwelling in border areas and other forward posts as well,” they said in the statement. “Caught between the devil and the deep sea, they aren’t able to manage their household chores and look after their farms.”
They said peace on the border was far more indispensable since any fallout there had its direct impact on the daily lives of the locals.
“Ubiquitous tension on borders besides affecting the economic activities also causes mental trepidation to the elderly and children,” they said in the statement and impressed upon the administration to provide immediate relief to the people whose dwellings had incurred heavy damages due to the incessant cross border shelling. “The damage to the property and livestock of the locals should be assessed without delay and compensated instantaneously.”