Separatists call for restraint, dialogue to end shelling across the LOC

SRINAGAR: Separatist leaders in Kashmir on Monday called for an end to the hostility between India and Pakistan along the Line of Control (LOC), even as around 1,000 people continue to reside in rehabilitation camps in Uri after fleeing their villages due to the continuous shelling from the Pakistani side last week.

After intense shelling and firing on Saturday, the guns have been silent on Sunday and Monday. But villagers are still scared to return to their homes, fearing a resumption of the firing.

In a statement, Syed Ali Shah Geelani — chief of the hardline Hurriyat faction — expressed “serious concern over the escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan due to the rising incidents of cross-line of control firing”.

Geelani has sought UN intervention in addressing the Kashmir issue, saying “it is the main reason for prevailing tensions along border”.

In an another statement, the moderate faction of the Hurriyat — headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq — said the escalation of violence has “caused loss of innocent lives and property on both sides and has forced thousands of people living near the borders to leave their home and hearth and migrate to some safer place”.

It stressed upon “the urgent need to restore dialogue and channels of communication between... India and Pakistan”.

“There is no other way to resolution of issues between the two neighbours except through deliberations and dialogue,” the statement further stated.