Welcoming Deputy Chief Minister’s statement regarding opening of LoC routes, Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and its youth organisation Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morhca (BJYM) today appreciated the proposed move.
BJP State Executive Member Mohammad Subhan Jaffary said BJP Kargil welcomes and appreciates this statement of Deputy CM and appeals Government of India and the State government to go ahead with this pro-people step.In its statement, BJP Kargil said, “We think we cannot win the hearts and minds of people of State until we address their demands.”
Reminding about protests, BJP had staged demanding opening of Kargil-Skardu road, Jaffary said, “In Kargil, BJP always supported the long pending demand of opening Kargil-Skardu road for trade and travel.”
“There are thousands of divided families who are not able to meet their relatives and family members since 1947-48 despite zero security threat in the region,” he said.
“We strongly request our coalition government to provide opportunity to the people of Ladakh and Gilgit-Baltistan to meet their relatives, family members and friends as people from both sides of other parts are allowed,” he added.
In a statement, BJYM President Hassan Pasha said that BJYM considers it as welcoming statement and there are long pending demands of the people of entire Jammu and Kashmir especially people of Ladakh region (Leh, Kargil) that need consideration on humanitarian grounds .
Earlier this year in October, Giligit-Baltistan Chief Minister Hafeez ur Rehman had given a statement in border region of Kharmang that they are ready to open Kargil-Skardu road but Government of India was creating obstacles in opening it.
Hafeez ur Rehman had said, “From our (Pakistan) side everything is OK but government of India is creating ruckus.”
Citing Hafeez ur Rehman’s statement, Councilor LAHDC Kargil Zakir Hussain asked government of India to clarify its stand over opening of Kargil –Skardu road.
In his statement, Zakir said, “If Government of India is sincere about the issues of divided families then it should respond to Hafeez ur Rehman’s statement and clarify its stand.”
Former Councilor and member of divided family Aga Syed Rizvi Hardass also welcomed Dy CM’s statement and appealed Governments of India and Pakistan to avoid politics on “divided family issues”.
He said the issue must be dealt as soon as possible on humanitarian grounds.
“Most of the people have died with the hope of meeting their relatives across the LoC,” he added.
