Farooq: Declare truce along LoC ahead of Ramzan

Jammu, May 14: Invoking Atal Behari Vajpayee, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, on Sunday, appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to declare a “unilateral truce” along the Indo-Pak border during the holy month of Ramzan.

The “bold” move will show that India wants to have peace and is ready to sit together to resolve the issue, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister told reporters.

“I will appeal (to PM Narendra Modi). Ramzan is approaching. It is just a few days away. It will better if they announce unilateral truce,” Mr Abdullah said here, a day after two persons were killed in heavy shelling by Pakistan along the LoC in Rajouri district.

The NC leader’s statement drew a sharp reaction from the BJP with deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh asking why he was not giving similar advice to Pakistan, which has frequently violated the 2003 Indo-Pak ceasefire along the border and targeted civilian settlements. Asked about the ceasefire violations by Pakistan, Mr Abdullah said that despite the hostile situation in Jammu and Kashmir and on the borders, former PM Vajpayee had announced a unilateral ceasefire against anti-terror operations in the year 2000.

“It has become a serious problem. To resolve this, we have to take decisions. There was a very serious problem... when Atal Behari Vajpayee was PM and he took a bold decision, went to Lahore and announced unilateral ceasefire during the month of Ramzan,” he said.

There was a very serious problem... when Atal Behari Vajpayee was PM and he took a bold decision, went to Lahore and announced unilateral ceasefire during the month of Ramzan

— Farooq Abdullah, NC leader