Rana expresses concern over LoC shelling, seeks expeditious completion of community bunkers
Expressing anguish and concern over intermittent and unprovoked shelling from across the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, Provincial President Conference Mr Devender Singh Rana today called for speedy completion of community bunkers and shelter sheds to ensure safety of life and property of the civilians in the forward areas.
“During these grim times of COVID-19, the people along LoC are braving the brunt of Pakistan shelling that has not only created fear psychosis but also caused enormous sufferings to them”, Mr Rana said in an interaction with party functionaries of the Poonch district via video conferencing, organised and hosted by Provincial Youth National Conference Mr Ajaz Jan this morning.
Mr Rana expressed solidarity with the border residents, saying their welfare and wellbeing is responsibility of the entire nation for being frontline defence of the country. He stressed the immediate need of completing bunkers and shelter sheds for their lodging in times of exigencies. The element of security could have been infused among them had the promised shelter sheds and community bunkers been completed timely, he said and lamented over non-fulfillment of commitments made in this regard in recent years.
Mr Rana lauded the valour and fortitude with which the border dwellers were facing the situation, saying they deserved attention and compassion to meet the challenges, which are enormous, keeping in view the damages caused by shelling and loss of life in recent years. He also called for drawing exigency plans in terms of mobile healthcare and evacuation facilities to ensure their transportation to safe areas whenever needed. He also sought a course correction in the strategy for border residents, hoping the administration will realise the gravity of the situation and come forward with a pragmatic roadmap for their safety.
Sharing his assessment of the ground situation in the wake of continuous shelling, the Provincial Youth NC President Mr Ajaz Jan said the people living along the Line of Control were feeling a sense of neglect and deprivation with the administration failing in keeping up the commitments made from time to time.
Mr Jan said the administrative apathy has added to the miseries of the people in terms of defunct utility services, scarce stocks of rations, dilapidated roads, non-functional health institutions and so on. While the shelling from across the border on civilian areas is highly condemnable, the lackadaisical attitude of the administration here too is uninspiring, he added.
Mr Ajaz Jan reminded the administration of the promises made with regard to shelter sheds, bunkers and allotment of five marla plots to enable the residents of vulnerable areas to have something to bank upon during the times of emergencies and said nothing of the sort happened during the past six years. This is unacceptable to the people living along LoC, he maintained.
Prominent among those who participated in the video conferencing included Bagh Hussain Rathore, Acting District President, Ab Ahad Bhatt, Khurshid Shah, Ishaq Khan, Ch soofi Queem, Abdul Ahad Kamrat, Block Presidents, Shamma Shah and others.(KNS)
