J&K Govt to take up relief for Pak shelling victims with Centre: CM
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said the assessment of damages caused by cross-border shelling by Pakistan is almost complete and his government will take up the issue with the Centre for providing relief to the victims.
“The assessment is almost complete. Reports from two districts are awaited. Once we get them, we will take up the matter with the Government of India and try to prepare a (relief) package,” Abdullah told reporters in Srinagar.
Villages along the Line of Control and International Border witnessed massive shelling from the Pakistan side after India launched strikes inside Pakistan to target terror infrastructure under Operation Sindoor. Pakistan started massive artillery shelling which caused heavy damage to civilian population.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha had earlier this week announced government jobs for the next of kin of those killed in Pakistan’s shelling in Poonch.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister also expressed gratitude for the visits by opposition leaders, including a Trinamool Congress delegation, to the areas affected by Pakistani shelling in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor.
“Rahul Gandhi is visiting Poonch (on Saturday), where he will interact with the victims. I am especially thankful to the Trinamool leaders, who were the first to come. They first went to Poonch and are in Rajouri now. These visits make us feel that there are people standing with us in these difficult times,” Abdullah said.
To another question about the Chief Minister holding meetings with the public, Omar said it was not new. “It’s the duty of the elected government and elected representatives to reach out to people as far as possible, listen to their problems and demands, and try to solve them,” he said.
Brushing aside a question on the BJP claiming that the resolutions passed recently by the National Conference working committee came at the behest of Pakistani spy agency ISI, Abdullah said, “It is okay. Let them say.” The chief minister refused to comment on a chargesheet filed by the CBI against former J&K Governor Satyapal Malik.
The central agency said on Thursday that it has filed a chargesheet against Malik and seven others in connection with alleged corruption in the award of Rs 2,200-crore worth civil works for the Kiru hydropower project in Kishtwar district.
